Stories and Poems Sought for NOFA Vermont Winter Conference

This year, as part of their 33rd Annual Winter Conference, Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA Vermont) is inviting farmers, gardeners, and all Vermonters who love local food and farms to share stories from their own lives. Stories will be selected by the end of January, to be presented as part of a “Story and Poetry Slam” event on Sunday, February 15, 2015 at the Davis Center, University of Vermont. 

“Inspired by the revitalization of storytelling in Vermont, we decided to host a Story and Poetry Slam, featuring the amazing stories that come out of Vermont’s own farms and gardeners,” said Meg Klepack, NOFA Vermont’s Winter Conference Coordinator.

The theme of this year’s conference is Growing the Good Food Movement. In support of the theme, NOFA Vermont seeks stories or poems focused on food equity, race, class, farm worker rights, or food sovereignty.

Hosting the Story and Poetry Slam, and performing, as well, will be Laura Brown-Lavoie (picture attached). Laura is a farmer, poet, performer, and youth mentor in Providence, RI, who describes herself as “a farmer with a pen clipped to her belt loop, a poet with leaves in her hair.”

Pitches for stories and poems should be short, around 30 seconds long, and can be submitted for consideration by calling the NOFA Vermont office at 802-434-4122, extension 30. The deadline for submissions is January 23. 

The 33rd Annual NOFA Vermont Winter Conference will be held February 14-16 at the University of Vermont in Burlington. For more information about the Story and Poetry Slam and the conference, visit www.nofavt.org/conference.

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About Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont: NOFA Vermont is member-based organization working to grow local farms, healthy food, and strong communities in Vermont. Our members are farmers, gardeners, educators and food lovers of all sorts – anyone who wants to help us create a future full of local food and local farms. Our programs include farmer and gardener technical assistance, farm to school support, organic certification, advocacy, an online apprentice and farm worker directory, an annual Winter Conference, and programs that work to ensure access to fresh, local food to all Vermonters, regardless of income.