Family Owned & Operated. Proudly Farming for Four Generations.
Know Your Farmers.
Get to know the people that grow your food.
It's important not just to know where and how your food is grown; it's also important to know the people are who are tending to that food and the land it's grown on. Below you'll find out more about the people that make Springdell the farm that it is today. You'll also read about each of our own stories and why Springdell is the farm we call "home".
Jamie Cruz
Owner, Production & Wholesale Manager
Jamie has spent her entire life on this farm. In her early years, she would be found working alongside of her grandfather, Gerry; commonly picking peppers to ship off to local supermarkets or riding on the back of the old 8N with her uncle Tasso as he headed out to the fields in the early morning to harvest corn for their roadside stand. At eight years old, she started a cut flower business; growing mostly zinnias and gladiolas that she sold at the farm stand. Shortly after that, she found herself managing the farm stand and transferring the old white building into the future; remodeling the structure, adding on a CSA, and letting go of the wholesale markets.
In 2010, the family was completing their generational transfer which handed the land from the second generation into the hands of the third and fourth to ensure the farm would stay farming for years to come. At the age of 25, Jamie is one of the head operators of the fourth generation, diversified family farm. Her main focus today lies on crop production and greenhouse management. In other words, she makes sure the crops get planted and bellies get filled with food!
Jamie is also very active in the local community and chairs the Littleton Agricultural Commission and very involved in the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation serving as the Young Farmers & Ranchers State Chair, member of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau, and member of the MFBF State Board of Directors.
Samuel Williams
Farmhand, part of the
H-2A program.
2013 will be Samuel's sixth season working as part of our farm family. At home he farms an operation of "stable crops" including yams, coffee, and chocolate. Although all our farmers handle all responsibilities, Samuel's specialty is repairing and building and keeping the farm looking tip top. As he has been with us for so long he knows exactly how everything runs and could do it in his sleep!
Jonathan Douglas
Farmhand, part of the
H-2A program
This will be Jonathan's fifth season working as part of our farm family. At home he farms an operation with "stable crops" such as sugarcane and coffee as well as a herd of cattle. In his spare time he also works as a taxi driver. Although all our farmers handle all responsibilities, Jonathan's specialty is working with our livestock and their pastures. He also plays a large part in the farming we do with our sister operation, the Webber Restaurant Group.
Meredith Bempkins
Retail Farm Stand Employee
Meredith is currently an undergraduate at Lesley University in Cambridge, where she is pursuing a degree in Holistic and Counseling Psychology. As a long-time customer and supporter of the farm, becoming a farm stand employee has enabled her to actively be a part of the local, small agriculture scene that she cares so much about. Her studies of complementary and alternative medical practices have re-enforced the importance of fresh, local, REAL, unprocessed food. Meredith hopes to use her studies to educate others on the importance and value of farms such as ours. She loves the fresh air, laid-back and friendly environment, and being surrounded by pasture raised animals.
When she's not busy with school or working in the farm stand, you will likely see her out in the fields pursuing her love of photography. Many of her photos of the farm are frequently displayed here on our website or on our Facebook page. She loves displaying the natural beauty that our fields and land have to offer.
Dave Cruz
Farm Mechanic and Handy Man
Dave is fourth generation of the family farm and our "behind the scenes" guy. He is a full time truck driver during the week but is home on weekends to work with the livestock, do our haying, and take care of all the equipment.
Paula Cruz
Owner & Livestock Manager
Paula has also grown up on this farm and has spent her whole life working the land. In 1981, at the age of 20, she took over as head operator after “Grampa Jimmy” passed away. Along with Tasso, Marea, her father Gerry, and her mother Helen, they worked the land as a wholesale farm and sold to many supermarkets, other roadside stands, and sold only strawberries at the farm stand.
Her main focus today is on beef cattle and livestock production. Just a few years back, the operation expanded to begin running Gibbet Hill Cattle Company in Groton focusing on a closed herd of Registered Black Angus. The other livestock is produced at the “home farm” in Littleton. Paula is responsible for producing the livestock that gets processed and sold at our roadside stand, though our CSA’s and to local restaurants.
On top of her involvement in the family business Paula is also member of the Littleton Agricultural Commission, member of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Livestock Care & Standards Board, board member of the New England Angus Association, and board member of the Middlesex County Farm Bureau.
Heidi Van Auker
Retail, CSA & Marketing Manager
Heidi grew up in the Midwest and has been with our operation for just two years now. She utilizes her strong customer service and business background to manage our CSAs, buying programs, farm stand, and farmers markets. She came to us as a part time employee in 2011 and eventually joined our team full time in 2012 after deciding that an agrarian career was the right fit for her. She will be continuing her education and pursuing a degree in Sustainable Food and Farming at the University of MA Amherst in the near future.
Heidi's grandparents own a large farm in Iowa that they once used for commodity crops and livestock including pigs and cattle. Her first "job" was hand picking bushels of sweet corn at a neighbor's farm and driving it down to the highway in her little hometown to sell by the roadside during the summer. On the farm her main responsibilities include customer relations but she also enjoys working in the greenhouse in the spring and sneaking out to the fields with our H2A workers and learning some of the tools of the trade when she has a spare moment in the summer.
When she's not working on the farm she enjoys to travel, specifically around culinary experiences. She also likes to spend time outdoors tending to her own gardens and backyard flock of chickens. You can find her practicing her skating for her roller derby league, the Bay State Brawlers, a few nights a week too!
Taylor Field
Retail Farm Stand Employee
Taylor has been a neighbor of Springdell Farm and has known the family her whole life. She was often involved in horseback riding with Paula and Jodee. Taylor has lived on a small farm her whole life and grew up taking care of multiple farm animals- horses, chickens, guinea hens, and once, a cow. Taylor has farming in her blood as her grandfather raised livestock including cows, pigs, chickens, and sheep.
Here at Springdell, Taylor enjoys tending the farm stand and also enjoys helping out in the field when needed. When she's not at the farm, she enjoys playing ice hockey and has plans to play in college. After graduating college Taylor plans to become a nurse and has plans to stay local to do so.
Jodee Coke
Livestock Hand
Jodee is the fourth generation of the family farm and a student at Littleton Middle School. She is commonly found working with the livestock; tending to newborns, feeding, and watering. Jodee is a member of Maine Junior Angus Association (Massachusetts does not have an Angus Club) and also owns a few Registered Heifers of her own. Jodee enjoys working with the animals and dreams of becoming a large animal vet someday. In her spare time she spends a lot of time with her horses as well. She has business plans to start her own pony ride business right here on our farm in upcoming years. Jodee works alongside Paula as our future herdswoman!