by Liz Suozzo

“We grow food and we want other people to grow food,” says Ricky Baruc. He and his wife, Deb Habib, own Seeds of Solidarity, a 30-acre farm and education center in Orange, Massachusetts. The farm supplies River Valley Market with specialty greens and herbs and also produces flowers and 14 varieties of garlic.  In addition, Seeds of Solidarity sponsors the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival, a yearly celebration of local artists, agriculturists and musicians.

When asked what inspired him to adopt this lifestyle, Ricky didn’t hesitate:  “When I was a teenager, I read an article by one of the founders of the New Alchemy Institute and had an ‘a-ha’ moment. It just clicked.” From 1969-1991, the institute, located in Cape Cod, was a research center established to “design human-scale, low polluting alternatives to super technology and to design and test intensive food growing methods.”  Ricky spent several years at the New Alchemy Institute and it was there, 26 years ago, that he met Deb.  Eleven years later, they married and spent their honeymoon on an International Pilgrimage for Peace and Life walking from Auschwitz to Hiroshima.  

Upon their return, the couple purchased land in Orange, in the North Quabbin region, and established Seeds of Solidarity. The best agricultural land in the region had been wiped out in the 1930’s when 4 towns were flooded to form the Quabbin Reservoir, so “we had to turn the most marginal land into good soil,” says Ricky. And Ricky and Deb have done just that.
Ricky oversees the farm, two apprentices, and 5 greenhouses, which are named for influential peace activists like the Dalai Lama, Cesar Chavez and Ghandi. In keeping with their principals of living lightly on the earth, Ricky and Deb power and heat the buildings with solar electricity, which is also used to extend the greenhouse growing season. Their farm equipment and car run on biodiesel fuel.

In addition to building a commercially viable farm, the couple run an educational center and inspire others to garden at home.  Deb coordinates Seeds of Solidarity Education Center, the non-profit organization she and Ricky founded. The organization runs SOL (Seeds of Leadership) Garden for teenagers, and has implemented gardens, greenhouses, cooking and composting programs with nine schools, a camp, and most recently, a hospital. Ricky also works with at-risk teenagers from a half-way house in Greenfield. The organization also offers workshops for educators and the general public at their site. While most of Seeds of Solidarity's programs are local and community-based, they present and provide "Grow Food Everywhere" trainings throughout Southern New England.

Key to the farmers' vision of success is that they inspire others to garden. “We do grow food commercially, Ricky says, “But the important thing with our farm is inspiring people to grow their own food.” He believes that the techniques used at Seeds of Solidarity are easily applicable to homeowners. One technique, the “no-till method,” involves growing crops without disturbing the soil. Instead of tilling, Ricky places cardboard on the earth and adds worm-rich compost or manure. The cardboard, which he gets from a local furniture company, acts as weed control and fertilizer. Worms aerate the soil and provide manure.

The worms are amazing, Ricky says. They love the cardboard and the soy-based glue in the cardboard. They’re most active in the wintertime, but they don’t like bare ground. Cardboard, however, provides an ideal medium for worms; it creates the shaded and moist conditions they love. [The worms] multiply, break down the cardboard, put out large quantities of manure and enrich the soil.

Once the cardboard and worms “prepare” an area of earth, Ricky builds permanent raised beds.  He then adds composted soil and more cardboard.  The unique combination of elements and techniques produces nutritious, vibrant food.

Equally important to their aims of growing healthy food and inspiring others to do the same is Ricky and Deb’s desire to reach out to local people. This was manifested in the birth of a local festival. “In 1998 I was cleaning garlic with a [woodworker] neighbor, lamenting how difficult it was to sell garlic; he was lamenting how difficult it was for local artisans to sell their crafts in the area.” Shortly after, Ricky, Deb and three artists contributed $20 each and the North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival was born. To the amazement of local people, more than 1,000 people showed up the first year. “The community of North Quabbin embraced [it]," said Ricky. "We haven’t pushed it, but we’ve won their respect.” In 2008, the festival drew more than 12,000 participants. “Our new motto, “ Ricky quipped, “ is ‘Orange is the New Green’.”

Establishing innovative educational programs, creating a bountiful farm, inspiring others to grow food, and supporting the local community -- these are the fruits of Ricky and Deb’s labor at Seeds of Solidarity. Ricky says that people often ask him and Deb if it’s a sacrifice to live their chosen life. “I like Deb’s answer,” he responds, “Sacrifice, she says, comes from the word ‘sacred’.”

To learn more about Seeds of Solidarity, visit their website www.seedsofsolidarity.org.