PDF - Massaro Community Farm

2013 Year in Review
A message from our Executive Director
Executive Director Caty Poole
Massaro Community Farm
Board of Directors
David Schneider, President
Jon Gorham, Vice President
Amey Marrella, Secretary
Cathy Wick, Treasurer
Roxy Buda
Maria Kayne
Abby Keevil
Jason Morrill
Cathy Shufro
Alan Tyma
Jim Urbano
Trevor Youngberg
Community Supported
Agriculture (CSA)
Board of Directors
Suzanne Werth, President
Virginia Schneider, VP &
Treasurer
Suzanne Rosenberg,
Secretary
Tim Kelley
Jason Morrill
James Urbano
Steve Munno
Farm Manager
Caty Poole
Executive Director
As Massaro Community
Farm (MCF) enters its fifth
year, we are fortunate to
celebrate continued
abundance. As the
organization grows, I have
been privileged to grow
along with it, transitioning
to full time Executive
Director in 2013. As I
worked to increase MCF’s
presence in the
community, you were just
as likely to see me
weeding in the Learning
Garden or cooking in the
barn on CSA pickup days
as you were to see me
leading a school field trip.
I worked closely with our
many volunteers to bring
you events and
educational opportunities
that advance our mission
to preserve farmland,
provide food for the
hungry, and create a
place where the
community can come
together for learning,
inspiration, and fun.
building to be used for
much-needed tool
storage. And we saw our
community partnerships
expand with the
placement of FoodCorps
service member Eileen
Garcia at the farm.
One tangible result of our
hard work is that we
delivered four tons of
locally grown fresh
vegetables to the needy in
our community, an
impressive increase over
previous years. We drew
nearly 2,000 guests to
events, programs and
educational workshops.
We refurbished the 1931
Stone Barn, allowing this
for their service as
Secretary and Education
Committee chair,
respectively. The farm
also bade farewell to
assistant farm manager,
Aaron Taylor, who left to
manage his own farming
operation at the historic
Thomas Darling House on
the other end of town. We
welcomed Trevor
Youngberg, Alan Tyma
and Abby Keevil as new
Change has been an
inevitable part of MCF's
growth. This year,
founding board members
Paul DeCoster and Diane
King retired from board
service. We thank them
board members. Trevor,
an artisan and high school
art teacher, has
contributed to the farm
with his handiwork in
pottery and wood crafts.
Alan is a practicing
attorney who has served
on the boards of Griffin
Hospital and the Valley
Community Foundation.
Abby, a high school
student, will serve as our
Youth Board Member.
I don’t know if the
Massaro family could
have imagined their farm
as it is today. But farm
neighbors say they’d be
pleased. We realize that
small farms face an uphill
battle; we aim to be part of
the solution through
careful land management,
education, engagement,
and by meeting our
primary commitment to
serve our community by
feeding the hungry.
Keep Farming. Feed People. Build Community.
Notes on Farming
Farm Manager Steve Munno
This year, our fourth growing
season, was Massaro
Community Farm’s most
bountiful yet. As of year’s
end, we are on target to
produce nearly 60,000
pounds of organic
vegetables, with nearly
8,200 pounds going to local
hunger relief organizations –
BH Care, Jewish Family
Services, Ansonia’s
Salvation Army, Woodbridge
Senior Services and the CT
Food Bank. This major
increase on the farm was
largely due to the hard work
invested last year in
preparing an additional 2.5
acres of land, expanding our
total cultivated land area
from 5 to 7.5 acres. In
addition to the increased
food donations, we upped
CSA subscriptions from 150
-22013 Year in Review
to 175, became a regular
vendor at CitySeed’s
Edgewood Park Farmer’s
Market on Sunday
mornings, and expanded
our relationships with local
restaurants and markets.
