Energy Ignites Talent
“Energy Ignites Talent”
– Connor Carrick
My head is swimming with all the information I took away from the Microbes and Mental Health Summit last week. If you are interested in cutting edge health information, it is a good deal for absolutely no money to listen in to these folks.
The last one I want to share with you regards Carbon 60 as a supplement to good health. In the early 1900’s Buckminster Fuller predicted that this would be found and in early September 1985, a team of scientists discovered a previously unknown pure carbon molecule, C60, which they dubbed buckminsterfullerene. The name was chosen because the geodesic domes of Buckminster Fuller provided a clue that the molecule’s atoms might be arranged in the form of a hollow cage.
Fast forward another decade and Kenneth Swartz, a developer of a metal oxygen fusion reactor who was concerned about dying of radiation sickness, started taking it. I was fascinated by all of the ways in which Swartz improved his health – more energy, and reversal of macular degeneration. Here are a few links to podcasts where you can learn more about this anti-oxidant that deals with super oxides and hydroxyl radicals.
C60 for Improved Bone and Overall Health | Ken Swartz
Kenneth Swartz on The Power of Antioxidants and Carbon 60
Ken Swartz and Reducing Your Toxic Burden With C60
I am turning 70 on Saturday, and I am all about more energy and more talent so that I can continue to enjoy a 45-hour week of farming! So glad to learn about this resource.
Farm Education Materials
I have been meaning to publish this planting schedule for a couple of weeks, but forgot. Please feel free to utilize our planting schedule for central Mass at 1000 feet as it is helpful. Thanks to Clare for putting this together each year.
Greenhouse Seeding 2023
March 8-10(root)- Onions, celeriac
March 20- broccoli (1st)
March 21- (leaf)- Bilko, chard, kohlrabi, Brussels, leeks, pac choi
March 31- Lettuce (2nd), cabbage (1st)
April 17- 19- Lettuce (3rd), basil, tulsi
April 21- peppers, tomatoes, annual flowers, eggplant, Aunt Molly
April 27- cabbage (2nd)
April 28- summer squash, winter squash, cucumbers, melons
May 1 (before lunch)- broccoli (2nd)
May 8- lettuce (4th)
May 24- lettuce (5th)
May 29- cabbage (3rd)
June 1 (before lunch) – lettuce (6th)
June 9- cauliflower
June 19 or 20 (before lunch)- broccoli (3rd)
June 20 (after lunch) and June 21- lettuce (7th), cabbage (4th)
July 5- lettuce (8th)
July 18- lettuce (9th)
July 28- Asian greens and Bilko
August 4- lettuce (10th)
August 15- lettuce (11th)
August 25- lettuce and Asian greens for hoop houses
Field Planting
March 9-10 – replant hoop houses
March 31, after lunch- Oats
April 4,5,6- Onion sets
April 10- Kale, lettuce (1st), better transplanting time than 17th
April 11-13- Peas- 3 trellises in North
April 14 (root)- radish and hakurei turnip, onion sets if earlier too cold
April 17-19- Kale, Collards, lettuce (1st)-if 10th too cold, spinach, Bilko, pac choi
April 24- radish and hakurei turnip
April 26- broccoli (1st)
April 27 and 28- chard, cilantro, kohlrabi, Brussels, lettuce (2nd), cabbage (1st)
May 1 and 2- onions, potatoes
May 15 and 16- lettuce (3rd), leeks
May 18- beans
May 19- carrot, beets, parsnip, scorzonera
May 20(root)- radish, parsley, celery, celeriac, carrots, beets
May 24 and 25(leaf)- leaf TP day, leeks, basil, celery, tulsi, cilantro, dill
May 26 (fruit TP day)-cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, peppers, melons
May 29-31- carrots and beets (2nd), cabbage (2nd).lettuce (4th)
June 2- broccoli (2nd)
June 5- Aunt Molly, eggplant, annual flowers, soybeans
June 16- lettuce (5th)
June 23 (after lunch)- direct seed summer squash, beans (2nd)
June 30- lettuce (6th), cabbage (3rd) or wait until July 18,19; dill
July 6, 7- cauliflower
July 12-14 (Root)- carrots, beets, rutabaga, pruple top turnip
July 17- broccoli (3rd)
July 18,19- lettuce (7th), cabbage (4th)
July 24- radish and hakurei turnip
July 28- cilantro
August 4 (from 10am)- lettuce (8th), spinach
August 14, 15- lettuce (9th), cilantro
August 24- Asian Greens, Bilko
August 28- radish
September 29- plant hoop houses with lettuce and greens
Expressing Gratitude this Week
To Maggie, who found herself not in school this week and by the end of the week was our farm photographer, ace wood hauler, weeder, kitten handler and seedling manager. It is always fantastic to have little children on the farm.
