>> HI, I'M ERIC FORD FROM MADE HERE.

CYCLES OF CHANGE FROM NORWICH, VERMONT IS A HISTORY OF FARMING IN NORWICH.

THE FILM FOCUSES ON ONE TOWN BUT THE CHANGES ARE TYPICAL OF THOSE SEEN THROUGHOUT VERMONT.

YOU CAN WATCH CYCLES OF CHANGE AND MANY OTHER MADE-HERE STORIES ABOUT THE REGION STREAMING ON VERMONTPBS.ORG AND THE PBS APP.

ENJOY THE FILM, AND THANKS FOR WATCHING.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> YOU KNOW, WHEN WE FIRST CAME HERE THERE WERE A FEW DAIRY FARMS LEFT.

NORWICH LOST BASICALLY ALL THE FARMS.

>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF NORWICH AND THE BOOKLET THAT IS PUBLISHED, YOU SEE THE CADETS DRILLING AND IN THE BACKGROUND YOU CAN SEE HAWK PINE AND THIS BARN AS IT EXISTS TODAY AND HAD THE SAME DOORS THAT WERE THERE WHEN I CAME.

>> ONE OF OUR HURDLES IS JUST GETTING THE WORD OUT ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO GROW FOOD AND TO BE STEW YOU STEWARDS OF THELAND AND HOW IT GOES HAND IN HAND SAW IN GET INTO FARMING BECAUSE YOU LIKE FARMING, NOT BUSINESS, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE KEEN BUSINESS SKILLS.

YOU HAVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE LEASING THE LAND IN NORWICH IS WE'RE POSITIVE OUR FARM INCOME COULD NOT PAY THE TAXES.

WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND TWO DIFFERENT FARMS TO LEASE, AND IT'S WORKING OUT GREAT.

>> MY FAMILY PURCHASED THE FARM IN 1913 AND CAME FROM A LITTLE FARM.

THEY HAD A SMALL SORT OF SUBSISTENCE FARM, BUT THEN, OVER THE YEARS FROM 1914 UNTIL PROBABLY SECOND WORLD WAR, THE FAR GREW.

THEY ALSO HAD RAISED STRAWBERRIES AND SOLD STRAWBERRIES BUT PRIMARILY DAIRY FROM WORLD WAR II TO WHEN WE TOOK THE FARM OVER.

>> I WAS, WENT IN THE ARMY IN 1967, SO I'VE BEEN BACK FROM VIETNAM AND NEEDED A JOB, AND DAIRYING WASN'T MY FOCUS WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE BUT I SAID, I'LL GIVE IT A TRY.

DEBBIE'S PHAT HER 28 JERSEYS WHEN I CAME AND THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO MAKE ENDS MEET SO I PUT ANOTHER 12 ON, WHICH IS 40 COWS.

THAT IS ABOUT ALL ONE PERSON CAN HANDLE.

IN 1988, A WHOLE HERD BUYOUT.

>> WE LOOKED AT THE MILK TRUCK AND OUR THREE CHILDREN JUNIOR HIGH AND HIGH SCHOOL AND WE HAVE THREE KIDS TO PUT THROUGH COLLEGE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT ON THIS MILK TRUCK.

>> I WAS SHIPPING MILK, THERE WERE 13 OTHERS NOW THERE'S NONE.

>> WE HAVE NONE IN NORWICH.

>> I PUT UP 13, 14, 15,000 BAIL AS HAY A YEAR, BUT IT IS ALL SOLD.

WE DON'T HAVE ANY ANIMALS.

>> WHEN I DREW UP IN THE 50s THERE WERE 40 TEAR REFARMS.

IT DOESN'T MEAN THEY WERE BIG, MAYBE 6 OR 8 COWS BUT THEY WERE ALL PRODUCING MILK THAT WAS BEING PROCESSED AND SOLD TO THE PUBLIC.

YOU AND DOWN THE ROAD, AND OLD BARN, MOST ARE GONE THERE WERE DAIRY BARNS.

THE FACT THERE ARE PEOPLE COMING BACK AND WORKING THE LAND AND PRODUCING LOCAL FOOD IS TERRIFI TERRIFIC.

>> THE BEST OUT THERE, THEY DON'T REALLY MAKE THEM ANY MORE.

YOU CAN FIND THEM ONLINE, AND THERE IS A COMPANY THAT MAKES AFTER MARKET PARTS FOR IT.

[MUSIC] >> I GREW UP IN MILL FORD, CONNECTICUT.

I WAS REALLY MORE INTERESTED IN WHAT IS GOING ON IN THE OCEAN.

I NEVER THOUGHT IN A MILLION YEARS WHAT I WOULD BE IN FARMING.

I THOUGHT I WOULD BE AN ICHTHYOLOGIST OR MARINE BIOLOGIST OR WHATEVER.

DIFFERENT PEOPLE IN THE COMPANY HAD DIFFERENT INTERESTS.

