ACORN's mission is to cultivate connections that promote healthy, local food in Vermont's Southern Champlain Valley.
 

ACORN is now on Instagram! Follow us to stay up-to-date on our local food initiatives in the Southern Champlain Valley and around Vermont  
#AcornNetwork


Send events & items of interest for this newsletter to  Annie@acornvt.org

   
   Don't forget! You can find area farms and food producers in ACORN's  

06 - Farm to Plate
Farm to Plate is increasing local food sales through a strong network that includes ACORN!

Is your farm or food business listed on the  Vermont Food System Atlas?  If not, sign up today!
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2015: The International Year of Soil
The Annual Gathering of the Farm to Plate Network featured soil guru , YouTube star, and conservation agronomist Ray Archuleta as the keynote speaker. Ray is passionate about soil health and his passion is infectious! His enlightening campaign  focused on  bio-mimicry and respecting the life force that soil provides. In addition to his presentation at the Gathering, Ray shared his teachings to 150 of Vermont's largest farmers  on October 28th in Middlebury.  It was hosted by  the UVM Extension Champlain Valley Crops, Soil and Pasture Team ,which hosts workshops on soil health through pasture and crop management. Find out more about their soil work and future workshops, or sign up for the newsletter on ways to improve soil health through cover crop management practices. 
Watch how Ray performs an easy soil health test to see how you can test your own soil and why no-till practices will help improve your soil!

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Warm up to some great Champlain Valley food at Middlebury's premier local food restaurant. We salute American Flatbread's commitment to purchasing the finest ingredients from within our local foodshed. The warmth of their hearth is a perfect gathering place this winter. We are grateful to Flatbread for hosting our Nov 18th Annual Gathering...please join us at 6:30 in the Marbleworks.
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Farmers and food producers, this is for you!
Vendor applications for the 5th Annual Buy Local Market during Consumer Night at the VT Farm Show are being accepted until November 2nd!
 
Vendors and consumers will enjoy local food, buyer matchmaking opportunities, and dozens of local products to sample and purchase. Please consider participating in this event that offers opportunities for consumers to taste, learn and buy Vermont agricultural products from across the state in one convenient place.  
 
What: Buy Local Market during the Consumer Night at the VT Farm Show
Where: Champlain Valley Expo, Essex VT
When: January 27, 2016 from 4-7 pm

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Orb Weaver
Seven happy cows at Orb Weaver Farm,  world-renowned cheese makers from Addison County. 
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There are a few spaces left -
SIGN UP NOW! 
Golden Well Apiaries in New Haven is hosting "Six Figure Farming for Small Plots" with Jean Martin Fortier, author of The Market Gardener.

This full-day intensive workshop  will be hosted on Saturday November 7th, 9 am - 4 pm.
Learn essential tools and techniques for successful market gardening from Jean-Martin Fortier, one of Canada's most recognized and influential organic growers.  
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FARMERS TAKE NOTE!
Learn the basics of diesel, electricity and pumps. These  NOFA workshops are great confidence builders. 
 
Is your lack of business knowledge holding you back?  
You know a lot about your company's products or services, but you may not know as much as you should about the business side of business. A lack of knowledge could be holding your business back, or worse, it could get you into trouble. Core Business Seminars offers small classes providing hands-on knowledge you can take back and apply the same day.  Check out the short-course schedule.
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Buy a local Thanksgiving TURKEY!
Fresh or smoked turkeys are available in Addison County!

Stonewood Farm produced without hormones
Smoked from Dakin
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Doolittle Farm
Animal Welfare Approved (AWA) is a food label for meat and dairy products that come from farm animals raised to the highest animal welfare and environmental standards. 

