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ACORN's mission is to promote the health and growth of local food and agriculture in Vermont's Southern Champlain Valley.
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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
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You can find area farms and food producers in ACORN's
Farm to Plate is increasing local food sales through a strong network that includes ACORN!
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Farmers, this is for you!
Farm Mechanization & Efficiency
Richard Wiswall, author of "The Organic Farmer's Business Handbook," shares his insights on tools and techniques that have improved the efficiency and profitability of Cate Farm in East Montpelier, VT, where he has been farming for over 30 years. Many of you might remember Richard from the ACORN sponsored workshop on office efficiency; this is a great follow-up for developing more streamlined operations. Recorded February 15, 2015, at the 33rd annual NOFA-VT winter conference in Burlington, VT.
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What do gorillas in Africa have to do with bees in Addison County, Vermont?
GARUKA BARS!
Not only do these have a great honey taste, and are a perfect snack while on the go,
they make a great holiday gift too! With monthly subscriptions you will always have bars on hand to enjoy or share with friends, PLUS you save 30%. Pack these gems in your winter kit-bag for snowshoeing, skiing (or hiking!) or travelling
Bars are also available at Middlebury College , and each bar helps increase the local and sustainable efforts of the College to meet the Eat Real Challenge.
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The December 15th ban on manure spreading is almost here!
The annual ban is part of an overall strategy to protect our working landscape and natural resources, as outlined in Vermont's Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAPs). The VAAFM works closely with farmers across the state to ensure the AAPs are enforced. Manure spreading is a common practice in Vermont agriculture which enriches the soil for production and helps manage animal waste.
Workshops and technical assistance are offered through UVM Extension.
The Champlain Valley Crop, Soil & Pasture Team is a group of UVM Extension professionals and their partners working to provide technical assistance to Vermont Farmers in the Lake Champlain Watershed. These workshops and services are designed to help improve soils and production for all types of farmers .
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2015: The International Year of Soil
UVM Extension Across the Fence speaks with Ray Archuleta about soils. Ray visited Vermont in October and met with Champlain Valley farmers to address soil and water quality.
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 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.
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.
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Flavorful Food Prepared With Integrity From Local Farm Products
Screamin Ridge Farm makes hearty  "Joe's Soups" and is crazy busy scaling up to meet new and expanding markets. Farmer, chef and local food mover & shaker, Joe Buley is busy scaling up his soup business thereby increasing his purchases of local foods. The soups are available locally at the Middlebury Coop Deli; savor a cup or go big and take home a quart! Congratulations Joe on all your success and your commitment to our local producers!
Back by POPULAR DEMAND!
The famous Filson Tin Pant...for all your outdoor needs. Might as Well Have the Best...seriously favored by Addison County farmers, loggers and produce managers!
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ACORN LAUNCHES ITS ANNUAL APPEAL: Announcing the brand-new
ACORN Passport to Local Food & Drinks
For a donation of $50 or more, you'll become an ACORN member and receive this valuable discount card to local food and drink businesses around the region. Stay tuned for more information!
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Local Food the Star of Annual Meeting
We had an impressive turnout at our Annual Meeting this year. Held at American Flatbread, with a keynote by Molly Anderson, the new Food Studies professor at Middlebury College, we filled the room with local food producers, educators, distributors and advocates while sipping on local brews and eating delicious flatbreads with local ingre dients. We thank the community for enjoying an evening in support of our work! Stop in for a meal at American Flatbread located in the Marble Works in Middlebury.
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Addison County is Farm to School!
ACORN is able to act as a supply chain facilitator to help introduce new markets to producers and help buyers access local food. A few notable successes are in order with our local schools: Salisbury School reached out to us to help source local Addison County carrots. In November, which was Harvest of the Month's Month of Kale, Willowell Gardens was seeking new accounts at schools. These relationship drive our work. Although every connection does not always come to fruition, we take pride in helping build this importan t network.
One story that is particularly notable, ANESU called upon us to help them source KOHLRABI! A number of farms were contacted and we found that kohlrabi was being grown locally by Full Moon Farm, resulting in students trying this most unusual vegetable! While the majority of us are not purchasing this exotic vegetable because of its unfamiliarity to us, the kids shared a wonderful learning opportunity trying something totally new and different. A big shout out to all of our food service managers and local food coordinators who are helping students branch out, trying new flavors and finding out... well they are are pretty darn good! Just look at those faces!
