Smoke, Steam, Maple, Mud & Bees

Open in your browser to chew on all the Bites

Small Bites

March 17, 2025

Creating opportunities to support & amplify regional food systems, not only in Vermont by sharing info & resources for relocalizing.

Some Vermonters hate March. Some absolutely love it, especially if hitting the slopes or beginning to plant in the greenhouse. There are weather extremes making for a mix of variables within the month. It's amazing how mercurial it can be, & not only for the weather but also for feeling winter weary. Yet, the seasonal sounds of geese, sap plinking into buckets, rivers running high, mourning doves coo, & other bird songs fill the air. March spells change: a lifting of winter's cloak as the clocks change, the day feels longer, the sun warms the soil as early flowers & bees emerge. Even if you claim you don't like March, I bet you really do savor these natural shifts that inevitably lift our spirits.

For stores, March is the start of Spring cleaning & clearing out the beaten down display props or moving them to really clean beneath, retooling signage as needed, refreshing your “meet the farmer” skills, if that got left behind in January or February. Clean out the register area for the rando junk that creeps in over the winter. Recognize that a little cleaning can go a long way to clear out the winter crusties & calm our minds.

Catch the most recent & all the back issues here! You never know what might catch your interest & be of benefit

The world lost a good one on March 7, 2025. Joan Dye Gussow has journeyed on. In her 96 years she was instrumental in bringing forth ideas to spearhead healthy, local, organic food production, community action & creativity in thought & deeds.

She was a friend & mentor to many in Vermont's organic farm & gardening community. It is a rare gift to be so dedicated, vocal, dynamic, & all with a sense of humor. May we carry forth in her spirit with ecological approaches to our many current issues.

“I prefer butter to margarine because I trust cows more than chemists.” -JDG

Joyful Spring Colors

Talking Well Farm

In the heart of the valley of Post Mills near Thetford is a flower farm that is known widely for its lilies, but Mark has a green thumb for all flowers. Talking Well sells its high-quality specialties to stores. To capture sales in March, as people are truly jonesing for color, flowering potted plants are available through Myers Produce, the line of flowers are win-win for the farm, the distributor, & stores selling to happy shoppers.

March = Maple & Mud

It's really a thing. The steam rising from a sugarhouse in March. A muddy dooryard, & a welcoming crew. In any sugar operation there is a "sweet spot" where the smell of maple has strengthened to be heaven scent. It is the spot where you really hope won't be in the way. At Twin Maples in Lincoln, a few feet from the Lincoln General, is one of those friendly spots where generations of families have gone to experience March in its full sugarhouse glory of mud & maple.

Not all sugaring operations are in a 'house", some like Open Arch in Panton, might appear hardscrabble & funky. Because it is. But beneath the changing colors in the sky at sunset, when the geese are flying north in the Champlain Valley, as the red wings trill, the fire is tended to keep the 2x2 pan in good stead.

It is around the pan that tales are yarned out, laughter rules, friendships are made, & revolutionary thoughts might prevail. Ahh March!

2025 The Year of Refining Community Values

As winter was winding down, & March hadn't yet shared the cracking open of Spring, the town of Lincoln came out to warm up at The Store.

At the cross roads in the town center sits the Lincoln General under new ownership just over a year. Retooling of displays, product selection, & new vendors including Lesser Distribution are just some of the goings on. A winter evening of wine tasting for the community was one way to bring together folks, providing the third space for small talk so necessary in small towns. Photo credit Beth Duquette

General Stores:

Front Page News!

We feature many general stores here in Small Bites, & it is great to see our local paper write a feature about stores across the state. Read about the multi-generational stores such as the Wayside Store in Arlington. Or take a peek at others like Pierce's in Shrewsbury, or the Elmore Store both with community support & spaces for folks to come together in comradery around good food.

Thank you 7 Days for your continued partnership in the Farm to Plate Network!

Advancing Consumer Protections: AI

Bill H371 was introduced to the VT House last week. It would put a moratorium on AI driven dynamic electronic pricing at retail in VT. Embedded are recommendations on whether & how to use electronic shelf labels or dynamic pricing in a manner that protects consumers from unfair pricing strategies or mispricing. “Dynamic pricing” means the use of artificial intelligence to adjust the prices on the electronic shelf labels at any given moment. Read more on the bill here.

Good to Know Food Business Definitions

Growing Business: Eco Bean

Having a 'brand identity can help you reach your goals. Knowing your reason for being drives your decision making this is true for CPG, stores, & farms.

