Amid the uncertainty of the pandemic, some local farms have doubled or tripled direct sales to Vermonters, with business at farm stands and Community Supported Agriculture programs soaring in the state. Although state data from March through July show Vermont farms losing money on average, farms that have been pivoted to direct sales are reporting major growth. But scaling up a business often involves expensive investments, and farmers hope that new customers will remain, even after the pandemic winds down … (read more)
