A New Generation of Farmers

Thanks to Kirsten Lechner of A Simple Focus for this story and photos.

We’ve come full circle. A decade or so ago the only news we heard about farming was how many more small farms had closed because the kids weren’t interested in inheriting the hard labor, low pay, and often dangerous work. Plus the small farms couldn’t compete with the large-scale agribusinesses that compromised quality. But as more and more people are looking for fresh, nourishing food for their families, there is a new demand for the old-fashioned local farm. And there’s a new generation of farmers who are eager to get their hands dirty and deliver a beautiful bounty, minus the chemicals.

I recently visited Ben Shields of Ben’s Produce with Market Manager Kim Hunter at his greenhouses on Kildaire Farm Road. Inside were long rows of wooden shelves going the length of the greenhouse. These flats are home to winter lettuces and new seedlings that will soon produce cucumbers, eggplants, corn, squash, peppers, tomatoes and broccoli rabe. ”Broccoli rabe is actually a member of the turnip family,” Ben tells us.

Ben grew up on a dairy farm in Massachusetts, so he’s not afraid of hard work. And although he studied international development and engineering in college, in the end he returned to farming. His favorite vegetables to harvest are carrots, “because you never know what they’re going to look like when you pull them out of the ground." he said. "Sometimes they’re odd shaped or sometimes you get three-legged ones.” But for eating, Ben likes winter lettuce. “It’s really buttery - not bitter at all.”

Come try Ben's Produce at the market in April and choose your own favorites!