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15 Best Things to Do in Plymouth (MA)

By a natural harbor on the South Shore, Plymouth is the place where the Pilgrims disembarked from the Mayflower in 1620.

You can grapple with this world-changing history at a multitude of attractions and landmarks, from living history at Plimoth Patuxet to the exceptional Pilgrim Hall Museum, where the personal possessions of several Pilgrims have been preserved.

In “America’s Hometown” you’ll get a clear picture of who the Pilgrims were, how they lived and what they stood for, while understanding the Native American Wampanoag tribe, on whose assistance the early colonists depended.

As well as that momentous history, Plymouth has many of the things that you want from a New England coastal town, like a pretty downtown area, marvelous ocean views and inviting beaches.

1. Pilgrim Hall Museum

A trove of Pilgrim artifacts, the Pilgrim Hall Museum is the oldest continuously operating public museum in the United States.

Opened in 1824 and with a solemn Green Revival main building composed of Quincy granite, this attraction is the logical starting point in Plymouth.

There’s an unparalleled amount of contemporaneous Pilgrim items to uncover here, helping you get a sense of the crossing and life in the early colony.

Among the most important pieces are the turned chair of the colony’s spiritual leader, William Brewster, a bible belonging to governor William Bradford and a cradle brought by Mayflower passenger and expectant mother Susanna White.

Also remarkable is a painting of Edward Winslow from 1651, the only surviving portrait of a Pilgrim painted from life. Central to the exhibit is the story of the Wampanoag, the indigenous people who were here for millennia before the Mayflower arrived, and present today.

2. Plimoth Patuxet

There’s a cluster of living history museums around Plymouth, under the umbrella, Plimoth Patuxet.

The main location is in the east of the town by the Eel River, where you can visit the recreated 17th-century English Village, as well as Historic Patuxet, a settlement for the Wampanoag tribe.

The English Village recalls life in early Plymouth, featuring timber-framed homes, kitchen gardens and faithful reproductions of everyday objects from the periods.

Dedicated costumed reenactors open a window on the period, while interpreters are available to give you extra context.

At Historic Patuxet you can visit a wetu to understand the domestic and family lives in Wampanoag communities.

Outside you might see a craftsperson working on a mishoon (traditional canoe), while there’s often a dish being made in the cooking area, and a range of crops like squash, corn and beans growing in the garden.

3. The Plimoth Grist Mill

Also part of the Plimoth Patuxet Museums is a detailed and working reconstruction of the water-powered mill built on Town Brook by the Plymouth Colonists in 1636.

Run by John Jenney (1596-1644), this transformed life in Plymouth, automating a manual corn-grinding process that had been taught by the native Wampanoag.

Completed in 1970, the Plimoth Grist Mill is on the same site as the original mill (burned in 1837), and incorporates many historic elements, including millstones dating back 200 years, salvaged from a site in Pennsylvania.

A visit is educational, as you’ll get to know every step of the 17th-century corn milling process, with friendly staff explaining their jobs as they carry them out.

4. Plymouth Center

One of the most rewarding things to do in Plymouth is to do some exploring under your own steam, casting your gaze out over the Plymouth Bay and navigating the town’s historic streets.

And no street is more historic than Leyden Street, the first street plotted in Plymouth in 1620, and the oldest continuously inhabited street in the thirteen colonies.

This carries you up the slope to the Town Square, where the First Parish Church at the base of Burial Hill is a continuation of the original Pilgrim Church four centuries ago.

In the other direction, near the foot of Leyden Street is Cole’s Hill, site of the first cemetery for the Mayflower Pilgrims, now a public park littered with interesting monuments, overlooking the bay.

5. National Monument to the Forefathers

Commanding Plymouth from the southwest is the massive National Monument to the Forefathers.

At 81 feet tall, this is believed to be the largest solid granite monument in the country, and pays tribute to the ideals of the Pilgrims, as understood in the 19th century.

