As our CSA programs have expanded into full-year offerings, we have greatly increased the number of families we serve in Franklin, Hampshire, and Hampden counties. This means that we are responsible for growing and providing much more food than our original 5 acres was intended for, and we are often required to supplement our own farm vegetables with produce that we buy in from other growers.
For our summer and extended shares: Just Roots grows the vast majority of your food! We supplement it with other farms’ produce for a few crops that take up lots of growing space like potatoes and winter squash, and also when we have unexpected and dramatic crop failures.
For our winter share: Just Roots grows between 30%-70% of the produce in every box. This amount varies substantially over the course of the winter months, since we do not currently have capacity for significant winter growing in high tunnels. In the earlier months of the share, you will mainly receive the storage crops we’ve kept from our summer production and some of our greens from the high tunnels; as the months carry into Spring we depend more heavily on other sources to make up the bulk share of your box!
We believe that it is incredibly important for our members to be informed about the source and production standards of their food! That is why we have developed a “Buy-Ins Value Statement” to share with our community to explain who we source from, and why.
For any given buy-in opportunity, we prioritize sourcing from:
*All examples are farms we regularly buy from!
- Organic, no-till, low-spray, or IPM (integrated pest management) managed farms – This includes farmers who manage their land under the umbrella of organic standards but lack certification, farmers who approach their business with a strong ethic of land stewardship, and farmers who are experimenting or transitioning to organic methods and away from long-term conventional practices.
- Example: Abode Farm
- Local farms – This includes farms that are located anywhere within a 50 mile radius of Just Roots.
- Example: Plainville Farm
- Historically marginalized farmers – This includes Black, Indigenous, and POC farmers, immigrant farmers, and first generation farmers. We hold a commitment to uplifting the work of BIPOC farmers who have historically suffered the impacts of enslavement, genocide, landlessness, systemic exclusion from farming and land management, oppression of migrant farmers, and United States imperialism.
- Example: All Farmers
- Other misc. justice projects – This includes land and food projects that exist within the ecosystem of justice organizations (whether that be food justice, economic justice, racial justice, etc.) that we are a part of.
- Example: Wellspring Harvest
Our goal is to always source our produce from farms that fall under 1 or more of these categories. However, when the products that we need are not available from farmers that fall under any of these categories, we shift to “second tier” priorities which are:
- Conventional farms within a 50 mile radius of Just Roots
- Organic farms within a 100 mile radius of Just Roots
- Farms owned by historically marginalized farmers within a 100 mile radius of Just Roots
We try our hardest to avoid buying from farms that do not fall under any of the “second tier” categories. When this is very occasionally not possible, we are committed to letting our members know! This occurs particularly in the cold months when most produce is not available locally, or when the whole Northeast has suffered a crop failure due to weather conditions. We source from Marty’s Local, which buys high quality fresh fruits and vegetables from the Boston Market in Chelsea, MA, to supplement local offerings.
See this map for the regional breakdown of our buy-in partners!
For the 2023 growing season, 80% of our buy-in partners were located in the Pioneer Valley, 16% in the Hudson Valley, and 4% in the greater Boston area.
Local Farms We Support
Click each category to see a full list of farms and their bios!
Meat and Eggs
Frozen chicken, pork, lamb, and beef and fresh eggs are available at our farm store during CSA distributions on Wednesdays 2 – 6 and Saturdays from 9 – 1.
Sage Farm: Bernardston, MA
Sage Farm produces heritage breed pasture raised pork from pigs that graze on the pastures here at Just Roots!
Eden Pond Farm: Bernardston, MA
Eden Pond Farm specializes in pasture raised chickens for meat and eggs.
Everyday Farm: Gill, MA
Raised on a mixed produce, sheep, and poultry farm, Everyday Farm’s pasture raised chickens feed on fresh grass, bugs and organic grain. Their eggs are sold at our farm store and occasionally make an appearance in our CSA shares!
Reed Farm: Sunderland, MA
Reed Farm operates a full-service custom poultry processing plant for local and regional farmers. They also raise and process their own chickens for wholesale customers like us.
Flagg Farm: Gill, MA
Flagg Farm raises Hereford cattle in Gill to produce grass-fed beef.
Underline Farm: Easthampton, MA
Underline Farm is a small-scale farm specializing in producing pasture-raised chicken.
Red’s Best: Boston, MA
Red’s Best is a distributor in Boston that sells a wide variety of fish and seafood from New England fishermen.
For more information or to place an order, contact Meryl at meryl@justroots.org or call the Just Roots office 413.325.8969.
