The Ugly Truth
written by Caroline Stone
Ugly Duckling Farms exists because Ugly Duckling Farm- singular- was already taken.
While that is the truth, it is only a small part of it. Ugly Duckling Farms started on one acre in Carver, MA, less than two months after I graduated from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture in Amherst, MA. This farm was a realization of a dream I had long before college; to help provide quality, affordable, and interesting food to the broader Plymouth county.
Cool...but how?
The most important thing, outside of actually working the land, of farming is knowing your community. The initial plan is research...and a lot of it. Surveys, talking to food-eaters, other farmers, and folks within the local food system to find out what our community desires from a local farm/food producer! Feel free to fill out our research survey, read our blog posts, and see our current goals below!
Painting by Amelia Albanese, 2026
Our Current Goals!
Markets
Timeline: Spring 2027
- CSA starting Spring 2027. Read our blog about CSAs here!
- Online ordering
-Farmers Markets
-Wholesale
GAP certification
Timeline: 2029
While most people know what the USDA organic certification is, you may not know that most grocery stores, wholesale markets, and others require GAP (or Good Agriculture Practices) certifications to make sure food is being produced with the highest standards of microbial food safety. In our mission to provide quality food, food safety is of the upmost importance at UDF.
Organic certifications
Timeline: 2030
Being a small organic-certified farm in Massachusetts is practically a cliche at this point, however, we at Ugly Duckling Farm are passionate about organic food! While there is a million benefits to organic production, we think it just tastes better ;)
More to come...
owner/only employee
Caroline Stone
Hi! My name is Caroline, and I am a life- long Plymouth native. I am Ugly Duckling Farms farmer, social media manager, mechanic, HR department, bookkeeper, and sales manager. Raised by a mother who loves the beach, and a father who works in the golf course industry, I grew up outside...a lot. In high school, I started working as a landscaper, which I loved, however I hated that "all these plants do is sit there and look pretty!" This lead to the decision to go to the Stockbridge School of Agriculture after graduating from Plymouth North High School in 2023. After three years, I graduated with a degree in Sustainable Food and Farming, and a minor in Business in 2026. I have a deep passion for food access, snacking on freshly harvested produce in the field, organic production, live music, and wearing too many layers.
The real boss
Atlantic Coastal Pine Barren
The Atlantic Coastal Pine Barren is far from barren. A rare ecosystem with only three separate locations left in the world; New Jersey, Long Island, and Massachusetts. It is known for sandy, acidic, and nutrient-poor soil, and region-specific flora/fauna.
