Stop 10

Welcome to the pond.

“The pond that sits at the base of Flower Hill is the site of many gatherings. It is the home to one truly enormous snake and at least one also enormous snapping turtle, who we have just decided to consider the our guardians rather than our nemeses. The pond has tons of fish in it, and a crazy amount of tadpoles in the spring. I mean, it's almost overwhelming in the early spring, if you look in there. And notice how many little little squirmy guys are living at the edges. It's in. It seems impossible…” (Sarah) “The fattest tadpoles like I think exist in the whole world. They look like gray hard boiled eggs with little tiny tails, exclaiming are very turned into nice frogs that do a chorus of peeps. And then I think also like bullfrogs that do that low croaking sound.” (Sophie)

This pond also makes a great habitat for people… “We use it to irrigate all of Flower Hill and so we pump water out of it to get up onto the crops. We’ve been known to take a splash in the pond in the summer when it’s super hot… The beautiful big flat rocks that are at the edge of the pond are perfect for sitting on and soaking in the end of the day or the beginning of the day.” (Sarah)

“We were basically, you know, kind of wild children when we were here. And, and it was all about hunting frogs and sinking the boat that was in the pond and, you know, swimming in the pond and getting into trouble.” (Andrew)

Over time, so many people have had their own relationships to this place, been nourished by it and sustained by it. That nourishment can come from closeness and attention to the many other living beings that make their home here…

“I always enjoy coming to the farm make it make me feel happy. Just by walking around and see my plants are growing see my even even just see lemongrass producing or leave you know made me happy. I think just like a relaxing, relaxing place that you know you can enjoy yourself and see your things growing and just enjoying seeing your plants.” (Nhia)

“One of the first experiences that I had that was so moving was being outside around my fire and hearing the whistling of the geese beating flapping their wings and you could hear the air stream behind them and it was just so to me, it was so impactful to actually hear the whistling of the wind that the birds were creating in flight. I had never experienced that before.” (Emily Leeser)

A place like this can carry a lot of memories…both personal and collective.

“Walking in the same space you know, you put down those layers. It's like you can be walking and remember a very specific day a very specific time that you had been at that space before. So that definitely happens for me when I'm out now.” (MJ)

“When I walk on the land, like the land tells stories, to me, it's part of me, because these are stories that have been in my family and passed down.” (Tracey)

As our tour together comes to a close, we’d like to leave you with an invitation—to sit here, by the pond, and reflect. Maybe get comfortable on the big flat rock, or on the bench under the trees. Linger, and listen. Notice the life around you. Who do you hear? Who do you see? What stories do you think they have to tell?

In order of appearance:

Jordan Schmolka - narrator

Sarah Newkirk - Farm Director

Sophie Soloway - former resident farmer (Hocus Pocus Farm), current board member

Andrew Jencks - Osamequin Farm property owner, resident, and board chair

Nhia Lee - resident farmer (Lee Family Farm)

Emily Leeser - Osamequin Farm resident and food plot manager

MJ Bull - neighborhood resident

Tracey (Dancing Star) Brown - Sachem of the Pokanoket Tribe