Family Farm Plots Available in Portsmouth

By Community Submission | on January 17, 2023

The Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm will for the third year, have farm plots available to the community for the 2023 growing season (April-November). The plots are located at the Portsmouth AgInnovation Farm on Jepson Lane in Portsmouth. The farm is a partnership between the Eastern Rhode Island Conservation District (ERICD) and Portsmouth School District.

Everything about the farm is focused on education around sustainable agriculture. “Kids these days are so disconnected from where food is grown. To them, food comes from the fridge,” said Margie Brennan, Portsmouth School District’s science coach and coordinator for the project. “We wanted to give kids an opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture by doing it.” Brennan has been offering STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education classes, as well as after-school programs at the farm since 2019. “These community farm plots align with our mission to educate about sustainable agriculture with hands-on problem-solving experiences.”

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Americans’ diets are out of balance with federal recommendations. “While people in the United States are consuming more vegetables and fruit than in 1970, the average U.S. diet still falls short of the recommendations in the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans for these major food groups” (source: USDA).

The community farm plots are $30 for the season and will be available April through November. Financial assistance is available. Participants will be responsible for maintaining their plot and must adhere to safety regulations.

To sign up or for more information, email Ryan Brancato at rbrancato.ericd@gmail.com.