Hard Cider Made with the Best of Vermont

This weekend, cider makers from across the state will gather at the Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury for the 5th Annual Cider Classic!

It’s an opportunity to celebrate and taste your way through the many ciders produced in Vermont and support the Vermont Cider Makers Association.


Vermont is known for its apples and the wonderful orchards all over the state, but did you know that cider makers often use other fruit from Vermont farms? Citizen Cider’s “The Americran” uses cranberries from The Vermont Cranberry Company in East Fairfield. In addition to apples from their orchard, Champlain Orchards Cidery uses grapes grown at a small vineyard they manage in Orwell in their award winning Sidria “sangria” cider.  

Local Fruit, Maple Syrup, Honey, and Herbs 

Just in time for the harvest season, Stowe Cider is releasing “Vermont Grown,” a limited series of ciders that highlight local ingredients and feature local farms. Folks can enjoy all four of these farm-to-glass ciders during their debut at the Vermont Cider Classic in Waterbury. These new ciders reflect the range of local ingredients that Vermont harvests throughout the year. Some of these farms are seasonally open to the public, so sample a cider and make plans to visit the farms next summer.

Blueberry Maple 

Using blueberries from Charlotte Berry Farm in Charlotte and maple syrup from Nebraska Knoll in Stowe, this cider highlights two of Vermont’s best flavors in a perfectly balanced partnership that is not too sweet and not too dry.

Raspberry Basil Honey

Fresh raspberries from Fisher Brother’s Farm in Shelburne, honey from Suddabee’s in Morrisville, and basil harvested from around the state are what make this cider delicious and unique. Raspberries, honey, basil, and apples? We can’t wait to try it!

Raspberry vermont grown

Black Currant

The driest of this series, Black Currant is made with berries from Lanzer’s Fruit Farm in East Hardwick.

Blackberry

Using blackberries from Fisher Brother’s Farm in Shelburne, this cider is sweetly tart just like a blackberry.

All four have a gorgeous color that reflects the local fruit used in making each special cider.  

vermont grown

And then….Visit the Stowe Cider Taproom!

After sampling all the great Vermont ciders at the Cider Classic on September 28th, be sure to plan a visit the Stowe Cider Taproom right in the heart of Stowe. They have 24 ciders on tap to choose from. We recommend sampling a flight and taking home some favorites for later. The Taproom is right in the middle of the production facility, so don’t hesitate to ask questions about the cider making process while you enjoy their delicious ciders. 

stowecider taproom

Source: Dig in VT Trails

Experience Vermont Wine on the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail

Vermont’s wine industry is continuing to grow, filling tasting rooms, restaurants, and markets with unique and delicious offerings. The vineyards and wineries along the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail are the perfect places to begin your adventure discovering Vermont wine.

According to the Vermont Grape & Wine Council, Vermont’s climate has proved challenging for grape growing in the past. Due to the short growing season, many grape varieties were unable to ripen before the cold winter hit. Growers in places like Vermont and the upper Midwest were limited to varieties like Concord. If they were able to ripen, their flavors were more suited to jelly than wine. Luckily that has all changed! 

Vermont’s wine is made from relatively new grape varieties. It all started in the 1940s with a farmer from Wisconsin named Elmer Swenson who experimented with grape breeding on his farm. Aiming to grow hardier vines that could stand up to a colder climate, he crossed his grandfather’s vines with French hybrids and wild “riverbank” grapes. Fast forward to today, Vermont’s most commonly used wine grapes have a Swenson vine in their family tree. The most popular Vermont-grown grape, Marquette, was released in 2006. Although there isn’t a long history of creating wine with these grape varieties, local wineries have found a way to produce high quality wines with flavors tied to the land on which the grapes are grown.

The locally produced wines made from grapes grown along the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail have their very own terroir. And it’s something you have to experience for yourself! Below is a little teaser of the amazing wineries you’ll have the opportunity to visit on the Trail.

Snow Farm Vineyard, located in South Hero, was Vermont’s first modern vineyard. Due to its location on an island in the middle of Lake Champlain, Snow Farm is able to grow a slightly different mix of grapes than other vineyards in the state. “We planted a lot of different grape varietals not knowing how they would [be] 20 years later. We could have had to rip everything out and put in Marquettes but we stuck with it and I am proud to say they’re doing well!” says Snow Farm Vineyard’s Winemaker, Patrick Barrelet. Their menu boasts a variety of whites, reds, and specialty wines, including ice wine, a sweet dessert wine made from grapes harvested in December once they’ve been through a hard freeze.

Another stop along the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail is Shelburne Vineyard. Shelburne Vineyard’s location close to the shores of Lake Champlain has allowed them to cultivate a small planting of more tender grape varieties including Riesling and Vidal Blanc, in addition to their cold-hardy vines, to produce high quality whites, reds, and rosés. Winemaker Ethan Joseph self describes his winemaking style as “exploratory;” “We’re working with pretty new varieties and still in the process of determining how best they express themselves and where they are grown. Wine is made in the vineyard, so we bring in the best fruit we can and do as little as possible in the winery.” In 2017, Joseph released Shelburne Vineyard’s line of Iapetus wines, crafted with minimal intervention and native yeasts, which reflect the land and environment of the farm. Their winery and tasting room have earned a LEED certification and these days, you may even see sheep grazing among the vines.

Boyer’s Orchard, located in Monkton, grows and sells apples, plums, pears, tart cherries, and grapes for both eating and making wine! During pick-your-own apple season, visit their maple sugarhouse that doubles as a tasting room for their hard ciders and wine. The wines made on site include a single variety or blend of Marquette, Petite Pearl, St. Croix, La Crescent, Frontenac Gris, Frontenac Blanc, and more! When asked what makes Vermont wine unique, Winemaker Mark Boyer said, “I think that Vermont wines and ciders are unique based on all of our different soil types and wine and cidermaker’s experiments with fermentation. I think it’s amazing how many grape and apple choices we have for making these great wines and ciders.”

Lincoln Peak Vineyard and Winery is the last of the wineries on the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail. All of their wine is made strictly with grapes grown on the farm’s 12-acre vineyard. They have entered the International Cold-Climate Wine Competition for several years and have won multiple best-in-show awards and gold medals. When asked about his favorite grape varietal, owner and Head Winemaker Chris Granstrom says, “I love working with Marquette because it makes such an outstanding red wine; we often hear from folks that they are surprised that a wine with such depth and complexity can come from Vermont. And it’s also versatile; in addition to our barrel-aged dry wine, we make a rosé and a nouveau-style wine from Marquette.” Their tasting room’s porch is perfect for sipping wine and taking in the vineyard views.

Wineries are just one category of the farm and food stops to discover on the Lake Champlain Tasting Trail. Click here to see what further adventure awaits.

Read the full interviews conducted as part of our Meet the Winemaker series: Patrick Barrelet | Snow Farm Vineyard, Ethan Joseph | Shelburne Vineyard, Mark Boyer | Boyer’s Orchard, and Chris Granstrom | Lincoln Peak Vineyard and Winery.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

It’s Apple Season!

Each year, autumn brings plenty of food and farm-related activities and many of them involve one of our favorite locally grown fruits– apples! Vermont is filled with amazing orchards to visit. Below are some ways you can maximize your apple harvest experience in 2019.

1. Apple Picking

Head to your favorite orchard or check out a new one. Click here for a list of pick-your-own orchards. Many also serve fresh apple cider, cider donuts, and more!

2. Party Time

Each fall, there are tons of fun harvest festivals throughout the state. This year is no exception! Peruse the list below to find one (or several!) near you:

Check DigInVT for more, as new events are added every week!

3. Learn About Vermont’s Apples

Here are a couple of events that offer a little bit of history and education, in addition to tasty fruit:

  • 19th Annual Apple & Cheese Harvest Festival at the Justin S. Morrill State Historic Site | September 29th | Celebrate Johnny Appleseed’s birthday! Make your own cider in an antique press, and taste heirloom apples, fine artisan Vermont Cheeses, Vermont ice cream, and homemade apple pie. There will also be kid’s activities, farm animals, and period games.
  • 17th Annual Heirloom Apple Days at Scott Farm Orchard | October 13th – 14th | Join Orchardist Zeke Goodband in the Apple Barn for apple lore and tasting of some of Scott Farm’s 130 varieties of heirloom apples in season. There will also be hard cider samples, food vendors, live music, kid’s activities, guided dry stone wall tours by The Stone Trust, and more!

