Here are some highlights from our 2006 growing season.

In 2006, growers worked 2,465 hours and earning 30% more than 2005.
Our growers work hard, earn money, pay taxes, and keep the farm running. Red Wiggler provides an inclusive and nurturing work environment where our growers are able to flourish and function just as “everyday” individuals earning a living. The growers worked 9 CSA pick-ups, 6 Leisure World farmers’ markets, and made 55 trips to MANNA Food Center in Rockville. Each of these activities provides valuable interaction with our customers but also with the community at large. By meeting our customers and delivering our food face-to-face, our growers are able to grasp the value of their hard work in the field.

Our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) group grew to 74 households including 3 group homes serving low income adults with developmental disabilities. Additionally, we extended our harvest season by 4 weeks for a group of 20 households. We held Wednesday evening and Saturday morning pick-ups in the barn this year. Many of our customers enjoyed the Pick-Your-Own garden and the many delicacies it had to offer. The CSA provides a foundation for jobs, volunteer opportunities, community interaction, and education. All our customers are a valuable part of this multi-dimensional framework and we utilize this educational opportunity to endorse fresh, local food as we work towards creating local food security in our community.

Growers delivered 3,170 pounds of food to MANNA Food Center in Rockville in 2006, a 29% increase from 2005. Not only do we recognize the inherent value in providing our local community customers with good, nutritious food, we also emphasize the importance of contributing to and the nourishing of, a healthy community that includes those that may not be able to afford good food. Their hard work nourishes not only our paying customers but those less fortunate.

Youth with disabilities completed 188 hours of service-learning activities on the farm in 2006.
Special education school groups visit the farm regularly each year to participate in some type of on-farm service-learning activity. Often, these school groups come more than once a season and enjoy a wide range of activity. Over time, they have built relationships with our growers and also are able to visualize job opportunities for their own futures. In total, 260 youth (with and without disabilities) doubled volunteer hours from 2005, a 106% increase. Several independent youth and school groups visited the farm during the 2006 season and worked side by side with growers, staff, and other volunteers. In addition to the valuable interactions with our customers, growers have always enjoyed working along side volunteers helping in the gardens.

Not only do youth volunteers work to ensure our farm meets our goals for growing the finest vegetables around, they learn about sustainable agriculture and farming methods in the process. And underneath the volunteer work we find that a deeper sense of community is being developed through the shared work.

2006 Environmental Stewardship Highlights
On June 9, 2006, a Baltimore Checkerspot (Euphydryas phaeton) butterfly was spotted on Red Wiggler Community Farm. Our bordering wetland habitat is an ideal setting for “The Baltimore’s” host plant- White Turtlehead. This sighting was extremely important. There are only 11 known colonies in Maryland. Red Wiggler will create a “butterfly garden” in the spring of 2007 to ensure a protected habitat for the “Baltimores” as well as monarchs and other beneficial insects. This garden will create paid work for our growers, great service-learning opportunities for youth with and without disabilities and help to further the invaluable part of our mission dedicated to stewardship of the land and its creatures. And we need your support to realize this valuable opportunity!

In October, Red Wiggler hosted a stop along the 16th Annual Metro Waqshington, D.C. Tour of Solar Homes and Buildings. The Solar House when fully installed will provide ultra energy efficient “workforce” housing and with a 27/7 presence we will finally be able to bring animals back to the farm! We are still raising money for our Straw Bale insulated Farm building which will provide our growers with four seasons of work on the farm as well as a place to make arts and crafts for sale during the winter months. But we still need to raise the last 20% of funds necessary to complete construction.