By Armita Mirkarimi, Standard Correspondent
Woodstock resident Todd Erceg thought accessing Vermont’s local farm products would be simple after relocating from Boston five years ago.
“It’s not as easy as you think,” Erceg said. “Everything is not from Vermont. It’s from all over the place.”
That realization, combined with his four decades of experience in grants administration, has led Erceg to launch the Prosper Valley Farmer Collective in early 2026. The fledgling organization aims to create an integrated network of farmers, food businesses and community partners across the four communities of Barnard, Bridgewater, Pomfret, and Woodstock.
The collective’s name references the Prosper Valley cultural community, defined not by political boundaries but by shared values among residents of the four towns. Erceg said farmers often struggle to balance production with marketing and distribution. “The farmers have a lot of work on their plate, and they don’t have the time all the time to get everything to the farmers’ markets or to the stores,” he said. “We don’t always get what is local.”
Currently a one-man operation, Erceg is using his professional expertise to help local farmers navigate the grant application process. He is already assisting five farmers with applications for Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) Vermont’s 2026 Resilience Grant, due Jan. 26. “I can take the burden,” Erceg said. “I can fill out the application itself. I can take their words and upload them into the application. I can submit the application for them.”
Erceg handles all administrative tasks while farmers provide the technical expertise about their needs. The support extends beyond NOFA grants—several farmers have already requested his help with applications to other agencies. The collective charges no fees or dues for its services.
While grant assistance provides an entry point, Erceg envisions the collective evolving into something larger: a farmer-led organization that addresses shared needs and builds community resilience. “The goal would be to take this collective and have it be run by farmers,” he said. “What do they need in this area? What do they need as a team or individually?”
Potential initiatives include bulk purchasing of supplies like feed or maple syrup tubing, shared equipment purchases, farm-to-school programs, and coordinated marketing efforts. Erceg suggested that farmers could pool resources for major investments rather than each farmer tackling expenses individually. “Maybe there’s two or three farmers that want a greenhouse. Do we need three greenhouses? Or can we have one?” he said.
A key component of the collective’s mission involves creating a recognizable brand for hyperlocal products. “When we go to the farmers’ market or the grocery store, and it says local, people would know that it’s really local,” he said.
Erceg believes that consumers want to support their community, especially amid rising food costs and uncertainty around tariff policy. “I would like to know I’m helping my neighbor,” he said. “The money stays in the neighborhood, and I get to have a farmer that stays in farming.”
Beyond farmers, Erceg is looking for artists, writers, web developers, and others to help build the collective’s infrastructure. He envisions creating a website with educational content about eating seasonally and maps showing which farms welcome visitors. The collective also aims to partner with educational institutions, government agencies, and established organizations like Billings Farm. “If we do it as a group, as compared to everybody trying to do it individually, working as a community is much better,” Erceg said.
For 2026, Erceg says his primary goal is building the network and gathering interested participants. He hopes to eventually assemble a group of 25-50 farmers who can elect leaders to guide the collective’s direction. “I don’t want to force it in any one direction,” he said. “At the end of the day, I just know I would like to know what I’m buying and where I’m buying it from, and I’m supporting my neighbor. That’s how simple it is.”
Those interested in learning more about the collective or getting involved can email prospervalleyfc@gmail.com.
