In This Issue Policy & Advocacy Updates . . . 4 A Trip Through Vermont’s Agricultural Past . . . . . . . . . . . 6 New Farm to Community Mentors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 NOFA-VT’s Journey Farmer Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 The Quarterly Newsletter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont
Conventional Crop Farmer Says Goodbye to Agribusiness By Cheryl Cesario, UVM Extension
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oyden Farm is nestled in the Lamoille Valley, along the river, with mountains rising in the distance. The farm buildings and houses are immaculately maintained – not a blade of grass out of place. There are crops and beef cows, a winery, and a banquet hall. Mark Boyden is the 4th generation farming this land, growing the crops and raising beef cows under the name Boyden Farm. His wife Lauri is in charge of “The Barn,” handling weddings and various events and festivals throughout the year. Mark’s brother David is the owner and manager of the Boyden Winery. In 2009, Mark began the process of transitioning his cropland to organic production. For land to qualify for organic certification, it must not have applied “prohibited” materials, such as synthetic fertilizers and herbicides, for three years prior to harvest of the organic crop. The first year Mark entered the certification program, he was able to certify approximately 100 acres of land that already qualified. Each year, as fields have finished their three year transition, he has added onto that acreage significantly. This season, Mark will have successfully converted close to 800 acres to organic production.
History of the Farm
Mark’s great-grandfather purchased the original farmstead in 1914, and it ran as a dairy farm for over 80 years. In the 1970s Mark’s father purchased two neighboring farms, expanding the home farm significantly. Another farm was purchased at the other end of town to add to the acreage, and the Boydens also rent additional parcels throughout the valley.
Mark Boyden in front of the renovated barn used for weddings and events - Photo by Cheryl Cesario
Mark describes the 1990s as “a crossroads” for the farm. Mark explains, “We were at a turning point. Having 130 animals is just too much for a pipeline [milking system].” They figured out the cash flow of expanding to a 500-cow free-stall dairy system while looking at current milk prices. He says, “You’re looking at a million dollars before you put a cow in the barn. It wasn’t worth doing. That’s when we decided to sell the cows.” Mark also entertained the idea of selling the entire farm and purchasing a farm in the Midwest. He looked at farms in northern Missouri and North Dakota where the acreages for growing row crops are much larger. Mark says, “The thing about North Dakota is that you can run 20,000 acres, but you have to live in North Dakota.” He decided to stay in Vermont because “home is home.” The farm was too much to walk away from. The family continued to raise dairy heifers and sell horse hay, but Mark says, “We always wanted something where Continued on page 3 »
NOFA Vermont
PO Box 697,14 Pleasant St Richmond, VT 05477 NOFA: 802-434-4122 VOF: 802-434-3821 info@nofavt.org www.nofavt.org Board of Directors Mimi Arnstein Regina Beidler Josh Brown Jennifer Colby Sona Desai Debra Heleba Andrew Knafel Jack Manix Ross Thurber Kate Turcotte Helen Whybrow Staff Enid Wonnacott Executive Director
Kirsten Bower
Financial Manager
Erin Buckwalter
Food Security & Marketing Coordinator
Nicole Dehne
VOF Coordinator
Sam Fuller
Technical Assistance Program Administrator
Willie Gibson
Dairy & Livestock Advisor
Caitlin Gildrien
Outreach Coordinator
Caitlin Jenness
VOF Office Assistant and Summer Workshop Coordinator
Abbie Nelson
Agricultural Education Coordinator
Laura Nunziata
VOF Certification Specialist
Lynda Prim
Fruit and Vegetable Advisor
Barbara Richardson Office Manager
Dave Rogers
Dairy & Livestock Advisor & Policy Advisor
Gregg Stevens
VOF Certification Specialist
Becca Weiss
Office Assistant
Spring Thoughts from Enid Remembering Carole
Seventeen years ago, I received a package from a lifetime NOFA-VT member, Carole, congratulating us on moving to our first official office, above a café in downtown Richmond. Prior to that, NOFA was a desk and a mailbox, in an office in Montpelier we shared with Rural Vermont. The present was a pinecone owl with moveable eyes glued on that Carole said would watch over us in our new space. I sent a thank you card back, with a picture of my then new baby daughter, and henceforth started a 17 year pen pal relationship – Carole sent me seeds she saved from her garden, I sent her postcards from my travels, and then discovered we both share a love of Carl Larsson’s artwork. Writing, and then receiving notes from Carole, was something I looked forward to throughout the year. I especially appreciated her program suggestions or thoughts from an article she read that she thought I would enjoy. When Carole died last year, she left NOFA-VT a portion of her estate, her house, and its remaining contents, after family and friends took remembrances. I have spent the last few weeks cleaning out Carole’s house, finding our correspondence that she saved, including a picture of my children in her office. I never met Carole in person, nor talked with her on the phone; the relationship we shared was in writing only. Given that, I am enjoying the process of getting to know Carole in a different way, see the perennials she wrote about each year emerge and walk the paths she scythed.
