This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
06/06/2024 12:00 AMSure, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” but maybe we can all at least agree there are still certain aspects of nature that are objectively beautiful, right? For decades, researchers have demonstrated that the human mind relaxes and taps more deeply into its creative potential when our eyes gaze upon the color green, found in the plant world or even artificially on walls, in paintings, and in photographs. Our brains and their complex chemistry are stimulated by beauty, color, and Earth’s vivid magnanimity toward its delicate resident homo sapiens.
This is partly why I always feel such a pang of disappointment when I hear people boldly make statements like, “I don’t really see color!” when engaging in conversations about various aspects of human difference and race. What an intellectual and emotional deficit for those who choose never to encounter the great vibrancy that comes through internalizing the full history and experience of everything and everyone living on this planet.
On our farm, there are years when a late frost or a long drought will affect the viability of two plants from the same species in entirely different and slightly variable ways. So why is it so difficult at times for us to reckon with the fact that conditions of our society have and will positively and negatively affect various members of our human community based on social, racial, gender, and class differences?
Of course, farms and farming enterprises are not immune from the prejudicial practices replicated from the historical political structure of our country at large. Thankfully though, for every toxin in our system the ingenuity of the human being creates an antidote.
For example, in recent decades a growing movement of Black, Indigenous, and Latinx farmers, led by heroic figures such as Karen Washington, have built upon the centuries-long effort of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and other people of color) producers in this country to increase food autonomy and sovereignty for all.
During her James Beard Humanitarian Award acceptance speech last year, Washington said, “The plight of the Black Farmer should affect all Americans. As we see our stories and history slowly being silenced in schools and libraries, the fabric of America is based on our history, no matter how bad or difficult it might seem. So then, what is it about us that people fear, what is it about being Black in America that still makes some folks fearful? To those afraid, I say we are only human. So, when you see me, love me, respect me, embrace me, and see only me.”
Encountering and engaging with beauty in nature and the resulting positive mental, emotional, and physical effects it has on well-being should be accessible to all. Locally, there are farmers who wholeheartedly believe in bountifully sharing with others the good fruits of the planet. At Mena’s Garden, pediatrician and self-described flower enthusiast Dr. Philomena Asante is nurturing the bright colorful life blooming at her new 5-acre flower farm in North Guilford.
After years of living and working in the Boston area, Dr. Asante purchased a historic 1840s property on Route 77 and set about renovating the buildings and restoring the land to operate once again as a working farm. Inspired by her mother’s love of flowers and gardening, she now operates a flower CSA program and soul-healing refuge to spread joy and love throughout the community. Incredibly, Philomena continues to work as a doctor in the area, and a portion of every bouquet purchased from Mena’s Garden is used to help fund the Black Women MD Network, a national non-profit organization that supports Black women who are medical students, residents, fellows and physicians after medical training. I had the pleasure and honor of recently joining Dr. Asante at her new farm as the bright sun shone warmly overhead while we walked surrounded by a kaleidoscope of color gently rolling in the wind throughout the fields, embracing us.
---
SGM: Let’s start by talking about this old farmhouse. You’ve obviously done so much work on it and are preserving the history. What has it been like to reanimate this place and this land after it was essentially dormant for so many years?
PA: Well, believe it or not, when I first started planning to move here from Boston, I was hoping to move into a mid-century construction house (laughing), but when that house went off the market, my love for flowers took hold. That’s when I decided something with a little more land would suit me. I always tended gardens and flowers, and when I imagined my retirement someday it always included the dream of a flower farm. Well, I am not retired, but the flower farm is alive!
I remember coming for the open house and thinking it was a beautiful house that needed A LOT of work. It hadn’t been lived in for eight years, and before that, it really held this long history of the Barlett family going back to the 1840s. So, there is so much charm in this house. I started the renovations as soon as I could, but not before first working on the garden, of course! I cleared the land and brought down a bunch of my plants from Boston before my real estate agent told me to stop!
SGM: It’s like you brought your family members with you.
PA: Yes, they’re like my little kids, so I had to bring them along with my real kid! People wonder how I already have tulips growing here if I just moved in, and it’s because in September (of last year), I was digging in the ground and trying to establish everything I could. This year, I’m starting all of my seeds in an upstairs kitchen, which gets great light. Let’s go take a look. (we take a walk through the historic house)
SGM: What an operation. Can you tell me what you’re growing up here?
PA: What isn’t! Haha. All of the dahlias in here are cuttings from other dahlias I’ve grown which began sprouting roots. There are at least 30 different varieties of other plants growing here, too. I really like Baker Creek Heirloom seeds, Floret Farm seeds, and just this year I started purchasing from Eden Brothers Seed company.
