The Knoll
The Middlebury College Knoll explores food as a medium to cultivate well-being in people, place, and the planet. We root our work in celebrating connection and dismantling oppression.
We are fundraising!
As the Knoll celebrates 20+ years of bringing our community together around food, land work, wellness, and justice, we’re delighted to announce a crowd-funding campaign to support our dear Knoll! Donations, no matter how big or small, support the longevity of this space dear to our hearts. Read more on the blog!
The Knoll offers three main program areas and ways to engage: the Educational Garden, the Outdoor Kitchen, and the Serenity Garden. We host faculty, staff, students, and our local community for classes, research, gardening hours, internships, and events.
- The Educational Garden serves as a place for students to learn about gardening and agriculture through research and hands-on experiences. We grow food for Midd Dining and each year we contribute produce to our robust local gleaning program coordinated by HOPE, a local nonprofit.
- The Outdoor Kitchen is a space to cultivate community. We host Thank You Pizza gatherings and help co-host celebrations for campus partners. Interns are trained to cook with the wood-fired oven and make pizzas with vegetables from our gardens.
- The Serenity Garden is a work-in-progress on the western slope of the Knoll. This garden is a collaboration with the Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life. In 2012, His Holiness the Dalai Lama blessed a large round marble bench. We also constructed a labyrinth to celebrate 15 years of the Knoll in September 2017.
Learn More About the Knoll
Check out the intern-run blog
Browse our Annual Reports for full details of our programs
Read our 20th Anniversary book, Growing with the Knoll: Twenty Years in the Garden, compiled and edited by Aria Bowden ‘23 and published by New Perennials Publishing
Visit the Knoll
The physical address of the Knoll is 152 Vermont Route 125, Cornwall, VT. Driving access is limited during the spring and fall, but visitors are invited to park cars at the intersection of Bicentennial Way and Route 125, then walk the short dirt road to the Knoll. When the weather allows, we will leave the gate open and visitors may park on the Knoll.
Please be respectful of our rules while visiting:
- Keep dogs on leashes
- Stay on paths
- Leave the harvesting to us*
- Please note: All are welcome to snack from the Grazing Garden!
- Pack out what you pack in
- Burn permits and event registrations are required for all campfires and oven use
- The Knoll is an alcohol- and other substance-free space
Event Hosting
Thank you for being mindful of the Knoll as a working garden and learning environment. We ask guests to yield space to staff, volunteers, and reserved group events as needed.
Small, casual gatherings are welcome and do not require reservation. However, campfire pit and pizza oven use are by permission only.
For campus partners requesting permission to host events, please review our “Event Hosting Steps” page for detailed information. Our staffing capacity limits us from hosting non-campus partner-led events.
A winter note: Please remember that the Knoll operates as a three-season space and no amenities are available at the Knoll during winter (e.g., driving access, snow removal, restroom access, water, hand hygiene, trash receptacles). Our typical season runs from April 1 - November 1 and we are not able to support organized events outside of this period.
Knoll Student Intern Crew
From starting seedlings in the spring to harvesting in the fall, the Knoll relies on student volunteers and interns. Volunteers and interns help manage all aspects of the Knoll, including facilitating Volunteer Hours, growing and selling produce, event management and support, and participating in regular farm visits to learn more about our local food community.
2026 Summer Interns
Clara Dellenbaugh ‘28.5
Hi, my name is Clara Dellenbaugh and I’m from Portsmouth, Rhode Island! I’m majoring in Biology with a minor in Studio Art. I’m so excited to learn and work outside at the Knoll! I love to garden and am always excited to try new veggies
Kheyla Lindsey ‘26.5
Hi!! I’m Kheyla and I’m an Environmental Justice Major from East Los Angeles. I’m so excited to join the Knoll crew and learn how to tend to the land while having conversations about food accessibility and quality! One of my favorite foods to eat and cook is chilaquiles with a fried egg on top!
Remi Beauharnois ‘27
Hello, my name is Remi and I hail from a small town called Peru, NY. I enjoy live music, speculative fiction novels, and chocolate ice cream. I am growing towards deep connection, holistic understanding, and knowledge sharing with others. I’m beyond thrilled to work and learn together.
Tony Thung ‘29
Hei! My name is Tony, and I’m from Dallas, Texas. I’m a freshman, and I’m looking forward to making friends and learning more about farming.
Spring/Fall Interns
Aelia Russell ’28.5
Hi, my name is Aelia! I love picking peppers, admiring soil, and the smell of saltwater at home in coastal Maine. I’m so excited to join everyone at the Knoll in cultivating this beautiful space for our community!
Cameron Macias ‘29
Hello, my name is Cameron Macias. I am a QuestBridge scholar from Chicago, Illinois. I love spending time at the Knoll as a place to just exist in, but I am especially excited to grow and harvest for the Knoll
Lauren Sheffield ‘29
Lauren Sheffield, from Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been growing plants for the past six years, and wants to share the satisfaction they find with other Middlebury students. They love the physicality of garden work (e.g., digging holes) and the fine motor skills that are necessary in harvest (e.g., shelling beans). They believe that few things are more rewarding and community building than sharing a dish made from crops that you grew yourself
Sam Perez ‘29
Hello friends— I’m Sam, from Miami, FL! What reminds me of home is hearing Spanish music, the scent of salty air, and an iced papelón con limón from my Venezuelan heritage on a VERY hot day. I’m excited to unplug at the Knoll and be receptive to what the environment has to offer
Josue Solis ‘26
Hello! My name is Josue Solis, and I am from Las Vegas, Nevada. I’m excited to join the Knoll crew because the Knoll is a safe space for me on campus. I can’t wait to be a part of something I love so much!
Charlotte Xu ‘26.5
Hi! My name is Charlotte and I’m from Plainsboro, New Jersey. Some things that bring me joy include scrapbooking, hummingbirds, and tinkering around in the kitchen with new ingredients and funky tunes. I’m super excited to make new friends in the garden this season :)
Matt Stevenson ‘27.5
Hi, my name is Matt! I love the forests, rivers, and urban farms of my home, Portland, Oregon. I’m excited to work outside at the Knoll and help cultivate community around caring for each other and the food that we grow.
Gabrielle Anchondo ‘27
Hi everyone! My name is Gabrielle and I am from Chicago. I am majoring in Biology and Dance. I am excited excited to join the knoll team and be in community with everyone. I love the smell of fresh basil and wonderful spice. So excited for this summer!
Knoll Staff
Megan O. Brakeley ’06
Associate Director of the Knoll
Megan guides the Knoll’s programming and partnerships, manages the educational garden, supports interns, and helps organize events at the Knoll. Megan holds a BA from Middlebury College (Spanish with an Environmental Studies minor) and a Master of Environmental Management (2015) from the Yale School of the Environment. Prior to this role, Megan worked on campus with the Center for Community Engagement and as a Posse Mentor and Middlebury Snow Bowl Snow School Instructor. Megan resides in Middlebury with her family and has served on the boards of Porter Medical Center, the UVM Health Network Strategic Planning Committee, and Liberation Ecosystem (Organizing Squad and Board member). She volunteers with Unlikely Riders and is passionate about sustainable futures rooted on land. Email: mbrakeley@middlebury.edu