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Urban Agriculture Week Calendar

Celebrate Massachusetts Urban Agriculture Week by attending an event near you!
three urban agriculture photo header

For more than a decade, the Commonwealth has supported urban agriculture producers with grant funding, technical assistance and state-wide conferences. Over $3.5 million has been invested in urban agriculture through MDAR’s Urban Agriculture Program. In total, 115 projects have been funded in 7 counties across the commonwealth for projects that increase access to fresh nutritious food, marketing, distribution and building productive green spaces in our state’s densely populated communities.

Learn how MDAR’s Urban Agriculture Program supports urban food production in Massachusetts urban communities here: www.mass.gov/urban-agriculture.

Governor's Proclamation "Urban Agriculture Week"

Week of August 10 - 16, 2025

Sunday - 8/10/25

  • City of Salem - Mack Park Farm Harvest Festival - 31 Grove St., Salem - 3:00 - 7:00pm
    • Support the Mack Park Farm's mission to provide fresh, local, food to the community! This is a family-friendly event at the farm that will feature live music, activities for kids, pizza provided by Bambolina made with Mack Park Farm produce, and a cash bar.
  • Somerville - Lemon Balm: Herb of the Month with Mo - Somerville Community Growing Center, 22 Vinal Avenue, Somerville - 6:30-7:30 pm.
    • Come spend the afternoon getting deeply acquainted with one medicinal plant each month! We’ll spend time getting to know each plant through drawing, taste, science, and stories of herbalists’ experience. This month at the Growing Center will focus on Lemon Balm. Bring your journal and leave with an in-depth account of botany, history, use, safety issues, preparation and dosage, and much much more. Registration link. For more events at the Growing Center, visit www.thegrowingcenter.org/2025.

Monday - 8/11/25

Tuesday - 8/12/25

  • Boston - The Food Project/UMASS Urban Agriculture Extension/The Trustees/Boston Food Forest Coalition/Wellesley College - Urban Soils and Lead: Exploring Best Practices
    • The Food Project, West Cottage Farm, 40 W Cottage St, Boston - 6:00-8:00 pm
      • Join us for an evening of learning about best practices when growing in urban soils and lead in urban soils!  There will be hands-on activities to demonstrate best practices and resources for testing your soil. Featuring The Trustees, The Food Project, Boston Food Forest Coalition, Dan Brabander of Wellesley College, and UMass Urban Agriculture Extension. The public is invited to this free event.
  • Everett - Everett Community Growers - Guided Sensory Farm Tour and Coffee Hour - Northern Strand Farm (on bike path BTW West St and Wellington St, Everett), 4:00 - 6:00pm.
  • Lynn - The Food Project, Volunteer with the Root Crew - Ingalls Elementary School 12 Collins St Terrace, Lynn - 1:00pm - 3:00pm.
    • Great opportunity to work with Root Crew, our most senior youth crew,  on the farm at Ingalls Elementary School. Stick around from 2-3 for snacks and a farm tour from the farm manager at this innovative and robust urban farm in Lynn.
  • Worcester - Regional Environmental Council (REC) - Tour of the YouthGROW Farm space and meet the teen farmers on The YouthGROW Farm - 42 Lagrange Street, Worcester. (in rear), 11:00am - 12:00pm.
    • As part of Urban Ag Week, youth farmers participating in the YouthGROW Program of the Regional Environmental Council (REC) will lead a farm tour and share about their experience farming in the city of Worcester. The REC is a Worcester based food justice organization that supports a network of over 80 community and school gardens, operates Farmers Markets and Mobile Markets in Worcester, Webster, and Southbridge, and supports youth leadership in the food system through the YouthGROW program. The YouthGROW Farm and youth program were established in 2003, on the site of a former vacant lot and dump site. This site has been transformed by two decades of young people into a thriving urban farm space. YouthGROW teens are employed in the summer through funding from the Massachusetts YouthWorks program.

