Farm, Food and Fiber Tour

NOTE: Farms have varying seasons and hours. Some are open by appointment only. Please check individual listing before visiting.

1.  Boyd Family Farm

125 East Dover Road, Wilmington, VT 05363

Janet Boyd — (802) 464-5618  — boydfarm@sover.net — www.boydfamilyfarm.com

We are a family farm that has a diverse four-season list of farm products and services.  Open 7 days a week; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. normally. We do have some extended hours on specific days during the year for special programs or products.

2. Deer Ridge Farm

4057 Hinesburg Road, Guilford, VT 05301

 (802) 254-3540 — info@deerridgefarmvt.com

Farm; NOFA-VT Farm-to-Community Mentor

3. Elysian Hills Tree Farm

209 Knapp Road, Dummerston, VT 05301

Bill and Mary Lou Schmidt — (802) 257-0233 — elysianh@sover.net — www.elysianhillsfarm.com

We are the largest Christmas tree farm in Windham County. We are working with a young couple to learn  the Christmas tree business. They are also renovating our 1 acre of organic, rhubarb for sale to wineries. New this year: Josh & Lexie are offering young, organic turkeys for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can order & tag yours when you tag your Christmas tree in October. Summer Hours: By Appointment. Fall Foliage Christmas Tree Tag Weekends: Oct. 6-7; 13-14; noon to 4 p.m. Note: Only 2 weekends this year. Wagon rides, labyrinth. shearing demonstrations, refreshments. Retail Sales: Begin Nov. 24-Dec. 24. Sat. & Sun. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mon. – Fri.12 noon to 4 p.m. Note: New weekday hours.

4. The Franklin Farm

4708 Weatherhead Hollow Road, Guilford, VT 05301

Maryellen Franklin — (802) 254-2228  — maryellen@franklinfarmstore.com —www.franklinfarmstore.com

The Franklin Farm is a certified organic family farm located in the southern Vermont town of Guilford. Franklins have farmed in Guilford for eight generations. Farming is a way of life our family loves and is very proud of. Our goals are to enjoy what we do, to produce food of the highest quality, and to leave this farm better than when we first started here. We work together as a family to keep our 50 milk cows and their offspring healthy and happy, to increase the fertility of our soils, and to make the highest quality, best tasting Vermont maple syrup. The Farm Store is open year-round, seven days a week; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

5.  Grafton Village Cheese Company

Two locations:

Brattleboro: 400 Linden Street / Route 30, Brattleboro, VT 05301 — Hours: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. daily

Grafton Retail: 56 Townshend Road, Grafton, VT 05146; Grafton Production: 533 Townshend Road, Grafton, VT — Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily

Phone: 800-472-3866 — www.graftonvillagecheese.com

Grafton Village Cheese Company is dedicated to preserving the cheddar making tradition started in Grafton in 1892. When a fire destroyed the original factory, it was rebuilt with the help of the Windham Foundation. Today, Grafton Cheese handcrafts artisanal cheddar cheese aged up to four years.  Farms throughout Vermont supply the milk that goes into making these award-winning cheeses.  At both its locations, Grafton Village Cheese Company offers a viewing window into their facility and daily cheese tasting. Visit the specialty cheese and wine shops in Grafton or Brattleboro, or visit them online. The retail store houses many Vermont products, including, maple syrup, fine wines and various cheeses from Vermont.  A Windham Foundation business.

6. Green Mountain Orchards

130 West Hill Road, Putney, VT 05346

Andrea Darrow — (254) 387-5851 — mail@greenmtorchards.com —  www.greenmtorchards.com

The Darrow family has been growing apples since 1914. We offer already picked or pick your own apples, blueberries, peaches, pumpkins, and more. During the season you can make your own cider on our demonstration press, or, if you come on a cider-making day you can watch us grind and squeeze our special blends of tree picked fruit on the big press. Because we use fine quality fruit, we make our cider in the traditional way without pasteurizing. Hayrides by appointment, and you may even feed our reindeer a snack or two!

7. Green Mountain Spinnery

Brickyard Lane, Putney, VT  05346

Margaret Atkinson — (800) 321-9665 — spinnery@sover.net — www.spinnery.com

Wool and natural fiber yarn producer; knitting patterns, books and supplies.

