The Newton Farmer
December 2021
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Dear Farm friends,
December is here and it's hard to believe that I have just passed my second work anniversary as executive director of Newton Community Farm. I have learned and grown so much professionally and personally over these past two years and I truly love my job.
Who wouldn't love working on this little patch of beautiful land, nestled in all that Newton and the Greater Boston area have to offer? I get to interact with neighbors and friends in the community where I live with and connect with all of you around farming, food, education, and environmental stewardship. We have an amazing team of staff, board of directors, and volunteers here at the Farm, and it is a privilege every day to work with them to offer all that we can for the community.
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I know that this month, in particular, you will be receiving many requests for support from a multitude of different causes. As you decide where to contribute among the many, many wonderful organizations doing important work, please know that your support means the world to all of us at the Farm. Not only does your contribution help pay for items like seeds and potting soil, student notebooks and hand trowels, phone bills and truck repairs, your donation also renews our sense of purpose. When you give to the Farm, you indicate that you value our work and this space, where we strive to grow not only vegetables, but also our community. Every gift is meaningful to us, and every kind note is shared and appreciated.
I'm looking forward to growing together with you in the new year!
With gratitude,
Sue Bottino
Executive Director
These photos of the Farm in 1957 contributed by Roger Lacy. Read on to learn more about his family's connection to the Farm.
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NCF is small but mighty! With your support, we are achieving great things!
Here's some of what we've been up to over the past year.
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Distributed more than 1,600 Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares from June through December 2021 to 150 summer and 30 fall families. Both Summer and Late Fall CSA programs sold out.
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Increased the value of our produce donations to $12,000 (over 3,300 lbs. of produce) to Newton Food Pantry, Food to Your Table, and the Boston Area Gleaners in response to increasing food insecurity in our community in 2021. NCF has donated food to the community since our first growing season (2006).
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Developed relationships with more grantors and increased our grant income to support programs and initiatives including our Produce Donation Program, farm equipment to improve our resilience to climate change, and a solar array on the roof of the barn.
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Taught 109 kids at our summer classes about farming and environmental stewardship.
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Provided farm education programming to 300+ participants hosted by NCF or through six community partners for children and adults both on- and off-site.
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Hosted Kids’ Fall Fun Party for 25 children and their families.
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Ran our on-site farmstand three days a week, June through November.
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Sold our produce at the Newton Farmers’ Market on Saturdays, which we have done every year since 2006.
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Ran our educational, hands-on Summer Student Internship Program with seven college and high school students led by our intern supervisor.
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Distributed through sales and donations over 24,000 seedlings of 98 plant varieties to more than 600 customers through our annual seedling sale.
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Celebrated our 15th anniversary with an outdoor event at the Farm for 130 people.
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Grew over 50 varieties of crops on the Farm including hakurei turnips, beets, parsley, basil, cutting broccoli, broccoli raab, cucumbers (three types), eggplant (three types), peppers (seven types), tomatoes (eleven types), zucchini, zephyr squash, scallions, white onions, red onions, fennel, herbs (rosemary, thyme, lavender, lemon balm, mint, oregano, sage), garlic, carrots, spinach, arugula, snap peas, beans, chard, lettuce (three types), radishes, mustard greens, leeks, kale (two types), celery, Asian pears, and nasturtiums as well as offering fruit shares and produce from other local farms.
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The Dr. Eugene S. Rubin Greenhouse |
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NCF has received an incredibly generous donation from Steven and Carolyn Barg to construct a new greenhouse at the Farm in memory of Carolyn's father, Dr. Eugene S. Rubin. Gene led the Board of Trustees at the neighboring Ledgebrook Condominium Association, where he resided with his wife Arlene until his passing at the age of 94 in 2020. |
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Throughout his life, Gene was a scholar, entrepreneur, husband, father, teacher, activist, and leader. He was a proponent of land preservation, and his volunteer work helped lead to the purchase of the Farm property by the City of Newton from the Angino family in 2005. The new greenhouse will allow us to start more seedlings for the annual seedling sale and for growing in the field, and we will be able to do so more efficiently and productively. We are so grateful to the Rubin family for their commitment to the Farm and this gift in Gene's memory. |
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NCF has Farm-logo T-shirts available in a variety of sizes and colors on our website, perfect for gift giving. Adult and youth T-shirts are $20 each, and children's T-shirts are $15 each. Click here to see all the sizes and colors and to place your order. You'll receive an email when your order is ready for pickup at the Farm. Thanks for your support!
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Spotlight on Newton's
Residential Climate Action Resources
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The City of Newton is introducing a new program, 4 Our Future, which offers resources to assist individuals with solar and other residential climate actions. According to Newton Energy Coach Liora Silkes, about 60% of Newton's greenhouse gas emissions come from residential buildings and personal vehicles. Making homes energy efficient and powered by renewable energy is an important piece of Newton’s climate-action efforts. The 4 Our Future program focuses on insulation, heat pumps, electric transportation, and renewable energy and efforts you can take that may also save money and make your home more comfortable. To learn more about what you can do and the many incentives available for these projects, check out the City's website.
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NCF's Director of Education Matt Durham (or Mr. D. as his students know him) is currently wrapping up fall sessions with schools and other programs in the area. One of the schools NCF partners with is Wellan Montessori in Newton Centre. Middle-school students completed four group field trips over the fall where they learned firsthand about sustainability, food production, and more. Wellan hopes to continue with a series of educational trips to the Farm again in the spring. You can read more about the students' experiences at the Farm on the school's blog.
Soon we'll be announcing our education plans for kids for vacation-week programs and spring and summer classes for 2022! Stay tuned!
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Photos and Memories of the Farm |
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Peaceful snow-scene photo of the NCF barn and farmhouse, December 1966. Courtesy of Roger Lacy.
"I grew up in Needham Heights, and on a nice day we could walk or ride bikes to "261" which was my Grandma and Grandpa Lacy's house (and is now part of the Ledgebrook community). They lived next door to the Angino's farm, and we would frequently visit and get fresh veggies there, as the season allowed. My grandmother loved to garden and they had greenhouses (the hurricane of 1938 destroyed all but one of the greenhouses), a large flower garden, a beautiful azalea garden, and loads of daffodils spread in among the edges of the wooded areas. My wife, Joyce, and I were up in the Newton area a couple months ago, and stopped by to see the farm. It's looking as great as it ever was! So glad to see the farm is alive and thriving."
Roger Lacy
Recent photo of Roger and Joyce Lacy standing in front of the plaque in the barn that reads, in part, "Restoration of the Angino 1886 barn, made possible by Clive and Mona Lacy, longtime friends and neighbors of the Angino family." Thank you, Lacy family!
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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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