Dear Farm Friends,

As the saying goes, every ending is a new beginning. Over the holidays we received notice from Allyson that she had taken a new position. Her last day at the Farm was January 2. We were sad to see Allyson go, but this is a new and exciting beginning for her. We will miss her, but wish her well.

The Farm is now also in a position for a new beginning. We have begun the process of a search for a new executive director to lead the Farm into our next 20 years. This is an exciting opportunity for the Farm to find new leadership, new vision, and new energy. It will be challenging to navigate the coming months with a smaller staff, but we all—the staff and the board—have a strong vision for the role of an executive director and are committed to working together to keep the lights on, the emails answered, programs running, and, of course, seedlings and produce pouring forth into our community.



As we move forward into our 20th year other changes are afoot as well. Farmer Greg (me) will transition into the role of farm director, taking on for now many of the administrative duties that an ED will eventually assume, while still keeping a hand in farm operations. But Farmer Andrea will be the real farmer as she moves into the role of farm manager starting in March. What perfect timing, as 2026 is the International Year of the Woman Farmer.



Cheers,

Farmer Greg

2026 Summer CSA 

Enrollment in our 2026 Summer CSA opens to the general public on Tuesday, February 17. We'll be sending out an email that morning with a link to the registration form. Enrollment will take place on a first come, first served basis until all shares are sold. Our website and social media will be updated once we are sold out.

If you would like to learn more about our Summer CSA, including pricing, dates, and a general description, please visit our website.

Flower Shares

NCF is excited to again be partnering with Duck Hollow Farm to bring you gloriously fresh flowers all summer. Sign up for 15 weeks of floral bouquets, organically grown in Sherborn, MA.

Flower shares are picked up weekly at NCF on Thursdays, 2–7 pm, from June 18–September 24.

Share price is $360 with an optional add-on posy each week for $75. Flower shares are a great way to support native and pollinator-supporting plantings!



Enrollment for Flower Shares is directly through Duck Hollow Farm and can be done here.

Fruit Shares

Please stay tuned for enrollment information for our 2026 Fruit Share in partnership with Autumn Hills Orchard. We are hoping to be able to start the Fruit Share earlier this year to incorporate more stone fruits (peaches, plums, nectarines) but need to wait to see how the fruit set looks following the cold winter.

Newton Community Farm is seeking a visionary and mission-driven executive director to lead the organization in advancing our threefold mission of 1) making locally-grown produce available to Newton residents and the surrounding community; 2) educating the public about sustainable and ecologically-sound agriculture and environmental practices, including serving as an outdoor classroom for Newton students; and 3) preserving the historic character and culture of the last working farm in Newton.



Do you know someone who you think fits this role? Please share the link above with them. Even if no one comes to mind, please consider sharing the job posting with your network and help the Farm find its new ED.

Where to Find Local Produce in the Winter

Compiled by Farmer Andrea

The full moon in February is also known as the “Hunger Moon” because it has historically been a scarce time for wildlife and humans alike. Fortunately for us, winter no longer has to be a bleak time for local produce—more and more local farms are extending their seasons with greenhouses and storage crops. If you know the right places to look, local apples are available all winter alongside hearty root vegetables, bright spicy radishes, precious fresh spinach and lettuce mixes, eggs, meat, and more! Here are a few of our favorite ways to keep eating local foods all year round:

Over the winter, Farmer Andrea can be found most weeks shopping at the Somerville Winter Farmers' Market, which is on Saturdays from 9:30 am–1:30 pm at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville. Get there early for the best selection of greens. Visit their website or follow them on Instagram for a weekly list of vendors. 

The Natick Farmers' Market is a favorite place of volunteer Nyssa to shop. It runs year-round on Saturdays from 9 am–1 pm. In the winter it’s held at the Common Street Spiritual Center, 13 Common St., Natick. Visit their website to see vendors for each week. 

During the season we often sell delicious eggs from Codman Community Farm. Their farm store is open 24/7 year-round at 58 Codman Rd. in Lincoln. They sell those delicious eggs alongside their exceptional meats, local dairy, bread, storage crops, and greens from other local farms. 

Lexington Community Farm (aka LexFarm) has a farm store that is open year-round at 52 Lowell St. in Lexington. They sell produce grown on-site, crops from other local farms, bread from Bread Obsession, and other local goodies. They’re open Wednesday through Friday from 12–6 pm and Saturdays from 10 am–4 pm. 

Last but not least, Allandale Farm is hosting winter markets at 259 Allandale Rd. in Brookline on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1–6 pm. They have lots of local veggies plus Clear Flour bread, Mei Mei dumplings, and fish from Jordan Brothers Fish. 

Cabbage Soup

Adapted from Lidey Heuck, NYTimes Cooking, by Farmer Andrea

This recipe is a great way to use up a whole cabbage and any other root vegetables you may have from your trip to a winter farmers’ market. I skipped the parsley and substituted celeriac for celery and ended up with a very large nourishing pot of soup that reminds me of cabbage rolls. You can add beans or sausage to make it more filling, or add a fried egg on top. 

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 to 3 ribs celery, diced (or substitute 1 celeriac)
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning (or sub oregano and caraway or fennel seeds)
• Crushed red pepper, to taste
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 large Yukon gold potato, diced
• 1 Tb. tomato paste
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 28-ounce can tomatoes 
• 6 cups chopped green cabbage (from 1 small cabbage)
• 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender-crisp. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper; cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 minute.
2. Add the potatoes and tomato paste and cook, stirring often, until the paste is fully incorporated and begins to brown on the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and diced tomatoes (with their juices) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Stir in the cabbage, lower the heat, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Off the heat, add the vinegar and parsley. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve hot, topped with more parsley. 

6 Servings

Ever wonder what to do with your empty egg cartons? Save them and give them to the Farm! Despite the cold, dark days of winter, our hens are young and continue to lay eggs, and we have exhausted our supply of egg cartons. If you have a large collection of clean (but used), paper cartons that you would like to donate, please contact Farmer Greg to arrange a dropoff.

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. Please also check with your employer if matching funds are available.

NEWTON COMMUNITY FARM

303 Nahanton Street

Newton, MA 02459

617-916-9655

www.newtoncommunityfarm.org

information@newtoncommunityfarm.org