Zach Nordlund and Tristan Lovecky grew up in southern New Hampshire and met on Tinder. Neither of them came from a farming background, but they shared a love of growing vegetables and a concern for the environment.

​

Zach was working as a carpenter when the Great Recession brought construction to a halt. He began looking for ways to utilize his skills and decided to try farming. He worked at three different New Hampshire farms before settling down two years ago at Sacred Nectar, a small community of people in North Sandwich NH, and started a small farm named Waxing Moon Gardens to produce food for the community.

​

Tristan was working fulltime as a landscaper and kept a small vegetable garden before joining Zach at Waxing Moon. She had fantasized about farming when she was in college, but starting a farm seemed overwhelming.

​

“Zach’s contagious passion for farming put things in perspective for me,” Tristan remembers. “It helped me turn my fantasy into a reality.”

​

“Ecological stewardship is the most importance aspect of farming for us,” Zach declares. “We believe that synthetic herbicides and pesticides are harmful to the ecology, the environment and human health.”

​

“The greatest challenge facing organic farmers is bringing the land back to a place where we can work with nature rather than against it. We need to establish better methods of working in harmony with the land and with our ecosystems.”

​

“We’re not yet certified organic, but we’re looking into it for the future. Being certified makes farmers accountable. It’s the only way consumers know for sure whether their food is truly organic.”

​

“We grow on about one acre,” Tristan adds. “We produce salad mixes, kale, radishes, leeks, onions and garlic… and people love our carrots. Having customers come back to see us at the market each week because they love our produce feels amazing.”

​

Zach and Tristan believe in making a positive impact. The health of their soil and their ecosystem is just as important as making fresh produce accessible to their local community. The work is demanding and often requires long hours, but the customer appreciation keeps them motivated.

​

“Organic farming intentionally creates an environment that’s right for microbiology,” Zach explains. “We’re aware of our impact on the environment, and we create a habitat for all kinds of living creatures.”

​

“It’s frustrating that many people are spoiled by the supermarket mentality where every vegetable is available all the time,” he admits. “Our frost free days are limited up here in the mountains, and we can’t grow all of our vegetables year round. ”

​

“We joined NOFA-NH for the bulk order discount,” he continues, “but it also provides an excellent opportunity for small farmers and gardeners to cooperate and work together. The sense of community and the ability to support each other is very important to us. It helps us feel connected and knowledgeable about what's happening here in New Hampshire and nationally.”

​

“I find it meaningful to be dedicating my life to farming,” Tristan says with pride. “We think farming in harmony with the earth is the most important thing we can be doing right now. We want to keep our farm small, feed our local community, and do our part to protect the earth.”

​

—Interview and Article by Karl Johnson, Board President