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Halloween Happenings

October is one of our favorite months here at DigInVT. There’s an abundance of freshly harvested local veggies and meats to enjoy, the mountains all bright reds, oranges, and yellows. Pumpkins dot the hillsides and flicker on front porches, and the smell of wood smoke and just baked apple pie is in the air. But that’s not all — we also get excited for all the fun ways to celebrate Halloween in Vermont!

Below are just a few options to get in the spooky spirit for Halloween.

Eat, Drink, and Be Scary

From dance parties to murder mystery dinners, Halloween is not just for kids.

Family Fun

Below are some great activities to do with the kids!

Indulge in Local Sweets

It’s the perfect season to treat yourself or your loved ones to something sweet! Our pick would be the Spiced Pumpkin Truffles from Lake Champlain Chocolates. Attend a tasting…

…Or simply stop by to taste and shop.

Run If You Dare

Check out this list of 10 Spooktacular Races for Halloween from Vermont Sports! There are options in Burlington, Danville, Essex, Newport, Rutland, Bennington, Craftsbury, Norwich, and Warren. Find one near you. 

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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Celebrate the Harvest with Vermont Caterers

We love cooking at this time of year.  We love celebrating the season with Vermont’s caterers.  Whether you’re cooking at home, bringing a dish to a small gathering of friends or hosting a party, be sure to enjoy the pleasures of local food. Vermont Fresh Network member caterers have provided some tips and recipes to get you cooking. And if there are some things you just aren’t going to cook for yourself, the Vermont Fresh Network has you covered with creative and talented caterers who always know how to celebrate the harvest.

Artisan Eats – Windsor

Artisan Eats caters year round and also has a retail space from May to October. Most of their ingredients are sourced from within a 25 mile radius of their location.  Owner Jennifer Williams had this to say about the fall harvest… “Autumn is my favorite! As most people start their wood stoves, I keep the oven running a little warmer than usual! The smells and the colors, but most importantly, the FLAVORS are flowing around this kitchen all day! The warming, spiced herbs that we all love. Cinnamon, cardamom, maple syrup, oregano dried from the garden and roasted squash. Mixing squash and apples with hints of coffee and onions, I know weird, but still my favorite. I few years ago, I learned about squash soup. Not just any squash soup, but pureed, full of herbs, pure deliciousness. You can pretty much put all the fall things into one pot, cook it down and puree it. No matter the combination, it is always simple and so satisfyingly tasty.”

Artisan Eats’ Squash Soup

Ingredients

2 pounds of your favorite squash, peeled and diced.

4 cups vegetable broth or water. 

1 onion, diced. 

3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped. 

1 apple or pear, leave peel on and chop

2 T maple syrup  

1 T brewed coffee. 

2 t oregano, 2 t thyme, 1 t rosemary

1 t salt & 1 t pepper

Directions: You can use a crock pot or a stove top. Either way, add all the ingredients, cook until the squash is soft. Using an immersion blender or a blender, puree and serve HOT!! 

Sugarsnap Catering – Burlington

Owner Abbey Duke started Sugarsnap in 2003 with the intention of having a farm to table catering company.  There aren’t many caterers that have their own farm, but that is what you’ll find here. Vermont Fresh Network “Gold Barn” Member Sugarsnap Catering is a full service catering company that operates its own 3 acre farm in Burlington’s Intervale. 

Sugarsnap600x359

Kale Orange Sesame Salad 

Ingredients

2 bunches of kale, stripped off of stems and blanched in salted water and chopped

1 red pepper, cut in julienne strips 

2 oranges, segments cut in supremes

2 oz sliced, toasted almonds

1 oz sesame seeds, toasted 

1 tbsp brewed coffee. 

2 tsp oregano, 2 tsp thyme, 1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp salt & 1 tsp pepper

Directions: Mix all of this together

Dressing

2 oz sesame oil 

8 oz orange juice

2 oz lime juice

1 garlic clove 

2 oz soy sauce 

Directions: Blend on high for 1 minute. Dress salad. Add salt and pepper as needed.

