Meet Annie Diemand of Diemand Farm. To me, Annie is a bit of a celebrity since her family’s eggs are my family’s favorites! I spent yesterday with Annie on her Wendell farm, learning about the history of her family’s efforts.
Annie and I talked about a lot of things, from how difficult it is for small farmers, to the critical role of a legislator as an advocate for small businesses, to the role of State government in safe guarding farming as a way of life in our district.
The picture on the left is of a cow shed which was supported, in part, by a state grant. This shed helps make Diemand Farm’s composting business possible. Annie, like so many farmers, is making ends meet through creative side businesses like compost and a family store.
Earlier in the day, I spent time with Nathan L’Etoile of Four Star Farms in Northfield, pictured right. Nathan is a 13th generation farmer. He and his family farm 300 acres along the Connecticut River. They farm hops, which are core to local breweries like People’s Pint and BBC and wheat. Their flour (which they mill on site) is a staple of Hungry Ghost Bread and on sale at Green Fields Market and River Valley Co-op. Four Star Farms is part of the state’s land protection programs, hoping to get a grant for an innovative solar project which pairs large solar arrays with large farm fields.
Nathan thinks a lot about the responsibility his farm has to its workers, many of whom the farm employs year round. And he thinks about how to be the best steward of his beautiful land.
