Greetings!
ACORN wrapped up the online research and published our findings which are posted on our website. The trend for online sales continues (see article below about Middlebury College and yourfarmstand.com). Though the targeted buyers differ, the move to embrace the computer as a sales tool continues to foster new opportunities for sellers and consumers.
We are also upgrading our web presence! Later this summer we will be a more resourceful outlet for Addison County and statewide networking opportunities for energy, food and small business financing. And while we are it, we are also planning a party on October 13...stay tuned for those details. And one more ACORN detail: look for announcements soon about our growing need for a part time staff position.
As for local foods, this season is opposite of last year. In the next two weeks tons of crops will be available! Baby carrots, onions, beets, all the greens you could imagine, and of course our local meats and value added products are a must have for summer grilling!
To find farms that wholesale or for PYO and for restaurants and businesses that support local food, check out the great resource provided by ACORN : Local Food & Farm Guide or contact us for a copy. |
ACORN is a Vermont non-profit currently working on specific projects to broaden Addison County's impact in the arena of food, agriculture, capitalization of small businesses and renewable energy resources. We build connections; the links are meant to show the array of Vermont-based resources. Kindly share ideas that can support our effort. JOIN ACORN share the bounty of the county! |
|
Tour de Farms: Serve Up Goodness or Ride the Rave
The 5th Annual Tour de Farms is scheduled for Sunday, September 16th in Shoreham, Vermont. This popular event consistently draws 500+ cyclists who choose among three established routes, each of which have several designated stops for participants to sample the incredible bounty of food that is available in the area.
The Tour is in search of some new faces, farms, and food establishments to add to the mix this year! Farms, as well as restaurants, caterers, and local food markets, from Addison and northern Rutland counties are invited to participate in this annual fundraiser for ACORN. To sign up call Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222 or email shelby@ruralvermont.orgFarm partners are welcome to sample any food items that are produced or raised on their farm, and restaurants and market partners can sample food that is sourced locally. In the past, cyclists have enjoyed a diverse menu of what the area has to offer, including apples and donuts from Champlain Orchards, Oriental lamb chops from Doolittle Farm, a spread of heirloom tomatoes from Golden Russet Farm, drinkable yogurt from Millborne Farm, and turkey sausage from Stonewood Farm!
|
|
Strawberries! Get them while the picking is great!
 Head on down to Monkton to the Last Resort and Norris Berry Farm for excellent berries and easy picking. Other great pick your own (PYO) in the county include Woods Market Farm in Brandon and Douglas Orchard in Shoreham. The season will likely end early due to the excellent heat and good conditions so scoot out of work early and pick your own or just stop by one of the farm stands and have the best of the season! You will also find berries served up at local restaurants, such as the Red Mill at Basin Harbor.
Summer fruits have arrived and it just keeps getting better as the blueberry bushes at Norris are loaded for July picking! If strawberries are not your most favored summer Vermont fruit, Norma says...plan ahead for July blueberry and raspberries!
|
|
Rockville Market Farm, Starksboro
This full service farm has grown by leaps and bounds over the years. There are countless seasonal vegies, happy pigs producing incredible pork , Eric's eggs all available through a fabulous CSA. Eric and Keenan have a fantastic operation partly because they are always on the cutting edge. They are sought after for their farm innovations, ideas business acumen.
See the farm online as documented over the years by famed food photographer Natalie Stultz . She has been photographing the goings on and both Rockville and her website are veritable showcases of fresh food and fantastic pictures. Natalie has helped Rockville upgrade their website, and she is happy to take on new farm and food clients.
Look for Rockville products at the Burlington Farmers Market and in area retail outlets but mostly they like to sell to their CSA. Consider too, a visit to the farm for the Friday Farm Dinner provided by Andrea Todd. The next one is July 13. Bring a lawn chair...bring ten bucks ( $5.00 for kids)...bring a healthy appetite too!
|
|
Grains! research, farm tour and cultivating connections!
 The NW Crops and Soils Program is hosting a tour of our small grain research trials up at Borderview Farm in Alburgh, VT on June 29, from 1:00pm-3:00pm. Check out the website for all the summer workshops.
There are over 1,000 trial plots of wheat, winter barley and oats. If you are interested in expanding into grain growing, take a drive up the west coast of Vermont and see what is growing in Alburg. Make a day of stopping at farmstands and farmers markets while you are out and about.
|
|
Restaurants & Chefs Needed! Garlic Scapes for Sale!