Have you tasted Shacksbury‘s Lost and Found Cider? Shacksbury has been searching for “Lost Apples,” the apples from American’s early cider tradition, in Vermont since the fall of 2013. They’ve sampled thousands of apples, made cider from over 150 unique trees, and selected eleven varieties to propagate over 1,000 trees. From these apples, they make a unique cider with roots in the past. Visit their website to learn more!

4. Add Cheese

Nothing goes better with apples than cheese! Explore the Vermont Cheese Trail and pick up some cheddar to serve alongside your apple pie. Or attend the Fresh Cheese Making & Heirloom Apple Pairing Workshop with Rebop Farm at Scott Farm Orchard on August 31st. You’ll get to make butter, ricotta, and stretch mozzarella, and then enjoy it with different varieties of heirloom apples!

5. Don’t Forget About Cider

Many orchards serve up their own freshly pressed apple cider during the harvest season and some of them also brew their own hard cider! Check out the Vermont Cider Trail for some favorites.

Head to Cold Hollow Cider Mill on Saturday, September 28th for The 5th Annual Cider Classic! You’ll have the opportunity to sample ciders from Woodchuck Hard Cider, Stowe Cider, Citizen Cider, Windfall Orchard, Eden Cider, Shacksbury Cider, Cold Hollow, and Champlain Orchards and Cidery! In addition, enjoy live music and eats from local food trucks.

Bring your wild apples to Citizen Cider and be a part of The People’s Cider! Collect wild apples from your property and bring them to Citizen Cider’s tasting room on Pine Street in Burlington. They will press and ferment them into a delicious hard cider and then give three bottles of the finished product to each participant!

You can even learn to make your own! Join Jason MacArthur of Whetstone Ciderworks at Scott Farm Orchard for an introductory class on hard cider on October 6th. You’ll learn about apple varieties, techniques, equipment, yeast strains, fermentation, bottling and racking, and the steps that lie between fresh juice and a bottle of your own delicious homemade elixir.

6. Make a Run For It!

These fall runs make for a fun and healthy way to enjoy the cool, crisp air, and the tasty treats that await you at the finish line.

If a walk is more your style, visit Scott Farm Orchard for one of their Heirloom Orchard Walks happening on several Sundays throughout the season. 

7. Harvest Themed Dinners

Indulge in the bounty of the season by attending a harvest themed dinner filled with local ingredients. Here are just a few of what this autumn has in store:

Be sure to keep your eye out for seasonal dishes at your favorite farm-to-table eateries! For example, Smugglers’ Notch will be serving apple infused items in all of their on-resort restaurants during their annual Fall Applefest! We promise they won’t be the only ones!

8. Baked (or Fried) Apple Treats

Cider donuts have to be one of the best fall treats! Some of our favorites come from Boyer’s Orchard, Champlain Orchards, and Happy Valley Orchard, but we’re always looking to try new ones. You really can’t go wrong. We love the idea of this cider donut bread pudding from Champlain Orchards! Follow the recipe here.

Don’t forget the apple pie! Do you have a family recipe steeped in tradition? Or a new fangled concoction that’s gotten rave reviews? Enter to win a pie baking contest:

If your baking skills could use some refinement, check out King Arthur Flour’s Baking School. The September schedule is up and has several autumn pie classes.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

Celebrating 5 Years of Vermont Open Farm Week

We just celebrated the fifth anniversary of Vermont Open Farm Week and what a week it was! Farmers throughout the state worked tirelessly to provide guests with incredible, accessible experiences – and the response was fantastic!

Visitors came from near and far to find some on-farm fun. Whether farms hosted a dinner, workshop, tour or tasting – each event was successful in bringing people closer to Vermont’s working landscape and offered a unique glance into Vermont’s diverse agricultural communities. You can make every week an Open Farm Week! Use DigInVT.com to find farms open to the public and farm and food events across Vermont.

The Open Farm Week organizing committee was lucky enough to visit some first-time participant farms and a few of our old favorites.

We spoke with Across the Fence about Vermont Open Farm Week.

 

Vermont Tourism showed us the range of farms that opened their doors to visitors this year.


 

There were so many events and farms that folks could visit. Below are some of our favorite pictures of the week.

The fuzzy Llamas at Agape Hill Farm in Hardwick were ready to go for their Llama Walks.

 

The weather was perfect at Lavender Essentials of Vermont for their Lavender 5k.

lavender essentials

 

Silloway Maple brought out the kids for the pancake breakfast and of course, the petting zoo.

silloway

Open Farm Week is a collaborative statewide agritourism project organized by members of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network including City MarketDigInVT.comShelburne Farms and Farm‐Based EducationNOFA‐VTUniversity of Vermont ExtensionVermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & MarketsVermont Fresh Network and the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing. DigInVT.com is an online agritourism platform, run by a partnership of local nonprofit organizations, and virtual home to Open Farm Week. Vermont Open Farm Week is made possible by the generous support of its Premiere Sponsor, City Market/Onion River Coop & Media Sponsor, Front Porch Forum.

A huge thanks to participating farms, the Open Farm Week Organizing team and our generous sponsors for making the week a success.

 

 

Source: Dig in VT Trails

Cheesemakers Profile: Orb Weaver Creamery

Orb Weaver Farm in New Haven, VT was started by Marjorie Susman and Marian Pollack over 40 years ago. In 2018, they passed the cheesemaking aspect of the farm, Orb Weaver Creamery, to Kate Turcotte and Zack Munzer. Kate is a self professed cheese nerd and loves all types and makes of cheese. She has had her hands in curds and whey for over 10 years. Kate shares some of her background and a behind-the-scenes look at making cheese below.


How did you get started in cheesemaking?

I started making cheese at Shelburne Farms in 2007. I had just returned to UVM for my second year of college after taking some time off to work and travel. I had become focused on learning hard skills and thought cheesemaking would be a great one to add to that list. Going into it I thought it would be a part-time job for the summer, but I ended up staying at Shelburne Farms for over ten years. 

Could you talk a bit about the history of Orb Weaver cheese? 

Orb Weaver cheese is an American original developed by Marjorie Susman and Marian Pollack in the early 80’s. They are cheesemaking and dairy farmer pioneers who created a unique recipe at a time when no one was making farmhouse cheese. The goal was to have a herd of Jersey cows and make a product that would be an everyday eating cheese for their community. 35+ years later our goal is to continue this legacy and to feed our community. 

Do you have a favorite cheese?  

We make a fresh, lactic cheese for markets that I’m in love with these days. I had a vision of making something that would be a true representation of our milk. I spent all winter changing the recipe to perfect the texture and make sure that all you taste is fresh Jersey milk. These days most meals consist of fresh bread, a generous amount of this fresh cheese, and some tomatoes from our garden. 

What is a typical day of cheesemaking?  

Like many beginning farmers, I also work off the farm, so there isn’t a typical day for me. We’re also making 6-9 types of cheeses, which range from a 2-14 hour make day, so every day is a little different. My favorite days start at 4AM and end early enough that I can spend some time outside with Zack, my partner in life / business, the cows, and our two dogs. 

What comes first when developing a new cheese?  

At Orb Weaver, the first thing is the name of the cheese. We’re naming all of the new cheeses we develop after Marjorie and Marian’s original herd of cows. On their iconic label, each has a portrait of the featured cow that circles around the Orb Weaver Farm name. So far we have Frolic, Whimsey, Sultana, Ubu, and Orbit. Each cheese is a dedication to the original Orb Weaver cow and a way to tell their story. 

What is one of the most challenging aspects of being a cheesemaker? 

Making a consistent product throughout the changing seasons. There are so many things to consider, from the temperature of the cheese room, the humidity in the cave, and the components in the milk. We are also a seasonal dairy, meaning that all of our cows calve around the same time and then dry off together to have a little rest period (for the cows, farmers, and cheesemakers!). This means the milk is changing with their natural lactation cycle. Every day these factors need to be considered and the recipe changes to try and yield the same product. 

Which Vermont cheesemakers do you find inspiration from?

