UVM Food Feed

New UVM Study Reinforces the Value of Food Hubs

Posted by Erica Houskeeper | February 27, 2018

Do farmers and other suppliers benefit from sales to food hubs? UVM Associate Professor David Conner and a team of researchers set out to find the answer in a recent study published in the Journal of Hunger & Environmental Nutrition.

Food hubs have been credited as a way to expand markets for local and regional food. However, one crucial area that has not received a great deal of attention is how food hubs are impacting suppliers—notably farmers and small-scale manufacturers.

Associate Professor David Conner

Continue reading →

Posted in UVM, Vermont | Tagged academic research, food access, local foods, UVM, Vermont | Leave a comment

A Tribute to UVM Agricultural Economics Professor Bob Parsons

Posted by Guest Author | February 21, 2018

By Terry Bradshaw, PhD

The agriculture, academic, and extension world lost a true friend with a sharp, grounded mind and a sense of humor only developed in farm fields, barns, and milk house driveways when Dr. Bob Parsons passed away Friday after a two-plus year battle with cancer.

Bob’s impact on Vermont agriculture looms large, as he has been key in studying dairy and other farm sector economics; in overseeing the UVM Risk Management Agency; in directing the Vermont Farm Succession Program; and in being a sought-out resource for detailing agricultural economics at all levels and relating them to stakeholders. Despite being quite sick (and sicker than he’d led on to those of us who work with him), recently he was commenting on Vermont Public Radio on the current state of milk prices and helping one of our undergrad students do his taxes. The man was dedicated right to the end.

Bob Parsons (right) and his wife Grace Matiru in action.

Continue reading →

Posted in Economic, Education, UVM | Tagged dairy, Economy, education, farming, UVM | 4 Comments

Can Lessons from Vermont Keep Local Agriculture Alive in Montana?

Posted by Guest Author | February 15, 2018

By Erika Fredrickson
Missoula Independent/High Country News

This story is part of The Montana Gap Project, produced in partnership with the Solutions Journalism Network.

On a recent Wednesday morning, a small group of farmers gathered at a table inside a neighborhood restaurant on the outskirts of Missoula. It was a crisp 25 degrees outside, but inside the Trough a fireplace flickered and the smell of bacon wafted through the air. The farmers pulled off wool coats and knit caps and held their travel mugs out to the waitress, who filled them with steaming coffee. The Trough, formerly Dale’s Dairy, is about the only place in at least a mile radius of the Orchard Homes and Target Range neighborhoods where you can grab a bite to eat. Its rustic decor evokes an old farmhouse, but it’s a decidedly modern space—and that combination of traditional and contemporary makes it the perfect rendezvous for rural farmers trying to keep farming alive in an increasingly urban setting.

Continue reading →

Posted in Environmental | Tagged Economy, Environment, local foods, Vermont | 1 Comment

UVM Trip to Kenya Highlights Food Systems, Nutrition & Community

Posted by Guest Author | February 7, 2018

By Olivia Peña

A group of 14 UVM students traveled to Kenya for 12 days in January to apply hands-on nutrition, food systems, and community development skills they learned on campus.

Students from several majors participated in the Sustainable Development and Education in Kenya winter session course. They came together in a transdisciplinary environment to gain real-world experience. The class, led by Community Development and Applied Economics Professor Dr. Jane Kolodinsky and Nutrition and Food Science Professor Dr. Farryl Bertmann, implemented three projects: water quality and systems, women’s health and empowerment, and community entrepreneurship.

Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, UVM | Tagged food culture, UVM | 1 Comment

Farmer Training Alum Starts Vermont Farm-Based School for Children

Posted by Erica Houskeeper | January 25, 2018

Learning how to cook and garden as a child helped Lelia Evans cultivate a passion for sharing her knowledge with others.

Lelia, the founder of The Market Garden School in Stowe, graduated from the UVM Farmer Training Program in 2016. We talked to the Belmont, Massachusetts native about her path to starting a farm-based school and her passion for teaching children how to grow and cook food.