On this episode I sit down with Tom Zimmer, who is the Director of the ecology Center, although he calls himself the maintenance man. He and his wife started Calypso Farm twenty five years ago in Ester Alaska, which is a short distance away on the west side of Fairbanks Alaska.
Tom and Susan settled on the concept of an educational farm, as opposed to a for-profit farm. This has been a journey for them both, as they developed the concept of community, educational focus for all ages, developing farmer training programs, youth programs, workshops, indigenous led training with alaska native teachers and the list goes on and on and on.
If you walk on to the farm today, during summer months, you are likely to see lots of young people taking classes, youth camps being run, students on field trips, volunteers working to plant, maintain, harvest, and staff and volunteers assisting to take produce to farmers’ market. and then in Fall months you’ll see workshops being taught in Fiber Arts, Blacksmithing, Woodworking. People invited to attend a sheep shearing event, Spinners and Weavers guild volunteers teaching how to spin yarn and then how to knit. There is a constant hum of activity. Just talking with Tom is exhausting, but one can see the passion that has been guiding this evolution of various activities. It’s very thoughtful, very strategic and involves community.
Tom and Susan are the catalysts that spin ideas into activities and then step out of the way to let people lead the efforts. It’s gratifying to them and engages all members of the communities from interior Alaska.
Take a listen, you will be impressed with what Tom and Susan have done with Calypso. And if you have not been to the farm, you are always welcome.
visit at calypsofarm.org