‘Read, Eat Grow’ blooms at Haston Library. PROGRAM SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL FOOD, FARMS AND GARDENS. It North Brookfield were to close its doors to the rest of the world and rely solely on the resources in its own town lines, would it be enough? The answer will likely be a resounding “yes” from anyone lucky enough to have been part of the Haston Free Public Library’s “Read, Eat, Grow! North Brookfield Reads Together: A Celebration of Local Food, Farms and Gardens” program.

The idea is to raise awareness of the multitude of local farmers, CSA’s, nurseries, wineries, restaurants, food crafters, grocers and open space preservers and to support their success. “One of the one of the wonderful about this is that we’re discovering how much talent and resources are right here in our back

yard,” said Harbour Fraser Hodder, a program coordinator. The two-month schedule kicks off March 1 and includes cheesemaking and breadmaking workshops, guest speakers, hands-on gardening demonstrations, film series, field trips to local farms, maple syrup tours, food tasting, kids crafts’ and activities, poetry readings and book discussions, a May Day Festival of local food, farms, and gardens, and more.

“I think we just got really excited about all the possibilities — we’d have an idea, that would lead to another idea, and we ended up with all these resources,” Hodder said. It is funded by the Friends of the Library  and a $7,500 grant, and, most notably, the wealth of resources right in and around North Brookfield. “As we pooled our resources, we discovered so many more farmers and growers and people doing things,” Hodder said.

The kick-off event, March 1 at 7 p.m. at the library, is a keynote address by Jack Kittredge and Julie Rawson of Barre, who have been farming organically at Many Hands Organic Farm since 1982. They will explain how to start growing your own food — vegetables, fruit, meat, milk and eggs — or how to buy it from local farmers. An added benefit of the program is that it brings more attention to the Haston Library, which was renovated and opened anew in 2006.

“This will invite other people who haven’t had a need or an interest before to come in and say ‘Wow, this is not just books, this is a whole community center,’” Library Director Ann Kidd said. “We have lots to offer, lots of information, and lots of ways to share.” Kidd said she’s delighted that the program

has evolved into something as big and broad as it is. “This has become more and more exciting,” she said. “We’re still learning about everything this town has, and we’re so happy that it’s becoming such a community event.” For a complete schedule of events, pick up a program brochure at the library or check

out a detailed listing at its new Web site, www.northbrookfieldlibrary.org.