new office, her gardening tools are being used to create new gardens at our site, and the wood from her garage will fuel our mobile oven this summer. I have really missed writing letters to Carole, but will continue to work on the issues she cared about – environmental health, seed saving, land conservation and food access. My relationship with Carole is another reminder of the power of relationships, and the many I have developed throughout my 25 years of work at NOFA. I hope to build on those relationships this summer, as I see many of you at our summer workshops or NOFAvore socials – especially important gatherings this year as we are seeking member input on our 2013-2018 strategic plan. Although Carole was not able to travel to attend events like our socials or member focus groups, she always communicated her ideas post-event. If you are not able to attend, we will also be sending out an on-line survey and including a written survey in the summer edition of NOFA Notes. Thank you in advance for your input, and please stop by our new office home anytime; we love visitors!
Due to Carole’s generosity, we have been able to close our capital campaign early and pay off the mortgage on the new office we purchased last August, pictured at right. Many of the items from Carole’s home have been incorporated into our NOFA Vermont is an organization of farmers, gardeners, & consumers working to promote an economically viable and ecologically sound Vermont food system for the benefit of current and future generations.
Page 2
NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Boyden Farm, continued from cover
we could sell our own products.” Beef seemed like a good fit. Although now Boyden Farm beef is sold in many local food co-ops, grocery stores, and restaurants, it started out small. In the early days, Mark rode around in an old Jeep with the air conditioning running to keep the meat cool, knocking on the doors of various businesses trying to sell his product. Looking back he says, “I got into the right places at the right time.” He now brings 8 beef animals to market each week. At this point, the beef operation is not certified organic, as Mark purchases most of his animals as feeder calves from various farms and raises them to market weight, and the supply of organic animals currently available does not meet his demand.
Organic Management
In 2009, Mark felt the time was right to begin the process of transitioning his cropland to organic. Mark saw that the organic marketplace was growing. He says, “I used to be very conventional.” However, as he saw agribusiness corporations’ profits going up while the farmer was tied to purchasing all of their seed, fertilizer, and herbicide from them, he decided, “I’m done. I did not want to be at Dupont and Monsanto’s mercy.” Mark names Jack Lazor of Butterworks Farm as a mentor when he began thinking about his transition to organic production. He had known Jack for years and despite their different management techniques, he says, “We’d banter back and forth about what we were doing.” Mark explains the challenge of organic management as “a very complicated jigsaw puzzle.” He adds, “It’s no longer just corn, corn, corn, get your fertilizer, you’re done. You really have to think about the whole plan long NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Boyden Farm sign at the intersection of Routes 104 and 15 in Cambridge - photo by Cheryl Cesario
term.” He has found crop rotation between the grass and legume crops to be key when thinking about the nutrient cycling of nitrogen, for example. He also puts a lot of thought into the timing of cultivation. “I enjoy that part of it,” he says. Mark used to fertilize his crops with urea. Now he says, “I take nitrogen out of the air.” He plants red clover, which as a legume fixes nitrogen in the soil. After three years, the clover is plowed down and the field planted to corn. Mark says of the fertility, the first year he plows down the green sod, “It just kicks butt.” The legume helps with weed pressure as well. After one year of corn, he goes to another legume such as soy, which also has nitrogen-fixing abilities. Manure is spread in the spring on the corn land and potash is applied to clover and soy crops. Wood ash and cow manure are alternated as the crops are rotated through the system. Crop rotation plays an important part in Mark’s weed control, but another key piece is the timing of cultivation. Yields will drop if weeds are not kept under control. One of the biggest les-
sons he’s learned is “get on [the weeds] early, and don’t fall behind. Once you fall behind, you’re done,” he explains. Mark sells his corn and soybean crops to Morrison’s Custom Feeds in Barnet, a livestock feed company also certified by Vermont Organic Farmers, which supplies organic grain to many organic livestock producers in Vermont and beyond. Mark is also a large supplier of hay for organic livestock producers in the state. In 2012, all of Mark’s crops will qualify for organic certification. About the transition, Mark says, “I should have done it years ago.” He explains that the fear of “screwing up and having a bad year” held him back initially, but once he took the leap he has had great success, even in a year as challenging as 2011. Now he’s only looking forward. For yields, Mark says, “I’m convinced we can do just as well with organic as long as we keep the weeds under control and the fertility there.” For more about Boyden Farm, visit www.boydenbeef.com and www. boydenfarm.com. 1
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NOFA Policy & Advocacy Updates By Dave Rogers, NOFA Vermont Policy Advisor
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ost readers of NOFA Notes are aware of NOFA Vermont’s collaborative efforts in recent months to pass the Vermont Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act (H.722). The bill called for all food sold at retail outlets in Vermont to be labeled if it was genetically engineered (GE) or contained ingredients that were produced using genetic engineering technology. It also prohibited foods from being labeled as “natural” if they contained such ingredients. H.722’s passage and enactment would have made Vermont the first state in the nation to require the labeling of GE foods. The bill was introduced by Rep. Kate Webb (Shelburne) in Vermont’s House of Representatives on February 1st. The House Agriculture Committee began hearing testimony on the bill in mid-March, and after weeks of wide-ranging testimony by scientists, legal consultants, regulators, food manufacturers, and approximately 150 Vermonters, it was voted out of the Committee on April 20th by a vote of 9-1. Then it languished in the House Judiciary Committee, and when the legislature adjourned in early May, it died – a victim of timidity on the part of the Shumlin administration in the face of threats of a lawsuit against the state by powerful corporate interests and unresolved questions about how the bill would affect Vermont’s specialty food producers. Weeks before H.722 was introduced, a coalition of organizations – NOFAVT, Rural Vermont and the Vermont Public Interest Research Group – organized the Vermont Right to Know GMOs Campaign to rally grassroots support. A website, petition, and social media efforts were launched.
