Our research focused on a 236-acre farmland in Rupert, VT, acquired by Skidmore Visiting Assistant English Professor Lori Soderlind. Soderlind reached out to the senior capstone class of 2024 with the project proposal to create a complete land analysis of her mountainside plot she affectionately calls ‘The Coop.’ Our first meeting with Soderlind provided us with her visions for the property and our ultimate mission for the project: to create a “workable idea that would do the most good and be the most fun.” We used qualitative and quantitative research to align Soderlind’s vision with Vermont’s wider conservation goals and provide her with meaningful pathways towards land stewardship, future crop cultivation, and community engagement.
