In 1885, Thomas Kenney and his two sons (Tom and Billy) began market gardening a small parcel of
land in Arlington, Massachusetts eventually increasing the size of the operation to seventeen
acres. After Tom Sr.'s death in 1901, Tom Jr. and Billy continued the market gardening farm
until 1922 when Billy (along with his sons Phil and Lawrence) relocated to a 14-acre farm in
the east quarter of Concord, Massachusetts.
Kenney Farm Concord expanded to produce multiple varieties of vegetables for the Faneuil Hall
Market in Boston.
In the late 1930's, with assistance from Billy's brother Tom, Kenney Farm
Concord started direct sales to the A&P Supermarket chain. Eventually Kenney Farm Concord
produced exclusively for the A&P chain. With the death of Billy Kenney in 1942, Phil and
Lawrence assumed ownership of the farm.
Under the management of Phil and Lawrence, Kenney Farm
Concord grew to approximately 150 acres with the purchase and leasing of local farmland. In the
early 1960's Phil retired from farming. With his son Billy, Lawrence continued operating his
portion of the farm until his death in 1993 at the age of 81.
Kenney Farm Concord continued producing vegetables for wholesale market to The New England
Produce Market, Shaws Supermarket, Stop and Shop Supermarket and local farm stands. In 2010,
after many years of wholesale production only, Kenney Farm is adding a CSA to the operation.
This market strategy is based on the growing interest of the consumer receiving the locally-grown
vegetables directly from the grower.
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