👩🏼‍🌾 Building Community, Spreading the Word 🧑🏽‍🌾

Sponsoring a table at the NOFA-VT Winter Conference for the first time made our small but mighty team feel pretty official! We met plenty of inspiring people throughout the weekend who are dedicated to improving our local food system in so many different ways. The NOFA-VT conference is a uniquely special event that draws folks from all corners of the food system to gather, celebrate, and envision a future where food is a right, farming is a respected profession, farmers and farmworkers earn dignified wages, soil is respected and restored, and an abundance mindset is the norm. If you missed this year's event, we highly recommend keeping an eye out for the 2025 date later this year!

Now serving 8 schools!

Thanks to the Local Food for Schools funding from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, the ACORN Food Hub has now delivered hyper-local fresh food to EIGHT different schools across Addison and Rutland Counties:

Mary Hogan Elementary, Lothrop Elementary, Barstow Elementary, Neshobe Elementary, Otter Valley Union High School, Mt. Abe High School, Vergennes Union High, Middlebury Union High

🛒 🧀 We're in Greg's Meat Market 🧀 🛒

Here we've got Blue Ledge Cheese being delivered straight to the shelves of none other than local legend Greg's Meat Market. We love making it easier to find locally produced-food around town!

Increasing access to local food for all community members is one of our top priorities and goals for 2024.

ACORN Working Bee in the Addy Indy!

🥕🥕 More Food News 🥕🥕

• Move to sustainable food systems could bring $10tn benefits a year, study finds (The Guardian)
• The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map was recently updated (Civil Eats)
• Census of Agriculture Captures Changes in Vermont Agriculture (UVM)

Volunteer at our Second Working Bee

On Sunday, March 24, join us for a Working Bee at Singing Cedars Farmstead in Orwell from 10am-2pm. We'll assist with tomato planting and bed prep inside and outside of high tunnels/greenhouses. Expect activities with moderate workload in a semi-outdoor environment. We recommend to dress warmly and with layers! Lunch will be provided. 

Sign up here! Space is limited.

Flatlander Farm Pastured Chicken & Goose CSA Sign-Up

Flatlander Farm is proud to offer its eleventh year of Chicken CSA shares. These shares are for our slow-growing Red Label Pastured Chickens. They are raised in a movable pasture system and fed Vermont milled, non-GMO grain.

The CSA format is essential to the farm for the following reasons:

1-Allows farmers to plan their year around what customers want

2- Limits the total operation loan the farm must take out each season. It allows the farm to pay for upfront costs such as grain, chicks and equipment for the season.

3-Ensure that customers get delicious Pastured Raised Chickens before they sell out.

To learn more about our Pastured Chicken and Goose visit www.FlatlanderFarm.com. Submission of this form and payment must be received in order to reserve your share. A full payment must be received by Monday, May 1, 2023. Orders will be based on a first-come, first-served basis.

Resources for Growers and Producers

• NOFA-VT is hiring a Grassroots Policy Organizer!
• The Vermont Garden Network is hiring a Garden Coordinator – Addison County – March to October, 8hrs/week
• Flower farmer positions available at Understory Farm
• CVFC is hiring a F/T Young Farmer Program Manager
• This March NOFA-VT and MOFGA are hosting a 3-part series of farmer climate forums focused on managing agricultural systems in a changing climate.
• Grant Application Due March 4th: $150,000 Available for Small Farm Diversification & Transition Grants
• CAPS growers- Update your plan for 2024 ideally by 3/1!

💐 Throughout the Year, Buy Local 💐

ACORN's Online Market now has tulips from Four Blooms Farm in Bristol!

These beauties will perk up any mid-winter blues!

• March 14: Small Farm Action Day RSVP by Tomorrow, 3/1
• March 17 + April 7: Real Organic Project's 2024 Virtual Symposium
• March 19: VT Food Security Roadmap Event hosted by Addison County Hunger Council
• March 24: Working Bee at Singing Cedars Farmstead
• April 1 - 24: Food Solutions New England's 21-Day Racial Equity Habit-Building Challenge
• April 23: Pollinator Pathway of Addison County will be holding an event about Jumping Worms
• Save the date! The 2024 Tour de Farms will be Sunday, September 15

We appreciate you being part of our community.

Cheers to the re-awakening of the soil,

Lindsey, Jess, Lilah and the ACORN Board

FINAL SHOUT OUT 📓

Read this gorgeous poem and blog post "We Speak The Words We Need" written by Vermont farmer and Agency of Ag comms. person Katie Spring

info@acornvt.org / www.acornvt.org