Amber Waves Farmcast: Growing Better Every Day Through Food, Farming and Community

Over Amber Waves Farmcast: Growing Better Every Day Through Food, Farming and Community

What if farming wasn't just about growing food, but growing community? Join Katie Baldwin and Amanda Merrow co-founders of Amber Waves Farm as they explore the frontier of community farming through weekly conversations with chefs, policy experts, fellow farmers, and curious community members. Whether you're a food enthusiast or aspiring farmer, tune in every Friday for insights that help people, communities and our planet grow better everyday.

EP18 From a Manhattan desk job to managing a 35 acre farm

00:00 Introduction to Amber Waves Farm 00:19 Meet the Hosts: Katie and Amanda 00:36 Interview with Amelia: From Art to Agriculture 02:51 Amelia's Early Influences and Farming Journey 05:38 Discovering Amber Waves and the Farming Community 07:12 Building Bonds and Overcoming Challenges 11:30 The Realities of Farm Work14:06 The Challenges of Farming in Harsh Conditions 14:12 Memorable Moments with the Crew 15:30 The Never-Ending Cycle of Farming Tasks 16:25 The Unique Dynamics of an All-Women Farming Team 18:16 The Importance of Emotional Support and Teamwork 19:43 The Role of Retention and Management Style in Farming 22:52 The Communal Culture of Lunchtime on the Farm 25:44 Diverse Lunchtime Routines and Reflections 26:31 Where to Find More Content Featuring Amelia Amelia turned 30 in a New York City art‑world consulting job and realized she wanted a life that actually matched her values. On company time, she started Googling “farming apprenticeships near me”—and that search led her to Amber Waves, a 35‑acre teaching farm on Eastern Long Island.In this Farmcast episode, Amelia shares how she went from no agricultural experience to becoming a farm manager at Amber Waves, what it felt like to arrive as a 30‑year‑old apprentice, and how hard, physical days in the field forged lifelong friendships. You’ll hear:- How growing up with food‑photographer parents and being surrounded by vegetables planted early seeds of curiosity- The moment she realized that farmers at NYC greenmarkets were “real people with real jobs” she could imagine herself doing- The freezing, windy row‑cover day with Mari that turned into a “May 9th” story they celebrate every year- Why she says farming is mostly “moving things from one place to another over and over and over again”- How an all‑women management team at Amber Waves built a culture of emotional attunement, care, and conflict resolution- What peak‑season lunch really looks like when 22 people share one kitchen and everyone’s running on 4,000 calories and weird snacksThis story also lands as the United Nations prepares to observe **2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer**, highlighting how crucial women are in food systems and how often their contributions go unseen.[[1]]({{https://www.fao.org/woman-farmer-2026/en}})[[2]]({{https://www.fao.org/family-farming/detail/en/c/1682465/}}) Amelia’s experience at Amber Waves shows what happens when women farmers not only grow food, but also grow each other—through mentorship, shared work, and a culture that keeps people on the land.---👉 Learn more about Amber Waves Farm and the apprenticeship program: https://www.amberwavesfarm.org/👉 Support farmer training and local food access: https://amberwavesfarm.networkforgood.com/projects/261881-2025-end-of-year-gift?hid=NTYxNDk4MDc%3D&utm_campaign=dms_email_blast_4325715👉 Subscribe for more stories from women farmers during the International Year of the Woman Farmer: https://www.youtube.com/@amberwavesfarmNY#InternationalYearOfTheWomanFarmer #WomenInAg #AmberWavesFarm #Farmcast #FarmingApprenticeships

9 jan 2026 - 27 min