60 +/- Acres Farmland for Rent in Springfield VT

60 acres

Property Owner:

Private non-farming landowner

Contact Name:

Irwin & Melissa Post

Property Location:

Eureka Rd., Springfield, VT
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The Land

Total number of acres available with this property:

60.0

Total acres available for agriculture:

60.0

Acres of forested land:

0.0

Acres of cropland or tillable land:

60.0

Acres of pasture:

0.0

Other open and/or non-farmable land:

The fields available to rent are part of a 200 acre parcel; the rest is forest land that is actively managed by the landowners.

Quality of land:

Soils: 26.6 acres Buckland and 32.8 acres Vershire-Buckland Complex per NRCS. Soils rated 3.5 tons/acre hay. All currently in hay. Soil tests shared by former tenant farmer show good organic matter content and fertility. Last commercial fertilizer application spring 2016. There are some outcrops. Approximately 6 acres can be excessively wet, especially in spring. Soils on several acres are well suited for market gardening and berries (good drainage, deep soil, few rocks.) Aspect varies, with slopes generally under 10%.

Farm Information

Water sources present:

Available

Water sources details:

There is a perennial stream and large wetland on the property. It may be possible to develop a shallow well in the wetland; don't know if regulations would allow this. Also, the landowners would consider paying for a drilled well.

Barns and sheds:

None available

Farmer housing:

None available

Farmer housing details:

No house on land. Houses are available for sale and rent in the Springfield area, with relatively low prices compared to other parts of Vermont.

Equipment and machinery:

None available

Farm infrastructure details:

Landowners are willing to discuss permanent farm infrastructure, such as a barn, greenhouse, farmstand or shed. Eureka Rd. is paved, and the main access road into the property is graveled.

Tenure Arrangement

Tenure arrangement:

Property for rent

Property for rent:

A long term lease is preferred. Rent is $2000/year, with appropriate adjustments if landowners invest in infrastructure.

Additional Information

The farmer who has been leasing our fields for the last 34 years has decided to downsize, and thus this farmland is now available for a new farmer to rent. We welcome proposals from farmers interested in renting our fields, and hope to find a farmer who can start with the 2017 growing season. Ideally the farmer will use state-of-the-art techniques to continually improve the quality of the soils and minimize erosion. Diversity of farm products is encouraged, and conversion to certified organic is preferred. The property is enrolled in Vermont's Current Use program.

The property also contains about 140 acres of forestland that the landowners actively manage; this management will continue. Impact on farming will include occasional use of small areas of fields for log landings. Also, the Stone Trust, a Vermont organization which teaches the art of dry stonewall building, is planning to hold some workshops on the property; it is anticipated that this relationship will continue and potentially grow in future years. At most a few acres of land may be used by the Stone Trust in the future. The land is not posted, so people are free to hike and hunt on it. The local snowmobile club maintains a trail to connect to the VAST network. These other uses should have minimal impact on farming, and would be coordinated with the farmer.

Local market opportunities include Black River Produce, Black River Meats, Springfield Food Coop (all of which are in Springfield, VT) as well as schools, hospitals, farmers’ markets, restaurants and stores in the area.

Interested? Please let the landowners know by March 15, 2017. You are welcome to ask questions and to walk the land. Then prepare and submit a proposal by Apr. 1, 2017, including:   1. How you would like to use the fields (crops, animals, ….)

2. Your experience and resources (convince us that you have the knowledge and resources to succeed with your proposed use)

3. Any infrastructure you might want the landowners to provide

4. Three references (names and phone numbers)

Landowners: Irwin & Melissa Post

1998 Trebo Rd.

Chester, VT 05143

802-875-4102

[email protected]