Too many to name them all! Marjorie and Marian are the most inspirational and planted a vision of cheesemaking when I first visited their farm in 2007. I spent two years at Consider Bardwell Farm in southern Vermont where I learned how to make cheese and native cultures from the legend Peter Dixon. He’s a master that truly knows how to combine the art and science of cheesemaking. These days I find inspiration in all of the small, farmstead cheesemakers who make incredible cheese, like Blue Ledge Farm, Sage Farm Goat Dairy, Vermont Shepherd, Lazy Lady Farm, and Woodcock Farm. 

What is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a cheesemaker in Vermont?

The cheesemaking community here is incredible. I feel like I’ve been supported by them from the first day when I was a young college student to today, being a new business owner. People are willing to share all of the tips and tricks, and there really is a sense of wanting the collective group to succeed as a whole.


The name: an orb weaver is a spider that makes delicate, symmetrical webs.  She is a metaphor for the cyclical rhythms of the farm, sowing, harvesting and enriching the soil to grow new pastures and gardens season after season.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

2018 Open Farm Week Events in Central Vermont

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH

CENTRAL

WASHINGTON

von Trapp Farmstead, Waitsfield

Feeding Pastured Pigs at the von Trapp Farmstead

Noon – 2pm | Does your family love animals?  If so come join Von Trapp Farmstead at our satellite pigville location on Marble Hill in Fayston, VT to meet our herd of 50 pasture raised, whey fed pigs! Visitors will have the opportunity to help us feed them organic Red Hen bread, veggies from the local market, “pasture bouquets”. Selfies encouraged!

Our scenic pasture has a unique view of the Mad River Valley and we will be teaching guests about pasture management, regenerative agriculture and natural pig behaviors.  While entering the paddock is not required to feed the pigs, all those who wish to enter will need to have long pants and hard shoes (our pigs are friendly but we want to make sure everyone stays clean and safe!)  

Before you leave, purchase our very own Salami and artisan cheese (cash only please), and learn about our Monthly Meat Mixer CSA, a regular supply of 12-15 lbs of beef and pasture raised, whey fed pork available for $100 per month.

 

Green Mountain Girls Farm, Northfield

Compose & Play: Regenerative Farm Supper, Tour and Concert at the Green Mountain Girls Farm

5:30pm | What happens when…farmers are also avid cooks? Farmshare members are also world class musicians? And those musicians are also composers and have friends that are similarly talented? And when the farm wraps up its 10th anniversary just as the musicians launch theirs? A celebratory gathering of course!

Farms and art grow from and towards community. Please join Green Mountain Girls Farm and Scrag Mountain Music as they honor universal interconnectedness as well as reciprocity between farmers and eaters, artists and audiences, Vermonters/Vermont appreciators and working landscapes, as well as this very special, decade-old partnership.

Step beyond the barnyard into growing season abundance. Whiff herbs crushed under your feet and touch fruits filling as their trees photosynthesize gregariously. Listen to the soundscape of the farm ecosystem. Lovingly ingest the wellness of food grown and prepared at Green Mountain Girls Farm. Dine and converse with musicians and the community of supporters. Enjoy stunning performances and be challenged to participate in Scrag Mountain Music’s signature participatory style.

A $30 ticket secures your spot (parking and seats) for farm supper/tour as well as the concert. But the concert payment will be collected at the concert. Pre-registration required.

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

 

ADDISON

Flatlander Farm, Starksboro

Flatlander Farm Summer Celebration Featuring Glass Pony

3:00 pm | Come celebrate summer at Flatlander Farm! Enjoy farm tours and live music on the lawn overlooking the animals as they graze beneath Mount Ellen and Mount Abe. Join us in celebrating our season with live music by Glass Pony and neighboring doers and makers offering their goods for purchase. This event is great for the entire family, but please leave your canine members at home. A suggested donation of $10 is welcome to help compensate the band for their art.

ORANGE

Brookfield Bees, Brookfield

Honey Tasting at Brookfield Bees

11am – 3pm | Brookfield Bees honey is unprocessed, with no heating or filtering so you get all the good things honey can provide. The farm boasts a collection of honey from across the United States and around the world, from Maine to California and Iceland to New Zealand. Visitors have an opportunity to sample honey from various locations and various floral sources. Meet the beekeeper, see an observation hive, and find out why honey from the supermarket just cannot compete.

Free Verse Farm, Chelsea

Natural Dye Workshop at Free Verse Farm

2:30 – 7pm | In this outdoor class, Susannah Taylor, owner of the natural dye textile company Earthen Warrior, will introduce you to the basics of natural dyes in a beautiful mountainside setting.

In this class, you will get to experiment with an assortment of dyes, many of them grown and harvested at Free Verse Farm, as we have recently begun a partnership with Earthen Warrior to grow natural dye plants for their ever-expanding line of sleepwear and bedding.

Dye over a fire pit amongst the flowers, herbs, butterflies, and bees, and learn all about which fibers you can use to dye and how to make a bright, saturated color that lasts. You will use flowers and dye grown on the farm, as well as exotic natural dyes, medicinal plants, and food waste. You will leave class with your own color swatches, a silk scarf, and a cotton tote.

WASHINGTON

Capitol City Farmers Market, Montpelier

8:00am – 12:00pm. | The Capital City Farmers Market showcases 60 local farmers, producers, and makers offering fresh vegetables and fruits, quality meats, specialty cheeses, artisan bread, baked goods, ethnic foods, herbs, plants, flowers, arts and crafts, honey and maple syrup…the list goes on and on. Enjoy live music, delicious food, artisan crafts, and more.

East Hill Tree Farm, Plainfield

Edible Landscaping Tour at East Hill Tree Farm

10am -12:30pm | Ripe fruit, flowers, healthy soil. These are just a few of the benefits that come when we integrate fruit trees, berry plants, and even nut trees into our gardens and landscapes. Join Nicko Rubin for a tour of East Hill Tree Farm’s extensive edible landscape plantings including, pears, plums, chestnuts, hazelnuts, hardy kiwi, seaberry, blueberry, and lots more. We will discuss strategies for the establishment and ecological maintenance of our edible landscapes; building soil health and supporting pollinators and beneficial insects.

 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH

CENTRAL

ORANGE

Brookfield Bees, Brookfield

Honey Tasting at Brookfield Bees

11am – 3pm | Brookfield Bees honey is unprocessed, with no heating or filtering so you get all the good things honey can provide. The farm boasts a collection of honey from across the United States and around the world, from Maine to California and Iceland to New Zealand. Visitors have an opportunity to sample honey from various locations and various floral sources. Meet the beekeeper, see an observation hive, and find out why honey from the supermarket just cannot compete.

WINDSOR

Earthwise Farm and Forest, Bethel

Labyrinth Walk and Pick-Your-Own Flowers at Earthwise Farm and Forest

9:30-11am | Enjoy the healing effects of walking a labyrinth at Earthwise Farm and Forest while also basking in the beauty of the annual and perennial flowers growing in between the walking paths. The morning will start with an introduction to the Labyrinth/Flower Garden, followed by an opportunity to walk the labyrinth. Participants can then harvest their own flower bouquet to take home with them. Additional bouquets are available for purchase, and the farm store will be open for additional shopping.

Earthwise Farm and Forest is a certified organic, draft-animal powered homestead farm located in Bethel, Vermont. Their mission is to grow healthy, vibrant, food and forest products for their customers and themselves by applying the principles and practices of Holistic Management, Regenerative, Biodynamic, and Organic Agriculture. They produce and sell organic raw milk, chicken, Muscovy duck, heritage turkey, grass-fed beef, garlic, vegetables, cut flowers, and non-organic (though GMO-Free) eggs, pastured pork, maple syrup, preserves, holiday wreaths, and pottery.

Educational workshops are offered at their farm throughout the calendar year covering topics that include raw dairy processing, livestock care and grazing management, homesteading, and dowsing and agriculture.

Earthwise Farm & Forest, Bethel

Earthwise Farm & Forest Diversified Farm Tour

1-3pm | Enjoy a tour of Earthwise Farm and Forest, a certified organic, draft-animal powered homestead farm located in Bethel, Vermont and hear stories about the life and love of building a relationship with the land and livestock, and providing a place where kids can interact with nature, eat healthy food, and thrive.

As part of Vermont Open Farm Week enjoy a farm tour and see their many enterprises from pastured livestock operations (cows, oxen, horses, chickens, turkeys, pigs), vegetable and flower gardens, a walking labyrinth, and the off-grid home. The tour will conclude with a farm-fresh snack at their farm store, where other farm products will be for sale. This is a walking tour; some hills included.

