COMMUNITY FARMS OUTREACH
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Mission Statement
Waltham Fields Community Farm, incorporated as Community Farms Outreach, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit farming organization serving Greater Boston. We are dedicated to fresh food assistance, sustainable food production, and farm-based education for youth and adults. We grow vegetables using organic practices and distribute them through donations to food pantries and meal programs, our special Outreach Market for low-income shoppers, farm-to-school efforts, and half-price CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares in addition to having summer and winter shares available for pick up on the farm in summer and winter. Additionally, we reach thousands of people each year through our Learning Garden education programs for youth, skills workshops for adults, volunteer opportunities, a farmer training program, and community outreach.
About This Cause
Founded in 1995, the mission of Waltham Fields Community Farm is to promote local agriculture and food access through our farming operations and educational programs, using practices that are socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable. We encourage healthy relationships between people, their food supply, and the land from which it grows. Our goal as an organization is to help people connect with their food supply in healthful and meaningful ways. It is no secret that many people in this country are disconnected from the sources of their food, in addition to having numerous diet-related health problems. Here in Waltham, the numbers are sobering – according to the Mass. Dept. of Public Health, which screened children across the Commonwealth from 2009 to 2011, fully 46% of the Waltham fourth-graders screened were classified as overweight or obese, while neighboring affluent towns had rates half this amount. As the report states, “overweight and obese children are at higher risk than their healthy-weight peers for a host of serious illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, asthma and certain types of cancer. Obese children already are being diagnosed with health problems previously considered to be “adult” illnesses, such as Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.” Numerous studies show that when people have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, they tend to eat more of these wholesome foods. Our goal is to provide that access. Food Access/Hunger Relief We provide 20% of our total harvests to low-income community members each year, amounting to about $80,000 worth of produce. These fresh, organically grown vegetables go to emergency and food access programs with regular donations to Food For Free of Cambridge and The Greater Boston Food Bank, farm-to-school programming, our own low-income weekly Outreach Market, and nutrition education initiatives. In addition, twenty low-income households participated in our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program at a half-price rate. These CSA shares, called Food For All shares. Our strongest food access effort, our low-income Outreach Market, is our once-a-week, subsidized outdoor market in Waltham that we initiated in 2008. The Market is targeted to the clientele of several social service agencies to whom we provide vouchers, as well as to neighborhood low-income residents. At the Market, customers can fill reusable bags with our fresh vegetables in exchange for one of our vouchers that they have received by participating in one of these partnering organizations. Local low-income residents may also purchase produce for just $5/bag payable with their SNAP/Food Stamp benefits, or with cash. Education Youth Programs: Our youth education programs got their start in 1998, when the Cambridge Adventure Day Camp approached us and asked about bringing their low-income urban kids out to the farm to see where food comes from and help them to establish healthier eating habits. We developed a special program for them that has since led us to convert a quarter-acre space on the farm into a Learning Garden that includes a sheltered outdoor classroom and basic solar kitchen for youth to prepare simple snacks and meals. We now offer our multi-session programming for families and children throughout the spring, summer, and fall, reaching over 600 youth. The Learning Garden programs at Waltham Fields Community Farm involve children in every aspect of growing food – from seeding to weeding to harvesting to cooking and eating. They are exposed to the daily work of our farm staff, and engage in a range of activities, focusing on food production, ecology, cooperation/team building, creative thinking, and problem solving though exploration and experimentation. These themes are taught using interactive lessons involving active play, active work, craft projects, journal keeping, and the sharing of experiences. Preparing a farm-fresh healthy snack or light meal is a feature of every program. Offerings include Little Sprouts for ages 2-4 with a parent/caregiver, Garden Explorers for 1st-4th graders, Farmer for a Week for 5th-8th graders, 4H Farm Corps for 8th-12th graders, Farm Visit opportunities for groups, and a Youth Crew paid jobs initiative for ages 14-16. Service Learning: We are well-served by over 700 volunteers each year who come as individuals or groups. Volunteers receive tailored education and the opportunity to really get into the work of a farm – providing us with direct help starting seeds, planting the fields, stemming the tide of weeds and other farm tasks. Volunteers also help in other ways, such as assistance with fundraisers or taking on special projects. Community Outreach: We host and participate in a number of public forums and events each year focusing on a range of environmental, food and agricultural topics. Our annual Farm Day event is a free on-farm festival held each fall, attracting many collaborating organizations to offer activities to over 300 attendees. Farmer Training: In addition to our own on-farm training program, we continue to play an important role in nurturing farmer development in the region. We have a strong partnership with the UMass Extension Vegetable Program, helping this team of experts based out in Western Massachusetts to offer educational opportunities for farmers in the eastern part of the State, including co-coordinating workshops on organic pest and disease management and farm safety. We also serve on the steering committees of both the Beginning Farmer Network of Massachusetts (BFN/Mass) and the Eastern Massachusetts Collaborative Regional Alliance for Farmer Training (eMassCRAFT). Land Stewardship: For more than two decades, we have been committed to organic farming practices that reflect responsible land management, with the goal of protecting our precious natural resources while providing for our region’s food needs. In addition to focusing on the land we lease directly, we put a lot of effort into helping others to preserve and revitalize local farmland. Over the years, we have provided free consulting for Powisset Farm in Dover, Mill City Grows in Lowell, Land’s Sake Farm in Weston, Lexington Community Farm in Lexington, and Brookwood Community Farm in Milton.