http://www.newtownbee.com/Features.asp?s=Features-2004-05-20-16-18-35p1.htm
Sticks And Stones Farm Is Going To Expand Its Offerings With A Community
Garden
By Shannon Hicks
Sticks and Stones Farm has been a working moss farm and masonry site for over
two decades. Now owner Tim Currier wants to expand the farm's offerings by
opening a community farm. He has started with 200 square feet of property,
which
has been plowed and has secure fencing to keep critters away from the
pesticide-free food that will be grown in Jurassic Moss Community Garden.
When Tim Currier purchased part of the former massive Steinfeld property in
Botsford 28 years ago, he took on the task of farming on land that had been
owned by a family well known within the town's farming circles.
Today Mr Currier, who owns 60 of the former Steinfeld acres, is one of the
largest moss farmers in the country. He cultivates - from spores, which is very
rare ("Most people go into the woods and dig up their starter crops. We start
from scratch," Mr Currier explained) - shade and sunny moss on his property in
Newtown. His is the oldest propagate moss farm in the country. He also runs a
farm in Hawaii that produces avocadoes, 75 fruit crops, and construction
grade bamboo.
Stonework is also a major part of life at Sticks and Stones Farm, which is
what Mr Currier has named his Newtown property. Mr Currier was responsible for
the 1,200-pound granite base (and the hand carving on the base) that supports
the eagle carving in front of Edmond Town Hall and, very recently, the bench
that was placed next to Hawley Pond last summer. The stones for each of these
projects came from a quarry at Sticks and Stones Farm.
Now he is ready to branch out even more, resurrecting a part of history to
his 60-acre property. Mr Currier wants to begin a community garden in an area
that was once home to Dave's Garden - also well known before Mr Currier moved
into Newtown.
The new garden will be called Jurassic Moss Community Garden at Sticks and
Stones Farm. It will be looked over by a large stone sculpture, The T-Rock,
which can be seen by those driving along Huntingtown Road. The sculpture is the
handiwork of Ethan Currier, Tim's son, and is situated near one of the farm's
shade moss plots.
The driveway to Jurassic Moss Community Garden will be at 173 Huntingtown
Road.
The 200 square feet that will make up the garden was cleared out a few years
ago. That was when Mr Currier began clearing out invasive rose bushes that had
completely taken over.
"That had to be done without disturbing the soil because much of this is also
wetlands," Mr Currier said, pointing to an area between where the community
garden will be located and part of his shade moss plantings are already set up.
"That was a lot of labor, and it all had to be done with tremendous care."
When he began to seriously approach the idea of his community garden this
year, the first thing Mr Currier did was install 900 feet of fencing. There is
metal fencing buried six feet down, and fence posts with netting rising up
another seven feet
"That fence was one of the first things we had to do," Mr Currier said last
week. "That's to prevent groundhogs. Otherwise all of the work will be a waste
of time."
The new garden will be an extension of the farming that is already done at
Sticks and Stones Farm. Mr Currier plans to make gardening available to anyone
interested, and as easy as possible for beginners.
In addition to the fenced-in area, Mr Currier will have a rototiller
available for gardeners at all times, irrigation will be available, and there
will be
an ample supply of cow manure and hay.
Mr Currier also plans to have help available for gardeners when they go away
on vacation. Someone will be available to pick food as it ripens and to water
plants if gardeners need to go out of town.
Because many gardeners often end up with more food than they can eat, there
will also be a stand set up for those who wish to sell some of their extra
harvest.
There is only one rule for Jurassic Moss: No pesticides.
"Everything is going to be grown with that in mind," Mr Currier said. "It's
going to be all organic. We are not going to be using any chemicals."
The land is already zoned and taxed as farmland, so the community garden will
just be an extension of the work that is already taking place at Sticks and
Stones Farm. The land should do well for gardening. It has been given plenty of
rest since the time of Dave's Garden nearly three decades ago, and it is
"true bottom land," says Mr Currier.
"There is water below the surface, and this is all soil that has washed off
the mountain," he said.
Gardeners can rent their land at $1 per square foot.
"I'm not in this for the money, obviously. No one's going to make money at
this," said Mr Currier.
"I've been planning on doing something like this for a long time," Mr Currier
said last week, taking a break from the work he and two others were doing to
prepare the land for its future use. The final sections of fence were going up
on Thursday, and space was being cleared for an area where gardeners will be
invited to rest after working.
"I think people have to start to learn where their food comes from," said Mr
Currier. "I'm trying to have everyone have the experience of being a farmer.
This will be an educational experience, that's for sure."
Mr Currier admits it may take a few years for the idea of Jurassic Moss
Community Garden to catch on, and this year the planting will be getting
started a
little late in the season, but he's ready to welcome people onto his land who
want to give gardening a try.
"I'm inspired by what's happening in other communities," Mr Currier said.
"People should have options when it comes to their food choices, which we don't
have much of here. Living here, people can get lazy about their food sources."
For anyone who has never been to Sticks and Stones Farm, be prepared for
inspiration. Mr Currier's son is a stone sculptor whose works can be seen
around
the grounds, and two of Mr Currier's tenants are artists. Tarol Samuelson is a
painter and graphic artist whose work is currently being featured in a solo
show at Bethel Art Junction, and her neighbor is the singer Scarlett Lee Moore.
Dogs, cats, and ducks have the run of the property, which is also home to
countless hiking trails and a few cabins built from natural materials found on
the
property.
Mr Currier says he felt something tugging at him the first time he looked at
the land and spent time with Mr Steinfeld.
"Dave Steinfeld was a real known person back when I bought this land. He
became a mentor to me, which I don't know if he ever realized," said Mr
Currier.
"I think people would like to know that we're doing this, and that we're still
honoring him here at the farm.
"I think he'd be happy to knew we're resurrecting the garden on this area."
Interested in joining the first year at Jurassic Moss Community Farm? Mr
Currier can be reached by calling 270-8820.
