Connecting Montpelier and nearby communities since 1993 | A PRIL 18M AY 1, 2013

The Food & Farming Issue

EAT YOUR LOCAL VEGETABLES

The Bridge P.O. Box 1143 Montpelier, VT 05601

PRSRT STD CAR-RT SORT U.S. Postage PAID Montpelier, VT Permit NO. 123

COURTESY MICHELLE WALLACE

Gleaning for the Vermont Foodbank.

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THE BRIDGE

Baby-in-a-bucket SALE!*
$6.00 off gallons $4.00 off gallons any
grade

$3.00 off quarts

We have BULK SYRUP again at Morse Farm! Our MAPLE CREEMEES are better!
*excludes bulk syrup. Offer ends 5/10/13.

1168 County Road, Montpelier morsefarm.com 802-223-2740 9 am5 pm, seven days a week

200 Years of Maple Experience

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 3

STREET
G
Annual Meeting of the Funeral Consumers Alliance: Funeral Planning with Humor
ail Rubin, cancer survivor, author of A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Dont Plan to Die and funeral-planning consultant, will address the 2013 annual meeting of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Vermont (FCA-VT), at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 4, at the Norwich Congregational Church (15 Church Street, Norwich). According to Mary Alice Bisbee, board member of both FCA-VT and the State Funeral Board, Rubin will introduce death-planning for all those people who never plan to die! Her presentation, Laughing in the Face of Death: Funny Films to Start Serious Funeral Planning Conversations, will use clips from popular movies that have used humor to initiate and lighten talk about funeral planning. The May 4 Norwich meeting is free and open to the public. Bisbee urges people who might wish to car-pool to contact her at 223-8140 or vtfuneralconsumers alliance@myfairpoint.net. The annual meeting is one of several meetings the alliance will hold in coming months, including two at Schulmaier Hall at the VCFA campus at 9 a.m. on May 14 and June 11. The FCA-VT is a volunteer-run, nonprofit association of consumers from all walks of life who want a dignified alternative to the elaborate and increasingly expensive funeral services promoted by the funeral industry. The FCA-VTs website is funerals .org/affiliates/vermont, and Rubins blog can be found at thefamilyplot.wordpress.com.

HEARD ON THE

Nature Watch
M
any birds are still coming through now, ahead of the big waves of hungry warblers and so many others, timed to arrive with hatches of blackflies. For now, we still have northbound fox sparrows, juncos and goldfinches. Many of the latter two will peel off to stay here and there along the way. And in our neighbors little pond today is a hooded merganser, here for the second year, just a stop on the way north. All the rain and these gray days, hard as they are for us, should charge the brooks and pools enough to satisfy salamanders, frogs and toads and provide conditions for that wealth of insect life, so troublesome to us, so nourishing for the masses of travel-weary birds. Nona Estrin

Real Estate for Sale?

ADVERTISE IT! Well be having a special section on real estate in our May 2 paper.
Contact Carolyn or Ivan for more information at 223-5112, ext. 11, carolyn@montpelierbridge.com or ivan@montpelier bridge.com.

House Votes to Decriminalize Marijuana Possession

he Vermont House voted 9844 on Friday, April 12, to make possession of less than one ounce of marijuana a civil offense instead of a crime. While the vote does not legalize marijuana possession in the state, it makes the penalty for possession of a small amount of marijuana akin to a speeding ticket. Persons in possession could receive a $300 fine for a first or second offense and a 90-day suspension of their drivers license. Persons smoking marijuana while driving could be fined up to $500. Representative Tom Koch of Barre Town voted for the bill after initially opposing it. If you had told me a month ago that Id be voting for this bill or particularly helping to report it, Koch told Vermont Public Radio. I would have looked you in the eye and told you that youre out of your mind. Chris Pearson and other representatives continue to hope for legalization. I think there are a few of us in the legislature who support taxing and regulating marijuana, he told VPR, but its clearly not a consensus.

