After a decade of growth at Land’s Sake Farm, Pam Hess steps down

After 10 years at the helm and a century’s worth of upgrades, Land’s Sake Farm Executive Director Pam Hess has bid adieu.

Friday, May 15 marked Hess’ last day at the nonprofit community farm, which, under her tenure, has grown from “a seasonal shack with no power” to a year-round farm stand offering food, education and community to Weston and beyond. 

Land’s Sake was founded in 1980.

“Land’s Sake is a magical place. I have had 10 wonderful years here, and have felt honored and privileged to have spent this time and been here through such a transition. To really bring the farm into this century, to bring more to those people with food insecurity,” Hess said. “It is definitely a bittersweet decision [to leave]. The staff are amazing, the community is amazing and we’re sitting in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever had the privilege of working.”

Miriam Levy, president of Land’s Sake’s board of directors, said Hess has helped build the farm into the expansive community resource it is today.

“It is really hard to see her go. She’s been so integral to the organization for so long … She was really, really committed to the farm, and I think the staff and community really felt it,” Levy said. “We’re so grateful for everything she’s done, and at the same time, we respect and support her decision to move on.”

Transitions were a key focus of Hess’ time at the farm. Alongside the aforementioned shack, Land’s Sake had no electricity, save for an extension cord running from the neighbor’s barn (which couldn’t be used when it rained), no place to store produce, no year-round animals and limited space for education programs. The farm also operated on three-year leases with the town, rather than the 30-year lease Hess and her team secured. Another transition was navigating the pandemic on a farm where produce can’t be planted during a Zoom meeting.

The farm’s education programs have grown in tandem with the infrastructure, as participation rose from 4,000 people per year to 10,000 participants, with 30% of those being free or on scholarships. Food production also multiplied, with output rising from 80,000 to 90,000 pounds of food per year to 200,000 pounds of produce grown and harvested. The farm also donates, at minimum, 30% of the food it grows each year to people experiencing food insecurity.

All of these upgrades, including an increase in year-round staffing from four to 20 people, were aimed at serving people in a sustainable way, according to Hess. 

“What we really did was talk to the community, talk to the staff. And it was really a place to come year-round to enjoy the land with each other, which is Land’s Sake’s mission,” she said. “Now people look at us as the place to get together – ‘What’s happening? Where can I go with my kids? – and we really try to make sure we have stuff for all ages.”

Hess is heading a few towns east to Brookline, where she has been tapped as the Brookline Community Foundation’s new executive director. The foundation describes itself as the “hub of Brookline’s philanthropic and nonprofit communities,” and Hess said her background in nonprofits and connecting folks to resources is a perfect fit.

“The foundation focuses on the 30% of Brookline that lives below the poverty line. I think, just like here, people forget how close  food insecurity or general insecurity is,” Hess said. “I’m really excited to start a new adventure … I’ve supported basically the same population my entire career, and it’s just an opportunity to do it in yet another way.”

Levy said Land’s Sake has engaged with DH Search, a Boston-based search firm specializing in nonprofits and mission-driven organizations, and that search for the next executive director has already started. While the process continues, the board of directors has stepped up “in an expanded capacity to support the team,” and the staff will ensure day-to-day operations run smoothly.

“We have confidence they’ll be able to carry the organization forward. It’s a testament to her leadership that she built such a great team,” Levy said. “We’re looking for someone who will share the commitment to Land’s Sake’s mission … We want to make sure we find someone who is dedicated to that mission and able to build on the foundation that Pam established.”