Boyd Family Farm stands as a fifth-generation Vermont hillside farm founded in 1923 and operating continuously for over 100 years at 125 East Dover Road, Wilmington, VT 05363 (phone: 802-464-5618), originally starting as a dairy operation before transforming into a diversified horticultural enterprise specializing in Vermont berry picking, Vermont wedding flowers, Zone 4 hardy plants, and seasonal Vermont farm experiences in the Deerfield Valley minutes from Wilmington Center. The true family affair involves nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts, uncles, and parents across generations, with key family members including Janet Boyd, who created the renowned Deerfield Valley Blueberry Festival that became one of Vermont's Top 10 Summer Events and led to a Vermont House Concurrent Resolution (H.C.R.332) designating the region as "Blueberry Capital of Vermont," showcasing the farm's deep Vermont agritourism roots and community leadership. Open daily 9:00 AM-5:00 PM May through December, this Vermont organic farm offers extensive pick-your-own blueberries (mid-July through August) and raspberries (summer into fall) with handicap-accessible rows, typically priced in the $3-4 per pound range for u-pick berries, plus a comprehensive farm stand selling beans, beets, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, honey, and Vermont maple syrup alongside their nursery featuring annuals, perennials, mums, poinsettias, fruit trees, berry bushes, and Zone 4 hardy roses perfect for Vermont's challenging climate. Boyd Family Farm has earned exceptional 4.8 stars from 33 Chamber of Commerce reviewers and 88% Facebook recommendations with customers praising their "most beautiful freshly cut Christmas trees" at prices "well within market," their Vermont wedding flower services described as "incredibly talented" and "very reasonably priced" with brides reporting Janet "came in well under the initial budget" even during droughts, and their blueberries noted as "not sprayed" so they can be enjoyed fresh off the bush. The farm's unique "Chapel in the Mowing" wedding venue features whitewashed benches on hay bales surrounded by Vermont landscapes, while their property boasts the "biggest stone wall in Southern Vermont," multiple greenhouses (16 total), a Mum Patch and Pumpkin Barn for fall decorations, and 20 acres of sugar bush with 3,800 maple taps producing Vermont maple products. Operating a Vermont CSA program ("Know your Farmer - Know Your Food"), free farm.o.l.o.g.y. workshops on pruning, landscaping, and blueberry cultivation, plus offering landscaping services, property caretaking, and snowmobile storage, Boyd Family Farm extends beyond typical Vermont farm stands to provide comprehensive community education featured on Vermont's official tourism sites. With 150+ acres cultivated across Windham County, fresh Vermont Christmas wreaths and roping shipped nationwide, birthday parties, farm tours, and participation in multiple Vermont farmers markets, this authentic Vermont family farm continues traditions started a century ago while remaining a cornerstone of Southern Vermont's local food movement and agricultural heritage.
Paul Dutton graduated from UVM with an agriculture degree in 1981, bought 32 acres in Brookline, and started growing strawberries. Forty-plus years later, Dutton Berry Farm has become one of southern Vermont's most beloved pick-your-own spots and farm stands. Three generations work the place now. They run three locations across Windham County: the flagship Newfane store at 407 VT-30 (802-365-4168), Manchester Center at 2083 Depot Street (802-362-3083), and West Brattleboro at 308 Marlboro Road (802-254-0254). The family cultivates over 150 acres with 85% of produce grown on-site, which is honestly impressive when so many "farm stands" are basically fancy grocery stores. Pick-your-own strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries run from late June through August, PYO fields open 7am to 5pm daily during berry season at Newfane. But here's where it gets dangerous for your waistline. Their on-site bakery makes fresh pies, cider donuts, blueberry bars, and raspberry rhubarb creations that smell absolutely incredible when you walk in from the fields. The maple sugarhouse taps 3,800 trees and produces around 1,200 gallons of Vermont maple syrup annually. Get the maple creemees. Trust me on this. TripAdvisor gives them 4.7 out of 5 with a Travelers' Choice Award, reviewers going on about "amazing vegetables" and the "absolute gem bakery" and "reasonably-priced fresh berries." Open 364 days a year (closed only Christmas Day), typical hours 8am to 7pm daily. They press apple cider on-site weekly, sell Christmas trees, stock Vermont craft beverages and artisan products. One of the most accessible roadside produce stands in the region and genuinely worth the drive. The kind of Vermont farm experience tourists and locals both agree on.
