Ipswich Goes Green

By Heidi Paek

Is there anything sweeter than a fresh-picked strawberry? Even before the last snow melts, I long to see Marini Farm’s big, red “U-Pick” sign. The moment that beacon goes up, I’m standing in line. Beyond strawberries, that old, wooden sign signals the arrival of a summer’s worth of favorite picks – crisp lettuce, plump tomatoes, juicy watermelon, sweet corn, and rosy apples.

These home-grown flavors are made even sweeter by the sense of satisfaction I get from supporting my neighbor’s farm. As I see Mike Marini working long hours on his tractor and imagine the vegetables that will soon find their way to my dinner plate, the fabric of our community feels a bit more closely woven. When I shop at his stand, I am connected to Ipswich’s agricultural heritage – a legacy that some local farms have upheld for generations.

The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that each food item in the typical US meal travels 1,500 miles before reaching our dinner plates. In Ipswich, we’re fortunate to have an abundance of quality food producers right here in town – growers who offer a rich variety of colorful, tasty, picked-the-same-day produce.

In addition to Marini Farms, Ipswich is home to Appleton Farms, one of the oldest continually operating farms in the country. With its program of community supported agriculture (CSA), shareholders pledge support to the farm and share in its harvest. A smaller and newer CSA is Fellows Farm on Fellows Road. Free from synthetic pesticides or chemicals, this farm grows more than a hundred varieties of organic vegetables. 

A favorite destination for locals and tourists alike is Russell Orchards and its bakery. Ingredients grown at the orchard are masterfully crafted into baked goods, jams, wines and ciders. As with many local farmers, stewardship of the earth is a priority for the Russell Family. Miranda Russell explains, “We want our own food, water and air to be safe.” Minimizing reliance on harmful fossil fuels is an ongoing endeavor. The orchard’s biodiesel tractors run on compost produced on the property, and its greenhouse is heated with a wood-fired boiler and efficient, radiant tubing.

There is hardly a better steward of our natural resources than local farmers. “Our whole goal is to grow the healthiest food possible and help the environment,” says Mike Marini about his family’s business, which helped pioneer a program that is now practiced worldwide to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides. If we support our local farms, we are also supporting first-rate care of the land.

Beyond fruits and vegetables, Cape Ann Fresh Catch, a community-supported fishery (CSF) operating out of Gloucester, makes weekly Saturday morning stops at Appleton Farms to deliver shares of haddock, cod, flounder, sole, and sometimes clams and lobsters. By taking a mix of species at a set cost, the CSF fishermen are able to work areas that are not stressed by the rest of the fleet, which often chases catches that are dictated by daily market prices. The CSF program gives species and ecosystems time to recover and replenish.

Aside from the environmental benefits, supporting local food producers is a good investment both economically and socially. Our shopping decisions have the power to shore up small business suppliers and keep money circulating in our town. In addition, many of the farms help provide abundant food for those in need by donating their daily surpluses to area hunger relief groups.

With increasing support for its mission, the Open Door (formerly the Cape Ann Food Pantry) has been able to expand its Mobile Market program – delivering fresh fruits and vegetables from farms and wholesale markets to places like Ipswich’s Agawam Village. Qualified households receive free produce on a weekly basis, and neighborhood residents volunteer their time to operate the market and help ensure its success.

Similarly, the Food Project North Shore recently expanded its operations by plowing six acres at New England Biolabs’ Ipswich campus. The Food Project will employ forty-five North Shore youth, and its crops will help supply local shelters and soup kitchens.

Miranda Russell summarizes, “Bringing good food to the table is an ethical and social choice. If we can contribute better offerings to people, then the right choices are easier to make.” With all that Ipswich has to offer, choosing fresh, seasonal produce from our own backyard is really easy.

Local food will be a focus of the “Ipswich Goes Green” event taking place on July 12 as part of the 375^th Anniversary celebrations. The festival will have a sustainability theme and include special attractions like a Seafood Throwdown sponsored by Cape Ann Fresh Catch – two Ipswich chefs will compete in an ultimate seafood cookoff, judged by Ipswich celebrities. Other local farms, fishers, and food producers will share information about their products and sustainable practices. The free event will take place from 1:00pm to 5:00pm along the Riverwalk, EBSCO parking lots and Memorial Green.  For more details, visit www.ipswichgoesgreen.org and www.ipswichma375.org.