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Keep up with Bracketts. Our newsletter will detail our Events Schedule for 2012.
Nature Walks History Walks WorkshopsCharity HarvestsPhotography WorkshopsLouisa County Open Hearth Cooking GuildThe Annual Christmas Bird CountEvents at Bracketts
A very wide range of activities are compatible with the many dimensions of Bracketts
Farm. We have plans for programs, demonstrations, and workshops, and the Community Garden is underway now. Some crops are already in-- lettuces, chard, some other greens, beets, turnips, and all bedding plants will be going in the next few days. Sign up here for your share!
Sign-up form - just print, complete, include a check for your shares, and mail!
Community Charity Garden at Bracketts Farm
Garden leader: To be Determined for 2012
How it Works
The Foundation applied to BAMA Works Fund, of the Charlottesville Area Community Foundation, for a grant in 2011. That grant enabled us to hire two interns to work the garden and take all harvested produce to the Louisa Food Bank. This effort was very successful and we plan to apply for another grant to continue this important work !
Community volunteers are invited to help with garden tasks like planting, weeding, culling, harvesting, etc. There is always plenty to do in the garden. We experimented in 2011, with shade covers for sun-sensitive crops like lettuce, chard, celery, and others. IT WORKED !
First harvest will began about the third weekend in July and then, we pulled everything up as the weather got extremely hot. We waited a few weeks and then planted a Fall garden. Harvests from the Fall garden are begining now (Oct 30th) and will continue for several weeks.
A Bond of Trust
The Bracketts Farm Charity Garden experience is an opportunity to connect children to where their food comes from and how it grows. The garden is based on a bond of trust and children quickly learn through their hands-on experience. We will announce "Food Up Close" opportunities in early Summer 2012.
Be a High School Apprentice at Bracketts Farm
The Bracketts Charity Garden is a 1/2 acre garden and is a working and learning experience.
- There are two high school apprentice openings, 1 sophomore & 1 junior (present year-end grade) in 2012.
- Selected apprentices receive a modest hourly stipend ($6 per hour, times 7 hrs per day for 5 days per week; or $210 per week in exchange for full-time garden work involving planting, seeding, weeding (lots of weeding), hoeing, harvesting, clean up and farm grounds projects.
- Apprentices will not be involved in heavy machine work nor dangerous work nor heavy lifting.
Apprentice applications can be obtained by calling 540.832.5224 or visiting the Virginia Cooperative Extension Office in the Louisa County Office Building.
Photos: Volunteers supporting the Louisa Food Bank work to harvest the winter squash.
Early in the Spring of 2010, field demonstrations in organic production of winter squash were established 
at five privately-owned
farms and at Virginia State University's Randolph Farm. Six different types were grown at each location. These squash have a long shelf life and can be stored up to six months before cooking.
Here at Bracketts, 600 hills of winter squash were planted. Volunteers are shown harvesting nearly 1,200 pounds on September 5th. Earlier, "Southern Exposure Seed Exchange" volunteers from the Acorn Commune harvested 800 pounds to exhibit at the Monticello Harvest Festival on September 12th. That squash was also donated to the Louisa Food Bank.
Bracketts is seeking some modest funding to allow the farm to grow seasonal produce year-round, for donation to the Louisa Food Bank. If you would like to support the Charity Garden efforts, send me an email via the "Friends of Bracketts Farm" at the link below.
Elaine Taylor, Programs Director of the Louisa County Historical Society, has formed an "Open Hearth Cooking Guild" at Bracketts. Watch the Guild cooking in the large open hearth in one of the 18th Century Slave Quarters. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6-2XHUrwbo
We encourage you to join Bracketts and participate.
Bracketts Farm's First Annual Fall "Pasture Party" was held on November 8th, 2009.
The turnout was gratifying and over 300 tickets were sold.
There was BBQ and all the fixins... games, door prizes, and plenty of farm fun!
The live band, The Rivanna River Chiggers entertained with their traditional music.
Bracketts is located at 1117 Nolting Road, in the Green Springs Historic District.
Proceeds benefit the Elisabeth A. Nolting Charitable Foundation.
