Molly Brook Farm: West Danville, Vermont

My mind is a little scattered at the moment after learning of the passing of a dear friend this morning. I intended this to be a more in depth update about my experience, but my mind is all over the place. Regardless, here is a short recount of my time the last few days, documenting an organic farm in Vermont. Below are some of my favorite images from my time there, along with a link to find out more information about the farm for those interested. -RV

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Since 1835, Molly Brook Farm has been producing some of the highest quality dairy milk in the United States. A seventh generation farm located just outside of West Danville, Vermont, Miles and Ronda Goodrich first took over the family business since 2013. In 2018, the couple decided to make a big leap of faith by going certified organic. For the Goodrich's the answer was simple: Climate Change. But, to make that change was a big risk. One that could have easily crippled the farm itself.

In 2018, U.S. agriculture emitted an estimated 698 million metric tons of carbon-dioxide equivalent; 12.3 percent of carbon dioxide, 36.2 percent as methane, and 51.4 percent as nitrous oxide. Agriculture across the world continues to be a leader in human caused climate change, trailing only behind fossil fuels and deforestation. By making the switch organic, Ronda and Miles could directly address multiple sources.

In order for dairy farms to become certified organic, the farm must move away from traditional US farming methods, instead taking on a new approach to sustainability. Along with no hormones or antibiotics, this also includes moving away from feeding livestock foods such as corn, often treated with pesticides. For the Goodrich's, this meant having to take a huge financial loss for the first year of production. One that could have put them out of business.  Even while cows transition to organic, for the first year the cows milk must be sold as regular milk to ensure quality, yielding less of a return on top of the commitment costs of changing production through the farm. Replacing the corn fields with hay, this in turn requires far less gasoline to maintain, cutting the farms emissions down substantially.

Molly Brook Farm consists of only Jersey cows, a curious and playful breed that yields milk with higher concentration of protein and calcium. More protein and calcium not only boosts the nutrition of Jersey milk products, it also adds a richer taste, even to skim milk. And, Jerseys are the most efficient breed in converting feed into milk nutrients, producing 15 to 20% more protein and 15 to 18% more calcium per unit of feed. Jerseys are a remarkably sustainable breed.  Jerseys use less natural resources which greatly reduces their carbon footprint.

For more information on Molly Brook Farm: https://mollybrookfarm.com/our-story/