Exciting Changes For 2025 and Beyond!
Greetings, CSA Members!
I’m writing to you this week for our final CSA delivery in February—and perhaps again in the coming weeks—because there’s a lot happening as I step into my final month as the full-time founder, owner, and operator of Featherstone Farm. Starting March 1, my role will change significantly.
To keep you up to date on these big transitions, I’ve outlined six key updates below, with more details to follow in future posts. This is a busy and exciting time at Featherstone Farm, and I want to ensure you, our most faithful customers, are well informed about what’s ahead in 2025.
1. Leadership Transition
On March 1, I will step down as the operator of Featherstone Farm. Longtime Operations Manager Nathan Manfull will take over as General Manager of the entire farm business. Abby Benson will continue as “Featherstone Farmer”, and our incredible team—including James and Tanya, Ian and Grace, and the dedicated farmworkers from Mexico who have been with us for over a decade—will remain key members of Featherstone Farm. The farm is in great hands! As for me, I’ll continue working part-time for at least a year to support the leadership transition.
2. New CSA Program Coordinator
We’ve hired a new long-term CSA Program Coordinator, Nicole Schultz Smith, which is fantastic news for our entire community! A big thank you to Karin Wollan, our 2024 CSA administrator, for keeping the program running last season. Thanks to her efforts, we had the time to search for the right long-term CSA manager—someone who can take over both the strategic direction from me and the daily administration from Karin. Nicole and her husband, Bridger, are moving here from a farm near Missoula, Montana, where they’ve worked together for eight years. I’ll share more about Nicole soon!
3. Hoch Orchard Partnership
In early January, Featherstone Farm signed a three-season lease to manage Hoch Orchard, with an option to buy the entire operation if all goes well. This is an exciting step forward for us—especially for our CSA members—because it means certified organic apples and fresh apple cider will now be a permanent part of our CSA program. Jackie and Harry Hoch have been discussing succession plans with us for over a decade, and with their recent retirement, everything finally came together this fall, thanks in part to American Farmland Trust. I’ll share more details in upcoming newsletters.
4. Fair Food Program Certification
This winter, Featherstone Farm became officially certified as a member of the Fair Food Program (FFP), a nationally recognized, farmworker-led fair labor standards organization based in Immokalee, Florida. This certification, along with our Real Organic Project (RO) certification (started in 2020), is a big deal for us. Over the past decade, I’ve been disheartened by changes in the organic industry that have sidelined much of the original idealism and integrity of the early organic movement. FFP and RO certification affirm what Featherstone Farm has always stood for—and always will.
5. Future Ownership: The Perpetual Purpose Trust
The long-term ownership structure of Featherstone Farm is taking shape. Over the past 15 months, with guidance from an outstanding farm finance facilitator from Wisconsin, our team has explored various transition models, including a traditional key management buyout. We’ve now settled on an innovative approach: the Perpetual Purpose Trust (PPT). This model ensures that Featherstone Farm remains mission-driven for generations to come. Formation and funding will take place within the next 6 to 18 months, so there’s still a lot to figure out—but exciting things are ahead!
6. New Board of Advisors
We are in the process of forming a Board of Advisors to support Nathan and the new leadership team, starting March 1. In November 2024, we hosted an introductory gathering for potential advisors—including our son, Emmet, who has worn many hats at Featherstone over the years. The group has evolved since then, but we are still looking for additional advisors. If you or someone you know has experience in management, governance, or the local/organic food industry and might be willing to contribute, please reach out! This advisory group may eventually transition into a formal Board of Directors/Trustees for the PPT. More to come on this soon!
That’s a lot of updates! As always, if you have any questions or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. While I am stepping back from the day-to-day management of Featherstone Farm (and already have to some degree), I will continue to be involved in some capacity for the foreseeable future. I remain deeply committed to fostering community around Featherstone Farm, and I look forward to seeing it thrive for years to come. Look for more updates from me soon!
Gratefully,
Jack Hedin