Sunshine 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.
Read MoreSweet Roots Farm in Charlotte is a 57 acre farm growing berries, organic vegetables, flowers, herbs and additional fruits. In addition, they are developing Sweet Roots Market, which will sell produce and value added products from the farm as well as items from local artisans and producers.
Read MoreThe Wild Kid Farm is a growing goat dairy in Hyde Park, VT. Jean and Charles Pratt started raising goats in 2015 and have been slowly building their closed herd to the point where they are ready to start shipping milk. In this case, the Vermont Farm Fund was able to provide a combination loan with a $10,000 Emergency Loan to help cover losses specifically related to COVID-19 as well as a $20,000 Business Builder Loan to help them finish the construction of their milk house.
Read MoreBear Roots Farm is a certified organic diversified vegetable farm in Williamstown, VT that distributes its products through a local 250 member CSA and a farm store, The Roots Farm Market, in Middlesex, VT. They started their farm in 2014. They used their VFF Business Builder Loan to purchase a high crop tractor to improve their ability to cultivate and improve their systems and efficiencies.
Read MoreJessie and Gregory Witscher from Understory Farm came to the VFF in 2018 for their first loan. In 2020 they paid it off early and in early 2021 they moved to a new property in Bridport (the former Gleason Farm) with help from the Vermont Land Trust's Farmland Access Program. They've been busy over the past few months, moving everything from their leased farm in Sudbury to Bridport, including six greenhouses, a wash station and pack shed. With their second VFF loan they will be able to purchase a cultivating tractor and basket weeder. By upgrading their field cultivation efficiency they will be able to produce more high quality cut flowers for a competitive price, making their farm business more sustainable moving into the future.
Read MoreXR Maple Farm in Arlington used their Business Builder Loan to purchase a monitoring system for their sugaring operation which will let them keep close tabs on the vacuum lines and know how much sap is in each holding tank.
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