  

University of Vermont  – Burlington

Did you know UVM also caterers events with their event services department?  Students and lucky visitors to Vermont Fresh network “Gold Barn” Member, UVM can enjoy farm fresh and seasonal food from the culinary team.  UVM Chef Sara Langan shared her Roasted Pepper Panzenella Salad with us.

UVM 600x359

Roasted Pepper Panzanella

Ingredients

4 large red or orange bell peppers (about 2 lb.)

8 tbs olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

¼ tsp  crushed red pepper flakes

2 tbsp fresh oregano and savory leaves, divided

½ loaf country-style bread (about 12 oz.), torn into pieces

1 ounce thinly sliced spicy salumi (such as soppressata)

4 ounces fresh mozzarella, preferably buffalo, torn into pieces

Directions

  • Preheat broiler. Toss bell peppers and 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Broil the peppers, turning occasionally, until skins are blackened in spots and blistered all over, 10–12 minutes. Transfer peppers to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400°.
  • Peel and seed peppers; cut into 2” strips. Toss peppers in a clean large bowl with onion, garlic, vinegar, red pepper flakes, 1 Tbsp. herbs, and 4 Tbsp. oil; set aside.
  • Toss bread and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil on a clean baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing occasionally, until crisp on the outside but still chewy in the center, 8–10 minutes. Let croutons cool.
  • Toss pepper mixture, salumi, and croutons in a large bowl. Arrange on a platter with cheese; top with remaining 1 Tbsp. herbs.

 

Enjoy!

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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Fall Vermont Wine Dinner Series

In March 2018, the Vermont Fresh Network coordinated the first ever Vermont Wine Week. This year, they’re planning something a little different– a Fall Wine Dinner Series. Some events have already taken place, but there are several coming up in late October and early November. Stay tuned for more details and be sure to put these on your calendar!

Saturday, October 19th: Snow Farm Vineyard and Chef Denise Boutin of My Kids Kitchen team up to offer a Harvest Wine Pairing Dinner in the indoor event space at the Vineyard in South Hero. Click here to view the menu, which will feature Vermont produce and meats. Each course will be paired with one of Snow Farm’s locally grown wines and Winemaker Patrick Barrelet will be in attendance to speak about the winemaking process. By reservation only. Please call 802-324-5563 to hold your spot. $74.95/person (includes five courses and wine pairings).

Monday, November 4th: Honey Road and Shelburne Vineyard collaborate for an Eastern Mediterranean dinner paired with Iapetus wines. Winemaker Ethan Joseph will be there during dinner service to share his experiences in winemaking, pairing wines with food, and the creation of his own innovative label that focuses on the continued learning, development, and appreciation of wine growing in Vermont.

Tuesday, November 5th: Dedalus and Iapetus Wine, a project of Shelburne Vineyard, partner to offer a wine pairing dinner. More details to be announced.

Wednesday, November 6th: Hotel Vermont will feature local wine pairings. More details to be announced.

Saturday, November 9th: Black Krim Tavern and Montview Vineyard team up for a wine pairing dinner. More details to be announced.

Past Events:

Sunday, September 22nd: Honey Road and Co Cellars present a dinner at 18 Elm. Chef Cara & her team at Honey Road will prepare and delight your senses with a family style Eastern Mediterranean feast served in the courtyard of 18 Elm, Waterbury. ZAFA wine producer Krista Scruggs and Grace Meyer of Co Cellars will pair and pour wine and cider throughout dinner. 

Saturday, September 14th: Join the Black Lantern Inn and the Vermont Fresh Network for a celebration dinner and bluegrass music on the porch honoring The Parsons’ Farm and their 100 years of farming. Appetizers, cocktails, and a five-course meal featuring lamb from The Parsons’ Farm, organic wine pairings from Montpelier Vineyards, and local produce, meats, and cheeses from other nearby farms.

Photo: Dedalus Wine

Source: Dig in VT Trails

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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

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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

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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

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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 Market, DigInVT.com, Shelburne Farms and Farm‐Based Education, NOFA‐VT, University of Vermont Extension, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, Vermont 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