Hi Everyone,

 I smell spring in the air! No, wait a minute; it’s only the new scented computer paper we got for Earth Day. This Earth Day thing is getting a little bit out of hand. Everywhere you look there is an Earth Day celebration and even sales. Isn’t this just another form of exploitation of the Earth? First the non-renewable resources, then the renewable resources, and now the very exploitation itself is exploited for financial gain or fame and recognition. Where will this all end?  What can be done? Is there no hope?

 Join us for our Second Annual Earth Day Celebration here at the farm this Sunday, April 20^th, from 11 AM to 3 PM. This event is free to members. We will be showing three provocative films in our Education Center: A Crude Awakening- The Oil Crash by B. Gelpe (shown at 11 am), The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil (shown at 12:30 pm) and The 11^th Hour by L. DiCaprio (shown at 2 pm).  We will provide free pop corn.

 There will also be an Earth-friendly house and landscape tour/workshop hosted by Hilde Maingay and Earle Barnhart that will run from 11:30 to 1 pm. This activity is limited to 20 people and has a $10 fee.  Please call or email the farm to sign-up for this wonderful opportunity to see and learn about their amazing house, with a large attached greenhouse, surrounded by edible landscape.

 There will be a number of other activities taking place as well. You can bring your garden soil sample to the farm to have its PH tested by the Master Gardeners and get their advice on how to improve your soil. We will have a number of organic soil products available on sale at 20% off to help achieve your gardening goals. Farmer Stan and Farmer Ron will be giving farm tours to discuss this year’s planting strategies and answer your local food production questions. If you are nice to us we will discount our herb plants by 20% as well. We will have the Montessori program middle scholars conduct earth friendly crafts for the youngsters. A number of other groups will have tables set-up to provide useful information. The café will be open.

 While we are on the subject, I want to mention that the Waquoit Bay Research Reserve will be hosting an Ecological Landscaping and Gardening Workshop on Friday, April 25^th, at their Visitor’s Center from 0830 to 1500. You can register for this event online, by phone, or here at the farm on Sunday.

 We have also formed a new organization, The Coonamessett Farm Foundation, Inc, a Massachusetts not for profit research and educational institute. I will provide more details in the future about the organizations goals and objectives and how they will intermesh with the farm.

 We are in need of a farm truck; a large pick up or a small dump truck. If anyone can provide a lead on where we can get one please contact me as soon as possible. Our fleet has dwindled to one operational vehicle; my 1999 GMC pick-up.