Planning for the future

With Ward the farm steward gone at a Farmer's conference for the rest of the week, the residents began planning for the future. With the summer being so hot, one cannot help but wonder will this winter be just as cold? Therefore, the guys began stockpiling wood as well as building a shelter for the wood in the coming months when snow begins to fall. In the picture on the right you can see Joe M and Dan building the shelter, while on the right Joe S. and Brian D. are moving the wood closer to the shelter. Not pictured is Jim, who was an instrumental part of this process. Work doesn't stop on the farm when Ward's not around. Make sure you stop by the Hopkinton Farmer's Market tomorrow! We'll be there from 12-6pm with all you're favorites!

Lots of hay!

With over 400 bails of hay already tucked into the upstairs of barn, one would think that the haying must be done. But that is not the case. A few more fields to go Ward said after Monday saw the guys bringing in over 70 bails. In these pictures you can see on the left, Ward driving the tractor and bailing the hay. The hay goes into the machine and comes back in a neat twined regtangular prism weighing about twenty pounds. The guys on the right, Dan, Brian D, and Brian B, then load the bails onto the truck and they are brought down the hill to the barn. It's quite a process, and these three guys worked hard to get it all done in under an hour.

Residents learn a little history!

Last Thursday Night the residents of Dismas Family Farm, took a wagon ride through the canal district of Worcester. Part of the "Free the Blackstone Canal" movement, South High alumni and current students put on a wagon ride about the history of the canal. Throughout the wagon ride the students impersonate different people, giving their side of the story. The movement is part of a project calling for the canal to be "freed" from underneath Harding street, beginning a revitalization for the section of Worcester from Union Station to Kelley Square. While the guys were a little hesitant at first about the wagon ride, they enjoyed it and were even referencing the impersonated people in the fields the next morning.

Thank you Jericho Road!

Jericho Road has been a great addition to the Worcester community. At Dismas, when we launched our new Dismas Family Farm project, we set an agenda which included a goal of generating revenue from farm product sales, as a new way of powering the program financially. We assembled a great team including local churches, staff, and volunteers to push this project forward. Everyone we talked to seemed to have an idea they wanted to share on how to generate a profit, from starting a petting zoo and dog kennel, to housing horses and starting a Community supported agriculture model of farm. Luckily, Jericho Road helped provide some excellent advice by the way of short term committed volunteers who brought some diverse expertise to the table, and merged our efforts and ideas with practicable advice earned in the private sector. One volunteer helped create a blueprint for farm revenue that included experimenting with some crafts such as candles, wood products, soaps, and cheese. She worked with the farm manager on a herd-management idea to focus energy on reducing type of sheep for lamb production and wool. Another volunteer brought regular marketing expertise to the table at our regular meetings, helping to close the loop on what was practicable for this project. And finally, a craftsman helped Dismas staff experiment with several on-going ideas on what products could make the woodshop run by ex-offenders a success, including expanded birdhouse options, decorative tomato stakes, wood window planters, and toys for the holiday season. We have appreciated the committement of these volunteers in the sense that they helped to craft a direction for the profitability of the farm for Dismas.

Popcorn with a View!

Ever wonder where popcorn comes from? Well when you buy it from the Dismas Family Farm, it comes from atop our hill. The pictures you see are of our popcorn. Of course right now it would not be ready for you to throw on your stove in a pan with some oil, but it will be in a few short months. Soon, we will harvest the corn, then for several months we will dry it out so that come spring time, our newest batch of popcorn will be ready. I don't think the popcorn wants to be harvested though, right now its enjoying this amazing view atop the hill(See first picture). We also want to thank the Young Neighbors in Action group again, (Derek, Zach, Maria, Joey, Brighton, and Mike), for installing the wonderful fence that we are sure will keep the animals at bay and out of our popcorn. If you simply cannot wait for our popcorn, we do have one bag on sale, so stop on by the farm and we'll take you up the hill to check out the "popcorn view."

As you know it was a beautiful weekend and that meant that people flocked to the farmer's market. This week the market welcomed back many of its regular vendors who may have been turned off by the rain, the week before. Dismas Family Farm was there of course with a plethora of vegetables to sell. And sell we did. We even featured a drive by egg delivery, for those of our customers who simply could not leave their car. We'll be back in Hopkinton next Friday, hope to see you there!

Young Neighbors in Action bring the energy!

Dismas Farm residents work hard, but its been a little bit easier to work this week because of the help of the Young Neighbors in Action. While their work ethic is appreciated and welcomed, their enthusiasm and energy has been the greatest gift they could give to the farm. Everyday they come in ready to work! They are excited, and their smiles and songs bring a new life to the farm. Throughout the week they've been giving the barn a much needed facelift with a paint job. Yesterday, they were up in the fields lifting large bails of hay onto the truck. And today, they've been in the kitchen with Joe making candles for our upcoming farmer's markets this weekend. We could not have asked for a better bunch of young people to help work on the farm this week! Thank you!