The Newton Farmer
February 2021
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When I was a kid growing up in western Pennsylvania, finding hickory nuts bursting from their shells on the ground meant several things were about to happen:
- sweet snacks - hickory nuts are related to walnuts and pecans, and they are loaded with fat and deliciousness
- craft time - along with acorns, hickory nuts make lovely "beaded" necklaces that you can sell to family members
- and the start of a new collection in a shoe box in my closet.
When I see a hickory tree, I also think of my dad, who taught me so much about shagbark hickory trees and every other aspect of nature that he was so excited to share when I was growing up. He has been the biggest influence on my appreciation of the natural world and has a lot to do with how I ended up at this sweet little farm, where we also find hickory nuts graciously dropped under the perimeter trees.
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Another mentor who has helped shape me in my professional journey as NCF's executive director and who has been an inspiring role model for all of us here at the Farm is our Board President Stephanie Cogen. Through her six years at the helm, she has led this organization through new ventures and kept a steady perspective during uncertain times. And she has done it all with the tenacity and determination that I strive to emulate. We will miss her sharp observations, her wit, and her generous heart when she leaves the Board later this month, but we are so grateful for her leadership and all that she has given to further the mission of NCF.
May we all be so lucky to have wonderful mentors in our lives who help us grow into who we are meant to be.
With gratitude,
Sue Bottino
Executive Director
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At the beginning of each growing season, CSA sharers purchase a "share" of the upcoming produce, which helps the Farm cover a substantial portion of the costs of our agricultural operations. In return, NCF provides sharers with a supply of sustainably grown, fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the growing season.
Our 2021 Summer CSA program will run from June 2 through October 13. These dates are dependent on weather and other growing considerations, and NCF’s farm manager will contact sharers if the dates need to change. We have the equivalent of 80 weekly shares available. CSA pickups take place at the Farm on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2–7 pm. Depending on safety protocols for the summer of 2021, sharers may need to sign up for a day and time slot. PYO crops may also be available on Saturdays before 3 pm. NCF donates unclaimed shares to a local food pantry.
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NCF grows most of the CSA produce. Some crops require more space than our modest site allows, so we supplement the shares with potatoes and winter squash from a local partner farm. We also purchase nonorganic sweet corn from Massachusetts farms. CSA sharers participate in the bounty of the Farm and also the risk. While we have confidence that we will meet our production goals, growing vegetables always involves uncertainty, and quantities may vary week to week, season to season.
Weekly Share:
$690 per share. Sharers come once a week to pick up a full share of produce. Shares may include some pick-your-own (PYO) crops such as peas, beans, cherry tomatoes, and herbs. Share size varies throughout the season. At the height of the season (Aug–Sept), a typical week might include: 1 bunch roots crop (carrots or beets); 2 bunches of greens (changing selection); 1 bunch of herbs (basil, cilantro, dill, or parsley); 1 eggplant; 1/2 pound bell peppers; 1 hot pepper; 2 pounds of potatoes; 1 pound of summer squash or zucchini; 5 pounds of tomatoes; 1 pint PYO cherry tomatoes; 6 ears of corn; 1 quart PYO beans; PYO herbs (separate from bunched herbs listed above).
Alternate Week Share:
$372 per alternate week share. Sharers come every other week to pick up a full share.
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Application and Payment
Completed forms and checks must be received at NCF (by mail or drop-off) by the due dates listed below for consideration in each phase.
All applicants must be a current Friend of the Farm (FoF) to apply for a CSA share. You have been automatically enrolled as a FoF if you made a donation of $50 or more since November 1, 2020. If you are not currently a FoF, click here to sign up.
Phase 1a: Monday, January 18 -Sunday, January 31 (due date) for Returning Summer 2020 CSA Sharers
Phase 1b: Monday, January 18 - Sunday, January 31 (due date) for Late Fall 2020 CSA Sharers Late Fall 2020 CSA sharers will be enrolled after returning Summer 2020 CSA sharers if there are spaces remaining.
Phase 1c: Monday, February 1 - Sunday, February 7 (due date) for 2020 waiting list NCF will contact individuals on the Summer CSA waiting list from last year.
Phase 2: Monday, February 1 - Sunday, February 28 (due date) for Newton Residents The link to the enrollment form will go live on our website on February 1. At the end of this period, NCF will hold a lottery to select at random as many participants as we have shares available. To participate in the lottery, we must receive your CSA enrollment application along with payment. (CSA checks will be returned to those who we cannot accommodate.) We will notify all applicants by Tuesday, March 2, as to whether or not they were selected. Applicants who do not get in during Phase 2 can sign up for the waiting list.
