ENOSBURGH, Vt. (WCAX) – New worker housing is helping an Enosburgh dairy farm stay sustainable in more ways than one.
Riverview Farm recently upgraded its cowboys’ living quarters to a house with private bedrooms, energy-efficient appliances, solar panels, and eco-friendly heating and cooling systems.
The changes resulted in a $25 electricity bill last month for the home.
Farm owner Denna Benjamin says the investment also makes workers happier and more likely to stay. “The labor retention that this is going to give to our farm will solve a lot of sleepless nights, so it’s great for that,” Benjamin said.
The project priced in at about $200,000 thanks to grants from the Champlain Housing Trust, Efficiency Vermont, and Migrant Justice.