The Newton Farmer
August 2021
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Dear Farm friends,
I hope this summer finds you enjoying time outside. It seems like we have been through all four seasons in the past month, from chilly nights to sweltering days and a deluge of rain in between. As you might imagine, these dramatic swings in the weather make farming even more unpredictable than usual. It's also the busiest time of the year on the Farm with CSA pickups, produce donations, farm stand and farmers' market sales, summer classes, student interns, and volunteers all happening at the same time. In addition, this past month we suffered the loss of our beloved Farm friend, Boyd the dog. It has been a challenging month.
But throughout it all, your kindness and support keep us going strong! Here are a few wonderful comments we have received recently:
"Each day [my child] was excited to share what she learned and did on the Farm.", a summer-class student's parent (See some student vegetable art prints below.)
"Thanks especially for the fresh basil!", a Newton Food Pantry client
"It is so wonderful to be back at the Farm.", a CSA sharer collecting her pick-your-own crops
"Every day, I learn something new here.", a staff member
"Volunteering to weed at the Farm is relaxing hard work with friends. I enjoy it because it gives me an excuse to spend time at the Farm and to help contribute to its care.", a weed- crew volunteer
We appreciate these thoughtful comments and they keep us going, doing the work that we love to do.
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As we delve into what is typically the hottest month of the year here in New England, we are enjoying welcoming all our friends, old and new, to the Farm. It's so different here this August from this time last year. We didn't realize just how much we missed interacting with visitors at the Farm—the positive energy, the "Hello, how are you?", and the smiling faces—until you all came back.
Although life may not be perfect at any given moment, time spent on the Farm is truly a gift. If Boyd taught us anything, it is to look forward to the good in each day. And we will honor his memory by doing just that.
With gratitude,
Sue Bottino
Executive Director
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Fruit Share Registration Open |
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Newton Community Farm is once again offering a delicious fruit share program in conjunction with Autumn Hills Orchard of Groton, MA. Each weekly bag consists of 4 to 5 pounds of delicious apples, although the share may occasionally include pears, peaches, or grapes. The program costs $92 per share for eight weeks, August 25 through October 14. Sharers can pick up the fruit at the white tent by the NCF barn on Wednesdays or Thursdays from 2:00 to 7:00 pm. To learn more about the program and to sign up, visit our website. Deadline to enroll is August 20 at noon.
Photo courtesy of Autumn Hills Orchard.
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Summer Farm Classes for Kids |
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Thanks to all the families who have sent their kids to our Summer Fun in the Sun farm classes for kids so far. The children have had a great time learning about parts of a plant, worms, bees, chickens (pictured here), composting, planting, weeding and harvesting, and more in the Learning Garden, through observation walks and by creating field guides, making nature prints, and doing activities like building nests. It is wonderful to have children back at the Farm. They ask such good questions!
It's not too late to register for classes this summer. We have a few spaces remaining in August. Classes run for a week at a time, and there are morning (9:30–11:30 am) and afternoon (1:30–3:30 pm) sessions available based on age. If you have multiple kids who you would like to attend at the same time but they are in different age groups, contact us and we will try to accommodate your request. Classes cost $200 per weekly session, and financial aid is available for those who qualify. For all the details and to sign up, visit our website. Preregistration is required.
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Student Summer Internship Program |
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Mary Alice Koon rejoins us this summer for her second year as the Student Summer Intern Supervisor at the Farm. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Mary Alice started farming while in school at Pomona College in California. She worked at the college farm as a student and then as the farm manager for one year after she graduated. When she moved to Somerville, Massachusetts, she started teaching school- garden programs in the Boston public schools and other area schools through Green City Growers. This experience led her to conclude that she wanted to teach full-time, so she completed her Master of Education degree at Boston University.
During the school year, Mary Alice teaches middle-school students at a Montessori school on the South Shore, and she is excited to be back on a farm for the summer. In addition to gardening, she likes to swim, hike, read, drink coffee, and travel. We're so glad she is back at NCF.
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The first session of our student summer internship program has ended, and we welcomed our second group in late July. Our program was super popular this year with many more students applying than we had spaces for, and the program filled up very quickly. Each session lasts four weeks and our interns learn about farming through hands-on work, conversations, and observation as well as developing their sense of personal responsibility and work ethic. The interns are helpful on the Farm and we hope that their experience here is meaningful. We really enjoy having them here. |
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Community Organization Spotlight: Newton Food Pantry |
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Since its inception, Newton Community Farm has partnered with the Newton Food Pantry to bring fresh produce to those in need in our community. Many Newtonians are surprised to learn that one in eight households in our community lives on less than $25,000 in annual income, resulting in difficulty putting food on their table. The Newton Food Pantry “aims to alleviate food insecurity in our city by providing supplemental food and personal care products in a way to make clients feel welcome and accept help with dignity.”
To highlight their mission, their new pear logo symbolizes sustenance, abundance, and sweetness in many cultures. And the multifaceted shapes and bold colors incorporated in the fruit’s design show the diversity of the clients, volunteers, and the Newton community. According to President Regina Wu, the logo stands for the pantry’s core values: healthy food, inclusion, and collaboration. To emphasize inclusion, in Spring 2021 the pantry launched “Client Choice Table,” offering a selection of foods for the enjoyment of people from various cultural backgrounds.
