This week we were treated to a work song sing-a-long led by Ian Levitt, friend of the farm and accomplished musician. Riley, another friend of the farm and volunteer, organized 11 of her fellow Freeport High students to come and help us on Friday. It was another cold, rainy morning but everyone was cheerful and willing to do what we needed to accomplish, and boy did we get a lot accomplished! After a brief math calculation we determined that these students and their advisor Dede, planted almost 2,000 lettuce seedlings!
Now back to Ian. He explained a bit about the history of work songs in maritime traditions and also in farming. Songs to make tedious work more joyful and create a community effort. Voices were a bit shy and quiet at first, but by the end of our time together some voices came alive and there were smiles all around. (full disclosure; I did not sing. I would not want to scare anyone!). Ian will be back a few more times this season to share this musical history with other school groups. Thank you Ian and Freeport High students!
Throughout the week volunteers were planting more seeds, transplanting seedlings and shuffling seedlings to the Rimol greenhouse to start the hardening-off process. We have decided not to do a seedling sale this year. I felt it was more important to spend the time preparing the farm for our own plantings; with our new planting area ready for Spring seedlings, we would not have had the room to start all those plants under the grow lights in the seedling trailer anyway. We also received a second visit from a dedicated group of Harpswell Coastal Academy students and their teacher Amy; they will be coming regularly this Spring, and we welcome their energy! We appreciated their willingness to brave the mud and haul sandbags from the lower field for use in our tunnels.
The Fix-it-Team hung our pegboard for small tools and next week the dowels will be hung for the larger tools. This work is happening just in time for the MOFGA tool presentation by Jack Kertesz–he will think we are so organized! His presentation is part of the Farm Skills training program and we are lucky to have it happening at G2G. Jack makes some of his own tools, and I am looking forward to all the tool demonstrations. Bob is also making progress on securing the scissor doors on the new tunnels. Carrie and I are so grateful for all these Fix-it-Team volunteers!
Saturday was another chilly windy morning but we had 13 volunteers, everyone bundled up and smiling! They tackled the Spring cleanup of the Elderberry orchard. The bushes were fertilized and topped with compost. We lost one that was in a wet hole; thehole has been filled in and will get a transplant from another plot.
Later in the day, 4 Bowdoin college students came and mapped out our new blueberry orchard. I have to find some bigger projects for these four! They flew through every task I gave them, smiling and laughing. They asked if they could come back next week, that was an easy request to fulfill.
You may encounter a new member of our team on your next visit to the farm. Carrie and her husband are fostering-to-adopt a beautiful Australian cattle dog named Zoey. She is a bit shy at first but is taking on her role as an official greeter and guardian of the spinach quite seriously.
Looking back on this past week I think there were two themes; cold/rain/wind and warm smiles/laughter and comradery.
This Growing to Give journey has a life of its own. I am so lucky to be part of it.
Thanks to everyone who came to help out this week in such uncomfortable weather.
Sincerely,
Theda