Represented by allegorical sculptures are the virtues Education, Law, Liberty and Morality, while rising from the very center is Faith, with her right hand pointing toward heaven.

The monument was first conceived in 1820 and was a long-term undertaking, completed in 1888 and dedicated in 1889. Get up close to see the list of the 51 people who came over on the Mayflower on the right and left panels.

6. Brewster Gardens

Flanking Town Brook in Plymouth Center is a sweet public park on what was the original garden plot granted to Elder William Brewster (1566–67-1644), the community leader.

This was a logical place for the Pilgrims to settle, thanks to the abundant freshwater and grasses along the banks providing building material.

You can keep this in mind as you wander the brookside nature trail through Brewster Gardens, leading from the mouth at Water St, upstream to the Plimoth Grist Mill.

The park was laid out in the 1920s and has an assortment of monuments to browse. One is the iconic Pilgrim Maiden Statue (1922) by Henry Hudson Kitson, dedicated to the intrepid spirit of the immigrant women.

7. Burial Hill

Any walking tour in Plymouth has to include the sharp climb to this early cemetery, with a stirring panorama of the coastline and townscape.

Given its prominence this hilltop was initially used as a fort, which also served as a meeting house and parish church. The burying ground was established here sometime during the 1620s, and the exact date is difficult to pinpoint as the first burials used wooden markers.

The earliest stone marker here dates to 1681 (Edward Gray), and you can track down the graves of several Mayflower passengers.

Part of the experience at Burial Hill is appreciating the early stone markers from the 17th and 18th century, considered invaluable works of early Euro American folk art.

8. Plymouth Rock

Along with the National Monument to the Forefathers the other element of the Pilgrim Memorial State Park is the glacial erratic boulder in the harbor, integral to the mythology of the Mayflower.

This rock is held as the disembarkation point of William Bradford and the Mayflower passengers—based on the recollection of one Thomas Faunce, son of an early colonist.

According to Faunce, several original Mayflower passengers told him this was the exact spot. He made that claim in 1741 at the age of 94, 121 years after the landing.

So whether you want to take it all with a pinch of salt, there’s no denying that the rock is imbued with a certain symbolism.

The boulder sits under a Doric portico, and you can make out the scar caused in 1774 when the town broke the rock into two, with one piece relocated to Town Square. After moving to Pilgrim Hall in 1834, this was finally reunited with the rest of the rock in 1880.

9. Mayflower II

In the mid-1950s an exact replica of the Mayflower was constructed as a tribute to the cooperation between the United Kingdom and the United States during WWII.

Using reconstructed blueprints, the project involved manual construction by English shipwrights, setting sail from Plymouth, Devon in April 1957 and arriving in Plymouth, Massachusetts two months later.

When we wrote this article, Mayflower II was berthed at State Pier in Pilgrim Memorial State Park, and visitable as a museum ship.

The four-masted vessel is 106 feet long and 25 feet wide, and you may wonder just how 102 people, including three pregnant women, endured a ten-week crossing in such a confined space.

10. The Jabez Howland House

A brief stroll along Sandwich St from Brewster Gardens will bring you to the only surviving house in Plymouth where Mayflower Pilgrims are known to have spent time.

This is the Jabez Howland House, built in 1667 by Jacob Mitchell, who was the son of Pilgrim Experience Mitchell.

The property was purchased by Jabez Howland, the son of Mayflower passengers John Howland and Elizabeth Tilley Howland, who remained here until 1680.

The house was a private residence until it was converted into a museum in 1912, and is endowed with period furniture and captivating 17th-century artifacts unearthed nearby at Rocky Nook in Kingston, MA.

11. Plymouth Long Beach

Near Plimoth Patuxet along Route 3A is the exit for the breathtaking barrier beach jutting out into Plymouth Bay for three miles.

Long Beach is patrolled by lifeguards May 28 through Labor Day, and if you come on a sunny day this could be the perfect break from Plymouth’s weighty historical pursuits.

