Danz Ahn Dairy is a small goat farm in Orwell, VT on 12 acres. Over 17 years, owner Juliana Danyew learned about cheese making by working in several creameries, began building a goat herd, and began collection equipment necessary for outfitting a creamery. She also built a small timber frame milk house and a creamery building. Juliana plans to use her New Producer Loan from the VFF to put up a grain bin to significantly cut grain costs, and fence another several acres to increase browse area for the goats. The loan will also be used to finance the purchase of a pasteurizer vat and bulk tank.
Read MorePitchfork Pickle makes vinegar brined and fermented vegetable pickles, krauts, kimchi and hot sauce using locally sourced Vermont produce. Owner Julia Irish worked at Pitchfork Farm and started The Pickle with Pitchfork Farm owners Eric Seitz and Rob Rock in 2019. Their goal was to use as much farm produce as possible to make seasonal, local pickles and ferments. Pitchfork Pickle will use their VFF Business Builder Loan to build out a walk-in cooler to provide cold storage for their prepared products as well as local produce waiting to be pickled.
Read MoreJanine Ndagijimana from Janine Farm in Colchester grows more than 8 acres of African eggplant, as well as other specialty vegetables like amaranth, beans, corn, pumpkin leaves, and other greens. She sells to customers all over the country, as well as the VT Food Bank. Janine's VFF Business Builder loan will help her to purchase a cooler to store vegetables and keep them fresh.
Read MoreDavid Butterfield grew up milking dairy cows, and recently switched to raising and milking goats at his farm in Irasburg, VT. He and his brother have plans to milk 300+ goats and are selling their milk to Vermont Creamery. David used a New Producer Loan from the VFF to purchase more goats to build up their herd.
Read MoreHead Over Fields in Charlotte, Vermont received a VFF New Producer Loan for improvements to their new property on Rte 7 where they have a farm store. Head Over Fields is a certified organic vegetable farm growing more than 100 varieties of vegetables, flowers and herbs. They offer a CSA, retail farm stand and sell to wholesale accounts. They'll also be a full time vendor this year at the Shelburne Farmers Market.
Read MoreGood Heart Farmstead is a VFF returning borrower and recent recipient of a Business Builder Loan to help with the purchase and setup of the new Good Heart Farm Store in Worcester, VT. The new store will be a place where customer can get local goods year-round, including vegetables, eggs, meat, dairy, maple syrup…and even lattes. It’ll be a local foods grocery open 5 days a week, open to the entire community, and a location for their CSA pick-up.
Read MoreDreamwalker Farm in Grand Isle, VT is a woman-owned business raising 3,000 laying hens, hogs, rabbits, turkeys & meat chickens. In 2020 they opened a farm store which sells their farm-raised meats and eggs, as well as other locally produced foods and crafts. A Business Builder Loan from the VFF allowed Dreamwalker Farm to purchase a walk-in cooler and an egg grader.
Read MoreChicken Wiggle Farm is a diversified farm in Chelsea, VT offering seasonal veggies and farm-raised eggs, pork, chicken, turkey, beef as well as a variety of jams, jellies, pickles and apple cider. They came to the VFF for a Business Builder loan to expand their farm store by renovating an existing building on their property, allowing them to offer a wider variety of locally grown and made goods.
Read MoreSaxton Valley Goat Farm is a new goat dairy in Irasburg, VT. With a New Producer Loan from the VFF, owner Jeremy Leather was able to invest in 200 kids to start building his milking herd. Jeremy has many years of experience in dairy farming, first with cows and is excited to switch to working with goats.
Read MoreFood Connects operates a regional food distribution hub in Brattleboro, VT. They make it easy for wholesale customers throughout New England to purchase source-identified food from a variety of regional producers, offering competitive pricing, personalized service, and products they can feel good about. A Business Builder loan from the VFF will allow Food Connects to build its inventory, increasing its purchasing from small and medium producers throughout the region.
