Welcome to Northborough Exposure. This blog will introduce you to local, everyday people from Northborough. Your neighbors. My neighbors.

This edition of Northborough Exposure is about The Farm Girl. For several years I watched the garden on Hudson Street grow and expand as I drove my son to and from hockey practice and games. For those of you in hockey families, you know how much time we spend at the rink… I’d see this dark-haired, tanned woman toiling away in the garden from April to November. Each year new rows of crops added, a new mini greenhouse constructed, and more growth.

One day, as I drove past the iconic aqueduct and onto the later part of Hudson Street, there was a sign and an “open” flag flapping in the wind.  Yellick Farm Stand was born. I was thrilled to check out the amazingly fresh veggies, but also anxious to meet the woman from the garden who I began to think of as The Farm Girl.

Now you get to meet The Farm Girl, Kerrie Tetreault-Yellick. Kerrie started the garden at her historic Hudson Street home four years ago. She describes it as a small family-owned and operated farm selling produce and cut flowers grown naturally without the use of pesticides or chemicals. Kerrie says her love of gardening was inspired by her grandmother Betty Tetreault and her passion for farming is rooted in 13 years of working on Berberian’s farm. Kerrie says, “working at Berbarians taught me to work hard but have fun playing in the dirt…”

Named for the families dairy farm that was once across the street, the farm stand happened by accident. After buying the house from her husband’s great grandparents, Kerrie expanded the garden and she says her husband was “tired of all the vegetables piling up on the counter…” Each time I stop, I get amazing produce, a genuine smile, good conversation and often an extra gift. On one stop, Kerrie gave me the useful advice to add flowers to my container gardens to attract bees. I did so and ta-da, my flowering cucumber plants where pollinated and began to bear fruit. On another visit, I was greeted lovingly by a sweet black and while cat who followed me throughout my visit. The best gift is the taste of fresh vegetables. Growing up I thought that I didn’t like tomatoes. It turned out that I’d never eaten a real tomato. A farm tomato. I suggest you go get some. And say Hi to the Farm Girl (and the bees, butterflies and cat) while you are there.

As a personal project, I hope to share more about the people around town who make Northborough a special place. I’m taking the blog over from my wonderful friend and fellow photographer, Joyce Maranto who started it last year.

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