Phase 3: Monday, March 1, until full. for Newton Residents and General Public
If there are remaining shares available after Phase 2, we will accept applications from Newton and non-Newton residents on a first-come, first-served basis until we are full. Applicants who do not get in by the end of Phase 3 (or March 15, whichever comes later) can sign up for the waiting list.
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Sign Up for Our Free Online Winter/Spring Speaker Series |
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Join us for these informative live events, in partnership with experts from Newton-Wellesley Hospital, to learn more about healthy eating at any age or stage of life. These virtual events are free and open to all; please note that pre-registration is required to get the Zoom access link for each program. |
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Helping Kids Develop Healthy Eating Habits
Tuesday, February 2, 11 am–Noon
Brendan Smith, a dietitian nutritionist, will offer strategies on incorporating more fruits and vegetables into children’s diets while involving them in meal planning and preparation. Learn how to entice picky eaters and address dietary needs specific to children’s health.
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Healthy Eating Strategies for Busy Professionals
Wednesday, February 24, 6–7 pm
Dietitian Nutritionist Gregory Mayette will teach busy professionals how to commit to good nutrition and find the time and energy to eat a healthier diet.
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Healthy Cooking for Seniors
Wednesday, March 31, 11 am–Noon
Clinical Dietitian Caila Yates 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. Topics 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.
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Check out our latest healthy cooking and nutrition show on our YouTube channel on Wednesday, February 10, at 1 pm when Jay will discuss how to cook kabocha squash, also known as Japanese pumpkin. You can find our previous shows on gardening, cooking, and story time there, too. 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.
(Pictured here: Kabocha is the dark green squash in the top left corner.)
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Community Organization Spotlight:
Urban Farming Institute
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The Urban Farming Institute, whose mission is to develop and promote urban farming to engage individuals in growing food and building a healthy community, is headquartered on the Fowler Clark Epstein Farm on Norfolk Street in Mattapan and operates six farm sites on reclaimed urban land around Mattapan, Dorchester, and Roxbury. Because of the contamination caused by long-term residential occupation, the native soil on the selected sites was not originally suitable to farm. To prepare each site for growing produce, UFI workers installed a geotextile-barrier, covered by 18–24 inches of proper soil. That’s urban farming transforming the cityscape!
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In addition to supporting small-scale farming in the city, UFI runs an Urban Farmer Training Program, a nine-week classroom initiative, followed by an intense 20-week hands-on program for selected candidates. Urban Farmers are trained to grow sustainable, organic, local produce, and graduates are prepared for farming-related employment. UFI also stocks a farm stand and runs a kitchen. To help the local community during the COVID-19 pandemic, UFI workers deliver produce to needy households and offer farm-stand vegetables and fruits on a “pay-as-you-can” basis. They also deliver healthy prepared meals donated by local partner organizations to neighborhood households. UFI is partnering with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources to offer a terrific virtual conference coming up in March. NCF Farm Manager Greg Maslowe is a board member with UFI and he will also be speaking on crop planning at the conference. To find out more about UFI, visit http://urbanfarminginstitute.org. |
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A Book Is Like a Garden... |
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...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. Each month we will highlight a selection and tell you a bit about the person who suggested it. Send your book recommendations and a note about yourself to sue@newtoncommunityfarm.org.
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East: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Beijing by Meera Sodha
Sweet Potato and Broccolini Bibimbap. Quick Coconut Dal with Tomato Sambal. Caramelized Onion and Chile Ramen. Just reading the names of those recipes in Meera Sodha's new cookbook East: 120 Vegan and Vegetarian Recipes from Bangalore to Beijing transports me to Flavor Land. Cookbook escapism has always been a thing, but during this pandemic, cookbooks have been a way to travel, a means to experience new tastes, and they have grounded us—when we've been avoiding the news—through chopping, frying, roasting, and learning new cooking techniques. Sodha's unfussy vegetable recipes have given me yummy and unexpected ways to use the winter squash from my NCF CSA share. And in my only- recently-acquired copy of this cookbook, the “Peanut Butter and Broccolini Pad Thai” recipe already has speckles of sauce on it.
Lisa Schumann is a translator and writer, an NCF board member, and a messy cook.
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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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