PEABODY — Newhall Fields Community Farm is fundraising using a very unique resource.
The nonprofit was chosen as one of nearly 600 worldwide applicants for a SeedMoney campaign, which provides crowdfunding opportunities in which participating farms receive all of the money raised. Newhall’s 30-day SeedMoney Challenge has already surpassed its goal of $3,300 and is now striving for a stretch goal of $6,000 before the campaign concludes on Dec. 15.
“Now we’re looking towards sustainability,” Farm Director Jeannette McGinn said. “It would be good to expand our staff so that we can address the needs of the community and welcome more volunteers, grow more food, have more produce boxes.”
Farm Manager C.J. Hughes added that Newhall could also benefit from new farming tools, as the number of volunteers often outnumbers the necessary appliances available.
“We host these events where we have 40 volunteers, so our needs for tools are sort of all over the place,” Hughes said.
While the farm did not come in first place in money raised, it did have the most individual donors. McGinn explained why that statistic is more important to her than any other.
“I think that shows a lot for our organization,” McGinn said. “It’s one thing to have three or four $4,000 donors, that’s not really community support, but we have 44 donors right now.”
Newhall broke ground in 2018 when it leased two of the 17 acres of Tillie’s from the city. Since launch, it has had more than 300 volunteers work to provide fresh food to people, accumulating 2,500 hours.
“Peabody is a food desert,” McGinn said. “Many nearby food options are places like fast-food chains and convenience stores… It’s difficult to find healthy nutritious food that’s affordable and accessible to everyone.”
The farm works with the Haven from Hunger food pantry and the Salem Pantry to deliver free produce to those in need.
Newhall welcomes youth crews in the summer in an effort to connect young volunteers to nature while they learn various farming skills.
“Young people today are not spending enough time out in nature, just enjoying it and experiencing it,” McGinn said.
McGinn and Hughes expect 75% of this year’s youth crew to return next summer, and the money raised from the challenge will help the farm take on as many volunteers as possible in the future. Donations to the campaign can be made at https://donate.seedmoney.org/8428/newhall-fields-farm
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