At Eco Bean in SoBTV, at their heart, food is medicine. Their line of packaged goods is crafted for their brand ID as are their in-house restaurant offerings. Products are GMO, Soy, & Gluten Free & are organic. Nutrient dense with natural enzymes, each ingredient helps support the immune system. With a commitment to sourcing locally they are supporting local farmers & food purveyors to benefit the entire community, from a health & economic perspective.

A Relationship Tip from

Greg Esslinger

In November, the VT Grocers Project hosted the Producer Buyer Distributor Forum. One of our panelists was Greg Esslinger, a former buyer at UNFI. For a change of pace & to help companies better understand distribution he currently hosts informational tips on his LinkedIn. The Distributor Tip of the Day is a MUST for all brands seeking to utilize distributors. Though keep in mind, some of his insights do not directly trickle down to small solo or food hub operators.

His understanding of the system is valuable to brands AND stores to better gauge the impact of “hidden trade spend” costs on food manufacturers. This recent post is worth reading because, like him, I still believe relationships matter. As a business grows relationships can change radically between store buyers & the producer. So, if you are a store owner or buyer, on the BOD of a community supported enterprise or a growing brand, check out Greg’s work. It might just save you loads of money or growth-fueled headaches.

When you start working with a distributor you need to understand that you're inviting another entity, whom you have no history working with, to represent your brand in the manner that may not be in line with the way you want your brand represented. -GE

A Formula for Success

It's all about the numbers. Running a farm, food manufacturing, distribution or retail biz it is crazy how many metrics are in place to measure viability. Formulas provide key indicators across all businesses getting food through retail to customers.

For some businesses it is all about getting into distribution, but once there, each store you are selling to will be unique in product movement. At retail, SKU's vary by where they are placed. In a store, literally where a product is merchandised can make the difference between a high mover & a 'dog item of the universe". No retailer wants dog items, they take up space providing less than adequate revenue.

At stores understanding the sales & velocity data along with decisions for each product & its place on the Bell Curve of Buying & Merchandising can help strengthen sales. This includes aspects of seasonality of products & customer variables.

Purple Draws Bees

The snow is melting, snow drops are emerging & crocus are opening welcoming pollinators from their winter rest. It is still only mid March, but alas the shifts are soothing. The flowers open when it is sunny then close up in the chill or as as dusk arrives. Ahh Spring is welcome this year for all its wonders & balm.

Terminated:

Federal Funds for Local Food

The Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is no longer in line to receive anticipated federal funding, which would have helped Vermont farms feed their local communities in 2025 via local distribution such as Farm Connex, ACORN, Food COnnects.

On Friday, March 7, 2025, VAAFM received termination notices for two cooperative agreements from our USDA-Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) program contacts for the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA25) & Local Food for Schools and Child Care (LFSCC) programs. The termination notices read, in part:

“AMS has determined this agreement no longer effectuates agency priorities and that termination of the award is appropriate.”

Between 2022 and 2024, VAAFM received $1,351,726 through these programs, which has helped Vermont schools & communities buy local food from over 100 Vermont farms. Through the grants farmers across the nation were able to widen their market channels to include a range of options that might have been burdensome without the support. These programs provided measurable success for expanding healthy food options in schools & to hospitals. The decision is a detriment to our rural communities in all 50 states.

This termination notice does not impact currently active LFPA Plus projects.

Economic Fallout Hits the State

Vermont has a special relationship with Canada, as the Green Mountain State exports $680 million in goods to the U.S.’s northern neighbor annually, according to data compiled by Connect2Canada. Vermont imports more than $2.6 billion in goods from Canada each year, with electricity & fuel oil among the top imported goods.

The current situation has impacted Caledonia Spirits & its award- winning Barr Hill line of products. They had been working on securing sales in Quebec adhering to both Canadian & Quebec labeling regulations. With the nation pulling out of American made products, Bar Hill cannot access other outlets for these specially labeled products. This has been a costly time for the company. WPTZ story & Read more from CNBC

More Local Food on the Move

The Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE) has made the move into its new warehouse & shared other recent news.

This is an especially busy time of the year for CAE’s business resources staff. Farms are planning their spring plantings & the projects they hope to accomplish. Over a dozen farms are currently working with CAE’s business resources staff to update cash flow projections & prepare their finances for the year ahead. Many farms begin the process of securing the capital they need to accomplish those projects by connecting with Vermont Farm Fund. 2024 was a record year for the Vermont Farm Fund & in 2025 over $200,000 in loan requests have already been made.

Monthly, free community meals & Grow Your Own workshops are connecting community members to share skills & food. Over the winter, CAE staff connected with many community members & other organizations at the NOFA Winter Conference, Vermont Veg & Berry Growers Annual Meeting, & NEK Day at the Statehouse.

