Dear Farm Friends,

It was great to visit with so many people at the GreenExpo last month! We enjoyed the conversations, suggestions, questions, and information exchanged at this terrific event. It is so energizing to meet people who share a commitment to environmental stewardship and we came back from the event feeling inspired and hopeful about the future. Thank you to everyone who stopped by the NCF table, and to all the wonderful nonprofits, vendors, and businesses that participated.

For many, November is a time to reflect on all that we are thankful for in the past year. I strongly believe that voicing gratitude is important, both so that those who have contributed to make our lives better know how much we appreciate them and also as a way to ward off the winter blues that can start to appear around this time of year. This month I want to use this space in the newsletter to recognize so many people that we appreciate. We couldn't do this work without you.

First, please know that we have an incredibly robust farm community here in Newton and the surrounding area. We appreciate everyone who has contact with the Farm, and we apologize in advance for any names or groups missed in this list. It is sure to be incomplete, but it is a start at acknowledging community members.

With that in mind, we want to thank:

Our Customers - More than 1,000 people bought our produce this year through our CSAs, farm stand, farmers' market, and harvest bags.

Our Partners - Nonprofit groups and schools help us share the work that we are doing.

Our Volunteers - More than 100 people worked at events, labored in the field, helped with administrative tasks, translated materials, edited copy, did graphic design work, delivered produce, and so much more.

Our Donors - We are grateful for 400+ contributions small and large so far in 2022.

Our Business Sponsors - There are more than a dozen sponsors of our events, produce-donation program, volunteering, marketing our scholarship program, pro bono work, and helping to get the word out about our programs.

Our Private and Government Grantors - These organizations have helped us with infrastructure repairs and additions, our produce donation program, signage, and more.

City of Newton Government - We are working together to apply for state grants and add a solar installation on the roof of the barn.

Conservation Preservation Committee - (Chaired by Dan Brody) The CPC approved funding to improve the historic farmhouse.

City of Newton Farm Commission - (Chaired by Michael Goldman) The FC acts as the liaison between the City and Farm and offers assistance and guidance.

NCF Board - Thank you to Co-Presidents Dede Vittori and Paul Holt, Treasurer Barbara Seal, Co-Clerks Laura Bishop and Claire Caine, Linda Chafets, Marietta Joseph, Robin Maltz, Peter Roaf, Lisa Schumann, Mindy Sieber, and Michael Spalding for countless hours spent dedicated to this Farm.

Our Staff: Farm Manager Greg Maslowe, Assistant Grower Asher Lyon, and Farm Stand Manager/Field Worker Theo Kiniklis and to all those who worked so hard this year at NCF!

With gratitude,

Sue Bottino

Executive Director

Last Few Weeks of our Farm Stand this Year

Visit our on-site farm stand on Winchester Street in the little red shed Thursdays and Fridays, 1:30–6 pm, and Saturdays, 9:30 am–1 pm. Check out our website each week for updates. The last day of the season is Saturday, November 19, 2022.

Thanksgiving Harvest Bags

Back by popular demand this year, our Thanksgiving Harvest Bags are full of fresh, seasonal produce for your holiday meal. Support the work of NCF and other local farms by ordering this amazing collection of fresh and nutritious ingredients. Please note, bags will be available for pickup between 3–5 pm on Monday, November 21, at the Farm in the lowest level of the big red barn (where the white tent is located). Produce bags that are not picked up will be donated.

Bags will have:

• 1 lb. native Massachusetts heirloom cranberries
• 5 lbs. organic white potatoes
• 3 lbs. organic sweet potatoes
• 2 lbs. organic yellow onions
• 2 sugar pumpkins
• 2 organic butternut squash
• 3 lbs. apples
• 1 lb. carrots
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 bunch of sage

Sorry, no substitutions are possible.

Price: $75 per bag

Enjoy the produce with your friends and family! If you're worried it's too much for your celebration, consider splitting a bag with a neighbor or you can set aside the potatoes, pumpkins, or squash to enjoy later.

Limited number of bags available. Reserve yours today!

On the Farm, in the Barn

Gardening Circle

Wednesday, November 16, 6:30–8 pm



Do you have questions about growing plants in your garden? Want to share helpful information about a vegetable or flower that you love to grow? Drop in for our free, casual Gardening Circle! This is a time to ask questions, share your knowledge, and help build a strong network of local plant enthusiasts. No registration required, but feel free to email us at sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org to RSVP. Bring plants or seeds to swap if you have any extra to share.

When Marc and Carol Bard decided to each create a list of nonprofits they wanted to donate to earlier this year, they discovered that Newton Community Farm was at the top of both their lists. It might not be surprising since the Bard family has been involved with NCF since its inception. Marc and Carol now reside in NH and have kept a residence next door to the Farm at Ledgebrook Condominiums for when they visit their family locally. Carol remembers planting seeds in trays under an umbrella at the Farm in NCF's early days, and Marc helped with the initial cleanup and clearing of the property. 

