What did your work during your time at Stony Pond Farm reveal about you as a learner? What did you learn about yourself during the process? 

I think this is a good prompt that will help me to begin to sum up my time in the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund apprenticeship at Stony Pond Farm. My apprenticeship ended 2 weeks ago, so naturally I have been reflecting on the experience, telling friends and family members about it, and thinking about what might be next.

First and foremost, my time in this apprenticeship really allowed me to see that my transition to a career in the culinary arts is the right one for me. I don’t think I had any doubts about that necessarily but it was a nice confirmation of sorts. Back in February 2022, I told my boss, with whom I have a very close relationship, that I would be leaving my current job at the end of next school year (June 2023). I did this both as a way of giving her some advance notice but also in order to make it more real to me and to show myself that I am taking positive, concrete steps toward starting a new career. Similarly, this cheesemaking apprenticeship at Stony Pond Farm further solidified my decision to embark on this new career journey. In addition to school, it was another step forward down this path.

I also learned that I am not too old to make another career change! Given that I am in my mid-40s, it is fair to wonder if I should just stay the course and continue working in the same field. It is normal to think about whether or not I have the drive needed to switch careers, especially to one that can be as physically and sometimes mentally taxing as food service and food prep. But I think I proved to myself during this apprenticeship that I have what it takes. When I think back to my twenties, which is when I was last working in the culinary industry, sure I had more of an ability to rebound from long hours on my feet. But I also was more cavalier about self-care and rest. I would go out with coworkers after an 8-hour shift and stay up until all hours, only to get up a few hours later and work a brunch shift. There is no way I could do that (or want to do it) now, but I saw on the farm that I still have the ability to do physically hard work and still enjoy it. While on the farm, I got up most days at 5:00 am and showed up on time for 6:00 am cheese makes. The hours were long and the work was hard, but I was able to do it! I went to bed early because that is what I needed to do to feel alert and good the next day. I took naps. I stretched. I ordered wrist braces for my carpal tunnel. I took Aleve. This experience got me thinking more about what self-care I might need should I continue down this path as well as what types of jobs and positions might be most feasible for me in terms of my other life responsibilities. Would I be up for a bakery shift that starts at 3:00 am? Would I be able to work the pass or the line four or five times a week? I will continue to ask myself these types of questions and talk to people in the industry to see what different kinds of opportunities are available and might best suit my life.

Another thing I learned is that it is good to have a goal or a framework for learning. I do best when I have a set of objectives or things to work toward. It was helpful to have my City Tech internship course, including the Storytelling prompts and the Read & Reacts, as guides for reflection. With that in mind, I have created a list of recipes that I would like to work on and perfect this fall on my own, outside of class. I think having this list of goals will help me stay on task and motivate me. The desserts in this list include pie crust, lemon meringue pie, tarte tatin, pot de creme, creme brulee, flan and sable crust. Recipes from my Baking & Pastry I class that I would like to continue to work on include choux pastry and puff pastry. Two other items include ravioli and chicken pot pie. 

Finally, something I learned about myself of a more personal nature is that I need time by myself more often. I really enjoyed spending three weeks on my own. It was unbelievably restorative to have my own space and make my own schedule. It was nice to be able to get quiet and be in nature. I think this is something that I need to find a way to do more often, even if only for a few days a year. 

I am sure the lessons I learned at Stony Pond Farm as part of the Anne Saxelby Legacy Fund will continue to surface over the coming months. I will add them to OpenLab as they do.