About the Organic Food Guide
The NOFA/Mass Organic Food Guide (OFG) is a directory of farms and businesses throughout Massachusetts that raise and sell certified organic and sustainably grown products. Started in 1988, the OFG is a program of NOFA/Mass. We aim to comprehensively showcase our state's organic community in a way that is useful to consumers, to the media and to the general public. We also hope the information provided here will become a useful networking and marketing tool for organic farmers and business owners.
Who is listed?
Farms
Certified vs. Sustainable
Farms that are listed in the OFG are either certified organic by a statewide or national agency, or practice organic methods but have chosen for a variety of reasons not to be formally certified.
If a farm is certified organic, that is indicated on the listing page beneath that farm's contact information. The certifying organization is also listed. Most of the certified organic farms listed on this site are certified through Baystate Organic Certifiers. If you have questions about the certification process, or about the status of any farm, please contact Baystate Organic Certifiers at
774-872-5544
baystateorganic@earthlink.net
If a farm listed in the OFG is not certified organic, the word "sustainable" will appear on the listing page beneath that farm's contact information. All of the farmers in charge of these operations have affirmed the following NOFA/Mass Sustainability Pledge:
I have raised my food without genetically modified (GM) seed on land free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers for at least three years. My livestock receive 100% organic feed, have access to pasture out-of-doors, and are raised without antibiotics, hormones, or parasiticides.
Just as a whole farm, part of a farm, or only a single crop may be certified organic, in some cases only part of a farm meets the NOFA/Mass sustainability standards. In both scenarios, we have tried as much as possible to highlight only the parts of a farm that are either certified organic or sustainable.
At NOFA/Mass, we tend to think that ultimately the best way to understand what practices a grower uses is to talk to the farmer. When you shop at farmers' markets, visit a farm stand or pick up your CSA shares, ask questions about the grower's operation. And get to know your farmer!
Ways to purchase products
Because we want the general public to find this site as useful as possible, we have separated out various ways that you can purchase food from the farms listed.
- CSA: Community Supported Agriculture is an increasingly common distribution model. A CSA is a direct farmer-consumer relationship in which the customer buys a share of the farm's harvest before the season begins or pays in installments throughout the season. Shares vary in size and price, and some farms deliver to central locations while others require customers to pick up on site. In some cases, CSA shareholders are expected to work a few hours on the farm over the course of the season. CSA options vary widely, but ideally, in all cases CSAs offer consumers a unique opportunity to connect to both their food and their local farming community.
- Farm stand: Many farms have either a seasonal roadside stand or a small retail spot on site, where you can buy fresh products directly. Often these stands are seasonal or are open only occasionally. We have done our best to list each farm stand's hours of operation. For the most up-to-date information, call the farm directly or check its website.
- Farmers' market: Each farm has listed which markets it sells at. For a complete list of farmer's markets across the state, visit the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources' list of farmers' markets.
- PYO: Some farms provide Pick Your Own options, where you harvest your own produce from the fields. Berry operations, for example, often offer PYO. Sometimes diversified farms will offer a PYO option for only a few specific crops. Each farm listed here that offers PYO has specified which crops customers may pick.
- Wholesale: In addition to selling their goods directly to individual consumers through any of the methods above, some farms also make large quantities of produce and other products available for wholesale. As a tool for restaurants and stores, we have also included this purchasing method.
Businesses
Stores and restaurants that sell or serve certified organic products or food are also listed in the OFG.
Want to be listed?
Because we want the OFG to be a comprehensive directory of the state's organic farm and business community, we are always looking to add organic and sustainable farms and businesses. If you know of a farm or business you think should be listed, please contact our Organic Food Guide Coordinator.
Homepage photo credits
- Carol Lake: sheep; turkeys; and wheat
- Michal Lumsden: yarn; and kale
- Julie Rawson: blueberries
- Trish Wesley Umbrell: sap buckets; and sunflowers