Forest & Farm
Forest & Farm founder, Jennifer, harvesting fresh berries.
Forest & Farm is a small-scale, family-run farmstead located on 32 beautiful acres of mostly forested land. The farm focuses on no-till vegetable and fruit farming, offering a variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, sustainably foraged products, syrups, jams, jellies, and other preserves. They also produce small-batch homegrown or foraged teas, spices, and salves. The farm’s managed forest and environmentally protected wetlands, along with no-till garden spaces, serve as a hub for nature-connection opportunities, numerous skill and nature-based workshops, and overnight accommodations for guests, including tent camping and cabins.
The loan from the Fair Finance Fund will provide Forest & Farm with the financial stability needed to purchase materials and additional equipment to create new infrastructure, such as greenhouses, a wash station, and an outdoor kitchen/community dining area. These additions will enable the farm to extend their typical outdoor growing season, offering higher volumes of fresh local food to the community. The new infrastructure will also facilitate workshops for individuals and groups, immediately enhancing their educational offerings.
Deepening Connection to the Land
The loan will support Forest & Farm’s growth, allowing them to increase the availability of locally produced fresh produce and value-added products. This will help mitigate the high costs associated with long-haul shipment of produce typically available in the area. By providing classes, courses, and workshops focused on food security skills, Forest & Farm will boost local food production possibilities, potentially reducing dependency on food shipped from distant locations. Over time, these measures can help lower emissions related to truck-based food shipments. Additionally, the farm plans to create jobs during the core growing season, with a focus on hiring and mentoring youth, thereby contributing to the local economy.
Forest & Farm is dedicated to environmental preservation and restoration. They plan to enact a Forest Management Plan for the 30-acre forest, including the environmentally protected wetland, by installing trails, boardwalks, bridges, and stairways to minimize visitor impact on sensitive areas. Cabins will be built in less-sensitive areas using existing deadfall lumber, providing housing for participants of weekend-long workshops. Compost toilets will be constructed to ensure that waste produced on-site does not harm the soil but instead produces compost material that can be safely disposed of away from food production areas.
The farm’s ecological farming methods and conservation of wild spaces are designed to keep the environmental impact of the business in balance with nature for the long term. They aim to reduce reliance on off-farm inputs through seed-saving, crop rotation, season extensions aided by greenhouses, and on-site soil composition improvements via composting. By promoting sustainable farming practices and providing environmental education, Forest & Farm fosters a deeper connection to the land and enhances the community’s capacity for self-sufficiency and stewardship.
Forest & Farm strives to create a space where individuals of all ages and backgrounds can feel welcome and supported in advancing their environmental and outdoor learning through collective and collaborative workshops and training sessions throughout the year. By collaborating with local organizations and knowledge-keepers, they ensure continuous learning and experience sharing, enriching each individual's capacity for self-sufficiency and stewardship, and benefiting the communities they belong to.
