In 2018, Vermont Cranberry Company decided to start producing a sparkling cranberry wine and needed to fit up a winery space in the bottom of their barn, buy tanks and equipment. A $15,000 loan from the VFF will allow them to start up the winery.

Understory Farm in Sudbury, VT grows cut flowers for the farmers' market, weddings and events. They came to the Vermont Farm Fund for a $10,000 loan to purchase a greenhouse heater, upgrade their irrigation system and purchase a used delivery vehicle.

A short term bridge loan to Calderwood Goat Dairy allowed them to take advantage of a grant from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets to install a lagoon on site to collect all waste water produced during the winter months so that it can be applied in the spring and summer when the ground is not frozen.

A $10,000 loan from the VFF will allow Jim Thurston to expand his sugaring operation in Hancock, VT, building a new sugar house and installing new piping and lines.

Butterfly Bakery of Vermont applied to the Vermont Farm Fund for a loan to expand its hot sauce line to include specialty craft beer hot sauces created in partnership with local Vermont breweries. She purchases peppers exclusively from Vermont farmers (and is the #1 purchaser of VT grown peppers) and uses many other locally sourced ingredients as well in her products.

Pigasus Meats is a diversified livestock operation in South Hero, VT raising pork and eggs. A Business Builder loan from the VFF helped Pigasus build out infrastructure for their new flock of 2,000 layer hens.

lu.lu artisan ice cream is a small batch, hand-crafted ice cream business founded in Bristol in 2012 with a "farm to spoon" mission. A Business Builder loan from the VFF allowed lu.lu to purchase a blast freezer. This equipment allows them to freeze the ice cream product to -30 degrees in 3-4 hours.

Ansel Ploog and Justin Cote founded Flywheel Farm LLC in Woodbury in 2013 with the goal to create a farm that primarily serves local wholesale and regional markets on limited acreage. Their VFF loan will allow them to purchase transplanters, a larger cistern, and build a small office cabin on the farm.

Calderwood Goat Dairy milks Alpine and Saanen goats, two of the top milking breeds. They came to the Vermont Farm Fund for a Business Builder Loan to build a 40'x104’ coverall barn to be able to expand up to 200 milking head.

Good Heart Farmstead is a certified organic vegetable and herb farm in Worcester, VT owned by husband and wife, Edge Fuentes and Kate Spring. They grow about 40 different crops and market their produce mainly through a CSA, and also sell salad greens to Montpelier restaurants. A $5,000 Business Builder Loan from the VFF allowed them to purchase a Paper Pot transplanter and expand their current irrigation system. 

Vermont Cranberry Company grows and processes cranberries for fresh market sales. They also press 100% cranberry juice, and provide wholesale cranberries for wine, cider and beverage producers. A Business Builder Loan from the Vermont Farm Fund allowed VCC to add berry transfer decks, a berry splitter, pumps and a higher capacity filler to their processing facilities.

A Drop of Joy works directly with local farmers and Vermont-based companies to produce custom juices and condiments from local fruits and vegetables. A $10k Business Builder loan allowed them to upgrade their juicing and mixing equipment.

Cara and Jeremiah turned to the VFF for a $15k Business Builder loan to purchase some efficiency-gaining small equipment and continue work on their farmstand. The Tyrells will use their loan to get their farmstand buttoned up with a concrete floor, insulation, 4-season heat, and a sliding door cooler.