Farm Viability & Food Access
Farmers are critical stewards of our working landscape in the Champlain Islands. They care for the land, feed our community, create jobs, and keep our Islands beautiful. One of the best ways that we can work to keep Vermont farmland open and in active use is to support local farmers. There are over 60 farms in our small county, and each of them, from the largest dairy to the smallest berry operation, is vital to the agricultural economy of the Champlain Islands and stewardship of our special landscape. We are lucky to live in a vibrant corner of the state with hardworking farmers who are committed to feeding our community- thank you farmers!
South Hero Land Trust works with farmers and community members to promote sustainable and viable farming in Grand Isle County. Through our work with the Champlain Islands Farmers' Market, publication of the Northwest Vermont Grown Guide to Agriculture, and other programs, we focus on supporting farmers with the technical assistance, building networks of collaboration between farm and food businesses, and helping community members access fresh local food. Learn more below about our farm and food programs below:
NW VT Grown Guide to Agriculture
Learn more about our local farms and the products available in the Champlain Islands and our neighbors in Franklin County by checking out the Northwest Vermont Grown Guide to Agriculture! Produced in partnership with the Healthy Roots Collaborative, our online directory is a great way to explore the best the Islands and Northwest Vermont have to offer.
South Hero Land Trust also produces a annual printed map of the Champlain Islands with farm and food business listings. You can pick up a copy of the Champlain Islands Grown map at our office, the Champlain Islands Farmers' Market, and local farm stands, restaurants, and stores.
Visit the Guide HERE>>.
Champlain Islands Farmers' Market
South Hero Land Trust worked with area farmers to create the Champlain Islands Farmers’ Market, which is now a separate non-profit collective run by its farmer, food artisan, and handcrafter members. South Hero Land Trust continues to fill various supporting roles for the market, including marketing, volunteer recruitment, grant writing, and various odd jobs.
The Champlain Islands Farmers’ Market provides consumers with access to locally produced food, flowers, fibers, and art while giving farmers a venue for direct sales and a chance to interact with customers. To learn more about the market, please visit the Champlain Islands Farmers' Market website.
Healthy Roots
Collaborative
We are a member of the Healthy Roots Collaborative, a group of regional, municipal, non-profit, and farm partners in Grand Isle and Franklin County working to strengthen the local food system of Northwest Vermont through programs and services for both consumers and producers that focus on food education, access and infrastructure.
In partnership with HRC, we work with individual farms and groups of farmers on projects that improve their viability and grow the agricultural economy of our region. If you are interested in learning more, or have project to propose, contact Emily Alger by emailing emily@shlt.org.
Learn more about the Collaborative HERE>>.
Folsom Learning Garden
and Farm to School
South Hero Land Trust has worked with teachers, parents, and community volunteers to promote agriculture and nature based education at Folsom Education and Community Center for over twenty years. SHLT helps connect students with local food, farmers, and the land by teaching in-class programs, gardening with students in the Folsom Learning Garden, running afterschool clubs and summer camps, hosting field trips to local farms, and more.
In 2016 South Hero Land Trust began to work with staff, teachers, and parents, as well as the Healthy Roots Collaborative, to consolidate these programs under the umbrella of Farm To School and nature-based education. This includes working with food service staff to develop local food sources, expanding the Folsom Learning Garden to create a resource for farm to school curriculum, and more.
Want to join the Folsom Farm-to-School team and/or become a garden volunteer? Email info@shlt.org.
South Hero Community
Gleaning Garden
In partnership with Pigasus Meats, the Healthy Roots Collaborative, and local volunteers, we developed and coordinate the South Hero Community Gleaning Garden, growing vegetables and herbs for local meal programs and charitable food sites. We have a particular focus on culturally relevant food crops for migrant farmworkers in our region, distributed through the Healthy Roots Collaborative in partnership with the Open Door Clinic and Bridges to Health. Finally, we provide food to local meal programs and charitable food sites including Food for Thoughts, the Champlain Islands Food Shelf, Islands in the Sun, and St. Amadeus Church. Learn more about our Food Access Programs HERE>>.
Email info@shlt.org if you would like to be a gleaning garden volunteer!
South Hero
Seed Library
South Hero has a free seed library! Come over to the Worthen Library and take home some seeds for your home garden. Grow for yourself, and if you can, consider growing a little extra to donate to the Champlain Islands Food Shelf and help your neighbors in need.
If you are looking for help saving seeds to give back to the library, check out our blog post on seed saving HERE>>.
NW Vermont Growers Google Group
The Northwest Vermont Growers Listserv is a resource for growers in Grand Isle and Franklin County, created to help farmers connect with and support each other.