By Elizabeth Connolly
Hometown Weekly Reporter
A group of children and their caregivers gathered at Needham Free Public Library (NFPL) on Thursday, April 18th, to learn how to plant peas. Each participant was given a bag from the folks at Needham Community Farm (NCF). The contents included soil, a wooden spoon, some seeds, a couple of popsicle sticks, and four seedling cups. A tarp had previously, and very sensibly, been spread across the floor of the community room to prepare for inevitable dirt spillages.
Once everyone was settled and had received their bags, Farm Manager Avery Westa, Board Member Gayani Weeraratne, and Board Member Jane Evans walked the children through the planting process. A colorful slideshow presentation took place in tandem with the instructions. Though the group of attendees consisted of a wide age range of children, they were very attentive and did their best to follow the steps they were given. After the seeds were planted, they were given further instructions for taking care of the plants, which included watering them regularly, putting them in a sunny spot, and using the provided popsicle sticks to label them.
NCF is a local nonprofit organization that donates half of what they grow to those facing food insecurity in the community, though that’s not their only mission: they also provide many educational opportunities, such as this one, that teach sustainable growing practices. In addition, this is the second year that they are offering 150 raised garden beds for local residents to lease for seasonal, recreational use.
“I love that they do this,” commented one local caregiver upon exiting the program. “I think this is the fourth year it’s been offered, actually. It’s great because it teaches the kids how important farms are, introduces them to the growing process, gives them a bit of responsibility, and encourages them to share their crops with friends and neighbors. It’s pretty perfect!” she added as she and the children walked away with their prized plants.
For more information about NCF, including rental information and availability for the raised garden beds, visit NeedhamFarm.org. A list of upcoming library events can be found on NFPL’s website, NeedhamLibrary.org.
