I consider myself to have had the luxury of attending a small middle school in rural Vermont. One unique field trip, my small class of 19 students planted tree saplings along a creek; Black Creek, which runs mostly through farm fields, has little tree coverage along the sides due to the grazing pastures where cows tread heavily to access drinking water. Planting riparian buffer zones along creeks and streams can not only teach children valuable lessons about stream ecology and climate action but is also a fun and memorable way to positively influence the environment.

I live along a section of the creek where there are few trees (see Image 1). The water is murky, shallow, and warm. The lack of trees results in erosion of soil when cows walk down the bank to drink. In the Adirondacks, too, barren stream-sides lead to erosion and a decline in stream health (see Image 2). As Declan McCabe writes in the Adirondack Almanack, the eroded soil from the banks fill in under rocks where macroinvertebrates live (McCabe 2015). The Adirondacks has been subjected to disturbance, by highway-building, agriculture, and human-overuse which reduce the forest presence and negatively impact stream ecology.

As I have learned in my Ecology/Evolution class, having tree coverage on a stream increases shading which cools the stream, allowing for increased O₂ concentrations and an improved environment for wildlife. A riparian buffer zone is a treeline along the bank, where tree roots hold the soil in place against erosion. On our trips, my class spent the day planting Pine, Spruce, and Dogwood saplings which grow in sandier soils and are found locally.

The school field trip I took planting saplings in my hometown as a child stuck with me. I still remember jumping on shovels to sink them into the ground and tugging on saplings to confirm their stability. Now studying the Adirondack Park, which houses many watersheds, I see the importance of a healthy stream ecology. The impacts of human disturbances are vast and can only be controlled if we take tangible action. The lesson I learned about riparian buffer zones and how I can maintain the environment when I was 12 years old has stuck with me into college, proving this kind of hands-on learning is incalculably valuable. 

Community News Reports. “Lake George West Brook Restoration Project Slated -.” The Adirondack Almanack, The Adirondack Almanack, 11 Sept. 2012, https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2012/09/lake-george-west-brook-restoration-project-slated.html.

McCabe, Declan. “The Impact of Stormwater on Adirondack Streams -.” The Adirondack Almanack, The Adirondack Almanack, 30 July 2015, https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2015/07/the-impact-of-stormwater-on-adirondack-streams.html.

Being a native Vermonter, it only seems right to investigate the village of Vermontville, located in Franklin County, New York (see image 1). Let’s plan a trip while we are at it! Vermontville, like my hometown in Fairfield, VT,  is small and rural. There aren’t the large tourist attractions people are usually drawn to, but this makes the trip more meaningful. Recreation can be found in the land, and is not restricted to man-made infrastructure. 

Starting with an idea of what to expect when we arrive in Vermontville, which is about two hours Northwest of Middlebury, there are approximately 934 Vermontvillers, inhabiting 148 square miles of land and 2.8 square miles of water area (Sperling, 2021). This hamlet of Franklin County, which was settled by Vermonters in the early 1800s has an elevation of approximately 1,743 feet (Eshelman, n.d.).

Image 1. See the map of Franklin County, NY. Vermontville is in the lower middle, along Route 3. 

If we venture over in the summer, we can find ample swimming, rafting, and fishing in Lyon Brook which runs through town. We may even partake in mountain biking or hiking on Kate Mountain nearby. Kate Mountain, named after the Kate family who built a home on its eastern side in 1829, has an elevation of 2,841 feet (Kate Mountain, n.d.). 

Later on, we will stop in at the Kate Mountain Farm to grab locally-raised pork sausage and vegetables (Caiazza, 2021). The modest one-mile Vermontville Recreation Walking Trail, is a great way to unwind at the end of the day (Adirondack Trails, 2020). After this, we’ll head to our campsite at Buck Pond Campground to roast dinner. A campsite at Buck Pond is $25 per night, and provides access not only to Buck Pond, but Lake Kushaqua (NY DEC, n.d). 

