Fireside Musings

Campfire photo by Natasha Pietila

Creativity is as rampant here as the mosquitoes, and it makes for quite a rich environment. Even the interns have started thinking lately; it seems as if everyone here is really adjusting well to the demands of farm life.

My first two weeks here have been eventful and relaxing. Though I have not written as much as I would have liked, I have made some good inroads into revising and editing some older pieces that I would eventually like to compile into ... well, a compilation.

The real winner of my time at the B-Farm is my dog, Percy. Running herself ragged every day leads to long naps on my feet, followed by some Frisbee time and possibly some swimming. She keeps busy by begging for food, play-biting the other dogs, or scheming to get attention from all of the people here. She's in heaven.

It's a beautiful day here, and I'm hoping for a Hippie Mike concert at the barn this afternoon. Maybe a quick trip down to Milsite Lake for a cliff jump or two, who knows.

My favorite part of every day is the nightly campfire. Collecting an assortment of wood during the day and watching it burn by night is the most tangible thing that I have provided in my time here. The smoke keeps the fist-sized 'skeeters at bay and warms chilly limbs after the sun has gone down. I'm already excited for tonight's fire, and it's still 8 hours away.

Matt builds a fire. Photo/Natasha Pietila

Hanging Out at Better Farm

From dodging mosquitoes to hopping hay bales to throwing horseshoes, there's no limit to interesting adventures being had at Better Farm...

I've Got Quite the Green Thumb

by Jaci Collins

Today was a very productive day in the garden and the weather was stunning! We were able to get a lot of weeds cleared out and a few things planted: tomatoes, onions, brussels sprouts and spinach. We are trying to get the rows cleared out and fresh hay laid down and spent much of the day doing this. There are quite a few things to be planted and I imagine most of tomorrow will be spent doing that. It’s a great feeling to get things accomplished each day. A few project ideas are flowing for the week: research an alternative building structure and draw up a design for a garden gate.  There are some items on the side as well: mixing up a batch of natural week killer (jalapeno’s and water) and getting some recipes together for homemade hair conditioner. So many wonderful things going on and it’s so wonderful to have people around that are motivated and positive! It’s a real joy being at the house and I couldn’t be happier. Tonight is a house dinner and bonfire. At last night’s bonfire we had the pleasure of being in the company of some of the locals who were some true characters! There are always people stopping by the house, dropping things off, coming to say hello, eat or hang out by the fire. What a strange experience it has been living in a such a small town were everyone really knows your name.

Ones to Watch: Brooklyn Farms

Dear old friend to Better Farm Marco Centola is part of an exciting initiative in Brooklyn to encourage people to grow their own food, compost, and eat locally.

Brooklyn Farms, a hydroponic superstore in Cobble Hill, is expanding to include a consulting and installation firm, a learning center where they'll teach less-fortunate city kids how to grow food, and a hydroponic community garden where people can rent a small plot and come garden year-round.

"Being a sustainability center," says Marco, "we plan on running most of our electricity off solar and wind power and we want to offer composting for the community. The business model is being put together as we speak."

Marco recently launched an installation at his other place of business,

The Brooklyn Kitchen

, so the restaurant can grow its own herbs for its recipes:

From our herb garden, you can pick up hydroponically grown basil, mint, sage or thyme: cut to order and sold by weight. Buy just what you need, so you don’t have to store or toss unused herbs! And watch as we expand our selection to include lovage, thai basil and more! Long associated with the more (ahem) illicit side of agriculture, hydroponic gardening is also a fairly practical way to grow your own food, a very gratifying activity too often unavailable to city folk. There are so many crops you can grow hydroponically, even exotic edibles that aren’t normally native to our region, that your garden will quickly pay for itself in saved grocery store costs.

Stay tuned for partnership information between Brooklyn Farms and Better Farm including workshops, free tips, information on building your own hydroponic garden, community outreach initiatives, and more. And feel free to e-mail

Marco

with any questions you have about hydroponics.

