MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS THEIR 10TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY SEED SWAP ON SATURDAY, MARCH 22, AT UMASS LOWELL UNIVERSITY CROSSING!

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS THEIR 10TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY SEED SWAP ON SATURDAY, MARCH 22, AT UMASS LOWELL UNIVERSITY CROSSING!

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS 10TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY SEED SWAP ON SATURDAY, MARCH 22, IN LOWELL MA

An exciting variety of herb, flower, vegetable, and fruit seeds will be available to take home at no cost – attendees are encouraged to bring seeds to share and swap!

[LOWELL, MA] – Lowell-based non-profit Mill City Grows (MCG) hosts its 10th Annual Community Seed Swap on Saturday, March 22, from 11am to 1pm, at University Crossing at UMass Lowell, 220 Pawtucket Street, Lowell MA. Free parking will be available across from the venue at UMass Lowell’s Salem Street Parking Lot, 294 Salem Street. Dozens of varieties of herb, flower, vegetable, and fruit seeds will be available for the public to choose from and take home free of charge. MCG staff and volunteers will be on hand to share tips and information on planting and growing. Attendees are invited to bring their own seeds to share on the day of the event and advance seed donations are especially welcomed. Please note: contributing seeds to the Seed Swap is not necessary in order to attend the event. To donate seeds in advance of March 22, please contact Trang Dong at Trang@millcitygrows.org or call 978-455-2620. 

In addition to the seed swap, Mill City Grows will also host their Annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 24, 10am – 2pm, at UMass Lowell’s Rist Urban Agriculture Greenhouse & Farm, 69 Pawtucket Street, Lowell MA. All plants and seedlings at the sale are seeded and grown in Lowell at the Rist Urban Agriculture Greenhouse & Farm, which supports MCG’s work to cultivate and protect citywide growing spaces.

Please visit MillCityGrows.org/events or call 978-455-2620 for details on these free, public events. For weather and event updates, please visit Mill City Grows on Facebook and Instagram.

MCG’s 10th Annual Community Seed Swap and Annual Spring Plant Sale are both integral citywide events that support food access efforts and unite Lowell’s thriving multicultural community. Free, public admission is made possible with the support of Mill City Grows’ Annual Sponsors (as of 3/4/25)Nancy L. and Richard K. Donahue Charitable Foundation, Enterprise Bank, Waste Management, Salem Five Bank, Rimol Greenhouse Systems, Mahoney Oil Company, Market Basket, Alpine Butcher, A. Fagundes Plumbing & Heating, Align Credit Union

Mill City Grows is grateful to Mahoney’s Garden Center and Territorial Seed Company for their generous donations of seeds.


About Mill City Grows
Mill City Grows believes when a community is given access to fresh food and knowledge of how to grow and prepare delicious, healthy meals, people will enjoy better quality of life and have a deeper connection to each other and their environment. Since 2011, MCG has worked towards food justice in Lowell through these dynamic hands-on programs and strategies: education in and out of schools, supporting community leadership through community gardens, urban farming, mobile markets, and empowering people to produce their own food. For more information on what’s growing in Lowell and how you can become a part of the city’s thriving local food movement, visit MillCityGrows.org.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Ali Jacobs, Co-Executive Director
ali@millcitygrows.org
Phone: 413-636-8042

MILL CITY GROWS CELEBRATES THE FALL SEASON AT “HARVEST DAY AT THE FARM” ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21!

MILL CITY GROWS CELEBRATES THE FALL SEASON AT “HARVEST DAY AT THE FARM” ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21!

MILL CITY GROWS CELEBRATES THE FALL SEASON AT THEIR
2024 “HARVEST DAY AT THE FARM” EVENT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 FROM 1PM-4PM

All are welcomed to enjoy kids crafts, local food, a Mobile Farmers Market, live music, visits with community organizations, PLUS tours of MCG’s 4-acre farm, and more!

