Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition

This virtual workshop, led by Didi Pershouse, will deepen each participant’s understanding of whole-systems landscape function and effective land management, with a focus on water and the soil sponge. Biology creates a natural sponge in healthy soils and grasslands that slows and sinks water on a total landscape scale–providing resilience in times of flooding and drought. Many of our current economic, social, and climate concerns are due to a degradation of our country’s soils, in particular it’s sponge-like structure or “tilth.” In this introductory class we will consider these questions: What is the soil sponge, and how is it different from...

The CVFC Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of each month. This month's meeting will be held at a location TBD. Members of the coalition are welcome to arrive at 10:30 a.m., and the general public is welcome to arrive at 11:00 a.m. For full details or to RSVP, contact Kirsten Workman at Kirsten.Workman@uvm.edu.

Come learn about the latest research in small grains, cover crops, soil health, and forages. We will be touring research trials evaluating perennial grass varieties, fall forages, stockpiled forages, and a variety of cover crop trials. Roy Desrochers, UVM Sensory Expert, will also provide a fun and educational session tasting and describing local grains! We will also be having a dedication of the new E.E. Cummings Crop Testing Lab and celebrating the lives of our friends Erica Cummings, Ken Van Hazinga, and Jack Lazor. Join us to remember and celebrate their love of agriculture and our small farming community. Field Day Registration...

Financial assistance is available through VAAFM for new or innovative equipment that will aid in the reduction of surface runoff of agricultural wastes to state waters, improve water quality of state waters, reduce odors from manure application, separate phosphorus from manure, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and reduce costs to farmers when they apply manure. Applications are due in November. Learn more at: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/ceap

The CVFC Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of each month. This month's meeting will be held at a location TBD. Members of the coalition are welcome to arrive at 10:30 a.m., and the general public is welcome to arrive at 11:00 a.m. For full details or to RSVP, contact Kirsten Workman at Kirsten.Workman@uvm.edu.

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board's Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program provides grants of up to $40,000 to help Vermont farmers invest in water quality-related on-farm infrastructure. Applications are due January 21, 2022. Learn More + Apply Ahead of the deadline, VHCB will host two virtual information sessions on December 7 and January 12. Register

The CVFC Board of Directors meets on the first Wednesday of each month. This month's meeting will be held at a location TBD. Members of the coalition are welcome to arrive at 10:30 a.m., and the general public is welcome to arrive at 11:00 a.m. For full details or to RSVP, contact Kirsten Workman at Kirsten.Workman@uvm.edu.

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board's Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program provides grants of up to $40,000 to help Vermont farmers invest in water quality-related on-farm infrastructure. Applications are due January 21, 2022. Learn More + Apply Ahead of the deadline, VHCB will host two virtual information sessions on December 7 and January 12. Register

The Vermont Housing & Conservation Board's Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program is offering grants of up to $40,000 to help Vermont farmers invest in water quality-related on-farm infrastructure. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on January 21, 2022. Learn More + Apply

The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) is pleased to announce that it has recently opened applications for the new Vermont Pay for Phosphorus (VPFP) Program, which will be one of the first of its kind in the United States. This statewide program, which is supported by a $7 million grant award from the national USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) Alternative Funding Arrangement (AFA), will provide $4.9 million in payments to Vermont farms over 4 years. Applications are due January 31.   Farms must manage annual crop or hay land, have...