Washed by knee-high waves (these can vary), the shore is mostly sandy, but also has some coarse gravel and a lot of large rocks, so water shoes will come in handy here.

Close to the exit sits Sandy’s, a hut serving South Shore favorites like lobster rolls, fried scallops and fried clams.

12. Nelson Memorial Beach Park

Arguably the best place in Plymouth just to stop and appreciate the ocean is this public park not far north of Plymouth Jetty.

The Nelson Memorial Beach Park has a small patch of coarse sandy shore, ideal for a walk or hanging out by the bay.

For kids the highlight has to be the state-of-the-art splash pad, installed in the 2010s and open throughout the summer.

There’s also a traditional playground, picnic tables, benches and a launch ramp for canoes and kayaks. Just behind is the North Plymouth Rail Trail, along a former branch of the Old Colony Railroad (1845), and continuing for 1.2 miles to the Cordage Park commercial area.

13. Plymouth Farmers’ Market

A fitting activity in a place like Plymouth is visiting a market where everything for sale is seasonal and locally sourced.

Outdoors on Thursday afternoons, mid-May through October, the Plymouth Farmers’ Market is held at Plimoth Patuxet and has an abundance of seasonal fresh produce, farm-raised meats, cheeses, honey, and delicious prepared foods.

Think wood oven pizza, homemade pies, artisanal toffee and frozen desserts made with seasonal produce.

There’s always live music while you shop, but also plenty of fun for children, with storytime via the Plymouth Public Library and face painting.

14. The Jenney Interpretive Center

On the other side of Town Brook from the Plimoth Grist Mill is The Jenney, which looks at the ongoing impact of the 51 Pilgrims on American life.

Inside you can pore over detailed exhibits studying the lives of the stories and beliefs of the people who arrived on the Mayflower, touching on topics like faith and family, but also slavery and abolition.

The Jenney is known for its interpretive walking tours, given by guides in period clothing. The most popular tour is a 90-minute walk around Plymouth, stopping at important locations like Plymouth Rock, Brewster Gardens and Plymouth Center, all colored with info about protagonists and important events some 400 years ago.

There’s also a guided walk for more context about the National Monument to the Forefathers.

15. Myles Standish State Forest

In Plymouth’s hinterland you can escape to an immense public recreation area, encompassing more than 12,000 acres of pitch pine and scrub oak forest.

Myles Standish State Forest is a water-rich landscape known for its ponds, with more than 20 ranging from 2 acres to 86 acres in size.

The forest’s four campgrounds are set on the banks of these water bodies, and swimming is available at College Pond in the summer months.

If you come with a bicycle, there are more than 15 miles of paved trails, with in-depth brochures and trail info available from Forest Headquarters by East Head Pond in Carver.

There’s also 13 miles of hiking trails and 35 miles of horse trails, with a designated horse camping area at Charge Pond.

15 Best Things to Do in Plymouth (MA):

• Pilgrim Hall Museum
• Plimoth Patuxet
• The Plimoth Grist Mill
• Plymouth Center
• National Monument to the Forefathers
• Brewster Gardens
• Burial Hill
• Plymouth Rock
• Mayflower II
• The Jabez Howland House
• Plymouth Long Beach
• Nelson Memorial Beach Park
• Plymouth Farmers’ Market
• The Jenney Interpretive Center
• Myles Standish State Forest

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Looking for the ideal outing for your group of 10 or more?  The Vintner’s Experience at the 1620 Winery at Cordage Park is a combination Tour and Tasting for wine lovers and those who are just curious about the process of winemaking. You will be hosted by owner and winemaker, Robert Mullaney for an insiders tour of the winery. Robert will take you behind the curtain of his award winning winery while sharing his vintner’s passion for all things wine. Your group will have access to our private barrel room where you’ll sample select wines tapped direct from our tanks and barrels. After the tour, you’ll sit down for a full food and wine pairing session with a selection of dishes prepared by our Executive Chef, each perfectly paired with our 1620 Wines.

