Farewell to Our Friend Tom Mauro

Our dear friend Tom Mauro passed away Monday morning, January 23. Many of you know Tom by face, if not by name, especially the Saturday pickup folks. Tom was devoted to tidying up our unruly farm, and he could often be found with a rake or broom in hand, clearing debris around the pickup tent.

Dan and I met Tom in 2006, while working at the Sophia Garden CSA in Amityville. Though only middle-aged, he had been diagnosed with Parkinsons' Disease, throwing everything into a tailspin for himself, his devoted wife Sharon, and his four children, Jeannette, Eric, Craig, and Gabrielle. Unable to work or drive, Tom had to adjust to the slower pace of his new life. That is what brought him to Sophia Garden. A devoted gardener himself, he found work that suited his interests and speed, and Dan and I (and some of you!) spent countless lunches under the pear trees, philosophizing with Tom about anything and everything. Things changed with the move to Restoration Farm — we got bigger and busier, but Tom found his niche nonetheless. More people joined our community, and more people passed the time philosophizing with Tom, even as Dan and I were scurrying around like chickens.

Tom loved the farm and the community it brought him. We lost a great friend, and we will miss him dearly. I'm sure many of you will mourn his passing as well. But each spring, when the iris emerge in the flower garden, I will be reminded of him. And when the dirt starts piling up shamefully high next to the curb by the pickup tent, I will be reminded, too!

           — Caroline