ValleyFood&Farm
Home /Articles and Announcements
Articles and Announcements
Citizen Input on Food Safety Bill Needed | From the Co-op Food Stores
201 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3324
Web contact form: http://Gregg.senate.gov/contact/
Fax: not provided
520 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2841
Web contact form: http://Shaheen.senate.gov/contact/
Fax: (202) 228-3194
433 Russell Senate Bldg
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4242
Web contact form: http://Leahy.senate.gov/contact/
Fax: not provided
332 Dirksen Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Phone (202) 224-5141
Web contact form: http://Sanders.senate.gov/contact/
Fax: (202) 228-0776
http://www.mofga.org/Programs/PublicPolicyInitiatives/MOFGAPositionStatements/FoodSafety
(From the Hanover Consumer Cooperative Society)
Gardening Worskhops Ahead! - WRJ &Thetford | Three series of workshops starting early May
Cat Buxton, Education Coordinator, Cedar Circle Farm
802-785-4737 ... cat@cedarcirclefarm.org
Slow Money Nat'l Gathering at Shelburne Farms in June | Event to have a food systems focus & nationally known speakers
The Slow Money Alliance is hosting a national gathering at Shelburne Farms on June 9-11. They expect several hundred attendees including investors, donors, entrepreneurs, farmers and community activists.
Confirmed speakers for the morning sessions include:
Alisa Gravitz, Green America
Eliot Coleman, Four Season Farm and author of The New Organic Grower Joel Saletin, Polyface Farm Bill McKibben, Middlebury College, author of Deep Economy
For more information about the national gathering, go to www.slowmoneyalliance.org/national-gathering.html
<http://www.slowmoneyalliance.org/national-gathering.html>
This event has a food systems focus and may be an opportunity to connect researchers from the FSRC with the broader food systems community. We have an opportunity to influence the agenda if we can propose something of interest to the audience. One possibility is a food (or drink) themed evening “mixer.” Another possibility might be to organize stations based on segments of the food system (production, distribution, etc.) and have folks congregate and network at the station they are most interested in.
Or we could propose something more formal.
Would you participate in an evening mixer? Would you like to meet others interested in the same segment of the food system as yourself? What other ways would you like to participate in this event? Please send your answers to these questions, along with any other suggestions for the event to Erin Roche (eroche1@uvm.edu <mailto:eroche1@uvm.edu>) at the Center for Rural Studies at UVM.
continued | 158
| Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in articles and commentaries are those of the authors, not necessarily those of Valley Food & Farm. |
| This edition underwritten by: Sunrise Farm CSA |
Join Us at the VT Farm to Plate Statewide Summit, April 10 | Summit will vet goals of 10-year statewide plan
The purpose of the summit is to bring together stakeholders from the whole state to review and vet the draft plan goals and provide specific feedback to guide final drafting of the Farm to Plate strategic plan. An inspirational keynote speaker will begin the day and many breakout sessions will be organized to seek feedback on draft recommendations. Registration required - $10 suggested donation to help cover costs – Lunch served. Rutland Middle Schoolheather@vsjf.org if you would like to attend.
UV HEAL / 5210 Recipes Contest! | Submit easy, healthful recipes before end of March
See more information at:
http://www.uvheal.org/forum/topics/uv-heal-5210-recipes-contest
Workshops to be Held at Shrewsbury Co-op at Pierce's Store
The store will offer workshops every Sunday in March, thanks to Maya Zelkin, a local potter and traditional foods enthusiast. We have tried her maple marshmallows, crackers and pickles. They are incredibly delicious, so we are excited that Maya is willing to share her skills and recipes with us and anyone else who's interested. These workshops will be FREE, though donations are much appreciated. Please register in advance if possible--call 492-3326 or sign up the next time you're in the store. Walk-ins will also be kindly welcomed.
ALL WORKSHOPS ARE SUNDAY 1:00-3:00 PM.
March 7: Intro. to Vinegar-Free Pickles
Use salt to ferment and preserve vegetables. Workshop will feature a demonstration of preparing kim chi (Korean sauerkraut) and a brined vegetable, and a discussion of recipes, techniques, and principles of lacto-fermentation.
March 14: Traditional Corn Tortillas
Local yellow corn cooked with dolomitic limestone will be ground wet, pressed, and cooked. We will share recipes which use tortillas.
March 21: Whole Grain Crackers
Learn to prepare flour and grains to make wholesome, delicious crackers from scratch.
March 28: Spring Maple and Dairy
We will celebrate spring in this class, with dairy processing and maple treats. Learn to make butter, yogurt, and soft cheese from local jersey cow milk. Then make an assortment of maple-sweetened confections and candies to celebrate this year's sugaring season.
Location: Historic Pierce's Store, 2658 Northam Road in Shrewsbury (Google Maps)
Contact: 802-492-3326 or pierces.store@gmail.com
Update from Four Springs Farm
Beyond Milk! Raw Dairy Processing Classes, Rural VT Series | Classes to be held in various VT locations
Learn how to make all kinds of delicious dairy goods in your own kitchen! With some simple instruction and good quality raw milk, it’s easy! Rural Vermont is partnering with some raw milk farmers to bring you both. Classes will cover dairy processing basics, and will include info about how and where to purchase local, raw milk.
