Farm

This is a special blog contribution written by Hattie Nunley, farm advocate.

As the days grow shorter and an autumn chill hangs in the air, now is the perfect time to reflect on this past season of beautiful blooms and fresh produce grown on our farm.

Advocate and survivor hands were busy working in the soil this season as we tended to the many flowers, fruits, and vegetables growing on the farm as part of our Summer Flower CSA and farm-to-table dining.

January began with farm advocates sowing thousands of flower seeds in our indoor growing space before eventually moving them to our greenhouses. In March, we began transplanting cold-loving flowers into our high tunnels and eventually transitioned into the field once the danger of frost had passed.

June rolled around soon enough, and our Summer Flower CSA was in full swing! The CSA saw success once again this year, marking the 10th year of our bountiful bouquets. The 130 members who supported our program enjoyed a variety of vibrant cut flowers, including sunflowers, zinnias, lisianthus, snapdragons, celosia, cosmos, eucalyptus and so much more. All in all, we estimate that over 41,500 stems were harvested and sold from the beginning of June through the end of September!

To celebrate the conclusion of another year of our CSA, we hosted a U-Pick event for the first time since 2019. This was a special occasion where we welcomed 50 community members onto our farm to explore the space and pick flowers grown by survivors.

Farm Programming

Of course, we could not have done any of this without the help of the 16 survivors who participated in our nature-based healing program this year. Also called our Farm Stipend Program, this opportunity connects survivors with the Earth and allows them to process their experiences in a uniquely therapeutic way while also earning money and job-skills training. Participants are involved in every aspect of flower production from seeding to harvest, and we are proud to these are homegrown by survivors.

Survivors not in the stipend program were encouraged to take part in the dozens of farm-related support groups offered this year, with over 330 residents participating in activities such as wreath making, resin art with dried flowers, paper making with pressed flowers, strawberry jam canning, pickle canning, and much more.

Expanding on last year’s goal of providing farm-to-table produce to our shelter residents, over 3,000 pounds of fresh produce were grown this year to fuel our farm-table dining program. Some of the favorite vegetables harvested and used in shelter meals included heirloom tomatoes, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, garlic, potatoes, sweet potatoes, kale, broccoli, and butternut squash.

Our shelter advocate with focus on food and nutrition has been working hard to ensure that we incorporate farm-fresh ingredients grown on the farm in the delicious meals she prepares to spark conversation around nutrition and mindful eating.

We are grateful that our farm programming has continued to nurture the lives of survivors during their time in shelter and raised awareness of our mission throughout the communities we serve. Until next year!

“I have really sweet kid memories of laying down under a tree and looking up at the sky,” says Ryan Koch, residential program manager.

Many trees on the shelter property were planted about ten years ago with the support of a Plant the Planet grant from Kentucky Utilities.

“I like anything that helps a young person have a good, normal kind of day.”

Ryan is committed to planting more for residents to enjoy and reduce our carbon footprint.

He recently installed a big disc swing on a strong black cherry tree in the front lawn. “Moms and kids can all get on it at once and have a carefree moment.”

Michelle’s kids love playing under the trees. “They have a little mudhole out there,” she shares. “The other two really love to swing out front. They don’t like to come in sometimes.”

Volunteers help with the upkeep of the trees and cleared a path into the woods on the edge of the property for nature walks.

“Our strawberries taste a whole lot better than the ones that came from the store,” said a survivor living in shelter. “They’re sweeter and juicier.”

There’s nothing better than a home-cooked meal made with food grown with your own hands.

Many meals prepared in the shelter this time of year feature fresh produce from the farm. Lunch is often a big summer salad. Tacos and salsa made with vegetables from the farm are popular, too.

“I’m all about the farm-to-table connection,” shares Hattie Nunley, farm and family advocate. “I think even being able to just supplement onions in a meal is special.”

“The farm was amazing. Getting my hands in the dirt was one of the best experiences of my life,” says Michelle.

Carrots, kale, cabbage, bok choy, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and peppers were seeded in January and planted in April. Several hoop houses on the farm will extend the harvest season through late autumn.

“I was able to be involved in planting the peppers and tomatoes and a discussion of the future planting of okra and squash,” shares a survivor.

Too many in central Kentucky experience food insecurity. Healing the physical and emotional wounds of violence becomes more difficult without access to nutritious food.

Hattie is working to expand the farm’s production to provide survivors with fresh produce even after leaving the shelter. She collaborates closely with the shelter’s dining and nutrition advocate for menu planning.

They also co-facilitate a monthly support group about healthy relationships with food.

“My favorite thing so far has been harvesting strawberries,” says another survivor. “They were so sweet and delicious.”

Lyndsay Deaver knows the healing love that only a horse can give.

In 2008, while a student of Midway University’s equine therapy program, she completed her practicum internship at the emergency shelter.

Lyndsay suggested that boarding her horse, JB, on the property, could be meaningful for survivors.

“People really identify with the horses. That’s their magic,” explains Lyndsay. “Horses are the perfect type of mirror. They reflect back to you what you’re experiencing.”

JB still lives on the property today. Saucy and Solo, both horses of Lyndsay’s family members, have joined her.

If a resident or staff person stops along the fence line, it doesn’t take long until one of the horses ambles over to say hello. They often wait near the gate to welcome kids back from school.

“It’s really rewarding to see how many women and kids have enjoyed just spending time with the horses,” Lyndsay adds.

Many of the pictures you see of our farm are filled with blooming flowers in the spring and summer months, but have you wondered what goes on when the temperatures start dropping? Winter on the farm is beautiful and busy! 

Production on the farm stopped at the end of October 2021. The farm team – Christina and Hattie, along with some volunteers – cleared out all of the annual flower beds. They physically removed every stem by hand (!) and mowed the beds down. They also ordered all the flower seeds, vegetable seeds, compost, and tools needed for this upcoming season.    

At the end of the growing season, cover crop was applied to help restore soil health in beds that had been worked throughout the year. Newly-formed beds were covered with landscape fabric to kill grass and weeds and ensure that the soil is protected from erosion and retains carbon.  

In November, they dug up the dahlias to store in crates and save until winter is over. They look like sweet potatoes!

They also planted bulbs! Anemone and ranunculus, two spring favorites, were planted both in the field and in one of the high tunnels. Garlic was planted, too, and covered with straw for a big harvest in July.  

The high tunnels were cleaned out and repaired, replacing some of the old plastic siding.

This month farm staff seeded 14 trays – including yarrow, snapdragons, mountain mint, bupleurum, statice, rudbeckia, and dianthus.

The main focus now is planning and mapping the farm to figure out where everything will be planted.