LexFarm Update: Final Chance to Pledge for a Community Farm!

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Jeanne Lin

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May 23, 2013, 9:24:30 PM5/23/13
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LexFarm Update

May 23, 2013


Last Week to Pledge for the Community Farm!


carrot



A big thanks to everyone who has responded to our appeal for financial support to build the Farm!  This month, nearly 100 friends have given LexFarm their vote of confidence and generously pledged over $16,000.

Help us reach $20,000 and demonstrate strong community support by the time we submit our bid on June 3rd. If you pledge by May 31st, we will list your name in the proposal.

There is only one week left in this pledge drive.  Please read more and Pledge NOW to Build the Farm!  Help us do this important work!


 






Goat Yard Update

kidsAt two weeks old, Naya's three kids are healthy and adorable, spending short periods of time outside playing, gamboling about, and even practicing their nascent head-butting skills.  Provided they stand still for long enough, you can identify them by their size and markings: Snoopy (left) has the single spot on his back; Lilac (middle) is the smallest and mostly brown doeling. John Snow (right) is the one who is mostly white on his back and hind legs. (See if you can identify them as they run around in this video.) 

lilacGoat note: It appears that humans aren't the only ones who use "baby talk" - close listeners may notice that Naya's bleats to her kids are different from the typical adult vocalizations.

The Goat Yard will be open on Sunday, May 26th for visitors from 1 - 3 pm; LexFarm members free; we suggest a $5 donation from others.


"Let's Get Growing"

Thursday, June 6, Busa Farm, 1 - 3 pm


girl with wormCome and bring your children to Busa Farm on Thursday, June 6th from 1 to 3 pm to inaugurate LexFarm's new children’s farm plot at the farm. Dress for a mess because this is a hands-on afternoon of actual planting. We will pick over the soil for rocks to be removed, mark off rows and plant sunflower seeds, transplant veggie seedlings and start some other vegetables from seed in our own dedicated children’s farm plot!

Read more here and sign up soon! Suggested donation of $5 per child.



Discovery Day in Lexington

Saturday, May 25, Waltham Street Municipal Parking Lot, 10 am - 3 pm

discoveryLook for the giant veggies to find LexFarm's tent at Discovery Day. Catch up with the latest news as we close in on submitting our bid for the community farm! Bring the kids and plant a seed to take home and grow! Hope to see you there!


LexFarm Presents:
Genetic Roulette:The Gamble of Our Lives Film Screening

Monday, June 10, Cary Library, 6:30 pm

genrouletteJoin friends and neighbors in attending this screening, sponsored by LexFarm and nourish, on the health disadvantages of eating genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the negative effects it has on our food system.  A discussion will follow hosted by Jack Kittredge, Policy Director of NOFA/Mass.  Free to attend.  Visit here for more information.




Membership Corner


Show Your Support, Become a member

A donation of $20.00 for an individual membership or $35.00 for a family membership will help us meet our current expenses and plan for the future.  You can sign up online here or send a check payable to LexFarm at P.O. Box 554, Lexington, MA 02420. If you have any questions, contact Brenda Netreba at membe...@lexfarm.org.


Wild Edible Plant Series

This series covers wild edible plants found in New England as told in Russ Cohen's book, "Wild Plants I Have Known... and Eaten."  If you haven't had the chance, take some time to read this delightfully informative book to find out more on wild plants for sustainable eating.

Note:  If you are unfamiliar with harvesting wild edibles, please consult a plant expert before attempting to forage on your own.

