Shewatuck Farm
2018 marked the start of development on our 91 acre organic vegetable, herb, mushroom, and flower farm in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The land is prime agricultural soil and includes 55 cultivated acres and 17 acres of a mixed species wood lot (a former tree and shrub nursery). In our continued development, we work toward balancing production farming with both human and ecological well being.
In considering the property acquisition, the Partners understood that the property was originally Narragansett land. As part of our structuring, we saw a responsibility to both the land and its native heritage. We therefore named the farm after the historical Narragansett name for the area (Shewatuck) and hold the property in a public, charitable trust.
Shewatuck Farm has been developed in part as a for-profit subsidy - a venture in the ethical production of organic vegetables. Day-to-day farm operations are managed by one of our Fellows, David DeFrancesco.
In addition to our own farming operations, Shewatuck Farm serves as the hub and heart of the Rhode Island Farm Incubator. We have opened the property and its resources to a number of entrepreneurs operating across local food and nutrition within the local food system - our Shewatuck Fellows Program.
Fellow Charlotte Uwimpuhwe working with her crew and a local food relief agency
The agro-ecological characteristics of the farm landscape are improved through both dynamic and passive practices -making it our priority to always be improving soil quality, mitigating pest and disease pressure, and rotating crops to curb perennial weeds. The consideration of interdependent organic and native system function is critical for all management decision-making.
Click here to download an in-depth document on current farm methods.
Click here to download a Shewatuck Farm Botanical Species Inventory.