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FOR THE COMMUNITY This Month | Family Hiking Club | Open Farm Days | Festivals & Special Events | Campfires & Night Hikes | Family Camping | NOFA Workshops | Volunteer Days
Each year, more than 6,000 community members join us at Common Ground. They come to dig in the dirt, harvest local food, go on a hike, learn about sustainable living, buy vegetable seedlings, ask garden advice, and enjoy the life on the farm.
Beyond offering a chance to get your hands dirty, our programs reveal deeper messages of the farm and forest. These places have stories to tell about the environmental challenges we face as a people. How will we reduce our ecological footprint in order to preserve the splendor and sustenance of nature? Practices modeled at Common Ground offer suggestions and solutions. Come learn and take action with us.
You can download our complete program catalog (pdf), or read about upcoming community programs below. Family Hiking Club. 2 hikes this month! More. Children’s Programs. Fall Sessions Begin! More. Open Farm Days. Every Saturday, 10:00 – 2:00. More.
Campfire & Night Hike. Tue 14, Thu 23 (Full Moon) 6:00 – 8:30 PM. More. Family Camping. Fri, Sep 24 – Sat, Sep 25. More. Meet new friends and enjoy the company of fellow families who value active, outdoor adventures through our monthly hiking series! When you join for the year, you will receive monthly emails with upcoming guided hikes in West Rock Park just for members of our Family Hiking Club. We will explore familiar trails and favorite places as well as venture to parts of the park that you have probably never seen! We will explore all sorts of trails, including long hikes and plenty that are friendly to less experienced hikers and small children. Hikes will be on weekends and holidays; dates, destination, and hike length and difficulty to be shared by email 4-6 weeks in advance. A family membership is $35 for the year (16 hikes from Sept-June; attend as many or as few as you like). Member families are invited to bring friends for $3 per person per outing. Register online! Completion of this form will enroll you in the Family Hiking Club at Common Ground! The annual membership fee is $35, and an invoice will be emailed to you after you submit this form. Fall – Every Saturday, 10am - 2pm, September 11 to November 6 Fall is a great time to enjoy locally grown food. Explore our beautiful urban, organic farm and immerse your senses in the colors and smells of early fall harvest. See ripening fruits, sample veggies, taste fresh herbs and talk to farm staff about growing an urban organic garden. The animal yards will be open for visitors of all ages. This is a free event. Fall Open Farm Day Featured Programs Sep 18. At 11:00 join us for a Bug Walk and Talk to learn all about the smallest creatures on the farm. Identify good bugs and bad bugs, search for spiders and worms, and discover what the insects you find can tell you about your garden and your home. Sep 25. Join us to celebrate the fruits of our labor at our Harvest Celebration! Tour the tasting stations in the garden and enjoy fresh samples of all the heirloom and hybrid vegetables, fruits, and herbs we grow on our organic farm. Take home copies of some of our favorite recipes, visit with our family of friendly farm animals, and take home some treats from our on-site farm stand. Oct 16 Guided hike to Judges Cave. At 12:30, farm staff will lead a hike to historic Judges Cave, a West Rock landmark that is perfect for leaf peeping from high above the city. Hike is moderate in difficulty; about 25 minutes of mostly uphill ascent, and about 15 minutes to go back down. Oct 23 End of Season Gardening Workshop. At 10:00, join our farm manager for a talk on putting your garden to bed for the winter. The key to a successful garden is how it goes to sleep. Learn about soil amendments, when to turn your soil, cover crops, cold frames, and putting your compost pile to rest for the winter. We will be indoors and outside for this workshop. Oct 30 Garden Trick or Treat. Enjoy a healthy Halloween treat! Children and their families are invited to trick-or-treat through our farm and taste some healthy and delicious garden grown foods. Our friendly farm animals will be waiting to greet you, too. Costumes welcome. Nov 27 Guided Hike. At 12:30, farm staff will lead a hike to the Summit of West Rock Park which offers a stunning view of New Haven and Long Island Sound. Hike is moderate difficulty, about 30 minutes of mostly uphill ascent (steep in some parts), and about 20 minutes to go back down. Spring – Every Saturday, 10am - 2pm, April 2 to June 25 Enjoy spring on the farm with a walk in the gardens, visits to the animal yards, and a self-guided hike on the trails that depart from the farm and venture into West Rock Park. Come explore the sprouts and seedlings in the gardens, spend time with the farm animals or enjoy the glory of spring leaf-out with a self-guided hike into West Rock. This is a free event. Spring Open Farm Day Featured Programs Apr 2 Seed Starting and “Ask the Farmer”: Enjoy the greenhouse full of seedlings, search for emerging perennials in the garden, visit the farm animals, and learn which early spring crops you can prepare to plant in your garden. Farm staff will be available to answer garden questions and provide tips on anything from planning and planting to tricky garden pests. We welcome beginner and seasoned gardeners to join us. A wide variety of seeds and