Mark and his wife Erin volunteered with The Harvest Fund during the spring of 2020 and provided immeasurable contribution with the production of a custom video explaining the mission and work of The Harvest Fund. You can learn more about Mark and his work via his media portfolio, but also get a glimpse of his behind-the-camera personality with our one-on-one interview with him.

What drew you to The Harvest Fund’s mission?

I wanted to work with the Harvest Fund because I believe in their mission. Providing resources, knowledge and insight to women farmers is such an important cause. Just as impressive is the empowerment that the Harvest Fund helps women farmers gain. I was also drawn to the Harvest Fund because of their lean and nimble approach. They work as a cohesive group, and they bring an energy and vibrancy to their work.

What inspired you the most after learning more about our women farmers?

I am so inspired by the resiliency and determination I see in these women farmers. They work very hard and under difficult conditions, and yet they seem to maintain a good spirit throughout it all. They are a testament to the ability of determined people to survive in even the toughest conditions.

If you were to be a farmer, what would you grow and why?

That’s a tough question for someone who grew up in New York City and now lives in the city of Stamford, Connecticut, USA. Having very little knowledge of farming, I believe I would grow legumes or buckwheat because they can help reduce the world’s dependency on less efficient, less sustainable proteins such as beef.

You’re obviously a very talented video producer so share an insider tip with our audience!

Well, the best tip I can give is that just about everybody already has what they need to shoot a good video: a phone. The cameras on today’s phones are as good as professional cameras were 10 years ago. So with a few low-priced additions such as a tripod with a tripod phone adapter and a digital recorder or cheap lab mic, most people can make excellent videos. And with so many helpful how-to videos found on sites like YouTube and Vimeo, you can easily get tips on framing, recording sound and light editing at no charge.

Wondering how you, like Mark, can join The Harvest Fund's volunteer program? Email us at hello@theharvestfund.org with your resume/CV and tell us about an idea for a volunteer project. We oftentimes have needs for graphic designers, digital marketers, accountants, and Excel modelers. All volunteer roles are remote and can be performed anywhere where you have computer and internet access. Volunteer today to empower a Harvest Fund farmer!