Alumni Profiles : FARMS 2 + 2 Program : University of Vermont

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Joe Allen is a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program. Since graduation he has returned to the Panton, Vermont farm owned and operated by his mother Claudia Allen where they have downsized from 250 milking to 200 milking cows and reduced the total acres farmed. Joe will be entering Vermont Law School in the fall of 2004 with a goal of helping farmers in transition and assisting family businesses to remain operational. Joe has helped set his family up as a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC) and remains active in his family's farming business as he pursues his law degree. Joe can be reached at (802) 475-2583.

Jon Audy is a May 2002 FARMS 2 + 2 program graduate. Jon did not grow up on a dairy farm, but through jobs in his teen years, developed an intense interest in the dairy business, particularly large herds. Upon graduation, Jon worked for the Barnes Brothers Dairy, Vergennes, managing the herd as they expanded from 400 to over 800 cows at two different sites. During this 18-month time, Jon became increasingly interested in dairy cow nutrition, and since Winter 2003-2004, has been with Feed Commodities International based in Vergennes. Jon lives in Orwell and can be reached at jaudy@feedcommodities.com

Dave Bartholomew is a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program. He has returned to the 4000+ acre, 200 cow Bartholomew Brothers Farm in Benson, Vermont. This farm also includes a sawmill as part of its operation. Dave is involved with all aspects of the operation with particular attention to the herd management and breeding of the herd. His Senior project included an entire animal facility 5-10 year plan including engineering and floor plans for a milking center, milk cow housing, dry cow housing, transition and maternity facility, manure storage and handling, and silage storage. You can contact Dave at 802-537-4932.

Stephanie Cannon began her undergraduate studies at Delaware Valley College and transferred to the University of Vermont to complete the FARMS 2 + 2 program. She graduated in May of 2002 and worked for Kings-Ransom Farm in Schuylerville, New York where she pursued her passion of calf and heifer management. She is currently pursuing a Master's Degree in calf nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and will graduate this summer. After graduation she plans on splitting her time between her home farm in Johnsonville and an industry position focusing on calves and heifers. She hopes to continue to be involved in international agriculture, an area of interest stimulated by her Senior project in Australia. Her focus has shifted to developing countries; more recently she's had the opportunity to work with the people of rural Brazil on sustainable wildlife and agricultural management techniques. Contact Stephanie by e-mail at sjc_30@hotmail.com or by phone at (217) 649-9296.

Brett Denny graduated from the FARMS 2 + 2 program in May 2005 , majoring in Dairy Farm Management at Vermont Tech and the new CDAE Agricultural Resource Entrepreneurship major at UVM. While in the program he spent two consecutive summers as an intern for Yankee Farm Credit and Vermont DHIA, respectively. Brett came to the program with a limited background in agriculture, but a strong interest in both computers and dairy. After graduation he accepted a full-time position with Vermont DHIA (http://www.vtdhia.org) and is currently Assistant Manager. Contact Brett by e-mail at bdenny@vtdhia.org or by phone at (802) 233-8662.

From St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Jeff Gingue is currently a senior at VTC and will be at UVM in the Fall of 2005. He and his family milk about 300 Holsteins and Jerseys and farm about 500 acres along the Connecticut River.

Morgan Greenwood graduated in May of 2005 from the FARMS 2 + 2 program with a degree in Agricultural and Resource Entrepreneurship and a minor in Animal Science. Morgan is from East Randolph, Vermont where her family owns a farm equipment dealership. She is currently working at Yankee Farm Credit, ACA in White River Junction as a credit analyst. Morgan can be reached at Morgan.Greenwood@yankeeaca.com.

Sean Hardy is a May 2004 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program and operates his own ferrier business in Brattleboro, Vermont. While he was enrolled at the University of Vermont he became involved with CREAM as well as FARMS and his senior project involved a business plan for an organic/grazing herd of pure-bred Jersey cattle. Sean's address is 272 Silver Lane; Vernon, VT. 05354.

Dave Kennett operates Liberty Hill Farm, his family's farm, in Rochester, Vermont. Dave graduated in May of 2001 and returned home to manage the 70 cow registered Holstein herd. His parents, Bob and Beth Kennett, also run an ag-tourism Bed and Breakfast at Liberty Hill. Dave uses intensive herd management and careful attention to detail to make this picturesque dairy profitable. An older brother is considering returning to the farm, so there are lots of planning meetings happening there! Contact Dave at 802-767-3926 or check out the farm's website at www.libertyhillfarm.com. He can be reached by email at libertyhillfarm@innevi.com

Dan LaCoss, a May 2001 graduate of the FARMS 2+2 program, now operates his own 45-cow registered Holstein and Jersey dairy farm on his grandparents dairy in Barton, Vermont. Starting with a few 4-H project animals, Dan developed a business plan, borrowed $100K from FSA/VIDA, and bought cows from good herds in the Northeast Kingdom. He started milking cows June 1, 2001, two weeks after graduating from the FARMS 2+2 program. He credits the knowledge gained in school and great family support, along with "good cows," as the reason he has been successful against challenging economic realities. Contact Dan at 802-525-4279 or dlacoss@surfglobal.net

Chris LaPierre is a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program. Since graduation Chris has been working for Bordeau Brothers, Inc. in Middlebury, Vermont, in agricultural sales and consulting. Chris interrupted his academic studies for 9 months to do an internship with a grain harvest operation, working from Texas to Manitoba.

