Natural abundance
May 19, 2025
Natural abundance
Justin and I were planting flower boxes and talking about life and its marvels on Friday on the top deck of the house. I mentioned to him that though I don’t have any flower boxes in my cultural history, for some reason at the age of 24 as a young mother, it seemed really important to me to have them on our house. Jack obliged me and installed them on our house in Dorchester. Later, he built them into our passive solar shade-decks here in Barre in 1982. About 25-30 years later, when Chuk rebuilt the decks, he obliged his mother and put in even nicer boxes with metal liners. For several months of the year, it is so enjoyable to look out the front windows and see a profusion of petunias (with a few other specimens interspersed) and enjoy.
For many years now, I have been impressed by the fact that I don’t really need to plant the 19 boxes but merely extract the possibly 5000 petunia plants that have self-sown, give away as many as possible, and transplant back in a few hundred to keep the succession going.
Friday, Marissa and Drew were over in the pond field working and I hollered from the top deck to ask if they wanted some petunias. Marissa came right over and grabbed a few. All of a sudden, I realized that Jack and I had reached a goal of being able to share a life of agricultural abundance with others in a very accessible way.
Those petunias reminded me that there is always profusion in nature. All we have to do is emulate her behaviors in order to access that richness in our daily lives.
Expressing Gratitude This Week
A couple of years ago, we hired Danny to be our head carpenter. He accomplishes this in a mere one day of work per week, and he, with the help of his trusty sidekick Stu, has brought us a number of upgrades that make our lives easier across the farm.
It was he who came up with the idea of building a nice set of stairs into our loading dock on the east side of the barn. A long time ago, when we built the barn, we put this loading dock on for when we had to load our cows into a truck. This entrance, about 36” or so off the ground, is also an entrance for access from our washing table to our walk-in cooler. We had a temporary step-up system in place for several years, but it was never easy to get the produce into the barn and the walk-in.
Danny and Stu built a beautiful set of stairs, pictured here, but what really struck me this week is Danny’s attention to really making the washing area convenient for us. We use a lot of water there at our washing table, and it gets mired in mud. After putting in a nice drainage area under the stairs, with Jack’s design help, Danny took it one further and decided to put a drainage system under the washing table. He sent us elaborate plans for an elegant system that will have paving stones instead of the mud that we have lived with for years.
I have known Danny since 1978 when we were doing community organizing together in Somerville, and then Jack and I rekindled our relationship with him and Paula 4 years ago when they moved out here and found our farm. Thank you, Danny, for your executive approach to your work here!
Many Hands Sustainability Center – Supporting Food Sovereignty
We are working toward a $2000 account to provide food to the Barre Food Pantry twice per week. Thanks to William for his monthly donation this week for bringing us down to a total need of $635.
Should you want to support this new venture, you can donate here.
2025 MHOF CSA
We brought in 25 shares this week. 20 of them came from Tri-Valley, Inc in Dudley who will be providing shares for veterans in the Central Mass area. Thanks to these folks who have put their faith in our farm.
Now it is only 2 more weeks until the CSA starts – the week of June 2. If you are planning to join, it would make us extremely happy if you would join by Friday, May 30, so we can get all the bags and tags, and minutia of running the CSA in order. Truth be told, we will continue to take shares after it starts until spaces run out, but the administrative burden of late subscription is greater.
Vegetable Foci for This Week – What was in your CSA bag?
Corn, dill, eggplant, and flowers are on the list today. I just looked at my list and realized that I need to speed things up a bit. This week, all four of these crops listed are definitely not staples (unless you order a flower share).
We can’t provide copious amounts of corn for you as it takes up too much space, but we are happy to share it for 2 or so weeks each year. Corn is a marvelous crop for us because it is an intense soil builder. It puts on a lot of mass, is easy to cover crop underneath (providing us with much biological diversity), and is just so tasty when the butter runs down your chin. Your best bet to get it off-season is to show up here for lunch in the winter, as we freeze a bunch of it, side ears and smaller ears, after we have passed it out to the CSA.
Dill is another crop that is an herb that we give out about 4 times per year. It is a strongly flavored herb that many folks don’t know that well, but when I looked it up, I found some amazing facts.
