The Newton Farmer
November 2019
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What an amazing end to the season. The final week of our Summer CSA had sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s. Cool, crisp nights and just the right amount of rain. Not too shabby for a season that started off with a cold, wet spring that delayed planting, followed by the hottest July on record, and then frost in September! The fields responded to the beautiful, mild autumn with abundant production, even with the deer taking more than their share.
We recently watched
Won’t You Be My Neighbor
, the documentary about
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood
. Toward the end of the film, Mr. Rogers makes reference to the Jewish concept of
tikkun olam
, which he translates as working to repair creation. I was struck by this phrase, working to repair creation. Are
we
working to repair creation?
I’ve written in the past about Elliot Coleman’s distinction between “shallow” and “deep” organics, and I think that Mr. Rogers’ interpretation of
tikkun olam
brings us back to the heart of what inspired the organic movement in the first place: feeding ourselves while also respecting, and perhaps repairing, the world.
Repairing the world is certainly at the forefront of the contemporary organic movement. Our food is less nutritious than it used to be. Our climate is changing. And both can, at least in part, can be traced back to the soil.
As the old adage says, “You are what you eat.” But what
you
eat is also what
it
eats. If your vegetables are grown in soil that’s been abused, overworked, and exhausted of its nutrients, guess what? Your vegetables won’t be very nutritious. And if your food isn’t nutritious, then
you
won’t be healthy. We are what we eat, but what we’re really eating, whether via meat, vegetables, fruits, or grains, is sunlight and soil. We need healthy soils and, for the most part, we don’t have them anymore. We need to
create
them. Or
re
-create them as the case may be.
The amazing thing is that re-creating healthy soils not only makes
us
healthier, it makes the
world
healthier. Soil is the largest single carbon sink in the world. According to the Rodale Institute, we could actually
reverse
climate change solely through increasing soil organic matter; that’s how depleted our agricultural soils are!
How did we get here? There are many reasons, but I think they mostly boil down to seeing the world as a resource, period. Not a gift. Not sacred. Not a creation for which we have responsibility. How do we move forward? Again, there are many ways, but I think they mostly boil down to
tikkun olam
—striving to make our actions ones that repair creation. Taking responsibility and recognizing that we have choices, and our choices matter.
We
are the way forward. Sometimes it just takes the friendly host of a children’s television show to remind us.
Farmer Greg
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Welcome to Our New Staff Member
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Please join us in welcoming Jay Vilar to the NCF team! Jay is managing our operations, communications, and events. He uses his passion for sustainable agriculture, expertise in nutritional health, and career experience in communications for his role at Newton Community Farm.
Jay is committed to the belief that health comes from how we properly grow and prepare our food. He transitioned from advertising executive to nutritional therapist and advocate for sustainable farming practices. He received his B.A. in Communications from George Mason University, a Marketing and Events Management Certification from George Washington University, is a certified Nutritional Therapist Practitioner, and completed his Agriculture Supported Communities farmer training from the Rodale Institute in Kutztown, PA. Outside the Farm, Jay spends his time experimenting with new cooking recipes, storytelling
on stage with MassMouth, and exploring New England with partner Scott.
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Since 2009, the Newton Family Singers have been bringing intergenerational choral concerts to the Newton community. For their tenth anniversary concert on November 24, NFS has invited Newton Community Farm to showcase our organization! NFS has chosen to highlight the community efforts of 10 charities and net proceeds from the concert will be given to these organizations. We’re looking forward to connecting with the community.
Come clap and sing along to family-friendly live music. NFS will perform the music of Tom Petty and Fleetwood Mac on November 24 at the JCC Greater Boston, 333 Nahanton Street in Newton at 4 p.m. For more information and to buy tickets, go to
www.newtonfamilysingers.org
Thank you, NFS, for including us!
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Halloween on the Farm: Spooky Celebration
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More than 35 kids plus their grown-ups enjoyed our Halloween on the Farm celebration held this year on November 1. A cowgirl, an astronaut, a fox, a butterfly, a bumblebee, a unicorn, a puppy, a pumpkin, and a fairy were among the many costumed kids who participated in crafts, games, face painting, music, snacks, and spooky stories.
Thank you to Whole Foods Market for their donation of apples and ingredients for our mystery bowls table, which was a big hit!
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To all of our Summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) customers, THANK YOU for participating in our CSA. This is an important piece of our financial sustainability, not to mention a great way to eat amazing food!
If you signed up for our now sold-out Late Fall CSA, we’re happy to see you again this month and next.
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The Farm Stand on Winchester Street is open on Tuesdays (1:30–dusk) and Saturdays (9:30–1:00) until Thanksgiving. Stop by for our late fall produce!
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Upcoming Events & Programs
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Fall Registration Is Open
!
Click on the links to register
For Adults and Families
Winter Family Baking
- Sunday, November 24, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Register online. Bake, learn, eat, and have fun! Join Chef Reva Haselkorn to make and enjoy sweet and savory baked goods with farm-fresh ingredients. For kids and adults with a range of baking experience and ages (5+ years) to cook together.
For Children
Farm Tuesdays
(ages 7–11) - Tuesdays, ongoing through November 26, 1:30–3:00 p.m. Register online. Kids will harvest from the Learning Garden, care for the chickens, and help prepare the garden for the colder weather on early-release Tuesdays. Rain or shine, we’ll spend most of the afternoon outdoors learning about the Farm, working in the garden, playing games, and making snacks.
Farm Sprouts
(ages 2.5–5 with an adult) Register online or drop in!
Foster curiosity through experiential learning and build a healthy foundation for a lifelong relationship with real food and the natural world. Enjoy outdoor exploration of the Learning Garden, animal encounters, storytime, songs, and craft projects. Meet on the colorful mat near the Learning Garden or in the barn in bad weather.
Farm Babies
(under age 2.5 years with an adult) Register online or drop in! Engage in interactive farm-themed storytime, movement, and songs followed by time to socialize with others and free play for the kids. Outdoors as weather permits and in the barn as needed.
•
Wednesdays
Ongoing through November 20, 10:00–11:00 a.m.
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NEWTON COMMUNITY FARM
303 Nahanton Street
Newton, MA 02459
617-916-9655
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