Fieldstone Kombucha was founded in February 2019 as an entrepreneurial dream to bring together sustainable agriculture, delicious kombucha, and local communities around healthy drinking and living. The company began life as Salt Marsh Farm, LLC. This is the name of my family’s farm on Massachusetts’ south coast. The first batches were made in the kitchen there. The first flavor ingredients were harvested from the farm’s gardens, orchards, and herb patches. I gave away all my kombucha that first year, experimenting with different flavors and recipes, building a core group of supporters and developing the vision for the business.
Once I obtained my license to sell, I moved production out of the kitchen (much to my mother’s relief) and into the Dartmouth Grange. Sales began in early 2020 at the New Bedford farmers market and grew from there. My production doubled. I set up Kombucha Fridges at cycle and yoga studios. Then the coronavirus hit. Pivoting quickly, I pulled the Kombucha Fridges from the temporarily shuttered studios and placed them at farm stands that were opening early to meet demand for local, safe food. Production tripled.
Once the summer farmers markets opened, demand ran away from my production capacity and I began looking for a dedicated space to set up a brewery. Seeing an opportunity to place delicious, fresh, and healthy kombucha at local schools and food and drink establishments, I started the wholesale license application process. This was an excellent opportunity to relaunch the business under its new name: Fieldstone Kombucha. I would make it truly my own — and truly New England.
Fieldstone Kombucha is a business with a vision. The company is rooted in the community. I use local ingredients and resources, and give back to the community delicious drinks available in fabulous flavors to enrich any meal, cocktail hour, or relaxing moment on the porch or in front of the fire. The business will grow into a community gathering place where people can enjoy fresh kombucha and other ferments, fresh food, and so much more. Welcoming to all, the business is centered on healthy, nutritional products grown and produced according to the highest permaculture and regenerative standards.
I fell in love with kombucha at my first sip. A friend handed me a glass of home brewed kombucha saying “It’s a little funky, but I think you’ll like it.” And man, I loved it. But I didn’t like the brands I found on store shelves. None of them compared to what I’d had straight from the brewing vessel. So I bought a SCOBY and started making my own. Pretty soon I had jars of various flavors taking up the fridge. I was harvesting the garden for different flavor combinations. I gave it away to friends, who kept coming back asking for more. My technique refined quickly, favorite flavors were discovered, and I soon found more money than I could afford going into kombucha making as more and more friends wanted to share it with me.
Starting a kombucha brewery was a left-hand career shift from my background in international relations, but it grew so naturally that I’d quit my job and launched the business almost before I realized. And I’ve never looked back.
Creating new flavors from the abundance of New England’s food systems is one of my favorite aspects of the business. Flavors are inspired by what is growing together at each season. Working with local and regional farmers to source as many ingredients as possible keeps me and the business tied into the local agriculture and food system. If I hadn’t been a kombucha brewer, I may have grown into being a farmer. But I love using what the amazing farmers around me grow to craft the most delicious kombucha you can find.
(makes 16 oz smoothie)
(makes 16 oz smoothie)
(makes 16 oz smoothie)
(makes 16 oz smoothie)
(makes 16 oz smoothie)
(makes 16 oz smoothie)
You can find Fieldstone’s kombucha at farmers markets, farm and general stores, restaurants and cafes, and bars and breweries all along the south coast, and from Boston to Providence.
I am forever grateful to my family and husband for all their support, patience, and wisdom as I trek down the entrepreneur’s road. The journey has been so full of loving support; I couldn’t do it without you.
I am also deeply grateful to EforAll for their incredible Pitch Contest and Accelerator Program that helped give me the confidence to build strong business foundations so Fieldstone will succeed.
Thank you.
From here, the future is bright. You will begin seeing Fieldstone Kombucha available at your local restaurants, cafes, bars, and breweries. You will see it at farm stands and stores, general stores, and farmers markets. When you see it, you’ll recognize the brand for its local flavor, quality and delicious taste, its drinkability, its health benefits, and its truly New England character.