In-depth farm tour (2 hours, includes farm-fresh snack). Please register ahead of time (by August 9th) by calling 802-234-5524 or emailing Lmccrory560@gmail.com. $25 per person, $75 minimum.

 

 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH

ADDISON

Meeting Place Pastures, Cornwall

NOFA-VTs Celebrate Your Farmer Social

5:30-7:30pm | Enjoy farm-fresh pizza and a celebration of Meeting Place Pastures! Owned and operated by Marc and Cheryl Cesario, Meeting Place Pastures is a diversified livestock farm established in 2009. The farm contract grazes cattle, both dairy heifers and beef, for a variety of customers and markets. They also graze their sheep flock along with the cattle on 1200 certified organic acres of mixed perennial pastures. Their mission is to grow thriving relationships between the sun, grass, and community. Come and enjoy dinner baked in NOFA-VT’s wood-fired pizza oven, followed by a farm tour.

Also join us in welcoming NOFA-VT’s new Executive Director Grace Oedel to this NOFA-VT Pizza Social! Meet and learn more about Grace and what she brings to the organization.

$10 suggested donation per person. Registration is helpful but not required. 

ORANGE

Free Verse Farm, Chelsea

Herb Farm Tour and Arepas at Free Verse Farm

5-7:30pm | Enjoy a sensory tour of the fields of culinary, medicinal, and tea herbs at Free Verse Farm & Apothecary. This small hill farm grows 60 varieties of herbs that serve as the main ingredients for their line of culinary blends, herbal tea blends, and herbal remedies and body care products. On the tour, you’ll wind your way up the hillside (which features an amazing view of the village of Chelsea!) to tour the perennial and annual herb beds and learn about the farm’s ethos, growing practices, history, collaborations, and more.

After the tour, you’ll head back down the hill for iced tea (free) and homemade arepas made using locally-grown organic corn (for purchase) from the Moon & Stars Food Cart. Moon and Stars Farm is a project that connects communities through the Arepa-making process while bringing native, heritage, open-pollinated corn back to the VT landscape.

Source: Dig in VT Trails

Entertainment and Performances: Open Farm Week 2019

Have you ever been to a concert on a farm? There is nothing like kicking back listening to music or watching a movie with the summer breeze blowing, while you enjoy food grown and raised right there. Grab your friends and head out to these fun events on the farm. This Open Farm Week, bring your friends on a rural adventure to a farm where farmers and producers come together to create outstanding experiences. There’s still time to make your plans for Vermont Open Farm Week 2019!


FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH

 

Green Mountain Girls Farm, Northfield

Compose & Play: Regenerative Farm Supper, Tour and Concert at the Green Mountain Girls Farm

5:30pm | What happens when…farmers are also avid cooks? Farmshare members are also world class musicians? And those musicians are also composers and have friends that are similarly talented? And when the farm wraps up its 10th anniversary just as the musicians launch theirs? A celebratory gathering of course!

Farms and art grow from and towards community. Please join Green Mountain Girls Farm and Scrag Mountain Music as they honor universal interconnectedness as well as reciprocity between farmers and eaters, artists and audiences, Vermonters/Vermont appreciators and working landscapes, as well as this very special, decade-old partnership.

Step beyond the barnyard into growing season abundance. Whiff herbs crushed under your feet and touch fruits filling as their trees photosynthesize gregariously. Listen to the soundscape of the farm ecosystem. Lovingly ingest the wellness of food grown and prepared at Green Mountain Girls Farm. Dine and converse with musicians and the community of supporters. Enjoy stunning performances and be challenged to participate in Scrag Mountain Music’s signature participatory style.

A $30 ticket secures your spot (parking and seats) for farm supper/tour as well as the concert. But the concert payment will be collected at the concert. Pre-registration required.

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Bluegrass, Beer, and Brats: The Meatpackers and Zero Gravity at Philo Ridge Farm

5-9pm  Join us for an evening of bluegrass, beer, and brats! Local band The Meatpackers will be playing popular bluegrass hits in our Great Room from 5 to 8 PM. While you listen, enjoy a beer from Zero Gravity, who will be offering tastings and can pours throughout the evening. What goes better with beer than a bratwurst? Our kitchen will be serving a bratwurst special made with Zero Gravity beer – the perfect complement to a cold one.

Flatlander Farm, Starksboro

Flatlander Farm Summer Celebration Featuring Glass Pony

3:00 pm | Come celebrate summer at Flatlander Farm! Enjoy farm tours and live music on the lawn overlooking the animals as they graze beneath Mount Ellen and Mount Abe. Join us in celebrating our season with live music by Glass Pony and neighboring doers and makers offering their goods for purchase. This event is great for the entire family, but please leave your canine members at home. A suggested donation of $10 is welcome to help compensate the band for their art.

 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH

 

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Greenbush Jazz Duo at Philo Ridge Farm

5-7pm  Come enjoy a medley of jazz, blues, and rock inspired music from talented local musicians Cobey Gatos and John Creech! 

Headwaters Produce Farm, Hinesburg

Dinner and Movie at Headwaters Produce Farm

6pm  Enjoy a farm tour of the Headwaters Produce Farm and an on-the-farm dinner featuring handmade pies from Pie Empire followed by an outdoor screening of the new film The Biggest Little Farm. 

 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH

Green Mountain Girls Farm, Northfield

Secret Ingredients Community Film Screening at Green Mountain Girls Farm

7pm | Enjoy a free screening of the amazing documentary Secret Ingredients, a film by Jeffrey Smith and Amy Hart. It provides incredible motivation for why Green Mountain Girls farms the way they do, focused on healthy, clean food to support people’s desires for wellness, nutrition, and environmental healing. Come be inspired to eat healthy, local food and cook from great, known ingredients. Green Mountain Girls will provide the film complementary to the community.  Their organically managed popcorn, popped in our pasture-raised, organically managed lard will be available and the farmstand will be stocked with easy picnic-style dinner options for before or during the film.

RSVP is great but not required. You may RSVP to either: RSVP@EatStayFarm.com or on the event registration page.

 

 

 

Source: Dig in VT Trails

2019 Open Farm Week Events in Northern VT and the NEK

2019 Open Farm Week Events in Northern VT & the NEK

 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH

CHITTENDEN

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.

Stonecutter Spirits Garden Party at Philo Ridge Farm

4-8 pm  Local distillery Stonecutter Spirits of Middlebury, Vermont, will be serving garden inspired cocktails in our Market. Enjoy Happy Hour specials like the popular Farm Popcorn as well! 

Maple Wind Farm, Huntington

Fried Chicken Dinner at Maple Wind Farm

5:30pm  Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! Feast on a delicious fried chicken with organic salads, cornbread, and lemonade at the farm! Lawn games, a local dessert vendor, and musical talents to make your evening! Join the folks at Maple Wind Farm for a family-friendly evening. Rain or Shine. Take out is available. No dogs, please. Plenty of parking and handicapped accessible. While visiting, take a peek in at the chicken brooder. Preregistration is recommended. Adult and child plate pricing available.  

Bread and Butter Farm, Shelburne

Mozzarella Making 101 at Bread and Butter Farm

5:30-7:30pm  Join City Market on Open Creamery Day for this special Mozzarella Making 101 class, Open Farm Week edition! This class is anything but cheesy. No, really, this class is the “whey” to go!  All jokes aside, if you’re looking to up your cheese game, look no further! This class will guide participants through a recipe for making traditional mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella is a “quick” cheese, meaning participants will get to enjoy tasty samples at the end of the evening! Zero previous experience or knowledge required.  Please bring appropriate layers, footwear and bug spray as we will be spending a portion of the class outside exploring the farm!

If you are interested in driving others to this workshop or are looking for a ride, please call or e-mail Elena Palermo at 802-861-9757 or epalermo@citymarket.coop.