organic soil will be available for starting your own vegetables, flowers, and herbs to take home. Event and advice are free; start your own seed trays for $8 for 1⁄2 flat (12 cells) or $16 for a whole flat (24 cells). Apr 30 Composting Basics: Backyard Bins and Wiggly Worms: At 1:00 PM join us for a talk on getting started with home composting. Learn how worms help your compost piles and gardens, the basics of home composting, and how to make the perfect soil for your own garden. This is a free event. May 7 Meet Baby Chicks: Just like the eggs, baby chicks come in many different colors! We invite families to visit the farm and meet our mother hens and their new baby chicks. Learn about the amazing journey from egg to chick and take home information about free-range, humanely raised poultry and eggs. This is a free event. Jun 4 Guided Hike to Judges Cave: Visit the farm animals, explore the beautiful gardens or relax and enjoy butterflies and birds in the meadow. At 12:30, farm staff will lead a hike to historic Judges Cave, a West Rock landmark and a unique spot to enjoy the view from high above the city. Hike is moderate difficulty, about 25 minutes of mostly uphill ascent, and about 15 minutes to go back down. This is a free event. Jun 18 Weed Walk: Farm staff will lead a weed walk at 11:00 where you can learn to tell good weeds from bad and discover what weeds can tell you about your soil. Explore the farm and trails to search for purslane, a traditional Native American soup base, or for chickweed to add to salads. Feast from the Fields – Saturday, October 2, 5:30 PM The best of the fall harvest from Common Ground’s gardens and local farms, prepared by New Haven’s most creative chefs. Organic wines and local beers. Tastings and cocktails, followed by a beautiful family-style dinner. Music and theater. Live and silent auctions. All outdoors, on Common Ground’s site at the base of West Rock Ridge State Park. Join us to celebrate community, sustainability, and the harvest season – and to support Common Ground’s vital mission and programs. Tickets are $50 per person, and sell out quickly; RSVP to jtolman@nhep.com or 203.389.4333 x1214. Wreath Making from the Farm & Forest – Sat, Dec 11, 10:00 – 2:00 Celebrate nature’s ornaments with a beautiful wreath made from fresh greens, vines, pinecones, and other natural materials from the farm and forest. Hot beverages, soup, and snacks from our organic farm will be shared with all. Large wreath, $15; small wreath or swag, $8. Winterfest – Sat, Mar 19, 11:00 – 2:00 Just as winter begins to give way to spring, the New England forest gives us the sweetest of gifts – maple syrup! We invite families to join us for a celebration of the end of winter, and to learn about all about maple sugaring. See our tapped trees, taste raw sap, and taste-test fresh maple syrup. Learn about our woodfired evaporator and warm up by a campfire in the woods. Finally, a delicious brunch will be served inside featuring locally made maple syrup, pancakes, and Common Ground raised eggs and bacon. Admission is $8 per person for ages 4 through adult; ages 3 and under are free. Rock to Rock Earth Day Ride – Sat, Apr 23 Join several hundred cyclists, park lovers, friends and families on a bike ride across New Haven, connecting East Rock and West Rock, raising funds to support our parks and local environmental organizations. See www.rocktorock.org for registration and details. Can’t make the ride? The farm is open for exploring, enjoying, and cheering on the cyclists. Seedling Sale & Farm Festival – Sat, May 21, 10:00 – 3:00 Enjoy Common Ground’s annual ORGANIC SEEDLING SALE and SPRING FARM FESTIVAL! A variety of strong, healthy seedlings for your home garden will be offered for sale. Choose from heirloom and hybrid varieties of tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, broccoli, kale, parsley, basil, cucumbers, eggplant, and more. Seedlings are priced from $1.00 - $4.00. At the Farm Festival, celebrate community and the beginning of a new growing season. Festivities include tractor-pulled hayrides, music, face-painting, ice cream making, games, and live sheep shearing! Admission to all events is FREE! Throughout the Fall and Spring, Enjoy the nocturnal forest while roasting marshmallows and gazing at the night sky. We will take a guided night hike into West Rock so don’t forget your flashlight! Campfire is appropriate for all ages; guided night hike is recommended for ages 6 and up. This is a free event. Fall Campfires & Night Hikes, 6:00 – 8:30pm Tuesday, September 13 Thursday, September 23rd (Full moon!) Tuesday, October 5th Thursday, October 21st (Full moon!) Monday, November 1st Spring Campfires & Night Hikes, 6:00 – 8:30pm Tuesday, April 19th (Full moon!) Friday, May 6 Friday, May 13 Tuesday, May 17th (Full moon!) Wednesday June 1 Wednesday, June 15th (Full moon!) Camping out at Common Ground is a great way to connect with nature without leaving the city. Bring a picnic dinner, roast marshmallows over the campfire, and participate in an optional guided night hike through West Rock. On Saturday morning you and your family can help feed the farm animals before enjoying a farm fresh breakfast including eggs from our chickens and other seasonal foods from the farm. $85 for a private cabin that holds up to 10 people, $35 to rent a tent that holds up to 4 people, $5 per person ages 4 and up if you bring your own tent. Pre-Registration required; register and pay online or by calling 203-389-4333 ext 1213.
