At LexFarm’s Goat Yard, we continually look for ways to improve our sustainable land use practices. We have a host of projects that we’d like to complete by the end of Spring, so we are expanding our Learn & Work Projects from monthly to twice monthly!

What: Learn & Work Projects (learn about sustainable farming and work on projects)
When: 2nd and 4th Saturdays, February-May, 10:30-noon
Where: LexFarm’s Goat Yard (park in Busa Farm lot at 52 Lowell Street and walk back to red barn)
Cost: Free (donations happily accepted)

Examples of upcoming projects include expanding compost system and preparing soil, fencing in, and seeding new growing paddocks in the Goat Yard.

Weather note for today: Don’t let the weather deter you — we’ll be at the Goat Yard from 10:30 to noon today building an expanded compost system. Come on over!

We have just been informed that our application for 501(c)(3) status with the IRS has been approved, almost one year to the date of our filing! This means, of course, that you may now donate as much money as you would like to LexFarm and claim it as a charitable contribution!

At LexFarm’s Goat Yard, we are embarking on a project to revitalize the soil to promote carbon holding and growth of forage material (such as clover) for the goats. This winter we plan to rearrange the Goat Yard to make room for three growing paddocks – and plant bushes such as forsythia around the fence-line as well.

We hope you will join us for this Saturday’s Learn & Work Project, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Together, we will jumpstart the revitalization effort by moving the goats’ large climbing structure closer to the barn and aerating the soil in the areas that will become the growing paddocks.

What: Learn & Work Project
When: Saturday, January 14, 10:30-12:00
Where: LexFarm Goat Yard (park at Busa Farm and walk back to red barn)
Cost: Free!
Bring: Digging forks (pitchforks) or shovels if you have them

If you peruse the news today, you will see none other than our own sweet LexFarm goats looking out at you from the Lexington Patch home page!

Click the link under the photo of our goats, and you will see that visiting the goats this Sunday is one of the Patch’s “Five Things To Do This Weekend.” So, come on over for visiting hours this (and every) Sunday, 1-3pm!

Yes, the LexFarm Goat Yard is open on New Year’s Day (Sunday, January 1), from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Ring in the new year with our wonderful Nigerian Dwarf goats!

Suggested donation: $2 per person ($5 per family). Please park in the Busa Farm lot at 52 Lowell Street, Lexington, and walk back to the red barn. We’d love to see you!


Great video from Patch (click on picture to play and read accompanying patch article.) We are thrilled that the word about the goat yard is spreading, and we’re beginning to realize our mission for farm-based education right here in Lexington, MA! Many thanks to Patrick Ball, editor of Lexington Patch.com for spending time at the goat yard yesterday and providing this great video for the community. We think we’re doing a great thing! If you think so too, please help support us by becoming a member…or “adopting” a goat!

Tonight was the 3rd annual “Luminary Night” in Lexington, sponsored by LexFUN and the Lexington Historical Society. The community was asked to “ help us set our historic landmarks and neighborhoods aglow.”  Here’s what it looked liked at the viewscape of Busa Farm at dusk.

For those of you who missed our presentation to Lexington’s Board of Selectmen, on Tuesday, September 13, you can watch it “On Demand” at lexmedia.org/ondemand.html . Go to ” Selectmen’s meetings” and choose “September 13, 2011″

Special thanks to Peter Barrer, President of Newton Community Farm,who joined us to help answer questions. And thanks to all those who have continued to support our efforts to bring a community farm to Lexington.

Here’s what Lauren Yaffee had to say about her experience at the Northeast Organic Farming Association Summer Conference this year. Lauren manages Meadow Mist Farm,  a wonderful small farm in Lexington.

“When the second week in August rolls around, my thoughts typically turn to the NOFA Summer Conference.  This year, as a result of a most generous scholarship funded by The Lexington Community Farm Coalition, I was able to attend the full three days of the conference.

Read the rest…

I’ve had a lot of fun the last few days trying to keep up  with different kids on farms, as LexFarm organized some education and volunteer programs at two farms.

First, on Thursday we had about 20 kids and their parents visiting Waltham Fields Community Farm for a Kids Farm Tour.  We separated into two groups according to age: I decided to hang out with the littlest ones. We learned about the “Fab Five” things that plants need to grow (can you name all five?), made hummous that included fresh-picked cucumbers, and did some planting in the Learning Garden.

Today, I met about 35 adults and kids down at Busa Farm and we helped harvest potatoes. There were very few people who knew what a potato plant looked like, so we had a fun time trying to identify all the wonderful vegetables, until Jane led us to the potatoes. For their hard work, everyone got to take home a half-lunchbag of potatoes.