(excerpted from 2011-202 report)

http://www.americorpscapecod.org/library/2011/06/Report-to-the-Community-20122.pdf

Meetinghouse Farms Invasive Removal
Members removed invasive plants along the trail to open the trail and allow native species to grow.

Tree Education Blitz
The entire 4th Grade class from Barnstable Horace Mann Charter School were brought on fields trips to Meetinghouse Farm in West Barnstable where AmeriCorps members gave educational tours and taught lessons related to trees, organic and worm composting, and the natural resources at the town-owned farm.

Garden Talks

(from Barnstable Bulletin monthly newsletter, Nov, 2012)

WORKSHOPS
Garden Talks: Meetinghouse Farm with Judy Desrochers November 5th 11am -12 p.m.
RSVP-Free Are you familiar with this jewel in Barnstable? Meetinghouse Farm was saved by a dedicated group in Barnstable that had foresight and concern about the environment. Today the 23 acres of property consists of community gardens, a greenhouse, beautiful walking trails with a variety of species of trees and open fields. The volunteers maintain the property, teach sustainable horticultural and agricultural techniques, provide programs and resources to educate and utilize sustainable green technology for the operation of the Farm.

Pollinator Plant Sale

(From Barnstable County Bookkeepers Association newsletter)
http://www.barnstablebeekeepers.org/news/newsletter_may2012.html

Saturday, May 12th at Meetinghouse Farm 9 a.m. to Noon

Directions - Route 6 to Exit 5, north on 149, 1/4 mile on the left cattycorner from the West Barnstable Fire Station

Annuals - Perennials - Herbs - Vegetables

New this year...Soil Testing!!!

Drop off donations at Meetinghouse House Farm Friday night or Saturday morning. If you are unable to drop off donations call Jan Rapp @ 508-428-6949 to arrange for pick up.

We can always use extra hands!! Proceeds split between Meetinghouse Farm and the E.A.S. Honey Bee Research Fund

Rev. Fr. Dugat in "The Skyscraper Hive" 3rd. ed. 1947
reprinted in "The Irish Beekeeper" June 1965

Sherriff's Inmates Renovate Shed Roof

This is one humongous shed 

Barnstable County Sheriff’s inmate William Prickett is working on at Meetinghouse Farm in West Barnstable.  Located just off Exit 5 along Route 6, the farm’s outsized storage facility is attached to a greenhouse -- also seen here – of roughly the same length.  Prickett is part of a supervised, five-inmate crew that will wind up donating about $12,000 in labor (figured at $30/hour) to totally rehab the building’s exterior.  It was in an advanced state of disrepair when the job began.  Work on the 30 by 65 foot structure has included clearing and demolishing debris, reinforcing interior roof trusses, laying a newly shingled exterior roof, and adding new siding and wooden shingles – the kind Prickett is holding here.

A wider shot of  the same “super shed” shows where it’s attached to the greenhouse, the new roof and shingles, and the crew’s work van parked at the back end.  Judith Desrochers, who manages the nonprofit Meetinghouse Farm conservation area with support from the town of Barnstable’s Conservation Commission, said her organization “has developed a positive connection with the Sheriff’s Office.  I can’t say enough abut what they’ve done.  Our fundraising efforts are limited and the inmates have even helped out there.”  Desrochers was referring to a large tent used for a fundraiser held this summer.  It was on loan from the Sheriff’s Office and erected and dismantled after the event by another inmate crew.

Measuring the job  here is inmate Ryan Smith, another member of the supervised crew.  Lt. Joseph Brait, on site but not in picture, has brought the workers to every Cape town at least once this year.  Many municipalities and nonprofits have benefited more than that.  The figures for last year: 21,200 inmate hours, more than $530,000 worth of donated labor, and 157 projects in all.  Plenty of sawing and hammering, priming and painting, scrubbing and raking, erecting and dismantling.  With 2012 drawing to a close, the Sheriff’s Office is anticipating another banner year.  “It’s what we do, one of our calling cards,” said Sheriff James Cummings, who dispatched a crew to the farm nine years ago to replace an interior carrying beam – one still standing today.

Summer Solstice Celebration

Photo By: Cape Cod Times/Sarah Crosby

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=CC&Date=20120621&Category=MEDIA01&ArtNo=621009998&Ref=PH&Presentation=desktop