Vermont Fresh Network 2020 Annual Report About Us

The Vermont Fresh Network is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded in 1996 with the mission of advancing relationships among farmers, chefs, and consumers to grow markets and eat more locally grown food.

The Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) is dedicated to fostering a flourishing local food system for the benefit of our environment, our communities, our health, and the overall strength of the rural economy.

We approach this work through connections between farmers and chefs. Chefs and other culinary professionals play a key role in shaping our daily food lives and they present unique market opportunities for Vermont food producers. We are the primary statewide organization representing this perspective in local food work.

We are a membership-based organization. We offer programs for Partner Members, businesses that meet our local food purchasing requirements, and Supporting Members, any businesses or individuals interested in our mission. In complement to our membership-based benefits, we also offer consumer education, and professional development programs throughout the year that are open to everyone.

Staff:

Tara Pereira Zea Luce Amelia Norris Executive Director Membership & Project Manager Program & Outreach Coordinator

Board: Doug Paine, President Jed Davis, Vice President Jake Claro, Treasurer Hotel Vermont & The Farmhouse Group Vermont Farm-to-Plate Bleu Northeast Kitchen Annie Rowell, Secretary Joe Buley Cara Tobin Vermont First / Sodexo Joe's Kitchen Honey Road at Screamin' Ridge Farm

Ryan Chaffin John Mandeville Eric Warnstedt Farrell Distributing Lamoille Economic Hen of the Wood, Doc Ponds, Development Corporation Prohibition Pig

Silas Doyle-Burr Susan Reid Lyndon Virkler Last Resort Farm Co. New England Culinary Institute Highlights from 2020 A Resilient Member Network The Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2021 and our network of members, partners, and community remains stronger than ever. This past year challenged all of us, and reinforced the importance of local food relationships and creativity. We welcomed 14 new members and worked hard to support our 291 members through the pandemic. When the statewide shutdown occurred in March 2020, VFN staff jumped into action gathering lists of restaurants across the state offering takeout & curbside pickup and farms with local offerings. We continued targeted member promotional support throughout the year. The Great Vermont Picnic In August, we invited Vermonters across the state to celebrate the farmer-chef connection with Vermont Fresh Network’s “The Great Vermont Picnic.” This month- long promotional picnic event was our creative alternative to what would have been our 24th Annual Forum Dinner, showcasing our members. The public planned their picnics with takeout offerings from our chefs & members and searched via DigInVT.com and Seven Days' “Good To-Go” directory of hundreds of additional Vermont restaurants. Seven Days and Front Porch Forum sponsored this campaign. DigInVT.com & Vermont Agritourism DigInVT.com continues to be one of the largest collaborative food and farm tourism marketing platforms in the country and has grown this year to list over 600 food & farm businesses. The DigInVT partnership enables us to work with 10 statewide producer organizations. In 2020, we added a new virtual events category, as well as the new Vermont Farm Trail project. As part of our work, we continue to co-chair the Farm to Plate agritourism statewide task force. In December 2019, VFN was awarded a three year federal grant to build on our successful efforts with DigInVT and strengthen Vermont’s agritourism sector. Cultivating the Chef-Farmer Connection We continued our mission of advancing relationships among farmers and chefs through sector-focused projects. VFN is partnering with the Vermont Grass Farmers Association on a grant to increase the competitiveness of Vermont pasture-raised beef by facilitating connections, communication, and camaraderie among food system stakeholders. VFN and culinary members co-authored a restaurant market channel brief for the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan 2021-2030. We are serving as VFN member advocate during statewide partner meetings and weekly calls for the Vermont Everyone Eats advisory board. Celebrating 6 years of Vermont Open Farm Week VFN leads and manages this week-long event through the DigInVT platform with a committee of statewide local food and farm partners. In 2020, Open Farm Week focused on events appropriate for pandemic-related guidelines: self-guided tours or one group/family at a time, on-farm picnics, farm trails, virtual/online events, social media participation (i.e. posting a farm pic of the day), and other creative activities.

Other Special Projects In the fall of 2020, VFN received funding from Vermont Breakfast on the Farm for a dairy-focused project that integrated educational dairy content with the first ever Vermont Hot Chocolate Week (February 2021). We also participated in the Maple 100 pilot project, spearheaded by Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, engaging restaurant members and the public to think outside the box when it comes to maple. As part of this work, we added a sweet Maple Creemee Trail to DigInVT!

