The Agrihood Collective (TAC) is a Vermont nonprofit organization dedicated to providing communities with quality food, clean air, rich soil, and healthy water for future generations. We ensure that Vermont's agricultural land remains permanently accessible for regenerative farming and land-based education.
TAC offers an innovative model for farmland access and farm community collaboration, aiming to protect and enhance the positive impacts of farming in Vermont and beyond.
Our collective is building an evolved form of land stewardship that addresses the needs of farmers, land-based educators, food entrepreneurs, communities, and the ecosystems they are part of.
Our founding project aims to acquire 360 acres of agricultural land for farmers practicing biodiverse and resilient land stewardship and an additional 13 acres to develop a farm infrastructure center that supports regenerative farming. Located just 6 miles from 100,000 Vermont residents and Burlington, VT, in a location facing intense development and landscape fragmentation pressure, this land is central to an extraordinary conservation and regenerative stewardship initiative.
Mission Statement: TAC’s mission is to provide communities with quality nutrition, land-based education, and healthy ecosystems by ensuring the permanent regenerative stewardship of land and viable farm community livelihoods.
Challenges with traditional farm models
To achieve our mission and ensure regenerative land stewardship and farming, we must address the following current challenges:
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Rising land valuations have made it increasingly unaffordable for farmers to acquire and maintain farmland, especially near the populations they serve with food and landscape functions.
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The soaring costs of infrastructure and equipment place a significant financial burden on farm businesses, hindering their ability to make decisions that support farm profitability, healthy stewardship, and sustainable practices.
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Rising housing costs and inadequate farmer and farmworker incomes have led to a critical shortage in workforce retention, making equitable livelihoods challenging to sustain.
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The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events have severe short—and long-term impacts on farm viability when soil health is compromised and watershed functions are impaired.
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Widespread soil nutrient depletion, soil compaction, and limited biodiversity have reduced farmland productivity and landscape function necessary to support a healthy local population for now and future generations.
KEY LEVERS TO ADDRESS THESE CHALLENGES:
TAC acknowledges that these challenges are widespread throughout Vermont and beyond, with numerous organizations and initiatives working to address them. However, TAC also identifies that access to land and infrastructure remains a critical, yet under-addressed, lever for systemic change.
Land Security: TAC secures land and ensures long-term access for farmers who commit contractually to regenerative farm management and research participation, as well as educators who offer ecological, land-based curricula. This approach continuously enhances soil, air, and water quality while producing healthy food for our communities and training for the next generation of land stewards.
Shared Key Resources and Infrastructure: TAC recognizes that permanent regenerative stewardship depends on essential infrastructure. To support this, TAC promotes affordable farm workforce housing and shared facility development, including farm markets, food processing centers, and conditioned storage buildings. These resources are vital for the success of farm and food businesses.
With a shared vision for creating more resilient local food economies, the Agrihood Collective is working in collaboration with existing organizations to offer solutions to the needs of modern farmers and the communities that rely on them.
HELP OUR FARMING COMMUNITY THRIVE
The mission of TAC is to strengthen local foodsheds through a non-profit model of shared lands and infrastructure.
This year, the Collective will purchase 373 acres in South Burlington to support regenerative agriculture a
and build comprehensive shared farm infrastructure.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND BENEFITS
TAC lands will directly engage and benefit the community through:
Public Recreational Trails: Providing up to 14 miles of public recreational trails that connect to a multi-city public trail system, with access via public transit.
Educational Programs: Offering year-round land-based education programs for over 500 students annually, including youth and adult learning opportunities.
Local Food Access: Expanding direct-to-consumer farm retail, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and on-farm events; serving over 10,000 people annually with collective food and collaboration with 30 local farms.
Agroforestry Initiatives: Participating in a 100,000-tree planting project to establish a high-diversity silvopasture and a pick-your-own stone fruit and berry orchard, creating one of the largest agroforestry systems in the Northeast.
WHAT YOUR MONEY WILL SUPPORT
Purchasing 373 acres of land for the following purposes:
360 acres of farmland managed regeneratively in perpetuity
Future housing land-based workforce can afford
Shared infrastructure and resources for farmers
Please join us and donate today!
Contact our Project Directors for more information: Brie Gelinas: brie@theagrihoodcollective.org Robin Jeffers: robin@theagrihoodcollective.org
Current TAC board members representing the following local organizations:
Corie Pierce: Established Bread and Butter Farm in 2009, focusing on year-round land-based education, organic vegetables and regenerative meats.
Mike Proia: Established Blank Page Cafe in 2015, promoting food service grounded in regenerative agriculture.
Breana Killeen: Established Killeen Crossroads Farm in 2019, combining farming with culinary education.
Brandon Bless: Established Chrysalis Landworks in 2022, advancing no-till, agroforestry, and animal-based agriculture systems
