Intern Project Spotlight: Visualizing Local Farm Connections by Kate

A Closer Look at Community

As the Food Sovereignty intern at Pitney Meadows this past summer, I had a front row seat to all of the wonderful ways that the farm interacts with the local community at large, whether that be through Food Sovereignty initiatives, programs in the Community Gardens, product samples and chats exchanged between Farm Stand vendors, or making friends with volunteers and CSA members. As a visual learner and map enthusiast myself, I wanted to create a series of maps to showcase the myriad of relationships between Pitney Meadows’ Food Sovereignty and Farm Stand partners, and all of the ways that we as farmers and members of the Saratoga community are pieces of our local food web.

Food Sovereignty at Pitney Meadows

The intention behind designing the interactive Food Sovereignty map was to create an educational resource that can be used either for information about Pitney Meadows' connections, or as an index of local organizations and their available services. Every point on the map contains information about the organization, involvement with Pitney Meadows’ Food Sovereignty initiatives, and contact information and hours of operation, so community members can interact with the map as a way to learn about what food sovereignty means to Pitney Meadows, or as a guide to find services that may benefit them or their families.

Farming Together at the Farm Stand

The map of our Pitney Meadows Farm Stand vendors is meant to be used as an informational resource displaying the locality of the Farm Stand’s stock, and as an index to be used by consumers and farmers to find wonderful new goods or farms to work with. Especially for those living in more urban areas, it’s easy to forget how close we are to small scale, sustainable farming, and a visual display of where those spaces exist within our communities can reshape how we think of agriculture fitting into an ever-urbanizing landscape. Each point plotted on the map provides information about each farm, their produce, and availability of their goods at the Farm Stand.

A Final Note and Acknowledgements

As our world becomes increasingly individualized, I hope these maps can stand as a reminder that all of our actions and intentions are rooted in our communities. We all benefit from interconnectivity, whether that be on a neighborhood or statewide scale, and taking the time to care for the connections between one another is much like growing a garden – sometimes difficult, always rewarding.

I’d like to thank Food Sovereignty Coordinator Daniel, Farm Stand Supervisor Kendall, and Marketing and Communications Coordinator Cass for sharing resources, advice, and guidance throughout the summer, and an extra special thank you to the rest of the farm team for teaching me a new definition of community.

About Kate, our 2024 Food Sovereignty Intern

A recent Skidmore graduate, Kate earned her degree in Environmental Studies and has spent the past four years learning how food can contribute to the wellbeing of the earth and all of its inhabitants. She is passionate about environmental justice and education, and is eager to connect more deeply to her lifelong local Saratoga community by sharing knowledge, experience, and food. Kate's hobbies include rock climbing, swimming, assorted artistic endeavors, and snacking on carrots straight out of the ground!