Maggie displaying her farm earnings for the week
Farm Videos From Last Week
It was a prolific week this week in the video department. We are in the process of trying to sign up 1,000 subscribers to our YouTube channel. With that in hand, and with 4,000 hours of viewing, we can then apply to start monetizing our site, which could become a viable income stream for the farm. Right now, we’re at 399 subscribers. Subscribe here.
Enjoy these resources that we put together this week.
Seedlings out to the hoophouse
Watch video on Facebook
Watch video on Instagram
Watch video on YouTube
Lactobacillus ferment
Watch video on Facebook
Watch video on Instagram
Detailed explanation of our lactobacillus ferment
Watch preview video on Facebook
Watch preview video on Instagram
Watch full video on YouTube
Chickens like cottage cheese
Watch video on Facebook
Watch video on Instagram
Pruning a peach tree with management discussion
Watch preview video on Facebook
Watch preview video on Instagram
Watch full video on YouTube
Red raspberry management and pruning
Watch preview video on Facebook
Watch preview video on Instagram
Watch full video on YouTube
Grape Management and pruning
Watch preview video on Facebook
Watch preview video on Instagram
Watch full video on YouTube
Resources from the Outside World
Great talk about the microbiome
Thanks to Rich Longland for this. Microbiome Talk with Dr. Sabine Hazan.
Join Ellen for a Gentle and Effective 7 Day Spring Reset!
Begins April 10th.
This is a 7-Day Whole Foods Detox/Cleanse designed to help you feel better, have more energy, and get rid of nagging inflammation/bloat/heaviness. This will all happen without up giving real food, having to do calorie counting or anything else that is restrictive. We just eat real food in a supportive container for 7 days, and celebrate the transformation together!
This group program runs from Monday, April 10th thru Sunday, April 16th. Pre-Cleanse support begins Wednesday, April 5th!
Early Bird Discount is good through the end of the day, March 30th. https://ellenkittredge.com/7-day-cleanse.php
Seasonal resource guide for vegetables and fruits
Thanks to Leslie for sending this along. Lots of helpful information in here for the folks who don’t know their way around vegetables and fruits.
https://www.seasonalfoodguide.org/
Jobs at NOFA/Mass
NOFA/Mass is hiring for several major positions this spring! Please share these listings widely and help us spread the word through your networks. The NOFA/Mass team is an inspiring mix of soil nerds, passionate activists, and dedicated community leaders – all in all a fantastic group of folks to work with. These positions are primarily remote, with occasional travel within Massachusetts, and the benefit of a flexible, self-directed work schedule. Deadline is 3/31. Thanks in advance for forwarding this information, or visit our Facebook and Instagram pages to share these postings via social media.
While I have your attention, I should mention that our 2023 Summer Conference RFP is open. Send your workshop proposals by April 27th. We look forward to seeing you at the Summer Conference!
-Jocelyn Langer, NOFA/Mass ED
Seeds of Solidarity Workshop
These are FREE, and held live onsite in Orange. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. (They are offered singly, not as a series).
Priority is to North Quabbin and Central MA women18 and over, love to get more young women connected!. Women in nearby communities who would benefit from this opportunity to recharge, renew, and connect with others are welcome to reach out too.
As indicated and after looking over the slate of fabulous topics and presenters, anyone interested should email Deb with their name, town, and 1st and 2nd choice workshops.
Here is the website link with more details:
https://seedsofsolidarity.org/women-healing-women-healing-earth/
-Deb Habib, Seeds of Solidarity
P.S. additional Seeds of Solidarity free and sliding scale workshops and events on gardening and building topics, plus a variety of resources can be found at www.seedsofsolidarity.org
Join the 2023 Summer and Fall CSA
We have 69 shareholders signed up for 2023 (9 new ones this past week) and are looking for about 150 in order to meet budget. Now is a good time to take the leap to upgrade how you eat and how you feel. Sign up today. Information is at the link below.
Thanks for keeping that CSA application investment coming!
Reason Number 2 to Join the CSA
Looking for a great gift idea? Give the gift of good health to a loved one and buy them a share in the MHOF 2023 CSA. Email Julie to work out the details at julie@mhof.net.
Reason #2 to join the CSA
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Working Shareholders Always Welcome
We are able to make the finances work here by working with volunteers who “sing for their supper” so to speak, receiving a large share of produce for their efforts, and undying appreciation and pats on the back. Right now we are taking working shareholders on M and W from 8-12 with lunch, eggs, and applesauce. Come and join us.
