Summer is just around the corner and things are heating up at the farm. Almost every day we have workers in the field: CSA workers; volunteers; and starting next week one of our two high school interns.

In May Newton Community Farm hosted an eastern Massachusetts CRAFT meeting. CRAFT, the Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training, is ”a group of local farmers who meet during the warmer months for biweekly farm visits to complement on-farm training and the education of farm crews and farmers.” The event at NCF focused on food donation programs and how to get more fresh, local produce to food pantries and shelters. Over 35 farmers and farm workers turned out for the event! We exchanged ideas—both programmatic and financial—for getting our produce to those in need. I was very excited by the turn out, and NCF gained some valuable tips for helping us with our goal of donating food to the Newton Food Pantry. It was inspiring to meet with so many people who believe that local foods and social justice should go hand-in-hand. It was also fun to have an opportunity to show off the farm to so many colleagues. We received many compliments from other farmers about what we are creating here at NCF.

We’re not just concerned with hunger relief, we’re doing something about it. We’ve been planting like crazy all month. For those of you who were worried about our tomato situation, please relax. Just today I planted 520 tomato plants, bringing our total to over 1,400 tomatoes. And there are still more to plant in the next week or two! We should have plenty of tomatoes for everyone, with a greater variety of those peculiar, sometimes ugly, but always delicious heirloom tomatoes. We’ll have Brandywines, Cherokee Purples and Green Zebras like last season. In addition, I’ve planted Moskovich, one of the few early heirloom varieties, and Purden’s Purples, Black Princes, Wonder Lights. Prepare your tastebuds, because this summer should be outstanding.

What else is happening this month? Our farm stand will be opening in mid-June, stocked with arugula, spinach, lettuce, chard, turnips, radishes, collards, kale and peas. Farmer Greg, as the kindergarteners call him, visited Bowen Elementary to follow up on last Fall’s fieldtrip to the farm. We weeded, planted, divided perennials, and talked about the difference between earth worms and red wriggler worms. NCF will be hosting a booth at the Brookline Climate Action Day. This festival, on June 23rd, will help educate citizens on global climate change, and the local actions they can take to mitigate it. NCF’s booth will help people understand the role of local foods in counter acting climate change.

The field is filling up with crops, and so is the farm stand. As we approach mid-Summer, there’s still much to do, with over 500 strawberry plants to go in the ground, and all those tomatoes to mulch and trellis. We’ll be working hard, and hope that you come and join us for a morning of fun.

Hi, my name is Tom Libby and I've been brought on by the Farm to assist with farming and help organize on-site work by volunteers. In my experience, most farmers are a little cynical when it comes to incorporating unpaid people, ("They're only worth what you pay 'em") into their operation. But I think the deeper purpose of our Farm, beyond producing the greatest quantity possible of healthy, fresh food, is to help people grow. The work can be done without too much stepping on the plants, and people can get to know each other, have some fun and mostly, learn a lot. There is no describing the feeling one gets in watching sun, work, seed and soil produce actual food- without doing it. So come and get dirty! (and bring the kids). If you want to help us in the greenhouse or field please contact me at 617-916-9655 or NewtonCommunityFarm@comcast.net (type "volunteer" in the subject line).

Many thanks to Newtonville Camera for contributing to Newton Community Farm. Newtonville Camera’s contribution will be used to support children’s programming at the farm. Newtonville Camera is a full service photo and camera store with new and used sales, home movie transfers, service and repairs, prints, custom framing, and much more (see www.newtonvillecamera.com). Newtonville Camera has stepped up to the plate to become one of the earliest contributors to our Business Supporter program. As a Business Supporter, Newtonville Camera joins others such as National Lumber and Bransfield Tree Company in supporting the farm with cash or in-kind donations. Please consider patronizing these businesses and letting them know that you appreciate their support of Newton Community Farm.

In order to better serve the Newton community by making our produce more accessible the farm now boasts a farm stand. The farm stand is a 6x10 board and baton structure located at the Winchester Street entrance to the farm, overlooking the rows of growing vegetables in the field below. Our assistant farmer Tom Libby and board member Ted Chapman built the locally-harvested hemlock structure from a kit purchased from Lamore Lumber in Deerfield, MA.

The building opens onto the Winchester Street sidewalk and will be handicapped accessible. Starting the week of June 11th, produce will be available self-serve, Tuesday - Friday 3-6pm and Saturday 10-2pm. Folks can walk in and help themselves.

All site improvements we make benefit Newton residents and are only possible do to the generosity of the community and volunteers who dedicate their time and resources in service to their neighbors. Other planned improvements to the Winchester Street entrance include a farm sign and kiosk to provide information about the farm and farm activities. We are currently looking for two or more generous donors to fund the cost of the farmstand ($2,000) and signage kiosk ($500). Business sponsors are welcomed, and donors will be acknowledged with signage on the farmstand and kiosk. If you would like to make a contribution toward these projects, please contact Jon Regosin at 617-244-0736 or berkowitz.regosin@verizon.net -- or send your tax-deductible contribution with note on the check memo line to Newton Community Farm, 303 Nahanton St., Newton, MA 02459.

On May 30, Farm Manager Greg Maslowe gave the keynote address entitled, “Bountiful Backyards: Fruit Trees & Vegetable Gardens” at the Newton Conservators annual meeting. Sustainable food production means growing locally, and it doesn’t get more local than your own yard. Greg encouraged Newton residents to think creatively about incorporating edibles into their landscaping. He gave specific practical suggestions for how to go about this. Although Greg acknowledged that lawns can serve a useful purpose (you can’t toss around a baseball in a strawberry patch!), he strongly encouraged us all to look at alternatives for portions of our properties. It’s amazing how little space it takes to grow vegetables for a typical family.

Newton Community Farm is committed to providing guidance and technical support to Newton residents interested in growing fruits and vegetables at home. Towards this end, we are pleased to introduce a new course that we will be offering through Newton Community Education (https://newtoncommunityed.org/) entitled "Gardening and Fruit Growing at Newton Community Farm." This 4-session course (beginning June 30) is specifically designed for people interested in starting to grow fruits and vegetables at home, as well as gardeners who would like to improve their skills. We are in the process of developing other programming to encourage and support home fruit and vegetable gardening.

Newton Community Farm board member, Jon Regosin, has long been involved with the Newton Conservators and works for Mass Wildlife as well. Recently, he has started posting some of his local nature observations in blog form. The blog provides insight into the changes of the season from a naturalist's perspective in text and photo. Click on the link below and add Jon's blog to your nature related favorites list:

Link to Natural Newton

- Special Events coordinator, to take charge oc running events at the farm
- Landscaper (to help install and maintain the landscape around the house)
- Tennis balls (need hundreds--can be old)
- Lawn mower, preferably a reel mower, in working condition
- Grocery bags -- we want your recycled plastic grocery bags
- Old newspapers, but not the glossy inserts

If you can help us with these, please contact Greg Maslowe at 617/916-9655 or email him at the link below.

Newton Community Farm email.