volunteering + DESIGN for team farm
Team Farm is a fundraising effort focused on running, on behalf of the Natick Community Organic Farm. It includes an annual Boston Marathon team as well as an annual family-friendly 5k run that began in 2019. I ran the Boston Marathon as a part of Team Farm 3 years from 2014-2016. Many of the Team Farm designs are a collaborative effort with designer Abby Luke.
NCOF is a nonprofit, diversified, organic-certified educational farm located on 30 acres of conservation land in Metrowest Boston. Learn more about the farm and its programming here.
The Boston Athletic Association and the town of Natick distribute bib numbers to local non-profits including NCOF. Team Farm trains tirelessly for the Boston Marathon and raises $4,000+ per person in order to support NCOF educational programming, organic sustainable agriculture, and the preservation of open spaces.
VIRTUAL 5K
Team Farm sunflower 2014
it's go thyme 2016
running the marathon
Training spans about 4.5 months and involves running 30-50 miles per week. Proud to have improved my time by about 5 minutes every single year!
Original t-shirt designs
Designed and printed t-shirts in order to raise the required $4,000 annually. Year 1 featured the sunflower, year 2 is seen above, and 3 featured "It's Go Thyme".
Logo work (2015)
Drew and digitized logos for each campaign, drawing on traditional BAA imagery and farm animals from NCOF.
Can't beet fresh
"Can't Beet Fresh" is our 2017 campaign design. I completed Abby's vision for this graphic by crowding lettering with fruits, vegetables, and black-eyed-susans.
Historic barn lost
In March of 2021, NCOF’s historic 1815 barn burned down, claiming the lives of 2 sows, 1 gilt, and 14 piglets, and destroying the farm’s supplies, tools, hay for the animals, and flower seedlings for the upcoming season. The barn was gone in about 20 minutes. But when it began, recently adopted farm dog Eddy alerted the NCOF caretakers who were able to call fire rescue and save their homes and the rest of the animals on the farm. I felt compelled to thank Eddy through my art. All art and photos belong to me; thanks for understanding.
“It’s impossible to express how much @natickfarm means to my family - we’ve been involved via @pluke26 for nearly 40 years. This week we mourn our historic barn, the lives of so many sows and piglets, and countless hay and tools vital to the farm. If you’d like to donate to contribute to restoration, please search “NCOF Barn Fire Relief Fund” on @gofundme . There are many MANY other ways to get involved, because we’re a Community Organic Farm above all. The spirit of volunteerism, connecting to the land, education for all continues to grow and lives through any fire.
With love,
NCOF kid camper, teen volunteer, farmers market vendor, fundraiser and marathon runner, graphic designer, grower & knitter & pancake lover Steffi”