Archive for the 'Partners' Category

The Council’s December meeting was a bit of a step back to evaluate where the council is headed. One of the themes that emerged from the group was the need for planning and assessment of the local food system.

Bart Westdijk passed along some great resources for this work. He referred us to a local food systems model created by Ginger Nickerson (page 10 of this report), saying, “I think this might provide a framework to think about how to set goals around Food Council work: what areas do we want to cover/how do we look at Burlington’s Food System?”

As we discussed planning for the Legacy Project and the Municipal Plan, Bart passed along this tidbit, “In terms of thinking about writing a Food Chapter to the municipal plan: here’s an example of how that works in the local energy world. VNRC has a section on their website talking about how to write an energy chapter for your town”.

Interesting fodder for our next meeting in February!

I can’t wait for the winter Farmers’ Markets to start. I have bins of carrots and potatoes from my garden but they’ll soon be joined by crunchy celeriac and parsnips, and maybe even some late season greens. The Burlington Winter Market starts this Saturday from 10-2 at Memorial Auditorium. I’ll be there.

Check out NOFA’s Winter Farmer’s Market Directory to to find the closest market to you!

Saturday, October 23, 2010 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the former St. Joseph’s School on North Street, Burlington

Learn first hand what it is like trying to make ends meet on a limited food budget

• WHEN: November 14th – 20th, National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

• WHERE: In your community, grocery store, and kitchen

• HOW: Live on a 3SquaresVT budget for a week – spend only $38 on food for the week. Then share your experience with others. Learn more, find materials, and register here.

• WHY: 3SquaresVT (formerly food stamps) is the nation’s single most important program in the fight against hunger, designed to improve the nutrition and food purchasing power of people with limited incomes. The program makes a difference in the lives of thousands of Vermonters every day, but in many cases, the benefits are too low to allow households to purchase nutritious food and feed their families healthy meals on a consistent basis. The 3SquaresVT Challenge seeks to highlight what it is like to eat on the average 3SquaresVT benefit — approximately $1.80 per meal.

Please spread the word to others in your community and encourage them to take the Challenge with you!

The Hunt Middle School Community will host a free Harvest Dinner  on Thursday, October 14^th from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.  The menu features local, Vermont foods such as Misty Knoll Chicken and roasted potatoes; vegetarian curry and rice (all veggies from the Healthy City Youth Farm, right on school grounds!); and  fresh apple crisp with ice cream for dessert.   Students help with every step of this wonderful event including harvest and food prep and will even perform live music that night! And these wonderful menu items are just a sample of the many fresh, whole, and local foods now served in our school meals. Thanks Burlington Schools Food Service!

A photo story of nine Vermont school and community gardens
located along the Route 7 and Route 22A corridors. Photos taken on August 13, 2010 by Jim Flint, Friends of Burlington Gardens.

A photo story of 20 school and community gardens in Northern Vermont. Photos taken on August 24, 2010 by Jim Flint, Friends of Burlington Gardens.

The Healthy City Youth Farm is in the middle of its first successful season at Hunt Middle School. Summer months were full of fun and exploration as 15 middle and high school students earned wages while pulling weeds and trying new foods. Now that school is in full swing, we are organizing weekly taste tests in the school cafeteria highlighting produce from the 1/2 acre farm.  Want to join us?

We need help farming, cooking, and sampling the produce during the school day. Please be in touch!

Jenn McGowan, 310-9506

The Burlington Legacy Project is an initiative working to forward the Legacy Plan, Burlington’s 2030 vision that is based on the 4 Es of sustainability – economic growth, environmental heatlh, quality education for all and social equity.  Working with and supporting the Food Council is an important part of the overall Legacy goal – perhaps more than any other issue, food links and most directly connects to all four Es!

In addition to work with the FC, the Legacy Project works with City Departments to help realize the 2030 Legacy vision.  For example,  Jennifer Green, Legacy Co-Coordinator, is part of the Mayor’s green team, the Burlington Sustainablity Action Team. The BSAT is working on several efforts to reduce city government’s environmental footprint and save money, including an awesome compost program and waste reduction effort in City Hall.

Legacy also supports the work of other partner agencies.  For example, Legacy will help oversee the Burlington launch of the Way to Go! Commuter Challenge, an effort to encourage alternative ways to commute while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and traffic and improve quality of life.  The Challenge will last for five days (May 17-21) and aims to reduce GHG emissions, state-wide by 500,000 lbs/tons.

Did you know that the average car adds 935 pounds of pollution to the air of the Lake Champlain Basin each year? Did you know that if you use a bicycle instead of a car for a four-mile trip, you’ll keep 15 pounds of pollutants out of the air? Consider joining the Way to Go! Challenge! If we all do our part, we can make a big impact on the health of our community and its ecosystem.

UPCOMING EVENTS!

*May 17^th-21^st –Burlington Way to Go! Commuter Challenge

Recently we spoke with Carrie from Burlington Area Community Gardens! Carrie loves that the Burlington Food Council allows her to network with other local organizations that share similar values.

Burlington Area Community Gardens became involved in with the Burlington Food Council by seeking signatures for an invitation to Michelle Obama.  Burlington Area Community Gardens invited Michelle Obama to come and visit the gardens. The invitation couldn’t have been possible without collaboration of the Food Council! Hopefully the First Lady will come for a visit this fall!

The goal of Burlington Area Community Gardens is to connect with local agencies who serve the lower income of the Burlington community to tell clients about gardening and that they have an option to garden. They offer garden plots to members of the community. They have 11 different sites all over the city! People from all different backgrounds have garden plots! In early February returning members can begin their renewal process! After the month of February the application process opens up to first comers! You are allowed to pick your 1^st and 2^nd locations! The cost for a plot ranges from $10-55, but scholarships are available! Burlington Area Community Gardens never turn away gardeners! They supply you with seeds and some seedlings! Check out their website to learn more about the registration process and download the application!

Burlington Area Community Gardens is working on expanding!

*Callahan Garden is in the works and will hopefully be opening next year!!

Burlington Area Community Gardens is starting up a project called produce for the people. They are starting to work with Campus Kitchens, The Intervale Center and Friends of Burlington Gardens who are all part of the Burlington Food Council!