The Newton Farmer
March 2021
|
|
I love Newton Community Farm, and it is a great honor to be the incoming president of the Board of Directors. Having access to a local farm to purchase herbs and seedlings and receive the freshest vegetables and fruits is such a treasure for us all. As a CSA member for many years, I have learned to be creative with each farm share. Who knew how flavorful garlic scapes could be? The educational opportunities for our children---learning where our food comes from and inspiring a future generation to grow their own food---are so important. I want to thank our supporters for your generosity and commitment to keeping this Farm thriving.
Newton has been my home for 27 years with my wife and adult children. Professionally, I have been the CEO of my family business, a technology systems integrator. Following the sale of our business, I became a nonprofit fundraiser for nine years and have recently retired. Sustainability and staying active are my true passions, and I am an active board member of Green Newton and Friends of Newton Tennis.
Looking forward to a safe and fun spring and summer,
Paul Holt
Board President
|
|
Over the past year, we have experienced unprecedented demand for locally grown produce, and we received a tremendous response to our CSA program for this summer. This program is now sold out. Thank you to everyone who applied.
As a reminder, we also sell nearly half of our produce at the Newton Farmers’ Market on Saturdays from June through October and also on-site at either our farm stand or in our Healthy Harvest Bag program, or some combination of both this year. Please keep an eye on our website for updates.
|
|
Sign Up for Our Free Online Winter/Spring Speaker Series |
|
Healthy Cooking for Seniors
Wednesday, March 31, 11 am–Noon
Clinical Dietitian Caila Yates from Newton-Wellesley Hospital will help seniors who might feel that making healthy, homemade meals is too much work for only one or two people in a smaller household. This free, online program will cover simple cooking strategies, easy shopping techniques, and ways to enjoy healthy cooking of small, nutritious meals with a focus on the nutritional needs of seniors. Preregistration is required to get the Zoom access link for the program. Click Here to Sign Up.
|
|
Healthy Cooking and Nutrition |
|
Check out our latest healthy cooking and nutrition show on our YouTube channel on Wednesday, March 17, at 1 pm when Jay will discuss how to prepare cabbage. You can also find our previous shows on gardening, cooking, and story time there. And you can view our shows on NewTV. An archive of our newsletters on gardening and cooking is available on our website.
To sign up for our brief newsletter focused on gardening and cooking tips, recipes, and information, contact jay@newtoncommunityfarm.org.
|
|
Community Organization Spotlight:
Boston Farms Community Land Trust
|
|
Boston Farms Community Land Trust transforms vacant urban land into productive farm and educational sites for local community benefit. A community land trust (CLT) is an organization that owns and operates land, usually in urban areas, and provides long-term security for ownership of the land. A CLT may lease land for affordable housing projects, cultural preservation, farming, or other local-benefit project. The land is protected in perpetuity from unwanted development. In 2013 the city of Boston passed a zoning law amendment to promote urban farming, and the city also assists in changing abandoned urban land into CLTs.
Founded in 2017, Boston Farms is a partner organization to the Urban Farming Institute (UFI), which was last month’s spotlight organization. Boston Farms owns and leases many of the properties in Roxbury, Mattapan, and Dorchester used by UFI and shares its goals-–provide urban residents of color access to commercial community farmland, enable economic opportunity by growing produce, and promote community health with access to fresh food. Boston Farms is focused on neighborhood stewardship and is led and managed by individuals from the communities it serves. Michelle Cook is Community Property Manager for both entities and ensures the efficient operation of the lease and the leased land. She is also a graduate of the intensive 29-week Urban Farmer Training Program at UFI.
|
|
You can meet Michelle at the virtual Massachusetts Urban Farming Conference
hosted by UFI and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources March 5, 6, 9, and 11. Click here for ticket information and more details about the conference.
|
|
A Book Is Like a Garden... |
|
...carried in the pocket. ~ Chinese proverb
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 book recommendations and a note to describe yourself to sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org.
|
|
Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual by Michael Pollan
From Halloween to New Year’s, I slowly but surely lose my will to resist sweets and not-so-healthy food. By mid-January, I need to push the diet "reset" button to get back on track with healthy eating. Michael Pollan's easy-to-read, short (140 pages) Food Rules: An Eater's Manual is my go-to and timeless guide to refocus on a healthy diet with its simple message of "Eat food, mostly plants, not too much."
For health reasons, Pollan recommends eating mostly plants, which isn’t too hard for me since my husband follows a plant- based, whole-foods diet and is the primary cook in our household. I enjoy Pollan’s advice to "eat your colors" and love making colorful meals with seasonal produce including grain bowls with lots of veggies and beautiful salads. He also reinforces some of Farm Manager Greg’s advice such as eat food grown from healthy soil and eat the leaves of plants, too. Fortunately, for at least seven months of the year, we buy most of our produce from NCF and know it is well grown, fresh, tasty, varied, and healthy!
Dede Vittori is an NCF board member and enthusiastic eater.
|
|
Seedling Sale Preparations Underway |
|
It's the time of year again when we begin preparing for our annual Seedling Sale. This is one of our trademark events that local gardeners look forward to each year. In 2020, more than 500 people ordered over 20,000 seedlings from the Farm.
To facilitate an organized, efficient process, we are seeking volunteers to write out hundreds of Popsicle-stick plant labels like the ones pictured here.
Helpers will be assigned a list of plant names and quantities needed, and Sharpies and Popsicle sticks can be picked up contact-free at the Farm once assignments are made. Labels will need to be dropped back off at the Farm before the end of March.
|
|
We are also looking for business sponsors to help make this event a success. Partnerships are available at the $1,000, $500, or $250 levels. Benefits include: business name and logo displayed at the seedling pickup, on our sponsorship web page, on our social media, and in our newsletter. Additional benefits are available depending on the level of support you choose. |
|
Thank you to our Premier Sponsor The Village Bank!
More information on the Seedling Sale including additional volunteer opportunities coming in next month's newsletter. If you are interested in volunteering or learning more about our sponsorship program, please contact sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org.
|
|
Annual Report and Business Plan Available |
|
|
|
Despite the disruptions due to the global health pandemic, the Farm continues to thrive in new and different ways. Curious about how NCF adapted in 2020? Want to learn more about our goals and plans for this year? View the Newton Community Farm 2020 Annual Report and 2021 Business Plan on our website. You'll find detailed information on our farm operations, education programs, events, communications, and more.
|
|
Remembering Margaret Fogel |
|
Margaret (Findlay) Fogel passed away peacefully at home on February 13 at age 79 due to stroke. Margaret was a dedicated environmentalist and longtime Farm supporter. She and Sam Fogel, her husband of 56 years, were instrumental in starting NCF's experimental fruit tree orchard adjacent to the Farm at Ledgebrook.
Margaret was especially concerned about climate change. Educated as a biochemist, she worked as a teacher and as an environmental consultant before starting her own business with her pioneering work in bioremediation. After her retirement, Margaret continued her environmental activities through support of many local, national, and international organizations. Just several weeks before she became ill, she gave a presentation to Green Newton, sharing her expertise on residential solar panels and energy-efficient heat pumps. She was also an accomplished gardener and enjoyed hiking, canoeing, karate, playing the piano, and spending time with her family most of all.
Margaret will be missed greatly by her family, friends, and all of us at the Farm. Her family has asked that those who wish to make a contribution in Margaret’s memory donate to The Environmental Defense Fund and to Newton Community Farm. You can read the full obituary here.
|
|
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. |
|
NEWTON COMMUNITY FARM
303 Nahanton Street
Newton, MA 02459
617-916-9655
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