Laurie Lentz-Marino
Laurie, a biochemist for 35 years, describes herself as an “overly extroverted and curious person”. She loves to learn and is an omnivorous reader. She came as a volunteer in April ’21 when she was looking to get out of isolation. Working on the farm has granted her the opportunity to meet new people, learn copious novel things, and be out in Nature. Working with invisible molecules and teaching indoors for so many decades, she needed the OUTSIDE!. Laurie loves that every day brings new chores and activities. She has especially enjoyed the opportunity to learn to cook with fresh organic produce and to witness Julie’s magnificent talent and power to manage so many folks at once, capitalize seemingly magically on any resources and that she tailors her job selection to each person. Laurie’s mom grew up on a farm in Missouri. Her mom said she loved it and Laurie feels (knows) there is a kind of spiritual Mom-guidance that led her to find the absolutely astonishing and the ‘ambrosial’, wondrous MHOF.
Ways to Donate to MHSC
Many Hands Sustainability Center – our farm non-profit
Community Fridges
We have been donating food to this elegantly simple project in Worcester whereby four refrigerators are stocked with fresh produce from volunteers, and those in need shop for free at these locations. We have received a few Community Fridges donations this year. We have raised $1,350 so far.
To provide 14 summer shares this year there will be a total need of $6650. The WCF folks will attempt to raise “their” half, and we will raise our half – $3325. Here below is their promotional material. If you would like to donate to us directly, write a check to MHOF. If you would like to donate to them directly, here is the link –
https://opencollective.com/worcestercommunityfridges/projects/csa-fundraiser
Thanks in advance for your generosity.
Workshops at MHOF
Pruning and Managing an Orchard Trees, Grapes and Small Fruit
Saturday, April 1, 2023
10 am – noon followed by potluck lunch
This is a hands-on event. We will supply tools.
Price for workshop: $25-$75. Register here.
Building and Using a Chicken Tractor
Saturday, April 22, 2023
10 am – noon followed by potluck lunch
Many Hands Sustainability Center
411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA
farm@mhof.net
978-257-1192
Pasturing poultry gives your birds access to the extra nutrients only Nature can supply best. Yet how do you protect them from predators out on grass? A well-designed range-house “tractor” offers security from hawks, owls and four-footed varmints.
Each year we raise 500-600 birds in these “tractors” on pasture. Two people feed and water the animals and move their range houses by hand every day to fresh grass. We will be moving some for this workshop presentation, as well as building one so you can get up close and learn how it is done.
Price for workshop – $25-$75. Register here.
Other Upcoming Workshops
- Growing Shiitakes Mushrooms on Logs – Saturday May 13; 10-12 with potluck lunch; $25-$75; Jonathan and Clare to lead
- MHOF vegetable production intensive (all day) – June 10; 10-3 with pot luck lunch; $50-$100; Clare and Julie to lead
- The Permaculture Farm and Agroforestry hedgerows – June 24; 10-3 with pot luck lunch: $50-$100; Jono Neiger to lead
- Cooking with your CSA share – July 22; Clare and Julie to do this one. 10-noon with complimentary lunch; $25-$75
- Food preservation – September 16, Julie, Clare and Jack; 10-2 with pot luck; $50-$100
Register here
Farm Doin’s
We were busy this week! Jonathan and friends are working hard to finish up cutting the trees in the bottom of the west. And then the splitting department takes that wood, splits and stacks it. And special thanks to Stu and Laurie for cleaning all the impacted wood chips from the splitter on Monday.
We took down our crab apple which was on its way out. We will be replacing it with an ironwood tree – need that shade for outside lunches
Lunches have officially moved outdoors – photo by Maggie
Maggie with chicken entourage bringing up a broken sled, cleaning up
Jonathan masterminded the construction of the fermenting barrel for the lactobacillus brew and actualized it with Stu’s help
Under Clare’s leadership we are pruning grapes as fast as we can and accomplished 5 vines this week. We also pruned our juneberries and gooseberries, and made a big dent in our red raspberries too.
Lots of seedlings made their way to the hoophouse this week for the second stage of their lives. Meanwhile we started 42 more boxes of things in the greenhouse – broccoli, Asian greens, leeks and some herbs.
We also called past members from 2018, 2019, and 2020. Nice to connect with customers.
And while Jonathan finished up the grouting in the bathroom and started on the painting, Clare, Leslie, Paula and I washed a bunch of windows, and did some more weeding in hoophouses
Danny and Zoey stopped in to help weed the arugula end of day Friday
Julie
Quick Links
Buy CSA
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CSA pick up information
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Products available right now at the farm
Become a working shareholder
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