Vintner Experience: $95 Per Person (For groups of 10 or more) Contact Us

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Plymouth, Massachusetts in a Day- Itinerary

Exploring the mayflower pilgrims.

“All great & honourable actions are accompanied with great difficulties and must be both enterprised and overcome with answerable courages.  It was granted ye dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible.”

• William Bradford, Plymouth colony governor

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• March 2, 2020

We had one day to visit Plymouth, Massachusetts.  I’d I’d recommend another 1/2 day if you add Plimoth Patuxet (formerly Plimoth Plantation) , which we had to miss.  Just 40 miles Southeast of Boston, Plymouth is worth the drive (under an hour). A cozy seaside town with cute shops, colonial era homes, and rich, national history, visiting Plymouth was bucket list for us. To dive into exploring the Pilgrims & Plymouth colony, we took a walking tour, and visited Pilgrim sites & a museum to set the stage.  To read some of our surprising finds, check out my 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Pilgrims post .   It’s a small town so things are close and parking is easy & often free, with metered or pay lots , too.  Leave early enough to hit all 8 stops by closings at 4:45p.  Or relax and enjoy Plymouth for a weekend!

The Pilgrims’ Voyage:

The Pilgrims came to America on the crowded Mayflower in the early winter of 1620. A ship about the length of a high school swimming pool & just ½ the width. Two levels, crammed with 102 people and the basics you need to build, not just a new life, but a new community with no way to buy or borrow necessary supplies. Furniture, kitchenware, small livestock, weapons, linens, food & water, seeds & tools. No toilet, no baths, in the middle of the ocean, with waves that continuously soaked the ship & lashed so high, 1 was swept away, yet saved. The battering waves severely cracked the main beam, threatening to crack the wooden boat, itself, into splinters.  The Pilgrims took refuge in the dark, stinking belly of the ship where they, too, were beat and battered around by the sea. The ship shook violently, flinging people, animals & goods around. The chamber pots brimmed & spilled over with vomit & human waste.  A rough & stormy voyage that left many Pilgrims so seasick they could barely stand.  It took 66 long, miserable days to finally reach land. But, things were about to get worse.  They stepped into a harsh winter with no settlement, little food or water, and a strange land they knew nothing about. They didn’t know it, yet, but the coast that welcomed them still whispered of mass death.  Up to 90% of the local native tribes had been wiped out by a ‘plague’, just the year before. The Pilgrims’ own mass deaths would soon follow. In cramped quarters, sharing germs, weak from frigid cold and lack of food & water, ½ of the colony died that 1 st brutal winter. Of the 102 who landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, only 51 remained the following spring.     

The Pilgrims were Separatists who had separated from the Church of England because they wanted the freedom to worship & have a relationship with God, not worship under the terms of King James & the English crown. They were different from the Puritans, such as those in Salem a few years later, who tried to ‘purify’ the church by changing it from within. The Pilgrims, however, were Separatists who thought they needed to break from it, altogether. They gained that religious freedom by moving to Holland, but they wanted to start their own Godly, English community based on their beliefs, customs & principles to raise their children in.

Stop 1: National Monument to the Forefathers (c1889)- 72 Allerton St.

Enormous at 81 feet tall, it was planned to be twice as big, but funds ran short in the Civil War.  The architect was an abolitionist & original illustrator of Uncle Tom’s Cabin and the Old Farmer’s Almanac .  It represents the Pilgrims’ cornerstone principles in which they founded Plymouth colony.  Faith is the central figure of the monument, surrounded by 4 seated figures representing Morality, Law, Education, and Liberty.  There are 4 bas-relief scenes that illustrate the Pilgrims’ journey- Departure from Holland, Peace Treaty with the Natives, Mayflower Compact, & Landing at Plymouth Rock.  Panels include quotes, a Mayflower passenger list, and dedication “by a grateful people in remembrance of their labors, sacrifices and sufferings for the cause of civil and religious liberty”.  It’s dedicated to our nation, but is not a federal monument.  