Big Picture Farm in Townshend, Vermont has quietly become one of America's most celebrated artisan confectioners, which is pretty remarkable when you learn the backstory. Founders Lucas Farrell and Louisa Conrad (a poet and artist who met at Middlebury College, of all places) started their farmstead goat dairy in 2010 after apprenticing at Blue Ledge Farm. Today they're working 100 acres of pasture and woodland with 40-45 dairy goats, mostly French Alpines, Saanens, and Nubians that are Certified Animal Welfare Approved by A Greener World. Their signature goat milk caramels use fresh raw farmstead milk, organic sugar cane, Vermont cow cream, goat butter, and sea salt, all GMO-free and locally sourced. The awards tell the story... 12+ national honors including five Gold SOFI Awards at the Fancy Food Show (Sea Salt & Bourbon Vanilla 2012, Chai 2015, Raspberry Rhubarb Best New Product 2015, Maple Cream 2020), plus three to four Good Food Awards and Best Confection four times over. You can find their stuff in 1,200+ retail outlets nationwide now. Flavors include the original Sea Salt & Bourbon Vanilla, Chai made with Chai Wallah organic chai, Maple Cream using maple from Plummer's Sugarhouse in Grafton, Cocoa Latte, Brown Butter Bourbon, and seasonal varieties. Prices range from $8.99 for a Pocket Pack up to $68 for premium gift boxes, with free shipping on orders over $100. The retail shop at 109 Grafton Road is open weekdays around 8/9am-4pm (☎ 802-221-0547, and seriously call ahead because they're a working farm). Goat Hangouts happen most Sundays at 10am by appointment. You can even book farm stays in the 9-bedroom Farmhouse, Colt Barn, or Solar Cabin on Airbnb and VRBO. Random detail that got me: Louisa hand-paints watercolor goat illustrations for the packaging, and each caramel has a cocoa butter impression of an actual farm goat pressed into it. This solar-powered farm does rotational grazing and produces its own eggs and pork too, making Big Picture Farm the real deal for Vermont handcrafted candy, small-batch artisan caramels, and authentic farm-to-table confections.
This place has roots stretching back to 1837 when it started as a working therapeutic farm for the Brattleboro Retreat. Almost 188 years old now. One of the oldest continuously operating farms in the region, and I think that history matters because you can feel it when you walk around the property. Retreat Farm is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit stewarding over 500 acres of conserved forests and farmlands with 11+ miles of free public trails. The big news? They opened their Retreat Farm Market & Food Center in June 2024 at 400 Linden Street (802-490-2270), and it's genuinely impressive. The space has this museum-inspired retail vibe showcasing 100+ hand-selected regional producers: award-winning Vermont cheeses, artisan maple syrup, craft beverages, handmade chocolates, local meats from southern Vermont artisans. The building's a renovated cheese factory with daily cheese sampling from experts Friday through Sunday. Right next door, the Thirsty Goat Bar serves Vermont craft beverages Thursday through Sunday if you want to make an afternoon of it. TripAdvisor gives them 4.4 out of 5 stars with a Travelers' Choice Award and they're certified for meeting animal welfare guidelines. Reviewers call the nonprofit mission "phenomenal" and the property "gorgeous" and a "must-see." Nine historic barns, the 1887 Retreat Tower, and somehow also the Harris Hill Olympic ski jump are all here. Market hours run Wednesday through Monday 10am to 6pm (closed Tuesdays), but the trails and grounds stay free and open daily from dawn to dusk. Bring kids. Seriously. There are oxen, goats, donkeys, chickens, a Forest Playground with a mud kitchen, a Storybook Walk trail, and picnic supplies in the market. Summer Food Truck Roundup events draw up to 1,500 people. The property sits on traditional Abenaki homelands with bilingual interpretive signage, which I appreciate them acknowledging. This Brattleboro farm market pulls together sustainable agriculture, community food access, and Vermont's agricultural heritage in a way that actually works. Not just a farm store. An experience.
