Producer

We are a third generation family farm located on 64 acres of fields and woodland along the Fenton River in Willington, CT, run by Spencer Cartabiano and Jackie Kulig. Spencer’s grandparents Earl and Martha Gledhill, along with Martha’s brother Robert Nickels, bought our farm in the 1950s and utilized it for a variety of agricultural activities over the years. One of the first operations was a commercial chicken farm, which produced both eggs and meat and was run by Robert or “Uncle Bob”. By the late 1960s, chicken farming was no longer profitable and Uncle Bob sold his share of the farm to Earl and Martha. Over the years, the Gledhills raised goats, cows, horses, pigs, and backyard chickens at one time or another. For a number of years, they ran an agricultural based summer camp at the farm. Earl and Martha planted our half acre blueberry patch, built many of our barns and storage sheds, created 2 ponds (which we use to irrigate our crops), and the list goes on. Needless to say, we are extremely lucky and grateful for all of the work that they did over the years. We wouldn’t be farming without them!

Earl and Martha had 4 children — Tom, Laurie, Julia, and Mary. Julia was always drawn back to the farm and eventually settled back in Willington around 2007 with her husband Jim and son Spencer. Together Julia and Spencer started our current farming operation, growing primarily no-spray vegetables. Julia planted the seed of sustainable growing at Willow Valley Farm and continued to nurture her family and the land until her passing in 2022. Spencer and his wife Jackie now run Willow Valley Farm and grow a variety of no-spray vegetables, as well as grains, hay, straw, mushrooms, maple syrup, eggs, and more! In 2020, Julia’s older son Evan and his family moved back to the farm as well. Together, we are working to create a vibrant, bountiful place for both people and wildlife. We strive to be good stewards of our land while protecting an important part of the Fenton River watershed and provide healthy petrochemical free produce to our local community. We grow all of our produce with sustainable growing methods and have taken the CT NOFA Farmer’s Pledge. We are passionate about clean food, clean water, vibrant soil life, and a sustainable way of living.

Sustainable Agriculture:

At Willow Valley Farm we aim to supply the local food system with fresh fruit and vegetables while enhancing the land and natural resources around us. By taking care of our soil, wildlife habitat, and water resources, we ensure the future of our farm and its ability to provide these services.

Active soil life is an important aspect of sustainable farming. By creating the right balance of plants, nutrients, and microorganisms, we are able to avoid using synthetic fertilizers. This involves regular applications of compost and mulch. We grow our own rye straw for mulch and use other plant-based mulches, such as wood chips, paper, and living mulch (cover crops). These additions provide nutrients for our plants and large amounts of organic matter to feed the worms and microorganisms in the soil. We also use natural products such as garlic spray to protect our plants from pests and pathogens. We do not use GMOs, pesticides, or black plastic mulch.

“While the use of black plastic is allowed within organic agriculture, it is inherently unsustainable as it is a petroleum-based product and difficult to recycle. Every acre of land farmed using a black plastic system produces 100-120 lb of waste that typically goes to landfills. What’s more, when black plastic is used, 50-70% of a field is transformed into an impervious surface, increasing the volume of runoff by 40% and erosion by 80%.” – Rodale Institute, Beyond Black Plastic

The beautiful Fenton River valley is home to a variety of wildlife and native plants. We try our best to maintain this natural beauty by allowing wild plants to grow on the edges of our fields. This keeps our pollinators fed all season long and fosters the growth of other beneficial insects, which can help our vegetable crops. To some, this may look “messy”, but it is one of the many critical natural “products” we use to keep our crops healthy!

We follow GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) guidelines:

Good Agricultural Practices are guidelines developed by FDA (US Food and Drug Association) and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) to help produce farmers reduce the chance that their products will be contaminated by foodborne pathogens such as E. coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes.

There is no regulatory requirement for farmers regarding a GAP food safety program.

GAP provides ways to reduce microbial contamination of fruits and vegetables produced on the farm. We still advise washing all produce before eating as a precaution.