by Shane Smith, Outreach Coordinator
Many of the farmers who supply the Co-op operate on a small
scale. Most have no additional employees beyond family members and most needing
at least one member of the household earning a full-time wage outside the farm. Both Lorna and Raymond work full-time off the
farm, so getting to all of the tasks that need to be done on a daily basis is difficult. Typically, during the growing season they
get home from work, change their clothes and head outside to start weeding, watering,
harvesting, etc. Weekends are not days off. They are typically 10-12 hour days.
Lorna Carlisle and Raymond Dreary have been bringing the
Co-op produce for three years. Both
Lorna and Raymond grew up on family farms growing vegetables and raising
animals. It was a necessary way of life
to supplement food for their large families.
North of Concord farm is not certified
organic but follows organic practices and principles.
Some of Lorna’s inspiration for farming came from her
upbringing and also from books by Jim Crockett (Crockett’s Victory Garden) and
Eliot Coleman. The latter inspired Lorna
and Raymond to try their hands at winter farming and they erected a hoop house
last winter. 
Lorna and Raymond are always challenged by the need for
small-scale farm equipment. A lot of
farm machinery is designed for larger scale farm operations and does not work
well on their property. Luckily both Lorna and Raymond inherited their fathers’
tractors; a Farmall Cub and a Ford. 
Each year, North of Concord Farm adds new products to their
offerings and tries to increases their volume on items that sell well. Recently, they have included cage-free eggs
they sell from their farm stand. Some of
their higher volume produce include leeks, Brussel sprouts, broccoli,
scallions, and herbs.
Although they work long and hard at what they do, their only regret is that they did not pursue their passion for farming earlier.
