Staff Articles
A Year in the Life of a Christmas Tree at Russell Farm
David Russell walks through 365 days on a Vermont choose-and-cut Christmas tree farm By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Most of us think about a Christmas tree for a few weeks in December, but David Russell, owner of Russell Christmas Tree Farm in Starksboro, Vermont thinks about them just about every … Read More
Wood: Vermont’s Locally Grown, Renewable Fuel
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Vermonters have a long history of heating with wood, and most of us know there is nothing like the warmth of a well-stoked wood stove on a cold winter night. It is only in recent years, however, that advances in technology have made wood a … Read More
Fighting Climate Change One Rocking Chair at a Time: Vermont Woods Studios Makes a Case for Buying Local
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund “Buy local” is a common refrain around Vermont, and many of us feel good about supporting small, independently-owned businesses, farms and restaurants around the state. For Peggy Farabaugh, owner of Vermont Woods Studios in Vernon, the idea has roots that are much deeper and farther … Read More
Realizing a Dream on a Small Dairy: Gammelgården Creamery
By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director Owning and operating a small dairy had long been a dream when Stina Kutzer received a beautiful Jersey calf named Babette for her birthday in 2004. Stina had worked with dairy cows throughout her adult life and with milk from Babette began to produce handmade butter and yogurt. … Read More
A Story of Respect and Resilience
By Jake Claro, Vermont Farm to Plate Director One of the first things you notice at Molly Brook Farm is that Rhonda and Myles Goodrich call every single one of their 77 cows by name. “Move along Clover,” or “this way Charlotte” is heard in the milking parlor during the daily milking sessions. The Goodrichs, … Read More
Snug Valley Farm Finds Success in its Story
By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director Vermont continues to lose dairy farms at a devastating rate – as of July the state had lost 66 this year alone. As dairy farmers struggle with whether or not they can survive in their current industry many look to what could be next. The Nottermann family, owners … Read More
Teaching the Trade: Vermont Schools Train the Next Generation of Loggers, Foresters, Builders, and Artists
By Christine McGowan, forest program director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Like many trade occupations, woodworking was traditionally passed along from mentor to apprentice, one generation to the next. Young adults might have been introduced to the fundamentals of woodworking in high school shop class, producing the mandatory birdhouse or book shelf, but most who entered … Read More
The Face of Farming: Root Crops Abound at Burnt Rock Farm
By Ellen Kahler The following is the first installment in Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s Face of Farming Series. The series will profile a variety of farmers throughout Vermont who are employing best practices, implementing innovative approaches and who together represent the evolving face of Vermont’s agricultural system. Justin Rich has been farming the fertile … Read More
Lucas Jenson Makes the Case for Local Wood
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund People in the forest products industry find their way to wood in different ways. For some, it’s a part of their family DNA. For others, it’s a passion. For Lucas Jenson, owner of The Tree House Hardwoods & Millshop, it’s a vocation that aligns with … Read More
A Tale of Two Luthiers
By Christine McGowan In the hip city of Burlington, Creston Lea builds one of a kind electric guitars, while in southern Vermont, Douglas Cox turns out violins for classical musicians around the world. Creston Lea and Douglas Cox live about as far apart as two Vermonters can get, but are connected by their craft as … Read More
Building a Network to Create a New Forest Culture in Vermont
By Christine McGowan As development creeps into our rural landscapes and woodlot ownership changes hands, our forests face an uncertain future. Vermonters value working landscapes, but do they value the work it takes to keep these landscapes intact? Not unlike other Vermont business sectors, our forest and wood products industry has struggled with an aging … Read More
Landowners are Essential Partner in Vermont’s Forest Products Economy
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund From urban forests to thousand-acre parcels, Vermonters own 80% of the state’s forested land. Vermont’s forests are one of our greatest natural resources, contributing to the economy through industry and recreation to the tune of $3.4 billion, and supporting countless non-economic benefits such as clean … Read More