Always worrying about being too strong, or pushy, I thought growing up that trying to influence others was a bad thing. As I continue to delve into Brian Bouchard’s book on high performance habits, I recognize what I did finally learn a ways back, is that influencing others can be a really good attribute. It is involved with being courageous, and being resistant to fear, and making courage a habit. I am recognizing that courage is contagious, and the struggle is necessary to grow to the next step. People (and animals) gravitate toward those who influence with self -assurance and self-control. The authentic person who prioritizes growth in the physical, moral and psychological realm becomes an influencer of true value to others.

Expressing Gratitude this Week

This week we were blessed with a number of volunteers. As our numbers thin a bit and vacations continue for the staff and working shareholders, Clare and I appreciate every volunteer who comes our way. Thursday was a very special morning with Emma, Julian, and Paige in attendance. We were able to plant 5 beds of lettuce to see us through the fall and have an enjoyable conversation throughout. Tuesday saw the arrival of Carlos, who stuck with us throughout the rain.

Carlos came all the way from Framingham

Julian raking

Paige spreading Pro Gro for lettuce planting

Emma is the fastest transplanter that I have ever met!

Videos this week

Beans for sale

Watch on Facebook
Watch on Instagram

Soil prep for lettuce

Watch on Facebook
Watch on Instagram

Basil for sale

Watch on Facebook
Watch on Instagram

Kale for sale

Watch on Facebook
Watch on Instagram

CSA News Week 13

Here is the line up for this week.
Best guess on what will be in your share bags this week

• CSA
  • Lettuce larges only – lettuce is slowing down right now
  • Turnips – the hakurei salad turnips that we have been having off and on
  • Turnip greens – these are tender greens from thinnings of our fall purple top turnips that will come our way
  • Parsley
  • Rutabaga greens – also thinnings for our fall rutabagas – tender and tasty
  • Cucumbers
  • Basil
  • Tulsi
  • Chives
  • Arugula
  • Beans
  • Squash
  • Tomatoes
  • Chard
  • Kale

Working Shareholders Always Welcome

As we move into the significant harvest time needed for the fall, we can still use your help – especially on M, W or F mornings, but also on T and Th if you are interested in planting and weeding/mulching projects. Come join us!

Come Sing with Us

Circle of Song, a chorus that a few of us started 23 years ago, will start up again in on September 14. We meet every Thursday night September – not likely at our house as we are now too large to fit, but somewhere in town. We sing a wide array of music, and it is challenging. And several of us in the group offer extra help for those who feel unsure of their skills. We sing in 4-part harmony, and often in other languages. Contact me to join or discussjulie@mhof.net; 978-257-1192

We had some good eats at Lois and Daivd Wells house last Wednesday!

Lois’s mom and Minnie Isgro, both in their 90’s, enjoy some time together

Podcasts and Zooms of interest

Eat Well, Move Well, Think Well – The Foundation For Longevity with Dr. James Chestnut –
https://theenergyblueprint.com/eat-well-move-well-think-well/?inf_contact_key=f7611b69aa079c12bd6159c90e39cd84ca03494014e15f13387d5174cdcb4731

I like Dr. Chestnut’s “Straight no chasers” (to quote Anna Muhammad) approach to health.

Job Openings at NOFA/Mass

2023 is a big year of growth for NOFA/Mass! With a huge increase in our grant income and programming on climate smart practices, food access, organic transitions, and more, we are actively hiring for several new or expanded positions. Details are available at nofamass.org/jobs, or see summaries below. Please share these listings widely and help us spread the word throughout your networks. A major benefit of working with NOFA/Mass is that our positions are primarily remote, with a flexible, self-directed work schedule. Thanks in advance for forwarding this email!

Administrative Director
Hours: 20-25 hours/week
NOFA/Mass seeks an Administrative Director to help organize and support our operations. This is a supervisory position. The Administrative Director oversees all aspects of the Administrative Department and supports department staff in their responsibilities such as membership, registration, finances, and database management. In addition, the Administrative Director works closely with the Executive Director to manage HR and personnel, supports the Development Department and grant team, and provides overall organizational support…Read More

Assistant Development Director
Hours: 25-32 hours/week
NOFA/Mass seeks an Assistant Development Director or Development Manager to help carry out development activities that directly feed into the NOFA/Mass mission, budget, and strategic goals. This is a key position in the NOFA/Mass Development Department, reporting to the Development Director and receiving guidance from the Executive Director and the Development Committee. This position will be primarily responsible for cultivating and stewarding relationships with donors to drive growth and sustainability of the organization. Secondary responsibilities may include serving as lead on fundraising events and appeals, grant writing and reporting support, and coordinating sponsorship offerings and deliverables…Read More