Vermont Farm Trails VFN is a project partner in the Farm Walk Trail Network, an initiative of food, farming, and agritourism organizations to create a directory of walking trails on farms across VERMONT Vermont. These trails offer Vermonters a healthy and safe place to be outside, engage Farm Trails with the working landscape, and get to know their agricultural neighbors. Hosted on DigInVT.com DigInVT, these trails are on or adjacent to working farms or conserved historic agricultural land. The concept was so popular over the summer, that we were able to expand and add a Winter Farm Trail version thanks to a UVM grant.

Seasonal Promotions & Mail Order Gift Guide In 2020, we expanded our annual Local Turkey Finder to a Holiday Meal Guide featuring farms and markets. Vermonters could locate ingredients for a truly Vermont-grown meal. We also published a list of the VFN member restaurants & inns serving delicious holiday meals prepared with Vermont ingredients for dine-in or takeout. Additionally, we received grant funding from UVM to develop a DigInVT holiday gift guide to promote mail order sales for local Vermont products and restaurant gift certificates.

Member Professional Development We partnered with UVM Extension on a webinar series to help Vermont’s farm and food system build resiliency and support safety during the pandemic. Topics included direct sales, e-commerce, agritourism, virtual events, and pick-your-own guidance. Also, UVM Extension and DigInVT staff published a best practices guide to help agritourism businesses navigate COVID-19 regulations. Financial Report 2020

Notes for 2020: Income = $103,866

Other Donations A goal at the start of 2020 was to stabilize our 3.7 % Fee for financials and continue to refine our current Service 2.4 % programs. As the pandemic hit in late March 2020, Sponsorships reduced staff capacity and the realities of the crisis, Membership 1.7 % Events forced us to re-evaluate and adapt our work plan. For most of 2020 we put a priority on supporting member Other Grants businesses, as well looking for additional financial support through grants and fundraising. Directly related to the COVID pandemic and the Government Grants state-mandated event cancellations, there was a major drop in event-based fundraising and sponsorships with cancellation of the 24th Annual Forum Dinner fundraiser. The funding shift in 2020 manifested itself in a couple Expense = $115,272 of ways. In 2019 sponsors/sponsorships accounted for close to 40% of funding; in 2020, that dropped to Admin. approximately 3%. Grants in 2019 accounted for 12.1% approximately 12%, while in 2020 that flipped to

close to 54%. (That 54% also included a number of Programs one-time-only COVID related grants and projects.) 16.9% The VFN board has approved a balanced budget for 2021 that is very conservative in its spending plans, Program Staff 71% giving VFN staff time to focus on getting the best results from current projects and programs, while also working with partners to explore new funding channels through local food marketing and agritourism. The Vermont Fresh Network ended 2020 with more than 4 months operating expenses in reserves (the recommended reserves level for nonprofits is 3-6 months).

Major Sponsors & Funders 2019-2020

Affiliate Partners: Black River Produce • Burlington Free Press • Farrell Distributing • Foley Services • Hotel Vermont • Vermont First

2020 Annual Meeting Sponsors: American Flatbread - Lareau Farm • Cabot Creamery Co- operative • Front Porch Forum • Joe's Kitchen at Screamin' Ridge Farm • Karim Farm & Creamery • King Arthur Baking Co • Mad River Taste Place • Red Hen Baking Co. • Stowe Cider • The Inn at the Round Barn

2020 Fundraising Sponsors: Boston Post Dairy • Champlain Valley Apiaries • City Market • Eden Specialty Ciders • Fat Toad Farm • Jasper Hill Cheese • Mad River Taste Place • Shelburne Vineyards • SILO Distillery

2020 Media Sponsors: Front Porch Forum • Seven Days Vermont

Other Grantmakers: Champlain Valley Heritage Basin Program • Specialty Crop Block Grant Program • Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets • USDA • UVM Extension • Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development • Vermont Breakfast on the Farm Supporting Members & Individual Donors Wendy Arnone • Margo Baldwin & Chelsea Green Publishing • Rosalie Belcher • Peggy Briggs • Meredith Callanan • Ryan Chaffin • Jeanne Fox • Elizabeth Hunton • Pam Knights • Helen Labun & Lawrence Miller • Barbara LeWinter • Tsering Ngudu • Patty & Tom Pasley • Martha Perkins • Jeffrey Roberts & Cow Creek Ventures • Katherine & Bill Schubart • Jean Sharry • Eileen Underwood & Bob Musser • Richard Roy & Vermont Beekeepers Association

