Nubi Cohousing News » Farm

pollinator heaven

Noel — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:38:50 +0000

From the perspective of pollinators, bee balm and buckwheat seem to be hot commodities at this time of year. Highly popular. As the bee balm in our yard has been flowering, it’s received near constant attention from hummingbirds, bumblebees, honeybees, and this incredible moth that looks and behaves remarkably like a hummingbird (see photos).

And the beginnings of Nubi’s “pollinator habitat,” planted in spring, consists of a large patch of buckwheat that is currently in full bloom. When I walk by in the morning, it sounds like a beehive, a riot of noise and activity from an amazing variety of pollinators. The photos don’t do justice. Nearly every plant seems to have a different kind of creature on it, busily working its flowers.

garden clean-up

Barbara M — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 14:38:35 +0000

Nothing like a good garden tour to get you to pick up! Thanks everyone for making the perennial patch shine! Upkeep anyone?

fall harvest day

Noel — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 01:38:07 +0000

Saturday was a full day here, especially in the farm part of Nubanusit Neighborhood and Farm. We had a fall workday in the veggie fields, followed by a potluck lunch that took full advantage of our community-grown produce. Full fall colors in the trees and crisp blue skies helped set the tone.

Science and Organic Farming

Eric — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 11:38:59 +0000

I can’t resist posting a couple links to articles I’ve recently read about organic pesticide use.

The first is a link to a recent Science Friday episode discussing a recent study that shows that for 3 varieties of strawberries, organic farming leads to healthier soil which leads to healthier foods. “Healthier” here means “more biodiverse” and “containing more nutrients and anti-oxidents” respectively… but listen to the episode for details.

The summary of the second study (published in the same journal) may be more eye-opening. Generally speaking, organic pesticides have a lower environmental impact than others, but widespread use of some (specifically “Superior 70 oil”, a mineral oil that smothers aphids) can have a much larger (negative) impact on the environment than targeted use of synthetic pesticides. Cue the debate about organic labelling…

Farm Team in action

Barbara M — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 00:03:15 +0000

Your hard-working farm team did work from dawn to dusk today, with Lono still on the tractor as I write, prepping the field for our pollinator habitat planting. Lono, Laura, Melissa, Johanna, Jim, and I traveled to New Boston to get up close and personal with some goats and sheep and the 4H kids who show them. Hoping we’ll get to cheer on our own Nubi kids in the show ring sometime.

Seen photographed with some draught ponies. Thanks Lara, Noel, Lila and Xan for your company.

– Barbara M.

’tis the season for PUMPKINS!

Noel — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 20:12:33 +0000

Todd, our CSA farm manager, put out the word — pumpkins were ready to pick, all hands on deck, children especially welcome — and so it was that a good crowd gathered on Labor Day, and together we made short work of the pumpkin patch.

As Todd noted, “we got a decent haul, considering the drought… and our garden’s new resident gopher(s).”

There were five varieties to be had, every one meant for cooking and eating (as opposed to carving into jack-o-lanterns): New England Pie (aka “Small Sugar”), Young’s Beauty (bigger than Small Sugar), Long Pie (looking remarkably like overgrown zucchinis), Winter’s Luxury (name says it all), and last but certainly not least was Long Island Cheese (renowned by our resident Long Island natives as being “the best pie pumpkin ever”).

plants and insects

Noel — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:43:17 +0000

In our home garden this morning, there was an amazing moth — a hummingbird moth — flitting around our bee balm flowers. I tried some photos — see below — but can’t really capture how much this flying bug really looks (and acts) like a bird.

And this morning in the community “garden” — our CSA farm field — we held a community workday that got lots of hands out there for a productive and social time. We cleared many beds, removed numerous tomato hornworms (which were then fed to the chickens!), weeded and weeded some more, and generally did some impressive sprucing up of the veggie fields.

banner day

Barbara M — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 13:30:18 +0000

Today has been a banner day at Nubi and it’s only 8 AM!
Suzy arrived at the Common House rosy from attending to the cows in -2 degree cold. She announced that the full moon had been in perfect alignment with the road through Nubi and was such a glorious sight, she barely refrained from summoning Clive to get his camera.
Then Clive himself appeared, delighted to announce that the tweaks made to the pellet system were paying off today with all boilers running and tons of heat and hot water to all.
For my part, I am thrilled to say that the cows are alive and well on day two of Shelley’s absence. And even Ed is alive and well having successfully milked the recalcitrant Pumpkin. Production is a bit low (the girls miss you, Shelley!), but the quality is perfect. It is really thrilling to know we can run the dairy by ourselves, all ten or so of us!
And yes I am knocking on wood.

photos of new calves

Noel — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:26:33 +0000

Here’s a brief slideshow of photos of the two newborns — a male (red collar) and female (green collar) — along with their mother, Maggie, and with Pumpkin and her young calf, Chestnut….

Happy Birthday!

Eric — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:25:50 +0000

Lots of neighbors got to watch new twin calves being born on Sunday night. It was an amazing experience, and we’re all glad that Chessie will soon have friends to frolick with!