after a weekend of gorging myself on delicious food with friends and family i felt the need to spend my sunday afternoon cycling through the countryside. on such a clear, crisp, and sunny august afternoon what could be better?

my favorite area to ride just outside of boston is the lincoln / concord area. you get winding country roads, rolling hills (the fun kind!), conscientious drivers, and gorgeous scenery. who could ask for more?

well, another benefit to riding in this area (as many cyclists already know) are the multitude of organic farms, community gardens, and agricultural fields. seriously, they are EVERYWHERE. there are also incredible cultural sites including the Mass Audubon Society’s conservation land and wildlife sanctuary, the DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, and uber popular historic sites such as Walden’s Pond – home to Thoreau and Emerson as a tranquil place for life and contemplation.

every time i ride through this area, something new is uncovered and i realize how much is yet to be discovered. it is quite wonderful, really.

flower field, the food project, lincoln ma

today, while coasting along route 117 just past the Mass Audubon Society, i looked to my right and was struck by a large field of wildflowers. this was not your typical field, as it is a linear, cultivated flower field.

The Food Project, a non-profit organization which provides community farming / gardening opportunities to the greater Boston area, has 27 acres of land for farming and community education in lincoln, ma. this series of fields are part of the "project."

Dozens of perfect rows were bursting with bold and striking swaths of color. I was so struck, in fact, that I had to pull over and take a closer look…

along with about 100 photos…

It is an addiction, really. None-the-less, I think there is a painting in the future :)