A harvest of hope

Hello,

From photographer Bryan Coppede, these images tell the story of a couple in New York’s Hudson River Valley. The husband immigrated to the US from Senegal with his children, bringing with him his knowledge of traditional rice farming techniques, and together, the family created New York state’s first rice farm. The pandemic scaled this year’s harvest down a bit—it usually includes a traditional rice festival involving family, friends and the community—but even so, they’re still honoring traditions like drumming in the fields. These images remind me of how I’m feeling this week. As we make our way through this challenging year, the autumn of 2020 feels like a harvest of hope. A time to reconnect with traditions. A time to remember how much we still have to be grateful for.

Fondly,

Freda