Waltham Fields Community Farm has a goal of distributing a minimum of $80,000 of our farm-fresh produce through food access efforts. We do this through the following programs:

 

Donations To Food Banks

Charitable harvests are integral to the founding vision of Waltham Fields Community Farm. Since its germination in the fertile minds of an idealistic crew of gleaners in 1995, Waltham Fields Community Farm (WFCF) has distributed hundreds of thousands of pounds of organically grown produce to over 25 agencies within local communities. Our hunger relief efforts provide bushels of fresh produce to soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and nutrition education programs supplying healthy nourishment to people in need.

Often, WFCF vegetables are the only source of fresh produce supporting the nutritional needs of these programs. WFCF continually works with the programs we serve to tailor our crop plans to better serve the specific needs of participant populations.

WFCF's Mobile Outreach Market (MOM) 

WFCF's Mobile Outreach program started as a pilot project in 2008 with the intention of making our organically grown produce more widely available to community members in need of access to fresh and healthy vegetables. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, WFCF has worked to reduce transportation barriers for families and increase access to our locally grown, fresh vegetables. In a departure from previous years, and in collaboration with the Waltham Housing Authority (WHA) and WATCH CDC, our team distributes at community housing neighborhoods in Waltham and from the parking lot adjacent to the WATCH CDC office.

2023: We distribute fresh produce every Tuesday during the harvest season, from July 11 through October 3, 2023. We distribute at WATCH CDC between 3:30-4:15 and alternate between two WHA sites, between 4:30-6 p.m. We are thankful for the opportunity to deliver locally grown vegetables directly into the community and to build relationships with the residents at Prospect Hill and Chesterbrook neighborhoods and community members supported through WATCH CDC.

Visit this link for more information about the Mobile Outreach Market, or please contact Nadine at nadine@communityfarms.org

Farm-to-School Produce Distributions

In 2008, we formed a partnership with the Waltham Public Schools to distribute our farm fresh produce for use in the school meals program during the months of June, September, October, and November. Each month, we feature a different vegetable in conjunction with the Vegetable of the Month program created by the Food Service Department and Healthy Waltham. We work with the Food Service Director to pick appropriate types and quantities of vegetables to grow and are refining our plans each year. We make a programmatic connection to our farm-to-school efforts by coordinating a community-wide event at the farm, called Waltham Farm Day.  The community looks forward to this free event each year. We work closely with Healthy Waltham, the Waltham Public Schools, and the City of Waltham to bring Waltham families to the farm, and offer a variety of activities and experiences.

Subsidized CSA Shares

In 2009, we piloted our first subsidized CSA shares and are excited to be continuing the program.  We recognize that the price of a share is still too high for some households to afford and are pleased to offer half-price shares. These shares are largely funded by other CSA shareholders who generously purchase a Food For All Share, paying above the price of their own share in order to donate money toward half-price shares for others. To qualify for one of our subsidized CSA shares, participants must meet the federal income guidelines established for participation in the free/reduced school meals program, meaning they must be at 185% or less of the poverty line, which varies based on household size.

For more information about our subsidized CSA share program, please contact Ana at ana@communityfarms.org