Cultivating Connections

January, 2014

Articles of Interest in this Issue

ACORN Updates

Master Gardener

Farm to Schookl

Events & Goings-on

ACORN HOME PAGE

0-6 Degrees:

Winter is jam making time at Norris Berry Farm. Norma uses only fruit grown on her farm for blue ribbon winners year after year. Discerning buyers in New England call her for the best of the best! From PYO to regional distribution, Norma reaches a wide network with her jam.

2 Degrees:

Julie Mitchell of EOS herbs is an herbalist and health care practitioner at the
Vermont Center for Integrated Herbalism

Signup for classes, workshops or make an appointment at the health clinic to incorporate herbs for better health. You can find Julie's line of EOS herbs at the Middlebury Coop

Quality Integrated care is available in Vergennes at

Two Wolves Holistic Center

Connect to classes and more!

2 Degrees

Farm Fresh Radio supports local farms by playing great music for chickens, goats, pigs, cows, sheep and oh yeah, us too! Thank you for supporting ACORN with music to fill the air and offering great advertising incentives too.

ACORN needs volunteers!

Green Living Expo March 8th

SIGN-UP HERE for this

0 degrees of separation event!

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Congratulations to Vergennes Union High School

2014 Recipient of

VT Agency of Agriculture Farm to School Grant

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2 Degrees of Separation

Harvest of the Month:

Turnips & Rutabagas are the featured vegetables this month.

Researching bionutrients?Tom Vanacore is our local source for all things stone dust and bionutrients

Vern Grubinger, Extension Agent extraordinaire, suggests you become a member of the VVBGA and come to the annual meeting January 24th

Want to sell your products in Boston? Check this out!

ACORN's Local Food Guide:

It' time to think about being listed our excellent resource. Stay tuned! Want to advertise? Contact Lea for rates

Tyson Foods Changes Pig Care Policies Under Pressure but they do not go far enough to changing the way animals are raised and slaughtered.

2 Degrees:

Addison County is a strong pork producer: Eat local pork & enjoy the meat of well- raised pigs. Ask for local pork at your favorite markets and restaurants or buy at Green Pasture Meat in New Haven

Norma's blueberries from the bush to the jam jar!

Get your Homeward Bound Humane Society restaurant card now!

Support ACORN with a
financial donation

ACORN supports and participates in the Farm to Plate Network. Check out the awesome Vermont Food Atlas! Should you be listed?

Addison County seems to be 6 degrees of separation from so many things related to farms and food. There are connections between farmers, the distribution network, value-added producers' desire to source local ingredients and sellers to promote not only Vermont grown, but the bounty of our county. Food and ag products are produced, bought and sold among businesses that foster business growth and expansion. This is a good thing for the county with sales made locally and to wider regional markets.

0 degrees of separation is in high gear at MUHS Alternative Ed program under the guidance of Steve Colangeli. Students are growing food for the cafeteria and researching food production efficiency. Greenhouse production and research are linked with Bread and Butter Farm in Shelburne. Please read an overview of the program and the research here. The Alternative Education Program is looking to connect with other farmers in the area on various research projects that would benefit their farm. Seed trials as well as experimenting with sub surface heating are two examples of research projects that could be done. Please email Steve Colangeli or call 382-1185.

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

shop the bounty of the county at Mountain Greens Market, Middlebury Coop, and Vermont's Own Products as well as many other outlets

Master Gardener Program: Growing Together

Winter is a good time to broaden your garden knowledge. UVM Extension Master Gardener Program can help you gain key skills for home gardening or to support gardens in your community. The 13 week comprehensive program begins in February at Vermont Interactive Technologies. Get all the details here; sign up ends January 17th.

The Master Garden course is taught by UVM faculty and horticultural industry experts covering a wide range of topics. Plant diseases, pests, soil fertility botany, weed control will be taught along with sustainable practices. School gardens are in need of summer support; consider offering your skills and knowledge to school garden programs. For more details contact Extension at 656-9562.

And another gardening note: Grants for workplace food gardens are available to small businesses. This is a great opportunity to engage your employees in food production for personal or community use such as a food shelf donation. You can also call 861-4769 for details. Deadline to apply is January 21.

Speaking of gardens....Quarry Hill School in Middlebury seeks a gardener for 2014. Su White is reaching out to the community to help find someone (or a team) to grow food in this interactive pre-school setting. Perhaps a student of MUHS Alt Ed Program is interested in this position! Please contact Su for details.

F2S: New Cuisine Cookbook is a Hit With School Cooks

School food service managers have embraced the new cookbook published late last year by FEED. 2014 is beginning with a host of new recipes for school breakfasts and lunches.

Among the many choice recipes being served up by Lisa Sprague at Vergennes Elementary are apple and celeriac slaw, corn potato and cauliflower soup, sweet potato and black bean salad and a new recipe for chicken pot pie. Our hats off to Lisa and her excellent team for jumping feet first in creating 2-month cycle menus that help incorporate and introduce less familiar ingredients. Laurie Bruce at MUHS is serving up winter greens daily grown on campus. The greens are sold to the school from through the Alt Ed program, proving that food production is a good business to learn.

Sign-up for ACORN's monthly Farm to School Newsletter!

Mark Your Calendars

Events & Opportunities

Please note the January 23rd ACORN Business Development workshop will be rescheduled.

Champlain Orchards is hiring! Check out the managerial and operations positions here