The oldest building on Main Street in Wilton is the one with a sign that is both an introduction and a guide for living – LocalShare. It is also one of the buildings designated by the Wilton Economic Development Committee as a place to stop and view the Souhegan River. That is possible from the seats near the windows in the back or from the deck attached at street level behind the building.

When inside, you pass by the creative output of many local artistic craftspeople as well as the enticing coffee, tea and baked goods counter at the junction where the front of the shop expands into a much larger seated gathering area with small tables for intimate conversations.

I’ve watched this building’s metamorphosis from the former Color Shop, a regional art store that those with an artistic bent frequented for supplies, frames or just art-related conversations and connections to the Monadnock region art community, to a The Color Shop and More run by the Center for Anthroposophy that focused on serving the regional Waldorf community in many additional capacities.

LocalShare evolved from the framework established by these former enterprises, but I was uncertain how this exactly came about and LocalShare’s relationship to the Plowshare Lifesharing Community in Greenfield. I contacted Kimberly Dorn, the director of Plowshare, for an explanation. The following is the story she told.

“You first need to understand the mission of Plowshare. We call it a radically inclusive, intentional community where just under 50 of us live. We recognize each other’s gifts and accept each other’s challenges while we strive to live lightly, harmoniously and abundantly with the earth. Together, we make things.”

“We love what we do at home, but we’re part of the local community as well. So we thought we would create a place where the essence of Plowshare could be understood while we had fun interacting with people in the community while selling local goods. It’s kind of like having a place where we can show off who we are and why we exist. We came up with the name LocalShare meaning we would feature local people’s products to share with those in our local communities. Of course, the word ‘share’ is also part of the name Plowshare from our home base.”

“LocalShare started as a little storefront in Greenfield, but the Center for Anthroposophy reached out and asked us if we wanted to take over their building on Wilton’s Main Street. It was a good fit, so we moved in. In 2021, they decided to put the building up for sale. We had to buy it or lose it. We bought it and are very grateful to have the space upstairs that we rent to two businesses who offset the building’s costs for us. We love being a part of Wilton’s Main Street.”

Kimberly explained that the products they carry are “curated as locally as possible, are as practical as possible, as fairly priced for consumer and creator as possible and do no harm through the production or use of the goods.” This means they try to avoid all plastic and other environmentally damaging materials and seek to leave as little waste as possible. As she was relating all of this, the shop was hosting several visitors from Plowshare who were enjoying treats from the café. Several of them had products in the shop area that they wanted me to see.

I was shown beautifully crafted pillows and sit-upons and unique bags made from a secret ingredient that gives them a sustainability feature, durability and a one-of-a-kind design pattern. Ask to see them and then prepare to be astounded! They even make their own loofas from plants grown, harvested and dried on the farm. Woven goods, pure beeswax candles, and other hand-crafted items fill the shelves.

There are cutting boards made with love and attention to design and detail made from wood harvested just a few miles from the shop. They are just one example of LocalShare’s wood products that include playhouses, wooden rainbows and magic wands made from trees harvested from the farm land.

Kimberly went on to say that “We want LocalShare to be a place where a gift can be bought for a child that is worthy of a child’s hands.”

LocalShare also offers non-locally made products, but all are vetted to hold LocalShare’s values like zero-waste home and body care products. You are encouraged to bring your own containers or buy one and return it time and time again for refills that eliminate throwaway bottles.

As I was learning more about the nature of Plowshare and its citizens, Kimberly suggested that I mention that anyone truly interested in learning more about the farm and its mission should feel free to contact her and they would receive an invitation to lunch, which is a weekday community affair featuring organic food grown on the farm. She added, “One day we hope to have lunches at LocalShare, just like those we serve on the farm.”

One final thing that she felt important to mention is that many products in the shop are examples of a community effort and not just from one person’s hands alone. She explained, “Just as many people are one-sided in their talents, by working together we create something more complete and beautiful than any one person can do."

If I may add an editorial note, that sounds like the essence of a community that functions really well through sharing talents.

To reach Kimberly Dorn, either call or email her at Plowshare Farm, 603-547-2547 or info@plowsharefarm.org. LocalShare is reachable Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 9:30 a,.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by phone at 603-654-2219 or by email at localshare@plowsharefarm.org.