Waldingfield Farm was purchased by our great-grandfather, Mr. C.B Smith, a New York lawyer, at the beginning of the last century and was for many years a working dairy farm, as well as a place for his family to spend their summers. The onset of World War II, and the declining dairy industry in New England put an end to the farm’s milking operation, but for the next fifty years the farmland was worked by neighboring farmers.
In 1990 Daniel Horan, great-grandson of C.B. Smith, began the process of reclaiming Waldingfield as a working farm – except with a difference. Waldingfield was to farm organic vegetables. Armed with a degree in History and a voracious reading appetite, Dan began his quest. He started on a small, half acre plot and recruited his younger brother Quincy to help with the daily work. The following summer Patrick, Quincy’s twin brother, came aboard, and since then Waldingfield has been a family affair.
As the new century begins Waldingfield Farm is one of the largest certified organic operations (Baystate Organic Certifiers.) in Connecticut. We currently cultivate on (roughly) 20-25 acres and have an active CSA program (community supported agriculture). The CSA model, we believe, is the wave of the future for smaller farms like ours. See our CSA page for more information. We have numerous restaurant clients, participate in seven farmer’s markets (2 winter, 5 summer), have a wholesale distribution, and a sweet roadside stand!
Quincy and Patrick now manage the daily workings of the farm while big brother Dan and our parents are members of the farm board and help with strategy and land management. All of us at the farm thank our supporters for believing in the goals of organic farming. It remains our passion and we will work as hard as we can to bring the highest quality produce to our customers. See you in the fields!