Fall Family Camping, 6pm – 10 AM Fri, Sep 24 – Sat, Sep 25 Sat, Oct 16 – Sun, Oct 17 Fri, Oct 22 – Sat, Oct 23 Spring Family Camping, 6pm – 10 AM Thu, Apr 21 – Fri, Apr 22 Fri, May 13 – Sat, May 14 Fri, Jun 17 – Sat, Jun 18
This year, Common Ground happy to host a series of workshops in partnership with the Connecticut Northeast Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.
Preserving the Harvest – Sun, Oct 10, 9:00 – 12:00 Join CT NOFA at Common Ground to discover the joys of canning, freezing, pickling and drying of the abundant harvest. The fruits of our labor will be donated to a local soup kitchen. Due to limited kitchen space, this event is for ages 18 and up only. This is a free event. RSVP to CT NOFA required: www.ctnofa.org. Cold Weather Crops – Sat, Oct 16, 10:00 – 12:00 Join CT NOFA at Common Ground for this outdoor, hands on workshop. A discussion of continuing the harvest through the fall and winter seasons will encourage gardeners to consider cold weather crops. Lists of vegetables to plant, demonstrations of planting and suggestions for a healthy harvest will be available. Information is for home gardeners, but also helpful for those working with school gardens. Program fee of $5 per person, registration and details at www.ctnofa.org.
Planning Your Organic Garden – Sat, Feb 5, 10:00 – 12:00 CT NOFA presents this workshop at Common Ground to cover the basic principles of planning for organic vegetable and flower gardens. Choosing the site and style, soil testing and improvements, selecting the right vegetables for the season, crop rotation and companion planting will be covered. Program fee of $5 per person, registration and details at www.ctnofa.org. Starting Seedlings – Sat, Feb. 12, 10:00 – 12:00 CT NOFA continues this series with the basics of starting vegetables and flowers from seed. Demonstrations for both planting and transplanting, plus a list of which plants are set out by seedlings and which ones are directly sown by seed into the ground. Program fee of $5 per person, registration and details at www.ctnofa.org. Soils & Compost "The Best Soil for the Garden" – Sat, Apr 2, 10:00 – 12:00 In this workshop at Common Ground, CT NOFA will cover the basics of building great soil in our gardens and in the compost pile. Demonstrations of composting skills as well as great hand outs will be available. Program fee of $5 per person, registration and details at www.ctnofa.org.
Growing Food in Small Spaces – Sat, Apr 9, 10:00 – 12:00 CT NOFA shares this workshop at Common Ground to stimulate creative thinking about the use of a variety of containers and small spaces to grow abundant, healthy food on a deck, patio, small yard, windowsill and more. Program fee of $5 per person, registration and details at www.ctnofa.org. Farm Volunteer Day – Sat, Oct 23, 10:00 – 2:00 Experience our beautiful urban, organic farm ablaze in fall color while helping us get our farm ready for winter. Projects are intended for adults; children ages 12 and up may participate with a parent. The farm is also open for non-volunteers to explore and enjoy. End of Season Farm Volunteer Crew – Sat, Nov 6, 10:00 – 2:00 Volunteers are invited to join us from 11:00 – 2:00 to work on getting our farm ready for winter. Your helping hands are much appreciated as we take down trellises, clean fence lines, roll up irrigation, and get the farm ready for its long winter rest. Volunteer projects are intended for adults; children ages 12 and up may participate with a parent. The farm is also open for non-volunteers to explore and enjoy. This is a free event. Farm Volunteer Day – Sat, Apr 16, 10:00 – 2:00 The arrival of spring brings many important farm jobs! Learn to prepare your own garden as you help us add compost, dig garden beds, mulch pathways, and plant early spring crops. Come dressed to get dirty; gloves and tools provided. Projects are intended for adults; children ages 12 and up may participate with a parent. The farm is also open for nonvolunteers to explore and enjoy. |
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