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Taliesin asparagus
To be in this valley daily, to really know this place is quite the special gift. It becomes a close friend. You begin to learn its magic, secrets, and in turn it holds all of yours. You become tied to the succession of blooms and fruits as they ebb and flow through the seasons. A good friend knows when to pick the asparagus at the Michels farm and when to catch the aroma of the plum blossoms in bloom behind Hillside; when to gather rhubarb from “The Triangle,” when to visit the Nemtin prairie to find fresh blooms of blue false indigo for floral arrangements or steal a sweet nibble of Spiderwort. Seasonal blessings of Spring, known only to those fortunate enough to call this place home or work. These blessings make me joyful, hopeful, and grateful for another season of growing and gathering in these hills.
Hands-on activities during Intro to Permaculture class.
Speaking of that, the Grow & Gather series is back this year! We kicked off the season with two sold-out classes: Introduction to Permaculture, led by our dedicated Kitchen Garden volunteer Marian Farrior, was a hit! Participants enjoyed learning with engaging and thought-provoking hands-on activities.
Spring Foraging on the Welsh Hills was also a great success! Our group learned safety, responsibility, and how to identify common springtime wild edibles. We also enjoyed a delicious ramp dipping oil – yum! Check out the Taliesin Events webpage to see what other classes we have coming up.
The Kitchen Garden also had the wonderful opportunity again this year to participate as a host for Savor the River Valley’s Farm & Food Tour. Visitors attended garden talks, in which we discussed the history of agriculture in the Wyoming Valley, the legacy of the Fellowship, Wright’s vision and Organic Architecture principles, the unique qualities of the Driftless Region, good environmental stewardship, and how the Kitchen Garden operates as both a production and educational space. Oh yeah, and of course I talked about what “weeds” you can eat… no surprise!
June will also be an exciting time, as we will be welcoming visitors to the garden during A Day at Taliesin, giving garden talks and tours around the beds. I will also be holding a special foraging session at the garden with visitors from the Marwen Chicago arts school.
While education and community engagement are well underway, so is production! Our first harvests for the café this season include rhubarb, chives, garlic chives, oregano, lovage, and pea shoots. Our tea herbs are coming back beautifully and will be given to Riverview Terrace Cafe for drying and brewing soon! This season we will offer lemon balm, anise hyssop, and mountain marigold. They are all delightfully refreshing, so make sure to order a glass with your next meal and sip in the bounty of the garden!
Sheri Hazeltine, one of our new volunteers.
We will be providing around 70 different varieties of produce to the café this season, and that is no small task! We continue to build our volunteer workforce and have already welcomed three new lovely participants to our crew this season. But we are still looking for more! Come experience the peace and solitude of the garden with us. Bonus- I promise you will learn something new, too! Please check out the Taliesin Volunteer page on our website to fill out a short application form if you are interested.
As time stretches towards the Summer Solstice, I am reminded how fleeting the season really is here. I savor every long day left; I breathe in the aroma of the elderflowers and black locusts, I sing with the meadowlarks and red-winged blackbirds, and dance with the bumblebees when no one’s watching. I say Good Morning to the garden as the sun rises over the Welsh Hills and Good Night as it settles beyond Romeo & Juliet Windmill. May you all savor the days of this season to the fullest!
With love and light,
Abbie Lehman, Kitchen Gardener at Taliesin