Soft Cheeses, Yogurt, & Kefir with Metta Earth staff
Sunday, March 28th
Metta Earth Institute Inc., LINCOLN
Mozzarella, Ricotta, & Fromage Blanc with Lindsay Harris of Family Cow Farmstand
Thursday, April 8th
Hollister Hill Farm, MARSHFIELD
Chevre with Gay Foster
Tuesday, May 25th
Hollyhock Farm, PUTNEY
Feta, Ricotta, & Chevre with Sara Armstrong Donegan of Trillium Hill Farm
Friday, June 11th
United Church of Hinesburg, HINESBURG
All classes $20 – 40 sliding scale and from 1-4 pm. All proceeds benefit Rural Vermont. Pre-registration is required, and class size is limited. Get in touch TODAY to reserve your spot! To sign up, call Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222 or email shelby@ruralvermont.org.
Windsor Farmers' Mkt Seeks Vendors | Accepting EBT cards & Farm-to-Family vouchers this summer!
The windsor Farmers Market has room for up to 40 vendors this coming season. The market will be held on Sunday afternoons (1-4 pm) on the Common on State St. in Windsor, starting in mid-May.
If interested, please contact:
Shelly Jarvis
(802) 674-6630
shellyijarvis@yahoo.com
.
Southern VT Permaculture Design Course | Summer 2010 Weekend Series
June 5-6 • June 19-20 • July 10-11 • July 24-25 • Aug 7-8 • Aug 21-22
Employment Posting | Norwich Farmers' Market
Meet the Cheesemaker: Becky Loftus | of Blythedale Farm
Blythedale Farm,
Corinth, Vermont
How long have you been making cheese?
We have been making cheese for five years in Vermont and 10 years prior on a home/hobby level.
What is the most unique aspect of your operation?
The most unique aspect of our operation is the fact that it is mostly hand made, very little mechanization.
If you weren’t making cheese what would you be doing?
If we weren't making cheese, we would be doing something just as challenging and satisfying!
Name one of your favorite cows?
Our gal, Rosalyn, was our favorite cow. She just past away recently. We brought her from New York to join our herd in Vermont. She was 13-1/2 when she passed away.
Vermont Cheese Council e-Newsletter Volume 3, Issue 2 February, 2010
Keep Local Farms (Info from VT Cheese Council)
Please help support this program that will in turn help support the Vermont cheesemaking community as well as many other farmers, the working landscape and the ability to produce farm products for our community.
Keep Local Farms Program Partners.
The Keep Local Farms program has been developed by a group of concerned local leaders in the Northeast, all of them working for the benefit of local dairy farmers. That group includes the following:
Cooperative Development Institute
Vermont Dairy Promotion Council
New England Dairy Promotion Board
New England Family Dairy Farm Cooperative
What is Keep Local Farms?
Keep Local Farms is an education and contribution program that connects consumers with local dairy farmers and allows those who are interested in purchasing local foods to support their local farmers. It is a way to educate consumers about the important value of local dairy farms, raise funding to support dairy farmers throughout New England, and drive dairy sales.
Dairy farmers that are part of Keep Local Farms will receive semi-annual payments to help stabilize and enhance their income despite fluctuations in milk prices.
What are the goals of the Keep Local Farms program?
Promote the purchase of all milk and dairy products.
Educate consumers about the important value dairy farms and open land bring to communities.
Provide a stable income to New England dairy farmers by generating funds for the Keep Local Farms program.
How can consumers become involved?
Buy milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products at the store. If you can, purchase dairy products that are made locally in our region.
Contribute as generously as possible to the Keep Local Farms contribution page on this site.
Support the businesses and organizations that display the Keep Local Farms logo. Visit our Partners page to find out more about these organizations.
Keep Local Farms and Hannaford's Supermarket
On January 14, 2010 the Keep Local Farms program launched with Hannaford's Supermarkets. In January, Hannaford supported an information phase - directing shoppers that purchasing local milk helps local farms and that consumers should go to the KeepLocalFarms.org web site to learn more about local farms and how they could take part in the Keep Local Farms program. Please help support this program that will in turn help support the Vermont cheesemaking community.
Gardening Blog by Charlie Nardozzi Teaches and Inspires
Late Blight Info from Crossroad Farm
Earlier this month I went to a presentation regarding late blight,the disease of 2009. There are a few things I would like to pass on in the spirit of "better safe than sorry." The winter freeze has taken care of some issues already.
1) As for potatoes, if you have any left in your basement or root cellar, eat them or ditch them! Do not plant any potatoes unless they are certified blight free. This includes potatoes purchased from the supermarket, our farm, or grown in your neighbor's garden. Even though they appear to be blight free, they may not be.
2)Remove and destroy any potatoes which have overwintered in your compost;they may be late blight carriers.
3) Feel free to seed your own tomatoes from your own seeds or from a reliable seed company; they will not be carrying late blight.
4)Purchase only locally grown tomato plants from reputable growers. It appears that the original source in 2009 came from southern plants (where late blight can overwinter) which were shipped north to big box stores via large intermediate greenhouses. That blight thrived in our 2009 cold wet spring/ early summer.
Here are two websites with more information:
www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/.../lateblight_potato.htm
http://northeastipm.org/newsandreports/2009fall/Fall09_LateBlight.html
Janet Taylor
Late Blight Update for 2010
Ok. First, the take home message…. Tomatoes growers should not expect the 2009 epidemic of Late Blight to return in 2010. And… the disease organism that causes late blight has not survived in soil, pots, stakes or other non-living tissue in Pennsylvania. So, chill out on all of those elaborate plans to sanitize the garden. If Late Blight interests you, read on. If you grew potatoes last year, and have any left over, be sure to read to the end of this blog because you could cause a problem.
