News Elsewhere: Fire Destroys Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery in Charlton

A Central Massachusetts winery that was located on the premises of an historic farm has been destroyed in a massive fire.

According to a post from the Worcester Telegram, Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery in Charlton went up in flames last night, with 4,000 gallons of wine perishing in the blaze and the structure being a total loss. The article says that the winery, which was located at Charlton Orchards Farm, also lost all of its winemaking equipment, and that firefighters from surrounding communities (Leicester, Quinebaug, Spencer, Sturbridge, Webster) tried to help battle the blaze, but to no avail.

[August 6 update: The Boston Globe is now reporting that the fire at Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery was arson, according to officials, with the State Fire Marshal's office saying it was "deliberately set" and that "all other potential accidental causes in the area of origin have been eliminated." (The article says that no suspects have been identified as of yet.)]

Charlton Orchards Farm dates back to 1733, with the winery opening in 2002, according to a page on the farm's website.

The address for Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery (and Charlton Orchards Farm) is 44 Old Worcester Road, Charlton, MA, 01507.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[Note: Please join the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Group Page to get more info on dining spots and also chat with others about Boston-area restaurants.]

---

Tweet

Fenway Farms Rooftop Garden Opens on Top of Boston's Fenway Park

A rooftop garden has come to one of the most iconic structures in all of Boston.

BostInno is reporting that Fenway Park (home of the Boston Red Sox) now has a rooftop garden, with the nursery being used for "home-grown concessions" along with educating young people on environmental preservation and eating healthy. The article says that the garden will include such items as arugula, basil, broccoli, carrots, eggplant, lettuce, mint, rosemary, sweet peppers, thyme, and more, depending on the season.

This is not the first time that a garden has been set up at Fenway, according to BostInno, as back in 2008, tomatoes were grown behind the bullpen's pitchers mound.

The Chowdaheadz blog says that Fenway Farms is located behind the Green Monster.

Follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston

---

[Note: Please join the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook Group Page to get more info on dining spots and also chat with others about Boston-area restaurants.]

---

Tweet

Whim Restaurant Is Returning to Smolak Farms in North Andover

A seasonal "pop-up" restaurant is returning to a farm in North Andover, serving food once a week from some of the best known chefs in New England.

An email from Image Unlimited Communications indicates that Smolak Farms will be the site of Whim, an outdoor restaurant that will be hosting three-course prix fixe dinners every Wednesday evening from July 11 through August 29. Chefs who are coming to Whim include Will Gilson (of the upcoming Bridgestreet in Cambridge's Inman Square), Andy Husbands (Tremont 647 in Boston's South End), Vittorio Ettore (Bistro 5 in West Medford), Suzi Maitland (Trina's Starlight Lounge in Somerville), Richard Morin (Lineage in Brookline), Mary Dumont (Harvest in Cambridge's Harvard Square), Joe Faro (Tuscan Kitchen in Salem, NH), and Chris Coombs (Deuxave and dbar in Boston's Back Bay and Dorchester).

Dinners at Whim, which start at 7:30 PM every Wednesday, cost $65 per person (plus drinks and gratuity). For more information, please go to the link below:

http://www.smolakfarms.com/whim


Tweet

Higher Ground (a Commercial Rooftop Farm) Is Coming to Boston

The trend toward urban agriculture seems to be accelerating in the Boston area, as it now appears that a commercial rooftop farm is coming to the city.

According to The Boston Herald, Courtney Bissonnette (Toro, Coppa) and John Stoddard are currently looking to set up the city's first farm of its type in Boston, with rooftops being looked at in the Newmarket Square section of the city and in Charlestown. The article mentions that Higher Ground Farm would cover at least one acre of space (with roofs between 40,000 and 80,000 square feet being looked at), and that the farm would be used to grow herbs and vegetables, with the raising of bees, rabbits, and laying hens being possible options as well.

The plan would be for Higher Ground Farm to ultimately sell products from the rooftop to area stores and through subsidized community-supported agricultural programs.

[November 14 update: A post on their Facebook page indicates that Higher Ground Farm will be opening at the Boston Design Center in the Seaport District of South Boston. The rooftop farm, which should be open by next spring, will be 55,000 square feet, making it the second largest roof farm in the world.]

[February 5, 2013 update: Higher Ground has set up a Kickstarter campaign to acquire funding for their "green" roof, with a $20,000 goal set (the deadline is March 3). More information--including a rendering of their rooftop farm--can be found at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/highergroundfarm/lets-raise-the-roof-farm. Thanks to Susan Holaday of Foodservice East for bringing this to our attention.]

[February 27 update: A check on their Kickstarter page indicates that Higher Ground has reached their funding goal of $20,000.]

[May 2 update: The Boston Globe states that the Higher Ground rooftop farm is hoping to be up and running around the middle of this month.]

For more information on this story, please go to the Boston Herald link below.

Planting seeds for rooftop farming in Hub

Thanks to Eater Boston for bringing this to our attention.

Tweet

Siena Farms Opens a Farm Store in Boston's South End

A farm that is located in the western suburbs of Boston now has a "mini farm store" in the heart of the city.

According to Eater Boston, the owner of Siena Farms in Sudbury, along with the market manager, have opened Siena Farms South End, a small farm market located between Stir and The Butcher Shop on Waltham Street. The article mentions that the store sells produce and flowers from the farm as well as produce from other farms in the area, and prepared foods from places such as Sofra Bakery in Cambridge will be sold as well (the owner of Siena Farms is married to the owner Sofra and Oleana, a restaurant that is also located in Cambridge).

The Siena Farms website states that hours for Siena Farms South End are 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM Tuesday through Sunday, at least through the winter and spring.

The address for this mini farm store in the South End is: Siena Farms South End, 106 Waltham Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The phone number is (978) 261-5365. And their web page can be found at http://sienafarms.com/farmstore.php

For more information on the opening of Siena Farms South End, please go to the Eater Boston link below.

Siena Farms South End Store Opens Today

Tweet

Urban Barn Dance Coming to Cambridge, October 20, 2011

An event that benefits a non-profit organization focusing on farmers markets is coming to Cambridge in October, and it will include food items prepared by three well-known Boston-area chefs.

An email from Tugboat 23 Consulting indicates that the fourth annual Urban Barn Dance will be held on Thursday, October 20 at the Dante Alighieri Center on Hampshire Street in Kendall Square. The event, which starts at 6:30 PM, is a harvest celebration that will have chefs Bob Sargent of Flora in Arlington, Chris Schlesinger of East Coast Grill in Cambridge, and Paul O'Connell of Chez Henri in Cambridge build a menu from such places as Kimball's Fruit Farm in Pepperell, Austin Brother Farms in Belchertown, Siena Farms in Sudbury, Danish Pastry House in Medford, and Hamilton Orchards in New Salem. In addition to food, music (with dancing) will also be provided, as well as a silent auction.

Tickets to the 2011 Urban Barn Dance cost $50, with proceeds benefiting The Federation of Mass Farmers Markets, an organization that works with farmers, consumers, and communities to help maintain a strong farmers market system within the commonwealth of Massachusetts.

For more information on this event (include the purchasing of tickets), please go to the Mass Farmers Markets link below.

2011 Urban Barn Dance

Tweet