First Ever Melrose Urban Farms Tour!

Do you have a vegetable, fruit garden or farm animals you are raising that you would like to showcase in our Urban Farms Tour?

The very first Melrose Urban Farms Tour will take place on Saturday, June 25th, severe weather date, June 26th.  We are searching for some of the finest urban farms in Melrose.  The tour will showcase edible gardens (traditional vegetable gardens as well as vegetable and fruits incorporated into a landscape garden), chicken keeping, goat rearing, and beekeeping.  As you walk through the tour, you will find information and tips on how to grow your own edible gardens, how to take care of farm animals in an urban setting, learn about beekeeping, seed saving and the Seed Library, composting, and have the opportunity to buy plant and more.  If you have an urban farm that is worth showcasing, let us know.

The Sally Frank’s Farmers’ market is hosting the tour in an effort to partially fund 2 paid positions at the farmers market – a SNAP Coordinator and Market Coordinator.  These individuals will be at each market during both the summer and winter farmers markets.  The farmers market brings fresh, healthy, locally grown food, grass fed meat, and eggs from Massachusetts farms, locally caught fish and prepared foods. We take SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, aka food stamps) and match up to $10 making fresh healthy food available to a part of our community who have trouble accessing it.  The farmers market is a place to find healthy food, learn about preparing food at home, and saying hello to your neighbors in a pretty park setting.  It is made festive with live music, kid-friendly play areas, and events of different topics such as Ask a Master Gardener or bike repair events during the summer.  The market is every Thursday during the summer and one Sunday a month during the winter.
Some of the things we are looking for in an urban farm include how much food your garden produces for your family, how you take into account small spaces, how sustainable is your farm, and how pleasing is it to look at. For information about being on the tour, contact Maureen Elia by calling (781) 662-6309 or email melrosefarmersmarket@gmail.com.  For information about the farmers market and the paid positions we will be posting soon, contact Cindy Chabot by calling (781) 258-9635 or email melrosefarmersmarket@gmail.com.