Last week I spent an entire day, in one room….learning about tomato production at the Mid-Atlantic Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference in Hershey, PA. I was in charge of making sure the projector worked and the lighting was conducive to learning, otherwise I would have slipped out to catch that session on horseradish, among others, down the hall.
A lot of time in the tomato marathon was devoted to late blight, the disease that caused widespread destruction of tomatoes in the Northeast US last summer. Two things were responsible for that epidemic. One… infected transplants were sold throughout the Northeast thru the “Big Box" stores. The stores were supplied by a large greenhouse business that had late blight (a fungus disease) in their production system. I am sure that neither the stores nor the greenhouse business intended to create such an epidemic. But the end result was distribution of infected plants over the Northeast... a devilishly effective Step One: spread a very contagious fungus over a wide geographic area. Late Blight spreads by spores which can blow 30-40 miles in moist air. It can infect tomato and potato as well as some weeds in the tomato family (and petunia, I learned).
Thanks to an eagle-eyed plant pathologist from Cornell, the problem was diagnosed every early. He blew a whistle and everyone paid attention, otherwise, it could have been worse. He said it may have been the most constructive thing he has done in his long career.
Step Two was Mother Nature. She picked 2009 to provide excess moisture and cooler than normal temperatures from June until September. Perfect for the Late Blight organism. Hey, whose side are you on Ma, the tomatoes or some fungus? I guess we know now. Seems she loves all of Her creations, including fungi. Hmmm.
The good news is that the organism that causes Late Blight has no history of overwintering in the Northeast U.S. Once infected plants die, so does the disease. Plant pathologists are concerned about a situation in which the fungus does develop the capacity to overwinter here, but so far that has not occurred (as far as they know).
So again, the really good news is that both gardeners and farmers have no reason to expect late blight to be any more of a threat in 2010 than it was in any other year. And 2009 can be considered an unusual year for the disease. Since the organism requiures a living host, there is no need to plan elaborate crop rotations or go to extremes in trying to kill what is already dead. Dead tomatoes equal dead late blight. Unless the spuds get us….
Now about those potatoes…. Recall that late blight can survive in living tissue and since the same organism infects both tomatoes and potatoes … do you know where your spuds are? The concern is that infected potatoes are laying cull piles or worse, stockpiled for planting. Don’t do this! Buy certified, clean, potato planting stock!. It ain’t worth starting the epidemic of 2010 to save a few bucks on seed potatoes. And that means your precious heirloom varieties, too. If you grew potatoes in 2009 and experienced late blight, be alert for volunteer spuds next spring and destroy them.
No problem with saved tomato seed.
I located an excellent summary of late blight and its management at UMass extension. It provides and excellent overview and advice for gardeners, including those using the organic approach. "
Cedar Mountain Farm
25A Linden Rd
Hartland, Vermont 05048
802-436-1448
Tapping Your Own Maple Trees
Amobrosia:
Tapping Your Own Maple Trees
Originally Published in Mother Earth News
By Alan James Garbers, February/March 2000
Large maples and those that get plenty of sunshine without much competition will generally produce the most sap and often are called "sap cows." On a good day a sap cow can produce two gallons or more of sap. On the flip side, a smaller tree deep in the woods that gets low amounts of sunshine will produce maybe a quart to a gallon of sap a day, if that: http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/2000-02-01/Real-Maple-Syrup.aspx
From Monadnock Localvore E-Newsletter, March 2010
Tapping Birch Trees
Originally Posted on NH Outside
By Jackie Bower, March 2007
Tapping birch trees is much like tapping maple, but the similarity between the two ends there. The biggest reason New Englanders may be less than enthused about producing birch syrup may lie in the fact that the actual sugar content of birch sap is about a third that of maple. To make one gallon of birch syrup you need around a hundred gallons of sap, while maple syrup requires only forty: http://extension.unh.edu/NHOutside/2007/03/tapping_birch_trees.html.
Save the Date: VT Cheesemaker’s Festival, July 25 | at the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms.
The 2nd Annual Vermont Cheesemaker’s Festival will be held on July 25th at the Coach Barn at Shelburne Farms.
view a video of last year's cheese festival
Last year we had over 60 volunteers and will be looking for more this year. If you are interested in volunteering contact Hilary.
School Garden Programs are Vital to Students' Education and Health
Red Hen Baking Company
News From Three Tomatoes Trattoria
(excerpt)
www.redhenbaking.com_________________________________________________________
Mastering the Art of Sustainable Cooking (Free Web Booklet)
thanks to VT Community Garden Network News 3/01/10
Greens and Gardens Grow Year Round at VT High School
Thanks to VT Community Garden News, 3/03/10
"Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food" Funding Opportunity
Offers direct and guaranteed loans and grants designed to finance the development
Facilities include, but are not limited to, hospitals, elderly care facilities, child careprojects that support local andEligible applicants include rural communities and non-profit organizations.Loans are made at below-market, fixed interest rates.Grants are limited to projects with high financial need that serve low income communities.Eligible expenses include land acquisition, construction of facilities, necessary fees, and equipment.Community must be under 20,000 in population.Grants range from 15%-75% and require matching funds.**Food Banks/Shelves – purchase building and equipment, purchase vehiclesSchool Cafeterias – purchase equipment, renovations, and central processingFarmers Markets - purchase building, renovation, and new construction.Community Gardens – purchase real estate and infrastructure to connect toCommunity Kitchens – purchase equipment, renovations, or newPurchase of small tools.Individual market stalls,Flea markets.http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/vt/vtstaff.htm to find an office near you.http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/vt/vtnhcfgranteligibilty.htm to see if your community is eligible for grant assistance.
