We hope you all survived the lack of snow and lack of severe cold this winter, and that you’re getting ready for spring! Our plans for 2016 include MOFGA certification (we hope), the continued use of carbon-sequestering biochar as a soil amendment, a new greenhouse and three new sheds, a new non-cannabis herb operation, and vegetable production that is focused on the vegetables we need for a new on-farm business that will produce fantastic vegetable sauces and stews for sale throughout southern Maine.
Like last year, all our crops will be organically-grown, and we hope to be certified by MOFGA very soon. Our use of biochar yielded good results last year, and we plan to build on what we learned last year when we plant this year. While the sheds were built over the winter, the greenhouse isn’t under construction yet, but it will be built at least in time for us to extend our growing season well into the fall.
Dana Freshley, a member of our crew since last summer, is taking the lead on the herb operation, which we’re marketing separately as “Healing Herbs at Scatter Good Farm”. All the herbs will be organically-grown, including goldenseal, elderberry, red clover, dandelion, stinging nettles, basil, coneflower, lemon balm, resina calendulas, and peppermint. We’ll be selling the herbs dried, but otherwise unprocessed. If you would like more information about Healing Herbs, please contact Dana at dana.freshley@gmail.com.
Theda Lyden, our returning senior garden manager (and the former executive chef at the award-winning Harraseeket Inn), is in the process of creating the sauces and stews mentioned earlier, and we’ll share more information about that soon!
We’re also in the midst of some changes in our farm crew. Forrest McCurdy left Maine in February and is now living and working at the Sorrel River Ranch Resort & Spa in Moab, Utah as an organic gardener. In April, Andy Catlin moved back to his community in Joshua Tree, California, as was his original plan. Ian and Zach Leavitt are now working at the wonderful Wealden Farm in Freeport. In August, Dana will be leaving to enroll in a University of Edinburgh graduate program in Human Geography to research agricultural systems. While we’ll miss all of these amazing people, we’re also delighted to welcome to the farm crew Katherine Whitaker, here for the summer from Smith College, Adelle Pitsas, here for the summer from Hampshire College, and our own Joe Newlin, who will be combining farm work with his Good Ship Gelato business.
Finally, please put Saturday, June 18th on your calendar. We didn’t have a Spring Equinox gathering this year (again), but we’re really looking forward to another great Summer Solstice event. Plan on a start time of something like 5 pm – more on this soon!
