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.

 

In Her Boots Podcast Features your Farmer's Story

One thing that keeps me going and growing 12 years into my farm tenure, is the network of farm women in our area, that I can lean into and draw inspiration from, share ideas with, and offer mutual support in times of stress and celebration. To me, this embodies our design intentions with food forests—perennial polycultures of multipurpose plants that share resources and create networks of mutual support. Whether it’s pears or people, we’ve been able to set up a strong underground root system and keep flexible shoots, in part because other farmers keep us propped up. I tried to capture this spirit in conversation as part of the In Her Boots Podcast with Lisa Kivirist, Eco-preneur, Author, and Director with the MOSES Rural Women’s Project.

I am grateful to Lisa’s storytelling ingenuity and keeping me on course (am prone to fruit tangents).

Happy listening!

Today, we dig into how we can encourage and support more women farmers to step up to leadership roles. From skill sharing to supporting women farmers in Africa to volunteering for grant review committees, Erin inspires us to go beyond just participating in something and to take an active leadership role. Erin Schneider runs Hilltop Community Farm in LaFarge, Wis., in partnership with her husband, Rob McClure, raising a wide range of vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers. A graduate of the National Farmers Union Beginning Farmers Institute, Erin has volunteered on multiple assignments to increase women’s economic empowerment and food security in Senegal through the Farmer to Farmer Program with USAID. She currently serves on the Administrative Council for North Central SARE.

Episode 80 digs into how we can encourage and support more women farmers to step up to leadership roles. From skill sharing to supporting women farmers in Africa to volunteering for grant review committees, Erin inspires us to go beyond just participating in something and to take an active leadership role.

Today we sit down with Erin Schneider of Hilltop Community Farm as she shares her inspiring story of farming just a few miles from where she grew up. Erin has a passion for hardy Midwest perennial fruit and beautiful flowers. She shares how she married someone who was already running a farm business and how she carved out her own niche on the farm. Erin Schneider runs Hilltop Community Farm in LaFarge, Wis., in partnership with her husband, Rob McClure, raising a wide range of vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers. A graduate of the National Farmers Union Beginning Farmers Institute, Erin has volunteered on multiple assignments to increase women’s economic empowerment and food security in Senegal through the Farmer to Farmer Program with USAID. She currently serves on the Administrative Council for North Central SARE.

Episode 79 shares an overview of my farm story sharing how Rob and I balance the farm flow and find ways to farm together that nurtures both our autonomy and interdependence.

And should you find yourself in between waves of spring cleaning tasks, give yourself a pause and listen in to inspiring nuggets and stories from women farmers near and far. Here are a few of my favorite resources to tap into…

In Her Boots Podcast
MOSES Rural Women’s Project, Resources
Madison Area Florists and Flower Farmers

Slow Flowers

Permaculture Women’s Guild