Meet Our Retail Manager!

We’re excited to be welcoming a new member to our management team in 2019. Johanna Matson, who hails from Strafford, isn’t entirely new to Cedar Circle Farm. She worked here back in 2005 (the first year the Hello Café was open!), when there were only a handful of staff members working in the greenhouses, farmstand, and cafe.

She spent five years living out in Denver, but Vermont was always in the back of her mind. Living in a city that was growing so fast had her thinking about simplifying life and going back to small town living, in a place more capable of sustaining its population.

Johanna loves Vermont and how much people care about local food and knowing where their food comes from. The state has “the highest per capita direct agricultural products sales (i.e., from farm stands, farmers’ markets, and community supported agriculture) in the country”*. It’s not hard to see why Vermonters are so passionate about the state and proud to be Vermonters. “Wherever you are, whenever you see Vermont products, you’re excited about it,” she says.

She’s just as passionate about food and customer service as she is about Vermont. Cooking is one of Johanna’s favorite hobbies, and because of that, she has an endless amount of recipe suggestions. She loves to make soups (sweet potato, onion, kale, sausage, white beans, and quinoa is a favorite) and use the crockpot to throw together delicious meals.

After years of working in and managing restaurants, Johanna is looking forward to transitioning to a different part of the food industry. Because agriculture is such an important part of Vermont’s culture and of the Upper Valley community, Johanna thinks working at Cedar Circle Farm will be a great fit.

The farm has changed so much in the years since Johanna worked here and with our upcoming transition to nonprofit status, she’s looking forward to evolving with the organization. “I can really see myself being part of something that’s alive,” she says.

Our Executive Director, Eric Tadlock, says, “Johanna’s return to the farm is a real treat for us. Her field experience from years past, combined with her restaurant and retail work while she was away, give her a unique perspective on ways that we can continue to improve the shopping and cafe experience for our customers. Additionally, she’s just a fun person to be around. I am confident that her staff will really enjoy working and learning with her.”

Stop by and say hi when the farmstand is open!

*Source: https://www.vtfarmtoplate.com/plan/chapter/3-1-consumer-demand