By Kyle Alspach
ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted Mar 27, 2009 @ 11:28 PM
MIDDLEBORO —
A new organic farm in Middleboro and a farmers market in Bridgewater are set to debut this year, two signs that locally grown food is a growing commodity in the region.
The Dahlia Farm on Plymouth Street in Middleboro will offer organic vegetables and herbs, eggs from free-range chickens and cut flowers, said farmer Jim Reynolds.
People will be able to buy “shares” of the vegetable crop this summer, entitling them to an assortment of veggies each week starting in June.
Meanwhile in Bridgewater, organizers say a new farmers market will kick off in July at a Bridgewater State College parking lot on Spring Street.
Local farm advocates say it’s all a response to rapidly rising demand for locally produced food, for reasons ranging from health to climate change to food security.
“We’re realizing we can’t rely on the big farms in California or New Jersey anymore, that we’re going to have to think a lot more locally,” said Sarah Cogswell, a coordinator for the Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership in Wareham.
Cogswell was among the nearly 500 people who crowded into a Bridgewater State College hall on Wednesday to hear a talk from Michael Pollan, local food advocate and author of best-sellers “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” and “In Defense of Food.”
Pollan’s emphasis on eating “real food” — with little or no processing — is something that resonates with farmers such as Jim Reynolds.
“People are becoming more and more aware of what exactly is in the food they’ve been eating — that just because something has an FDA approval, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you,” he said.
The Dahlia Farm is located on the property of Reynolds Flowers, a business run by Reynolds’ family since the 1950s.
Reynolds, 46, and his wife, Michele, will be farming the land together this year. One acre is being devoted this year to vegetables, he said.
Another two acres are allotted for the farm’s 50 chickens, which are currently producing organic eggs for the Rockin K Cafe in Bridgewater.
Reynolds joins several dozen other farmers in southeastern Massachusetts growing food mainly for local consumption.
“There’s very much a movement of people becoming educated in what we’re eating,” he said.
Elsewhere in Middleboro, the Golden Rule Farm at Soule Homestead Education Center is planning to double its production of organic veggies this year, said farmer Frank Albani.
Growing demand for local food, Albani said, is behind the boost. Albani plans to sell some of the produce at the new Bridgewater farmers market this summer.
The town hasn’t had a farmers market any time in recent memory, said Arthur Lizie, an associate professor in communications studies at Bridgewater State who had the idea for the market.
“I really saw a lack of access to good local food around here,” he said.
Lizie is hoping five to 10 vendors will take part in the market, selling local foods including vegetables, cheeses and maple syrup.
The market will be held one afternoon a week in a college parking lot for commuter students. The day of the week hasn’t been finalized, but the market is expected to run from July through October, Lizie said.
“I just think it’s going to be a great opportunity to really engage the community,” he said. “We hope to let people know about good eating options that help themselves, help the community and the local economy.”
For more on the Bridgewater farmers market, e-mail organizer Amy Braga at amybraga@hotmail.com.
Kyle Alspach can be reached at kalspach@enterprisenews.com.
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