Retreat Farm Information

Retreat Farm seeks to foster a just, healthy, and sustainable community in southern Vermont. We utilize our unique property, programs, and partnerships to connect people to the land and to one another, recognizing that the relationship between humans and the land is the foundation of our health, sustenance, and inspiration. Located on traditional Abenaki homelands in Brattleboro, Vermont, Retreat Farm encompasses over 500 acres of conserved forests, farmlands, trails, and waterways. Its historic, Farmstead sits at the confluence of the West and Connecticut Rivers surrounded by wooded hills and rich farmland, cared for by its indigenous inhabitants for countless generations. Retreat Farm was established at this site in 1837 to provide food, fuel, and occupational therapy to the patients and staff of the Brattleboro Retreat psychiatric hospital. In 2015, a new independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit was formed to restore the forests, soils, waters and 19th-century farmstead as a vital community asset. Today, this historic property provides access to fresh food, connection to nature, and community for the thousands of visitors who find comfort and joy here. Together, we are creating a place that contributes to the vibrancy of the region and brings people together to create common bonds.