ACORN's mission is to promote the health and growth of local food and agriculture in Vermont's Champlain Valley.
 

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Send events & items of interest for this newsletter to  [email protected]

Don't forget! 
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!

Is your farm or food business listed on the  Vermont Food System Atlas?  Sign up today!

2016:  Securing Human  Rights 
 
Thelma and Jos� share how VT farmworkers are steadily securing their human rights through Migrant Justice. Human rights and dairies are intrinsically entwined in Vermont and Addison County. 
 
 
"With your support, in 2016 a major dairy corporation will agree to source 100% of its  milk from farm worker defined human rights standards!" 
New recommendations on feeding pigs. click the image for VAAFM details


Cows Need Their Tails:   VT S22
 

Amputation of cows' tails persists in Vermont, despite veterinarians agreeing it is painful and causes distress. Scientific research concludes that it does not enhance product quality; and industry associations, including Hoard's Dairyman, admit that tail docking is "one practice whose only place should be in the annals of history."
 
 S.22, introduced by Sen. Dick Sears, bans the routine docking of dairy cows' tails. In order to justify "buying local," many Vermonters want to be assured that their food is humanely produced. "Vermont can join California, the nation's biggest dairy state, and heed the industry leaders and acknowledge that "tail docking is no longer a justifiable practice." 
(Dairy Herd Management editorial, 2002)
(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. 

Symphony of the Soil a film by Debra Koons Garcia
 
Drawing from ancient knowledge and cutting edge science, Symphony of the Soil is an artistic exploration of the miraculous substance soil.  The film also examines our human relationship with soil, and the use and misuse of soil. Filmed on four continents, featuring esteemed scientists, working farmers and ranchers, Symphony of the Soil is an intriguing presentation that highlights the possibilities of healthy soil. This film can be purchased, rented or viewed at the NOFA conference. 



MF is seeking local vegetable & fruit producers! 

Every month, Middlebury Foods provides wholesome food at unmatched prices to households throughout central Vermont. They work with local organizations, schools, farmers, and communities who believe that nothing should come between families and affordable, healthy food.

Contact them for this new market opportunity! 
We invite you to start the new year supporting ACORN, and our local food economy. As you know, we work to grow and promote local food and agriculture around the Champlain Valley, from our annual Tour de Farms bike tour to the ACORN Guide to Local Food and Farms to our Farm to School education efforts. Any donations $25 or higher are rewarded with a "Grow Local!" sticker, and donations $50 or higher earn you the sticker and an ACORN Passport, your ticket to valuable discounts at local restaurants, farm stands, CSAs, cafes, the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op, Lincoln Peak Winery, Drop-In Brewery, Stonecutter Spirits, and more! Please consider donating today

ACORN HOSTS FARMER MEET-UPS 
 
ACORN is hosting regional grower meetings around Addison County. We will share information about emerging market opportunities, workshops, and gauge interest in scaling up production. The  two-hour meetings provide an opportunity for networking and discussion of challenges and opportunities your ag business faces. Bring a notebook, ideas, suggestions and questions! All Addison County growers are invited and encouraged to attend the meeting(s). 
Please RSVP to [email protected]
 
The grower meeting schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, Jan. 20 - Tandem Market, 26 Main Street, Bristol, 9am-11am
Thursday, Jan. 28 - Platt Memorial Library, 279 Main Street, Shoreham, 9am-11am
Thursday, Feb. 4 - UVM Extension, 23 Pond Lane, Suite 300, Middlebury, 9am-11am

Thanks to the generous sponsorship of the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op.  
Avian Flu: Info from the Agency of Ag
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture is currently preparing for the potential arrival of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the Northeast. While not known to impact human health, this highly contagious poultry disease can be devastating to chickens and turkeys, and the farmers who depend on them for their livelihood.
 
The disease can potentially be spread to domestic poultry by infected wild birds, including waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines, either through direct contact or contact with droppings, during migration periods. Therefore, the entire Northeast, including Vermont, is preparing for the possibility that an outbreak of HPAI could affect our region in the future.  Read the details and Agency informational bulletins on preparedness
School Teams Sign Up for 
Junior Iron Chef 
2013 Jr Iron Chef It's that time of year! Students interested in cooking and competing in the nations' most esteemed student cook-off are lining up! A beehive of activity, this cooking competition is a must attend event for foodies of ALL ages.  

Mark your calendar and watch Addison County students compete statewide. The cooking event is on March 19, 2016 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction. The superbowl of student competition is amazing! 
Addison County: The Film
"Addison" looks into the strength of community, the value of preserving our past, and pays tribute to previous generations. In a media-crazed world, the film dares to look at life in a rural, agriculturally driven community, where hard work, family, and chores come before cell phones and video games. 

New Market Opportunities
  
Regional markets, producers, buyers and sellers will all be in one place. Check out the details for the 5th annual show. Open to New England producers and buyers, the show is designed to foster connections within our regional food system. 

Tuesday, March 8, 2015
8:30AM - 2:00PM
Northeastern University . The Curry Student Center
346 Huntington Avenue . Boston, MA 02119
 
Harvest of the Month: PARSNIPS
Chefs at home, in restaurants, and in schools use this hearty and earthy vegetable in soups, stews, roasted as a chip or in casseroles. Marketing & classroom materials help you promote and enjoy this winter crop. 

Cider Glazed parsnips are a perfect winter side dish with their nutty, earthy and sweet combination. All Harvest of the Month recipes are super easy for home and restaurant cooking. Give them a try and expand your seasonal menus with local ingredients. 
34th Annual NOFA VT  Winter Conference February 13-15th Burlington 

The conference theme, "Our Soil, Our Health" was developed in recognition of how the quality of our soil affects the quality of our food and its fundamental ability to nourish us.  On the heels of the United Nation's 2015 International Year of Soils, NOFA will elevate the discussion of the linkage between soil health, plant health, and human health. This theme will be addressed throughout the conference-in our keynote addresses, workshops, roundtables, and through a featured film Symphony of the Soil. 

You are invited to attend any of the 87 workshops for commercial organic producers, localvores, homesteaders, and gardeners. There are three featured workshop tracks: a community and school garden series, in collaboration with the Vermont Community Garden Network; a Food Systems Solutions track, in partnership with UVM's Food Systems Initiative; and a Direct Marketing track organized with leadership from organic farmers who direct market their farm products. 
 

Events, Opportunities & Jobs 

Shedding Light on the Working Forest    
January 15-April 30th
A collaboration between painter Kathleen Kolb & 
poet Verandah Porche;  Folklife Center Middlebury VT

Jan 23; 2-5:00 at the Orchard in Shoreham; free
Celebration of Winter for the whole family; it is great fun! 

Jan 25 Lake Morey Inn; Fairlee VT

Jan 27th 4-7:00
Local products, tastings from area food producers, 'throw-down' cook offs with area chefs. A great evening out!

Feb 13-15 Burlington

AVAILABLE: Land for farming in Weybridge, VT
Seeking grower/producers to keep 8 acres of land in use 
Contact William Roper at 802-545-4507

Foot Print Farm is hiring! 
Contact Taylor about position details

Essex Inn & Resort
 
ACORN is a proud member 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 Champlain Valley. 

 

Annie Harlow

ACORN Network
802-922-7060

  

[email protected]