Not only have we been
able to increase the
quantity of produce
harvested and distributed
from the farm during the
regular season, but we
have also been able to
extend the season by
using our greenhouse,
high tunnel and two
movable tunnels. There is
a need and a demand for
local produce throughout
the year, and these tools
have helped meet some of
that demand, as we’ve
progressed to harvesting
nearly every month of the
year. May through
October is still the heart of
the growing season for us,
but we are thrilled to be
able to offer produce
nearly year-round. Our
efforts thus far have been
very well received.
In 2014, with the help of a
grant from the CT
Department of Agriculture,
we will work to reclaim
and restore at least five
more acres of land that
had been overcome by
invasive species during a
period of inactivity on the
farm. Our hope is that the
work we will do next year
will allow for an increase
in cultivated land
production in 2015.
Fun and Learning at the Farm
A camper takes notes on the trail.
A field trip class gets a soil lesson
from Louisa Cunningham.
Now that the Dairy Barn
renovation is complete, and
the Learning Garden has
been built and planted, we
finally have suitable space
for conducting programs for
people of all ages. The
farm's educational
programming calendar this
year had something for
everyone, from workshops
on organic land care,
beekeeping, and herb
gardening, to cooking
demonstrations, to our twoweek summer camp. We
even hosted a movie
screening in late August and
stargazing on a beautiful
early November evening.
In collaboration with
experienced teachers, we
formalized a school field
trip program that both
entertains and educates
elementary age students.
Word is spreading and we
expect to host many more
groups at the farm next
year. Aspects of farmbased education flowed
over into summer camp,
where children spent many
happy hours in the
Learning Garden exploring
insects, soil, and plants.
The children thoroughly
enjoyed harvesting
vegetables including
tomatoes, basil, beans and
kale, which became part of
their daily snacks.
Both campers and
students explored the
newly expanded nature
trail that winds through the
farm’s woods and
wetlands, along with the
new Butterfly Garden,
designed and planted by
local Girl Scouts and
financed with a donation
from the Garden Club of
Woodbridge.
No matter your age or skill
level, you can look
forward to more at the
farm as we pursue our
mission to build
community. Check our
website for current
program listings in 2014!
-3-
2013 Year in Review
Where We’ve Been…
Guests enjoy farm-fresh vegetables and local meats at our 3rd
annual Dinner on the Farm.
Massaro Community Farm
continues to grow and
prosper, thanks to
government grants and
donations from individuals
and foundations. MCF
raises funds to support
staff, educational
programming and events,
the restoration and the roof,
windows, door, and
stabilized the framing.
Next year we hope to
construct an equipment
storage shed, a new
structure that will allow us
to safely store all of our
valuable farm equipment.
We’ve been told that the
for sale – all at bargain
prices. There were
workshops on growing
herbs and owning chickens,
and a guided hike on our
expanded Nature Trail. But
the highlight was the
Maypole Dance, led by Bill
Fischer. Forty dancers,
aged 3 to 73, wove colored
ribbons around the 25-foot
high pole. In spite of the
clouds, the spirit of the
dancers couldn't have
shone more brightly.
A family shows off their
scarecrows and pumpkins at
Family Fun Day
Family Fun Day attendees show off their
scarecrows and painted pumpkins.
Labor Day Weekend
brought our third annual
Dinner on the Farm. This
farm-to-table dinner, ably
catered by Chef Denise
Appel of Zinc Restaurant,
has grown in popularity,
attracting 185 guests this
year. Of course, dinner
featured fresh-picked
Massaro produce, in
addition to local meats,
wine, beer -- and
moonshine! This year we
added a silent auction
offering carefully selected
goods and services donated
by generous locals. Be sure
to get your tickets early for
the 2014 dinner because it
will surely sell out again.
In October, we celebrated
the harvest at Family Fun
Day, featuring pumpkin
painting, hayrides,
scarecrow making, and
family friendly games.
The children enjoyed a
magic show, gorgeous face
painting, and bicyclepowered spin art. Food,
music and a spectacular fall
day were the perfect
ingredients for a memorable
family outing.
We hope you will join us at
one – or all three – of our
major events next year.
