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The Newton Farmer
July 2023
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Dear Farm Friends,
This is a sad, difficult time in our community. Our hearts are heavy. We are digging deep to find strength and leaning on one another for support as we grieve the lives lost in the recent violent acts in Nonantum. We offer our deepest condolences to the Arpino and D'Amore families and friends.
Kindness and community have been at the forefront of our minds here at the Farm since early June, when we experienced the theft of hundreds of plants from the field and greenhouse. While we do not know who stole the plants, we have been reminded that there is so much good in this community, all around us, by all of you. We received so many supportive messages from friends near and far, people who remembered coming to the Farm to buy produce from the Anginos and people who have never been to the Farm but appreciate the work that we do here. Local farms, businesses, students, past interns, former camp families, volunteers, CSA sharers, farm stand and farmers' market customers, neighbors, and many more people contacted us and many people gave donations to support the work that we do. We are incredibly grateful.
Newton is a loving community, full of kind people who support each other in difficult times. Like Mr. Rogers said, "My mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day...I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers—so many caring people in this world."
With gratitude,
Sue Bottino
Executive Director
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On June 1, Farmer Greg picked up the order of 26 chicks from a special branch of the Newton Post Office in Newton Centre. The peeps were shipped from Murray McMurray Hatchery in Iowa when they were less than 24 hours old. (Here is an interesting video of the facility where the birds come from and how the employees at the hatchery care for the eggs and ship the peeps.) They are all female and include Cochin, Barred Rock, Ameraucana, Speckled Sussex, Delaware, and Wyandotte breeds. They will be out and about in the chicken coop run on warm, sunny days and will start laying eggs at around five months old. Farmer Greg takes care of the peeps, along with his other hens that have to be kept separate until the chicks are older. He has been getting chicks most years since he moved to the Farm, although this is the first new flock since March 2020. We are all so happy to get to see (and hear) the hens and to watch the peeps grow up. | | |
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June 3 - finding their way around | |
June 8 - getting comfortable | |
June 16 - growing feathers | |
June 23 - including leg feathers for the Cochins | |
June 27 - learning to fly | |
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Shop at:
Our on-site farm stand on Winchester Street, near the intersection with Nahanton Street. We are open Thursdays and Fridays, 1:30–6 pm, and Saturdays, 9:30 am–1 pm. (Please note, the farm stand is closed on Saturday, July 1 for the holiday weekend.) Click here to read our weekly updates of what produce we plan to have available and check to make sure we are not closed for inclement weather or other reasons. At the farm stand we welcome WIC, Elder checks, cash, check with ID and phone number, and credit cards.
Newton Farmers' Market on Saturdays at the Newton North High School rear parking lot at 352 Lowell Avenue, 9:30 am–12:30 pm. At the farmers' market, we welcome SNAP/HIP, WIC, Elder checks, cash, check with ID and phone number, and credit cards.
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Register Now for the 2023 Fruit Share Program
Newton Community Farm is pleased to offer a weekly fruit share in conjunction with Autumn Hills Orchard in Groton, MA. Each weekly share consists of a 4–5 pound (approximate) bag of apples and occasionally may include grapes or pears. As with all things agricultural, what is available is highly dependent on the particular growing conditions. (Please note that due to winter/spring weather conditions, there will not be any peaches, nectarines, or plums in the the shares this year.)
Duration: Eight pickups starting Wednesday, August 30, through Thursday, October 19. Share distributions will be available for pickup at Newton Community Farm under the white tent near the barn each week during the program on Wednesdays or Thursdays between 2 and 7 pm. Fruit will be held until 7 pm Thursdays, after which time unclaimed shares will be donated.
Cost: $108 per share (one bag each week for eight weeks)
Registration closes on August 22 at noon. Sign up here.
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Join us for Story Time at the Farm!
Tuesday, July 11 with NCF's Miss Lucy
Tuesday, July 25 Dance Me a Story with Special Guest Lisa Giancola of Joanne Langione Dance Center
Hear a story, make a craft, and see the farm!
10:30–11:30 am outside weather-permitting, otherwise in the big red barn
Free and open to all. Children must be accompanied by a caregiver. (This is not a drop-off program.)
Pre-registration required on our website. Street parking available.
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Sustainable Floristry Workshop | |
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Blooms & Buds Sustainable Floral Design Workshop with Susie Margolin - Only a few spots left!
Saturday, July 15, 5–7 pm at the Farm, $75 per person. Preregister here (required). Sign up soon before this class fills up! If you need financial support to attend, please let us know. Email sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org
Build your own bouquet from a fresh local flower and greens bar while learning sustainable floral design tips from the brilliant Susie Margolin (Lotus & Lettuce). Light refreshments will be provided.
About the Instructor:
Susie Margolin is a lifelong gardener and entrepreneur who launched the sustainable floral design business Lotus & Lettuce as a response to climate change. Susie’s designs feature organic blooms that she grows from seed in her Auburndale gardens, arranged in vintage vessels for sustainable beauty. Her “floral sculptures” incorporate bold colors and unusual textures and shapes, as well as vegetables and foraged natural elements. Her goal as designer and instructor is to promote creativity, sustainability, and community through “seed to vase” floral design.
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Join us on Wednesday, July 19, 7–8:30 pm, for a group discussion of the book From Scratch: Adventures in Harvesting, Hunting, Fishing, and Foraging on a Fragile Planet by David and Jon Moscow. We'll be meeting at the Farm, and you can also join by Zoom.
To be added to our book group email list to get more information and notices about what we are reading, as well as Zoom links, email sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org.
