Katherine Fotiades believes education and community engagement are the keys to running a successful agricultural operation.
Fotiades and partner Mark Phillips in September 2020 opened Skydog Farm, a small, family-run hydroponic farm on a 2-acre parcel in Scituate.
“It’s regenerative agriculture, trying to get people back to connecting to the land and their food,” Fotiades said. “We feel like agriculture is a great way to reach people, to build communities.”
The business includes a farm store and botanical nursery and sells herbs, leafy greens and succulents, some via community-supported agricultural shares, a system in which local consumers purchase prepaid shares in the farm’s output, which they receive periodically throughout the growing season.
“We are the only small-scale farm operating in Rhode Island I know of growing hydroponic products,” Fotiades said, resulting in “90% less water than traditional field farming.”
Skydog also hosts tours, educational and creative programs for children and adults, and spirituality events throughout the year.
Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. Email him at Shuman@PBN.com.