Note from Barbara Zheutlin, executive director of Berkshire Grown: The Berkshires are much loved for the pastoral beauty of the region. This gorgeous landscape attracts visitors and development, producing a rich culture, while simultaneously raising the cost of land. The high cost of land is one of the many challenges facing farms, the farms that are at the heart of the beauty of the Berkshires. So a challenge to all who treasure the Berkshires is how to sustain the old and new farms of the region that make the Berkshires extraordinary. In this series you will “get to know your local farmers,” the individuals who grow the food you eat and care for the land you see.
Pittsfield — Brattle Farm is a hidden gem tucked away at the base of October Mountain, situated a few minutes’ drive from the center of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the largest city in the Berkshires. The farm is family-owned and runs a successful community supported agriculture program (CSA), a farm stand, and booths at several local farmers’ markets.
Donna Chandler and her husband, Bill, owners of Brattle Farm, bought the land 10 years ago when it was a series of hay fields. At the time the farm, which is home to Pittsfield’s oldest house, had remained in the hands of one family since it was built in 1762. Today Chandler and the Brattle Farm team are carving out a new path for the historic property; they cultivate 3 acres of vegetables and raise prize-winning chickens, sheep, horses, pigs, and turkeys on the remaining 14 acres. After recent investments in infrastructure, the farm is now equipped with a tractor, tillers, hoop houses and other key equipment that is helping to expand and diversify its offerings.
Chandler launched Brattle Farm’s CSA four years ago with 20 members who wanted more access to fresh, local food in their Pittsfield community. Now 100 enthusiastic members support the operation at the center of Pittsfield. In the past year, the CSA has gained 40 new members and plans to continue growing. Chandler welcomes new CSA applications year-round, selling either full shares at the beginning of the season or half-shares later in the season. “We have enough squash to feed the entire city of Pittsfield,” noted Chandler, and the fields are indeed expansive, housing more than 20 varieties of vegetables and a pick-your-own-herbs section for CSA members.
Some of the farm’s CSA shares go to Berkshire Grown’s Share the Bounty program, an initiative that purchases CSA shares and donates them to local food pantries and kitchens and WIC participants. Share the Bounty currently works with 18 local CSA operations and continues to expand its impact for the local underserved population while simultaneously driving money to local farmers – a winning scenario for all.
Brattle farm is both aesthetic and functional, priding itself on its quality livestock. The turkeys have won best-in-show for the quality of their flowing black beards, and the sheep for their Merino wool. Among the animals are 10 varieties of chickens, one of them an ancient breed originally designated for the Japanese Imperial Gardens. Japanese bantams, as they are called, have short legs and thus are less likely to destroy roots. The chickens are fed local grains produced at a farm in Lanesborough, Mass.
When Berkshire Grown’s “Know-Your-Farmer Tour” of area chefs and journalists passed through on a recent Monday, several neighborhood youth could be seen working the fields; however, the farm continues to seek more volunteers. “Volunteering is the key to making this operation sustainable because [the cost of] labor adds up quickly,” said co-manager Ryan Chandler, son of Donna Chandler.
Chandler looks forward to the farm’s continued expansion and to making its harvest available to restaurants and other small businesses – currently you can find its produce featured on a weekly pizza special at the Pittsfield outpost of Berkshire Mountain Bakery.
“This is a great place for families to stop by and enjoy a picnic,” said Ryan Popp, co-manager of the farm. And indeed, that picnic could include some of the beautiful produce freshly harvested from the farm’s fields. Brattle Farm’s products are available at its farm stand, open from dawn until dusk every day, as well as at the Lenox Farmers’ Market on Fridays, the Downtown Pittsfield Farmers’ Market on Saturdays, and through the farm’s CSA shares.
