Action Alert 8/24/8

--Agreement Reached with Vermont Compost Company!
--Take the Rural Vermont Consumer Survey!
--RURAL VERMONT FALL EVENTS!!
--Please help Rural Vermont (and have fun, too!)
--Other Upcoming Events

--Agreement Reached with Vermont Compost Company!
--Take the Rural Vermont Consumer Survey!
--RURAL VERMONT FALL EVENTS!!
--Please help Rural Vermont (and have fun, too!)
--Other Upcoming Events

**VERMONT COMPOST COMPANY AGREEMENT***

The Natural Resources Board and the Vermont Compost Company, Inc., have agreed to resolve two cases in Environmental Court. The parties have stipulated that the Environmental Court may place both Vermont Compost’s appeal of an Act 250 jurisdictional opinion and an enforcement action by the Board on hold, and the settlement allows Vermont Compost’s Montpelier facility to operate until July 2010 without an Act 250 permit; in return Vermont Compost will abide by certain operational restrictions. The Legislature this year passed a temporary moratorium on Act 250 jurisdiction for composting facilities with solid waste permits from the Agency of Natural Resources. The Environmental Court must accept the agreement before it is official, but it seems likely that they will. Meanwhile, the Study Committee that was created this past legislative session is meeting and working to recommend a regulatory structure that will encourage composting in Vermont and ensure environmental protections.

THANK YOU to all of you who took action in the past several weeks by signing petitions, collecting signatures, or writing a letter to the editor -- YOUR ACTION MADE A DIFFERENCE for the Vermont Compost Company and for the state of Vermont. We're not done yet -- we'll need your help as the work of the study committee goes forward and new regulations are made, but for now, please COME AND CELEBRATE!

The Vermont Compost Company, in partnership with LACE, Rural Vermont, and NOFA-VT, will host a brunch to benefit the Vermont Compost Company Legal Fund. Brunch will feature Vermont Compost Co. eggs and other local farm fresh foods, along with guest speakers and a silent auction.Come out, celebrate, and show your support for the Vermont Compost Company! Copies of the agreement will be available at the brunch.

Sunday, August 24, 2008
10 am - 2 pm
LACE, Main Street, BARRE
$25 for adults; kids/family price TBD
For more info, to volunteer, or to donate to the silent auction, contact Jessica Bernier at (802) 279-1261 or jessicabernier@ymail.com.

***RURAL VERMONT'S CONSUMER SURVEY!***
It's not too late! If you are an eater in Vermont, please take our Consumer Survey and tell us about what is important to you, what Vermont products you are purchasing, where you're having trouble, and what you think is important regarding food systems in Vermont. We want to hear from YOU!

THANK YOU to the 150+ folks who have taken the survey! It has been really informative to read your answers, and we are looking forward to sharing the information we are gathering soon! The survey should only take about 15 minutes. You can access it from our website: www.ruralvermont.org. It is completely anonymous - we won't know who gave us which answers (we're not tracking in any way!). You will have a chance to give us your contact information at the end, but that information will be completely separate from the survey. Spread the word!

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RURAL VERMONT EVENTS!!
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** NEK Local Food Day --- Tours & Tastings at NEK Farms! **

Saturday, September 13, 2008

1 pm

Suggested donation $12 per person

Proceeds benefit Rural Vermont

Rural Vermont and the St. Johnsbury Food Co-op are teaming up to host an afternoon of farm touring in the St. Johnsbury area. Sample seasonal snacks while learning about grass-fed beef at Badger Brook Farm in North Danville; fruits, specialty crops, turkeys & sheep at Too Little Farm in Peacham; and vegetable production at Old Shaw Farm, also in Peacham. Bring your friends, your questions, and your wallets --- farm fresh foods for sale at every stop! Rain or shine, suggested donation $12 per person. For more info or to sign up, call Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222 or stop by the St. Johnsbury Food Co-op.