Mon-Fri.: 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. — Sat.: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. — Sun.: noon-4 p.m.

8. Honora Winery and Vineyard, Inc.

201 VT Route 112, Jacksonville, VT 05342

Brad York — (802) 368-2226 — brad@honorawinery.com — www.honorawinery.com

We are a grower of grapes and a producer and bottler of wine. We have a tasting room and retail store in Jacksonville, VT. We sell our Honora wine, gourmet foods, local and international products and we consider ourselves to be the area’s local cheese monger for Vermont Artisan cheeses, all hand-cut from the wheels as you wait. Our hours are: Wed.-Sun. 11 a.m.5 p.m. — Closed Mon. and Tue.

9. Lilac Ridge Farm

30 Covey Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301

Amanda and Ross Thurber — (802) 257-0985 — lilacridge@comcast.net

Lilac Ridge Farm: 2002 VT Sustainable Farm of the Year. Diversified family operation. Amanda, Ross, Stuart and Beverly work 600 acres in total. Organic production of vegetables and cut flowers.  Our Farm stand is open early June through October from 9:00 a.m. till 5 p.m.

10. Margie’s Muse

P.O. Box 274, Jamaica, VT 05343

Margaret Miller Silvia — (802) 874-7201 — margaret@margiesmuse.com —  www.margiesmuse.com

Weaver-Spinner-Knitter; Home Studio housing two floor looms, spinning wheels and spindles, as well as finished knitted items and knitting needles and lots of yarn for sale. Taking orders for custom hand-woven adornments for body and home. By Appointment

11. Maybelle Farm

14 Melbourne Road, Wardsboro, VT 05355

Kathleen and Jonathan Meeks — (802) 896-6218 — (802) 896-6013 —maybellefarm@gmail.com — www.maybellefarm.com

We are a sheep farm that raises registered Shetland sheep for breeding stock and fiber. We have been raising sheep since 1999 on our family farm. My little grandchildren that live on the farm are the 7^th generation to be there. We sell the registered Shetland sheep for breeding stock, raw wool, roving, dyed wool, yarn, needlefelting supplies and handmade items in our fiber studio.  We have ongoing classes and Fiber Fun Camps for children. By appointment.

We will have fiber demonstrations and lots of information about classes happening during the summer and fall at the farm.

12. Morning Star Perennials and Nursery

221 Darby Hill, Rockingham, VT

Laurie and Scott Bolotin — (802) 463-3433 — (802) 289-3135 — cell (802) 376-9968 — mornstar@sover.net —www.morningstarflowers.com

At Morning Star Farm, a family owned and operated business in Rockingham, Vermont, we are passionate about growing and tending both herbaceous and woody plants. Since 1986, we have been cultivating more than 500 varieties of Vermont-hardy perennials, shrubs & trees, including many uncommon and hard-to-find varieties. Because our seedlings are planted directly into our own incredibly healthy soil and not sold until the following spring, our plants are hardy enough to withstand Vermont’s harsh winters and will settle into your gardens as mature, rather than first year, plants. In addition to the plants we sell, Scott raises an orchard with organic pear trees and more than 250 varieties of organic apples, including many heirlooms. We also grow hardy kiwi vines. All of this fruit is available to purchase, in season. Morning Star Perennials is open 7 days/week mid-April to August, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. After-hours groups are always welcome, with a group discount on all sales.

13. Newell Farm

378 Newell Hill Road, West Wardsboro, VT 05360

Brent and Lorraine Newell — (802) 896-6264 — syrup715@yahoo.com

A 200 year-old, 6^th generation farm, selling Vermont maple products, grass-fed beef, Gilfeather turnips, veal, and organic eggs. Weekends and by chance or call ahead (802) 896-6264. Directions: From Brattleboro, take Route 30 north to Route 100 south. Go 8 miles to West Wardsboro. Before the bridge, turn right on Newell Hill Road. Go 1/3rd mile and you’re there.

