Bug Hill Farm is a small rare fruits farm in Ashfield, MA. We are best known for our berries, fruit cordials, shrubs, and syrups, crafted from our own and other local berries, and sweetened with raw honey or organic sugar. We manage our farm, and nearly forty acres of woodlands for wildlife and pollinator habitat as well as organically grown products to nourish and delight our customers.

Our products have been featured in The Boston Globe, The Springfield Republican, Country Gardens Magazine, and USA Magazine.

Ownership Transition

Over the past ten years Kate Kerivan created Bug Hill Farm, nurturing its pollinator habitat, planting new berries and crafting delicious shrubs, cordials and spreads.  Aware of the large shoes we have to fill, we are very excited to be taking the reins, as owners of the business and stewards of the land. We plan to build on the foundation Kate has laid, growing delectable berries, and selling exceptional products, following organic, regenerative practices in our operations and land management.

Hope to see you at the farm!

- Sam and Charlotte 

Winter on Bug Hill

We've heard a few times that Ashfield is the snowiest town in Massachusetts.  Then one kind neighbor cautioned:  "Forget the snow, it's the wind and ice that'll be tough."  To be honest, we're looking forward to the snow, wind and ice of January and a chance to sit by the wood stove for a while and recuperate after a wonderful but very busy summer and fall.  We'll send out just a couple of newsletters during the winter describing some of our plans for Bug Hill Farm: new berry plantings, on-farm events, and building the health of the soils and sequestering carbon through regenerative practices.   Until then...stay warm.

Good Soil = Great Berries

One of our goals at Bug Hill Farm is to grow really great berries that are nutrient dense and delicious tasting. To achieve that goal we employ regenerative practices that go beyond organic standards to build rich soil that has the correct balance of minerals and that fosters robust biological activity around the plant roots. Last fall we walked many miles up and down the berry rows, spreading macronutrients (e.g., calcium and magnesium) by the ton and trace elements (e.g., boron and molybdenum) by the pound.  We also have four tons of mineral-rich rock dust (thanks to Ashfield Stone) waiting to be spread when the piles thaw out. This spring we will support the diverse soil biology by applying compost and planting multi-species cover crops between the rows.  Connected by the mycorrhizal fungi -- as the soil biology's "internet" -- the myriad soil microorganisms boost the nutrient absorption capacity of the berry plants and also sequester carbon in the soil.  NOFA/Mass (www.nofamass.org) and the Bionutrient Food Association (www.bionutrient.org) offer excellent educational resources about these practices, and we strongly recommend these organizations to both growers and consumers.

Winter hours:  By chance or appointment, please call (413) 628-3980

Glamping will return in 2018? Glamping at our pond-side tent site was a great hit in 2016.......stay tuned.  Check out the description, photos and reviews on GlampHub.