If we decide to visit Vermontville in the winter months, we’ll surely stay busy. With some of the best snowmobiling in the East on the Franklin Snowmobilers trails, or cross country skiing wherever we can find snow. Just outside of Vermontville, Mount Pisgah offers alpine skiing, and Loon Lake is great for ice fishing (Saranac Lake.Gov, n.d). 

Vermontville reminds me of my home in Fairfield, Vermont (see image 2). You may have noticed some of the activities shared above are located in nearby towns or cities. The quaint village does not have many of the large tourist attractions that usually pull visitors in, but they aren’t far. Other than fields, mountain views, and small shops, Vermontville is pretty quiet. I think there is value to this, because one can enjoy working around the land, not building through it. For example, if I wanted to go on a backcountry ski, I could step into my backyard and trudge through the woods to make my own trail, instead of gliding down a groomer trail at a resort. 

Image 2. The Fall foliage of Vermontville closely resembles how Vermont looks right now! 

“Adirondack Trails.” Adirondack.net, 2021, https://www.adirondack.net/towns/lake-placid-region/vermontville/.

“Buck Pond Campground & Day Use Area.” Buck Pond Campground & Day Use Area – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24457.html.

Caiazza, Aaron. “Kate Mountain Farm.” Adirondack Harvest, 2021, https://adirondackharvest.com/user/katemountainfarm/.

Eshelman, Teresa R. “Town of Franklin History.” Town Of Franklin Resource Guide, https://townoffranklin.com/history.html.

“Mount Pisgah Recreation Center.” Village of Saranac Lake: Mount Pisgah Recreation Center Is Maintained by the Village as a Ski Slope, Lodge, Mountain Biking Trails, and Event Venue. This Year-Round Recreation, https://www.saranaclakeny.gov/index.php?section=playing-mt-pisgah.

Sperling, Bert. “Vermontville, NY.” Zip 12989 (Vermontville, NY) People, Aug. 2021, https://www.bestplaces.net/people/zip-code/new%20york/vermontville/12989.

“Visit Loon Lake NY for Fishing, Boating, Dining & More.” LakeGeorge.com, 8 Sept. 2021, https://www.lakegeorge.com/things-to-do/loon-lake/#:~:text=Fish%20in%20Loon%20Lake%20and,or%20from%20the%20public%20beach. 

I consider myself to have had the luxury of growing up in a small rural town in northern Vermont. The distinctive “outdoorsy,” perhaps unorthodox, learning experiences I had while in elementary and middle school stick with me today as I attend a Vermont college and see the benefits they had on my academic career and personal values. One specific activity my small class of 19 students and I went on was planting saplings along a creek in middle school. Black Creek, which is just 2 miles from the Fairfield Center School, extends through the town of Fairfield, connecting to the Missisquoi River in Sheldon (to the north) and ending in Cambridge (to the south). Black Creek runs mostly through farm fields, and has little tree coverage along the sides due to the grazing pastures where cows tread heavily to access drinking water. Our (literal) field trips to plant along the creek-bed have lasted in my memory, proving the importance of this activity. Taking young children on school field trips to plant riparian buffer zones along creeks and streams can not only teach children valuable lessons about stream ecology and climate action but is also a fun and memorable way to positively influence the environment.

I live along a section of the creek where there are few trees (see Image 1). The water is murky, shallow, and warm (see Video 1). The lack of trees results in erosion of soil when cows walk down the bank to drink. As I have learned in my Ecology/Evolution class, having tree coverage on a stream increases shading which cools the stream, allowing for increased O₂ concentrations and an improved environment for wildlife. A riparian buffer zone is a treeline along the bank, where tree roots hold the soil in place against erosion.

