Jon arrived to The FARM Institute with a long agricultural career that began on a subsistence farm in northern British Columbia. Coming back to the United States in the early 80’s, he owned and operated a 500 acre diversified farming operation, which including grain and a variety of livestock. For the past 20 years he has worked in animal nutrition businesses in the Midwest, California and internationally.

Jon’s wife, Barbara "Sundy" Smith is a lifelong summer resident and graduated from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. They recently rebuilt a family camp on Seth’s Pond and are looking forward to making the island their permanent home. The Previant-Smith’s have six grown children between them and five grandchildren.

Jon looks forward to building on The FARM Institute's success as a pioneer in farm-based education and locally-grown food is a great opportunity, while becoming a part of the Island's growing group of local farmers.

I joined The FARM Institute in the fall of 2005, and quickly realized that it is an ideal place to work. The farm allows me to work in a place where my beliefs about sustainability and organic life are supported and shared, while at the same time giving me the opportunity to learn tons of new things from some pretty dynamic people (and animals!) My background includes a BSBA in Finance from Ohio State (Go Bucks!), five years as a massage therapist, two years as a professional baker.

After spending five years as the Business Manager at TFI I have moved into a new position as the Development Director.  I enjoy the challenge of mastering something new, and every day on the farm gives me the opportunity to do just that.

Most importantly, The FARM Institute allows me to follow my greatest passion—learning. It is a gift to work with other individuals who share and support my beliefs about caring for the planet.

Sidney Morris spent the first six years of his life on a farm in Pennsylvania. He is now spending his sixties as a farm educator on Martha's Vineyard. In between, he ate sheep in Russia, rescued a chimpanzee in the Congo, taught sailing in Zambia, learned Spanish in Mexico, made a movie in Ecuador, meditated in India, and started two schools on the Vineyard. He has lived on Chappaquiddick for 34 years, raising a family and working as carpenter, photographer, coffee house manager, tractor driver, film editor, community center coordinator, sailboat captain and teacher. As Education Director of the FARM Institute, he is devoted to helping people figure out how to grow good food - happily, efficiently and sustainably.

Hi! I'm Julie Olson and I am the Farm Manager here at The FARM Institute. I have been here for awhile now, working with and learning from the animals and people. I have worn many hats here, first joining the farm as the farmhand and moving on to Livestock Coordinator, Farm/Education Liason, program teacher, and have now settled on Farm Manager. I have fallen in love with the island (growing up on Cape Cod, I never thought that would be possible) as well as The FARM Institute and can see myself sticking around for awhile.

My farming career started when I was a wee youngster helping out at a small feed and grain store in Harwich, MA with an attached farm. Although I was 12, I was often left alone to run the store, tend to the animals and give people the wrong change. Living this farm lifestyle thrilled me and I chose to pursue agriculture in college.

So.....I then spent 4 years at Sterling College in Northern Vermont learning and working on the school farm as well as other farms in the area. Nothing says fun like milking cows at 4am before class in minus-20-degree temperatures. I spent my summers on various farms in various states in various time zones hoping to learn lots about farming and sometimes I did. After graduating in May of 2007 with a Bachelors Degree in Sustainable Agriculture, I traveled far and wide from California to Iceland before realizing the Massachusetts coast was where I belonged.

I am excited about building relationships and partnerships with other Island farmers and families and continuing to acquire knowledge and skills from the experts. Some day I will have a small, horse powered dairy farm that makes it's own ice cream and sells it at an on site ice cream parlor. Some day pigs will probably also fly.

My likes include: cheese, eating cheese, making cheese, thinking about cheese, talking about cheese, bowling, swimming, dancing, karaoke, welding, things that are awesome and free, my dogs Usah and Eli, farming with draft horses and oxen, sledding, ice skating, music, and teaching people about agriculture.

My dislikes include: stickers, crabs, ginger, being left out, runny noses, cornish rock chickens and seafood.

Sara is awesome!