It is the inspiration of our name, certainly. The new commercial and video (also above) about the farm from Guy’s Farm & Yard (produced by Mt. Mansfield Media) explains our name quite nicely and we love that. We know it is sometimes confusing. Does our name refer to the owners, the leaders in the pasture (hens, does, sows) or….? Yes, a bit of all, and a nod to the famed Revolutionaries of Vermont’s past, the Green Mountain Boys.
Partnerships are a lovely thing and we were happy to help out the team at Guy’s, who are quite good to us, and thrilled that in return they produced a video about us. So check it out and thanks for being part of the Food Revolution.
And stay tuned for exciting news about another expanding partnership!
This short film about the farm is certainly our favorite (and most useful) student project. Peter VanderWilden, a UVM student focused on both documentary film as well as environmental studies approached us last fall about a collaboration that would result in a short documentary about our farm for his Service Learning Film class. He wanted to help us communicate what is special about our farm and why we do what we do.
Peter, who has spent some summers farming as well, (Thanks Maple Wind Farm) did a fantastic job capturing the essence of how and why we farm the way we do. We hope you enjoy this little tour through the farm. And of course, huge thanks to the Farley family for making themselves available for some filming, touring and an interview. And we have great appreciation for the Service Learning approach at UVM. The whole class did documentaries about Vermont’s farms and food systems (check out the summary).
Get some popcorn (farm fresh of course), sit back (for 6 minutes) and enjoy!
As we enter Thanksgiving season, our gratefuls have never been so big. We are so, so, soooo lucky: our Barn is standing & our livestock are safe.
We are grateful to all who have reached out to see how they can help. At first we thought, we got this. But a 2-week sequence of events, Hannah’s / Field Stone Farm’s new caterpillar tunnels being destroyed by wind and our display freezer failing the week prior to the fire, led us to realize we don’t need to stand alone but instead began to ask how can our response tighten our weave and increased resilience not only for both our farms but also for our community?
Our South barn still stands strong thanks to the rapid response of Northfield and neighboring towns’ volunteer fire departments. Three generations of Demasi’s responded. Neighbors nimbly assisted. It felt like folks appeared out of the woods! We later learned hunters with deer in the back of their trucks, on the way to the Elmer’s Mountain Deer Taxidermy, joined the effort.
Days prior and since were very windy. Amidst weeks when weather aps warn of fire danger, the fire started in the middle of a calm, sunny day when we were nearby to notice, Fire Departments could get here quickly and neighbors and hunters were passing by and readily joined efforts to contain and make safe our sow and her 11 piglets, who were just 2 weeks old. If we had a video of the young firefighter in full gear, who made a diving catch of a piglet running back into the flames, it would go viral. Instead it is woven into our minds eye of a chaotic hour, with bad sounds and smells but all the same an absolutely beautiful depiction of the best of community with old and young, familiar and foreign, dropping everything to simply help out.
Harmonia & her piglets settling into a spot in the field after the fire
Timed differently, it could have been catastrophic. Luckily, though there is a lot of work required to clean up the mess, create temporary alternate housing for animals and patch up the sides in time for snow, and really fix the sides in Spring, the barn is standing. And though the barn has a good deal more patina and character, at the youthful age of 10 it’s posts and beams appear okay to live out their anticipated remaining lifespan of 390 years.
Fortunately it seems the Post & Beam Structure is robust underneath the charring
In addition to our supportive surroundings, we are also lucky to be well insured. Though as is the nature of such setbacks there are many uncovered expenses and the week that was supposed to be spent making sausage and processing items for sale this holiday season went poof chasing the unanticipated.
All farms need support. And while we welcome those for whom it is EASY to participate in this appeal, our BIGGEST request to all is to do all you can to buy more of your food and gifts this holiday season and throughout the year directly from farms near you. You can shop from us, Field Stone Farm and many more via the online Winter Northfield Farmers Market and at the Field Stone Pizza Shop in Riverton.
