The next farm in our monthly farm feature is Heron Pond Farm, based in South Hampton, NH. Heron Pond is helmed by Andre Cantelmo and Greg Balog, two friends who have been working together for 20 years. When I spoke with Kirsten White, the assistant operations manager, she shared that everyone who works at the farm prides themselves on growing the most nutrient dense, whole, real food to support people’s health and in taking the time to help people understand from where their food comes.
Heron Pond is a year-round, diversified vegetable farm, growing over 250 varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers on approximately 60 acres. A crew of over 20 people at the height of the farming season (and a crew of about six during the off-seasons) manages the growing and selling of the food. The farm sells their vegetables to restaurants and institutions through Three River Farmers Alliance, farmers markets, their onsite farm stand, and their various community-supported agriculture (CSA) shares.
Andre Cantelmo of Heron Pond Farm conducts his morning inspection of the greens in one of their greenhouses. Photo by John Benford Photography
Their newly renovated farm stand has an open floor plan with their products intermingled with those from other local vendors, such as eggs, milk, honey, meats, beans, and maple syrup. Bell & Goose Cheese is made onsite at the farm and is sold at the farm stand, though you can also find it at Seacoast-area farmers markets. The intention is to make the farm stand a destination for people to visit and take in the beauty of the surrounding area. The farm stand is open Thursday through Sunday from 11am to 6pm, but they will be open everyday starting in May.
There is still time to sign up for one of the many different summer CSA optionsthat Heron Pond Farm offers. You can choose to pick up onsite in South Hampton or at two offsite locations in Dover or Portsmouth. New this year are an egg share option (through Hidden Brook Farm) and a pork share option (through Short Creek Farm).
Join Heron Pond Farm’s email list or follow them on Facebook or Instagram to hear more about their happenings and keep tabs as the growing season progresses.
Three River Farmers Alliance
Over the next few month, the Portsmouth LOVE Letter will be featuring each of the farms that are part of the Three River Farmers Alliance, a unique farmer cooperative that works to market, aggregate, and distribute local food to restaurants and institutions throughout the Seacoast. Their online marketplace provides a “one-stop shop” for ordering fresh, healthy, local food, from a variety of farms and local producers.
Written by Erin Allgood, Allgood Eats Local
Erin Allgood is a food systems consultant who works with various businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals throughout New England to create a more sustainable food system. She is hosting the “Consulting for Change” Workshop Series at Shilo Farm in Eliot, ME. The final workshop will take place on May 12th. This series is intended to help socially-conscious and sustainability-minded solopreneurs and budding consultants design and launch their businesses. Contact Erin (erin@allgoodeatslocal.com) for more information!
Photos in this post are by John Benford Photography.
