 New Year’s resolutions are a great opportunity to set goals and define your path over the upcoming months. However, many people approach resolutions all wrong. Making huge, sweeping resolutions isn’t likely to be effective. After all, when you’re resolving to change the big picture, it’s easy to ignore the little details. However, the details are ultimately what matters most.
In fact, resolutions based on the means — not the results — tend to be far more effective. For example, if you want to save money this year, your resolution shouldn’t be focused on a final figure — it should be based on savings per month or even week. When you hone in on the steps it takes to reach a goal, you give yourself a road map you can follow to success. To that end, Amherst Farmers’ Market contributing author, Cheryl Conklin, has come up with this list of resolutions to help you meet your goals in 2021. Here are some small, simple changes you can make that — when done consistently — can have a big impact on your life: Treating Food as Fuel When it comes to treating our bodies right, it’s easy to fall into traps telling us we should deprive ourselves of the basic energy we need to survive. Although cutting back on junk food and eating appropriate serving sizes is always wise, if you exclusively focus your health efforts on minimizing food intake, you’re going to wind up harming yourself in the long run. Instead, focus on thinking of food as fuel. This is a powerful mindset to take since it covers both food intake and energy usage. For example, you can start your morning with a healthy smoothie packed with nutrient-dense fruits and a results-boosting supplement powder. Then, use that powerful breakfast to fuel the day’s exercise — ideally, 30 or more minutes of moderate activity. Thinking of food this way helps you to focus on how to work with your body, not against it. So that you always have the right type of fuel on hand, make thoughtful choices about what and where you buy your food. For example, in-season fruits and vegetables will taste better if you buy local at Amherst Farmers’ Market, and you’ll be supporting local farmers. You can also plot out your snacks and meals before you shop so that you can stick to clean eating. 20 Minutes of Tidying a Day Did you know that being in a messy room makes you more anxious, even if you’re not consciously thinking about the mess? Whether we’re aware of it or not, our minds spend time processing the clutter around us — it’s almost like having unfinished to-do lists taped to all your surfaces. Tidying up for as little as 20 minutes every day can do wonders for keeping your space organized and stress-free. If you’ve neglected to tidy for a while, however, you may want to kick things off with a big cleaning and reorganizing day. Not only will this put you on the right foot for keeping things in order, but it will also give you a chance to release any negative associations you’ve built up at home over the last year. Clean up, let in some air, and enjoy a fresh start for the new year. Explore New Expressions of Faith The last year was marked by strife, and though some people feel more connected to their spirituality during a crisis, others can start to feel a disconnect. Either reaction is normal, but the latter can be pretty distressing. If you’ve started to feel separated from your faith, resolve to explore a new expression of it on a weekly or monthly basis. These expressions could be anything from exploring a new form of prayer to taking up a challenging volunteer role. The important part isn’t necessarily what you do. Instead, it is the act of putting yourself out there. We often find our faith in places we might not expect. When we explore opportunities to connect with God, we open ourselves up to receiving the message He wants us to hear. Above all, allow 2021 to be a year you open yourself up to possibility, whether that’s the possibility of personal growth, community change, or a deeper relationship with God. When we are willing to change, the path forward often becomes clearer than we ever imagined. Photo Credit: Pexels
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 Little White Goat Dairy (LWGD) has been a member of the Amherst Farmers' Market for several years now and what a wonderful addition they, and their offerings, have been! A little history/story about LWGD and their reliable workers; their livestock guardian dogs! "Our farm is graced by Pearl (black dog in photos) and Buck (tricolor in photos), our livestock guardian dogs. We got Pearl as a 6 year old who'd lived with goats her entire life. Her trip to our farm was only the second time she had been in a car! She is a Maremma/Karakachan cross. Maremma are an Italian breed with records of them back into the Roman Empire. Karakachan, from Bulgaria, are even older, beginning in Thrace and early Greek civilization. We were so impressed with Pearl's bear and coyote chasing, and her calm devotion to the herd, we brought in Buck, a purebred Karakachan puppy. It was fascinating to watch Pearl teach him how to be a good guardian. And her stern lessons on how not to be bad were impressive. They need to be calm around the livestock by day, and be vigilant by night. We have acclimated them to people and they are very happy to greet visitors to the farm store. (Human visitors. Other dogs are considered threats to their herd, so do come visit without your dogs). So are, much to our surprise, birds of prey. No hawk is carrying off a goat, and someday Buck will figure out that robins aren't going to either. They will patrol the perimeter and chase away predators. They do not pursue in order to attack. After the threat has been moved off, they head back to their posts at the barn. It's been great for the goats to not be shut in behind locked doors overnight. They are totally different than the house dogs we've had. They live