3 p.m. to 7 p.m. — Orleans, VT. Farm to Plate Regional Food Summits The Sustainable Agriculture Council and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund are coordinating with local groups to hold a series of regional meetings to gather input for the Farm to Plate Initiative's 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont's food system. Learn more about regional efforts related to farms, food production, and food security. Participants will reflect upon their region's strengths and weaknesses and have focused small group conversations about how to build a more robust local food system by 2020. NORTHEAST KINGDOM AREA, Thursday, December 3rd from 3:00-7:00PM, Lake Union High School, 317 Lake Region Rd., Orleans. Refreshments served. Local organizing partners: Northeastern Vermont Development Association and Center for an Agricultural Economy. For more info: Elena Gustavson, elena@hardwickagriculture.org
8 a.m. to 9 p.m. — Fairlee, VT. The 2nd Annual Vermont Community Energy & Climate Action Conference. At the Lake More Resort. In an effort to spark local ingenuity and regional cooperation, this conference will bring together municipal officials, town energy committees, and interested citizens along with local and regional energy specialists. The goal for the day is to place concrete strategies for positive, visionary solutions into the hands of Vermont community leaders. The conference will include a combination of workshops, presentations, and roundtable discussions. Keynote speakers include Senator Bernard Sanders, and Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law and Senior Counsel in the Environmental Law Clinic at Vermont Law School.Featured topics include developing community wind and solar projects, alternative heating strategies for schools and municipal buildings, promoting alternative and public transit in your community and keys to successful town energy planning. Participants will hear about strategies that are already in place as well as brainstorm ideas for their communities. Over 200 individuals participated in the 2008 conference and many walked away with concrete strategies. The complete conference brochure and registration materials are available online at www.regonline.com/VTEnergy or by contacting UVM Extension at 802-223-2389 ext.13. The registration fee for the conference is $20/person and includes lunch and workshop materials.
5 p.m. to 6 p.m. — Middlebury, VT Farm to Plate Regional Food Summits The Sustainable Agriculture Council and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund are coordinating with local groups to hold a series of regional meetings to gather input for the Farm to Plate Initiative's 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont's food system. Learn more about regional efforts related to farms, food production, and food security. Participants will reflect upon their region's strengths and weaknesses and have focused small group conversations about how to build a more robust local food system by 2020, ADDISON COUNTY AREA
Tuesday, December 8th, Location and time TBD, Middlebury. Local organizing partner: ACORN Local Food Collaborative and Addison County Economic Development Corporation. For more info: Bay Hammond, hamfam@together.net
5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. — Montpelier, VT Farm to Plate Regional Food Summits The Sustainable Agriculture Council and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund are coordinating with local groups to hold a series of regional meetings to gather input for the Farm to Plate Initiative's 10-year strategic plan to strengthen Vermont's food system. Learn more about regional efforts related to farms, food production, and food security. Participants will reflect upon their region's strengths and weaknesses and have focused small group conversations about how to build a more robust local food system by 2020. CENTRAL VERMONT AREA
Thursday, December 10th from 5:30-8:30PM, Montpelier High School Cafeteria, 5 High School Dr., Montpelier. Potluck dinner served, meeting starts at 6PM. Local organizing partner: Central Vermont Food Systems Council. For more info: Kristin Feierabend, kfeierabend@montpelier-vt.org.
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — VT. Registration Deadline for Building a Sustainable Business Course. This course will help you plan for your farm's success. You will learn about the pieces of a business plan, and will work on writing your own business plan. There will be 6, three-hour classroom sessions. Plus, if you wish, an instructor can meet with you at your farm. Who should attend? People who are thinking of starting a farm, expanding, buying, redirecting, or thinking about a new enterprise on their farm. You will be able to discuss your business idea with other interested people, flesh out your ideas, and get them down on paper. The registration fee is $149. Scholarships are available. Classes will be offered as follows: Rutland, Tuesdays, January 5, 11, 19, and February 2, 9, 16; White River Jct., Wednesdays, January 6, 13, 20, and February 3, 10, 17; and Chittenden County, Thursdays, January 7, 14, 21, and February 4, 11, 18. All classes will run 1-4 pm. Instructors will include Steve Paddock, VT Small Business Development Center; and Glenn Rogers and Dennis Kauppila from UVM Extension. For information or to register, contact Mary Straight at 1-800-545-8920 x 2100 or mary.straight@uvm.edu by December 14, 2009.
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. — Vermont. Registration Deadline for 2010 SOUL Tree Stewards Course. Vermonters can learn about tree care and explore urban and community forestry issues through a course offered statewide this winter. The Stewardship of the Urban Landscape (SOUL) Tree Stewards course will be offered by the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program at offered at 12 sites around the state, including: Bennington, Brattleboro, Lyndonville, Montpelier, Newport, Randolph, Rutland, Springfield, St. Albans, Waterbury, White River Junction, and Williston . The course will run Thursday’s from 6:00-9:00 pm starting February 11- April 8, 2010. The SOUL Tree Steward training program teaches volunteers how to plan for, plant and maintain trees in the built environment. In addition to the evening sessions, the course will features 4 hands-on Saturday sessions and an online course component. The SOUL Tree Stewards course is open to anyone. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-registration for the course is required. Registration postmarked before December 18, 2009 is $80. After December 18,2009, registration is $100. Scholarships may be available; please contact us for more information. For more information and to register online, visit the SOUL Tree Stewards website at http://www.uvm.edu/extension/environment/?Page=landscape.html For further questions, contact Kate Forrer at katherine.forrer@uvm.edu, 802-223-2389 x25, or toll-free (in VT) at 1-866-860-1382.
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. — Saratoga Springs, NY. Circles of Caring: NOFA-NY's 28th Annual Organic Farming and Gardening Conference. Join us for more than 80 workshops, 3 keynote speakers, organic trade show, entertainment, and local organic meals. Information about Registration, Sponsorships, and Trade Show is available online at www.nofany.org. Questions? Contact Greg Swartz (570) 224-8515 conference@nofany.org
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Fairlee, VT. 14th Annual Vermont Grazing & Livestock Conference at the Lake Morey Resort. A wide variety of educational opportunities for livestock producers and agricultural service providers on manaing animals, land, and farm businesses. Keynote speaker: Brian Moyer, on "Farming for the Modern Market." For more information visit http://www.uvm.edu/~pasture/
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. — Saratoga Springs, NY. Circles of Caring: NOFA-NY's 28th Annual Organic Farming and Gardening Conference. Join us for more than 80 workshops, 3 keynote speakers, organic trade show, entertainment, and local organic meals. Information about Registration, Sponsorships, and Trade Show is available online at www.nofany.org. Questions? Contact Greg Swartz (570) 224-8515 conference@nofany.org
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. — Fairlee, VT. 14th Annual Vermont Grazing & Livestock Conference at the Lake Morey Resort. A wide variety of educational opportunities for livestock producers and agricultural service providers on manaing animals, land, and farm businesses. Keynote speaker: Brian Moyer, on "Farming for the Modern Market." For more information visit http://www.uvm.edu/~pasture/
