Get Involved

Are you looking for ways to spend more time outdoors? Do you like to get your hands dirty? Lead walks, work at the Farmers Market, pick raspberries, help to organize events? The Conservancy has opportunities for you. See the list below for the types of need, and watch the home page for specific needs at particular times.

Raspberries

Weeders are needed from mid-April until picking begins. We have scheduled work days for new weeders and those who like a social experience. Check the calendar for dates and times. Weeders should bring gardening gloves, appropriate tools, and water. If you know the difference between a raspberry cane and the nasty, invasive garlic mustard, come any time the spirit moves, but bring a plastic bag for the garlic mustard and dispose of it with the trash. We need to remove garlic mustard from around the field as well as within it. Other tasks, such as pruning and looking for cane borers, are less steady than weeding. Watch for alerts on our home page.

Sales persons are required at the farm during the picking season, which begins in late August and runs well into October. "Sales" covers greeting, orienting and instructing new pickers, weighing, packing, bucket-washing, and taking money. Shifts are two to four hours. Sign up on ...

Pickers are essential during the picking season to keep the jam factory busy and to supply the Winchester Farmers Market. After you have filled your own freezer, pick for the Conservancy. Picking for the market occurs late Friday afternoon and early Saturday morning. Picking for the jam factory occurs when the berries get ahead of the U-Pick pickers. Check the Conservancy's phone line for information on how to make arrangements to help or simply ask someone when you are at the farm picking for yourself.

Table sitters are needed to sell berries and jam at the Winchester Farmers Market on Saturday mornings during the picking season (late August into October). In late September, Blue Hubbard squash will also be available. Chat with your neighbors, make new friends; working at the Farmers Market is a fun social experience as well as a great help to the Conservancy.