The Definition of 'Farm"

If you ever have to look up the definition of the word "farm," you can find some really uninspiring meanings.



A shot of Blue Hill behind the farm

According to Wikipedia, "A farm is an area of land...including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food..."  Ask.com says a farm is "an area of land and its buildings used for growing crops and rearing animals..."  By these definitions, Moose Hill Farm became a successful farm this year.  But I think we need to change our definition of "farm" to be so much more.  If we are to be part of a vibrant local food movement; a movement that will help create significant and long-standing benefits to our food system, we have to go much deeper.  What is missing from the standard definition of "farm" is the people.  When people look forward to walking out to the fields to have a quiet moment picking flowers; or when parents bring their children to the farm on non-CSA pick-up days to say "hi" to the chickens; or when CSA members bring friends and family with them to show them the farm that they enjoy coming to each week...then we have a successful farm.  We need people to care about this particular piece of land in a very special way, and I see that happening here everyday.  So the next time someone asks me if I helped to start a farm this year, I can say "absolutely".  And to celebrate this, we would like to invite you to a potluck on October 5th, from noon-2pm, so save the date!  We would love to finally have the chance to sit and visit with you...we'll have more details for you in the coming weeks!

Chickens in the shade of trees...the way it should be.

This week you will enjoy a choice of herbs, lettuce mix, arugula, mizuna, leeks, a mix of potatoes, cucumbers and summer squash, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, hot peppers and there are lots of cherry tomatoes, ground cherries and gourmet beans (purple and yellow with purple streaks) for waiting for you in the PYO.  More sunflowers for flower share members to enjoy, too.

Farmer Molly and the crew