14. Olallie Daylily Gardens

129 Auger Hill Road, South Newfane, VT 05351

Chris Darrow — (802) 348-6614 — info@daylilygarden.com — www.daylilygarden.com

We are longtime organic growers who are continuing the work of Dr. George Darrow. We offer a large selection of daylilies that provides a complete palette of daylily possibilities in an easy-to-use framework. Our approach simplifies your search for the right daylily for your garden. We also supply a wealth of information to educate you the grower as to how best select and grow daylilies. We grow well over 2500 varieties of daylilies and are breeding new possibilities by the hundreds every year. We select plants based on their hardiness, vigor and performance. We also maintain over four hundred high bush blueberries. Pick your own from mid July through August. They’re organic and delicious. Visitors are welcome to stroll the fields, pick blueberries, and explore. The main six-acre field brims with daylilies. Grass paths meander through the beds of flowers. Here, the children run and play with our three Border Collies and visitors can wander. Bring a picnic, there are picnic tables and benches and tables with market umbrellas for your use. May 30: Gardens open —Pre-season hours, through July 11 and after August 22: Thurs-Sun 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. — July 4: Closed. — July 12-August 22: Peak Season. Peak-season hours: Open 7 days 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Gardens close Sept. 9, after that open by chance or by appointment only.

15. Putney Mountain Winery

8 Bellows Falls Road, Putney, VT 05346

Charles and Katherine Dodge — (802) 387-4610 — putneywine@aol.com — www.putneywine.com

Putney Mountain Winery specializes in fresh fruit wines, made with fruit grown and harvested at local farms, and hand-crushed, pressed and bottled at the winery. Putney Winery is consistent medal winner at the regional Big E competition and recently won gold and bronze medals at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition as well as a Double Gold for its Vermont Cassis at the Tasters Guild International Wine Tasting Competition. Stop by Putney Mountain Winery where you can “try and buy” their wide array of seasonal fruit wines. Tastings & sales at Putney Mountain Winery (where we make all our wines)8 Bellows Falls Road Route 5 in the Basketville store in Putney, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

16. Saxtons River Distillery

485 West River Road, Brattleboro, VT 05301

Christian Stromberg — (802) 659-4903 — cstromberg@saplingliqueur.com — www.saplingliqueur.com

My family fled Czarist-controlled Lithuania in 1906. They strongly desired to assimilate into American society, but kept alive familiar Lithuanian traditions and customs, including making flavorful liqueurs. The tradition of crafting fine liqueurs has been passed from generation to generation, and we are pleased to share our unique liqueur with you. Sapling Vermont maple liqueur combines old-word heritage with the flavor of Vermont. I gained appreciation for maple syrup while living in Vermont and visiting the sugar houses of friends in spring. Understanding the amount of work required to produce quality maple syrup has given me profound respect for the final product. With a nod to family tradition and the tradition of Vermont, I offer you the unique taste of Sapling Vermont maple liqueur.

17. Sweet Maple Alpacas

154 River Road, Westminster, VT 05158

Brenda and Tom Lawrence — (802) 376-9846 — smalpaca@sover.net — www.sweetmaplealpacas.com

Our family is a sixth generation Vermont farm family. We have concentrated our farming efforts into alpacas and maple sugaring. Five months after seeing alpacas for the first time, we purchased our first one, UMA Lady Jazzmin! The date was July 16, 2002. Currently we own 19 alpacas. Eleven females and eight males! We are also consigning and agisting alpacas for three other farms.   We have opened a farm store on the premises. You will find sweaters, scarves, hats, mittens, teddy bears, maple syrup and a whole lot more! In addition to the alpacas, we have a sugarhouse on the farm. We have been making our own Vermont maple syrup for over twenty years. You can contact us to set up an appointment, 802-722-9846 or smalpaca@sover.net , or take a chance and stop by. If we’re here, we’re happy to have you stop!

