Computer services geek/farmer Heidi Feldman and master carpenter/farmer Curtis Friedman first visited Martha’s Vineyard in 1990, and fell in love with the beautiful island right away. They vacationed there for the next ten years, even honeymooning on the Vineyard when they married in 1993. In 2001 they purchased 9.63 acres in Vineyard Haven.
Two years after the move, Heidi and Curtis established Down Island Farm. The soil was too heavy with clay but they got creative, growing edible flowers and mushrooms. They considered other options for crops. What would grow in soil like this?
One day Heidi was eating a bag of Cape Cod Sea Salt & Vinegar potato chips for lunch when the light bulb when off. She checked around for local sea salt on store shelves but found none. It took three more years and a lot of elbow grease for MV Sea Salt at Down Island Farm to become a reality.
Heidi and Curtis are passionate about their local community and building a sustainable business that uses natural resources. They collect seawater and filter and evaporate it in their solar-powered greenhouse-like structure. It takes 275 gallons of sea water to make about 60 pounds of salt! They produce a variety of delicious flavors which are available at local markets and on their web site.
We had a lot of fun visiting Heidi and Curtis, and meeting all the animals that live on their farm. Down Island Farm is home to a dog, cats, chickens, a goat, and even a family of beautiful peacocks!
To learn more about MV Sea Salt at Down Island Farm, visit their website.
MV Sea Salt’s Down Island Farm
280 Takemmy Path
Vineyard Haven, MA 02568
(508) 560-3315
Comments are closed.