May
3
9:00 AM09:00

5/3 Work Brigade at Foote Brook Farm

Join us Friday, May 3rd, from 9am - 3pm* at Foote Brook Farm, 641 VT-15 W, in Johnson, VT for a tree planting work brigade! We will be transitioning riverbank farmland impacted by the 2023 flooding into a riparian buffer zone to increase climate resiliency and adaptation on the farm. Work brigades are a popular education tool used around the world to strengthen communities, build trust and solidarity through collective labor, connection, mutual aid, and knowledge sharing. This is the first in a series of agricultural brigades hosted by the Vermont Agroecology School Collective (an independent project of Rural Vermont).  Lunch, refreshments, agroecological education and tools provided. RSVP required for planning purposes. 

Vermont’s ability to feed itself relies on thriving community scale farms working together towards food sovereignty and community resilience. We hope you can join us! 

Please rsvp HERE .

*We may finish before 3pm depending on numbers. It’s okay if you can’t stay for the whole time.

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May
11
10:00 AM10:00

5/11 Cannabis: A Pre-Season Planning and Preparation Workshop for the Outdoor Season

Rural Vermont and Vermont Growers Association are excited to present their third cannabis workshop collaboration at Lukas Greene Cannabis in Charlotte with instruction by Guillermo Maldonado of Shindig & G’s Craft Cannabis!

Lukas Greene is a licensed Tier 3 Outdoor Cultivator that uses an innovative Dutch-style glasshouse and traditional high tunnels to cultivate cannabis and organic vegetables in the Champlain Lowlands. Shindig & G’s Craft Cannabis is a licensed Tier 3 Outdoor Cultivator in the Northeast Kingdom and the instructor for this workshop. Jesse Lukas and Malcolm Greene welcome us to their gorgeous cannabis operation, where we will discuss at-scale pre-season planning and preparation and growing techniques for outdoor cannabis cultivation.

Please join us for a 3-hour workshop covering the essentials of at-scale pre-season planning and preparation for the outdoor season. This workshop will cover:

  • Taking plant starts and soil blocks

  • Potting and transplanting

  • Root health and thinning plants

  • Frost and mold prevention and finishing time 

  • Compliance and recordkeeping

Rural Vermont and VGA will provide key legislative and policy updates from the statehouse and be available to answer questions throughout the workshop.

TICKET PRICE: $20 - $40 (Sliding Scale)

NOTES

*Participants must be 21 years of age or older.

*Address will be given to registered attendees prior to the workshop.

*Light snacks provided.

*Please bring a water bottle and please dress comfortably for the weather. This is a 3-hour outdoor workshop. Please keep this in mind when dressing/preparing for the day!

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Jun
1
10:00 AM10:00

6/1 Rabbit Butchery Workshop @ G.I.V.E. A. Care Homestead

Are you interested in raising a highly sustainable (and very tasty!) protein on your farm, homestead, or backyard? Meat rabbits require less land, less water, and less energy to grow than most other livestock. 

They convert food and water into edible meat 1.4 times more efficiently than pigs and 4 times more efficiently than sheep and cattle....making them both highly efficient and sustainable and did we mention...delicious?

Join Rural Vermont and G.I.V.E. A. Care Homestead in Bakersfield on Saturday, June 1st from 10:00-1:00 to learn about raising and processing the other white meat! The workshop will be led by homestead owner, Erica Martel. Erica is a local high school science teacher with a passion for teaching sustainable living. Her family started homesteading 15 years ago with just a kiddie pool for growing tomatoes in the driveway of their apartment and has since moved into a beautiful property where slowly things have been moving more towards self-sufficient living. She and her family own G.I.V.E. A. Care Homestead in Bakersfield where Erica taps maple trees and raises rabbits, chickens, and ducks.

This is an interactive workshop that will take you from set-up, breeding, and care, to humane harvesting and packaging.