For those local, there will be some work days in the next few weeks to get the caterpillar tunnels back up & GMG’s Barn sides patched up for the winter. We’d welcome volunteers to help with the physical labor or to prep farmer lunch, snacks or hot drinks. Email Field Stone Farm or Green Mountain Girls Farm for details.
Thanksgiving is truly a Farmer’s holiday — such a focus on seasonal food. We are well stocked with those seasonal delights and thanks to some hoophouses & Field Stone Farm’s hard work, some fresh greens as well!
For your Thanksgiving shopping and turkey pick-up our Farmstand is open Friday 11/22 through Tuesday 11/26 10am to 7 pm and you can shop from us via the online weekly Northfield Farmers Market. We will also be open the weekend after Thanksgiving to stock up after the big day. Then our Farmstand will close for the winter season, BUT you can keep ordering from us each week through the stellar online Northfield Farmers Market. Orders due by 10pm Mondays for pick up Wednesday evening at Carrier Coffee in Northfield.
Our freezer is well stocked, though due to last Sunday’s Barn Fire, we had to reschedule our holiday sausage-making bonanza. But we hope to be restocked with lots of great sausages and dog treats at some point in December! Keep an eye on Facebook & the online Winter Northfield Farmers Market
Other Bits • Soup & Stock Bones, Pork & Lamb • Offal & Odd Bits – chicken & Turkey feet, Trotters, hearts, liver, kidneys, Pig Heads, etc. • Raw bones for Dogs
Veggies & Fruit
• Arugula (Field Stone Farm) • Beets (Field Stone Farm) • Black Currants, frozen • Carrots (Field Stone Farm) • Cilantro (Field Stone Farm) • Fennel • Ginger, Baby fresh & Frozen (FSF & GMG) • Lettuce (Field Stone Farm) • Onions (Field Stone Farm) • Parslety (Field Stone Farm) • Potatoes: Satina • Pie Pumpkins (Field Stone Farm) • Radish (Field Stone Farm) • Rutabega (Field Stone Farm) • Salad Turnips on the green (Field Stone Farm) • Spinach (Field Stone Farm) • Winter Squash (Field Stone Farm)
Pantry & Prepared Foods
• Applesauce, Pure & Maple Cinnamon • Roasted Poultry Bone Broth • Heirloom Tomato Bloody Mary Mix • Herbal Teas from our farm herbs & flowers • Hot Sauces, Seaberry, Kiwiberry & more! • Leaf Lard • Ramen Soup Starter – Broth & Pork
From our Farm Friends
• Maple sweetened Jams from Lightfoot Farm • Organic Black Beans, Morningstar Farm • Organic Cranberry Beans, Morningstar Farm • Organic Pinto Beans, Morningstar Farm • Organic Yellow Eye Beans, Morningstar Farm • Honey Mead Vinegar, Artesano • Turmeric Honey Wine vinegar, Artesano • Honey, Brookfield Bees • Maple Syrup, Brookfield Bees • Cider Syrup, Brookfield Bees • Maple Sugar & Maple Sugar Candies, Silloway Maple
Farm Inspired Gifts
In addition to our fresh, frozen, dried & canned items that make great gifts, we also have:
This was our favorite discovery a few years ago…yes our friends and family ALL got to see it at any occasion we could think of while the Winter Luxury Pumpkins lasted. Yes, it is that good and that easy!
We meant to try it with a Long Pie pumpkin as well, going more boat shaped, but….never got to it. But the round Winter Luxury’s were SO fantastic. And it is a recipe allowing for A LOT of flexibility and creativity, so have fun!
It was inspired by thekitchn.com’s recipe as well as a few others and then we took the farmer’s liberty to add MORE greens and most often we had vegetarian’s in the mix so we dropped the sausage, and it was still delish. With the sausage it is also a perfect 1 dish meal for any day of the year!
Ingredients
Qualifier up front: ALMOST EVERYTHING below is more or less to taste and what you have available….You can stuff alot into the pumpkin and worst case you have extra to bake separate.
1 baking pumpkin, round is ideal (Volumes below are for approximately 5 lb pumpkin)
1 loaf day-old crusty bread (1/2-1 lb), Red Hen is great as is Deeter’s bread…something that will absorb the custard.
