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 ACORN July 2014 
Cultivating Connections 
ACORN's mission is to help revitalize the health of our land, our local economy and our local communities so they can provide sustainable sources of  food, water, energy, employment, capital and other essential resources. 
Articles of Interest in this Issue
Mt Abe Compost
ACORN Updates
Susan Smiley
FEED
Maple Meadow Farm
Summer Meals Program
Festival on the Green
Steam Boats!
Opportunitities
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Find tons of fresh food at our local farmers' markets 

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Do you need help finding good recipes? Sign-up for 
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 It's SUMMER!!!
Time to eat ice cream on a warm summer night! 
Stop by lulu on Main St in Bristol  find out the daily flavors at Facebook
 
Do you prefer creemees? Head over to Cookie Love on Route 7 in Ferrisburg for  the best of
 Kingdom Creamery and pick up some freshly baked cookies too! 
 
Maybe you want dinner first....
 Try the local beef burgers on the grill at Cookie Love: 
 VT Beef Prorducers
 
06 - Farm to Plate
Helping Vermont increase local food sales through a strong network 


Please Support  ACORN's 
Local Food Guide Advertisers!
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Mount Abe garden basil will turn into Pesto!
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SAVE THE DATE FOR ACORN'S BIGGEST FUNDRAISER!
SEPTEMBER 21 TOUR DE FARMS SHOREHAM, VERMONT


Is your garden bursting with lettuce, greens and peas? If you have extras contact HOPE to donate to an area food shelf

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Need some super rugged clothes to last your lifetime? 
Try Filson on for size. 



Mt Abe Crowdfunding for a School-wide Compost Project
The high school in Bristol has a fantastic student-led project underway and to succeed they need wide community support to fulfill their goal! 
 
The Environmental Action Group (EAG), a student-run club at Mt. Abe, was instrumental in jump starting the school garden under the leadership of community volunteer Walter O'Donoghue in 2009. Five years later, the garden is now able to supply the school kitchen with fresh produce and is an integral part of the Mt. Abe curriculum.  
 
Two ambitious EAG students, Izzy Moody and Addy Campbell spent the last two years studying and consulting with local, state and regional experts to design an on-site school composting system. Let's join them in helping the project come to fruition. Support the campaign to help them reach the final $1200.  
These students deserve our financial support AND we need them too, for Mt Abe to become compliant with ACT 148; AKA "the Compost Law". These are are future leaders- let's help them succeed now. 
 
JOIN WITH ACORN & PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY NOW!
06 - Farm to Plate
ACORN is part of Vermont's Farm to Plate NetworkWe are a volunteer board with a hired communications director working on specific projects to broaden Addison County's impact in the arena of food, agriculture, capitalization of small businesses and renewable energy resources.  The links are meant to show the array of Vermont-based resources. Kindly share ideas that can support our effort. Thank you for supporting our work. 
JOIN ACORN    
ACORN BOD Member Runs For House Seat
ACORN Board Member, Susan Smiley, is running for the Vermont House seat in the November election, for  the  Addison-5, comprised of the towns of New Haven, Weybridge and Bridport. We hope Candidate Smiley will be able to advance the ideas of relocalization in her upcoming campaign.
 
We certainly endorse her for the seat!
FEED: Food Education Everyday

 

Bristol Elementary School participated in the recent FEED Summer Farm to School Working Session at Shelburne Farms. This event designed as a collaboration, strengthens the farm to school footprint. Working together, teachers, food service, parents, administrators , health professionals, parents, farmers and community members effectively engage strategies for incremental change. 

 

FEED has learned over the years that nudging change requires a strategy. Healthy school meals, strong school gardens, and inclusive curriculum are the goals and a strong internal network is imperative. By understanding the roles each group plays, schools head down the path of change. ACORN board member Emily Hoyler has been instrumental in her work to strengthen school communities. Her leadership will support BES efforts toward a more dynamic farm to school and wellness education. 

 

See the above Mt Abe Compost Project for real-life local initiative to affect school change with community support. 

 

Farmstand Profile: 
Maple Meadow Farm  
  
Do you enjoy paddling the lakes, camping out, and hiking in and around Salisbury and Goshen? If you get there heading along Route 7, stop in for fresh eggs, maple syrup and local dairy at Maple Meadow Farm in Salisbury, VT.  The farm is family owned and operated by George E. & Jackie Devoid, the second generation of Devoids. The third generation, daughter Jen and son Niles are also part of the family farm. They have a great little market to help prepare you for your weekend away- or perhaps just some easy-to-grab items. 

