Carter & Stevens, Barre, Massachusetts

This weekend while we were camping in West Central Massachusetts I thought that we would have no problem finding a local farm/farm store for me to review. I was wrong. We found Carter & Stevens Farm Store by (happy) happenstance. It  is located on Route 122 in Barre, MA, a small picturesque town that isn't really easy to get to.

C&S is family owned and run by the Stevens/Dubois family. Little did I know the woman I was chatting with at the store about their inability to take cards was Farmer Mo. Next time I plan on chatting with her, oh forever. The Farm Store opened as a way for the farm to directly service the public. Their farm is over 1,000 acres of undeveloped land. It was wonderful to see.

We spent a few hours here, but honestly we could have stayed all day. I also could have easily spent hundreds of dollars at their store. As it was I spent less than $20 on local bread, cheese, eggs, milk, and a freshly baked cookie. Stay tuned for reviews of those products - I can tell you the eggs were delicious. They also had local beer and wine, grass fed beef, lots of cheese, local sodas, chips, seriously everything you could want. There are also animals to see and touch.

Their cows are grass fed, are not treated with any hormones or antibiotics, and spend all day out in the pasture. The eggs I got came directly from the chicken nests. I plucked them out while a gigantic rooster was crowing at me. Their ice cream is freshly made using their milk and the sample I had was possibly one of the best I've ever had.

I can not wait to go back here later on in the summer. During the summer they also have organic vegetables for sale. This weekend they only had rhubarb and fiddleheads, neither of which I bought.

Back to the Farm

I was planning on elaborating a little more tonight on what I posted last night, but I ended up back at the farm by chance. My girlfriend who is visiting from Colorado, who is big into this type of thing, wanted to see what I was talking about so I took her back there.

This time there were two cows outside grazing but upon further inspection we realized they were pregnant. Under the watchful eyes of the farmer we checked out the (ADORABLE) calves and the pregnant mamas. We then went into the barn for her to see what I saw last night. She was just as sad as I was. Why are these cows chained up, unable to go outside, some in the dark, while they have hundreds of acres that they could graze on? I just don't know. What I do know is that I don't feel comfortable giving them my money. This isn't my kind of place - not what I am looking for. I don't think they are doing anything that would negatively effect people who are consuming this milk/cream/ice cream, but for me it isn't what I'm looking for.

PS there was talk of coming back with chain cutters and freeing the cows but we won't, I swear.

Shaw Farm, Dracut, Massachusetts

Our first stop is probably the closest - Shaw Farm in Dracut, MA.

We signed up for an informal tour and basically got to walk in the barn while I peppered the tour guide, and owner/farmer with questions. The cows were eating their dinner of hay.

• Only the organic cows go outside. The regular cows only go out for a certain period of time when they are pregnant.
• The organic cows were not treated with antibiotics and if they were their milk was tested and dumped until it was free of any residue.
• The organic cows were not allowed to eat anything but organic food and no corn.
• The regular cows had corn (I stepped on a corn cob).
• The regular milk cows never went outside. I asked why. The answer? "They'll ruin the farm."
• The cows had what I thought was a comb/back scratcher hanging above them. I asked if it was a comb, he said no, a training tool.

From this experience I am choosing not to buy milk from this farm. Will I find a place? My husband thinks the answer is no. "You're living in a dream world!" We shall see.