Celebrating Land Access with the White River Land Collaborative
Rural Vermont celebrated the Open Farm Week this past Sunday at the opening event of the White River Land Collaborative and the Alliance for Vermont Communities in Tunbridge by making block prints of “Power to the Farmers.” The day was filled with events around the farm, including Abenaki basket weaving, hikes around the forest, farm tours, storytelling and music jam sessions. The hot day was glazed with refreshments from First Branch Coffee and locally made arepas and empanadas from Moon and Stars farm. Other participating organizations include the South Royalton Community Garden, the Royalton Community Radio, Vital Communities, and the Center for Agriculture and Food Systems.
Legislative Director, Caroline Gordon, and RV Board Member, Chris Wood, tabling at the event.
The Land Collaborative, a small group of community members from the area, formed in 2020 to support young farmer Shona Sanford-Long in acquiring land for her livestock operation, Flying Dog Farm, in an affordable way. Together they were able to enter an agreement with the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) to purchase a 204 acres farm (thereof 140 acres forest) right across the 1879 Howe covered bridge. Shona is the anchor tenant of the project and brings cattle, sheep, and pigs with her as an offspring from her family farm, Luna Bleu Farm. The land was originally farmed by the Howe family in the early 1900s and was for sale for about $700,000 - too expensive to be bought by farmers alone.
Did you know? Shona Sanford-Long (Flying Dog Farm) and her mother Suzanne Long from Luna Bleu Farm both played key roles in Rural Vermont's successful advocacy for the 2021 improvements to on-farm slaughter (allowance increase, sunset removal) and raw milk (improved market access for CSA’s and farm stands) through their respective testimonials during the virtual session! Power to the Farmers!
The vision for the Farm includes for it to function as a community hub that will be home to multiple agricultural enterprises, including a project led by Emily Boles (local Abenaki advisor) to integrate native species and agroforestry in the current pine forest. Bank stabilization is another focus, as the property is along the first branch of the White River. Rudi Rudell is involved as the watershed scientist who knows about the conditions and existing bank stabilization plantings done. A long-term goal is solar generation and to involve the community in turning the barn into a community space for skills and resource sharing, music, shows, and other events. The Land Collaborative aims to enable small-scale farming in the region in the future through land access projects as well.
How can you support this project?
In the agreement with VLT, the White River Land Collaborative aims to purchase the farm within 5 years. For more information or to donate to the capital campaign, please contact whiteriverlandcollaborative@gmail.com or donate now via:
check to:
WRLC c/o Fran Miller
PO Box 357
South Royalton, VT 05068
online through WRLC’s givebutter account:
https://givebutter.com/NGusgA
The Alliance for Vermont Communities (AVC) is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization and all contributions are tax-deductible in the United States. AVC’s EIN/Tax ID is 81-3430622.