PHOTOS BY SOFIA TAYLOR
While talking with Laura and Meg about their farm in Adams, it became clear just how in tune they are with the rhythms of their land, the health and habitat of their visiting pollinators, and the energizing cycle of rebirth, growth, and harvest that spring ushers forth. In our conversation, Meg describes how the growing phases of the garlic plant are emblematic of this process of observing and marking the passage of time as the season advances. Every aspect of Full Well Farm’s land, its soil, its slope, and its drainage informs their planning of the spring plantings and making sure the season unfolds in the most productive way. High quality and productivity are key to feeding their thriving CSA community with diverse vegetable and flower shares that feature native perennial blooms and pesticide-free specialty annuals, including Ranunculus, which seems to be having a moment in the flower world like goldendoodle pups are having in theirs! Meg and Laura are also regular vendors at the North Adams Farmers Market, where I hope you also jump into a conversation with these two dynamic people who love to share their unique take on farming in the Berkshires.
Katy Sparks: What is your approach to farming here in the Berkshires?
Laura Tupper: We had worked together at Kitchen Garden Farm in the Pioneer Valley before undertaking this project together. Now we rent five acres from the 500 acres of Meg’s family farm. The land in her family was originally a dairy farm, so these hayfields have left us a legacy of good soil with no compaction. But these healthy grasses are very aggressive, and now we tarp the beds at least eight months beforehand to prep it.
Meg Bantle: Our soil type is called “Pittsfield loam” and is at a high classification for soil quality in the region. The slope we are on dings that rating a little bit, though, due to the risk of soil erosion, but we haven’t had a problem with that yet. And the slope creates great habitat for monarch butterflies as we have a lot of milkweed.
LT: The biggest principle in our approach to farming is our no-till practice. This ensures that the original soil structure and diversity is maintained. We don’t think of the soil as a medium for making products but rather as a partner in our efforts to make food for our community. We love to be at the farmers markets to speak directly to our customers about our practices, which are essentially beyond organic.
KS: What are you looking forward to this spring season?
LT: Spring is my favorite season since it is when we start sowing the seeds for the year’s crops. The first things we sow are arugula, mixed greens, a mildly spicy Asian greens mix, radishes, perennial herbs and annual herbs, and my absolute favorite: spring garlic, aka green garlic.
MB: I love the way I can mark the growing cycle each year by the phase of the garlic. The green spring shoots come up early, then there is the garlic scape phase (only for hardneck garlic), which is when the plants throw up a flower bud, and then lastly the harvesting of the garlic bulbs sometime in July, and then putting them in the barn’s loft for curing for a few weeks before storing them for the rest of the year. But my favorite undersung vegetable that we produce is the hakurei turnip—it’s got such a fresh and sweet taste and crunchy texture.
KS: Where do you mainly sell your products, and what are your plans for future growth?
LT: We are primarily a CSA operation but have a few wholesale restaurant clients who change their menu seasonally, like Mezze, Common Table, Casita, 328North, and State Food + Drink at Greylock WORKS. We sell at the North Adams Farmers Market and plan to stay there for a long time. No other farmers markets are in our plans yet.
MB: We’re adding another greenhouse, but we don’t need any more land to grow our business. Another innovation this year is our hydroponic tulips, which we’re excited about adding to our flower lineup.
