THE ORIGINAL ORGANIC: Will and Judy Stevens of Golden Russet Farm

Over the past ten years, “organic” has become a buzzword in the American food industry, with pesticide-free produce replacing conventional in specialty stores and supermarkets alike, all across the country. But Vermont encouraged organic growing even before it was vogue, proving a dynamic home for two farmers who sought a more traditional relationship with their land.

When they married in 1984, Will and Judy Stevens forwent a wedding registry and asked guests for apple trees instead. They hoped to grow apples on their newly purchased Shoreham, Vermont farm along with the organic vegetables for which they are best known today. Their earliest days as farmers were spent managing a small orchard in Monkton, Vermont, where they fell in love with old-time apple varieties. In their spare time, they adventured around the state looking for wild and abandoned apples to try and press into cider. Their favorite apple was the Golden Russet, a late-season, golden-yellow beauty with sweet juice. They named the farm after it and thirty years later, a Golden Russet apple tree still stands tall in their front yard.

Golden Russet Farm is one of the oldest and most respected organic vegetable farms in Addison County. Along with their family and senior CSAs, Will and Judy sell produce at the Middlebury Farmers’ Market, the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-Op, City Market in Burlington, and Healthy Living in South Burlington. Although they recently paired down their wholesale accounts, over their careers they have supplied just about every restaurant in Middlebury with fresh produce.

When Will and Judy first began growing vegetables in 1981, their commitment to organic methods was unusual, and filled a unique niche among customers. They made their debut at the Burlington Farmers’ Market, where customers would arrive early to line up for produce, clearing most farmers’ stands after just a few hours. Judy explains that along with her own preference for working without chemicals, the intimacy of growing and selling inspired her early commitment to organic methods. “When you’re going to farmers’ markets and you’re standing across the table from someone and you’re selling them a cucumber or a tomato or whatever it is, and people ask [how it is grown]…you want to feel good about your answer,” says Judy.

With help from NOFA and peer growers, along with the opportunity to attend various farming workshops, Will and Judy quickly learned how to expand their operation, securing selling space at the Onion River Co-Op and a health food store called Organum, both in Burlington. Since then, awareness about the benefits of organic farming has boomed across the U.S., as has shoppers’ loyalty to local farmers.

This shift has led to new sales opportunities for Will and Judy and also created more competition. The expanding community of like-minded farmers in Addison County pushes Will and Judy to be thoughtful and innovative about their plantings every year. They keep their CSA families happy with a mix of staple greens and lesser common, trending vegetables like kohlrabi, Italian peppers, and eggplant. They also adjust their offerings to respond to larger market trends. When baby vegetables became popular in restaurants across the country in the late 1980s, for example, Will and Judy experimented with their own baby vegetable varieties. When awareness about local food first boomed in Vermont in the early 2000s, they increased their storage crops so that they could offer customers more vegetables into early winter. Judy has found that although food culture continues to expand and evolve, it also tends to return to its roots over time. Crops that were staples of her father’s diet as a young Vermonter--rutabaga, potatoes, and shell beans--have once again become vogue. In fact, Judy planted her own rutabaga and shell beans for customers this year.

Like ever changing market trends, unpredictable weather also pushes Will and Judy to adapt. In recent years, climate change has proven particularly threatening. Although weather was easy to manage during the 2013 growing season, the previous two years were extremely wet, and crops suffered from washouts and soil saturation. In response to projections of continued irregularity moving forward, Will and Judy have stopped spreading crops into adjacent land, focusing instead on their best soil and working to install raised-beds. So far, this strategy is serving them well.

Although Will and Judy admit that farming is hard work, it has also allowed them to be their own bosses and raise their three children together from home. Their eldest son, Freeman, is now a farmer is Sonoma County, California; their daughter Pauline is an eager foodie working for an environmental non-profit in Charlotte, North Carolina; and their youngest daughter, Anna, is a new graduate of Middlebury College with a degree in German and Education Studies. None of them are necessarily clamoring to take over the farm, but they all share an appreciation for gardening and fresh, local food.

