Wildstone Farm

a small local certified organic produce farm in East Pownal run by Joy & John Primmer

Wildstone was the first farm in Bennington County to become certified organic
in 1989 by Vermont Organic Farmers

Wildstone also became certified by the Real Organic Project in 2020

Visit http://www.wildstonefarm.com for more information or to become a CSA member

High school sweethearts, Joy and John Primmer grew up and lived in Williamstown, MA during their early years. After travelling around WIlliamstown and over to Pownal, they eventually decided to live permanently in Pownal.

The Primmers bought 10 acres of land in East Pownal, part of the current day Wildstone Farm land in 1984. Intending to grow food and live off their land, they began to grow a personal garden. In 2001, the Primmers bought 11 more acres of land adjacent to their existing land, comprising the 21 acre farm that exists today which is part of Elijah Barber’s farm started in the late 18th century. After growing for some years, the Primmers were approached by Wild Oats who expressed interest in selling their produce. Accepting this offer, Wildstone sold wholesale at Wild Oats for 25 years. When this business arrangement was no longer favorable for the Primmers, they decided to pivot.

Now Wildstone conducts direct sales and operates under a CSA program in which 40-45 members have a free choice share for ten weeks: November through March or April through October. The CSA food distribution model is built on trust and collective responsibility. The members provide farmers with the capital and a guaranteed market in advance of their growing and then claim the produce when it is harvested. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wildstone updated their website to include a purchasing shop that allows members to select produce to fill their boxes, keeping track of inventory online through an online service rather than by hand, as they had been previously. This has saved the Primmers a significant amount of time and labor and improved their business functioning. They also sell at Bennington Farmers’ Market. 

A family farm, the Primmers still work their land from sunrise to sunset, tending to their crops, harvesting by hand, and unkeeping the property. Wildstone has produced Certified Organic vegetables since 1989, the first Certified Organic farm in Bennington County; they are Vermont Organic Certified and Real Organic Project Certified. Since the early 2000s, the Farm has been growing in high tunnels and a root cellar, allowing them to grow produce through the winter in the cold and windy environment at 1,400 feet above sea level. They primarily use hand tools and have a small walk-behind tractor, and do not use synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides.