Pam Hess
Executive Director
Pam has more than 20 years of experience in conservation and environmental education management, non-profit management, and strategic planning. She has a passion for the outdoors, which she attributes to spending most of her early days "outside running around exploring" and working on a farm in Pennsylvania. For 13 years, Pam was the Director of Youth Engagement and Education for the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). Before joining AMC, Pam served as a refuge manager and outreach specialist for over a decade with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Most recently, Pam was Executive Director of Healthy Waltham. Pam holds a B.S. in Wildlife Biology from the University of Vermont and a M.S. in Environmental Education from the University of Wisconsin.
Erik Baum
Farm & Forestry Manager
Erik was born and raised in Eastern Massachusetts, and has been farming since he was 16. He has worked at Lindentree, Land’s Sake, Heirloom Harvest, Mainstone Farm, and most recently left his own farming operation, Three Oak Farm, to join us once again at Land’s Sake as Farm Manager. He has experience in all aspects of farming including livestock, vegetable production, forestry, and maple sugaring. Erik has a self-admitted, “unhealthy” obsession with growing hot peppers and a soft spot for antique tractors. In his spare time Erik can be found fishing, reading, canning hot sauce (made with all those hot peppers), or driving his red pickup truck.
Sara Rostampour
Assistant Farm Manager
Sara promoted vegetables as a nutrition educator for several years with Spanish-speaking families in Minneapolis before moving to the northeast to start farming. While she is a great fan of all vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers, she has been delighted to integrate the bountiful New England turnip harvest into her diet. As a native Minnesotan who frequently commutes by bicycle, she appreciates Boston's relatively mild winters and is looking forward to a long, warm growing season.
Emma Chinitz
Assistant Grower & Maple Producer
Emma "Chinz" Chinitz had no idea that the delicious New England maple syrup she voraciously consumed with Sunday waffles while growing up was setting the stage for her future as Master Maple Producer at Land's Sake. Not only does Chinz guard the tapping, collecting, boiling, and bottling of our syrupy perfection, she also lets it fill her veins to prepare her body of medium-grade steel for the upcoming farming season. As an aficionado of fine specialty vegetables such as "Treviso" radicchio and the feathery finocchio, Chinz is also pleased to be entering her third season of growing. She enjoys being part of a formidable farm crew, in particular, being one half of an inseparable dynamic duo, the “Chinz Twinz,” along with her farming and forestry partner in crime Hannah “Hammock” Degner. She forms the metaphorical heart of the farm, binding the crew together, and keeping everyone in check.
Hannah Degner
Assistant Grower & Maple Producer
Hannah "Hammock" Degner was born in Houston, TX at the dawn of NAFTA agricultural trade reforms, which dislocated millions of Mexican agricultural workers and continued the swallowing up of American small farms by mega agribusinesses. While not directly affected by this breakdown of the American (and Mexican) dream, it set the stage for Hammock's current role as assistant to the forestry coordinator and esteemed farm "Grower." Personal interests include striped shirts, gathering free tote bags, and avoiding over-caffeination. She strives every day to be neither too hot, nor too cold. Hammock is especially excited to set up irrigation for this year's impending extreme drought (or extreme wet/disease conditions; could go either way).
Marga Hutcheson
Administrative Coordinator
Growing up in Weston, Marga enjoyed participating in GreenPower and walking in conservation land. She has a B.A. in Religion and Environmental Studies from Mount Holyoke College. Her first job after college was making concertinas at the Button Box in Sunderland, MA; she then went on to work at several non-profits, all with a gardening and community development bent. In 2015, she received a M.A. in Urban and Environmental Planning and Policy at Tufts University. She is happy to have recently moved back to Weston and loves her ten minute walking commute through the woods to the Land’s Sake offices at the Melone House! On the weekends she enjoys running, knitting and sewing, as well as making bread, pickles, and yogurt.
Anna Cohen
Education Manager
Anna grew up in Massachusetts, spending as much time outdoors as possible and tending to the flowers and vegetables in her garden. She attended The Evergreen State College where she studied education and agricultural science, earning her Bachelor of Science. After graduating, she worked at an elementary school in Oakland, CA, where she started a school garden with her second grade after school class. She moved back to Boston to attend Lesley University and graduated with a Master of Education in 2014. Anna is happiest when connecting people with nature. She is committed to working towards a healthier, greener future and is thrilled to be able to help inspire the next generation to love vegetables, community, and the Earth. Anna also works as an herbalist after having studied the beneficial uses of local plants.
Katie Metzger
Education Coordinator
Katie is descended from generations of midwestern farmers and has been fascinated with the natural world practically since birth. Her passion for the outdoors has driven many of her most defining life experiences, from studying wildlife ecology in Ecuador to teaching natural history for seven summers on Cape Cod to earning her master’s degree in Outdoor Education from the University of Edinburgh. She first became involved in the world of farming while teaching at a city farm in Scotland. After returning to the U.S. and working the 2016 season as a beginning farmer in Lincoln, Katie is so excited to combine all of her experiences into this one amazing job at Land’s Sake.
Deena (Dee) Kanopkin
Farmstand Manager
Deena Kanopkin, or “Dee” as she is called by staff and friends, recently joined Land’s Sake as the Farmstand Manager. Previously, Dee worked as the flower manager at Natick Community Farm. In this position, she developed passion and skill in flower farming and arranging. Dee loves to cook and is excited to exchange recipes with those who visit the farmstand.
Margaret LeLacheur
Development Associate
Margaret hails from the Greater Boston area, where she has always enjoyed spending as much time outside as possible. In 2016, she received her B.A. in Anthropology from Wheaton College in Norton, MA. Her interest in farming and sustainability took off when she spent a month in rural Tanzania, conducting research on environmental change and its effects on agricultural communities at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro. As a vegetarian, Margaret is very excited to start trying some vegetables grown at Land’s Sake that she’s never even heard of! When not at work, she can be found walking dogs all over Boston or enjoying a good book.