Congratulations!
You Bought the Farm!
“Thank you, neighbors, and friends. We believe in a local food economy and strengthening our food security. Norwich and the Upper Valley is strongest and healthiest when we prioritize local agriculture.”
“To know that we have secured Norwich Farm for future generations, while at the same time focusing on innovation in dairy and community education, is a huge accomplishment that we are all very proud of.”
“This a big first step in putting this farm back on track to sustainability. We’re ready to execute our plan, which includes bringing working dairy cows back. This will take some time, but this time it will be to stay.”
The Norwich Farm Foundation is a non-profit organization created to keep Norwich Farm a working farm and to give value added dairy a chance to thrive for the future.
In June of 2022, we closed on the purchase of the farm. We're now launching our operational plan to put this farm on a sustainable trajectory.
Thank you to all of our supporters who helped us reach this first and essential milestone.
Our long term goal is to raise $1.25M over the next five years to fund the ongoing operations of the farm and launch our ten-year operational plan. We hope you will join us in helping to preserve and re-invent Norwich's last working dairy farm for generations to come.
We believe Norwich Farm is a community agricultural asset.
Five years ago, Norwich Farm was donated to Vermont Technical College to train the next generation in sustainable value added dairy farmers. Partnering with Norwich Farm Creamery and the Upper Valley Land Trust, the college got off to a good start. Unfortunately financial troubles led it to abandon the farm program. Now, with your help, the Norwich Farm Foundation has the opportunity to continue feeding and educating this community for generations to come.
Norwich Farm can be a model for sustainable value added dairy providing local food across the region.
“We have encouraged Vermonters to think about value-added dairy. This is a prime example of it. The Upper Valley can support this type of business and they have. There’s been investment in high-end wonderful equipment…it’s a good facility. The farmers running it and everyone involved in it have tremendous expertise. They’re knowledgeable, they’re good at what they do.”
— Anson Tebbetts, Vermont Secretary of Agriculture, Lancaster Farming: 5/17/21
What our community is saying…
“I strongly support the initiative to keep Norwich Farm as a working farm and educational resource for the community. This is a special opportunity to preserve Vermont’s farming heritage. We look forward to our trips to the farm store and love the plan to preserve this farm and expand the mission for farm-to-school food and experiential learning.”
— Charlene
“I strongly support Norwich Farm Foundation and its effort to maintain a value-added working dairy farm in Vermont at Norwich Farm.”
— Keith
“Vermont is losing its working landscape at a shocking pace, and small dairy farms continue to struggle and go out of business. Value-added producers like Norwich Farm Creamery are bright spots and models for Vermont's dairy industry. I support the Norwich Farm Foundation's efforts to preserve Norwich Farm.”