The antimicrobial properties of dill oil have been well-documented; it exhibits significant activity against various bacteria and fungi, including strains of Campylobacter and Aspergillus. This antimicrobial potency is attributed largely to the high concentrations of carvone and limonene within the essential oil, which disrupt pathogen cell membranes. Such characteristics underscore the potential for dill as a natural preservative in food products, where it can enhance safety and extend shelf life.
Beyond its antimicrobial properties, dill has shown promise in alleviating various health issues. Research indicates its efficacy in treating gastrointestinal disturbances, acting as a diuretic, and having antispasmodic properties. Furthermore, dill is being explored for its antioxidant capabilities, with extracts demonstrating the potential to protect against oxidative damage and modulate inflammatory responses. Studies in animal models have illustrated improvements in biochemical parameters related to liver health and lipid levels upon dill consumption.
Moreover, dill’s nutritional value is considerable; it is a source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, potassium, and calcium, alongside phytochemicals such as flavonoids and phenolic compounds. These constituents contribute to dill’s reputation as a functional food, enhancing not only flavor but also health benefits in dietetics.
Eggplant has, for some reason, been my nemesis as a farmer. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that my mom never grew it, and I just didn’t know it as a kid. It stars in Middle Eastern cuisine and is distinct in its looks and also its flavor. This will be a minor addition to the CSA. Here are some fun facts.
Eggplant, scientifically known as Solanum melongena, is a vegetable rich in various phytochemicals and possesses several properties that contribute to its popularity in culinary and health applications. One of the notable features of eggplant is its concentration of polyphenols and antioxidants, particularly chlorogenic acid, which exhibits significant antioxidant activity. This activity is associated with various health benefits, including protection against oxidative stress-related diseases. Studies have shown that eggplant has a high antioxidant capacity among commonly consumed vegetables, which may help in preventing degenerative conditions such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
A distinctive aspect of eggplant is its diverse pigmentation; while the most common varieties are purple and white, the purple variant generally contains higher levels of anthocyanins—compounds known for their antioxidant properties as well as their role in reducing oxidative stress. Different colors of eggplants indeed exhibit varying nutritional and health-promoting qualities. Research indicates that white and green eggplants possess significant amounts of phenolic compounds, contributing to health benefits.
Additionally, eggplants are low in calories and high in moisture, making them a dietary staple for those managing weight. This nutritional profile renders eggplants suitable for vegetarian and health-conscious diets. They are also rich in soluble fiber, which aids digestion and may help manage blood cholesterol levels. Moreover, eggplants contain unique compounds such as glycoalkaloids, studied for their potential therapeutic properties, including anti-cancer effects.
Flowers – we promise 10 weeks of flowers for those who sign up for a flower share, but last year gave out flowers over 14 weeks. At $125 per share, I frankly think it is a steal. We give out 25 stems per bunch and will put them right in your bag with your food share. Sorry, no flower shares as a separate item – you must be a full-time shareholder.
Jim and Justin Finishing Up the Tomato Trellises in the Blue House
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Volunteering at MHOF
We are always looking for working shareholders in exchange for a large produce share for the season, or when you can make it for a share that day: M, T, W, F from 8-12 with lunch at noon and/or breakfast at 7:30, or Saturday starting with breakfast at 7 and working until 9:30 am.
On Saturdays, we are a bit thin on help right now. Reach out if you would like to spend your Saturday mornings on the farm, away from the usual bustle.
Yesterday we hosted Natasha and Mali for the first time – Mali originally from Sri Lanka. We had a good time planting some black raspberries and grapes.
Natasha watering the chickens
Mali watering in the black raspberries
Jennifer’s Recipe for the Week: Lemon-Tahini Harmony Bowl
The Lemon-Tahini Harmony Bowl brings together tridoshic ingredients that are particularly balancing for Pitta and Vata doshas. Quinoa and chickpeas offer grounding and sustaining energy, making this bowl nourishing yet light. Cooling elements like cucumber, spinach, and artichoke hearts gently cleanse the liver and support Pitta balance. Edamame adds protein and a slightly astringent quality, beneficial for Kapha and Vata in moderation. The tahini-lemon drizzle adds unctuousness, which calms Vata, while the lemon-apple cider vinegar dressing stimulates digestive fire (agni) without aggravating Pitta. Pine nuts add a sweet and slightly oily touch to round out the six tastes and offer a satisfying finish. Ideal during warm months or after a period of indulgence.