Wednesday - 8/13/25

  • Everett - Everett Community Growers, Film Screening and Growers Panel Discussion - 471 Broadway Ave, Everett, 5:00pm - 8:00pm
  • Hyde Park - We Grow Microgreens - Celebrating Urban Ag Week at Our Farmstand -  21 Norton St., Hyde Park, 2:00 - 6:00pm
    • In honor of Urban Agriculture Week, We Grow Microgreens will host tours of the water conserving and energy efficiency features of the farm. Demonstrate how to grow your own microgreens. Give away a free grow-your-own microgreen kit at our farmstand. Showcase our new farmstand with soliculture solar panels. Construction was supported by grants from MDAR and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP). Teach about the research on beneficial bugs the farm has been doing through a United States Department of Agriculture grant.
  • Holyoke - Nuestras Raices - Nuestros Arboles Tree Planting Celebration Day - 2:00pm - 3:30pm, El Girasol Community Garden, 99 N. East Street, Holyoke, MA 01040
    • Attendees will gather at El Girasol Community Garden for a celebratory tree planting that honors our shared commitment to healthy, vibrant neighborhoods. Together we’ll celebrate the launch of the Nuestros Árboles, Nuestra Salud initiative, which promotes community-led tree planting and stewardship to improve health, strengthen connections, and create greener, more resilient urban spaces. Join us to celebrate, plant, and grow our collective future!
  • Somerville - Green City Growers - Seed to City: A Morning with the Growers (a "meet your farmer" event with elected officials) - 600 Windsor Place, Somerville, 8:30am - 10:30am.
  • Somerville - Groundwork Somerville - Get your hands dirty with Groundwork Somerville - South Street Farm, 138 South St., Somerville, 5:00pm – 7:00pm.
    • Volunteer Wednesdays are back at our urban farm! Come dig, plant, harvest, and build community — no experience needed, just good vibes and a love for the outdoors 🌿🧤🌻

Thursday - 8/14/25

  • GrowBoston - Announcing GrowBoston’s 2024-25 Grant Recipients and Celebrating Urban Agriculture in Boston - 2:00 - 3:00pm, BCYF Marshall, 35 Westville St, Boston
    • Join GrowBoston as they celebrate their 2024-25 grant recipients for their Fruit Tree, Capacity-Building, Design Fund, Innovative Food Production, Raised Bed, and Urban Agriculture Ambassador grant programs. Meet and greet the organizations that received funding and learn more about their work and the projects GrowBoston is supporting across Boston! In addition, there will be a tour of the Boston Center for Youth and Families (BCYF) Marshall garden, funded by GrowBoston. Please RSVP here.
       
  • Mattapan - Urban Farming Institute - Youth Day at The UFI Farm - 487 Norfolk Street, Mattapan, 11:00am - 1:00pm.
    • UFI Farm Teens are partnering with Thornton Street Urban Farm Youth to share skills, workshops, games, and resources. Join us for youth-led community tours, agricultural games, plant arts & crafts, herbal remedies and delicious local food, and hear about the programs that support youth jobs in the city. Learn about the world of bees from Bill Perkins of the Boston Area Beekeepers Association. UFI’s Urban Agriculture ambassador will be onsite to answer your gardening questions.
       
  • Springfield - Nordica St. Community Farm, Growing Healthy Soils Workshop - 7 Nordica St, Springfield, 4:00 - 6:00pm
    • Come join us at the farm for a free workshop on Growing Healthy Soil. As we all know, good soil is the foundation for growing healthy plants.  Many times our urban soils are depleted and our growing methods only deplete them further.  Using the farm as a learning lab, Jen Salinetti (farmer, Woven Roots Farm), Anna Muhammad (Food Access Director, NOFA/MA) and youth agricultural scientists from the Tapley Street Garden will teach basic soil health principles and how to build soil health into your gardening/farming practices. Facilitators will demonstrate mulching basics and simple soil health assessment techniques that you can use at home. Come with your questions and soil and growing challenges. Light refreshments served.
  • State-wide - Massachusetts Food System Collaborative - Urban Farmland Virtual Briefing - Virtual (Zoom), 10:00am - 11:00am

