Your Local Farm Stands!

Souza Family Farm
33 Agricultural Ave, Rehoboth, MA - 508-245-4635

We are a family-owned farm that began with "Grandpa Souza!" Through daily hard work, we are able to offer our own fresh produce and flowers to our community.

NEW for 2018 we now accept HIP and SNAP! Our grerehnouses are open in the Spring to early summer, then our Farm Stand is open daily fron June through October!

Crops from August through the fall:
Beets, kale, beans, cabbage, Eggplant, peppers - all varieties, squash - all varieties, gourds, pumpkins, many varieties of mums, Tomatoes, apples- several varieties , blueberries.

Young Couple launches their dream farm in Seekonk

Against great odds, and with hard work, sometimes youthful dreams can come true. Debora and Evan Supinski have begun their dream of a new organic farm venture on Prospect Street in Seekonk, MA. The name of their new venture is Radish House Farm. Four years ago, neither Evan nor Debora had any notion of becoming farmers or had any background in farming. Now, the enthusiastic couple are living their dream and loving it.

Evan grew up in Smithfield, Rhode Island and joined the Marine Corps after high school in 2009. When he got out of the Marine Corps, he started attending classes at CCRI on the G.I. Bill. The closest he came to any farm activity growing up was a backyard garden tended by his mother and grandfather. Evan was trying to figure out his career path while he was attending college.

Debora grew up in Sao Paulo, Brazil where she led an urban lifestyle with her family. Debora has traveled outside of South America on her own which led to a second trip to the United States where she attended CCRI to pursue a career as a paralegal. Debora worked in a couple of legal offices and liked that experience. However, she also likes being outside in nature too. Debora had no background in farming where she grew up, but she loves cooking, so she was interested in food from that perspective.

Debora and Evan accidently met at a night club in Providence, RI when Evan was celebrating his 24th birthday with his brother. It was obviously the best birthday Evan ever had as they both clicked and eventually became a married couple.

Evan decided that he wanted to make agriculture his career. Debora thought that was a good idea and wholeheartedly backed his decision. When Evan was in Afghanistan as a Marine, he admired the very old agricultural techniques that Afghan farmers practiced. Afghan farm practices were much quieter and that impressed him a great deal. He said,” the farm techniques the Afghans practiced were almost biblical in nature.” He liked the solitude and serenity of that ancient lifestyle and he wanted that for himself.

Evan and Debora both knew they needed training in agriculture sciences and practices. Debora encouraged Evan to go to the West Coast for training at Oregon State University. She reasoned that it would be good to get a different perspective on agriculture than that available in Rhode Island, so that’s what they did. She also said she wanted to visit the West Coast and that would set satisfy both their goals. Evan said, “Debora has traveled far more places in this country than most people that live in the U.S. She is very adventurous that way.”

Two and a half years later Evan got his degree in agricultural science and horticulture from Oregon State University. Then they began to explore agricultural internship opportunities in California, Oregon and Colorado to get practical experience in farming and to explore different types of farming. Evan said that his agriculture degree gave him knowledge about farming, but not the practical experience they needed in setting up and working their own farm. They worked for several types of farms in those areas. They found their ideal farm model and experience at the Tequio Community Farm in Willits, CA. The type of sustainable, organic garden farming they learned there was exactly what they wanted to do.

The next step was to find a suitable parcel of land to start their venture. They started their search on the Internet and checked out farmland in the areas that they wanted to live. They found their current location in Seekonk through Southside Community Land Trust, but found the New England Farmland Finder to be helpful too. The farm site they chose met all the criteria that they wanted for their new enterprise.

Starting an organic farm requires a large investment in labor, tools, fencing, equipment and organic farm supplies. They also had to build greenhouse type structures to start their seeds. The still have many items on their wish list, but they are okay for now. They do not expect to make a profit this year, but they think they will have a more lucrative end for this season since many more crops will be ready for sale. They expect to make a profit next year because they now have most of the supplies they need for now. Starting their venture also takes both of them 14 to 16 hours a day, seven days a week which is a total commitment for them.

Debora and Evan are encouraged by their early success in their organic farming venture. They envision a time when they will expand the number of produce items for their customers. They anticipate starting an education program in the future for interested people, especially children to teach them how to practice organic farming techniques.

Radish House Farm sells their organic produce in two farm markets and at their own farm stand at 540 Prospect Street in Seekonk. The farm markets are located in Smithfield Rhode Island and Warren Rhode Island.

Hours:
Seekonk Farmstand, Saturday and Monday afternoons
Hope & Main Farmers Market, Warren, RI – Sundays 10-2pm
Blackbird Farmers Market, Smithfield, RI – Fridays 4-7pm

Produce available in next two months: Beans, peas, Summer cabbage, cabbage, Tomatoes, head lettuce, Peppers, squash - 3 varieties, Watermelons, pumpkins, Asian greens radishes, Turnips, salad mix, Onions, kale, Swiss chard, herbs, Cut flowers

CSA Program Starts this Year
They also are starting a Community Supported Agriculture Program for the rest of this year and for next year which allows consumers to buy all their produce needs for a discounted price. Their philosophy on selling is to offer organic products cheaper than most stores. They feel that consumers shouldn’t have to pay high prices for healthy food.

Debora and Evan have followed their dream this year and are thrilled by the results they see. They have invested all their time and financial resources to achieve their dream of starting Radish House Farm. They would like to help others who are interested in organic farming as well. With education, planning and hard work, they think anyone can achieve their dreams too.

They can be contacted at – elsupiniski@gmail.com by phone at 401-871-5709 or 401-871-1329
or on Facebook /Radish House Farm/

Walker Street Organic Gardens
Bob Desrochers grows a variety of organic heirloom tomatoes and vegetables, which you pick up with your donation. He also has trumpet flowers, pottery and sculptures. Visit Bob's Organic Garden at 92 Walker Street in Seekonk, MA. 401-648-5587.