DigInVT & Vermont Agritourism

DigInVT in 2020 As we looked at the changes in 2020, we prioritized adaptations to DigInVT that allowed site visitors to explore Vermont experiences virtually, promoted pandemic-safe outdoor experiences, and focused on encouraging direct sales and online mail order of Vermont specialty food and drink. Staff collaborated with partners on resource and informational support of food and farm businesses. This included partnering on a webinar series and best practices guide with UVM Extension, focused on building resiliency and adapting businesses during the pandemic.

A few highlights:

Launched Vermont Farm Trail Project with partners Hosted and produced the 6th annual Vermont Open Farm Week Added a new virtual/online events category to DigInVT Published forty-six DigInVT blog articles in 2020 Received 2021 Vermont Dairy promotional grant UVM grant-funded Holiday Gift Guide and Winter Trail Launched Maple Creemee Trail for the Maple 100 Fresh Feed newsletter grew to over 6400 subscribers

USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program Grant (2019 - 2022) In Dec. 2019, Vermont Fresh Network was awarded a three year USDA Farmers Market Promotion Program grant to build on our successful efforts with DigInVT and strengthen Vermont’s agritourism sector. Activities funded over the course of this federal grant include: Vermont Open Farm Week, regional business networking events, building resources that support entry into the agritourism sector, and developing a statewide collaborative agritourism marketing strategy, among other projects focused on supporting Vermont's food and farm sectors.

DigInVT Partners:

Northeast Organic Farming Association • Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets • Vermont Brewers Association • Vermont Cheese Council • Vermont Cider Makers Association • Vermont Farms! Association • Vermont Farmers Market Association • Vermont Fresh Network • Vermont Grape & Wine Council • Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association • Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association • Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing (advisory) THE GREAT VERMONT PICNIC

THE PROJECT VFN ORG ACTIVITIES Our Annual Forum Dinner summer fundraiser serves as a local food Marketing toolkit celebration and showcases our wonderful members. Since our August 2020 dinner was cancelled due to the pandemic, our goal Social media was to plan a fun alternative that engaged the public. The Great Graphic design Vermont Picnic aimed to celebrate the summer bounty in a safe Media & PR way, while driving business to our members. The public was invited Email marketing to order takeout, pair it with other VT products, and choose their picnic spot! They were also encouraged to tag the businesses they Original website content supported with their purchases in social media. Integration with other initiatives - Farm Trail JULY 2020 MEDIA RELEASE Network/Open Farm Week "The Great Vermont Picnic is a month-long celebration of the farmer-chef Paid advertising connection. Kicking off on August 1st, local food lovers are encouraged Instagram contest to support Vermont’s restaurants and food producers, while enjoying the outdoors this summer." PARTICIPANTING BUSINESSES VFN MEMBER TESTIMONIAL "The Great Vermont Picnic was a huge success because of 62 the traffic driven to us by VFN’s efforts. We would not have VFN restaurant had the success we experienced without their support and the members support of our local farmers and makers. 45 VFN is in our corner and we consider them to be a critical Farms, food & partner as we forge ahead into our future. We simply couldn’t beverage producers do what we do without the relationships fostered by the VFN."

MEDIA SPONSORS FRONT PORCH FORUM SEVEN DAYS VERMONT

EARNED MEDIA

Vermont W#inVeE PRroMjecOt NTPICNIC VERMONT FARM TRAIL NETWORK

VERMONT Farm Trails

THE PROJECT PARTNER ORGS

The Farm Walk Trail Network is a collaborative initiative Farm-Based Education of food, farming, and agritourism organizations brought Network together to create a directory of walking trails on farms NOFA-VT across the state. Hosted on DigInVT.com, the Vermont Shelburne Farms Farm Walk Trail concept is built on the idea that farms are places for both production and recreation. The onset University of Vermont of COVID-19 catalyzed the project, as people sought safe Extension places to be outdoors. The farm trail network proved so Vermont Fresh Network popular that winter farm trails (featuring cross country & DigInVT skiing and snow shoeing) were added to DigInVT, thanks Vermont Department of to a University of Vermont grant. Tourism & Marketing

