Sights & Sounds
Day-old turkeys, or poults, arrive this month from the hatchery. It’s a wonder these down-covered birds, which now fit neatly in the palm of my hand, will grow to three to four feet tall by Thanksgiving, and dress out somewhere between 15 to 25 pounds. In the meantime, they’ll have a good life chasing insects and romping around in our grassy pasture.
The observation bee hive has been set up in the workshop. Between glass panels, we watch the workers methodically building wax combs, which they fill with honey. A small plastic tube allows the bees to go outside and forage in the neighboring flower fields, pollinizing as they go.
Food & Products
June’s warmth brings on lots of leafy greens, like arugula, lettuce, and spinach, juicy sweet peas, the first of the root crops like the beets, and the first crops with zippy flavors, like radishes, scallions, and twisty garlic scapes. Our cut flowers beds come alive with snapdragons, zinnias, baptisia, and scented sweet peas. The heat also brings on a flush of weeds, so it’s a good thing that our summer program youth crews arrive at the end of the month to help us cope.
Programming
NCOF is known for its youth programming, including its popular summer programming, but we also have some terrific offerings for adults too, particularly this June and July. For full descriptions, fees, and registration please visit our website, www.natickfarm.org
Natick Community Organic Farm is a nonprofit, certified-organic farm located at 117 Eliot Street offering productive open space, farm products, and hands-on education to people of all ages year-round. Our 27 acres are open daily during daylight hours with no admission fee for your visits and purchases. Come down and see what’s “growing on!”
Trish Wesley Umbrell is the NCOF Farm Administrator.
Photos/courtesy of Natick Community Organic Farm
Issue Date:
June, 2017
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