RURAL VERMONT HOSTS SERIES OF DRAMATIC READINGS BY VT FARMERS

Readings Highlight the Plight of Family Farmers Struggling with Regulatory Barriers

Tuesday 5/27 from 5:30 – 7 pm at the Bee’s Knees, MORRISVILLE
Wednesday 5/28 from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Park Squeeze, VERGENNES
Thursday 5/29 from 7 - 8:30 pm at Flack Family Farm, FAIRFIELD

Rural Vermont is partnering with the Bee's Knees, Park Squeeze, and Flack Family Farm to host a series of dramatic readings from Joel Salatin’s book Everything I Want to Do is Illegal. Farmers from around Vermont will read chosen excerpts highlighting the bureaucratic nightmares they have faced as promoters and participants of community-scale agriculture. Following the readings, folks will hear about Rural Vermont’s success with breaking down nonsensical regulatory barriers standing between Vermont’s farmers and consumers, and participate in a short discussion.

This series of three events will be held on Tuesday May 27 from 5:30 – 7 pm at the Bee’s Knees on Main Street in Morrisville, Wednesday May 28 from 7 – 8:30 pm at the Park Squeeze on Main Street in Vergennes, and Thursday May 29 from 7 - 8:30 pm at the Raw Milk Theater on Flack Family Farm on Pumpkin Village Road in Fairfield.

Some of the featured farmer readers will include Tom Stearns, owner of High Mowing Seeds in Wolcott; Geoff Naylor of Naylor Family Farm in Johnson; John Clark of Applecheek Farm in Hyde Park; Bambi Freeman of Sterling Branch Farm in Stowe; Mike Eastman of Eastman Farm in Addison; and Doug Flack of Flack Family Farm and Jonathan Falby of Symphony Farm, both of Fairfield.

In Everything I Want to do is Illegal, Salatin addresses the illogic behind so many of the regulatory barriers that farmers face on the community-scale level by sharing his experiences over the years dealing with these bureaucracies first hand. It is his belief that by choosing to promote mass production of food, the government is slowly pushing out small-scale local farms through senseless zoning, taxing, and inspecting. Salatin’s proposed solution to the problem is simple - “allow freedom for traditional food growing and purchasing choices.”

Rural Vermont recently hosted similar readings at the Langdon Street Café in Montpelier, which was a huge success and lots of fun! So, come out to any or all of these FREE events, enjoy dinner at the Bee’s Knees or Park Squeeze while you are there, and hear and learn from your local farmers! Also, take this chance to pick up a copy of Salatin’s book, part of the proceeds benefiting Rural Vermont. A special thanks to the Bee’s Knees, Park Squeeze, and Flack Family Farm for hosting this entertaining and educational series of events!

Rural Vermont is a nonprofit advocacy group founded by farmers in 1985 that advocates, activates, and educates for living soils, thriving farms, and healthy communities. For more information or directions, contact Rural Vermont at 223-7222 or visit www.ruralvermont.org.