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Hundreds of Vermonters convened at the Statehouse on April 12 to voice their support of H.722.
By mid-April over 5000 people had signed on to the campaign, along with more than 60 organizations and businesses; literally hundreds of thousands of people in Vermont and across the country were following and discussing the Campaign through Facebook, Twitter, blogs and stories in the national press. A number of Vermont Representatives stated that they had rarely, if ever, received so many messages from constituents expressing strong support for a piece of legislation.
So, what now?
There is strong support in the coalition and among campaign supporters throughout the state to continue our efforts. We and other organizations are already working to address and overcome the hurdles faced by H.722. With the continuing support of thousands of Vermonters, we will be back next January, when the legislature reconvenes, with a stronger GE labeling bill. As with so many issues, Vermonters will take the lead and keep working until this job is done. For more information visit the VT Right to Know GMOs Campaign webpage at www.vtrighttoknow.org.
Monsanto Patents Lawsuit Update
On March 28th, in Federal District Court in Manhattan, NOFA Vermont joined nearly sixty other farm organizations and farmers in filing an appeal of a federal judge’s decision to dismiss their suit against Monsanto.
The suit challenged the corporation’s patents on GE crops and its practice of taking legal action against non-GE and organic farmers whose crops have been inadvertently contaminated via pollination by Monsanto’s GE crops. NOFA joined the original case in March 2011. The appeal process will likely take six months or more. The suit and its appeal were prepared and filed by the Public Patent Foundation of New York.
It’s Farm Bill Time
The U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee passed the Farms, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012 (aka The Farm Bill) in April. It will now be debated, amended, and voted upon by the full Senate and, ultimately, reconciled with the House Farm Bill. Thanks to Senator Leahy, the senior member of the Committee, the bill strengthens a number of national programs affecting Vermont’s natural resources, local food production and marketing, and organic agriculture. Funding levels for nutrition and other programs will continue to be debated, and we expect Senator Sanders to join the fight for programs important to Vermont. NOFA will continue to be in contact with our congressional delegation as the process continues. 1 Please contact Dave Rogers with policy and advocacy questions at dave@ nofavt.org or (802) 434-4122.
NOFA Notes Spring 2012
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A Trip Through Vermont’s Agricultural Past, And Its Meaning For Today Roger N. Allbee, former Secretary of the Vermont Agency of Agriculture
T
here is an old saying that you have to understand the past to appreciate the present and better understand the future. That applies to the history of agricultural production and marketing by farmers in our state. After the French and Indian War, many new settlements sprang up in the region now known as Vermont. Subsistence agriculture was the main source of the early settlers’ livelihoods. Over the years many events and economic influences brought about changes in agriculture and land use in our state. Early settlers came to Vermont primarily from Southern New England where soils had been depleted. They were searching for new productive soils and opportunities. While they were subsistence farmers with many skills, in the beginning they also benefited from commercial sales of potash and pearlash (from the clearing of the forests), which were in demand in England at the time. As cities and towns grew, these same farmers supplied nearby communities with many products from their farms. They did this in exchange for goods they needed and could not produce on their own land. The changing means and capabilities of transportation have had a significant impact on Vermont’s agricultural community and its landscape. Waterpower and the growth of waterborne transportation first transformed Vermont agriculture. While it created new markets in nearby cities like Boston, New York, Albany, and Montreal, it opened up competition from products being brought into Vermont. It also made Vermont more dependent upon importing products that had formerly been Page 6
Woodcut by Mary Azarian
produced within the state. With the growth of the railroads in the 1850s and the Interstate highway system in the 1960s, new markets were again created, and again Vermont farmers faced increased competition from goods and products brought in from other regions. As farmers adapted to these changes, Vermont’s commercial agriculture evolved; from producing grain in the early 1800s, to becoming the sheep capital of the world, then the butter capital, and finally a supplier of fluid milk to regional markets. As national and international transportation of goods became ever easier, Vermont farmers repeatedly found that they could not compete with the lower cost of production that western farms enjoyed. This happened with sheep, grains, beef, butter, hops, apples, and other products. When farmers began specializing in fluid milk production to meet demand from the nearby cities like Boston, farmer cooperatives emerged to bargain for fair pricing for their members. Federal actions relative to dairy price supports and parity pricing could not forestall the pressure for change, and the deregulation of the dairy industry began in the early 1980s.
