Food connects us. From culturally rooted meals that carry stories of identity, to farmers markets and grocery stores that serve as community anchors, food has the power to bridge divides and build resilience.

Join us on World Food Day, October 16, for a free virtual roundtable exploring how food acts as a bridge—linking generations, cultures, and neighborhoods while fueling economic opportunity and community resilience.

Communication & Facilitation Professional Development
Online, 6 consecutive Thursdays 1-3:30, begins October 16th 

Immersive unlearning and relearning course to evolve facilitation skills for trauma informed equitable communication, inclusion of diverse perspectives and voices, and building cultural conditions for belonging. Embody and integrate circle facilitation practices for dialogue where power is shared, whole selves are valued, and listening is centered in the heart.

40 Years of Farmers, Food, & Community

For four decades, Rural Vermont has been proudly amplifying farmer voices, fighting for a farm and food system that cares for farmers, the people they feed, the ecosystems they nurture, and the communities they support. We’re ending this milestone year with an epic celebration, and you’re invited!

On-Farm Equipment and Technique Demo @ Don Sim Farm, Sutton, VT 

Join the Northeast Cover Crops Council for a free webinar series focused on cover crops, featuring industry and Extension experts. This series will occur weekly on Wednesdays at noon from October 1 through November 5. During the first webinar on October 1, UVM Extension agronomist Heather Darby will give a presentation on cover crops for forage.

Pre-registration is required. Once registered, you can attend any of the webinars in this series.

The Working Lands Enterprise Initiative (WLEI) is opening applications for the Business Enhancement Grant. This grant is open to Vermont working lands businesses/organizations, which include farms producing food and fiber, as well as forest products businesses.

Register for this virtual event 

Learn about the state’s strategy to strengthen Vermont communities in the face of increasing flooding, drought, wildfire smoke, and other hazards. Hear from state leaders about the Resilience Implementation Strategy’s approach to making Vermont more resilient against climate hazards.

Learn more about the Resilience Implementation Strategy.

The 2025 Movement Meeting is a celebration of the collective wisdom, practices, and partnerships that are shaping the future of farm to school. Hosted annually by the National Farm to School Network, this vibrant gathering brings together practitioners and community members from across the country to connect, reflect, and plant seeds of intentional growth for the movement ahead.

Join us on October 23rd from 4:00-7:00 pm at Vermont Farmers Food Center in Rutland for our Harvest Fest Open House Celebration! Explore our newly renovated Farmers Hall, enjoy local food, family activities, and learn how this once-industrial site is now a thriving food hub and community gathering place. Come celebrate with us!

Join Vermont Cheese Council in beautiful Woodstock for Autumn Conference 2025! This one-day in-person conference provides exposure to new ideas and educational experiences for artisan cheesemakers to advance their cheesemaking and business practices, as well as our industry as a whole. While content focuses on cheesemaking, attendance is open to all, including chefs, mongers, other industry professionals, amateur cheesemakers, and anyone who wants to dive more deeply into the world of cheese.

Sessions include:

A two-day conference to inspire meaningful action that will make Vermont a more just, inclusive, and equitable place. This year’s conference features keynote speaker Alec Karakatsanis (author of works such as Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System [2019] and Copaganda: How Police and the Media Manipulate Our News [2025]) and hands-on workshops from legendary innovators and subject matter experts including Majora Carter and Dr. Lyla June, who will also share a performance during the opening ceremony.

Estate planning sounds complex and expensive - but it doesn’t have to be. A few simple steps now can save your family a world of stress later. In this webinar, we’ll cover estate planning essentials related to wills & trusts, powers of attorney, guardianship plans, and business continuity documents. We’ll also talk about planning for a variety of situations so that if the worst happens, you’ll know your family and business are taken care of. You’ll also learn what to think about if you've got teenagers, and how to prepare for aging parents.

Join us at Vermont State University's NEW meat education lab- The 1787 Butchery - for our 2-day hands-on Introduction to Butchering Poultry training, on November 8th-9th in Randolph! Dr. DeMetris Reed will lead participants in the breakdown of poultry into different cuts. With plenty of hands-on practice and expert guidance, participants will gain confidence in poultry breakdown.

With a shifting federal landscape, state policy is more important than ever. 

Please join us at ACORN's Annual Meeting on Tuesday, November 18! Celebrate another stellar year in local food and enjoy a delicious light dinner from farmer-chef Janis Reinke from Frog Hollow Farmstead and the Farmstand Cafe. We'll also host a storytelling panel - details are still being confirmed!

We hope to see you there!

We never want to prevent our community from accessing our services due to cost. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@acornvt.org if you have any questions or need support.

Join us at our new location in Burke for the 15th Annual Network Gathering!

The theme of this year's Gathering is "Keep Calm, and Collaborate On: Working Better Together as a Region in Uncertain Times"

Vermont Farm to Plate is excited to invite network members and non‑members who work across Vermont’s food system to submit proposals for 11 breakout sessions at our 15th Annual Gathering.

UVM, in collaboration with UNH and UMaine, is holding a conference on high tunnel production in northern New England. The event, titled “Enhance Your Tunnel Vision,” will be held December 10 and 11 in West Lebanon, NH.

This conference is for high tunnel produce growers and agricultural service providers of all experience levels. Come learn how to fine-tune your high tunnel crop production skills and visit the trade show.