Board

Amanda Andrews - Tamarack Hollow Farm, Plainfield

Amanda is an organic vegetable farmer passionate about food, environment, labor and how these factors intersect in the regional food economy. In her work as a farm owner and operator, Amanda endeavors to create a business that empowers her employees to learn the business operation, mechanical, and food production skills that drive our rural communities. She lives and works in Plainfield with her daughter and partner.

Jeannie Bartlett grew up among the rocky hill-farms of western Massachusetts, and she has always been grounded by the people and the land who grow her food. From 2016 to early 2021 she managed the Franklin County Conservation District, where she was honored to work with farmers to improve their environmental stewardship and their financial viability. Jeannie now lives in central Vermont and works propagating fruit trees, as well as planting and pruning them in peoples' backyards. She is working towards starting her own fruit farm.

John Cleary — Cleary Family Farm, Plainfield

John and his wife Lauren own a diversified organic livestock farm in Plainfield, VT. Together with their 4 kids, they raise grass-fed beef, pork, chickens and dairy heifers. John has worked with various organizations over the last 18 years on organic and sustainable farm policy. He currently oversees the field operations in New England for Organic Valley dairy cooperative. He is a strong believer in the power of grass-based farming to both heal the soil and boost the economy of our rural state.

Silene DeCiucies, Elmore

Silene is from Elmore, and returned to the area two years ago to buy land and build a house two miles from where she grew up. She has a master's in crop and soil science and has worked on livestock, dairy, and vegetable farms in Washington state and Central New York.  Upon returning to Vermont, Silene worked for the Lamoille County Conservation District coordinating agriculture programming and working with small dairy farms in the area. She now works for Center For an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick as a farm business planner and specializes in working with small organic and conventional dairy farms. Silene is inspired by the rural agricultural landscape and hopes to do her best to preserve it through her work with farms, businesses, and community members. She enjoys cross country skiing, running, working on her house, pottery, and making cheese.

Nour is a part time vegetable farmer, part time rugby player, and co-manager of The People’s Farmstand, a weekly farmstand providing local veggies to all, regardless of ability to pay. With great admiration for Vermont’s farmers as well as its natural landscapes, Nour serves as a research assistant and working group member for the state’s Payment for Ecosystem Services program. Some of his personal research endeavors include cross-cultural exchange, vertical farming, food justice, composting, and urban green spaces. Nour takes pride in his Arab-Muslim heritage and connects through traditional food, music, and language. If there are friends, family, books, or bikes, you can presume his heart is full.

Earl Hatley, Quechee

Earl Hatley is a well trained and experienced environmental organizer who utilizes his training and experience to serve as a consultant to tribal and non-tribal groups (non-profits & tribal governments). He has served as an environmental consultant to Indian Tribes and Alaska Native Villages, as well as indigenous grassroots groups around the country. Earl’s work has included helping tribal governments to develop environmental programs, water and air quality monitoring projects, write quality control instruments, write grants, conduct culturally based risk assessments, and conduct hazardous waste site investigations. Earl also serves as an organizing consultant to national and state-wide non-profit groups, including Western Mining Action Network and the Indigenous Environmental Network. He is an enrolled citizen of the Missisquoi Band of Abenaki Nation with Cherokee/Shawnee heritage and a disabled veteran. Earl is retired.

Cory Froning and Jake Kornfeld - The Farm Upstream, Jericho

Cory and Jake are member owners of a diversified organic farm along with 3 other business partners. While slowly shifting more of their time over to The Farm Upstream, Jake grows food and mentors young people at the Farm at  VYCC and Cory is a student in the UVM Masters of Social Work Program. 

They are inspired by the way any issue of justice can be impacted through food and use their farm as a tool in that pursuit. Cory dreams of opening an on-farm therapy practice and Jake dreams of healthy soils. Together Jake and Cory enjoy paddling in quiet places, goofing around with their dogs, and being a part of their community. 