As they approach their 50th year in Newton and their 50th wedding anniversary, Marc and Carol specifically wanted to create a legacy by giving to causes that they feel personally connected to—where they know that their contribution can be impactful and make a significant difference. They have found this to be very rewarding, and it creates personal connections and interactions far beyond the financial transaction. They wanted to focus a gift to support climate change education and be able to see the effects that their giving has in their community.

NCF is incredibly grateful to be a recipient of a major gift from the Bard Family Environmental Education Fund. This funding will enable NCF to build our environmental education program, specifically related to climate change awareness and information. NCF will incorporate climate change and renewable energy information into our classes and events for youth and adults at the Farm. This program will align with our mission to

model and teach sustainable agricultural and environmental practices. It will also support the City of Newton’s plan to promote and transition to renewable energy sources. Given the unique nature of this City-owned land and beloved farm in Newton, we expect this program will be highly visible and recognized within the community. We plan to offer accessible programming to reach a broad audience on these important topics.

The Bards credit their children with bringing home important environmental stewardship information from school and piquing their environmental consciousness. They raised their two daughters Lisa and Jaime in Newton, and both of them now live nearby in neighboring towns. Carol was a guidance counselor and teacher of psychology at Brookline High School for 20 years. Marc practiced internal medicine and worked as a doctor, healthcare administrator, and consultant. They moved to Ledgebrook from West Newton in 2000, just a few years before the City of Newton purchased the Angino Farm that is NCF today.

The Bards say that their philosophy of giving is simple: give to something you care about when and where you can witness the positive changes, see the effect on others, and experience the benefit of your donation. "You can’t change the world, but you can change this little universe here, and it will make a difference."

NCF is excited to be planning a variety of programs, classes, and speakers centered on environmental education and climate change for 2023, made possible by the support of this wonderful family! Thank you Marc and Carol Bard. We are honored that you entrusted NCF with your legacy.

Cinnamon Maple Roasted Winter Squash

Wash the squash and cut it in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Next, cut the squash into 1-inch wide wedges. The skin of the squash is edible, so no need to peel this off. In a large mixing bowl, toss the squash with 1–2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1–2 tablespoons maple syrup, and a pinch of salt until it is all combined. Bake at 400ºF for 30 minutes on a baking sheet, flipping halfway through. Enjoy as a vitamin-packed side dish to any cozy fall meal.

Beet and Walnut Salad with Goat Cheese

Remove the beet greens from the main part of the beet. (The greens can be cooked, used to make pesto, or composted.) Wash and scrub the beet well before roasting for 30 minutes at 400ºF, until fork tender. Once the beet has cooled, dice it into small pieces. Give a handful of walnuts a rough chop, and sprinkle the beets and nuts over a bowl of freshly-rinsed salad greens. Top with goat cheese crumbles, and drizzle your favorite dressing on top; a honey balsamic vinaigrette would be delicious.

Recipes by Inna Kagan, local Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

If you stopped by the NCF table at the GreenExpo, you probably met some of our composting worms. These Red Wigglers are always a hit with kids and adults alike. With vermicomposting, a small bin of these worms can create a nutrient-rich supplement to add to your garden.

• Red wigglers are voracious eaters. In an indoor compost bin, half a pound of worms will eat one to two pounds of food per week. (See photo of the two types of bins we have at NCF.)
• Red wiggler worms are different from earthworms. To start your bin, you can purchase a bag of red wigglers online.
• Some of the items you can put in your indoor bin for the worms to eat are paper towels, napkins, dryer lint, and shredded paper and cardboard for dry materials, plus vegetable and fruit scraps, eggshells, tea, and coffee grounds for wet materials. Red wigglers should not be given citrus or alliums (onions, garlic, scallions), meat, or dairy. They need a bit of grit in the form of eggshells or coffee grounds to digest their food.
• To harvest the castings (fancy name for worm poop) from your bin to put in your garden, dump out the contents of your bin on a tarp, piece of cardboard, or plastic lid. Create small piles of the material from your bin. The worms will go to the bottoms of the piles and you can remove the castings from the tops of the piles. Put the worms and the material at the bottoms of the piles back in your bin and start again.

Source: Rhode Island Recovery Corporation

NCF is starting a book club!

We're planning for a monthly discussion centered around a book related to food, nature, agriculture, climate change, the environment, or health and wellness topics. We would love your suggestions for a first book to start us off in the new year. Nonfiction, fiction, poetry, cookbooks, and essays are all welcome. Please reply to this newsletter email (sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org) with your ideas. We'll announce our first pick in the December newsletter. We look forward to reading together.