Dear Farm Friends,

Fall is a beautiful time of year in New England and at the Farm. After months of heat waves, intense humidity, pouring rains, and overcast weekends, we welcome the cooler days and, hopefully, calmer weather. We look forward to seeing you on the Farm as you pick up your final summer vegetable shares and we start our late fall CSA share distribution. Our farm stand remains open through mid-November so be sure to stop by for fresh veggies, fruit, and herbs at the little red stand on Winchester Street. And read on to learn how to sign up to attend our always-popular Fall Family Party (preregistration is required and is almost full) and our upcoming Thanksgiving Harvest Bags. We hope you will make coming to the Farm part of your fall traditions.

As I wrote to those of you on our general email list a few months ago, this will be my last month as executive director at the Farm. I have grown and learned so much during my five years here, and it has been wonderful getting to know so many of you through this special place. We have been through a lot together over the past several years, and your support has made it possible to persevere through the challenges. And working with all of you has made everything that we have accomplished together all the more cherished. I will continue to root for this little farm, the good work that is being done here, and the wonderful farm community. I am truly, deeply, grateful for your kindness and support of this Farm and of me during my time at NCF. Thank you!

With gratitude,

Sue Bottino

Executive Director

P.S. If you would like to stay in touch with me after this month, please respond to this email or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Our Annual Fall Family Party will be on Saturday, October 14, from 9:30 am to noon! We'll have all your favorites: decorating pumpkins with natural materials (one pumpkin per child), a scavenger hunt, a group art project, chicken facts, and, back by popular demand, Farmer Asher will lead story time and play songs on his guitar. We hope you can join us. Preregistration is required. Scan the QR code above or click here to sign up. (Rain date is October 21.)

With support from our wonderful business sponsors, Wegmans Chestnut Hill and the Russian School of Math in Newton, we are able to offer our Fall Family Party FREE OF CHARGE this year! To make sure that we have enough supplies for everyone, register here to reserve your spot.

We need your help! This event is not possible without the help of many dedicated volunteers! We have a lot of fun together, and it feels so good to produce this event for the community. To help with the preparations on Friday afternoon or at the Farm on Saturday, please sign up here.

Newton Community Farm is putting together all your favorite fresh veggies and fruit to make your Thanksgiving meal delicious! You can support the work of NCF and other local farms by ordering a Thanksgiving Harvest Bag. Please note, bags will be available for pickup between 3–5 pm on Monday, November 20, at the Farm at the lowest level of the big red barn (where the white tent is located). 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 is $80 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. Thank you for supporting local farms.

Last day to order is November 10!

Stop by the Newton Community Farm tent at the GreenEXPO on the Newton Centre Green on Sunday, October 15, 11 am–4 pm. This event is sponsored by Green Newton and held in conjunction with the City of Newton’s Harvest Fair. From Green Newton's website:

"Come see the many options available to make your life greener. Available will be representatives from sustainability focused companies, community organizations, and city departments to share information and answer questions. It’s a great day of interesting exhibits, fun activities for the kids, and products that will help you live more sustainably. With each action, we can make an impact on climate change." You can find more details here.

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. 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 through October 14 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.

Fall Harvest Salad

For the base of the salad, use leafy greens like kale or sautéed Swiss chard for a "warm" bowl, particularly great in the fall. Next, in an oven preheated to 400°F, roast cubed sweet potatoes and squash drizzled with olive oil. Another option is to also add cooked quinoa for additional fiber and protein. Add sliced apples and avocado, and top the salad bowl with crumbled feta or goat cheese. Finish with your favorite dressing and enjoy! 

Recipe by Inna Kagan, local Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

NEWTON COMMUNITY FARM

303 Nahanton Street

Newton, MA 02459

617-916-9655

www.newtoncommunityfarm.org

information@newtoncommunityfarm.org