“The task of liberated people is not to scold the world and preach to it, but to delight it back to its senses.” ~Alan Watts
I like to have fun at whatever I do, so I resonate with this statement thoroughly. For sure, it involves stopping the shaming and judging of others, which for me has been a lifelong challenge, but in time and with lots of practice, we can center back on ourselves, and cleaning up our internal narrative (remember, you are always your own best friend), and celebrate our joyfulness (as opposed to our deficiencies). As if by a miracle, the judgment starts to drop away. And then all of a sudden, people want to be near, because it’s fun and they are invigorated by our auras. Though spring has hit us with an extended wintry blast (perhaps winter just woke up and realized that it had missed its opportunity for the past 3 months), the birds are coming back, the light is fully with us, and soon we will be playing in the dirt!
Expressing Gratitude this Week
We have been warm for the past 42 years, not too warm (except when we are canning tomatoes or grape juice in September), but perfectly warm with the quiet and pervasive warmth brought by the sun and our wood cook stove. It has been a really easy winter, but the minute it became spring it has been windy and really cold (though mostly sunny). Thursday was a remarkably cold and windy day that ripped 15 of our 17 tarps free of their hundreds of sand bags. I went out the barn for an errand and was reminded of how cold we were for the 7 years that we lived in our old and drafty house in Dorchester. Thank you sun, thank you woodlot, and thank you Jack, for designing and being the main builder on our warm and comfortable house.
Videos
Tarping on Monday
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Cutting mushroom logs and cleaning up the mushroom yard
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Prepping pond field garden beds for cover crops
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Retarping can be fun – on Friday
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Finally burning our big pile of brush
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Join Our CSA
We have set prices for 2024 and are ready to receive your subscriptions for our summer CSA – running 22 weeks from June 3 – November 1. The fall CSA runs from November 4 – November 25.
Summer CSA:
- Large – $775 – $875; SNAP – $725
- Medium – $575-$675; SNAP – $525
- Small – $450 – $550; SNAP – $425
Why the Sliding Scale? Pay according to your means. It all comes out in the wash, so to speak. Thank you.
On March 23, we have raised $18,850. Our Goal is $80,191. That’s 23.51%. – up 7.16% from last week!
Order your Summer CSA share here
Major thanks to Matt Cali, the owner of Fitness Concepts in Gardner. Jennifer hooked me up to do a talk with Matt at the beginning of a health challenge at his gym last Saturday. He has produced 5 shares this past week and plans to bring in 10 more!
Does anyone belong to a group that would like me to come and talk about the CSA? I am happy to present it to your colleagues, customers or friends.
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Many Hands Make a Farm
Doug Willson was an apprentice here one fall, perhaps it was 1990? He send a sweet letter this week which I excerpt here – “I love the organization of MHMF. It hits everything right on – and not a wasted word. It is so well written and edited. I love the alternating narrative. I hear your voices in every sentence. I’m also so glad Leah nailed expressing a couple of impressions I had experienced as well. The breadth and organization of what you have done with your lives (structured on principles of nature and living thoughtfully all reflected in integration of family, building structures, soil, food, music, theater, writing, community) is of course the biggest thing. . .”
You can buy our book here.
Educational Resources this week
Regenerative Agriculture Podcast Episode 110: Episode 110: Stock Cropping and Regenerative Innovation with Zack Smith
https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/episodes/episode-110-stock-cropping-and-regenerative-innovation-with-zack-smith/
Although I grew up in Illinois, I spent a lot of time with my dad’s family in Iowa, and when I hear an Iowa farmer talk about moving to regenerative systems, I sit up and take notice. This podcast is all about innovation in the world of integrating animal and crop agriculture. Lots of good ideas and hopefulness for a part of the world that moved from small “outdoor” farmers in my youth to corporate “indoor” farmers. Good stuff.
Apheresis – Dr. Isaac Eliaz
https://dreliaz.org/what-is-apheresis-a-deep-dive-into-this-lifesaving-blood-purification-process/?utm_source=campaign&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eliaz_mar24_nl_apheresis&_kx=VHHjDK2XwIHehL2cydis51jg0Z7GwAqMO0uiUaYlYI0.Syeesf Interesting procedure for those with cancer and other significant diseases. Worth a read.
Here is daughter Ellen’s Spring Detox Newsletter –
https://conta.cc/3TKDLQS
And information on her spring cleanse –
7 Day Spring Renewal Cleanse – April 8th thru 14th
This 7-Day Whole Foods Detox/Cleanse is designed to help you feel better, have more energy, and get rid of nagging inflammation/bloat/heaviness.
