Is school out in your neck of the woods? Here at the Farm it is, and it isn't! School field trips are over, but this week, we're welcoming teachers, principals, food service staff, and citizens from twelve school teams for Vermont FEED's fifth annual Farm to School Institute! 

This year for the first time, we're hosting teams from around New England and New York, as well as Vermont. They'll write action plans to help strengthen their farm to school programs, then leave with a "coach" to support them in implementing that plan over the course of the year. This means more local food in their cafeterias, more farm and food connections in their curriculum, and healthier kids. It's worth going back to school for! 

Read more about how this first-of-its-kind institute is becoming a national farm to school model in this AP story. And we'll share more on our blog in the next few weeks. For now, I have to go greet the teams! 

Ethan Bodin
Professional Development Coordinator
Vermont FEED 

a project of Shelburne Farms & NOFA-VT

Solar Panels Set Record

In May, our Farm Barn solar panels produced the second highest monthly total of electricity since 2012 (5749.55 KWH). Here's how solar energy supports the Farm:

* Farm Barn Panels = 7% of Farm electricity use.

* Green Mountain Power Solar Orchard = 28%

* All Sun Tracker = 1%

In total, 36% of our electricity use was produced here on the Farm in 2014!

36 Hours in Burlington

We loved having the video crew from the New York Times' 36 Hours series join us last week. (They milked a cow for the first time!) Look out for their travel piece on Burlington, VT towards the end of the summer.