Grow Through What You Go Through: Ahri Morales-Yoon ’28 at the Antioch Farm
Jun 25, 2025
For my first co-op of my study sequence, I chose to continue with the job I’ve had since enrolling- working on the Antioch Farm under Bruce Linebaugh. From the first time I was on campus, I knew I wanted to do a farm co-op. In my life, so little is stationary. My background is in Trans Justice work in Texas, so I’m used to near constant travel and the constant tumult of fighting to exist. As a result, I’m a pretty adaptable person. That being said, slowing down is a real challenge for me, so I knew choosing to stay in Yellow Springs would be its own learning experience. I chose the Farm for a lot of reasons, but the simplest reason is that it feels like an anchor for me in this community. It’s the space where I find meaning in my work and a crucial learning environment for my future goals. Coming from a rural farming community an living in the South, I’ve always been keenly aware about the dire importance of food security to my community and how inaccessible land ownership and agricultural skill building is for us. Sometimes beyond inaccessible, agricultural knowledge can be genuinely unsafe for trans people to pursue. On the Farm, I’m able to learn the skills that I hope I can use to support my communities in creating a more just future.
The Antioch Farm is a leaning hub that offers classes, work, and volunteer opportunities. The produce we grow goes to the Antioch Kitchen, Wellness Center, and Library C-Shop. I enjoy varied work and working with my hands, so the Farm is right up my alley. The work changes from day to day, but most mornings start with watering seedlings or harvesting produce while it’s still cool. On the day to day end, I do whatever is needed depending on the season and weather- watering, weeding, harvesting, washing, processing, seeding, and more. On a higher level, I’m slowly building the skills to someday manage my own land. Through Bruce, I’m able to learn the ins and outs of farming from someone with generational experience and the constant negotiation of best practices for the earth. I’m also able to learn more about the challenges of sustainability and the realities of farm to table. Recently, we’ve even added hens back to the farm, which has been a completely new experience for me.
In a way, I learned the ropes of the Antioch Farm in reverse. I began in the fall, where most of my work was harvesting the produce planted in the spring and summer before I arrived. Over the winter, I moved into a hybrid role that introduced administrative work alongside my regular farm work. This spring, I’ve been able to tie it all together and fall into avery 
comfortable rhythm with my farm work. What began as odd tasks around the Farm has now evolved into participation in grant proposals, creating Farm logs, and helping us promote our produce. At the end of this co-op, I’ll have experienced a full year of farm work throughout the seasons. In a way, it feels as if I’m closing a loop and solidifying the foundational knowledge I’ve been seeking.
Overall, I’ve found a lot of value in this co-op. The work itself is fulfilling and meaningful- the ability to eat a meal from produce I’ve seen from seed to harvest has been wonderful and brought me a lot of joy. In slowing down and staying in one place, I’ve been able to appreciate a lot more. From the small things like watching spring blooms to the larger projects like working on our CSA boxes and farm promotion, being a part of this work has had such a positive impact on me. I often find myself looking forward to the future and imagining how I’ll manage my own land.