On our trips, my class spent the day planting Pine, Spruce, and Dogwood saplings which grow in sandier soils and are found locally. Our teachers for the activity, the farmer whose land we were on, and a local knowledgeable parent, instructed us on where to and how far apart to plant, how deep to dig, and how to make sure the sapling was firmly in the ground. However, I just recently noticed how our saplings failed to grow to maturation, and I am left wondering why. Did we middle-schoolers not plant them correctly? Were these species inappropriate for the location? Did cattle trample them before they could establish? Did other plant species outcompete the saplings?

The school trips I took planting saplings in my hometown as a child stuck with me. I still remember jumping on shovels to sink them into the ground and tugging on saplings to confirm their stability. The lesson about riparian buffer zones and how I can easily maintain the environment is one I have remembered since I was 12 years old, proving this hands-on learning was incalculably valuable.

We have all heard our fair share about the black bears, coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats of the Adirondack Park, but the predator we don’t talk enough about is the Timber Rattlesnake. While they are rarely aggressive, it’s a good idea to stay alert of the Timber Rattlesnake when exploring in the Adirondacks. The most important aspects of this snake are how to identify it, where it is more likely to be found, and how to avoid its poisonous bite. 

The Timber Rattlesnake takes on a light or dark “phase” from birth with yellow to brown or black chevrons, also known as crossbands, refer to Image 1. This snake, typically 3-4 feet long, has a large triangular head and a distinctive rattle. Interestingly, snake rattles are attached segments of loose keratin that build up with each shedding of a snake, and rattle by tapping together when the snake shakes its tail (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation). This snake is not aggressive unless bothered or threatened, and it won’t seek you out if you leave it be, but it is important to be able to recognize it while out in the wilderness.

Image 1. Light phase (upper) and dark phase (lower) of Timber Rattlesnakes. (PA Herpetology)

This slithery musician is most common in the eastern edge of the Adirondack park, but is known to occupy any hilly or mountainous region with rugged terrain. It prefers locations where it can hide away undisturbed and has been found in deciduous/hardwood forests, lowlands, wetlands, and crevices of rocks (NYS Department of Environmental Conservation). It is common for snakes to hide where you least expect to find anything; I have once counted 27 garter snakes hiding in a pile of tin roofing sheets and lumber! Snakes have a threatening aura because of the unusual way they move, but will likely stay away if left alone. With any poisonous animal, though, it is paramount to be knowledgeable of where you may find them to be prepared for the chance you meet. 

So what do you do if you are walking along a trail and hear a rattle? Stop walking and look around you to spot the snake. If you see it, avoid it by keeping 6 feet between each other and walk past. Always watch your step when walking, and wear boots and socks that cover your ankles if possible. Be sure to scan rocks and logs before sitting on them (Adirondack.net). Keep your eyes and ears open when exploring the Adirondack park, not just for bears and coyotes, but also for the ground dwellers, Timber Rattlesnakes.

Works Cited:

“Dangerous Animals in the Adirondacks.” Adirondack.net, https://www.adirondack.net/wildlife/dangerous-animals/#4.

Poston, Jason. “Heads up!” PA HERP IDENTIFICATION, https://www.paherps.com/herps/snakes/timber/.“Timber Rattlesnake.” Timber

Rattlesnake – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7147.html.

Being a native Vermonter, it only seems right to investigate the village of Vermontville, located in Franklin County (in the Adirondack Park), New York (see image 1). Let’s plan a trip while we are at it! Starting with an idea of what to expect when we arrive in Vermontville, which is about two hours Northwest of Middlebury, there are approximately 934 Vermontvillers, inhabiting 148 square miles of land and 2.8 square miles of water area (Sperling, 2021). This hamlet of Franklin County, which was settled by Vermonters in the early 1800s has an elevation of approximately 1743 feet (Eshelman).

Image 1. See the map of Franklin County, NY. Vermontville is in the lower middle, along Route 3. 

