Last week, Stearns Farm had the pleasure of hosting a group of kids from Hoops and Homework and Pelham Lifelong Learning Center. We gave them a tour of the farm, where we highlighted the different gardens, our wash-up area, the fields, blueberries, and bee boxes. The group had an opportunity to try some herbs from the fields, pick some flowers to take home, and they even helped us harvest some of the potatoes you see in your share! It was a blast to meet them and to educate them about different vegetables they may not be familiar with as well as show them what growing on a larger scale looks like.
This was all made possible by collaborating with Safiyat Hamiss, founder of Tasty Harvest, offering garden design consultations, coaching, and education on growing food at home. Not only does she offer private consultations, Safiyat also runs workshops, private parties, and leads after school programs. Her passion about food and the environment is a huge motivator for this work and she gets a tremendous amount of joy when teaching and educating others.
Safiyat works with both of these organizations and helps manage the grow boxes at each of their sites. She leads workshops with the kids to show them everything that is involved from seed to harvest. With Safiyat’s help, we were able to accommodate this visit during the growing season to give the kids the best opportunity to see a working farm. Please check out her website and spread the word about the services she offers.
Hoops and Homework is “a safe and nurturing neighborhood-based after school program which expands opportunities for youth in Framingham”. The organization offer programs during the school year from 3:30PM – 6:30PM as well as during summer and non-school days from 9AM – 4PM. They involve kids in community engagement opportunities, health and wellness activities, and enrichment programs which can include field trips like the one they took to Stearns Farm. We’ve heard so many wonderful things about this program over the years and were thrilled to finally meet some of the kids.
Pelham Lifelong Learning Center provides a nurturing and inclusive environment for learners of all ages and backgrounds to continue learning from many experienced instructors. For youth, they offer opportunities for them to connect with their community to create friendships and help them feel empowered to develop successful post-grad plans. Their dedication to strengthening their community by creating a safe space for its members to gather and learn is a real inspiration and we’re so glad to have met some of them.
Stay cool out there!
Until next time,
Ember
