663 Wentworth Rd, Walpole, NH
(603) 852-4772
Art by Misoo Bang; pictured is longtime employee Ozzie Mae
Products: Grass-fed beef, pasture-raised chicken, eggs, and pork, maple syrup, honey, jams
Where to buy: Farm store and online
Walpole Valley Farms
Walpole, NH
For the love of food
When you order a hamburger at a restaurant, do you think about how that cow was raised? It can be easy to feel as though food has no story before it arrives at your plate when other people prepare it for you. But how restaurants source their food is just as impactful as how consumers shop at the grocery store.
It was food that brought Caitlin and Chris Caserta to Walpole Valley Farms. “We came to farming as foodies, people who just absolutely love food,” said Caitlin. The pair are not farmers by trade — Chris was a f inancial planner and Caitlin was a French teacher. They started with three cows and 20 chickens. “We soon figured out that it took about the same amount of time to feed 100 as it did 20,” Chris shared. “So my business brain took over thinking of economies of scale, and that’s how we started.”
Their farming adventure was the first step towards a bigger dream: to own a farm-totable restaurant. Fast forward a number of years, this dream is now a reality. Customers can head to the fast casual, farm-to-table Hungry Diner in Walpole to enjoy the food produced at the farm. “Almost all the beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and eggs come from our farm,” explained Caitlin. “Really we’re focused on quality ingredients all the time.”
Quality ingredients start with intentional farming practices. She said,
“All of our animals are on pasture and we consider ourselves a regenerative farm. What that means is we’re soil farming. We farm grass. What we want to do is raise the best grass possible for the animals to eat so they can eat the best diet possible so we have healthy food to eat.”
The farm, restaurant, and an on-farm inn all provide opportunities to connect with visitors about the importance of regenerative agriculture. “We want the land to continue to be stewarded in the proper way,” reflected Chris. “We hope to have more and more people come here and learn about agriculture. This kind of agriculture is really important. It can heal the soil, rather than draw away from it — which is what’s happening everywhere.”