Staff Articles
For Vermont Entrepreneur, Wood Heat Fits Like a Glove
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund As a young entrepreneur, Sam Hooper carefully considers every decision he makes for his business, and every dollar he spends. So when Hooper, who bought the hundred-year-old Vermont Glove last year, was faced with replacing the building’s ancient heating system, he did his homework. “We … Read More
Op Ed: Vermont’s food system is critical to our local economy, identity and quality of life
By Jake Claro, Farm to Plate Director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund I encourage everyone to read through the Vermont Agriculture and Food System Plan recently released by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets (VAAFM) and the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) in fulfillment of Act 83. The jointly created 2020 plan … Read More
Local Planning for Food Access: A Toolkit for Vermont’s Communities
Supporting the economic viability of local farms and increasing food access for all community members are often treated as separate, or even conflicting, objectives. The Farm to Plate Network, however, works to address these issues simultaneously, as both are necessary for economic stability and thriving communities. While models can be developed and sometimes implemented by … Read More
Vermont Farm to Plate Achieving Intended Outcomes
A Letter from Farm to Plate Director Jake Claro to the Vermont General Assembly and Governor Phil Scott: This year’s Vermont Farm to Plate Annual Report features highlights of key projects from 2019, including grass-fed beef industry development, local planning for food access, wholesale markets, and small-scale on-farm composting. You will also see how Rooted … Read More
Lumberjills Gain Skills, Confidence in Game of Logging
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Women-only trainings target growing number of female landowners in Vermont. “Learning to use a chainsaw was the most empowering thing I have ever done,” said Caitlin Gosciminski, a natural resources major at the University of Vermont. Gosciminski was among ten women who participated in the … Read More
DeltaClimeVT Founder Story: EVmatch – Pilot Programs Expand EV Charging in VT
Burlington Electric Department and Green Mountain Power working with start-up EVmatch to reduce “range anxiety” for Vermont EV owners. Electric vehicles (commonly known as EVs), are widely seen as one of the most promising ways to move away from fossil fuels, decrease greenhouse gas emissions, and move Vermont closer to its clean energy goals. Reliable … Read More
Vermont’s Original Extreme Sport: The Lumberjack Competition
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Barnet resident Calvin Willard ranks among best in U.S. When most people think about world-class athletes from Vermont, they think of Olympic skiers and snowboarders like Kelly Clark, Hannah Kearney and Sophie Caldwell. And while it’s true that Vermont is a breeding ground for snow … Read More
DeltaClimeVT Founder Story: Buildings As Batteries?
By Geoff Robertson, Business Assistance Director at the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Dynamic Organics Innovating Energy Storage for a Cleaner, Greener Electric Grid Remember Tuesday, July 30 a few months back? It was the hottest day of a record-breaking month – the warmest recorded in the history of the earth. It was also a day … Read More
The Walking Sawyer: Connecting Hikers with Vermont’s Working Forests
Lead image photo caption: Ken Gagnon, avid hiker and owner of Gagnon Lumber in Pittsford, hikes on the Long Trail near Pico, VT. His nickname is “The Walking Sawyer.” Photo by Erica Houskeeper. By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Somewhere between the Oak trees near the Massachusetts border and the Maple … Read More
DeltaClimeVT Founder Story: Compost for a Cleaner Planet
DeltaClimeVT cohort company Agrilab Technologies captures renewable energy, phosphorus pollution in high-tech composting in Vermont to help clean up Lake Champlain.
Post and Beam on Lake Iroquois Keeps the Wood, the Work, and the Dollars Local
Lead image photo caption: George Wilcox and his son Dave Wilcox stand next to the log of a white pine tree that was cut in February on their West Berlin property. Photo by Erica Houskeeper. By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund The story behind Randy Kay’s camp on Lake Iroquois began with … Read More
Loggers, Mountain Bikers and a Tiki Bar: Vermont’s New Working Landscape
By Christine McGowan, Forest Program Director, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Forest and recreation industries align on East Burke’s Kingdom Trails Sawmills were East Burke’s first industry, bringing brave and adventurous souls to the northern reaches of Vermont to work, establish farms and, eventually, build the local school, church and meeting house that would become the … Read More