Rebuilding the Grove

After a sudden fire took our farm stand in late April, we had to move quickly from shock into rebuilding. It was a hard loss, right as the busiest part of the farm season was beginning, but our community came together quickly and the project is already underway.

The new rebuild is more than a replacement. We are creating a warm, welcoming farm stand and an adjacent farmer wash-and-pack space, designed together as one cohesive entrance to Osamequin. We are 88% funded, and every gift now helps bring the rebuild across the finish line.

In late April, our farm stand was lost in a fire. The fire happened suddenly and took the stand entirely, along with damage to some of the surrounding farmer infrastructure.

The timing was awful, with harvest season right around the corner. But after the initial shock wore off, we got to work on a cleanup and rebuild plan that would allow us to be back in action by peak season.

The farm stand has always been more than just a place to buy produce. It is the face of Osamequin — the first thing many visitors see when they arrive, and often their first real introduction to the farm. It’s where people check in for blueberries, pick up CSA shares, buy flowers and produce, ask questions, learn about programs, and begin to understand what this special place is all about.

As hard as this loss has been, it also created an opportunity to rethink how this part of the farm works and to move quickly toward a rebuild that better serves the whole Osamequin community.

Cleanup and site preparation are underway, the next phases of construction are lined up, and our goal is to be operational again by peak harvest season this summer. The rebuild includes two related structures: a new farm stand for our guests and a farmer-serving wash-and-pack pavilion.

The farm stand will support the parts of Osamequin that visitors know best: blueberry check-in, CSA pickups, flowers and produce, program information, and an everyday meeting spot for tours and events. The new stand will also offer better infrastructure for the produce itself, helping us keep fruits, vegetables, and flowers fresh and beautiful for visitors to bring home.

We are also adding a composting toilet with changing facilities for little ones, which will make the farm more welcoming and functional for families spending time here during Pick Your Own, events, field trips, and everyday visits.

The wash-and-pack pavilion will support the daily work that makes our farm function. Our Resident Farmers need shared space to wash, sort, pack, and store produce from the field before it heads to CSA households, markets, restaurants, and food access partners.

This part of the project had already been in the works thanks to a USDA grant for equipment. After the fire, we had the opportunity to bring it into the same design as the new farm stand, creating one unified entrance that serves both the public and the farmers.

We are proud to be working with Country Carpenters to bring this vision to life.

Based in Hebron, Connecticut, Country Carpenters has been creating New England-style post-and-beam buildings since 1974. Now fifty years and three generations into their work, they specialize in buildings that combine traditional craftsmanship with modern precision: classic timber-frame structures that are beautiful, durable, and full of character.

As we rebuild, we are balancing urgency with a desire to create something lasting and rooted in place. We do not want the new farm stand to feel temporary or out of place. Country Carpenters’ buildings are designed to carry the look and feel of New England barns and outbuildings, while their pre-cut kits, pre-engineered joinery, and detailed assembly plans will help this project move forward efficiently.

They have custom designed a farm stand and pavilion to meet the specific needs of this rebuild. Once the kits arrive, they can be assembled by a team of skilled volunteers, helping us create a new “face of the farm” that feels warm, welcoming, and like it belongs here.

The rebuild is already underway, and support from our community has carried us most of the way there! Through conversations with board members, advisory committee members, longtime supporters, and close friends of the farm, we have raised 88% of the funding needed to complete this project.

We are deeply grateful for the generosity and trust that have helped us move forward so quickly. Every gift at this stage helps close the final gap and bring this new space to life.

If you are able to contribute, we would be grateful for your support. We will continue to update this page as fundraising and construction progress. When construction of the buildings begins, we’ll also need volunteers to help us with the finishing touches.