our farm
We love the work of taking care of the forests and follow practices that sustain the maple trees. Our forests are maintained to ensure that diversity supports native species and wild animals for future generations
stewardship
Gardening and growing vegetables is another part of how we engage with and understand our property. The soils are rich and help us grow enough tasty veggies to store through the winter. We are constantly learning new and organic methods of growing food and maintaining the health of our environment. We are part of the Vermont Current Use program that aims to manage the land for future generations and protect it from development
sustainability
We maintain our sugar bush in a way that first and foremost considers it a forest that is an intricate network of flora and fauna. Our sugarhouse is built to be a long lasting, sustainable structure, the solar on the roof will offset our use of electricity and we made use of recycled materials wherever possible. The exterior of the building is sheathed with pine boards that we logged and milled into lumber on our property
the makers
Loeffler Homestead is run by Patrick, Stephanie and Mark, a trio of clever innovation, steadfast hard work and late night conversations about the best snow mobile mechanic in town.
The idea of Loeffler Homestead stems back into the eighties when Stephanie and Paul decided to build their home in the rolling hills of Chelsea Vermont. The fields were vast and the forests filled with a myriad of trees. Over the years the idea of having a working sugar bush and organic farm morphed and then suddenly changed with the death of Paul in the early 90’s. The years since have been a time of reconstructing and restoring that clear vision that had been present early on.
With the inspired energy of Patrick, one of the four children of Paul and Stephanie, the land has become a beautiful working landscape. Patrick is the driving powerhouse behind Loeffler Homestead, with endurance that never ceases to extinguish. Patrick is interested in carpentry and loves to cook delicious meals.
Originally trained as a potter and printmaker, Stephanie has been an art teacher for the past 40 years in rural Vermont. Transitioning out of her role as a teacher, Stephanie is the grand organizer behind the scenes of Loeffler Homestead. Her optimism helps propel the vision into the future with a deep sense of honoring the land for generations to come. Stephanie has a playful curiosity and love of learning about the natural world and the mystery it holds.
Mark Savidge has been a constant in the development of Loeffler Homestead. Marks love of the land grew from his childhood on a farm in New Jersey to his formative years fighting forest fires in Montana. With an in-depth knowledge of sugaring his expertise is vital to our operation. Mark is an avid reader of Moby Dick, continually finding something new to consider within the pages.
