Where You'll Find Us
Farmers' Markets
Community Supported Agriculture
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Summer to Fall
Tuesday pickup:2325 Boston Neck Road
Call: (401) 295-1030
Saunderstown, RI 02874
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Summer to Fall
Friday pickup:2325 Boston Neck Road
Call: (401) 295-1030
Saunderstown, RI 02874
Casey Farm in North Kingstown, RI
organic
Founded in 1702, Casey Farm is
a 300 acre farm run by Pat McNiff.
2325 Boston Neck Road
North Kingstown, RI
North Kingstown, RI
57 miles from Newton Highlands, MA 02461
(401) 295-1030 preferred
E-mail
caseyfarm@historicnewengland.org
Web
www.spnea.org/visit/homes/casey.htm
caseyfarm@historicnewengland.org
Web
www.spnea.org/visit/homes/casey.htm
Arugula • Beets • Broccoli • Brussel sprouts • Cabbage • Carrots • Corn • Cucumbers • Garlic • Green beans • Lettuce • Onions • Peppers • Pumpkins • Summer squash • Sweet potatoes • Swiss chard • Tomatoes • Turnips
Bold foods are in season now according to our Harvest Calendar. Call to find out exact availability. Every farm and every season are unique. Most farms are also residences. Unless Farmstand or Pick Your Own hours are noted, please be respectful and call ahead before going to the farm.
Farm Fresh RI regularly revises the Local Food Guide with new information.
Let us know if something is inaccurate.
Casey Farm Profile by Vhari Neale
Published: March 24, 2005North Kingstown, RI - Mike and Polly Hutchison have been growing vegetables and fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, squashes, melons, carrots, chard, broccoli, kale, peppers, tomatoes, and cabbages, among others, for over ten years. In addition to food production, the 300-acre farm they manage also includes a wild cranberry bog, large farmyard, historic cemetery, and extensive walking trails through the surrounding woods as well as leading down to the nearby Narragansett Bay.
Casey Farm has been farmed continuously since 1702. The Casey family left it to Historic New England in 1955, and in 1992 Mike and Polly Hutchison were hired to rejuvenate the farm and start vegetable production. They live in the circa 1750 farmhouse with two of their three kids and their two dogs.
One of the main programs at Casey Farm is a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program in which residents from nearby communities pay a sum of money at the beginning of the growing season and in return receive a share of vegetables each week between June and October. Occasionally, pick-your-own flowers and cut herbs are included. Program participants are required to pitch in eight hours of work on the farm throughout the year, doing various tasks from harvesting to maintenance.
The CSA is a very positive program for Mike and Polly and their members. The members are guaranteed a certain amount of fresh, organic produce. The farmers are guaranteed an income throughout the coming year to pay for necessary equipment and labor. Because of member flexibility and a varied crop planting the members are still guaranteed other vegetables and the farmers are able to survive financially until the following year if one crop fails during the season.
This direct relationship between the farmer and the eater provides a mutual support system that is more stable than the conventional food system. With a CSA program, the customer is able to hold the farmer accountable for the quality of their products, while the farmer is guaranteed a market for that year. Buying locally eliminates huge amounts of fuel and other resources used to ship food. The food is also fresher, having traveled far less than the average piece of food. Finally, the subtraction of a "middle man" (i.e. a supermarket) trying to make a profit makes prices more reasonable for both the farmer and the customer.
All the produce grown at Casey Farm is certified by the RI Division of Agriculture to meet organic agriculture standards. No chemical fertilizers, insecticides, fungicides, or pesticides are used. In addition, they rotate their crops yearly, leaving a new field fallow or un-cultivated to regain nutrients for the following season. The same crop is not planted in the same field consecutively in order to ward off negative pests and insects. The above methods work to create healthier fields, healthier plants, and healthier people.
Educational opportunities abound at Casey Farm. They offer programs for school groups, home-schooled children, and other interested youth groups. As well, they offer three full weeks of summer camp for youth ages five to eleven. In these programs, children are introduced to sustainable growing practices and livestock, using the fields and resident animals (two dogs, two horses, turkeys, and assorted chickens).
Casey Farm participates in the Aquidneck Grower’s Market in Newport, RI, on Wednesday afternoons, and will be hosting the new Coastal Grower’s Market this year on Saturday mornings. Through this, Mike and Polly hope to further engage the public in the surrounding area’s agriculture. They not only want to provide their high-quality products to a wider audience, but help the market grow into an established and well-frequented enterprise.
Despite long days spent juggling the demands of farming with the demands of family life, Polly and Mike thoroughly enjoy their work. They get immense personal satisfaction out of the physical results of their skilled farming: healthy plants, rich, dark soil full of nutrients, and bountiful harvests. Their interactions with their members as well as other interested visitors and inquirers also enrich their lives.