Farm Philosophy
Why do we farm? It's simply just who we are & we are passionate about it. We love to grow good food for people and people notice. One customer at the Cambridge Farmers' Market said she could taste the love in our carrots. We're a small farm, with about three acres under cultivation, which means we lovingly touch everything we grow.
For us there really is no other way to farm than organically. It just doesn't make sense to grow food with chemicals. Poisoning the earth, our bodies, our children, and all living creatures is wrong. We want to grow food that will make those who eat it feel good, physically and spiritually. We farm using biodynamic principles, or what Derek refers to as "cosmically correct food." (Check out our link to the Biodynamic Organizations for a more complete explanation.) In 2009 we created all our own compost..approximately 20 yards which we used on our fields.
In following biodynamic philosophy, our goal is to be as self-reliant as possible.
For us that means livestock: sheep, dairy goats, chickens. . 
In keeping with our feelings about treading lightly on the earth, we are training an oxen team, Moses and Abraham, to work our fields. (Read more about them on the animal page.)
Because our market is local & people know us & our farming methods we have decided to not seek organic certification even though that is how we manage our fields. We only buy our seeds from companies that pledge not to sell GMO seeds & buy organic seed whenever possible. We use Vermont Compost which is certified organic for all our vegetable & herb starts.
We really believe that healthy food should be accessible to everyone, no matter your financial status, so we donate to area food pantries and soup kitchens. We also participate in the local Senior Farm Share program as well as growing for our local Food Pantry. We always welcome ideas & thoughts on how we can grow more food for low income people. As we look to our farms future we see this as the direction we would like to farm to move. I
Where can you find us?
If we're not in the fields, doing family things, or playing with our animals, we're selling at
Ashfield Farmers' Market: Saturdays 8:30-12:30 Memorial Day-the end of October
Vegetables, Goat Cheese & Culinary Herbs
Florence Farmers Market: Wednesdays 2-6 beginning May 6th
Vegetables, Goat Cheese & Culinary Herbs
New This Year: On Tuesday we will be at Farmers' Market behind Thornes Marketplace with Goat Cheese & Culinary Herbs
On Saturdays you can find our Goat Cheese at the Greenfield Farmers' Market
We grow a wide range of vegetables - greens, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and broccoli, to name a few. We especially like growing kale, spinach, carrots, onions, and garlic. We also grow culinary herbs, selling them fresh and dried as single herbs and blends. See our order page for more information on products available online.
Farmers' Pledge
From NOFA-NY (Northeast Organic Farm Association)
We pledge that in our farming, marketing and processing, we will:
- Serve the health of soil, people and nature by rejecting the use of synthetic insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers;
- reject the use of GMOs, chemically treated seeds, synthetic toxic materials, irradiation, and sewage sludge in our farming, and all synthetic substances in post-harvest handling;
- treat livestock humanely by providing pasture for ruminants, access to outdoors and fresh air for all livestock, banning cruel alterations, and using no hormones, GMOs or antibiotics in feed;
- support agricultural markets and infrastructures that enable small farms to thrive;
- maintain and build healthy soils by farming practices that include rotating crops annually, using compost, cover crops, and green manures, and reducing tillage;
- conserve natural resources by reducing erosion and pollution of air, soil and water through responsible farming practices;
- maximize the nutritional value of food and feed by practicing careful post-harvest handling;
- practice minimal processing for all food products to preserve the natural nutritional value of food: NO use of irradiation, ultra-pasteurization, excessive heat, synthetic preservatives, or GMO processing agents or additives and include all ingredients on labels;
- reduce the ecological footprint of farms and homes by limiting energy use and converting to renewable sources of energy;
- reduce food miles by selling produce locally and regionally;
- create a beneficial habitat for wildlife and encourage biodiversity;
- help preserve farmland and farming know-how;
- ensure food safety by using potable water for washing crops;
- handle raw manure and soil amendments with care;
- use ethical business practices;
- pay a living wage to all farm workers and acknowledge their freedom of association and their right to collective bargaining;
- treat family members and farm workers with respect, and ensure their safety on the farm;
- work in cooperation with other farmers and with the neighboring community to create a more sustainable way of life;
- encourage the distribution of unsold but edible food to people who need it;
- sustain the land in healthy condition for future generations.
