Round the Bend Farm: How this nonprofit is making an impact with agriculture

When Desa Van Laarhoven and Geoff Kinder founded Round the Bend Farm: A Center for Restorative Community (RTB) in Dartmouth, they were moving on a mission that went beyond running the farm. The goal? To create a truly sustainable property that is self-contained, serves the regional population, and educates the population on the future of farming through a unique "agripreneur" program.

The pair had for years nurtured their vision of bringing a working model of restorative living to the northeast. With the support of the Marion Institute and the Bromley Charitable Trust (a private foundation), the two began to bring that vision to life.

The result is a 39-acre farm to be protected in perpetuity, designed to support the dual goals of educating the local community while creating a viable and sustainable farm. Getting to that point was a long and winding road; even if a nonprofit starts as a small, down to earth operation, there are myriad land use and legal issues to navigate. RTB’s path called for resolve, creative thinking, and legal expertise from advisors at Hemenway & Barnes (H&B).

To read the full article, please click here.