Cheesemaking, herbal medicine, maple syrup, cranberries, cider, the list goes on and on. During Open Farm Week 2018, 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.
Monday, August 13th
Bread & Butter Farm, Shelburne
Mozzarella Making 101
6:00 pm |Join Bread & Butter Farm for the second round of Mozzarella Making during Vermont Open Farm Week! 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! During the class, participants will be guided 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 thing dairy. 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 orepalermo@citymarket.coop.
Must register in advance at through City Market.
North Meadow Farm, Manchester Center
Cheese and Farm Tour
10:00 am – 5:00 pm |Stop in between 10 am and 5 pm to tour the farm and cheese make room and see where cheese making starts and ends. $10 minimum suggested donation.
Smokey House Center, Danby
Herbal Farm Medicine
5:30 pm- 7:30 pm | Join Bruce Ketcham along with the Smokey House Center Farm staff in an herbal farm medicine workshop. The basics of foraged plant medicine will be covered with an opportunity to make a salve for farm cracked hands, topical itch spray and/or poultice and rejuvenating tea blend. The emphasis in this workshop is to use the wild plants around the cultivated community farm to make remedies that help with outdoor activities. Cost to Attend is Sliding Scale, $5- $15. No Pre-Registration Required.
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co., South Woodstock
Samples and Cheese Making Demo
10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Visit the Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. farm and enjoy cheese samples while watching the cheesemakers. Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. has been making cheese since 2011. The farm has a mixed herd of registered Holsteins, Jerseys, Ayrshires, and Brown Swiss.
Tuesday, August 14th
Jed’s Maple Products, Derby
Sugarwalk Tour
10:00 am | Take an easy walk through the woods and learn about the organic principles used by Jed’s Maple Products and learn about their connection to the Audubon Vermont Bird-Friendly Maple Project.
Vermont Cranberry Company, East Fairfield
Cranberry Bog tours and Bobbers Seafood truck
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm | This is Vermont Cranberry Company’s first time participating in Open Farm Week. Go behind the scenes with a tour of their working Vermont cranberry bog and processing center, and buy delicious seafood from Bobbers Fresh Seafood Truck!
Wednesday, August 15th
Free Verse Farm and Apothecary, Chelsea
Herb Farm Tour & Tea Tasting
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Enjoy a sensory tour of the perennial herb beds as well as of the herb drying and processing area. You’ll learn about Free Verse Farm and Apothecary’s farming practices (including their ethos, planting methods, and tools) and get introduced to the wide variety of herbs that are grown for their ever-growing line of products.
Last Resort Farm, Monkton
Garlic Braiding Workshop
10:00 am – 12:00 pm | Learn to create your own beautiful garlic braid for yourself or to give as a gift. More information at www.LastResortFarm.com.
Cobb Hill Cohousing and Cedar Mountain Farm, Hartland
Open House at Cobb Hill Cohousing and Cedar Mountain Farm
4:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Stop on by to say hi, have a tour of an eco-village, see how we grow shiitake mushrooms, pet an Icelandic lamb or Jersey calf, see the Fjord draft horses, check for eggs in the chicken coop, and taste cheese and maple syrup. Taco’s Tacos from nearby New Hampshire will be on-site with a food truck and delicious tacos featuring Cedar Mountain Farm beef and veggies.
Rebop Farm, Brattleboro
Cheesemaking in the Farm Kitchen
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm | Learn how to make butter, ricotta and mozzarella. Stop in for a hands-on cheesemaking class using Rebop’s own raw cow milk. Designed to be useful for adventurous home cooks and folks that want to play with milk science!
Smokey House Center, Danby
Blueberry Jam & Potluck
2:00 pm- 7:30 pm | Join the crew at Smokey House Center in their u-pick blueberry field, where you’ll pick berries from 2:00 pm -3:00 pm and then take them to the conference barn kitchen. Guided by Luna Collins, you’ll learn how to make your very own blueberry jam! An informal mid-summer potluck accompanied by local music will commence post jam-workshop. Visit for a part of the afternoon/evening or stay for it all. Potluck and music from 5:00 pm – 7:30 pm. You must pay for your blueberries by weight at the farmstead. Sliding scale donation is suggested for the blueberry jam making $5-$15.