It's now widely accepted that raising animals intensively - indoors or confined on dirt feedlots - is not only bad for animal welfare, but it's also harming human health and the wider environment. You only have to look at the headlines about the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, environmental pollution from intensive farming systems, and animal welfare abuses to see that our food system is broken. Find out more about the value of healthy animal rearing. 
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Porter Medical Center, along with hundreds of hospitals, participated in Healthcare Without Harm's International Food Day in October. Among HCWH's many campaigns is a switch to serving meat raised without routine antibiotics. Hospitals are leading a growing nationwide effort to protect antibiotics for human health by ending their overuse in animal agriculture. Facilities in Vermont are working with suppliers (and tight budgets) to make this happen locally. 
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After operating a successful dairy farm for more than thirty years, the Smith Family transitioned to grass-fed beef in 2006 and now sells all-natural beef, pork, poultry and eggs, as well as hay, corn, and soybeans in New Haven, VT.
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VT Folklife Center Exhibit  

October 9 - January 9, 2015 -Portraits of a Forest: Men and Machines. Photographs and interviews by George Bellerose.


 

Forest Talk: Nov 19 5:30-7:00 at the Folklife Center

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Have you invested in your Filson Tin Pants yet?  These are perfect for all types of heavy duty work including woodpiles, working in produce coolers or late-season outdoor jobs. Filson..."might as well have the best!" We agree - these pants stand up to any task! 
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ACORN Annual Meeting  
November 18th
Annual Meeting Audience
It's time again for us to showcase our work and community involvement at our Annual Meeting!

Please join us at American Flatbread on Wednesday, November 18th, from 6:30 pm-8pm as we celebrate our 2015 accomplishments and look forward to 2016's goals. Our keynote speaker is Molly Anderson, the new Professor of Food Studies at Middlebury College, who will discuss local food systems and the importance of multi-stakeholder collaborations. We'll talk Farm to School, ACORN events (Tour de Farms, the Sustainable Living Expo, Stone Soup), address local food wins and losses around Addison County, and get your feedback on areas  where we can focus in the coming year. Light appetizers will be provided and a cash bar featuring local brews and ciders will be open!

We pride ourselves on having our ear to the ground and want to hear as much community feedback as possible! So please join us and meet your neighbors, community members and activists who are supporting local food initiatives. 

American Flatbread is located in the Marble Works in Middlebury.
Addison County is Farm to School! 
October was Farm to School month with Addison County shining its light! Our school communities came together around fresh, healthy food. Some examples were a harvest dinner at Bristol Elementary, Cornwall School's Annual Harvest Festival and the making of a wonderful documentary about Ripton's school garden from planting to plating, showcasing the inherent value in hands-on, hands-in-the dirt education. Take a few minutes to enjoy this endearing video
Ripton School
From Plant to Plate
! 
BES Harvest Dinner


Vermont Heritage Grazers
Vermont Heritage Grazers raises purebred Berkshire hogs, a heritage breed valued for its high-quality meat.  The herd has access to pasture year round and meets standards for humanely raised animals.  They sell finished hogs for meat, piglets and breeding stock.  The farm's products are sold to local markets and restaurants, as well as to butcher shops and markets in Boston, Massachusetts. Vermont Heritage Grazers expects to be expanding their market to New York City soon. 

Vermont Heritage Grazers was started in 2007 by Alethea and Jeffrey Bahnck.  Their big focus has been growing all their own feed, all non- GMO. With a lot of new infrastructure in place, they grew 80% in 2014, but due to heavy rains in June 2015, lost over 100 acres of oats and wheat. The good news is the 2015 corn harvest pulled through; they should be able to feed 70% of  their animals with their own grains. Any needed feed will be supplemented with other regional non-GMO growers. 
Fresh Fruit & Veggie Program Encourages ANESU to Source Local Produce
Laura Collaro, ANESU Local Food Coordinator, called upon ACORN to help source kohlrabi for the USDA's Fresh Fruit & Vegetable program. This program is designed to expose students to, and encourage experimentation with, fresh produce.

Long seen as a beneficial program that introduces fresh fruits and veggies, it also creates an opportunity to build alliances between farmers and schools. As a result of reaching out, Laura was reminded of local producers growing a wide range of produce who are interested in contracting to grow specific crops for markets including schools, the college and online food platforms. ACORN is on the pulse of crops grown in the county through our past matchmaker events and our annual Local Food Guide. It is our pleasure to be called upon to help source locally for our schools. 
Middlebury Winter Farmers' Market
farmers mkt display late season Heads Up! It's November, meaning 'winter hours' for the farmers' market begins on Saturday. Find the indoor market at Mary Hogan School in Middlebury. This go-to market is a must when considering holiday gift giving where crafters hawk their wares along with local fresh meat, produce and other value-added products for healthy meals. 

