About Us
About the name
Farthest Field Farm is named after a song we love singing in harmony with our friends and community whenever we gather, and it is in this spirit that we created our vision for Farthest Field Farm. It is a dream of Alyssa Adkins and Nathan Broaddus, but our hope is that it will become the living, breathing dream of the surrounding community as well.
Our growing practices
We moved to our permanent farming space in 2022 and are transitioning former grassy fields to no-till farm fields — a labor of love that takes years. The land was heavily logged before we arrived, the soil compacted and wildlife habitat destroyed. We are working to rebuild both soil and pollinator habitat through cover cropping, mulching, and planting native trees, grasses and flowers.
Our hope is that over years of rebuilding soil and habitat, pest pressure will naturally decrease as beneficial insects and soil biodiversity return to the farm. In the meantime, when pressure from pests increases we use the following methods to address it: netting barriers, crop rotation, letting beds rest under cover cropping and, as a last resort, organic-approved pesticides at the most minimal level possible.
We use organic methods on our farm but we are not certified organic. We believe that organic certification can be valuable but is not the only indicator of right-relationship with the land. For example, organic farms can overuse tilling, plastic inputs, and fossil fuels, just as conventional farms can. Because of the nuance involved in solving the many challenges that arise for farms, we believe good faith relationship and communication between farmers and customers allows us to show how and why we use the practices we do, and we welcome you to engage with us with curiosity and a desire to learn.
We had our soil tested for PFAs in 2022 and we are very happy to say that vegetables grown at Farthest Field Farm are PFAs free!
Delicious foods from the farm
We want to bring the bright taste of local food straight to your pantry all year round. We’re starting off by crafting a line of flavorful jarred goods made from the veggies we grow right here. All recipes are developed and tested in our farm kitchen, and all our products are made by our own hands. Our four delicious hot sauces already have a faithful following and 2023 will see the addition of tomato sauces, salsas, infused vinegars, and jams.
Behind the scenes of all the jarred goodness, we are preparing to host a winter CSA in future years, featuring the classic fall and winter veggies you love as well as greens grown in our unheated high tunnels. The farm is also home to 78 acres of woodlands where we have already begun planting nut and fruit trees, and we can’t wait to share their bounty with you down the road.
Farthest Field Farm in the seasons of bloom & renewal
Over the seasons, you’ll find Farthest Field to be a haven for your senses and spirit. In spring, as the mud recedes and we’re greeted with the brilliant yellow-green of new foliage, you’ll find friends and neighbors helping to bring the farm to life, seedlings sprouting and growing for our seedling sale, and creatures emerging in the woodland. Young folks and teachers will find space for learning from nature; others will find classes on anything from composting to foraging.
Summer will bring migrating birds and butterflies, the gentle slow-motion fireworks of flowers, hikes and tree plantings in the woods, farm-to-table dinners hosted by local chefs, the shared labor to coax the colorful rows of peppers and tomatoes to fruit, and relaxing and singing together beneath a maple tree. You’ll be able to enjoy music from local artists, and outdoor dance events. You might be lucky enough to catch our garlic harvest!
Farthest Field Farm in the seasons of harvest & rest
With the crisp air of fall will come the rush of activity to put food by to nourish us for months to come. At the farm, we’ll be harvesting hot peppers and producing our sauces, jams, and relishes. You might join a workshop on canning to learn how to save the bounty of the season, or join in the garlic planting.
And we all will work to put the earth to rest. Join us in harvest celebrations and the warmth of dance and art events as we all come together and prepare for a quieter, more introspective time in the darker months. Come winter, you’ll be able to connect with your community during our winter CSA pickups, and maybe share a snowshoe through the woods before warming up in our little sauna. No matter the weather outside, you’ll find a space for warmth and gathering here.
Our invitation to you
Farthest Field Farm will be a place to find food and shelter, and also to meet the deeper needs we all have—space for expression, for gathering, for learning from one another, for time alone to watch the plants grow. And, of course, there will be hot sauce!
We hope you’ll join us in these offerings. We joyfully carry this work that will never be done or perfect, that will always be evolving. As much of it as possible will be sliding scale. As much of it as possible will be collaborative and community-led. It will be messy. It will be joyful. We can’t wait to see you there.
We're just entering our first season of growing on the farm's permanent location in Freeport, and we are delighting in getting to know the land! If you’d like to be in touch to learn more or hear about volunteer opportunities, we’d love to hear from you. You can reach us at hello [at] farthestfieldfarm.com, follow us on Instagram, and sign up for our email list below.
