From Frost to Fruit: First Signs of Life Emerge at the Hartland College Farm
As winter loosens its grip on Rapidan, Virginia, a quiet but meaningful transformation is taking place at the Hartland College Farm. With temperatures rising to a mild 60°F, the first signs of life are emerging from the soil, strawberry plants and other early-season crops, are pushing through the earth to mark the start of a new agricultural season.
The farm is vivid with neat rows of soil now dotted with fresh green sprouts, each one reaching upward toward the light. Interwoven with plant life is the steady activity of the farm animals. A rooster calls across the fields while hens move about the grounds, adding rhythm to the growing landscape. Another biblical promise resonates in this setting: “They that sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5), reminding us that perseverance through difficult seasons yields a harvest of blessing.
This farm work is being led by Tony Fuentes, the Men’s Dean at Hartland and lay pastor in the area. Fuentes’s leadership reflects a commitment not only to agriculture but to the spiritual and practical education of students. The farm serves as a living classroom where lessons in diligence, patience, and stewardship are learned through hands-on experience.
In the coming weeks, guests participating in the Cancer Care and Health to Life programs will have the opportunity to engage in light farm work as part of their healing journey. This hands-on experience not only provides gentle physical activity and time in nature, but fosters a meaningful connection between the Creator nourishing the earth and some of the food freshly harvested from the farm for Wellness Center meals.
The Hartland Farm reflects insights from Ellen G. White who wrote in Christ’s Object Lessons, “The germination of the seed represents the beginning of spiritual life… the growth of the plant is a beautiful figure of Christian growth.” The emergence of these first plants offers more than just a preview of the coming harvest. It is a reminder that growth often begins in seasons that appear cold and unproductive. Yet, under God’s care, life is sustained, and in time, it breaks forth.
As the season progresses, the Hartland College Farm will continue to cultivate both crops and character, nurturing the seeds of health, service, and faith in all who take part in its work.
Article & Photos by Easton Reid, and AI
March 20, 2026, 2:30 P.M.
FARM WORK
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