Bob Bernstein, an experienced community-based development practitioner, has been connecting individuals and groups with land, public facilities and affordable housing for 40 years. Over this period, Bob has worked with multi-party initiatives, community land trusts, and individuals to develop and implement traditional and non-traditional legal and financing mechanisms for affordable land and housing. He brings this wealth of experience, perspective, and tenacity to Northeast Farm Access, LLC, a company he founded in 2013.
At NEFA, Bob recruited a team of highly skilled professionals to help fulfill a common vision for a company that builds reciprocal relationships between experienced farmers and socially minded investors, while promoting working farms and growing good local food.
Prior to founding Northeast Farm Access, LLC, Bob founded and co-directed Land For Good, a New England nonprofit dedicated to conserving farmland while ensuring its productive use. From the organization’s origin in 2002, it has grown to become the leading New England farm-access and succession-planning service. He developed and implemented programs and services for farm seekers and farming and non-farming landowners, using public and private funding sources in the process.
Currently, he also facilitates efforts with Homestead Community Farm. Previously, Bob worked extensively with the Farm Transfer Network of New England, Middleborough Agricultural Planning Project, the federally funded Land Access Project, Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition, Cold Pond Community Land Trust, Cheshire Housing Trust, Institute for Community Economics, Southern Massachusetts Community Land Trust, and Community Stomach Food Coop.
Bob lives in New Hampshire, where he and his family tends Meadowsweet Farm—a 100-acre diversified biodynamic farm with two leaseholds, pending conservation easements, and a restored 220-year-old barn and farmhouse.