1 cups grated cheese (any hard will work or you can even go without)
2 tablespoons cooking fat
1 pound Italian sausage or your choice of bulk sausage
2-3 shallots or medium onions, thinly sliced
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine or cider or other liquid to deglaze pan
3 cups fresh greens or less frozen & thawed (Swiss chard, spinach, kale or braising mix) coarsely chopped
3-4 eggs
2 cups half-and-half (or 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup whole milk) or 2 cups of local creamline milk
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon fresh sage or thyme or bit less dried
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for the top
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cut out a “lid” from the top of the pumpkin, like you would for carving a jack-o-lantern. Scoop out seeds and cut away any loose strings, creating an empty shell (again, like you would for a jack-o-lantern.) Set pumpkin aside.
Combine the bread cubes and cheese in a large mixing bowl (all of the stuffing ingredients will get added here)
Cook the sausage in a large skillet, stirring occasionally and breaking it into crumbles with a wooden spoon, until it is golden-brown and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to the bowl with the bread and cheese.
While sausage is cooking, whisk the eggs, half-and-half or milk, mustard , 2 teaspoons salt, thyme, and pepper until combined to make the custard in its own bowl. Pour the custard over the bread mixture and gently toss to coat. Let sit, stirring occasionally, until absorbed, at least 10 minutes, which fits with cooking sausage and onions.
Reduce the heat to medium, add additional fat if necessary, and add the shallots/onions, cooking until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Increase heat to high and add the wine, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine until it is almost evaporated. If using fresh greens, add it now with a generous pinch of salt; stir until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the greens and onions to the bread mixture. If using frozen greens, drain and still stir with the onions briefly to warm and integrate with the onions.
Make sure stuffing is nicely mixed and custard is absorbed.
7. Transfer the stuffing to the pumpkin, filling it all the way to the top. (If there is extra, you can bake it in a small dish on the side.) Fit the “lid” back onto the pumpkin, put the pumpkin in an oven safe dish (we tend to do it in a cast iron skillet) and transfer to the oven
8. Bake until the filling is bubbling and hot, and the flesh of the pumpkin can be pierced with a knife. This can be anywhere from 1 to 2 (or more) hours, depending on the size and type of your pumpkin. If possible, remove the cap for the last 30 to 45 minutes of baking (sprinkle with grated Parmesan and fluff lightly if the stuffing has smushed down) so the top can crisp up a bit. We have found it takes at least an hour, but can be in the oven much longer without any trouble
9. Carefully transfer the pumpkin to a serving platter or serve in cast iron. Slice the pumpkin into large wedges and serve along with a generous portion of stuffing.
NOTE: The stuffed pumpkin reheats wonderfully as leftovers, or you could even bake ahead and then put it back in whole to reheat it.
On the grill or in the oven…delicious! Bittman says, “You can make these faster and easier (see oven variation) but – at home at least – I don’t think you can make them any better.”
*Chris Schlesinger, author of the Thrill of the Grill.
This has been our go-to rib recipes because it is SO easy & tasty.
We almost always just do it in the oven. Works well with lamb ribs or pork ribs.
Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons Maple sugar or syrup
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoon paprika
about 4 lbs pork or lamb ribs
about 3 cups hickory, oak, or other hardwood chips (optional if using grill, but very nice)
Massage the rub into the ribs. If you have a gas grill, preheat by using the burner on only one side, on medium heat, for about 15 minutes. If you are using a charcoal or wood fire, bank it to one side of your grill and keep the fire as low as possible, starting with just enough fuel to get heat, about 15 briquettes or the equivalent in hardwood charcoal. Sprinkle a handful of wood chips onto the rack above the heat source, allowing them to fall directly onto the fire.
Place the ribs away from the heat source (over the unlit burner of a gas grill) and cover the grill. You want a very cool fire, less than 300 degrees if possible (you should be able to hold your hand right over the area on which the ribs are cooking with just a little discomfort). If you are using solid fuel, add a few lumps of charcoal or a few briquettes every hour, just enough to keep the fire going. Turn the ribs every 30 minutes or so, adding more wood chips as needed, and re-closing the grill cover.