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Calling All Junior Iron Chefs!
 Applications are now being accepted for the 9th annual Jr Iron Chef Vermont, a culinary competition for Vermont middle and high school students who are looking to show off their skills in the kitchen. Jr Iron Chef Vermont challenges teams of students to create healthy and delicious dishes made from local ingredients, which will ultimately inspire the menus of school meal programs. Last year, ACORN provided each of our 37 junior chefs with a beautiful pan in recognition of their kitchen and teamwork skills-development.
Applications will be accepted until January 16, 2016 on a first-come, first-serve basis. The early bird registration fee is $130.00 until December 16, 2015. After that, the registration fee increases to $150.00. Registration is limited to the first 75 teams, consisting of three to five students in 6th-8th grade, or 9th-12th grade. Applications are available online.
Mark your calendar! Jr Iron Chef VT 2016 will take place March 19, 2016 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction.
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Early Childhood Food Education
Mary Johnson Children's Center engages our youngest citizens to try  new foods. During November, fresh fruit and kale smoothies were featured with great success. Every Tuesday there are tastings that engage not only preschoolers, but also Middlebury College students through the Nutrition Outreach Mentoring Program. This is an opportunity for college students to learn more about the community and share in the excitement of introducing new foods. This program has had positive impacts in many of our rural schools.
MJCC and ACORN have undertaken a survey of early childhood providers to tabulate how many gardens and food education programs are in place. The results will help curate services to expand early childhood food and nature awareness and next steps assessing where resources can be best allocated. ACORN's annual appeal is an opportunity for you to support this type of programming designed to build out our network to the highest capacity for incremental change in our local food system.
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Middlebury Winter Farmers' Market
 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, crafts 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
Dec. 12, 19, 26; 2016 March 5, 12, 19, 26; April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30
9:30am - 1:00pm
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Hot Off The Press!
 Multiple VT agencies collaborated to produce the Vermont Farm Worker Wage, Hour & Housing Fact Sheet. Farmers, this is valuable reading material, especially for those scaling up and hiring new staff as employees. Topics cover housing guidelines for interns, domestic, and migrant labor. Workers compensation, on-farm safety and payments to employees are all covered in this easy to access information sheet.
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Harvest of the Month: WINTER SQUASH
REJOICE! In all things Winter Squash
At home, in your restaurants and in schools look for some wonderful hearty varieties to be used in soups, stews, roasted or even PIE!
Here are great marketing and/or classroom materials to help you promote healthy eating wherever it is you are eating!
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Local Food & Crafts for Gift Giving
Here are a few ideas for unique local gifts. Please visit the Middlebury Farmers' Market on Saturdays and local shops for more!
 Summer In Vermont Jams, a great winter food! Handcrafted in small batches made exclusively with farm grown fuit. The unique blends embrace the flavors of Addison County's very own Norris Berry Farm
VT Farm Table has many beautiful hand crafted items made in Bristol. Gorgeous rolling pins and cutting boards along with a selection of their favorite items from other small businesses
Bees Wrap, a perfect gift for the culinarian, this uique Addison County product is a grand success! Food storage solutions for the 21st century!
 Sweetgrass Herbals offers classes and consultations along with wonderful products. Give a gift of health! For the holidays there are tinctures, salves, lotions hand crafted first aid products, soaps and MORE!
 Curated foods for your holiday menu! Susan Pratt Catering is taking orders for holiday baked goods and parties. Contact this exceptional local-foods cook (and former food service manager at the Cornwall School).
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Events, Opportunities & Jobs
Stay tuned for ACORN sponsored farmer meetings
coming this winter!
Greenfield, Mass
December 15 Hunger Council of Addison County
3:00-5:00PM at CSAC at Catamount Park Middlebury
Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne VT
Champlain Orchards is hiring; Find the jobs here
Essex Inn & Resort
Homeward Bound Dining Card;
Realize significant savings when you dine out at the local restaurants which are a part of our program. Homeward Bound Dining Cards are a great way to support your local humane society and area businesses. One of our favorite ways to dine out in Addison County! (Makes a great gift too!)
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