I Run A Farm Stand

Some kids sleep in as late as they can. Not me. I’m up as the sun rises most days. That’s because I have a job to do—and I love it! 

I own and run Brayden’s Vegetable Stand in Auburn, Maine. I sell pumpkins, squash, and other fruits and vegetables. I also offer my grandma’s fresh zucchini bread. The best part? I help grow most of the food I sell.

My stand is located at the edge of my grandparents’ farm. I’ve been going there since I was 2, when I’d help my grandpa steer the tractor. Now, 

I can pretty much run the farm on my own! We have about 

100 chickens, 60 pigs, 30 hens, 20 turkeys, and 6 cows. I feed the animals, clean the stalls, and collect eggs.

My favorite part of the farm is my garden. I love planting a tiny seed and watching it grow into a big plant. 

I decided to open a small farm stand in 2020. A year later, I used $7,000 I had saved to buy a bigger stand.

In the summer, I get to the farm early to pick and wash the fruits and veggies I’ll sell that day. Then I set up the stand. During the school year, I open the stand in the morning and set out an honor box where people drop their money.

I think it’s awesome that I can bring so much fresh food to my community. Last fall, I donated 75 pounds of squash and three turkeys to a local seniors group.

I’ve talked to classes at my school about farming and where food comes from. I think some kids think it gets pumped out of a machine in a supermarket! But without farmers, there would be no fresh food. I plan to farm for the rest of my life. I can’t imagine doing anything else!