Krochmal Farms has been a family farm since the turn of the century, growing produce and raising livestock.

The Cave family, who owns and lives on the farm, has three generations involved in the farm’s day to day activities. This includes feeding of livestock, planting and helping with the Pumpkin Fest in the fall. The Caves had all their children and grandchildren in the Tewksbury school system. Krochmal Farms, the Caves, are proud standing members of the farming and agricultural community for over sixty years. 

Within the last couple of years a handful of neighbors, who bought homes next to the farm, which has been in existence since long before they moved here, brought an article in front of a special town meeting.  The "Home Rule Petition" basically called for town involvement in the farm's daily activities.  As the "Home Rule Petition" was passed, subsequently it has been presented to Beacon Hill as "House Bill 3818".   This bill, if passed, would essentially make it impossible for the farm to continue in it's existence, and could snowball causing many family owned farms across the state to have to close their doors for good.

The farm, as all working farms are, is already subject to monthly inspections by the state and frequent visits from the town's health department.  The farm is in full compliance with all building and occupancy permits. The farm is already under the guise of various boards with in the town, including several state departments and the federal government.

This anti-farm group has made numerous false claims against the farm, which have all been proven in tests done by experts that the Town of Tewksbury has hired.  All soil, water and air testing have come back with the farm in full compliance and with no health or environmental damages from the farm's day to day operations.  These letters from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts government officials can be found in the Town of Tewksbury's own website.  In fact, not only is the air quality surrounding the farm found not to be contributing to health risks to neighbors, it was noted that in the communities closest to the farm, the rate of breathing problems (ie: asthma, etc) was significantly lower than the state average. 

The farm has had to modernize with the times.  A newer barn was built within the last 5 years to house the livestock in a cleaner and safer environment.  The animals were moved from an older, antiquated "on ground" structure to the modern barn, which does have a building and occupancy permit.  The farm is operating far below their permitted capacity and has recently invested a very large sum of money to institute a state of the art Odor Abatement technology made possible by Juergen's environmental, which has cut the farm odors down by about 90%.

This family farm is not an "industrial hog operation" as the handful of 'anti-farm' neighbors call it.  The size of the farm, by definition according to the MA Department of Agriculture is a Medium-sized family farm.  The website in opposition to the farm uses the term “Factory Farm” located on a “Toxic Waste Dump Site” These scare tactics are not informational, but just plain slander. The people of Tewksbury have been reading about the Roco’s saga in the news papers for years and to link the farm with this subject is defamatory and reckless.

The Cave family has gone well above and beyond what should be expected.  The family's response to that comment is "The farm has chosen to keep the neighbors in mind first when planning farm activities. Relying on state laws governing the “Right to Farm” is a farm option, but trying to be a good neighbor is the number one focus."

"House Bill 3818" is being presented to put limits far above and beyond what can be expected of any business, much less a family farm.  Krochmal Farm and the Cave family is asking for everyone's support in making sure this bill does not get passed.  It not only infringes on the rights of the farm, but is in total opposition of state and federal statutes with the "Right to farm" laws. 

Please contact your local representative.  Tell him / her that "House Bill 3818" is not going to be supported by the community that they represent.

Open space is rare these days. Save the Farm!  

-Three Generations of the Cave Family-John Krochmal, 1977