The Last Resort in Monkton, is having a banner year for garlic scapes and is looking to sell 150 pounds. This is a great ingredient for specialty pesto, soups and with a garlic essence, wonderful as a salad or soup garnish. Plan ahead and process for later use off season; trust me it can make the most wonderful topping for pizza or flatbread. Call Eugenie at 453-2847.
|
|
Food Safety Trainings:
Want to take your homemade pickles to the next level?
Maybe it's sausage or GARLIC SCAPE PESTO... you are interested in producing. Either way UVM is ahead of the curve in helping producers through the ins and outs of food safety. Consider some of these workshops to gear up and learn about food safety and food production.
Good Manufacturing Practices
June 21, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Vermont Food Venture Center, Hardwick, VT; registration fee: $5
Understanding Food Safety
July 11, 9AM-noon, Department of Health Conference Room, Burlington, VT; registration fee: $10 Introduction to HACCP (geared for non-meat products) July 12, 2-5PM, Vermont Food Venture Center, Hardwick, VT; registration fee $20 August 8, 9AM-noon, Department of Health Conference Room, Burlington, VT; registration fee $15 Understanding Acidified Food Regulations August 2, 6:30-8PM, Vermont Food Venture Center, Hardwick, VT; registration fee $5 September 19, 9AM-10:30AM, Department of Health Conference Room, Burlington, VT; registration $10
|
|
Are you looking to work on a farm and not get too dirty?
Champlain Orchards in Shoreham, has several management positions open. -office, bakery and retail farm store. Bring your skill set to this expanding business! The best candidates are self motivated, work in a team and enjoy multi- tasking.
Send your resume to:
andrea.scott2955@gmail.com or Champlain Orchards Attn: Andrea Scott 2955 Rt 74 West, Shoreham, VT 05770
|
|
Farm & Food: Technology
 There is a new website in Vermont and we think it is a good one! Consider it your portal to farm and culinary experiences and a veritable global marketing campaign for your farm or food business. Explore the site hereDesigned with excellent resource categories- places, events, regions and trails a user can easily maneuver to find new places to visit or new products. One can create a trail for a day trip, or send ideas to someone traveling from out of sate.
It is in the final phase of development and ACORN invites you to explore registering your business for added visibility. Membership info & business registration There are criteria to be met, but please research your business and build the food network of Addison County. We think you might like it too!
|
 Middlebury College seeks producers for online sales!
News and invitation from:
Greg Krathwohl
Student, Market Coordinator
Middlebury College
Middlebury College invites you to consider a new way to reach a highly motivated segment of local customers. A recent survey of our faculty and staff found high demand for locally produced food for their home kitchens. So we have partnered with a group in Charlotte who has been very successful in connecting local farms with local buyers. With them we have built an online "virtual farm stand" for Middlebury College faculty and staff. Our folks can go to the website, browse what's available that week from participating farms, and place their orders.
You may be concerned about your relationships with other outlets in the area. We were, too. We consulted with Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op and Middlebury Farmers' Market and all agreed that this would be a good complement to existing channels for fresh, local food.
Once a week farmers deliver to a staffed drop site on campus (you needn't use valuable time waiting for customers to show up). Your food will be pre-sold, so a trip to the drop site will never be wasted. You will keep 90% of sales. 6% will go to the folks in Charlotte who run the website and 4% will pay for the person who coordinates the program locally and staffs the drop site.
Please have a look at the website: www.yourfarmstand.com . Browse through other market offerings at "what's for sale" and read through the FAQS for producers by clicking the "info" tab. See what you think. We want this to work smoothly-- as a sensible outlet for you and as a good thing for our faculty and staff.
Please let us know if you want to participate. If your products match our needs we'll help you set up a producer account on the website-- it's a quick and very straightforward process. We're starting this market by mid to late June with a scheduled weekly food drop on Tuesdays.
If you would like to sell through this service, please let us know by June 12th. Send an email with your phone number and email address to gkrathwohl@middlebury.edu. Please include the name of your farm and the products you would like to offer. Or, feel free to call Francisca Drexel at 802-443-3190 or email fdrexel@middlebury.edu with any question.
Thanks so much and we hope you consider this new market venue.
|
|
