Daniel's grandmother, Mary Mays, on Frith Farm in England
Motivated more by idealism than experience, Daniel started Frith Farm on this side of the pond in November, 2010. Drawn by Maine's food culture and support for local agriculture, Daniel purchased a 14-acre piece of land in Scarborough. The land was protected and made affordable through an agricultural conservation easement put in place by Maine Farmland Trust and the Scarborough Land Trust when Daniel bought the property from the Fancy family in 2010.
The first few years were filled with experimentation, countless mistakes, and the many joys of learning by doing. The 200-year-old farmhouse was in serious disrepair, and was no small task to gut and renovate (and live in) while trying to establish the farm as a viable business. The farm would not exist as it does today without the support of family, neighbors, and the stalwort apprentices of those early years.
From the first year growing for thirty CSA families on less than an acre, Frith Farm has expanded to serve a CSA membership of about 300 families, as well as three natural food stores and an on-farm store. The operation is still small and intensive, and consists of three acres of vegetables and a couple acres of perennials. The farm has remained the sole source of income for Daniel from day one, and has grown from two apprentices to a full-time crew of nine people.
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The original Frith Farm belonged to Daniel's great-grandfather and lies outside the village of Wickham, in the countryside of southern England. Daniel's grandmother Mary and father Stuart were born in the same room of the 400-year-old farmhouse there, and Stuart's memories and stories of misadventures on the farm were an exciting part of Daniel's upbringing. Frith Farm remains in the family, now owned by Stuart's cousin.
"Frith" is an old English word that combines the meaning of loyalty, friendship, and sanctuary. It is the commitment to family, friends, and community to consider their welfare in our actions.
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