July 6, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

NASAP Famers visit Meadow’s Mirth Farm

Reprinted with permission. Learn more about the fantastic programs of the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project, Cultivating Community, Somali Bantu Community Association of New Hampshire, and Meadow’s Mirth Farm on their websites!

On Saturday, May 22nd, one Iraqi and 14 Bhutanese refugees from Manchester visited Meadow’s Mirth Farm in Stratham, NH to meet young farmers Josh and Jean Jennings and learn about organic vegetable production.  Unprompted, and immediately upon stepping off the bus, the group noticed the field of greens and began hand weeding the rows.

The Bhutanese will quickly tell you that they are farmers and are excited to be starting new lives here in New Hampshire.

Meadow’s Mirth Farm is a certified organic farm that Josh and Jean have been running since 2004.
They’ve been successfully growing alongside Berry Hill Farm in Stratham and offer a wide array of unique herbs, vegetables, flowers and delicious berries.  Jean Jennings could only smile as she came to greet her guests and found them pulling weeds.

After introductions, Jean brought the group down to the lower field to show them recently transplanted onions and explain their method of planting.   The plastic used is made from a corn starch raw material and is 100% compostable and biodegradable.  Similar to the straw mulch seen in the garlic rows to the right, the plastic is used as a mulch to minimize weed competition and helps the soil retain heat and moisture.

The group is part of the New American Sustainable Agriculture Project (NASAP), first initiated in Maine by the Portland-based non-profit Cultivating Community.  In New Hampshire, NASAP has been administered by the Somali Bantu Community Association of New Hampshire (SBCA-NH) since 2008 with a growing number of refugees and immigrants from Manchester excited at the opportunity to grow food again.

Over flats of onions, Jean then discussed how to gently remove the onions from the trays and trim the tops and roots before planting.  Each tray can have hundreds of onions and when started in a greenhouse in early spring, you ensure a hearty harvest.

Known as “pyaj” in their native language of Nepali, the group was eager to help get the onions in.  The trimming helps strengthen the stems and roots and helps force a new layer of growth on the bulb.  You then simply make a tiny whole in the soil below the plastic and plant the bulbs an inch or so deep.  Josh and Jean run a tubing under the plastic known as “T-tape” that drips water into the soil when turned on and the result will be thousands of delicous organic onions at harvest.

All of the vegetables grown at Meadow’s Mirth Farm are planted and harvested by hand at the
peak of ripeness and sold fresh and delicous at various farmer’s markets, through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares and at their farmstand in Stratham, NH.

Before Jean let the group help out with some planting she explained their method of laying the plastic.  It can be done by hand by simply digging a shallow trench alongside the rows.  You rake or hoe soil away from the row to get the trench and as you begin to roll down the plastic you cover up the edges of plastic in the trench on both sides with the soil you’ve pulled away from the row.

Jean explains that with a tractor the process can be a bit faster.  Set to the width of the plastic, two discs turn the soil on the edge of the rows as the tractor is driven forward and the plastic unrolls.  Then two other discs follow the plastic and turn the soil back over the edges of plastic, making the process much faster.  Josh and Jean also are able to simultaneously lay their drip irrigation tubing under the plastic as the tractor moves up the row.

After the tractor discussion, the group went to  work planting onions.  With fourteen people planting beside Jean, her farmworker Bridget, the Nepali translator Radhika and Agricultural Coordinator for
Southern New Hampshire Services, Ken Dearborn, the planting went quickly and was full of laughter, pleasant chit chat and occasional song sung in Nepali by one or more of Jean’s guests. With most of the group planting and a few others pulling onions from flats and trimming, the work went quickly.  In no time at all, the group had planted more than two full rows of onions by hand and took a break for lunch that Jean genoursly provided consisting of fresh salad from the farm, a heap load of rice and black beans and four cheese pizzas.  Afterwards the group accompanied Jean on a short farm tour to learn about the rest of the farm.

This season, Meadows Mirth Farm has two new high tunnels.  Jean first lead the group to the back of the first high tunnel and made sure to point out more than just the tomatoes growing in straw mulch inside.  This tunnel has 8 wheels with cranks to jack the entire structure off the ground.  “It’s mobile,” she said to the Nepali interpreter. As the group gathered around the back of the high tunnel, Jean explained that the waist high lush growth was a cover crop known as Vetch.  Vetch is planted intentionally and is also known as a “green manure” because of the nutrients it provides to the soil simply by being grown.  Many New England farmers have come to know the benefits of vetch in crop rotation because of its ability to provide a substantial amount of nitrogen into the soil to benefit certain crops planted afterwards. “This is why the tunnel is mobile,” Jean explained, “tomatoes are growing in the tunnel now, but later we will mow and harrow in this vetch and roll the entire structure over the new area to make use of the new nutrients. As a green manure, the vetch helps minimize inputs and need for additional fertilizers not produced on the farm.  Because of its heavy spring and summer growth, almost no weeds will grow up among the stand of vetch and it also prevents any soil erosion from the open field.

Everyone had a great time visiting Meadow’s Mirth Farm and learned a great deal about how
Josh and Jean operate a successful organic farm.  Before the group returned to Manchester, Josh and Jean brought two bags of fresh greens from their farm to give to the group as well as three trays of onions for the group to plant in their gardens this season.  NASAP farmers would like to thank Meadow’s Mirth Farm for a great day and the Derryfield School for allowing use of their small bus to make the trip possible.

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July 6, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Here’s the .pdf of the Toot Sweet menu, where you can have local food focused breakfasts and lunches. Chef Ted McCormack is also offering “Farmers’ Market Meals” to go and catering!

tootsweetmenu.pdf

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July 6, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

Dover Cassily Community Garden’s Children’s Summer Activity Series

Painted Pebble Plant Labels Children’s Activity on July 10th at 10:00am.

“This week we will be checking on and caring for existing plantings.  We will also be painting rock plant labels to place in the community garden and to take home!”

Children of all ages are welcome to participate in DCCG’s children’s program. No preregistration is necessary.  Meet at the DCCG shed at 10:00am and walk out to the garden together. It is a good idea to wear sunscreen and a hat and bring bug spray, water and a snack.

Much more information (including directions) is available at dovergarden.org or email Traci, Youth Outreach Coordinator at the.mogget@yahoo.com.

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July 6, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

If you missed the tv premiere of Eastman’s Fish, you can now watch the video on the WMUR website!

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July 6, 2010 by Sara Zoe.

The Northeast Organic Farming Association (which includes NOFA-NH, NOFA-MA, etc.) is hosting their annual summer conference August 13-15. Amazing learning opportunities, combined with the ability to camp and/or volunteer, make this an inexpensive way to learn a lot, with programs for kids and teens, too!

List of workshops

Creative financing info

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