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co., South Woodstock
Samples and Cheese Making Demo
10:00 am – 1:00 pm | | Visit the Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. farm and enjoy cheese samples while watching the cheesemakers. Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. has been making cheese since 2011. The farm has a mixed herd of registered Holsteins, Jerseys, Ayrshires, and Brown Swiss.
Thursday, August 16th
East Hill Tree Farm, Plainfield
Lessons from the Masters
10:30 am – 12:00 pm | Come see how we have worked to incorporate concepts from ‘The Lean Farm’, ‘The Market Gardener’, ‘The Holistic Orchard’ and others into our organic nursery business and homestead. The workshop will include tour and discussion of various elements on the farm, come prepared to be outside.
Four Springs Farm, Royalton
Mint Tour of the Farm
4:00 pm ‐ 5:00 pm | Four Springs Farm is a beautiful property with views, streams, fields, bridges and paths. Come join Jinny for a tour that takes you to the wide spread mint patches. Compare the various mints and see what’s happening on this diverse farm.
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co., South Woodstock
Samples and Cheese Making Demo
10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Visit the Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. farm and enjoy cheese samples while watching the cheesemakers. Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. has been making cheese since 2011. The farm has a mixed herd of registered Holsteins, Jerseys, Ayrshires, and Brown Swiss.
Friday, August 17th
Blue Ledge Farm & Fairy Tale Farm, Salisbury & Bridport
Tour Blue Ledge Farm with City Market
10:00 am – 3:30 pm| Join the folks at City Market for another summer farm tour during Vermont Open Farm Week! You will visit Blue Ledge Farm in Salisbury where you’ll meet their goats and do some cheese tasting. Then, you’ll head over to Fairy Tale Farm where you get to see their sheep, try some more cheese, and enjoy some delicious gelato from the farm! Light snacks will be provided but participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch (There will be a cooler). Participants should meet at the downtown City Market at 9:45 am, where you’ll take a van and travel as a group to each farm. This tour is a great opportunity to experience some great local products, enjoy the Vermont scenery, and appreciate our hard-working farmers. Participants should arrive early, the group will be leaving City Market promptly at 10:00 am.
Champlain Orchards, Shoreham
Hard Cidery Tour & Class
4:00 pm | Come take a Hard Cidery Tour & Blending Class, Led by head Cidermaker Jeren Stoneman! This is a hands on class, and a tulip glass is included. $20 a person. Visit www.ChamplainOrchards.com for more information.
Silloway Maple, Randolph Center
Pancake Supper at the Sugarhouse and Tour
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm | Enjoy pancakes with our own maple syrup, sausage, and watermelon as well as tours of the sugarhouse and/or a self guided hike to the sugarwoods to see the sap lines. There will also be hayrides! Dinner is $8.00 adult, $4.00 child. No registration required.
Smokey House Center, Danby
Community Work Day & Community Farm Tour
9:00 am- 1:00 pm | Join the folks at the Smoky House Center for their weekly Community Work Day where all volunteers are welcome to pitch in on their Community Farm Project where all the food is grown for the community. From 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm there will be a walking tour guided by the farmer of the Community Farm Project at Smokey House Center. Bring work gloves if you would like them, instruction and tools will be provided!
Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co., South Woodstock
Samples and Cheese Making Demo
10:00 am – 1:00 pm | | Visit the Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. farm and enjoy cheese samples while watching the cheesemakers. Vermont Farmstead Cheese Co. has been making cheese since 2011. The farm has a mixed herd of registered Holsteins, Jerseys, Ayrshires, and Brown Swiss.
