The Garden at Elawa Farm is to be planted, maintained and harvested largely by volunteers, following a master plan.  The work is varied depending on where one likes to work, be it the physical labor in the garden, the culinary talents needed in the kitchen or the interactive skills required in the market.

     In 2007,  94 volunteers (64 high school and college students) contributed 4,975 hours to the garden, coming in groups and individually.  We are very proud to have a college student returning in 2008 for his fifth year of service with the garden; his younger brother is with us as well!

In the garden

     Garden Volunteer Hours are Tuesday-Saturday 8:30-5:30.  Weather permitting, work in the Garden at Elawa Farm begins  May 1st and closes at Thanksgiving. Garden work includes digging, forking, planting, seeding, weeding, and watering.  On the grounds we must mow, tend to our paths, hillsides and compost piles.  Our tools, wheel barrows, hay bales, posts, garden buckets and flower arranging equipment are kept in the four horse stalls that are part of the farm buildings.  Volunteers must simply arrive dressed ready to get dirty!  Sturdy shoes, a hat and a water bottle are musts as would be special sun screens and insect repellents.  It is a beautiful place to spend a few hours (skip the gym!), take in the fresh air, the flora and the fauna and of course the excellent company of the other workers.

The Garden Market

    The Garden Market opened July 25, 2008 in the former wagon shed which is located across from the barn, near the parking lot. 

Open Tuesday, Friday and Saturday 10-4

Interested volunteers should call 234-1966 or stop by to discuss possiblities.

The Kitchen

     The kitchen we had envisioned from the outset has become a reality  Set into the former men's quarters adjacent to the barn, we will be using it to make soups, jams, pestos, muffins and tea breads from our produce.  It will also become a demonstration kitchen as we will have workshops for culinary instruction (please see Calendar of Events).  And while we have the services of a certified culinary expert to supervise the kitchen, volunteers will very much be needed to put our recipes to the burners.

Please call, e-mail or stop by.

847-234-1966 phone                                                                                               fax 847-234-9212

garden@elawafarm.org