Rural Vermont will also present the updates to federal and state on-farm slaughter regulation, particularly around the proposed clarifying language being advocated for by Rural Vermont and its partners. There will be plenty of room for questions and discussion throughout the event.

Registration: $50/participant

Special Notes: Workshop address will be sent to registered participants in advance. Please BYO brown bag lunch and snacks. Please bring a water bottle. Please wear rugged footwear and weather-appropriate clothing. Rabbit meat and other farm products will be available for purchase.

A Note About Workshop Pricing & Registration:

Rural Vermont works alongside farm hosts, instructors, and other non-profits to bring a variety of workshops and peer-to-peer learning opportunities to our members and communities throughout Vermont.  Our ticket prices are built on the needs of the community, the needs of the farm hosts and instructors, and the structure of the workshop itself. We work hard to provide accessible, quality programming and to also pay fair compensation to our farm hosts, our instructors, and to cover the cost of managing and producing our workshops. As such, our ticket pricing varies from workshop to workshop and we strive to keep our pricing within a fair range. Thank you for participating and learning alongside us! 

-The Rural Vermont Team

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Apr
15
7:30 PM19:30

4/15 Film Screening - Stewards of the Land - Serán las dueñas de la tierra

Join us to screen the documentary, “Stewards of the Land - Serán las dueñas de la tierra,” as it follows three Puerto Rican farmers striving to produce healthy food amidst economic challenges and frequent hurricanes. 

When: Monday, April 15 2024, 7:30pm-10:00pm

Where: 101 Stafford Hall, 95 Carrigan Drive, Burlington VT 05405 or attend virtually from anywhere in Vermont

Synopsis: Before disaster hits, three Puerto Rican farmers give it all to grow food that is healthy for the people and the planet. Nothing can stop them. Almost.

Stephanie, Ian and Alfredo are landless ecological farmers striving to produce healthy food for local consumption in Puerto Rico. In this economically depressed US-territory -highly dependent on food imports and a frequent target for hurricanes– producing food locally is urgent. The documentary shows the protagonists’ grit as they attempt to carve a living without land ownership or capital.

Please RSVP

This film is sponsored by Rural Vermont and the Agroecology School Collective, an independent project of Rural Vermont.

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Apr
14
10:00 AM10:00

04/14 Vermont Wild Kitchen: Rabbit at Give a C.A.R.E. Farmstead in Bakersfield

The Vermont Wild Kitchen returns with another in-person program on Sunday, April 14th for a Franklin County event focused on rabbit: how to raise them, how to hunt them, and finally how to cook them! The day starts at Give a C.A.R.E Farmstead in Bakersfield and ends at East Fairfield Community Center. Free! THIS EVENT IS AT CAPACITY, BUT WE ARE KEEPING A WAIT LIST.

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Apr
11
6:00 PM18:00

4/11 Quarterly Member Forum

WE WELCOME MEMBERS OF ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS!

All Rural Vermont members are invited to join the Rural Vermont staff and Board for our next virtual forum. These Quarterly Forums are opportunities for our members to join our Policy team in a virtual forum to discuss particular issues which may be affecting your farm and / or community, and/ or that we are currently working on. Bring your questions, ideas, and concerns. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Mar
16
1:00 PM13:00

Farming While Black

Stay after the 1pm Saturday screening for a conversation with four of Vermont’s Black farmers.

Weaving the rich and troubled history of the Black American farming experience with the contemporary resurgence of the land sovereignty movement, this poignant and well-crafted documentary works not only as an informative exploration but also a touching testament to the resilience of Black farmers. Rooted in the picturesque landscapes of New York’s Hudson Valley, we follow Leah Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, as she leads a movement of activists and change-makers fighting for environmental justice and building regenerative economies. Finding strength in the deep history of African agrarianism, the farmers in this film chart a new way forward, reclaiming personal dignity while building systems that just might save the world.

