Strolling of the Heifers

In 2009, during the the pilot round of the Microloan Fund program, a total of $46,000 has been loaned to five N.E. farms

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Strolling of the Heifers microloans available for area farmers

BRATTLEBORO—Many Western Massachusetts and Vermont farmers are eligible to apply for loans from the Strolling of the Heifers Microloan Fund for New England Farmers. 

The deadline for the current round of applications is Nov. 27, according to Dorothy Suput, director of The Carrot Project of Somerville, Mass.

 The Microloan Fund is a joint project of Strolling of the Heifers of Brattleboro, Vt., an organization that works to help sustain family farms, and The Carrot Project, which creates small farm financing solutions.

Chittenden Bank is the microloan program’s bank partner for Western New England.

Loan applications for amounts ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, for terms up to five years, will be accepted from prequalified applicants.

Applications are limited to farms located in Western Massachusetts (Berkshire, Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties) or Vermont.

The primary focus is on small-sized farms that use sustainable and organic methods—or are moving toward them—and that are marketing at least a portion of their products locally.

To be eligible, farms should have no more than 250 acres in active production and annual gross revenue of no more than $250,000.

Loans may be used for capital investments.  They may also be used for:

•  expenses that help improve efficiency and quality

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•  Strolling of the Heifers Microloan Fund

•  Strolling of the Heifers

•  The Carrot Project