Saturday, August 18th
Butterworks Farm, Westfield
Farm Tours and Smoothie Stand
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm | Visit Butterworks, meet our cows, taste our products, walk in the pasture, and order a custom superfood smoothie! Butterworks Farm T-Shirts also available for sale.
Jed’s Maple Products, Derby
Tour and Tasting
10:00 am & 2:00 pm | Did you know that Jed’s Maple Products is a participating producer in Audubon Vermont’s Bird-Friendly maple project? Learn about that and more when you stop in for a tour and/or tasting. Tour the sugar-woods with Sugarmaker Steve at 10 am and then at 2 pm there will be a tasting of the specialty foods made on the farm.
Pete’s Greens, Craftsbury
Pete’s Greens Open Farm and Tours
11:00 am – 3:00 pm | Enjoy a light lunch and tour of Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury! No pre-registration required.
Snowshoe Farm Alpacas, Peacham
Alpaca Yarn & Fiber Fest
11:00 am – 4:00 pm | Learn more about the beautiful fiber we harvest from our alpacas. We’ll provide samples of yarn, roving and felting fiber.
Brookfield Bees, Brookfield
Honey Tasting and Open House
11:00 am – 3:00 pm |Taste our honey and compare to our collection of honey from around the world. In addition, see our observation hive and learn about bees and beekeeping.
Champlain Orchards, Shoreham
Orchard Tour
10:00 am | Enjoy a Walking Orchard Tour led by owner/orchardist, Bill Suhr. Wear sturdy shoes. Free.
Hard Cidery Tour & Class
2:00 pm | Come take a Hard Cidery Tour & Blending Class, Led by head Cidermaker Jeren Stoneman! This is a hands on class, and a tulip glass included. $20 a person. Visit www.ChamplainOrchards.com for more information.
Howling Wolf Farm, Randolph
Farm Tour and Family Picnic Day
1:00 am – 3:00 pm | Come for a family picnic and take in our picturesque views, visit the sheep and enjoy a self-guided walk around the farm. Visit www.Howlingwolffarm.com for more information.
The Scott Farm, Dummerston
Orchard Stroll
10:00 am | Join Zeke Goodband for a stroll in our orchard and learn a bit about the history of our heirloom fruits. We’ll discuss orchard ecology, learn about grafting and how it was used to create this orchard, and then do a little scouting for pests and discuss how we manage them. The farm stand will be open and orchard-related items will be available for purchase.
Sunday, August 19th
East Tree Hill Farm, Plainfield
Edible Forest Garden Tour
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Come tour our 5 acre forest gardens and homestead. Plums, hardy kiwi, chestnuts and lots more in an ecologically rich and diverse context. Tasting is encouraged. The workshop will include tour and discussion of various elements on the farm, come prepared to be outside.
Brookfield Bees, Brookfield
Honey Tasting and Open House
11:00 am – 3:00 pm |Taste our honey and compare to our collection of honey from around the world. In addition, see our observation hive and learn about bees and beekeeping.
Crossmolina Farm, Corinth
Poetry on the Farm
4:00 pm| Farm-themed poetry reading – right on the farm! Join in for a late afternoon stroll around the farm – we will stop and read farm inspired poetry along the way. Bring your own poem, pick one of your favorites or just come to listen. Light refreshments provided.
The Scott Farm, Dummerston
Orchard Stroll
10:00 am | Join Zeke Goodband for a stroll in through the Scott Farm orchard and learn a bit about the history of their heirloom fruits. Zeke will discuss orchard ecology, and you’ll learn about grafting and how grafting was used to create the orchard. Then you’ll scout for pests and discuss how they are managed. The farm stand will be open and orchard-related items will be available for purchase.
The Scott Farm consists of 571 acres located in Dummerston. This year we will harvest 125 varieties of ecologically grown heirloom apples, as well as a dozen other types of fruit. The farm has 23 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places and a recorded history dating back to George Washington’s first term as president. Since 1995, the farm has been owned by The Landmark Trust USA, a non-profit organization committed to historic preservation.
Source: Dig in VT Trails