Paid Sick Day Legislation Before the House

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he Vermont Workers Center is launching an effort to pass the Earned Paid Sick Days bill (H.208) before the Vermont House Committee on General, Housing and Military Affairs. According to the Workers Center, at least 100,000 workers in Vermont do not receive paid sick days as part of their employment, and the impact often goes beyond the employee, affecting children and other family members. Not having paid sick days is a double whammy when youre a parent, St. Johnbury resident Meghan Achilles told the Workers Center. Its not just an issue if I get sick, but if my kids get sick, too. Under H.208, all workers in the state would earn one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked, accruing up to seven sick days per year. The bill would also give time off for workers to care for sick family members and receive routine, diagnostic, preventive or therapeutic care. A public hearing on the bill will take place on Thursday, April 18, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., in room 11 of the State House, with over 100 supporters expected to attend.

Norwich Improvements Spur Economic Growth

$41 million series of campus improvements underway at Norwich University constitutes the largest economic development activity currently taking place in central Vermont, according to Vermont Business Magazine. These projects are creating jobs in the construction sector, which hit its low in spring 2010 and has been slow to rebound, according to Dave Magida, Norwich Universitys chief administrative officer. About 400 people will be working on the projects over the next year and a half. The projects include construction of a new dormitory and a biomass plant, improvements to Dodge Hall and Sabine Field (including installation of an all-weather playing surface), upgrades to electrical, phone and data wiring around campus and other miscellaneous projects. When completed, the projects should add six permanent full-time positions to the university payroll. Additionally, the biomass plant will use 13,000 tons of wood chips annually, which the school will purchase from loggers and processors within a hundred-mile range of the campus. Funding for the projects came via a low-interest loan from a friend of the university and from donations to the schools Bearing the Torch campaign, which raised over $24 million. Most projects are expected to be completed by August, with the biomass plant going online in November and the new dorm completed in August 2014.

P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 Phone: 802-223-5112 | Fax: 802-223-7852 montpelierbridge.com; facebook.com/montpelierbridge Published every first and third Thursday
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham General Manager: Bob Nuner Strategic Planner: Amy Brooks Thornton Editorial Associate: Max Shenk Production Editor: Kate Mueller Sales Representatives: Carolyn Grodinsky, Ivan Shadis, Rick McMahan Graphic Design & Layout: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Calendar Editor: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Bookkeeper: Kathryn Leith Distribution: Kevin Fair, Diana Koliander-Hart, Daniel Renfro Website & Social Media Manager: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Advertising: For information about advertising deadlines and rates, contact: 223-5112, ext. 11, carolyn@montpelierbridge.com or gabriela@montpelierbridge.com Editorial: Contact Bob, 223-5112, ext. 14, or editorial@montpelierbridge.com. Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, on the lower level of Schulmaier Hall. Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $50 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge, and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
Copyright 2013 by The Montpelier Bridge

Calculate Your Homes Energy Efficiency: A Formula

he East Montpelier Energy Committee has provided a formula to determine whether or not your home could be heated more efficiently. According to a release from the committee, you can calculate household energy use as follows: First, determine the square foot area of your home that is heated. Next, take the total amount of fuel that you used over the past 12 months and divide it by the number of square feet heated. Ideally, the number you get should be below the following numbers: wood heat equals less than 0.0018 cords per square foot; oil heat equals less than 0.29 gallons per square foot; propane equals less than 0.44 gallons per square foot; and wood pellets equal 0.0025 tons per square foot. For information on ways to increase heating efficiency, contact Dave Grundy, of the East Montpelier Energy Committee, at 476-4300 or e-mail ddgrundy@comcast.net. compiled by Max Shenk

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Food & Farming: Introduction

Eat More Local Food: It Matters

by Lisa Mas

ccording to the Farm to Plate Network (vsjf.org), Vermonters currently consume approximately 5 percent of the food our state produces. Hence, 95 percent of Vermonts crops, from top exports such as dairy, beef and maple syrup to vegetables, grains and other locally raised foods, are leaving the state. Local foods are being supplanted by imported ones. This disparity is due both to the overwhelming presence of mass-produced, processed food in our supermarkets and to the lack of knowledge about the wide variety of foods available for local consumption. Bo Muller-Moores Eat More Kale T-shirt business is exemplary of how national corporations can dominate local businesses. When Muller-Moore started making T-shirts as a hobby, his friend Paul Betz, owner of High Ledge Farm in East Calais, asked for one that stated Eat More Kale. He explained that he had a bumper crop of kale that year, and he needed to sell more at the weekly farmers market. After Betz and his family started wearing their T-shirts, he sold more kale, and the trend gained momentum. As more and more people started asking Muller-Moore for the signature shirt, the business grew. Now, Muller-Moores enterprise is forced to battle the corporate food system to maintain its name. His struggle highlights the need for all who are concerned about food security to take action by eating more local food. Learn

