Newsletter February 2025
The Crowded Table Collective
February 2025
This Month on the Farm
Welcome to the Crowded Table Collective! We are a small but mighty volunteer organization in Pownal, Maine started with the goal to build community by connecting people back to the land. In the summer, we run programming which brings people out to our farm and teaches them small farm and homestead skills. After each workday we gather at the table or around the fire for a community meal. We hope to build a resilient community that inspires folks to understand where their food comes from and how we can all make a positive change in the future of farming.
Founded winter 2024 by Molly Urtz, Sue Mack and Holly Morrison, this newsletter will be a way to help you stay informed about what is happening on the farm. We will update you monthly on events, farm projects, and ways you can get involved.
Molly writes a monthly blog which details what has been happening around the farm!
Read more about our adventures this month on our blog!
February Blog: Rooted
Person, Plant, Place
Each month we highlight an incredible person, plant, and place! Keep reading to learn about this month's selection.
Michael is our person of the month! He is an invaluable neighbor and not just because he owns a tractor! His easy smile and love for all projects big and small make him a super volunteer and a wonderful friend. This month we sat down with him to discuss his farm origin story. In our conversation he talks about that while the tractor was the catalyst to get to know his neighbors better, it was his wife Annette which led him to truly lean into the farm community. Also find out why our farm's chicken is the only chicken he'll eat!
Follow this link for our full conversation:
Wintergreen is our favorite plant this month! Fun fact: it is the official herb of the state of Maine! It is a hearty ground cover that grows readily in our forests and has a sharp minty flavor. Both the green leaf and the red berry of this plant are edible! At the farm, we use it most often in teas and it is a great remedy for a sore throat! Indigenous knowledge also tells us that it can be crushed up and used to ease inflammation or strained muscles. We're grateful to this plant, which brings some greenery to an otherwise snowy winter landscape!
The Art Farm in Lamoine, Maine is our place of the month! They have two absolutely adorable tiny houses which they share with the public through Airbnb. The homes are so intentionally crafted and staying there is truly a magical experience. Char, one of the owners, is also a gifted artist and drew the map of our farm! They are only 25 minutes outside Bar Harbor, within walking distance of a gorgeous beach, and dog friendly! The perfect place for a staycation or someone's first visit to Maine.
Follow this link to check out their website:
Follow this link to stay at the Art Farm:
Know Thy Shelf Book Club
Your virtual bookshelf of the month
What haven't we been reading lately! From banned books to YA to romantasy, this year's reading is off to a great start! During our summer programming we will be reading a single book as a group each month, but in the winter, we like to share what pages we've personally been diving into lately. Enjoy!
Upcoming Events
On February 22 we want to welcome all of you to a potluck at the farm! This event is first and foremost our way of saying thanks! Many of you have been long time supporters of the farm and we want to show our appreciation. The second goal of this event is to hear your input about The Crowded Table Collective. Is there a project you want to lead? Something about the website formatting you think could be changed? This very first group dinner will be a place for you to share all your ideas and thoughts on our newest farm adventure.
Project of the Month
This month we will be focusing on applying for grants and shredding leaves! Grants are The Crowded Table Collective's main source of funding and filling out applications never ends. Shredding and spreading leaves is one of the tactics we use to help return nutrients to our soil. Shredding the leaves helps the nutrients from the decaying leaves enter the soil quickly and the results are delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies in the summer! As always, if you want to get involved in either of these projects let us know!
