Out Rochester Blvd, hooking up to HHH (Herbert Hoover Highway), riding with the wind in my face, but no trailer. Just a backpack today with an icepack deal inside feels good. The land, once again, is gorgeous, but the hills were challenging and i was glad to see West Branch over the hill. But, then i had to consult the map just a little to remind myself it is still east of West Branch.
1917 is when this school was created
i was just a young man at the time, helping orginize the farmers. No, originally a working farm that mainly provided livestock for the school, and livestock is still provided. In the last 20 or so years the vegetable farm has increased and increased in size. Still, it's primary function is food for the students and staff and a living classroom for lessons in sustainabilty.
farming is definitely hard work
When i arrive people are working, birds are cleaning up the place, and a young man who seems surprised to see me tells me Mark Quee is not here, but someone else is working. That ended up to be Wren Almitra, a Scattergood 2002 graduate who has worked summers since. The young man i learned later was a student from Rwanda who could not make it back home so was staying for the summer. Wren was busy bundling and washing kale, i believe, and said she could give me the tour.
out to the fields
Here the vegetables are grown on the very top of a domelike hill, and right away i noticed that it wasn't quite as wet as elsewhere. Wren said the hill and the wind probably help in that respect. Whereas, in other years that might be a problem like with erosion. Later Mark Quee would also credit the accidental late mulching that undoubtly helped raise the soil temperatures and dry the soil. Oddly, they mulched late because it was too wet to get to it.
surveying the acreage; diversity was apparent
By very careful planning you could see many steps have been taken to make very sure everything is done to enrich the soil. They have a precise rotation process in place, the 6 acres of vegetables are certified organic. The sheep eat down the finished crops and cover crops leaving fertilizer for next year. The process is not secret, but often overlooked in modern farming, where some still think loading the soil with crazy stuff works.
heirloom tomatoes out of this world
when they arrive, jump on them, they are the best. So many kinds and colors and shapes i cannot even begin to remember. i just remember they are to die for. The were not ripe yet but hopefully soon. some being held up in a new more dense way called the Florida Weave (see picture) they want to test which method produces best.
So much to choose from
i got four varieties of eggplant: amiss cheese, california wonder, nadia, and fairytale. i got three types of beans: white, green and purple. The Edamame isn't ready yet darn. Cilantro and some cherry tomatoes. i had to eat the peaches right there cause they would not survive the packride home. i forgot garlic, but not onion, but i will have to cook tomorrow cause i'm late for work.
pastureland food and a buffer
Again they are raising some cattle, pretty much just enough for the students and staff. And down the way they are letting a neighboring farmer grow some commercial soybeans that go straight to the market.
fruit trees help hold back the wind
The peaches were delicious, but not pretty enough for market according to Mark. Down by the school they also had enough apple trees to keep them in cider and applesauce all year. But again for the school only.
Scattergood Community Supported Agriculture
A lot of their produce is boxed up and taken to place where consumers have prepaid for whatever is in season. Today they were getting coolers ready to take to Kirkwood School For Children. Wren's father Tim operates a Childcare there--it is very cool. They also have drop off points at one of the local HyVees. Which i was pleasently surprised to hear. And of course they sell many things directly to the Co-op. While i was there Mark took a call from Nate in CV produce requesting some cilantro.
i want fruit and nuts
Mark explained that there was a model for doing fruit and nut trees organically but the expense of equipment and the committment such trees requires make it impossible for them to do this. essentially, they would have to do only that. Instead a little of this and a little of that, is a giant plus to what Scattergiood is doing.
organic sustainable rotation bio-dynamic
Mark insists there is no one word to describe what "good" farming is. "Care for the soil and it will care for you" might be a slogan. But, organic doesn't necesarily mean sensitive. a person could just grow one crop for a few years and wear out the land anyway, or they could be using "suspect seeds" while still appearing to be organic. Rotation of crops could be done in a mistaken way as well as any method of pest control could be mishandled
scattergood's place in the local story
is not only another wonderful model on how things can be done. But primarily it is a school. And it has a great chance at shaping teenagers ability to see themselves as part of a sustainable future. One where their understanding of eating seasonally and all its processes as part of their own self identity.
it is clear they continue to accomplish this
in the last 20 years at the Co-op i have met dozens of scttergood "kids" who ended up working here or for other farmers and i am sure they kept very close to heart the lessons they learned.
farmers as teachers, farms as a classroom
i left school backpack heavy, but spirit lifted. But Alice Cooper did ring in my ears, cause i had 11 miles to ride home still. Wind somehow strong in my face again.
Thanks Wren and Mark you totally rule.