There are many intricate details with much symbolism behind its design.  Guided tours can be purchased locally, or online videos may help you fully appreciate its meaning.  Christian documentaries have been devoted to it.  Its size is stunning and the detail beautiful.  It’s a must-see when you’re in Plymouth, though you can save it for the end of the day, since it’s open dawn- dusk, April- November.  Well-kept sidewalks lead to the monument with a slight incline.  I t is part of the Pilgrim Memorial State Park,  along with Plymouth Rock.

Stop 2:  Pilgrim Hall Museum (c 1824) , just a 1/2 mile away at 75 Court St (Route 3A)

The oldest, continuous public museum in the US, it is small, but unique & interesting, taking about 1 ½- 2 hrs to see. They have an impressive collection of Pilgrim, colonist & Native American artifacts, weapons, and household furniture & goods, 400 years old. A number of the items sailed over on the Mayflower. This is the largest Pilgrim collection anywhere & the only Pilgrim artifacts we’ve seen. That makes it a must-see in Plymouth.

Some of the highlights include:

Your only chance to touch a piece of Plymouth Rock

A baby cradle for 1 of 2 babies born on the Mayflower, Peregrine White, born in Cape Cod Bay- the 1st Pilgrim birth in America

(Plymouth colony governor) William Bradford’s Bible & chair

(Plymouth colony military captain, treasurer & assistant governor) Capt. Myles Standish’s sword

• the only verified portrait of a Mayflower Pilgrim painted in life, Edward Winslow c1651

They have a 15 minute film to give background on the Pilgrims & their way of life.  Generally o pen 9:30- 4:30 daily, excluding some holidays & circumstances.  Admission includes a family option (2 adults + their kids, under 18- $30 in 2019), which was great for us.  Have senior and student discounts, as well (In 2019- $12 for adults (16+), $10 for seniors or students (with ID), $8 for kids (6-18).  Residents & certain associations are free.   

Stop 3:  ‘ Discover Plymouth’s History’ walking tour – 48 Summer St.

After lunch, 1/2 mile from Pilgrim Hall, we met historian Leo Martin for a walking tour at the Jenney museum (c1749).  Leo is a local expert & Director of Education at the Jenney museum & grist mill.  Walking tours enrich your visit, giving deeper understanding, making History come alive, particularly for kids.  This one was excellent. The info is well-paced & fascinating, giving background & context- the why, the how & the what happened next.  He pointed out important details that aren’t on signs.  Leo has made a life out of doing the research for you. He can answer your questions, makes History interesting, and gives you those stand-out stories, bringing everything together for a much fuller view.  The kids were enraptured, as was every adult.  Times vary depending on season, but he often offers 2 a day, Mon- Sat. If you can make it early and particularly if you have kids, do this 1 st in Plymouth to make everything in town that much more interesting.

The tour is 1 hour & 15 minutes, about a mile long & includes walking up several hills. Indoor presentations are available for those who can’t walk or during inclement weather, among other tour topics offered. Reservations are required & may be available the day of, but can sell out in popular seasons.  We ordered in advance & had a full tour.  Family rates are available. This walking tour includes Brewster Gardens, Plymouth Rock, the historic waterfront area, Mother Pilgrim statue, Burial & Cole’s Hills, Leyden Street & Town Square. He also points out a number of statues that you may miss, otherwise. He gives you the religious, economic, political and social background & issues surrounding the Pilgrims.  A definite must-do to understand the Pilgrims & Plymouth more deeply.

Pilgrim’s view from the site of their fort & the 1st Thanksgiving, overlooking Plymouth Harbor where the Mayflower landed.

Stop 4, 5, 6 & 7- Revisit Cole’s Hill, Burial Hill, Plymouth Rock (less than ½ mile away):

The tour goes briskly, so we returned to the waterfront area for more pix & exploration. We revisited Cole’s Hill on Carver St., which is across the street from Plymouth Rock, and Burial Hill is 2 blocks away.

