Old Soul Farm

Planting trees for clean water

In 2022, over a period of two days, 50 volunteers gathered on one of Old Soul Farm’s former hayfields with a singular goal: to plant 800 trees. They came from Ursa Major, Suncommon, Eco Americorps, Friends of the Winooski River, Partners for Fish and Wildlife, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board.

The volunteers planted white pines, paper birches, choke cherries, and several other native species that thrive in sunny, fallow fields—and let nature do the rest.

Support for a cleaner Lake Champlain

The effort is part of a larger initiative to improve Vermont’s water quality by reforesting areas of farmland that feed directly into wetlands and watersheds.

At Old Soul Farm, that means planting trees that will slow and absorb water and nutrients from running into the neighboring Steven’s Branch of the Winooski River, which eventually flows into Lake Champlain.

Returning some farmland to forest for healthy streams and rivers

“Historically farmers used all of the available land on their farms that they could, but there’s a growing awareness that our streamside areas are better suited to improving water quality,” said VLT ecologist, Allaire Diamond.

We are working with farmers and funders to take some of their lands out of production along streams and wetlands. The lands return to forests through planting projects like the one that Allaire and others took on at Old Soul Farm.

Small streams have a big impact on clean water

The stream at Old Soul Farm may not look like much, but it’s these small streams that have an outsized impact on clean water in larger rivers. The trees planted here will help filter excess nutrients from farms, yards, and other development, before these nutrients reach the bigger, faster-flowing rivers.

Because the trees were planted along a busy road, neighbors volunteers, and farm customers will be able to watch this patch of woods grow over time.

“Farmers Kim and Matt are very community-oriented,” said VLT Eco AmeriCorps member Evan Foster (far right), who helped organize the volunteer days. “Having people they serve with the farm come out and support them with this planting was great.”