We've really just started, but so much is happening. I guess that's the nature of spring. Please enjoy these images of the farm. Click on the image to enter the gallery.Buff Orpington: One of our most productive layers.

Group Huddle

The Food Project helped us out immensely this Fall. 20 motivated youth came and installed brackets for low hoop houses on many of our raised beds. They were guided by Allison & a team leader. After tackling all of our planned projects and a couple extras, they participated in a three hour workshop on home budgeting as it relates to food insecurity, a huge problem in America and across the world.

See more pictures.

Well, it's been another year of being too busy to actually stop and reflect upon what we are doing! We've been very busy with the following activities/experiments:Backyard Growers Program: I have been coordinating this program through the Cape Ann Farmers' Market (www.capeannfarmersmarket.org) to train families in our Beacon Street neighborhood and in the Riverdale Housing community to grow some of their own food. This has allowed us to reach out to our neighborhood and beyond in new ways - Building community and raising awareness about fresh, local food. We'll be having a harvest celebration in a couple weeks. Soon we will be posting pictures! I've been writing grants for the farmers' market to build and sustain this program.Public School Farms: Working with a team of parents, organizations, and schools to start a district-wide school farm project. Two farms are up and running!Beacon Street Farm Expansion: We have built new beds and trellises with the help of our fabulous friends at The Food Project, Inc. (www.thefoodproject.org). We're working at getting better at meeting most of our food needs through intensive urban farming. Successful artichoke growing experiment! Not-so-successful potato box experiment! Rockin' 4-season growing system in place!Sharecropping: I've been working another backyard farm to generate income to sustain our various projects. We have been selling to local farm-to-table restaurants. Between our farm and our auxilliary farm we are near to approaching our $10,000 gross income goal.Food Preservation: We're knocking ourselves out to preserve enough veggies for the winter. Part of the experiment is that it has to be REAL - meaning we have reorganized our finances in such a way that we rely on the food we grow! (In other words, it's not just for fun)Press: We've had some great press this year. Check out Heather Atwood's piece in the GDT: http://www.gloucestertimes.com/lifestyle/x972391888/A-tale-of-two-farms-... and our work with Riverdale: http://blogs.gloucestertimes.com/foodforthought/tag/gloucester/Chickens: This was our first year for chickens, raising them from day-old chicks. The eggs are rolling in now (no pun intended). We lost 2 out of 6 chickens (impacted crop and prolapsed vent - don't ask) so we cherish our remaining four.Kids: We have two of them. They grow so we put them in the farm category!Now: In addition to major harvesting and prepping for winter, we are stepping back for a moment to figure out next steps...

First EggIt's almost a month early, but we're not complaining. We have no idea which of the five chickens laid the egg and it's mighty small, as is to be expected. She laid it out on the ground in their run. Either she's learning or the egg boxes are too small. If it continues, I'll make new boxes.

AustralorpsWe got 'em as day-old's and they're almost ready to lay. Having birds downtown isn't so hard. We had to OK it with the neighbors. The promise of fresh eggs certainly sweetens the deal! Being farm animals, not pets, they don't have names per se. Willa decided to assign them the collective name of Bob. Bob1, Bob2, etc. We like to call them the Bob collective.

We're in the thick of it here on beacon street. A lot has transpired since the last posting. Expect a flurry of activity here and on the farm.
Hyacinth: Pale, delicious evidence of season.
NOTE: Applying for accounts is currently broken. I'm in the process of troubleshooting the problem. I have a record of those who attempted to apply for an account and will be contacting those folks via email for confirmation. Apologies to anyone who has been waiting to get on!

As summer grows late green tomatoes are appearing at Beacon Street Farm. Onions, corn and a variety of greens are vying for space. Our old friend the pumpkin vine that grew out of the compost this past spring has become a monster, boasting large orange blossoms. Lara made us all a delicous lunch of pasta with fresh garden beets and cheese! Yummy! The front yard is a riot of color from black eyed susan, queen annes lace and russian sage. Near by sunflowers look ready to burst in to bloom any day, and the potatoes are healthy. With the exception of a few sad pepper plants and some melancholy broccoli, Beacon Street Farm is a gardeners paradise. 

Bragg Community Farm - JulyHere is the Bragg farm in all of its glory...

New potatoes are almost ready.... 

The pumpkin has overtaken the apple tree and has spread half way across the lawn...