News from The Farm
"First a howling blizzard woke us,
Then the rain came down to soak us,
And now before the eye can focus -
Crocus."~Lilja Rogers
This poem sums up our experience thus far, alluding to our ability to adapt and overcome at any time: Mother Nature has proven to be mysterious in her intentions for the coming spring once again. We have remained encouraged, finding flowers of the forsythia poking their heads, hopeful buds of lilac and currants popping out to say hello along with the familiar sounds of our migratory Killdeer, we know Spring is in the wings, we also know it has many faces. Stepping from a blustering snow filled March day and entering into the green house we are filled with hope, the heat greeting us warmly along with the forced hyacinth breath of freshness, spring has sprung in the greenhouses and we know it will soon be in full swing out in the fields as well.
We invite you to come check us out, walk the fields, venture through the green houses, the orchard, see the work that hundreds of hands have helped produce since January on the farm. It has been an amazing 4 months, scheduling, planning, waiting, doing and repeating, and we are all excited to showcase the plants and the people that have all helped put it together. Come by or check out our website for more information on our plants and what we have been up to out at L’Arche Farm & Gardens .
A Year of Loss on the Farm
This past year the Farm felt the loss of two faithful volunteers, each sharing their gifts with us in different ways yet similarly loving us for who we were and what we do. We honor the dedication, commitment and the lives of Martha Boone and Cindy Horner.
Martha Boone could be heard before she was seen, often announcing herself or a terrible pest she had seen on her morning walk in her delightful German way, “Pat Toohey, we have aphids, we have slugs... what are you going to do?” “Pat Toohey, its too hot, we’re on strike and were going to eat popsicles!” Martha came weekly sometimes spending the day, sometimes just shopping with her friends she had coaxed into coming to spend their money. She was an advocate for our people and made sure everyone at the markets knew who we were and how blessed she was to be working with us.
Cindy Horner’s gifts could be seen with an artful grace wherever she worked. She embraced our craft room. Painting cards, drying flowers and helping us step up our level of crafts beyond our vision. She engaged the gifts of our folks beyond our imagination helping many of our core members and assistants see the beauty in the small things. She bought us supplies, brought us sweet treats and gave of herself beyond measure. Cindy was not one for the lime light, but was the first to give credit to others and pass along the compliments people would give of her work. Her annual Christmas party was a fond tradition of Spaghetti, cocoa in fancy mugs, movies and warm toes on her wood stove. 
Hello and Goodbye
Transition being a familiar friend to us all, this year we bless the journey of Elisa Carrothers, our grower, as she journeys to Idaho where she will join her husband Ken. We welcome a familiar face, a JV in 2009 and a house Assistant, Zach Zaubi, putting his skills to the test in taking on the role of grower at the Farm.