18. Taft Hill Farm

1657 Back Windham Road, West Townshend, VT 05353

Robert and Kathy DuGrenier — (802) 874-4341 — rd@dugrenier.com

The Taft Hill Farm is a 38-acre family farm. We have miniature horses, donkeys, emus, llamas, sheep, heritage-breed chickens, peacocks, pheasant, turkeys, etc. We also have organic vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, bee hives, maple bush, wood lot, and a pond for raising fish. We have started to inoculate mushroom spores into logs and hope to be able to harvest our own cultivated mushrooms this spring, summer and fall. The farm sits on the side of a mountain with spectacular views. We sell a variety of our farm products including maple syrup, honey and soy-and-GMO-free eggs on Thursdays at the Townshend Farmers’ market and at our store Taft Hill Gift Shop on Route 30 in Townshend. On June 3: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or visit by appointment year round.

19. Vermont Weaving School

4 Signal Pine Road, Putney, VT 05346

Dena Gartenstein — (802) 387-2656 — dena@vermontweaver.com — www.vermontweaver.com

Created by Dena Gartenstein, Master Weaver, The Vermont Weaving School is located in the old Putney Elementary School in Putney, Vermont. Our specialty is working one-on-one wit students, fostering proficiency and a love of weaving. Daytime and evening classes and also weekend retreats for beginning and intermediate weavers are offered. Many different fibers are used, including wool, cotton, rayon, rags and chenille. Looms and all equipment are provided.

20. Wild Carrot Farm

842 Grassy Brook Road, Brookline, VT 05345

Jesse Kayan — (802) 365-4075 — wildcarrotfarm@gmail.com — www.wildcarrotfarm.com

We are a new diversified organic farm. We are raising three acres of vegetables, laying hens, heritage turkeys and chickens and sheep. We sell our food to a CSA in Brookline and Brattleboro as well as the neighborhood on Elliot Street, an affordable CSA program run by Post Oil Solutions.  We also serve restaurants and customers from our farmstands. Our farm is always open for people who want to drop by.  We have two self-service farmstands, one at the farm and one on the corner of South Wardsboro and Grout Roads in Newfane. Both are open June 15-October 31.

21. Windmill Hill Alpaca Farm and Artisanry

842 Grassy Brook Road, Brookline, VT 05345

Laura Solomon — (802) 348-9300,  — (802) 365-9874 — trelex88@gmail.com — www.fireandfiber.com

100% alpaca knit products. Our artisans handspin the fleece from our alpacas. Using natural plants as the source, they augment the existing color variations through a natural dyeing process. Products are hand knit at the farm, producing warm, cozy, and uniquely elegant creations from alpaca, a natural, renewable resource.

22. Retreat Petting Farm

350 Linden Street/Route 30, Brattleboro, VT 05301

Alan Smith — Tel: 802-257-2240 — www.theretreatfarm.com

Hours: Wed – Sat, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sun, Noon – 4 p.m. Also open Mondays over Memorial Day, Labor Day and Columbus Day weekends from noon to 4 p.m.Visit this 160 year old downtown farmstead to interact with farm animals including baby chicks, piglets, goats, lambs, horses, donkeys, llamas and a variety of other animals. Kids love to ride the kiddie tractors, and jump in the giant pile of feed corn in the silo play area. Entrance fee. Open from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend.  The Retreat Petting Farm is located next to the Grafton Village Cheese Brattleboro store and is also an entrance to the Retreat Trails, a nine-mile recreational trail network open to the community. A Windham Foundation business.

210 Olson Drive, West Brattleboro, VT 05301

Michael Olson and Marlene Souligny – (802) ALPACAS or (802) 257-4421

www.mysticmeadowalpacas.com – email:  contact@mysticmeadowalpacas.com

We are a small farm located in West Brattleboro, Vermont, on the historic Molly Stark Trail.  At the present time, our ever-growing family includes 19 alpacas with 5 crias due this year.  As alpaca breeders, we strive to educate the community about alpaca farming.  If you’re searching for a rewarding farming experience, alpaca farming is ideal for those interested in producing a natural, green, renewable, in-demand fiber, while raising hearty animals with great personalities. We offer alpaca sales, raw fiber, alpaca products, breeding, and boarding to meet all of your alpaca needs.  We welcome individuals, families and groups to come and visit.  Tours are welcome year round, but please call first for an appointment.

