It has been a busy summer season at the Barrington Farm School.

The volunteer run farm located near the intersection of Federal Avenue and Middle Highway launched new programs, harvested delicious produce and moved ahead on a series of improvement projects.

"We had a strong summer with our best year in terms of volunteers, interns, and students," said one of the farm school's founders, Tim Faulkner. "Even with the strict health guidelines in place we were able to accommodate many small groups throughout the summer. The farm stand was extremely busy and we sold out of all of our produce very quickly. The community has definitely embraced us."

The Barrington Farm School also launched a new program as a food collection site for the Progreso Latino food pantry in Central Falls, and worked with the town's Debra Page-Trim to  deliver weekly bags of vegetables for local residents with mobility and food-security issues.

"Both were big successes," Mr. Faulkner said.

The farm schools food scrap collection program has increased by about 40 percent, Mr. Faulkner said. That's made even more impressive by the fact that the farm usually collects most of its food scraps from local schools but was unable to do so this year because the schools closed in March.

"For the first time in 10 years, the schools won't be doing food-scrap collection in the cafeteria due to COVID reasons," he said. "Up until this spring we collected cafeteria food scrap from all the schools and St. Andrew's every week."

Last week, volunteers were at the farm stand harvesting the last of the summer produce. They also took time to prepare the garden beds for the upcoming fall season. Zach Cox, from Welch Associate Surveyors, was also at the farm property marking out the space for a high tunnel project. A high tunnel would allow volunteers to grow plants in the ground all year long, similar to a greenhouse.

Mr. Faulkner said there is still some planning work that needs to be completed before the construction of a high tunnel.

Officials are also expected to begin work on installing a solar array on the property in the near future.