Once again, larger farms with longer growing seasons in the western United States were able to produce milk at lower cost than farmers could in Vermont. This, combined with pricing deregulation and increased connections to fluctuating world markets, resulted in deep and prolonged pricing cycles that continue to put Vermont and other Northeast conventional dairy farmers at financial risk. Even in the 1800s, Vermont’s agricultural strengths lay in diversification and the reputation of quality and purity that we now think of as the Vermont “brand.” In the 1872 Report of what was then the State Board of Agriculture, the Rev. G. F. Wright of Bakersfield stated, “The Vermont farmer has a substantial hold on the future. His soil, climate, his abundance of pure water, his proximity to markets of the growing cities and villages, give him unrivaled facilities for success…. Only those will prosper who use their minds in studying how to cater to demands of this growing market and this changing state of things.” Others expressed similar views. M.O. Howe of Fayetteville stated to the Board in 1876, “It is the value of the Continued next page » NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Vermont’s Agricultural Past,continued from page 6
products, not the quantity, that indicates the profits of agriculture. There will continue to be the difference of freight and commissions between the markets of the East and the West.” The Vermont Commissioner of Agriculture, E.S. Brigham, in his annual report in 1913, stated, “The products that belong in the East are those that are adapted to our soil and climate and are needed in large market centers.” For example, in 1870 Vermont farmers produced more butter, cheese, maple sugar, and potatoes than any other state. It has excelled in other products as well to include apples, meats, grains, specialty fruits, and vegetables, to name but a few. Vermont’s farms have concentrated over time to the more productive soils; today only thirteen percent of the state’s land area is devoted to agriculture as opposed to approximately seventy-five percent after the first set-
tlers cleared the forests. In 1900 there were one hundred and eighty dairy co-operatives and sixty-six cheese plants within the state. In 1974 the majority of farms in Vermont were conventional dairy farms, whereas today the majority are non-dairy, and the number of conventional dairy farms continues to decline. Even within the dairy sector there has been a growing movement to organic production. It is clear there is a fundamental transformational change taking place within our farm sector. Today there is a renewed interest by consumers in local and regional foods, and Vermont farmers again have a reputation for quality, including being known for organic and sustainably produced food. This renewed interest in local foods has resulted in the growth of farmers’ markets, food hubs, Community
Supported Agriculture, farmstead cheese production, farm raised beef, new maple products, new vineyards, pick-your-own fruit operations and other products from the farm. Some have referred to this renewed interest in local and regional food production as a “renaissance of the past.” Early farm leaders who argued that Vermont farmers should grow products of the highest quality that cannot be readily produced in the West, but are needed in the nearby growing markets of the East, would applaud this renewed interest and direction. 1
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NOFA Notes Spring 2012
New Farm to Community Mentors By Abbie Nelson, NOFA Vermont
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he NOFA-VT Farm to Community Mentor Program (formerly Farm to School Mentors) is saying “goodbye” to 2 mentors and “hello” to 3 new ones.
Melissa Bridges will be taking Molly Willard’s place as the mentor for Caledonia and Northern Orleans Counties as Molly begins farming near Pomfret.
Suzanne Young, former mentor for Addison County, is pursuing nutrition education and cooking for Mary Hogan Childcare Center, and Andrea Scott of Champlain Orchards will take her place, covering Southern Chittenden as well.
Melissa is a local foods activist in the St. Johnsbury area, spending lots of time as Education and Outreach Director for the St J Food Co-op, as a director for the St. Johnsbury Local Food Alliance, and starting school and community gardens.
Andrea is a part of the team (along with husband Bill, son Rupert, and a mighty crew!) that runs Champlain Orchards - a diversified orchard of ecologically & organically grown fruits in Shoreham, VT. In addition to highlighting educational opportunities on her own farm, Andrea has also worked for several years as a public school teacher in the classroom.
