PEABODY — Hidden behind the storefronts and houses near 193 Lynn St. is 6 acres of farmland that’s City-owned and nonprofit-operated.
Some of that land, 2 acres, is contracted to Newhall Fields Community Farm: a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that aims to strengthen the community by creating access to nutritious vegetables and herbs through sustainable, regenerative agriculture, volunteer-powered farming and outdoor farm-based educational opportunities.
According to Director and Board of Trustees President Jeannette McGinn, 70% of all produce from Newhall Fields is donated directly to hunger-relief organizations on the North Shore. Newhall Fields’ produce can be found at Citizen’s Inn/Haven from Hunger, Beverly Bootstraps and The Salem Pantry.
She added that Newhall Fields offers bi-weekly, community supported agricultural-style farm share for pickup, as well as PopUp Farm Stands throughout the season. Produce is sold at affordable rates to ensure everyone can access fresh, nutritious food.
The PopUp Farm Stands provide community members with the opportunity to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Healthy Incentives Program (HIP) and Farmer Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) coupons close to home, particularly benefitting families experiencing food scarcity, senior citizens, and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) participants.
Next month’s PopUp Farm Stands are Sept. 4 and Sept. 18 from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.
Newhall Fields also collaborates with the Peabody Council on Aging to offer transportation from the Senior Center to the PopUp Farm Stand and back, ensuring seniors can access fresh, local produce during the FMNP coupon-eligible season from August through October.
McGinn mentioned that Newhall Fields’ “most unique space” is its herb garden, which features over 140 different varieties of perennial plants. She added that “it’s really built up the biodiversity on the farm because of the butterflies and pollinators.”
She said food-insecure families typically struggle to get access to herbs because they are very expensive and not often in food pantries, but Newhall Fields partners with a group called Chickadee Spice, which packages herbs to make teas, blends and spice blends. Newhall Fields also provides herbs to A&J King Artisan Bakers.
McGinn added that community members often come to write poetry or meditate in the herb garden. Since Newhall Fields is on public land, it is a public space. McGinn said everyone is always welcome, but she urged community members to be mindful of cleaning up after themselves.
In addition to the many herbs, Newhall Fields grows over 50 varieties of vegetables.
“The idea is to be able to grow food that people from different cultures might find that they can cook with and enjoy, like Asian eggplant or Thai basil, different things like that,” McGinn said.
Donna Qualters and Carol Palmer have both been volunteering at Newhall Fields for about five years. Palmer said she truly looks forward to Tuesdays and Thursdays, which is when she is scheduled to come help at Newhall Fields.
“What’s nice about it is most of these (vegetables) go to food banks and people on SNAP, and it feels good because I can go to a supermarket or a farm and pay for it, but they can’t, and it feels really good to have them know that what we’re picking is being used,” Qualters said.
Jazz Hunter, an intern from North Shore Community College’s horticulture program, said he really cares about good, quality food.
“This is a great way to be connected to the Earth, be connected to Mother Nature and just learn where your food comes from,” Hunter said about his work at Newhall Fields. “This is a great opportunity. I was super lucky to find this opportunity.”
Farm Manager CJ Hughes said she has “always felt a deep feeling of appreciation for food and a desire to be helpful to my community,” and working at Newhall Fields aligns perfectly with that.
“It’s just beautiful to see how many people want to get out and work together toward a common goal,” she said. “That just feels really fulfilling, and it’s fun.”
Newhall Fields Community Farm volunteer Pien Wijtmans harvests ground cherries at the farm on Thursday.
Newhall Fields Community Farm Director Jeannette McGinn shows off a handful of freshly picked ground cherries at the farm.
Newhall Fields Community Farm volunteer Pien Wijtmans carries a bin freshly picked ground cherries out of the field.
