In the early morning of April 20^th the farm was buzzing with teens practicing their speeches, setting up for the big day and making sure the last touches were in place. The Interfaith Experience was a completely youth-led event from start to finish that brought diverse perspectives together and gave youth opportunities to teach about tolerance. This inaugural "Duveneck Forum" provided the community with a space to come together for a collaborative discussion on non-violent communication, empathy and common ground between faiths.

How many times have you walked by the Tin Barn and missed seeing this beautiful heart? I have been told that this was probably made by Frank Duveneck in the forge. Next time you are by the barn, check it out!

The Giant Trillium (Trillium chloropetalum) is one of my favorite early spring flowers. A member of the lily family, the trillium has the characteristic trinity of three outer petals, three inner petals, and a three-part stigma; the presence of six stamens helps differentiate it from members of the iris family.

Our Giant Trilliums at Hidden Villa greet me like an old friend, blooming in the same locations every year. Giant Trilliums are also very rare and are almost impossible to find in a home garden, requiring precise growing conditions and taking up to seven years to bloom from seed. Considering its seasonal rarity, the trillium provides me with an annual reminder to appreciate our native woodland’s precious and sometimes fragile beauty – an organism that our wild lands nurture better than my fellow human cultivators.

Come out to Hidden Villa and see if you can catch a glimpse of these specials flowers for yourselves. Please also remember that it is illegal to pick these wildflowers. We want everyone to get a chance to share in their reunion or discovery!

Tilly, pictured below, was born on January 20, 2013 making her the third cow at Hidden Villa. Her Mom is Cleo and her older sister is Vida.

Miner’s lettuce, also called spring beauty, winter pursuant or Indian lettuce, is one of the first spring greens to emerge at Hidden Villa. They are tender, succulent and reminiscent of spinach, with have a wild flavor, that’s not too overpowering. 

If you’ve been outside at Hidden Villa lately, you may have noticed that our resident blue herons have come back. We usually have two so we’ll hope to see his/her counterpart soon! The farm seems to be their spring vacation home.

You don't need a calendar here to know what month it is! Just look outside your window and you know it’s February if you see the blue herons. 

Being the journeyman farmer at Hidden Villa, managing the CSA, and running the farmers market stand has been an incredibly valuable experience for me. I have learned far more about small farm management and nonprofit management in the past nine months than I could have imagined. I honestly feel that I now have the skills and knowledge to successfully manage a small farm.