we are an Afro-Indigenous stewarded farm, committed to centering food + land sovereignty through educational opportunities, land-based relationship, and ancestral healing.

SUSU began in october 2020 when amber arnold and naomi doe moody set out to respond to the needs of their community in so called southern vermont. as the effects of the pandemic grew and communities throughout the world faced food shortages and dwindling resources, amber and naomi recognized that having access to fresh local food was an advantage. but it became immediately apparent that even in a state known for its farms and farm-to-table offerings, there continued to be a very real barrier separating those who had access to farmers market fare and commUNITY supported agriculture shares and those who did not. while large disparities for BIPOC vermonters have existed since the forced construction of america, this global crisis revealed clear access disparities for BIPOC vermonters, who were being disproportionately affected by food shortages and dwindling resources.

with nearly two decades of combined experience as practicing herbalists, somatic healers, generative commUNITY builders and land-based spiritual practitioners, amber and naomi launched a campaign to provide a free csa which eventually became the beginnings of what SUSU is today. with a shared vision to co-create and hold Black-centered healing spaces while working towards a just transition and a culture of liberation centering people of the global majority experiencing marginalization and who may not otherwise have access, they set out to support as many BIPOC households in windham county access life affirming food as possible.  

their vision was clear: rooting their practices in the spiritual and cultural traditions of ‘sou-sou’ — a west african communal banking system, based on cultivating a pool of resources for all commUNITY members. they would create a healing space for mutual aid and belonging for BIPOC, under-resourced folx to thrive.

with an outpouring of support from local and commUNITY members all throughout turtle island SUSU has rapidly evolved into the multifaceted platform it is today. spread across 37 acres of the ancestral Elnu Abenaki homelands, along the Wantastegok (west river), SUSU continues its dedication to elevating vermont’s land and foodways.

alongside our csa programs, workshops, and classes, sits the botanica (a collection of spiritual, magical and medicinal herbs for the body and soul). gifted by the land to heal, affirm and liberate, we have lovingly handcrafted our collection with fresh farm-made botanicals from the SUSU farm.

grounded, but infinitely growing together — we invite you to share in this journey and join our commUNITY