Red Gate Farm connects people to their environment, their land and their history. With programs, volunteer opportunities, and outreach activities, young people and adults experience hands-on learning about agriculture and the natural world.

Red Gate Farm is located on an old New England farm which is rich in history. Once home to the Williams Farm and over three generations of family farming, Red Gate Farm now carries on this tradition as a small, active farm. Red Gate Farm has revitalized the old abandoned farm and is now home to a variety of farm animals, and a wealth of gardens. Pond ecology, animal husbandry, composting, timber framing and gardening are different programs now enjoyed by local schools, youth organizations, adults and families. Volunteers collect eggs, feed our sheep, build trails, and learn by doing as they contribute to the hard work of keeping a farm alive. Red Gate Farm is a special place where meaningful work, laughter, fresh air and a renewed sense of commitment all combine to empower and strengthen individuals.

Participation in Red Gate Farm's programs enables people to build connections to a farm and the inherent values of stewardship of land and natural resources. Young people are challenged with meaningful work and responsibilities that build character and self-esteem. Their work and accomplishments on the farm, by the garden, in the forest or by the pond, provide experiences, insights and education that cannot be found in other parts of their world. Today's society is losing touch with farms and the natural world. Fewer children have the ability to recall the sounds, sights, hard work and adventures that a farm provides. Even in rural areas, young people are losing their connections to the land that sustains them, and the natural world that surrounds them. Red Gate Farm re-establishes these experiences, these connections, in a meaningful way which leaves an indelible impression on a person's life.

The Kistner Foundation

Red Gate Farm is owned and operated solely by the Kistner Foundation Inc. and for the singular purpose of fulfilling the educational mission of the Foundation. Direct supervision responsibilities include hiring and supervising staff as well as appropriating the Farm's annual budget.

Founded in February 2000, the Kistner Foundation Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization located in Massachusetts. Led by a Board of Directors, the Foundation seeks to promote an understanding and appreciation of small farming and environmental awareness for people of all ages. Pursuit of this mission comes primarily through Red Gate Farm and its operations.