Silverwood Organic Farm Celebrates 15 Years of Growth

Fifteen years ago, a backyard family vegetable garden on a quiet plot of historic Sherborn farmland grew into Silverwood Organic Farm—a certified organic farm grounded in sustainability, local food, and a strong sense of community. Owned and operated by the Hodson-Walker family, Silverwood has grown into a beloved fixture in the community.

Silverwood grows USDA Certified Organic vegetables and flowers and partners with Fat Moon Farm to offer gourmet mushroom shares through its Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program—a model that allows community members to purchase a seasonal share of the harvest and receive fresh, locally grown food each week. What started as a “hobby run amok” has become a meaningful mission to bring healthy, local food to households throughout the region.

Today, the farm continues to nourish the local community through its seasonal CSA shares, offering flexible pick-up options, vacation-friendly scheduling, and a share partner matchmaker that pairs customers with others looking to split a share. Silverwood is also proud to participate in the state’s SNAP/CSA pilot program, expanding access to fresh produce for low-income families.

A Deeper Kind of Nourishment
Silverwood's commitment to feeding the community reaches far beyond CSA members. The farm supplies fresh produce to public schools in Franklin, Needham, and Holliston helping ensure students have access to healthy, local food. Weekly deliveries to senior centers—including the Framingham Callahan Center, Sherborn COA, and Holliston Senior Center—extend access to older adults.

Silverwood also supplies organic produce to area grocers such as Whole Foods and the Superette in Holliston, and to local restaurants including Buttercup and Farmhouse. Additionally, the farm donates produce to food banks and nonprofits such as A Place to Turn, World Farmers, and the Resiliency Gardens of Needham.

“Being part of a farm that ensures fresh, organic produce is accessible not only to our local community residents, but also to students, seniors, and low-income families makes me incredibly proud to be a farmer,” says Farm Manager Laura Raney. “We partner with local school systems, councils on aging in six surrounding towns, and serve as HIP/SNAP vendors at farmers markets. It’s rewarding to see the vegetables we grow truly serve the whole community.”

Rooted in Sustainability
Silverwood follows USDA organic practices certified through Baystate Organic Certifiers and prioritizes sustainable methods such as cover cropping, minimal machinery, and hand planting. The farm keeps its food truly local, reducing the environmental footprint compared to traditional supply chains. “Certified organic produce is grown without the use of herbicides, GMOs, or synthetic fertilizers,” says Farm Manager Abel Clark. “That means people can trust the produce from our farm is fresh, untreated, and sustainable.”

Resilience Through Uncertainty
During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when nearly every business shut down, Silverwood kept its barn doors open - offering socially distanced produce pick-ups for local families. “It was important to us to keep going,” says Lisa. “We knew the community needed us—and honestly, we needed the community too.”

Under the leadership of Silverwood’s two longtime dedicated farm managers—Laura Raney and Abel Clark—Silverwood Organic Farm didn’t miss a beat during the pandemic, maintaining full operations to serve its CSA members with freshly harvested, certified organic produce. “There was a real sense of purpose,” says Laura. “We knew the food we were growing mattered.” Abel adds, “We were proud to be out in the fields every day supporting the local community during such a difficult time.”

Today, Silverwood employs local residents and high school students from Sherborn, Holliston, and nearby towns, offering both seasonal employment and opportunities for students to complete their graduation-required community service hours. Silverwood’s farm managers also grew up in the area—Laura in Sherborn and Abel in nearby Holliston. Their deep familiarity with the community has played a key role in expanding the farm’s reach through strong local connections.

Planting Seeds of Celebration
As pandemic restrictions limited indoor gatherings, the Hodson-Walker family purchased a 40’x80’ high-peak canopy tent to offer an outdoor event venue. With the barn not available for rentals due to town regulations and growing interest in hosting celebrations on the farm, the tent provided a way to meet community needs and support the farm.

Since then, the space has quietly become a sought-after setting for weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, anniversaries, celebrations of life, and fundraisers. Many of these events feature Silverwood’s own flowers and produce, and the farm regularly donates use of the venue or CSA shares to support schools, libraries, and nonprofits.

Owning and operating a small, certified organic family farm requires immense time, resources, resilience, creativity, and determination. In recent years, agritourism has emerged as a meaningful way for small farms to connect with their communities and share a love of agriculture. At Silverwood, a thoughtful, community-focused approach includes offering a seasonal outdoor gathering space on non-farming weekends—inviting people to come together, celebrate, and connect with the land, all with the classic red barn as a picturesque backdrop.

Looking Ahead: Silverwood in 2025
As Silverwood enters its 16th season, the farm continues to grow in scope. This summer, Silverwood will host its 2nd Annual Farmapalooza—a family-friendly music festival celebrating local musicians, agriculture, local food providers, and charities. Silverwood’s Farmapalooza will showcase local bands, alongside various attractions such as farm tours, tractor rides, seedling sales, farm-themed activities, arts & crafts, face painting, food trucks, local chefs, and more. In May, the annual Silverwood Seedling Sale returns, providing home gardeners with vibrant organic seedlings.

Silverwood remains grounded in what matters most: healthy soil, community connection, and knowing where your food comes from. “It’s a true labor of love,” says co-owner Lisa Hodson-Walker. “Farming requires deep commitment from all of us—the farm managers, our farm crew, and our family. But the relationships we’ve built, the families we’ve fed, and the support we’ve received is what makes it all worth it.”

Co-founder Jonathan Hodson-Walker fondly recalls the early days on the farm: “One of our first purchases was a water wheel planter specially customized with four seats. I hitched it to our tractor and pulled all four of our young kids behind me while they attempted to transplant seedlings for the first time. It was the start of our first planting season - and the beginning of seeing our vision of a community farm come to life.”

To learn more about Silverwood or to sign up for a CSA share, rent the event space, or attend a seasonal event, visit www.silverwoodorganicfarm.com.