Karen Randall, Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse photo

As suburban housing replaced the farm fields of her youth in Hampden County, Karen Randall steered Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse through multiple transitions, growing the family business into one of Ludlow’s largest employers. Staying true to its agricultural roots, Randall’s maintains longstanding relationships with local farmers, offers a large selection of locally grown food and other products, and serves as an agritourism destination that connects new generations with farmland.

The farm began in the 1950s when Karen’s father raised poultry and eggs on farmland a few miles north of the future Mass Turnpike. He delivered to restaurants and stores all over the Valley. Along his delivery route he purchased fresh asparagus, potatoes, and other local crops to sell at his small Ludlow farm stand with their own eggs and chicken. Always eager to try new things, he expanded the farm, growing 15,000 tomato plants each spring on rented land and planting vegetable crops on his own 40 acres. In the 1960s he added a successful pick-your-own strawberry operation that ran for several decades.

Karen, who resumed working in the business after college, assumed a leadership role after her father died in 1987. In 2000, Randall’s stopped raising vegetables and began purchasing from local farmers. An innovator like her father, Karen has adapted to changing times by expanding the store’s offerings to include a bakery, deli, and catering, as well as popular cooking workshops. Seasonal activities attract families and serve as reminders of Ludlow’s agricultural history, including a corn maze, fall festival, and scarecrow contest.

Randall’s Farm today is a far cry from the original farm stand. In the 50 years since the first retail structure was built on the property, the business has expanded to include a permanent retail greenhouse, a 12,000 square foot post & beam retail store, and a half-acre garden center. The first farm stand building has been preserved and operates seasonally as “Elsie’s Creamery,” serving homemade premium ice cream made from fresh local ingredients. Open 364 days a year for 12 to 14 hours each day, Randall’s employs more than 100 staff.

Randall’s meets a critical need for both consumers and producers of local food in Hampden County, and serves as one model of successful adaptation for local family farms during changing times. Their motto, “Best Fresh,” captures the company’s commitment to quality, service, and integrity, says Karen, who identifies first and foremost as a farmer. CISA is proud to honor Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse as a Local Hero.

Dave Jackson with sons Asa, Cal, and Beckett
Anna Pearlman photo, courtesy of Whole Foods

Enterprise Farm was one of the first Massachusetts farms to be certified organic in 1987, just after owner Dave Jackson graduated from UMass. Since then, the farm and its founder have played a leadership role in the rapid growth of organic farming in the region.

Dave, whose ancestors settled in Northampton before 1700, returned to the Valley to study agriculture at UMass. While a student, he began farming at his present location on River Road in Whately’s fertile floodplain. Dave frequently collaborated with other growers to create new methods of bringing product to market, aggregating Valley produce for New York City chefs and partnering in the creation of Happy Valley Organics in 1994 to wholesale the products of several Whately farms to large retailers in the Boston area.

Consumer demand for organic food grew steadily during the next fifteen years, at the same time that CISA’s “Local Hero” marketing effort was raising awareness of the importance of supporting local farms. In response to requests from customers at area farmers’ markets, Enterprise launched a CSA program in 2008. The CSA has since became the farm’s major focus, and now serves 800 households with pickup locations in Northampton, Springfield, and Boston as well as at the farm.

Enterprise has a well-deserved reputation for innovation and leadership. The farm piloted an effort to bring healthy food to urban communities by launching a “mobile market” in Springfield and Somerville; non-profits now run the program and Enterprise supplies produce at wholesale rates. Dave was also instrumental in the creation of CISA’s Emergency Loan Fund to support farmers struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene in 2011.

Kristin Barry, Shelly Risinger, and their children Brycen and Cobyn at the Northampton Winter Farmers’ Market. Jason Threlfall photo.

With a motto of “Local agriculture is everyone’s business,” Kristin Barry and Shelly Risinger of Appalachian Naturals have built a thriving local company that helps consumers enjoy the flavors and quality of locally grown food throughout the year. Their sauces, dressings, dips, salsas, and other condiments each contain ingredients produced by Massachusetts farmers, from Cape Cod to the Berkshires. Supporting local agriculture is as integral to Appalachian Naturals’ identity as its creative flavor pairings, which have gained a strong and loyal customer base throughout the northeast and the mid-Atlantic regions.

Kristin and Shelly settled in Goshen in 2003 to be close to family after several years as hands-on owners of The Crossroads Restaurant in Joshua Tree, a popular rock-climbing destination in the high desert of southern California. Their home-made salad dressings at The Crossroads were so popular that customers brought in mason jars to fill up whenever Kristin and Shelly took time off. Inspired by customers who had urged them to “bottle this stuff,” they launched Appalachian Naturals in the Western Massachusetts Food Processing Center at the Franklin County CDC. As the company grew, they consolidated production on their property in Goshen – renovating a large barn into an 800 square foot energy-efficient production facility.

The harvest rules this family-run business: from mid-July to October, more than fifteen tons of locally grown produce are delivered to be made into savory salsas, tomato puree, and a variety of other products. Each recipe is made from a majority of local ingredients. Their Salsa Veracruz, for example, is 99% local (except for lime juice and salt). Appalachian Naturals is the only local company that prepares tomato puree from 100% local organic tomatoes and packs it in glass jars. At the peak of the season, they are capable of processing 1,800 pounds of tomatoes daily using just two 100-gallon kettles.

Through its regional distributors, Appalachian Naturals currently offers more than 25 products that can be purchased at natural foods stores, coops, general stores, gourmet markets, and farm stands. By using local ingredients that are available year-round, including milk, honey, and maple syrup, Appalachian Naturals has expanded its production capacity and sales while maintaining their commitment to using local ingredients.

Increased sales is just one measure of success. Appalachian Naturals is committed to a business model that represents a level of production that is personally sustainable and supports creativity and a healthy work/life balance. Kristin and Shelly take pride in being caring employers and building and maintaining an efficient production facility with a very small carbon footprint.

For helping bridge the gap between local agriculture and prepared foods, leadership in ethical and sustainable business practices, and a commitment to a supportive workplace, CISA is proud to honor Appalachian Naturals as a Local Hero.