Global Roots Farm

What Is Global Roots Farm?

Global Roots Farm is a Boston-based international organization focused on growing local food and educating the citizenry on Earth-based living.. The Earth Center addresses the future needs of locally-oriented, small-scale food production, farmland and countryside land conservation, social justice issues of food equality, and farming/gardening education.

The 228-acre property now owned by Global Roots Farm is one of the oldest farms in Petersham, dating back 291 years to 1733. Continuing the centuries-old legacy of farming and farm stewardship, Global Roots Farm is bringing twenty-first-century knowledge and practices to the land.

Farming Practices

Rooted in respect for nature and natural laws, Global Roots Farm combines regenerative, climate-smart, state-of-the-art gardening and farming techniques with ages-old, time-honored agricultural practices from cultures around the world that remain relevant and useful today.

Teaching Center

In addition to a working farm, Global Roots is also a teaching center offering hands-on educational programming, experiential learning opportunities, and areas for agricultural research studies. The farm’s educational partner, University of the Wild, offers college credit for self-directed farming/gardening projects at Global Roots Farm through the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and its internationally known University Without Walls (UWW).

Farmland Conservation

Global Roots Farm works with local and regional land conservation organizations to develop alternative models of agricultural land ownership, stewardship, preservation, and public use that are both beneficial to humans and respectful of nature.

Global Perspective

The farm emphasizes environmentally sound knowledge and practices of current science, social equality and justice issues, human/nature connections, and planetary preservation. Appropriate, adaptable techniques, knowledge, and perspectives from cultures around the world and throughout history blend with modern best-practices and experiential learning to form a model for responsible human stewardship of planet Earth.

Partner Programs

The farm will partner with local educational, agricultural, land, and community organizations to meet common goals through long-term leaseholder agreements.

University of the Wild Partnership

The Petersham-based University of the Wild is the founding partner of the farm’s operation. Larry Buell, UofWild founder, has been instrumental in orienting the new owners to the history of the land, food security needs of the region, and the priority of education at all levels.

“…the presence of Global Roots Farm, which nearly abuts the present education center of the UofWild, is a dream come true where we can grow food on large garden tracts, educate the citizens, and grow food for local consumption”.

College Credit Through UMass

The partnership with the UofWild brings in the University of Massachusetts/Amherst’s internationally recognized University Without Walls with its innovative Learning to Learn University program. Through the UMass collaboration, students of all ages and circumstances will have the option to receive university credit for student-centered, experiential-based mentored study at Global Roots Farm.

The Small Farm Movement

Over the last few decades, small-scale farming serving local communities has been reduced by large out-of-the area corporate farms, reduction of farmland from suburban development, and the effects of climate change. While there have been heroic efforts to provide sustainable, locally-oriented farming through farmer’s markets and a few struggling farms, there is the need to have more farms growing food for local consumption.

Global Roots Farm will be a central member of the developing small farm movement in the Quabbin/Nichewaug bioregion and beyond.