December 19, 2015 • Vol. 79, Num ber 12 Published monthly by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture • www.Agriculture.Vermont.gov Annual Holiday Tractor Parade Draws Thousands Food Donations Collected for Area Food Shelf By Laura Stebbins Hardie, New The Gervais Family Farm tractor England Dairy Promotion Council decorated for the St. Albans Tractor Hardie Laura Parade by dairy farmers Larry Gervais rom the farm fields to the city and Delwin Lumbra and family of streets – dairy farmers decked Bakersfield, Vermont. Fout their tractors with lights and paraded through St . Albans last by the St . Albans Co-op as well as Friday for the second annual holiday the dairy farmers of Franklin County . tractor parade . Organizers say the tractor parade is a Thousands gathered to watch the way to thank Vermont’s farmers for 50 farm tractors roll through the all they do and to get people in the town . The number of tractors, milk holiday spirit too . trucks and farm equipment almost “For the St . Albans Co-op and doubled compared to last year’s our area farmers, one of the things parade and were primarily from that’s really important to us around Franklin County dairy farms . this time of the year is to step back “The tractor parade celebrates the and to give thanks to the local holiday season and is a way to give community with a fun, free family back to our local community . We event,” said Gates . “We also want to raised money and food donations show our support for our farmers for Northwest Family Foods, a food from the St . Albans Cooperative included meeting Santa, face and the high quality, nutritious dairy shelf program serving Franklin and Creamery . painting, a photo booth, and free hot products that they produce locally in Grand Isle Counties,” said Tom Gates Other family friendly activities chocolate . The parade is sponsored Vermont ”. Inside This Issue Periodicals Postage View from Vermont Vegetable Paid at 116 State Street . Page 2 and Berry News . Page 10 Montpelier, VT Vermont Agency of and at Additional Boost Your Website Market Report . Page 11 Agriculture, Food & Markets Mailing Offices Presence . Page 3 Classifieds . Page 11 116 State Street CT River Farmers’ Watershed Manure Spreading Montpelier, Vermont 05620-2901 Alliance Launched . Page 4 Ban . Page 14 Safe Needle Handling The Peace Lily . Page 15 on Farms . Page 5 Junior Iron Chef VT . Page 16 Dairy in the Classroom Program . Page 6 State Apiculturist Parisi to Retire . Page 7 Microbiologist Cyr to Retire . Page 8 Over 6,000 Acres of Cover Crops Planted . Page 9 POSTMASTER: Send address change to: Agriview, 116 State Street, Montpelier, VT 05620-2901 2 December 19, 2015 THE VIEW FROM 116 STATE STREET Master Gardener Course We wish you a very happy holiday season, and a healthy, prosperous new year! To Be Offered Online Thank you for your support in 2015! By Heather Carrington online training manual . A printed UVM Extension Master Gardener copy is available for an additional Program Office $55 . Registrations will be accepted ardeners interested in taking until Jan . 15 at www .uvm .edu/ the University of Vermont mastergardener or by phone at (802) G(UVM) Extension Master 656-9562, the UVM Extension Gardener course can do so this Master Gardener Program office . spring from the comfort of their Anyone requiring a disability-related home . The popular 13-week home accommodation to participate should horticulture course will be offered call by Jan . 4 . statewide as an online course The course will explore a range through GoToWebinar . of horticultural topics including Students may either watch backyard vegetable gardening, archived recordings of the classes annuals and perennials, sustainable or participate in live, interactive landscaping, pest and disease webinars on Tuesday nights, control, rain gardens, healthy lawn beginning Feb . 2, from 6:15 to 9 management and tree and shrub p .m . The latter option will allow care, among others . Course graduates interaction with instructors to ask interested in becoming certified questions . as Extension Master Gardeners In addition, local Extension may complete 40 volunteer hours Master Gardeners will host optional through an existing Master Gardener group-viewing sessions in many areas . community service project . This The course, which will be taught may involve preparing and staffing by UVM Extension and industry exhibits at community events, experts, costs $395 and includes the presenting gardening talks or assisting with a composting project . Both interns and certified master gardeners will have opportunities to expand their horticultural knowledge through advanced gardening seminars (UPS 009-700) and workshops, private garden Agriview is Vermont’s Agricultural tours and access to other resources . Publication of Record . To learn more, contact the UVM It is pub lished monthly by the Extension Master Gardener Program Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food & Mar kets, Office at (802) 656-9562 116 State St ., Montpelier, VT 05620-2901 Telephone: (802) 828-5667 Fax: (802) 828-2361 Editor’s Note www.Agriculture.Vermont.gov CHUCK ROSS Secretary of Agriculture ow is the time to sign up for the UVM your warm, cozy house . You can curl right up by the ALISON KOSAKOWSKI Extension Master Gardener Program . I am woodstove with your laptop! So, sign up for the Master Editor a graduate of the program, and am here to Gardener course today . It’s a great way to beat the Advertising and subscriptions: N E-mail: agr-agriview@state .vt .us say there are few better ways to survive the long, cold winter blues, and set yourself on track for a lifetime of winter in Vermont than to submerse yourself in their successful gardening . Publication is mailed out of USPS White River Junction, VT gardening curriculum . Every week, you’ll focus on Happy Holidays! Periodicals paid at USPS Montpelier, VT a different aspect of horticulture . This year, for the — Alison Kosakowski and White River Junction, VT first time, UVM will be offering its Master Gardener Follow VAAFM on Twitter @VTAgencyof Ag Yearly subscription: $15 The State of Vermont is an Equal Opportunity/ program online . So, you won’t even have to leave and follow me @VTFarmGirl Affirmative Action Employer and Provider. December 19, 2015 3 Tips for Boosting your Website Presence and Search Engine Rank for Free By Rachel Carter, similar to the search terms are the products/services, Food Atlas offers these on your website . VT Farm to Plate used to find your website . where is the farm/business services . Make sure to • If you are a member Search engines also like to located, who are the claim/update your VT of the Farm to Plate oes your farm or see your farm or business farmers/owners, etc .) . Food Atlas listing today Network, include a food business have a name and website used on • Utilize Google services or create a new listing link to the Farm to Dwebsite to promote other sites . This helps search (e .g . 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(www .vtfarmtoplate . content on your website is food business (e .g . what • The Farm to Plate VT com/atlas) as a resource 5th Annual Consumer Night at the Vermont Farm Show Bigger and Better in 2016 – Prepared Food – Raffle Prizes January 27, 2016 • 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Blue Ribbon Pavilion, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction elebrate the at the 2016 Buy Local a variety of agricultural issue of Agriview for a list of faith .raymond@vermont . diversity of Vermont Market and Capital Cook- products and crafts, for the Buy Local Market vendors gov or (802) 828-2430) . For Cagriculture on Off, free events hosted by first time in 2016 the Buy and the full Consumer Night all other inquiries, contact Wednesday, January 27th the Vermont Agency of Local Market will feature schedule! Kristina Sweet at kristina . at the 5th annual Vermont Agriculture, Food & Markets . prepared, ready-to-eat Note to Farms & sweet@vermotn .gov or (802) Farm Show “Consumer Attendees may enter foods—such as hot slices of Agricultural Businesses: 522-7811 . Night” at the Champlain into a raffle for prizes from locally-produced pizza—so Vendor applications for The Buy Local Market Valley Exposition in Essex Ski Vermont, the Vermont you can bring the whole the 5th Annual Buy Local offers free booth space Junction . Local food and Cheesemakers Festival, family for an evening of Market during Consumer for vendors of Vermont crafts will take center stage and the Vermont Brewers food, fun, and learning .