Earth Day, Saturday, April 27, will be a fun and free celebration of local agriculture and an introduction to the Community Supported Garden at Genesis Farm in Blairstown.

Current shareholders, people interested in buying a share, or anyone who wants to have a great day on the farm are welcome to the Open House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the farm on Silver Lake Road near Blairstown, Farmer Smadar English said.

An open house is held every spring and last year’s featured the CSG’s 30^th anniversary, English pointed out.

Five ongoing demonstrations will feature people affiliated with the farm.

Reid Giocormarra will conduct an edible weed walk from 11:30 to 12:30. She will lead the walkers to medicinal plants and discuss properties and uses.

From 12:30 to 1:45 p.m., Linda Welles, a founding member of the community garden, will demonstrate creative ways of cooking with your share through the seasons.

Giocomarra along with fellow herbalist Kelly Lyons will demonstrate and discuss simple homemade plant-infused extracts with vinegar and honey and “perhaps a little alcohol.”

Chef Kate Munning will present a home fermentation demonstration from 1:45 to 2:30 and Chef Mel Condit will demonstrate making hand-crafted tortillas with flour from the CSG’s field.

Ongoing activities include hayrides with Farmer Mike and face painting with Tim Metcalf as well as bean stomping. Gary Schubert will lead hands-on kite making, and children will have an opportunity to create crowns with spring flowers.

Farmer Judy and founding member Chris Welles will conduct tours of the greenhouse and distribution center.

The open house will also include a swapfest. Visitors are invited to bring unwanted items and trade them for items that spark joy and to leave a freewill donation toward the Barn Project at the farm.

Partial schedule of events

11:30-12 noon: Children’s singalong with Len Mooney and his accordion

11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Edible Weed Walk

12 noon to 1 p.m.: Drumming/percussion circle

12:30-1:30 p.m.: Cooking demonstration using garden produce

1-1:30 p.m.: Performance by children’s choir, The Major Minors

1:45 – 2:15 p.m.: A tree meditation in the orchard with Dr. Jim Conroy and Basia Alexander

1:45-2:15 p.m.: Storytime On The Farm with Flora Schubert

1:45-2:30 p.m.: Home fermentation demonstration

A light garden lunch will also be available. It will include soups and salads from the garden, fresh breads baked with wheat from the fields, Hannah’s famous chocolate beet cake, and locally roasted coffee.

Produce from the farm, including vegetables, apple cider vinegar from the orchard’s apples and raw honey from the farm’s bees, cornmeal, flour and local food source items will be available for purchase.

Several tables will also be set up for vendors and exhibitors: FreeSpir ethically-sourced, small-batch  chocolates crafted by Steve Mazure; Miner’s Daughter hand-crafted soaps by Kelly Lyons; Original paintings by Sharon Pontier; Cards and prints by Kathy Yvinskas;        Macramé jewelry by Kara Malone; Mushroom inoculation with Liz and Ryan of Four Fields.

Activities and information will be available from Ridge and Valley Charter School, the Sierra Club and Cooperative BioBalance.

The CSG employs four full-time farmers plus apprentices. English said 50% of the past apprentices are now full-time farmers.

“They aren’t people who come from farm families, they are people who find their passion,” she said.  The CSG has almost 300 members, some of them third generation. “It’s almost in their genes,” English said. She attributes that to parents bringing their children to the farm on pick-up days and other community events. From the time they are young, they have a sense of connection and belonging.

The CSG has a 50-year lease on part of the land they farm. The other 78-acres was deeded to them in perpetuity, English said.

“We picture it being passed on to the coming generations ,” she said. “It’s not ownership, it’s stewardship.”     

For more information, please visit CSGatGenesisFarm.com or e-mail csgardeninfo@gmail.com