Location: The North Amherst Community Farm is located at 1089 N. Pleasant Street in Amherst, roughly a mile north of the UMass campus, in an area surrounded by neighborhoods and apartment complexes.

The farm stretches back in a narrow strip from N. Pleasant St. before opening out into a wide field, presenting a panoramic view along the south side of Pine St.. The farm is outlined in blue in the aerial view at left, which shows strips of roadways and houses running parallel to the farm, indicating the pattern of surrounding farms in an earlier era. A perennial stream is also visible bisecting the farm and the neighboring Barkowski Meadows parcel. Despite being surrounded by people, houses and roads, the interior of the farm feels secluded. The dirt farm road is open for public (non-vehicular) access and is a popular place for strolling and dog walking.

Farming: Long time neighbors of the farm will remember it as having been a fairly low key operation. For many years, the fields were leased to a Hadley farmer who alternated the fields between silage corn and butternut squash from year to year.  There was not much activity, except at planting and harvest times.  Things changed dramatically with the 2006 farm season. NACF’s search for farmers who would be good stewards of the land concluded with the lease of the property to Simple Gifts Farm.