ACTION ALERT July 1, 2007
-We need your recipes!!! Please send them in...
-Volunteer Videographer Needed!
-Ice Cream Socials - the tour continues moving north!
-Cheesemaking Workshop at Jersey Girls Dairy
-Veggie Booty RECALL
-Other upcoming events...
***WE NEED YOUR RECIPES!!!***
RURAL VERMONT LOCAL FOODS COOKBOOK - Please send your recipes TODAY!
Imagine a book filled with recipes that all have ingredients you can get right here in Vermont...You could eat year-round, mostly local, farm fresh food without wondering what to do with a fiddlehead or how to cook a squash...all with recipes from other Vermonters! Here's how you can be a part of this great project:
1) SEND US RECIPES BY JULY 11th! What kind of recipes are we looking for? ANYKIND! From New to Old, Original to a Family Tradition, Even Recipes that might not be for food (e.g., a white wash paint recipe). As long as most ingredients used in the recipes are grown in Vermont. However, already published recipes cannot be used (No Betty Crocker) Please send your Vermont recipes to be published in our cookbook by emailing them to our Cookbook Intern Katie at katie@ruralvermont.org by July 11, 2007, or call the office for a packet of information at 223-7222.
THANK YOU to those who have already sent in recipes - we can't wait to taste everything in this yummy book! Don't miss your chance to be part of this fun project!
2) PRE-ORDER YOUR OWN COPY OF OUR COOKBOOK! For information about preordering your own cookbook contact Katie at (802) 223-7222 or katie@ruralvermont.org. Cookbooks are $15 each, and with your paid pre-order, you will receive a BONUS Local Thanksgiving Recipe Booklet featuring a recipe from Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions. Cookbooks will be delivered in early December - a GREAT Christmas gift for your favorite Localvore. Order Early and Often! All proceeds will benefit Rural Vermont's Farm Fresh Milk and Farm Fresh Meat campaigns! THANKS TO THE FOLKS WHO HAVE ALREADY ORDERED! Tell some of your friends to order!
***VOLUNTEER VIDEOGRAPHER NEEDED***
Would you like to learn how to film events, use all kinds of video equipment, and even editing software? If so, please consider being our volunteer videographer for the summer and/or the fall. You can get free training from ORCA - the Montpelier Cable Access channel, and, once you're trained, you can use their equipment for free. We need someone to be trained (about 1-2 hours), and then come to our awesome Ice Cream Socials and other summer events, as well as visit some farms to collect footage for us, for a fall project. If you like the job, you can continue on through the fall. This project is *unpaid* but the training is free, and you get yummy ice cream at the socials! This is a great opportunity for anyone, including students looking for a cool internship project (even High School Students - get some great experience!). All you need is time and interest, and a willingness to travel the state (you can ride with us if you come to Montpelier). If you're interested, please send an email to amy@ruralvermont.org by June 30th with your contact information and any questions you might have. If you want to do this project as an internship, please include your resume with your email.
**RURAL VERMONT ICE CREAM SOCIALS**
The Ice Cream Socials are in full swing, with new dates and locations being added everyday! These are events that you do NOT want to miss! Check out http://www.ruralvermont.org/archives/003268.html for photos from the North Pownal Ice Cream Social!
Enjoy homemade ice cream with friends and meet fellow Farm Fresh Milk enthusiasts and farmers...Hear guest speakers offer solutions for supporting Vermont family-scale agriculture...Collect and trade Farm Fresh Milk recipes, while the kids learn to make whipped cream..AND while youre there, we invite you to become a member of Rural Vermont (and be entered in a raffle for a signed copy of _Animal, Vegetable, Miracle_ by Barbara Kingsolver)..AND pre-order our awesome local foods cookbook (see below)!
We will also be holding prep events to make the ice cream and toppings for the socials. If you would like to attend a prep event, volunteer to help at the socials, make calls to invite people, or flyer around your town, call Shelby or Kara at 223-7222 or email shelby@ruralvermont.org.
Please bring a friend and tell everyone you know! Ice Cream Socials are FREE and open to the public (please do not bring your pets). Be on the lookout for more socials to come...
We will be covering the whole state, working our way north through the summer.
--BETHEL: Tuesday, July 17th - 7-8:30 pm - Earthwise Farm & Forest - 341 Macintosh Hill Rd.
--RICHMOND: Thursday, July 19th 7 8:30 pm Andrews Farm Route 2
--ADDISON: Tuesday, July 24th 7 8:30 pm Eastman Farm 435 Town House Rd.
--SPRINGFIELD: Thursday, July 26th - 7-8:30 pm - Cherry Hill Farm - 409 Highland Rd.
***Farm-Scale Cheesemaking with Raw Milk from Grass-Fed Cows***
hosted by Jersey Girls Dairy, Chester, VT
Join dairy farmer Lisa Kaiman and cheesemaker Peter Dixon on a journey from pasture to table starting with a pasture walk and farm tour of Lisas rotational grazing system and Jersey herd. Peter will follow up with more detail about the many benefi ts of making cheese from raw grass fed cowsmilk. The event will end with a side by side cheese tasting and comparison of farmstead cheese. Co-sponsored by the Vermont Pasture Network, VT Grass Farmers Association and Rural Vermont.
DATE: July 22, 2007
TIME: 1 pm to 4 pm
COST: No charge to attend. We will provide refreshments.
Address: 157 Thompson Rd, Chester, VT 05143
DIRECTIONS: From I-91/points east: Take the Springfi eld exit, travel west on Rte 11 to Chester. Take a right onto Rte 103 north, travel approx. 2.5 miles past Baileys Mills. Thompson Rd will be on your left. The farm is past the railroad tracks. From points north/west: From Ludlow, follow Rte 131 east, and take a right on Rte 103 south. Thompson Rd will be on your right approximately 8 miles from the intersection with Rte 131.
