Fresh From the Farm

Boulder Knoll Communiy Farm in the Advocate

Looks like we missed this one. Alan Bisbort of Cheshire discusses Boulder Knoll Community Farm in his March 3 article ”The Party’s Over” in the New Haven Advocate.

“Where I live, this effort — no matter how nascent or small — can be seen in the revival of what was once the largest working farm in town. It’s more than a desire to return to New England quaintness. It may be the path to the future. The farm was acquired about 10 years ago as open space, soon after which the environment commission (on which I sat at that time) wrote a management plan for the property that included a farming component. But then it died, paralyzed by town hall’s petty bickering.

Out of frustration, a group of active citizens came together to pitch the idea of a community-supported agriculture (CSA) project on the farm. After much wrangling (and the loss of a season’s planting), they finally got the approval. The first crops are going in this year and shares are being sold even as we speak. It is a small step (two acres will eventually be cultivated), but it is a step, and the whole town is jazzed. As a “subscriber” in the past to a CSA in another town, I was astonished by how much food could be grown on half an acre of carefully tended land.”

Click here to read the full article.

News from the Farm - Week of October 26, 2009

Garlic!
We’ll do a garlic planting on Sunday 11/1 at 1 pm. This is something kids could help with. We’ll need to clean out the beds before we plant.

Work needs
I’m working on preparing new beds for next year (including flower, raspberry and strawberry beds), weeding and composting this year’s beds, spreading leaf mulch, laying path material, pulling dead plants and trellises, putting row cover on winter greens. Please let me know if you can help at any time. I’d really like to get most everything done by Thanksgiving. Ha! Famous last words.

Gleaning
There’s still some food in the field. If you would like herbs, kale, collards, chard, komatsuna, tatsoi, carrots, beets, lettuce, spinach, green beans, you may harvest this food for yourself any time you want. This is one of the benefits of your membership in our CSA.

Soup kitchen donations
We continue to harvest for soup kitchens in Meriden and Waterbury. Their pick ups are on Thursdays. Thanks to members of Temple Kol Ami who are doing the pick ups and driving for these donations.

Wanted!
Leaves You can bring bags of leaves to improve our soil. Please put them directly into the garden inside the side gate near the road or the end gate near the herb garden. You can dump them out of the bags so you can use the bags again if you want.

Cardboard
If you have some large pieces of cardboard, please put them in the hoop house. They are REALLY useful for paths.

Congratulations

• To Kim Stoner, President of the Friends of Boulder Knoll, who has won the Conservation Partner of the Year award from the Southwest CT Soil Conservation Service. They cited her tenacious work to get an agricultural operation going on the Boulder Knoll property as one of the endeavors worthy of this award.
• To CSA members James McGrath and Kathryn Frund for being selected for the Board of Directors of Friends of Boulder Knoll. Thanks to both of you for volunteering for our community. Thanks to the existing Board members, and to Dan Groberg, who have done so much to support and promote the farm.

Recap of the produce we gave out this year.
See the attached spreadsheet. Not too bad for the first year with no tomatoes and minimal eggplant and peppers. Keep your eyes peeled for a survey about this year - pick up times, produce you wish for, work experience, communication, etc.

Thanks for all your positive support!
Brenda

News from the farm - Week of October 20, 2009

Annual Meeting
You are warmly invited to the annual meeting of the Friends of Boulder Knoll at 7 pm on Thursday, October 22, in the Old Chapel at Elim Park, 140 Cook Hill Road in Cheshire.  We will review and celebrate the past year, elect this coming year’s Board of Directors and officers, and discuss plans for the coming year.

Work needs
I have been away for a few days but am back now ready to get the garden ready for next year. If you can spare a few hours during the week or the weekend, please let me know.

I am planning to be at the farm during afternoon hours for the next few weeks in good weather. I do have some flexibility, so if you would like to come out in the morning, please email or call me (home 393-1245 or cell 645-1734). We need to spread manure and compost on all the growing beds, pull out and compost plants, take down trellises, plant cover crop, mow, weed and put wood chips on paths.

Garlic Planting
Stay tuned for info about this November event.

Extra Share
Thanks to all those who took the opportunity to receive an extra week of veggies from the farm. We opened this up to those on the waiting list after you signed up. We will receive over $250 in donations from existing members and friends for this (very cold) effort. If you haven’t sent your donation, please send a check made out to Friends of Boulder Knoll to PO Box 1329, Cheshire, CT 06410. 

Compost
Keep it coming! We want kitchen waste including coffee grounds, egg shells, paper towels and napkins. I’d welcome leaves too (no large sticks please). Please place new stuff on the far right side of the bins. 

Thanks to all of you, especially people who have come out to help even after they’ve put in all of their requisite hours and Fellis, who knows just when I need a hot cup of coffee, a muffin, or a warm veggie treat.

Brenda - Your exuberant and sometimes chilly farmer

Friends of Boulder Knoll Annual Meeting, October 22

Dear Friends of Boulder Knoll:

You are warmly invited to the annual meeting of the Friends of Boulder Knoll at 7 pm on Thursday, October 22, in the Old Chapel at Elim Park, 140 Cook Hill Road in Cheshire.  We will review and celebrate the past year, elect this coming year’s Board of Directors and officers, and discuss plans for the coming year.

If you are not currently a member of the Friends of Boulder Knoll, we encourage you to join!  The Friends of Boulder Knoll has as its primary mission the education of the local community about responsible uses of open space.  Our current role is to work with the Town of Cheshire on the lease for the farm, to raise funds to help pay for all of the materials needed for farming, to plan programs for education and outdoor experience for a wide variety of audiences, and to work closely with our farmer on the Community Supported Agriculture program.

If you come to the annual meeting, please pay close attention to volunteers and signs directing you where to park.  Elim Park is quite specific about parking.

I hope to see you on October 22!

Sincerely,
Kim Stoner, President, Friends of Boulder Knoll

UPDATE: Fall ABC Celebration Location Change

Hi folks,

Because of the threat of thunderstorms, the Fall ABC Celebration to benefit Friends of Boulder Knoll will be held at Greg Melville’s home at 474 Maple Avenue on Saturday, October 3rd from 10 AM - 6 PM, and  on Sunday, October 4th from 1 PM - 6 PM. Call 439-7003 or 988-1844 for further information.

Art by Bruce Dumas, spring bulbs and Peace Preserves will be available for purchase on both days. Information about Friends of Boulder Knoll, the Boulder Knoll Farm, Energy Solutions and CSA membership will also be available.

The community potluck will be postponed until Sunday, October 4th, and will be held at Boulder Knoll Community Farm (800 Boulder Road in Cheshire) from 12-2 PM. Bread from Wave Hill Farms will be provided.

Hope to see you this weekend!