Swallowtail Farm is located north of Alachua, along a fertile ridge of highland soil that crests the spine of Florida. We have crafted the farm as a model of sustainability and fine land stewardship, with a focus on appropriate scale, conservation of resources, and nature-produced fertility. No synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides or other chemicals will ever touch our fields or your food.
Farmers
Noah Shitama
Noah Shitama has been cultivating his knowledge of sustainable, community-based agriculture for over 8 years now, practicing on a small scale in Gainesville, and learning through visiting and volunteering on exemplary farms here and throughout the country. He is a father of two wondrous little ones, and has worked as a carpenter and builder. As a founding steering committee member of Citizens Co-op, he is committed to the creation of a local food system grounded in locality and community.
Zach McLean
Zach is a Gainesville local for the past 9 years, and in that time has progressively become immersed in cultivating local and sustainable projects in the community. Being passionate about sustainable agriculture brought about the desire to co-found swallowtail CSA and offer consciously grown food to the Gainesville community. Currently Managing the Citizens Co-op community garden, and culturing Kombucha in his spare time. Father to one beautiful boy. Starting this growing season eager to expand the availability of Swallowtail’s harvest and continue to model our practices sustainably.
Landowners
Rick and Jane Nesbit
Swallowtail Farm is possible in large part through the vision, generosity of heart, and cooperative spirits of Rick and Jane Nesbit, who own the land our farm is resident on. They are graciously partnering with Zach and myself in the management of the farm as a whole, and have the foresight to see the farm as a beneficial complement to their home. It is with the utmost humility and gratitude that we grow food on their land without payment of lease or mortgage. In essence, they are thereby giving the great gift of facilitating our effort to produce the best food possible at a price that is accessible to the community. Farming on a small scale is increasingly obstructed by development and speculation, as these forces have made the cost of land prohibitive of itself. With this in mind, we consider it a blessing that our work has been relieved of this element of challenge.
-Noah Shitama
Interns
We have a dedicated group of interns working at the farm this season, who will be recognized shortly.
We also welcome applications for next season.
For more information see our volunteering and internship page»