The Newton Farmer
June 2019
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The school year might be winding down, but the activities on the farm are just getting started.
Thank you to the nearly 100 people who came to our first ever concert on the Farm, pictured here. If you missed this one, don't worry! We are planning one for the fall.
Tickets for Dinner on the Farm are now on sale. We look forward to sharing a special evening with you. Buy your ticket
here
.
Looking for a farm-based activity this summer? Check out our upcoming education programs for children and adults.
Brian Rogan is back this month with a few tips for keeping garden pests at bay.
Are you a spring-pea fan? Read all the ways our staff enjoys peas and travel back to the 1950s with a recipe from
Historic Newton
.
I hope to see you on the Farm this summer!
Karyn Novakowski
Executive Director
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Tables were assembled. Crop signs were posted. Large flats of vegetables, flowers, and herbs were carried out from the greenhouse and put on display for the community to peruse and choose.
On May 18 and 19, nearly 1000 local residents visited Newton Community Farm for the annual Seedling Sale.
People brought wagons and wood crates to carry loads of summer plants, all well suited to grow in New England weather. Some had their plant list in hand and knew exactly what they wanted, while others thoughtfully browsed the tables asking questions such as "Which eggplant variety produces more fruit?' Which tomatoes are best for my growing space?' and "Does this flower do well in shade?"
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Expert gardeners, Brian Rogan and Barney Keezel were also available to answer the more difficult questions. Throughout the weekend, little gardeners could be heard shrieking with delight as they picked out plants they wanted to take home.
Our friends at
Green Newton
and
Newton Conservators
joined the sale once again to share information about how people can take personal and civic action to protect our environment.
Many wonderful volunteers, both seasoned and new, were on hand to help select seedlings, tally orders at checkout, and help load soil and compost into cars. Long-time volunteer Patricia Bruno noted, “I had a great time working the Seedling Sale! I love this event and people were so happy with their purchases.” Many thanks to our hardworking volunteers for making the weekend run smoothly and the many friends and families who choose Newton Community Farm to kickstart their 2019 gardens.
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Join us at Dinner on the Farm!
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Volunteers needed
Dinner on the Farm will not happen without volunteers!
We need help with everything from setup and cleanup to food and drink service during the event.
For CSA members, volunteering for this event will count toward your work requirement.
Sign up here.
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July 22 will be a night to remember at Newton Community Farm!
Join us for our annual Dinner on the Farm, 6-8:30pm for a magical evening. Connect with your local community farm, and enjoy a one-of-a kind outdoor dining experience.
As the sun sets on our 2.5-acre farm, you will be treated to a seasonal, produce-forward menu prepared by our partner, Gourmet Catering. Live old-time string music will be provided by local favorites, the Dixie Butterhounds.
Proceeds will support our mission to promote a sustainable, agricultural community. Thank you to Village Bank, our Premier Event Sponsor, for their generous support of the Farm and this event.
Individual tickets and private tables are available. Get your tickets
here
!
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Zack Pittel Learning Garden Guru
Zack was born and raised in Newton Highlands. He grew up exploring the woods of Cold Spring Park and swimming in the waters of Crystal Lake. From a young age he had a deep fascination in the natural world and our environment. When he was 13 years old, Zack attended Newton Community Farm’s summer program, where he was first exposed to local food and farming. A summer which has stuck with him since. That experience was one of the driving factors which led him to study Community Entrepreneurship and Community and International Development at the University of Vermont’s agricultural college. He has returned to the Newton Community Farm this summer to further his education and understanding through learning first-hand about food systems, education, and community development. When he’s not acting as the Garden Guru, he can be found practicing Judo, working out, or continuing to explore the forest of Cold Spring Park.
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Keep Your Garden Pests at Bay
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Brian Rogan Ready, Set, Grow! Instructor
Here we are in early June and my garden is a bit behind schedule. We seem to have finally “broken through,” and our long-term forecast is finally the growing season we’ve been waiting for all winter. If your garden is like mine, your seeds are poking up out of the ground along with these old acquaintances that you’d rather not see, weeds and insects.
Over the winter, two items have lived in the ground: the weeds that are annoying you with their current growth and the insects that emerge. The weeds are sapping nutrients your plants need for optimal growth and the insects are munching away on your plants making it difficult for them to grow vigorously. You can pull the weeds, but you might think that Armageddon has arrived with the invading horde of bugs.
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Sometimes, it can be a tossup as to which is more annoying but while the weeds might slow down growth, the insects eat whatever is growing. There are numerous pests that can affect your garden, far too many to discuss here, but there are a few that give us the most problems: Flea beetles, squash and cucumber beetles, tomato hornworms and cutworms. These are the ones that are eating holes in your plants and sapping the life out of them. Flea beetles are very small beetles that eat small holes in your plants and make it look like they were hit with buckshot, cucumber and squash beetles, and the hornworms are larger and make bigger holes and cutworms are the larval form of a moth (there are a number of different ones).
