Wellspring Investment Fund - Direct Public Offering for

Wellspring Harvest Cooperative

Springfield's source for year-round local produce

10,800 sq ft commercial hydroponic greenhouse, growing lettuce, greens and herbs

And a 1,000 sq ft agricultural education and training Greenhouse

An opportunity to invest in your values! Your investment will support

A sustainable and resilient local food system

Locally grown, year round, produce for local markets including Springfield
schools.
Hydroponics uses only 10% the water, 15% of the nutrients and can produce 10
times the yield compared to conventional agriculture. Integrated pest
management - close to organic with a lower price tag.

Elimination of long distance transportation reduces the carbon footprint.

Safe and traceable produce. Hydroponics eliminates the risk of soil contamination.

Local job creation in Springfields under-served communities.

Worker ownership, profit sharing and asset building opportunities. Wellspring
cooperative businesses are connected through a mutually supportive network to
increase their resiliency.
The vitality of the local economy.
Community and school involvement, creating opportunities for education and
hands on experience

We are seeking investments of a minimum of $1,000 ($5,000 for qualified investors)

with a minimum five (5) year term at 3% interest deferred for two years.

Wellspring Harvest
Wellspring Harvest is a worker-owned cooperative that will operate a commercial hydroponic
greenhouse in Springfield, MA, supplying fresh greens all year round to institutional, retail and
local community markets. Intent to purchase letters have been signed with Baystate Medical
Center, Springfield and Worcester Public Schools, Squash Trucking, Big Y, and River Valley and
Franklin Community food coops.
The greenhouse will contribute to the much needed economic vitality and rejuvenation of the
Indian Orchard neighborhood by creating good jobs and serving as a catalyst for other
affiliated ventures such as food processing and a food cooperative. Worker-owners will also be
able to build meaningful equity in the company.
COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE EDUCATION CENTER.
The Cooperative also plans to develop a certification program that will allow students from local
high schools, community colleges and universities to acquire practical and in-demand skills
to operate and manage a growing number of hydroponic projects nationwide. The site will
serve as a laboratory for the community and students to gain hands on experience in urban
agriculture. The community and educators are already involved in providing input into the site
plan and how it can be used for projects such as community gardens, edible landscapes,
composting, vermiculture, aquaponics, and energy production through a bio-digester.
BROADER IMPACT
Wellspring Harvest Greenhouse is part of the broader mission of the Wellspring Cooperative
Corporation to create a network of worker-owned companies in inner-city Springfield, MA
supported by the purchasing power of area anchor institutions. Anchor institutions purchase
more than $1.5 billion worth of goods and services a year, largely from outside the region. A
number of these anchor institutions are working with Wellspring to keep more of their
purchasing dollars circulating locally, including Baystate Health, Sisters of Providence Health
System, University of Massachusetts, Western New England University and Springfield
Technical Community College.
The 5 year goal of the Wellspring Cooperative is to create over 100 jobs through 10 new
worker-owned companies. Wellspring Cooperative has a number of businesses in
development and Wellspring Harvest is the second worker-owned cooperative that the
network has incubated. The first cooperative, Wellspring Upholstery, started in 2014, and is
doing well with 6 workers, 3 of whom have already become members of their cooperative.
For More Information About Investments see:
http://wellspring.coop/support/wellspring-investment-fund

Or Contact:

Emily Kawano, 413-323-7868 emilykawano@gmail.com or

Fred Rose, 413-522-2204 frose@pubpol.umass.edu