CALEDONIA

Hardwick Area Farmers Market, Hardwick

Atkins Field Day at the Hardwick Area Farmers Market

3-6pm | This event, combined with the weekly farmers market in Hardwick, offers opportunities to see a draft horse and learn training methods and watch demonstrations of traditional crafts such as blacksmithing, basket making, and wooden toy making. Children’s craft activities such as dry felting will be available, as will a chance for all ages to participate in a Grow Your Own cheesemaking workshop. Music, pottery and other crafts, and local foods will be for sale at the market, as well. It will be a great family fun afternoon of activity and learning. 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

CALEDONIA

Agape Hill Farm, Hardwick

Llama Trail Walks at Agape Hill Farm

10am and 2pm | Enjoy a relaxing walk leading one of Agape Hill Farm’s friendly llamas on their variety of trails. Pleasurable trails wind their way over country roads and hayfields with mountain views. Walking with llamas is a calming experience that renews one’s spirit and relaxes the mind. It is the perfect way to wind down after a busy week or to spend quality time with friends and family.

Llama walks will be hosted at 10:00am and 2:00pm only. Please plan to arrive approximately half an hour prior to the scheduled walk departure time. The cost is $20.00 per person with $5.00 off if you mention Vermont Open Farm Week or Kingdom Farm and Food Days.

Snug Valley Farm, East Hardwick

Evening Pasture Walk and Burger Night at Snug Valley Farm

5-8pm | Visit Snug Valley Farm for an evening pasture walk with the Nottermanns followed by a burger night at Snug Valley Farm & The Frozen Butcher as part of The 5th Annual Vermont Open Farm Week and Kingdom Farm & Food Days in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom! They’ll answer questions about their grazing practices, what regenerative agriculture really means, and soil health while visiting with steers, pigs, and sheep out on pasture. Afterward, join us at the farmhouse for burgers on the grill and their meat shop will be open for purchases of grass-fed beef and pasture raised pork.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

NORTH

CALEDONIA

Agape Hill Farm, Hardwick

Llama Trail Walks at Agape Hill Farm

10am and 2pm | Enjoy a relaxing walk leading one of Agape Hill Farm’s friendly llamas on their variety of trails. Pleasurable trails wind their way over country roads and hayfields with mountain views. Walking with llamas is a calming experience that renews one’s spirit and relaxes the mind. It is the perfect way to wind down after a busy week or to spend quality time with friends and family.

Llama walks will be hosted at 10:00am and 2:00pm only. Please plan to arrive approximately half an hour prior to the scheduled walk departure time. The cost is $20.00 per person with $5.00 off if you mention Vermont Open Farm Week or Kingdom Farm and Food Days. 

Snug Valley Farm, Hardwick

Evening Pasture Walk and Burger Night at Snug Valley Farm

5-8pm | Visit Snug Valley Farm for an evening pasture walk with the Nottermanns followed by a burger night at Snug Valley Farm & The Frozen Butcher as part of The 5th Annual Vermont Open Farm Week and Kingdom Farm & Food Days in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom! They’ll answer questions about their grazing practices, what regenerative agriculture really means, and soil health while visiting with steers, pigs, and sheep out on pasture. Afterward, join us at the farmhouse for burgers on the grill and their meat shop will be open for purchases of grass-fed beef and pasture raised pork.

CHITTENDEN

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.

Bring Your Own Indigo Dying Class with artist Maggie Pate at Philo Ridge Farm

10-11am  Explore indigo, the most popular of natural dyes, with talented textile artist Maggie Pate. Bring up to three items to dye in the indigo dye vat and learn about indigo as a dye material. This is a great opportunity to get creative and repurpose old items into new pieces of functional art! Tickets can be purchased on Maggie’s website.  

Natural Dye Intensive Class with artist Maggie Pate at Philo Ridge Farm

2-5pm  Learn how to turn food scraps and seasonal plants into magnificent colors in this unique dye class. Textile artist Maggie Pate will guide students in dyeing a cotton bandana, fabric swatches, silk ribbon, and wool yarn from Philo Ridge Farm sheep with everything from onion skins to fresh flowers. Students will also take home Maggie’s Natural Dyeing E-Course so they can continue their art at home. This is an incredible opportunity to explore how waste can be turned into beautiful and functional art! Tickets can be purchased on Maggie’s website. 

Bluegrass, Beer, and Brats: The Meatpackers and Zero Gravity at Philo Ridge Farm

5-9pm  Join us for an evening of bluegrass, beer, and brats! Local band The Meatpackers will be playing popular bluegrass hits in our Great Room from 5 to 8 PM. While you listen, enjoy a beer from Zero Gravity, who will be offering tastings and can pours throughout the evening. What goes better with beer than a bratwurst? Our kitchen will be serving a bratwurst special made with Zero Gravity beer – the perfect complement to a cold one.

Pitchfork Farm, Burlington

Crop Mob at Pitchfork Farm

9am – noon  Join City Market for their annual Open Farm Week Crop Mob as they help the Pitchfork crew with projects on the farm. Now’s your chance to get your hands dirty and help out around the farm with harvesting, planting, and other team projects. Light snacks will be provided.  Please come prepared with appropriate layers, sturdy shoes, work gloves, and water. 

Participants will meet at the farm at 9:00am, so if you’re interested in carpooling (either hitching a ride or offering one) please contact Mae via email at mquilty@citymarket.coop

 

ORLEANS

Lavender Essentials of Vermont, Derby

Lavender Essentials of Vermont Lavender Baking Contest

1:00pm | Show off your culinary talents by entering your favorite lavender dessert into our baking contest! Bring your best-baked goodies to be judged by our panel of culinary experts. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 winners! Grand Prize will be a $75 gift card to the Baker’s Catalogue on kingarthurflour.com & a gift basket from Lavender Essentials of Vermont, valued at $40! Be sure to bring extra servings of your dish for samples and sales!

 

Butterworks Farm, Westfield

Smoothie Stand and Farm Tours at Butterworks Farm

11am – 4pm | Visit Butterworks Farm for samples of their products and tours of the barns and fields. This is an opportunity to enjoy designer superfood smoothies made with Butterworks fine yogurt and kefir in original combinations that include local fruit and veggies. Smoothies are $5.00, tours and product samples are free.

Pete’s Greens, Craftsbury

Open Farm Tour at Pete’s Greens

11:30am | In conjunction with Kingdom Farm and Food Days and Open Farm Week, enjoy a tour of Pete’s Greens 4-season organic veggie farm in beautiful Craftsbury! Tours at 11:30am and 1:00pm. Visit the seasonal farmstand with its living roof. No registration required! For more information email: goodeats@petesgreens.com. 

Sterling College, Craftsbury

Sterling College Farm Tour

2pm | A climate emergency is among us. Founded in 1958, Sterling College is the leading voice in higher education for environmental stewardship. Sterling College is among the very first colleges in the world to focus exclusively on sustainability. Join their tour to meet the draft animals that power the farm and learn about their sustainable educational model that prepares students of all ages to address the critical issues associated with climate change.  

Cate Hill Orchard, Greensboro

Cheese Tasting and Farm Tour at Cate Hill Orchard

3:00 pm | Apples and cheese go great together—learn how this small diverse family farm incorporates these two enterprises. Take a tour of the permaculture orchard, then head to the farm store to try different sheep cheeses—both raw milk aged cheeses such as Vermanchego and Wild Mountain Tomme—as well as pasteurized fresh cheeses like Sheep Skyr and Kefiretta. The farm tour will begin at 2:00pm and last about an hour; cheese tasting at 3:00pm.

 

Source: Dig in VT Trails

2019 Open Farm Week Events in Chittenden County

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH

 

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  | Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.

Stonecutter Spirits Garden Party at Philo Ridge Farm

4-8 pm  | Local distillery Stonecutter Spirits of Middlebury, Vermont, will be serving garden inspired cocktails in our Market. Enjoy Happy Hour specials like the popular Farm Popcorn as well! 

Maple Wind Farm, Huntington

Fried Chicken Dinner at Maple Wind Farm

5:30pm  | Winner Winner Chicken Dinner! Feast on a delicious fried chicken with organic salads, cornbread, and lemonade at the farm! Lawn games, a local dessert vendor, and musical talents to make your evening! Join the folks at Maple Wind Farm for a family-friendly evening. Rain or Shine. Take out is available. No dogs, please. Plenty of parking and handicapped accessible. While visiting, take a peek in at the chicken brooder. Preregistration is recommended. Adult and child plate pricing available.  

