Introducing Our Washing Captain Candace

It’s time to introduce one of the lovely ladies that work in the production team here at Meadowbrooke. The newly crowned captain of the washing department, Candace “Hank” Varner, began her career at Meadowbrooke Gourds many years ago, fifteen to be exact, working on the farm crew. Happenstance gave her the connection to Ben Bear and the farm, and at the tender age of ten years old, she began working with the crew; planting, pollinating, sorting and bagging gourds which would lead her to where she is now.

Several years ago, there was an opening in the washing department and as the discussion began, the first person Ben thought of was Candace as a natural fit for the job. Shawn was tasked in making the phone call to offer her the position to which Candace replied, “Hell Yes!” And so began her vocation on the production team. Recently she was offered the lead position as Captain of the washing department and even though she loves her job, she still takes time through the year to help out on the farm crew because as she puts it, “I really like it, being outside and working with the crew.”

There is another member of the washing area who often accompanies Candace during her workday and that is her four-footed fuzzy friends, Muggy. Muggy is a very sweet bulldog, rescued from a terrible situation who fell in love with Candace, which if you’ve ever met her, is understandable seeing as how she is a kind, hard-working lady, with an effervescence personality that is really quite endearing.

When Candace isn’t working in the washing department or out in the fields, she spends most of her time with a very close-knit group of friends, and Muggy of course, who likes to camp and play hacky sack. When I asked if she had any other plans for the near future she said with a laugh, “no, it’s all good. I love my job and the people I work with. I’ll be here for a while longer.”