university of vermont

The FarmPlate Young Farmers Series: Chaya Lipkind From Dreamland Harvest
Jeff Gangemi Nov 01, 2012 University of Vermont 0 comments
NAME: chaya lipkind FARM: dreamland harvest AGE: 30   Can you tell us a bit about your farm/business and how you got started? 
In 2012, I established Dreamland Harvest: a sustainable vegetable and herb farm located in Monticello, New York. The goal of the farm is to sustainably grow a mix of mushrooms, vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers in a fun, creative, and beautiful environment and to sell fresh produce and prepared foods to delighted customers. 
Prior to farming, I was a partner/owner of a company that sold financial products to businesses; my last role was as CFO. I left the company and returned to university to obtain my bachelors degree, during which time my passion for...
Vermont Farm to Plate Initiative Offers Blueprint for Local Food Systems
Jeff Gangemi Oct 11, 2012 University of Vermont 0 comments
By virtue of being a small, rural, and community-driven state, Vermont has been a beacon of light in the effort to build a strong local food system. The Green Mountain State is already the national leader in selling direct to consumer. But leadership in Vermont – Governor Peter Shumlin, Agriculture Secretary Chuck Ross, and Commerce Secretary Lawrence Miller, among many others – have put their money, and a 10-year strategic plan called Farm to Plate (not to be confused with the site you’re currently perusing, FarmPlate.com), where their mouths are. "The Farm to Plate (F2P) Initiative, approved at the end of the 2009 Vermont legislative session, directed the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund,...
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont Conference - Thanks for the Inspiration!
Jeff Gangemi Feb 14, 2012 University of Vermont 0 comments
On the weekend of February 10-12, we at FarmPlate.com were lucky to be a part of the exhibitor fair at the 30th Annual NOFA-VT conference at the University of Vermont in Burlington. This year’s theme was "Ecological & Community Resilience: Building an Enduring and Adaptable Food System." The conference had between 1,000 and 1,500 attendees, including presenters of all stripes – farmers and farm advocates, activist groups like 350.org, seed companies like High Mowing Seeds, compost sellers, the USDA, and many others. My colleague, Kaitlin, and I staffed the FarmPlate table at the exhibitor fair on Saturday and Sunday. Our neighbors at the event were great people – Stuart and Margaret...
Maple Season Sweets
FarmPlate Mar 14, 2011 University of Vermont 0 comments
As Vermonters dug out from last week's epic snowstorm, they had their ears tuned to the weather forecast. And what they heard couldn't have made maple syrup producers happier--temperatures were expected to wobble above and below the freezing point for the rest of the week. Bad for travel, but good for rising sap. The plentiful rainfall this past fall and record-breaking snowfall this winter are two predictors for a good syrup season. Maple syrup and related products are big business in Vermont. One in every four trees in the state is a maple, and the little state is the largest producer of maple syrup in the country. Last year’s production topped a whopping 890,000 gallons, or 46% of the...
Maple-Sweet Sweet Potato Pie
FarmPlate Mar 14, 2011 University of Vermont 0 comments
from the FarmPlate Kitchen Old-fashioned gingersnaps, the hard ones that are so good for dunking in milk, make a delicious and easy crumb crust. Mi-Del organic gingersnaps are particularly good here. 2 cups (8 ounces) gingersnap cookie crumbs 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 2 tablespoons demerara or raw cane sugar 2 generous cups cooked and mashed sweet potato 3 large eggs ¾ cup maple syrup, preferably dark amber 1 cup half-and-half 1 tablespoon bourbon or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg A big pinch ground cloves 1 /8 teaspoon salt Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter...
Food News: Egg Laws, Food Safety Bill & Fracking
FarmPlate Jul 13, 2010 University of Vermont 0 comments
Only Free-Range Eggs in California. A new law says egg producers located outside California that want to sell their eggs in-state must meet the same humane requirements for their chickens as California egg producers. The law says that hens must have enough living space to be considered "cage-free." The cage-free ruling will most likely increase the price of California eggs for the consumer because the farmer’s overhead costs will be more expensive. However, the upside is that humanely raised chickens can improve food safety because hens living in stressful conditions have reduced immunity to illness, and their eggs can put the consumer at risk. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the new...
Late Blight May Strike Again
FarmPlate May 18, 2010 University of Vermont 0 comments
Plant experts are warning growers to take steps against late blight, the plant disease that can rapidly kill tomato and potato crops and potentially cost farmers millions of dollars in lost produce, pesticides and extra labor. Last year, the unusually early outbreak of the disease affected crops from Florida to New England and spread as far west as North Dakota.  The Associated Press reports that another outbreak is likely this year, and some gardens have already been affected in Florida and Louisiana.  Weather experts in Vermont predict a wet summer, which will provide favorable conditions for blight, which thrives in a cool, damp environment. Late blight is caused by a fungus-like...
Localvore Dinner Series Comes to Penny Cluse Cafe
FarmPlate Jan 28, 2010 University of Vermont 0 comments
Fundraisers at the Vermont Commons School have found a delicious way to help promote sustainable communities through their popular Localvore Dinner Series. Billed as a friend-raising event, each winter/spring dinner includes a four-course meal at a well-known Vermont restaurant with a guest speaker who's a leader in sustainability. This coming Wednesday's dinner will be at Penny Cluse Café in Burlington. Chef/owner Charles Reeves intends to put a typically Penny Cluseian flavor-powerd spin on seasonal, local ingredients. Look for parsley root fries with house-made ketchup, braised Vermont lamb with plenty of garlic, cinnamon-stout ice cream and much more. Saleem H. Ali, associate professor...
VT Conference to Focus on Cultural Aspects of Food
FarmPlate Nov 12, 2009 University of Vermont 1 comments
Amy Trubek, acclaimed author of Taste Of Place: A Cultural Journey into Terroir, presents ''From Deer Camp to CSA: Food and its Relationship to the Landscape'' on Saturday afternoon. A panel discussion, ''Why Good Food Matters,'' including Trubek, Goldstein and Jeff Roberts, director of the Vermont Institute of Artisan Cheese at UVM, concludes the conference. Breakout sessions feature Vermont farming from a global perspective; food and its relationship to the landscape; Vermont's artisan cheese industry; bread; and the cookbook as a literary genre. The conference is open to all. The $99 fee ($69 for students) includes the Friday evening and Saturday programs, continental breakfast...