Grafton Village Cheese Company isn't just another Vermont cheddar producer. It's a 130+ year old institution. Founded back in 1892 as the Grafton Cooperative Cheese Company when dairy farmers started converting surplus raw milk into cheese (no refrigeration meant you had to get creative), this place has serious staying power. The nonprofit Windham Foundation revived the operation in the 1960s, and Vermont Farmstead Cheese Company acquired it in April 2025, though honestly you wouldn't notice much has changed because master cheesemaker Mariano Gonzalez (40+ years of experience, which is kind of insane) still runs the show using traditional old-style cheddaring with unpasteurized raw milk from local Jersey cow farms that are all rBST hormone-free and antibiotic-tested. Their cave-aged lineup matures in facilities kept at 55°F with 90%+ humidity, and I'll admit the first time I tried their 2 Year Aged Cheddar (13 prestigious awards) I actually stopped mid-bite because the sharpness hit different than anything from a supermarket shelf. Other standouts include the Clothbound Cheddar aged 7+ months (2025 American Cheese Society 1st place winner), the Shepsog mixed-milk cheese, Bear Hill 100% sheep's milk (2013 World's Best Sheep, 2017 Good Food Award), Maple Smoked Cheddar, and the Storyteller sheep's milk variety. They're pumping out roughly 1 million pounds annually from 10 million pounds of Vermont milk. With a 4.5/5 TripAdvisor rating from 148 reviews plus a Travelers' Choice Award and #1 Shopping ranking in Proctorsville, visitors love sampling nearly 20 cheese varieties with genuinely friendly staff and viewing windows where you can watch the whole cheesemaking process unfold. Prices run about $16-22 per pound depending on variety, available at Whole Foods, specialty cheese shops, and online through Dakin Farm. Both stores are open daily 10am-6pm (☎ 802-246-1000). This Vermont Cheese Trail essential has racked up dozens of awards including multiple American Cheese Society wins, World Cheese Awards Super Gold honors, Good Food Awards, Wine Spectator's 100 Great Cheeses of the World recognition, and numerous sofi Awards. Yeah, Grafton's earned its reputation as a premier producer of aged Vermont white cheddar and handcrafted artisan cheese.
Brattleboro Food Co-op celebrates 50 years as Vermont's premier community-owned natural foods cooperative, founded in 1975 as a small buying club in a Green Mountain Health Center basement and evolving through four locations before opening their current 14,580-square-foot flagship store at 2 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301 (phone: 802-257-0236) in June 2012 within an award-winning four-story building featuring 24 affordable apartments, solar panels, heat recovery systems utilizing refrigeration waste heat, green roof for stormwater management, and permeable parking surfaces that earned the prestigious 2015 HUD Secretary's Housing and Community Design Award (one of only two nationwide) plus 2015 Creating Community Connection Award. Democratically owned by over 9,000 active shareholders who each invest a $80 lifetime membership (reducible to $20 through the BFC Shareholder Assistance Grant, payable in small increments) providing voting rights, patronage dividend eligibility, and access to Working Member (5% discount for 2 hours monthly volunteering) or Food For All (automatic 10% discount) programs, this Vermont food cooperative welcomes all shoppers regardless of membership status at their downtown location open Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM-8:00 PM and Sunday 9:00 AM-8:00 PM. The Vermont organic market earned 2025 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice recognition ranking #10 of 59 Brattleboro restaurants with 4.5 of 5 stars from 145 reviews plus 116 Yelp reviews, with customers praising it as "Better than a Whole Foods with the charm of the town," noting "incredible selection" including "20 different gluten free dishes" at their deli, "extensive wine selection...priced several dollars less than home," "fantastic craft beer selection," and "large and eclectic cheese department" featuring local and international artisan cheeses with Vermont-made products throughout. This Vermont specialty grocery operates full-service deli and catering with handmade sandwiches, brick oven pizzas, salad and noodle bars, smoothie/juice bar, grab-and-go breakfast/lunch/dinner options accommodating gluten-free and vegan diets, plus