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Join our free Gardening Circle gathering on Wednesday, July 26, at 6:30 pm to share successes and challenges in your garden and help build a strong community of local gardeners! Bring your ideas, questions, suggestions, advice, and stories and help fellow gardeners in their gardening adventures. Recipes, plant or seed swapping, book suggestions, online resources, and photo sharing are also welcome.
If the weather is nice, we will meet outside between the barn and the chicken area. Otherwise, we'll be in the big red barn. Please RSVP to lucy@newtoncommunityfarm.org.
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Recording of Program with Dr. Walter Willett | |
Dr. Walter Willett presented a thoughtful, informative program on June 1 at the Farm and by livestream. (Key recommendations included eating more vegetables, fruit, legumes, and nuts.) In case you missed it (or want to share it with others), you can watch the recording here. Thank you, Dr. Willett, for sharing your lifetime of research and knowledge with us! Thank you to Dr. Karen Emmons and The Bard Family Environmental Education Fund for your support of this program and to Thistle & Leek and Wegmans for delicious refreshments. We are also grateful to Another Age Productions for facilitating the livestream and recording. | |
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Veggie Plate with Quick Honey Whipped Feta Dip
In a blender or food processor, blend 1 container or block of feta cheese with a drizzle of honey, 2–3 tablespoons of cream cheese, a pinch of salt, and red pepper flakes (optional). Serve alongside your favorite seasonal veggies as a dip. Great seasonal vegetables include sugar snap peas, sliced radishes, and broccoli rabe.
Recipe by Inna Kagan, local Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
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Soil Amendments and T-shirts
in our Online Store
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Are you working on your garden and you realize that you have a need for a high-quality soil amendment? Or maybe you've been thinking about supporting the Farm and want to look good while doing so in one of our soft, comfortable T-shirts? Go to our online store to place your order, and we'll contact you to arrange a date and time for pickup at the Farm. Thanks in advance for your purchases to support NCF. And thanks to Rick and Sandy Thau for sharing this adorable photo!
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Help Wanted! We are looking for volunteers who can help us with our technology needs and trouble-shoot issues when they arise:
- running reports to filter data, create lists, and keep track of contacts (Neon CRM)
- setting up event registrations online, including ticket offerings, receipts, online ordering, and confirmation emails
- connecting and trouble-shooting IT hardware
- updating and adding accounts in Google Suite
- organizing our newsletter email list (Constant Contact)
- addressing miscellaneous issues as they arise (Square, TotilPay, other)
- updating and overseeing checkout at our annual seedling sale event in the spring
If you have experience working on any of these topics and some time to spare, please contact sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org Thanks!
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Thank you to our June donors listed below and to those who wish to remain anonymous. Apologies in advance for any names we inadvertently left off this list. (Please let us know if we made any errors.) We appreciate your support!
Patricia Rand * Paula Thompson and David Chosiad * Susan Israel * Carolyn and Steven Barg * Susan and Dean Bottino * Rebecca Barnehama * Helen Chen * Sally Millar * Meredith Miller and Mark Fitzgerald * Elizabeth Waksman * Anne Agostinelli * Betsy and Andrew Arenella * Daniel Barrett * Alison Bell * Suzanne Bender * Alicia Bowman * Becky Briesacher * Becky Bristol * Susan Caron * Audrey and Rafi Cohen * Jesslyn Conway * Marcia Cooper * Geeta Fleck * Kim Gallaugher * Douglas Gray * Jameila Haddawi and Firas Raouf * Thomas Hanold * Susan Holzman * Mark Jurman * Elizabeth Kensinger * Horst and Mary Ann Landes * Amy Lathrop * Katherine Liao * Carole F. Lindner * Michael Panagako * Cheryl Pappas * Heidi and Jeff Popkin * Susan Rivers and Joe Jolly * Cecilia Roddy * Sandie Rotberg * Philip Rubin * Aline Sammut * Susan Sherwin * Amy Silberstein and James Cohen * Eda Spielman and Arnie Bauchner * John Springfield * Gail Strassfeld and George Sachs * Karen L. Worth * Aaron Zarwan * Freddy Benning * Rick Gershberg * Stephanie Griglun * Cheryl Hacker * Ellen Jawitz * Barbara Joseph * Julie Leavitt * Ken and Margaret Mallory * Susie Margolin * Alden and Laurey Mauck * Fran Mervyn * Paul Messier * Sera Miller * Louis Nejame * Gloria and Philip Plottel * Joseph and Terry Chen Rothchild * Wendolyn Shrock * Debra Waller * Joan and Ethan Bolker * Susan Cassidy * Sue and Ravi Chari * Oliver Day * James Devaney * Christie Dustman * Devaney Energy * Jan and Ruth Heespelink * Mindy Hoberman * Stephanie Lee * David Levy * Donna Lomp * Stephanie F. Weitzman * Emily Zieff * Colette Aufranc * Susan Boucher * Monty Cagwin * Debra Carroll * Allan Beth and Eileen Chodos * James Fleming * John Foley * Andrew Gosman * Andi Klausner * Lisa Leavitt * Nyssa Patten * RSK Family Charitable Foundation * Michael Shepard * Anne Simunovic * Tracy Zendzian * Katherine Barone * David Downing * A Russell * Sandy and Rick Thau * Lori Yarvis and Ty Burr * Kelly Wingo and Steve Capone * Marian and Arthur Glasgow * Elsie Levin * Sean Sanker * Mary Lou Walsh * Jonathan Bornstein * Helen Jordan * Karen and Larry Markson * Gerard Caron and Sheila Cusack * Bill and Dottie Hagar * Lynda Kelly and Dan Scheib * Jennifer Cusack and Mike Baker
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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. | | | | |