Vegetables and Fruits
Abode Farm: New Lebanon, NY
Dear friends of our production farmer Mary, these folks “work to provide accessible local food and farm-based education and experiences to our community and region” with their team of draft horses to grow certified organic vegetables.
All Farmers: Springfield, MA
Dedicated to land, training, and representation for refugee and immigrant farmers, “All Farmers supports over 60 families’ ability to farm” by supporting “autonomous groups of refugee and immigrant farmers in accessing the land, training, and resources they need to succeed.”
Apex Orchards: Shelburne, MA
In operation as a farm since 1828, Apex Orchards grows delicious fruit right in Shelburne, MA. They supply us with locally grown IPM* apples all year round! Check out their Fall pick-your-own orchards for fresh fruit and a stunning view of New England.
Atlas Farm: Deerfield, MA
Atlas Farm is one of the larger organic growers in our region! Their farm store is open year-round and will soon accept SNAP/HIP.
Bardwell Farm: Hatfield, MA
Using IPM practices, this farm grows 25 acres of 150 varieties of diversified vegetables on the richest silt loams along the Connecticut River!
Bostrom Farm: Greenfield, MA
Located in just down the road in Greenfield, Bostrom Farm raises beef cattle and pigs as well as flowers and some produce.
David Mokrzecki Farm: Hadley, MA
David Morkzecki Farm grows primarily bell peppers along with other vegetables such as cabbage, cauliflower, and lettuce on 30 acres of land.
Farm at Miller’s Crossing: Hudson, NY
As the farmers share, “We grow certified organic vegetables, plants and flowers; raise a small grass fed beef herd; and make maple syrup and maple products. The farm has 60 acres of vegetables within a 100-acre rotation, as well as 75 acres of pasture for our cows. Our greenhouse provides room to grow the farm’s transplants and bedding plants for sale.”
Fern Hill Farm: Buckland, MA
Fern Hill Farm is an agroforestry based farm, practicing climate resilient farming of vegetables, nuts and berries. The farm uses organic and no-till farming practices to grow their food and tend their land. Fern Hill Farm believes that food is medicine and that we all deserve to know the stories of the foods that sustain us. We’re excited to share that this farm will be producing 1/2-1/3 of the Farm to Family summer shares this year!
Hart Farm: Conway, MA
This woman run farm produces organic produce, eggs, and flowers on less than 2 acres. Their farm stand in Conway accepts SNAP, HIP, WIC, senior coupons, and Hilltown Bucks!
Harvest Farm of Whately: South Deerfield, MA
Growing for over 4 decades, this local farm specializes in conventionally grown collards, kale, tomatoes, and spearmint.
Jekanowski Farm: Hadley, MA
This farm focuses on growing potatoes and tobacco in Hadley.
Kitchen Garden Farm: Sunderland, MA
Growing on 50 acres of river bottom soil, Kitchen Garden produces certified organic mixed vegetables and specializes in hot peppers and hot pepper products! As they explain, “All of the new land they have brought into cultivation had previously been farmed by conventional growers in the area. Kitchen Garden Farm is doing the important work of converting prime agricultural land in their community to Organic production.”
Klein’s Kill Fruit Farms Corporation: Germantown, NY
This farm produces 10 varieties of conventionally grown apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums & cherries just outside Hudson, NY.
Little Leaf Farms: Devens, MA
Little Leaf Farms is a large hydroponic farm in northern central MA that grows a variety of lettuces in their greenhouses.
Markristo Farm: Saugerties, NY
Located in the Berkshires, on the border between NY and MA, this family-run organic vegetable farm grows a diverse array of crops and flowers.
MX Morningstar Farm: Hudson, NY
Certified organic and dedicated to soil health, this farm grows a diverse array of vegetable crops on 30 acres in the Claverack/Hudson area. This farm is also certified by the Real Organic Project which serves to preserve the integrity and protect the original values of the organic farming movement from the commodification of agribusiness.
Mycoterra Farm: South Deerfield, MA
Mycoterra grows a variety of mushrooms with ecological care in mind! They share, “Using agricultural and forestry byproducts as our primary growing mediums, our natural methods of production accelerate decomposition, building soil and cycling nutrients – critical processes for healthy ecosystems. We use our exhausted substrates as soil amendments on our farm to help restore an old gravel bank, prevent erosion and to build organic matter in our annual and perennial garden beds.”
Next Barn Over: Hadley, MA
This organic CSA farm grows some of the best sweet potatoes in town! In addition to growing great produce, Next Barn over also partners with our food justice friends at Gardening the Community to bring farm-shares to neighborhoods in Springfield, MA. Check out and support their incredible work!
