Do you love local food and farms? Want to get to know your farmer better -- and to get a behind-the-scenes look into Vermont's vibrant working agricultural landscape? Make your plans for Vermont Open Farm Week August 7-14th!
Head to Atkins Field from 3:00pm - 6:00pm on Friday, August 12th for an afternoon of summer fun to celebrate Open Farm Week and the NEK's vibrant agricultural community! There will be traditional craft demonstrations, horse drawn carriage rides, farm animal viewings, tomato tasting, live music, family friendly activities, farmers market vendors, drinks by Caledonia Spirits, and more. Come celebrate the role agriculture has and continues to play in the community.
This three hour workshop will be a quick but thorough introduction to the basics of natural dyeing. Join artist and gardener Lucy Basa to discuss the differences between natural & plant-based dyes and their commercial counterparts, resource consciousness in the dyeing process, fabric prep and mordants, and techniques and possibilities for natural color on cellulose (plant-based) fabrics. We will learn about the characteristics and color palettes of a few easy-to-grow dye plants, and participants will leave with some garden-dyed textiles. Cost $45.
Wondering what to do with all the beautiful medicinal herbs you've been growing this season? Unsure of which plants in your garden to use? Join herbalist Sophie Cassel as we harvest herbs for peak quality and explore the many ways to preserve plant medicine. Come with questions and stories, leave with plant preparations and lots of resources. Cost $45. Register online at redwagonplants.com
Late summer is an excellent time to create habitat for the birds and the bees in your garden. Join Red Wagon Plants and the Audubon's Gwen Causer for a late-season gardening workshop and birding outing.
Deepen your Vermont farm and food knowledge with an exclusive Origins of Food tour! Planned in conjunction with the International Workshop on Agritourism coming to Burlington this summer, we have limited space on 13 single day tours August 27, 28, 29, and September 2, 3, or 4. These tours showcase the very best of agritourism in Vermont with a variety of themes, farms, food and fiber producers. Here's a link for details about our tours.
Attendees will include farmers and ranchers, tourism professionals, researchers, educators, agricultural service providers, policy makers, rural economy experts, and more. Topics will include running and marketing an agritourism business, managing farm stays, promoting rural development, creating regional partnerships, and sharing research and case studies. The conference will be held at the Hilton Burlington Lake Champlain Hotel in downtown Burlington and online. For more info or to register, visit www.agritourismworkshop.com.
Registration is now open for UVM Extension's Vermont Master Composter course, designed to teach the basics of backyard composting.