Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Kingdom Farm & Food Days Schedule

The schedule of events for the Kingdom Farm and Food Days on August 20th and 21st is growing as I write this.  The Open Farm Day on August 20th will include events such as farm tours at Pete's Greens at 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm, with live music starting at 3:30 pm and a picnic from 4-6 pm.  There will be two bike tours hosted by the Craftsbury Outdoor Center for which registration will be open soon.  This is all in addition to the many farms and businesses in the area that will be open for visitors and offering their own tours.

On Sunday, August 21st, High Mowing Organic Seeds is going to be offering workshops at their Trials Gardens starting at 10:00 am with a Sauerkraut Variations Workshop, a Vitalis Varieties Spotlight, and a Trials Garden Tour.  Workshops and tours will continue until 4pm, when the Local Foods Showcase will begin.   From 4:30-6:00 pm, enjoy a local meal prepared by New England Culinary Institute students and Chef Ryan O'Malley.  Then stick around for a Farmer (and Foodies) Mixer and Bonfire to conclude this weekend celebration.

Keep checking www.kingdomfarmandfood.org for a complete list of farms who will be open for the Open Farm Day, as well as full and updated schedules.  And, as always, feel free to email us with any questions you have or if you are interested in participating at center@hardwickagriculture.org.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Farms are signing up!

We've already had a great response from local farms who are coming on board for the Kingdom Farm and Food Days!

On Saturday, August 20th, you now have the chance to see some animals at the Stillmeadow Gardens and Bonnieview farms, check out the new sugar house at Echo Hill Farm, tour the Walden Heights Nursery and Orchards and do some tasting at the Caledonia Spirits & Honey Gardens and Hill Farmstead Brewery.

We are expecting even more farms to open their doors to the public on that weekend, so stay tuned for an even larger list of things to do at www.kingdomfarmandfood.org.

If you have or know of a farm or agricultural business that would like to get involved in the Kingdom Farm and Food Days, please let us know! Email Erin at center@hardwickagriculture.org or call the CAE at (802) 472-5840.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Save the Date! The Kingdom Farm and Food Days Are Coming!

 A Celebration of Vermont Food & Agriculture:
Kingdom Farm & Food Days on Aug 20-21st, 2011

High Mowing Organic Seeds, Center for an Agricultural Economy, Pete’s Greens, New England Culinary Institute and Craftsbury Outdoor Center are once again hosting the Kingdom Farm & Food Days, a free, fun-filled event in celebration of good food and Vermont agriculture.  This year the event will take place on August 20 & 21st, 2011. 

On Saturday, August 20 events will include a bike tour hosted by the Craftsbury Outdoor Center, and guided tours at Pete’s Greens.  Stay tuned for additional events and tours as we add them.

On Sunday, August 21st join High Mowing Organic Seeds for workshops and tours of their Trial and Showcase Garden and a Local Foods Showcase presented by the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) students and Chef Ryan O’Malley.

This community-wide and family-friendly event is free, with suggested donations or small fees to some of the exclusive events.  More information, updates and directions to events and participating farms can be found at our website KingdomFarmandFood.org.

The event is also looking for volunteers to help the weekend’s activities run smoothly!  Opportunities include helping with the set up and break down of events, being a compost station monitor or parking officer, and much more.  If you are interested, please contact Elena Gustavson at center@hardwickagriculture.org.

The Center for an Agricultural Economy supports local communities in rebuilding their economic and ecological health through strong, secure and revitalized agricultural food systems.  High Mowing Organic Seeds, an independently-owned, farm-based seed company is dedicated to providing organic farmers and gardeners with the highest quality certified organic seed.  Pete’s Greens is a four-season organic vegetable farm that believes strongly in local food production and consumption. The Craftsbury Outdoor Center is now a non-profit that has been an advocate of the NEK’s great outdoors for over 30 years. The New England Culinary Institute combines the old world tradition of European apprenticeship with the American holistic approach to provide students with a well-rounded education, personal and professional development and more.



Contact:      Elena Gustavson, Education and Community Outreach
Center for an Agricultural Economy
(802) 472-5840, elena@hardwickagriculture.org

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Monthly Farm and Agri-Business Tours Happening Now!

Press Release


Contact: Elena Gustavson
Center for an
           Agricultural Economy
Project Manager


PO Box 451
41 S. Main Street
Hardwick, VT 05843
Phone 802 472 5840
www.hardwickagriculture.org



Tours of the Hardwick Area’s Farms and Agri-Businesses Happening Now
The Center for an Agricultural Economy is hosting monthly tours of local farms and agri-businesses

Hardwick, Vermont, July 6, 2011: The Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) is hosting tours of the Hardwick area’s farms and agricultural businesses on the third Thursday of every month for members of the public to see and meet the people that help make the area rich in community-based agricultural enterprises.

Officers on the CAE's Board of Directors will lead groups of up to 25 people to several different farms and businesses in Hardwick, Craftsbury, Wolcott, Albany, Greensboro and more. High Mowing Organic Seeds, Vermont Soy, the Vermont Food Venture Center and the Center for an Agricultural Economy will be a part of each tour, plus several other stops that will be unique to each.

This season’s tour dates are July 21, August 18, September 15, and October 20.  Tours are $50 and registration is required seven days before the tour date.  For registration and more information, please visit www.hardwickagriculture.org/tours.

And Save the Date! The Center for an Agricultural Economy, along with High Mowing Organic Seeds and the New England Culinary Institute (NECI), is hosting the annual Kingdom Farm & Food Days, August 21 - 22.  This free event will offer tours of participating area farms, workshops at the High Mowing Organic Seeds Trials Garden and serve an all-local meal prepared by NECI students.