Dear Friend,

As summer is in full swing, we reflect on July as both a vibrant growing season for our farming communities, and recognize it has been one of extreme weather and unpredictable precipitation. 

As flooding, extreme heat, air quality and tornado warnings become alarmingly more common in our region, one thing is increasingly clear: we must prepare our farms for climate change.

Berkshire Agricultural Ventures (BAV) can assist in building on-farm resilience that helps safeguard agribusinesses on the front line of climate change with technical assistance, professional support, low-interest loans, and small resiliency grants. 

If you are a farmer in need of resources and information, refer to BAV's emergency response page on our website to learn what support is available. 

One of several services BAV provides through our Climate Smart Agriculture Program are free climate risk assessments for farms in our service area of Berkshire, Litchfield, Columbia, and Dutchess counties.

These assessments are a prevention tool that aid in the process of identifying climate related risks to current and future farm operations. BAV will even help develop a risk management plan and provide guidance for implementation.

Interested in learning more about this offering? Reach out to

Program Manager Ben Crockett, about how BAV can help you conduct a climate risk assessment on your farm. 

Want to support your farming community during these unprecedented times? Consider a gift to BAV so we can continue to build resilience across our farming community.

Tommy's Compost Service, located in the Berkshires, is a woman-owned, composting pickup service. 

Owner, driver, and mother, Mary Stucklen, named Tommy's Compost Service after her son, Tommy (to the right), because she wanted to give him a more sustainable future.

Mary has her Bachelor's degree in Biology and was a middle school teacher for five years. Mary jokes that she “retired”, but really she took the leap to pursue her dream of running Tommy's Compost Service full-time.

In July, BAV provided Mary with the low interest loan she needed to purchase a brand new high-capacity composting pick up truck. The new truck will help Mary and reduce the physical demand of collecting and dumping compost.

"Thank you for supporting me," she said. “This truck is going to help me compost so much food waste and help generate so much beautiful soil here in the Berkshires!"

Join us in welcoming Patrick to the team!

Climbing Tree Farm raises heritage breed, milk-fed pigs on their farm that practices rotational grazing and regenerative land management.

BAV supported Climbing Tree Farm in purchasing a new tractor which helped their business to thrive. You can find their products at the New Lebanon Farmers Market.

“Berkshire Agricultural Ventures is incredible. This organization helped to put so much back into the local farm economy … and literally fed our townspeople. If you are looking for an organization to donate to that really knows how to make a concrete difference in our community please consider BAV!”

Schuyler Gail

Climbing Tree Farm

Support BAV today, join us in supporting our farmers during unprecedented climate events, and help secure the future of local food in our community.

Photo credits: Tommy's Compost Service, Berkshire Eagle,

Patrick Grego, Climbing Tree Farm