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Dear Supporters,Thanks to your support we are steady making progress with the work on our future granary and bakery! We have already begun enclosing the structure, and the framing for the concrete was completed this morning!
None of this progress could have been made without the help of longtime Yiddish Farm volunteer Harry “Hershl” Sweet, a local klezmer musician and carpenter extraordinaire. Thanks to his leadership on the project we are on track to having the granary half of the building fully enclosed by the time of our harvest. We are still, however, $3,500 short in funding to cover the supplies to electrify the building. Without proper wiring, we will be forced to run all of our fans and machinery off of inefficient generators and extension cords. Donations can be made here.
Last week we were visited by a local Yeshiva from Monsey. The 15 bochurim received a quick tour and then got right to work, tending to Yiddish Farm’s potato crop. They weeded and spread wheat bran over the plants. Spreading bran is an organic method for reducing the damage done by potato beetles. The beetles eat the bran instead of the leaves. The bochurim enjoyed their time outdoors, learning hands on about the growth stages of the potato plant as well as the difference between conventional and organic agriculture. Many of the boys were ecstatic to learn that many of the weeds growing on the farm are edible, stuffing their pockets with radishes (רעטעכער) and lambsquarter (װײַסע גענדזן לאַפּקע).
Our Summer Program kicked off this week as well. This year we have 13 total participants! Our students have already received over 20 hours of formal instruction and over 84 hours of total Yiddish immersion. Last Tuesday they set out on their first field trip: a walking tour of the Lower East Side followed by the Yiddish Soul Concert in Central Park. For our first Shabbos we had the pleasure to host two alumni from our first summer program in Goshen: Shikl Friedman and Ari Greenberg! For intermediate students, there is still time to apply to our Yiddish II program starting July 11th. Come join us! Last week we also received a generous grant of general support from The Opaline Fund of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund. This grant is in addition to another generous grant of support from the Atran Foundation received earlier this year. The Yiddish Farm Education Center extends its thanks to these foundations for their continued support. As a non-for-profit mission oriented organization we simply cannot exist without the support of foundations and individual donors. Whether your passion is Yiddish, outdoor education, organic food and sustainability or all three, there is something for everyone to connect with here at the Yiddish Farm. Are you connected with a foundation that supports Jewish and/or educational causes? We need your support to sustain and expand our impact.
We have a very exciting summer planned ahead. We are reaching out to camps and schools to visit us during our grain harvest. If you are interested in bringing your camp or school to learn about the wheat harvest and see a combine demonstration live, please reply to this email. a gezintn zimer, Yisroel Bass, Director Donate Here |
News from The Yiddish Farm
