Dirt under his nails and a warm smile behind a scraggly beard, John Whitmore of Shagbark Gardens in Danby, NY sat down with me on Tuesday to reflect on his experience in the “Grow Your Farm Business Course”, held every winter here at Groundswell. Situated atop the Autumn Leaves Book Store in a cozy little…

On Wednesday, October 2nd, as part of the work Groundswell Center is involved in with the Finger Lakes Land Access Reconciliation and Reparations Working Group, a group of community members from the larger Ithaca Area drove the hour up the lakeside to join people from the Gayogo̱hó:no nation to create and cultivate community. The day…

This week, Groundswell Center for Local Food & Farming and Rainbow Healing Center of America, LLC teamed up for a herb harvest at Kay’s Rare Cacti & Succulents in Nichols, NY. With the help of several volunteers, we harvested golden rod, raspberry leaves, burdock and other herbs to be dried for Rainbow Healing Center teas.…

March 2, 2019 Volunteers gather on a sunny May evening to cut down brush and clear new beds for planting at the Groundswell Incubator Farm. These monthly volunteer nights are a way for the public to support the 11 farm operations enrolled in this unique farmer support program in Ithaca, NY. One such farmer featured…

On Saturday, May 18 the Incubator farm was bustling! It was the first dry and sunny Saturday of the season, and around 25 farmers were coming and going to till and plant their fields. Besides this normal farm activity, 10 women gathered to learn an Introduction to Torch Welding, taught by Monica Burke, local welder…

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to visit the Cayuga Nation Farm, which is part of the Cayuga Nation Immersion School. In case you didn’t know – The Gayogohó:no, are the original people of the land that is now known as parts of the Eastern Finger Lakes Region, surrounding Cayuga Lake. Gayogohó:no, translates to “People…

March 7th and 8th, we were graced with another visit by Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm, as she shared her presentation “Farming While Black”, inspired by her recent book, “Farming While Black.” She also facilitated two Land Access and Reparations Workshops, one open to the whole community, and another specifically for the BIPOC (Black,…

Interview and article by: Nico Hirscl, Cornell University William Htoo is the newest farmer at Groundswell Center’s Farm Business Incubator Program, and just completed his first growing season. William is a refugee from Burma (also known as Myanmar) and came to Ithaca, NY in 2011. William and I sat down to have a conversation about…

Last Friday Groundswell Center and #Hammerstone School of Carpentry for Women teamed up to teach a free workshop to women who helped build a new produce wash-station at the Groundswell Incubator Farm. Thanks to funding from the Park Foundation, the Legacy Foundation and the Community Foundation of Tompkins County Women’s Fund, we were able to offer this…

Alison came to Ithaca to find her place in our farm community, specifically for flowers. After apprenticing at Littleflowers Farm for the tail end of last season, she joined Groundswell’s Incubator Farm to pursue her own cut flower business. How did you get started with Groundswell’s Incubator Farm program? I had been farming veggies but…

Stories

Connecting Community Through Food: An Interview With Up-and-Coming Local Farmer, John Whitmore

Community Teach-in at the Gayogo̱hó:no (Cayuga) School House

A cactus grows in Nichols, NY

Groundswell Incubator Farm: Working to Support Equitable Farming Opportunities in Ithaca (WRFI Radio Piece)

Women on the Land: Intro to Torch Welding Recap

Visit to the Cayuga Nation Farm

“Farming While Black” and Land Access and Reparations with Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm Recap

Newest grower at Incubator Farm has flourishing first season

Groundswell Center & Hammerstone host Carpentry Workshop for Women

Groundswell Story: Alison Smith