Friends gathered to complete our first ever Maypole Dance at
this year’s Celebrate Spring.
maintenance of all farm
buildings (farmhouse,
barns, greenhouse, high
tunnels), as well as
operating costs such as
insurance and utilities.
farm’s three major events - Celebrate Spring,
Dinner on the Farm, and
Family Fun Day – are
becoming community
traditions.
This year's major
construction project was the
restoration of our 1931
Stone Barn. With a
matching grant from the CT
Trust for Historic
Preservation, we replaced
In May we hosted
Celebrate Spring. In
addition to Farmer Steve's
organic vegetable
seedlings, perennials from
Woodbridge Garden Club
members' gardens were
Cardamom carrot truffles, beet salad galette and henhouse
puddin’ line the table at Dinner on the Farm.
Our Supporters
Harvest Donors
($10,000 or greater)
We gratefully acknowledge our supporters to date, listed below. If we have
inadvertently misspelled or omitted your name, please accept our
apologies and let us know by calling the farm office at (203) 736-8618.
James and Kathleen Alber
Julie Altman
Sandra Alpert
Citizens Bank/Royal Bank of Scotland
Amity High School Environment
Crippled Children’s Aid Society Fund
Club
Paul and Judith DeCoster
Amity Motors
F&J Urbano Company Builders, Inc.
Tony Anastasio and Lisa Oak
First Church of Christ-Woodbridge
John Anderson and Garrett L. Stack
Jinny and David Schneider
James and Margaret Andreassi
Diane and James Urbano
Phil and Alison Arnold
The Werth Family Foundation
Marvin and Gloria Arons
Chris Anton
Seed Donors
Celeste Asis
($5,000 or greater)
Sara Ann and Hillel Auerbach
Cynthia Baldelli
Anonymous
Barbara and Jay Baldwin
Judith and Chandler Clark
Jane Baljevic
Clement and Clare Clarke
Debbie and William Barbieri
The Curran Foundation
Mary Lee Barker and Robert
The Early Family Foundation
Perelman
Fair Winds Farm- The Latronica Family Thelma Batiancila
Ellis A. Gimbel Trust
Jonathan Beauchamp
Randy Holden
Dawn Beckert
Perry and Katherine Southerton
Margaret Bednar
Curtiss and Eunice Thompson
Andrew and Katie Behr
Dave Berg and Robin Golden
Cultivator Donors
Gerald and Barbara Berg
($1,000 or greater)
Beverly Bettencourt
Nan Birdwhistell and David
BIC Corporation/Mario and Gaby
Rothberg
Guevara
Mark Bisset and Debra Taubner
The Law Offices of Buckley & Wynne
Seth Black
Tom Enders and Elise Thoron
Frances and Thomas Blackman
Jane F. Curran Charitable Trust
Monika and Paul Bloom
Jones Family Farms, LLC
Anne Boucher
Diane King
Maria Brandriff
Laticrete International, Inc.
Sam and Tina Bridgers
Lock Stock & Barrel, LLC
Mike and Pat Brines
Berit Lytle
Elizabeth Brochin
Manhattan Kids Club (II/III)
Jill Brostrom
Susan Matheson and Jerome J. Pollitt Mark and Vicky Burford
Meisenheimer Foundation, Inc.
JoAnne Burger and Michael Caplan
Moore Family Fund
Vincent and Linda Calarco
Jason Morrill and Sheri Cifaldi
Joseph and Virginia Calistro
Northeast Medical Group
Rita K. Cammisa
Suzanne Rosenberg and Jeff Axt
Patricia and A.J. Cardozo
Southern Connecticut State University Cathy Wick for Woodbridge
Mary Evelyn Tucker and John Grimm
Chase Bank-Woodbridge
Robert Udelsman and Nikki Holbrook Jordan Cohen
Wells Fargo Bank
Michele Cohen
Yale-Griffin Prevention Research
Connecticut Basement Systems,
Center
Inc.
