Farmers know better than most people that everything is connected. Physically, weather and elements connect to grow food. When people connect to healthier food, frequently their health improves. If farmers serve their communities with the work they do, what about the well-being of farmers?
Deb Habib and Ricky Baruc have been farming for over 35 years, and along the way, have made some choices to help them balance farming and community activism with the other aspects of their lives.
Since 1996, Seeds of Solidarity Farm has transformed 30 acres of forest north of the Quabbin Reservoir into a productive farm with a social mission to help heal the region’s relationship to food and farms. Located in Orange, the farm specializes in greens, garlic and traditional corn for cornmeal; they also sell root crops and tomatoes.
With previous organic farming experience, Baruc and Habib set out to do things differently at Seeds of Solidarity. Baruc launched no-till practices for the farm, shunning the common farming model that uses heavy equipment to turn over the land and prepare soil for planting. The couple saw the advantages for healthier soil and crops by keeping disturbances to the soil at a minimum.
Baruc explains how their no-till approach fortified their commitment to treat the soil as sacred.
“Our farm emphasizes soil building and worm production through permanent no-till raised beds and fields,” he says. “Cardboard, mulch, and cover crops nourish and open up land, nourishing the life in the soil. We have had great success transforming forested, acidic land that was marginal for gjkrowing vegetables into balanced and rich agricultural soil. Without a need to till, there is no need for machinery that uses fossil fuels and releases carbon when tilling. We grow in solidarity with the 80% of the world’s farmers that cultivate the earth with their hands.”
In 2000, the couple founded a nonprofit, Seeds of Solidarity Education Center, with a mission to “awaken the power to grow food everywhere, to transform hunger to health and to create resilient communities.”
In true partnership, Baruc guides the day-to-day farming operations, while Habib guides the nonprofit’s community and food justice initiatives.
Sharing information with other farmers extends the reach of their work. “Widely sharing no-till practices with other farmers and gardeners feels good,” Habib says. “We encourage reframing the paradigm of farming from larger acreage to more production on smaller acreage using simple tools. This keeps farming in the hands of the people, including access for low-wealth people and farmers of color from all communities.”
Relationships take center stage at Seeds of Solidarity. “We are proud to have stayed happily married, raised a family, and sustained strong friendships through it all,” Habib notes.
In 2019, Baruc and Habib released a book through Levellers Press, “Making Love While Farming: A Field Guide to a Life of Passion and Purpose,” which explores these themes. Both in the book and in conversation, the couple’s journey weaves together farming, family and community.
Farmers need support from their communities as much as anyone else. Collectively, farmers bear the emotional uncertainty of climate change, the economy in a given season, and unexpected events like the COVID-19 pandemic. “If you’re going to stick with this for the long haul, you have to become comfortable with uncertainty as you make physical adaptations to your farm,” Habib says.
To remain engaged in relationships while remaining mindful of what’s happening in the world, Baruc and Habib gravitated toward wellness practices to support body, mind and spirit. Their family starts with the simple act of eating the food they grow. “Many farmers barely prepare the food they grow,” Habib says. “They work so hard that they don’t sit down with their families to eat a meal. We need to nourish ourselves and actually enjoy the food we grow before we can nourish others.”
Habib identifies relationships for sharing with others at a deeper level as central to her experience of wellness. “Having people you can honestly share your stress and challenges with is really important,” she says. “These can be anyone you talk openly with about your primary relationship, your parenting, or what’s on your heart.”
Honest sharing from the heart might ease stress, inspire changes, or aid in self-discovery. Deb explains, “When mentoring young people, Ricky will often say to them, ‘Think about what makes you unique and what you love. You don’t have to do what everyone else does. What are your idiosyncrasies and gifts?’”
A variety of daily practices contribute to well-being for the family. Habib recommends these actions for farmers — or anyone. “Taking a walk, playing with your kids, physical activities, making music or art … all are essential to wellness. Having something that takes you out of your head, which brings joy and relief, is helpful.” Sleep and rest are other critical wellness practices in the mix for the couple.
The Seeds of Solidarity Farm Stand is located at 165 Chestnut Hill Road in Orange. The solar-powered, self-serve stand is open during daylight hours, where cash, checks, and IOUs are accepted. Along with friends and neighbors, Baruc and Habib organize the renowned North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival. The festival returns for its 24th year the weekend of October 1.
Lisa Goodrich is communications coordinator for CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture). To learn more about local farms, what’s in season, and where to find it, visit buylocalfood.org/find-it-locally.