This week our last two workers finally arrived, after a lengthy delay in their visa processing. We are SO happy to have Keith and Juan Jose joining our team, just as we started to fall behind on transplanting, weeding, and seeding. They have both hit the ground running, with on-the-fly lessons in harvest techniques, tomato trellising, hay stacking, and so much more. Many thanks to them and the whole crew for putting in the extra effort and hours required at this peak moment in the summer farm season.
Our crew has become more diverse each year, but the cohesion and camaraderie has never been stronger. This year’s hometowns include downtown Norwich, the suburbs of Maryland, Northern AND Southern New Hampshire, Guatemala, Jamaica, Ukraine, Alaska, and Maine. Prior experience ranges from vegetable farming to baking, carpentry to apple pruning, library science to philosophy, mining to animal husbandry, and beyond. Native languages and accents abound, making both conversation and training an entertaining mishmash of sign language, repetition, pictionary, and GoogleTranslate. And yet, despite the differences, if you walk past the veggie fields on a harvest day or stop by to toss a few bales on a hay day you are apt to hear shouts of laughter and inside jokes galore. Kemor is up to 10 nicknames, Brock has invited the whole crew to a July 4 picnic, and Fern (aka Small Boss) would rather hang out with the team than with her mama.
One of the things that I am most proud of at Sweetland are the communities we are creating. I think of them as a Venn diagram, with overlapping circles of CSA members, surrounding farmers and food producers, and our farm crew. Within each circle is the full range of personalities, backgrounds, knowledge, and networks. My goal is for Sweetland to be the gathering place for this diverse community. A place to find sustenance, meaningful work, shelter, companionship, pride, and nurturing, whatever your background. Thanks to all for your part in the show!
Cheers
Norah and the Sweetland Crew
Week 7 Harvest Cucumbers Sprouting Broccoli Spinach Mesclun Mix Napa Cabbage Green Cabbage Kale Rainbow Chard Lettuce Hakurei Salad Turnips Fennel Garlic Scapes Scallions
What’s Cooking This Week
You can find ingredients for all of these recipes in our farm store! We source meats, dairy, grains, beans, sweets, and more from local and sustainable producers. Don’t forget to use your CSA member discount by entering your account phone number in our POS (member discounts are automatically applied to LocalLine purchases for off-farm delivery).
-
Roasted Hakurei Turnips (I like to diced add dried apricots)