SGM: This room is perfect for seedlings, well lit and waterproof with all of the old tile. I’m looking through the window and see everything blooming outside, as well.
(We walk back downstairs and out onto a farm-facing porch lined with a rainbow of tulips)
The amount you’ve accomplished in a short period of time is tremendous. Where can people connect with you and purchase your flowers? Do you sell at the Dudley Farm Market in Guilford?
PA: Yes, I am at the Dudley Market on Saturdays and looking at joining other nearby farmer’s markets as well. I also have a CSA people can sign up for through the website menasgarden.com
SGM: The different kinds of tulips are so sweet and beautiful. Do the bulbs stay attached like they are in this vase?
PA: I keep the bulbs until I’m ready to sell them. Sometimes, people like to keep the bulbs so they can plant it themselves, but generally, I treat tulips as annuals and do a planting each year for vigor. They come in so many different colors and forms than people are used to. Some have frills. Some are shaped with wide blooms, others with tighter flowers. I was really pleased with how they came out this year. We’re having a spectacular tulip season.
It’s important for me to maintain a lot of the native plant species around here as well. So for example, rather than digging up all of this May Apple to plant bulbs, I’ve kept it near the house so it can fruit into August. Eventually, I’ll restore the old horse barns in order to make the farm more active for events and kids to enjoy. Some of these areas will become little magical gardens for children to explore and do some pick-their-own.
SGM: I wish I had some “before” photos for this piece. I remember driving by the old “Insulting Manor” (the previous owner’s name for the property) and seeing how overgrown it had become. You cleared so much land and have done so much work to make this a reality!
PA: Thanks, it was a hot mess. (laughing) It is a dream coming true. I have an abundance of lilacs, which I love. One of the first things I did was plant roses around here, too. There are loads of hydrangeas and yarrows. There is allium planted here and peonies. You know it is a farm, but it’s a garden, too. There is everything I have planted, but there are some things that were here already. So, when I am creating my bouquets, I’m taking a little bit of everything. There is a variety to be creative with tree branches, flowers, vines, all sorts of things. People will notice not only the quality but the sheer variety of items in their bouquets. I love the fact that this “Insulting Manor” ugly duckling house is turning into a beautiful flower farm and garden—Mena’s Garden!
SGM: Everything feels so alive in this garden. You’re also a doctor and could probably be doing anything else with your time. What makes this so important to you, and how do you find a way to balance it all?
PA: Well, I’ll continue working as a pediatrician. My son is in college for most of the year, so I have some time until he comes home for the summer. Then, hopefully, I can convince him to help me out here. (laughing) Truthfully, this garden gives me life, and I get to share it with others. My mother was a big gardener, and I grew up hearing her sing and talk to her plants. When she developed Alzheimer’s, this became one way for me to honor those memories and continue to connect with her. For me, this is also about flower therapy. I’ve had a lot of challenges in life, and so working in the garden has always been therapeutic. I get my hands in the soil, work hard, and get to see the progress that comes when something is nurtured and cared for lovingly. Then, to be able to share bouquets with others and witness the joy they experience when encountering its beauty is so worthwhile, as well. Everyone has this idea that flowers should just be kept for special occasions, but to get a beautiful bouquet for no reason can be so transformative. I could travel, and I will do some, but with gardening, I can work through all sorts of problems, and it brings me so much joy! Believe it or not, I feel more at home here in North Guilford than I ever have anywhere else in my life. Of course, a lot of that is owed to how welcoming all of my neighbors have been.
SGM: When farms can sometimes feel so precarious and stressful, this garden is such a happy place. What else do you want to make sure people know about your farm?
PA: I believe farms and farmers can make real, meaningful change for self and others. Especially for people of color, it is important for us to own means of production and businesses in our communities and control our work and life schedules. I am at a phase in my life where I can do more advocacy for others. In fact, 10% of all profits from flower sales goes to support Black women medical students, trainees, and practicing doctors (www.divadocsboston.com).
And finally, flowers are healing in so many ways. My tagline is, “Flowers nourish your soul!” It does something to lift your spirits, and I want everyone to think of having flowers in their lives as part of their regular self-care and staying close to the healing aspects of nature.
Sean Gargamelli-McCreight is co-founder of the Benincasa Community farm in North Guilford. His column, “Homegrown,” is about his work on the farm and about other farms in the area. Benincasa partners with local organizations, churches, and school groups to share about sustainable community-based food production as well as grow and deliver free, healthy organic produce to those in need. You can find out more about Benincasa Community and reach Sean by visiting www.benincasacommunity.org