Hello,

We are Danielle and Mickey Lopes of Witchcat Farm, Bakersfield Vermont. We have been farming garlic since 1987 and started Witchcat Farm in 1995 becoming certified organic through Vermont Organic Farmers in 1999. In the 39 years of farming we have had up and down years with a flood in 2019 that took out half of our crop. That was a tough year but we were able to recover in the second year. This year was devestating for the garlic crop was hit with a fungas, (white rot) and we lost 90% to rot in the field. With this amount of loss we will not even have enough to replant for next season.

So we are facing a long winter with limited funds to keep the operation going. We have contacted our vendors, Hunger Mtn. in Montpellier and Farmers to You in Plainfield that there will be no fresh organic garlic available to their costumers. At this point we would like to purchase new seed stock but do not have the funds to do so. Bulk organic garlic seed is expensive, ranging from $20- $30 per pound. A usual fall we would plant 800 to a 1000 pounds of saved seed crop by hand harvesting the following August between 8000 and 10000 pounds also by hand with no employees. We have made a good life raising two children and our own food including chickens, turkeys, pigs and a steer every other year. Danielle grows most all of what we need from the garden. We have had a website (vermontorganicgarlic.com) for 7 years offering 20+ varieties of garlic both hard and soft neck though this year we may have to shut it down not just because of the lack of product but the cost may a financial burden.

We did not make up the name Witchcat for our farm is located in a mountain hollow in northern Vermont with an old legend about the witchcat. The story is portrayed on WCAX made in Vermont. For more information about us Google Witchcat Farm.