Meet our staff: Megan and Joanna, work team leaders

Every month, we try to feature a few of our staff members so that folks outside the Gould Farm community can get a sense of who are working here as staff. This month we talked with Megan in the kitchen and Joanna in the bakery.

Megan McDiarmid, Kitchen Work Team Leader

Meg McDiarmid, Kitchen Work Team Leader at Gould Farm, brings extensive experience in culinary arts, hospitality, and animal care. Before joining the Farm, she spent years managing a horse barn and working as a pastry chef.

Meg’s unconventional culinary journey includes a decade in Alaska, where she worked as a chef in a remote eco-lodge and attended culinary school.

A trained Biodynamic CranioSacral therapist, Meg believes in creating safe spaces for healing, both for people and animals. Her personal connection to Gould Farm's mission stems from her brother’s struggles with mental illness.

Now living in Monterey, Meg continues to nurture others through cooking, caring for her horses, and fostering healing environments.

Read her entire bio here.

Joanna Hoyt, Bakery and Roadside Work Team Leader

Joanna Hoyt, Bakery and Roadside Work Team Leader at Gould Farm, finds joy in bread-making and the meaningful connections it fosters. Since joining in May 2023, she has contributed to both the garden and bakery, helping guests build trust and confidence. With a background in intentional communities and refugee support, Joanna brings deep experience in land-based labor and trauma-informed care. She values the Farm’s culture of kindness and the integration of work, mental health, and community.

Beyond her role, Joanna is a writer exploring themes of belief, belonging, and social justice.

Read her entire bio here.