Foxboro YMCA Launches Community Farm Project on Mechanic Street

The Invensys Foxboro Branch of the Hockomock Area YMCA launched its Healthy Futures Community Garden earlier this summer for its second season. The farm grows produce as part of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program where families purchase a share of produce and each week pick up their bundle of fresh produce at the farm.

YMCA Youth & Community Wellness Director, Caitlin Hurley, added something new to the Community Garden this summer.

“This year we piloted selling plots at the farm for families to grow their own produce, teach their kids about farming, and be active spending time together as a family!” Hurley adds, “We give the family’s healthy recipes each week and the kids think it’s really neat that they get to grow their vegetables and then go home and cook and eat them!"

Fresh produce from the farm is also delivered on a weekly basis to the Foxboro Food Pantry.

The Healthy Futures Community Garden Farmer, Christy, has created a fun and educational atmosphere for the YMCA summer camp kids who visit the farm weekly. Teen Frontier campers have helped weed and harvest as well as created an opening in the woods for a lunch and relaxation area that will eventually become an outdoor "classroom".  The first grade campers have a weekly responsibility of helping with the produce in our raised garden beds located at the Foxboro Y and are growing their own beans to donate to the food pantry.

The farm has volunteer hours every Tuesday and Thursday from 8-11am and 4-7pm. It is located on 200 Mechanic St. across the street from the Foxboro Animal Hospital. Please contact Caitlin Hurley at caitlinh@hockymca.org with any questions or to volunteer.