Clagett Education Program: Back in the Wagon Again

Fall is officially here on Clagett Farm, and with the kids being back in school, that means that the Clagett Education Program is in full swing with another season! Our educators, Craig and Cindy, have been busy with students of all ages from area schools, teaching them about the Bay, the farm, and the environment.

We work with most school groups only once a year, but there are some classes we have the privilege of working with throughout the school year. One such group is Anne Hodges' First Grade class from St. Martin's in the Field in Severna Park. Once a month Anne's students meet with Craig and Cindy, as some of our youngest Bay stewards out there!

The first meeting with these young first graders was in early September on their school grounds. The students enthusiastically learned about the importance of trees as habitat and began to observe them closely for similarities and differences, learning to identify some. We finished off the morning with crayon leaf rubbings that the students put on display in their classroom just in time for Parents' Night.

We are all looking forward to our next meeting in October when we take the students down to the Severn River!

Pumpkins and Tomatoes

This week was “pumpkin week” in the share..... everyone, especially the children, enjoyed the collection of jack-o-lantern sized pumpkins.

This week is also the last week that tomatoes will be in the share. The plants still have many green and some ripe tomatoes available. So starting this Saturday, September 23, 2006, all the tomatoes will move onto the you-pick list.  On Saturday (or after) please feel free to check out the two tomato fields.

Cooler Day at the Farm

Tuesday was a beautifully cool day at the Clagett Farm. A wonderful change from the 100 degree weather we've harvested in several times this summer.

Carrie and Dave harvesting peppers.

Right now the share still includes "summer vegetables" like eggplant.

The time is not far off that the pumpkins, butternut squash and other winter vegetables will be ready for us to harvest.

For anyone who missed the Sweet Potato Greens (or didn't get enough) they are now on the you-pick list - along with many herbs.

Fall Fest at Clagett Farm!

Dear Friends of the Farm:

Mark your calendar and start searching through your recipe books…Clagett Farm’s Fall Fest is coming up quick on October 21^st.

This year we will continue to enjoy a pot-luck of delicious foods, listen and dance to Clagett Farm Educator/Director - Craig Highfield’s live Blue Grass Band, take part in a silent auction, decorate pumpkins and celebrate the fall season with children’s crafts and hayrides.

Silent Auction items are still needed...
if you have a treasure in need of a new home, know an artist who would like to donate a piece of artwork, have a delicious dish or other creative ideas that you would like to donate to the silent auction, please contact Susan Topping (toppings@cfoodbank.org) by October 13th to make arrangements.

Can’t wait to see you there! For peeks at previous Fall Fest's at Clagett, look under the “Events” category to the left of your screen and scroll down.

Oh Sweet Crimson!

Yesterday we harvested a little less than one quarter of our watermelon patch. 
The harvest day started out sort of like a long-anticipated trip with Dave as our
tour guide, driving the tractor so that we could load almost 1,000 watermelons
onto the wagon)!















In the two photos above, you see Kenji harvesting the Quetzali variety and
below that, Carrie and Dave harvest Crimson Sweet.





The watermelons are all perfectly ripe, sweet, and juicy! Be prepared to
take one in your share today (they each weigh about 3-4 pounds, though
some are smaller.)



With every heavy harvest comes the inevitable unloading. We spent quite
awhile loading the watermelons into bins so that they could be weighed and
stored properly. We hope you enjoy the refreshing treat during these last
days of summer!