ICF is Buying a Farm
ICF Board recently visited and toured the new farm land.
Intervale Community Farm is working with the Vermont Land Trust to purchase and conserve a farm in the Munson Flats area of Colchester, VT. This property will provide additional acreage for ICF to grow more vegetables in the future, as well as help us diversify the land in cultivation and reduce our risk of flood-related losses. We will continue to center our production and CSA distribution in the Intervale, where top producing soils and proximity to population have served us well since 1990.
With 18 acres of gently sloping sandy and silty soils, this location between Route 7 and Interstate 89 also includes 35 acres of wetland and riparian conservation areas. Suitable soils, reasonable distance, and access to irrigation water in volume all pointed to this property as a good fit for Intervale Community Farm to find a permanent location without flood risk. This land will take the place of land ICF has been leasing from Full Moon Farm in Hinesburg.
ICF is excited to work with the Vermont Land Trust to conserve the agricultural land, protect the wetlands & riparian areas, and reduce the overall purchase price for ICF. VLT’s Executive Vice President Tyler Miller noted, “This project is a great example of what Vermont Land Trust’s Farmland Access Program is all about: supporting farms as they grow, adapt, and build long-term stability. By helping Intervale Community Farm secure its first piece of owned farmland, we’re expanding local food production while improving climate resilience and conserving important natural resources for the future.”
ICF and VLT are still working out the details of the sale, but ICF began leasing the land this summer and plans to begin growing some vegetables there in 2027. We expect the final sale with VLT to happen sometime at the end of 2026 or into 2027. We will keep you posted!
ICF built our greenhouse complex and financed our wash and storage barn with loans from our ICF Co-op members, and we plan to do the same with this farm purchase. If you have the interest in lending to ICF for this project, please email Farm Manager Andy Jonesor speak with a staff member at pickup. More details will also follow about this opportunity. It's always a good time to become a member of the ICF Co-op. Go here for information.