Williams Grad, Harvest Group Partners in Farming
 Photos by Kathy Keeser
Cheshire native and Williams College graduate Michael Gallagher sees his future working the land. |
Square Roots Farm and the Hoosac Harvest CSA collaboration is the latest community-supported agriculture project in the region and, for its first year, will offer 40 shares to area residents.
Community members purchase a share before the season starts and share in the products of the farm over a 20-week period that will begin in early June. They share also in the risks, which is particularly helpful for a farm in its infancy.
But farmer Michael Gallagher is confident that the risk will be minimum — it's good land, he says: "I can find what produces best on my soil, which is hero loam, some of the best soil in the county."
He's planning some pick-your-own crops like peas and cherry tomatoes, and pickups on Wednesday afternoon and possibly at the farmers' market on Saturdays in North Adams.
"I expect everyone to get a solid share. They should pick up weekly enough vegetables for an ordinary family of four or two vegetarians," he said last week. "I plan to produce a wide variety of close to 40 standard vegetables. I am planting different varieties so there will be some choices for members."
Gallagher is new to this farm, but not to farming or the area. He grew up in Cheshire, attended Pine Cobble School in Williamstown and Hoosac Valley High School in Cheshire, and graduated in 2006 from Williams College.
"After Williams, I taught school in Mississippi, but it wasn't sustainable for me, for a variety of reasons. I had always had an interest in farming, starting back in high school when I worked summers on a farm in Lanesborough baling hay, but I never thought I could make a living at it," he said. "Once I got past that barrier, it made sense to me that farming could be the best way for me to find meaningful work, to find a place in the world where I could do good, and feel good doing it."
He left teaching and went to work for "fantastic farmers" Rick and Linda Bolger in Cropseyville, N.Y., "who have been a real support for me as I start my own farm."
"I wanted to move back to the Berkshires and the match with the Hoosac Harvest CSA was perfect," said Gallagher. "The group gave me leads on land and I settled on this land that I am leasing from Paul and Caroline Marshall and we get along well."
The seed was planted once he began working with Hoosac Harvest, which has grown out of Target: Hunger, a project of the Food Bank of Western Mass.
"For Hoosac Harvest to be working with Michael Gallagher and Square Roots farm is just incredibly exciting," said Caroline Scully, who has been involved since inception as a working group to explore CSAs as means to increasing food security to all income levels in Northern Berkshire. "We have the right farmer on the right land working with our group."
The right land is the 3 1/2 acres at 835 Daniels Road that was once part of the Center for Resourceful Living, an agricultural program at what was then North Adams State College.
"Many times, we were not sure it would happen, but this year things have moved quickly and suddenly everything is falling into place. The land is in the perfect place," said Scully. "I have friends who were part of the Center for Resourceful Living, when in college at MCLA, and the program was important to them and means a lot in their lives."
From 1975, until about 1981, the Center for Resourceful Living was an experimental program at the college founded by retired professor Lawrence H. Vadnais. Assisted by his wife, Betty, Vadnais, designed a program in which students learned while living a homesteading experience. The purpose according to past files from the program, was for students to gain "knowledge that will enable man to live in harmony with nature and his fellow man, skills that will allow man to become more self-sufficient in providing for his food, energy and shelter needs as well as values that will serve as guides in developing a satisfying, healthy and meaningful life."
The Center was located on 50 acres in Clarksburg that encompass what is now the Marshalls' land and acreage that makes up Square Roots Farm.
 Gallagher points out a spot where hopes to keep livestock at some point. The farm and Hoosac Harvest CSA are selling shares for the first year's vegetable crop. |
"Hoosac Harvest CSA makes it possible to do lots of things a lot earlier than on my own, especially things like making the share-cost more affordable for folks who can't afford the full price," he said. "When you are just starting out on your own, you can't subsidize shares. They have the ability to reach out to people who are traditionally left out of CSAs."
By buying shares up front, the farmer is able to purchase necessary seeds and equipment; the planning and preparation is being done now.
"I have received all of my seeds, though not my seed potatoes, as they would freeze in the mail this time of year. I am collecting supplies; I have a BCS two-wheel, walk-behind tractor, essentially a large 30-inch rototiller, lots of hoes and other hand tools," said Gallagher. "I will hire someone to do the initial plowing and disking, as it doesn't make sense at this point to buy a tractor. I am self-financing my farm and the CSA share-costs are important in helping me to get started and have everything needed, especially for my first season."
Gallagher will also sell vegetables and other products locally and is looking ahead to livestock.
"I plan to have about eight pigs, depending on demand, my first year. I hope to eventually have my own sows and raise my own piglets, but not the first year," he said. "I will also raise Cornish rock cross chickens, which are standard, double-breasted meat chickens that will be healthy, happy chickens and are a type that people are used to."
"We are all very happy that it ended up in on this land with the history and connection to the former Center for Resourceful Living," said Sharon Wyrrick, a Hoosac Harvest member. "We are also pleased that it ended up in Clarksburg, which is geographically balanced, far enough away from other CSAs and close enough to help other people to have access to a CSA farm.
"We think it is a good match to be involved with a new farm, where we can help him get started. It takes a certain kind of farmer, like Michael, to be involved with CSA because it is very different from conventional farming. You have to be willing to be more connected with people and to care about people."
Shares cost $400 for a 20-week season, or about $20 a week. Hoosac Harvest CSA can make arrangements for a limited number of full shares on a sliding scale of between $200 to $300 for people with limited incomes. In addition, Hoosac Harvest can arrange payment plans for those unable to pay the entire share up front and can arrange payments utilizing supports such as SNAP (food stamps).
Word has spread since the announcement of shares a week ago and less than half remain for purchase. For more information, contact Tony Pisano, membership manager for Hoosac Harvest CSA, at hoosacharvest@gmail.com or 413-663-9288.
