About The Rhode Island Farm Incubator at Shewatuck Farm
Over the past four years, the Rhode Island Farm Incubator and Shewatuck Farm have become a vibrant part of Rhode Island’s farm and food economy.
The Incubator is dedicated to land care, community economic development, and comprehensive farmer assistance. We advance regenerative agriculture practices - supporting ideas, solutions, and producers that champion the shift away from conventional and industrial production toward a new mosaic of sustainable, local small scale production systems.
The agricultural economy has been dominated by large and corporate entities – leaving a national food system that has historically rewarded resource and environmental exploitation and is fueled by inequitable and unfair compensation practices for farm workers. We are in agreement with global experts when we say that supporting alternative methods of food production will considerably improve the quality, durability, and equity of food supply chains, benefiting both the small-scale farmer and the food we eat.
The Incubator directly supports individuals who are generating regenerative farming systems orresponsible food enterprises. By providing the tools and resources that underserved producersneed to thrive independently, we enable the creation of diverse, equitable, and environmentally knowledgeable food systems and economies.
Through our Fellows Program, we are able to support local farmers and food producers in the creation of independent and viable farm and food businesses. This support comes in the form of loan-free capital, equitable compensation for work, land access, and mentorship.
We have designed a comprehensive and holistic suite of services that addresses the gaps in otheragricultural technical assistance programs. Our program combines training, business planning, and resource access to go much further – creating stable farm/food ventures that are viable in the long term.
Our training places an emphasis community-building – and the importance of developing a community of supporters and customers to successfully grow a business within the local food economy. Our Fellowship establishes a framework that encourages collaborative work with a range of others – suppliers, farmers market organizers, local markets, etc. - collaboration that is necessary to develop a community ethic of knowledge making, understanding, and interpersonal equity.
The Incubator currently supports eight Fellows operating across a diverse range of food businesses. So far, our Fellows have collectively put over 25 acres of land into organic production, established an outdoor specialty mushroom farm, and planted a variety of medicinal herbs and products for value added processing. (To learn more about their individual projects, please visit our Shewatuck Fellows page.)
Over the next few years, we will support an increasing number of new Fellows developing their own practices, businesses, and project ideas that will enliven the local food economy.
We are excited to continue to support individuals working directly toward a more equitable food economy. We wouldn’t be able to provide that support if it wasn’t for the support of you, our community, and the growing number of individuals looking for farm produce and products that are better for the body, the environment, and the people that grow it.
If you are interested in how you can support our continued work to uplift producers and entrepreneurs next year, please reach out.
Thank you, and see you next season-