about the documentary that chronicles his journey at adefiantdude.com. Strolling of the Heifers, a Vermont-based local food advocacy group, just released its second annual Locavore Index, ranking the 50 states in terms of their commitment to local foods. According to Vermont Business Magazine, the Index incorporates farmers markets, Community-Supported Agriculture operations (CSAs) and food hubs in its per-capita comparison of consumers interest in eating locally-sourced foods. The Locavore Index is compiled using data from the USDAs farmers markets database, the U.S. Census bureau of July 2012, and LocalHarvest, a local food resource directory. This year, it reveals that Vermont ranks first for local food consumption, followed by Maine, New Hampshire and Nevada. Yet, we are only eating about 5 percent of our own food. Orly Munzing, executive director for Strolling of the Heifers, explains that the index works to encourage local food efforts in every state, such as urging local hospitals and nursing homes to purchase local foods, asking supermarkets to buy from local farms, and, of course, celebrating and honoring our farmers whenever we can. Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Chuck Ross commented that Vermont should be proud of its number one ranking. . . . All the states need to work together to support this critical transformation, which will determine our ability to feed ourselves in the future.

Our state can serve as an example for others by fostering the localvore movement. What is a localvore anyhow? The localvore movement started in 2005 to encourage local food consumption for the following reasons and more: It is healthy for people and the planet, uses less fossil fuel in transportation, encourages diversification of food crops, maintains rich soil quality, connects people with their sources of nourishment, and supports the local economy through job creation and agricultural tourism. Here are some ways to be a localvore. Visit nearby farmers markets. Purchase a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) share. Buy more local food and choose Vermontproduced, value-added foods from businesses such as Vermont Salumi, Bee Haven Honey, Vermont Bean Crafters and Sky Earth Farm. Visit restaurants that display the Vermont Fresh Network sign, which means that they cook with local foods. Glean for those who cannot afford local food. There are farmers markets starting in May: Waterbury on Thursdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and Montpelier and Waitsfield on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Others start in June, such as Barre on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. and Plainfield on Fridays from 4 to 7 p.m. Northfield is currently seeking vendors to start a farmers market on Mondays from 3 to 6 p.m. Contact Verne DuClos for details: 728-3602 To learn more about CSA options such as Wellspring Farm and others, peruse NOFA Vermonts article about CSA enterprises in

the area. Read labels on Vermont-made foods to see if the value-added product you are purchasing was crafted at one of Vermonts food hubs. There are 12 in Vermont, and they range from a farm-to-business model, such as Black River Produce, to a farm-to-producer model, such as the Mad River Food Hub, and the farm-to-consumer variety, which is the case for the Central Vermont Food Hub. For a complete list, visit the USDAs National Food Hub Index at ams.usda.gov. Read this issues article about the Vermnt Foodbanks Gleaning Program or visit Salvation Farms in Morrisville, a nonprofit dedicated to building a systems based approach to managing Vermonts agricultural surplus foods in tandem with our for profit food systems. The organizations director, Theresa Snow, explains Salvations approach: Gleaning is in its more traditional sense of direct harvest or capture of surplus from the farm by mobilizing citizens who understand the responsible stewardship of these valuable local food resources. For details about food resilience and the gleaning collective, visit salvationfarms.com. To participate in the Stolling of the Heifers celebration of local food, all are welcome to visit Brattleboro on June 8 and enjoy a parade, Live Green Food Expo, music and educational booths. Lisa Mas is a kitchen medicine educator, food writer and appreciator of global gastronomic traditions. Gain recipes and explore the health benefits of foods at harmonizedcookery.com.

