THE FARM
Located in the "quiet corner" of Connecticut, Assawaga Farm is a Certified Organic farm growing vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits with an emphasis on Japanese varieties.
The word "assawaga", meaning "place between" or "halfway place", is the original Nipmuc name for the river now commonly known as the Five Mile River. Being embraced by the Assawaga River to the west and the Mary Brown Brook to the east, Assawaga Farm is quite literally the "place between", with the confluence of the waterways promoting a wealth of fertility and biodiversity.
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We purchased raw land in June of 2016 and since then we have built our farm from the ground up, adding a barn/house and greenhouse, drilling a well, putting in a driveway and turning a decades old hayfield into a productive farm! We take great care in producing high quality, nutritious vegetables for our community.
THE FARMERS
YOKO TAKEMURA
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Yoko took the long winded road to finding her passion in farming. Originally from Japan, she lived and worked in countries all over the world until she decided to move to NYC in 2012 to pursue a Masters degree in Environmental Sustainability.
Meanwhile, in her Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedstuy, she joined a charming little community garden - a haven amidst the rows and rows of brownstones - that really harnessed the meaning of "community." There she began to discover the wonders of growing vegetables.
It wasn't long before she began applying for apprenticeships on organic vegetable farms outside of the city. She could not have been luckier finding Riverbank Farm, working alongside veteran farmers Laura and Dave. Little did she know when she started, that she would fall in love with farming and start her own farm!
ALEX CARPENTER
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A generation removed from agricultural roots, Alex's love for nature and dreams of starting a farm were cultivated from a young age. Some of his fondest childhood memories revolve around time spent chasing insects and getting lost among the seemingly enormous tomato vines in his parents' and neighbors' gardens.
Though the tomato vines may not seem quite as massive today as they did back then, their legacy along with the magic and complexity of life represented in those gardens led Alex to pursue studies in life sciences, always with heavy botanical tendencies.
Prior to finishing school with a degree in human ecology, Alex spent several years backpacking around the world, and it was during those travels that he developed an acute awareness and interest in agriculture and food systems.
His dream of growing clean, sustainable food as his life's work remained a dream until he met Yoko. The passions they share for food, community, and sustainability made that dream a viable, tangible reality and led to the foundation of Assawaga Farm.
AI SANO
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Ai was born and raised in Fujisawa, Japan, and lived most of her life beside the ocean. Becoming a farmer didn't even cross her mind until a trip to the United States in her 30s, where she was intrigued by the prevalence of backyard vegetable gardens—a rarity in Ai's hometown. She became enchanted by the idea of gardening as a way to bring a piece of nature into one's daily life. Upon returning to Japan, Ai discovered a community farm where a teacher taught the members how to grow vegetables. On top of the farming methods themselves, she also learned about each vegetable's biology, soil health, microorganisms, and the farm ecosystem. Inspired by these teachings and fueled by the incredible flavor of her harvests, Ai became passionate about creating a sustainable farm. She envisioned a farm as more than just a means to provide people with delicious food—it should also nurture the environment and the living things on it.
Ai later moved to Matsumoto in Nagano Prefecture where she rented a larger plot of land and began farming independently. She grew a variety of vegetables and sold organic "Veggie Boxes" to a select group of customers. In 2021, Ai relocated to Ohio, where she worked for two years on her friend's 10-acre organic farm, Tilley Farmstead. When she discovered Assawaga Farm on Instagram, Ai was immediately drawn to Yoko and Alex's vision and farming methods. This was exactly the kind of farm she had dreamt of! Ai loves learning new things on the farm every day and nothing makes her happier than cooking and eating the vegetables she helps grow and sharing them with others!
PETROS PAPADOPOULOS
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Born and raised in Connecticut, Petros spent much of his childhood roaming the woods near his house. He was delighted to find trout lilies, spotted salamanders, deer skeletons, and pileated woodpeckers - he had no idea how much wildlife was right in his backyard! Each new encounter furthered his desire to spend as much of his life as possible outdoors.
While studying computer science in Boston's South End, Petros and his two closest friends combined their love for cooking and community by hosting weekly dinners for their friends. When that was taken away during a COVID semester off, Petros found what he was craving: working with his hands, mentorship, and fresh produce — by helping out at The Hickories Organic Farm. There, he worked alongside incredibly knowledgeable and skilled farmers who were eager to share their wisdom. Watching the farm collectively raise two smart, curious young kids solidified his vision of farming as a lifelong path.
After working in tech post-college, Petros realized a career in farming aligned most with his values: being outdoors, fostering community, and access to quality food. It was time to make the switch. After visiting Assawaga Farm and meeting Yoko and Alex, he knew this was the perfect place to start his farming journey, and was lucky enough to be offered an opportunity to farm full-time. Now having completed his first season at Assawaga, he has learned that the most nutritious and flavorful food is grown by promoting soil health and biodiversity. Petros is always looking for opportunities to learn how to be a better farmer, and is excited to continue growing alongside the Assawaga team for his second season.
SARA HAGSTROM
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Originally an illustrator and printmaker by trade, Sara has pursued land stewardship in her off-time as a source of joy since 2020. As a child, she thrilled in the changing of the seasons and spent much of her time outside collecting and examining foraged berries, sticks, and rocks. Spending her summers with her family in Norway, her relationship with nature is built on reverence for the abundance of the earth, and has treasured memories of chanterelle hunting and getting lost in raspberry bushes.
Though she pursued art as a career, her illustration jobs kept her inside at a desk. Her love of nature and passion for community gave her a consistent hunger to learn through farm internships and volunteering. Several seasons volunteering at various farms, including an herb farm in Maryland and a tea farm in Japan, led her to visit Assawaga during the summer of 2025.
She immediately felt drawn by the passionate & skilled team, intentional farming methods, and vibrant & delicious vegetables. When she was (by a struck of luck) offered a part time position due to a sudden staff shortage mid-season, she knew this would be the place to deepen her farming knowledge, and graciously accepted the opportunity to be a part of this place she found so special. She is excited to return for a full season in 2026, reveling in rows of tomatoes & shiso, and most importantly, learning all she can!
OUR PRACTICE
We are Certified Organic by the Baystate Organic Certifiers. For decades our fields were used for hay so there has been no application of chemicals for as far back as we can trace the history of this land.
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Using organic practices or being organic certified means we use natural processes and materials to grow our crops while promoting ecological balance and preserving biodiversity. We're committed above and beyond the guidelines for organic certification through practices such as minimizing the use of fossil fuels and plastic, avoidance of even organic pesticides and installing perennial wildlife and pollinator habitats.
We're also always looking for ways to reduce our ecological footprint and encourage as much resource recycling as possible on the farm for example by making our own compost and sourcing additional materials such as leaves from within our community.
We believe in creating and maintaining fertility from within our farm as much as possible, through cover crops, compost, vermicompost, extracts, and natural mulches. We are stewards of the land and as such we strive to keep the land productive for many future generations to come.