Day one

It's great to see people starting to arrive--from upper NY state, NH, MA, CT, and even California's Central Valley. Rain has done little to dampen the spirits of early arrivals this evening, and we're looking at two days of warm sunshine--perfect for our outdoor workshops and for exploring the communities and farms around the Northeast Kingdom. As I'm going to note in tomorrow's welcome, Sterling College is situated within a short drive of at least 4 high quality cheese makers (Jasper Hill, Ploughgate Creamery, Lazy Lady, and Bonnieview), a mile from a year-round CSA (Pete's Greens), fewer than 10 minutes from three well-provisioned farm stands (Bub's Best, Wild Branch Valley Farm, and Pete's Greens).

All this in a town of barely 1000 people.

We are also just north of Hardwick and Wolcott, which are home to The Center for and Agricultural Economy, Vermont Soy and Vermont Natural Coatings, High Mowing Seeds, Claire’s restaurant, and a range of other businesses committed to the local and regional agricultural economy.

As we look forward to three days packed full of workshops, seminars, and, well, food, farms, and community, my hope is that we will take away more than notes & ideas, but contacts and a sense of community that can continue to foster dialogue well after this Institute is over.

Some of the places to keep the dialogue going (other than here!) are:
New Vermont Cooking
Pete's Greens Blog
Vermont Pasture Network

On Twitter:
@AgapeHillFarm
@jackmonger
@NewportVermont
@ClairesVT

more suggestions are welcome...