Receives Working Lands Enterprise Initiative Grant
By Clare Salerno, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
Apple season is here, which means all hands on deck for Vermont’s orchards. Hackett’s Orchard in South Hero has enjoyed a busy but smooth start to their season and looks forward to more success. Earlier this year, they were awarded a $15,000 Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) grant to weatherize and expand their retail salesroom.
With their Working Lands funds, Hackett’s Orchard built insulated exterior walls and installed windows and doors in the orchard’s 500 square foot retail space. Business owner Devin Hackett says the expansion will enable more customers to shop at a time and provide more space for apples. In the past, Hackett’s Orchard only had room for 16 bags of fancy apples on the shelves, with no room for utility grade apples. With the expansion, there will be space for 40 bags of fancy apples and 10 bushels of utility apples.
Now that the retail space is weatherized, it will be useable for Hackett’s Orchard customers and employees longer into the colder weeks of apple season—into November this year and with additional improvements through the end of December in the future. With customers able to shop longer into the season, visitors will be able to enjoy more later varieties of apples that Hackett’s offers. The newest varieties that will be showcased in addition to Hackett’s existing apples include Premier Honey Crisp, Crimson Crisp, Fuji, Pink Lady, Shizuka, Ambrosia, and Nova Spy.
Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) funding opportunities are open now for Producer Associations and Service Providers and will open for businesses in September 2022. Please visit workinglands.vermont.gov to learn more about how WLEI supports agriculture and forestry enterprises around Vermont.
Caption: Hackett’s Orchard retail area before Working Lands Enterprise Fund grant-funded weatherization renovation.
Caption: Hackett’s Orchard retail area in summer 2022 after weatherization renovation was completed. The updated space will provide a more comfortable experience for shoppers longer into the apple season and provide more room for different apple varieties.
Caption: Apples for sale at Hackett’s Orchard