This spirit of adaptation has directly shaped the evolution of Cycle to Farms. Because we are currently not actively traveling by bike from farm to farm, we have reimagined our mission, converting our passion for agriculture into more than just documenting farmer stories (which we continue to do). We are now officially offering services in research analysis, digital business development and communication, bridging the gap between our past adventures and acquired skill sets and our current professional path.
Our academic pursuits have provided the intellectual backbone for this new direction. This past May, Aisha completed the first year of her PhD and directly started with a summer internship at the Rockefeller Foundation, she is now gaining momentum in her second. Her journey has already taken her to Kenya for preliminary fieldwork and into the classroom as a Teaching Assistant for Professor Heather Paxson. Helping lead the Food Culture and Politics course has been a profound learning experience, grounding Aisha’s research in the real-world dynamics of how we eat and govern.
While Aisha explored the politics of food, Lukas expanded his horizons through the Climate Visions course at MIT with Professor Gediminas Urbonas. This course opened a completely new world: the intersection of Art and Agriculture. A particular highlight was the hands-on project of building a “compost lasagna”, where Lukas collaborated with architecture and design students to see the soil as a canvas for both ecology and creativity.
This theoretical interest in the land always finds its way back to the soil at Spar Point Farm. Our regular visits to Block Island have become essential, offering a rare chance to “disconnect to reconnect.” Whether we were philosophizing about the future of the farm with our friends Joe, Jose, and Michael, or simply getting our hands involved in one of many projects happening on the farm. It is in sanctuary places like Spar Point Farm where we start thinking about questions such as how regenerative farmers can overcome the financial hurdles they face as they develop their farming businesses.
To address those very hurdles, Lukas recently completed the New England Impact Investing Fellowship. By studying the impact investing ecosystem, he is now prepared to think about and design new applications for financial strategies to support regenerative farmers who are often left behind by traditional systems. This commitment to the local food system has also flourished at MIT, where we’ve been active volunteers with the MIT FARM Club since September. Supporting local farmers by harvesting and preparing for a new season, we have finally found our food and agriculture community on campus (hooray!).
As we look toward the spring semester, the horizon is filled with new adventures. In January, Aisha will travel to Spain for a three-week intensive course on regenerative economies, while Lukas heads to the British Virgin Islands. Having mastered the art of not capsizing at the MIT Sailing Pavilion on the Charles River, he is ready to test his skills in open waters, before returning to begin a course on Sustainable AI.
Yesterday, we opened a fortune cookie that read: “Success comes to those who work hard and are committed.” As we move into the new year, we are taking that message to heart and doubling down on the projects we love.
Looking back makes us even more excited for what is ahead. We wish you a joyous holiday season! May you work hard on what you love, be kind to yourself, and continue to use your imagination.
Warm regards,
Aisha & Lukas