Are you experiencing any of the following?
– Excess weight around your belly
– Sugar or salt cravings on a regular basis
– Skin blemishes and breakouts
– Can’t think straight or feel like you have brain fog
– Getting a late afternoon energy slump
– Waking up still feeling tired
– Feel like you’ve lost your inner and/or outer glow
I’m excited to be bringing my 15 years of experience supporting 1,000’s of clients through food-based Cleanses, to this Spring’s experience! You are guaranteed to walk away lighter in mind, body and spirit. Here’s the direct link for more info: https://ellenkittredge.com/7-day-cleanse.php
Volunteering at MHOF
Over the past recent weeks we have lost a handful of our working shareholders due to different reasons. As we begin the ramping up of the season, we are particularly looking for volunteers to join us as working shareholders. Starting in April we will add another day – Wednesday, to the days one can volunteer. And when the CSA starts in June, we will particularly need working shareholders on M, W, and F mornings 8-12 (with lunch). For now, volunteers receive a dozen eggs and something from our freezer for your efforts, and starting in June you will receive a large CSA share for your efforts. Come for the community, the exercise, the sun, the camaraderie, the food, the education – you name it. We have so much fun. Be in touch.
Community Fridges
For the fourth year we are hoping to do some co-fundraising with the Worcester Woo Fridge https://www.woofridge.org/ which operates 4 refrigerators around the city for anyone who needs food. We are setting a goal of 16 this year. That is a total of $9760. We now have in hand $2,198.46
We have an anonymous donor who will match our donations $1 for $1 up to $4,880. With what we have in hand, our present goal for donations comes to $2,681.54
Check out this link to find out more about the Community Fridges in Worcester – https://www.woofridge.org/about
You can write a check to MHSC and send it to us at 411 Sheldon Road, Barre, MA 01005 or donate on line here. We are quite enthused about this match this year.
2024 Workshop Series
Here are the next two workshops. You can find the others on the website here – https://mhof.net/events-workshops/
Ayurveda, Yoga, and Seasonal Cooking
Saturday, March 30, 2024
9am-12noon with pot luck lunch
Price: $50 – $100 sliding scale
Presenter: Jennifer Peck
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Navigating the new normal- power equipment and implements on the farm and homestead.
Saturday, May 11, 2024
9am-12noon with pot luck lunch
Price: $50 – $100 sliding scale
Presenter: Dave Petrovick with support from Jonathan Anderson
Jennifer’s Recipe of the Week
Mung Bean and Basmati Rice Pancakes
A couple of weeks ago as part of an Ayurveda cleanse, I made these wonderful version of pancakes with sauteed Spinach.
Anterior Pre-Cingulate Cortex update
Well, I backslid this week a bit. Truth be told, I have had a potty mouth for over 50 years, and my goodness, it takes a bit to change habits. I have decided to up the ante, however, and stop using all of those expletives deleted. I think I detected about 10 altogether this week. Next week we will see if I can cut it in half. Anything you want to stop doing or start doing, and having a hard time of it? Write and we can commiserate!
Farm Doins
It seems that this week involved a lot of tarps! Monday we finished a three day project of getting them all down, and then Friday we put them all back again. March winds are a real thing, and March is in the daily process this week of proving that she can go out like a lion. Today, all the tarps are peacefully in place covered with ice and snow (that will show them!).
Finished right before lunch on Friday
And then there was wood. Elenore and Jim worked like maniacs to cut up our big dead ash, and left just enough for them to finish the job today, hopefully. Meanwhile Yohairo and the guys, and various of our staff made huge progress on splitting up the wood. It is a great project on a cold and windy week. We are under the gun on this one as we will soon be receiving 18 large straw bales at the end of the driveway.
Danny and Stu might have put together the mechanical portion of the sliding door for the alcove backwards, but it is now in place and ready for the door itself to be built
We burned up all of our brush from our stone wall job. We will have to put that aside, but now we are motivated to take on other walls over the fall and winter next year
We cut down and stacked mushroom logs, spread fertilizer (boron and magnesium) in the orchards, and all-day Tuesday was spent hoeing and prepping the pond field garden for cover crops (we put down field peas and oats). Leeks went out to the hoop house, and cabbage, Chinese cabbage and lettuce were planted in the greenhouse.
I sure hope that spring breaks winter’s last hold on her this week!
Julie
Leslie and Harriet
Quick Links
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Links Workshops
Link to buy J and J’s book – Many Hands Make a Farm-
https://www.chelseagreen.com/product/many-hands-make-a-farm/