Warm Welcome to Better Farm Intern Elizabeth Musoke

Better Farm

Elizabeth Musoke grew up in Kenya and moved to the United States to study at the College of Architecture, Planning and Design at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. She'll finish up her masters of regional and community planning in May of 2012; but in the meantime, we are fortunate enough to have her as an intern in Better Farm's sustainability program.

Elizabeth worked in Kansas State University's sustainability internship program as well from September 2010 to March 2011, researching sustainability programs in higher education institutions, synthesizing data into summaries and reports, and gathering data for Kansas State University's greenhouse gas inventory.

"I spent a semester and a half analyzing my university’s sustainability level and finding ways to grade and aid its progress to a more sustainable future," Elizabeth wrote to us. "I was enrolled in an independent study analyzing the past, present and future developments of an informal settlement, Kibera, in Nairobi, Kenya. During the Fall 2010 semester, I proposed a qualitative study exploring the water supply system and how it affects the quality of life of residents living in Kibera. I am really interested in innovative ways that encourage water reuse and conservation."

Convinced that traditional schooling can't teach her all things, Elizabeth sought actual work experience. In her time at Better Farm, she'll be continuing her studies with water systems by helping to initiate water catchment and irrigation systems at the Farm, as well as working with various organic and permaculture gardening methods, green building, local food distribution, and much much more.

To learn more about Better Farm's sustainability internship program, click here.

Introducing Better Farm Intern Soon Kai Poh

Carleton College student Soon Kai Poh spent 22 months after high school in the Singapore military, 6 months working in a bakery, and volunteer farming in Singapore and Japan. Then he enrolled in a liberal arts college in the States, and, a few months later, got in touch with Better Farm.

Talk about well-rounded.

"In my time away from full-time academic study," he wrote to us, "I have realized the importance of gaining a better insight into the relationships that connect us to other people and to the world around us."

Soon Kai's interests in organic small-scale farming, cooking, and outdoor survival skills sent him in Better Farm's direction; where he's interested in using the Farm's community-based framework to share and exchange ideas with others and to make his learning experiences more meaningful and less self-directed.

He's already busied himself in the garden with the three other interns, and is abuzz with ideas for bee houses, winemaking, and green building. We're fortunate enough to have him with us through Sept. 4; stay tuned for updates on all the amazing projects he embarks on at Better Farm!

For more information about Better Farm's sustainability internship program, click here.

better days

by Erica Hauser
Occasionally my dad would say to me, when I'd be going through tough times, "Better days is comin'."

Probably it was his particular delivery, but it often helped: imagining these better days somewhere down the road, just waiting for me to get there. I've been having a lot of better days lately. In fact, this year has been going pretty well altogether, for the most part. One of the running jokes at the Farm is that here, everything is "better." Best is good, but better is... better.

In the past few days, among other things, I finished a painting, built (with salvaged wood and nails) and planted a raised bed with the interns, went dancing, hiked in a state park by the river, worked on more paintings, helped prepare food, picked flowers, sank a single pool ball, and lay in the grass listening as a talented wordsmith here played guitar and sang.

I may have said this before, but I feel so fortunate to be able to live like this for a while. It makes me feel like I'd do anything to maintain this creative flow and focus that I've had in the past six weeks. Even when I'm not painting, I feel that I'm living everyday life with a heightened state of awareness, my senses more alert to everything around me.

True, I've always been essentially living this way, in the intensity with which I process sensory, physical, intellectual, or emotional experiences. But I'm seeing that something like a residency allows me easier access to the energy stirred up by my surroundings. Instead of tucking it away, I can follow it through to see where it leads. A couple of mornings here I tried to meditate with a friend. I can't say that I was able to quiet my mind, but I felt relaxed and there was a clarity and connectedness between thoughts I'd previously grappled with. While I still have troubling thoughts, it's like I'm able to tap into that aforementioned energy to strengthen myself and balance out my sensitivity.. well... better.

