“I think that is our deepest longing – to belong to each other and to belong to this larger community of life”
– Robin Wall Kimmerer
From the start we knew our 25 acre farm held wetland space, and that flooded soils could be a challenge for many crops. We use the extremely rich soils upslope of the fen for our row crops, but the wetlands are just a few feet away and they play an obvious role in our work, our decision-making and our water management practices.
The word fen is an old Germanic term describing land wholly or partly covered in water, like a marsh. The soil is somewhat acidic, very dark, and carries reddish streaks where iron has been oxidized in the prolonged moisture.
Wetlands are incredibly valuable ecosystems, they accumulate organic matter (i.e. sequester carbon), purify water and provide essential habitat for amphibians, birds, insects and reptiles.
The fen is also a generous space, constantly offering unexpected bounties. Even in the middle of December, we may come upon a flush of Winter Oyster mushrooms that were happily blooming alongside the trail.
Throughout the year we collect flushes of Golden and Pearl Oyster mushrooms, King Boletes, Turkey Tail, Ostrich Fern fiddles, wild grapes, blackberries, spicebush, rosehips, and many wild medicinal plants.
1. Golden Oyster Mushrooms
In the coming years we hope to share the fen with our community by offering educational tours, foraging forays and restorative volunteer efforts that can bolster the wetlands and further deepen our relationship with the incredible ecology around us.
2. Bolete Mushrooms
