What a fabulous turnout for Easter Sunday! Well over 150 plates, and the crew really came together for Farm Feast, everyone was fed in under 10 minutes, where else can you find that kind of service? Next Farm Feast is May 3rd. Join us for a Bird Walk at 6:15 a.m.!

Farm Feast Breakfast Crew! (not pictured: Bree - photographer)

And Pizza and a Movie was pretty great too! We watched American Nomads (available online here). The narrator really pulls you into the story, and tells a tale of the variety of nomadic lifestyles across all age groups.

University of NH

Plymouth State University

The farm tours have been a great success over the past two weeks and a wide variety of visitors are also checking it out. Did you know that true sustainability starts with a paradigm shift in the way we think, and the actions we take? It's great to foster and seed the young with new ideas and thoughts that they can take and hopefully engage in growing and developing.


We had the opportunity to create an 80s box out of the Clothing Swap!!  80s Era Dance Party in the works! There was a lot of action at this year's Clothing Swap, the fashion show was an added bonus! Thanks Burt for modeling for us!

Our babies in the solarium are growing up, so quickly too! We've been moving plants out to the greenhouse this past week, taking care to keep them covered as they harden up for the next phase.  Spring really has sprung! The ground is thawing, the chickens are laying well over a dozen a day, the ponds are filling and the pussy willows are peeking!

Check out this video! Farmer Rich and Resident James presided over "Mustgo Kraut" making on Volunteer Day in March, I mentioned it last week, enjoy the show!

The Red House Renovation is going along at a great pace! The floors and walls have been treated with Vermont Natural Coatings water-based poly. We are ready to rock the night this Saturday at the Book Release Party with DJ Skar!


We'll be utilizing this space as part of the Hostel this summer - shared sleeping space, BYOBedding!
You know Spring has officially arrived when the climbers start pouring in! The Hostel at D Acres also has private rooms and field camping! Have you thought about a get-a-way yet this summer? Click here for more info on our accommodations!

SPROUTS!

Have you tried growing them? No? It's unbelievably simple!

Step One: Find a jar
Step Two: Fill it 1/4 of the way with what you want to sprout. We do Mung Beans, Lentils, and Quinoa! Cover with cheese cloth.
Step Three: Fill with water and leave alone for 12 hours
Step Four: Drain and rinse, and set it up so it drains like this
Step Five: Rinse morning and night, set up out of the sun, and continue draining until you see sprouts
Four-six days later - healthy delicious sprouts ready to eat!

What's coming up?

Celebration of the Book! - April 18th dance the night away with music from Jazz Pianist Mike Puleo (6-9) and DJ Skar from 9 - ?
Embroidery with Jen Alba 4/18, 25 and May 2
Potluck and Open Mic 4/24
Bird Walk and Farm Feast May 3rd

Hello! From the Winter Crew 2015 - Ben, James, Sonia, Bree & Josh

PS: Have you purchased your copy of The Community-Scale Permaculture Farm yet? Here's the link!

Yes to APRIL!! Welcome Spring! 

The last week of March was a productive and successful week! 

Pot Luck brought a young group of regulars from PSU and Lauren Hurley (a great musician!), check her out here!

Proctor Academy stopped by for a tour of the Farm, and we hosted a group from Colby-Sawyer College as well! 

They had a blast (as you can see!), and I walked the tour for the first time since I've been here. Very informative, Josh is very passionate about giving young minds an option to think outside the box. For example: explaining to the group about the viability of a huge root cellar to keep food cold and in turn pump cool air throughout the facilities, instead of using fossil fuel to cool rooms to 60 degrees and placing foods in refrigerators. That, to me, is an interesting, viable and thoughtful initiative just waiting for the right person to hear it and run with it. 

The 20 year old Kiwi!

Pruning Fruit Trees = happy healthy trees!

And the Garden Grows

Watching the snow melt and the seeds grow has been quite the blessing, giving everyone here the bright happy feelings of spring right around the corner! Pruning is well underway.

Bree having a BLAST!

Project Renovating Red House
The red house is moving along at a steady pace. The shiplap walls are installed, the floor is down and sanding is underway. Painting is next on the tasks to be completed.

Savory Woodstove Meatballs

Resident James testing his super savory meatballs!

1 lb ground beef

1 lb Italian sausage 

1 cup bread crumbs

6 cloves of garlic

1 egg

1 cup nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon parsley 

1 tablespoon rosemary 

(sauce)

2 large onions diced

Braggs Raw Aminos (to taste)

Brown sugar, maple syrup or unsweetened applesauce (to taste)

2 tablespoons oil

Mix all contents together in large mixing bowl.

Once the mixture is well incorporated, roll into balls about the size of a half dollar coin (approx. 2 tablespoons). Fry in oil just enough to brown edges, then transfer meatballs into a dutch oven or medium sized saucepan.  

Fry diced onions in the residual oil and fat in the same frying pan used to brown the meatballs.  Adding aminos and sweetener until the sauce starts to caramelize slightly.  

Combine meatballs and sautéed onions in saucepan.

Cook on stovetop or woodstove, cook until your sauce develops a syrup consistency, then try out a meatball!

*to spice things up, add hot peppers *you can’t beat fresh ingredients, support local farms like us and feature your own garden in your meal.

Farmer Rich Kreating Kraut! (see what I did there?)

And, on Volunteer Day, Farmer Rich taught a mini "off the cuff" workshop on Kraut Making! Keep your eyes open for a video to be posted. I didn't realize that Kraut was just cabbage that can be augmented with veggies and sometimes fruit hanging out together in their own juices, which are being drawn out with sea salt! That's it, wicked easy, wicked nutritious and wicked delicious! Totally different than any kraut you find at the local grocery store.

Events for April: This coming Saturday at 7 p.m. we'll have our monthly Full Moon Walk (no snow shoes needed this time!) 

Farm Feast Breakfast on Easter: Why cook when you can come to a great place, meet awesome people, enjoy delicious food, and learn about D Acres too? Tour starts at 1 p.m.

Clothing Swap will be happening on Sunday too. The garage will be open, and filled with a great pile of "Stuff" that we want you to have!

Pizza and a Movie on Friday, April 10th - always delicious, always inspiring, and always a fun time! What are we showing you ask… hmmm

April 15th is also the deadline to take Jen Alba's Embroidery Workshop, scheduled for April 18th, 25th and May 2nd! She does amazing work, and you'll learn how to create 3 beautiful pieces!

The sunrises are epic here at the farm!

April 18th Super Awesome Book Release Celebration and Dance Party! Come experience joy and fellowship, don't forget your dancing shoes! Jazz Pianist and DJ is scheduled! Have you purchased a copy of it yet? It's a great read! 

April 24th Potluck and Open Mic - Who's bringing what? Who's making noise? Always fun, always a surprise, and always a great time to hang out at D Acres! What shall we make? 

April 25th we'll be at PSU's Earth Jam with a table! Stop by and say Hi! We'd love to see you!

And that's all Folks! Catch ya next week! Make your days Glorious! 

~Peace!

Sonia