One farmer, no tractor, no chemicals! Wild Shoat Farm is a vegetable growing project by me, Louis Brengard. In 2024 I wrapped up the growing season in St. Louis, MO, where the farm started. Last winter, the farm moved to a 1/3 acre plot in Amherst, MA, now growing food for western Mass.
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Wild Shoat Farm is chemical free, meaning I don't use any synthetic pesticides or fertilizers. The farm operates as a typical "market garden". This is a common system for small scale farms that is designed to be human scaled without much mechanization. This format often means working with hand tools, push seeders, and minimal soil disturbance. The veggies I produce have been sold primarily through farmer's markets and a small local grocery store.
The name "Wild Shoat Farm" comes from one of my favorite traditional fiddle tunes, called Wild Shoat, collected by James Bryan. I'm an avid fiddle player! "Shoat" is a term for a baby pig, and the spirit of it all felt right for the farm.
In addition to the farm, I have an art practice under the name Louis Bicycle. Recent work is hand carved linoleum block prints of original poetry and illustrations. I do all the printing on a hand cranked etching press using oil based inks and cotton paper. Prints are sold mostly through local farmer's markets as well as art fairs, sometimes accompanying the vegetables. Though printmaking and vegetable growing are entirely different pursuits, I'm actively working in both fields, and Wild Shoat Farm encompasses it all!
Thanks for your interest in Wild Shoat Farm! Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions, comments, or business inquiries.
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