Connecticut Stone Supplies
Donors
Peter B. Cooper
A-1 Toyota
Harriet Cooper
Peter and Harriet Aaronson
Kathleen Coords
Lockhart Adams, dba Edible Nutmeg
Lindsay Cotlier
Ann and John Adamovich
Hyla Crane
Clark Crolius and Victoria Nolan
Joy Cunningham
Louisa Cunningham and William
Kelly
Cusick & Company, LLC
Francis and Linda Cwanek
Lorri and Andy Danzig
Susan and Alan Davidson
Susan Daymon
Deakin Edwards & Clark LLP
Sharon de Kadt and Chris Keevil
Agnes Dekarz
Shirley Dion and Jerry Clupper
Jane and John Dixon
Dan Donovan
Marie and Ray Dube
George and Diane Dumigan
Terri Eblen and Stuart Green
Constance Ecklund
Michael Egan
Joseph and Laura Elman
Heidi and Marc Eisenberg
Jody Ellant and Howard Reiter
James Evans
Pat Evans
Barbara Fabiani
Edward and Mareta Fagan
Richard and Sharon Feingold
The Feinstein Foundation
Robert and Elaine Feldman
Lorenzina Ferrante
Fred and Sharon Finkenauer
First Niagara Bank
Lisa Flaherty
Norene Foster
Bill and Judy Foster
Lawrence and Paulette Fox
David Franklin & Rona Gail Shapiro
Greydon and Martha Freeman
The Freeman Group
Pauline Garceau
Garden Club of Woodbridge
Kathryn and Howard Gartland
Gerber Family
Michael J. Egan, III
Rev. Gene E. Gianelli
David Gibson
Josh and Betty Goldberg
Dianne Goodrich
Jon and Mary Gorham
Lucy Gorham
Jenifer Gorin
Andrew and Elizabeth Graham
Robert Grober
Cary Gross
Marguerite and Ira Grudberg
John Hayes
Phyllis Hedberg
-4-
Beth and Allen Heller
Tim Hemenway
Doc Hermalyn
William and Susan Hildebrand
Daniel and Mariette Hogan
Willam and Jo-Anna Holden
Karen Hluchan
Carolyn Hunihan
Kieran Hyland
Iatrodata Research Consulting
Douglas and Susan Israel
Susan Jacobs and Stephen
Skowronek
Linda and Jeffrey Jainer
Jensen Family
Mary Jersey
Kenneth Johnson
William N. Jones
Julianne Kaphar
Juliette and Mark Kaplowe
Kardea Nutrition
Judy Katz
Jeff Kaufman
Maria and Richard Kayne
Walter and Mary Kernan
Steven and Judith Kleinstein
Joan and Alan Kliger
Joann Knudson and Tom Handler
Michael P. Koskoff
Dr. Kenneth and Robin Kramer
Labowe-Stoll family
Robert and Carole Lamotte
Sylvia Land
Ruth Lapides
Michael Ledizet and Barbara
Kazmiercsak
Peter and Suzanna Lengyel
Robert and Shelley Levine
Lichtman Foundation
Larry and Lanie Lipshur
Maine Community Foundation
Bill and Janet Maley
Sarah Manheim
Inna Maranets
Peter and Erika Cleveland Marks
John and Amey Marrella
Carola Marte and Douglas Stein
Johanna Martinez
Leslie and Gary Martino
Patricia Massey
Martin Mattessich
Catherine and Robert McKernan
Linda Mehta
Harriet R. Meiss
Joel Mendez
Donald and Dana Menzies
Barbara and Melvin Mezoff
We gratefully acknowledge our supporters from inception through
November 30, 2013. If we have inadvertently misspelled or omitted your
name, please accept our apologies and let us know by calling the farm
office at (203) 736-8618.