Bring in Summer!
Montpelier Rec Department Open House and Pool Pass Sale
55 Barre Street 225-8699

Wednesday, May 8 8:30 am6 pm

FF O % 0 1 sses!
a pool p

Ice Cream Social 46 pm

perishable n o n a g in r b er e Montpeli h t r o f m e it y Food Pantr

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 5

Food & Farming: Traditions

Understanding Past Agriculture Reinforces the Future

by Roger Allbee

Vermonts Renaissance of the Past

on flat-bottomed boats in three days. On the west side of the state, Burlington became a flourishing center of commerce after the completion of the 64-mile Champlain Canal in 1823. The access provided by these transportation networks to new markets grew increasingly important to the economic health of Vermont farms as the farm economy evolved from subsistence and a barter economy to a cash basis. These new transportation networks also exposed products from the state to new competition. Railroads also proved to be a mixed blessing to Vermont farmers, who witnessed dire economic realities as competition from western wool, beef, butter and grain forced changes in the farm economy. As agriculture continued to change in response to market conditions and competition, specialization grew, and farmers focused on specialty crops, livestock and livestock products. In the early 1800s, when disease, pests and increased competition undermined grain production in the Champlain Valley, many farmers adapted by raising Merino sheep. Grass was king in the hills and valleys of Vermont, and this proved ideal for these sheep. Many towns had flocks of a thousand or more, and Vermont became known as the sheep capital of the world, home to over one and a half million. These sheep were envied for their fine wool and fleece and were in great demand worldwide. Nevertheless, Vermont and its Merino sheep fell captive to tariff regulations, international events and competition from the western U.S. and abroad. While this specialization was taking place, other products continued to be produced. The 1850 agricultural statistics illustrate the following product diversification: butter, cheese, oats, beef, wheat, barley, rye, buckwheat, field beans, potatoes, hay, orchard products, flax, hops, hemp, silk, maple sugar, maple syrup, honey and wool. Vermont had already established itself as an important maple-producing state, and the same was true for its apple production. Many farms produced maple syrup in the spring, providing important income diversity. Orchard farming began as early as the 1810s on Isle La Motte. Beginning in the late 1800s, large-scale orchards were established along Lake Champlain, and Vermont shipped its maple and fruit products throughout the U.S. and abroad, enhancing Vermonts agricultural diversity. Following the decline of the Merino sheep industry, there was a slow migration to the specialization in butter and cheese production. These products had traditionally been made on the farm, with skills passed down from one generation to the next. As cities and towns grew in size, merchants reached out for these products, and demand outstripped the capacity and the uneven quality of on-farm production, leading to the development of creameries and cheese factories. St. Albans had the worlds largest commercial creamery, and Vermont butter became known for its quality; a product from the state won a gold medal for the best butter in the world. As demand for products grew, creameries sprang up in many towns and communities around the state. By 1900, 186 creameries and 66 cheese factories operated throughout Vermont. Whole industries sprang up to support this production to include cheese- and butter-box production and specialty churns. This, too, changed, as cities farther south reached out for fluid milk, and the first milk train left Bellows Falls, Vermont, for Boston in 1890. Commercialization of dairying and the interstate shipment of milk and milk products created renewed economic challenges, and farmer cooperatives became important in bargaining for fair pricing for their members. Federal actions relative to dairy price supports and parity pricing could not forestall the pressure for change and the eventual beginning of the deregulation of the dairy industry in the early 1980s. Many of the

t is being called the renaissance of the past, the renewed interest in agriculture and food systems within our state. It manifests itself in many forms to include growth in Community-Supported Agriculture (CSAs), farmers markets and food hubs and in the further diversification of agriculture production with an array of products from the land and animals that are raised on the land. This rebirth or renaissance further reinforces Vermonts past, its present and its future. Vermonts agriculture, forests and working landscape have always defined the state. The early settlers who came to Vermont from southern New England after the French and Indian War were looking for productive soils. While they were subsistence farmers in the beginningplanting a few crops and keeping a few animals for their own useincreasingly many began raising items for sale or barter as towns and nearby cities grew in size. They found markets for grain, potatoes and livestock in Montreal, Quebec, Troy, Albany and Boston. In the early 1800s, significant cash-crop exports included potash, pearl ash, whiskey, pork, beef, wheat, flour, grain, butter, cheese, lumber and horses. In the Champlain Valley, before 1820, growing grains was a very important agriculture enterprise, and those grains were either distilled locally or hauled to markets in Albany or Troy. Land and water transportation played integral parts in the development of industry and trade in agriculture and other products. Road building began in the late 1700s, with private turnpikes chartered by the state legislature. Canal and water transportation became as important as overland routes. In Bellows Falls, located on the Connecticut River, the construction of the first canal built in the U.S. began in 1792. This canal made it possible for our states producers to ship several tons of products to Hartford, Connecticut,

early farm leaders, who had witnessed these changes in Vermont agriculture over time (loss of Merino sheep, butter markets, grain production, beef trade) and had been part of it, recognized the competitive advantages of farming in Vermont. An important advantage was being near emerging markets in the Northeast and growing and producing products of the highest quality to meet changing consumer needs. Others saw the advantage in growing grass and raising animals that could convert grass to energy. All agreed that Vermont farmers could never compete with the West on a commodity-pricing basis. Through the years, farmers have had to adapt to changes. Today, there is a renewed interest by consumers in local and regional foods. Vermont farmers are taking the lead in many areas, such as being known for organic and other locally produced food products. This renewed interest in local foods has resulted in the growth in farmers markets, food hubs, CSAs, farmstead cheese production, vineyards and pick-your-own fruit operations, along with farm-raised beef and many other products from the farm. Maple, however, is still considered the soul and dairy, the anchor of Vermont agriculture. Vermont today is increasingly known for its food systems and connection to the land and the Vermont brand. This working landscape helps to support and define our stateits past, present and future. It helps support a vibrant tourist industry and connects people to places. National Geographic, just a few years ago, stated that Vermont was the number five place in the world to visit and the number one in the U.S. and that this was due to its working landscape and quaint villages. It is a true renaissance, reinforced by the many products now being produced on or from the land. Roger Allbee, a former Vermont secretary of agriculture, food and markets, lives in Townshend, Vermont.

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THE BRIDGE

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pening April 15 at 41 State Street, North Branch Tea and Wine Caf is a gathering space that aims to hone the palates of tea and wine drinkers. The caf will serve 25 loose-leaf teas, arranged in sampling jars for optimal selection. It will also offer a rotating selection of eight wines from around the world. Each one will be served through Enomatic, an innovative system that offers and tracks choices, from a one-ounce tasting to a half-glass or full-glass sample. Owners Wes, Lauren and Becky Parker look forward to welcoming customers in the relaxed and refined atmosphere. Details at facebook.com/TheNorthBranch.

ealing Arts Press recently released The Wild Medicine Solution, a book by local clinical herbalist Guido Mas, who is the codirector of the Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. This food-focused tome teaches readers to incorporate aromatic, bitter and tonic herbs into their everyday lives. Visit a local bookstore and peruse the recipes, stories and in-depth information about the healing power of plants. To learn more: innertraditions .com/wildmedicinesolution.

reen Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) has just awarded over $340,000 in grant

The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) received the largest grant of $100,000 to grow its Farm to Plate Network. VSJFs executive director Ellen Kahler says, We are

funding to 12 Vermont nonprofits that strive to create sustainable local food systems.

so pleased to receive this generous support. These funds will be used to support leadership training within the Farm to Plate Network and provide stipends to farmers, food producers and other key stakeholders. GMCR funding also allows us to make minigrants to support high-impact projects led by network members, which are reshaping the very nature of our food system in Vermont.

n March 14, Governor Shumlins office announced the launch of a statewide workplace CSA for employees who wish to purchase local food. The governor explains that Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs are a way for Vermonters to support their local farmers and eat healthy. Fifteen state buildings throughout Vermont have been identified as potential drop-off sites for producers to deliver and distribute local food. The state will sponsor Meet Your Farmer meetings statewide for employees who join the CSA. If you are a state employee who wishes to take advantage of this opportunity, contact Abbey Willard at 828-3829 or abbey.willard@state.vt.us.