PARTICIPANTING FARMS

SPRING - FALL WINTER Bluffside Farm Champlain Valley Hops Four Springs Farm & Campground Frog Hollow Farms Hildene, The Lincoln Family Home Knoll Farm Lavender Essentials of Vermont Merck Forest and Farmland Center Retreat Farm Scott Farm Orchard Shelburne Farms Silloway Maple Sugarbush Farm Maple and Cheese Farm Trillium Hill Farm and more!

EARNED MEDIA

#VTFARMTRAILS Vermont Wine Project Partner Members 2020

1801 Tavern at the Grafton Inn Deer Ridge Farm Jackson House Inn A Single Pebble Doc Ponds Jasper Hill Farm Adam's Berry Farm Kitchen Jed's Maple Products American Flatbread - Burlington Hearth Dot Calm Cafe at Dealer.com Jericho Settlers Farm American Flatbread - Middlebury Hearth Drifter's Joe's Kitchen @ Screamin' Ridge Farm American Flatbread at Lareau Farm duo Restaurant Jules on the Green Aqua ViTea Kombucha Earth Sky Time Farm & Juniper Bar and Restaurant at Hotel Vermont AR Market Echo Lake Inn Karim Farm and Creamery Archie's Grill Edelweiss Mountain Deli King Arthur Baking Company Artesano LLC Eden Ice Cider Company Lake Champlain Chocolates Artisan Eats Vermont Edson Hill Last Resort Farm Baird Farm Maple Syrup El Cortijo Taqueria Y Cantina LedgEnd Farm Basin Harbor Ethan Allen Residence Let's Pretend Catering Billings Farm and Museum Farmer Hil Leunig's Bistro Bistro de Margot Farmers & Foragers, LLC Lewis Creek Farm Black Krim Tavern Farmhouse Inn at Robinson Farm Liberty Hill Farm Inn Black Lantern Inn Farrell Distributing Corporation Lincoln Peak Vineyard LLC Black River Produce Fat Sheep Farm & Cabins Long Trail Brewing Company Bleu Northeast Seafood Fat Toad Farm Lucas Family Farms, LLC Blythedale Farm Inc Fire & Ice Restaurant Lucky Star Catering Boston Post Dairy LLC Flack Family Farm Mad River Distillers Boyden Farm, LLC Flatlander Farm Mad River Taste Place Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits Fort Ticonderoga Maple Meadow Farm Boyer's Orchard Four Columns Inn & Artisan Restaurant Maple Soul Brass Lantern Inn Free Verse Farm & Apothecary Maple Wind Farm Breezy Acres Farm Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery Maquam Barn and Winery Bromley Farm Peru, Vermont Full Belly Farm Mares Apiaries Brookfield Bees FUNJ. Shrooming Company Marigold Kitchen Pizza Brot Bakehouse School and Kitchen Georgia Mountain Maples Mary's at Baldwin Creek Brownsville Butcher & Pantry Get Love Ski, LLC Meadowdale Farm Butch + Babe's Golden Russet Farm Michael's on the Hill Butternut Mountain Farm Golden Stage Inn Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op Cabot Creamery Cooperative Good to Go Misty Knoll Farm Cai's Dim Sum and Catering Grafton Village Cheese Co MKT: Grafton Caledonia Spirits Grateful Greens Vermont Mojo Cafe Cas-Cad-Nac Farm, LLC Gratitude Farms, LLC Montpelier Vineyards Castle Hill Resort and Spa Gray Ghost Inn Monument Farms Dairy Ceres Greens LLC Graze and Gaze Farm Morgan's Tavern at The Middlebury Inn Champlain Cafe at Burlington Technical Center Green Mountain Blue Cheese Morse Block Deli & Taps Champlain College Green Mountain Girls Farm Mountain Foot Farm Champlain Orchards and Cidery Green Mountain Technology and Career Center Mountain Top Resort Champlain Valley Apiaries Greenfield Highland Beef New Leaf Organics Charity's 1887 Saloon Guild Tavern New Moon Catering Charlotte Berry Farm Happy Valley Orchard Nitty Gritty Grain Company of Vermont Chelsea Royal Diner Health Hero Farm North Hollow Farm Choice Maple Heart of the Village Inn Northeast Kingdom Processing, LLC Citizen Cider Hen of the Wood - Burlington O Bread Bakery LLC City Market Hen of the Wood - Waterbury Odyssey Events Clifford Country Bed & Breakfast High Ridge Meadows Farm, LLC Orb Weaver Creamery Cloverworks Farm Hill Farm Inn Otter Creek Brewing Company Cobb Hill Cheese Hillside Farm / Pearce's Pastured Poultry Pascolo Ristorante Common Roots Hilltopper Cafe at St. Johnsbury Academy Paul Mazza Fruit and Vegetables Conant's Riverside Farms Homestyle Hostel Pebble Brook Farm Cornwall Orchards B&B Honey Road Peterson Quality Malt Craftsbury General Store Inn at Shelburne Farms Philo Ridge Farm & Livestock Craftsbury Outdoor Center Inn at the Round Barn Farm Phineas Swann Bed & Breakfast Inn Crossmolina Farm J.J. Hapgood General Store & Eatery Pomykala Farm Partner Members, continued