Bread and Butter Farm, Shelburne

Mozzarella Making 101 at Bread and Butter Farm

5:30-7:30pm  | Join City Market on Open Creamery Day for this special Mozzarella Making 101 class, Open Farm Week edition! This class is anything but cheesy. No, really, this class is the “whey” to go!  All jokes aside, if you’re looking to up your cheese game, look no further! This class will guide participants through a recipe for making traditional mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella is a “quick” cheese, meaning participants will get to enjoy tasty samples at the end of the evening! Zero previous experience or knowledge required.  Please bring appropriate layers, footwear and bug spray as we will be spending a portion of the class outside exploring the farm!

If you are interested in driving others to this workshop or are looking for a ride, please call or e-mail Elena Palermo at 802-861-9757 or epalermo@citymarket.coop.

 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

 

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.

Bring Your Own Indigo Dying Class with artist Maggie Pate at Philo Ridge Farm

10-11am  | Explore indigo, the most popular of natural dyes, with talented textile artist Maggie Pate. Bring up to three items to dye in the indigo dye vat and learn about indigo as a dye material. This is a great opportunity to get creative and repurpose old items into new pieces of functional art! Tickets can be purchased on Maggie’s website.  

Natural Dye Intensive Class with artist Maggie Pate at Philo Ridge Farm

2-5pm  | Learn how to turn food scraps and seasonal plants into magnificent colors in this unique dye class. Textile artist Maggie Pate will guide students in dyeing a cotton bandana, fabric swatches, silk ribbon, and wool yarn from Philo Ridge Farm sheep with everything from onion skins to fresh flowers. Students will also take home Maggie’s Natural Dyeing E-Course so they can continue their art at home. This is an incredible opportunity to explore how waste can be turned into beautiful and functional art! Tickets can be purchased on Maggie’s website. 

Bluegrass, Beer, and Brats: The Meatpackers and Zero Gravity at Philo Ridge Farm

5-9pm  | Join us for an evening of bluegrass, beer, and brats! Local band The Meatpackers will be playing popular bluegrass hits in our Great Room from 5 to 8 PM. While you listen, enjoy a beer from Zero Gravity, who will be offering tastings and can pours throughout the evening. What goes better with beer than a bratwurst? Our kitchen will be serving a bratwurst special made with Zero Gravity beer – the perfect complement to a cold one.

Pitchfork Farm, Burlington

Crop Mob at Pitchfork Farm

9am – noon  | Join City Market for their annual Open Farm Week Crop Mob as they help the Pitchfork crew with projects on the farm. Now’s your chance to get your hands dirty and help out around the farm with harvesting, planting, and other team projects. Light snacks will be provided.  Please come prepared with appropriate layers, sturdy shoes, work gloves, and water. 

Participants will meet at the farm at 9:00am, so if you’re interested in carpooling (either hitching a ride or offering one) please contact Mae via email at mquilty@citymarket.coop

 

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.  

Family Activities in the Pack Barn at Philo Ridge Farm

9:30-11:30am  | Bring your family to Philo Ridge Farm for a fun and educational morning! Children of all ages are welcome to participate in educational activities and crafts in our Pack Barn. At 10:30 AM, local author Christy Mihaly will be giving a reading of her children’s book, Hey, Hey, Hay!

 

MONDAY, AUGUST 12TH

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.  

TUESDAY, AUGUST 13TH

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.  

 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.  

Greenbush Jazz Duo at Philo Ridge Farm

5-7pm  | Come enjoy a medley of jazz, blues, and rock inspired music from talented local musicians Cobey Gatos and John Creech! 

Headwaters Produce Farm, Hinesburg

Dinner and Movie at Headwaters Produce Farm

6pm  | Enjoy a farm tour of the Headwaters Produce Farm and an on-the-farm dinner featuring handmade pies from Pie Empire followed by an outdoor screening of the new film The Biggest Little Farm. 

 

THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH

Trillium Hill Farm, Hinesburg

Trillium Hill Farm Run & Burger Night

6-9:30pm  | Join Trillium Hill Farmers on a guided running tour of this Hinesburg hill farm. The run will take us through meadows and forests, past the historic sugarhouse, into the market garden, through a hoop house. Run on gravel farm roads, forest paths, and some single track. Pleasant views of hills and valleys. After the run, we will serve a farm produced meal of hamburgers and salad (veggie burger available upon request). Live music from The Insiders Band.  Please register in advance for this event. $25.00 adults, $15.00 kids.

Philo Ridge Farm, Charlotte

Farm Tour Philo Ridge Farm

10am and 4pm  Free farm tours twice daily! Come for a free guided tour of Philo Ridge Farm and learn about our regenerative agriculture practices, including rotational grazing, high rotation vegetable growing, and the importance of compost. Meet at the old farm stand at 10 AM for the morning session or 4 PM for the afternoon session. Children and families are welcome.  

 

Source: Dig in VT Trails

Learn Something New: Open Farm Week 2019

Cheesemaking, using natural dyes, maple syrup, cider, the list goes on and on.  During Open Farm Week 2019, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how our farmers and food producers grow food and make products from our working landscape.  Go behind the scenes, join a workshop or take a class. Learning something new and seeing something for the first time is exciting and makes Vermont Open Farm week a can’t miss event.


 

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9TH

von Trapp Farmstead – Fayston

Feeding Pastured Pigs at the von Trapp Farmstead

Does your family love animals?  If so come join von Trapp Farmstead at our satellite pigville location on Marble Hill in Fayston, VT to meet our herd of 50 pasture raised, whey fed pigs! Visitors will have the opportunity to help us feed them organic Red Hen bread, veggies from the local market, “pasture bouquets.” Selfies encouraged!

Our scenic pasture has a unique view of the Mad River Valley and we will be teaching guests about pasture management, regenerative agriculture and natural pig behaviors.  While entering the paddock is not required to feed the pigs, all those who wish to enter will need to have long pants and hard shoes (our pigs are friendly but we want to make sure everyone stays clean and safe!)  

Noon – 2:00pm

Rebop Farm – Brattleboro

Rebop Farm Chore Tour

Join Rebop Farm on their daily rounds to feed calves, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, pigs and more, move the fence for sheep, rotate cow pasture, watch bees collect pollen and nectar, and meet all the wonderful animals and farmers! Sturdy shoes, a hat, a water bottle, and a camera are suggested; footing can be uneven.

5:00pm – 6:00pm

Bread and Butter Farm – Shelburne

Mozzarella Making 101 at Bread and Butter Farm

Join City Market on Open Creamery Day for this special Mozzarella Making 101 class, Open Farm Week edition! This class is anything but cheesy. No, really, this class is the “whey” to go! This class will guide participants through a recipe for making traditional mozzarella cheese. Mozzarella is a “quick” cheese, meaning participants will get to enjoy tasty samples at the end of the evening! Zero previous experience or knowledge required. This class will take place at Bread and Butter Farm in Shelburne and will be led by Phoebe Tucker, an educator, artist, and enjoyer of all things dairy. Please bring appropriate layers, footwear and bug spray as we will be spending a portion of the class outside exploring the farm!

If you are interested in driving others to this workshop or are looking for a ride, please call or e-mail Elena Palermo at 802-861-9757 or epalermo@citymarket.coop.

5:30pm – 7:30pm


 

SATURDAY, AUGUST 10TH

Philo Ridge Farm – Charlotte

Bring Your Own Indigo Dying Class with artist Maggie Pate 

Explore indigo, the most popular of natural dyes, with talented textile artist Maggie Pate. Bring up to three items to dye in the indigo dye vat and learn about indigo as a dye material. This is a great opportunity to get creative and repurpose old items into new pieces of functional art! Tickets can be purchased on Maggie’s website.

10:00am – 11:00am

Philo Ridge Farm – Charlotte

Natural Dye Intensive Class with artist Maggie Pate 

Learn how to turn food scraps and seasonal plants into magnificent colors in this unique dye class. Textile artist Maggie Pate will guide students in dyeing a cotton bandana, fabric swatches, silk ribbon, and wool yarn from Philo Ridge Farm sheep with everything from onion skins to fresh flowers. Students will also take home Maggie’s Natural Dyeing E-Course so they can continue their art at home. This is an incredible opportunity to explore how waste can be turned into beautiful and functional art! Tickets can be purchased on Maggie’s website.

