Franklin Farm

Franklin Farm is Fueled by Volunteers!

As a volunteer, you are a valued member of our community which enables Franklin Farm to accomplish great things. During the year, volunteers plan events, harvest vegetables, photograph, organize and do a variety of activities according to each volunteer's interest.

Where do you shine?

Admin

We need volunteers to help with office work, such as grant writing, working on press releases, newsletters, and other administrative tasks. If getting your hands dirty on the farm isn’t your jam, or you aren’t local to us, that’s okay because we’d love support with the administrative side of things, including remote volunteering opportunities.

Fix-it Crew (aka Grounds Crew)

There are always maintenance and repair jobs to be done around the farm. If you are handy with tools, consider joining our “Fix-It Crew.” Jobs may include working on fencing, farm buildings, irrigation, and maintaining our tools.

Mowing

Mowing and weed whacking are important jobs on the farm. The mowing crew helps maintain around the historic homestead, pathways and keeps weeds from encroaching on the gardens.

Miscellaneous

Do you have a special skill to share with us? If you have an idea of how to help out that isn’t mentioned above, we’d love to hear from you. There are many ways to move our mission forward, and YOUR creativity and ideas are very welcome. Let’s talk!

List of Current Committees

Grounds Community Garden

No Till Garden Allotment Garden

Colonial Garden Fundraising Committee

Harvest Festival Preservation Committee

Let us know where you would like to volunteer by emailing us. A Franklin Farm Board of Director will contact you soon with a follow up.

Click HERE or Scan Below To Fill Out Our Volunteer Interests Form

Scan To Fill Out Volunteer Interest Form

Click Here To Become a Member of the Historic Metcalf Franklin Farm Preservation Association

The Farm Stand is OPEN for the Season

Thank you for supporting our efforts to feed those experiencing food insecurity in our area!

$2 per pound donation

All Donations Go Directly into Next Year's Growing Season

The Farm Stand at Franklin Farm is a way for us to reach out to a wider community. Our vegetables help to provide our community with fresh naturally grown vegetables, provide a low cost alternative to those who may be experiencing food insecurity in our area and help the Community Garden be sustainable through donations received at the farm stand.

Want to Volunteer with the Farm Stand Team?

Click the Button Below to Learn More

Click Here for Farm Stand Volunteering Information

Due to the Impending Storm The Harvest Festival & Tractor Show has been rescheduled

to Sunday, October 4th.

Unfortunately, that means not everyone who signed up to volunteer can make the new date!

ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!

Volunteer at the Harvest Festival & Tractor Show

Our Harvest Festival is entirely volunteer run. The festival's mission is to share the historical farm with everyone and raise funds to help with our mission to restore, preserve, and protect the 18th- and 19th- centuries old Metcalf-Franklin Homestead and its agricultural heritage through charitable, educational, and community engagement-related activities. Volunteering is fun and memorable! Volunteering is open to any person over the age of 14.

Volunteer at Pre-Festival Set Up on Saturday, October 3rd

Pre-Festival Set Up is on Saturday, October 3rd. Station Set Up, pop-up tents and items needed for stations will be completed

Volunteer Times Options:
Pre-Festival Set Up Saturday, October 3rd Choose Morning, Afternoon or ALL DAY by selecting both times. 9- 12 pm or 1 pm- 4 pm (or Volunteer All Day!)

SIGN UP FOR SATURDAY SET UP CLICK HERE

Volunteer At The Festival on Sunday, October 4th

Our engaging stations include: Welcoming Guests, Marketplace Tent, Taking Tickets for the Hayrides, Kid Games, Chicken Flinging, Helping with Parking and many more fun places. All volunteers will receive an Official Franklin Farm Harvest Festival Volunteer Shirt!

Festival Day Sunday, October 4th: 9:00- 2:00 pm or 1:00- 5:30 pm You can sign up for 1 time slot, select both time slots for all day volunteering! All volunteers who volunteer for a full day of the festival will be provided a boxed lunch.

* (Under 18? Please click HERE to have Parental Permission Form)

SIGN UP FOR HARVEST FESTIVAL DAY VOLUNTEERING HERE

Community Garden

Growing for the RI Community Food Bank & Local Food Pantries

JOIN US IN 2026!

Every Monday & Thursday 5:30 - 7:30 pm

🌱 Pick a Night, Grow Some Good

This is your invitation to make Franklin Farm part of your week. One evening. One community. A whole lot of good.

Volunteering at Franklin Farm is a fun and rewarding way to help those experiencing food insecurity in RI. Pick one of our Volunteer Nights and join us in the garden. Whether you come every week or whenever you can, choosing a regular night helps build community, keeps the garden thriving, and makes volunteering easy and fun.

Why Pick a Night?

🌿 Get to know familiar faces

🧤 Jump right in — no guessing what to do

🥕 See the impact of your work week to week

😊 Come when you can, leave when you must

* Volunteers seeking service hours, please bring all required paperwork

PARKING: Please use the BARN Driveway to park and check in at our Welcome Table. We have a water refill station, so please bring your own water bottle.

Bringing a group of more than 15? Are you a community or scout group? Let us know you are coming, we are happy to provide an educational tour of the garden.

Let us help make a memorable experience Contact franklinfarm65@gmail.com for more information.

Sign Up to Volunteer

Harvest Festival & Tractor Show

Planning Meeting

Sept 29th

6:30- 7:30 pm

All Welcome!

The Harvest Festival & Tractor Show's mission is to share the historical farm with our community and raise funds to help with our mission to restore, preserve, and protect the Metcalf-Franklin Homestead and its agricultural heritage through charitable, educational, and community engagement-related activities. Our Harvest Festival is entirely volunteer run.

