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.

 

Post humus reflections - Celebrating the Soil

Well after 7 months, 37 soil fabric pieces and resulting soil profiles, 204 square knots (with homespun yarn by laura/orange cat community farm), roughly 15 x 23' of fabric, 3 group stitching sessions including support from a hedgehog, 7 yards of wonder under, 4 poems, 18 stories, 49 photos, millions of microbes, a few choice words during the sewing process:-), and countless intentions infused with love later...the Soil Quilt has been unearthed!

Thank you for helping provide a platform for which the soil to have it's say and for your humble and heartfelt collaborations with the humusphere during the International Year of Soil! And if you still want to weigh in on the project, we'd love to hear your thoughts regarding the following questions:

What is a childhood memory you have of 'playing in the dirt'? How did your family respond?

If your soil could talk, what do you think it would tell you?

What would you bury that no longer feeds you?

We hope you had a chance to enjoy the Fermentation Festivities and witness the Soil Quilt on display, experience the beautiful landscapes, artworks, and culture of Sauk County as part of the Fermentation Fest Farm/Art Dtour.

A celebration of soil - Farmers Rob and Erin at the Soil Quilt Display along the Farm Art Dtour route. Photo by Rhonda Siebecker Baraboo News Republic. You can link to her article

A celebration of soil - Farmers Rob and Erin at the Soil Quilt Display along the Farm Art Dtour route. Photo by Rhonda Siebecker Baraboo News Republic. You can link to her article

A special thanks to our panelists, David Stevens with Four Elements Herbals, Melissa Keenan with Sauk County Land Conservation Planning/Zoning Department, and Rob McClure with Hilltop Community Farm and to Haley Weisert/Rock Springs Library for sharing your space and Sauk/Columbia County Farmers Union Chapters. So many great collaborations happening above and below ground and all around!

I hope you had a chance to venture out and experience part/all of the Farm/Art Dtour. Just in case, I've enclosed a couple of pictures of the soil quilt exhibit as well as a couple of soil resources for further exploration.

Participants during the Farm Art Dtour visiting the soil quilt exhibit. Photo by Leslee Nelson

Participants during the Farm Art Dtour visiting the soil quilt exhibit. Photo by Leslee Nelson

I'm also a big fan of the NRCS Soil Biology website if you want to get a good primer on soil biology.

We will keep you posted in terms of what happens to the quilt after Fermentation Fest. As you may have witnessed along the route, it's pretty big, and judging from your enthusiasm the other day, it looks like I don't get to bury the quilt just yet.

I so appreciate all the beautiful ways you and your soils have expressed yourself. I have been enriched in so many ways!

I so appreciate all the beautiful ways you and your soils have expressed yourself throughout this project and process. I did my best to capture and highlight these stories as part of the Soil Quilt exhibit. I have been enriched in so many ways!

Soil quilt square from Berklund Family forest soil. Arbor Vitae, WI. Photo by Heather Berklund.

Soil quilt square from Berklund Family forest soil. Arbor Vitae, WI. Photo by Heather Berklund.