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ACORN's mission is to promote the health and growth of local food and agriculture in Vermont's Champlain Valley.
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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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What if broccoli was marketed the way other products are?
The craze has begun....step aside, kale! Broccoli's time has come!
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(AWA) is a food label for meat and dairy products that are made from farm animals raised to the highest animal welfare and environmental standards. More consumers & institutions are seeking humanely raised meat.
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It is said Glacier makes the best cold  weather work gloves. Will you join VT farmers and agree they aren't just for fisherman? P.S. - They are having a sale!
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Are you looking for new sources of seeds? Pick a Carrot is a website search engine devoted to helping farmers & gardeners locate the right seed variety, review prices and order directly from seed suppliers. Check them out!
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It's a sweet time of year!
Remember to pack your mud boots this month so you are ready to walk the sugarbushes or pop into a sugar shack!
Stay posted on Front Porch Forum, the Addy Indy, or other outlets for open houses and pancake breakfasts featuring our liquid gold!
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Filson Pants: Mud & sugar season made easy! Cost per wear drops as the years pass.
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Sugarhouse-Pancake Season is coming up! Nothing quite like it, don't you think!?
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This year, Mary Johnson Childcare Center, ACORN, Hunger Free VT and Shelburne Farms will host workshops to help early educators introduce local food, gardening and related activities into their programs. These workshops are designed to help kids become food-aware at an early age.
MiniBury is a fantastic family resource for information on family events and activities around Middlebury. |
Pop Up Dinner at Tandem!
Friday & Saturday
Limited seating for a spectacular, casual meat. Check out the menu & save your spot at the table!
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 Beetles, Bees, Butterflies: A Symposium on Vermont's Pollinators
March 17th
An impressive line up for this event
ECHO Center Burlington
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Be Featured in Vermont Life
ACEDC & VT Life Magazine present Pitch Vermont Life - Addison County on Wednesday, March 30, 2016 from 5:00-7:30 p.m. This public pitching session is a chance for individuals, businesses and organizations to have their stories in Vermont Life magazine. It is free to attend. Light food and refreshments will be served (with a cash bar). To register and pitch a story for the event, please contact Sky Barsch (802) 828-5535 associate publisher, Vermont Life, ACEDC will also host a pitch practice session ahead of time for those who would like to hone their skills and receive feedback.
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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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Producer & Buyer Forum
March 10th Meet Up!
On March 10th local producers will have a chance to meet with local and regional buyers at ACORN's first annual Producer and Buyer Forum. This half-day event at Middlebury College is designed to help make new connections for both selling and buying. Value added companies will be in attendance, seeking new suppliers of everything from sunflower seeds to vegetables. All food producers and farmers are welcome and encouraged to come. Grab your spot today .
Sarah Waring, Executive Director of Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, will kick off the Forum, followed by local and regional buyer panels including buyers from "Vermont First" Sodexo, Middlebury College, Middlebury Foods, and more. Nicole Fenton of Skillet Creative, whose business is all about the marketing of food, will share her insights before we launch into small group discussions designed to help you network. Sign up now to take advantage of this incredible opportunity to connect to new buyers, meet other producers and reach new markets. Questions?
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Do you prefer it shaken or stirred?
Cocktail 101, Stonecutter Spirits, March 3
ACORN launches new food education series;
ACORN Members receive 10% off tickets and
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Regulations Workshop: RAPs, GAPs, CAPs & FSMA March 15th
We heard from our farmers and food producers that regulations are daunting. On Tuesday, March 15, ACORN is bringing to your doorstep some of Vermont's most esteemed specialists to help navigate new water quality (RAPs) and food safety (GAPs, FSMA and CAPs) protocol. Under provisions of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, all farms are expected to follow Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The extent of that requirement is governed by the size of the farm.
We hope you will join us as Ginger Nickerson, Laura DiPietro and Kristina Sweet, our state specialists, help us learn the facts and how to be compliant.
Date: Tuesday, March 15
Time: 9:00-11:30 a.m.
Location: 23 Pond Lane, Extension Office, Middlebury
Cost: $10 for a wealth of info
If you could use extra support via one-on-one consulting, William Sanford is a well trained and respected Food Safety and Security Compliance consultant. Food Safety is not rocket science, it is common sense, some elbow grease, and a desire to supply high quality, safe produce to our friends and neighbors. William's services include: Food Safety Consulting: Farm, Packing and Packaging; FSMA, FDA approved Food Safety Trainer; HACCP Certified Food Safety Training: Cornell University, University of Florida, U.C. Davis
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RAPs & Clean Water
As a result of Act 64, the Vermont Clean Water Act, which was signed into law in June 2015, the Agency of Agriculture was tasked with updating the Accepted Agricultural Practices (AAPs) to further reduce the impact of agriculture on water quality across the state. The RAPs are an updated version of the AAPs, the rules which regulate farms in order to protect water quality, re-written to a higher level of performance. The Agency sought public input on its first draft of the new regulations, to ensure the RAPs reflected the realities of farming and the legislative intent of Act 64.
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) has released a second draft of the Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs) for public review. This draft, to be presented to the legislature and the public over the coming weeks, has been substantially revised to incorporate public input. The second draft is available on the Agency's website.
Join us Tuesday, March 15 from 9:00-11:30 a.m. at the Extension Office in Middlebury as Laura DiPietro, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets (VAAFM), outlines revisions and provisions of Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs); the minimum standards by which a farm must manage their agricultural operations for improving water quality.
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Fairy Tale Farm, Cornwall
 Wonderful cheese comes from the ewes, does and cows at Fairy Tale Farm. With fresh milk from the new lambing season, Alissa and Zarrah have the key ingredient for their small batch cheeses. Coming soon, something rather special and unique to the area, is Cluricaun, a goat cheese with a barrel gin washed rind! Find the cheeses locally at fine stores including the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op and the Middlebury Farmers Market. Photo credit: Fairy Tale Farm
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Harvest of the Month: Beets
 Beets and rutabagas are the featured harvest this month. No one does beets quite like Lea, the Food Service Director at the Lincoln Community School. Her muffins, well, they simply cannot be beet! Roasted, steamed, shredded raw in salads... golden, chiogga and red beets are a wonderful transition towards spring. Enjoy their beautiful colors and nutritious benefits!
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Events, Opportunities & Jobs
Cocktail 101 at Stonecutter Spirits: Get behind the bar with Sas Stewart, Co-Founder and Mixologist featured in Outside Magazine and Martha Stewart Living. Hosted by ACORN, ACORN Members get 10% off.
Thursday, March 3: 6:00pm
Saturday, March 5th: 10:00am - 2:00pm
Pruning for tree health & productivity
$35 includes lunch RSVP 
March 12; 1-4:00 Main Street
A premiere Addison County Event!
Thursday, March 10: 8:30am - 1:00pm
McCullough Student Center, Middlebury College
Friday, March 11: all day
Capitol Plaza, Montpelier
RAPs, GAPs and FSMA: The regulators speak up
Tuesday, March 15: 9-11:30am
UVM Extension Office Middlebury
Learn more on food safety & water quality and on-farm systems from our VT representatives.
Thursday, March 17
March 24; 8:30-10:00 am
Are you going to be hiring for summer help? Maybe you need a refresher on how to interview to get just what your business needs.
March 27, Shelburne Farms
April 7, Vermont Technical College
 VT Soap is hiring! Contact Hilde for details. Are you the right person?
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