Dairy farm grows with 'green' shop

07/21/2008- Daily Hampshire Gazette

HADLEY - The Barstow family has just opened a store next to their Route 47 dairy farm, the newest part of a 200-year-old agricultural enterprise.

 

 

The store is a combination restaurant, café and market, serving coffee and pastries, desserts, as well as soup and sandwiches; it also has a market with local produce and dairy.

 

 

The store is a product of the many aspirations of the Barstow family.

 

 

Paula Barstow is a self-described environmentalist and co-manager of the store, who worked for more than two years on the design of the building, trying to make it as green as possible.

 

 

The floor has radiant heating, a roof that faces south for solar panels, and the inside draws light from large windows all around the store, augmented by low-power LED lights.

 

 

In addition, the store uses compostable materials whenever possible, including their cups and cold lids.

 

 

Paula's husband, David Barstow, directs the business end of the operation.

 

 

"Milk alone doesn't cut it," said Barstow, who thinks the store is a good way to diversify their products.

 

 

Their 25-year-old niece Shannon, daughter of third co-manager Steve Barstow, said she had been planning to run a bakery ever since she was 13 years old.

 

 

Now, she does all the baking for Barstow's, providing all the breakfast pastries, desserts and cakes. "My favorite is the apple pie," she said, "but customers seem to like the strawberry rhubarb more."

 

 

All the produce is from local farmers, the Barstows say.

 

 

They make the rounds of local producers every day to get the freshest produce, then stock it in their store. The milk is from local Mapleline farms and the ice cream is from Bart's and Snow's. The coffee is from local roasters Pierce Brothers.

 

 

David Barstow said they don't stock their own milk in the store because most of their supply already goes to Cabot.

 

 

Paula Barstow said the plans have been in the works for two years, and many factors went into the design of the building as they tried to make it fit into the existing area while accenting the farm.

 

 

"We tried to put a lot of things that would be here forever," said Barstow, who said she wants the store to last as long as the 200-year-old farm has.

 

 

Also in the plans from the beginning is a drive-up window, which the store has now implemented. Paula Barstow said she wanted to attract commuters traveling Route 47 who just need a quick cup of coffee, or farmers who need a quick lunch.

 

 

She said the drive-up isn't limited to coffee and pastries, and if customers need a gallon of milk or a few ears of corn, they would be happy to grab it for them from the market.

 

 

She said they hope to expand in the future by adding more items to the menu, especially heartier faire during the winter, as well as more green improvements.

 

 

The store, at

172 Hockanum Road

, is open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.

 

 

Paula Barstow said the early opening is meant to serve people on their way to work. "We want to be positioned for our drive-thru to be ready to receive guests," she said.

 

 

"We know there are a lot of people out there working early."