Depending on the heat of your fire, after 2 to 6 hours the ribs will have lost much of their fat and developed an unquestionably cooked look. Just before you’re ready to eat, raise the heat to high (or add a bunch more briquettes and wait a while) and brown the ribs on both sides. Be very careful; they will likely still have enough fat on them to flare up and burn, ruining all your hard work in an instant (believe me, I’ve done it several times). Watch them constantly and move them frequently. Browning will take about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Oven Variation
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Rub the ribs all over as above and place in a roasting pan in one layer. Bake, pouring off accumulated fat every 30 minutes or so (we’ve never had that much accumulated fat) for about 2 hours, or until the ribs are cooked. If you’re in a hurry, cover the roasting pan with foil.
When you are ready to eat, roast the ribs at 500 degrees for about 10 minutes or run them under the broiler, watching carefully, until nicely browned.
Fall is in its glory but we also still have some Summer Veggies happy with this summer weather so the eating is GREAT! If you haven’t had your fill of Fresh Heirloom tomatoes this is the week!! Oh, and we’ve been enjoying Lamb & Pork ribs on the grill! And what a broccoli year!
This season our Farmstand is open Wednesday – Sunday 10am to 7 pm and you can shop from us via the online weekly Northfield Farmers Market.
Our website is always stocked with lots of recipe ideas. You can scroll or search! The farmstand is stocked with our products and those from our partners and other local regenerative farms. More new products each week!
Fall Colors are gracing us all about..Not only the trees, which are beautiful, but the fall veggies, summer veggies that just won’t stop & cover crops & field flowers too!
Tuesday, October 1st will be our last time at the outdoor Summer Northfield Farmers Market! We’ll have lovely meats, fall veggies — including TOMATOES!!– and a new batch of dog treats!
AND we will be leading a Hands on Veggie Kraut Making demo at the market starting at 4 pm.
Fermented Veggies are both delicious and great for supporting your microbiome. Pick & choose a mix of cabbage, root vegetables & herbs to make a custom kraut. Join us for some fun squishing veggies!
Been fun to be hosting a series of Fall Foliage Bus Tours once again this Fall, giving folks from around the country & world a view not only of Vermont’s foliage but also a good Farm Soak. A visit filled with information & delights for all of their senses, including a totally Localvore lunch. So wonderful to have Farms in the forefront of foliage views, not just in the background!
We don’t want just the bus tour visitors to experience the farm in its Fall glory, so we are hosting a Fall Farm Tour & Tasting on Saturday, October 12th from 1-3pm. Come enjoy a farm tour – wish our pregnant pigs good luck or perhaps there will already be piglets, see the Climate Farmer Stories Exhibit in our Greenhouse & we’ll have some Fall tastings in the Farmstand. Tours are free with a purchase at the Farmstand.
AND the Farmstand is open through October Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 7 pm so that you can put some of these fall colors on your table!
And as the temps start to cool and you are thinking about the holidays. We do have some turkeys left for sale. Our turkeys are raised under organic and regenerative farming principles. Meaning we: move them to fresh pasture every few days & feed them certified organic grain.
For those of you who’ve been buying our turkeys for over decade, you know our practice of finishing the turkeys on lush grass in the Summer and freezing them for the holidays. We move our turkeys every few days and they chow grass, seeds and bugs, which reduces their reliance on grain and makes them tasty, juicy & nutritious, they also eat a lot of organic grain. And that is a place for their health, our health & the future of our planet that we are not willing to compromise.
Yes, it is the beginning of August and Summer Farm Fresh eating is in Full Swing!
August also means…Open Farm Week AND Fresh Turkeys!