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Started in 1983, the Newton Food Pantry is the oldest and largest all-volunteer food pantry in the city. To serve clients, volunteers prepare a pre-bagged, five-day supply of nutritionally balanced food sourced from the many large and small donors to the pantry. Newton Community Farm donated $11,000 worth of produce to various organizations in 2020, with the bulk of donations going to the pantry.
Currently under COVID-19 guidelines, the Newton Food Pantry is open at City Hall War Memorial Circle on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 5:30 pm and offers home delivery twice per month to the medically homebound. You must be a Newton resident to shop at the pantry and prospective clients are required to fill out a New Client Form available online or on-site. Looking for assistance or a volunteer opportunity? Check out www.newtonfoodpantry.org.
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A Book Is Like a Garden... |
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...carried in the pocket. ~ Chinese proverb |
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Out in Blue Fields: A Year at Hokum Rock Blueberry Farm by Stephen Spear with photos by Janice Riley
Sit back and relax with a pint (of blueberries, that is) as Stephen Spear, the owner of Hokum Rock Blueberry Farm, takes you month by month through a year in the life of his farm in Dennis on Cape Cod. On second thought, you might want to save it for the dead of winter, when Janice Riley’s gorgeous photos of all things blueberry will feed your soul.
If you grow blueberries in your yard, you will find out how a professional gets eight pints out of every bush. (For comparison, I average a half pint per bush.) If you like to cook with blueberries, you will enjoy the dozen or so recipes at the end of the book. And if you like nature photography, you will love paging through this book.
In addition to running the farm, Stephen Spear works as a conservation specialist for the USDA. His prose reflects a close observation of the ecosystem that supports his farm. And his day job gives him an appreciation for how fragile that ecosystem is.
There are definitely closer places to pick blueberries, but if you’re an early-morning person (picking usually ends at 10 am), are looking for a fun day trip, and don’t mind driving an hour and a half each way, now is the time to go. Just make sure to check their website first to confirm that they're open for picking.
Book review by Claire Caine, longtime CSA subscriber and provider of blueberries to local birds.
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Let's learn more about each other and discover new reads through book recommendations around our common interests in farming, gardening, the environment, food, and good health. Send your review and a note to describe yourself to sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org. |
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Where Can You Buy NCF Produce? |
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At the NCF On-Site Farm Stand
The farm stand has opened for the season! You'll find us in the little red shed packed with produce on Winchester Street.
Farm stand hours are:
- Thursdays and Fridays, 1:30–6 pm
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Saturdays, 9:30 am–1 pm
In addition to a selection of produce right from the Farm, for a limited time we have Vermont Compost Company soil and soil amendments and perennial herb plants (pictured here: sorrel, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint) and basil plants for sale, too. We accept cash, credit cards, Senior Farmers' Market coupons, and WIC. We also accept SNAP on Thursdays and Fridays at the farm stand.
The Saturday Newton Farmers' Market is held at Newton North High School (352 Lowell Avenue) from 9:30 am–12:30 pm. We accept cash, credit cards, Senior Farmers' Market coupons, WIC, and SNAP.
Don't forget to bring your reusable bags!
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Goodbye to Our Dear Friend |
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As you have heard, Boyd left this wild and wonderful life on Tuesday, July 6. He had cancer that had metastasized and was inoperable. We are incredibly heartbroken to no longer have our super-friendly, incredibly loving, and amazingly handsome canine with us. He knew and loved so many of you, greeting you with a wagging tail and wide smile every time you came to the Farm.
We are so grateful to Farm Manager Greg, his wife Jessica, and their family for sharing their beloved dog with all of of us. He is truly missed.
Thank you to Ken and Margaret Mallory for this beautiful photo of Boyd.
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Volunteering
We're so thankful for our volunteers! We have two ways you can spend some time working at the Farm:
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Field-work volunteer hours for adults, most Saturdays, 10 am–noon, throughout the summer. Sign up here at least one day in advance so we can plan projects.
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If you are a high school student or older and can make a regular commitment for Thursdays, 9 am–noon, we'd love for you to join our weed crew. Email sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org to express your interest.
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Wish List
NCF has a wish list on our website of items we are looking for for the Farm. For environmental and financial reasons, we would rather reuse items that people no longer need than buy new whenever possible.
Our top need is for a pickup truck in good, working condition. We need a truck to transport produce to and from the farm stand, drop off deliveries of sold and donated produce and eggs, make pickups, and do farm errands. If you have a pickup truck that you are not using and would be willing to donate, please reply to this email.
We are also looking for a small refrigerator. Please let us know if you have a mini beverage fridge or a dorm fridge that you are able to donate.
We will write you a donation receipt for your gift. We appreciate your generosity very much.
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News
Did you catch the short segment on NCF on WBZ News Radio New England Weekend with Jordan Rich? You can listen to it here. Thanks, Jordan!
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Newton Community Farm is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, EIN #20-2482452. If you would prefer to donate by mail, please send a check payable to Newton Community Farm at the address below. Don't forget to ask your employer if matching funds are available. |
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NEWTON COMMUNITY FARM
303 Nahanton Street
Newton, MA 02459
617-916-9655
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