Vermontville has much to offer us tourists! If we venture over in the Summer, we can expect to find ample swimming, boating, rafting, and fishing in Lyon Brook or nearby Saranac Lake. You may catch me golfing at the Loon Lake Golf Course, where I will tee up after walking the one-mile-long Vermontville Recreation Walking Trail (Adirondack Trails, 2020). We might even partake in some mountain biking or hiking on Kate Mountain nearby. Kate Mountain, named after the Kate family who built a home on its eastern side in 1829, has an elevation of 2841 feet (Kate Mountain).

By this time, we will likely be pretty hungry, and will stop in at the Kate Mountain Farm to grab locally-raised pork sausage and vegetables (Caiazza, 2021). At the end of the day, we’ll head to our campsite at Buck Pond Campground, and fire up dinner. A campsite at Buck Pond is $25 per night, and provides access to not only Buck Pond, but Lake Kushaqua as well(NY DEC). 

If we decide to visit Vermontville in the Winter months, we’ll surely stay busy. With some of the best snowmobiling in the East on the Franklin Snowmobiler’s trails, or cross country skiing wherever we can find snow. Those that downhill ski can find their sport at Mount Pisgah Ski Area in Saranac Lake, which runs 6 trails and night skiing! (Saranac Lake.Gov)  Many people also ice fish on Loon Lake, catching Yellow Perch, Northern Pike, Pumpkinseed, and Tiger Musky among others (Lake George.com). 

Vermontville reminds me of my home in Fairfield, Vermont (see image 2). You may have noticed several of the activities shared above are stationed in nearby towns or cities, and not in Vermontville itself. The quaint village doesn’t have many of the large tourist attractions that usually pull visitors in, but they aren’t far off. Other than fields, mountain views, and small shops, Vermontville is pretty quiet. I think there is value to this, as recreation is something to be found in the land, not man made. For example, if I want to go on a ski, I will step into my backyard and trudge through the woods to make my own trail, instead of gliding on a groomer trail at a resort. 

Image 2. The Fall foliage of Vermontville closely resembles how Vermont looks right now! 

“Adirondack Trails.” Adirondack.net, 2021, https://www.adirondack.net/towns/lake-placid-region/vermontville/.

“Buck Pond Campground & Day Use Area.” Buck Pond Campground & Day Use Area – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24457.html.

Caiazza, Aaron. “Kate Mountain Farm.” Adirondack Harvest, 2021, https://adirondackharvest.com/user/katemountainfarm/.

Eshelman, Teresa R. “Town of Franklin History.” Town Of Franklin Resource Guide, https://townoffranklin.com/history.html.

“Mount Pisgah Recreation Center.” Village of Saranac Lake: Mount Pisgah Recreation Center Is Maintained by the Village as a Ski Slope, Lodge, Mountain Biking Trails, and Event Venue. This Year-Round Recreation, https://www.saranaclakeny.gov/index.php?section=playing-mt-pisgah.

Sperling, Bert. “Vermontville, NY.” Zip 12989 (Vermontville, NY) People, Aug. 2021, https://www.bestplaces.net/people/zip-code/new%20york/vermontville/12989.

“Visit Loon Lake NY for Fishing, Boating, Dining & More.” LakeGeorge.com, 8 Sept. 2021, https://www.lakegeorge.com/things-to-do/loon-lake/#:~:text=Fish%20in%20Loon%20Lake%20and,or%20from%20the%20public%20beach. 

“Kate Mountain.” LocalWiki, https://localwiki.org/hsl/Kate_Mountain.

After our class discussion on the history of hunting and trapping in the Adirondack Park, I felt compelled to investigate the topic further. My rural origins taught me that hunting is a necessary and justified practice, but what would the data say? After looking into the views against hunting, its vitality, and its impacts in the Adirondack Park, I feel confident asserting whitetail hunting is a necessary practice and has no significant negative impact on the whitetail deer population in the Adirondack Park. 