Get the Recipe at Jen Zen Living
A Shoutout for Fedco
I have been buying from Fedco Seed Cooperative for over 40 years, and started working for NOFA right around when CR Lawn and friends started Fedco. CR has retired, yet the folks at Fedco are still putting out incredible products. I have been particularly impressed with the trees and bushes this year, having bought 12 blueberries, 10 black raspberries, 12 fruit trees, and 7 grapes this year. As I have shopped around for these plants from a number of places over the years, I want to shout out to them as doing a superior job. Kudos to John Bunker and many other folks at Fedco Seeds, Trees, Potatoes and Onions and flowers.
Natasha shows off the incredible root system on this bluebell grape that we planted on Saturday
Farm Doin’s
It was a good week on the farm. I am still in a place of a bit of incredulity over the fact that we are on time with everything, and we are now officially in the second half of May. The water receded from the fields Sunday and Monday with mortal damage to some of the brassicas, but everyone else seemed to weather the storm. I am grateful for our extremely rich organic matter.
We had another bear incident over the weekend. Stu and Danny repaired and Fort Knoxed the rangehouse. Dingo had been the guy on the chain that night, and slipped his collar. Skippy has been taking it for the team ever since.
Stu and Danny finished the stairs to the east side of the barn and are now onto fixing up around the washing table, where we spend so many hours in the summer.
Justin and the Stetson folks almost finished the wood splitting and stacking. Just another half hour or so to go.
We finished up weeding and then mulching the peas, after adding a few seeds here and there where there were misses. These peas have been through hell already, and it is only May. First, a couple of snowstorms, then lots of water. Thankfully, Dan is back from all over the world and came and did some of his miracle water management, so the excess water in the west field is now running off away from the vegetable area.
Matt, our gravel guy, finished the entrance to the annex this week, and now we can drive up there without taking out an axle!
We prepped and planted another bed (bush beans) in the front of the north field. CSA members might remember that after an unending supply of beans in 2023, there were none in 2024. We are certain of a good harvest this year. Prior to planting beds now, we are not only putting down our transplant drench, but also some of our soil primer, to supercharge the neighborhood for quick germination and fast microbial-assisted root development. n the back of the north, we knocked out two beds and planted our Brussels sprouts.
Over two days, we did a lot of work in the south, weeding and mulching 3 beds of our set onions, 2 beds of lettuce, weeding and some replanting in our spinach bed, weeding and filling in cabbage bed holes with some fennel that Pete brought us, and weeding the kohlrabi. We also planted a bed of broccoli and one of cauliflower – nice starts. We also weeded and mulched the chard.
Starting the process Tuesday morning
Kudos to my conscience, Nick, who pushes on the mulching even when we don’t feel like it
At work mulching the chard
Loading hay can be really fun
Our victorious girl team after finishing 10 beds in the south field – Devra, Amanda, Paula and Marissa – Wednesday afternoon
Many of the young brassicas took the rain hit – cabbage, the Asian greens, and some of the kohlrabi. Sorry that there will be no early Asians this year, and cabbage will be sparse for the first planting, but we are doubling up on cabbage on our next transplant.
We weeded and later mowed the house blueberry patch, a place of historical trouble with bishops weed, and then cleaned up the annex blueberries, where the bushes look amazing. We also accomplished weeding and mowing around the hardy kiwi, a new first.
On Friday, Jim and Justin finished up the tomato trellises in the hoophouses, and Jim mowed the annex with the tractor mower- our first foray into hay for the season. Justin and I finished planting the flower boxes and got a start on the hemp renovation project. The pigs spread the hemp seeds nicely last year so that we have hundreds of plants at the bottom of the west. If you would like some, they will be around, waiting for you in the ground until we clear them out in a week or two.
Jim mowing in annex
Julie
Buds on male hardy kiwi
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