Our History Together

Rob Martin, a 5th generation Vermont farmer, spent much of his childhood
on his family’s dairy farm in Bradford, VT. In his adolescent years, he worked
on Four Corners Farm, a diversified small fruit, vegetable, and dairy farm,
with Bob and Kim Gray in Newbury, VT. By the time he finished High School
he had two dreams, to sail around the world and to become a farmer.

Following graduation, Rob joined the U.S. Coast Guard and was stationed
in the small Alaskan fishing town of Cordova. There he met a pretty girl named
Tamara Oswalt. Tamara grew up in Cordova, on Prince William Sound, famous
for Copper River Salmon. She spent her childhood on the docks and boats,
exploring tidal pools, skiing, kayaking and hiking in the temperate rain forest.
She knew a lot about salmon but not a thing about farming. Tamara often jokes
that she thought she would marry an Alaskan fisherman and ended up marrying a Vermont Farmer!

Rob and Tamara became great friends and he told her many stories of Vermont
and the New England that he loved. In 2000, Rob was transferred to Rockland,
Maine. Tamara went off to college at the University of Nevada Reno. They kept
in touch and, as Rob often enticed her with his tales of the coast of Maine and
adventures on his new sailboat, Tamara was hooked. After two years in Reno,
she packed up her car and drove across country. When Rob’s enlistment ended
he asked Tamara to sail with him, how long or how far they didn’t know but they
had big dreams…around the world perhaps! They sailed from Maine down the
” East Coast and spent the winter in the Bahamas. After years of friendship and a
year sailing, they were in love and figured if they were still in love after a year on a
30 foot sailboat, then they had a great thing going. They got engaged, sold the boat
and headed for New England. On to the next dream…a Vermont Farm.

Check out our website and if your ever in Vermont, come see us! Chandler Pond Farm .com