2:00pm – 5:00pm 

East Hill Tree Farm – Plainfield

Edible Landscaping Tour at East Hill Tree Farm

Ripe fruit, flowers, healthy soil. These are just a few of the benefits that come when we integrate fruit trees, berry plants, and even nut trees into our gardens and landscapes. Join Nicko Rubin for a tour of East Hill Tree Farm’s extensive edible landscape plantings including, pears, plums, chestnuts, hazelnuts, hardy kiwi, seaberry, blueberry, and lots more. We will discuss strategies for the establishment and ecological maintenance of our edible landscapes; building soil health and supporting pollinators and beneficial insects.

3499 E Hill Rd

Plainfield, VT 05667 

10:00am – 12:30pm

Scott Farm Orchard  – Dummerston

Orchard Stroll at Scott Farm Orchard and Market

Join Orchardist Zeke Goodband for an informative and entertaining stroll through our heirloom orchards, otherwise not open to the public, to learn about the history of Scott Farm’s heirloom fruits, orchard ecology, how grafting was used to create the orchard, and to scout for pests and discuss how we manage them. The Orchard Strolls are part of Vermont’s 5th Annual Open Farm Week, a celebration of Vermont farms offering visitors a backstage pass to learn more about local food origins, authentic agritourism experiences, and the chance to build relationships with farmers.  No charge and no need to register for the strolls, please plan to gather in the parking area near the farm market. The guided tour starts at 10:00am and lasts about an hour.

707 Kipling Rd

Dummerston, VT 05301 

10:00am – 11:00am

Brookfield Bees – Brookfield

Honey Tasting at Brookfield Bees

Brookfield Bees honey is unprocessed, with no heating or filtering so you get all the good things honey can provide. The farm boasts a collection of honey from across the United States and around the world, from Maine to California and Iceland to New Zealand. Visitors have an opportunity to sample honey from various locations and various floral sources. Meet the beekeeper, see an observation hive, and find out why honey from the supermarket just cannot compete.

1148 Kibbee Road

Brookfield, VT 05036 

11:00am – 3:00pm

Sterling College – Craftsbury

Sterling College Farm Tour

A climate emergency is among us. Founded in 1958, Sterling College is the leading voice in higher education for environmental stewardship. Sterling College is among the very first colleges in the world to focus exclusively on sustainability. Join their tour to meet the draft animals that power the farm and learn about their sustainable educational model that prepares students of all ages to address the critical issues associated with climate change.

16 Sterling Dr

Craftsbury, VT 05826 

2:00pm

Free Verse Farm – Chelsea

Natural Dye Workshop at Free Verse Farm

In this outdoor class, Susannah Taylor, owner of the natural dye textile company Earthen Warrior, will introduce you to the basics of natural dyes in a beautiful mountainside setting. Experiment with an assortment of dyes, many of them grown and harvested at Free Verse Farm, as we have recently begun a partnership with Earthen Warrior to grow natural dye plants for their ever-expanding line of sleepwear and bedding. Dye over a fire pit amongst the flowers, herbs, butterflies, and bees, and learn all about which fibers you can use to dye and how to make a bright, saturated color that lasts. You will use flowers and dye grown on the farm, as well as exotic natural dyes, medicinal plants, and food waste. You will leave class with your own color swatches, a silk scarf, and a cotton tote.

34 Baraw Hill Rd

Chelsea, VT 05038

2:30pm – 7:00pm

SUNDAY, AUGUST 11TH

Hi Vue Maples – Richford

Slow Birding With the Bird Diva at Hi Vue Maples

Bird Diva Bridget Butler will share the practice of Slow Birding and how you can awaken your innate birding skills and reconnect with nature. She’ll share a variety of techniques that will help you look at birds, listen to them, and interpret their behavior that will not only build your skills as a naturalist but will provide you with a practice that will allow you to slow down and reconnect with the natural world. This field session will include a mini-workshop on skill-building to improve your observational skills followed by a group sit-spot session and debrief. The group will capture observations during the sit and then regroup to map experiences and share stories of what was observed. Slow Birding will wrap up with a discussion about how the sit-spot practice can be used at home and how to continue creating a deeper connection with birds and place.

The event host, Jessica Boone, owner of Hi Vue Maples, will provide coffee and an early morning treat. Her family has been working with their land for over 100 years and 5 generations. Jessica was one of the first sugarmakers to obtain Audubon Vermont’s Bird-Friendly Maple Certification and is a part of the Cold Hollow to Canada Woodlots program focused on keeping working forests healthy and connected.

Space is limited and registration is required. Participants are encouraged to dress for the weather and for being still for a period of time, to bring a notebook, water, and a comfortable, portable chair or pad to sit on. Participants should be prepared for slightly hilly terrain at a slow nature lover’s pace and should bring a water bottle and binoculars. Bridget will have binoculars for participants without them.

224 Stevens Mills Slide Rd

Richford, VT 05476 

7:00am

Scott Farm Orchard – Dummerston

Orchard Stroll at Scott Farm Orchard and Market

Join Orchardist Zeke Goodband for an informative and entertaining stroll through our heirloom orchards, otherwise not open to the public, to learn about the history of Scott Farm’s heirloom fruits, orchard ecology, how grafting was used to create the orchard, and to scout for pests and discuss how we manage them. The Orchard Strolls are part of Vermont’s 5th Annual Open Farm Week, a celebration of Vermont farms offering visitors a backstage pass to learn more about local food origins, authentic agritourism experiences, and the chance to build relationships with farmers.  No charge and no need to register for the strolls, please plan to gather in the parking area near the farm market. The guided tour starts at 10:00am and lasts about an hour.

707 Kipling Rd

Dummerston, VT 05301 

10:00am – 11:00am

Pigasus Meats – South Hero

Pigasus Meats Farm Tour

Pigasus Meats is a diversified pork and laying hen operation run by Kelsey and Phelan O’Connor. Pigasus sells their pork and eggs from an on-farm stand, at the Wednesday South Hero Farmers Market, the Burlington Farmers Market, and through wholesale channels. They raise animals in a way that benefits the ecosystem of their farm, in addition to providing a natural and humane environment.  

Join them for a farmer-led tour showcasing their unique hog grazing style and mobile layer hen operations. They will discuss forage management, animal husbandry, and any other topics guests may wish to discuss. Tours will be hosted at 11:00am and 3:00pm and will last about an hour.

20 E Shore Rd

South Hero, VT 05486 

11am – noon

Brookfield Bees – Brookfield

Honey Tasting at Brookfield Bees

Brookfield Bees honey is unprocessed, with no heating or filtering so you get all the good things honey can provide. The farm boasts a collection of honey from across the United States and around the world, from Maine to California and Iceland to New Zealand. Visitors have an opportunity to sample honey from various locations and various floral sources. Meet the beekeeper, see an observation hive, and find out why honey from the supermarket just cannot compete.

1148 Kibbee Road

Brookfield, VT 05036 

11am – 3pm

Earthwise Farm – Bethel

Earthwise Farm & Forest Diversified Farm Tour

Enjoy a tour of Earthwise Farm and Forest, a certified organic, draft-animal powered homestead farm located in Bethel, Vermont and hear stories about the life and love of building a relationship with the land and livestock, and providing a place where kids can interact with nature, eat healthy food, and thrive.

As a diversified, (partially) off-grid homestead farm, the farmers of Earthwise produce the meat, milk, eggs, vegetables and maple syrup that they need to sustain themselves while also feeding the broader community. By keeping their enterprises small, they are able to maintain an intimate connection to the land and animals in a way that nurtures the whole farm organism, providing a landscape that is vibrant, abundant and inviting for all to enjoy.

As part of Vermont Open Farm Week enjoy a farm tour and see their many enterprises from pastured livestock operations (cows, oxen, horses, chickens, turkeys, pigs), vegetable and flower gardens, a walking labyrinth, and the off-grid home. The tour will conclude with a farm-fresh snack at their farm store, where other farm products will be for sale. This is a walking tour; some hills included.

In-depth farm tour (2 hours, includes farm-fresh snack). Please register ahead of time (by August 9th) by calling 802-234-5524 or emailing Lmccrory560@gmail.com. $25 per person, $75 minimum.

341 McIntosh Hill Rd

Bethel, VT 05032 

1-3pm


MONDAY, AUGUST 12TH

Lavender Essentials of Vermont – Derby

Lavender Tea Blending Class at Lavender Essentials of Vermont

Create your own tea blend from the native plants you will collect around the lavender farm. Explore the lavender fields, hilly meadows, and woodland areas collecting lavender and other herbs to blend into your own tea! Learn about the edible trees, bushes, and plants that are native to our area.

