New Beginnings on the Farm

Hi! My name is Margaret Tookey, I am a rising senior Sociology major interning for Welcome Table Farm in Walla Walla. Most of my time on the farm as a field hand intern is spent harvesting, weeding, transplanting and packing orders. However, some of my favorite things about working on the farm have been interacting with the animals.

One moment that was particularly special to me was when I got to spend time with the new born baby goat, Wyatt. We were worried about whether he was getting enough milk from his mom, Q-tip (Wyatt’s mom’s name is indeed Q-tip), so I was assigned the task of staying in the barn with them both to just watch and see if he was getting milk. It was really special to just sit with a being so new to the world. It does not look very pleasant, to be honest—being new to the world. Wyatt was having a hard time figuring out how to get milk from his mom because he was so lanky and tall for a brand new baby goat that he had to crane his neck a lot just to get to the milk. I had to leave after a while of sitting with Wyatt, and was worried about him the whole weekend. When I got back to work on Monday, the first thing I did was ask about him.

Turns out he was fine, and is a thriving baby goat now, hopping around, playing, and getting plenty of milk from Q-tip. I think I’ve felt a bit like a baby goat, doing this internship. I was completely new to farming seven weeks ago, and it has taken a while to get into the groove of days at the farm. Being brand new to something, whether that be to the world as a baby goat, or to the farm as a baby farmer, is hard! But I’ve had a supportive team looking out for me, being patient with me, and helping me along the way. I’ve also learned that it takes a lot of bravery to start something new, and doing so is valuable in itself. Being brave to ask the question when I don’t understand, being brave to do my best, and being brave to learn are all things I will continue to carry with me from this internship.

I’m especially grateful for the Whitman Internship Grant in making this experience possible. I’ve grown in ways I did not expect and have met and connected with people in Walla Walla that I would not have otherwise. The connections I have made and the lessons I have learned will stay with me far longer than the length of this internship and that feels worth the struggle that it can sometimes be to start something new. Aside from the goats, the farm cats, Pinto and Fizzy are always a joy to see and play with on the farm. Here is a picture of me with Pinto. Thanks for reading my blog post! Feel free to stop by the farmers market to say “hi” to the Welcome Table Farm team! Or stop by our farmstand at the farm to grab some produce and say “hi” to the baby pigs. They will always appreciate a few scratches—or some of your compost.