Posted September 7, 2026 at 11:33am by VDW Admin
Call for Stories for 2026 Farm to Plate Annual Gathering
Call for Stories!
As we look toward the future of Vermont’s food system, we have a wide-open opportunity to take stock of how far we’ve come, what we’ve learned, the challenges we’ve faced, the relationships we’ve built, and the possibilities that are ahead.
Will you share your story at the 2026 Farm to Plate Annual Gathering?
This year’s theme is ‘Taking Stock and Quilting the Future: Stitching Land, Farms, and Markets Together for a Stronger Food System.’ In past years, featured stories have been one of attendees’ favorite parts of the event, offering a chance to hear and connect to the personal experiences behind the work happening throughout Vermont’s food system.
This year, we’re looking for stories that can help us reflect on where we’ve been while inspiring us to think about what comes next.
Details
We are looking for a total of 3 personal stories that help us take stock of what Vermont’s food system has built, learned, changed, or endured, and which helps attendees imagine what we can carry forward, build on, or do differently as we move towards 2030.
Your story might be about something your farm, business, organization, or community has built or changed; a challenge you found your way through, an unexpected connection or collaboration, a lesson that led you in a new direction, a moment that shifted your perspective, or progress that gives you hope for what comes next.
We are living in challenging times, and despite this, good things have and are continuing to happen across Vermont's food system. We want to hear how you, your work, or your community have continued to move forward. Progress doesn't have to mean that everything went according to plan. It might mean adapting, persisting, learning, building new relationships, or pivoting to something different.
What does a successful story look like?
- Are grounded in your experience: something that happened, changed, surprised, challenged, or stayed with you
- Show movement or progress: what changed, became possible, how you adapted, or how you found a way forward
- Share what you learned along the way: including lessons from challenges, changes in direction, or things that didn't work as expected
- Make connections across people, places, communities, or different parts of the food system that helped others see an issue, opportunity or part of Vermont's food system from a different perspective
Look toward what comes next: leave fellow attendees with something to think about, build upon, or feel inspired by to carry forward as we look toward the future.
Stories can either be told by an individual or a small team of up to 3 people who shared the experience. We aren’t looking for a formal presentation about a programs, organizations or projects. We’re looking for the story within the work.
Date and Time
Storytellers will tell their story on Friday, November 20, 2026 from approximately 9:30-10:30 am during the morning plenary to kick off the second day of the Gathering
Setting
The Gathering takes place at the Burke Mountain Hotel in Burke, VT, and is attended by approximately 250 people over both days. Speakers will present in a large hotel conference room filled with round tables and approximately 200 audience members. Microphones are provided. The audience is enthusiastic and friendly. Past storytellers were warmly applauded and their stories were often referred to as a favorite part of the event were warmly applauded and their stories were often referred to as a favorite part of the event.
- 2023 Storytellers - Stories of Transformation
2024 Storytellers - Stories of Partnership
The Farm to Plate Gathering is a professional food system event, but we do not expect professional storytellers! If you think you have a story that fits, we want to hear from you!
Compensation
Storytellers receive complimentary registration and lunch on the day of their story.
Farm to Plate offers a $200 honorarium, plus mileage reimbursement, to any storyteller who will NOT be compensated by their employer or another organization to speak at the Annual Gathering.
If translation services are required, Farm to Plate will work with the story team to organize and financially support those services.
How to Submit
DUE DATE: Submit your story idea by EOD Friday October 2nd.
Reach out to Hannah Baxter, Farm to Plate Network Manager, with any questions.