Investing in Startup Entrepreneurs   

Calabash Garden, a regenerative agriculture saffron farm based in Newbury, Vermont, got their start using a combination of funding from Farm Credit East’s FarmStart program and the Vermont Community Loan Fund.   

FarmStart is a Farm Credit East program that makes working capital investments of up to $75,000 to Northeast agricultural ventures showing promise of success with limited financial resources.  

“Our initial startup costs were huge, and FarmStart provided that upfront funding to help us get started,” said owner, Jete Mandl-Abramson.   

Creating a Sustainable Future   

As they got started, Jette, along with her husband Zaka, aimed to be as environmentally friendly as possible.  

“We are developing the saffron market in the United States, but also developing regenerative agriculture techniques to sequester carbon, mitigate erosion, filter water — in other words, all the things nature does on its own when undisturbed,” said Jette. “It is extremely important for us to be part of the climate change solution.”   

More Than Just Financing   

Beyond financing, FarmStart has also offered Jette and Zaka additional educational resources that they have found beneficial in building their business.  

“Our FarmStart advisor has been a fantastic resource on so many levels,” commented Jette. “It’s something special to have a lending entity that is also able to support you in various ways to be successful. They’re looking at more than just the bottom line — they’re taking into account the long-term sustainability and overall health of our business.”