In addition to two in person screenings, FARMING WHILE BLACK will be offered as a free virtual screening during the 2024 Green Mountain Film Festival thanks to permission from the filmmakers and the sponsorship of All Brains Belong. After you “purchase” the rental, you will have 24 hours to watch the movie. The festival dates are March 14 – March 17, 2024. This rental is only offered during those days.

Rural Vermont is honored to SPONSOR
Farming While Black

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Mar
15
1:00 PM13:00

Farming While Black

Weaving the rich and troubled history of the Black American farming experience with the contemporary resurgence of the land sovereignty movement, this poignant and well-crafted documentary works not only as an informative exploration but also a touching testament to the resilience of Black farmers. Rooted in the picturesque landscapes of New York’s Hudson Valley, we follow Leah Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm, as she leads a movement of activists and change-makers fighting for environmental justice and building regenerative economies. Finding strength in the deep history of African agrarianism, the farmers in this film chart a new way forward, reclaiming personal dignity while building systems that just might save the world.

In addition to two in person screenings, FARMING WHILE BLACK will be offered as a free virtual screening during the 2024 Green Mountain Film Festival thanks to permission from the filmmakers and the sponsorship of All Brains Belong. After you “purchase” the rental, you will have 24 hours to watch the movie. The festival dates are March 14 – March 17, 2024. This rental is only offered during those days.

Rural Vermont is honored to sponsor
Farming While Black

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Mar
14
8:00 AM08:00

03/14 Small Farm Action Day

Over the past decade, Rural Vermont’s Small Farm Action Days have provided hundreds of agrarians with a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the Vermont legislative process. In 2024, we’ll be co-hosting Small Farm Action Day with NOFA-VT on Thursday, March 14th from 8am to 2:15pm at the Vermont State House in Montpelier. This full-day event is designed for those who are curious to learn more about navigating and influencing the legislative process, as well as gaining access to members of the agricultural committees. Attendees will gain skills, connections, and experience to confidently and effectively advocate for the wants and needs of themselves and their communities.

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Jan
31
6:00 PM18:00

1/31 Quarterly Member Forum

WE WELCOME MEMBERS OF ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS!

All Rural Vermont members are invited to join the Rural Vermont staff and Board for our next virtual forum. These Quarterly Forums are opportunities for our members to join our Policy team in a virtual forum to discuss particular issues which may be affecting your farm and / or community, and/ or that we are currently working on. Bring your questions, ideas, and concerns. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Jan
6
10:00 AM10:00

01.06.24 Overwintering & Post Season Cannabis Workshop

Rural Vermont and Vermont Growers Association are excited to present their second cannabis workshop collaboration at Old Growth Vermont in Danville with instruction by Fred Morin of Vermont Greenery! Old Growth Vermont is a licensed Tier 3 Outdoor Cultivator located in Danville and our farm hosts, Jesse and Shane, welcome us to their gorgeous cannabis operation. Vermont Greenery is a licensed Tier 1 Outdoor Cultivator, and the instructor for this workshop. Freddy is a passionate grower and breeder with a UVM Soil Extension and plant science background.

Please join us for a 3-hour workshop covering the essentials to overwintering cannabis plants, including propagation, seed saving, and more.

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Dec
7
6:00 PM18:00

12/7 Food & Climate Panel: Beyond Carbon Markets

Thursday, December 7th

6:00PM - 7:30PM via Zoom

Join NOFA-NH and Seacoast Permaculture for a panel discussion and Q&A that asks: if not carbon markets and other payment for ecosystem (PES) programs, then what would work to support farmers who responsibly care for our ecosystem while feeding people?  A previous panel addressed issues with current carbon market and PES programs and the challenges of trying to monetize carbon sequestration or best ecological farming practices.  In this program, we welcome back our panelists to look at the alternatives we know work and ones being proposed that hold promise to truly support healthy growing practices.  How we grow food has serious implications for the climate, biodiversity and human health.  We need to make changes now, whether on our own farms or by supporting growers as they shift practices.  There are solutions - let's talk about how to reach them!

