The history that came before us
The practice of tending land in community—rather than in private, nuclear family ownership—has been practiced for literally thousands of years by the Indigenous communities who stewarded this land.
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Additionally, Black Americans have led the cooperative movement in this nation.
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Black-led cooperatives today lead the nation in demonstrating how cooperatives can function well to serve communities and steward land, even as they continue to face deeply entrenched challenges from the racism endemic to who has access to capital, to land, and to political power in this nation
Our Story
Our work builds on previous community land trust models that were created to hold farmland collaboratively. As we create our structures for community ownership, we are taking inspiration from initiatives that include New Communities in Albany, GA and Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom Farm Cooperative in Sunflower County, MS, both of which were created during the civil rights movement as a way to secure land owned by Black farmers.
Preserving a Historic Farm
In late 2020, a young farmer's decision to sell his organic dairy cows and the historic 200-acre farm sparked concern in the community. The local agricultural community wanted to ensure the farm remained in operation, but the high asking price posed a challenge for prospective farmers. Recognizing the importance of securing local farmland, the White River Land Collaborative (WRLC) was formed in collaboration with residents and farmers in the area.
Partnerships and Land Acquisition
WRLC partnered with the Vermont Land Trust (VLT), which held a conservation easement on part of the farm. In June 2021, with the support of Norwich Solar, WRLC and VLT secured the Tunbridge farm.
The collaboration enabled WRLC to explore additional opportunities, such as the potential for a solar array on a previously clear-cut section of the forested land. With VLT's purchase of the land, WRLC entered into a lease agreement with an option to purchase, creating a path towards transforming the property into a community resource.
Expanding Stewardship and Collaboration
As the agreement with VLT secured the property, WRLC reached out to a member of the local Abenaki community and an Environmental Science graduate, Emily Boles. Together with Dan 'Rudi' Ruddell, a Tunbridge resident and watershed scientist, they embarked on an Abenaki-led Forest Management Project.
The project aimed to inventory plant species, reintroduce culturally significant native plants, and enhance biodiversity. This collaboration showcases the commitment of WRLC to ecological stewardship, cultural preservation, and inclusive land management practices.
What This Work Has Enabled
"When I found out this farm was for sale, my first reaction was sadness - it meant another farmer we knew was going out of business. I also realized this farm could be exactly what I need to keep building my farm business in my own community. But trying to buy it on my own would lead me to debt and failure.
The model that we are building as White River Land Collaborative will give me the opportunity to be a steward of this important land, working in collaboration with others, and investing in regenerative farming practices while keeping the food I produce accessible to my community.”
Shona Sanford-Long
Farm Owner & Operator
Flying Dog Farm
Help keep Vermont farms in community hands
When you support this mission, you are helping keep our land out of extractive corporate hands, and rather preserve it to cultivate reciprocal relationships between people, place and community.
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