Air's Wild Acres
Small goats and small batch cheesemaking on a small farm, all with big laughs.
Category: Excited Scientists
-
It’s not my turn anymore.
Of my many faults as a human, my tendency towards nostalgia is probably one of my traits that annoys me the most. I am so easily sucked into a photo album or an old blog, and can then spend hours, or days even, thinking about whatever experience and how much I miss that particular time…
-
“I’m going to be a good food farmer,” but with the help of my friends
As an extrovert, I thrive on the type of informal exchanges I can have via good conversation with people: the sharing of good ideas and excitement, gaining motivation to continue in fields that can be somewhat daunting at times, getting feedback on how to move forward on a project, etc. Having the opportunity, then,…
-
“Farting around” while embracing joy
The first time I came to central Mexico, I was here for 6 months to complete a portion of my dissertation research at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). As often happens in such situations, I made fast friends with a few colleagues, and we spent quite a bit of time exploring the…
-
Soil, water, and ranch life: new job for the new year.
The first time I ever presented in front of a group of strangers to advocate for agriculture, I was 10. The Alameda County Fair Board of Directors proposed an elimination of the Junior Livestock program at our annual fair, and the leader of my 4-H sheep project asked my mom to allow me to present…
-
Good at everything but dating: on deep connections with place.
In one of the many conversations I’ve had with my dear friend Rachael since arriving in Mexico a few days ago, we were discussing my dating life and that of several of our mutual friends still living in the city. I mentioned a random interaction I had had with a gentleman at a Christmas pub…
-
What are you really excited about?
I just finished the book Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and in so many ways, it was the perfect book to read at the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018. One of the main characters is Nigerian, and spends a good chunk of time in the U.S. before she returns to her home country.…
-
¿Güera, qué vas a llevar?
There’s a word in Mexican Spanish, güera, which is frequently used to address light skinned women like myself. I literally hear it everywhere—at the market, ¿Güera, qué vas a llevar?; at the corner taco stand, ¿Qué más güerita?; when I pay my bills at the convenience store, ¿Güera, todo bien?—all of which more or less…
-
#TheNextBeWhom/WhateverYouWantWhenYouGrowUp
Sometimes I love my job, but sometimes it frustrates me. Not just because science is fucking hard, but because every scientist is subject to a series of outside pressures; pressure to be the best, pressure to do it all, pressure to forget that you like doing anything other than your research… While many of these…
-
Post highlight: Nerds Without Borders!
I went to a conference last week, the World Food Prize, which had a strong theme regarding #WomeninSTEM, and encouraging young students to enter agricultural development. However, I really struggle with that dialogue sometimes, as typically the people discussing those topics are older, very successful, and only talk about the highlights of their careers. As…
-
Do what makes you uncomfortable.
You know, the #distractinglysexy thing is obnoxious, and super lame and all this other business that we already know. There are people who will judge women in every career, be it science or otherwise, and it is frustrating. But, this is not new, and it will probably continue for some time. We know this is…
Air's Wild Acres 