Our next Community Work Day will take place on Saturday, September 16^th from 9am - 12pm as we work together to harvest all that fall has in store! Winter Squash and pumpkins are all ready to be collected. This year, we have over nine winter squash varieties overflowing their corner of the growing fields, and we need your help to collect each piece. Volunteers will learn how to harvest ripe produce, and about the best practices for storage. Lastly, we will break down these beds to make room for something new. Reserve your spot today!

Topping removes the green stalk from the onion bulb. Curing is necessary for onions to develop their flavor, and must be done in a dry, dark space with good air circulation: our upper dairy barn is a perfect fit.   

In the farm's current rotation, there is one large crop of onions each year: this year, 16,000 bulbs were planted!

After their curing period, a portion of onions are selected each week to sell and to donate. Check them out in the Farm Stand on your next visit! 

August is a rare time for the greenhouse, when for a few weeks there are less delicate seedlings than usual on its many tables .

Volunteers had a special chance to clean up inside and around the greenhouse as a result, filing up quite a few compost buckets while helping the building's infrastructure and pest control.

Just in time to plant some more seedlings!

Strawberry Fields will be here next year- but only if we can keep up with the weeds!

Join us on Tuesdays and help care for these beds for a fruitful future.

Volunteers of every age help our flower beds and stock the flower bar. The task goes quickly as these areas are especially abuzz with flying pollinators napping, flying, and enjoying a sweet snack. 

We are always grateful for volunteers who help out in the summer heat!

Between cutting, bagging, washing, weighing, and processing the seemingly endless garlic, there was a lot to do in August.

Volunteers were a huge help with these veggies over these busy weeks!

Tomatoes require a lot of attention, even after harvest. Our farmers have worked harder than ever this year to ensure the farm stand overflows with this iconic summer favorite. Volunteers are part of what makes this effort so successful: the constant sorting, scrutinizing, and squeezing ensures we donate as many tomatoes as possible and keep them from the compost. 

Our Natives program continues to grow, along with our team of Natives volunteers! 

Increasing the integration of natives along with our vegetable crops is a big undertaking, and volunteers are a key part of making that happen. Here, the team returns from weeding a young planting.

Mulching is a perfect activity for a hot and humid summer!.

After rearranging and replanting some plots, volunteers spread mulch around these young transplants to protect them from the intense heat of summer. 

Farmers and volunteers have an important goal when they are here: to keep our crops healthy, and to make a difference.

All of this hard work is paying off: we have donated over 6,200 lbs of produce to our neighbors in need through our pantry partners. 

August had a total of 19 lots of food donation, with one of the heavier ones pictured here. 

Every Monday, Second Chance Foods gleans, or harvests directly for donation.

Their team is passionate about rescuing food and minimizing waste, and we are always excited to see what meals they cook up with our produce. You can sign up through SCF and volunteer with them on Mondays to glean right here at the farm- or help them cook meals on Tuesdays, or clean, sort, or deliver nutritious meals!

Gleaning allows us to share our bounty with all, and ensure as little goes to waste as possible.  

SCF volunteers handle the harvest in the field, and washing and bagging up the produce they collected to transport back to their kitchen. August's bounty was apparent when all of the produce couldn't fit in the usual one car, and a volunteer car, right, helped with the haul back.

We could not do what we do without volunteers! Volunteer Pete transports food to one of our pantry partners.

Slugs and caterpillars thrived these last few weeks, and were seen from field to pasture. Our hawk neighbors are as watchful as ever, and continue to supervise farmers in the early hours.