You have seen the pride of MMF in all the local supermarkets, pick-up some eggs right at the farm. 

Hunger Free Vermont: Summer Meal Programs

 

Over 37,000 Vermont children depend on free or reduced-price school meals during the school year. When school cafeterias close in June, many of these children lose their most important source of balanced nutrition.

 

Summer can be a high-risk season for low-income children; studies indicate that disadvantaged children are more likely to gain weight and fall behind their peers academically during the summer months.  Hunger Free Vermont is working within communities to increase access to healthy meals during the summer. Addison County Meal sites

Festival on the Green

 

The 36th Annual Festival on the Green is coming right up! Be part of Vermont's best little summer festival held in Middlebury July 6-12 at a slightly new location. For 2014 there will be a Festival off the Green. The big tent and all the performances will relocate to the Town Recreation field by the Mary Hogan School. You can find the location at 88 Mary Hogan Drive, Middlebury, VT 05753. Volunteers are always needed; with the new location this year it is especially so. Sign up here to be part of the show. 

 

This is a must do event! For seven days and nights-amazing local, national and international talent crossing many genres including Josh Panda ,  Kat Wright , Anais Mitchell and even Matuto! Children's shows run at noon and are a great way to introduce kids to the arts. Night time features two shows at 7:00 and 8:30.  Find the full schedule for the 7 day event here. There is no charge, but please give generously when the hat comes around.

Something New to Do! Try the Steam Boat Meet
Want to take part in a unique event? Mark your calendar for the Annual Otter Creek Meet on the Otter Creek
Vergennes, VT July 24-27,2014

About 50 steamboats, harking back to earlier times, ply the waters  of the Otter Creek at River's Edge campground on the Basin Harbor Road. The captains love to take passengers down the creek to the open lake. This is a really fun summer thing - trust me if you have any interest in boats, history or just a good time meeting neat people. Stop in for lunch or dinner at the Red Mill at Basin Harbor Club and enjoy bounty of the county.
Opportunities & Events
 
ANESU seeks assistant & a food service manager be part of the excellence of the innovative school food cooperative and child nutrition profession.  

NOFA is hiring an Education Coordinator;Details are here

July 5 , 11 & 25th
Lincoln Peak
Perfect for farm-stand picnics with the bounty of the county listening to Snake Mountain Bluegrass on July 5th! Now this is another MUST do summer event in Addison County

Farm Tour: Kimball Brook 

Tuesday, July 8

6 - 7:30 pm

North Ferrisburg

Tour a farm that raises grass-fed Holsteins and packages its own dairy products. Visit the pastures, barns, and milking room. Sponsored by the Vermont Land TrustMembers free/$10 non-members

 

Strawberry picking with your friends, family, or solo 

Any PYO farm in Addison County or anywhere for that matter; just eat strawberries in season

 

Cultivation with Draft Power

9:00-5:00 

Cedar MT Farm Hartland

 

One on one, hands on cultivation lessons are possible with pre-registration. Sign up for a farm dinner too 

 

Vermont Beekeeper Association Meeting

Saturday July 12
Bennington, Grace Christian School

Tom Seeley will be discussing "Honey Bees in the Wild" and "Swarm Intelligence in Honey Bees"

 

The Art of Fermentation

Monday July 21 lecture, 

Tuesday & Wednesday July 22-23 Hands-on Workshop 

Shelburne Farms

Register and Info

 

Vermont Land Trust Annual Meeting

Sunday, August 10, at Health Hero Farm in South Hero. Lake Champlain is the backdrop for field trips to conserved farms and orchards, a forestry tour, and a naturalist hike to an ancient coral reef. Local Motion will lead a guided bike tour on blissfully flat roads to a conserved dairy farm. Go the Islands and enjoy the day in the upper Champlain Valley!

 

Local Farmers Markets: 

Bristol          Vergennes       Hinesburg 


Looking to connect to a greater good? Sign Up for the Resilience.org newsletter!

Thanks to all of you for sharing links and information. Keep me posted of things of interest to relocalization and Addison County!  

 

 

Annie Harlow

ACORN Network

802-922-7060  

[email protected]