The Lyman Estate is a short walk from where we live in Waltham, MA and is one of the first places we explored in our community when we started 'Our Permaculture Trip' in the fall of 2011.
The estate features several almost 200 year old greenhouses, some of the oldest in the United States, that are still used today. The Lymans were passionate horticulturalists and grew citrus and other 'tropical' plants like bananas and pineapples in greenhouses built several feet into the ground (called 'pit' greenhouses). The property was also a working farm, and today still houses a working nursery and various exotic and native plants on display. Part of our 'trip' has been to connect with our community through building relationships with people, organizations and learning about our shared history and how it can help us imagine the future. The idea of growing pineapples in Massachusetts is one of those small examples of the exciting possibilities that our current paradigm makes seem impossible. These greenhouses are just one example of using appropriate and available technology (remember these are almost 200 years old!) to shift what we believe is possible. This is one solution towards providing local, sustainable and simple sources for food preferences we've acquired through a destructive system of global food production and distribution.
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We love the Waltham Farmer's Market. Not only do you find a variety of fresh local food, but you directly support farmers in your community (plus it's one of the few that is open on Saturdays in our area). The taste and quality cannot be beat by chain supermarkets with food that is often picked weeks ago, transported thousands of miles and ripened by ethanol gas, and the price is comparable. By reducing the space and time between farm and table we:
We mainly buy our fruits like raspberries, peaches, and nectarines from Bart's Farm Stand from Leominster, MA and our veggies from Heaven's Harvest Farm from New Braintree, MA. Heaven's Harvest always has a wide selection you can't find at most other stands - lemon boy cucumbers, garlic scapes, kohlrabi, red onion, kale, and uncommon squashes. We also like Flats Manor Farm for some rarer greens like amaranth, purslane, bok choy and a variety of fresh herbs. You can also find pasta and sauces from the Pasta Man, and homemade soaps, body oils and loofas from Donna Dee's Designs. Jessica led a Farmer's Market Tour through the Copley Square Farmer's Market this summer for her coworkers at her old job at Wayfair as part of Wellness Programming. Check out this guide to shopping at farmer's market she put together for anyone looking for quick tips before heading out. |
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