[LOWELL, MA] – Lowell-based food justice non-profit Mill City Grows (MCG) welcomes the public to their Big Urban Farm in Lowell’s Pawtucketville neighborhood on the eve of fall in New England! All are invited to celebrate the season at MCG’s “Harvest Day at the Farm” on Saturday, September 21, from 1-4pm, at 1001 Pawtucket Boulevard in Lowell, MA. Admission is free and open to the public, and plenty of free parking is available on-site. Event updates are at MillCityGrows.org, Facebook.com/millcitygrows, or by calling 978-455-2620.

“Harvest Day at the Farm” festivities include tours of MCG’s Big Urban Farm, kids games and activities, local food, a touch-a-tractor, and live music from Lowell’s renowned The Party Band. Mill City Grows is excited to welcome a variety of local organizations who will showcase and share their work with attendees, including ReGenerative Roots of New Hampshire, who will give free apple and pear trees to guests (while supplies last). Fresh fruits and veggies will also be for sale at the Mill City Grows Mobile Farmers Market, many of which are grown and harvested at the Big Urban Farm. 

In addition to being their primary growing space in Lowell, MCG’s Big Urban Farm is also home to the organization’s Merrimack Valley Growers Aid (MVGA) Program which provides land access, supplies, technical assistance, and education on sustainable farming practices to 11 local farmers. Most of the participants in this pilot program grow a variety of crops that are culturally meaningful and often impossible to find at local markets or grocery stores. Beyond the physical space and opportunity for engagement, participants emphasize the rapport they share with each other and Mill City Grows team members.

MCG’s “Harvest Day at the Farm” is made possible by the generous support of Mill City Grows 2024 Annual Sponsors: Aberthaw Construction Company, A. Fagundes Plumbing & Heating, Align Credit Union, Alpine Butcher, Cummings Foundation, Eastern Bank, Enterprise Bank, Gallagher & Cavanaugh LLP, Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, Lowell Central Electric, Mahoney Oil Company, Market Basket, Middlesex Community College, Nancy L. and Richard K. Donahue Charitable Foundation, Nobis Group, PGI Foods, Princeton Properties, Rimol Greenhouse Systems, Salem Five Bank, Verizon, Walmart, Waste Management, Whole Foods.


About Mill City Grows
Mill City Grows believes when a community is given access to fresh food and knowledge of how to grow and prepare delicious, healthy meals, people will enjoy better quality of life and have a deeper connection to each other and their environment. Since 2011, MCG has worked towards food justice in Lowell through these dynamic hands-on programs and strategies: education in and out of schools, supporting community leadership through community gardens, urban farming, mobile markets, and empowering people to produce their own food. For more information on what’s growing in Lowell and how you can become a part of the city’s thriving local food movement, visit MillCityGrows.org.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Ali Jacobs, Co-Executive Director
ali@millcitygrows.org
Phone: 413-636-8042

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY, MAY 18, from 10AM-2PM

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY, MAY 18, from 10AM-2PM

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY, MAY 18, AT UMASS LOWELL’S RIST URBAN AGRICULTURE GREENHOUSE & FARM

Plant Sale festivities will include a Farmers Market, free door prize giveaway, and more! 

[LOWELL, MA] – Lowell-based non-profit Mill City Grows (MCG) will host its Annual Spring Plant Sale on Saturday, May 18, from 10am to 2pm, at UMass Lowell’s Rist Urban Agriculture Greenhouse & Farm at 69 Pawtucket Street. Free parking is available on site at UMass Lowell’s East Campus Garage. An abundant variety of Lowell-grown herbs, vegetables, flowers, and fruit plants will be available for purchase at this free, public event. Attendees will also enjoy a Farmers Market showcasing local guest vendors Craic Sauce, F-Word Farm, The Merrimack Company, and Fat Moon Mushrooms, plus the Mill City Grows Mobile Market will be selling fresh, seasonal produce. All attendees are invited to enter MCG’s free door prize giveaway at their information table! (One entry per person.) Cash, debit, and credit will be accepted at the plant sale, and SNAP/EBT/HIP will be accepted for fruit and vegetable plants. All proceeds from the event will benefit Mill City Grows programs that expand healthy food access and offer educational opportunities for Lowell residents. Event updates are available at MillCityGrows.org, on the Plant Sale Facebook Event, and by calling 978-455-2620. 