Arts on the Square Offers Workshops all Summer Long

The North Country Arts Council in Watertown this summer offers a wide range of classes at its facility Arts on the Square. There's something for everyone; from painters to writers to storytellers. Courses offered this summer include:

Printing P.art.ners  Monday, June 13 (four session options)

Writing Sparks       Wednesdays in June, 10-11 a.m.

Foundations in Oil  Wednesdays in July 6-8 p.m.

StoryART                Thursday in July  9-10:30 a.m.

RecyclART              Thursdays in July 12-2 p.m.

Portraits                  Wednesdays in August 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Writing for Children  Tuesdays in August 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Invented Machines (drawing) Aug. 1-3, 1-2 p.m.

Click here for more information. This committee and its work is under construction, and the long-range goal is to eventually offer classes for all ability leves, ages and arts media. The immediate goal is to offer two to three classes per month. With more administrative support, the North Country Arts Council can run more classes, but is limited for the moment by the amount of volunteer hours available to review proposals, market opportunities, track registrations and assist in running classes. If you have interest and ability in these areas and would like to help, contact Kari Robertson at education@nnyart.org. Arts on the Square is located in the Franklin Building on Public Square in Watertown.

The Season Starts at Better Farm

Peas climb a fence in Better Farm's garden.

In the last two weeks, Better Farm's doubled her numbers, celebrated her 41st year in existence, completed another outbuilding, produced beautiful music, paintings, stories and textiles, and really kicked into high gear.

The winterized skeleton crew of Better Farm (Nicole, Mike, Mark, and Brian) in May gained Erin, a photographer from Heath Photography in Redwood; as well as a whole slew of interns and artists. There's Jaci, a recent ASU grad; Natasha, a student at St. Andrews in Scotland; Erica, a painter from Beacon, N.Y.; Matt, a writer out of Jersey City and his dog Persephone; Forbes, a trumpet player from the Boston area; and on Sunday we'll get Soon Kai Poh and Elizabeth Musoke. We were also blessed to have painter Jennifer Elizabeth Crone; visual artist Ruby Amanze, and embroidery extraordinaire Joetta Maue and her son, Tesla, with us for residencies throughout the winter and spring.

Full house! With so many hands, the garden has taken on a life of its own. Natasha and Jaci have been killing it out on the grounds, spotting spiders and birds and frogs, transplanting and planting like crazy, and doubling the size of last year's garden.

Painter-in-residence Erica Hauser layers compost, cardboard, and rich dirt as part of Better Farm's mulch gardening, no-till method of growing food.

New rows are established as Better Farm's garden doubles in size.

Raised herb beds on the property feature sage, basil, spinach, amaranth, chives, mint, summer savory, mustard greens, and more.

Of course, the chickens are in on the action. Acting as mini roto-tillers and producing great compost for us, they hang out with everyone in the garden:

Bedding down in a fresh row of composted dirt.

Henrietta

Sissy

Meanwhile, the artists keep busy producing work. Here's Forbes writing a composition in the side yard:

With all this hubbub, it's important to keep morale high. So we do things like teatime (featuring vegan cucumber sandwiches and tea made with mint from the garden):

Gathering around to watch rainstorms roll in:

And, of course, hikes out to beautiful overlooks and swimming in crystal-clear lakes:

For more information about Better Farm's sustainability internship program, click here. To learn more about the betterArts residency program, click here.

The Bus

Watercolor, 8"x10", of the Better Farm bus. By Erica Hauser

As Oasis

A sneak peek into one former artist-in-residence's return home  

by Joetta Maue

I spent all day yesterday settling back into home. Getting caught up, unpacked, and much more. And it feels good to be home. While I was away I was thinking about all the things that I miss out on by having a NYC lifestyle, but as soon as I saw the skyline off in the distance I was flooded with happiness toward all the things that I get from living a NYC life.

It has been lovely here the last few days and T and I have been soaking in Brooklyn life.

I always love that often when I go somewhere I totally enjoy myself and my experience but more often then not it also confirms that the life that I have chosen is the right one; leaving me even happier to be where I am.

