On a canoe trip while living in New York State
Jill Yeck of
Harvest Moon Herb Farm, "saw this little beat up sign and it said, 'herb farm.' I had to find the place from the road. It was down back roads that looked like you're not supposed to go down them. I almost turned around because I was afraid to go. I didn't and I became an apprentice there."
Jill says the experience not only changed her life, but sent it in its present direction.
"It was the most beautiful place. My teacher there Chris, had so much knowledge to share with me. That's where I fell in love with this business and learned how to do it."
Bringing over 30 varieties of herbs to the market from her farm near Stoughton, Jill says, "There's something really special about going out and cutting a few sprigs and putting them into something you're cooking. So many people tell me what pleasure they get from that."
With her rooster
Golden Boy crowing in the background, Jill explains that,
"The soil is the key to growing nice plants. For my pots I do mix my own soil," she says. "making it with compost and bark and some peat." A certified organic producer, Jill is working (along with her three goats) to eventually produce her compost on-farm. Presently she buys it, "by the semi-load" from a certified organic supplier.
Running her hand lightly over the inhabitants of two flats on a table in front of her greenhouse, Jill remarks, "We have a variety of unusual plants here." She points out
scented geraniums, citronella, "which people like to use to keep mosquitoes away," because it has a wonderful, lemony smell, unlike the concentrated odor found in commercial pest control products.
Lemon Rose, a geranium variety will bloom with beautiful purple-pink flowers. Its aromatic leaves fill the air with a wonderful scent whenever you brush past it. Jill points out
orange mint, "A beautiful plant that looks great in a pot. It will fill out nicely and drap over. It's good in teas. It has a
bergamot smell to it like Earl Grey tea.
We move into the greenhouse, where Jill show example of another very popular herb,
Lemon Verbena. A native of South America, this plant is particularly well suited in tea, especially when blended with mint. Another mint that Jill sells a lot of is
spearmint. "People like it because they use it for
mojitos. People grow their own pot of spearmint and then take it to parties to make these beautiful fresh mojitos.
Like many other DCFM farmers, Jill splits her time on the farm and in the classroom. Harvest Moon Herb Farm, "is not a full-time job," she says. "I would love it to be and maybe some day it will." A teacher in the education psychology department at a nearby university, "I like to do both."
Going from her quiet, country farm to the bustle of the classroom, Jill says, "They're like two ends of the spectrum. From digging in the dirt and trying to get that dirt from underneath my fingernails and loving that, to the 'high thought' philosophical world. It keeps me grounded and thinking about life and what's going on."
One aspect of her teaching career that spans both spectrums of her life is Jill's mastery of her subject. Whether considering herbs for the kitchen, to decorate a garden, or to flavor a tea, Jill's freely-given advice has sent many a smiling customer back home with an aromatic bundle ready for planting.
For more information:Harvest Moon Herb Farm
Harvest Moon Herb Farm.comjillsfarm@yahoo.com608-205-1950
