It’s That Time, Honey!
It’s That Time, Honey!
Our honey harvesting will occur at the end of August, so that means honey distribution for our honey members will occur Labor Day weekend. Here are 3 amazing things you might not know about bees and their honey from Mama Farm's resident beekeeper and bee whisperer, Graheme Williams.
During the summer season a beehive working to pollinate flowers and gather honey contains about 60,000 bees. Of these only ONE is a female, she lays up to 1,500 eggs every day. Almost ALL of the other bees are worker bees. They are non-laying females who have a lifespan of about six weeks in the summer. Additionally, there will be a few hundred Drone (male) bees. One or two of them MAY mate with a new queen to form another hive. When the fall comes ALL of the Drones are evicted from the hive and they die quickly.
1. A honey beehive has to fly around 90,000 miles – the equivalent of three times around the globe – to make one pound of honey.
2. A honey beehive has to fly around 90,000 miles – the equivalent of three times around the globe – to make one pound of honey.
Children's Garden
The children's garden is finally blossoming and we encourage families to go explore! The children's garden is located toward the back of the farm, directly across from the chicken coops. To find it, please follow our long cement path toward the sheep fields and when the path steers you to the right, you'll see a long gate to the children's garden on your right. You'll notice a large teepee with flowers around it as the children's garden landmark. The children's garden has perennial native plants, wildflowers, as well as kid friendly edible delights such as watermelons, peas, tomatoes and much more! Our cardinal flowers have started to climb the teepee trellises and baby gourds are making their way up and over our gourd tunnel.
The gourds will be available to turn into bird houses in the fall. This garden is open to all members and their families and is brought to you by Mama Farm's groundskeeper, Cheryl Drosin, Mama Farm Executive Director, Elettra Wiedemann, Mama Farm manager, Anthony Luscia, and our friends at CEED. Whenever you are using the children's garden please always close and secure the gate behind you, even if you are only entering for a few moments – the sheep and goat are always very eager to get into Patty's fields and stage a mutinous raid of all her vegetables - please help us to protect all her hard work, as well as our flower fields and children's garden.
We hope you enjoy it!
Saturday, August 14th will mark the last day of Freya's weekly craft table. Throughout the summer, Freya has offered a different craft each week for members of all ages to participate in. "My favorite thing about the craft table this season was meeting all of the amazing members and watching people have fun with crafts while having wonderful conversations." As many of you know, Freya is an art student at Falmouth University in Cornwall. Her focus is on sustainability in design.
"My time at Mama Farm has allowed me to spread the love for crafting and tapping into nature as a source of inspiration. I have been very inspired by the ability of kids to create art without the bounds of expectations, and it has helped me strive to do the same. I am so grateful for everyone who participated. I hope that you all continue to foster creativity and awe in the beauty of our natural surroundings with your children!" We're so grateful to have had Freya share her skills and creativity this summer at our CSA stand – Mama will miss you, Freya!
Mama Says,"Thank you!"
Our weekend filled event in July was a major success and we are truly so grateful to everyone who attended. It is impossible to put all the magical moments into words, but some of Mama's favorites were when the wind took to the stage and played Edmar Castenada's harp beautifully for a few glorious moments bringing tears to everyones' eyes, when the community shared laughs with The Moth in the twilight hours of the evening, and when Miss Tomato took to the stage with some of our youngest members and danced to old cabaret tunes. Having the support of our members and the surrounding community makes Mama Farm possible. We thank you all sincerely and eternally!
“The Moon Concert was one of the loveliest evenings I had this summer so far. Bravo!!!”
“The Moth event was so beautiful and intimate. We laughed, we cried! It was such a treat to have a front row seat to my absolute favorite podcast! It taught us so much and my husband and I have been chatting our ears off about the things we learned. Thank you so much for bringing this to our hamlet.”
“Who knew we all needed drag bingo in our lives?! What a blast! Thank you!”
“Timbalooloo is so special and our daughter loves it every single time! She was so excited to be reunited with Miss Clara Net (Oran’s clarinet). Thank you to Mama and Oran for making it possible on the farm this summer!”
Thank you Tood, Proteau, & Free Rain for your generous and refreshing participation in Mama Farm this summer, from the CSA stand and Freya's craft table to our events!
Mama Says, “Smile!”
A reminder that Saturday, August 13 & Sunday, August 14 is the Premiere of Darwin’s Smile at The Gateway
Mama Farm’s beloved Mama, Isabella Rossellini, is premiering her new show, Darwin’s Smile, at The Gateway on August 13, 2022 at 7 PM with a benefit cocktail reception with Isabella to follow. There will also be a performance on Sunday, August 14 at 4 PM. All proceeds will be donated to The Gateway, Performing Arts Center of Suffolk County. Darwin’s Smile is a new funny and educational monologue written and performed by Isabella that attempts to reconcile two worlds that are often at opposite ends: art and science. Expect to see Isabella transform into dogs, cats, chickens, peacocks, and of course, Charles Darwin to explore how empathy, which is at the base of acting, is also necessary for the study of animal behavior (ethology). Tickets can be purchased at TheGateway.org or by calling 631-286-1133.
Mama Farm Fine Artists
Lulu Frost x Mama Farm collaboration
A Lifetime of Sweetness - each honey pendant contains the amount of honey a single bee will make in its entire lifetime - one twelfth of a teaspoon. Available for purchase $145 per necklace. Please contact info@mamafarm.us for more details.