Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/868682
wbjournal.com | September 4, 2017 | Worcester Business Journal 15 S M A L L B U S I N E S S F O C U S At Shepherd & Goldstein, we have the knowledge, technical expertise and experience to get the job done right. Our experts have hundreds of combined years of experience and our expertise cuts across dozens of industries. Combine that with our Awesome Service Guarantee ® - our commitment to customer care and personal attention you won't find anywhere else - and you will see why so many great organizations choose Shepherd & Goldstein as their Accounting Firm of Choice. Learn how we can help your business grow profitability and create greater business value. Call Terry Shepherd at 508-757-3311 or visit sgllp.com. • Accounting & Tax Services • Business Consulting • Business Transition • Value Growth Planning • Financial Services • Retirement Planning 508-757-3311 • www.sgllp.com WORCESTER • FRAMINGHAM • MILFORD • YARMOUTH Make Sure Your Team Will Be There When You Expect Them. EXPERIENCE MATTERS the company delivers to 15 communities across north- ern Central Massachusetts twice a week year-round. It started with a suggestion by Andrew Hildreth. His brother, Tim, and Tim's wife, Jacki, were making regular trips to farms in the western part of the state to bring fresh produce home. Andrew asked, "Why don't you guys start a delivery service to make the trip worth it?" "We looked at each other and nodded," Tim Hildreth said. Soon after, the couple bought two refrigerated vans and began an operation out of their garage. Now, two years later, they serve about 150 customers a week – mostly to homes, but also to a few cafes in the area. Central Mass Locavore takes the couple's longtime hobbies of cooking with local produce and bringing it to anyone in their territory. They hope to expand soon to Worcester, Acton and Concord. Anyone can go on their website and place orders for a few dozen items, from staples like apples and broccoli to hummus and pickles. Orders placed by noon on Mondays are delivered by Wednesdays, and orders in by noon Wednesday are delivered Fridays. If someone leaves a cooler on their front stoop, someone from Central Mass Locavore will come fill it with produce. The food – mostly fruit and vegetables but also ready-made meals, meats, coffee, dairy products and bread – comes mostly from Central Massachusetts, but also from farms in Vermont and Maine. The Hildreths, both 37, have a few family members and friends pitch in each week. "We thought it would be a lot easier," Tim said of the job. Farming numbers in Massachusetts Farms 6,075 7,691 7,755 Acres of farmland 518,570 517,879 523,517 Percent owned by families/sole proprietors 82.6 82.1 79.5 Average farm operator age 54.9 56.3 57.8 Percent of farms under 100 acres 75.4 80.5 82.0 2002 2007 2012 Entrees using local ingredients like those produced at BirchTree Bread Co. rely on deliveries from Lettuce Be Local. Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture W