Our new friends:

Maddie - (heifer Jersey cross)

Maggie - (heifer Belted- Jersey cross)

Lizzy -(heifer Jersey cross)

 and  Our first BULL :Johnny Full Highlander

4/14/21

We, my daughter Ivy Heinz and I, are excited and proud to announce we have launched the commercial and retail side of our family farm with a NEW...ALL VERMONT line of meats.

Essentially...We have been a local homestead selling meats to our family and neighbors for the last 15 years. It's time to go VERMONT BIG TIME!

This project started as something I could do with my then just two, older daughters. We returned from the Tunbridge Fair our first summer in East Montpelier with 2 male goats and a Ram sheep. My wife pointed out early that it was going to be hard being successful at breeding with those three...haha. What she didn't realize was that statement was passive permission to go get more animals. She now realizes!

The project was meant to be a way to teach responsibility and hard work to my girls and help them see themselves as strong independent young women. It worked and I now have my hands full of well spoken opinions. My daughter Sophia who is now moving on from farming but attributes the farm and necessary problem solving for getting her into engineering is at Norwich. We would not have kept the homestead together without her.

I worked as a middle and high school science teacher at the time and it was fun to get into it and learn farming with them. Now after 5 years of working at 802 Toyota in Berlin, the farm is going to be my retirement.

Heinz Hill Farm is the name everyone on Front Porch Forum is likely familiar with selling chicken and pork but in Dec. of 2019 just before the Covid experience started, we registered with the State of VT as a LLC under the name 3rd Generation Farming, Heinz Hill Farm will be the meat line going retail in April. The company will also eventually incorporate green energy production, Property management and educational programming. I am even working on our first children's book based on one of our newest additions this year...still secret in the works. We are also looking to lease animals out for natural landscaping and have already been working with a local developer clearing land.

People have asked me where the 3rd Generation Farming name comes from...I choose the name because I believe the generational loss of advice and family unity is strongly influencing the structure of our society today regardless of politics. I want to build something that will unify my family and give a stronger foundation to the "3rd Generation" of this family.

The farm will have many facets; We are starting this year providing local camping options and of course the pork and lamb lines will first appear locally at Plainfield Hardware in their expanding grocery section. We hope to quickly be offering pork and Lamb sausages, pork chops, ribs and the ultimate in local pork experience...BACON. Egg and other related products will also be coming very soon. 

We will be looking for a space to expand the farm and then include the energy and educational elements. We are trying to find equipment grants and land grants to move us forward. I hope to hire a part-time driver and hand any time now. We are open to all kinds of new ideas and sharing what we have learned along this long family journey. Biggest lesson ...do it! If you dream it ...do it!

My goal when I left teaching was to have this be a working business by the time I turn 50...April 14th this year (2021) so right on target. Now by 52 I would like to be a full time teaching Farmer.

Now, Ivy who is just about to turn 17 is now going to be one the youngest female business owners in the state while she prepares to pursue an Ag degree at VTC. Ivy is the muscle and energy of or partnership. I have been challenged physically for the last couple years, so all my props go to her hard work. She and our youngest just about to turn 9, Ester, care for the animals day in and day out.

This has been an interesting and expensive set of lessons being self-taught. Through local partnerships and mentoring of other farmers such as Mike Noyes in Berlin we have made it work. 

So look for us at Plainfield Hardware and Maple Corners in Calais please thank them for their work with local farmers OR order direct here on the site.