Location

Overview

Caretaker Farm’s 35 acres are an idyllic mix of cropland, pastures, and woodland tucked into a scenic valley. Two ponds, a vernal pool, and the Green River mark the land, with views of the Taconic Range, Green and Berkshire Mountains in the distance.

This working farm has a rich history, much of it focused on community. It is one of oldest community supported farms in the country and its fields have been the training ground for more than 135 apprentices during the last 35 years.

The farm’s CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program allows individuals and families in the Williamstown area the opportunity to purchase a share of the farm’s annual crop harvest, and members also have the opportunity to help raise and harvest the food that eventually finds its way to their tables.

Caretaker is a special place, and a quote by Bill McKibben — who once visited the farm — sums it up: “Caretaker Farm is one of America’s finest places, endowed with a calm nobility that deserves to last for generations to come.”

Learn more about the farm’s CSA program and history at: https://caretakerfarm.org

Size: 35 acres

Acquired: 2006

Photo Gallery

History

Sam and Elizabeth purchased a dairy farm in southwest corner of Williamstown more than 50 years ago, in 1969, and named it Caretaker Farm. They spent more than three decades nurturing the land and nourishing the community before finding a way to pass the farm to its next generation of stewards.

In 2006, the Williamstown Rural Lands purchased the farmland through a creative collaboration with Equity Trust and Town of Williamstown CPA funding. This enabled Bridget Spann and Donald Zasada to buy the farmhouse and barn at an affordable cost. In turn, Bridget and Donald lease the farmland from WRL under a 99-year lease. For all intents and purposes, this farm is considered private, and the tenants have the rights of property ownership.

Activities

Community Supported Agriculture

Additional Information

Caretaker Farm is part of Massachusetts’s Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) program. Under this program, the Commonwealth purchased an APR, which is an easement that prohibits the development of the land (all but the immediate farmstead), and also requires at least some minimal agricultural use of the property. Learn more about APRs and other conservation methods.