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Good day! In the last article I revered two women who I felt deserved to be remembered, admired, and learned from. But as I promised, I want to speak now of local women, some of whom you may know, who are hardy, hard working, and very knowledgeable.
I have had the pleasure and good fortune of working with and knowing three of them well, either through farming and/or plants, and one, though I don’t know well, I admire greatly for her accomplishments. These are local people that have done, and continue to do, much hard work in their daily lives. They are not spoken of in order of my respect for them - for I respect them all, have learned much from them, and have found much of my own strength from their example. This article is truly from the heart.
First is Nancy Simmons from Pike, NH. Nancy is a farm woman who can put up or mend a fence with the strongest of men, and does just as well. She has hayed more than her share of fields much of her life, had a herd of cattle, goats, chickens, pigs, and always a trusty dog by her side. I have learned so much from her, along with the fencing and chasing of cattle.
I have learned that it isn’t only a man who has the capability to run a farm, but a woman alone, who has enough smarts, motivation and belief in herself. She taught me that belief in oneself allows you to tackle anything, not matter how difficult. I hold the highest respect for her and will always see those beautiful blue eyes looking across the hay fields and pastures at the animals she loved. Due to health issues, she has had to finally back off from much of this hard work, but her character will never change. Bless her and her spirit of being.
Kathy Baker from Mt. Cube in Orford is a busy lady all year round. In winter, she has a Christmas wreath business, in which she has made all her own wreaths (with the help of a few very dedicated folks, especially Rachel, a pioneer woman unto herself), decorates them and markets them. She works through all the seasons putting together and selling beautiful bouquets of fresh flowers from her own gardens, landscaping for herself and others, creating gorgeous fall decorations with Indian corn, pumpkins and other wild things, and grows and sells raspberries. If that isn’t enough to keep one woman busy, Kathy also helps her husband, Bill, maintain a herd of Scottish Highland cattle from which they market organic beef and sell some heifers, steer, and bulls.
I have had the gift to find some of my own talents, strengths, knowledge, and love of plants from this lady by her giving me the opportunity to create with her through all these seasons. I have also learned the know-how of handling a herd of primitive cattle, calving, moving them all from pasture to pasture (along with four enormous bulls), and doing so without fear, but with great respect. She may not have realized how much of a teacher she was for me and how much she influenced my being and thinking.
The third is Abby Metcalf from Piermont. I don’t know this lady as well as the others, and have never had the pleasure of working with her. But every day when I drive by her business operation, I smile with respect, admiration, and a wonder of how she does so much. She owns and operates the Piermont Plant Pantry. She does annuals, perennials and mums, has animals to care for, cornfields to grow (along with a maze in autumn), and grows and shows the annual lit pumpkins that bring many people through her farm at Halloween to see the smiling, and sometimes scary faces, all lit along the roads and in the fields.
In winter she makes wreaths and kissing balls, some of which she wholesales, some she decorates and retails herself. She also has a little store selling fresh eggs and other home grown products. Quite a feat to keep all this up. I love driving through and seeing her yellow lab riding in the back of her ATV, seeing the young calves just off the side of the road, and the vast amount of small birds flying back and forth between barns and flowers. But even more, I love Max, the ancient and graying black dog who follows everyone around, or just finds a quiet spot to be and observe the goings on. Abby is certainly an example of female determination and strength to draw from. And Max, to me, is a symbolic strength of one who will not quit... like Abby.
The last lady here has become a dear friend through our current work together. Margaret Ritchie-Cleaves of Piermont is a farmer at heart, with a vast knowledge of plants (botanical names included), gardening, dairy farming, raising a very busy family (whom she loves dearly), chickens (whom she also loves dearly), and a bumper crop of vegetables every year. She is also an extremely creative florist whose talents are known by those lucky enough to receive arrangements made by her through her work at JM Landscaping. And there are also many who glean knowledge from her while they shop at the nursery and store at JM.
She runs most any kind of equipment, having worked in construction part of her life. She fears nothing, smiles a great deal while concentrating on her work, and shows a wonderful sensitivity toward people, animals and plants, even with the strength and know-how of someone who could come across as tough, should she choose to. I have learned so much working at her side - flower arrangement for one, which she is quick to share. But it goes well beyond that. She stands for what I want to be - living a self-sustainable life growing ones own, to being a hell of a cook and baker, having the old know-how of putting it all by, and learning that a busy life can be juggled to do it all - and she does - beautifully.
There are more women out there that I have much admiration for. There are landscapers, farm women, and those hard working women in any job with families, who balance their lives with hard work and love of their family. My hat off to you all. My respect to you all. May others gain from all of you what I have gained from these women I have mentioned here. You are all worthy of much admiration and respect.
And the View From Granite Acres is very wet - but only on my days off. Hmmm... At least the gardens are enjoying it, even if it’s too wet and stormy to work in them....
Send any questions or comments to Standing Stones Farm, PO Box 71, Glencliff, NH 03238, or
email us at graniteacres@earthlink.net.
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