Week 2, Fall ‘20
By Remi Welbel
It’s our second week here and our days are fuller than our coffee thermoses.
On Monday, we began doing preliminary mapping of the woods area that we will be piloting for agroforestry. We trekked across beaver dams (unfortunately, we didn’t spot any) and over the winding stream. As we hiked through the woods, we noted the locations of fallen trees that we will soon chop up and collect to burn in our biochar kiln. We also took note of some of the dominant tree species, such as Red Oaks, White Oaks, Sugar Maples, and Hickory trees, to guide our agroforestry planning. As we galavanted through the woods, there were only a couple of near-falls into the muddy stream. Balancing on logs to cross each segment of the stream proved slightly precarious at times. With only a few scattered paths cleared by the deer, we literally skipped from one place to another, oftentimes using tree trunks to help us climb up the hilly areas. Overall, it was a very successful woods outing! We began our deep dive into learning about the native species, and developed a greater appreciation for Julia’s sense of adventure!
On Tuesday, we began construction on our raised beds. We hauled concrete slabs to the spot near the backyard where we hope to see our raised beds flourish! Using power drills and rivets, we connected the slabs together to create walls for our beds. On Tuesday evening, we found out that we qualified to advance to the next pool of applicants for the Lumpkin Family Foundation grant! We are extremely excited about this opportunity and we will continue to partner with the Delta Foundation as we proceed in our application process.
On Wednesday, we began the day by consulting with one of the researchers at Yale that Gavi has been working closely with for the past several months, Noah Planavsky. He offered us insights into our biochar research questions and helped us determine what additional equipment we may need. We then returned to our raised beds as we mowed and tilled the land where they will live. We also delved into the woods to begin chopping up feedstock for our first biochar kiln load. Taking a break from our work, we fed corn to Johnny’s cows and then ate lunch ourselves.
On Thursday, we awoke to find our freshly made biochar glistening in our kiln. We then continued working on our raised bed, digging out the trench further so that our tiles will sit evenly. Once the trench was dug out further, we began erecting our concrete tile walls. After working on our raised bed, it was time to inoculate our biochar with compost tea. Inoculating the biochar creates a material that is enriched with microbes and promotes enhanced soil fertility when used as a soil amendment. On the indoor-work front, we continued researching microgrants to apply to and worked to solidify our research goals and ensure that they are feasible. We also began investigating the local chapter of Future Farmers of America (FFA). We hope to soon partner with local FFA’s, and potentially with local high schools and middle schools, to provide educational opportunities for students. We then went back outside to collect more feedstock (woody materials) for our next batch of biochar!
On Friday, we began our preparations for Shabbat and erev Rosh Hashannah (the evening that begins Rosh Hashannah)! We made an enormous pot of tomato vegetable soup, eight Challahs, a big salad, and sweet potato tahini patties. We had a lovely dinner outside, emptied our fill buckets, and sang songs around a fire we built in our kiln.
The next day, we celebrated Rosh Hashannah! We woke up and began setting up our tables outside, making more food, and preparing a semi-traditional semi-alternative Rosh Hashannah service. After receiving their negative Covid test results, mine and Gavi’s parents and aunt and uncle came down to the farm to celebrate with us. We gathered and those who wished to partook in the service. After our service, we all came together to eat a beautiful Rosh Hashannah lunch (still remaining at separate tables by “pod” for extra covid precautions). After lunch, we took a walk and observed Tashlich, the tradition of tossing breadcrumbs into a moving body of water, which symbolizes reflecting upon and letting go of our misgivings of the past year. We then returned to the yard to enjoy honey cake (a Rosh Hashannah tradition) and say goodbye to our holiday guests. That evening, we hung out together, snacking on our many leftovers and playing Salad Bowl (a combination of charades and taboo) late into the night.