The Psychology (and Politics) of Food Labels

Posted by Darryl Benjamin  |  April 24, 2014

NonGMOSeal_logo Yesterday, April 23, 2014, the Vermont legislature passed the nation’s first “no strings attached” GMO labeling bill. The “no strings attached” stipulation means passage is not dependent on whether other states pass similar bills; Vermont will go it alone. The legislation would take effect on July 1, 2016.  It’s been a long journey, but the bill is now one step away from passage. If Governor Shumlin signs the bill — and all indications are that he will — it will be a first in the nation. Continue reading →

Posted in Economic, Environmental, Health, Social | 6 Comments

Recipe: Italian Easter Pie

Posted by Elizabeth Berman  |  April 18, 2014

Italian Easter PieItalian Easter Pie (Torta Pasqualina) is a traditional savory dish from the northern regions of Italy that incorporates eggs, cheese, and spinach in celebration of the return of spring.

In the late 1800s, Vermont’s marble and granite industries attracted Italians to the state, with many coming from the northern Italian region of Lombardy. These immigrants, who settled largely in the Barre and Rutland areas, brought along their cultural and food traditions, which wove their way into the foodways of Vermont. Continue reading →

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Eating the Invaders

Posted by Guest Author  |  April 15, 2014

ETI.food_spread_1_of_1By Joe Roman

About a decade ago, I was standing on the shore of Penobscot Bay in Maine. It was a typical New England scene: lobster boats headed out to their pots, a harbor seal bobbed in the swell, a herring gull cast a shadow across a tide pool, But just below the surface, an army of European invaders was at work. As I lifted a curtain of rockweed, half a dozen green crabs brandished dark, serrated claws before beating a hasty retreat under the rocks. As the tide receded, thousands of European periwinkles, invasive snails, appeared, feasting on local algae and the eggs of other invertebrates. Above the high-tide line, alien weeds—dandelions, garlic mustard, and burdock, to name a few—lined the roads and spread out across the country. Continue reading →

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Does Local Purchasing Count? The economics of food system localization

Posted by David Conner  |  April 1, 2014

markettokensVermont is seen as a national leader in efforts to use local and regional food systems as an instrument of sustainable community and economic development. Our Farm to Plate Initiative is notable for its legislative backing, broad buy in, and ambitious goals. I have recently been asked if there is an economic justification for public interest and government involvement in food systems. Economic theory can argue it both directions:

Continue reading →

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Meet Catamount Farm Manager Laura Williams

Posted by Erica Houskeeper  |  March 26, 2014

LauraWilliamsWhen it comes to farming, Laura Williams says the key to success is to focus on what you love.

Whether your passion is working the land, collaborating with other farmers, or interacting with customers, Williams says there isn’t just one way to prosper as a farmer. Continue reading →

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