A letter to our community 

January 17, 2023

Greetings Waltham community,

Over the last 4 weeks, there have been discussions and a vote before the City Council that will, if implemented fully, restrict Waltham Fields Community Farm access to critical areas of the property at 240 Beaver Street. These areas are vital to WFCF farming operations at this location that we have farmed and operated for nearly 30 years.

We have received several inquiries from community members in Waltham and beyond seeking the same understanding: How do these proposals before Waltham City Council impact WFCF? We have written the below to provide transparency and offer an understanding of 3 critical areas:

1. What are the restrictions being proposed?
2. What impact could these restrictions have on WFCF current use of the land, and our ability to address food security for Waltham families?
3. A timeline of WFCF farming operations.

Summary of Proposed Restrictions

There is a small area, unrelated to WFCF current farming operations, that requires addressing at 240 Beaver Street. We would like to emphasize that WFCF understands and fully supports the need to remediate the area that requires attention. However, the area that is proposed for closure is over 15 acres, which is much larger than the small, unfarmed area that needs remediation. The potential loss of soil, fields and infrastructure due to restrictions proposed by the City would be devastating to WFCF operations.

Impact of Restrictions (ie: things WFCF will not be able to do): Operational Impact

  • Access to walk-in coolers and wash station, where produce is washed, packed and safely stored (Area 2)

  • Access to equipment currently housed in Area 2 in 4 sheds, 2 quonset shelters

  • Access to greenhouses in Area 2

  • Access Learning Garden infrastructure (Area 2), including a16’x26’ indoor educational space and a storage shed

  • Ability to hold year-round education programs in the Learning Garden (Area 2) which serves approximately 1500 youth, 600 of which are Waltham residents

  • Ability to host our annual Seedling Sale in May, a very popular event that serves the Waltham community

Impact of Food Distribution via Food Security Programs

  • Ability to distribute the 33,000 pounds of produce to hunger relief and nutrition programs that benefit Waltham and local residents through:
  • WFCF Mobile Outreach Market in partnership with Waltham Housing Authority
  • Waltham Family School - harvested 758 pounds of produce in 2022 for 40 households in the ESL program o Waltham School Nutrition Program- provided produce to supplement 4,300 meals weekly over 14 weeks which resulted in 60,200 meals in 2022
  • VegRx Program in partnership with Charles River Community Health in Waltham supported by Mount
  • Auburn Hospital and the Cummings Foundation o WFCF subsidized CSA share program
  • SNAP and HIP transactions at our farmstand
  • Food For Free
  • Waltham Boys & Girls Club
  • WFCF Subsidized CSA Shares

Impact to Food Distribution via CSA

  • Ability to distribute food to over 550 households through WFCF’s CSA Summer and Extended CSA shares

Timeline of Farming Operations

A farm as complex as WFCF must abide by a strict calendar to produce consecutive seasonal harvests. The following timeline illustrates WFCF’s scale. The proposed restrictions will derail our ability to maintain this calendar of business operation on the soil we have been building and nourishing for decades.

January

  • Order of seeds for the full growing season.
  • Begin hiring seasonal employees and securing workshares, a total of 38 positions.
  • Soil regenerating compost has been delivered in early January and waiting to be applied on all previously cultivated soil.
  • CSA registration opens to the public.
  • Winter Learning Garden programs active in Area 2.
  • Winter maintenance on farm equipment in Area 2.

Early February

  • Potting soil for seedlings is delivered, stored and utilized from Area 2 for the entire growing season.

Mid-February

  • Staff begin to seed trays in the greenhouses, located in Area 2, for our annual seedling sale and for transplanting into the fields.
  • Adult and family workshop programs begin in the Learning Garden.

March

  • Greenhouse heat and electricity is on for tender seedlings. o Volunteering begins to support our operations.
  • Successive seeding occurs on a daily basis through September.

April

  • Begin transplanting the seedlings to the field.
  • Begin direct seeding in the field for crops intended for CSA and hunger relief programs. o Transplanting and seeding continues through September.
  • Spring Learning Garden programs are active.

May

  • Two greenhouses are at 100% capacity, housing 188,000 seedlings by mid-May. 20% of which will be sold at our annual Seedling Sales and generate approximately $40,000 worth of seedlings for local residents.
  • Farm stand opens to the public.
  • High tunnel contains lettuce for the farm-to-school meal program for Waltham Public Schools.

June

  • Begin harvesting and distributing CSA and VegRx shares over the next 20 weeks. o Summer Learning Garden programs are active.
  • Food donations begin weekly.
  • Farm-to-School program begins.

July-August

  • Mobile Outreach Market begins and serves exclusively Waltham residents experiencing food insecurity.
  • Greenhouse production continues and by the end of July 100% of the farm's fields are in active production.

September-October

  • By mid-September, 311,000 seedlings had been raised in the greenhouses.
  • Farm Day is hosted on October 14.
  • Fall Learning Garden programs are active.
  •  Public school field trips begin.

November-December

  • The Extended Season CSA program occurs over 6 weeks. o Last field harvests occur in December.
  • Learning Garden programs continue through the end of year.

Please also know that through our business transactions, WFCF actively supports local businesses, including True Value, Agway, AlphaGraphics, Creonte Tire, FastSigns, Don’s Service Center, Joes’ Manufacturing Co., among others. We also have long-standing relationships with many local corporations and foundations that provide both financial and volunteer support. WFCF also provides immersive, educational experiences for Waltham Public School students and Waltham Recreation Dept learners, exploring and enriching their understanding of environment, agriculture, food production and local food systems.

WFCF’s mission is to cultivate sustainable and equitable relationships between people, their food supply, and the land from which it grows. For nearly three decades, WFCF has maintained this critical mission in partnership with the residents and families of Waltham who recognize WFCF as a vital source of nutrition, food security, learning, connection, and joy. We hope that you will want to see WFCF’s operations continue intact for all who benefit, and we look forward to working with you to ensure that we continue to have access to the land and facilities that make what we provide to the people of Waltham possible.

I am pleased to discuss WFCF operations, timeline, and community impact if WFCF is denied access to farmed land, agricultural and educational infrastructure.

Respectfully,

Stacey Daley
Executive Director, Waltham Fields Community Farm

We know how deeply WFCF's mission and programs are valued and needed by many in this community.

We see the ways in which you are showing up to support WFCF's long enduring stewardship of the prime agrictultural soil at 240 Beaver Street.

We are grateful for your tremendous contributions to WFCF.

We see you ALL.

You are the heart of WFCF.

Please seek answers and transparency.

The path will emerge.

 

2022-2023 Communications and Information: