This past summer I attended the University of Vermont’s Breakthrough Leaders Program for Sustainable Food Systems (a mouthful, figuratively and while there, literally). Their 2013 program has just opened up applications and you can check it out HERE. I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have about it (and you can check out a few testimonials by linking through their side bar).
I had an amazing time while I was there. In fact, this website is up and running right now because of the confidence and education that UVM’s program helped me develop. In addition to this site, I’ve focused the rest of my Master’s in Social Work program on studying community food systems, food and social justice, and food policy. I worked with some fantastic people from all across the US, Canada, and Mexico and learned about an amazing part of the country that is leading the way in changing our food system.
My old blog has detailed posts on my days at UVM and I won’t make you sit through all of that again, but below are some nostalgic pictures. I’ll be returning again this summer for their alumni event and to attend their Food [R]evolution conference. I hope to see some of you there!
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- My view from the welcome dinner.
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- Our first full day at the Intervale
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- This is the view from our first full lecture day
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- Breakfast in the Barn
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- Creating our own triple bottom line restaurants
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- Burger Night at Bread and Butter Farm
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- Ran out of lettuce? No problem!
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- Live music and a kid’s parade during Burger Night
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- Bread and Butter Farm’s Hoop House
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- Bread and Butter Farm’s location
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- In Hardwick, VT
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- Lunch at Claire’s in Hardwick (local foods restaurant)
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- A business after my own heart (@ Claire’s)
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- Visit to Highfields Compost Facility
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- Rows of warm beautiful compost
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- Vermaculture Bins
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- Inside High Mowing Seeds
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- Tom, owner of High Mowing, showing us the seed cleaner
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- This is where they measure and pack the seed bags
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- Beautiful mural at High Mowing
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- Germination Tests!
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- Food Venture tour (helping people bring their value-added products into reality)
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- Healing Garden at the Hospital
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- More of the Healing Garden
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- This produce goes right to the hospital’s cafeteria
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- Aquaponics system at the Sustainable School
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- Sustainability is their name!
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- Important things the elementary school is teaching their students
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- Our fantastic scratch lunch (typical of what the kids get everyday)
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- Conference tags
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- Steve Ritz of the Green Bronx Machine giving us a private talk
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- The end of the week culmination conference
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- Pretty much the coolest crowd ever
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- My program peers posing with members of the Green Bronx Machine
Om-Nom Acres 
I hadn’t heard anything about an alumni event in 2013! How cool! Not sure if I can rationalize the flight, but I’d love to hear more. http://tinyurl.com/cdzftvb is my wrap-up post about the conference. Written many moons ago before I started my own blog, also partially fueled by my experience in Vermont.
Yeah! They should be releasing information soon. I applied for information on the conference and Maureen told me about the alumni event – you can come for the last day (or two?) of the week + the conference. If I get more info I’ll pass it along.