"Pretty" of Powisset Farm; Photo by Thomas Urell

Susan McCrory

Meet Pretty, also called Bert. She’s one of the several lucky fowl that, yes, lays eggs at Powisset Farm in Dover, MA, but also adds to the irresistable ambience of the place. Powisset is one of the approximately 100 properties in Massachusetts preserved by The Trustees of Reservations, a private non-profit. It was here that PRK’s three footsoldiers–Jessica Alpert, Tom Urell and myself–recently ventured, navigating some beautiful back roads still lined with glowing sugar maples to reach the farm and the subject of our interview, Meryl LaTronica, farm manager and also head of the CSA Program at Powisset.

Meryl LaTronica (Photo courtesy of Powisset Farm)

Meet Meryl. Meryl is the visionary and understated powerhouse behind Powisset Farm.It was Meryl who started Powisset’s Community Supported Agriculture program almost literally singlehandedly only three seasons ago, at the ripe old age of, gulp, 26. With help from an assistant manager and several full-time seasonal apprentices, she now runs this 250-member program which offers its members access to fresh, organic fruits and vegetables, herbs, flowers, beef and pork.

But there is so much more at Powisset. Members can pick their own produce, herbs and flowers, volunteer, picnic at the farm, visit the fields and walk the 100-acre grounds (as can non-members) all in the spirit of personal freedom, individual responsibility, informed connectedness to the land and, perhaps most important, community. This place has a great “vibe.” Meryl’s word. She’s got vibe, too.

Over the next many months you’ll hear from Meryl. The Kitchen has invited her to blog about her work, and she has graciously accepted. Thank you, Meryl! We look forward to your musings, reports, ideas, anecdotes and updates. So, coming soon, from a CSA near you: on the day each month Meryl writes, what’s cooking in the Kitchen will actually be what’s happening down on Powisset Farm.