The Nugget Newspaper // Vol. XLVII No. 35 // 2024-08-28 – Neighbors at Work

Portraits of Sisters – Hannah Joseph

Photo and story by Cody Rheault

It was quite a journey to be where she is today. But Hannah Joseph says landing in Sisters makes perfect sense. As a little girl she wanted to be a farmer. Gardens, food, cooking, the whole process of natural provision intrigued her. A degree in biology and environmental studies from Whitman College springboarded her journey into agriculture. A three-year stint in Thailand teaching students the value of community and environmental integration provided perspective. In 2015, she lived and worked in New York City teaching school children gardening and farming basics. An “edible classroom” as she describes it. In the city, she reinforced her teaching skills. In February 2021, she secured a job at Seed to Table, made the transition to Sisters and hasn’t looked back. Overseeing the educational program, she brings a wide range of experience to the process of food, community, and education. “Food is personal and builds stories,” she says. “I love how the community and food interface, how they connect with each other.” Some days she labors at the laptop writing grants, other days she harvests produce or teaches school students the value of local-grown food. Either way, that young girl, with a farmer’s dream, says she’s right where she wanted to be all along.