farm feature: footprint farm
from farmers to winemakers, to fishermen and cheesemakers- we wouldn’t be able to do what we do here without their hard work and skill. the story of the tillerman includes the stories of all the incredible people who bring this place to life, so we are beginning a new q+a series to shine a light on some of our local food partners who pour their heart into what they do. up first, we have footprint farm! if you have eaten here before, chances are high that any of the greens you’ve eaten came from footprint. even now, in february, many of our dishes include bounty from their farm!
who: taylor mendell of footprint farm
what: year-round organic vegetables
where: starksboro, vermont
(5.2mi from the tillerman)
Tell us about Footprint Farm and the values that guide your work?
Jake and I got started here in Starksboro in 2013 without too much of a long-term vision! We got into farming wanting to address childhood nutrition, but learned early that our passions for teaching, and leading children on field trips through farms was greatly eclipsed by our love of growing food. Since farming is pretty all-consuming, we've dropped our efforts of bringing children directly to the farm, and instead focus now on getting as much fresh, local food to our community as we can. Today we grow a wide diversity of vegetables year-round with a particular focus on greens. We're certified Organic by both VOF and the Real Organic Project, and our products go to a 150 family CSA program and local caterers, restaurants, and the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op. Perhaps unsurprisingly, our primary CSA customers are families with very young children, and our focus for CSA has been to make cooking with fresh produce more accessible to more families. We value growing nutrient dense (which equals flavor!) food through nourishing our soils, providing weekly shares of vegetables that are approachable (not too many weird items, lots of easy to snack on items), and making ourselves available as resources on cooking, gardening, or whatever farming-adjacent topic might come up. We are committed to providing our products to any and all families, which means fundraising and partnering with a number of local organizations to provide CSA subsidies for up to a quarter of our CSA membership each year.
In what ways does community play a role in farming for you?
Our farm couldn't exist without our community, and it's the most valuable and driving force of our work. Jake is from this area, so our first customers were friends and family, and their support got us through the first few years. The COVID years cemented the role of community in our farming life because our CSA membership doubled, and we leaned on each other in a way that is unimaginable otherwise. These days our CSA members are truly interwoven into the fabric of our lives. Our children are growing up together, nourished by the same foods, we have now known and fed some of our neighbors for over a decade, and the line between customer and friend has faded and morphed into a community circle that is quite unique and special. We're the luckiest.
How do you wish for our guests here at the Tillerman to feel when they eat or experience what you grow?
First and foremost, it should taste amazing. We also hope for it to be colorful, vibrant, full of texture, and ultimately a memorable experience. Our favorite experience is to run into someone on the street who says, "Oh my goodness I've been waiting all year for the winter spinach salad at the Tillerman. I can't believe how sweet and vibrant the greens are, and that dressing!!!! It's just incredible." The fine folks at The Tillerman have a way with food, and we are honored to have our ingredients be part of that.
What has working with the land taught you that you wish more people carried with them in their everyday lives?
We believe that humans are meant to interact with the environment around us. We have the privilege to be outside almost every day of the year, noticing the changes from day to day and season to season. We get to know the piece of land that we spend our lives on in a deep, and profound way that makes us feel connected to something bigger, more beautiful, and ultimately awe-inspiring. My wish is for more people to have a connection to a piece of land, even if it isn't in their backyard. To know the bird sounds in the Spring, to watch the incredible growth of plants in the Summer, to remember which trees turn colors first in the Fall, and to feel the peace that comes with the silence in the Winter.
What is a source of inspiration for you at the moment- on or off the farm?
My kids (they're little!) and their enthusiasm. I'm reminded to slow down, marvel in the intricacies of a spider web, and squish my toes in a mud puddle. I'm also inspired by the movement and strengthening of communities. I spend a lot of time in farming communities across the country, and after visiting with farmers in the midwest this winter I'm doubly inspired by the power of individuals united by community.
footprintfarmvt.com
@footprintfarm on instagram
footprint has a robust year-round csa with pickup locations in burlington, bristol, hinesburg, and at the farm in starksboro, learn more on their website!