Stop 4 –  Cole’s Hill, the 1st Pilgrim burial ground.  Today, contains the sarcophagus of a mass grave of ½ of the Plymouth colony who died during that 1 st winter.  For photo & more on this site, see my 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Pilgrims article.  

Stop 5-  Burial Hill , location of the Plymouth colonists’ fort with a beautiful view overlooking Plymouth Harbor where the Mayflower anchored & Plymouth Rock lies.  It’s where their cannons stood guard over the harbor, where their meeting house was and they also held church. The 1 st Thanksgiving was held on this hill.  A number of Pilgrims, including William Bradford, have been buried here, today, though not with the original headstones, which were wood. The only Mayflower passenger’s grave with original headstone is in Salem, Massachusetts & is discussed in my Salem post here.

Stop 6-  Plymouth Rock – During American Revolutionary fervor in 1774, leaders tried moving Plymouth Rock to Town Square, but broke off the top. In 1834, they tried moving the top to Pilgrim Hall, but it fell from the cart & broke in 1/2, now mortared together.  In 1880, they reunited the top to its buried base on the shoreline of Plymouth Harbor & carved in the landing year, 1620.  After breaking twice & souvenir seekers chipping away pieces, it’s estimated to only be 1/3 or ½ its original size and only 1/3 of the rock is visible above ground. It is covered by a small portico, along the shore on Water St.  For more on the Plymouth Rock legend, see my 10 things You Didn’t Know About the Pilgrims article .  

Stop 7-  Pilgrim Mother fountain , just 200 feet North, across the street is a memorial erected on the 300th anniversary in 1920, honoring the women on the Mayflower.  Women & children were the only Plymouth colonists who couldn’t sign the Mayflower Compact (their 1st governing document for how things would be run).  Indentured servants & non-Pilgrims even signed it, if male.  All but 4 of the women died that 1st winter, along with 1/2 of the rest.  Many, mothers who gave the bulk of their tiny portions of food to their kids, leaving themselves weaker and prone to the weather & pneumonia.  

Stop 8: Mayflower II ship –  74 Water Street; generally open 9- 4:45 daily

Just ahead, the Mayflower II is normally docked, the ‘Waterfront Exhibit’ of Plimoth Patuxet (formerly Plimoth Plantation).  Since 2016, it underwent an $11.2 million restoration in Connecticut.  It was in preparation for the 400 year anniversary of the Pilgrim’s voyage, in 2020. The original Mayflower sailed back to England in the spring, never to return, although another ship was named Mayflower and it made the voyage several times. The original was probably broken up for wood when she was retired. This Mayflower II is a full-scale reproduction of what they believe her to have been, consistent with other merchant ships of the time.  It was a gift of friendship from England in the 1950s, after WWII. It has informative plaques & a few exhibits.  Period characters onboard describe 17 century conditions, aboard the ship. Your visit will take about 45 minutes. Tickets were $10 for adults, $7 for children- subject to change. It may be a bit pricey for families, but it’s something you should visit if you’re here. It helps kids and even adults get a better idea of size, layout & conditions to better visualize what that voyage may have been like.

We had a great day in Plymouth. In grade school, we learn about the Pilgrims, Native Americans, and Plymouth, so it was exciting to visit in person, walk the same land and see some of the same landscape they saw with our own eyes. The Itinerary worked out really well and was a full visit, not too busy, all great sites. But, you could spend a couple of days, visiting cute shops and relaxing in this mellow, little sea village. Kids will enjoy seeing things they’ve all learned about and parents will have a peaceful, enjoyable day.  The town also has ties & memorials for the Revolutionary & Civil Wars and for 9/11, and nearby towns have a number of other Pilgrim sites & monuments.  2020 is the 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower landing .  If you’re in Massachusetts, Plymouth is well worth the trip!  

