PHILO RIDGE FARM
Charlotte, Vermont
Organic Regenerative Agriculture
Philo Ridge Farm Foundation
Philo Ridge Farm is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) working demonstration farm located in Vermont’s Champlain Valley. Using innovative and ecologically sustainable practices, we steward over 500 acres of pastureland, forests, and diversified produce gardens. We rotationally graze heritage breed livestock and cultivate certified organic fruits, vegetables, and flowers.
Our mission is to promote organic regenerative agriculture through hands-on research, education, and community engagement. As a nonprofit living laboratory, we provide farmers, students, and the public with opportunities to explore sustainable farming practices. Through educational initiatives and collaborative partnerships, we seek to deepen our understanding of food systems, environmental stewardship, and the essential role of agriculture in building resilient, healthy communities.
Recent Farm News
Last winter, we wrote about bale grazing and the early experiments that invited the cattle to spend more of the cold season out on the land. A year later, those experiments have grown into a steady practice.
At its core, animal husbandry is the practice of caring for livestock in a way that supports their health, productivity, and natural behaviors. Here at the farm, this means managing animals as part of an interconnected system that includes pasture, soil, water, and people.
Since the outset, evaluating the transition of Philo Ridge Farm’s land from conventional to organic regenerative methods has been a key focus. While the benefits of our practices may be apparent on the farm itself, we believe their true impact lies in being measurable, documented, and shared so that other farms can learn from and build upon our efforts.
This summer, we’re reopening our Market and dining spaces and welcoming visitors back to the farm for an exciting new season of food, gathering, and connection.
After an extensive national search to find the ideal culinary leader for our next chapter, Philo Ridge Farm is thrilled to welcome Marc St. Jacques as our Director of Food & Beverage and Executive Chef.
We are delighted to introduce Jeremy LeClair as our new Gardens & Growing Manager at Philo Ridge Farm. He brings over a decade of experience in plant science, organic farming, and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainability.
After a transformative journey over these past years, we are excited to share that we have officially completed our transition to become a nonprofit organization, the Philo Ridge Farm Foundation.
Co-owner Peter Swift established Philo Ridge Farm’s grazing philosophy early on: It isn’t just about feeding animals—it’s also a tool for regenerating soil health. The cows and sheep at Philo Ridge Farm spend most of the year on grass, following a highly orchestrated grazing pattern designed to increase soil fertility.
Working closely with a cohort of 15 farms located in diverse regions across Vermont, the study’s goal is to provide the first rigorous state-wide analysis of the environmental, economic, and social impacts of regenerative farming. Participating farms are adopting soil health management practices including management-intensive rotational grazing (MIRG), supplemental seeding, and pasture nutrient amendment.
Over the years, we’ve become more adept at conducting research, learning how to coordinate our resources and collaborating with knowledgeable partners to establish best practices, get access to valuable tools, and standardize measurement taking to obtain more consistent, shareable results.