Both embraced the challenge and started a new life in the Azores. They define Azorean culture as one that is in “transition, where traditionally agriculture and the ocean sustained these islands for 500 years, now we see tourism, we see many foreigners coming here, and we see many changes.”

Cassandra Kolock and Scott Wagner are a couple from the American mainland who decided to embrace Azorean agriculture and culture. They arrived on the island in 2021 and have been working for the community ever since, selling regional products.

Cassandra, a native of New York, grew up surrounded by theater and music, working as a social worker, singer, and actress. Scott is Canadian, but has always had family on both sides of the border. The son of a pilot, he has devoted most of his life to engineering.

In an interview with our newspaper, the couple decided to share a little of their history and their relationship with the Azorean archipelago.

The singer has lived most of her life away from her birthplace, starting in her teens to volunteer and live abroad for months at a time. She has always wanted to discover and learn new languages and cultures. The couple looked at several countries, but Scott rejected most of them. However, he says there are these “small islands in the middle of the North Atlantic called the Azores” that caught his attention.

“My father was an anti-submarine pilot. He would travel to Lajes to refuel and sometimes stay for three days. My father used to tell me these stories,“ said the engineer, who began to dream of visiting the archipelago.

On September 5, 2021, the couple saw their visa approved and had 90 days to move. ”We sold everything or gave it away, brought what we could, and just came,” said Cassandra.

They say they chose the island of São Miguel because of its community and culture. In the beginning, they faced obstacles such as understanding the language and learning about the place. They felt lost, but according to Scott, “The world is so different, people are very different in different places, we can never understand their history until we live and become part of them.”

Both embraced the challenge and started a new life in the Azores. They define Azorean culture as a culture that is in “transition, where traditionally agriculture and the ocean sustained these islands for 500 years, now we see tourism, we see many foreigners coming here, and we see many changes.”

The challenge for this culture, according to the farmers, would be to manage these changes without the community losing its traditions, culture, and values. They bought a farm on this island in São Miguel, but not with the intention of making a profit; the main reason was to preserve a piece of culture and tradition.

They have been in contact with agriculture since they were young, as both their families owned farms. Scott worked in small wineries, doing everything from working with grapes to distribution.

The farm they bought in December 2022 belonged to a family that traditionally sold sweet wine, mulled wine, and brandy. They were loved by the locals, and their acquisition was only possible after a promise was made to the family.

The promise, revealed by Cassandra, was to maintain the farm and not to industrialize or destroy it. The former owner, a 92-year-old man, had already refused six other offers to buy the property, but when he realized how enthusiastic the buyers were about Azorean culture, he decided that they should be the new owners.

The decision to sell regional products was also part of the promise made to the family, who were known for their regional products. They continued to grow grapes because it was “a passion of the former owner’s wife,” Cassandra confirmed.

Cassandra points out that she wants to place the farm in a “trust,” which allows the owner to decide what the site will be used for forever, whether it be a forest or a farm, but in this state, the area can never be developed for anything that has not been decided by the owner.

She is an only child and has no children, which gave rise to her desire to leave a legacy to the community. The actress assures us that she wants the farm to continue to provide food for the region for many years to come.

Today, both work on their farm selling regional products and occasionally at the Graça Market, which has been a very welcoming space for both of them.

Their main concern today is to keep their promise to preserve the space and ensure it for future generations, but this has not been an easy process due to the climate in São Miguel. According to both of them, last April they lost a large number of flowers, trees, and agricultural products.

They intend to find new ways to make the work easier for future generations so that they will want to continue this work while honoring the island’s tradition and the way people have been working. Workshops and a cooking program are also part of their future plans, allowing them to give back to the community.

“This space has a meaning of peace for us, we both had careers that involved high social pressures with people. It’s time to slow down and take a deep breath,” concluded Scott.

“We need to be more connected to the land and the community. We want to prove that two older people can produce food in a way that is good for the planet and the community. We want to donate 10% of our production. This is not charity, it is being part of the community,” concluded Cassandra Kolock.

In Correio dos Açores, Natalino Viveiros-director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.