“We are the Fall 2019 cohort of farmers participating in the Adamah Fellowship at the Isabella Freedman Jewish Retreat Center. We’ve come from across the country and overseas to cultivate the soil and the soul to produce food, to build and transform identities and to gather a community of people changing the world. Each of us has a different reason for being here, be it to learn about farming, live intentionally, promote sustainability, practice animal husbandry, create lacto-fermented pickled products, or to seek spirituality, amongst others. Regardless, each one us decided to move to our little oasis for 14 weeks to work with the land and learn more about where our food comes from.
The farm is located on ten acres in Falls Village, Connecticut. We grow vegetables on 3.5 acres; the remaining property is used as a pasture for our goats and sheep, a chicken coop and compost yard, and an orchard of various fruit trees (our favorites are pawpaw, persimmon, chestnut, and hazelnut).
Our primary method of pest management is crop rotation, row cover, companion planting, and welcoming predators with a fallow portion of our field. We utilize the leftover food scraps to create rich compost; we use this to nourish our beds prior to planting. Additionally, we are experimenting with various no-till methods and grow a variety of hearty cover crops throughout the winter. Our biggest hurdle is limited land availability; we would love the opportunity to create more beds and therefore allow our beds more time to rejuvenate. Our biggest rewards have been enjoying the fruits of our labor with great company. We also appreciate the opportunity to be in touch with the growing cycles, learning where our food comes from, and getting our hands in the soil!
We host a CSA during the growing season, and teach pickling workshops to local groups, as well as sell our fermented products at fairs and our retreat center. We have learned firsthand the transformative nature of farming, and encourage as many people as possible to get involved with their own food production.”