So how can you deal with them? The larger beetles and hornworms can just be picked off (they don’t bite) and disposed of, while the smaller flea beetles need other measures. There are a number of organic spray remedies that sort of work, and you can find them online or your local garden supply store. You can also create a mixture of pureed garlic, hot sauce, dish detergent and water, and spray that on the plant. For preventive measures I tend to cover my Brassicas (such as broccoli and kale) with row cover, which can be bought at a number of garden suppliers, (I prefer Johnny’s Seeds in Maine) until they can withstand the onslaught, and I always rotate where I plant so that my kale doesn’t see its current location for about three years. Insects have short memories.
The cutworms are another matter. They live about two to three inches underground, and they eat at the base of your plant. You can’t see them until you see the damage; either your plant is gone, or it’s toppled over like a tree. The only way to deal with cutworms is to put paper collars around the plants, either paper bags or paper cups (non-waxed) about three inches wide.
Finally, as our temperatures heat up, take care with watering. Plants only need to get about a quarter of an inch of water a week. If we have regular rain a couple times a week, you don’t need to water the next day. When you do water, do so early or late in the day and water close to the ground. Wet leaves can actually cook in very hot temperatures. To retain moisture, add mulch around your plants, which will slow water loss. On very hot days, you might see your leaves wilt. Resist the urge to water. They’re fine and will perk up once the sun goes down.
I hope these tips can help. Remember, we garden for enjoyment and that fresh tomato.
Sign up here
for our upcoming gardening class, Summer Bounty: Feeding Yourself & Your Garden on Sunday, July 7, 2:00-4:00pm taught by Brian Rogan.
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Our farmstand opened on June 11, highlighting early-growing season favorites such as arugula, spinach, radishes, snap peas and more. While much of our produce has a long growing season, peas only grace us for a month or so. We’re trying to get our fill so we wanted to share our favorite spring pea recipes.
Farm Manager Greg Maslowe told us that
his 15 year old daughter (and teens are typically not really connoisseurs of vegetables) loves to eat snap peas straight from the field. She was super excited when he brought in the first of the season for her and she ate them all with glee (without offering to share with her grandparents who were visiting).
Executive Director Karyn Novakowski likes to make pea shoot pesto. She substitutes pea shoots for the basil for a slightly sweeter pesto version that her kids love.
Director of Education Reva Haselkorn tosses them into salads.
Here’s a quick salad recipe from Reva:
Make a salad with shaved radishes and turnips (hakurei of course), peas, and arugula. Mince a shallot or a small piece of onion, sprinkle with salt and juice a lemon over it. Let sit for a few minutes to sweeten, then crack a bunch of pepper over it, and whisk in olive oil (alternatively make the dressing in a jar, secure the lid, and shake until emulsified). Later in the summer you can switch up the greens, add corn off-the-cob and tomatoes!
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We also asked our friends at Historic Newton to search their archives for a vintage pea recipe. This one from 1954 pairs peas with cream, just as the name suggests.
Peas in Cream
This simple recipe for peas comes from
Early American Recipes: Traditional Recipes from New England Kitchens.
Heloise Frost collected the “wholesome array of old-time food, flavored with nostalgia” from her 1809 Farm Kitchen at Moultonboro, New Hampshire. Phillips Publishers, Inc. of Newton published the hand-lettered collection of recipes in 1954. We have slightly adapted the directions to help clarify them. Enjoy these as a side dish with grilled chicken or fish. Serves 4 people.
Ingredients
3 cups shelled green peas
1 cup light cream
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
Directions
In a tightly covered pot, cook the peas in 1/2 cup simmering, salted water until tender (about 5 minutes). Drain.
Heat the butter and cream together and have ready when the peas are cooked. Pour the cream over the cooked peas. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once, very hot.
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Farm-based Fun for the Whole Family
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Summer Sprouts & Farm Babies
Bring your little ones to the Farm this summer! Meet the chickens, tour the Farm, sing songs and much more.
Register here
.
Summer Supper Club
Thursday, June 27, 2019 – 6:30 – 8:30pm
Supper Clubs provide an intimate setting off the farm for community members to get to know each other over delicious food & drink. Each participant is asked to bring a dish to share highlighting seasonal produce. Location will be given after
registration
.
Seasonal Handmade Pasta Making
Thursday, July 11, 7:00 – 9:00pm
Tentative menu: Roasted Carrot Ravioli and Fettuccine with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil
.
Register here
.
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High School Internships still available
Are you a high school student looking for a unique way to spend your summer? Join us for one of our internship programs either in Farm Operations (field crew) or our Education Department and experience the joys and challenges of working on a urban farm.
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Upcoming Events & Programs
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NCF Farmstand
Now open
Tuesday-Friday 1:30-6opm
Saturday 9:30am-1:00pm
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Elm Street
Farmers' Market
Opening day
Saturday, June 22, 2019
9:30am-12:30pm
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Dinner on the Farm
July 22, 2019
6-8:30pm
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NEWTON COMMUNITY FARM
303 Nahanton Street
Newton, MA 02459
617-916-9655
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