24. Sprague & Son Sugarhouse

Sprague & Son Sugarhouse 1631 Route 100 South PO Box 378 Jacksonville VT 5342

Karen & Martin Sprague —  spragueandsonmaple@myfairpoint.net — 802-368-2776

We are 6th and 7th generation maple sugarmakers. Open Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m to 5 p.m.

Available for groups by appointment during the week 802-368-2776″ For the weekend of the Heifer stroll (and every weekend) we will offer Sugar-on-Snow on weekends along with tours and tasting.

25. Pink Boot Farm

3537 Vermont Route 153, West Pawlet, VT

Hadley Stock —  Pinkbootfarm@gmail.com — 802-342-7454

It’s best to call ahead.

26. Hidden Springs Maple Farm Store

162 Westminster Road,  Putney VT — 802-387-5200 — www.hiddenspringsmaple.com

Farm store selling a variety of maple products.

Summer hours (Jun-Dec): Tues-Sun: 10am to 6pm — Winter hours (Jan-May): Thurs-Sun: 11am to 5pm.

Take I91 N to exit 4. Head to Putney Village on Rte 5 N (1/4 mile). Turn left at the Putney General Store onto Westminster Rd for 1/4 mile. We are located two miles off I91 from exit 4.

27. Basin Farm

175 Basin Farm RD, Bellows Falls VT

David Langmaid — info@basinfarm.com — 802-463-3230

We are a certified organic diversified farm. You are welcome anytime to visit us.

28. Stonewall Farm

242 Chesterfield Rd, Keene NH

Monica Pless —  mpless@stonewallfarm.org — 603-357-7278

Stonewall Farm’s mission is to connect people to the land and to the role of agriculture in their lives. We are the only working dairy farm and education center in the region open to the public. We operate a 30-head certified organic dairy, a year-round community support agriculture (CSA) garden, and a Learning Center that draws 20,000 visitors per year. The facility is used for education programs for school and the public, children’s camps, conferences and workshops, and is available to rent for special events. Visitors are welcome to visit trails and the barn anytime. Programs, Learning Center hours, the farm stand and CSA change seasonally. Please contact us for more details. Horse-drawn History: 10-11:30 Saturday and Sunday, June 2 and 3. This family program explores the use of horses and horse-drawn equipment on farmers, including a hay ride with our Belgian draft horses, Prince and Magic. FREE.

29. Couch Brook Farm

184 Couch Brook Road Bernardston MA

Elaine Morley —  couchbrookfarm@verizon.net — (413) 648-9659

Couch Brook Farm is a 17- acre certified organic family farm. Hours of operation are 9-5, Thursday through Sunday. We are opening for plant sales in 2012 on April 21st. Our land is perfect for growing our sweet berries; blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Our strawberries are for sale at our stand in June during our plant season. We are open for pick-your-own blueberries, weekends 9-5, starting July 14. Call ahead to check on picking conditions. In early September call us for fresh picked raspberries.

30. Tracie’s Community Farm, LLC

72 Jaffrey Rd. Fitzwilliam NH

Tracie Smith —  farmertracie@hotmail.com — (603) 209-1851

We are a diverse farm growing vegetable, fruit, herb, cut flowers for sale through our spring, summer and fall CSA, farmstore, and restaurants. We also grow vegetable, herb, and cut flower starts as well as planters and hanging baskets at our self-service farmstand open sunup to sundown. Mid March-Mid November daily, sunup to sundown.

31. Robb Family Farm

827 Ames Hill Road, West Brattleboro, VT

Helen & Charlie Robb — robbfarm@together.net — 802-257-0163 or 802-258-7040

Open June 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. We invite people to tour the sugarhouse, the shop, watch the beef animals and the playful calves born this spring.  We will be serving our own naturally fed beef sliders on Bread Shed slidder rolls.  These will be offered free. Our normal hours are 10 am to 6 pm, Monday thru Friday, 10 to 2 on Saturday and normally closed Sundays.  We can always accommodate someone if they give us a call at 257-0163.  We sell maple syrup, maple cream, maple coated nuts, maple candy, Grafton, Sugarbush and Cabot cheeses, jams, jellies, candles, gift baskets.  We also sell our naturally fed beef (everything they eat is grown on the farm), all cuts, pre frozen.