Sugarbush Farm Invites Visitors for Sugaring Season
Sugaring Season has arrived at Sugarbush Farm . Since sap flows are determined by cold nights and warm days it may be best to call ahead 802 457 1757 or 800 281 1757 to find out the exact hours we will be boiling and maybe how the mud is doing.
Our sampling room for cheese and syrup, retail store, maple nature walk in the woods and of course the sugar house itself are open from 9 to 5 every day so even if you can't make it exactly when the boiling is taking place, there is lots to do and taste.
Betsy Luce
Sugarbush Farm
591 Sugarbush Farm Rd
Woodstock, VT 05091
1 800 281 1757
www.sugarbushfarm.com
Betsy_sugarbush@wildblue.net
"Sugar on Snow" Video
"sugar on Snow" at the Guilford, VT Fire Dept.
from VermontTv.net
NH Maple Season Has Early Start
Our Local Table-Monadnock Magazine Starting Up | Looking for advertisers and readers
Our Local Table-Monadnock (www.localtablemonadnock.com) is an exciting new magazine that is the perfect place to advertise and promote your farm or food product. This magazine is the only local publication in the area that is dedicated to the Monadnock Region's "eat/buy local" movement.
The free magazine is full-color, quarterly and will reach 10,000 families in the area. Our Local Table-Monadnock is published by local residents who are passionate about local food and supporting independent local businesses.
For more information about advertising, visit: http://www.localtablemonadnock.com/advertising or call Jim Duffy, advertising director or Marcia Duffy, editor at 603-357-8761, or Jodi Genest, art director at 603-358-6954.
Don't delay -- the advertising deadline for the Summer 2010 premiere issue is April 15!
ALSO -- the editor of the magazine would like to hear about any new products you may have for the upcoming issue's section called "Table Talk" -- which is a page dedicated to new farm and food products of the Monadnock Region.
This page is filling up quickly so if you have a new product, please send information to the editor ASAP if you'd like publicity in summer issue (there is NO CHARGE for this).
Please send Marcia Passos Duffy, editor, an email at editor@localtablemonadnock.com with details about your new product and a photo (if you have one). Marcia says not to sweat about creating perfect prose for your announcement -- just get it to her and she will call you if she needs more details.
News on Late Blight in Potatoes and Tomatoes | Tips from Janet Taylor of Crossroad Farm
Earlier this month I went to a presentation regarding late blight,the disease of
2009. There are a few things I would like to pass on in the spirit of "better safe than sorry."
The winter freeze has taken care of some issues already.
1) As for potatoes, if you have any left in your basement or root cellar, eat them
or ditch them! Do not plant any potatoes unless they are certified blight free. This
includes potatoes purchased from the supermarket, our farm, or
grown in your neighbor's garden. Even though they appear to be blight free, they may not be.
2)Remove and destroy any potatoes which have overwintered in your compost;they may
be late blight carriers.
3) Feel free to seed your own tomatoes from your own seeds or from a reliable seed
company; they will not be carrying late blight.
4)Purchase only locally grown tomato plants from reputable growers. It appears
that the original source in 2009 came from southern plants (where late
blight can overwinter) which were shipped north to big box stores via
large intermediate greenhouses. That blight thrived in our 2009 cold
wet spring/ early summer.
Here are two websites with more information:
www.longislandhort.cornell.edu/vegpath/.../lateblight_potato.htm
http://northeastipm.org/newsandreports/2009fall/Fall09_LateBlight.html
For those of you interested in our CSA membership, our information is available at
www.crossroadfarm.com.The
best value is for those who sign up in February. Memberships will be
available through March and April. Thanks to all who have already
supported us with early memberships!
There is more green in the greenhouse each day.
From Janet Taylor, Crossroad Farm, Post Mills, VT
Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Scholarship | Kids can explerience farming through summer camp
Does your child have interest in farms or gardening? Would they like to explore these interests this sum mer? The Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Schol arship endeavors to connect young people with agriculture and the natural world around them. We hope to inspire the next generation of local farmers and local food supporters by giving regional children an opportunity through summer camp to experience sustainable farming practices first-hand and watch their ef forts bear fruit. We are now accepting applications for 2010 as well as dona tions to the scholarship fund. For more information, to request application material, or to donate to the scholarship fund please contact the Cheshire County Conservation District at 6 0 3 - 7 5 6 - 2 9 8 8 e x t . 1 1 6 o r Amanda.costello@ nh.nacdnet.net.
