The 2020 Farm to Plate Annual Gathering Registration is Open!

This year's Gathering may be virtual, but it's no less important! This year marks a period of transition with the closing of the first 10 years of Farm to Plate and the beginning of the next ten years. Together as a Network we'll get a first glimpse at the next 10-year strategic plan - it's vision, goals, and objectives - and in breakout sessions dive into priority issues that have emerged through stakeholder engagement and public input to determine the ways in which we'll collaboratively work together to bring our shared vision to fruition. We'll also hear stories of adaptation and transition in the food system during Covid, and reflect on what we can learn and apply from them to the next decade of food system development.

The Gathering will be held Thursday, November 12 from 12:30pm-5pm and Friday, November 13 from 9am-12pm, and will be hosted online. Links to sessions will be sent to you prior to the Gathering via email. There is a flat fee of $30 to register for the Gathering regardless of number of sessions/days attended. We're offering to cover the registration fee for farmers, food workers, or food business owners who need assistance with registration costs. Please click here to apply for a scholarship to cover the registration fee. If you are applying for a scholarship, please do not register until you hear from our Farm to Plate Staff.

Gathering Agenda Day One

12:30-12:50pm: Opening remarks

12:50-1:00pm Transition Break/Trivia

1:00-2:25pm: Plenary Panel - Stories of adaptation and transition, and what they say about the future of our food system

2:25-2:45pm: Transition Break/Trivia

2:45-5pm: Breakout Sessions

Gathering Agenda Day Two

9-9:30: Welcome back, opening remarks, harvest reflections from day 1

9:30am-9:45am Transition Break/Trivia

9:45-12 Breakout Sessions

We hope to see you there!

Jake, Ellen, Lydia, Sarah, Shane & Kelly

The Vermont Farm to Plate Staff

Taking a walk around a Vermont farm is a great way to get outside and take in the beauty and serenity of a working farm. Venture out as a solo explorer or with loved ones, and discover the sounds of crickets in hayfields, birdsong in sugarwoods, and humming equipment in the fields as farmers produce food, forage, fiber, and timber. Check out DigInVT's guide to farm walks for detailed descriptions of twelve farm walks across the state. Information includes maps, accessibility, hours of operation and more.

"Those seeds were given to us by our creator to take care of us," he said. "When we look at one of our seeds and we touch it, we are looking at the stories of the corn mother who sacrificed herself to get the seeds from her creator to be able to feed her children forever."

The fact that the seeds exist at all is the result of thousands of ancestors caring for them, year after year, Stevens said."

As the maple trees begin to change colors and turn Vermont’s landscapes into shades of red, orange and yellow, our minds turn to the many ways we enjoy Vermont’s classic maple syrup. This fall, join the Vermont Agency of Agriculture to celebrate the Maple 100, in partnership with Vermont Tourism, to discover hundreds of maple activities, adventures, and maple-inspired products across the state. Find events, specialty products, and learning resources for the whole family to discover new ways to enjoy Vermont’s sweetest treat.

Rooted in Vermont, the Vermont Farm to Plate Network’s local food marketing campaign, is celebrating all things Vermont maple. Listen to your local radio stations for the ads and look for them on Front Porch Forum and social media channels!

How can you plug into the conversation?

If you have any questions or want to chat about how to get more involved email shane@vsjf.org.

The Vermont Farm to Plate Network has been working hard to ensure that independent grocers, the lifelines of many small Vermont communities, have been able to adapt and thrive during this unprecedented time. The Small Bites newsletter, which is geared toward grocers, farmers & food manufacturers, distributors & retail-farm stands, provides insights on distribution & business-to-business resource sharing in an effort to help expand the sale of Vermont products. Sign up to receive the Small Bites newsletter in your inbox!

Vermont Food System News is published by the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director

Sarah Danly, Farm to Plate Network Manager

Shane Rogers, Farm to Plate Communications Manager

Lydia Pitkin, Office Manager & Program Coordinator

Kelly Nottermann, Communications Director

Ellen Kahler, Executive Director