He Shares His Love of Farming—and His Crops—with Local Schoolchildren
by Brett Leveridge
Michael Hayden (left) and Wendy Harrington (right) sharing fresh vegetables with Washington County, ME school children.
CHERRYFIELD, ME – Guideposts magazine visited our Downeast Campus earlier this year, interviewing Director Wendy Harrington and Michael Hayden. The result? A new story addition to Guideposts’ “collection of slideshows.., inspirational quotes, beautiful photos, and powerful stories of hope.”
The story begins, “A former social worker, Michael Hayden came to love farming while working in a program that helped developmentally disabled adults live and work on a farm alongside other families. “I had never farmed before,” said Michael, “but I learned. And I loved it. I saw how being on the land and eating what grew there nourished people—adults and kids of all ages and abilities.”
[H]e met Wendy Harrington…. She had the idea that the Mission could set up its own farmer’s market.
Wendy asked if [Michael] would be interested in a salaried position that allowed him to visit local schools to talk about his crops and to hand out bags of his produce to the students.