This spring-like weather in January is getting my wheels turning in a way that doesn't normally happen until late February or March but I am finding that the promise of a new growing season is a much needed mental break from the ever moving forward wheel of time. Despite the uncertainty of our weather patterns, gardeners everywhere are ordering their seeds and plotting out their best gardens yet.
The last few years have been a time of reflection for many, myself included, on how we want to live our lives in harmony with our truest selves. For me, this means finding ways to balance taking care of myself and taking care of others, and as always this comes down to food. Last night, while organizing my pantry and purging expired and flavorless spices and the random products that had made their way to the back corners, I realized how much pleasure I have taken in stripping down my life to the essentials. What still remains is a love for food and the soil that is needed to grow it. This magical cycle will start again in only a few weeks when the first seeds start to emerge. Gardening can get complicated with fancy tools and equipment, greenhouses, trellises, and irrigation, but in reality if you have a little bit of soil and some seeds you are well on your way to witnessing a microcosm of the universe. Seeing my pantry organized with just the things I need and use was the hit of dopamine I needed. While cooking a soup recently with some bok choi, I got a little excited to grow one again this spring. What used to feel like kind of a pain to grow because it will bolt before I can get it in a CSA box, I could suddenly see it in my minds eye as a green-glowing jewel of the soil that is so fast growing, juicy and nutrient-packed it could save the world (or at least my world). Looking at the produce in a new way is one of the gifts of taking a break from the CSA, even if I miss the hustle of it all. We live in a world where there just isn't enough time to even cook dinner, let alone grow a bok choi that might turn bitter before you even harvest it. In a world like that, it is truly revolutionary to slow down enough to observe the seasons and grow a garden. If you started a garden the last few years and it didn't produce the bounty you envisioned, keep going! Don't give up! This could be the year your soil ecosystem stabilizes and you finally see some wins. Don't turn bitter like the bok choi past its prime! Seize the moment and stop to notice the green-glow of spring, even just in your minds eye for now.
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“If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten years, plant trees; if in terms of 100 years, teach the people.” -Confucius
This quote from the Chinese philosopher Confucius has been on my mind these past couple of weeks as I continue to balance the work of planting annual flowers and vegetables, increasing the number of edible and pollinator-friendly perennials at the farm, all while finishing up the school year substitute teaching at Buffalo High School and Middle School. This cool spring has allowed me to spend more time in the classroom while still keeping up with the responsibilities of the farm. This has been my first school year substitute teaching and I am finding that subbing and farming make a wonderful combination for me. On a basic level, the seasonal nature of both vocations work out well, and being in the classroom is mentally stimulating while providing a break from the physical aspect of farming. I have also come to realize that the unpredictable and chaotic nature of farming has really prepared me for the demands of the classroom. Much like raising bees or chickens or soil organisms, the best way to achieve a desired behavior from the group is to make small adjustments to the environment that ensure there are adequate resources, provide incentives for a desired outcome, and using awareness to anticipate a problem before it happens, all while permitting a productive amount of chaos. And of course if you can get past the frustration of the inevitable undesired outcomes, the productive chaos often times results in surprising and delightful moments. The bottom line is-- these young people need adults more than ever right now to step up and figure out how to leave the world in a better place than we have come to find it by challenging the structures keeping us in unproductive cycles. Of course, after a day spent with hundreds of different students there is no better respite than the greenhouse and gardens, and my privilege to return home every day to this healing space is not lost on me. As the school year comes to a close and my focus can be directed solely to the farm, I am excited about how the season is unfolding. The mix of farm offerings I am creating will hopefully speak to our need for everyday simple pleasures which could be the antidote to the struggles and exhaustions many of us are experiencing. From a refreshing botanical hydrosol mist to a crisp dill pickle, plus the chance to learn how to make things yourself, this season for me is all about healing ourselves and our community through creative expression, and I look forward to sharing the results with you. The first farm store will be Wednesday June 8th from 3pm-7pm and I will have available eggs, spring produce, dry herbal goods, plants, and maybe more. I hope to see you there! Farm store appointments are not required, but it is always helpful to let me know if you think you will be stopping by so I can plan accordingly! The best way to contact me is via email: [email protected], or via text at (612) 810-7497. Are you planning to be at the opening day of the farm store? You can also comment below! Sincerely, Sarah One thing I have learned over the years is that farming is a marathon, not a sprint. Early on, my tendency was to always be looking forward to the completion of the next thing-- when the seeds are started, when the fields are planted, when it's time to harvest, always striving for some future point in time where I would feel like I've accomplished something and I can finally breathe easy or take a break.
