A Celebration of Vermont Food & Agriculture: Kingdom Farm & Food Days on Aug 20-21st, 2011

Cabbage taste testing. (Last year it rained, but we still had over 200 people show up, and everyone had a great time!)
High Mowing Organic Seeds, Center for an Agricultural Economy, Pete’s Greens, New England Culinary Institute and Craftsbury Outdoor Center are once again hosting the Kingdom Farm & Food Days, a free, fun-filled event in celebration of good food and Vermont agriculture. This year the event will take place on August 20 & 21st, 2011. Participating farms in the Northeast Kingdom will open their doors to the public! Visitors will get a chance to see the milking at Bonnieview Farm sheep dairy, Pete’s Greens in Craftsbury will host a farm and greenhouse tour and a pig roast dinner. The Craftsbury Outdoor Center will lead a scenic bike tour of area farms. High Mowing Organic Seeds' Involvement: On Sunday, the High Mowing Organic Seeds trials garden will be open for self-guided and hour-long guided tours throughout the day. Labeled displays of over 800 vegetable, herb and flower varieties will allow visitors to see a wide range of side-by-side comparisons of many popular and some yet-unreleased varieties. There will be live music; workshops on seed saving, pest and disease identification, fermenting fresh vegetables, and more; and an evening bonfire. Download the detailed High Mowing Field Day schedule (pdf). 10:00-11:00 am
  • Trial Gardens Tour
  • Spotlight Breeder Variety Tour – Vitalis Organic Seeds
  • Sauerkraut Variations Workshop
11:00-12:00 pm
  • Seed Saving 101
  • Spotlight Breeder Variety Tour – Bejo Seeds
  • Sour Pickles and Ginger Carrots Workshop
12:00-1:00 pm
  • Trial Gardens Tour
  • Pest and Disease Walk
  • Sauer Ruben and Sour Beets
1:00-2:00 pm
  • Seed Production Workshop
  • Fermented Capers and Fermented Greens
2:00-3:00 pm
  • Trial Gardens Tour
  • Kim chi and Sour Watermelon Rinds
3:00-4:00 pm
  • Trial Gardens Tour
  • High Mowing Plant Breeding Plot Tour
  • Brined Garlic and Mixed Veggie Crocks
4:00-4:30 pm
  • Welcome and Hors d’Oeuvres
4:30-6:00 pm
  • New England Culinary Institute’s Local Food Showcase - The New England Culinary Institute (NECI) will present an amazing array of locally produced food in Sunday afternoon’s Local Foods Showcase. This is an extraordinary chance for visitors to taste some of the finest Vermont-made food products and culinary delights prepared by NECI students and chef Ryan O’Malley. Show up early, as the food always goes quickly!
  • Live music by Streak O’Lean from Burlington, VT
6:00-8:00 pm
  • Bonfire and live music (tbd)!
    This community-wide and family-friendly event is free, with suggested donations or small fees to some of the exclusive events. The event is also looking for volunteers to help the weekend’s activities run smoothly! Opportunities include helping with the set up and break down of events, being a compost station monitor or parking officer, and much more. If you are interested, please contact Elena Gustavson at center@hardwickagriculture.org. The Center for an Agricultural Economy supports local communities in rebuilding their economic and ecological health through strong, secure and revitalized agricultural food systems. High Mowing Organic Seeds, an independently-owned, farm-based seed company is dedicated to providing organic farmers and gardeners with the highest quality certified organic seed. Pete’s Greens is a four-season organic vegetable farm that believes strongly in local food production and consumption. The Craftsbury Outdoor Center is now a non-profit that has been an advocate of the NEK’s great outdoors for over 30 years. The New England Culinary Institute combines the old world tradition of European apprenticeship with the American holistic approach to provide students with a well-rounded education, personal and professional development and more.

More information, updates and directions to events and participating farms can be found at KingdomFarmandFood.org.