outdoors year round. They are innately independent and extremely intelligent. This combination makes for the ability to perform their duties without human guidance, but... they are not in the least bit interested in learning standard dog commands. Buck kinda sorta knows "sit" and "come" . Pearl, no way. The remarkable thing is how rarely they require human direction. They know their job and take the responsibility very seriously. With great personality and temperaments they have earned our greatest respect and our deepest affection....which leads us to the new puppy, Otto!" Come to the AFM tomorrow/Saturdays and see and stock up on the fruits of their labor! FROM ALPACA FIBER TO FASHION FARMER Donna Young's a farmer/vendor at the Amherst Farmers' Market on Saturdays from the third Saturday in April until the Saturday before Thanksgiving, going from 7:30am until 1:30pm. You might see her still packing up after 2:00 on many a Saturday, after everyone else might be home, he-he-he! She's sure the farmers' market manager doesn't notice that she is delayed. This is her sixth year with her fashionable warm alpaca products at a very successful farmers market currently at the Common in Amherst rather than Spring Street due to COVID-19. Donna Young, age 59, has been farming in Ware for 32 years, when she purchased 16 acres of raw land nestled in the Hills of Western MA, near the Quabbin Reservoir. Donna commenced building a split level house and a 60' by 90' barn that houses horses and alpaca along with some out buildings. Donna's best friend, who she went to many Alpaca Affair's with, soon retired, moved to Maine and purchased 2 alpacas : ) Donna, not to be out done, purchased 10 alpaca's, lol. She quickly grew her herd to over 50 but 3 years sold 30 alpacas to down size in her retirement, and now has 18 -13 girls/hembras and 5 boys/machos. Alpaca's are originally from South America particularly Peru, Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia. Donna originally purchased her alpaca's from Canada as the American Dollar was worth 100/70% in 2001. Alpaca's are smaller than Llama's and are related to Camels as all have a split lip characteristic. Alpaca's are timid, docile and they mostly spit at other herd members they may have a pet peeve with, and even known to spit in the others ear, yuk! Alpaca's can grow up to 10 pounds of fiber/fur a year which is shorn/harvested once a year in the spring, a pair of socks takes almost ½ pound of prime fiber to make. Alpaca fiber is used to make clothing that wicks moisture and eliminates odor, it is very soft and just a thin layer is needed to keep you very warm. Natural alpaca fiber is available in 22 colors and the light colors can be dyed to red/blue/purple/pink/green etc. Socks, boot inserts, gloves/mittens, hats/scarfs are just a few items that are made from my alpacas fiber. Alpaca is a natural wool fiber that will keep you warm for as long as you want to be outdoors, though it's always nice to have a warm cup of hot chocolate, yum! In Donna's spare time she likes to ride her 17 year old white Thoroughbred gelding for fun, he's a great horse and loves attention. She also has a 17 year old bay Thoroughbred gelding which is a brother from another mother, as all thoroughbred's are related to 3 stallions...a story for another day. There is a large surrendered number of alpacas and rabbits at Nevim's Farm: https://www.wwlp.com/news/massachusetts/large-surrender-of-alpacas-and-rabbits-in-massachusetts/  GO Farm is your super local, go-to source of the freshest, locally produced pork, chicken, eggs and more! Named for our two children, George and Olivia (GO) who inspired us to make our farming dreams a reality. GO Farm’s mission is to provide sustainable food products including organic produce, pasture-based meat products, and eggs, while also supporting the local agricultural community and the local economy. GO Farm began farming on a small scale as a hobby, then the farm transitioned to an authentic farm business, more rapidly than we anticipated. For four years now, GO farm has raised meat products--chicken, pork, and eggs--as well as organic and conventional vegetables (tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, and winter squash, etc.). Originally the farm began growing vegetables on three acres of rented land. Since then we have grown substantially. Today, we manage and own 15 acres of farmland, which we purchased this year as we have moved from our original location in Amherst to our new Farm in Hatfield. At GO Farm, we raise heritage breed pigs, Gloucester Old Spots, which provide a uniquely flavorful pork. Our chickens are derived from a heritage breed as well, which produce a delicious meat with higher proportion of dark meat to white meat. We will be at the market this Saturday with fresh chicken back in stock! Pork will be back in stock in a few weeks! Follow us on Instagram @gofarm_mass, Facebook @G.O.FarmMA , and our website WWW.GOFarmStore.com for product offerings, preorders for the market, or pick up right from the farm, and we are at the Amherst Farmers' Market EVERY Saturday during the Market season!  