I GOT REALLY INTERESTED IN THE AGRICULTURE PART OF IT, AND THAT'S REALLY MY FIRST TASTE OF FARMING.

AND WE GREW QUITE A LOT OF STUFF.

AT THE END OF THE 70s THERE WAS JUST THIS OTHER GUY AND I LIVING IN A WOODEN SHOE.

I HAD MET MY FUTURE WIFE, LIZ WHO ALSO LIVED IN A COMMUNE BUT IT WAS IN PLAINFIELD, VERMONT.

>> THESE TOMATO PLANTS RIGHT HERE HAVE JUST BEEN GRAFTED, AND THEY ARE THESE LITTLE TEENY CLIPS CALLED THE TOP GRAFT.

WHERE YOU JUST ACTUALLY PUT A TOP OF ONE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE OTHER.

THIS SAYS 92.

SOLAR ENERGY.

>> I LEARNED A LOT ABOUT FARMING FROM READING.

ONE OF THE CLASSICS WAS THE RODEO ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ORGANIC GARDENING.

I WENT THROUGH THAT AND READ ALL WITH WHAT YOU USE TO GROW ORGANIC VEGETABLES.

IN THE END OF THE 70s, WE DECIDED TO LOOK FOR LAND.

WE DECIDED A FAIRLY METHODICAL SEARCH FOR LAND.

IT BECAME CLEAR IN THE UPPER VALLEY WE KIND OF HAD A CHOICE.

WE COULD EITHER BUY A WHOLE FARM IN STRATFORD OR IF THAT CAME IN, OR TO BUY LAND IN NORWICH, CLOSE TO TOWN, BUT WE KNEW WE WOULDN'T GET MUCH LAND WITH IT.

BUT WE ALSO KNEW THERE WAS LOTS OF LAND AROUND HERE THAT COULD BE RENTED.

THE BIG THING WAS, WE WERE CLOSE TO OUR MARKETS AND WE WERE WILLING TO SACRIFICE NOT HAVING LAND IN EXCHANGE FOR BEING CLOSE TO THE MARKETS.

AND THAT WAS A GOOD MOVE.

>> I'M FROM OUTSIDE NEW YORK, IN NEW JERSEY, I WOULD I WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED THIS IS WHERE I WOULD END UP.

OUR FARM HAS BEEN AROUND 8 YEARS, ALMOST 9.

STARTED IN APTS '06.

IT TOOK A WHILE TO GET PEOPLE EDUCATED TO WHY OUR PRODUCT WAS WORTH BUYING AND CARING ABOUT.

THERE WAS A RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT SAFE FOOD WITHOUT BACTERIA OR ILLNESSES.

PIGLETS JANUARY, FEBRUARY, MARCH, APRIL.

YOU SUSPEND WHEN YOU PUT THE BOAR IN SO YOU CAN HAVE PIGS ANY TIME OF THE YEAR.

>> PEOPLE LOVE TO BRING THEIR KIDS HERE AND WALK AROUND TO SEE THE ANIMALS.

IT'S ONE OF THEIR STOPS ON THEIR SATURDAY OR SUNDAY DRIVES, TO DRIVE BY AND SEE, ARE THE PIGLETS OUT ARE THERE LAMBS YET?

>> A LOT OF KIDS DON'T EVER SEE ANIMALS.

>> WE GIVE A LOT OF TOURS, AND I LOVE IT BECAUSE KIDS DON'T GET A CHANCE TO SEE IT.

KIDS ARE SO CONNECTED.

WE USED TO BE THAT CONNECTED BECAUSE WE'RE ANIMALS BUT WE FORGET IT WHEN WE GET OLDER.

KIDS HAVE IT NATURALLY.

IT IS AN AFFINITY, THEY LOVE IT.

COMMUNITY IS KEY.

IT IS A FARMING COMMUNITY.

IT IS JUST THAT.

IN THE SPAN BETWEEN WORLD WAR II AND WHEN WE STARTED, THERE IS SUCH A LOSS OF INFORMATION FOR HOW TO RAISE ANYTHING, BUT SPECIFICALLY ANIMALS OUTSIDE AND, YOU KNOW, LITTLE TRICKS ON WHAT THEY NEED AND JUST, YOU KNOW, WHAT PEOPLE USED TO ALWAYS KNOW.

AND IF YOU DON'T RAISE THEM, YOU DON'T KNOW IT.

WE HAD ONE OF THE FIRST HERDS OF TAMWORTH PIGS IN THE STATES, BECAUSE IT IS A HERITAGE BREED THAT'S FAIRLY RARE.

IT WAS DEFINITELY READING A LOT OF BOOKS AND FIGURING OUT MYSELF.

IT WAS TRIAL BY ERROR.

HERE IS A NEW LITTER OF PIGS OVER THERE.

>> MEAT PROCESSING AND GRAIN.

THOSE ARE OUR TWO BIGGEST EXPENSES.

ONE YEAR IT WILL BE MORE OF ONE BUT THEY'RE BOTH PRETTY HEFTY.

>> GRAIN IS CONSTANT.