Turkey Reservations & Workshops
Photo by @misserinburke
It may be August, but it IS TIME to order your pasture-raised TURKEY! Not only time to order it, but time to pick it up fresh. Turkeys will be available for pick-up Aug 8-11. They will be fresh so you can cut it into parts for the winter or just tuck it into your freezer whole for the holidays — checking that task off the list! Or do both. We have a limited number of turkeys so may not have any available frozen in November – first come, first serve.
Our turkeys are raised under organic and regenerative farming principles. Meaning we: move them to fresh pasture every few days & feed them certified organic grain.
For those of you who’ve been buying our turkeys for over decade, you know our practice of finishing the turkeys on lush grass in the Summer and freezing them for the holidays. We move our turkeys every few days and they chow grass, seeds and bugs, which reduces their reliance on grain and makes them tasty, juicy & nutritious, they also eat a lot of organic grain. And that is a place for their health, our health & the future of our planet that we are not willing to compromise.
Photo by @misserinburke
They are looking great and growing well, you can meet them in the field during our Open Farm Week tour Sunday, August 4th or sign up to be part of processing them, if that has been on your bucket list or just reserve one & pick it up next week.
We anticipate, but nothing is a guarantee, having turkeys ranging from 15 -22 lbs. Let us know the size range you prefer:15-18 lbs; 18-20 lbs or 20lbs & up.
What Ewes and YOU Can Do! Regenerative Farm ToursTours start at 2 & 3:30 on Aug 4th Come plug into our farm ecosystem! Linger with the lambs. Simply be and belong. Or probe the pasture with a penetrometer and take the temperature of our compost pile, advancing last winter’s livestock waste towards future fertility for our fields. Explore how decompacted soils rapidly cycle carbon and nutrients to contribute to clean fresh water, increase pollinator habitat and reverse climate change. Pick wild flowers or an edible bouquet to bring home! $10/person or free with farmstand purchase
Taste the Difference You Want to See in the World: Lamb Tasting & ConversationAug 4th 3-5 pm Circle up or swing by and join lamb appreciator Nancy Peck at the grill and sample simple preparations you can repeat at home. Delight in both the delicious tastes and aroma as well as dialogue about favorite lamb preparations! Regenerative agriculture looks different, smells different, nourishes differently AND TASTES different! In addition to the kofta, swing into the farmstand and sample some of the summer abundance and stock up with groceries and gifts for regenivores and regenitarians in your life!
Touch the Difference You Want to See in the World! A Pasture to Pelt How-To Feel & TellAug 4th 3-5 pm Experiencing our livestock on pasture is more similar to watching wildlife in a national park than a petting zoo. But that doesn’t mean we don’t know that plush toys originate in the barnyard! While this year’s flock keeps grazing and ruminating on pasture, we will enjoy a close tactile examination of a range of incredible pelts. When we process animals this remarkable product feels as weighty and valuable as the meat. And we know that regeneratively-raised Sheepskins are an absolute gift, providing the simplest form of comfort that comes when our deepest needs are met.
Tuesday, August 6th 3-6 pm
Dog Days of Summer! Join Green Mountain Girls Farm at the Northfield Farmers Market
Visiting dogs are often not compatible with farm operations. Green Mountain Girls Farm is no exception. However, like many farms and farmers we are full-on, full-time dog appreciators! Our Northfield Farmers Market will celebrate the close canine and farm connection during Open Farm Week welcoming dogs and dog owners with delicious and virtuous (think refillery, dog treat options with zero packaging, pasture raised, etc.) offers and activities including pet photos!
Training working dogs is fundamental to our farm’s success and we are excited to share samples of our “Farm Dog Approved” regenerative dog AND CAT treats among the many fun offers from the Northfield Farmers Market community on this festive and furry event on our quintessential Vermont town Common.
Are you curious about what it takes to process farm raised poultry? Do you want some processing tips & practice or perhaps you just want to be more intimately involved in bringing your food from the field to your table. You can join us for a hands-on Turkey Processing workshop. We will walk you through each step with some of our pasture-raised turkeys, getting them ready for holiday meals (or summer delights). You can sign up either to just watch & listen or for a full hands-on experience.