QUESTIONS?: Jenn Colby, (802) 656-0858, jcolby@uvm.edu. To contact the farm directly,(802) 875-6576.
Sponsored by: The VT Pasture Network Program at the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the VT Grass Farmers Association, and Rural Vermont
***VEGGIE BOOTY RECALL***
Robert's American Gourmet Food, Inc. of Sea Cliff, New York is recalling all lots and sizes of Veggie Booty Snack Food, because it has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. If you have purchased Veggie Booty and still have the product in your home, you may discard the contents of the opened package and contact Robert's at 1-800-626- 7557 for reimbursement of your purchase. Anyone with any questions pertaining to the situation may also contact Robert's at 1-800- 626-7557. This recall applies only to the Veggie Booty product and not any other Robert's snack foods. Press release at: http://www.robscape.com/press-release4.pdf .
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Other Upcoming Events....
The Highfields Institute is offering an On-Farm Composting 101 Workshop
Date: July 12, 2007
9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Location: The Highfields Institute's Compost Demonstration and Research Site in Hardwick, VT
Cost: $10 for Farmers, $15 for up to 3 from one farm, $20 for non-farmers
Please dress to be outside all day and bring a bag lunch
Register by 7/2: 802-472-5138 or jvh@ezcloud.com
For more info:www.highfieldsinstitute.org
This Workshop involves classroom components, demonstrations on feedstock mixing and pile formation, and hands-on exercises with an emphasis on recipe development, pile monitoring, and pile management. Our site is a fully functioning farm-scale composting operation where we explore on-farm composting management strategies. Make composting work for your farm by understanding the science of composting and practical methods for effectively managing your operation.
Grand Isle County Open Farm & Studio Weekend
Starts: July 14, 2007 10:00AM
Ends: July 15, 2007 4:00PM
Discover the heart of the Islands! Visit farms, gardens, and artist studios throughout Grand Isle County as they open their doors and fences for a weekend of fun and education. Learn how farmers grow their crops and raise animals; watch artisans weave, paint, and create; enjoy spending time at local natural areas. Contact: Jim Holzschuh Phone: 372-4556
FREE RIDE MONTPELIER BENEFIT CONCERT: Thurs, July 19; 6:30 -10 pm; Bethany Church (basement), Main St., Montpelier. With Sh! The Octopus (Detroit Indie Rock) How to Stay Alive in the Woods (NEK weird indie folk) The Mountain Wolves (Montpelier's favorite Mountain Goats cover band) Plus more TBA!!! Suggested donations $10 to $3 (or a bike/parts)...sliding scale. Info: freeridemp@riseup.net
NORTHEAST ORGANIC FARMING ASSOCIATION'S 33RD ANNUAL SUMMER CONFERENCE
AUGUST 10-12, 2007: A CELEBRATION OF SUSTAINABLE LIVING
Not only for farmers, anymore. Join us for over 200 workshops, incredible Keynote Speakers (Bill McKibben and Hazel Henderson), fun Saturday afternoon Fair, numerous Exhibitors and Vendors and great organic food all in one fantastic weekend at Hampshire College, Amherst, MA on August 10-12. An incredible opportunity to learn all about organic agriculture, natural landscaping, organic gardening, homesteading, animal care, sustainable living, holistic healing and so much more. Separate Children and Teen Conferences going on simultaneously with Adults. To receive a Registration Form contact Julie Rawson at (978) 355-2853 or julie@nofamass.org. Online registration available: www.nofamass.org. Check out the website, www.nofamass.org, for complete workshop schedule and all the latest information regarding the Conference. Still seeking Exhibitors. A great way to gain exposure for your business to over 1,400 people. Contact Katie Campbell-Nelson at (413) 337-4327 or katiecampbellnelson@gmail.com. Fun-makers: lend your ideas or talents to the fun Saturday afternoon Fair: still seeking jugglers, musicians, gymnasts, dog-tricksters, game-makers, etc. The Music Stage is open to those with a desire to play if you want a venue, youve got it. For the above, contact Tricia Cooper at: (617) 558-3322 or triciacoop@hotmail.com.
NOFA SUMMER WORKSHOP SERIES...How do you start an organic garden? Keep a tractor in working order? Use cover crops to improve soil nutrition? Limit energy use on a farm? Grow medicinal herbs? And create an attractive display at a farm stand? The NOFA-VT annual Summer Workshop series is here again to answer all of these questions and many, many more, providing everyone from the beginning back-yard gardener to the experienced organic farmer with the tools and information for successful organic growing.
The 2007 Summer Workshop series features workshops from Growing, Harvesting and Processing Medicinal Herbs to Hardy Grapes for Vermont to Methane Digesters to Living Sustainably. For the beginning grower, Basics to Organic Gardening will offer tools to use in the backyard plot. This years slate also features four Local Foods Celebrations at farms across the state for NOFA-VTs members and friends. These gatherings will provide opportunities to meet other NOFA supporters, provide input to NOFAs strategic planning process, and tour the host farm. Dinner will feature our Vermont Farmers Fare pizza with local cheeses, meats, and toppings, hot from our mobile, copper-domed, wood-fired oven. For descriptions and directions, please visit the NOFA-VT website, www.nofavt.org. All workshops are held rain or shine. Workshops are $8 for NOFA members, $12 for non-members unless otherwise indicated. Pre-registration is required for workshops marked by an *. To pre-register call the NOFA-VT office at 802-434-4122 or email info@nofavt.org.