About Quill Nook Farm
What do we grow on the 262-acre Quill Nook Farm in Halifax, Vermont?
We grow stories. And beloved animals. And vegetables. And flowers. And music. And more.
We are a family of four operating as a joy-based homestead, putting our energy into the things that bring us and you joy. On any given day you can find us creating, raising goats for local Afghan families, gardening, forest management, swinging amongst the trees, or dipping in the pond. We’re always looking for the laughter in the moment…
We have a few different things to get plugged into. Please see below for what’s growing here. Also visit our art Studios page for creative endeavors including art residency programming. Sign up for our email list (infrequent updates, no spam) to stay in the loop on new offerings like our “Halifriends” concert series.
What we’re growing
Here are some of the plants that are thriving this growing season in our farm gardens:
Papalo, a.k.a. Quilquiña. Dang-shen (Codonopsis). Haskap. Hablitzia (Caucasian Mountain Spinach). Moldovan Sea Buckthorn. Cloud Lima Beans. Rapunzel (Rampion). Russian Bog Bilberry. Teosinte.
All of the plants on this list have been in ethnobotanical relationship with humans for centuries and for millennia. A plant like Rapunzel was so common once upon a time that it lent its name to a famous fairy tale as a classic example of a plant a pregnant woman would hanker for. Today, the very idea of hankering for such a plant has been relegated to a myth. We are growing teosinte, the progenitor of corn grown around the world today, to dip back into the deep genetic bank of this crop and bring out new traits. We believe in renewing our relationship with a plant “diversiculture.” Doing so will protect our civilization from future crop failures. It may make us healthier. And we are having a lot of fun getting to know plants that we’re less familiar with.
Many of these plants will take 3 to 20 years of growth, breeding, and soil development to reach their full potential. Market farms are like most restaurants that increase profit by “turning tables” – or harvesting succession crops. We feel called to do the opposite. We believe in the kind of nourishment that comes from long, slow conversations. This yerar finds us devoting as much plantable area as possible to plants that require and reward a long-term relationship with the land.
Want to join in the fun? We offer select nursery plants for sale, as well as garden consultations, design, and installation services.
Roberts Roots
Products made from real plants, created with love from this spot on earth. Unique tinctures, honey infusions, magical plants, and more. Our small-batch offerings are not listed online — request a catalog for the up-to-the-minute harvest offerings.