Part Sixteen: Black Locust

blacklocustThe Black Locust tree (rabinia pseudocacia) is an invasive species that originally came from the Southeast and was brought to these parts for its rot-resistant wood for making fencing posts.  It typically grows up to 60 feet high, has furrowed bark, blue-green, egg-shaped leaflets, and branches with thorns, which are not a concern when harvesting its flowers.  Black locust trees are commonly found near roads or field edges and when in bloom, black locust flowers give off an aromatic smell that is distinctive, especially when biking or driving by with the windows down.  For the most part, the black locust plant is inedible and poisonous with the exception of its flowers.  The best time to harvest them are within the few weeks leading up to Memorial Day.  They are easiest to pick from reachable branches.  Black locust flowers are white, similar in appearance to pea flowers, and grow in clusters, emitting a sweet, jasmine-like smell that make them appetizing.  When harvesting, only choose the aromatic flower buds, which means they have still retained their flavor.  In case you miss peak harvesting season, you can always go up to southern New Hampshire where they still might be available.  They are great to eat in raw form, are sweet in flavor, and can be added to baked or fried desserts.    


Further Thinking

For those who haven't had a chance to catch many food and farm-related TED Talks, Foodtank.org has come up with a list of 24 TED Talks About Food Worth Watching


We welcome your feedback

Please write us at newsl...@lexfarm.org with your feedback regarding the Update or if you have suggestions for area events that we can announce.

Jeanne Lin and Allison Moody


Membership Corner


Wild Edible Series

Part Sixteen:  Black Locust


Further Thinking

"TED Talks about Food"

Area Events

Note: member prices refer to membership in the organization hosting the event.

May 25, Foxborough, 9 am - 3 pm
Making Simple Cheeses
This workshop provides a general understanding of how milk is made into cheese and what to look for when selecting milk for cheese-making. The workshop is primarily hands-on, demonstrating what the milk and curds and cheese look like at each step of the process. Learn to diagnose and fix problems during the process to produce delicious cheeses, even if things don't come out precisely as intended.
$70 non-member, $65 NOFA member

June 2, Newton, 2 - 4 pm
A Kitchen Knife Workshop
Learn which knives all cooks should have and how to use them like the pros!  Under the expert tutelage of David Marks, owner of Stoddard’s (America’s oldest cutlery shop) and  local chef, Chris Hallahan of Lumiere, you will learn how to cut,  chop, dice,  and slice all sorts of vegetables – from the common onion to the Jerusalem artichoke.  Bring along your favorite paring and chef’s knives and you’ll leave knowing how to sharpen and maintain them for optimal performance.
$30 non-member, $27 Newton Community Farm member

June 5, Newton Community Farm, 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Jam and Jelly Making
Just in time for flavorful spring fruits, learn to make jams and jellies to enjoy all year!  You will learn the steps to make a luscious strawberry rhubarb jam, including bath processing, and also about tools for the home jam and jelly maker.  you will go home with two jars of jams and jellies, and recipes to get you started.  Take advantage of the strawberry season!
$30 non-member, $27 member

June 9, Boston, 9:30 am - 3 pm
Third Annual Tour De Hives
Join fellow bike and bee enthusiasts for Boston’s yearly bicycle tour of urban bee hives. You will start the day in Boston Common and to create 2 “swarms” heading to 2 different hotel rooftop apiaries (in North End and Copley). You will then make your way to the South End, where you will visit the only urban honeybee research lab to discuss with Noah of BestBees the state of his research on honeybee health.  Your final stop in Fenway will combine a presentations about queen rearing and community outreach with visit of hives in an educational apiar, a light lunch provided by the organizers, an Inflatable Beehive (sure to delight all ages) and honey tasting.  Join for a single site demo or spend the day touring by bike from hive to apiary as you gain insight into urban beekeeping. Total mileage from start to finish is just about 6 miles.
$10 suggested donation

June 15, Newton Community Farm, 9 am - 12 noon
The Mid-Season Bounty and Thinking Ahead
Weeding, harvesting and tips on how to dry and store your harvest. Check in with your compost system and begin to plan for your late season harvest.
$45 non-member, $40 member



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Board members

Janet Kern, President
Ken Karnofsky, Vice-President
Derek Moody, Treasurer
Nancy Gold
Jay Luker
Brenda Netreba
Betsy Pollack
Charlie Radoslovich
Josh Vatsky
© 2010-2013 LexFarm. All rights reserved.
P.O. Box 554 • Lexington, MA 02420 • 781-325-4170in...@lexfarm.orghttp://lexfarm.org
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