Colchester’s Italian Garden Farms

Agriculture has played a significant role in the history of Colchester and the State of Vermont. From 1902 through 1913, members of the Brigante, Mazza, Lomartire, and Leo families arrived from Italy and settled in this area of Malletts Bay. They cleared more than 500 acres of land and began farming, eventually establishing one of the largest fruit and vegetable growing areas in Vermont. Their farmstands provided fresh produce for sale to area residents and served as a gathering place for locals to celebrate the arrival of summer. This first-generation of Italian Vermonters and their descendants made significant contributions to the establishment and preservation of Colchester’s rural and agricultural character.