| MARCH 19, 2011 -- Who knew that southern Connecticut farming could attract a young, aspiring, award-winning agriculturalist to leave Burlington, Vt., a locavore foodie Mecca? As it turns out, White Gate Farm, of East Lyme, is drawing a couple of locals back home.
On April 1, Bobby Young, who grew up in Old Saybrook, and his partner, Amanda Tabor, from Mystic, will settle in at the cottage on Pauline Lord and David Harlow's farm, where Young will be head farmer.
White Gate Farm is synonymous with locally grown, fresh, organic produce and picturesque New England farming. A popular venue for Dinners at the Farm, the outdoor local dining experience and benefit series organized by Jonathan Rapp of River Tavern in Chester, the farm has at least 1,200 loyal fans and followers who receive Lord's weekly e-mail updates on what's in season and news about the farm. Many are regular customers; others, like Young, use it to stay in touch.
"When we moved to Vermont six years ago, we were both finishing up college degrees; I wanted a career in farming," says Young. "I never thought I would find a career in farming in southeastern Connecticut, close to family. It wasn't something we were searching for, but when I read Pauline's e-mail, I said, 'Wow.'"
Young, who didn't do any farm work until he turned 20, found his calling when he started volunteering at David Brown's Hay House in Old Saybrook. This led to a degree in ecological agriculture in Vermont. After working for other farmers, two years ago he launched his own urban CSA (community supported agriculture), commuting - five minutes by bike - to rented river valley bottomland. He looks forward to living on the farm, surrounded by the crops, free-range chickens and lambs that Lord and her husband raise there.
"We see Bobby as the kind of person who can take us to the next level," Lord says, citing Young's experience with CSAs and his award of excellence from the Vermont Vegetable and Dairy Growers. She also looks forward to exploring Young's strategies for using more mechanization on the farm to expand operations and reduce hand weeding. With three-and-a-half of the farm's 100 acres under cultivation, there's room to grow.
"Burlington, Vermont, is the head of cool agriculture," Lord says. "We weren't sure they'd want to move. That place really has a lot of exciting farming going on."
Farming truly is a life-style, one that can be lonely, Lord admits, so she's pleased that Tabor, a talented animal trainer and accomplished cook, is part of the package. One of the couple's two dogs may become head farm sheepherder, too. Young's predecessor, Nora Painten, who Lord credited as a transformative addition to the farm the past three years, was drawn away to Brooklyn, N.Y., and college friends.
Young gets a "seed to harvest" tour of White Gate Farm this weekend, when he's stopping by to take in the micronutrient dense food class the farm is hosting on Sunday (sorry, the class is already full).
Eating locally and in season in March can be flavorful and healthy, Lord says. The greenhouse is putting out an abundance of greens: seven varieties of lettuces, including French mache and claytonia, which is also called Miner's Lettuce for the prospecting '49ers who plucked it wild from the California foothills; plus four different mustard greens and several kinds of kale, spinach and boy choy. Free-range roaster chickens (frozen) and eggs of all colored shells are always in season.
The farm also is digging out its winter sweet carrots, which Lord says fans come to get this time of year. The carrots, seeded last September, have remained in the ground.
"Like maple trees, they pull the sugar down into their roots," she explains. "They are still sweet and crunchy in early March."
White Gate Farm Stand, 83 Upper Pattagansett Road, East Lyme, is open Wednesday from noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. See the handy chart at http://whitegatefarm.net for crop updates or to sign up for Pauline's e-mails. Call (860) 739-9585. |