-5-
2013 Year in Review
Vivian Merancy
William and Irene Miller
Alice Miskimin
Judith Moore
Sue Morazzini
Georgia and Jim Morgan
Marilyn Moss
Katherine Munno
William and Debby Munno
Steven Munno
Andrea Munno Weiden
Girin Munshi and Joyce Narden
Viswa and Pramila Nathan
New Haven Dental Group
Herbert and Edna Newman
Janice Ninomiya
Ron Novick
Maureen O'Brien
Marilyn Olsen and John Bachelder
Dan and Jeanette Oren
Judi Osterberg
Our Lady of the Assumption Church
Mary and Frank Palermo
Pina Palma
Ghislaine and Joseph Palumbo
Mark and Angela Pantalone
Kate Pegnataro
People's United Bank
Craig Percy
Julie Perlman
Kathy Perrego
Catherine Poole
William Purcell
Minna Raffin
Jessica Ramos
Philip Ratner
John and Linda Reilly
Charles Rivellini
Robin River and Raquel Colby
William Root and Emily Cosenza
Irene and Les Rosenbaum
Lori and Claude Roy
Myron and Jane Rudner
Jeanne and Paul Russ
Ryan & Tyma LLP
Jim and Mary Leigh Sabshin
John Sabulis
Sheila Saltzman
Emily and Ken Sandberg
B Lance Sauerteig
Ellen and Bob Scalettar
Norm Schaaf
Tanya Schneider and Brian Linton
Toby Schneider
Alan and Marsha Schwartz
Kathryn Scrimenti
Gene Shannon
Edward Maum Sheehy
Paula Shemitz
Cathy Shufro
Bernard and Barbara Siegel
Edward N. Silver
David and Judy Skolnick
Solar Youth, Inc.
Donald and Kathleen Sorensen
David and Laura Speranzini
Samuel Spielvogel, Trustee
Alinda Stanley
Laura Stansel
Pina Palma and Jeff Stanton
Jeffrey Stein and Pam Zeller
Sandra Stein
Gaeton and Geraldine Stella
Harold and Sandra Stern
Rachel Sutin
Christine and Thomas Tambis
Eric Tashlein
Lydia Theys
Neil and Rebecca Tishkoff
Michael Tomlinson
Robert and Janice Touloukian
Town & Country Liquors-Bethany
Meg Tramuta
Carolyn Tucker
Michael and Robin Tucker
George and Roger Uihlein
James Verinis and Marie Shayna
Cohen
Eugene and Mary Vitelli
Wachovia Bank
Richard and Janet Wade
Kenneth Ward
Jean Webber
Carol Weitzman
Celeste Wells
Peter and Wendy Wells
Suzanne Werth and Family
Cathy Wick and Robert McLean
Tracy Wittreich and Jeff Gee
Barry and Carolyn Wolff
Sandra Wolin
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Woodbridge Running Co, LLC
Stephen Wooters
Donna Wrubel
Trevor and Marlys Youngberg
Beryl Yudkin
Michael and Linda Zeller
Marsha Zellner
Owen Zimmerman
Ron Zlotoff
Special Grants
CT Department of Agriculture
CT Trust for Historic
Preservation
Community Foundation of Greater
New Haven
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Valley Community Foundation
In-Kind Donors
Amity Wine & Spirits
Antonio’s
Denise Appel and Donna Curran/
Zinc Modern American Kitchen
Broken Arrow Nursery
Jane Burbel
Burpee Seed Company
Caseus Bistro & Fromagerie
Chabaso Bakery
Stephany Cousins
Betsy DeMarco
Garden Club of Woodbridge
Geraldine Shaw
The Green Chicken Coop
Green well Organic Tea & Coffee
Hy's CT Limousine Inc.
Jacqueline Lewin
New England Brewing Co.
Orange Fence
Oliver Nursery
Amy Jean Porter
Savino Vineyard
Schiller Grounds Care Inc.
Graziella Patrucco de Solodow
Solun Tapas Bar & Restaurant
Chris Sorenson
Starbucks
Stop & Shop-Amity Store
Subway
Tristar Products Inc.
Truelove Farms Inc.
Waterfield Farms
Westport Country Playhouse Inc.
