May
23, 2013
Last
Week to Pledge
for the
Community
Farm!
A big thanks to everyone who has responded to our
appeal for financial support to build the Farm!
This month, nearly 100 friends have given LexFarm
their vote of confidence and generously pledged
over $16,000.
Help us reach $20,000 and demonstrate
strong community support by the time we submit our
bid on June 3rd. If you pledge by May 31st, we
will list your name in the proposal.
There is only one week left in this pledge
drive. Please
read more and Pledge NOW to Build the Farm!
Help us do this important work!
Goat
Yard Update
At two
weeks old, Naya's three kids are healthy and
adorable, spending short periods of time outside
playing, gamboling about, and even practicing
their nascent head-butting skills. Provided they
stand still for long enough, you can identify them
by their size and markings:
Snoopy (left)
has the single spot on his back;
Lilac
(middle) is the smallest and mostly brown doeling.
John Snow (right) is the one who is mostly
white on his back and hind legs. (See if you can
identify them as they run around in
this
video.)
Goat
note: It appears that humans aren't the only ones
who use "baby talk" - close listeners may notice
that Naya's bleats to her kids are different from
the typical adult vocalizations.
The Goat Yard will be open on
Sunday, May 26th
for visitors from 1 - 3 pm; LexFarm members
free; we suggest a $5 donation from others.
"Let's
Get Growing"
Thursday,
June 6, Busa Farm, 1 - 3 pm
Come and
bring your children to Busa Farm on
Thursday,
June 6th from 1 to 3 pm to inaugurate
LexFarm's new children’s farm plot at the farm.
Dress for a mess because this is a hands-on
afternoon of actual planting. We will pick over
the soil for rocks to be removed, mark off rows
and plant sunflower seeds, transplant veggie
seedlings and start some other vegetables from
seed in our own dedicated children’s farm plot!
Read more
here
and sign up soon! Suggested donation of $5 per
child.
Discovery
Day in
Lexington
Saturday,
May 25, Waltham Street Municipal Parking
Lot, 10 am - 3 pm
Look for
the giant veggies to find LexFarm's tent at Discovery
Day. Catch up with the latest news as we
close in on submitting our bid for the community
farm! Bring the kids and plant a seed to take
home and grow! Hope to see you there!
LexFarm Presents:
Genetic
Roulette:The
Gamble of Our
Lives Film
Screening
Monday,
June 10, Cary Library, 6:30 pm
Join
friends and neighbors in attending this
screening, sponsored by LexFarm and nourish,
on the health disadvantages of eating
genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the
negative effects it has on our food system. A
discussion will follow hosted by Jack
Kittredge, Policy Director of NOFA/Mass.
Free to attend. Visit here
for more information.
Membership Corner
Show
Your Support, Become a member
A donation of $20.00 for an
individual membership or $35.00 for
a family membership will help us meet
our current expenses and plan for the future.
You can sign up online here or send a check payable to LexFarm
at P.O. Box 554, Lexington, MA 02420.
If you have any questions, contact Brenda
Netreba at membe...@lexfarm.org.
Wild
Edible Plant Series
This
series covers wild
edible plants
found in New
England as told in
Russ Cohen's book,
"Wild Plants I
Have Known... and
Eaten." If you
haven't had the
chance, take some
time to read this
delightfully
informative book
to find out more
on wild plants for
sustainable
eating.
Note: If you are unfamiliar
with harvesting wild edibles,
please consult a plant expert
before attempting to forage on
your own.
Part Sixteen: Black Locust
The
Black Locust tree (
rabinia pseudocacia)
is an invasive species that originally came from
the Southeast and was brought to these parts for
its rot-resistant wood for making fencing
posts. It typically grows up to 60 feet high,
has furrowed bark, blue-green, egg-shaped
leaflets, and branches with thorns, which are
not a concern when harvesting its flowers.
Black locust trees are commonly found near roads
or field edges and when in bloom, black locust
flowers give off an aromatic smell that is
distinctive, especially when biking or driving
by with the windows down. For the most part,
the black locust plant is inedible and poisonous
with the exception of its flowers. The best
time to harvest them are within the few weeks
leading up to Memorial Day. They are easiest to
pick from reachable branches. Black locust
flowers are white, similar in appearance to pea
flowers, and grow in clusters, emitting a sweet,
jasmine-like smell that make them appetizing.
When harvesting, only choose the aromatic flower
buds, which means they have still retained their
flavor. In case you miss peak harvesting
season, you can always go up to southern New
Hampshire where they still might be available.
They are great to eat in raw form, are sweet in
flavor, and can be added to baked or fried
desserts.
Further Thinking
For those who haven't had a chance to catch
many food and farm-related TED Talks, Foodtank.org
has come up with a list of 24
TED Talks About Food Worth Watching.
We welcome your feedback
Please write us at newsl...@lexfarm.org
with your feedback regarding the Update or if
you have suggestions for area events that we can
announce.
Jeanne Lin and Allison
Moody