• Our other Massachusetts Posts
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For more information-   Check out my Top 10 Things You Didn’t Know About the Pilgrims . 

Also https://www.history.com  

plimoth.org

pilgrimhall.org

themayflowersociety.org

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• Plimoth Patuxet Museums
• National Monument to the Forefathers
• Pilgrim Hall Museum
• Plymouth Rock
• Brewster Gardens
• Pilgrim Memorial State Park
• Nelson Memorial Park
• Ellisville Harbor State Park
• Plymouth Visitor Information Center
• Americana Theatre Company

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Sunset Cruise on the Pilgrim Belle

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• Clock Duration: 1.5 hours

Watch the Plymouth Sunset with Your Favorite Cocktail!

Enjoy the magical experience of watching the sunset over Plymouth Harbor with your favorite cocktail, beer or wine from our full-service bar. Take in the night air on our deck or relax inside our climate-controlled cabin while you take in the views of Plymouth’s gentle and picturesque harbor as the rays of the setting sun dance on the water.

• Chevron down Are there restrooms on the boats?

All of our boats are equipped with clean men’s and ladies’ restrooms.

• Chevron down Can we buy food and beverages on the boat?

Pilgrim Belle offers snacks and full bar service. PLEASE NOTE: We only accept cash onboard the boats.

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• Clock 2 hours
• Users Ages 4+

End of the Summer Cruise

Join us for a sunset cruise to celebrate the summer of 2020 with cocktails and dancing to your favorite summertime tunes!

• Clock 1.25 hours
• Users All ages

Harbor Cruise on the Pilgrim Belle

Board the Pilgrim Belle and cruise through beautiful Plymouth Harbor. Soak up the sun or relax inside our climate-controlled cabin with galley service and a full bar.

New farm-to-food relief program to benefit Bristol, Norfolk and Plymouth counties

Frogfoot Farm’s long-term future will be largely driven by volunteers willing to help stock local food pantries in three counties. 

Marion Institute Executive Director Liz Wiley said the goals for the first one or two years of the Wareham-based farm will be to build up the site, ultimately leading to the planting of traditional plants and vegetables to produce nutritious food for those in need. 

The Marion Institute’s new Neighbors Feeding Neighbors farm-to-food relief program focuses on how to help increase the amount of healthy, nutritious and culturally relevant food in food pantries and other area food relief programs, she said. 

“Our priority this year is to build up the infrastructure,” she said. “We just put a fence in in March all around the perimeter, and we are growing soil this year,” Wiley said. “Nutritious soil is our main focus.” 

How you can help 

After putting out a call to their followers asking for donations of gently used tools, they are asking volunteers to donate the tools they will need to begin to farm the land – everything from shovels, steel rakes, pitchforks, hoses and hand tools to wheelbarrows and garden carts. 

Wiley said they are applying for grants to get hoop houses, a greenhouse and proper propagation to allow them to start slowly but do it right. 

A.D. Makepeace is leasing two plots of land of approximately three acres each along with some building space to the Marion Institute and providing some support with soil building and irrigation, but the Marion Institute will fundraise and write grants for everything else that’s needed. 

The south field they are focusing on first has been planted with a cover crop of sudangrass for use as a soil builder to contribute to its overall health. Wiley said they are using regenerative farming and agro-ecology practices to bring back the soil and biodiversity around the farm. 

Food for three counties

Distribution of the food from the fields will be through area food pantries in Bristol, Plymouth and Norfolk counties representing more than 1,500 farmers with help from Damien's Food Pantry in Wareham and the South Shore Community Action Council in Plymouth. 

The Marion Institute runs the South Coast Food Policy Council program. Working with its Community Advisory Board consisting of about 30 food system stakeholders on the South Coast, from farmers to fishermen, food pantry leaders to institutional buyers, it conducted a food system assessment during the pandemic that was published it in 2021. 

