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Wednesday, January 31, 2024
Greetings Farm Family,
I share this update on behalf of our entire Team, Staff, and WFCF Board of Directors. It has been a tremendously long week already, and it is only Wednesday!
This past Sunday, I gathered with our Board of Directors for our annual retreat. It was an energizing and buoyant session. We welcomed four new directors to the Board--all Waltham residents--who are passionate about our mission. You can learn more about Hannah, Adam, Tom and Sean, as well as Nathan, our Board Fellow from the Heller School at Brandeis, here.
We began envisioning the next thirty years for WFCF, starting with setting our priorities for the upcoming year and beginning to create our next strategic plan. Please know that we will refer frequently to the hundreds of community surveys to which so many of you graciously contributed in 2023.
On Monday, January 29, we received a license agreement for the land at 240 Beaver Street via email. Mayor McCarthy conveyed this document to the City Council on Friday January 26. It is our intention to sign the document promptly and hand deliver it to the City by 5 pm tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 1
The Assistant City Solicitor has already conveyed that the Mayor will not be able to sign the agreement until February 5; and then it must go before City Council on February 12. We will attend the meeting to witness the vote on the license, which if it passes, will also advance our building permit application to rebuild our greenhouses. The application requires Mayor McCarthy's signature. We are eager and fired up! The permit cant come too soon!
On Monday, January 29, our Board president received by mail a formal Notice to Quit within 10 days of January 25, 2024, when the letter was sent. This means that our team has until this Saturday, February 3 to entirely pack up our offices, remove our personal property, and to move out.
Our staff mobilized immediately--what an incredible team! -- and created a plan. At this very moment everyone is feverishly packing and boxing up everything that needs to go into storage. We have hired movers to come on Friday morning.
This Friday, February 2 will be an active day here, no doubt about it. But if you would like to gather with us as we bid farewell to our office and to the many memories created in this building, please feel free to stop by after noontime on Friday, February 2.
HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH US
MAIL: Our mail will be forwarded to a new post office box in Waltham.
PHONE: Our main phone line will remain active and function as a general mailbox for the entire team.
EMAIL: (Preferred) For the time being, email will be the best way to communicate with our individual team members. Email addresses are listed below next to each staff member.
OFFICE & WORK SPACE: We are working quickly to establish a temporary workspace so that our team can remain connected and aligned with our mission and programming.
WFCF's NEW Mailing Address! P.O. Box 540370, Waltham, MA 02454-0370
UPDATES ON OUR PROGRAMS:
CSA (Community Supported Agriculture): The 2024 CSA is moving forward as planned! News on the release dates for CSA shares will be coming to your inboxes soon. We promise. Find updates HERE
EDUCATION & ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS: Education & Enrichment Programs will continue as planned on the farm! Programs will take place according to schedule outdoors from the Learning Garden and MicroField with the Cottage to shelter us from less friendly weather. Find our Education listings HERE and all events listed HERE on our digital calendar. Find updates and program schedules HERE
Become a Member of WFCFNow is the perfect time to become a member or renew! YOU are the "community" at this "community farm" and your support of our mission and programs is more critical than ever. Please consider increasing your level of membership if able during this impactful time for WFCF. Join or renew. Membership levels begin at only $35.00! Membership Info HERE
Thank you all for your patience and support of our team through the incredible uncertainties and thank you in advance for bearing with us as we travel through the next few weeks and establish new work norms.
This past year has taught us to be patient, resourceful, and optimistic. With good intentions, we now turn our sights to where they should be looking, which is forward, and to our future.
Onward!
Stacey Daley and the whole team at Waltham Fields Community Farm
Waltham Fields Community Farm
(781) 899-2403
www.communityfarms.org
STAFF AND EMAILS (in alphabetical order):
Andy Andrews, Farm Manager Andy@communityfarms.org
Stacey Daley, Executive Director Stacey@communityfarms.org
Nadine Dyskant-Miller, Assistant Farm Manager Nadine@communityfarms.org
Jessica Herwick, Director of Education & Community Enrichment Jessica@communityfarms.org
Marla Rhodes, Volunteer & Development Coordinator Marla@communityfarms.org
Ana Strayton, Distribution Manager Ana@communityfarms.org
Trish Wesley Umbrell, Associate Director Trish@communityfarms.org
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