In addition to participating in the Clover Food Lab’s Farmshare program, Flats Mentor Farm is offering  CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares locally in Lancaster.

Pick up: Mondays 4-6 pm,  at the World Farmers office at 769 Main St. Lancaster, MA 01523. 

Begins June 17th, ends October 14th 2013. That’s 18 weeks of incredibly fresh and flavorful vegetables! 

Full Share: $575

Half Share: $300

To sign up, contact Cara Peterson at cpeterson@worldfarmers.org or 203-314-5508.  Sign-ups end May 31st!

For over 25 years, immigrant farmers from different parts of the world have been growing culturally significant produce at Flats Mentor Farm. Many of these immigrant farmers are successfully translating their previous agricultural experience into small-scale enterprises at the Flats Mentor Farm and in the United States. Since 2005, farmers from six different African countries have joined the FMF community, which now consists of over 80 farmers.  This wonderful and diverse group of people comes together at Flats Mentor Farm with hopes to grow healthy food for their communities, connect with the land in a new country and gain extra income by selling high-quality produce. In 2012, World Farmers began efforts to establish a farmer marketing cooperative, which will assist farmers in selling their produce and offer a series of trainings in both beginning enterprise skills and fundamental agricultural methods to increase farmers’ capacity.

Interns will be responsible for activities involving crop production, produce distribution, selling at farmers markets, CSA distribution, direct sales to stores, website design and customer communications. This is an excellent opportunity for those desiring experiences in cross-cultural engagement, produce marketing and contributing directly towards healthier local food systems.  Interns will work in a range of environments, including the farm, the office and farmers markets.

Positions are part-time from early-May 2013 to late August 2013 with possibility of starting earlier in spring or ending later in fall depending on intern availability.

A valid U.S. Driver’s License is required to apply.

Experience in the following areas is preferred:

- Growing vegetables for markets using sustainable methods

-Selling at a farmers market or operating a CSA

- Maintaining a regularly updated website or blog

- Writing newsletters or conducting interviews

- Cross-cultural communication and sensitivity

- Knowledge of Swahili, Kirundi or Hmong languages would be exceptionally valuable

Please send a resume and cover letter to cpeterson@worldfarmers.org by March 1^st, 2013

Sign up for our CSA and learn more about Clover Food Lab at www.cloverfoodlab.com/csa/

Pick ups will be on Mondays at any of the three Clover Food Lab locations.
Cost of a full share is $580 and a half share is $300. Payment options are available on the Clover website. This year our CSA will begin in mid-June and continue to the end of October.

We are excited to offer our CSA customers an array of ethnic vegetables that would otherwise not be found in our local markets without traveling to the vegetable markets of Laos, Kenya and Brazil. Our shares will include varieties of mustard greens, pac choi, basils, peppers, peas, beans, squash, root vegetables and herbs, just to name a few of the over 40 vegetable varieties grown that will transform any home meal into a delicious exploration of other cultures and regions of the world. Easy-to-follow recipes will accompany weekly shares to help customers fully enjoy such a wide variety of produce.

We hope you will join with us to support diversified sustainable agriculture in Massachusetts!

Wishing farmers and their families worldwide a festive and joyful season of celebration. Please check back soon for a reflection on our accomplishments in  2012 and New Year’s updates!

Friday, October 19th, 2012
3:00 – 5 :00 pm

Flats Mentor Farm
Seven Bridge Rd (via Rt 117)
Lancaster, MA 01523

For more information, contact: Gennae Lynch
glynch@worldfarmers.org

978-733-0781

Visit us at: www.worldfarmers.org

When? June 11, 2012
From 3:00 to 7:00 pm
Where? Flats Mentor Farm
Seven Bridge Road, Lancaster, MA 01523

Program:

3:00 – 4:00PM – High Tunnel Construction: Ledgewood Farm
4:00 – 5:00PM – Growing in High Tunnels: FMF and Nuestras Raices farmers share experiences
5:00 – 6:00PM – Thinking Ahead to Fall and Winter: Crop Production and Health for extended-season presented by: Ruth Hazzard, Danya Teitelbaum and Amanda Brown
6:00 – 7:00PM – Farm Tour

For more information, please contact:
Farm Manager: Peter Jakubowicz
Phone: 978-479-0661
Email: info@flastmentorfarm.org

Here are some pictures of the event.

Flats Mentor Farm (FMF) in conjuction with Lutheran Social Services (LSS) and Nuestras Raices (NR) are proud to be part of this essential tool for all beginning farmers and their immersion into the farmers’ markets in the upcoming 2012 Season.

As soon as it becomes available, we will post the Videos here on our website in all 4 languages. It will also be available on youtube.com and in CD for those who would like to keep a copy.