comprehensive departments including local fresh produce (exponentially more spring-fall), fresh-cut meat and seafood, bulk foods (grains, nuts, dried fruits, spices, teas), natural wellness products, and notable Thursday noon Heady Topper arrivals in their craft beer section. The co-op's Community Supported Enterprise model emphasizes "healthy, locally grown, organic and fairly traded goods" at reasonable prices through Co-op Deals, Dottie's Products (lowest-priced items), Co-op Basics everyday low prices, and senior discounts (10% Tuesdays/Thursdays), while accepting SNAP/EBT Vermont Express Cards and participating in Vermont Farmers Market Association and NOFA-VT networks as part of National Co+op Grocers. Beyond being a Vermont farm-to-table destination, Brattleboro Food Co-op functions as a dynamic downtown anchor and community gathering space with free wi-fi, charging stations, café seating with live music from local musicians, cooking classes (children and adults), twice-monthly "Food for Thought" newsletter reaching 9,000+ shareholders, Round Up for Change program supporting two monthly non-profit organizations, BFC Cares community support initiative, and Producer of the Month program highlighting local growers through in-store demonstrations reaching members via Facebook, Instagram (@brattleborofoodcoop, 4,678 followers), and social media promotion. Located across from Amtrak's Brattleboro station with free parking, wheelchair accessibility, and air conditioning, this Vermont community market offers curbside shopping, online ordering, catering services highly praised in reviews, community room rentals, and educational programming while maintaining cooperative principles of democratic member control, voluntary open membership, and concern for community that have sustained this local food cornerstone through nearly five decades of service to southeastern Vermont.
Earth Sky Time Community Farm and Hearth operates as a certified organic three-generation family farm and wood-fired bakery in Manchester Center, Vermont, founded by Oliver and Bonnie Levis who returned to Vermont in the early 2000s after Oliver graduated from UVM and Cornell's agriculture programs. The farm officially established as Earth Sky Time in 2009 and has been producing artisan breads since 2011 when they installed their massive 40,000-pound Llopis rotating hearth oven shipped from Barcelona, Spain, which now produces 2,000-3,000 loaves weekly across 16+ varieties including their cult-favorite "Stevie Wonder bread," naturally leavened sourdough breads, and gluten-free options. Located at 1547 Main St, Manchester Center, VT 05255 (phone: 802-384-1400), this Vermont organic market operates a unique 24/7 honor-system farm store open six days weekly (closed Saturdays) from 9:30 AM-5:00 PM, selling certified organic vegetables from their 6-acre farm, pick-your-own berries from 1.5 acres, farm-to-table prepared foods like wood-fired veggie burgers and hoomoos, plus bulk staples and fresh eggs. The farm operates as a communal enterprise with approximately 20 interns and WWOOF volunteers living on-site April through November, learning sustainable agriculture while helping produce foods sold at six regional farmers markets including Manchester, Dorset, Londonderry, and Ludlow. Customer reviews consistently award 100% recommendations on Facebook with TripAdvisor reviewers calling it "Best Bakery in VT" and praising the "incomparable tangy flavor" from long cold fermentation, though some note occasional availability quirks inherent to their artisanal Vermont specialty food approach. Beyond their Vermont artisan bakery operations, Earth Sky Time hosts legendary Sunday evening world music concerts ($15 adults, $10 students/farmers, kids free) featuring their famous double-decker "bread bus" with wood-fired pizza oven, manages a 200-acre property for field crops and timber harvesting with a solar-powered sawmill, and taps 3,800 maple trees while maintaining their commitment to Vermont's Farm to Plate Network and NOFA-VT membership. The farm's self-sustaining model includes a commercial kitchen producing seasonal pestos and spreads, high-tunnel greenhouses for year-round greens, and a CSA program serving 60+ customers, all while embodying Oliver's philosophy as a "salvage engineer" using reclaimed materials and zero-waste practices that have made this Vermont farm experience a must-visit destination featured extensively in Edible Vermont and Stratton Magazine.
