Rock Steady Farm holds block party

Rock Steady farmers Rica Bryan, co-owner, Harvest & Distribution Manager and Ris Lansing, Wash Pack Lead and Farm Team member.

Photo by Natalia Zukerman

Rock Steady Farm holds block party

MILLERTON — Rock Steady Farm on Kaye Road was the site of the Farm Block Party on Saturday, Sept. 7.
It was a family-friendly day of community celebration, featuring live music, local vendors, and a spotlight on the Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (QT+BIPOC) farmers who are helping to shape our region’s food system.

The vibrant celebration was cohosted by Rock Steady Farm and Catalyst Collaborative Farm in collaboration with Farm School NYC. The three entities have a long relationship history with one another and a shared interest in connecting their expansive communities.

There were 30 unique vendors from within the local community with offerings of pottery, herbs, teas, cakes, cookies, books, clothing, art, and so much more.

Live music added to the grooving celebration with the traditional afro-Colombian group Tambacum, and local artist Vemilo. There were healing arts in the yurt at The Watershed Center, a social justice retreat center, as well as arts and crafts activities on the lawn, haircuts on the porch, and even an on-site tattoo artist.

All ticket proceeds went toward supporting Rock Steady Farm’s farmer training program, Pollinate alumni, and Catalyst Collaborative Farm.

Susuyu Lassa from Grafton, New York, getting a haircut on the porch by Karen B.Photo by Natalia Zukerman

Latest News

Haystack Festival brings literary minds to Norfolk

The Great Room at Norfolk Library filled to capacity for the Haystack Festival.

Jennifer Almquist

Just after noon on Sunday, Oct. 6, attendees of Norfolk Foundation’s Haystack Festival spilled out of the red Shingle Style Norfolk Library into brilliant October sunshine, emerging from the final book talk of the weekend (excepting an event for young readers later in the day). The talk, which was a conversation between horse experts journalist Sarah Maslin Nir and author David Chaffetz, was rife with equine puns and startling facts. The tongue-in-cheek use of the word “cavalier” brought laughs from the engaged audience, while Nir disclosed that horses eat for a full 16 hours a day.

The talk brought levity and humor to the festival’s conclusion, while also diving into the serious history of the relationship between society and horses. Chaffetz explained horses were fundamental in the formation of large empires: “We don’t see empires until horses became fundamental to the political state.” Nir elaborated that the “wild” horses in North America are not native, but feral horses descended from animals brought by Spanish imperialists. “No tea grows in England,” she explained, “it is the result of empire – and so are horses.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Project SAGE's solemn vigil

"The Red Sand Project" is intended to draw attention to often overlooked domestic violence issues in the Northwest Corner.

Natalia Zukerman

To mark the start of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Project SAGE held its annual community vigil on Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Community Field in Lakeville. Project SAGE is a community-focused organization dedicated to supporting, advocating, guiding and educating victims of relationship violence through a range of services and outreach programs.

A large group of people gathered quietly in the center of the field where they were handed packets of red sand. Red Sand Project, created by artist and activist Molly Gochman, is a participatory artwork that uses sidewalk interventions and earthwork installations to encourage people to reflect, connect, and take action against the vulnerabilities that contribute to human trafficking, modern slavery, and exploitation.

Keep ReadingShow less
Northwest Corner artists unite for Clay Way Tour Oct. 19-20

Pottery of all sorts will be on display at the Clay Way Tour, featuring 26 area artists.

Provided

Now in its 8th year, The Clay Way Studio Tour is an annually held event featuring some of Connecticut’s best potters. Twenty six artists will show their work among nine studios.

The Tour takes place in Litchfield County Connecticut and Wingdale, New York Oct.19 and 20 from 10 a.m to 5 p.m. Potter and organizer Jane Herald explained the origin of the tour.

Keep ReadingShow less