Mount Hope Farm

250 Metacom Avenue | Bristol, RI 02809

“The two Mount Hope Farm projects focus on education for the public, youth groups like 4H, volunteer gardeners and Master Gardeners on a historic farm trust in Bristol, RI with the mission to be accessible to all. Two projects approved in late 2015 assist URI Master Gardeners to engage, inspire and educate a diverse and growing audience of persons in Rhode Island and beyond:

1) Growing4Good: Growing vegetables and herbs for the local food pantries in new state of the art raised beds with drip irrigation, that are handicap accessible. MGs educate, plan, train, plant, care for and harvest the crops for free distribution to the local community food pantries.

Goals:

  • Create a meaningful work/volunteer opportunities for developmentally challenged adults while producing quality fresh no cost food for local families in need.
  • Develop a demonstration site of functional, esthetically pleasing and productive raised bed planting methods, with an attractive perennial border of native shrubs, plants and flowers that draws birds, bees and butterflies.

 

2) Historical Governor Bradford House and Ceremony Garden restoration: Research of former gardens through historical documents, photographs and interviews to document the rose, flower and herb gardens surrounding the east and south sides of the historic Gov. Bradford House. Primary emphasis will be to recreate rose gardens, the herb garden and provide opportunities to teach gardening to the many visitors, guests, weekly farmers market attendees and youth organizations that learn farming on the premises.

Goals:

  • Development of a healthy, esthetically pleasing and native garden area surrounding the historic Governor Bradford House. Garden area includes beds, pathways and foliage framing a brick terrace accessed by visitors and guests.
  • Recreate the garden area as a demonstration site combining historically accurate plantings relative to a specific time period in the house’s history.

MG volunteer activities will include education, research, crop and perennial planning, budget development and hands-on project work with the volunteers.

Mount Hope Farm is fully vested and prepared to develop a robust marketing campaign for all of our special programs on the property. Dedicated web pages on our website (www.mounthopefarm.org), social media, newsletters, advertising and media coverage are an integral piece of our mission success.

Mount Hope Farm is a 127 acre national historic site whose mission is to preserve and protect its buildings and grounds while making the Farm accessible to all. The Farm offers a year-round Farmers Market, robust 4-H programs for kids ages 5-18, work and social opportunities for developmentally challenges adults and a commanding vision for engaging and inspiring diverse communities in the potential for stewarding our land and history through community and education.