Producer Spotlight: Picadilly Farm

If you haven’t already, we recommend visiting Picadilly Farm in Winchester, NH. Owned and operated by Bruce and Jenny Wooster, Picadilly Farm is nestled among the fields and hills of southwestern New Hampshire, right along the Vermont and Massachusetts borders. For the past 14 years, the farm has grown certified organic produce for the region.

Known for their delicious produce, Picadilly boasts a CSA following of over 1,000 households. The land was a dairy farm for several generations and the farmers who lived here before the Woosters moved next door when they retired. “They come over and get a Picadilly Farm share with us—it's been a rich relationship!” says Jenny. Community connections are important for local farms to thrive and Picadilly is no exception. The Farm Fund through the Monadnock Food Co-op and Cheshire County Conservation District awarded Picadilly Farm a grant to add a 25-foot long storage space that accommodates another 18,000 – 20,000 pounds of root crops due to

“We are a big-little farm—big enough to hire a sizeable seasonal crew and have fleet of trucks and tractors, but too small to supply the grocery chains,” says Jenny. “We rely on a diversity of crops, rather than specializing in a handful. We've tried out a range of agricultural ventures, from laying hens, to turkeys, to winter greens. These days, Bruce is dabbling in growing popcorn commercially—we'll see! "Picadilly Popcorn" has a nice ring to it.”

Staying small allows them to focus on local customers. “Locally is the only way we want to sell. Our work is as much about relationships as it is about the products we offer. Locally oriented customers are at the heart of the success and sustainability of our farm.” Picadilly Farm not only sells produce through Food Connects, but buys it as well. “It's super convenient to work with Food Connects as both a grower, and as a buyer for our small farm stand. Growing for a local market means weaving together lots and lots of relationships, and often it means filling lots and lots of small orders. Consolidation through Food Connects is an obvious win, as we can reach more buyers in our region.”

With so many products it might be hard to choose a favorite. Jenny is a fan of growing, harvesting, selling, and eating the orange crops—cantaloupes, sweet potatoes, and fall carrots top her list. So what are you waiting for? Try out some of this great, local produce today!

Producer Spotlight: Milkweed Farm

At Food Connects, we’re fortunate to work with both small-scale and large-scale producers. This allows us to not only have diversity in our products, but also in the producers we support. One farm we are proud to support is Milkweed Farm.

Jonah Mossberg owns and operates Milkweed Farm, a diversified vegetable and flower farm in Guilford, Vermont. Milkweed Farm is also a queer owned and operated business—which is core to how Jonah farms and how his farm business engages with the community. He is committed to using low and no-till practices on the farm both as a way to support soil biology and health and to reduce the farm's carbon footprint.

Jonah grows over 40 varieties of vegetables on the farm. He produces value-added fermented vegetables for sale at local farmers’ markets such as kimchi and loves growing ingredients for those—“nothing makes me happier than a good patch of Napa Cabbage and Daikon radish.” He is also an aspiring flower farmer and love growing blooms—the queen red lime Zinnia and broom corn are some of his favorites.

For Jonah farming is about more than just growing food. Agriculture is a way to engage with the people in his direct community.

“Food and farming are lenses that we can all put on to look at our world and to see how we might make things a little better. As a farmer, I choose to use my farm as a way to collaborate with other local businesses as a way to keep our local economy strong. Keeping food that I grow in my community also means that I get to feed people that I know, and feed them well. I wouldn't have it any other way.”

The farm also donates to local food shelves regularly, as well as local organizations working across many social justice issues, hosts educational groups, and stands strongly in solidarity with justice based movements across Vermont.

“Selling through the Food Connects Food Hub allows my farm to connect with local businesses that I otherwise wouldn't have access to. As a new farmer, this has been elemental in growing my business. Because Food Connects takes care of the marketing, invoicing, and transportation of my products I get to spend more time doing what I love, growing food, and less time out of the field finding buyers for my food. It is a win-win."

Milkweed Farm has multiple CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) options, including a growing Fermentation CSA where members get value-added fermented goods. You can also purchase Jonah’s products at the Saturday Brattleboro Farmers’ Market or the Sunday Putney Farmer's’ Market.

Want to lend a hand to Milkweed Farm? Currently Jonah farms on leased land and is searching for a permanent land base for his farm operation in Windham County—ideally 3-5 acres (or more!) of flat, farmable ground, with good southerly exposure and water access. Outbuildings and a house are a bonus. If you know of any land or information that could help Jonah, please send him an e-mail!