The conversation begins with the question of why people dislike hunting. Many contend it is cruel to kill an innocent animal who has thoughts and feelings of its own. Furthermore, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals(PETA) organization argues that it is more ethical for an animal to die of starvation or disease due to overpopulation rather than being shot and killed (PETA, 2016). I question whether starvation and disease are more justified terms of death rather than killing an animal swiftly and using its meat for nourishment? Hunting may be more prevalent in modern times as a sport than a mandatory practice to provide for one’s family; however, its importance for controlling deer populations is unwavering. 

Deer feed primarily on grass, tree saplings, forbs, and mushrooms- the greens of the understory of forests, which are paramount to the reproduction of flora (Mississippi State University, 2019). Deer diminish these plant life by consuming them before they can mature. For example, with trees this creates a forest of aging trees but much fewer young to repopulate (NY DEC). Also, deer grazing habits interfere with farming outside of the woods, where deer feed in gardens. This may seem like a minute problem, but it becomes a more significant issue when small-scale farmers cannot produce enough soybeans, corn, or lettuce in the growing season because their products are being picked off by wildlife. Finally, perhaps the most apparent assault deer unintentionally lend is their risk to motorists(See image 1.). On average, there are almost 200 deer-related fatalities every year in the US, and the odds of hitting a deer are 1/116 (Dobric, 2020). 

Image 1. Too often, we see deer crossing the road while traveling in cars. (Image) 

Hunting is necessary to control deer populations, but it also contributes 1.5 billion dollars to the New York state economy each year which goes to habitat preservation, managing/maintaining parks, and conducting land surveys (NY DEC). Harvested deer serve as a sample for testing chronic waste disease, monitoring tick prevalence, and gauging population sizes (Ladd, 2019).

As it turns out, specifically in the Adirondacks, whitetail hunting is not causing enough damage to incite alarm. With the number of hunters declining across the country, only 5% of Americans hunt (Rott, 2018). In the Adirondacks, the deer population is estimated to be between 60,000-80,000, with hunters only harvesting an average of 21,459 bucks in the entire Northern zone of NY(no data for the Adirondack park specifically) (Ladd, 2019, Forever Wild, 2019). Thus, the deer population is not on a negative trend, and certainly not at the hands of hunting. Despite differing opinions on the morals of hunting game, deer hunting is an essential part of controlling deer populations and has no severe impact on the deer population of the Adirondacks. 

“2019 Big Game Season.” ADKHunter.com, 2019, http://adkhunter.com/2019-hunting-season/.

Ag & Natural Resources. “Deer Ecology & Management Lab.” What Do Deer Eat? | Deer Ecology & Management Lab | Mississippi State University, 2019, https://www.msudeer.msstate.edu/deer-diet.php.

Dobric, Mirjana. “30 Surprising Deer Accidents Statistics.” Petpedia, 14 Dec. 2020, https://petpedia.co/deer-accidents-statistics/.

Forever Wild. “Mammals of the Adirondacks: White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus).” White-Tailed Deer | Odocoileus Virginianus, 2019, https://wildadirondacks.org/adirondack-mammals-white-tailed-deer-odocoileus-virginianus.html.

NY DEC. “White-Tailed Deer.” White-Tailed Deer – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/6965.html#:~:text=Each%20year%2C%20more%20than%20500%2C000,support%20management%20activities%20of%20NYSDEC.

Rott, Nathan. “Decline in Hunters Threatens How U.S. Pays for Conservation.” NPR, NPR, 20 Mar. 2018, https://www.npr.org/2018/03/20/593001800/decline-in-hunters-threatens-how-u-s-pays-for-conservation.

“Why Sport Hunting Is Cruel and Unnecessary.” PETA, 25 Feb. 2016, https://www.peta.org/issues/wildlife/wildlife-factsheets/sport-hunting-cruel-unnecessary/. 

