I was raised in central Utah where my mother's gardens were known as the green oasis in the middle of the desert. I learned to love gardening from her, and my passion for the soil and all living things has only grown. The culture I was raised in was very oppressive to women, telling you exactly who you were supposed to be and what role you were to fill. I have lived in this culture while having this burning passion within me to do something meaningful with my life and to break free.
I moved to Montana to get married and raise a family and quickly fell in love with this beautiful area and it's people. Over the course of the last few years I have read voraciously on my own, taken whatever farm classes I could, and built a network of people around me that would help enable me to succeed. My farm and processing business is built not only on my love of the land, but also on my desire to break free from the confines of my past and succeed as a strong and successful woman.
Adding to basket
Funded
A loan helped install an irrigation/fertigation system and build a website and other social media platforms.
Melissa's story
This loan is special because:
More about this loan
Business Description
Aspen Grove Farm is a six acre berry farm with several different varieties of berries, focusing mostly on the delicious honeyberry. Although I have grown large gardens and berry patches for most of my adult life, I didn't branch out as a business until the spring of 2018. Berries are a difficult crop to get into because it takes 3-4 years to establish the plants before any sizable harvest can be achieved. Because of this, it is critical to be able to finance the project for an extended period of time until a marketable quantity of fresh fruit can be sold and make the farm financially viable on its own. I have a long-term goal of providing locally grown fresh berries to the Montana marketplace and beyond, but it will take me some time to get there. To help get over this hurdle, I have researched and tried other ways of marketing my business. My best avenue for reaching consumers now is by providing value-added products with my gourmet jam and syrup line. This is critical for my success, not only to bring in a revenue source well before the crops are at full production, but also to get my name out there and to help the public become aware of the wonderful flavor of the honeyberry. Because I have chosen a relatively unknown berry as my focal crop, this extra marketing avenue is essential to long-term financial security. With these products, I am able to reach local consumers through the farmer's market and retail locations, and I can branch further by offering my products on my website where I can ship nationally. I am excited to be a part of a rapidly growing local agricultural community and hope to be able to provide a working and mentoring opportunity to other would-be farmers in the future. My biggest desire is to have a farm that people will want to visit; a place where folks can experience a bit of farm life for themselves as well as take a small piece of Montana home with them in a beautiful jar of jam or basket of fresh berries.
What is the purpose of this loan?
I am applying for the Kiva Loan to help finance the installation of my irrigation/fertigation system and also to help me improve my website and social media presence. The irrigation/fertigation system is critical to the success of my berry crops. It allows me to have control over the amount of water and nutrients supplied to each individual plant, thereby helping to guarantee the quality and quantity of harvest. Because honeyberries are a relatively unknown berry, it is critical that I am able to offer the best quality of fruit once they hit the market. Having an online presence is also essential in today's market. In order to get my name out there and to reach more consumers, I need to be able to have a professional and easily accessible website as well as social media pages. I want to be able to tell my story of my farm, my products, my community, and my beautiful home state of Montana. With this avenue of marketing, I can grow my business to the level I need in order for Aspen Grove Farm to be a success.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
About Aspen Grove Farm
Lenders and lending teams
Country: United States
Trustee: Community Food & Agriculture Coalition
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Why are you endorsing Melissa?
We are proud to endorse Melissa and Aspen Grove Berries. Melissa’s farm is developing new market awareness for the honey berry, an exciting new crop for farmers in Montana. Extremely healthy, and conducive to Western Montana’s growing conditions, the honey berry has great potential to support healthy farm businesses and healthy eaters. Melissa is not only starting up her own farm, she is an active part of the newly organizing berry growers association in the state. Here at CFAC we share Melissa’s vision for healthy farm economies and we admire her dedication to share that vision with farms in her community.
Tags
Loan tags help lenders find loans that match certain areas of interest.
Loan details
Loan length:
Repayment schedule
Monthly: One repayment made per month
End of term: One repayment made at the end of the loan term
Irregular: Any other repayment schedule
To see a detailed repayment schedule for a specific loan, click the "Repayment schedule" link on the loan profile under "Loan details."
What is the disbursed date?
In the case of partner loans, many of our Lending Partners choose to disburse loan funds before the loan request is posted on Kiva. We allow pre-disbursal because it ensures that the funds reach the borrower as soon as they are needed. Loan funds from Kiva lenders then go to backfill that amount and as a lender you assume the risk of the loan. By doing this, our Lending Partners assume the risk that, if the loan isn't funded by lenders, they will have to fund the loan without any funds from Kiva.
