Did you ever want to experience first hand working a farm?  Check out Farm School.

http://www.farmschool.org/programs.html

The Farm School
Sentinel Elm Farm
488 Moore Hill Road
Athol, MA 01331
978.249.9944
Children as well as adults can take part in learning what it takes to be stewards of the earth.

Multi-day residential school-year and summer programs for the over 1,500 young people and their teachers, a year-long program to train adults in practical sustainable agriculture, and an on-site one-room middle school.

Young people work the land and take home the cultural history, vital experience, and personal identity that farms nurture. Teachers work alongside their students and leave with new insights into their craft and children they teach. Adults learn to farm and carry essential knowledge from one community to the next.

Check out the Trustees Reservations for family fun this summer.

These Trustees offer children's gardens and family programs:

Weir River Farm, Hingham, MA
75 acre working farm.  You can visit a barnyard, volunteer in the market garden or check out the beautiful flowers that border the farm.

Appleton Farms, Ipswich and Hamilton, MA
1,000 acre working farm includes a 500 members community supported agricultural program.  You can take part in the Farm Field School and perform real farm work such as planting and harvesting the fields or meet the cows.

Long Hill, Beverly, MA
114 acre hillside farm, known for its gardens.  There is an apple orchard, children's garden and agricultural fields as well as a two acre organic vegetable farm run by the Food Project.   Check out the children's gardening workshops.

Boston Natural Areas Network Community Gardens (BNAN)
BNAN owns 40 gardens and helps coordinate activities related to all of the Boston area community and school gardens.  Community gardens are communally cultivated and cared for.

Powisset Farm, Dover, MA
110 acre farm includes 250 member community supported agriculture program.  Pick your own gardens or enjoy a picnic on the farm.

So get into the soil with some hands on experiences at any of the local farms listed. Dig in. Plant a seed.  Get dirty.

Berries!  My favorite.  Nutritious and Delicious!
Berries are soon to be ready for picking at your local farms.

Here are a few sites that are helpful in finding pick your own farm and locally grown farms:

www.pickyourown.org
www.massfarmstands.com
www.farmfresh.org
www.mass.gov/agr/massgrown/pick-your-own.htm

A favorite of mine is Tougas Family Farm in Northboro.
Call before you pick 508 393 6406.