Rivershed Farm is a small, community-supported farm located at Amethyst Farm in Amherst, Massachusetts. We specialize in growing vegetables, flowers, and herbs using only organic seeds, inputs, and methods.

Rivershed Farm seeks to be a model of sustainable and ethical agriculture, focused on producing high-quality organic vegetables, flowers, and herbs, and delivering them at an affordable price to the local community. We believe in creating a healthy work environment for our employees, fostering a positive and supportive culture, and providing an enjoyable and fulfilling life on the farm. Our agricultural practices are centered around the permanent bed system, which is designed to maximize soil fertility and structure while reducing soil degradation. This approach to growing enables us to plant intensively in a small area and rely on hand tools and human power, reducing our environmental footprint. Our commitment to small- scale agriculture, coupled with intensive production methods, the use of hand and light power tools, and season extension techniques, allows us to achieve high levels of productivity and efficiency on a relatively small piece of land, providing high- quality and fresh produce to the local community.

Rivershed Farm is owned by Mark Rutkowski and Shauna Mulligan, both of whom bring unique skills and experience to the operation. Mark began his farming career in 2009 at Urban Oaks Organic Farm in New Britain, Connecticut, where he learned the fundamentals of growing organic vegetables and herbs. He then managed Holly Hill Farm in Cohasset, MA for three seasons before establishing Merrimack Farm, which later became Rivershed Farm, through the Tufts New Entry for Sustainable Farming farmer incubator program in Beverly. Shauna is an English teacher at Rise Academy in Springfield. She began growing flowers four years ago and enrolled in a floral business course. She is preparing to transition to a full-time farmer.

After a two year search for land, the pair made a decision to leave the bustling Greater Boston area and relocated to the tranquil Pioneer Valley. Their first farming season in Western Massachusetts was spent in Haydenville at Valley View Farm, where Rivershed Farm was warmly hosted by owners Suzy and David. In early 2023, Mark and Shauna were presented with an exciting opportunity to expand their business. With enthusiasm and a sense of adventure, they packed up the farm and embarked on a new journey, this time to nearby Amherst. Their new location is the beautiful and historic Amethyst Farm, which is graciously hosting them as they begin a new chapter in their farming odyssey.

Shares will be available at the farm on Thursdays from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. If total CSA membership reaches 100 members we will reintroduce Mondays as a pickup option. In the event that you are unable to collect your share, Rivershed Farm strongly encourages you to make arrangements for a friend, family member, or neighbor to pick it up on your behalf. Gifting a weekly pickup is a great way to introduce the CSA to other community members. If you anticipate being away for an extended period of two weeks or more, please notify Rivershed Farm via email or text. It's important to note that Rivershed Farm may not be able to provide a "double share" or a "makeup share" if you miss a pickup date.

You will find a list of crops typically grown by Rivershed Farm by scrolling further down on this website.

Although Rivershed Farm is not presently certified as organic, all our crops are grown in strict adherence to the USDA National Organic Program standards and methods. We only use products that have received OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) approval.

Rivershed Farm is dedicated to cultivating and sustaining a Pick-Your-Own garden for our CSA members. This garden will feature an array of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers that are generally safe and easy for our members to pick themselves. We are fully committed to keeping the Pick-Your-Own garden open and accessible to our members as frequently as possible. Half share members may be expected to harvest a larger portion of their weekly share from the Pick-Your-Own garden. Rivershed Farm will provide clear signage to help you identify the crop types and varieties within the garden, as well as which sections are currently available for harvest. Please bring your own clippers or scissors. Rivershed Farm will have scissors available for members to use but we can not guarantee availability. You may be asked to weigh and log your harvest for our records. Crops available in the Pick-Your-Own garden may include basil, blackberries, blueberries, celosia, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, cosmos, dill, eggplant, hot peppers, husk cherry tomatoes, okra, parsley, raspberries, rosemary, snapdragons, strawberries, sunflowers, sweet peppers, thyme, and zinnias.

Due to the sensitive nature of our operations and the inherent, unpredictable risks associated with farm life, we kindly request that you accompany your children closely while they explore our farm. While we take precautions to maintain and address potential hazards, nature doesn't always adhere to guidelines, so your vigilance is greatly appreciated. Additionally, we kindly request that you refrain from bringing pets onto the property, with the exception of disability assistance animals. In general, we ask for your consideration in your actions to help us ensure the continued accessibility of our farm to you and your family.

The cost of a full share is $700. Spread out over 26 weeks that comes to an average of $26.92 per share. Our goal is to price the vegetables in our shares at a 25% discount versus our market prices. This will provide our full-share CSA members with a weekly share valued at $33.65. To put it into perspective, by the end of the season, full share members will have paid $700 and received $875 worth of vegetables in return.

A typical full summer share might look something like 1 bunch of beets, 1 quart of beans, 1 pound of bell peppers, 1 pound of broccoli, 1 quart of cherry tomatoes, 1 bunch of parsley, 1 bunch of dill, 1/2 pound of salad greens, and a bunch of turnips. In this example, beets, beans, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, parsley, dill, and turnips would all be pick-your-own crops.

At Rivershed Farm, we take care to rinse off any excess soil from our produce. Nonetheless, it's important to note that this rinsing process may not render the produce entirely clean. We kindly advise you to wash the produce thoroughly before consumption.

If you move out of the Amherst area or suffer a hardship that prevents you from using your share, you may be eligible for a refund of the remainder of the season. Rivershed Farm depends on each member’s commitment to cover expenses and provide enough food for everyone. Refunds are given at the farm’s discretion. Please contact us to discuss options.

We kindly request that all members sign and date a CSA agreement form. You can download the form, sign it electronically, and email it to info@rivershedfarm.com. Alternatively, you may choose to print a copy and hand-deliver it to the CSA shed at the farm (we also have printed copies available at the farm). A third option is to print a copy of the form and mail it to the following address:

Your CSA membership registration is incomplete until we receive both your payment and a signed agreement form.