With global climate change expediting unprecedented transformations across the globe, the Adirondack Park is no exception. The 1.5-degree increase in the world’s temperature is altering the park before our eyes. Historically, the landscape is a mix between the Appalachian mountains’ temperate/deciduous forest and Canada’s boreal spruce-fir forest(Adirondack Council ). However, these treelines are moving upward in elevation, reaching for the cooler temperatures they typically succeed in and leaving trees and shrubs to be displaced by forbs and mosses at alpine sites of the High Peaks (Berend, 2021). In addition, those plants that have not crept up the landscape are tending to flower earlier in the season, before the insects who pollinate them hatch. This phenomenon leads to the crucial plants of the High Peaks region achieving less pollination and, therefore, reproductive opportunity. Recently, in Bill McKibben’s seminar on climate change, he discussed how the rise in global temperatures likely would not stop for another 1.5-degree increase from current temperature. The climate in the Adirondacks is changing, and so is the park’s approach to climate action and conservation amidst such.

Figure 1. A photo of the Adirondacks (left) versus Richmond, VA(right). According to the Adirondack Council, the climate of the Adirondack Mountains will much more closely resemble Richmond, Virginia, by the end of the century. (Adirondack Council). (Photo Left,Photo Right)

The Adirondack Council played an instrumental role in advocating for the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Federal Clean Power Plan (FCPP) (Adirondack Council). New York state, among ten other primarily New England states, has joined the RGGI, which aims to limit CO2 emissions from the power sector through a cap-and-trade process (CCCES, 2021). Fossil Fuel power plants with capacities greater than 25 megawatts are forced to auction for CO2 emission allowances. This lowers CO2 emissions by incentivizing to produce less CO2 while also stimulating the state economy, which receives money from these power plant auctions (CCES, 2021). Similarly, the FCPP aims to limit CO2 emissions across the country. With carbon emission limits, the plan is set to reduce 32% of the electric industry’s carbon emissions, with 870 million fewer tons of CO2 pollution by 2030 (NDRC, 2021). While these programs are helpful overall, the Adirondacks also call out for more intimate aid in saving the park. Regional institutions, like Middlebury College, are needed to provide expertise, manpower, and funding for the research into predicting how the Adirondack climate and conditions will change. There is no better way to protect the High Peaks than understanding their ecosystems and how they are likely to change.

Luckily the conservation of the park can be maintained and possibly increased by climate response tools. Mass re-forestation and habitat restoration support the natural wildlife of the park while also absorbing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere (Roberts, 2020). The natural environment is one of the most effective ways to reduce CO2. It conserves the wild rather than posting solar panels, wind turbines, and electric dams throughout the park. These modern, manufactured forms of sustainable energy are fantastic in their respects and specific locations, but keeping in mind conserving the park’s “wildness,” restoring it to its former state is the best way to slow climate change. 

“About Climate Change: Adirondack Council.” About Climate Change | Adirondack Council, www.adirondackcouncil.org/page/climate-change-88.html.

“Adirondack Mountains of Northern New York.” Official Adirondack Website | Your Ultimate Guide to the Adirondacks, visitadirondacks.com/.

Berend, Kevin. “Climate Change and the Future of Adirondack Alpine Zones: Adirondack Mountain Club.” Adirondack Mountain Club | Just Another WordPress Site, 26 Jan. 2021, www.adk.org/climate-change-the-future-of-adirondack-alpine-zones/.

“Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI).” Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, 16 June 2021, www.c2es.org/content/regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative-rggi/.

Roberts, Callum, et al. “Climate Change Mitigation and Nature Conservation Both Require Higher Protected Area Targets.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 27 Jan. 2020, royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rstb.2019.0121.

September 29, 2017. “What Is the Clean Power Plan?” NRDC, 29 Jan. 2021, www.nrdc.org/stories/how-clean-power-plan-works-and-why-it-matters.

“Virginia.” Appalachian Regional Commission, 29 June 2021, www.arc.gov/virginia/. 

