Maple Wind Farm began 26 years ago as a diversified pasture-based livestock operation. The farm was started by partner team Beth Whiting and Bruce Hennessey out of a passion for the land, raising high-quality pasture-raised meats, and regenerating soils. Two decades later the farm is focused on daily-move pasture-raised livestock, with pasture-raised poultry as the main focus. Maple Wind Farm received a Business Builder loan for the purchase of a new dehydrator to produce a new line of single-source dehydrated pet treats made from nutrient-dense poultry, beef, and pork.

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The Roots Farm Market opened its doors in 2019 in Middlesex, VT, and has a symbiotic relationship with Bear Roots Farm, with local vegetables as the heart of the store. It also has an on-site kitchen, small nursery, and supports over 100 local producers. They received a Business Builder loan to help complete a large renovation project to expand the driveway for farm deliveries, add functional space for seedling and nursery sales, and create a safer flow of traffic.

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Bear Roots Farm is a diversified, year-round, organic vegetable farm and a returning VFF borrower. Bear Roots Farm received a VFF Business Builder Loan this spring to help them diversify their business with a new perennials product line, including fruit trees, shrubs, and plants. Their goal is to enable customers to grow food in their own backyards as well as provide the farm with an additional revenue stream

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Wilson Farm is a certified organic medicinal herb farm and seasonal farm store in Greensboro, Vermont. With the help of a DBIC grant and a VFF Business Builder loan, owners Lindsey and Brenden Beer are building their own on-farm creamery, allowing them to realize their long-held goal of making their own ice cream from local dairy products. They hope to eventually expand operations to make ice cream year-round, providing the farm with a stable annual income and adding new positions to their team.

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Grass Cattle Company is owned by Steve Schubart who raises 100% grass-fed & finished beef without antibiotics or hormones and in harmony with the grassland ecosystems of his 160-acre ranch. He farms using soil health principles and relies heavily on rotational grazing for six months of the year, raising cattle off the land instead of farming crops to feed confined cattle. Their practices don’t include tilling soil, monocrops, or spraying pesticides and herbicides. Grass Cattle Company stocks beef throughout several farm stores in/around Chittenden County and sells beef and organic chicken and eggs at the Burlington Farmers Market. Together with grant funding, their VFF Business Builder Loan helped finance the construction of a new bedded pack building and a freezer and fulfillment building.

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Ananda Gardens is a diverse, small-scale farm located 10 minutes from downtown Montpelier. Owned and operated by Patrick Sullivan and Melisa Oliva, the farm's mission is to provide healthy food and wellness to their community through regenerative farming practices that produce delicious and nutritious food in living soil. Patrick and Melisa received VFF funds to help them complete the construction of a full-season farmstand on their property, for which they had also received a Working Lands grant. The new winterized structure has allowed Patrick and Melisa to introduce a winter CSA, host on-farm events, and employ 3 people year-round for the first time ever. Check out their beautiful new space!

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Justin Bramhall and Vanessa Rose own and operate Leaping Bear Farm, a small organic poultry farm located on leased land in Putney, VT. They are first generation farmers who prioritize growing high quality, fresh, and healthy food in a way that benefits the environment. Leaping Bear Farm is a VOF- and Real Organic Project-certified, pasture-raised chicken and egg producer. The main focus of their model is helping build soil to store carbon in the ground, absorb more rainwater, and promote biodiversity. Leaping Bear Farm is a recipient of a VFF Business Builder loan to support the purchase of a new mobile chicken house for their growing flock. Their goal is to maximize what is possible on their land, all while providing good, clean food! 

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