Conference Coordinator
Hours: 20-25 hours/week
The Conference Coordinator is responsible for organizing the NOFA Summer Conference and the NOFA/Mass Winter Conference. The NOFA Summer Conference is the longest standing NOFA event and serves as its annual flagship gathering. Both conferences feature keynote speakers, dozens of workshops and activities for people of all ages, vendors, and entertainment. The conferences aim to educate on organic agriculture, small-scale farming and homesteading in both rural and urban areas, as well as agricultural justice and food system policy…Read More

Policy Director
Hours: 25-32 hours/week
NOFA/Mass seeks a Policy Director to serve as the face of our grassroots advocacy, organizing primarily at the state and local levels (with some federal work) related to an array of policy issues relevant to organic food, farming, gardening, climate and ecosystem health. The Policy Director leads the NOFA/Mass Policy Department, which includes the Mass. Pollinator Network (MAPN). The Policy Director works closely with the MAPN Coordinator, with regular support from the Senior Policy Advisor and the NOFA/Mass Policy Committee. This position includes: writing action materials, speaking engagements, meetings with legislators and other decision-makers, and coalition organizing. Read More

Time to sign up for the Fall Share

We have 52 shareholders lined up for the fall and at this point are looking to take on a total of 80. Now is a great time to sign up for 4 more weeks of great food. The greens are growing nicely in the fields and we are starting the process of storing the crops like onions, potatoes and winter squash.  This is a large share. What you can’t eat right away you can save for December and January. Enjoy!

Ways to Donate to MHSC

We are now providing 14 summer shares to these folks and only need $1000 more to provide 14 fall shares to the Worcester Community Fridges.

We have an anonymous donor who says,
“Hi! The $1,000 balance on the community fridge fundraising in the newsletter has been gnawing at me. You should feel free to say in the next issue that an anonymous friend of the farm has pledged to match any donations made this month, up to whatever the current balance is.”

Wow, folks, we are coming up on the end of August. Doesn’t someone want to put up some money for fall Community Fridge shares and get your money doubled?

There are a lot of hungry people out there now. And so few of them have access to the kind of highest quality, nutrient dense food that we raise here on the farm. The program run by the Fridge folks by-steps all of the red tape that most food programs encounter. Only 10 more days to make a real difference in some people’s food consumption in Worcester.

If you would like to donate for shares you can make a check out to the Many Hands Sustainability Center and send to 411 Sheldon Road, Bare, MA 01005 or make a donation on line here –

Donate Here today and get your donation matched!

Workshops at MHOF

Two more workshops coming up this fall

Food Preservation with Many Hands Organic Farm
Saturday, September 16, 2023
10 am – 2 pm with pot luck lunch at noon
Many Hands Sustainability Center
411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA
julie@mhof.net
978-257-1192

We preserve hundreds of pounds of food each year enough to fill 7 freezers, 400 mason jars, a root cellar, and cupboards with dried foods. Join us at the height of the food preservation season to preserve our way through the day. We will freeze vegetables, can tomatoes and grape juice, make applesauce, start some lacto-fermented sauerkraut, dry some herbs and garlic and discuss best methods for canning, freezing, drying, lacto-fermenting, and root cellaring. At lunch time we will share a pot luck lunch.

Limit – 20 participants. We now have 11 registrants.

Price for workshop: $50-$100.

Register Here

Watch on Facebook
Watch on Instagram

Hedgerows for Food and Diversity; Agroforestry on Farms and Homesteads
October 7, Jono Neiger to lead; 10-3 with pot luck; $50-$100

Jono came over on Saturday and we did a great dive into what we will cover at the workshop. This will be a great workshop to take a look at how best to incorporate perennials in our farms, gardens and landscapes.

Farm Doin’s

Just two days of full on rain during farm hours this past week! But the forecast says none of the stuff this week upcoming. We will see!

CSA days are packed with picking now as the list of available items gets longer and the green beans continue to pour out their bounty – 5-6 bushels each picking day! But we zipped around and did get 5 beds of lettuce and one of fall Asian greens planted. We started our last seed starts last Tuesday in the greenhouse. We squeezed in some mowing, and started the retying process for our tomatoes – only 3 ½ trellises to go. Add in a lot of preserving of beans and squash and some “drive by weeding” and the week was a wrap.

Squash catch is fun!

Julie

We live in a fungal time!

Quick Links

Buy CSA
Buy meat
CSA pick up information
Contact Julie
Products available right now at the farm
Become a working shareholder
Donate to the MHSC
Links Workshops