Panel: Cat Buxton, Julie Davenson, Earl Hatley, Caroline Gordon, and Stephen Leslie

Learn more here…

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Nov
18
9:30 AM09:30

11/18 On-Farm Slaughter Workshop with Mary Lake @ Argyll Farm in Bennington

Come join Rural Vermont and Mary Lake on Saturday, Nov.18th at Argyll Farm in Bennington for an on-farm slaughter and processing workshop. In the first half of this 2-part workshop, participants will learn how to humanely slaughter a lamb and then how to efficiently butcher and process a lamb in the second half of the workshop. $70

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Nov
14
5:00 PM17:00

11/14 Rural Vermont Annual Meeting & Celebration

We’ll see you this year in Southern Vermont! Come to Newfane on Tuesday 11/14 from 5-8pm; and join Rural Vermont staff, Board, and fellow members for our favorite annual tradition! Event will include live music, a shared meal and cash bar, art-making, our 2023 Board election, and more. FREE for members and $35 otherwise. RSVP is now closed but walk-ins can be accommodated.

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Nov
4
11:00 AM11:00

11/4 Pig On-Farm Slaughter & Processing Workshop

  • Merck Forest and Farmland Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

Please join Rural Vermont and Merck Forest and Farmland Center in Rupert, Vermont on Saturday, November 4th for an inaugural pig slaughter and processing day!

In the first half of this 2-part workshop, participants will learn how to humanely slaughter, gut, skin, and quarter a whole pig. The 2nd half of the workshop will feature instruction on how to efficiently butcher and process various pork cuts.

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Nov
1
11:30 AM11:30

11/5 Turkey Processing Workshop

At this slaughter and processing workshop, participants will learn how to slaughter, butcher and process turkey in a way to get the best results for a succulent bird. Wings, breasts and thighs all need different temperatures and times to cook. Cooking the whole bird makes for dry breasts, burnt wings tips, and everyone fighting over the dark meat. Buy whole turkeys directly from farmers and learn how to cook the bird in the way that makes the best meal at this workshop!

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Oct
28
10:00 AM10:00

10/28 Rabbit Butchering Workshop

Are you interested in increasing your or your community’s sustainability, climate resilience, and food access? Rabbit meat is among the most sustainable proteins you can consume, using far less resources and definitely less work than most other livestock. And, yes, it really does taste like chicken... buttery, lean chicken!

Join Rural Vermont and Giant Journey Farm in Newfane on Saturday, October 28th from 10:00-1:00 to learn about raising and processing the other other white meat! The workshop will be led by farm owners Seren and Rick on their quirky 2 acre regenerative farm where they teach folks about farming while they grow year-round produce, and raise poultry, rabbits, and goats. 

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Oct
21
10:00 AM10:00

10/21 Cannabis Post-Harvest, Processing, & Production Workshop

Rural Vermont and Vermont Growers Association are excited to present their first cannabis workshop collaboration at Lovespun Homestead in southern Vermont! Lovespun Homestead is a licensed Tier 1 Outdoor Cultivator located in West Townshend and our farm hosts, Alex and Em, welcome us to their lovely homestead and cannabis operation.

Please join us for an outdoor 3-hour workshop covering the ABCs of cannabis post-harvest processing and production.

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Oct
3
4:00 PM16:00

10/3 Benefit Bake for Rural Vermont!

Join Rural Vermont for one of our favorite annual traditions! Our friends at American Flatbread / Burlington Hearth will be donating a portion of all dine-in and take-out flatbread sales to Rural Vermont. Gather up a crew and head to Burlington! While there, stop by the Rural Vermont table to say hello, snag a sticker, catch up on ag policy, and maybe even win a prize.

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Oct
1
4:00 PM16:00

10/1 Music from the Land! Farmer Open Mic Night!