Henry's Vermont Market represents over 100 years of Vermont butcher shop tradition, originally established in 1910 by George Salem with the current historic building at 831 Main Street constructed in 1927, operated through multiple generations until current owner Gene Guertin purchased the business in 2001 and preserved old-fashioned meat cutting techniques learned directly from Henry Salem while expanding to become one of southern Vermont's premier specialty meat markets and country stores. This family-owned Vermont butcher shop and specialty food market processes over 4,000 pounds of fresh chicken weekly, cuts all meats in-house daily using Choice or higher grade beef with no fillers, bonders, or additives, and operates a Vermont hickory smoking operation producing award-worthy thick-cut slab bacon, German-style sausages, chorizo with natural casing, beef jerky, and Canadian bacon that customers rave is "the best I have ever had" alongside "fantastic ham." Guertin recently completed $150,000 in major renovations including a new $60,000 commercial smoker with 1,300-pound capacity (4x larger than the previous unit), additional walk-in cooler space, and a renovated stainless steel processing room, demonstrating his commitment to keeping Vermont meat processing traditions alive while modernizing for efficiency. Open Monday-Saturday 9am-7pm and Sunday 10am-6pm, Henry's offers an extensive selection of fresh meats (steaks, roasts, ground beef, pork chops, boneless chicken breast), 12+ types of house-made sausage including Italian and breakfast varieties, Vermont farmstead cheeses both fresh and aged, pure Vermont maple syrup, homemade quiches and pot pies, fresh baked breads and desserts, plus custom wild game processing services for venison and locally raised livestock. The market features value-oriented meat plans ranging from $89.95 (13.5 lbs) to the Super Plan at $449.95 (70+ lbs), with popular 10-pound deals on items like center-cut pork chops ($39), fresh ground chuck ($62), sirloin steaks ($99), and Italian sausage ($59), earning the market 96% recommendation rate on Facebook with 7,906 likes and recognition as a Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite in three Bennington-area neighborhoods. Reviews on Yelp (22 reviews) and Restaurant Guru (3.9/5 stars) consistently praise the quality of meats and "outstanding customer service" while noting prices run slightly higher than supermarkets but reflect premium quality and traditional craftsmanship, with the market earning a 90/100 health department score and BBB accreditation. Henry's Vermont Market serves as a community hub for holiday meal provisioning (turkeys, prime ribs, hams), catering for local events, and showcasing Made in Vermont products while maintaining Guertin's philosophy of "doing things right and doing things big," with nationwide shipping available for smoked meats and Vermont cheeses through their online store or by phone.
