VSJF Project – Local Food Resiliency in Vermont

 Our project

Communities all around Vermont are creating, discovering and revisiting strategies for building a more secure, accessible and resilient local food system. These projects showcase thoughtful planning and community connection. They are rooted in place-based thinking. We invite you to draw on these ideas and collective wisdom as you think and plan around food, accessibility and justice where you are.

 

Table of Profiles

  • Abenaki Land Link Project (statewide)
  • Randolph Community Orchard (Randolph, VT)
  • SUSU commUNITY Farm (Brattleboro, VT)
  • Poultney Area REKO Ring (East Poultney, VT)
  • Food Not Bombs Burlington (Burlington, VT)
  • The Northstar Collective at the Center for Grassroots Organizing (Marshfield, VT)
  • I.D.E.R. distribution (Grand Isle County)
  • Willy’s Variety Produce Fridge (Bennington, VT)
  • Tracking Food Resources (Franklin/Grand Isle Counties)
  • Growing Resilience movement (Brattleboro, VT)
  • The Healthy Roots/FGICA van (Franklin/Grand Isle Counties)
  • Brattleboro Winter Farmer’s Market move (Brattleboro, VT)

 

Abenaki Land Link

The Abenaki Land Link Project is a partnership between the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk Abenaki Nation, Rooted in Vermont (a project of the Vermont Farm to Plate Network), and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT). Beginning in spring 2020, fifteen growers from all around Vermont planted traditional Abenaki crops to be harvested in the fall. The seeds provided by the Nulhegan Band of the Coosuk included Koasek/Calais mix and Calais flint corn, true cranberry, skunk, and Mohawk beans, and Algonquin squash. Most of the food grown from these seeds will be returned back to Abenaki citizens, especially to elders, those with disabilities, and those who are food insecure. See the full profile page to learn more about the ways of thinking behind the collaboration and about future plans.

Read more here.

 

Randolph Community Orchard

In response to a development plan for hundreds of condos, a hotel, office buildings, and a welcome area on a piece of prime agricultural land off of I-89 in Randolph, activists, environmental organizations, and locals pulled together to fight for a different vision for their town. With combined pressure during public hearings, private mediations, and a huge fundraising effort, the land was secured for agricultural and community space. 22 acres became the Randolph Community Orchard, and educational center, perennial garden, and orchard of mostly apple, pear, and plum trees.

Read more here.

 

SUSU commUNITY Farm

The SUSU commUNITY Farm is a project of the SUSU Healing Collective, a community space that actively centers healing while building a culture of liberation that decenters systems of oppression. The SUSU, which hosts workshops, private sessions, and an herbal botanica of teas and tinctures made in house, is facilitated by Amber, Lysa, and Naomi. They worked to raise enough money to provide 26 CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) shares each week this summer to BIPOC families in their area, and are now raising funds to start a farm which will be a space to grow food for the BIPOC community of Southern Vermont, to facilitate healing (especially for BIPOC) and to host statewide education.

Read more here.

 

Read about the other profiles and learn more here.

 

This project is a collaboration between the Farm to Plate Network (of Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF)) and the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and was funded in part by the Department of Health and Human Services & USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Block Grants.