Wiley said the report showed glaring weaknesses in the regional food system, and the goal is to represent different aspects of the food system and the geographic area from Wareham to Fall River. 

After spending three months studying the report and identifying 27 priorities, four working groups covering education, food insecurity, policy and capacity building were created to move the project forward while focusing on reducing the reliance on ultra processed foods. 

“In our food access working group, two of the main priorities were the lack of healthy, nutritious and culturally-relevant foods in food pantries since they just don’t get access to it, and a survey we did with consumers said that the hardest to get food items are fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy – all the basics,” she said. 

She said another glaring priority in southeastern Massachusetts is the need for a regional gleaning program. If a farmer is unable to harvest a crop because they don’t have the labor to work the field or a market to sell it to so it won’t go to waste in the field, they can call on trained volunteers who are gleaners to recover the food from the fields. 

“If a farmer calls and says I have a crop of butternut squash that I’m not going to harvest, they can call gleaners, and they would come and harvest that crop, and then all of that food would go into food relief,” Wiley said. 

Neighbors Feeding Neighbors volunteers and volunteers trained as gleaners or are interested in becoming gleaners could go to other farms in the area. 

All about the infrastructure 

In the first year of farm operations overseen by Farm Manager Hannah Traggis, they are working on the infrastructure. The six acres that have never been farmed and had never had a cranberry bog on it will remain as sandy soil. 

Frogfoot farmer Scott Codey said the cover crops that will be planted this year there will be a combination of buckwheat, sorghum, sudangrass, sun hemp and oats. 

Marion Institute Director of Food Access and Innovation Rita Higgins said there’s also a need for volunteers to help clear out a pocket of invasive plants. 

There are also berms around the edges where they will be creating pollinated gardens where bees will in the sand undisturbed. The berms will ultimately be a wind break with plantings of native hedgerow to offer protection from the wind.  

The core windbreak plants will likely be bayberry and beach plum that grow up to 10 feet in height, the core grasses will include little blue stem, lovegrass and switchgrass, and the flowery plants will be bergamot and yarrow.  

Higgins said Traggis will be working with the Freed Seed Federation based in Westport, a nonprofit that focuses on seed saving, seed trials of heirloom seed and the building up of native seed sources that are a New England ecotype.  

She said they are modeling the program after the Martha’s Vineyard Island Grown Initiative farm. Ultimately, they hope to plant up to 100 different species in the berms. 

Standard-Times staff writer Kathryn Gallerani can be reached at  [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter: @kgallreporter. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.  

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Home » Things to Do » Outdoors & Adventure » Maritime Excursions » Pilgrim Belle Harbor & Sunset Cruises – Parties & Functions

Pilgrim Belle Harbor & Sunset Cruises – Parties & Functions

A cruise on our classic paddlewheel boat, the Pilgrim Belle, is the perfect introduction to Plymouth.

Harbor Cruise on the Pilgrim Belle –  Board the Pilgrim Belle and cruise through beautiful Plymouth Harbor. Soak up the sun or relax inside our climate-controlled cabin with galley service and a full bar.

Sunset Cruise on the Pilgrim Belle –  Enjoy the magical experience of watching the sunset over Plymouth Harbor with your favorite cocktail, beer or wine from our full-service bar.

Check Here to Reserve.

Private Charters –  Our Pilgrim Belle paddlewheel boat provides a stunningly unique and memorable venue for special events and occasions. Host your event in an unforgettable venue! The Pilgrim Belle paddlewheel boat provides a stunningly unique and memorable venue for special events and occasions. You name it — we’re happy to host it! Weddings and receptions – Corporate outings – Class reunions – Family gatherings – Retirement parties – Club gatherings – Rehearsal dinners – Wedding showers – Anniversary parties – Birthday parties – Bachelor or bachelorette parties – Family reunions

Our dedicated, experienced staff will work with you to ensure that all of your catering, decorating, and entertainment needs are met. Click Here for more information on Private Charters

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