** RAW MILK OPEN FARM DAY **

Sunday, October 5th

11 am - 3 pm

$10 suggested donation per family

Plan to spend a lovely, fall afternoon with the farmers and dairy livestock in your community and beyond! Hop from farm to farm -- tour the fields and the barns, learn about farm fresh milk's community benefits, find out how you can purchase it from your local farmers, and indulge in farm fresh milk samples all along the way! A list and map of the participating farms will be available from Rural Vermont. Participating farms include Tamarlane Farm in Lyndonville, Long Field Farm in Cabot, Applecheek Farm in Hyde Park, Jersey Girls Dairy in Chester, Flack Family Farm in Fairlfield, and others in Dorset, Wolcott, Westford, Craftsbury, Hinesburg, and more!

All proceeds will benefit Rural Vermont's Farm Fresh Milk Campaign.

** Farmers, want to be on the route? Call Rural Vermont at (802) 223-7222 or email shelby@ruralvermont.org by Friday, September 12 to sign up and be included on the map.

** RURAL VERMONT brings SALLY FALLON MORELL to Vermont **

Save the date!

October 26, 2008

Sally Fallon Morell, author of Nourishing Traditions and president of the Weston A. Price Foundation, is coming to Vermont for a special event. The WAP Foundation is dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research, and activism. They are strong proponents of raw milk, grass-fed meats, and traditional diets, and strong allies of Rural Vermont. More details to come ...

**RURAL VERMONT 2nd Annual HALLOWEEN PARTY**

Save the date and join the fun! On All Hallow's Eve, October 31, 2008, come to the Rural Vermont Halloween Party. Enter the costume contest - dress up like "Rural Vermont" and win prizes. $10 will get you in and allow you to vote for the best costume - bring your friends. We'll have games and activities. It's a potluck party. All proceeds will benefit Rural Vermont. More details to come...

** RURAL VERMONT NEEDS YOUR HELP! **

While you’re preserving the bounty of summer in your kitchen, think about making an extra jar for Rural Vermont. We are collecting homemade preserves of all kinds for a fundraiser / display at the opening night reception of Judevine on Sept 18th at Lost Nation Theater in Montpelier. We will create what could be the pantry of the play’s main characters and envision it to include canned items, dried items, syrup, honey, dried beans, flour, condiments, garlic & onion braids, herbs, sauces, etc. etc. The donated items will be sold at the reception, and the proceeds will benefit Rural Vermont and Lost Nation Theater. We need YOUR homemade goods to make it successful! All donations must be received by Sept 17th and be clearly labeled with contents and your contact info. If you can make a donation, please drop it by the office (15 Barre St., Suite 2, Montpelier) or call us to make other arrangements (802/223-7222).

Want to volunteer at any of the following events?
- Tunbridge Fair, Thurs Sept 11 - Sun Sept 14, Tunbridge

- Tour de Farms, Sun Sept 21, Shoreham

- Animal Power Field Days, Fri Sept 26 - Sun Sept 28, Tunbridge

- Raw Milk Open Farm Day, Sun Oct 5, statewide (farm closest to you)

* For more info or to sign up, call us at 802/223-7222 or email colin@ruralvermont.org.

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OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS
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WORKSHOP: Support local bees with a pollination garden
August 30, 2008

A workshop on pollination gardens, sponsored by NOFA-VT (Northeast Organic Farmers Association), is scheduled for Saturday, August 30 at Honey Gardens in Ferrisburgh, from 9:00 am- 12:00. Todd Hardie of Honey Gardens Apiaries and Annie Watson will discuss how to plant gardens that support bees. Assess your yard and garden to see what vegetables, flowers, "weeds," and trees you already grow that provide nectar and pollen. Make plans to encourage what's there and to add more next year, so honey bees and other pollinators will have food sources throughout the spring, summer, and fall. The workshop will include a walking tour of the nectar and pollen gardens and beehives at Honey Gardens. Bring a bag lunch if you would like to stay for further discussion.
Directions: From Burlington, take Rte 7 south to Ferrisburgh. Honey Gardens is on the right at the southern end of the village.
From Middlebury, take Rte 7 north to Ferrisburgh. Honey Gardens is on the left just after a Mobil.

Look for the bears holding a yellow sign.