For generations, Vermonters have used their knowledge and skills to find edible plants used for food and medicine. Come learn what is edible in your own backyard!

Finish the class with a cup of your own hand-made custom creation!

Please pre-register on the Vermont Lavender Essentials website, or message us for a registration form. $20 per person

2103 Herrick Rd

Derby, VT 05829 

5:30pm


TUESDAY, AUGUST 13TH

Smokey House Center – Danby

Community Work Day and Tour Featuring Children’s Education Garden Activities at Smokey House Center

Smokey House Center Community Farm Project is growing food with and for the local community. Join them for their weekly scheduled Community Work Day from 9-11am for cultivation fun in the fields. In addition to Community Work Day hours, they will have garden activities planned for children in their Education Garden from 9:30-11am. Explore veggie life, hold a chicken, practice garden yoga and explore plant wonders. An informal tour of Smokey House Center will begin at 11 am. Visit their 5,000-acre land-base and learn about their Community Farm Project. No pre-registration is necessary. Gloves, tools and instruction will be provided for Community Work Hours. For more information please contact Jamie Lombardo- Jamie@smokeyhouse.org. 

426 Danby Mountain Rd

Danby, VT 05739 

9am – Noon

High Mowing Organic Seeds  – Wolcott

Variety Trials & Seed Production Field Tour  

High Mowing will be opening the farm for an evening walk through the trials gardens and seed production farm, giving participants a behind the scenes look at what it takes to identify new varieties and produce seed for an organic seed company. 

High Mowing Organic Seeds began in 1996 with just 28 varieties, many of which originated in founder Tom Stearns’ backyard in northern Vermont. Since then, the company has grown exponentially, and what started as a one-man operation is now a thriving business making available to home gardeners and commercial growers over 600 heirloom, open-pollinated and hybrid varieties of vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seed. True to their roots, High Mowing Organic Seeds continues to source many of the varieties they sell directly from independent, passionate organic seed farmers, including from the 40-acre working farm owned and operated by Tom Stearns in Hyde Park, Vermont.

567 McFarlane Rd

Hyde Park, VT 05655 

4-6:30 pm


WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH

Rebop Farm – Brattleboro

Cheesemaking in the Farm Kitchen 

This hands-on cheese making class using Rebop Farm’s raw cow’s milk is designed to be useful for adventurous home cooks and folks that want to buy directly from farmers! You’ll make butter, ricotta, and mozzarella, and crème fraîche or yogurt if time permits.

Please register by emailing the farm (rebopfarm@gmail.com), by 12:00pm on Wednesday, August 14th. $30.00 – $35.00 per person sliding scale.

1320 Sunset Lake Rd

Brattleboro, VT 05301 

4-6pm

Free Verse Farm – Chelsea

Herb Farm Tour and Arepas at Free Verse Farm

Enjoy a sensory tour of the fields of culinary, medicinal, and tea herbs at Free Verse Farm & Apothecary. This small hill farm grows 60 varieties of herbs that serve as the main ingredients for their line of culinary blends, herbal tea blends, and herbal remedies and body care products. On the tour, you’ll wind your way up the hillside (which features an amazing view of the village of Chelsea!) to tour the perennial and annual herb beds and learn about the farm’s ethos, growing practices, history, collaborations, and more.

After the tour, you’ll head back down the hill for iced tea (free) and homemade arepas made using locally-grown organic corn (for purchase) from the Moon & Stars Food Cart. Moon and Stars Farm is a project that connects communities through the Arepa-making process while bringing native, heritage, open-pollinated corn back to the VT landscape.

$5.00 suggested donation per person. All ages welcome!

34 Baraw Hill Rd

Chelsea, VT 05038 

5-7:30pm


THURSDAY, AUGUST 15TH

Smokey House Center – Danby

Fundamentals of Herbalism with Bruce Ketcham 

Have you ever wondered what a tincture is or a decoction or what the difference is between an essential oil and an infused oil?  If so, come and join us as we explore the fundamentals of herbalism at Smokey House Center. We’ll learn how to identify some common medicinal plants that grow abundantly in our backyard and how to make them into tinctures, infused oils, and decoctions! 

No pre-registration required. For more information, email Jamie@smokeyhouse.org. Sliding scale suggested donation of $5-15.

426 Danby Mountain Rd

Danby, VT 05739 

5:30pm

Green Mountain Girls Farm – Northfield

Renew & Restore: Regenerative Farm Pick-Your-Own Herbs & Tour 

What if I could get just the amount of culinary herbs I need? Would my cooking and health benefit if I knew more about herbs? How do herbs benefit garden crops and the orchard understory? What if we farmed and ate with renewal, restoration, and resilience as our bottom line? 

Whether you are trying to strengthen your connection between farmer and cook, garden and plate, or just learn more about how regenerative farms tap and enhance interconnectedness, join Green Mountain Girls Farm for an herb-focused farm tour ($10/person, launching at 4:00pm and 5:00pm) and/or enjoy the pick your own herb garden ($2/bunch). Shop, compare recipes, and converse with farmers, regenetarians, and others in the farmstand, filled with products grown in ways that are both good for us and the planet. Be part of the regenerative farming and eating movement. Create change while you learn and make memories as well as stock up for the week!

There is no advanced registration required for this event.

923 Loop Rd

Northfield, VT 05663 

3:30-6pm

Black Dirt Farm – Stannard

Worm Castings and Compost Tea Workshops 

Join us at Black Dirt Farm for an afternoon of educational workshops and a farm tour. Come at 3:00pm for a Worm Castings 101 Workshop, led by Tom Gilbert, owner of Black Dirt Farm and Brenden Beer, co-owner of Wilson Herb Farm and Cannabis Consultant at Ecopoesis LLC. At 4:00pm, get your hands dirty at a Compost Tea Workshop, led by Brenden. At 5:00pm, take an evening stroll on our Farm Tour with Tom and learn about our approach to resources conservation and regenerative agriculture! After the tour, join us in the backyard for live music and good eats. BYOB.

RSVP to info@blackdirtfarm.com appreciated but not required. Bring your own container if you’d like to take some worm casting tea home with you at the end of the night.

3:30-8pm

Last Resort Farm – Monkton

Pizza Dinner and Garlic Braiding Workshop 

Visit Last Resort Farm for a Garlic Braiding Workshop and Pizza Dinner! Learn to create your own beautiful garlic braid for yourself or to give as a gift. A local pizza maker will provide a yummy flatbread dinner made with Last Resort veggies. Visitors may also take an informal tour of the farm.

Pizza dinner costs to be determined. Braiding workshop cost is $30.00 per person, which includes instruction and materials for full-sized braid.; $15.00 for kid’s size. Farm tours are free.

5-7pm

Green Mountain Girls Farm – Northfield

Secret Ingredients Community Film Screening 

As part of Open Farm Week, enjoy a free screening of the amazing documentary Secret Ingredients, a film by Jeffrey Smith and Amy Hart. It provides incredible motivation for why Green Mountain Girls farms the way they do, focused on healthy, clean food to support people’s desires for wellness, nutrition, and environmental healing. Come be inspired to eat healthy, local food and cook from great, known ingredients. Green Mountain Girls will provide the film complementary to the community.  Their organically managed popcorn, popped in our pasture-raised, organically managed lard will be available and the farmstand will be stocked with easy picnic-style dinner options for before or during the film.

RSVP is great but not required. You may RSVP to either: RSVP@EatStayFarm.com or on the event registration page: https://green-mountain-girls-farm.square.site/

923 Loop Rd

Northfield, VT 05663 

7pm

Crossmolina Farm – Corinth

Full Moon Farmer Yoga 

Join Anne Bergeron of Crossmolina Farm under the full August moon for an all levels Outdoor Yoga Practice in celebration of Vermont Open Farm Week! The class is free and open to adults, teens, and children of all ages and ranges of experience with Yoga. The practice will place a special emphasis on poses for farmers and gardeners that soothe the lower back and open the upper body, shoulders, and neck.

Crossmolina Farm is a diversified, family-run farm located in West Corinth, Vermont that raises pastured poultry, Icelandic Sheep, and a wide variety of vegetables using intensive market-gardening techniques. On Saturday evenings in the summer they offer pizza and local acoustic music in a beautiful setting.

8:30pm

Source: Dig in VT Trails