Join us for an evening of music from the land! Come enjoy pre-arranged sets by farmer musicians, share a local meal, and bring your instrument for an open mic and community jam session. Come early for donuts and cider pressing across the street at Hillside Farm from 12-4 (details here).

This event takes place in an unheated barn. There will be lots of cheer any coziness, but please dress accordingly. Are you a farmer interested in the open mic? Email mollie@ruralvermont.org to learn more. Due to time constraints we may not be able to accommodate everyone. Food provided. Limited seating; please rsvp below for food and planning purposes.

This event is generously supported by the Vermont Humanities Council as part of their Fall Festival.

This event takes place in Katt Tolman's Barn, 1056 Barton Road Albany, VT, 05875 United States


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Oct
1
1:00 PM13:00

10/1 Chicken Processing Workshop

Please join us at Union Brook Farm in Northfield for a chicken processing workshop on Sunday, October 1 from 1:00pm - 4:00pm!

Emily Virzi and Rose Thackeray will teach participants the basics of raising, slaughtering, and processing meat chickens. Participants get to take home one whole delicious meat bird! If there is time and interest, Em & Rose will lead us through instruction for the cutting/parting of whole birds. Limited capacity, register now! Registration fee is $70.

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Sep
27
7:00 PM19:00

9/27 Quarterly Member Forum

WE WELCOME MEMBERS OF ALL EXPERIENCE LEVELS!

All Rural Vermont members are invited to join the Rural Vermont staff and Board for our next virtual forum. These Quarterly Forums are opportunities for our members to join our Policy team in a virtual forum to discuss particular issues which may be affecting your farm and / or community, and/ or that we are currently working on. Bring your questions, ideas, and concerns. We look forward to seeing you there!

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Sep
25
5:30 PM17:30

9/25 Healing After Disaster: Medicines for Grief and Fear with Yorlis Luna

Monday, September 25
Greensboro United Church
5:30 potluck, 6-7:30pm event

We’ll talk about how to respond to crisis while taking care of ourselves, make an herbal blend to ward off fear and anxiety, practice apitherapy to manage stress, and more. Donations welcome but not required. Please bring a potluck dish to share. This event will be in Spanish and English. Please RSVP for interpretation needs.

Brought to you by Northeast Kingdom Organizing, Center for an Agricultural Economy, and Rural Vermont.

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Aug
24
5:30 PM17:30

8/24 Summervale at the Intervale Center!

Rural Vermont will be at Summervale on Thursday, August 24th! Stop by and say hi!

Summervale is a weekly festival presented by the Intervale Center that celebrates community, local food and live music. This free public event takes place at the Intervale, a unique community resource for agriculture, conservation, and recreation located in Burlington’s Old North End.

Read More Here….

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Aug
20
1:00 PM13:00

8/20 Kefiretta Raw Sheep's Milk Cheesemaking Class at Cate Hill Orchard

Kefiretta Raw Sheep’s Milk Cheesemaking Class at Cate Hill Orchard

Sunday, August 20th

1:00pm - 4:00pm

Greensboro

$30 - $45 (Sliding Scale)

Registration Required

Join us in making an incredibly versatile and simple hard sheep’s milk cheese that farmer Maria Schumann calls "kefiretta".  Based on a traditional corsican basket tomme, this cheese is made with kefir starter, and can be eaten fresh, aged, or made into mozzarella.

Maria Schumann is an award winning cheesemaker  who, after 8 years of running a small commercial farmstead sheep dairy, quit the dairy business, and is milking just a few sheep for her family's coffee, yogurt , and cheese needs.

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Aug
17
9:00 AM09:00

8/17 Vermont Wild Kitchen: Trout & Arepas with Nando Jaramillo @ Cedar Circle Farm

The Vermont Wild Kitchen will be live and in-person on Thursday, August 17th at the beautiful Cedar Circle Farm in East Thetford VT. The day will begin with a Let’s Go Fishing Clinic, followed by a cooking program led by Nando Jaramillo of Moon & Stars. There are two registration options: (1) fishing clinic and cooking program; or (2) cooking program.

