Smashing pumpkins for 10 years at Common Roots Urban Farm

HALIFAX, October 25, 2022 – Common Roots Urban Farm BiHi will host their 10th annual hootenanny and pumpkin smash to celebrate the local fall harvest and our diverse and inclusive community, all with a dash of composting.

This all ages event will bring the community together through vibrant activities, food and music. A highlight of the farm’s hootenanny is the community-loved pumpkin smash that turns Halloween’s old jack-o-lanterns into compost for Common Roots.

“After Halloween, many people put their jack-o-lanterns in their city compost bin, but you don’t get to see the direct benefits of composting when you do that,” said Sara Burgess, Common Roots Urban Farm BiHi coordinator. “Here, you get to see direct results of re-using organic matter and how it’s a huge benefit to our urban farm — and people get to have fun while doing it!”

The 10th annual hootenanny and pumpkin smash starts Saturday, Nov. 5, at 1 p.m. and goes to 4:30 p.m. It will be host to a cider press, scavenger hunt, live music, garlic planting and a community feast. Friends and supporters of the farm will provide dishes for the meal, including cookies and chili from Stone Hearth Bakery’s catering kitchen and pizza from Freemans.

“Fall is always an important time for gardeners and farmers. We love the opportunity the hootenanny offers to celebrate a season of growing together and to share local food with the community” said Burgess.

The community will also be able to enjoy the farm’s new orchard and shade trees. Common Roots Urban Farm BiHi and Halifax Regional Municipality have received funding from the TD Green Space Grant to plant 19 trees, including nine fruit trees, and several other shrubs and plants to create a natural green barrier from the neighbouring 102 bicentennial highway.

The farm’s new orchard will be nestled on the point of land where Bayers Road and the BiHi split, and includes apples, cherries and plums. These plants will still be young during the hootenanny, but everyone attending will be able to experience the trees’ growth through the upcoming seasons.

“We are really excited about the addition of trees to our site because they will provide us with shade, food, and more habitat for birds, pollinators and other creatures. The fruit trees especially will create opportunities for the community to learn how to grow productive urban spaces, and increase community access to fresh fruit,” said Burgess.

With more Nova Scotians experiencing food insecurities, Burgess added how important productive land spaces are for everyone. The waitlist for a garden plot at Common Roots Urban Farm BiHi and Woodside locations is around 140 people, and submissions are open for any community member interested.

The urban farms might have a long wait-list for a garden plot, but anyone is welcome to visit the farm year-round to experience the space for themselves. For those wishing to see the farm in a more vibrant atmosphere, the fall hootenanny won’t disappoint.