|
|
|
|
We hope that this finds you well while a) social distancing, b) working and learning from home, and c) trying to remain healthy during this challenging time. As the season slowly turns, many of us are thinking about how our food is sourced, how to grow food at home and healthy cooking. This month we have some wonderful resources on all of the above, kicked off by the celebration of International Compost Awareness Week.
For all of you who are health professionals and essential service workers:
Thank you, be well.
|
|
|
In This Issue–May 2020:
- Lexington Kicks Off International Compost Awareness Week
- Lexington Farmers Market: Local Food Access During COVID-19
- Lexington Community Farm: Farm Stand Opens in May
- Lexington Field and Garden Club: Garden Tips via Books and Zoom Videos
- Cary Memorial Library and Chef Liza Conolly
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Town of Lexington was named the National Kick-Off Organization for International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW) 2020 by the US Composting Council Research & Education Foundation. Taking place May 3-9, 2020, ICAW is celebrating its 25th Anniversary.
|
|
The kick-off was held ‘virtually’ with a series of videos, photos and educational information shared on the ICAW social media sites. Lexington's work in composting was highlighted, including a tour of our yard waste compost facility, as well as videos from residents who compost food waste in their backyards or hire compost pickup services. Check them out: Hartwell Yard Waste, Curbside Composting, Backyard Composting.
|
|
|
|
Lexington is dedicated to composting yard waste and encouraging residents to compost food waste. Benefits of creating compost include:
|
- Increased soil health/quality
- Reduced pesticide and chemical use
- Reduced emissions from landfills and incinerators
- Single biggest step to reducing waste
|
|
|
|
|
The Lexington Farmers’ Market will be open this summer season. While the date of Opening Day is still to be determined and the 2020 market season is going to look different, our focus on direct access to local, healthy food, sustainably raised and carefully produced will remain the same. As we adapt to the precautions related to public gatherings, the market will be designed as an essential food access point, rather than the community gathering place you know and love. We are working with state and local officials and learning from the farmers’ market community in the process, and will be bringing you a better market for the times we find ourselves in right now. Keep an eye on our website, newsletter and Facebook for updates and for Opening Day information.
|
Local Food Access During COVID-19
|
While we work towards opening the summer market, the LFM is working to help you stay connected to your favorite farmers and vendors with delivery, shipping and retail pickups.
|
Go to “Find Local Food” for up-to-date information on how to continue to purchase directly from the LFM’s farms and local food producers, including weekly home deliveries from C&C Lobster and Fish, Copicut Farms, River Rock Farm, and Valicenti Pasta Farm and shipping offers from Curio Spice Co, Fork on a Road, Sweet Tahini, and The Roasted Granola. Newly added options include pick-ups of kombucha and krauts from Pigeon Cove Ferments in Gloucester and delivery of Bread Obsession’s delicious breads in partnership with Lexington resident and owner of Drew’s Stews. Find all this and more on our Find Local Food Page.
|
|
|
|
The LexFarm farm stand opens in May!
|
The 2020 season kicks off with our seedling sale in May. We warmly welcome you to the farm; however, we want to create a responsible market environment with appropriate safety protocols, so this is what to expect when you get here. Keeping everyone safe – our farmers and our customers – is our utmost concern.
|
- Please follow CDC guidelines while you shop.
- Please keep your distance from other shoppers. Please bring wipes, gloves and face mask for your own personal use.
- Seedling tables will be spread out at a safe distance in our parking lot so our customers can shop with social distancing.
- Please park on the streets across from the farm.
- Please limit the number of people who come with you.
The sale will be self-serve, but monitored and restocked, the weekend of May 9 & 10, then on weekdays (Monday-Fridays) through the end of May. Seedling names, care instructions and prices will be on the white tags in each pot and also posted on the sale tables.
|
The sale will be staffed the weekends of:
May 15-17 (Fri & Sat, 9:00am - 4:00pm; Sun, 10:00am - 4:00pm)
May 23-24 (Sat, 9:00am - 4:00pm; Sun, 10:00am - 4:00pm)
May 30-31 (Sat, 9:00am - 4:00pm; Sun, 10:00am - 4:00pm)
|
Checks and cash (exact change) can be dropped in the lock boxes hanging on the kiosk and next to the front door to decrease the number of interactions with staff. Please help us out by bringing a wipe to clean the box.
|
When staffed, we will have Credit Card and EBT readers available.
|
|
|
|
Learn How to Make Your Garden a Haven for Pollinators!
It is exciting to watch as interest in landscaping for pollinators becomes more widespread. But not all resources that purport to teach people about pollinator gardens are created equal. The Best Books page on the Grow Native Massachusetts website recommends the best print resources on all aspects of ecology and landscaping. As spring arrives and many of us find ourselves with a bit more time to read here are some of the Federation’s favorite guides to pollinators and gardening with pollinators in mind. Enjoy!
|
LFGC Zooms with the Library
|
|
|
Do you keep opening up your pantry looking for inspiration? Join Chef Liza Connolly in creating something delicious from seemingly nothing. She'll take everyday household food items and show us how we can make a yummy meal from just using our ingredients in creative ways. Connolly also talks about sources for locally sourced food from various markets that provide pick up or will drop off at your home.
|
|
|
|
|
Would you like to submit an environmental event or activity?
|
|
Please forward to your network!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