MCG’s annual plant sale and Mobile Market Program are integral parts of Mill City Grows’ Food Access Programs. The 2024 Outdoor Mobile Farmers Market season launches on Tuesday, May 7, at Lowell Community Health Center. The full Mobile Market schedule is available at MillCityGrows.org. Additionally, MCG’s year-round CSA Farm Share Program increases access to fresh, nourishing produce, especially for SNAP/EBT clients. Summer CSA Farm Shares are now available for purchase at MillCityGrows.org.

All the plants available at the plant sale were seeded and nurtured by Mill City Grows at UMass Lowell’s Rist Urban Agriculture Greenhouse & Farm, the location of the plant sale. The initial 1,800 square foot greenhouse was built in 2017 in partnership between UMass Lowell’s Office of Sustainability and Mill City Grows, and operates year-round. In 2024, an additional 1,800 square feet was added to the farm site, providing double the growing space for Mill City Grows programming.

The Mill City Grows Annual Spring Plant Sale is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of MCG’s 2024 Annual Event Sponsors: The Nancy L. and Richard K. Donahue Charitable FoundationPlenus Group, Inc., Princeton Properties, Eastern Bank, Enterprise Bank, Verizon, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, Gallagher & Cavanaugh LLP, Market Basket, Mahoney Oil Company, Nobis Group, Middlesex Community College, Alpine Butcher, Align Credit Union, A.Fagundes Plumbing & Heating, Lowell Central Electric, Griffin Greenhouse Supplies, Salem Five Bank, Aberthaw Construction Company, Rimol Greenhouse Systems, Waste Management.

About Mill City Grows
Mill City Grows believes when a community is given access to fresh food and knowledge of how to grow and prepare delicious, healthy meals, people will enjoy better quality of life and have a deeper connection to each other and their environment. Since 2011, MCG has worked towards food justice in Lowell through these dynamic hands-on programs and strategies: education in and out of schools, supporting community leadership through community gardens, urban farming, mobile markets, and empowering people to produce their own food. For more information on what’s growing in Lowell and how you can become a part of the city’s thriving local food movement, visit MillCityGrows.org.

 

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ali Jacobs, Co-Executive Director
ali@millcitygrows.org
Phone: 413-636-8042

MILL CITY GROWS WELCOMES THE PUBLIC TO A “HARVEST DAY AT THE FARM” CELEBRATION ON THEIR BIG URBAN FARM IN LOWELL

MILL CITY GROWS WELCOMES THE PUBLIC TO A “HARVEST DAY AT THE FARM” CELEBRATION ON THEIR BIG URBAN FARM IN LOWELL

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS FIRST-EVER “HARVEST DAY AT THE FARM” FAMILY CELEBRATION ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

The organization’s Big Urban Farm in Lowell opens to the general public for the first time with family-friendly activities, farm tours, a fall plant sale, and more!

[LOWELL, MA]Lowell-based food justice non-profit Mill City Grows (MCG) welcomes the general public to their Big Urban Farm in Lowell’s Pawtucketville neighborhood on the first day of fall in New England! All are invited to celebrate the season at a “Harvest Day at the Farm” on Saturday, September 23, from 1-4pm, at 1001 Pawtucket Boulevard. 

This free, family-friendly event includes farm tours, opportunities to meet local growers, kids games and activities, wildlife demonstrations, local food, touch-a-tractor, PLUS a Fall Plant Sale presented by Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, the event’s Banner Sponsor. The Mill City Grows Mobile Market will also be on site selling fresh, seasonal fruits and veggies, most of which are grown and harvested at MCG’s Big Urban Farm. “Harvest Day at the Farm” takes place rain or shine, and is free and open to the public. Details are available at MillCityGrows.org, at Facebook.com/millcitygrows, or by calling 978-455-2620.

