Randall's Farm

About the Farm

Randall's Farm began its journey over 50 years ago when Elsie and Bill Randall started what would become a beloved community institution. Beginning as a humble roadside seasonal egg farm and fruit stand, the operation flourished into a thriving produce and greenhouse business. In 1962, with assistance from Bill's father, John B. Randall, Sr., a local politician and entrepreneur, they constructed their first retail farm stand, which later transformed into Elsie's Creamery in 1998. The original building housed their entire operation, centered around fresh local fruit and produce, eggs, and fresh chicken, much of which was grown right on their own land.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, the farm expanded significantly, cultivating over 40 acres of land and specializing in strawberries and tomatoes as their featured crops. They grew a wide variety of vegetables, strawberries, and raspberries, with local produce always serving as the lifeblood of their business. The operation continued to grow with help from various family members, extended family, and a large number of community employees, evolving into a year-round produce venue and convenient stop for bread, eggs, and everything local. A beer and wine store and large retail greenhouse were added, along with fruit baskets and a variety of groceries.

A new chapter began when their oldest daughter, Karen, joined Bill and Elsie for what was planned to be just one summer, but that summer turned into many years, and Karen eventually purchased the business in 1987. In the summer of 1997, Karen opened the present expanded facility at the same location in Ludlow. The 20,000 square foot post and beam produce store and greenhouse, along with a half-acre garden center, now offers the area's finest quality plants and produce year-round. Karen's sisters, Tammy Marquis and Anna Arciszewski, joined the business to help plan, open, and manage the new facility, and they continue to remain key to everyday operations. Today, the farm serves as one of the largest employers in the community, featuring a bakery and deli with high-quality favorites and Boars Head meats and cheeses, Elsie's Creamery making premium ice cream on the premises, and greenhouses filled with flowers, vegetable plants, and hanging baskets when in season.