>> YOU'VE GOT REALLY WORK AT IT TO GET TO TO BE A PROFITABLE BUSINESS IT IS POSSIBLE TO DO DIVERSIFICATION IS KEY.

NOT HAVE ALL YOUR PROFITS TIRE TO GRAIN.

WE WILL RETIRE NOT RICH BUT HAPPY.

>> RETIRE?

>> TRUE.

[LAUGHTER] >> THERE'S A COUPLE THINGS GOING ON IN THE FARMING WORLD THESE DAYS.

ONE IS THAT IT'S BECOMING MORE AND MORE CELEBRATED AS A PROFESSION, AND AT THE SAME TIME I THINK THE DEMAND FOR LOCAL, SUSTAINABLY RAISED FOOD IS INCREASING, AND SO ON THE ONE HAND THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM FOR FARMERS IN THE MARKETPLACE RIGHT NOW, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, LAND IS GETTING MORE AND MORE EXPENSIVE AND IT IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT FOR FARMERS TO HAVE THE START-UP CAPITAL TO IMPLEMENT THEIR BUSINESS PLAN.

IN OUR CASE, IT WAS ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL THAT THE LAND TRUST PROVIDE US WITH THIS OPPORTUNITY.

PARTICULARLY IN A COMMUNITY LIKE NORWICH, WHERE LAND VALUES ARE REALLY HIGH, EVEN THOUGH THERE IS REALLY GREAT AGRICULTURAL SOIL AND IN FACT, THERE IS ALSO A REALLY GREAT MARKET, AT THE SAME TIME I THINK THAT WITHOUT SOME HELP FROM THE LAND TRUST OR A SIMILAR ORGANIZATION, IT WOULD BE REALLY DIFFICULT FOR A FARM FAMILY TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A LIVING ENOUGH THAT THEY COULD AFFORD TO OWN LAND HEREBY.

HERE.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS WE STRUGGLE WITH AND THINK ABOUT QUITE A BIT IS HOW TO MAKE SMALL SCALE DIVERSIFIED, SUSTAINABLE, AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS COMPETITIVE WITH THE MAINSTREAM OR HOW TO SORT OF MARKET OURSELVES IN SUCH A WAY THAT PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WAY THAT WE'RE GROWING VEGETABLES AND THE PRODUCT THAT WE'RE MAKING AND WHAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO BUY ON THE SHELVES OF A REGULAR GROCERY STORE.

>> WE'RE TAKING SCALLIONS OR CELERIAC, SO WHATEVER YOU CAN GRAB.

>> I ENDED UP WORKING AT SWEETLAND FARM BECAUSE MY AUNT LIVED IN HANOVER AND SHE IS A CSA MEMBER AND I'M INTERESTED IN AGRICULTURE AND I WAS ASKING HER IF SHE KNEW ANY FARMS LOOKING FOR WORKERS OVER THE SUMMER.

SHE SAID I JUST GOT AN E-MAIL ABOUT A FARM IN NORWICH SO CHECK THIS T OUT.

I CHECKED IT OUT AND TALKED TO NORAH AND HERE I AM.

I'M TREAT HARDY AND I'M FROM WACCABUC, NEW YORK.

>> YOU CAN SUPPORT BY BUYING FROM HIM OR HER AND BY POLICIES FOR PEOPLE TO GET ACCESS TO LAND AND PAY LOW TAXES ON IT.

I'M CECILY ANDERSON AND I LIVE JUST UP THE HILL IN NORWICH, VERMONT.

>> FARMING IS AN INTERESTING INDUSTRY BECAUSE IT HAS TRADITIONALLY HAD A LOT OF SUBSIDIES FROM THE GOVERNMENT BUT IN ODD PLACES, AND SPECIFICALLY TARGETED AT LARGER SCALE AGRICULTURE.

SO I THINK ONE THING THAT THE COMMUNITY CAN DO IS TO START PUTTING SOME OF THEIR SUBSIDIES AND SOME OF THEIR TAX BREAKS ON THE SMALL-SCALE PRODUCER.

[MUSIC] >> MANY COMMUNITIES AND MANY INDIVIDUALS ARE STARTING TO IDENTIFY THAT, IF WAY WANT TO BE STEWARDS OF THE LAND, IF WE WANT THIS SOIL TO CONTINUE TO BE PRODUCTIVE AND WE DON'T WANT TO USE IT, THERE ARE REALLY SPECIAL PRACTICES THAT NEED TO BE IN PLACE.

IN GENERAL, I WOULD SAY THOSE PRACTICES HAVE TO HAPPEN ON A SMALL-SCALE LEVEL, SO THEREFORE, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE FARMING AT THAT SCALE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THEIR PRODUCT.

ON THE SAME PLAYING FIELD AS THE BIG PRODUCERS.

[MUSIC] >> VERMONT PBS, PARTNERING WITH LOCAL FILM MAKERS TO BRING YOU STORIES MADE HERE.

FOR MORE, VISIT VERMONTPBS.ORG.