Photo by @misserinburke
If you’d like you can process the turkey you’ll bring home to eat fresh or pop into your freezer for the holidays. [Turkeys processed by our farm team will also be available].
Watch & Listen: $20/person +15% discount on a fresh turkey
Hands on participation: $40/person +15% discount on a fresh turkey
Fresh turkeys will be available for pick-up for summer meals or to pop in your freezer for the holidays. We like to finish our turkeys in the Summer when the grass is lush & plentiful as while turkeys are omnivores they LOVE pasture! Then they are frozen & all set for the holidays. Get ahead & book your holiday turkey now! AND come see how we raise turkeys & chickens on pasture with a short farm tour – See what your holiday meal ate.
It is always lovely to get a new idea and another reason to eat fresh tomatoes in this season. And our fennel is SO lovely right now! So refreshing, and something about this combo created an amazing fruity taste, as if we had added peaches or something. And with just 20 minutes or so of marinating with the tomatoes and dressing the fennel mellowed and softened to a delightful mild, crunchy addition. Thanks Eating Well Magazine for this recipe inspiration.
Ingredients
2 small bulbs thinly sliced Fennel
2 lb ripe, fresh tomatoes chunked or sliced
about 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
about 2 Tablespoons (or a bit more) light vinegar — Artesano’s Honey Wine vinegar is ideal here
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
ground pepper
smidge of maple syrup
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts or other (optional)
Directions
Whisk together dressing ingredients (Olive oil, vinegar, salt & pepper & a smidge of maple syrup).
Thinly slice fennel (by hand, in food processor or with a mandoline) and chop or slice the tomatoes. We used the food processor.
Toss fennel & tomatoes in dressing, add parsley and nuts if using them. Taste, add more salt & pepper to taste. Serve & Enjoy!
The calendar turns to August tomorrow and sure enough here come some of the summer eating prizes… .TOMATOES, Basil, Beans, Fennel and so much more!! So much more to come as well! Each has their own length of season so enjoy while they are here! We’ve been loving fennel & chicken…oh and broccolini & eggs!
This season our Farmstand is open Wednesday – Sunday 10am to 7 pm and you can shop from us via the online weekly Northfield Farmers Market. We will be in person 1x month at the Market as well.
Our website is always stocked with lots of recipe ideas. You can scroll or search! The farmstand is stocked with our products and those from our partners and other local regenerative farms. More new products each week!
While I love Fall & Winter cooking and the coziness it provides, Summer eating is really special. So fresh, so many colors, textures & flavors. Salads that can become whole meals because you keep adding different veggies, fruits and whatever meat you’ve cooked or grilled….good localvore living.
Summer Eating gets better around here this week as we processed the first poultry of the year.
So yes, FRESH Freedom Ranger chickens are ready at the Farmstand through Sunday! And then we will be restocked with our delightfullly juicy, tasty chickens in the freezer. There will also be a smaller batch of fresh chicken in about 2 weeks!
For those new to our farm and chickens. We raise Freedom Rangers, which are a cross developed by the French many years ago for their Label Rouge program. Chickens that will plump up nicely for roasting, but still take advantage of grazing, enjoying the range of plants and insects on pasture and, perhaps most importantly, taste great! We manage fully organically, though we are not certified.
If you like to have chicken parts on hand, this is a great opportunity to cut some up for your freezer. Our teammates did a video several years ago as a tutorial or perhaps you caught the hands on demo with Tyler Renaud at this past Tuesday’s Northfield Farmers Market.
And the Summer veggies are just delightful and any mix of them make a tasty treat with our fresh chicken or sausage or lamb or eggs!
Receive weekly or seasonal updates from the farm including recipes, farm happenings, event announcements, and what's on sale this week at our farm stand. Subscribe
It is always lovely to get a new idea and another reason to eat fresh tomatoes in this season. And our fennel is SO lovely right now! So refreshing, and something about this combo created an amazing fruity taste, as if we had added peaches or something. And with just 20 minutes or so of marinating with the tomatoes and dressing the fennel mellowed and softened to a delightful mild, crunchy addition. Thanks 