There are concerns from our communities; farmers afraid of losing federal funding to complete long-planned projects, community members concerned services may go away, & partner organizations worried they may also lose funding. Despite these uncertainties CAE is moving forward, taking action, providing resources & support. To be effective at the highest levels, CAE has been gathering information, & multiple staff members have testified at the Statehouse articulating the importance of local food & how it supports our communities. With NOFA & other organizations, CAE has supported the development of the legislative bill S.60 to establish the Farm Security Special Fund to provide grants for farm losses due to severe weather events.

In addition to moving its location, CAE has moved over 2million dollars in food since January. Products are shipped through Farm Connex, the logistics arm of CAE which also ships products from Vermont food manufacturers.

Since January, CAE has loaded trucks seven days a week through the cold nights, to move over $2 million in local food from farms to people across Vermont for the producers who rely on our services.

Mapping Success

At Green Mountain Natural Foods in Newport, they believe in the power of supporting the local economy. By choosing to buy products from local vendors, they are investing in their community’s future, fostering economic growth, & promoting sustainability. Many products from VT come by way of the Green Mountain Farm Direct & Farm Connex food hub connection.

Purchasing local goods helps to create jobs, reduce environmental impact, & maintain the unique character of community. Local businesses are the backbone of our economy, mutual values support helps them thrive. The store created a special Vermont mural, highlighting the various vendors from within the state whose products they carry. This mural showcases the rich diversity of local goods available while serving as a visual representation of their dedication to the community. Each label on the mural points to a local producer, celebrating their contribution to the store’s commitments & shared values across Vermont.

Tools for Growing Sales

Food stores of all sizes are all about "coming & going". Food coming in. Food going out. Money coming in. Money going out. Then there is staff turnover.

Communication of all these comings & goings requires strategies so staff can build efficiency. At every turn, there are opportunities to help create cohesiveness. There are many standard retail tools developed over the years to help create a team approach to sharing. Tools from the Rising Stars Retail training remain pertinent. The Huddle, is one that has spread across sectors to Food Hubs. These ten minute "check-ins" are designed as peer to peer sharing, not top down management talking at staff. At the VT Cheese Council, Miniversity, The Huddle was mentioned as a useful tool for businesses of all sizes.

Farm to Plate has resources to help develop or audit your systems. When it comes to receiving products, backrooms can be a nightmare to manage. Consider ways you can create a more efficient receiving procedure for food coming in & tracking invoices, & credits.

Updates on Federal Programs: NRCS

This update came via the VVBGA e-news on March 3rd. It seems like a decade ago:

Travis L. Thomason, State Conservationist, NRCS-Vermont

In alignment with White House directives, Secretary Rollins will honor contracts that were already made directly to farmers. Specifically, USDA is releasing funds for contracts under the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program, & the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

Producers who have existing conservation contracts (general or IRA, CSP or EQIP) should continue moving forward with implementation as originally planned. We have approval to work on and make payments on ALL existing producer's contracts (EQIP, CSP, ACEP, RCPP [both general and IRA]).

Currently, there are no plans to close any Vermont NRCS offices. Vermont NRCS will continue to provide one-on-one, personalized advice & financial assistance working with producers to reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs.

Regional NE Partnerships

Supporting Each Other

Maine Food Convergence is building its alliances with ongoing programs to support the local & regional farm & food economy. Join them on May 29th in Jefferson, Maine.

Calling All Trailblazers!

Maine Wood Products Industry:

Beyond Maple!

Tanbark Molded Fiber Products is revolutionizing sustainable packaging with their innovative 100% plant-based alternatives to single-use plastics. Their first-to-market machinery for molded fiber is the future of packaging: eco-friendly, economically viable, & utilizing locally sourced inputs. Unpack Tanbark's story here:

Support Migrant Justice

Check out Civil Eats info on mutual aid.

Rural Vermont Activist Tool Kit informs policy changes at the legislative level

Vermont Professionals of C0lor Network

Did someone forward you this issue of Small Bites? Peruse the archive & sign up to receive it in your inbox

Post your event or explore the Events page at Farm to Plate

Business Support Services

VSJF offers business management coaching, entrepreneurial support, & training to position Vermont entrepreneurs for growth & long-term success. Explore the possibilities!

Farm to Plate's events/news/jobs page is a go-to list to connect & learn. Check it out regularly & share your good stuff too! Ooddles of updates that can include agroforestry, women farmer summits, butchering seminars, staffing news, & so much more.