Above: Growers leasing Chestnut Farm Hill fields are promoting a CSA at the farm and seeking workers. (images cropped from contributed logo and flyers)
This summer, thanks to local growers who have leased Chestnut Hill Farm fields, a new CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) is being launched in Southborough. The produce is pitched as grown using “organic practices”.
The announcement should come as good news to the former members of the Chestnut Hill Farm CSA that was closed by The Trustees of Reservations two years ago.1
Grafted Roots, the growers behind the new CSA, will also open their own farm store on the property. (Scroll down for more on that. And scroll to the bottom for info on related available jobs.)
Co-founders Freddy Pena and Erik Jewett promote that they partnered to revive farming at the conserved property:
with a focused selection of specialty vegetables, gourmet mushrooms, and hydroponic greens. . .
One farm stand. Two growers. A shared belief that local food should be extraordinary, not just available.
The Full Season CSA launches on June 23rd for a 20‑week season (ending November 3rd). The smaller “Seedling” share of the full season is $31/week and the larger “Harvest” share is $40.65/week. (There are also options to add Microgreens for an additional $4/week, and an “additional” mushroom add-on for $4/week.)
Alternativley, for a “a slightly higher per-week rate”, you can sign up for one or more of the mini-seasons: Early Summer (Jun 23 – Jul 21), Peak Summer (Jul 28 – Sep 15), and Fall (Sep 22 – Nov 3).
The weekly pickup is from 8:00 am to noon on Thursdays or Saturdays.
I reached out to Grafted Roots for more background details about the new CSA and store, including whether some/all of the produce is actually grown at Chestnut Hill Farm. Pena explained:
Grafted Roots Farms grows everything sold at the farm store (once open) and in the CSA, with the exception of mushrooms, microgreens, and hydroponic leafy greens (late fall and winter). Those are grown by our sister farm, Bright Oasis Farm in Bellingham, MA, which I also own. Honey will be provided by Fat Daddy Apiary. Everything else in the CSA is grown directly on our property.
The CSA produce varies by season/selection:
- Always Included – Field Vegetables:
- Defiant slicing tomatoes
- Glacier grape tomatoes
- Lunch Box sweet peppers
- Dragon Tongue beans
- Yellow & purple cauliflower
- Amadeus broccoli
- Easter Egg radish & beets
- Kale, Swiss chard, collards
- Fall Season – Winter Squash:
- Honey Bun acorn squash
- Tip Top acorn squash
- Block Party butternut
- Delicata squash
- Starry Night acorn
- Sweet Dumpling
- Bi-Weekly – Gourmet Mushrooms:
- Blue, Snow, Phoenix Oyster
- Black Pearl & Chestnut
- King Oyster & Lion’s Mane
- Optional Add-On – Microgreens ($4 extra/week):
- Sunflower shoots
- Pea shoots
- Broccoli & Radish mix
- Mild Blend (5-variety)
- Chef’s Blend (premium)
- Basil & Shiso (seasonal)
The deadline for the full‑season CSA sign‑ups is June 21st. (They are considering allowing up to 10 late sign‑ups within 15 days after the deadline. But it’s better to be safe than sorry. So, don’t count on that.) I’d assume that the 21st is also the deadline for the Early Summer season.
To learn more and sign up, click here. You can also use the pdf form here.
[Editor’s Note: When I was looking for info on Grafted Roots, I learned that there is another CSA that has a Southborough pickup location. Siena Farms in Sudbury has options with a pickup location at Southborough’s Vin Bin. Seina Farms’ CSA options include fruit, which isn’t part of the listed produce for Grafted Roots. You can learn more about those options here.]
Grafted Roots Farm Store
Grafted Roots does plan to allow non-CSA customers to shop for the same produce at the farm store. But the hours and availability will vary based on crop output and the CSA shareholders’ needs. They encourage interested shoppers to join their newsletter. But you can also follow them on social media for updates. (Click here for Facebook. The Instagram account isn’t live yet, but will be at @graftedrootsfarm)
Now Hiring
Pena also asked me to spread the word about their job openings at Chestnut Hill Farm. You can learn more about that in this hiring flyer or on their website here.
- The Trustees’ board’s January/February 2024 decision to end the Southborough CSA and close the farm store was part of the a larger move to cut staff and increase efficiencies due to the non-profit’s “multimillion-dollar structural deficit.” After the announcement, the Trustees also ceased event programming at the Southborough farm — which had already been greatly scaled back the prior fall.
