Cozy Barn for Supper and Music; photo by Rob Spring
We at the farm are still feeling the high of being with many of you for a marvelous Scrag Mountain Music concert and cozy farm supper. We kept the buzz growing with two wonderful markets (Randolph Elementary School, supporting their Farm to School program, and the Northfield Winter Farmers Market) and a little DIY (do it yourself) holiday party for the farmers.
Our staff party gathered most of the team who grew this season’s food. We transformed our extras
Staff making holiday gifts
and seconds, and played together in the farm kitchen, making merry and making edible gifts for our loved ones. We essentially gave ourselves a mini farm experience, like the ones we sell and also offer with our Floating Bridge Food and Farm Cooperative colleagues. American Express values such events as “priceless”. True. But they are more. Their memories are assets much like gems. And the associated engagement generates greater connection – an asset equivalent to renewable energy.
This weekend we hope many of you can join us for more. In the hills above Brookfield Village, high
Holiday Shop Items
up in Lew Stowell’s old barn, his miniature train circles — replete with whistle! Its whistle periodically stops the bustle and captures our attention as families finalize their Christmas Tree selection. A few miles away, down next to the Floating Bridge at the “Fork Shop”, you’ll have great gift options, gifts you can give wrapped in stories –stories of local ingredients and talents. Eat one of Geneva’s farm-fresh crepes and join the caroling or simply have the smells and sounds add dimension and depth to your time in the village.
These are Vermont Life moments! Any gifts you leave with are full circle gifts. We venture out through working forests and farms, and feast on that which our society persistently hungers. Our purchases keep the working landscape alive.
How do we know? We’ve felt it ourselves. And the Cooperative’s work has attracted the interest of out-of-state photographers and videographers. Footage of this weekend’s event will be captured by Nora Jacobs, Initiator, Coordinator and Supervising Editor of Vermont the Movie. More than forty Vermont film-makers are collaborating to capture the story of Vermont from beginning to end, with one of their goals being to document that “Since Vermont’s founding, activism and community connections have played a large role in the state’s culture.” You can make contributions toward the film’s ongoing fundraising via their online fundraising campaign which has 9 days remaining to reach its goal.
Eventually “Vermont the Movie” and Floating Bridge Cooperative events will inspire people far and wide to seek and make room for more such connection. But for this weekend quintessential Vermont life is here for us to join and enjoy!
Hope to see you there.