“We can’t wait to welcome our neighbors to enjoy a day at the farm with us and celebrate nature, the harvest, and food!” said Jessica Wilson, Mill City Grows Executive Director. “There will be so much for people to experience and discover. Thousands of pounds of food is grown here every year and then given right back to the residents of Lowell. This first-ever event is a great opportunity to bring community members to the space to see where and how their fresh food is grown.”

In addition to their Big Urban Farm, Mill City Grows’ Food Access Program provides land, education, and opportunities for Lowell residents to grow fresh food at more than 27 School and Community Gardens across Lowell. Complete details on MCG’s Urban Farm, Community Gardens, and School Gardens Programs can be found at MillCityGrows.org. 

MCG’s “Harvest Day at the Farm” is made possible by the generous support of Mill City Grows 2023 Annual Event Sponsors: Bank of America, Nancy L. and Richard K. Donahue Charitable Foundation, Cummings Foundation, Plenus Group, Inc., Symmetri, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, Princeton Properties, Verizon, Enterprise Bank, Tufts Medicine/Lowell General Hospital, Eastern Bank, Workers Credit Union. 

Additional event sponsors include: UKG, Waste Management, Greater Lowell Health Alliance, Griffin Greenhouse Supply, Nobis Group, Bootstrap Compost, Align Credit Union, Mahoney Oil Company, Gallagher & Cavanaugh LLP, Market Basket, Aberthaw Construction, KJ’s Caffe, Walmart, Middlesex Community College.

About Mill City Grows

For the past 10 years, Mill City Grows (MCG) has worked towards food justice in Lowell, Massachusetts, using the following strategies and programs: education in and out of schools, supporting community leadership through community gardens, increasing urban agriculture through urban farming, implementing a mobile market, and empowering people to produce their own food. MCG infuses food production spaces with food education to support their belief that a community that understands how to grow, access, and prepare healthy food will have better quality of life and deeper investment in their local environment. Visit MillCityGrows.org to learn more, and follow MCG on Facebook and Instagram.

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Contact:
Jessica Moore-Wilson, Executive Director
Jessica@millcitygrows.org
978-455-2620
MillCityGrows.org

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY, MAY 20 FROM 10AM-2PM

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY, MAY 20 FROM 10AM-2PM

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS ANNUAL SPRING PLANT SALE ON SATURDAY, MAY 20, FROM 10AM TO 2PM

Dozens of locally grown plant varieties will be available for sale, including flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruit!

[LOWELL, MA] – Lowell-based non-profit Mill City Grows (MCG) will host its Annual Spring Plant Sale outdoors on Saturday, May 20, from 10am to 2pm, at UMass Lowell’s Rist Urban Agriculture Farm at 91 Pawtucket Street. Free parking is available on site at UMass Lowell’s East Campus Garage. An abundant variety of Lowell-grown seedlings – herbs, vegetables, flowers, and fruit – will be available for purchase at this free, public event. Additionally, guests can purchase fresh, seasonal produce from the Mill City Grows Mobile Market and visit the Bootstrap Compost information table to learn more about composting. Attendees may use cash, debit, and credit, to purchase plants, and SNAP/HIP will be accepted for fruit and vegetable plants. All proceeds from the plant sale will benefit Mill City Grows programs that expand healthy food access and offer educational opportunities for Lowell residents. Event updates are available at MillCityGrows.org, on the Plant Sale Facebook Event, and by calling 978-455-2620. 

MCG’s annual plant sale, as well as the Mobile Market, are both integral parts of Mill City Grows’ Food Access Programs. The 2023 Outdoor Mobile Market season launches on Thursday, April 20, 2023. The full Mobile Market schedule is available at MillCityGrows.org.

All the plants available at the event – including tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, melons, squash, kale, broccoli, husk cherries, basil, cilantro, parsley, and pollinator flowers – were seeded and nurtured by Mill City Grows at UMass Lowell’s Rist Urban Agriculture Farm, the location of the plant sale. The 1,800 square foot greenhouse on the farm site was built in 2017 in partnership between UMass Lowell’s Office of Sustainability and Mill City Grows, and operates year-round. 