Wholesome Wave Inc.
Williams Sonoma
Trevor Youngberg
A special thanks to 2013 Dinner on the Farm Sponsors
Gold Leaf Sponsors
Silver Leaf Sponsors
Citizens Bank/RBS
The Law Offices of
Buckley & Wynne
Lock, Stock & Barrel, LLC
Northeast Medical Group
Mario & Gaby Guevara/
BIC Corporation
Southern Connecticut State
University
Wells Fargo Bank
Cathy Wick for Woodbridge
Bronze Leaf Sponsors
A-1 Toyota
Amity Motors
Alan & Marsha Schwartz
B. Lance Sauerteig
Chase Bank-Orange
CT Basement Systems
CT Stone Supplies
Deakin, Edwards & Clark, LLP
First Niagara Bank
Iatrodata Research Consulting
Kardea Kitchen
Laticrete International, Inc.
Leslie & Gary Martino
New Haven Dental Group
People’s United BankWoodbridge
Ryan & Tyma LLP
Susan L. JacobsAttorney/Mediator
The de Kadt/Keevil Family
Town & Country LiquorsBethany
Woodbridge Running Co.
-6-
Mark your calendar
for these 2014 events:
MCF Annual Meeting
March 9, 2014
Celebrate Spring!
May 10, 2014
Summer Camp
At the Farm
August 4-15, 2014
Dinner on the Farm
August 30, 2014
Family Fun Day
October 4, 2014
FoodCorps in Service
We were thrilled to
welcome FoodCorps
service member Eileen
Garcia to Massaro
Community Farm in
September 2013.
FoodCorps, a new national
service program funded by
AmeriCorps, places
committed young people in
communities where free
and reduced lunch
enrollment is highest.
Eileen will be working with
students in Ansonia, with
the goal of achieving
FoodCorps' three primary
pillars - to improve school
food environments by
teaching kids about where
healthy food comes from,
to build and tend school
gardens, and to bring
quality local food into
school cafeterias.
2013 Year in Review
The arrival of FoodCorps at
the farm is an extension of
our existing affiliations with
the Valley Initiative to
Advance Health & Learning
in Schools (VITAHLS)
program and the Town of
Ansonia.
In 2013, Massaro
Community Farm hosted
numerous school groups
with a program that
encourages physical
activity, engages youth with
their natural environment,
and allows them to taste
new foods and see where it
comes from.
Eileen’s service term runs
through July 2014; however,
we look forward to an
ongoing partnership with
FoodCorps.
Eileen Garcia identifies horseradish
for a young farm visitor.
The generous support of
Griffin Hospital and Jones
Family Farm made Eileen's
placement at Massaro
possible this year. To learn
more about FoodCorps, go
to www.FoodCorps.org.
We Need Your Support
Massaro Community Farm relies on
contributions to renovate the farm
and run our programs.
How you can help:
Quinnipiac students relocate
compost bins on Spring Service Day.


Farmer Steve instructs Emmett
O’Brien students on harvesting kale.
Volunteer Your Time – join a
committee, help out in the
Learning Garden or field, or
assist us at an event. Contact our
Executive Director, Caty Poole at
[email protected] if you’re
interested.
Become a Donor – use our selfaddressed envelope to make
your financial contribution. Or,
visit our website and become a
donor online by clicking on ‘Get
Involved.’
 Give In Kind – the farm needs
donations of working tools,
equipment, and other farming
necessities. In particular, the farm is
currently looking for:
- A van or SUV that can be used
to make deliveries
- An additional tractor
- Smaller equipment, such as a
chainsaw
Massaro Community Farm, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization recognized by the IRS, and
contributions are tax-deductible, to the extent
allowed by law. Please consult your tax advisor
about your individual tax situation.
Massaro Community Farm, Inc.
41 Ford Road
Woodbridge, CT 06525
(203) 736-8618
MassaroFarm.org
Keep Farming. Feed People. Build Community.