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| October 20, 2006 Barnstable Patriot |  |
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Harvesting happiness
Hayrides and cider add to appeal of Marstons Mills farm
By David Beatty
news@barnstablepatriot.com
DAVID BEATTY PHOTOS
FALL INTO THEIR WEB - A very unscary scarecrow waits to lure
pumpkin purchasers to Cobb Webb Farm.
PICK A PATCH - The big orange gourds are waiting for attention
down on the farm.
^^H^^flppF^HH|^P^Wsf'*: v^^^^^Wlfll^^W* ' ^^^¦f^^^^W^p^^p M
I
SEALED-IN SUNSHINE-Jarsof goodies will revealthe scent 1
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of summer's growingseason whenopened at home. 1
V'. m
STILL LIFE - But not for long. Eager customers are likely to disrupt this balanced presentation at Cobb
Webb Farm.
FUN IN ANY DIRECTION -
Cobb Webb Farm prides itself on
low-tech elements such as this
non-illuminated
directional I O
^
device. j
For
the last two decades,
John Webb has grown
various crops at his
home, but the pumpkins are
always the crowd favorite.
What crowd? The hun-
dreds of families that pour
into Webb's 20-acre farm off
Osterville-WestBarnstable
Road in Marstons Mills on
weekends through October.
After selecting one of the
many pumpkins from a seem-
ingly endless patch, parents
and children may enjoy free
popcorn and cider as they
prepare for a hayride in
Webb'stractor-driven wagon.
Twenty years ago, Webb
wanted to convert his land to
a cranberry bog, like the one
he'd previously owned in West
Barnstable. He even went so
far as to clear and dig up the
property,but the cranberry
market wasn't thriving at the
time, and Webb was forced
to examine other options.
Over the next 15years, Webb
spent hours enriching his soil
with organic material so that
it would eventually become
fertile enough to support a
crop.
Ultimately,Webb decided
to plant pumpkins, and Cobb
Webb Farm was born. The
small farm has since expand-
ed to include tomatoes, In-
dian corn, squashes, onions,
and a colorful assortment of
berries, which he makes into
jams.
Webb is not the first of is
family to pursue a life as a
cultivator.The trade goes
back in his lineage to his
grandfather who worked
in Osterville as a Mastic
Gardener, and continues to
his sister who works as one
today.Despite his lifelong
passion for nature and the
outdoors, Webb admits that,
as far as farming goes, he is
sort of making it up as he
goes along. He employs the
phrase "flying by the seat of
the britches"to describe his
agricultural endeavor.
In recent years, the crowds
at the gates of Cobb Webb
Farm have begun to grow.A
likely cause to this increase in
business is the recent addi-
tion of a hayride, in which a
large tractor pulls the wagon
around the scenic property.
"Business has increased big
time," Webb said. "We gave
230 hay rides just last Sun-
day."After the increased
business, Webb is hoping that
his farm will, for the first time
since its inception, turn a
profit.
While Webb would like
to see his farm make some
money to cover the expenses
he has put into it, he is quick
to acknowledge that farms
aren't usually a big money
business. Webb relies on
volunteer help from friends,
neighbors, and his girlfriend
Jean to keep the farm run-
ning smoothly.
The minimal revenue
generated is not the only
difficulty in owning a small
farm. Major problems include
insects, plant diseases and
animals.Webb uses dusts and
organic sprays to alleviate
the bug issue, and has put up
half a mile of fencing, which
keeps most coyotes and deer
at bay. As for diseased plants
or other troubles beyond his
knowledge, Webb utilizes free
farming assistance provided
by the Cooperative Exten-
sion service to solve other
concerns.
Despite its recent success,
Webb has no intention of
expanding his small farm. "I
don't want it too big," he says.
"It's a family thing." In fact,
over the last few years Cobb
Webb Farms has stopped
all advertising, relying on
satisfied customers alone
to spread the word. "Any
business where peo- ^^,
pie are pleased .^^
and happy, j £.
they tell their ^|
^
^
^
friends." Webb ^^W
explains.
Since re-
^^^^^
tiring from j J& Bl
his iron \
*m
S
KP^
stove busi- f_ ™ %?.
ness, Webb ^^""
"
•^¦
i
has been
concentrating
on the farm full time. "I'm
working seven days a week,
retired ," said the 64-year-
old, who has no plans to
slow down anytime soon. "I
still have pretty good energy,"
Webb said. "I'd like to drop
dead working."
BARNSTABLEHIGH SCHOOL
Students of the Month
(left to right)
Aristide Little-Lex (student), BHSActing Principal Dr. John Mika,Ashley Simmons-Hill (student)
and Saturn of Hyannis Sales Consultant Paul T. Moussally at the recent award ceremony
honoring the October BHS Students of the Month.
Aristide Little-Lex, Class of '07 Ashley Simmons-Hill , Class of '07
Anstide has had an interest in art since childhood. His first lormal Ashley is completing her senior year at Barnstable Hig h School, major-
exposure to an was in elementary school. He also did a fair amount of ing in tine arts. Spring of her junior year, she particip ated in the 2006
drawing at home, mostly in the form of cartoons and holiday cards Cape and Islands Whale Trail in which she designed a unique whale
In middle school he continued to develop and he did several cartoons sculpture entitled Andy Whale hoi. an exquisite dccoupage using vari-
for his school newspaper It was at this point that he started to develop ous Andy Warhol printed images Ashley attended the Maryland Insti-
an interest in computers and more specifically graphic design. tute College of Art Pre-College Studio Residency Program studying
Anstide continued with graphic design into high school but has also Drawing & Painting the Figure in Oil Ashley has been a member of
broadened his scope in animated art and cartooning He has designed a the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society and maintained
number of posters lor the drama club as well as the Barnstable Comedy honor roll status throug hout hig h school. She is also a member of a
club. Now in his senior year. Anstide continues with graphic design preprofessional dance company since 1999, studying such dance forms
and is also taking art classes in drawing, illustration and fine arts as ballet, modem, jazz , lyncal and hip hop
Sponsored by
¦MJJjj f A "
T
"
| r^IV I
Students
of the Month
is
a program
to
spotlight achievement
\(M 3/ \ ! \
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|
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|
in the classroom, the school and the community Students
r u
¦ are nominated by teachers and department heads and then
OT Hy3nI!IS selectedby Principal Patricia Graves.
P A I D P O L I T I C A L A D V E R T I S E M E N T
| Re-Elect Demetrius J. Atsalis
2nd
Barnstable District
Leadership, Experience & Results
I lL & M "
^mmmmmmmmmi
^B ^H ^M ii ! "I jj I 1 T| J t \I f ¦
1 I I I ^^r
"Committed to Barnstable & Yarmouth's Future"
Paid tor by the Committee to Elect Demetnus Ats alis
242 Ocean Street. H yannis. MA 0260 1
,, www.electatsalis.org • datsalistocape.com
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