Delicious Dirt Farm & Apothecary

Ideally, we would like to purchase land with a minimum of 10 acres and at least 2+ of those acres cleared and farmable.

Farming experience

6-10 years experience

Currently farming

Yes

Highest level of farming experience

Farm business ownership

Description of farming experience

We own and operate Delicious Dirt Farm, which has been in operation in Vermont since 2018. We are a small, no-till, hand-powered farm that uses organic seeds and practices. We intensively farm a 1/2 acre, have 3 high tunnels, and 70 50ft permanent raised beds. Our sales channels are a 20-family CSA, Jericho Farmers' Market (where Ally is a board member), and several well-established wholesale accounts. Our farming enterprises include vegetables, cut flowers, medicinal herbs, and a popular line of value-added products. While we run a small-scale farm, we are financially successful with a growing customer base and a strong reputation. We are looking to buy land so that we can expand our farm.

Farming plans

Tenure arrangement desired

Sale

Tenure arrangement description

Ideally, we would like to purchase land, though we would be open to a lease-to-own arrangement. We have a relationship with the Vermont Land Trust and would be happy to work with them if land conversation is a desire of the current owners or would make the property more affordable.

Planned farm enterprise: Primary

Vegetables

Planned farm enterprises: Others

Cut flowers, Perennials/Orchard

Farm enterprises description

We practice organic, no-till, hand-powered farming. We currently use the paper pot system. Depending on how much we increase acreage, we might move into utilizing a hand-powered tractor. We currently use 3 high tunnels and would like to drastically increase the number of high tunnels we use at our next location, including the use of heated greenhouses.

As we expand our business, we would like to continue our current farming enterprises which include vegetables, cut flowers, medicinal herbs, and a popular line of value-added products. We plan to expand into agroforestry, specifically planting perennial berry shrubs, and fruit and nut trees.

Written business plan

Yes

Business planning description

We have created a business plan for our current farming operation that we have utilized for the last 6 years. Additionally, we have developed a business plan for our next farm, which is more hypothetical, as we don't know what the land or infrastructure will look like. That being said, the business plan is focused on expanding our acreage to .5-1 acres, adding 3 more tunnels, increasing our value added production, and building out our agroforestry operations.

Andrew, one of the farm owners, is a co-op developer, educatorvalue-added and technical assistance provider focused on farm and food systems, specifically businesses in their first 5 years of operation. ,

Farmer housing needed

No

Water source needed

Yes

Farm infrastructure needed

Roadways
Electricity/power

Description of infrastructure needed

Ideally, the land would have housing, farm buildings, and livestock shelters, but we are open to building out the infrastructure we need.

Access to equipment needed

No

Additional information

We are Vermont-based farmers who own and operate an established and successful farm focused on vegetable, flower, and medicinal herb production. Our farm, Delicious Dirt Farm & Apothecary is located in Fairfax, VT. We have diversified and stable sales channels that include CSA, wholesale, and farmers markets. After six years, we have hit the ceiling of what we can do on our rented land. We are looking for the opportunity to buy land and establish a permanent home and farm. We have developed strong relationships within our community and would love to stay in Franklin or surrounding counties.