From activities, volunteer coordinating, setting up food trucks and vendors to marketing, there is something for everyone on our Planning Team! We have fun & mission focused meetings!

FESTIVAL DAY

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026 10 am - 4 pm

Rain Date is Sunday, Sept 27, 2026

Community Garden Breakdown!

Saturday, October 3rd

9 am - 4 pm

Many hands make light work— come when you can & help for as long as you’re able!

Let us know you are coming by Signing Up HERE

Now it's time for a Breakdown! We had a great season of growing for good and now it is time to get the garden ready for winter.

Activities will include:

PICKING & PULLING We will be picking vegetables, pulling plants, pulling walking material and storing tools away.

ORAGANIZING We will be storing items, taking inventory, washing buckets and completing general tasks.

What to bring:

gloves (we will have some if you don't!)
water and snack (lunch if you are staying all day)
weather appropriate clothing
friends and family

Please park by the barn. All ages welcome, no experience necessary!

*If you are volutneering for service hours, please bring your form with you

Closing Day 2026

Saturday, October 10th

9 am - 12 pm

The growing season may be winding down, but there are still a few final chores to finish at Franklin Farm!

Join us for our Farm Closing Day as we tackle those last jobs—putting away equipment, tidying up outdoor spaces, and making sure the historic property is ready for the winter months.

💪 Many hands make light work! Whether you can stay for the morning or lend a hand for just an hour, we'd love to have you with us.

Come enjoy one more day at the farm, work alongside friends and fellow volunteers, and help us put the farm to bed for the winter!

Thank you for helping care for and preserve Franklin Farm year-round!

Open to all ages!

Let us know you are coming by Signing Up HERE

Education at Franklin Farm

The Backyard Farmer

Homeschool Program

September- November

Thanks to strong community interest, the Backyard Farmer Program will now run for

9 weeks this season! We’re excited to offer participants even more opportunities to learn, grow, and experience life on the farm.

Join Instructor Lynn-Marie Dubeau for an enriching 9 Class Series where children will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of farming and the natural environment on our historic farm. This hands-on program is designed to spark curiosity about the natural world, build comfort and confidence in outdoor settings, and cultivate a deep respect for all living things.

Each session will focus on outdoor learning experiences, using our fields, pastures, barns, woods, and farm animals as a dynamic living classroom. Children will engage with farm life through direct interaction with ducks, chickens, and other animals, while exploring farm operations, plant growth, and the wonders of the natural world. Through guided lessons and activities, kids will develop a stronger connection to nature and gain a better understanding of where their food comes from, how plants grow, and the balance of life on a working farm.

This extended series is perfect for young explorers eager to get their hands dirty, ask questions, and discover the beauty of farming and outdoor living.

Instructor: Lynn Marie Dubeau is a passionate educator and naturalist with a deep connection to nature and hands-on learning. A Certified Early Childhood Education (ECE) teacher and experienced homeschool educator, Lynn brings a wealth of knowledge and creativity to her teaching. She is the founder of the innovative Farm Science Program. As the owner of her own family farm, Lynn integrates real-world farming experiences into her teaching, offering students a unique and immersive approach to learning.

For Whom: Ages 5- 12 years old

When:

Wednesdays 10 am - 12 pm

September 9, 16, 23 & 30

October 7, 14, 21 & 28

November 4

Cost:

$288 per student/ $266 sibling discount

Limit of 20 students

* Single class attendance is not available.

Registration: Registration is online and is first come, first served. Questions? Contact Kathy Lambert, Education Committee Chair, HMFFPA by clicking HERE

Register for Programs

On The Farm Story Time

September- October

This unique 5-week outdoor program with Librarian Miss Debra will provide children with an opportunity to incorporate the sensory world of nature into their reading encounters. Each class is sure to inspire!

Thematic Read-Alouds, exploration, STEM, literacy, and creative movement under the trees.

Instructor: Debra Cohen is a teacher, mother, and lifelong learner who lives and works in the Cumberland community. She holds teaching certifications in Early Childhood and Elementary Education, a K - 12 School LIbrary Media Certification and an MLIS degree. Debra loves creating meaningful experiences for children including nature & farm exploration, creative movement & inspirational children's literature. She can be spotted around our community teaching LEGO & Upcycle engineering classes, Jr Coding workshops and Scout Badges

For Whom: Ages 2- 5 years old

When:

Fridays, Sept 18, 25, Oct 2, 9, 16

Time: 10:00 - 11:30 am

Cost: $65 per child/ $60 sibling discount

*Single Class/ Drop-Ins are not available for this program.

* This is not a drop off program

* Limit of 15

Registration:

In the event of rain, we will do the best we can to make up the class. Registration is first come, first served.

Questions? Contact Kathy Lambert, Education Committee Chair, HMFFPA by clicking HERE

Register for Programs

HMFFP Association Meeting

Tuesdays: April 14, June 9, August 11, October 13, December 8

6:30- 8:00 pm

Community Room, 1379 Diamond Hill Rd, Cumberland, RI 02864

Join us for our Association Meetings. Become a part of an amazing team that is working to restore, preserve, and protect the 18th- and 19th- centuries old Metcalf-Franklin Homestead and its agricultural heritage through charitable, educational, and community engagement-related activities. Attending meetings is a great way to learn about how you get involved! All ages are welcome. No experience is necessary.

*Do you have grant writing experience or preservation experience? We would love your help! franklinfarm65@gmail.com

Clean Up & Garden Prep Thank You Volunteers

What a day! 🌞
A heartfelt thank you to our 70+ volunteers who came together to rake, clean, organize, spread mulch, and weed. Your hard work and teamwork are what helps to preserve the farm and makes our community thrive!