Old Friends Farm: Amherst, MA
This farm specializes in growing organic vegetables, along with salad mixes, cut flowers, and Northeast-grown ginger and turmeric, as well as the products they make with these powerful roots.
Pine Hill Orchard: Colrain, MA
Family owned and operated, this fruit farm grows a variety of perennial crops on over 80 acres. Visit for PYO apples and check out their farm store, which sells house made sweet and hard ciders and donuts!
Plainville Farm: Hadley, MA
This is a third generation family farm in Hadley, MA that specializes in conventionally grown hard squash, asparagus, and other seasonal produce.
Queen’s Greens: Amherst, MA
With greenhouses in Amherst, Queens Greens grows Certified Naturally Grown greens in soil during the winter months using only the sun to keep the plants warm (meaning no electric inputs or high carbon footprint!).
Riverland Farm: Sunderland, MA
This 40 acre farm is certified organic and women-run, growing a diverse array of mixed vegetables and fruits along the Connecticut River in Sunderland, MA.
Smiarowski Farm: Hatfield, MA
This farm has been run by the Smiarowski family since the 1950s and focuses on growing potatoes and strawberries using IPM methods.
Sobieski’s River Valley Farm: Whately, MA
As they share, “Established in 1977, the Sobieski family continues the tradition of producing the finest quality and best tasting blueberries available, grown using environmentally friendly IPM and organic methods.” Check out their PYO blueberries and farm store!
Sparrow Arc Farm: Guildhall, VT
This Northeast Kingdom farm specializes in organic potatoes, winter squash, and pumpkins – all of which require more growing space than Just Roots’ 7 acres can handle! We buy from these friends to supplement our own crops when needed.
Spatcher Farm: Leyden, MA
Ken and Holly Spatcher are our Leyden neighbors and have been growing blueberries organically for over 30 years. We’ve sourced their fresh blueberries as a sweet addition to our summer CSAs.
Stepanik Farm: Feeding Hills, MA
This greenhouse farm grows plants for home gardeners and home decor, as well as greenhouse tomatoes, pumpkins, and Christmas trees and wreaths.
Twin Oaks Farm: Hadley, MA
This farm is a third and fourth-generation family-owned operation that grows conventional beets, leeks, cabbage, bell peppers, eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, winter squash, Indian corn, mini-pumpkins and swan gourds.
Warner Farm: Sunderland, MA
This family-owned farm has operated going back ten generations of Warners! Growing vegetables on 150 acres using a combination of organic and IPM methods, this farm is also home to PYO strawberries as well as Mike’s Maze, an eight-acre corn maze! They supply Just Roots primarily with sweet corn and green beans.
Wellspring Harvest: Indian Orchard, MA
Growing out of the largest urban greenhouse in Massachusetts, Wellspring Harvest in Springfield supplies us with delicious hydroponically grown lettuce during the snowiest months of the year! As part of the Wellspring family of cooperative businesses, these growers are dedicated to cooperative economics and provide jobs with on-the-job training and ownership opportunities for low income Springfield residents.
Winter Moon Roots: Hadley, MA
Run by long-time Pioneer Valley farmers and community members Michael Doctor and Rosendo Santizo, Winter Moon Roots focuses their organic growing solely on storage crops like carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, and radishes. They share, “Winter Moon’s goal is to minimize its carbon footprint. The farm’s storage facility requires minimal electricity and that which it does use, is provided for 100% by solar power.”
Local Distributors and Businesses We Support
Distributors
Marty’s Local: South Deerfield, MA
As regional suppliers of local produce and products from over 75 farms, this distributor’s mission is to “help build our regional food system by linking the exceptional farmers and food producers of our area with local institutions.” They also source high quality fresh fruits and vegetables from the Boston Market in Chelsea, MA, to supplement local offerings.
Value Added Products
Baer’s Best Beans: South Berwick, ME
Baer’s Best specializes in heirloom bean varieties that have been grown in the Northeast for hundreds of years. Owners Charley and Carol Baer have been growing heirloom beans since the 1980s–including varieties that are no longer grown commercially anywhere else!
Franklin County Community Development Corporation: Greenfield, MA
In seasons when our yields are more than we can handle, we sell our bumper crops to the CDC for processing and buy them back as canned tomatoes, frozen peppers, etc. Enjoy our canned tomatoes months after they first ripened on the vine!
Mi Tierra Tortillas: Hadley, MA
This producer uses the ancient methods of nixtamalization to process the tortillas before they are baked off & packaged. It’s an old & simple way to extract the naturally occurring nutrients out of the corn. This way you get the maximum nourishment from the food that comes out of your ground. They use locally grown organic & conventional corn, to bring you the freshest, best tasting tortillas available to the east coast!