The Rural We: Lawrence Davis-Hollander
A resident of Ashley Falls, Mass., Lawrence Davis-Hollander is trained botanist, a garden writer, farmer, plant breeder, seed conservationist, professional gardener and more. He is also the Adult Program Coordinator at the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury, Conn. Recently he ran a Zoom program for library patrons on how to get the most out of your summer garden. He tells RI about his interesting career, and where he most likes to spend his time.
I grew up in Long Island — a suburban kid who always liked plants but couldn’t do much where we lived. In college I studied field botany and ecology, although my interest was really in ethnobotany, which looks at what a plant is used for. My interest in horticulture and farming is really nonacademic.
After college, I did some farming and some garden design installation. In the early 90s I decided to start an organization to conserve heirloom seeds, and that put me on a longer, deeper, more focused path. I started an organization called Eastern Native Seed Conservancy with a variety of missions for the conservation of heirloom vegetables. I concentrated on those that tended to have some relation to our region, and in particular of Native American origin.
I was also introducing heirloom tomatoes to prominent chefs and organizing food events around heirloom tomatoes and other vegetables. This was before Food Network was around, and we were working with star chefs from New York and Boston. We put on the Epicurean Tomato Fete at Eastover for about 10 years, and garlic dinners and heirloom sit-down dinners. We did it up until about 2009, but it was still a little ahead of the curve. Eventually interest in heirloom vegetables became pretty regular. Now you even see products like heirloom tomato ketchup.
A garden Lawrence Davis-Hollander was involved in creating in Northwest Connecticut.
My background and interests are pretty eclectic, from herbs and food plants to wild foods. Ornamental plants are more of what I do professionally now. I garden for clients in Great Barrington down to the Salisbury/Lakeville/Norfolk area.
For a few years I led a campaign about the wild harvesting of ramps. I wanted people to know that when they find them in the wild, they should eat the leaves, but don’t dig up the plants, or they’ll be gone for future years.
I have my own garden, of course. This year I’m growing more vegetables than in the past. I also make some medicinal preparations from what I grow. I love working with plants, even though a lot of it is work. Cooking and eating go along with it. Some years ago I wrote an heirloom tomato cookbook. This week I made a couple gallons of kimchi. Years ago I sold my kimchi at the Berkshire Coop.
From a botanist perspective, plants are the world. Whether natural or agricultural, it’s a regenerative, symbiotic system, constantly renewing itself. Maybe COVID has raised some awareness of climate change and the current administration’s attitude. The natural world is intrinsic to our well being.
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