The Manchester Farmers Market has been the heartbeat of local food in Manchester Center, Vermont since 2000, growing from a scrappy handful of vendors into a legit producer-only market with 20-30+ local farmers and artisans. NOFA-VT calls it one of the best midweek markets in southern Vermont, and they're not wrong. Now celebrating its 25th year, the market recently moved to a bigger space at 709 Depot Street (across from RK Miles lumber yard) with Market Manager Carrie Briggs running things. It's every Thursday from 3pm-6pm, late May through mid-October (2025 season runs May 25 through October 12), rain or shine. Here's what makes it worth your time: the producer-only policy means everyone selling actually grew, prepared, or crafted what they're hawking. You can meet farmers face-to-face and try before you buy from vendors like North Meadow Farm for cheeses, Earth Sky Time Community Farm for organic produce (their hummus and pesto are genuinely incredible), Mettowee Valley Maple, Nana Kay's baked goods, Ghost Light Farm for black angus beef, Watson Wheeler hard cider, and Moon Scones maple treats. Reviews back it up with a 4.6/5 Google rating. People call this place their happy place, which sounds cheesy until you're standing there on a Thursday afternoon with live music playing and kids running around while you sample fresh bread. Speaking of kids, the Art Farm activity tent offers free food-inspired crafts. Dogs welcome. They accept EBT/SNAP, Farm to Family coupons, SFMNP senior coupons, and Crop Cash (up to $20 daily in SNAP matching for fruits and vegetables). Vendor fees are $25 annual membership plus $20 weekly, crafts get juried, and all vendors must be from Vermont or bordering NY/MA counties. This Thursday farmers market delivers authentic Vermont local produce, artisan cheese, farm fresh vegetables, maple products, pasture-raised meats, fresh breads, and handmade crafts. It's southern Vermont farm-to-table culture at its most genuine.
Bennington Market (Bennington Community Market)18 mi
Bennington Community Market opened March 9, 2023, as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) specialty grocery store addressing downtown Bennington's USDA-designated "food desert" status after the last grocery store closed in the 1990s, operating from 239 Main St, Bennington, VT 05201 (phone: 802-474-2051) in a historic building that housed an 1880s barn and various car dealerships before becoming Vermont's newest community-supported enterprise. Founded through collaboration between Bennington College's Center for the Advancement of Public Action, Southern Vermont Medical Center, and local organizations, the market raised $540,000-$550,000 in startup funding including a crucial $200,000 Town of Bennington loan, $220,000+ in local donations, and grants from Citizens for Greater Bennington ($35,000) and Vermont Community Foundation ($35,000) to create this Vermont local produce hub now operated by General Manager Natasha Garder Littrell and Assistant Manager Riley Flynn. Open Monday-Saturday 8:00 AM-6:00 PM (closed Sundays) with deli counter service until 2:30 PM, this Vermont specialty grocery features 2,500+ square feet partnering with 40+ local farms and food producers from Vermont, Massachusetts, and New York, offering farm-to-table Vermont products including Gammelgården Creamery Skyr from Pownal, Hill Top Farm meats, Green Mountain Aquaponics microgreens, plus their acclaimed bakery launched February 2024 with creative treats like the "Better Than Brad Pitt Chocolate Cookie" and "Battenkill Alligator" pastries alongside cinnamon buns that one reviewer called "best sweet treat I've ever had in my life." The market holds an exceptional 99 out of 100 Vermont Department of Health score and 4.3 of 5 stars on TripAdvisor with 88% Facebook recommendations, praised for fresh organic Vermont food, build-a-bowl options, breakfast quesadillas, and sandwiches on freshly baked bread, plus Friday hot bar featuring roasted Vermont fish, Indian korma chicken, and creative vegetarian options. Operating on a true community mission, Bennington Market charges $50/year memberships providing 10% off on Member Mondays (though membership isn't required to shop), accepts SNAP/EBT and Crop Cash benefits, runs a Fresh Food Access Fund providing gift cards to food-insecure residents, and hosts Saturday farmers markets (May-September, 10 AM-2 PM) along with community programs like Baby Café breastfeeding support, cooking classes, and holiday vendor pop-ups. This Vermont community market earned recognition as a NOFA-VT and Vermont Farmers Market Association member, maintains near-zero waste commitment through composting and recycling, and has secured $2+ million federal funding for future Fair Food Initiative expansion including food processing facilities and workforce development, making it far more than a Vermont organic market but rather a dynamic downtown anchor rebuilding local food systems with free wi-fi, community gathering tables, and strategic partnerships throughout Bennington County.