More information is also a v a i l a b l e o n l i n e a t www.localvore.com. Applications are due by March 1, 2010 and donations are accepted through out the year. During his lifetime, Jeff Smith, a for- mer member of the Mondadnock Local- vore Steering Committee, was an enthu- siastic supporter of sustainability and local agriculture. He firmly believed in the connection of all living things, and stressed the importance of working in harmony with the systems of the uni- verse. Seeing himself as a “steward” instead of an “owner” of the land, he felt the earth was entrusted to us for safe keeping during our lifetimes, to be passed along intact to future genera- tions. With an eager and vibrant sense of life, his every activity was geared to- wards improving the lives of others and the environment through giving freely of his time and efforts. To keep alive that vision, the Jeffrey P. Smith Farm Schol- arship Program was initiated in August 2009. The program’s purpose is to send children to an area farm camp to discover the inherent rewards that come from cultivating with one’s hands and heart. Food travels an average of 1500 miles before it ends up on your dinner plate. The Localvore movement is work- ing to change this statistic, for the benefit of our health, palate, local farms, the environment and the community. Now in its fourth year, The Monadnock Local- vores are focused on encouraging the eating, growing, and buying of more local food. Sponsors for the 2010 Local- vore Project include Cheshire Medical Center, C&S Wholesale Grocers, Han nah Grimes, and the Cheshire County Conservation District.
Prune Fruit at the Right Time | Guidelines for fruit trees and berry canes
The following dates are guidelines for home gardeners to use for pruning small and tree fruits. Deviating very far from the suggested periods may increase risks of damage. If the extended weather fore- cast is calling for temperatures below 0° F, stop pruning any fruit bush, cane, tree or vine for three to four days before to the cold spell. Wait two to three days after the temperature is above 10°F to resume pruning, regardless of type of fruit being pruned.
Apple—February to April: Prune before start of growth.
Peach—March to late April: Prune before blossoms show color.
Cherry—March to April: Prune be- fore start of growth.
Plum—March to April: Prune before start of growth.
Pear—February to April: Prune be- fore growth begins.
Blueberry—March to middle of April: Prune before growth begins.
Grape—March to early April: Prune vines before new growth begins. When grape vines are pruned on warm spring days, excess sap may flow at pruning cuts. This excess sap flow will not harm vines.
Black Raspberry—March to early April: Before new growth begins, prune side shoots to a length of 10 to 12 inches. For a less vigorous bush, prune shoots to a length of 4 to 6 inches. Late May to late June: Thin new shoots and pinch back or cut off to a height of 24 to 30 inches from the ground. July to August: Remove old fruiting canes immediately after crop has been harvested.
Summer Red Raspberry—March to early April: Prune before growth starts; thin canes to 8 to 10 per foot of row by removing the thin weak canes. Also prune any winter- killed tips of the fruiting canes. July to early August: Remove old fruiting canes immediately after the crop has been harvested. —UNH Extension
Farm to School Program in NH | How growers can help
As you begin to plan and prepare for the upcoming growing season, please consider participating in the NH Farm to School program. The Farm to School pro gram works to connect school cafeterias with locally grown fruits and vegetables. The program provides farmers with another market while offering schools an opportunity to educate students about local agriculture while increasing their consumption of local fruits, vegetables, and other fresh products.
If you are wondering what to do with your bumper crop of cucumbers or zucchini, consider selling them to your local schools. If you normally wholesale some of your crops to a distributor, check whether they sell to schools and make sure your produce is noted as ‘local’ or you could consider selling direct to your local schools. Selling directly to schools is a great opportunity to create a market for your products and to form new connections with your community. Before making the connection, how- ever, it is important to know some things about selling to schools.
A few things to keep in mind: Since menus are written at least a month in advance, it is helpful for schools to know ahead of time what products will be available when so they can be planned into their menus or snacks; it may take 30 days or longer to receive payment; schools needs items delivered at an agreed upon day and time; a proper invoice is required; and finally schools expect lettuce, carrots or other vegeta- bles to be grown and handled with Good Agricultural Practices. NH farm to school can help make various kinds of connections including growing crops specifically for the schools or participating in local harvest meals. Take a few minutes to look at our website, nhfarmtoschool.org. On it you will find the most recent list of schools that have pur chased locally as well as distributors in the region who carry local foods and some of the New Hampshire farms whose fruits and vegetables have been served in our schools. Contact Sta cey.Purslow@unh.edu or 603-862-2542 for more information.
State Forest Nursery Centennial Catalogs | The NH State Forest Nursery is celebrating its 100th year!
The New Hampshire State Forest Nursery is cele brating its 100th year! In addition, due to an increase in inventory of nursery stock this year, no species have sold out yet! The Nursery is now accepting orders for bare-root tree and shrub seedlings for delivery in spring 2010. The Nursery was started in 1910 to help reforest New Hampshire after much of the landscape was cut- over, burned over and abandoned farmland. Today, the nursery distributes over 300,000 seedlings annually, mostly to New Hampshire landowners and residents, with an expanded program that includes seed ling sales for Christmas tree planting stock and conservation uses such as windbreaks, gravel bank reclamation, wetland plantings, native plant species and wildlife and songbird habitat.
The State Forest Nursery has a reputation of producing a product of the highest quality for a reasonable price. More than forty species of tree and shrub seedlings are available including 16 conifers (pine, spruce, fir), 6 hardwood trees (oak, maple, walnut) and 24 species of deciduous shrubs. Six packages of mixed seedlings are also available, including the winter survival pack- age which contains plants that produce fruit which will remain on the plant into the winter months, providing a valuable food source for wildlife above deep snow cover. Last winter’s snow pack made such food sources invaluable to the survival of many the State’s wildlife and songbird populations. All of the seedlings sold at the nursery are grown from seed in the nursery seedbeds. “We collect as much of our seed as possible from local sources to ensure our seedlings are well adapted to New Hamp- shire climate and soils” said nursery forester Howie Lewis. “People interested in purchasing seedlings from the nursery should order them soon. Although invento- ries are holding up longer this year, more than half of the balsam fir has already been sold.” Balsam fir is still the most popular Christmas tree in New Hampshire. Seedlings are sold in a variety of quantities, many in as little as 10 per package. Prices range from as much as $1.50 each in a package of 10 to as little as about fifteen cents each for larger quantities.