Stephen Leslie - Cedar Mountain Farm, Hartland

Stephen Leslie, alongside his wife and business partner, Kerry Gawalt, owns and manages Cedar Mountain Farm & Cobb Hill Cheese company, where they grow vegetables and maintain a herd of 20 Jersey cows. Stephen & Kerry moved to the Upper Valley in 1996 to be part of the eco-village & farm that would eventually become Cobb Hill Co-housing in Hartland, VT. Stephen has written two books on draft animal power (The New Horse-Powered Farm & Horse-Powered Farming for the 21st Century), and has written numerous articles for farm journals and been a regular presenter at animal-powered field days and NOFA conferences.

Stephen has always considered his farming activity to be an expression of "non-violent direct action". In 2018, alarmed by the report from the UN's IPPC on accelerated abrupt climate change, he joined the Climate Justice movement and helped found a chapter of Extinction Rebellion in the Upper Valley. Since then his activism has focused on showing up in policy spaces as a farmer activist & soil advocate.

More recently on the farm, Stephen and Kerry have begun incorporating elements of silvopasture and agroforestry into their management practices.

Marya is a dairy farmworker and organic flower farmer in central Vermont. They grew up on an organic vegetable farm in Brookfield, returning to the state after studying Environmental Biology at Columbia University. They now work for Rockbottom Dairy Farm, while growing flowers and making dried arrangements on the side. Marya is excited to tackle issues related to climate change resilience, farmworker justice, small dairy viability, and decolonizing land access. They were an intern with Rural Vermont in 2016, and enjoy hiking, finding new swimming holes, and baking copious amounts of holiday cookies.

Emily and Evan Reiss - Fledgling Farmstead, Tunbridge

Evan and Emily Reiss are two of three co-owners of Fledgling Farmstead, a diversified farm and homestead in Tunbridge, Vermont. They grow organically-managed vegetables, herbs and flowers and raise a small herd of Guernsey cows, laying hens, and a flock of mixed-breed sheep. In addition to farming, Emily and Evan are always seeking ways to engage and grow a sense of community through on-farm events. Together, they have a broad vision and hope for a more supported and accessible agricultural system.

Em Virzi & Rose Thackeray - Union Bridge Farm, Northfield

Em + Rose own a small diversified pasture based livestock farm in Northfield VT- Union Brook Farm. They do pastured poultry, pigs and run a small flock of sheep.  They are passionate about on farm slaughter and do their best to provide a stress free end of life for all their animals. Em and Rose also help facilitate workshops for on-farm poultry slaughter so folks from all walks of life can come learn how to raise their own meat and process it safely and effectively. Union Brook Farm also cooks their farm fresh foods to order for folks at the Capital City Farmers Markets year round cooking "hyper local" breakfast sandwiches that have generated quite the buzz in the capital. Em + Rose enjoy skiing, having dinner with friends and cooking elaborate meals in the off season.

Julie Wolcott - Green Wind Farm, Fairfield

Julie farms  with her partner, Stephen MacCausland and family in Fairfield. After 40 years of grazing and milking cows, Green Wind Farm will be transferring ownership of their Jersey cattle as well as leasing the dairy barn and 50 acres to their young neighbors. John and Cassie Tiffany so they may start their farming careers with working systems, a contract with Stonyfield Organic and a live-in mentor (Julie).  Maple syrup is produced and sold retail, wholesale and in bulk to Pumpkin Village Foods (Son Seth’s distribution business). To preserve farms and soils for future generations, small farm sustainability and soil health improvement are strong motivators. 

Julie is actively involved in numerous Fairfield community and school organizations. She puts time into supporting Franklin County Dairy Promotion’s activities and state wide Dairy in the Classroom programming. Regionally, Julie helps to facilitate strong, working relationships between farms, farmers and schools.

Julie has served on the Fairfield School Board, as a District 6 Environmental Commission Member, on the Vermont Natural Resource Council Board and as a member of the Vermont Council on Rural Development’s Agriculture Viability Council. 

In October 2021, we lost Dexter Randall, a near and dear member of the Rural Vermont family. Dexter was among Rural Vermont's first farmer leaders, served on the Board from 1993-2012, and was a Rural Vermont Emeritus Board Member until he passed. Over many decades, he made enormous and countless contributions to Rural Vermont and for the benefit of farmers everywhere. He will be sorely missed and holds a special place in Rural Vermont's heart and history.