Field updates from Farmer Andrew:
Hope everyone is enjoying the rain we have gotten over the past months – I guess the saying is April showers bring May flowers? In our case it is bringing some flowers and all of our spring veggies! We have been working hard in the fields and greenhouses. The crew is kicking butt – we spent a pleasant day in the rain planting our onions, and we are starting to see the first wave of peas come up in the fields and have gotten the spring carrots in, hurray!
We planted our first round over at Fork Factory; it looks great and now we just have to keep the deer out! We are using five acres there (in Medfield, just across the street from Rocky Woods) and are excited to add this field into our crop rotation – it will let us rest some of our acres on Powisset Street and help us outsmart some of the pests and diseases that have come to follow our veggies around the farm, no matter how far we rotate within the home fields.
There have been a couple of big groups come out and help us do some spring clean up, which has been super helpful. If anyone wants to come and get their hands dirty, just stop by on our volunteer days Wednesday and Friday 9am-noon. We really encourage CSA members to come out lend a hand and get a little dirty. Take care all and see you soon on the farm!
New fields at Fork Factory Brook in Medfield: spring broccoli and cauliflower went in last week! We are drilling for an irrigation well there soon – we’ll keep you posted and share photos.
Ten new piglets born almost two weeks ago! They will move out to pasture when they are ready; for now they are healthy and doing well snuggling inside Miss Peabody’s piggery.
CAMP is coming to Powisset in 2019!
Farmer, Forester, Chef! will offer kids ages 7-11 the opportunity to attend up to six weekly half-day sessions, running July 8-August 16 from 9AM-1PM. Each day, children will become “junior farmers” to learn about farming and where their food comes from by participating in activities including composting, planting, harvesting, and preparing soil for crops. They’ll care for the barnyard animals – chickens, sheep, goats, rabbits and pigs — collect eggs, and learn about animal life on the farm. As well, the “junior farmers” will have the opportunity to become “junior chefs” during daily cooking lessons in Powisset’s state-of-the-art teaching kitchen, where they’ll prepare farm-fresh recipes and share their creations with each other at the end of each class. On Wednesdays, children will become “junior foresters,” meeting at nearby Rocky Woods to hike, explore, discover the latest beaver activity, enjoy Chickering Pond, build fairy houses and learn about the forest ecosystem.
“Farmer, Forester, Chef!is about getting outside, getting creative, getting dirty, exploring, and having fun during our beautiful New England summers, while also learning about the importance of nature and agriculture,” says D.A. Hayden, Director, Charles River Valley. “We see such a love for nature come alive in the children who come to our programs and events, so we’re excited to offer a brand-new hands-on summer camp experience.”
As a special thank you, Powisset CSA members will receive a $25 discount on the weekly camp sessions. Please contact camp director Jamie Picard if you are interested in registering your children or grandchildren! Jamie may be reached at jpicard@thetrustees.org