To re- quest a commemorative centennial catalog contact the Division of Forests and Lands at 271-2214. For more information visit the nursery on the web at www.nhnursery.com or stop by the nursery facilities located on Route 3 in Boscawen. The nursery is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The New Hampshire Division of Forests and Lands is part of the Department of Resources and Economic Development. To learn more about the Division of Forests and Lands, visit www.nhdfl.org or call 603/271-2214. —NH Division of Forests & Lands
How Shopping Carts May Be Our Greatest Weapon in the Health Care Fight
Grant Funds Available for Oilseed Crops & Commercial Biodiesel Production | Deadline for proposal submission is March 15, 2010
New grant funds are now available for the research and development of oilseed crop feedstocks and/or the development of small-scale commercial oilseed and biodiesel processing facilities. Any organization, farm, individual or business that maintains an active and physical presence within Vermont may submit an application. Individual farms or a group of neighboring farms or individuals and businesses working cooperatively are also encouraged to apply. The deadline for proposal submission is March 15, 2010. These funds are made available through the Vermont Biofuels Initiative thanks to a Congressionally Directed Award from the Office of U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy through the U.S. Department of Energy, and various private foundation sources. Visit our website, www.vsjf.org/what-we-do/grants/apply, for application materials and instructions
VT Sustainable Jobs Fund: New Website!
Announcing Our New Website! The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund is excited to announce the launch of our new website -- full of new information, case studies, resources, and a brand new look! The new site features: * Expanded "What's New" section for keeping up-to-date on events, news, and initiatives. * Improved Project Pages, Grantee and Client Profiles, and Testimonials. * Comprehensive listing of current and past Grantees. * Links to become a "Facebook Fan" of VSJF. * And much more! Please visit us at www.vsjf.org and tell us what you think!
Roving Farm Party Lends Many Hands | "Crop-mobbing" - the barn-raising of the digital age
SILK HOPE, N.C. -- They call it crop mobbing. Think of it as a Digital Age barn raising, or Facebook-enabled farming. About once a month, a growing contingent of farmers, food activists, office workers and the unemployed chooses a small farm somewhere around the Triangle and puts a serious dent in the owner's to-do list.
More than 50 volunteers showed up at Okfuskee Farm, near the northwest Chatham County community of Silk Hope, Sunday morning, then spent the day building, planting beds, moving mulch and hauling timber. For many, it was a way to get their hands dirty and act on their beliefs about local food. "If you want to eat local, healthy food, you can't wait for someone else to do it," said Nick Fox, an engineer with Piedmont Biofuels. "Someone's got to build ... the infrastructure." Fox moved to the Triangle from Rhode Island last winter, drawn partially by the area's strong local food scene. He soon joined Crop Mob, a group founded by farmers in 2008 to bolster local agriculture.
Now, the idea is spreading, and drawing people who probably wouldn't have much use for a pitchfork otherwise.
Over the months, word of mouth and media exposure has helped Crop Mob draw almost 300 people to its e-mail list. More than 40 people show up at a typical event.
On Sunday, dozens of people combined to put in hundreds of hours of labor. At the edge of the farm, they hauled log after log from the woods while a photographer with The New York Times snapped pictures for an article about the local food movement.
The volunteers also built hugelkultur [a German term] beds, which are raised beds of rotted wood that eventually enrich the soil.
Some volunteers already work on farms or are studying agriculture, including 20-somethings trying to make their own small farms thrive. The night before, the laborers gathered for a party and a campfire. On Sunday, Vimela Rajendran and Angelina Koulizakis served homemade food, such as venison stew, sourdough pancakes and bakalava, for free. "These are the guys that grow the food," she said.
Rob Jones, a founder of the group, sees the roving work parties as a modern, Internet-connected take on the agrarian culture that faded with the industrialization of farming. In a tough market, crop mobs can give small farms a shot in the arm and connect them to potential customers. "There's a need for community in this kind of system," Jones said. Plus, Jones said, many modern farmers in the area did not grow up farming - for them, a crop mob is a way to find customers who are also willing to work the fields.
http://www.thesunnews.com/2010/01/25/1279477/roving-farm-party-lends-many-hands.html
Climate Catastrophe: Surviving the 21st Century
"The catastrophic impacts of climate change are not only going to take place in the distant future. They are taking place now." - Vandana Shiva, Soil not Oil: Environmental Justice in an Age of Climate Crisis
The climate, energy, and political catastrophe we are facing is mind-boggling and frightening. Yet there is still time to save ourselves, to move beyond psychological denial, despair, or false optimism. There is still hope if we are willing to confront the hydra-headed monsters that block our path, and move ahead with a decisive plan of action. The inspirational message we need to deliver is that we're not just talking about drastically reducing fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas (GHG) pollution, but rebuilding society, creating in effect a New Woman and a New Man for the 21st Century. What we are witnessing are the early stages of a mass grassroots consciousness-raising and taking back of power from out-of-control corporations, banks, corporate-controlled media, and politicians. This cultural and political revolution will empower us to to carry out a deep and profound retrofitting of industry, government, education, health care, housing, neighborhoods, transportation, food and farming systems, as well as our diets and lifestyles.