John Connell will be covering Central and Northern Chittenden County. Over the years, John’s farm in Underhill Center has included a dairy sheep operation, a dairy heifer operation, pigs, goats, chickens, a large garden, a hops experiment, and currently, beef with the Lang Farm in Underhill Center. John has also taught grades 1-3 and worked as a school administrator.
There are nine Farm to Community Mentors who promote the critical role of farmers as both agricultural producers and agricultural educators throughout Vermont. They work in their regions to build partnerships between farmers, educators, and community members. If you are interested in finding out more or contacting the mentor in your area, visit www.nofavt.org and look under “Programs” or contact Abbie Nelson at abbie@nofavt.org. 1
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NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Page 9
NOFA-VT’s Journey Farmer Program By Sam Fuller, Technical Assistance Program Coordinator
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he Journey Farmer Program is a two-year program for farmers who are in the first few years of running their own farming enterprise in Vermont. Since its inception two years ago, there have been over 50 applications from aspiring farmers looking or additional support in making their farm business a success. The program is largely shaped by the farming interests and goals of the Journey Farmers, and enables aspiring new farmers to advance their farming skills and experiences, along with being part of a learning community of other aspiring farmers and farmer mentors. Services and opportunities available to Journey Farmers include: • Farmer-to-farmer mentoring and access to technical assistance by NOFA-VT staff • Free admission to NOFA-VT educational offerings • Tailored business planning support • A $500 educational stipend • Access to NOFA-VT’s Revolving Loan Fund • Journey Farmer Network After a competitive application process, we are proud to announce our five newest Journey Farms: • Tangled Roots Farm in Shrewsbury, where Maeve Mangine and Lucas Jackson cultivate shiitake mushrooms along with pastured chickens, pigs and milking goats • The Lazy Dog Farm in Orwell, where Jesse Wilbur runs a pasturebased certified organic dairy farm • Lorenzo’s Urban Greens in Burlington, where Annette Lorenzo grows winter microgreens Page 10
New Journey Farmers Maeve Mangine and Lucas Jackson of Tangled Roots Farm
and baby greens with intentions of expanding into full season mixed greens • Timeless Wisdom Farm in Stockbridge, where Ken and Amanda Carter produce vegetables along with eggs and goat milk • Lewis Farm in Waterbury Center, where Nate Lewis grows heirloom peppers and tomatoes for seed production, expanding into garlic and small fruits These farmers will join the ten other Journey Farmers from Vermont along with a larger network of Journey Farmers in the Northeast. If you are a beginning farmer inter-
ested in the Journey Farmer program please contact us for more information. The next round of applications will be in winter 2012. If you are an experienced farmer interested in mentoring aspiring farmers please contact us as well. You can learn more at www.nofavt.org/mentor. The initial pilot of the Journey Farmer Program was funded through the Agricultural Innovation Center. NOFA Vermont in collaboration with a NOFA interstate coalition has secured three years of funding through the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program to support Journey Farmers in the region. 1 NOFA Notes Spring 2012
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January – March 2012 Program Supporters Thank you to all the members and friends of NOFA who generously donated to our annual appeal. As of the end of March over $54,600 was raised for our annual fund and capital campaign. We would like to acknowledge all the individuals and businesses who have donated to our Farmer Emergency Fund. Since January, an additional $9,248.65 was raised, enabling us to offer more grant support to farms impacted by Tropical Storm Irene.
