Walter and Margaret Gladstone own Newmont Farm in Bradford, Vermont, and the name is a collaboration. Walter is originally from New York, hence the “New” part of the name; Margaret is from Vermont, hence the “mont.”
Newmont Farm is in the Connecticut River Valley of Vermont. The farm is currently owned by Walt, Margaret, their oldest son, Will Gladstone and their youngest son, Matt Gladstone.
The Gladstone family has implemented green production techniques and has diversified their farm operation to help the environment — as well as to provide additional income due to volatile milk prices. Their barn has open side walls to allow for natural ventilation. They have installed a plate cooler to cool the milk and a variable speed pump to provide vacuum during the milking process — all saving electricity. The Gladstone family also raises pumpkins for the fall on 160 acres and raises Morgan horses for pleasure riding.
Walt, his wife Margaret and their three sons moved from New York State in 1987. The farm consists of 1,500 tillable acres of land that is planted with corn and alfalfa. There are also 35 acres of pasture land. The farm milks 1,400 cows that are housed in free stall barns and milked in a milking parlor. A free stall barn allows the cows to move about freely with access to food, water and resting stalls while being protected from the weather. The cows are moved from the barn to the milking parlor to be milked and then are returned to the barn.
The family works together every day to manage the cows and the overall operation along with their over 20 employees. Walt’s day begins at 4:00 a.m. with a check on animal health, checking in on the calves, meeting with the employees to plan the work day and working with the employees to complete the needed work load. Even with the day to day duties of operating a farm, Walt and Margaret take time to be active in their community, with Walt serving on the volunteer fire department and town government and Margaret serving on the school board.
The third generation of Gladstones, the grand-kids of Walt and Margaret, are learning about farm life firsthand. Will and his wife Brooke have three daughters and Matt and his wife Marie have a son. A favorite activity that the whole family helps out with is their annual Open Farm Day that is held every June and brings over 1,000 people to the farm for a free lunch and farm tour.
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Madeline Gladstone with her Mom, Brooke Gladstone, at the Newmont Farm Annual Open Farm Day.