Read the rest of this article online: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_20200.cfm
National Organic Coalition Gives Thumbs Up to USDA Access to Pasture Rule
“Now, we can confidently assure consumers that organic livestock will receive a significant portion of their diet from pasture." - Lisa Bunin, Organic Policy Coordinator of the Center for Food Safety
The National Organic Coalition (NOC) today announced its “high praise” for the final rule on the access to pasture requirement for organic livestock published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USDA’s February 12th action announcing the final rule comes nearly four years after a USDA National Organic Program (NOP) pasture symposium served as the catalyst that would eventually bring the rule to fruition following years of debate, discussion and research. “
This final rule provides the clear and specific language needed to enforce one of the central tenets of organically produced livestock—the requirement that organic livestock spend a considerable part of their lives in their natural pasture habitat and receive a significant portion of their food needs from fresh, green, growing pasture,” said Henry Perkins, organic dairy farmer, Albion, Maine. Perkins serves as president of the Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance (NODPA), a NOC member organization. In a 2006 Consumers Union survey of 1,485 U.S. adults, more than two-thirds of all consumers and 75 percent of women polled said that the national organic standards should require that animals graze outdoors. “Consumers want and expect organic dairy cows to be raised on pasture before organic milk ends up on the grocery store shelf,” said Lisa Bunin, Organic Policy Coordinator of the Center for Food Safety, a NOC member organization. “Now, we can confidently assure consumers that organic livestock will receive a significant portion of their diet from pasture. The final rule will also provide greater clarity for farmers, certifiers, and USDA regarding the absolute need for pasture for organic livestock.”
Access to pasture for organic ruminant animals (i.e. cows, sheep and goats) has been a requirement of the USDA organic regulation from day one. In general, the accredited certifiers that enforce the USDA organic standards have been requiring organic livestock producers to meet this pasture standard since the inception of the program in 2002. However, in the past, USDA has been reluctant to take action to enforce the pasture requirement. This has jeopardized consumer confidence and threatens to undermine the bulk of organic dairy farmers who are committed to providing adequate pasture for their animals. The publication of the final rule will enable the USDA’s National Organic Program to enforce consistently and fairly the requirements for access to pasture. The quantifiable data that is required by the rule will leave no doubt as to what is required within a farmer’s Organic System Plan (OSP).
Speaking on behalf of the National Organic Coalition, Michael Sligh of the Rural Advancement Foundation International-USA said, “NOC members voice their approval of the final rule and the willingness of USDA to move ahead with training certifiers and inspectors to enforce the rule with all due haste. NOC members urge USDA to implement this final rule quickly and fairly to ensure that all livestock farmers are treated equally. We are thankful for USDA’s work in putting together a sound, commendable pasture rule clarification that eliminates all the loopholes of the past and puts controversy behind us.”
###
The National Organic Coalition (NOC) focuses on protecting the stringency and integrity of the national organic standards and is a national alliance of organizations working to provide a "Washington voice" for farmers, ranchers, environmentalists, consumers and progressive industry members involved in organic agriculture. For more information, visit http://www.nationalorganiccoalition.org. NOC seeks to work cooperatively with, and add value to, existing organic and sustainable agriculture organizations, networks and coalitions to ensure a united voice for organic integrity. Members include: * Beyond Pesticides * Center for Food Safety * Equal Exchange * Food & Water Watch * Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association * Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Services * National Cooperative Grocers Association * Northeast Organic Dairy Producers Alliance * Northeast Organic Farming Association -Interstate Council * Organically Grown Company * Rural Advancement Foundation International -USA * Union of Concerned Scientists
To access the Rule: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5082652&acct=noprulemaking
Also see USDA Q&A on this rule: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELPRDC5082653&acct=noprulemaking
USDA PRESS RELEASE FINAL RULE ON ORGANIC ACCESS TO PASTURE http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal?contentidonly=true&contentid=2010/02/0059.xml
Edgewater Farm to Host Free Gardening Seminars | Four sessions to be held during March
Peak Moment: Permaculture (video) | Jenny Pell's infectious enthusiasm will sweep you up ...
Peak Moment 153: Jenny Pell's infectious enthusiasm will sweep you up into creating a future that's beyond sustainable — to one that's "additive".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ7anJHbFhg&feature=player_embedded#
Job Opening at Farm & Wilderness (Plymouth, VT)
Full-time, Year-round Gardener
Farm & Wilderness Foundation (F&W) is a non-profit, educational organization operating six
summer camps for children and young adults, a family camp, and year-round educational
programming. Set on a beautiful 500-acre campus in the Green Mountains of Vermont, F&W
programs are rich in adventure, community, history, and spirit and foster an individual
relationship with the natural world. While each camp and initiative provides unique programs
based on age and interests, all F&W activities are shaped by Quaker principles and the common
belief that individuals and communities are strengthened by justice, honesty, self-reliance,
diversity and respect for all persons. People of any race, background, religion, sexual
orientation, or economic status are encouraged to apply to our camps as campers or staff. To
learn more about F&W please visit: www.farmandwilderness.org.
For more information about the position, please see
http://www.farmandwilderness.org/Employment-Opportunities/year-round-jobs
VT is a Leader in Sustainable Agriculture | Sanders' Update on Sustainable Ag
Gleaning with the Vermont FoodbanK (video) | Featuring Harlow Farm, Westminster
Join the Vermont Foodbank in harvesting excess crops from local farms.
