Left to right, Maggie Donin of VLT, award winner Hannah Doyle of Boneyard Farm, award winner Mike Foote of the DREAM Program, and Bob Heiser of VLT, at the land trust annual meeting in Brattleboro. Courtesy photo.
Vermont Business Magazine At its annual celebration last Wednesday, the Vermont Land Trust recognized Camp DREAM and Boneyard Farm for their exceptional contributions to unite land and lives.
Mike Foote of The DREAM Program wins Land and Lives Award for 2025
The Land and Lives Award, given annually to an individual or organization, recognizes qualities of leadership, resourcefulness, and inclusiveness that have made an enduring difference in the well-being of Vermont’s land and people. VLT awarded Mike Foote, Founder and Empowerment Director at The DREAM Program (DREAM), for his years of work to support outdoor recreation opportunities for rural and low-income youth in Vermont and further afield.
“This isn’t a single person’s achievement,” said Mike. “DREAM has been built by so many partners, families, kids, and mentors. Our overnight adventure base, Camp DREAM has created memories, developed young minds, and provided a safe, outdoor space for some of the most vulnerable youth in our communities.”
Mike co-founded DREAM in 1999 and, in 2005, Mike and the nonprofit partnered with VLT to buy and conserve 50 acres of land on Metcalf Pond to establish Camp DREAM. The camp provides outdoor opportunities for children living in underserved communities across Vermont and the Northeast. More recently, Mike led the effort for DREAM to acquire a one-acre island on Metcalf Pond. The island will provide additional recreation and adventure opportunities for all campers.
Hannah Doyle of Boneyard Farm wins Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award for 2025
The Eric Rozendaal Memorial Award is given annually to a farmer in recognition of outstanding service to community, land stewardship, and innovation. It honors the legacy of Eric Rozendaal, an innovative farmer who ran a vegetable farm in Starksboro with his wife, Keenan.
This year’s $5,000 award went to Hannah Doyle, the owner and operator of Boneyard Farm in Fletcher, VT. Now in its fifth growing season, Boneyard Farm produces organic vegetables and grass-based meats.
In accepting the award, Hannah said, “It means a lot to win this award and to be recognized for our work in Vermont agriculture. We intend to be here for the long haul, and are working on our small business and raising our kids to be engaged in our community. We are very grateful to the Vermont Land Trust for both helping us conserve the land and actively farm it, and for this recognition."
Hannah lives and works on the farm with her husband, John, and two children. The award will allow them to build a heated propagation greenhouse this fall, paired with the family’s savings and a loan from the Vermont Farm Business Builder program. The greenhouse will allow Boneyard Farm to produce hearty seedlings in early spring to sell and use on the farm starting in 2026.
“Camp DREAM and Boneyard Farm represent how conservation can strengthen Vermont’s communities and landscape,” said Tracy Zschau, President & CEO of the Vermont Land Trust. “Mike Foote and Hannah Doyle embody what it means to care for both land and people, and we are thrilled to recognize their tireless work through these awards.”
2026 Rozendaal Award applications will open in November of 2025. Applications are due by February 26, 2026.
About Vermont Land Trust
Rooted in Vermont since 1977, the Vermont Land Trust unites land and lives for the enduring benefit of people and the place we share. We have protected more than 640,000 acres of land and foster life-long connections to farms, forests, and community spaces that define Vermont. Learn more at vlt.org.
9.17.2025. Montpelier, VT — Vermont Land Trust
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