Emma sat on the large boulder, drawing her knees in close to chase away the morning chill. Although it was the end of July, the valley of Maine’s Swift River stayed damp and cool until almost noon.
Emma looked out across the land and smiled. She loved this place. Her family had farmed here for more than 150 years. Emma’s grandmother told her those had been hard years. Long winters, short summers, and rocky soil made for difficult farming. The last crop had been harvested 50 years ago. Today, the barns were empty. Trees covered the hillside, and the pastures were tall with grass and
