A new forever farm in Rutland County delivers local produce
When they started Soaring Meadow Farm about ten years ago, Amanda and Ken Carter were renting land. Without land security, they moved from one leased parcel to another several times before finding the farm they can now call home.
The Carters were able to buy land in West Haven two years ago, and this fall they conserved over 100 acres of farmland and woods with us. Conservation grant funding made the purchase more affordable, and the land is protected for the future. They finally have a place they can settle into securely.
“It is a particular pleasure to work with people like Ken and Amanda,” says Don Campbell, VLT’s southwest Project Director. “This couple works incredibly hard and are committed to improving the land with thoughtful agricultural management.”
Ken and Amanda are establishing Soaring Meadow on the property’s open land. They produce beef, pork, poultry, eggs, and vegetables, with a focus on soil health, and sell directly to consumers. Last year, they also sold at the Fair Haven Farmers’ Market.
Ken and Amanda Carter’s son, Liam, holds up a conserved land sign after their farm was conserved.
Streams, wetlands, and woods also protected
The parcel reflects the diversity of the surrounding Champlain Basin landscape, from rolling fields to species-rich woodlands. It includes streams and wetlands that now have additional conservation protections for clean water and flood resilience.
Last year, the Carters partnered with us to plant over 100 trees along wetlands and two streams that feed Coggman Creek, which in turn feeds the Poultney River. The arrowwood, bur oak, shrub willow, and gray and silky dogwoods planted here will reduce erosion and runoff and enhance wildlife habitat.
In 2023, the Carters partnered with us to plant over 100 trees along wetlands and two streams that feed Coggman Creek, which in turn feeds the Poultney River.
Adding to conserved farms in West Haven
Abutting the conserved lands of the Charron Family, and in the neighborhood of several other conserved farms, the Carters are now part of a diverse farm community. Cows, crops, vegetables, and more are grown in West Haven.
In 2018, for example, we helped Tanya Tolchin and Scott Hertzberg protect nearby Otter Point Farm in 2018. They grow organic vegetables, flowers, herbs and berries, and are partners in the Farmacy Program run by the Vermont Farmers Food Center, which provides local produce to families all over Rutland County.
The conservation of Amanda Ken’s farm and was funded by the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, with matching funds from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
