Spotlight

In 2001, I visited with Jill Kopel to learn more about her new farm business, New Leaf Organics, in Bristol, Vermont. Jill had found the 90-acre farm with the help of Land Link Vermont, a program I coordinated at the time.

That first season, Jill grew 1.5 acres of vegetables, an acre of cut flowers, plus installed new plantings of asparagus, small berries and fruit trees. For market outlets, Jill used an existing roadside farm stand on the property, two farmers’ markets (for part of the season), an 8-family CSA, and some retail/wholesale accounts to florists and a few local restaurants and health food stores.

“I knew this was going to be an experimental year,” she had said, “and by trying a little bit of everything, I’ve learned a lot about how I want to narrow things down and what I want to do in terms of quality of life, and what has the most income potential.”

Fast forward seven years as Leaf New Organics is now entering its eighth season. Since starting her business, Jill has worked hard on expanding her CSA and the farm stand. The CSA now attracts 80 customers.

“I still really love the CSA but we’ve changed the format a bit.” CSA customers receive a credit at the farm stand and can basically choose the vegetables and flowers they like. “Our customers really like the credit system; it’s flexible for them in that they can come to the farm when they want and it’s more flexible for me too.”

Another big change to the business was the addition of a bedding plants enterprise. “It’s a huge part of the business now. It’s been fun trying something new and challenging,” said Jill. “I’ve learned a lot trial by fire but it’s been worth it in terms of the cash flow and color it provides during the spring months.”

Her vegetable production has grown to 4.5 acres. “My business has really come full circle,” said Jill. For a few years, Jill had dropped farmers’ and wholesale markets, focusing just on CSA and farm stand sales. “Now, I’m involved with the Bristol Farmers’ Market and I’m going to try the Shelburne Farmers’ Market this year.” She also will be wholesaling her products at the Middlebury Food Cooperative.

In addition to vegetables, Jill continues to grow more than 100 varieties of fresh and dried cut flowers.

“I still sell cuts to a few florists,” she said, “And we also do three to four weddings per year.” Jill has recently been marketing “weddings in a bucket” where New Leaf provides stems of a certain amount and color to customers who then do their own arrangements. “I also arrange stems for at least one event per year,” said Jill. “It provides me with an artistic outlet that the other parts of the business don’t. I hope to keep doing that part of the business.”

Big changes to the farm family include Jill’s marriage to local businessperson Skimmer Hellier and the birth of their daughter, Ruby, last year. “Skimmer’s support has been huge for both my business and my life,” said Jill. “It’s so great to have someone else to run by my ideas and get feedback. He’s great!”

Little Ruby has also shaped the business. “Having Ruby has forced me to really step back and think about what’s profitable and what’s not,” said Jill. “Especially looking at enterprises from a labor point of view. And she’s been helping me create more of a balance between farm time and family time.”

Jill recently completed the Women’s Agricultural Network’s Taking Stock course. The course, designed to focus on the issues of maturing agricultural businesses, was good timing for Jill.

“Taking Stock really helped put my business in perspective and see how I can improve certain enterprises on the farm,” she said. “I am feeling good about the farm. I am still loving its challenges and rewards, most days at least, and am excited to see Ruby growing up here.”

To learn more about New Leaf Organics, please visit their website at www.newleaforganics.org or contact Jill at newleaf@gmavt.net or 802-453-6160.

WAgN
Women's Agricultural Network
590 Main St., UVM
Burlington, VT 05405
(802) 656-3276
or wagn@zoo.uvm.edu

University of Vermont Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, notional orgin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.