The Trustees of Reservations is launching a new educational program for young children based at its picturesque Powisset Farm in Dover. “Seedlings,” a hands-on, educational program for children age 5-7, is designed to open up the world of agriculture to young children. Participants will learn aboutlocally grown food from the field; harvest vegetables from our new Seedlings garden for their daily snack; and enjoy story time and other fun, educational activities.
According to Wil Bullock, the Trustees’ Urban Agriculture Community coordinator, “There is a growing disconnect between food and land in America. We hope that Seedlings participants will learn about the importance of farmland in their daily lives by connecting directly with roots, leaves and other edibles at the farm. It’s a lot of fun and an important foundation of knowledge for young people.”
The Trustees are leaders in farmland preservation in Massachusetts, having preserved more than 50 farms in just the past 10 years. The Trustees also offer agricultural programs for children at Appleton Farms in Ipswich and at Weir River Farm in Hingham.
Powisset Farm is the Trustees’ base of operation in the Charles River Valley. It is located on Powisset Street in Dover, adjacent to the Hale Reservation. With more than 100 acres of fields and forests, the farm supports a 200-share Community Supported Agriculture Program while also growing food for donation to area food pantries. Last year, the Trustees donated 16,000 pounds of food from Powisset Farm for hunger relief, with plans to donate more this year.
Enrollment in Seedlings is limited. The three-day program runs from 9 a.m.-noon on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Seedlings will be offered each week between June 24 and Aug. 14. For more information about the program, please contact Bullock at 781-784-0567, ext. 7012. For more information about Powisset Farm or how to become a CSA shareholder, please call 508-785-0339.