On Saturday, Grow Food Northampton will hand out 125 community garden plots on a first-come/first-served basis at the Florence Community Center, starting at 9 a.m.
Grow Food Northampton is handing out 125 new community garden plots Saturday.
NORTHAMPTON — Grow Food Northampton is expanding its agricultural scope by the Mill River, leasing 1.5 acres of land to a “micro farm” that will grow gourmet greens and medicinal herbs.
A pioneer in the local food movement, Grow Food Northampton owns120 acres of rich farmland in Florence that were formerly part of the Bean and Allard Farms. Last year, it doled out 110 plots of land to individuals for use as community gardens.
It also leases land to Crimson and Clover Farm and Slow Tractor Farm to grow vegetables and grains. Those farms sell shares in their produce and also distribute it locally through farmers markets.
Last week, Grow Food Northampton announced it is leasing 1.5 acres to farmers Susan Pincus and Kevin Korb to create the first of two planned “micro farms” on the property. According to Lilly Lombard, the director of Grow Food Northampton, Pincus and Kolb were selected from a pool of applicants.
“They have identified solid markets,” Lombard said, noting that the farmers plan to sell their herbs to Haymarket Café, Evolution Café and the Cup’n Top restaurant, among others. The gourmet greens will include spinach, arugula and baby kale. They also plan to grow herbs for both medicinal and culinary use, perhaps even selling shares in the fresh herbs.
On Saturday, Lombard said, Grow Food Northampton will hand out another 125 community garden plots on a first-come/first-served basis at the Florence Community Center, starting at 9 a.m. The fee is $30 per plot per growing season, with discounts for low-income households and seniors.
In addition, Lombard said, Grow Food Northampton has invited Mockingbird Farm to graze cattle on its land in exchange for the manure, which will be used as fertilizer.