2015 -16 Winter Markets will be held at
Mary Hogan School off Court St / Rte 7
at 201 Mary Hogan Drive 
Middlebury, Vermont 05753
9:30am - 1:00pm

2015 Nov. 7, 14, 21, 28, Dec. 12, 19, 26;
2016 March 5, 12, 19, 26; April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
Do You Have a Barn Fire Safety Plan? 

Winter brings particular risks to animals as we are seeking to keep them extra warm and safe. The most common causes of barn fires in Vermont are heating equipment, including portable heaters, sparks from chimneys from other buildings, and heat lamps.

In the last five years alone, fire departments have responded to over 100 barn fires statewide. In an effort to address what seems to be a growing problem, the Division of Fire Safety has teamed up with the Vermont Rural Fire Protection Task Force to create a Barn Fire Prevention Task Force that is working on developing resources to support the agricultural community and VT's farm families to address ways to prevent barn fires in our state. Check out an Across the Fence video to help you create safe environments with checklist audits to reduce fire risk and have a fire plan in place that includes unobstructed exits.   

These safety practices are important whether you house animals or produce. 
Harvest of the Month: KALE!
Hail the Kale! 
You've seen the stickers, Eat More Kale... now we really mean it! Harvest of the Month features recipes for the the once neglected, now uber-popular kale. 

Both HoM and EMK have recipes and ideas to promote fresh produce at schools, farm stands, hospitals, markets, CSA shares and at local retail outlets. Here are great marketing and classroom materials to help you promote healthy eating. Join the campaign by trying "Eat More Kale" family friendly recipes . 
It's Time to Talk Turkey! 
Addison County has some great turkey for your Thanksgiving Dinner. It's not too late to pre-order from Green Pasture Meats, the Middlebury Coop and Stonewood Farm. You can also find smaller producers selling near you.

Stonewood in Orwell raises their birds without hormones, antibiotics, or animal by-products added to their feed. They are proud of their humane care: "just plenty of Vermont air, cold nights, good feed and tender loving care on our family farm" - Paul Stone (Grandpa Stone).  So order now from an area producer or retail outlet for the best Thanksgiving dinner to share with your family and friends. 
Events, Opportunities & Jobs 
Bella Farm Garlic Planting Party! Family friendly fun, Monkton
November 1, 12-4:00 

Application deadline for VAAFM Consumer Night, see above
November 2

November 3, Doug's Apple Trees in Cornwall
802-558-5789 

November 3, 8am-5:00pm; 60 Battery St Burlington, VT

November 8, 2015 3:30pm to 5:30pm
Choiniere Family Farm, 2465 Gore Rd Highgate Ctr., VT

November 8; 1pm-6:00pm Yoder Farm Danby, VT

SARE Grant Application Deadline
November 12 - questions, contact Deb Heleba

VT Working Forest Panel with George Bellerose Exhibit
November 19 5:30pm-7:00pm;   VT Folklife Center, Middlebury

November 19, 2015 9:30am to 4:00pm
Vermont Technical College, Langevin House 593 Furnace St.
Randolph, VT

NOFA Journey Farmers: Training & Mentoring
Application deadline: Nov 19th 

November 22, 2015 7:00 pm 
Bethel Town Hall

Farm Fresh Connect Manager and Office Manager Positions

Champlain Orchards is hiring; Find the jobs here 
06 - Farm to Plate
ACORN is part of Vermont's Farm to Plate Network.  We strive to network the network and our e-news links are meant to show the array of Vermont-based resources.

Thanks to all of you for sharing links and information. Keep me posted of things of interest to relocalization, Addison County and the Southern Champlain Valley. 

 

Annie Harlow

ACORN Network

802-922-7060  

annie@acornvt.org 

 
This is a great piece from Virginia that certainly is pertinent to us all: