Cape Cod’s charming Chatham Bars Inn invites home gardeners and culinary enthusiasts to sharpen their skills at hands-on farm workshops held on its eight-acre farm in nearby Brewster this spring and summer. Led by the inn’s farm manager, Joshua Schiff, the series covers garden design, seasonal production, soil biology and year-round harvesting techniques tailored to coastal growing conditions.
Upcoming farm workshops include:
- Designing the Perfect Kitchen Garden: A practical workshop on planning, planting and maintaining a productive backyard garden. Attendees will learn layout, soil preparation and plant selection, and each participant can plant and take home a full flat of vegetable starts. (Saturday, May 16, 12–3 p.m.)
- Summer Vegetable Gardening in Cape Cod: Techniques and materials for sustaining a productive summer garden in a coastal climate, including irrigation strategies, pest management and recommended varieties. Participants receive a curated selection of summer vegetable starts suited to Cape Cod gardens. (Sunday, May 24, 12–3 p.m.)
- Harnessing the Power of the Soil Food Web: An in-depth look at soil biology, composting methods, vermiculture and brewing compost tea. Attendees gain the knowledge to create their own compost and beneficial amendments to improve plant health. (Sunday, June 14, 12–3 p.m. and Sunday, June 28, 12–3 p.m.)
- Planting the Perfect Fall Garden: Guidance on choosing cool-season crops, succession planting and frost protection, plus practical tips for extending productive harvests into autumn. Participants receive fall crop starts to plant at home. (Sunday, July 12, 12–3 p.m. and Sunday, July 19, 12–3 p.m.)
- Achieving the Four-Season Harvest: Strategies for cold-season gardening, season extension with row covers and cold frames, and crop selection for winter harvest. Participants receive a flat of cold-hardy vegetable starts to establish a winter garden at home. (Sunday, Aug. 16, 12–3 p.m.)
Each workshop is $75 per person, per session, and advance registration is required. Sessions are designed for home gardeners of all levels and emphasize practical, hands-on learning with sustainable practices.
In addition to workshops, Chatham Bars Inn Farm offers a Farm Share program available June 13–Oct. 31. The program provides subscribers with a season-long supply of organically grown produce. Spring shares feature fresh greens such as arugula, heirloom lettuce, pea shoots, kale, Swiss chard, cilantro and parsley. Mid-summer boxes include heirloom and grape tomatoes, English and pickling cucumbers, snap beans, eggplants, summer squash, Tuscan kale, basil, beets and rainbow carrots.
Pricing for the Farm Share is available in two options: a full season share of 20 boxes for $700 ($35 per box) or a half share of 10 boxes for $400 ($40 per box). Advance sign-up is required. All produce from Chatham Bars Inn Farm is GMO-free and is grown sustainably using organic principles to support soil health, biodiversity and flavorful harvests.