Alongside a career in IT, Robert Chang forges a new life as a farmer, while advocating for farmers of color in Southern New England

‘I want to help them and others find a way out of no way’

States of Farming: Another in a series of occasional stories looking at BIPOC farmers in New England.

By Jocelyn Ruggiero Globe correspondent,Updated June 29, 2021

WOODSTOCK, Conn. — Echo Farm was exactly what Robert Chang and his partner had spent two years looking for. Situated on Route 169, a National Scenic Byway in the state’s northeast corner, the historic 1880 farmhouse was in perfect move-in condition. And unlike so many other properties they had seen, its 14 acres of fields weren’t overgrown with forest. But although its listing price had recently dropped, at $370,000, it was still way above their uppermost budget of $300,000. And so they made a bold move: a lowball offer accompanied by a letter to the sellers: “We told them we were looking for an antique home . . . a place where we could farm . . . cherish the history, the property, and the house. We said, please don’t be offended by this low offer. We see the value of what you’re selling, and we appreciate that, and we wish we could have done better.” To their surprise, the sellers responded positively, and the parties soon reached an agreement. Read Full Article.