About the Farmer
My name is Emily Shapiro, and I’m a farmer, herbalist, and educator based in Seekonk, MA. The Night Garden grew out of my interest in helping those around me benefit from the medicine of plants and heal in community. My goal is to cultivate a farm project that heals and enriches both the community I serve along with the soil and ecosystem. I hold Level 1 and Level II certificates from Farmacy Herbs in Providence, RI.
About the Farm
The Night Garden is a medicine garden and apothecary located on just under 1/3 acre of land at Osamequin Farm in Seekonk, MA. The garden is home to over 50 species of culinary and medicinal herbs, flowers, and vegetables grown with low-input, sustainable methods. I harvest and process plants throughout the summer season to be used fresh or dried in tea blends, oils, salves, and tinctures as well as various other hand crafted medicines and home products. I also coordinate a 2 season CSA, facilitate an introductory course on bioregional herbalism that runs from March - October, and host periodic workshops and educational events about medicine crafting and plant identification for the local community. I also partner with a beekeeper on the property to support our pollinators and incorporate honey and beeswax into the medicines I make.
I am committed to a generous collaboration between myself and the earth and to giving back to the land that provides me with so much. For this reason, I never using synthetic chemical fertilizers or pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. I rely on compost, leaves, and other organic inputs to provide food to the field and retail soil moisture, and farm with low-till, hand scale cultivation methods in order to preserve soil structure and promote microbiology.