If a partner loan is not pre-disbursed, it will be listed on Kiva with an expected "post-disbursed" date. If a post-disbursed loan is not funded on Kiva, there is a chance that the borrower may not receive their loan. Some Lending Partners choose to disburse loans with other sources of funding, while other partners don't have the resources available to fund loans without Kiva lenders' support. No direct loans will be disbursed unless they fully fundraise on Kiva.
Funding model
What does "Partner covers currency loss" mean & how could it affect my Kiva loans?
Potential for currency exchange loss is noted on every loan profile under the loan details:
"Yes" means the Lending Partner will cover any currency loss. Lenders will not bear losses due to currency fluctuation
"Partial" means that the Lending Partner has opted to cover losses only up to 10%. If the U.S. dollar appreciates more than 10% against the local currency, those losses will be passed onto lenders.
"No" means that the Lending Partner is not covering any currency losses and all losses will be passed onto lenders.
"N/A" means the Lending Partner disburses loans to borrowers in USD so their loans are not subject to any currency fluctuation.
Do Kiva borrowers pay any interest on their loans?
Our partners collect interest from borrowers because there are many operational expenses associated with microfinance in developing markets, especially in rural areas. Many of Kiva's Lending Partners also provide additional services alongside their loan products such as business training, financial literacy lessons, or health services.
Kiva will not partner with an organization that charges unreasonable interest rates, and we require Lending Partners to fully disclose their rates. In addition, we only partner with microfinance institutions and organizations that have a social mission to serve the poor, unbanked, and underserved.
There are some 0% interest loans on Kiva, including all direct loans in the United States. To learn more about the interest rates Kiva borrowers pay, you can review the "Average cost to borrower" field on a loan profile.
We also encourage you to read the following articles if you are interested in further educating yourself on the topic: Microfinance 101 (https://www.kiva.org/microfinance), Top 10 things to know about microfinance (https://www.kiva.org/blog/top-10-things-to-know-about-microfinance), Microfinance interest rates explained (https://www.kiva.org/blog/whats-up-with-microfinance-interest-rates)
What is a risk rating?
The Lending Partner risk rating reflects the risk of institutional default associated with each of Kiva’s Lending Partners. A 0.5-star rating means the organization has a relatively higher risk of institutional default, while a 5-star rating indicates the organization is at a relatively lower risk of default, based on Kiva's analysis and the available information displayed in the Lending Partner section of every loan. Lending Partners with the lowest credit tier undergo a lighter level of due diligence and do not receive a risk rating; instead, in places where a risk rating would normally appear, these partners are labeled as “Experimental.” For more information, see "What is an Experimental Lending Partner?"
Direct loans also do not receive a formal risk rating. Instead, these loans are approved through “social underwriting”, where trustworthiness is determined by friends & family lending a portion of the loan request, or by a Kiva approved Trustee vouching for the borrower. Direct loans will appear as "Unrated" and lenders should always assume these loans represent the highest level of repayment risk on Kiva.
How are loans facilitated?
Kiva loans are facilitated through 2 models, partner and direct, that enable us to reach the greatest number of people around the world.
For partner loans, borrowers apply to a local Lending Partner, which manages the loan on the ground. Lending Partners are responsible for screening borrowers, disbursing loans, posting borrowers to the Kiva website for funding, collecting repayments and otherwise administering Kiva loans on the ground to borrowers.
For direct loans, borrowers apply through the Kiva website and may or may not be endorsed by a Trustee. Unlike Lending Partners, Trustees don't handle any financial transactions or have any duty to repay loans on behalf of their borrowers. Instead, Trustees take the role of providing support and business advice to their borrowers throughout the term of the loan.
More information about successive and concurrent loans
Most borrowers take out loans consecutively, meaning that they receive a second loan after having repaid the first. However, sometimes our Lending Partners give out concurrent loans, allowing borrowers to take out one primary loan and a secondary "add-on" loan along with it. These additional loans are typically smaller than the borrower's primary loan and serve a different purpose. We trust our partners to determine whether a borrower has the means to be able to repay a successive or concurrent loan.
Trustee: Community Food & Agriculture Coalition
What are Trustee tiers?
For for more information about Trustee tiers, visit: kivaushub.org/trustee-tiers
Why are you endorsing Melissa?
We are proud to endorse Melissa and Aspen Grove Berries. Melissa’s farm is developing new market awareness for the honey berry, an exciting new crop for farmers in Montana. Extremely healthy, and conducive to Western Montana’s growing conditions, the honey berry has great potential to support healthy farm businesses and healthy eaters. Melissa is not only starting up her own farm, she is an active part of the newly organizing berry growers association in the state. Here at CFAC we share Melissa’s vision for healthy farm economies and we admire her dedication to share that vision with farms in her community.
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