Business & Tech

It Takes a Village to Raise a Farm

The farmers at Sub Edge Farm know the value of community. They would love for you to be a part of their community too.

Twenty thousand years ago, Mother Nature set the stage for Sub Edge Farm when the last of the glaciers moved through Connecticut. The glaciers left behind nutrient-rich soil and the land was perfect for farming.

Rodger & Isabelle Phillips are the latest farmers to cultivate the Sub Edge Farm land. They share why they wanted to start a community supported agriculture farm and how you can be part of the effort.

Business Name: Sub Edge Farm

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Contact Info: Rodger Phillips, hello@subedgefarm.com

Business Owners: Rodger & Isabelle Phillips

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Business Address: 199 Town Farm Rd. in Farmington and Tillotson and Old Farms Roads in Avon

Why choose that location? Why start a business in this town?

Our family had been searching for a piece of land to start a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm on for five years. We looked at hundreds of properties all over New England and were so happy to land in a spot so close to our friends and family.

What do you do?

We grow fresh, nutritious vegetables, fruits, flowers and herbs all without the use of synthetic pesticides or herbicides. We favor growing traditional old fashioned and heirloom varieties.

What are you most proud of about your business?

The core of our farm is our CSA program. Families come to the farm each week to pick up a box of fresh produce and their membership helps cover the operating costs of the farm. Sign up info is at subedgefarm.com/csa

What's something people would find surprising about your business or profession?

The average age of farmers in the US is 57 years old and more than a quarter of farmers are over 65 years old. We have less than 1,000 full-time farmers in Connecticut a state with 3.6 million people. We need to work to support more young family farms!

How are you involved in the community?

We love to be able to talk to the community about our belief in the importance of family farm raised, healthy, local food. We also work hard to foster responsible stewardship of the land by using exclusively organic methods.

This article is part of Patch's series highlighting local businesses in our community. Learn more about the series, and if you're a small business owner, fill out the form to be included, by checking out this link.


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