Medway & Millis April 2020

Page 16 Medway & Millis Local Town Pages www.localtownpages.com April 2020
Spring Event Postponed, Gardening Underway at
Medway Community Farm
In these uncertain times,
which may be with us longer
than we first anticipated, it’s a
time to reflect on what we have
and what’s important to us. I’ve
been asked why Medway Community
Farm is so important to
me - which is hard to answer
with a word or two. The fact
that Medway had the foresight
to purchase land and keep it as
open space for the benefit of all
our residents is what first drew
me to the farm. As a nurse,
I’ve seen firsthand the benefits
of fresh air and fresh food and
I knew it was an organization I
wanted to be involved with. But
there are so many more benefits
than that.
Locally grown food, first
and foremost, provides food
that is healthier. Locally grown
is described as food grown
within 100 miles of you, usually
purchased at farm stores,
farmers’ markets, and through
community supported agricultural
(CSA) programs such as
the one at our farm. The taste
is superb because the vegetables
can be picked when ripe and
supplied fresher. In addition,
the longer food remains in storage,
the more vitamins are lost;
especially the essential vitamins
such as C and B which are so
critical to maintaining a healthy
existence. When food needs to
be transported any distance, it’s
not picked at its optimal ripeness
so it can survive the trip; again,
another loss of nutritive value.
Many studies have shown the
benefits of eating more fruits
and vegetables in your diet with
effects such as reducing heart
disease, decreasing the risk of
cancer, maintaining a healthier
weight, and living longer. What’s
not to like about that?
Divorce isn’t easy.
The traditional, court-based approach often leads to more conflict,
strained parenting, and large legal bills.
You can have a better divorce. A divorce that is healthier for you
and your children. One that encourages problem-solving instead
of fighting. A divorce that doesn’t wipe out your finances with
legal fees, and won’t take years to finish.
The experienced mediators at our firm – all attorneys – help
couples avoid a divorce war through mediation, the collaborative
divorce process, and conciliation. Whether you are starting the
process or unhappy with how your case is going, we invite you to
contact us and consider a fresh perspective.
At the farm, food is grown
using organic practices. That
means no synthetic fertilizers
or chemicals, and we opt for a
no-spray method, dealing with
weeds and pests by tool or hands.
Yes, there are more weeds to contend
with, so the labor is more
intense and deer also seem to
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65 Holbrook Street, Suite 270
Norfolk, MA 02056
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love these vegetables, but fewer
chemicals are getting into your
body with every bite you eat! Decreasing
the use of chemicals in
our environment is better for the
land, the water, and all of us.
At Medway Community
Farm, we feel that providing
underserved markets with fresh
vegetables is important. We’ve
been delivering fresh vegetables
to the local food pantry for many
years and this past year, thanks to
generous donations, we’ve been
able to expand donations to all
of the food pantries in town and
the family shelter. We participate
in the SNAP and HIP programs,
which affords us another opportunity
to provide fresh vegetables
to those who truly need them.
Other reasons why I value
the farm is because money stays
within the Medway community.
Our education programs
that reach students of all ages
in both the grade and elementary
schools, our Community
Education efforts, community
outreach efforts, and all the opportunities
to volunteer are
made possible because we reinvest
in our community. This
provides for social connectedness
and a feeling of belonging
from the folks associated with the
farm. Come volunteer - it’s been
shown that gardeners live longer.
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/
article/20181210-gardeningcould-be-the-hobby-that-helpsyou-live-to-100
We’ve started selling our vegetable
shares, starting at the end
of April and running all season
into December. Already I’m
dreaming of fresh spinach, spring
radishes, fresh lettuce followed by
tomatoes, squash, eggplant and
beets. And tatsoi – who can get
enough tatsoi?
The more we can maintain a
healthy lifestyle including eating
fresh fruits and vegetables and
getting outside with nature, the
more resources your body has
to fight against infections and
illnesses when you need them
most. Stay safe, practice social
distancing, and as your mother
always said, eat your vegetables!
For more information, visit
Medway Community Farm at
https://www.medwaycommunityfarm.org/
and sign up for
the newsletter, or find Medway
Community Farm on Facebook!