Thanks for your interest in the Middlebury College Organic Farm! We are constantly learning, exploring, and experimenting in order to create a farming system that works for us. However, as we go through that process, we will share what we’ve learned so far. Please, if you have ideas that have worked for you, share!! And if you have other questions, please feel free to email us: mcof@middlebury.edu.
When was the farm started? The farm was started in 2003. On our about page, you can read the original farm proposal, written by Bennet Konesni, Jean Hamilton, Amber Trotter, and co. There was a fair bit of discussion to figure out where to site the farm. It was primarily a student driven initiative, with the aid of some professors and community members. The student group MCOF was created at the same time, in order to further the projects of the farm both during and between growing seasons.
Who works at the farm? We hire 2 spring fall interns at about 10 hrs per week each and 4 full time (35 hrs per week) summer interns. We also hold weekly open volunteer hours, where anyone (student, faculty, or community member) is welcome to come down and help out. We’ve done both a volunteer CSA and a more informal volunteer for veggies program in thanks for folks’ time. Sophie Esser Calvi is the Middlebury College Food and Farm Educator, and she supervises workers at the farm, helping coordinate planting, harvesting, maintenance, events and other projects.
What is the role of the MCOF student organization? MCOF is both a space (our farm) and a student organization. While things are still growing (so late spring and early fall), much of our activity is concentrated on the knoll. We hold harvest festivals, work parties, bonfires, and more. Once the growing season wraps up, we transition to activities like film screenings, guest lectures, farmer panels, dinners, workshops, and more. Our activities each year vary depending on where student interest lies. We elect two student co-directors to lead the group each year.
What roadblocks have you faced? I think we’ve been pretty lucky. Our space has a few limitations: there is no electricity leading out to the farm, so we are really only there during the day, and our well is powered with a solar panel. We are also a small patch of good soil surrounded by a pretty marshy, clay-ey area, so we are a bit confined. However, the knoll is a magical space, and has worked quite well for the work we are doing. It inspires us to be more creative!!