Established in 2017, Quabbin Hill Farms is a diversified family and friends farm located in the heart of the Quabbin-Swift River Valley. Situated on 17 acres of sustainable farm land just a half of a mile from one of the many beautiful trails leading to the legendary Quabbin Reservoir, its fertile soil and naturally green pastures provide the perfect setting for growing nutritious fruits and vegetables and raising healthy, happy chickens. In 2019, we expanded into home grown, hand-tended hemp and handcrafted CBD products including salves, soaps, tinctures, and supplements. We are licensed by the state of Massachusetts, and all of our products go through rigorous testing to ensure they meet the MDAR standards. Quabbin Hill Farms is committed to sustainable, organic, and ethical farming practices. It’s founder Michael Vilcans, a graduate of the Stockbridge School of Agriculture’s Sustainable Food and Farming program, is passionate about continuing the tradition of and expanding local, organic, and sustainable food systems in Massachusetts. That is why he established Quabbin Hill Farms along with his partner and experienced urban farmer, Molly Crookes, and their close friends and accidental agriculturalists Jason Awerman and Sadie Trombetta. We are dedicated to continuing the tradition of farming and agriculture in Western Massachusetts, a place we have called home for over a decade. By providing our customers with fresh, nutritious ingredients at a reasonable price, we hope to help them and their families reconnect with their food, the people who grow it, and the beautiful land that makes it all possible.  Where did it all start? My name is Aaron Andrews and back in high school, I had personally dealt with depression and anxiety while I was growing up and I wanted to create a space where I can deal with all of the emotions I was feeling. I did not have any friends to talk to about it and I did not have anyone who understood what I was going through at the time. I naturally started to take matters into my own hands as I began to focus on taking care of myself more.
Beyond Happiness Is broken into three main avenues of wellness that I have built for myself and my products are all natural with all ingredients locally sourced! Products: One of the ways I did that was through skincare. Unfortunately, I could not find any products on the market that were a good fit for my skin type as men of color. The market for beauty products for black men was very limited so I did my own research and started creating my own skincare products that worked for me AND you can find me at the Amherst Farmers' Market weekly during the season! The products become a way for me to check in emotionally with myself through physically being present with what I'm putting on my skin. I developed each product with the intention to help me with different emotions I was dealing with at the time. For example, there was a time when I was dealing with a lot of anxiety so I made a cream with lavender to help calm me down. Events: The act of me taking care of my skin quickly spun into multiple different ways I engaged with wellness. Being active and connecting with people was a huge stepping stone for my own wellness. I started to work out a lot more and even became a certified fitness trainer in my first year at Hampshire College and worked at the YMCA in Northampton, Massachusetts. As a result of me taking charge of my wellness and developing healthy ways to cope I immersed myself in new relationships and friendships with people in hopes to build a community and meaningful experiences for myself and others around me. Videos: I can think back all the way to when I was 15 years old I remember the first time I got a device that I could record video on. Ever since I would create so many videos of my friends and filming everything that meant something to me. My friends would ask “Aaron why are you always filming stuff” At the time I didn't really have an answer besides “ I just like to '' But today I do have an answer. The reason why I make videos is that sometimes people can't say what they are really thinking or feeling and when I film people and myself I can capture the emotions and feelings that can't be said in words but only captured in moments. As a result of taking care of my skin, working out, eating healthy, creating new friendships, and learning about wellness I was able to create an environment where I was actively managing my depression and anxiety and completely changed my life. This is something that made my life better in all areas, and I got excited about figuring out how to help other people overcome their own wellness struggles. I am not saying I can cure depression or anxiety. What I have realized is that I can share with people the tools that can help them manage it themselves. That is how Beyond Happiness LLC a multimedia business/brand with a mission was born. Our mission is to help other people love who they are and provide tools where different people can learn more about themselves while engaging with amazing sustainable products like our skincare line and candles. As you can see, it is more than just skincare products. It is about wellness overall, I like to say!  Rachel and Bruce Scherer, of Little White Goat Dairy, bind their love and respect for each other with love and respect for their land. In 2004, Rachel began making her cheeses, learning in the home kitchen. Rachel's first career was in science, so comfort with experimentation let her fool around, make mistakes, and learn from them. In 2013 The Little White Goat Dairy became a licensed creamery. The cheeses, yogurt, and kefir are made on the farm with the milk of their very spoiled LaMancha dairy goats. Bruce manages the pastures and the infrastructure. He also raises the hogs, broilers and laying hens. They designed, constructed and outfitted the 100% solar-powered barns and dairy themselves. The farm joyfully includes second and third generations of the family living and working together. The land for the farm, in Orange, MA, was 100% wooded 40 years ago. The many stone walls reveal there once were pastures, and they have been re-creating them using livestock as an integral part of the process. They cut the trees, then run hogs on newly cut areas. The next year we let the goats forage on the stump sprouts in spring, then seed cover crops, and let them graze again in fall before seeding pasture grasses. Once established, the goats are rotated through the forage stands so that they graze ‘belly-to-knee’ – they are never eating down to the ground. The system builds healthy soil and healthy animals.