Porter Medical Center Stone Hearth Inn and Tavern The Sugarman of Vermont, LLC Prohibition Pig Stowe Street Cafe The Windsor Station Restaurant & Barroom Putney Food Co-op Strafford Organic Creamery The Woods Lodge Rabble-Rouser Chocolate & Craft Co. Sugar Bob's Finest Kind (SBFK Inc) Thornhill Farm Randolph Technical Career Center Sugar Mountain Farm LLC Three Chimney Farm Rebop Farm LLC Sugarsnap Catering Three Penny Taproom Red Barn Kitchen Summit Maple Farm Thyme Red Clover Inn and Restaurant Sunnymede Farm Trapp Family Lodge Red Hawk Cafe at Champlain Valley Union H. S. Susanna's Catering Tres Amigos Red Hen Baking Company Sweet Sarah's LLC Triple J Pastures Richmond Community Kitchen LLC Sweet Sound Aquaculture Two Brothers Tavern Rivendell Interstate School District Sweetwaters American Bistro Tyler Place Family Resort Robie Farm, LLC Tail Feather Farm University of Vermont Medical Center Runamok Maple The 1906 House Upper Valley Food Coop Rutland Regional Medical Center The Abbey Group Upper Valley Produce LLC Sandiwood Farm The Arcadian UVM Dining/Sodexo savouré LLC The Bench Vermont Beekeepers Association Sawmill Brook Farm The Copper Fox Vermont Cranberry Company Saxtons River Distillery The Dorset Inn Vermont Creamery Scott Farm Orchard and Market The Drake Bar and Kitchen Vermont Farms Catering Scuttleship Farm The Essex Resort and Spa Vermont Food Collaborative Seyon Lodge State Park The European Artists B&B Vermont Fresh Pasta Shacksbury Cider The Farmhouse Tap & Grill Vermont Heritage Grazers llc ShakeyGround Farm The Foundry at Summit Pond Vermont Salumi Sheep Meadow Farm The Friendly Toast Vermont Spirits Distilling Co. Shelburne Farms The Gary Residence Vermont Studio Center Shelburne Vineyard The Great Northern Vermont Switchel Company LLP Shire Beef LLC The Hardwick Street Cafe Vermont Wagyu at Spring-Rock Farm Shrubbly, LLC The Inn at Weathersfield Wagyu Wagon / Morgan Brook Farm Silloway Maple The Mad Taco Wake Robin SILO Distillery The Manor Wellwood Orchards Simon Pearce Restaurant The Norwich Inn West Mountain Inn Snow Farm Vineyard and Crescent Bay B & B The Parsons' Farm Westview Meadows Snug Valley Farm Pastured Pork & Grass-Fed Beef The Putney School Wilson Farm Market SoLo Farm and Table The Reluctant Panther Windfall Orchard Solstice, The Lodge at Spruce Peak The Reservoir Wood's Cider Mill Squier Family Farm The Skinny - Burlington Woodstock Farmers' Market Sterling College The Skinny Pancake - Montpelier Wunderbar Stewart Maple The Skinny Pancake - Quechee