Page 45 - BusinessWest October 27, 2021

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She’s Continuing an Agricultural Legacy — and Cultivating Her Own By Mark Morris
lizabeth Keen’s journey to becoming a suc- cessful farmer in Western Mass. began in Mexico and Guatemala.
Shortly after graduating from Colorado College, Keen joined an effort by Witness for
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Elizabeth Keen
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Owner, Indian Line Farm
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Peace to work with Guatemalan refugees living in the south of Mexico who were looking to return home.
In the three years she spent with the Guatemalans, Keen saw how their entire subsistence was based on working and growing food. It left a lasting impression.
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“I thought I would return to the states and work for a nonprofit,” she said. “But I also wanted to learn about and understand sustainable agriculture so I could someday return to Guatemala and offer a technical skill to the people looking to go back to their homeland.”
“It was amazing to work with your hands and see the results of your work. The physical strain also made me feel that what I was doing was valuable.”
Upon her return to the U.S., friends who had accompanied Keen on the Central American trip invited her to take part in a 1,000-mile bike tour of New England as a fundraiser for an organization called the Guatemala Accompaniment Project.
During the bike tour, she reconnected with a friend who lived in Great Barrington who knew a farmer in need of apprentices. Keen committed to a year-long apprenticeship at what is known as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm.
Through a CSA farm, the public can support local agriculture by purchasing farm memberships. In return, members are offered a weekly bounty of vegetables, fruits, and herbs. According to the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture, CSAs are a way for the food-buying public to create a relationship with a farm and bring home plenty of healthy produce to boot.
While she did not have previous experience with this type of work, Keen said she fell in love with the physical-labor part of farming.
“It was amazing to work with your hands and see the results of your work,” she said. “The physical strain also made me feel that what I was doing was
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Photo by Leah Martin Photography
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OCTOBER 27, 2021 45
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