Waltham Fields Community Farms

What Waltham Fields Community Farms does

Waltham Fields Community Farms (legally Community Farms Outreach, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1995 and headquartered at 240 Beaver Street in Waltham, Massachusetts. It operates as a community farm and food access organization cultivating approximately 11 acres using organic and regenerative agricultural practices, including cover cropping, soil health restoration, biodiversity enhancement, and rotational crop planning, with 25% of fields rested each season. The farm grows approximately 130,000 pounds of produce annually, of which 30,000 pounds is directed to food-insecure neighbors and community partners. The organization is led by Executive Director Stacey Daley with a year-round staff of approximately 10 and is supported by 800+ volunteers contributing 2,000+ hours annually.

The organization operates an integrated portfolio of programs spanning food access, agriculture, education, and community engagement. Its core food programs include a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program serving 675+ households with seasonal summer, fall, and winter shares, a public Farm Stand open May through December, the Mobile Outreach Market (MOM) at 50 Church St. selling subsidized produce for $5 to low-income residents, and the VegRX Produce Prescription program in partnership with Charles River Community Health. Educational offerings include Youth Programs (Little Sprouts, After School, Teen Corps, Summer), Field Trips and Farm-to-School visits, and Adult & Family Workshops across the learning garden, fields, and greenhouses. Underlying operations are anchored by a 2023 RFP win for ~22.59 acres at the UMass Field Station, with 2024 greenhouse reconstruction and 2025 CSA pickup Pergola construction underway.

The business model is a hybrid nonprofit revenue structure combining (1) subscription CSA shares with subsidized half-price options for SNAP-eligible households, (2) retail farm stand sales supplemented by Farm Bucks prepayment with 10-15% bonus credits, (3) annual membership dues tiered from $50 to $1,000, (4) donations and grants from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundations (approximately 25% of annual support from local businesses and foundations), and (5) fee-based education programs. Per Massachusetts legislation, the underlying land is restricted to open-space, agriculture, and recreation in perpetuity. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and has no parent company, operating as an independent charitable entity.

Name

Waltham Fields Community Farms

Legal name

Community Farms Outreach, Inc.

Website

https://communityfarms.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Waltham Fields Community Farms is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating an 11-acre regenerative community farm in Waltham, MA, serving 675+ CSA households, food-insecure residents via subsidized Mobile Outreach Market and VegRX produce prescriptions, and youth through on-site educational programs, funded by CSA sales, farm stand retail, memberships, donations, and grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Supported Agriculture and Food Access Services

NAICS

Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112), Nursery, Garden Center, and Farm Supply Retailers (444240)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Regenerative Agriculture (Soil Carbon, Cover Crops, Reduced/No-Till) (AFAGAMAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (Fair Trade, Food Access, Regenerative) (BPAGALAD), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO)

Keywords

• Community supported agriculture
• Organic farm production
• Regenerative agriculture practices
• Farm based education
• Food access programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waltham

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. CSA Membership: Community Supported Agriculture shares sold seasonally (summer, fall, winter) providing upfront income at start of growing season. Includes market-style pickup and pick-your-own access.
2. Farm Stand Retail: Physical farm stand open to public May-December offering produce from WFCF fields and local farmers, plus cheese, eggs, meat, pantry items, snacks, and curated home items. Farm Bucks prepayment option with 10-15% bonus.
3. Membership Dues: Annual membership tiers ($50-$1,000) provide foundation support. Members receive benefits including early CSA access, voting rights, merchandise discounts, and workshop discounts.
4. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from individuals, corporate sponsors, and foundations. 25% of annual support comes from local businesses and foundations. Includes Food For All contributions subsidizing CSA shares for low-income households.
5. Education Programs: Fee-based educational programming for youth (Little Sprouts, After School, Teen Corps, Summer) and adults (workshops). Field trips priced $12-$20 per student. Waltham resident discounts and fee assistance available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Waltham Fields Community Farm cultivates organic and regenerative produce on approximately 11 acres in Waltham, Massachusetts, and distributes it through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares (summer, fall, winter), a seasonal public Farm Stand, and a Mobile Outreach Market serving low-income residents. The farm also operates subsidized food access programs (VegRX produce prescriptions, Food For All half-priced CSA shares) and delivers year-round agricultural education programs for youth and adults.

