Intervale Farm Spotlight: Diggers' Mirth Collective Farm

A partner of the Intervale Food Hub and one of eight independent farms in the Intervale, Digger’s Mirth Collective Farm is an integral part of the Intervale Center. Founded in 1992, the 12-acre farm strives to provide high-quality, affordable, and accessible certified organic vegetables to the community. The farm is owned collectively by five partners, one of whom is Hilary Martin.

I chatted with Hilary seeking an insider perspective on the relationship that exists between Digger’s Mirth Collective Farm, The Intervale Center, and the community. Just from our short conversation, it was overwhelmingly clear how strongly all three are connected.

Hilary shared how the link between Digger’s Mirth Collective Farm and the Intervale extends beyond the farm simply operating on Intervale land. “The Intervale Center is our landlord, but the relationship is much richer than just landlord and tenant,” Hilary reflected.

The Intervale Center’s constant support towards the farm program, the farm’s involvement with selling to the Intervale Food Hub, and the Intervale’s gleaning project all tie into the invaluable relationship between the farm and the center, Hilary elaborated.

These key components lead to much reciprocity within the relationship between the farm and the center. Hilary commented how the Intervale Food Hub depends on vegetables grown by the farm, while the farm relies on the Intervale Center’s gleaning project to assist them with food access.

The positive impact of this connection between the farm and the Intervale carries over into the effect the farm has on the community. Hilary discussed how, with the support and resources of the Intervale, Digger’s Mirth Collective Farm can help maintain the Old North End farmers market, support local food banks, and be a part of various projects that work to make produce more available and accessible to all Burlington community members.

Like with the relationship between the Intervale and the farm, reciprocity is also a main characteristic of the relationship between the farm and the community. “The community is integral to what we do,” Hilary noted. “We rely on the community to support our farm.”

Hilary went on to comment that the consumers who buy their produce, whether it be from the food hub, at farmer’s markets, or through their wholesale accounts at local grocery stores, greatly appreciate the products the farm supplies them with. Through this support from the community, the relationship that exists between the farm and the community is constantly flourishing.

Our talk wrapped up with Hilary’s thoughts on why the Intervale is such a special place to run a farm on.

Hilary expressed how remarkable it is that, through the Intervale, they can farm on such beautiful, incredible land within the city limits of Burlington.

Most importantly, she loves that the land is shared among so many other farmers, gardeners, and recreators. “I am so grateful every day to be farming alongside other farms and businesses. I am always learning from their innovations and inspired by their work,” Hilary explained. “I think that farming can feel very isolating, but we don’t suffer from that problem here at the Intervale. We are often supporting each other in small ways and big ways.”

Hilary gave an example of this support, which is the equipment cooperative between all the farmers on the Intervale. The farmers work together to have and share a wide range of equipment, which allows each farm to have access to equipment they might not otherwise.

Operating Digger’s Mirth Collective Farm on the Intervale is something Hilary is extremely grateful for. “It is a very expansive, connective community that I am very appreciative of.”

Guest written by UVM student, Mykala O'Farrell