“Queen of the Shun-pikers” was a nickname Kate Kennedy earned from a friend of hers at massage school. “ I favor back roads and circuitous routes; I like the long way round. You encounter interesting people and places that way,” says Kate, “In a way, my driving style is exactly how I found farming.”
Kate came to New Entry two years ago with great enthusiasm, and very little formal farming experience. “The whole experience has been intensely illuminating,” remarks Kate, “I’ve been accumulating vast amounts of information on many levels. It is certainly the most interesting work I’ve ever done. I’m thankful for my varied career path. Many of my previous jobs’ skills have been called into play at the farm.” Kate’s non-linear career path includes time spent in the music industry, practicing massage therapy and reiki, working at an educational research facility, coordinating conferences, and mom. “Mom, is the most important piece. As any Mom will tell you, you are constantly juggling multiple needs at once.” An eclectic resume, but Kate feels it has prepared her for the many facets that a farm needs to have managed.
So, you may ask, what is WitchGrass Farm? WitchGrass Farm is a small New England farm specializing in medicinal and culinary herbs, and unusual cut flowers. “Food should be alchemical. A mixture of nutritious, delicious and energetically invigorating for both your body and soul.” states Kate. “Don’t tell anyone, but I practice reiki on the plants when no one is looking.” Kate feels that to nourish yourself your food should speak to your body on every level from its visual appeal to its taste, to how it’s raised. Raising food as organically and sustainably as one can is important to both our health and the health of the planet.
And is it a wise choice to name your farm after a tenacious weed? “A wise choice to name the farm after a tough weed, every farmer and gardener’s nemesis? Probably not, at least that’s what a sane person would say,” laughs Kate, “but I like to think that witchgrass will lend its spunk and vitality to the farm’s inner workings.”
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