Read MoreThe VFF was happy to be able to provide an Emergency Loan to help Sweet Sound Aquaculture recover from a recent electrical power surge that caused the loss of their shrimp crop. A high wind event in January 2022 caused unusual power surges and interruptions in electrical service that shut down the aeration systems at the farm. The result was a loss of over 600 lbs of shrimp.
Read MoreWinding Brook Farm in Strafford came to the VFF for a Business Builder Loan to expand and modernize their sugaring operation. With the loan they will be able to expand from 1000 to 2150 taps and purchase a reverse osmosis machine. They operate a diversified family farm. Their enterprises include eggs, vegetables, meats (lamb, pork, chicken), maple syrup, and they operate a farm stay guest house.
Read MoreFinocchio is a wood-fired bakery and food producer in Marlboro, Vermont. They specialize in naturally leavened breads, bagels, focaccia, and pastries using locally grown grains and ingredients. For the past year, they have been building a bakery and wood-fired brick oven to expand Finocchio’s offerings. A New Producer Loan from the VFF will allow them to complete the build-out of the bakery space and purchase equipment.
Read MoreKnee Deep Farm in Jeffersonville, VT is a diversified farm growing Certified Organic vegetables, herbs, garlic & flowers. Shane and Eliza used their VFF Business Builder Loan to purchase a tillage tractor. This will allow them to easily move pallets and bins of winter storage crops in their dry storage room. With additional storage for their fall crops they will be able to extend the season for wholesale vegetables and expand their fall CSA program.
Read MoreSunshine Valley Berry Farm in Rochester, VT came to the Vermont Farm Fund when they needed to purchase a tractor that could run specialized attachments and a mulch spreader. Rob Meadows and Patricia Rydle raise 7 acres of blueberries and raspberries focused on Pick-Your-Own berries.
Read MoreKiss the Cow Farm is a Barnard, Vermont organic, grass-based dairy selling milk and ultra-premium ice cream from a small herd of Jersey cows. Randy and Lisa Robar came back to the VFF for a second loan to purchase a larger pasteurizer and bottler-capper so they can efficiently meet current demand for their pasteurized milk.
Read MoreShannon and George Fisher Little Lynn Farm in Danville has raised hogs for over 30 years. They raise them from piglets to slaughter and sell through Walden Local Meats. In 2021 they had the opportunity to increase production from 50 pigs a month to 100 pigs a month, but needed more land in order to set up a fully pastured meat system. They have purchased property in Danville, and received a VFF New Producer Loan to help set up the new farm with electric service, well, and pens.
Read MoreSouthshire Meats is a Vermont based vertically integrated pastured meat company. By providing animal processing, whole animal purchasing at a premium, and partnering with producers to implement holistic management, they are cultivating economic and ecological resilience in the region. In 2020 Southshire Meats opened a meat processing facility in Wilmington VT, which is also open to the community for animal processing. Their VFF loan will allow them to purchase processing equipment to increase efficiency at the facility and increase through put, as well as provide more processing capabilities for producers.
Read MoreBread & Butter Farm in Shelburne is “committed to growing food in a way that nourishes our land and sustains us as eaters.” In addition to running a diversified farm raising vegetables and animals, they have a CSA, a farm store and farm-to-table cafe on site, and also host classes, camps, their famous Burger Nights, and partner with a variety of local businesses and organizations. Bread & Butter will use their Business Builder purchase a farm truck and expand and make improvements to their septic system.
Read MoreThree Cow Creamery is a micro-dairy at the heart of a traditional small, diversified farm in Corinth, Vermont. Owner Liz Guenther hand milks between 3 and 7 cows, and makes raw milk English and French cheeses with the milk. In addition she raises her own beef, chickens, pigs and keeps a team of small draft horses. A VFF loan will help her complete a new “cheese house” which will house a cheese room, aging cellar, licensed kitchen, milk room, and classroom/tea room, where Liz plans to offer cheesemaking and cooking classes.
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