The Amherst Farmer's Market is the first and best market for us! We are especially appreciative of the incredible support the market community, vendor, staff, and customers, have shown this year with the many necessary changes due to COVID-19 and unprecedented times. We work with the belief that growing, preparing, serving and sharing food is a truly vital form of love and nurturing. As a community we can share the bounty of local farms, and eat in good health.  Apex Orchards has been owned and cared for by the same family for seven generations. The current owner, Tim Smith, has been back on the farm for 40 years. He is the current owner/operator on the farm. Abner Peck Sr., of the first generation of growers, arrived in Shelburne, MA from Lyme, CT in 1828 and purchased the land which is now known as Apex Orchards. He was a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and his ancestors arrived in the United States in 1634.
The farm was originally a diversified farm as was typical for the era. The family raised cattle, sheep, horses and pigs. All of the fodder for the livestock was grown on the farm as were vegetables and apples for the family. Most of what was produced on the farm was used by the family. A small amount of meat, apples and dairy products were sold. Tim's great-grandfather, Austin L. Peck, added on a dairy operation and a large flock of chickens. The family sold both cream and eggs in the area. His grandfather, Lyndon Peck, didn't care much for dairying and he converted the farm to the orchards that we know today. The last dairy cows were sold in 1946 and the name of the farm was changed to Apex Orchards. The name was inspired because the orchard sits at the apex of a hill with a beautiful view where we grow spectacular fruit. Tim's parents continued expansion of the farm. Apex Orchards was originally a wholesale apple orchard selling apples across America and Europe. In the late 1990’s we moved into retail and have been supported by the help of our wonderful customers. In 2011 we purchased an additional 175 acres of land just up the road from our farm. This was part of the original Peck family farm from 1828 and we are glad to have it back in the family. It will give us and future generations the land to diversify and expand the farm. Today Apex Orchards grows a wide array of tree fruits, including apples, peaches, nectarines, apricots, quince, pears, Asian pears, blueberries and table grapes. We plan on adding additional fruit in the future. We pride ourselves in the diversity of fruit that we sell. We think you’ll be impressed too! Our fruit is sold in stores throughout the local area, at farmers markets, and of course, right at our farm store in Shelburne. Western Massachusetts is without a doubt one of the top fruit growing regions in the world. The soil, the micro-climate, and the varieties all combine to give our customers the best tasting fruit possible. We look forward to seeing you at the Amherst Farmers' Markets, in our local stores and at our Farm Store in Shelburne!  Home Fruit Wine begins with a peach tree which David planted more than 20 years ago, in honor of his rescue dog Pearl. In 2011 Mother Nature was good to us and we had more peaches than we could ever eat so we made our first batch of wine. Well needless to say, I’ll admit, it was not our best. With help from Uncle Sonny, whom we have named our Blueberry wine in his honor, “Sonny’s Blueberry Sunrise," and lots of trial and error, we have learned the art, and may I add, FUN of Fruit wine making.
