UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture Pasture Program Coordinator Jenn Colby helps livestock farmers find success and lead quality lives. Under this overarching theme, she coordinates the Vermont Grazing and Livestock Conference, partners with the VT Grass Farmers Association, manages multi-media outreach and provides leadership to pasture and livestock-based educational activities, research and technical assistance around the state. Currently she manages a UVM team providing technical assistance in the Long Island Sound Watershed (Connecticut River), is the co-chair of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network’s Production and Processing Working Group, and serves on the boards of the East Central Vermont Development District and the Vermont Farm Show. In her local community, she is an advisor for the Randolph Technical Career Center agriculture program and volunteers for several community-school committees.
Outside of official Extension work, Jenn teaches grazing and livestock courses part time at Sterling College and Vermont Technical College. She has operated a diversified meat livestock farm in the Randolph, VT area since 2000 and recently relocated the farm to a new location with new challenges. Jenn and her family have competed in Kansas City-style barbecue around New England for more than a decade; a skill they plan to capitalize on as they build the new farm business.