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Growing Resilience at Intervale Community Farm

by | Aug 13, 2025 | Co-op Stories

At a Glance

    • Co-op Type: Other (Consumer-owned farm)
    • Industry: Agriculture
  • Location: Burlington, VT
    • Founded: 1990 (became a co-op in 2009)
    • Member-Owners: ~275
    • Employees: 15 (5 year-round full-time)
    • Loan: $120,000 revolving loan from CFNE (Jan 2024; first CFNE loan in 2013)
  • Use of Loan: Build new high tunnels
  • Revenue (2024): $785,000

Growing Resilience in Intervale

Nestled along the Winooski River in Burlington, Vermont, Intervale Community Farm (ICF) has been feeding its neighbors for more than three decades. Founded in 1990 and officially converting to a consumer-owned co-op in 2009, ICF is now home to nearly 275 member-owners, a team of 15 dedicated employees, and a thriving Consumer Supported Agriculture (CSA) program that grows over 200 varieties of vegetables each year. But as with many farms today, climate change is forcing ICF to adapt—fast.

When the River Rose: A Farm Confronts Climate Change

After back-to-back seasons of devastating flooding in 2023 and 2024, the farm confronted a hard truth: its floodplain location, once a gift, had become a growing vulnerability. CSA shares that once sold out early now lingered. Confidence had dipped. The cost of recovery stacked higher each year.

“After two consecutive years of flooding, we had to ask ourselves: how do we make this farm more resilient for the long-term?” reflects longtime farmer Andy Jones.

ICF needed infrastructure—and stability—to continue nourishing its community.

A Partnership Rooted in Flexibility

That’s where the Cooperative Fund of the Northeast (CFNE) stepped in. Since 2013, CFNE has been a flexible and patient partner, offering revolving loans that have powered ICF through key milestones:

  • building vegetable processing and storage facilities
  • installing solar panels
  • backstopping member loan campaigns
  • replacing a failing tractor

In January 2024, ICF closed on a new $120,000 loan to take its next major leap toward climate resilience.

Building Upward: A Vision Takes Shape

ICF’s latest project was clear: build two new high tunnels on the highest ground available. These structures would protect crops from floods, extend the growing season, and stabilize revenue—even in unpredictable conditions.

“We’re really trying to optimize the use of our highest land,” Andy explains.
 “Small growers like us have to live in that labor-intensive, high-return zone.”

This loan also accompanied a strategic expansion—leasing land in nearby Hinesburg with a different risk profile. Together, the sites give ICF multiple climate futures to bet on.

Harvesting the Results

The impact has been immediate and visible. With six high tunnels now in operation, ICF can:

  • grow more food year-round
  • shield crops from storms and rising river levels
  • boost output and predictability across seasons

Each tunnel can generate:

  • $8–10K in winter
  • $50–70K in summer

Those returns fuel local jobs, strengthen the CSA program, and stabilize a farm that hundreds of Burlington families rely on.

Planting the Seeds of the Future

Today, ICF isn’t just thinking about the next season—they’re thinking decades ahead. Andy, Kathie, and longtime farmer Aly are beginning to plan for leadership succession, ensuring the next generation of farmers inherits a resilient co-op built to weather an uncertain climate.

With member-owners at the center, community partners like City Market beside them, and CFNE’s ongoing support, Intervale Community Farm is modeling what climate-smart, community-owned agriculture can look like.

They’re not just growing food.
They’re growing the future of farming in Vermont.

Learn more about Intervale: https://www.intervalecommunityfarm.com/ 

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