NEWRY — Lane Callahan and Devin Aspy, owners of Food For Friends Farm, officially launched their farming operation in Newry in 2023, but the roots of their story trace back nearly a decade.

Callahan first connected with the Sysko family in 2015. She spent a winter working as a WWOOFer—part of the World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms program—helping in the greenhouse and harvesting firewood in exchange for rent.

In 2021, Callahan and Aspy met while hiking the Appalachian Trail. They stopped at the Syskos’ property to visit Anna Sysko and take a shower. It was during that visit, at Anna’s suggestion, that the couple decided to forgo relocating to Colorado or Massachusetts and instead return to the Sysko property to farm. Two years later, they made the move.

Now in their second year of full-time farming together, the couple rents farmland, about two-thirds of a nearby greenhouse, and their home – all located on land owned  by the Sysko’s. Their operation is spread across multiple spaces: Besides the gardens and greenhouse, they use their basement for growing microgreens year-round, the garage for packaging, and the driveway for washing and spinning salad greens.

Their weekly Thursday and Saturday harvests start as early as 5:30 a.m. to prepare CSA (community-supported agriculture) shares for pick-up in Bethel. They operate a 20-week, 20-member CSA with a free-choice model. In addition to CSA shares, Food For Friends supplies wholesale customers, including The Good Food Store, Fare Share Co-op in Norway, Gemini Cafe (co-owned by Anna Sysko), and Mainely Provisions. On Saturdays, they sell produce directly to customers at the Bethel Farmers’ Market.

While Aspy is new to farming, Callahan brings over a decade of experience. Their crop list includes carrots, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, onions, broccolini, garlic, kale, parsley, potatoes, zucchini, and flowers, among others. Claire Sessions of Andover, who connected with Callahan at a local event, volunteers twice a week, helping harvest, weed, and bag produce.

The name “Food For Friends” was originally chosen with modest expectations. “We weren’t sure we could grow enough,” Callahan said. Early CSA shares were distributed exclusively to friends. Today, demand has outpaced supply. The CSA is at full capacity, and they’ve had to turn people away. Expansion isn’t currently possible, Callahan said—“unless they want only kale,” she joked.

Looking ahead, the couple expects to expand their CSA in 2026.