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Jul
22
9:30 AM09:30

7/22 Lamb Slaughter Workshop @ Fledgling Farmstead!

During this 2-part workshop at Fledgling Farmstead in Tunbridge, participants will learn how to humanely slaughter a lamb in the first half of the workshop and process a lamb in the second half of the workshop. Participants can choose to attend Part 1 or the full day.

This workshop will be guided by Mary Lake. Mary Lake is a professional itinerant slaughterer, butcher and sheep shearer who lives in Tunbridge. Mary learned the craft of slaughter through several years of full-time work with the Royal Butcher in Randolph, which is a USDA inspected slaughter facility. Her expertise and engagement through testimony was essential for the improvements to the On-Farm Slaughter law.

At the slaughter workshop, Caroline Gordon, Rural Vermont’s Legislative Director, will present the updates on on-farm slaughter regulation and give room for questions and discussion throughout the event.

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Jul
16
1:00 PM13:00

7/16 Mozzarella & Ricotta Workshop at Larson Farm!

If you would like to be placed on our waiting list, please email: info@ruralvermont.org

Mozzarella & Ricotta at Larson Farm
Sunday, July 16, 2023
1:00pm - 5:00pm
Wells, VT

Sponsored by the Rutland Co-op and Vermont Farmers Food Center.

Join the Larson Family and cheesemaking enthusiast Joanne Peters Steele to learn how to make ricotta and mozzarella in your kitchen!

In this cheesemaking class we will be making mozzarella cheese and ricotta cheese using rennet and citric acid as coagulating agents. Participants will work in pairs so that the cheeses are made by each participant and the learning process is reinforced by assisting a partner to make their cheese. Participants will need to bring containers to transport their mozzarella, ricotta and the liquid whey.

If you would like to continue to make cheese at home, we will be selling cheesemaking kits for $25.00. Please email mollie@ruralvermont.org after you register if you like to purchase a home kit.

Sliding Scale: $30 - $45 per registration

Registration Required

More about the teacher: Joanne Peters Steele grew up in rural Washington County, New York. Her great-grandparents were avid stewards of the land and milked two Guernsey cows. Joanne spent a lot of time with her great-grandfather milking the cows by hand and helping her great-grandmother make butter and cheeses. She continues to retain the traditional ways of their ancestors. Not only does she enjoy making the products, but she enjoys teaching others these traditional skills. Joanne was a nurse-midwife for more than three decades. Her children are grown, and she will teach her grandchildren traditional skills as her great-grandparents taught her.

More about Larson Farm: The raw milk at Larson Farm comes from 100% grass-fed Jersey cows. At Larson Farm, the cows are on pasture from May 1st through early November, at which time they are fed a diet of dry hay or fermented hay (silage). They always have access to fresh water, salt, and a vitamin/mineral supplement, kelp and clay. The no-grain diet results in milk with a high level of CLAs and Omega-3 fatty acids, both beneficial to human nutrition.

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Jul
12
9:30 AM09:30

7/12 Chicken Processing With Luna Bleu Farm & Roma's Butchery

Please join us for an inaugural two-part educational workshop on the raising, slaughtering, and processing of meat chickens guided by Suzanne Long, Tim Sanford, and Elizabeth Roma. Part I of the workshop will begin in the morning and cover the raising of healthy, pastured birds and slaughter techniques at Luna Bleu Farm. Part II will begin in the afternoon and cover the cutting/processing of meat birds at Roma’s Butchery. This workshop includes two certified organic meat birds raised at Luna Bleu Farm- each participant will use their own birds for the cutting/processing practice in the 2nd half of the workshop.

Sponsored by South Royalton Market and Green Mountain Feeds.