USDA Announces New Framework For Animal Traceability! | USDA dropping its plan for NAIS
|
Important news from the farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund:
On February 5, 2010, the USDA announced that it was dropping its plan for the National Animal Identification System, (NAIS) and turning its attention to developing "a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability."
While the NAIS plans called for tracking every livestock animal in the country, the USDA stated that its new plan will apply only to animals moved in interstate commerce. In a conference call with concerned organizations, Secretary Vilsack stated that the new plan will seek to be able to trace animals back to the State they came from, and that any additional traceback will be left to the State. The Secretary also stated that NAIS had received a "failing grade" and that he does not intend to use preferential funding to the States to implement it.
You can read more details from USDA at:
USDA has admitted that "the vast majority of participants [in the listening sessions] were highly critical" of NAIS and claims that its new approach "honors the very legitimate concerns of the American public and those in Rural America." From the listening sessions to State anti-NAIS bills to the Legal Defense Fund's lawsuit challenging the legality of NAIS, the USDA faced pressure on a variety of fronts to drop this program. The change in USDA policy is due to the thousands of people who spoke up in opposition to NAIS, and each of you deserves credit. Thank you for taking action!
Although this is a significant victory, the issue of electronic tagging and tracking of livestock is not over. Livestock owners face continuing problems with the programs that are already in place in Wisconsin and Michigan, which will require a change in those states' laws to fix. The agribusiness and technology companies will undoubtedly push for burdensome regulations, both in the new USDA framework and at the State level, so we still have a lot of work to do. Please stay tuned for more information and action steps.
|
Whole Foods Chef Position (Waitsfield, VT) | At Knoll Farm
Whole Foods Chef Position
Knoll Farm
Waitsfield, Vermont
We offer a fantastic opportunity for one or two experienced chefs to produce creative meals, using all locally grown, organic foods, for educational gatherings of leaders of environmental and social change organizations. Center for Whole Communities in a nonprofit educational organization which convenes retreats throughout the summer for environmental and social change leaders. We are based at Knoll Farm, a 400-acre organic farm in the Mad River Valley of central Vermont. Each week-long retreat includes 25 adults, and serving locally grown, whole foods is a major element of what we teach. As much as possible of the food that is prepared and served is grown at Knoll Farm and within Vermont.
This position is seasonal and full-time, from early June through September. This is a residential position; we can offer accommodations and meals at our base as part of the compensation package. During the retreats our kitchen crew works long hours, from prepping for breakfast at 7.30 am until dishes are finished after the 6 pm meal. All the meals are served buffet or family style in our historic timberframe barn. One meal per week is usually cooked outside in a wood-fired oven. The chefs are responsible for planning menus around seasonal and local foods available from our farm, local farms, or the farmer’s market; sourcing our foods locally, including local cheeses, meats, oils and grains as well as produce; keeping the kitchen budget, and cooking. There is a support staff for the chefs, as well as help from participant volunteers.
Qualifications for this position include: culinary skills cooking for groups, and in particular preparing and creating menus around seasonal, whole foods; ability to work with and inspire others about food; well-organized and ability to be responsible about a budget; flexible and good-natured attitude; willingness to work long hours; sense of fun and love of the outdoors.
As our chefs, you will have creative autonomy, be part of a supportive team, dive deeply into the art of cooking locally and with whole foods, and be an important player in our educational program.
Application forms may be downloaded at www.wholecommunities.org. If you have questions, please contact:
Helen Whybrow
Helen@wholecommunities.org
Center for Whole Communities
700 Bragg Hill Road
Waitsfield, VT 05673
Post Oil Solution's Community Food Security Project | Increases access to locally produced food for all people
Begun in January, 2008, the mission of the CFSP is to increase the access of locally produced food for all people regardless of income. Since the Summer, 2008, the project has been blessed by the presence of Angela & Richard Berkfield, Liz Sheehan, Josh Davis, and Katherine Gillespie, SIT students who, while working on their school Capstone projects, have also serve as full-time VISTA community organizers for CFSP.
Highlights of their work over the past 18 months include:
- Gleaning partnership with Vermont Food Bank www.postoilsolutions.org/foodsecurityproject/gleaningareafarms
43, 286.5 lbs produce, 803 plant starts
Number of farms involved: 17
Number of volunteers: 57 people
- 2009 Rapid Community Food Assessment www.postoilsolutions.org/foodsecurityproject/healthyfoodreport
- SIT Farm and Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (http://www.postoilsolutions.org/foodsecurityproject/SITfarm)
- Farmers' Market Basket at the Westgate housing community
- Raised bed gardens at Vermont Adult Learning
- Container garden project at Sam Elliot Towers, AIDS Project of Southern Vermont, Windham Housing Trust Life Skills House, Brattleboro Center for Children
- Kid's garden at Ledgewood Heights
- Collaboration with Brattleboro Farm to School Committee
Michael Pollan: Food Rules (video interview) | He wants Americans to recognize that cheap food comes with a hi
Monadnock Localvore Project Summer Camp Fund | Help connect young people with agriculture and the world around them
Monadnock Localvore Project
Cultivating the Next Generation of
Farmers & Localvores
For more information, to request application material, or to donate to the scholarship fund please contact the Cheshire County Conservation District at 603-756-2988 ext.116 or Amanda.costello@nh.nacdnet.net. More information is also available online at www.localvore.com. Applications are due by March 1, 2010 and donations are accepted throughout the year.