Thanks to our recent donors:
• Jerusalem Gathering, $100, for Farm
Share Program • Lawrence & Linda Hamilton, $1,000, for Farm Share Program • The Seattle Foundation, $5,000, for annual fund • The Skinny Pancake, $374.60, for Winter Conference support • Vermont Community Foundation, Nouvelle Fund, $3,709, for general support
Program Grants:
Winter Conference Sponsors Benefactor
• Ben & Jerry’s Foundation • City Market • Hanover Coop • The High Meadows Fund • Organic Valley • Extension/Risk Management Agency • Sodexo • UVM Department of Continuing Education
Sustainer
• Alltech • Chelsea Green • Green Mountain Compost • Healthy Living Market and Café • High Mowing Organic Seeds • Hunger Mountain Coop • Neighboring Food Co-op Association • Stonyfield Farm • Strafford Organic Creamery • TD Bank • Tierra Farm • UNFI/Albert’s Organics • Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
• Vermont Compost Company • VHCB VT Farm Viability Program • Yankee Farm Credit, ACA Contributor
Yield Asset Management • Northeast SARE Sustainable Communities • • Clean Coop Insurance Company Grant: The Community Market Project, • eOrganic $14,369, 2 year grant, for professional • Gardener’s Supply Company development training for farmers’ market • Johnny’s Selected Seeds managers and board members. Foundation • Organic Consumers Association, $5,000 to • • Lintilhac Red Wagon Plants support GMO advocacy work in Vermont • Resource Management, Inc. • Sugarsnap
• UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture • Vermont Bread Company • Vermont Community Loan Fund • Wellscroft Fence Systems, LLC Supporter
• Cabot Creamery Cooperative • Cedar Circle Farm • Center for Whole Communities • Champlain Valley Printing/Reprodigital • Coombs Family Farms • Drip Works • Efficiency Vermont • FEDCO • Get Real Taste The Truth • Harris Seeds • North Country Organics • Upper Valley Coop • UVM Plant & Soil Science Department Friend
• Albert Lea Seed • Cooperative Fund of New England • Dairy Farmers of America • Deep Root Organic Cooperative • Drew’s, LLC • Farm Plate • Intervale Center • Maine Potato Lady • North American Kelp • Nourse Farms, Inc. • Rural Vermont • Shelburne Farms • UVM Extension Rural & Ag VocRehab & VT Agribility
• UVM Sociology Department • The Vermont Community Foundation Children’s Conference
• Johnson Family Foundation • King Arthur Flour
now, and for the future.
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NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Spring 2012 New Members NOFA welcomes the following members who recently joined through the NOFA Winter Conference, Direct Marketing Conference, NOFA Bulk Order, website, VOF certification applications, and other events. Thank you for supporting Vermont organic agriculture!
New & Renewing Business Members
• Hoof N Hay Ranch, Johnson • Hord Family Farm, West
• 3 Seasons Gardening, Chelsea • Brookfield King Arthur Flour, White River • Acker Arts, Burlington Jct. • American Flatbread, Layne’s Garden Design, • Burlington Montpelier • Anjali Farms LLC, So. • Mad River Food Hub L3C, Londonderry
Waitsfield
• Arethusa Farm, Burlington • Aurora Farm, Charlotte • Brattleboro Area Farmers’
• Maggie Brook Sugarworks,
• Brattleboro Food Coop,
• Metta Earth Institute, Lincoln • GotWeeds?, Royalton • Minor Family Maple,
Market, Brattleboro Brattleboro
• Brown Boar Farm, Wells • Butternut Mountain Farm,
Morrisville • Capitol Grounds, Montpelier • Cedar Circle Farm, East Thetford • Champlain Valley Compost Co., Charlotte • Cobb Hill Cheese, Hartland • Cooperative Insurance Co., Middlebury • Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Craftsbury • Drew’s LLC, Chester • Dwight Miller & Son Orchards, East Dummerston • Eastview Farm, East Hardwick • EnSave, Richmond • Evergreen Gardens of Vermont, Waterbury Center • Farm & Wilderness Foundation, Plymouth • Fire Hill Enterprises, Florence • Foggy Meadow Farm, Benson • Full Circle Farm, Wells River • Gagne Maple, LLC, Swanton • Gorhamtown Farm, Poultney • Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Waterbury • Green Mountain Distillers, Stowe • Green Mountain Inn, Stowe • Green Mountain Spinnery, Putney • Highland Sugarworks, Websterville • Hillcrest Foods, Inc., NY
NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Bristol
• Merck Forest & Farmland Center, Rupert
Cambridge
• Miskell’s Farm LLC, Charlotte • Mountain Meadows Farm, Cornwall
• Nourse Farms, MA • O Bread, Shelburne • On Farm Focus, South
Royalton • Plainfield Coop, Plainfield • Progressive Asset Management, Wells • Putney Farmers’ Market, Putney • Putney Food Coop, Putney • Rhapsody Natural Foods, Cabot • Rural Vermont, Montpelier • Ruth Dennis LLC, Burlington • Rutland Area Food Coop, Rutland • Sandbhreagh Farm, Vershire • Sauerkraut Vermont, NH • Second Nature Herb Farm & Horticultural Services, Wells • Sumptuous Syrups, Hardwick • The Corse Family Dairy LLC, Whitingham • The Farm at South Village, Inc., Burlington • Thistle Hill Farm, North Pomfret • Vermont Assn. of Conservation Districts, Waitsfield • Vermont Bread Company, Brattleboro
• Vermont Center for
Independent Living, Montpelier • Vermont Community Loan Fund, Montpelier • Vermont Compost Company, Montpelier • Vermont Edible Landscapes, West Bolton • Vermont Fresh Foods, Proctorsville • Vermont Soy, Hardwick • Vermont Tea & Trading Co., Inc., Middlebury • Vermont’s Local Banquet Magazine, Saxtons River • Well Dressed Greens, Burlington • Wellscroft Fence Systems, NH • Weston A. Price Foundation, DC • Wilbur Farms LLC, Whiting • Willow Bee Farm, North Chittenden • Woods Edge Farm, Greensboro Bend
New Members
• Deborahlee Adams, GranDebra Farms, West Haven
• Dale & Tina Aines, Pawlet • Jeanny & Richard Aldrich, NH • Joseph Alstat, Williamstown • Caroline Alves, USDA/NRCS, Williston
• Timothy Bailey, MA • Chris Behr, Burlington • Lily Belisle, Charlotte • Ed Benham, NH • Mike & Gloria Benson, Cuttingsville
• Deborah Berryere, Cardinal Hill Farm, Vernon
• Janice Blair, Vermont Kale Chips, Johnson
• Cindy Blakeslee, Bradford • Mark Boisvert, NH • Bethany Bond, Bloomfield • Jane Booth, Dummerston • Idalia Borges, Rochester • Jennifer Boucher, Cabot • Adriana Boulanger, So. Woodstock
• Tami Carboni-Branchaud & Leo Branchaud, Branchaud Farm, Middletown Springs • Marcia Brewster, Brewster Farm, East Fairfield
• Tara Brown, Hinesburg • Audra Brown, Montpelier • Nate Brownlee, Burlington • Peter & Jake Burke, Calais • Sally Burrell, Bristol • Tyler Buswell, Milton • Jacqueline Call, Burlington • Bill Chidsey & Mary Ellen
Cannon, W.L. Chidsey Farms, Lyndon Ctr. • Heidi Chapman-Renaud, Richmond • Melanie Christner, FL • Lynn Clohessy, Shallow Rock Farm, Bridport • Sarah Coonrod, Burlington • Dee Copley, Hartford • Jim Corven, MA • Peter Cousineau, Whiting • Michael Croce, Mystic Morning Farm, Greensboro Bend • Elizabeth Cullen, Burlington • Steven Davis, Chester • Anne Dean, Woodstock • Brooke Decker, Andover • Bob & Annie DeCoteau, Putney • Katherine Desmond, MA • David Dickson, Burlington • Alyssa Doolittle, East Burke • Michael & Cynthia Ehlenfeldt, NH • Stella Ehrich, North Bennington • DeeDee Erb, Hinesburg • Carin Ewing, Barnard • Joan Falcao, VA • Joann Ference, Barnard • Jacqueline Fischer, Woodstock • Luis & Lisa Garcia, VT • Johanna Gardner, Newfane • Carl Gargulio, Skyberry, Putney • Karen Garvey, White River Jct. • Eric Garza, Burlington • Andrew Gilbert, Marshfield • Peter Gile, Shrewsbury • Katherine Gillespie, Brattleboro • Meghan Giroux, VT Edible Landscapes, West Bolton • Will Young & Carrie Glessner, Barefoot Farm, Westfield • S’ra DeSantis & Joe Golden, Burlington • Linda Goodwin, NC • Alexandra Gross, CT Continued page 15 » Page 13
Looking for Opportunities? Our classifieds are now web-only. Please visit www.nofavt.org/resources/classifieds to see them all.
HELPING FARMERS SAVE MONEY “We’ve hit a huge home run with the energy efficiency upgrades on our farm. The new longday lighting has increased milk production and improved breeding.” — Walt Gladstone Newmont Farm, Bradford, VT
Newmont Farm completed several projects on their dairy farm, including installing a heat recovery unit and new, energy-efficient lighting. Now, they are saving an estimated $12,000 in energy costs each year. To learn how you can save money and energy on your farm, call Efficiency Vermont toll-free today at 888-921-5990.
