See archaeology research in action!

Archaeology Site Visit at Gore Place
October 24, 25 & 26, 9am to 12noon
Visitors may observe an excavation and ask the archaeologists questions about how they do their work and what they are finding. The dig is part of the ongoing research by archaeologists from the Fiske Center at UMass Boston. Work this October and November will be on the site of the Gores' 1806 greenhouse. Please note, this event will not run in the event of steady rain. Free. This event is part of Massachusetts Archaeology Month. For a complete listing of events, visit Archaeology Month Events.

Archaeology at Gore Place

Students and archaeologists from The Fiske Center for Archaeological Research at UMass Boston are working just inside the entrance to Gore Place, where the Gores’ greenhouse was located. This greenhouse was destroyed in the 1850s and there are no photographs or drawings to show what it looked like (though the location and outline appear on two early 19^th century maps).

The goals of this project include opening a large excavation area to determine what type of greenhouse the Gores built here and defining several features around the greenhouse. Ground penetrating radar (GPR) was used to plan the archaeological excavation and in this project shows numerous features across the site including the greenhouse foundation, an exterior wall, and a large circular feature. GPR sends energy into the ground and records the reflected energy that comes back. Different buried objects and surfaces reflect different amounts of energy, giving a map of what is below the surface.

To keep updated on the progress of the excavation, visit http://blogs.umb.edu/fiskecenter

Farm dinners in September and October

Thursday, September 22, 7pm
and
Thursday, Oct 27, 7pm

This fall, Chef Sam Hunt will tantalize taste buds with a sumptuous meal served in the 1793 Carriage House using local ingredients including some from our farm.

Don't miss this opportunity to enjoy a world-class meal in this historic setting!

For more info, http://goreplace.org/farm-dinners.htm.

Lots of vegetables for sale at the farm stand!

Try some Gore Place vegetables today!! Available for sale this week: squash, eggplant, yellow wax beans, white and purple top turnips, onions, zucchini, purple peppers, frying peppers, hot peppers, and cucumbers.

What's happening at the farm this week?

In the back field, the pumpkin field was just cultivated and the field prepared for the winter rye cover crop. Some Waltham butternut squash is ready to be harvested.

In the north of cottage field, there's a lot that was ready for harvest this week: mustard greens, carrots, green beans, daikon and green meat radish. Come down to the farm stand to get some!
We also had a group of preschool children learning about harvest visit the field and pick green beans and carrots. They had a fabulous time finding out where their vegetables come from.

Lamb meat for sale

In August, 9 lambs and 1 adult ewe from our farm were sent off to Adams Farm Slaughterhouse in Athol, MA, a USDA-inspected facility. You can now buy frozen lamb meat at the Gore Place farm stand. Shoulder roast, whole leg, shanks, riblets, loin chops, rib chops, stew meat, and ground lamb are being sold between $8-12 a pound (depending on the cut).

The lambs were pasture-raised and fed grass and grain.

On sale at the farm stand this week

Harvested this week: Purple top turnips, green beans, cucumbers, leeks, eggplant and yellow wax beans.

Tomatoes are starting to mature, so look out for them as well!

Purple top turnips

Kids are busy on the farm

What have our farm program participants been up to this week? They've been learning all about plants and animals, taking part in farm chores, and having tons of fun!

Hoeing the soil in preparation for planting radish seeds

Feeding the chickens

Picking green beans in the back field

What's happening at the farm this week?

In the back field, the cabbage has all been picked. The summer squash, cucumbers, and eggplant are being harvested. And finally, the string beans are in flower and should be ready next week.

In the north of cottage field, it's time for some new plants. Red bunching onion and beet seeds have been planted.

For sale this week at the farm stand: eggplant, summer squash, cucumbers, cabbage, and garlic!

On sale at the farm stand this week

Get your red and green cabbage, summer squash, Japanese and Italian eggplant, parsley, and kale!

Aaah....rain!

The back field has no way of being watered except by rain or by hand (like, with buckets of water). The conditions had been very dry on those two acres, but finally the rains came this weekend and re-energized the field! Things are looking good for the squash, cucumbers, eggplant and other vegetables for now.

187 years ago, Christopher Gore was having similar issues with his farm. On July 3, 1823, in a letter to his friend Rufus King, he wrote:

Strawberries & cherries are abundant & fine. Indian corn very
backward and unless we have rain soon, our potatoes will be few.
The last rain we had, of any quantity, was in May.

My Farm at Waltham in the news!

We've had three different articles about the Gore Place farm and gardens in the news just this week! Check them out:

Getting back to the garden at Gore Place in the Boston Globe

Farm journals chronicle activity at Gore Place in the 19th century in the MetroWest Daily News

Gore Place summer program combines work and fun in the MetroWest Daily News

On sale at the farm stand this week

Stop by the farm to get some Swiss chard, beets, scallions, kale, eggplant, summer squash and red, green and mini cabbages.

On the Farm at Gore Place (a new summer program for kids!!)

A week-long hands-on farm program for children 6-8 years old! You'll help out with animal chores, plant seeds & learn about the life cycle of plants, harvest & eat vegetables from the farm & gardens, explore modern & antique farm equipment, take a hayride tour of the grounds and more!

July 26 through 30, 9am-12pm

$135 Dual/Family members, $150 nonmembers

Space is limited to 10 children, reserve by July 19. To reserve, email the Gore Place Education Coordinator at tamar.agulian at goreplace.org.

Raised beds in the Boston Globe!

Check out this article in the Globe about the raised bed gardens at Gore Place.