Well, in reality there is no beginning or end, just a cyclical continuation of time where the same activities come and go from year to year, each time an opportunity to take a new approach and build off of the last time that thing came around. I start almost all of my seeds using soil blocks instead of the typical plastic cells. The first thing I bought when I got to the farm was a soil block maker-- a hand held tool that I use to stamp out cubes of soil with an indent in the top where you place the seed. There is no plastic separation between the blocks-- just a small gap with some air flow that prevents the roots from getting bound up. The soil blocks make for happy and healthy plant starts that don't need to be popped out of a tray at planting time. When my bulk order of potting mix finally arrived, I couldn't wait to get soil blocking. The soil block maker is like an old friend that you maybe don't see for months or years at a time, but when you do finally get together again it's like no time has passed. This trusty tool feels like a best friend this time of year. Usually with Dexter supervising, I will make 10 or so trays of soil blocks at a time, starting whichever herb, flower, and vegetable seeds are next in the queue. This spring, everything is off to a slow start. Normally I would have lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, peas and other crops planted outside right now, but that just isn't the case this season. I am feeling pretty ok with that. In mother nature, nothing is rushed yet everything is accomplished. Each day provides an opportunity to check in with the cozy annuals in the greenhouse and the resilient perennials slowly coming to life outside, and to listen and observe. We already have had some nice spring rains, and I am feeling optimistic to see some of the soil health practices I have put in place over the last few years starting to pay off. The fields should be forgiving when it comes time to plant, but until then I will take my cues from the universe to ease into this growing season with optimism and gratitude for a gradual start. -Sarah Sign Up Now for Spring and Summer Workshops Are you dreaming of spring yet? I know the slightly longer days have me feeling excited for seed starting and the gradual spiral out to the longest days of the year. We are on our way! I am going to host a series of workshops at the farm this summer and wanted to extend an invitation to you for the first two opportunities. The workshops will be "make-and-take:" you will learn about the process, get hands on and create items to bring home, and also go home with the knowledge to do the projects on your own later on. Space will be limited to 10 participants each to create a more intimate experience. Young people are welcome, but I recommend bringing an adult with for people under 12 years old. To sign up, simply send me an email ([email protected]) and I will send you the registration information. I will create a wait list if the classes fill up quickly. The two proposed workshops are: 1) Create your own Container Garden (May 21st) 2) Sarah's 3 Favorite Herbal Preparations (July 23rd) See more details about each workshop below. 1) Create your own Container GardenIn this workshop, participants will plant a container garden to bring home using vegetable and herb plants, potting mix, and planters provided. Learn tips and tricks for how to choose plants that will complement each other to create a "garden ecosystem" on your patio or deck, care and maintenance of your container garden, and ideas for harvesting and cooking with your herbs and veggies. Containers, plants, potting mix, and organic fertilizer will be provided-- you choose your plants and containers 'a la carte'. Bring your own containers to use if you choose. Some free container options will be provided. Date: Saturday May 21st Time: 2:00-5:00pm Location: Solar Fresh Produce, 1370 Eckert Ave SE, Buffalo Cost: $30 per person when signing up, plus cost of selected plants and containers (a la carte, to be paid after the workshop) 2) Sarah's Three Favorite Herbal PreparationsIn this workshop, learn about the medicinal benefits of plants and how to create three useful herbal preparations. Plants have many benefits like mood altering abilities, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties, skin softening, aiding in digestion, and many more. The plants are eager to help us humans out-- learn how to read their language, choose the right plant for the right type of preparation, and then make three herbal preparations to bring home with you. The three preparations created will be a balm (salve), a hydrosol, and an herbal tea blend. All plants used will be high-quality, potent, organic plant material grown at the farm. Participants will be able to customize the preparations to their needs depending on the herbs selected. Herbal preparations have delicious yet subtle scents and flavors ranging from earthy and herbaceous to floral and fruity. Combining and using these preparations taps into something primal and ancient, creating an aromatherapy experience free from synthetic preservatives and ingredients that our ancestors would approve of. The three preparations explained a bit further: 1) Balms: Combine botanical infused oils and beeswax to create a preparation that can be used for wound healing, chapped lips, skin softening and protection. Layer a balm with a hydrosol to create the ultimate skin softening and plumping experience. 2) Hydrosol: Use a copper alembic still to distill a hydrosol using plant materials harvested that day on the farm. Participants will choose what scent to make as a group, learn how to set up the still for distillation, and take turns monitoring the still. This ancient technique separates the plant's spirit from the solid materials to create a magical substance containing the plant alcohols, acids, and small amounts of essential oils containing fat soluble constituents. The resulting liquid is an ideal pH to balance the skin, potent with magical properties, and naturally the ideal dilution of essential oil to plant water that is safe to use externally or internally. 3) Herbal Tea Blend: Beauty starts from the inside out. Participants will blend their own herbal tea using dry herbs, selecting from the farm grown herbs provided. We will pause for light refreshments and conversation mid-afternoon. Finally, participants will package and label their creations before bringing them home to enjoy. Date: July 23rd (come back on the 24th if you need to finish anything) Time: 1:00pm-5:00pm Location: Solar Fresh Produce, 1370 Eckert Ave SE, Buffalo Cost: $150 which includes all herbs (fresh and dried), all materials, handouts, packaging, labels and refreshments I look forward to having you! |
Farmer Sarah
Musings from the Farm Archives
January 2024
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