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Jun
14
9:30 AM09:30

06/14 Chicken Processing Workshop with Luna Bleu Farm & Roma's Butchery

Please join us for an inaugural two-part educational workshop on the raising, slaughtering, and processing of meat chickens guided by Suzanne Long, Tim Sanford, and Elizabeth Roma. Part I of the workshop will begin in the morning and cover the raising of healthy, pastured birds and slaughter techniques at Luna Bleu Farm. Part II will begin in the afternoon and cover the cutting/processing of meat birds at Roma’s Butchery. This workshop includes two certified organic meat birds raised at Luna Bleu Farm- each participant will use their own birds for the cutting/processing practice in the 2nd half of the workshop.

Sponsored by South Royalton Market and Green Mountain Feeds.

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May
24
7:00 PM19:00

05/24/2023 Quarterly Member Forum

All Rural Vermont members are invited to join the Rural Vermont staff and Board for our first 2023 virtual forum. These Quarterly Forums are opportunities for our members to join our Policy team in a virtual forum to discuss particular issues which may be affecting your farm and / or community, and/ or that we are currently working on. Bring your questions, ideas, and concerns. We look forward to seeing you there. Not a member yet, but want to participate? Become a Rural Vermont member here.

Advance registration is required to receive the Zoom link.

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May
21
1:00 PM13:00

05/21/23 Raw Dairy Processing Class at Rebop Farm: Ricotta, Butter, & Mozzarella!

Join long time raw milk producer Ashlyn Bristle McClurg and learn how to make ricotta, butter, and mozzarella in your kitchen! The raw milk at Rebop Farm comes from Jersey and Jersey-cross cows fed pasture in-season, hay, free choice minerals, and a small amount of organic grain during milking. The herd is intensively rotationally grazed, for both their health, and the health of our soils and pastures.

$30 - $45 (Sliding Scale)

Registration Required.

Thank you to The Green Mountain Spinnery and Brattleboro Food Co-op for sponsoring this workshop!

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May
13
10:00 AM10:00

05/13/2023 Rabbit Butchery Workshop @ SunStone Orchard and Rabbitry

Are you interested in raising a highly sustainable (and very tasty!) protein on your farm, homestead, or backyard? Meat rabbits require less land, less water, and less energy to grow than most other livestock. 

They convert food and water into edible meat 1.4 times more efficiently than pigs and 4 times more efficiently than sheep and cattle....making them both highly efficient and sustainable and did we mention...delicious?

Please join Rural Vermont and Eliza Boudreau at SunStone Orchard and Rabbitry on Saturday, May 13th from 10:00am - Noon for a rabbit butchery workshop. 

This workshop will be guided and led by Eliza Boudreau, owner of SunStone Orchard and Rabbitry, a small family farmstead in Waterville raising rabbits, dairy goats, registered Jerseys, Mangalitsa ipp pigs, and a laying flock of ducks. 

This workshop will cover: 

  • basic rabbitry setup

  • how to assess an animal for optimal harvest

  • tools required to butcher at home

  • humane dispatch via cervical dislocation, carcass evaluation

  • how to breakdown a carcass into prime cuts, packaging meat, proper meat handling skills

  • cooking techniques

Real time hands on Q&A throughout the entire class. Rural Vermont will also present the updates to federal and state on-farm slaughter regulation, particularly around the proposed clarifying language being advocated for by Rural Vermont and its partners. There will be plenty of room for questions and discussion throughout the event.

A farm lunch provided by Eliza will follow the workshop. Please bring a water bottle. 

There will be an option to buy packaged rabbit meat at the end of the class and to be put on Eliza's breeding stock waitlist, if you decide to pursue raising meat rabbits. 

Registration: Registration and advanced ticket purchase is required and a minimum attendance of 10 people per workshop is needed for this event to take place. Please bring our own drink or snacks. A farm lunch will be provided.

Thank You to our event sponsor Guy’s Farm & Yard!

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