Growing Community, One Harvest at a Time: The Story of Communitas Farm

Tucked away in northern Baltimore County, Communitas Farm is proof that farming is about more than just food, it’s about relationships: with the land, with our neighbors, and with each other. On just one acre, farmers Nick and Shoshana (“Shosh”) are cultivating a place where vegetables and community grow side by side.

Watch our interview with Nick from Communitas Farm, here: https://youtu.be/q78v2jz11_Y

Stay tuned for more recipes, coming soon!

From Classroom to Crop Rows

The story of Communitas Farm began in an environmental health class at Towson University in 2015. Nick and Shosh were paired on two projects: one on the impacts of concentrated animal feeding operations, the other on Lyme disease. Those assignments sparked conversations that revealed their shared passion for the connections between humans, ecosystems, and health.

After graduation, their paths took them through government, nonprofit, and academic work. But for Shosh, her real calling came when she got her hands in the soil at Moon Valley Farm in Baltimore County. Farming, she realized, was where ecology, food, and community met in the most tangible way. Later, at Clark’s Elioak Farm in Howard County, she deepened her experience in organic vegetable farming.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, food insecurity surged. Shosh partnered with a nonprofit to supply fresh produce to food distribution centers in Howard County. Over three years, she helped grow and donate several tons of vegetables to local families. That experience cemented her belief that farming could be a form of service—feeding not just bodies, but communities.

Nick, meanwhile, built a career in public health. But when Communitas Farm began exceeding its goals in the first year, he took the leap to join full time. “We knew we were really onto something,” he recalls in a recent interview with Our Common Table. “So I stepped back from my career to help build this out, streamline our systems, and keep investing in our infrastructure.”

A Farm with a Philosophy

The name Communitas comes from the Latin word for community—specifically, a community of equals bound by reciprocity. It reflects not only how Nick and Shosh see farming, but how they want their farm to feel.

Their pea flower logo illustrates this perfectly. Peas need a trellis to climb, and they also form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil. That balance of support and exchange mirrors the farm’s ethos: people and ecosystems flourishing together.

On the ground, Communitas is a carefully designed patchwork of 120 permanent garden beds, divided across fields and protected tunnels. The layout may be modest—just one acre, with about a third in vegetable production—but the diversity is astonishing. Each season, they grow over 110 different crop varieties, from arugula to zucchini. About 15% of the lineup is new each year, keeping the farm (and its CSA members) inspired and curious.

Some of these new crops come directly from community input. When a CSA member from France asked if they could grow petite Roma tomatoes, Nick and Shosh found the seed and gave it a try. The result? A new customer favorite that’s here to stay.

How They Grow

Communitas Farm isn’t USDA certified organic (yet), but every practice aligns with organic and regenerative farming principles. For Nick and Shosh, farming starts below the surface—with soil.

“If you have healthy soil, then you have healthy crops,” Nick explains. “That leads to healthy food, and ultimately, a healthy community.” *

They build fertility by adding compost and organic matter, rotating crops, planting cover crops, and minimizing tillage. Their tunnels and nursery allow them to extend the growing season, protecting delicate crops from weather extremes. And just as importantly, they protect microbial life in the soil—the fungi and bacteria that quietly transform nutrients and sustain plant growth.

The farm also holds Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) certification through the Maryland Department of Agriculture, ensuring produce safety at every step. For Nick and Shosh, this means growing food they’re proud to eat themselves and proud to share with neighbors.

Feeding Baltimore, One CSA Box at a Time

The beating heart of Communitas Farm is its CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, which runs for 26 weeks from May through November. Members choose from four share sizes, ranging from the petite “Bachelor Box” (just a few items—perfect for singles or frequent travelers) to the large share, which can feed a whole family.

Each week’s box reflects the rhythm of the season: tender greens in spring, juicy tomatoes and cucumbers in summer, hearty roots and squash in fall. Pickup is simple, with locations across Baltimore—including the Fells Point Farmers Market, Mount Washington Farmers Market, Ellicott City, and on-farm in Hampstead.

It’s not just about food—it’s about connection. “We wanted to start our farm in our own community,” Nick says. “We knew it would take a lot of hands to get it off the ground, and we wanted to build community.”

Looking Ahead

As Communitas Farm heads into its next season, Nick and Shosh are clear about their vision: to keep growing food that is fresh, nutritious, and rooted in care—for the soil, for the land, and for the people who gather around their harvest.

They are grateful, too, for the web of support that has made it possible: friends, family, fellow farmers, CSA members, and customers who believe in the value of local food.

“We could only create this dream because Maryland is our home,” Shosh reflects. “Our network of friends, family, and peers have supported us every step of the way. That’s the spirit of Communitas.”