The Mill City Grows Annual Spring Plant Sale is free and open to the public thanks to the generosity of MCG’s 2023 Annual Event Sponsors: The Nancy L. and Richard K. Donahue Charitable Foundation, Plenus Group, Inc., Microdesk, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, Princeton Properties, Verizon, Enterprise Bank & Trust, Lowell General Hospital, Eastern Bank, Griffin Greenhouse Supply, Bootstrap Compost, Aberthaw Construction, Mahoney Oil Company, Gallagher & Cavanaugh, LLP, Market Basket, Align Credit Union.

 

About Mill City Grows

For the past 10 years, Mill City Grows (MCG) has worked towards food justice in Lowell, Massachusetts, using the following strategies and programs: education in and out of schools, supporting community leadership through community gardens, increasing urban agriculture through urban farming, implementing a mobile market, and empowering people to produce their own food. MCG infuses food production spaces with food education to support their belief that a community that understands how to grow, access, and prepare healthy food will have better quality of life and deeper investment in their local environment. Visit MillCityGrows.org to learn more, and follow MCG on Facebook and Instagram.

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Contact:
Jessica Moore-Wilson, Executive Director
Jessica@millcitygrows.org
978-455-2620
MillCityGrows.org

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS 8TH ANNUAL SEED SWAP ON SATURDAY, MARCH 18

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS 8TH ANNUAL SEED SWAP ON SATURDAY, MARCH 18

MILL CITY GROWS HOSTS 8TH ANNUAL COMMUNITY SEED SWAP ON SATURDAY, MARCH 18, FROM 10AM TO 1PM

 

More than 1,000 free seed packets will be available to the public, including flower, herb, fruit, and vegetable seeds!

 

[LOWELL, MA] – Lowell-based non-profit Mill City Grows (MCG) hosts its 8th Annual Seed Swap in person and outdoors on Saturday, March 18, from 10am to 1pm, in the parking lot at MCG’s headquarters at 19 Hall Street, Lowell. The highly anticipated Seed Swap kicks off MCG’s annual events and celebrates the spring growing season by making a variety of seeds available to the community at no cost. Attendees can choose from more than 1,000 seed packets for their home, school, or community gardens. Information about Mill City Grows’ Community Garden Program will be available, as well as MCG’s CSA Farm Share Program, Mobile Markets, and Farm to Table Cooking Classes. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved indoors to Mill City Grows’ ROOT Kitchen, also at 19 Hall Street. Event organizers respectfully request that attendees wear masks while at the Seed Swap.  

Mill City Grows is grateful to the following seed organizations and businesses who have generously donated seeds for distribution to the community (as of March 1): American Meadows, Burpee Gardens, Fruition Seeds, High Mowing Organic Seeds, Peaceful Valley, Renee’s Garden.

The Annual Seed Swap is free and open to the public, thanks to the generosity of Mill City Grows’ 2023 Annual Event Sponsors (as of March 1): The Nancy L. and Richard K. Donahue Charitable Foundation, Plenus Group, Inc., Microdesk, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union, Princeton Properties, Verizon, Enterprise Bank & Trust, Griffin Greenhouse Supply, Bootstrap Compost, Aberthaw Construction, Mahoney Oil Company, Gallagher & Cavanaugh, LLP. 

Limited handicapped parking is available at 19 Hall Street. Additional parking is available in metered spots on Suffolk Street. For more information, please contact Chaya Sophon at Chaya@millcitygrows.org or call 978-455-2620. Event updates will be posted on the 2023 Seed Swap Facebook Event

 

About Mill City Grows

For the past 10 years, Mill City Grows (MCG) has worked towards food justice in Lowell, Massachusetts, using the following strategies and programs: education in and out of schools, supporting community leadership through community gardens, increasing urban agriculture through urban farming, implementing a mobile market, and empowering people to produce their own food. MCG infuses food production spaces with food education to support their belief that a community that understands how to grow, access, and prepare healthy food will have better quality of life and deeper investment in their local environment. Visit MillCityGrows.org to learn more, and follow MCG on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Contact:
Jessica Moore-Wilson, Executive Director
Jessica@millcitygrows.org
978-455-2620
MillCityGrows.org

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