David’s hobby of the fruit trees, which he planted and maintained, started to grow and became the catalyst for our Home Fruit Wine business! He calls is it his "miniature orchard!" We now have Blueberries, Raspberries, Rhubarb, many fruit trees and even Kiwi to work with! Our Wines are made with fresh succulent fruit and berries giving you a sweet natural taste. From David’s miniature orchard our fruit and berries are locally grown. What we don’t have we source from local farmers and friends to use in our collections. Home Fruit Wine was established in 2014 and we then opened our retail and tasting store in 2015. We have 42 different kinds of Fruit wines and Blends. We invite you to stop in for a tasting at our retail store at 382 South Main Street, Orange, MA and/or you can find us at one of the following locations to stock up for the festivities! 1) Amherst Farmers Market, Amherst, MA (Saturdays on the Amherst Common!) 2) Atkins Farm, Amherst, MA 3) Forest Park Farmers Market, Springfield MA 4) Patriot’s Package Store, Templeton MA 5) Smith’s Country Cheese, Winchendon, MA 6) Templeton Spirits, Templeton, MA 7) The Mill Moble, Gill, MA  It was a week before Christmas in 2018. Juliana was in the cantina of her nonna’s house, helping to cut up cured Italian prosciutto for the holiday. As she and her nonna were trimming off excess fat, her nonna said that her mother used to make their own soap, using fat saved from the animals on the farm. She would mix in bay leaves and lavender, giving them the faintest scent. The thought of making something that’s both crafty and useful stuck with Juliana over the winter.
As a crafty person, she enjoys the process of making purposeful items, so on a cold day in February, she decided to attempt her first batch of soap, made from scratch. Many hours were spent researching the soap making process, but she felt ready to try it for herself. With many college-level courses and industry know-how behind her, she felt confident in the chemistry behind soap-making. Cold process soap making, utilized by Amherst Soaps, relies on a compound called sodium hydroxide, or lye, to split fat molecules. Overall, fat molecules are pretty stable, explaining why we can heat them so hot in cooking, so it takes a very strong molecule to break them apart. Lye happens to be the perfect fit. The process by which the lye breaks the fat is called saponification, resulting in soap! After this initial fat breakdown, the soap must be cured to allow the saponification reaction to complete. This curing period also allows the bars of soap to harden, ensuring they last in the shower. At Amherst Soaps, we cure our soaps for 4-6 weeks. We also generously super-fat our soaps, meaning we calculate for unreacted oils in our batter. This excess oil is what makes our soaps gentle and moisturizing for your skin. If every molecule of fat is reacted with lye, the soap is very harsh on skin, and is actually used as laundry soap! Because lye isn’t very friendly to fats, it can be dangerous in its raw form. Originally, Juliana wanted to make soap with the students she taught, as a way to learn about chemical reactions, but given lye’s danger, she did it as a demo instead. The students were more than thrilled seeing a useful chemical reaction and were also satisfied with melt and pour glycerin soaps to make their own instead. Since Juliana began selling soaps as Amherst Soaps in May 2019, she has also become quite the businesswoman. This was her first venture into the business world, and although Amherst Soaps is still quite small, it has provided her with countless business lessons ranging from simple bookkeeping to photography. In early 2020, Juliana made Amherst Soaps into a fully functioning LLC as a way to increase her wholesale base and to create a website, amherstsoaps.com. Now, customers can find soaps in many retail locations in the valley, or online! Regardless of her business adventures, Juliana and Amherst Soaps has a commitment to local. Impressed by the local food scene in the valley, Juliana realized many of her ingredients could be sourced from the area. This meant not only a gentle, handmade soap, but one that reduced its carbon footprint and supported the community as well. Currently, Amherst Soaps strives to include local products in each bar of soap. Most of the time, this is creamy, hand-rendered lard from other vendors of the Amherst Farmers' Market such as, GO Farm in Hatfield, or thick, golden honey from Quaboag Trading Co. in West Brookfield. Even better, both of these are found on Saturdays at the Amherst Farmers Market as well! Truly local goods being used in great-for-your-skin soaps. Amherst Soaps can be found on alternating weekends at the Amherst Farmers Market, or at many farm stands and stores in the Amherst-Hadley area. For a full list of soaps we offer, local businesses we source from, and all retail locations, check out our website, AmherstSoaps.com! |
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Bringing you organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised, locally-sourced blog posts on a semi-weekly basis from the Amherst Farmers' Market. Archives
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