About the garden
The Slough Garden is an evolving fixture of the Foundation where community engagement and food production come together. Cultivating roughly one and a quarter acre between two plots, we aim to be efficient and mighty. We employ low-till, organic approaches, relying on the power of our own hands. Our goal is to be varied and abundant in what we produce while maintaining a space that is welcoming and inclusive for visitors and volunteers of all kinds.
Outreach
Slough Farm partners with the Island’s network of programs working to promote food equity. Everything grown in the garden is either used in our on-site programming or donated to the community. We distribute food to a number of outlets including The Island Food Pantry, the Island Schools, the West Tisbury Library Community Fridge and the Edgartown Council on Aging at The Anchors. We frequently support events and outreach programs organized by the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society and the Trustees at the Farm Institute. Collaborating and communicating with these partners brings focus to our growing practices as we aim to produce the foods and varieties that best meet the needs of those we serve.
Each year, we look to strengthen and clarify the garden’s impact. Since its inception, our growing space has more than doubled in size. We’ve spent three seasons gradually expanding our infrastructure to extend the growing season and allow for more experimental crop trials. Since 2021 we’ve partnered with Hospice and Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard, providing fresh cut flowers from July-September to patients and families. In 2023 we began growing Callaloo, a crop that is culturally relevant to the Island's immigrant community and is often requested at the Pantry.
This year, In 2024, we are focusing on improving the fertility and biodiversity in the garden. We’ve altered our fertilization practices, employing crop and site specific amendment applications. Our experimental no-mow pollinator perimeters are increasing the insect life and presence of natural predator species supporting our crops. Both of these practices limit the number of inputs and interventions required. We are excited about continuing this work to keep the garden healthy and vibrant.
Our unique location
Slough Farm is situated on historic farmland on the outwash plains of Katama, on Martha’s Vineyard’s South Shore. The height of our growing season runs from June through October. The Island climate perpetually varies between wet and windy, and gloriously mild. We enjoy long summer days that meld into warm, abundant autumns. Humidity is a constant. Nor’easters are an annual threat. Responding to the elements of oceanside growing is a continuous learning curve that informs how we design and plan every year.
OUR agricultural community
We feel lucky to be amongst a strong agricultural community rich with generations of knowledge. A key component of Slough Farm’s mission is to support other farmers and non-profits here on Martha’s Vineyard. This takes the shape of sharing resources and tools, hosting visiting educators and experts, and contributing to events and programs across the island. Our status as a non-profit allows us the flexibility to experiment in our own practices. We then take what we learn and make our experiences available as an additional resource to our fellow farmers. In this way we hope our work will preserve and replenish the health of our own farmland while contributing to best practices on the island at large.
