12/01/2025
Think back on the year - what were your moments of calm? Of joy? Of connection? Were any of them at the farm? For me, many of those moments were at Brookfield - running into neighbors and friends I don’t see enough; watching my kids at the potato dig event; eating warm strawberries off the vine; and feeling reassured picking up healthy local food from the root cellar. If you also found calm, joy, connection–or just great food–at the farm, I invite you to join me and my family in making an annual contribution before December 31.
Improvements to the root cellar is one example of what our donations from last year made possible. Through your generosity, we had the funds needed to supplement grant funding to add additional insulation and cooling units to the root cellar. Without these upgrades, it would have been difficult to bring in all of the carrots, beets, turnips and rutabagas and get them down to a temperature that makes them last. You made this possible! Thank you!
Other projects our donations from last year supported include:
Produce donations to Rachel’s Table of Western Massachusetts and The Amherst Survival Center
A new, more efficient and reliable van to bring produce to our Boston shareholders
A new tractor for our composting program that moves materials around the farm
Supporting our robust farm event program that brings our community together over crafts, activities, a little farm labor and of course delicious food from our farm
I love this farm and I know that so many other people do too. This is why I volunteer to serve on the Board and why my family and I make an annual contribution to help bridge the gap between the true cost of running the farm and what our shares actually cover. I invite you to join us with your annual contribution before December 31. Pooling together gifts of every size provides resources to help our farm be more resilient to climate and economic challenges, helps our farmers address unanticipated costs, and provides funding for programs that build such a welcoming community.
This is an exciting time for Brookfield Farm! Next spring we will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Brookfield Farm, and this fall marks five years of Kerry and Max Taylor stewarding the farm. We have accomplished some impressive things over these decades, such as training over 80 apprentices, some of whom have gone on to start their own farms, fulfilling our mission to grow sustainable farming by training new farmers. We have moved from renting much of our land to owning much of it thanks to recent purchases of 35 acres of land, which helps secure the long- term future of the farm.
We provided healthy food and a haven to our members throughout the pandemic. During that time, we smoothly transitioned the farm from longtime farmers Dan and Karen to Kerry and Max. We have supported countless children learning to love growing and eating healthy food through our member families and school group visits. As one of the few CSAs in New England in the eighties, we have influenced and watched the CSA movement bloom across the country. We have grown from a small CSA of 55 shares to 560 shares.
Let’s keep this great work going. Please help ensure the fiscal health of the farm and support 2026 projects like:
Refurbishing our compost pad - compost is an essential element of sustainable and biodynamic farming that enriches our soil so it can nurture us
Providing continued donations to food banks, food pantries and shelters
Helping farm members affected by SNAP benefit issues or furloughs
Continuing to train future farmers and bringing our community together with events full of creativity and joy
Your contribution to our Annual Fund is an integral part of our budget. I contribute every year to ensure Brookfield Farm will thrive. The revenue from our summer and winter CSA shares covers the majority of the costs to run the farm, like buying seeds, fuel, some new equipment, and paying our farmers and other workers. The Annual Fund covers unanticipated costs, community needs, and allows for matching grant funding and infrastructure upgrades.
Our goal is to raise $16,000 by December 31, 2025. So, on behalf of the board and our farmers, I invite you to participate with a contribution of any amount. Last year, we raised over $16,000, in gifts from 110 people that ranged from $10 - $2,000. Please help Brookfield Farm finish 2025 strong and be prepared to thrive in 2026.
You can give online at https://www.brookfieldfarm.org/donate or by sending a check in the enclosed envelope. Thank you for being part of this incredible CSA community.
Marcie Muehlke,
Board President, Biodynamic Farmland Conservation Trust (BFCT)
