For five straight seasons, members of LDF CSA received generous boxes of diverse, (often 15+ items!) seasonal produce, greens, fruits, flowers, herbs and strorage veggies throughout the 20+ week season. After several years of delivering door to door!!! I began asking members to help haul and organize more the weekly CSA food distribution from the farm. Over time, the harsh truth was that we found a dimishing reality of member volunteerism. We loved the focus and fun CSA afforded Laughing Dog for five straight summers, but over time, on the tiny scale we operated, it became economically unfeasable. It is our goal to re-initiate a neighborhood CSA in 2009, more in nature of a cooperative garden CSA. I have always loved the CSA model and believe it should be harnessed more agressively as a community building, education and networking tool, rather than a business.

On a sunny hilltop in Gill, MA on land once part of an infamous New England (the "Renaissance") commune, Laughing Dog Farm raises a diversity of heirloom vegetables, flowers and fruit crops. We also manage a small, delightful herd of dairy goats (Nubian/Alpine/Boer/Sanaan crosses) for milk, cheese, compost and, occasionally, meat. We also have many types of maturing heirloom fruits trees, vines and shrubs as well, including kiwis, pears, Asian pears, peaches, golden raspberries and plums. (This year we've added behives to the mix and even harvested a first, unexpected bucket o' honey.)

We've gained much inspiration utilizing "backyard permacultural" space-intensive techniques, mostly hand-intensive, low-till methodogies with many permanent raised-beds, extensive trellises, a large hoophouse for season extension, manure-based compost and compost teas.

CSA Details:
- Season:June through October
- Type:Single farm
- Since:2002
- No of Shares:12
- Full Share:$500-600 for the season (20+ weeks!) we ask some kind of labor contribution over the season (2 hours average per month requested).
- Work Req?Yes: 20

Pick Up/Drop Off Points:

Laughing Dog Farm
Members may pick up shares at farm by arrangement only.
Contact:Daniel Botkin
Phone:413-863-8696
Address:398 Main Rd, Gill, MA 01354