Farming in New England isn’t the same as it used to be. More and more frequently niche farming is popping up where dairy operations once stood. According to a New York Times article on niche farming, in just 10 years between 1979 and 1989, 700 farms opened in Massachusetts while 380 commercial dairy farms closed (NY Times, 1992). This indicates many small farms, not focused on dairy farming, sprouted amid dairy operation failure. More recently in New Hampshire between 2007 and 2017, approximately 1,230 new farms opened (Brooks, 2019). In those ten years, the average size of a farm plummeted from 141 acres to 113 acres with half of the number being fewer than 45 acres (Brooks, 2019). Through niche farming, New England farmers are reimagining their operations to combat the impacts of the large-scale dairy industry on the farming economy. 

Figure 1. (Brooks, 2019) The graph on the top demonstrates how the number of farms in New Hampshire has increased since 1997. The graph on the bottom demonstrates how the average size of farms have decreased since 1997 in New Hampshire. 

So why is the dairy industry in New England vanishing and small agriculture rising? Vermont was a prominent milk producer for several decades starting around the 1900s (O’Leary, 2018 ). But once an area has its specialty, and it profits well off the commodity, many others try to sweep into that market and do better. Just as Vermont’s grain industry was overpowered by the Midwest in the early 1800s, and the wool industry failed soon after, dairy has become the latest victim. As shown in Table 2, between 1960 and 2012, the Vermont All-Milk price per CWT(100 lbs), wavered relentlessly, decreasing over time. Growing up on a dairy farm in Fairfield, VT, my mom experienced that fluctuation of poverty as milk prices rose and fell regularly. It is an unsustainable way of life, and her father sold his farm when she was in her thirties. Most families can no longer survive on small-scale dairy farming because of the large competition from out west where the land supports bigger farms, more cattle, and cheaper prices. 

Figure 2. (Gould, 2014) Changes in Vermont price of milk per hundredweight between 1960-2012. 

Niche farming varies. At Does Leap Farm in Bakersfield, VT a family raises goats for specialty goat cheese. At Flack Family Farm in Fairfield, VT, the Flack’s turn homegrown organic vegetables into KimChi. These are a couple of niches to keep New England farming viable. Unique products are being found all over New England; Fresh Start Farms in Dunbarton, NH grows African eggplant and amaranth greens, and Nuestras Raices in Holyoke, MA is cultivating West Indian pumpkins (Ciulla, 2015). These niche farms are creating specific products that few others are producing which attracts consumers. People want to buy local products, with 85% of consumers saying they trust small local operations more than big industries (Cowell, 2010). 
The key to niche farming is that it is likely to continue to change. Farmers have to predict the demand for products and hop on the market before big industries catch on (NY Times, 1992).

“About Does’ Leap.” Does’ Leap, doesleap.com/about.

Brooks, David. “Small New Hampshire Farms Are in a Growth Spurt.” Concord Monitor, Concord Monitor, 5 July 2019, www.concordmonitor.com/new-hampshire-farms-agriculture-26579517.

Ciulla, Renee. “New England’s Impressively Unusual Crops.” Rodale Institute, 29 July 2019, rodaleinstitute.org/blog/new-englands-impressively-unusual-crops/.

“Info.” Flack Family Farm, flackfamilyfarm.com/.

“Niche Farms: The Appeal of New Crops.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 May 1992, www.nytimes.com/1992/05/24/us/niche-farms-the-appeal-of-new-crops.html.

“Niche Markets and Small Farming Are Types of Farming Viable to New Farmers.” Grit, www.grit.com/farm-and-garden/niche-markets-and-small-farming-are-types-of-farming-viable-to-new-farmers/.

O’Leary, Tom. “Declining Milk Prices Put the Squeeze on Vermont Dairy Farms.” Basement Medicine, www.basementmedicine.org/features/2018/10/02/declining-milk-prices-put-the-squeeze-on-vermont-dairy-farms/.