Many Hands

just picked. by many hands.

This morning I did some quick math and figured out that about 5 billion hands have worked these Powisset fields over the last seven and a half years since I’ve been here.   OK, I’m not one for quick math with many hands multiplied by many hours multiplied by many years, but there have been so many people that have given work and time and love to this farm, making it what it is today.  And this morning as Tessa and I walked the fields making our plan for the week ahead, we passed our summer crew picking hundreds of pounds of cukes, two volunteers spending their morning weeding our herb garden and a greenhouse full of garlic, picked by friends the day before.   I imagined seeing all of the faces of the many people who have worked in these fields, lined up across the horizon, as if we were taking some group picture together.  I imagined them smiling, arms up towards the sky, like an old picture I have of a past crew member, as she tossed cherry tomatoes up above her, one summer day in 2007.

 

Yesterday, we had a special volunteer day.  Our crew invited our friends and family out to the fields for a work project and potluck dinner by the flower garden.  During the farm season, it can be challenging to make time for the ones we love (even when we live with them).  Our twelve hour days and exhausting work make it hard to make (or keep) social commitments and most of my friends know at this point to come find me at the farm if they want to see me, or wait until fall.  When we are focused on the weeding and the broken tractors and the endless harvesting we don’t always get to share the beauty of the farm with those that hold us in community outside of the farm day.  So, we decided it was time to bring our friends to the farm.  

 

this week's bok choi

And they came.  Family and friends arrived with food to share and energy to give.  Together we pulled over 10,000 bulbs of garlic, now curing in the greenhouse.  They pulled the beautiful alliums, significant because they represent the past and the future; planted last fall with our 2013 crew, to be enjoyed this season by our current farm community.  Like our friends and family, they see us through all the seasons; the calm of the fall, the cold of the winter, the hectic spring and the tired summer.  I ran the tractor through the fields, loosening the bulbs from their roots, watching new and old friends see me in my element, help me with my work and become even more a part of it.  

This farm can’t happen with my one set of hands. Can any farm?  I may write the plan with one pen but the words come to life as they are read and interpreted by countless crew members, volunteers, visitors, friends, family and strangers.  Yes, I think it’s been a billion hands in these fields. So far.  We lift bins together, pull potatoes, obliterate weeds and give high fives.  I hope we get a billion more hands in the next seven and half years.  That’s a lot of high-fives.

See you in the fields (and ready for a high-five, they are still cool, I swear),

Meryl & the Powisset Farm Crew

scallions

What’s in the share (most likely):

Full: lettuce, carrots, beets, squash, cukes, celery, potatoes, scallions, onions,

 cabbage or bok choi, basil

Small: lettuce, carrots or beets, squash, cukes, potatoes, 

 onions, cabbage or bok choi, basil

PYO: beans, parsley, sunflowers, kale or chard, dill flowers,

Events and Awesomeness at the farm:

Tuesday: Jordan Brothers Seafoood at the farm from 1:30-6:30

Friday: 2pm-3pm, volunteer in the flower garden for Flower Power Hour

Saturday: 8am-noon, volunteer in the fields with the farmers

Saturday: Great Sky Solar will be tabling from 10 am to 2 pm. 

Here’s what they will be offering in their own words: 

Greetings all! Great Sky Solar is making its way to the Powisset Farm share! We're Boston's only democratically owned solar panel installer. Just like the farmers at Powisset Farm we are local, bringing the community together to provide you with the best service and the best quality product made in the USA.

 Our cause is to work with you as a part of our green community to fight for a sustainable future. Here at the Powisset's Farm share we'll teach about how Massachusetts is providing huge saving incentives on solar. We are supplying a special opportunity to make $750 on each solar refferal!  Last but not least we are giving away free site visits!

 

This Week in the Stand:

Breaking Bread

They say, “What must you break apart in order to bring a family close together? Bread, of course.” And so this week, we’re very excited to offer bread in the stand. Our bread baker, France Murphy, grew up baking and cooking alongside her family in her aunt’s restaurant and bakery. Since that time, she’s been a chef, freelance artist and dog walker, living and working on both coasts of the country. She’s returned to her baking roots and is baking small batch baguettes in Medfield with four simple ingredients: organic flour, organic yeast, organic salt and water. She’ll be baking in the morning and delivering those loaves for our Tuesday and Saturday distributions. Enjoy; and as usual, let us know what you think!

Check the Fridge

New to us this week is Alpine Cheese from Appleton Farm. It’s a fresh swiss cheese without all those pesky holes.

You may also notice we’re transitioning over to Powisset Farm Eggs! Our ladies are finally getting their laying legs, and we are bringing a few dozen a day up to the farm stand. They are still in short supply, so be sure to get here early if you can.

Herb Garden:

Have you checked out the herb garden lately? It’s awesome! It’s that small garden behind the flower garden.  Did you know you can take home any herbs in there any time!? Yes, you can.  Please feel free to take a few springs for some sun tea or to eat with your veggies!  Right now there is: spearmint, chives, lavender and even some chamomile!  Enjoy!