The Wild Branch Valley Farm

The Wild Branch Valley Farm sits right on highway 14, Wild Branch Road, in the small town of Craftsbury, Vermont. Its 227 acres rest in a sprawling green valley that will literally take your breath away (Insert Berlin's "Top Gun" theme song here). The two-story white farmhouse, nearly 160 years old, faces the road as a welcoming face to its many visitors. The farm stand is next to the house in a red building filled with baskets of peas, summer squash, patty pans ("sassy patties")zucchini, and a wide variety of tomatoes. The stand is decorated with massive hanging baskets of purple and magenta petunias that are for sale as well. The refrigerators are filled with fresh eggs and beef from the cattle they raise here. The farm stand...it truly is what's for dinner.

Moving to the right of the house and the farmstand is the classically red barn, then the greenhouses. Even further down are the gardens; rows and rows of sunflowers, carrots, and the previously mentioned treats. Beyond the garden is the pasture where the sheep live. Kris Coville, among many other things, is also a master weaver. The farm's layout is not that kind of cookie cutter deal with everything separate and overly segregated. Although each area has its purpose, there is a very natural flow to the place. The farm is clearly the vessel for the community that thrives on it. The place itself is quiet, peaceful. And it's charm is only surpassed by the people who live here.

The Covilles, Kris and Glenn and their sons Joshua, Noah, and Micah were all there to greet us as we arrived. Kris gave us a tour of the place and introduced us to some of the other people that live here as well. Jonathan and April and their daughter Miel, a young family from Australia, are staying with the Covilles. The couple came and worked on the farm a few of years ago, and on their current visit to the US, Wild Branch was their first choice in places to visit again. There is a separate back section to the house that is an apartment for a young couple, Nate and Princess who had their first child, Norah, the day before we arrived. We have only caught one glimpse of the baby so far, but from what we can see, she is a beautiful, healthy little girl. On the gravel road that runs behind the house, down through the cow pastures, another couple, Paul and Karen live in a yert that they brought here to the farm. Also, each day there are different people that come and go to help on the farm. Some are friends coming to help out, some trying to learn about farming, some for trade, and some are Wwoofers like Amber and me. All in all, the community here has a sort of 'permaculture' of its own; everyone subscribing to the idea of give and take, living in true harmony. (Sounds so cheesy, but hey, it IS Vermont.)

After giving us a quick tour the Covilles went off to visit with friends, giving Amber and I time to pick a spot to set up camp, grab some dinner and get settled. As we moved down the gravel road, under the (very live) cattle fences, and across the creek (which would soon turn into a river on a very rainy night) we found our spot. We set the tent up in what Kris calls the 'moss garden', a soft area of ground covered in different green, white and red mosses. The terrain made for a perfect area to sleep and sit avoiding the tall grass. As we arranged our camping chairs and cooler in what we would call the 'livingroom', Amber and I took a break to enjoy the beauty around us. We looked forward to what the week ahead would bring.