Young Farmer
I can honestly say that Andrew Orr is quite a remarkable, young man. I have never met a more dedicated, hard-working teenager in my life. I just knew he was the kind of kid that played video games, talked trash with his friends…and maybe took a daring spin down a deserted road in his hometown. No, you won’t find that Andrew Orr in Westport, MA.
Last year Andrew, with the help of the community and several organizations, purchased a 13-acre parcel of land for growing fruits and vegetables for his local farm stand. He had already spent most of his teen years working on a friend’s farm and couldn’t wait to do it for himself. Andrew told me he was fully aware of the realities of his chosen profession, but pressed on saying, “this is what he feels he was born to do.” I got a kick out of watching Andrew plow his field and ready it for planting. He worked so meticulously, riding on his newly-bought tractor, making sure each row had equitable spacing. I practically had to beg him to interview with me. He’s a little camera shy, but he would rather be tending to the land than talking into a microphone.
As a result of being the town’s youngest farmer, Andrew garnered a lot of media coverage, including a nice spot on NBC’s Today Show. The lanky teen was non-plussed about his celebrity status, focusing instead on removing rocks from his plowed land. He talked about the huge learning curve he endured during his first harvest and how he planned on doing things a little differently this time around. We also talked about the financial side of things: how to finance his first tractor, expensive cost of seeds and hiring helping hands.
I tried to find out if there was anything that excited Andrew beyond farming and he really didn’t reveal much. He works the farm with his girlfriend and they sometimes hang out with friends and watch a movie. But that’s about it. Safe to say, he’s not your typical teen, but that’s what makes Andrew such a great farmer. He’s got a lot of support from the community and I think with his strong focus and determination, he’ll become one of the best farmers in this quaint, little town.
Yolanda Vazquez
Last year Andrew, with the help of the community and several organizations, purchased a 13-acre parcel of land for growing fruits and vegetables for his local farm stand. He had already spent most of his teen years working on a friend’s farm and couldn’t wait to do it for himself. Andrew told me he was fully aware of the realities of his chosen profession, but pressed on saying, “this is what he feels he was born to do.” I got a kick out of watching Andrew plow his field and ready it for planting. He worked so meticulously, riding on his newly-bought tractor, making sure each row had equitable spacing. I practically had to beg him to interview with me. He’s a little camera shy, but he would rather be tending to the land than talking into a microphone.
As a result of being the town’s youngest farmer, Andrew garnered a lot of media coverage, including a nice spot on NBC’s Today Show. The lanky teen was non-plussed about his celebrity status, focusing instead on removing rocks from his plowed land. He talked about the huge learning curve he endured during his first harvest and how he planned on doing things a little differently this time around. We also talked about the financial side of things: how to finance his first tractor, expensive cost of seeds and hiring helping hands.
I tried to find out if there was anything that excited Andrew beyond farming and he really didn’t reveal much. He works the farm with his girlfriend and they sometimes hang out with friends and watch a movie. But that’s about it. Safe to say, he’s not your typical teen, but that’s what makes Andrew such a great farmer. He’s got a lot of support from the community and I think with his strong focus and determination, he’ll become one of the best farmers in this quaint, little town.
Yolanda Vazquez
Labels: Massachusetts
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