Better Farm was an oasis of grass, bird song, space, and wonderful community and I am so grateful for the experience I had there—and even more grateful to know their door is always open to me and creative folks. I hope to grace their barn and the supper table again.

But here too in my little life in Brooklyn I have my oasis of my family, my friends. my studio, and my bed. So I guess you can make an oasis anywhere.

For more information about betterArts' residency program, click here.

Building a Better Birdhouse

We broke ground on Better Farm's second outbuilding last September during a memorial celebration for two dear old friends of mine,

Em Doran and Emily Richardson

. The memorial, coined "A Better Celebration", served as a launching point for future foundation and scholarship support for young women; and those in attendance at the event

helped us at Better Farm out with several projects

.

Blueberry bushes were planted, doors were painted (part of an ongoing art series led by artist-in-residence

Mike Brown

), and we started the second outbuilding, which we're calling the Birdhouse for very obvious reasons. The design was found by

Corinne

online, and we all fell in love:

The building is obviously amazing, but there were a few kinks we foresaw applying this model to the North Country: keeping the bugs out, having more space, and

frost heave

. This building was intended from the start to house

artists-in-residence

at Better Farm. So, we tweaked the design a bit to make it an 8'x10' building, allowed for four stilts rising up out of the ground, and included a proper door and window. Here are photos from the memorial party last September, when we dug holes and laid the groundwork:

Truly a group effort! After the party, several Better Farmers teamed up again with Craig and Teresa Rice and Jody Szepeski to get three of the four walls up and the roof framed.

And there she sat, as the cold winds came and we were forced indoors to endure the particularly cold North Country winter. As soon as the snow melted, it was back to work. A new crew came onto the job; namely, Joel Zimmer and Mark Huyser. Mark built the steps and put the door on (reclaimed from renovations at the Riveredge Hotel), Scotty Tummons came in to lay the roof down, and then Joel and Mark finished the edging, cut out the window David Garlock helped to draw, insulated and sheetrocked the walls, and (maybe most importantly) put the perch on. And, at long last, the birdhouse is just about finished:

See the full album here

.

Many thanks to the entire Better Celebration crew, Craig Rice for getting the project planned and executed so skillfully, Redwood Lumber for meeting our demands for wood, David Garlock for donating the roof, Mark Huyser, Joel Zimmer, and Scotty Tummons for doing such nice work, and

Erica Hauser

for being the first person to call this birdhouse home.

S-s-s-studio

by Erica Hauser
 

 

This morning I awoke feeling chirpy after my first night sleeping in the birdhouse. I'd slept in the main house the first few nights as it was unexpectedly chilly, but I snuggled under a comforter and fell asleep while looking at the stars through the round window. Shortly after the sun rose I lay in bed listening to the birds singing all around me. Coming up on the longest day of the year, the light stretches leisurely from dawn to dusk like an ear-to-ear grin.

After a few hours of painting, I weeded a couple rows in the garden and planted some brussels sprouts. I decided this'd be my dinner-making day, so I am preparing a baked-bean-&-corn dish, brown rice with red pepper and just-picked chives, and the kale harvested from the garden today. I'm often more of a side-dish-&-dessert-maker, so that's how it goes. Afterwards it will still be light enough to work in the barn a bit longer. I haven't posted photos because I've been working on a few things at once, taking advantage of being able to spread all my stuff out and get messy, it's what I've always wanted to do, and makes me long to rent a separate studio for myself upon my return. That likely won't be possible for a while, though I will have to find some place to use for Beacon Open Studios in late September.

While writing this paragraph I've shooed the big snake away twice already, it seems to like my canvases, but maybe I'm projecting. I guess we'll just have to share the space.

Photos: The license plate is an installation piece I just did. Below that is the lovely Better bus, part of the history of the farm, not currently operational but perhaps soon. Then we have my snake pal and the birdhouse. 

For more information about the betterArts residency program, click here.