Farm Blog

Thank you again for braving the blizzard to celebrate, connect with great food, and 'planting an orchard'! Just imagine all those future cherry trees (don't forget to squat:-).
I am so uplifted from all the good vibes, intentions, laughter and seeds shared and planted.

We were able to raise $850.00 in funds! This will go a long way, thank you! Additionally, with all the seeds donated today and from what I've gleaned from others, The women growers in the Sine-Saloum region will be able to plant out a couple hundred row feet/farm. In the past we've planted shared 'demonstration beds' ie since many of the farmers share space/land to grow on we've constructed seeds beds to trial different varieties, plant insectory herbs and flowers and share techniques. From there seeds are harvested and shared forward amongst the individual farmers. So in essence your generosity helped plant teaching/learning/eating/

sharing beds of veggie, herb, and flower goodness!
 

I will honor my commitment and extend the immense gratitude, generosity that was shared during the workshop with the women farmers in the following ways:

Work with NCBA CLUSA Farmer to Farmer Program to transfer funds and mail seeds.
I'll also email and share highlights, photos forward later this week in celebration of our workshop success.

I am tentatively set to travel there Nov/Dec. or January in 2016.

I also finally remembered the name of third grower group, JUBO (means widespread). If you're interested in learning more about how they got started, here's a link to an interview I did as part of my last Farmer to Farmer adventure in Senegal.

I Will keep you in the loop as the project evolves and thanks again for sharing your generous spirit!

For the chocolate lovers:
Becky Otte, who made the amazing truffles, has more of her chocolate goodness to share and is selling some of her creations just in time for Valentines. if you're interested send her an email: raonine@gmail.com

Also Here is a link to Roots Chocolate website.

For the Fruit Lovers:

I've enclosed a handout of some of the different fruits we grow at our farm as well as a flyer highlighting this season's events at the farm! We'd love to have you venture out and tour the orchard, come visit us (though not nearly as cool as the orchard poses we did during the workshop).

Thank you again for helping me transition from being a butterfly weed seed (ie wind pollinated, not knowing where or how my intentions, projects might stick) to more of an oak or cashew seeds - wherein I can deepen my awareness, provide support in the same place(s) in Senegal for the growers and in my backyard in Wisconsin:-). Here's to planting the seeds of the as yet to be imagined on and off the yoga mat! Wishing you all much abundance.

Happy Mid-winter!

Yours in hardy kiwi,
Erin


PS If you are into exploring the planting side as well as enjoying more local fruit creations, we'll be hosting a Local Fruit Tasting May 16, details on our website.

 

Toward a Transitional Year of Wonderment

Dear Farm Friends,

I hope this finds you all well and in good health. 2020 continues to be a year of extremes to say the least, though we are grateful that the farm work has given us the opportunity to stay grounded with the Earth, to share the food and fruits of our labors with you, and to soften the edges and tensions with beauty (flowers!), as well as pause and celebrate change and milestones in people's lives. We did our best to share it in as many ways and avenues as possible and for that we are forever grateful for your support along the way!

and well, I am sun-setting with the season, preparing for a farming sabbatical in 2021 and embracing change in the ‘transitional year of wonderment’. You may be wondering where this is coming from as we have enjoyed steadfast, optimal growth over the years. Just as plants give us signs that they need support—an infusion of compost tea, a coating of kaolin clay to keep the curculio at bay—this farmer needs a bit of compost and it’s transformative boost for continued growth and sustenance.

I hope you feel the embrace of my gratitude to you for your support over the year(s). My heart continues to be fed by the relationships we’ve cultivated, the feasts shared, fruit trees planted, and the lessons learned. I hope this letter to you helps you understand why I am putting the brakes on production farming, what this means for the farm, what Rob’s plans are, and well, what’s in store beyond the transitional year of wonderment.

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Flowers for First Responders and COVID Care Workers

Farmers + Flowers + Your Contribution = Bouquets of Gratitude gifted to our First Responders and COVID Care providers in honor of their essential services.

We get it. We are all feeling the disruptions of this global pandemic and having to adjust to uncertainty in so many ways. On our farm we’ve lost 100% of our wedding and event flower markets for 2020 yet we have an abundance of peonies and perennial flower mojo that we would love to share! As Ladybird Johnson proclaimed, “Where flowers bloom, so too, does hope.”

We hope you can help us. Here’s how

From now to the end of June, you can pre-order/purchase a custom flower bouquet, grown and designed with love and care from our farm, which we will then give away to First Responders and COVID Care Providers in our local Madison and Reedsburg/La Valle neighborhood(s). You can also contact us directly and we can process your order.

We hope this small act of kindness and beauty will give our essential workers a boost of hope and express our appreciation for their essential work during the COVID-19 crisis.

To honor our workers and thank them for keeping us safe,

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