www.efficiencyvermont.com
The Future Is In His Hands
Page 14
Vermont Farm Viability Program
Yankee Farm Credit Loans Leases
For generations, we’ve been helping all types of ag businesses grow. Record Keeping Services Crop Insurance
Tax Services Credit Life Insurance Payroll Services
Yankee Farm Credit building relationships that last generations
Middlebury, VT Newport, VT
St. Albans, VT White River Jct., VT
www.YankeeACA.com 800/545-1169
Williston, VT Chazy, NY
Now accepting applications from farmers and ag-related businesses for in-depth, one-on-one business planning and technical assistance. More than 97% of farmers surveyed report their business and financial analysis skills have improved since enrolling in the program! More information at: www.vhcb.org/viability.html or call Liz Gleason at 802 828 3370 A program of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
NOFA Notes Spring 2012
New Members, continued from page 13
• Leslie Haines, Worcester • Mar Harrison, Ripton • Denise Hartman, Golden
Heart Farm, West Brookfield • Scott Hewitt, Ira • Roberta Horowitz, Waterford • Brian & Cari Howrigan, Cream & Sugar Spread, Fairfield • Tom Hudspeth, Burlington • Valerie Johnson, Topsham • Pamela Johnston, Hyde Park • Christa Kemp, Richmond • Robert Kesner, Vermont Organic Gardens, Vergennes • Lisa Kiley, Charlotte • Nicole Kirby, NY • Erica Koch, Montpelier • Thomas Kontos, Jeffersonville • Ellen Kreitmeier, Putney • Mary Lake, Waitsfield • Chet Briggs & Karen Lane, East Calais • Shawn Lenihan, Rochester • Ronald Leone, Bennington • Brittany Lewis, Montpelier • Zoe Loomis, Rupert • Merrily Lovell, Hinesburg
• Eve MacNeill, Warren • Annie Mailloux, NH • Monika Markus, CT • Nolan McClay, Bellows Falls • Brian McMaster, Canada • Karin McNeil, East Calais • Tom McQuade, West View
Farm & Orchard, New Haven • Kelsie Mehan, Burlington • Ron Miller, Woodstock • Daryl Gustafson & Elizabeth Moulton, Andover • Mary Mullaney, Montpelier • Tor Nelkin, Poultney • Jane Neroni, So. Burlington • Judy Newman, So. Burlington • Amber O’Reilly Hood, West Townshend • Nicholas Parrish, Burlington • Janet Pelletier, Cuttingsville • Patricia Petell, Derby Line • Paul Pinka, So. Burlington • Erin Post, Castleton • Amy Powers, Richmond • Kerri Rainville, So. Royalton • Peter Reed, CT • Simon & Dana Renault, Sun
Ledge Farm, Putney
• William Robb, Burlington • Becca Robbins, Elmore • Elizabeth Roma, Amee Farm, Rochester
Gardens, Vergennes
• Curtis & Kristin
• David Breen & Irene Rubbins,
• Dorothy Tod, Warren • Katherine Tolman, NH • Cathy Townsend, Shelburne • Nick Tramontozzi, CT • Katherine von Stackelberg,
Burlington Goshen
• Dave Ruggiero, PA • Beth Ruman, River Moon
Farm, Craftsbury Common
• Joe Russo, Green Mtn. Maple Sugar Refining Co., Inc., Belvidere • Eero Ruuttila, CT • Jennifer Schomp, Bethel • Mark Schultz, NH • Barry Simpson, Warren • Mary & Eric Skovsted, St. Johnsbury • Kristin Smith, Brandon • Andrea Solazzo, Burlington • Greg Soll, Sol Fresh Farm, Charlotte • R.J. Steinert, Waterford • Hadley Stock, West Pawlet
Name: Business/Farm: Address: State:
Creek Farm, NY
• Bill Sullivan, Riverfront
• Charlotte Roozekrans,
Yes! I want to support NOFA Vermont!
Town:
• Kelly Stone, Fairfield • Melissa Streicher, Fortsville
Zip:
Swartzentruber, Bristol
MA
• Joe Weaver, Williston • Danny Weiss, Burlington • Cathy Wells, Shelburne • Alicia Werner, So. Royalton • Kelsey Wilson, Burlington • Jill Wolcott, Charlotte • Richard McAlister & Cheryl Wolf, Brookfield
• Dino Zampini, Bellows Falls • Ali Zipparo, MA
Membership Options ___ Individual ___ Farm/Family ___ Business ___ Sponsor ___ Sustainer ___ Basic*
$30 $40 $50 $100 $250 $15-25
*The Natural Farmer not included
Complete this form & mail to: NOFA, PO Box 697, Richmond, VT 05477 - or join online at nofavt.org!
NOFA Store ___ Adult organic cotton t-shirt with NOFA’s color logo (Women’s S, Unisex S M L XL) $15 + $3.50 s/h ___ Organic cotton tote bag with NOFA’s color logo! $10 +$3.50 s/h + 6% VT Sales Tax
NOFA Notes Spring 2012
Maya and Camille Bower model t-shirts
T-shirts & bags have our vivid color logo!
Page 15
Want to avoid GMOs? Choose organic! The National Organic Program standards prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). No certified organic product can contain or be made with GMO ingredients; organic meat, milk, and eggs come from animals fed a diet free of GMOs. Without mandatory labeling of GMOs in food, choosing certified organic is one way to ensure that you know what is - and what is not - in the food you eat and feed your family.
Advertise in NOFA Notes and Support NOFA Vermont! Look for the new Vermont Organic Farmers certification logo when shopping for local, organic food!
Ad sizes and rates:
1/8 pg - $30 (3”w x 2.25”h) 1/6 pg. - $40 (2.25”w x 4.75”h) 1/4 pg - $50 (3”w x 4.75”h) 1/2 pg - $85 (7”w x 4.75”h)