RARE SEEGER FAMILY CONCERT TO BENEFIT FARM MICROLOAN PROGRAM
September 13, 2008
In a rare public appearance, legendary folk singer Pete Seeger will perform, together with his grandson Tao Rodríguez-Seeger and blues artist Guy Davis, in a fund raising concert on September 13th at Brattleboro, VT's Latchis Theatre, co-produced by Strolling of the Heifers and Twin Cloud Concerts. The event will benefit a new microloan program to help New England farmers, which is being established by Strolling of the Heifers, Inc. in partnership with The Carrot Project. Strolling of the Heifers is best known for its Strolling of the Heifers parade, held each year in June, in which dairy cattle and other farm animals lead an agriculturally-themed parade along Brattleboro’s Main Street to an all-day “dairy fest” on the grounds of the Brattleboro Retreat. Tickets for Brattleboro may be obtained at the Latchis Theatre box office, at Vermont Artisan Designs, or at Baker’s, all on Main Street, downtown Brattleboro. Or get tix online: http://cts.vresp.com/c/?TheCarrotProject/dec3ba59e8/68f6f71581/08a661edf1

Vermont's Environmental Regulations Explained - FREE
9/11 - White River Jct./Wilder (CCV) 9/16 - Williston (VTC Blair Park),
9/17 - Newport (CCV - Emory Hebard State Office Bldg.), 9/23 -
Manchester (Inn at Willow Pond), 9/24 - Montpelier (National Life Bldg),
1:00 - 3:30pm Free. Ever have difficulty determining what environmental
regulations your business needs to comply with? Environmental compliance
comes with its own terminology, detailed regulations and challenges.
This overview seminar will cover basic environmental compliance for air,
water and waste regulations, including stormwater, hazardous, solid and
universal waste (It's Everywhere! Come find out what this is). The
seminar will be conducted by compliance assistance specialists from the
Vermont Dept. of Environmental Conservation's non-regulatory
Environmental Assistance Office, who will be available to provide
risk-free answers to any questions you may have regarding environmental
compliance in Vermont. Included will be resources to help your business
stay in compliance with environmental regulations, and hands-on
interactive learning opportunities. To register or for more information
go to: www.vtsbdc.org (training tab)

Vermont Earth Institute's Fourth Annual Sustainable Living Celebration**

Saturday, September 20

Join VEI for their annual celebration, complete with workshops on local foods and many other local topics. The celebration will take place at Knoll Farm in Fayston, from 9:15am – 4:15pm. For more information contact Barbara Duncan at vei@valley.net and or see www.vtearthinstitute.org for a full listing of workshops and presenters.
Registration deadline: September 12th. Cost: $25 for VEI members and $35 for non-members (VEI membership is $30.) Register by sending a check to VEI at POB 466, Norwich, VT 05055.

Women’s Agricultural Network Course Helps Ag Entrepreneurs Plan for Success**
This fall, the University of Vermont Extension Women’s Agricultural Network will offer in-person and on-line sessions of Growing Places, a non-credit course for people interested in starting or expanding an agricultural business. The in-person course will start September 23 in Berlin. The on-line course will start the week of October 13.
Growing Places is open to anyone. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
The two fall 2008 course schedules are: Berlin on six Tuesday evenings beginning Sept. 23; and online beginning the week of October 13. Tuition is $125, but there is a $25 discount for people who register by the early bird deadline. The discount registration deadlines are: Aug. 29 for the Berlin class and September 23 for the Middelbury Class. The regular registration deadlines are September 12 for the Berlin class and Sept. 27 for the online class. Additionally, limited scholarship assistance is available to qualified individuals. For more information and to obtain registration materials, visit WAgN’s website at www.uvm.edu/wagn. Or, contact WAgN Outreach Coordinator Beth Holtzman at 802-223-2389 or toll-free in Vermont at 866-860-1382.

2nd Annual Northeast Animal Power Field Days

September 26 – 28, 2008
Tunbridge Fair Grounds, Tunbridge, VT
The Northeast Animal Power Field Days is a celebration of sustainable farming and renewable resources promoting conservation, stewardship, small farms, healthy forests, and the roles that they play in vital communities. This 3-day conference will feature working animal and equipment demonstrations in field and forest settings, workshops, exhibits, networking sessions, and an auction and swap meet on Sunday. Workshop topics will include grazing management, working with draft animals, livestock health, getting started with animal power and more. For more information, go to: www.animalpowerfielddays.org or contact Carl Russell and Lisa McCrory, info@animalpowerfielddays.org, 802-234-5524. Join our discussion forum; www.draftanimalpower.com .