Heart's Ease Farm

The Land

Heart's Ease Farm is in Danville village. We welcome folks who are interested/experienced in: regenerative agriculture, small scale farming/gardening practices, addressing food insecurity, etc., and who want to share and gain skills and knowledge.

This landowner is a

Private non-farming landowner

Quality of land

Per VT soils map, primarily 22B Cabot silt loam and some 14C Vershire-Lombard complex. Main growing area is mostly level, fertile, open to the south and protected to the north. About 1/3 of the property is cedar, red dogwood/cattail swamp and wet tamarack meadows. The recent rainy summers have caused some of the most fertile areas to be too wet to cultivate for part of the growing season which will be addressed with raised beds.

Property has likely had little/no chemicals applied over the last 10 years. Before that, there is evidence that insecticides/chemical fertilizers were used in some areas. It has changed hands several times since it was a dairy farm in the 1950's.

Enrolled in Current Use

No

Protected with conservation easement

No

Current forest management plan

No

Certified or qualified organic

No

External map links

View Location on Google Maps • View Soil Info on VT Natural Resources Atlas • View Atlas Tutorial

Farm Information

Farmer housing

No

Water source for farm use

Available

Type of water source

Pond, River/stream, Town/municipal water

Water source details

Year round stream flows along the back of the pasture, near a 1/3 acre spring fed pond, both could be water sources. Town water is available for some irrigation. Future livestock sheds/shelter will have some sort of seasonal plumbing.

Farm infrastructure

Fencing

Description of farm infrastructure

The existing barn is sadly beyond repair and is being taken down for salvage. We plan to use some of the salvaged materials to build shelters and storage sheds. There are plenty of timbers, planks and siding available at low/no cost, many beams are hand-hewn from the 18th-19th century. Please give a piece of history new life!!

PLEASE CONTACT US ASAP IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN SALVAGING TIMBERS, PLANKS and SIDING!

Access to equipment

Not available

Tenure Arrangement

Collaborative model

Tenure arrangement details

Two bedroom apartment (currently occupied) within original farmhouse. Includes access to land, shared use of farm outbuildings (construction starting in Spring 2025). Individuals interested in participating in a community "giving garden", seasonal gatherings and future educational events are very welcome!

Additional Information

"The Giving Garden"
Charlene Parker, our resident farmer enrolled in the NOFA-VT "Farm Beginnings" program, is creating a "giving garden" this spring, growing produce and flowers to be shared freely with the community. Charlene's goals are to address food insecurity/inequity and to create a gathering place for folks to "come together to enjoy the land, sharing laughter, stories, and tasty harvests."

The giving garden is Charlene's first step towards her vision of creating a member supported CSA called, "A Fairy's Dream Farm" (afairysdreamfarm.com)

The Giving Garden, like sleeping seeds, dreams of the light and warmth of Spring!