Friday - 8/15/25

  • East Boston - Eastie Farm Greenhouse, Eastie Farms Culinary Mushroom Farm (soft opening) - 9:00 - 12:00pm, 6 Chelsea Terrace, East Boston
    • Thanks to grants from MDAR and the Klarman Foundation, Eastie Farm built a culinary mushroom farm onsite! This farm will provide much needed protein to the local community through our CSA and other food distribution avenues. Come join us for a soft opening of the farm, learn about culinary mushrooms and celebrate Eastie Farm's newest addition.
  • Everett - Everett Community Growers, 10th Year Celebration of the Tremont St. Community Garden, 80 Tremont St., Everett, 6:00 - 8:00pm
    • Hosted by the Everett Community Growers, you are invited to the celebration. Enjoy a garden walk, dinner and drinks, games and family friendly activities.
  • Lowell - UMASS Lowell, Office of Sustainability/Rist Institute - Urban Heat, Forest Feast: A tour of UMass Lowell's' Rooftop Garden and Food Forest
    • Rooftop address: O'Leary Library (across the street): 61 Wilder Street, Lowell (parking address: 94 Wilder Street) - 9:00am - 10:00am
    • Begins with a rooftop garden tour in partnership with a Lowell-based hot sauce company, Craic Sauce, followed by a walk through the student-led Food Forest—a living classroom cultivated by faculty, staff, and students. Discover how green spaces and community collaboration are transforming our campus and our plates.
  • Springfield - Wellspring Harvest Greenhouse Tour - 10:00am
    • Tour the hydroponic greenhouse growing lettuce and herbs for commercial and institutional markets  and taste our new value added product, basil ginger lemonade using basil grown in the greenhouse.  Find out about our worker cooperative organization.  Also learn about the Go Fresh Mobil Market that delivers fresh produce to SNAP recipients using their Healthy Incentive Program across Springfield.

Saturday - 8/16/25

  • Greenfield - Chicken Chat with the Greenfield Chicken Collective and Yardbirds Backyard Chickens - 9:00am - 12 Noon - The John Zon Community Center Community Garden (at the chicken coop), 35 Pleasant St, Greenfield
    • Come chat chickens with members of the Greenfield Chicken Collective and Khrysti Smyth Barry of Yardbirds Backyard Chickens.  The Collective is a community-run flock, with multiple participant families who collectively care for the flock in return for a share of the eggs.  Come learn how it works and say hello to our feathered crew!  Handouts and chicken-keeping information will be available, and we would be happy to grab one of our girls for you or your kiddos to see one of these fluffy dinosaurs up close!
  • Lawrence - City Harvest - Growing and Sourcing Locally Grown Food - 10:00am – 12:00pm - The Community Garden at Lowell and Margin St. 107 Margin St, Lawrence.
    • Join Groundwork Lawrence team members, for an engaging, conversational workshop that explores the benefits of shopping locally, growing your own food, and supporting Farmers Markets. We’ll be sharing with the Lawrence community about farmers market coupons, HIP benefits, DTA tools, and how to locate nearby farms, markets, and community gardens in their neighborhood. The session will also highlight how to engage with GWL – Costello Urban Farm and summer programs that provide hands-on learning opportunities for youth. This interactive workshop invites participants to share experiences, ask questions, and discover new ways to connect with healthy, sustainable food sources in their community.
  • Lowell - Mill City Grows - Pawtucket Farm Community Garden Workday - 1413 Varnum Ave., Lowell - 9:30am - 11:30am
    • Will construct more communal beds for the Pawtucket Farm Community Garden. We will also fill beds with compost and build a shed for the new garden. The Pawtucket Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is a 22-acre property dedicated to Education, Conservation, and Food Access for Greater Lowell.

*If you’re attending activities and sharing on social, use hashtags:

  • Primary Hashtag: #MAUrbanAgWeek
  • Secondary Hashtag: #2025MAUrbanAgWeek           
      

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Contact

Online

Email Rose Arruda at Rose.Arruda@mass.gov

Phone

Call Rose Arruda at 617-851-3644

Address

251 Causeway Street Suite 500, Boston, MA 02114
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