Product overview

Waltham Fields Community Farm operates as a community-focused nonprofit with a portfolio of interconnected food access and educational programs. The core offerings include a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program with seasonal shares, a public Farm Stand, and the Mobile Outreach Market (MOM) providing subsidized produce for $5. The VegRX Program delivers free produce prescriptions to at-risk patients. Complementing these food programs are Youth Programs (Little Sprouts, After School, Teen Corps, Summer), Field Trips, Adult Workshops, and a Perennial Garden for education. Programs are unified by the organization's mission of equitable food access through regenerative agriculture, with Food For All subsidies enabling low-income community members to participate across all programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Seasonal share-based program where members pay upfront for weekly produce distributions throughout the growing season, with summer, fall, and winter share options. Includes market-style pickup and pick-your-own access to fields.
• Farm Stand Retail location open to the public May through December featuring produce from WFCF fields and other local farmers, plus cheese, eggs, meat, pantry items, snacks, and drinks. SNAP and HIP authorized vendor.
• Mobile Outreach Market (MOM) Weekly mobile market bringing organically grown farm produce into the community at 50 Church St., Waltham (Tuesdays 4:30–6pm, July–October). Self-identifying low-income residents purchase produce shares for $5. Accepts SNAP, HIP, Cash, and Community Vouchers.
• VegRX Program Produce prescription program fully funded through grants and donations, providing free weekly farm shares to patients identified by healthcare providers as at-risk for diet-related illnesses. Run in partnership with Charles River Community Health; materials provided in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
• Youth Programs Year-round experiential programs for youth including Little Sprouts (caregiver & me for pre-k), After School (grades 1-8), Teen Corps (leadership for teens 13-17), and Summer drop-off program (rising grades 1-8).
• Field Trips & Farm-to-School Farm enrichment programs combining farm exploration, interactive discussion, and hands-on agricultural activities. Includes on-farm visits and classroom visits with options for custom experiences. Priced $12–$20 per student based on program length and materials.
• Adult & Family Workshops Year-round workshops supporting farm-based, experiential learning for all ages, held in the learning garden, fields, and greenhouses in partnership with community instructors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 130,000 lbs of produce grown annually
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Charles River Community HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partnership for VegRX produce prescription program. Patients identified as at-risk for diet-related illnesses receive free weekly farm shares through grant-funded program. Materials provided in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole.
• Boston Area GleanerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative relationship since 1995 for gleaning area farms and distributing produce within local communities. WFCF distributes hundreds of thousands of pounds of organically grown produce.
• Healthy WalthamsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership produce recipient for food access programs.
• Food Not BombssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership produce recipient for food relief efforts.
• Waltham YMCAsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership produce recipient.
• First Lutheran Church of WalthamsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partnership produce recipient for food pantry operations.
• Waltham Family SchoolsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board partner; family education programming.
• Waltham Boys & Girls ClubsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board partner; youth programming collaboration.
• Waltham Public Schools Multilingual DepartmentsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvisory board partner supporting ELL families through food access and education programs.
• Bentley University Service-Learning and Civic Engagement CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternship partnership providing students to support Perennial Garden documentation project.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Drumlin Farm (Mass Audubon): Massachusetts-based working farm and wildlife sanctuary that operates a CSA, farm stand, and educational programs for schools and the public. Directly comparable as a nonprofit farm combining regenerative practices, CSA, and place-based education.
• Groundwork Somerville: Massachusetts nonprofit operating urban agriculture, farm-to-school, and food access programs in a similar Greater Boston geography. Comparable as a community-focused organization combining regenerative growing with food access and education.
• Food for Free: Cambridge, MA-based food rescue and distribution nonprofit; the original produce donation recipient for WFCF starting in 1995. Directly comparable as a regional food access organization operating in the same geography.
• Boston Area Gleaners: Regional nonprofit that gleans surplus produce from farms and distributes it to food-insecure communities. Already a WFCF partner, and highly comparable as a food access-focused nonprofit operating in the same Northeast geography.
• LexFarm: Lexington, MA nonprofit community farm that WFCF previously operated under contract. Directly comparable as a small-scale New England community farm with CSA, farm stand, and volunteer-driven regenerative practices.
• The Food Project: Northeast-based nonprofit that grows food on urban and suburban farmland, runs a CSA, distributes produce to hunger-relief partners, and employs youth in farm-based education. Directly comparable as a community farm with food access and youth development programs.

Others

• Cummings Foundation: Massachusetts-based grantmaking foundation that has supported WFCF and funds many similar food access and sustainability nonprofits. Adjacent funder rather than direct operator.

Broad incumbents

• Trustees of Reservations: Massachusetts-based nonprofit that manages working farms, CSA programs, and agricultural education across multiple properties. Comparable as a broader incumbent operating nonprofit farmland and food access programming at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CommunityFarms
• Facebookfacebook.com/WalthamFieldsCommunityFarm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/waltham-fields-community-farms

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Waltham Fields Community Farms