Upcoming Events

Remember, you can find local events at the following calendars:

Hardwick Community Calendar

Craftsbury Community Calendar

Greensboro Association Community Calendar

Virtual Vermont, NEK

Virtual Vermont, Central

7Days

Plus many others...

Save the Dates!

Farm to Plate Regional Food Summits
November-December

The Sustainable Agriculture Council and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund are coordinating with local groups to hold a series of regional meetings to gather input for the Farm to Plate Initiative's 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont's food system.

Learn more about regional efforts related to farms, food production, and food security. Participants will reflect upon their region's strengths and weaknesses and have focused small group conversations about how to build a more robust local food system by 2020.


We hope you will attend a regional food summit
in your area & pass the information on to others!


UPPER VALLEY AREA
Tuesday, November 10th from 6:00-8:30PM
American Legion Hall, 129 S Main St., White River Junction. Refreshments served.
Local organizing partner: Valley Food & Farm / Vital Communities.
For more info: Melissa Zoerheide, Melissa@vitalcommunities.org

BENNINGTON COUNTY AREA
Saturday, November 14th from 5:30-8:30PM
St. Peters Episcopal Church, 200 Pleasant St., Bennington.
Local organizing partners: Manchester/Dorset Transition Town and Walloomsac Transition Forum.
For more info: Susan Beal, sbeal@shadowbrookfarm.org or Bill Laberge, laberge@vermontel.net

CHITTENDEN / FRANKLIN / GRAND ISLE AREA
Wednesday, November 18th from 11:30AM-4:00PM
(Location to be determined)
Potluck lunch served, meeting starts at 12PM.
Local organizing partners: Shelburne Farms, UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, UVM Extension.
For more info: Rachel Schattman, rschattm@uvm.edu

WINDHAM COUNTY AREA
Tuesday, December 1st from 5:30-8:30PM
(Location to be determined)
Local organizing partner: NOFA Farm to Community, UVM Extension.
For more info: Lisa Holderness, deerridgefarm@comcast.net

NORTHEAST KINGDOM AREA
Thursday, December 3rd from 3:00-7:00PM
Lake Union High School, 317 Lake Region Rd., Orleans.
Refreshments served.
Local organizing partners: Northeastern Vermont Development Association and Center for an Agricultural Economy.
For more info: Elena Gustavson, elena@hardwickagriculture.org

ADDISON COUNTY AREA
Tuesday, December 8th
Location and time TBD, Middlebury.
Local organizing partner: ACORN Local Food Collaborative and Addison County Economic Development Corporation.
For more info: Bay Hammond, hamfam@together.net

CENTRAL VERMONT AREA
Thursday, December 10th from 5:30-8:30PM
Montpelier High School Cafeteria, 5 High School Dr., Montpelier.
Potluck dinner served, meeting starts at 6PM.
Local organizing partner: Central Vermont Food Systems Council.
For more info: Kristin Feierabend, kfeierabend@montpelier-vt.org

Farm to Plate staff will also be attending the 5th Annual Farmers' Gathering on Thursday, November 12th at 6PM at Green Mountain College, Withey Student Center, Poultney with RAFFL (Rutland Area Farm and Food Link) & Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District.
For more info: Tara Kelly, tara@rutlandfarmandfood.org

Empowering Beginning Women Farmers through Whole Farm Planning
January 2010

Holistic Management International has been funded through the USDA's Beginning Farmer Grant to teach beginning women farmers the tools of whole farm planning. Groups are forming in New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and New York.

Classes will begin in January 2010. Participants must agree to attend the 6 sessions that will take place over the winter of 2010 and 4 farm tours that will take place during the spring and fall of 2010. Sessions will be scheduled when the participants are selected but will likely be held on Saturday. There will be farm mentors also available.

If you are a woman farmer who has been farming less than 10 years, contact the coordinator for your state for an application. If you would like to participate as a farmer mentor, please also contact your state coordinator.

Applications must be submitted by November 25, 2009. Class is limited to 15 participants.
--

Mary Peabody, UVM Extension Specialist
Community Resources & Economic Development &
Director, Women's Agricultural Network

617 Comstock Road, Suite 5
Berlin, VT 05602-9194

Phone: 802-223-2389 extension 13
or tollfree: 866-860-1382 extension 13
Fax: 802-223-6500

E-mail: mary.peabody@uvm.edu

Check out the Women's Ag Network blog
http://mpeabody.blog.uvm.edu/wagn/


Digging Deep: An Advanced Soils Course for Vegetable Growers
Lake Morey Resort, Fairlee, VT
January 2010

Three All-day Sessions:
January 5th, Soil Testing Tools and Their Use
January 19th, Using Soil Fertility Practices to Solve Problems on Your Farm
February 9th, Putting a System Together on Your Farm
Sessions will focus on tools and practices available to help farmers solve soil and soil fertility problems on their farms. Farmers will develop a soil fertility management plan that addresses nutrient needs, compaction, rotations and tillage.
Brochures to be mailed in November.

Contact NOFA Vermont at 802-434-4122 or info@nofavt.org to be added to our mailing list.

Watch the website for more information: http://www.nofavt.org/annual-events/digging-deep