WELCOME TO THE FAMILY FARM!
Located between the South Shore YMCA’s Early Learning Center in Hanover and the Emilson branch of the South Shore YMCA in Hanover, the SSYMCA Family Farm exists to provide the community and our visitors with tangible learning experiences in organic farming.
Location
- 1075 Washington Street Hanover, MA, 02339
- The SSYMCA Family Farm is located immediately behind the SSYMCA Early Learning Center.
- Enter the Family Farm via the ELC entrance on Route 53 and proceed to the back of the building/parking lot.
Mission and Purpose
The South Shore YMCA Family Farm invites visitors, students, and SSYMCA summer campers to participate in hands-on learning while giving back to the community. This previously vacant land has been brought into cultivation using sustainable and ecologically sound practices, integrating with the natural landscape. The farm supports the mission of our YMCA by providing educational opportunities and growing fresh produce to donate to food pantries, such as the Hanover Food Pantry and the South Shore YMCA Food Pantry.
Volunteering
Volunteers are crucial for the farm’s operations. Individuals, families, and groups volunteer their time to help with all aspects of the farm, such as planting, weeding, harvesting, composting, and mulching. Volunteers also help with special projects, such as building picnic tables, benches, and flowerbeds.
CONTACT
For Volunteering Opportunities
Dan Berry, dberry@ssymca.org
Visit the South Shore YMCA Family Farm
Open Weekly on Saturdays, 10:30 AM – Noon
Looking for a fun way to spend a Saturday outdoors? Join us at the South Shore YMCA Family Farm for weekly family farm fun! Meet our farm staff, explore the gardens, visit our friendly chickens, and discover what’s growing throughout the season.
Be sure to stop by our NEW Farm Stand, where you can enjoy fresh produce and flowers grown right here at the Family Farm (available while supplies last). Open to the community, this is a great opportunity for children and families of all ages to connect with nature, learn about local agriculture, and experience the farm together.
Questions? Contact Farmer Kate Smith at ksmith@ssymca.org
Education
Children enrolled at the Hanover Early Learning Center and at Camp Gordon Clark at the Emilson branch are able to walk to the farm with their groups, where they experience firsthand how to grow food and care for nature. With child-sized tools and interactive features, the farm is designed to engage children’s natural curiosity while providing a safe environment for exploration.
Feeding Our Food Pantry
The majority of the produce grown at the SSYMCA Family Farm is donated to local food pantries, where fresh foods are not typically available. It is critical to the farm’s mission, as well as the broader mission of the South Shore YMCA, to promote healthy living by making these fresh foods available to those in need.
NEW! Community Farm Stand
The South Shore YMCA Family Farm grows fresh produce to help strengthen our community. While most of our produce is donated directly to local food pantries, any extra from our harvest is available at our Farm Stand, free of charge, for anyone in the community.
Donations & Support
Our SSYMCA Family Farm is a free community resource made possible thanks to volunteer support, donations from our community, and grant funds. To support our Family Farm through donations, visit ssymca.org/give/donate
Donate to the SSYMCA Family Farm
The South Shore YMCA is a shared community resource for the town of Hanover and beyond. Please consider a donation to help keep this vibrant farm growing for years to come.
Donate
