In response to recent years of flooding, drought, and ongoing economic uncertainty, NOFA-VT and the Bennington County Conservation District are coming together to support farmers in southern Vermont through a new Southwest Vermont Farmer Resilience Cohort.
This cohort was created to support farmers in Bennington and Southern Rutland counties by offering a place-based, relational space to build resilience together—sharing strategies, strengthening coordination, and learning from one another’s lived experience. By gathering on farms and grounding conversations in real conditions, the cohort emphasizes that resilience is not only about individual farm practices, but also about community connections and regional collaboration.
From early March through early May, the cohort will gather for four on-farm evening workshops, creating space to learn practical resilience strategies, build relationships, and grow a network of peer support rooted in shared experience. You must first join the cohort before attending meetings. We will be accepting interested farmers into the cohort through February 25, and may welcome late-joiners as space allows. Email [email protected] to explore joining the cohort.
The cohort will meet for four evening gatherings, each hosted on a working farm and focused on a different aspect of resilience. Every session will include:
- A farm tour to ground learning in real-world conditions
- Practical tools and planning strategies
- Dedicated time to apply ideas to your own farm and the regional food system
- Shared meals and plenty of time to connect with peers
All farms are welcome to participate, children are welcome at meetings, and meals and beverages will be provided. Recognizing the demands of early spring, we hope participants can attend all sessions, but understand if that isn’t possible.
Participating farms will receive a $75 stipend per meeting, up to $300 per farm.
Cohort Sessions
- Early March (March 2, 3, or 4) – Farm Financial Resilience Planning, The Goat project, Bennington
- March 25 – Community Resilience Planning at Clear Brook Farm, Shaftsbury
- April 15 – Farm Climate Resilience Planning at Squier Family Farm, Tinmouth
- April 28 – Regional Organizing for Resilience at Earth Sky Time Community Farm, Manchester