For Judy, that is more than enough, even if she hopes Vermont farming continues to be a family endeavor for most. “As it is now, most of us, myself included, are first generation farmers,” she says. “A lot of knowledge is lost when the offspring move into other lines of work.” A dearth of family farmers is part of the reason Will and Judy have had trouble finding steady farmhands. Although they have been farming for 32 years, their current farm hands have worked with them for only four. Like the children of farmers, many of their employees move on to different industries or out of state after a few harvests.

Despite this loss of farming knowledge over time, Will believes Vermont’s agricultural history, small size, and spirit of collaboration spell a bright future for food production. A state representative on the Agriculture and Forest Products Committee since 2007, he collaborates with many community members who are dedicated to promoting agriculture across the state. “At the end of the day, a lot of [our work on the committee] comes out of our interest in honoring and preserving Vermont’s agricultural past and heritage and doing that in a way that will help ensure that we have something meaningful going forward,” he says.

One exciting development in Vermont agriculture is the rise of farmers making value-added products. Value-added products like cheese, pesto, and chocolate not only expand Vermont’s food culture but also create new markets for traditional farmers. “Vermont has become a real center for food production, consumption, and appreciation—big time on appreciation,” says Judy. “It’s been fun to watch the trend of value-added products, which are being made in certified kitchens all around the state now. We sell garlic scapes to a wholesale account that makes a garlic scape pesto. The value-added movement creates new opportunity for us.”

Most of all, Will and Judy are inspired by the enduring beauty and productivity of the Champlain Valley. Commercial corn was grown on their own property for ten years before they bought it, and left the soil especially depleted. Their first harvest was meager but thanks to careful care and composting, their land began teaming with life. For Will and Judy, it is particularly gratifying to see worms, plants, and flowers flourish across the farm today. Spring is Judy’s favorite season simply because it reminds her of the farm’s vitality. “It’s invigorating to see things as they come through the ground, see those first crocus bulbs and garlic poke through,” she says.

The following recipe includes four of the many vegetables Will and Judy grow: sweet potato, zucchini, garlic, and cauliflower. It tastes just like a traditional, creamy risotto, but without the rice. Serve it for a wonderfully hearty--and healthy--winter meal.

THREE VEGGIE RISOTTO

Vegetable Noodles

3 cups sweet potato noodles (about 1 small sweet potato)

3 cups zucchini noodles (about 2 zucchini)

Garlic Mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

8 oz mushrooms, sliced thinly and chopped in thirds

Cauliflower Sauce (makes 2 cups)

½ head of cauliflower, cut into florets

1 tbsp olive oil

2 shallots, cut in wedges

4 cloves garlic, unpeeled

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for garnish

¾ cup vegetable broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

½ tsp dried sage

½ tsp dried rosemary

½ tsp dried thyme

1 tsp salt

Fresh herbs to garnish

For Vegetable Noodles:

Peel the sweet potato and chop it in planks as thick and even as possible (not wedges). Use a spiralizer to make thin noodles out of the potato planks. Chop the noodles to about ½ inch long and set aside. Spiralize the zucchini and chop into 1/2 inch-long noodles. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add sweet potato noodles to boiling water and cook for one minute. Drain immediately and set aside.

For Cauliflower Sauce:

Preheat oven to 375 F. Toss cauliflower, shallots, garlic, and olive oil together in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spread mixture onto a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes or until florets are fork tender.

Remove peels from roasted garlic and discard. Add roasted cauliflower, garlic, and shallots to a food processor. Blend with Parmesan, vegetable broth, heavy cream, sage, rosemary, thyme, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

For Garlic Mushrooms:

Sauté shallots in a large saucepan with 1 tbsp olive oil until sizzling and translucent. Add mushrooms and garlic. Sauté on low heat until mushrooms are soft and juicy, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low.

Assemble Risotto:

Add sweet potato and zucchini noodles to the mushrooms in the saucepan and stir to combine. Add the cauliflower sauce and stir until the noodles are evenly coated. Spoon risotto into bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan and fresh herbs. Serve warm.

Serves 4