Ken Leach is a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2+2 program He is currently working as Extension Dairy Farm Management Educator for the southern five counties of Vermont. He also practices what he preaches by managing a 30-cow grazing herd at his home in Pawlet, Vermont. Ken also played a MAJOR role in creating this website during the summer of 2004! Contact Ken at 802-773-3349 or jockeystreet@hotmail.com

Seth Leach, from Pawlet, Vermont, is a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program. He has returned to his family's home farm, Woodlawn Holsteins, as manager of the 180 cow milking herd and 150+ replacement stock. He does the breeding and record keeping for the herd as well as supervising the milking staff. As a way to diversify income for the farm and to expand the business without adding more cows, Seth developed a plan for enterprise management of an embryo transfer program with the top 10 percent of the Registered Holstein herd to produce additional breeding stock for sale. Since returning home, he has implemented this plan and already has offspring on the ground and for sale. Call Seth at 802-325-3462 to talk with him about FARMS and how it has helped him realize some of his plans.

Renee Nadeau, from Holland, Vermont, is a May 2002 graduate of the FARMS 2+2 program. She did an 18-month internship at the VTC Dairy Farm where she taught herd management techniques to students. Renee also did a 6-month internship on transition cow management with Poulin Grain in Newport, Vermont. Since July 1, 2004, Renee has returned to her family's 300 cow dairy as herd manager and hopes to work into an equity position there soon. Contact Renee at 803-895-2965.

Ben Palmer is a 2002 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program. Following an 18-month internship at Miner Institute, Ben became herd manager on the 1,000 cow Dubois Brothers farm in Addison, Vermont. Ben can be contacted at millerkodiak@hotmail.com or by telephone at (802) 734-8066.

Suzi Pike is a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program with an Animal Science major and a minor in Agriculture Entrepeneurship. Her brother, Dan Pike, is currently a Senior at VTC and will be coming to UVM in the Fall of 2005. Suzi has returned home and is managing the 90 cow milking herd at Keewaydon Farms in Stowe....a task made especially challenging because, since March 2004, they have been rapidly converting the entire herd from Holsteins to Registered Jerseys as a way to strengthen farm income without big expansion of cow numbers. The intent is to take advantage of the efficiency of the Jersey cow in feed conversion, as well as reproduction, so that breeding stock can become a part of the farm income stream. Call Dan or Suzi at 802-253-4304.

Tony Pouliot, a May 2003 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program, has returned home as a junior partner in the family dairy in Westford, Vermont. His responsibilities there include management of 800 acres of crops that are planted and harvested using custom contractors. He is currently milking 450 cows. He can be contacted at (802) 878-4255.

Shelby Purchase graduated from the FARMS 2 + 2 program in May 2003 and since then has divided her time between running a successful equestrian riding school, as well as being the calf manager for the 1000+ cow Fairmont Farm in East Montpelier, Vermont. Shelby lives in Northfield, Vermont with her fiance on their small horse farm. You can contact Shelby at chase0067@aol.com or call her at (802) 485-6538. Visit her website at www.foxcreekfarmvt.com

Reid Richardson graduated from the FARMS 2 + 2 program in December of 2001 and was herdsman for a 300 cow dairy in Chittenden County until July 1, 2004, when he returned to his family's dairy business on Hartland Hill in Woodstock, Vermont, as a new partner with an older brother. The Richardson Farm is a diversified agricultural business that includes a 70 cow Jersey dairy, a large maple operation, logging and a split rail fence business that serves Windsor County and New England. Contact Reid at reidrichardson@verizon.net

Jeff Sheldon, a May 2004 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program, has returned as a junior partner to Sheldon Farms, Fair Haven, Vermont, a 400+ acre, 120 cow dairy farm that is a 9th generation farm. In Jeff's senior project, Jeff investigated in depth, possible future use of robotics in the family business as well as several business reorganization options for Sheldon Farms. Also, Jeff is the first graduate of FARMS 2 + 2 to complete the CDAE Agricultural Resource Entrepeneurship Major, focusing on the business side of an agricultural enterprise. Contact Jeff at (802) 265-8156.

Jesse Woods is a 2005 graduate of the FARMS 2 + 2 program, majoring in Agricultural and Resource Entrepreneurship with a minor in animal science. Jesse grew up on a small dairy farm in West Berkshire, Vermont, where his family milks about 50 Holsteins. He still continues to be involved with the farm in a smaller role. Jesse started a nutritionist position in June with Robitaille Feed Mills out if Farnham, Quebec. Jesse's territory covers the Champlain Valley of Vermont. Jesse still lives in West Berkshire for now and can be contacted at jesse_woods@hotmail.com.

Last modified March 20 2008 12:49 PM