participating restaurants across Vermont to enjoy unique dinners, ranging in price from $15 to $35 per person. The week also features special events, such as the Sweet Start Smackdown, a competition between local pastry chefs to benefit the Vermont Foodbank. Sample exquisite pastry creations on April 24 at Higher Ground. For restaurant week details, visit vermontrestaurantweek.com. compiled by Lisa Mas; send food news to lisa@harmonizedcookery.com.

ermont Restaurant Week will take place from April 26 to May 5. Choose from 103

Community Herbalism Workshops

at Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism
Classes take place at VCIH (252 Main Street). Preregistration required. Contact 224.7100 or info@vtherbcenter.org. Class descriptions at vtherbcenter.org. FIVE IMPORTANT WILD VT MEDICINALS: A CHINESE MEDICINE PERSPECTIVE with Brendan Kelly, Jade Mountain Wellness. Wednesday, April 24, 69 pm. $15 members/$17 nonmembers. DECOLONIZING HERBALISM, EMPOWERING HERBALISTS with Dana Woodruff, Dandelioness Herbals and Sandra Lory, Mandala Botanicals. Wednesday May 1, 68 pm. $10 members/$12 nonmembers. MAKING YOUR OWN HERBAL SPA PRODUCTS with Shona Richter MacDougall, VCIH clinical herbalist. Wednesday, May 8, 68 pm. $20 members/$22 nonmembers (materials fee included). HERBS FOR MENS SEXUAL HEALTH with Andrew Wolf, VCIH graduate. Wednesday, May 22, 68 pm. $10 members/$12 nonmembers.

THE BRIDGE

A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 7

Food & Farming: Traditions

How Is the Sap Running? 2013 Has Been a Good Season

by Richard Sheir

aple sap collection is as Vermont as maple syrup is. Maple tapping is something all Vermonters are vaguely aware of but few really know. Vermont silver maple trees produce 65 percent of the maple syrup produced in the entire United States. What few realize is that Vermont maple syrup production is dwarfed by neighboring Canada, which produces 80 percent of the world crop. In other words, Vermont trees account for only 13 percent of the worlds production of maple. Neighboring Quebec, on the other hand, produces 80 percent of Canadas maple sap, which means Quebec is responsible for 60 percent of the worlds maple syrup in a given year. The price that Vermont maple produc-

ers get for their syrup is set north of the border in Quebec. The maple season begins in mid-to-late February and ends in April. Southern Vermont sap might start and end a week or two earlier than central and northern Vermont. Vermont topography affects sap run as well. The sap runs when daytime temperatures exceed freezing and nighttime temps are below. The maple season is not a day-by-day steady stream, but a series of strong flows that follow particularly favorable weather patterns, which involve cold freezes and large temperature swings. Light color is early in the season and darker late, but this can be affected by weather patterns as well. Commenting off the cuff on the quality of the maple season is a Vermont tradition for those who arent involved in the industry.

Those who said last season was bad were right. Last years weather featured a southern breeze of such duration that it brought budding of all sorts very early and played havoc with silver maples. Even a cool spell late in the season wasnt enough to save the season. Production in 2012 across New England was off by 27 percent from 2011, though this needs to be tempered because 2011 was a record year for New England maple production. According to Mark Iffelharvt of the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center, the season that is ending shortly (depending where in Vermont you are) has been very good to excellent for maple syrup production. The number of days with the proper swing in temperature has been on the high end, and there were no prolonged spells

of high temperatures. There was a long freeze of a week and a half or so, after which there was a very strong run of sap. Vermont maple production is also benefiting from extensive automation, which collects far more sap than the traditional buckets and processes the sap in a far more energy efficient manner. Had automated collection not been present in 2012, last years Vermont maple season, which was bad, would have bordered on disastrously bad. Whether the maple season of 2013 exceeds 2011 is yet to be seen, but the combination of ideal weather with greater collection efficiency gives this season the chance to be the best ever. Of course, this wont be reflected in price, as that is controlled in Quebec.

Food & Farming: Growing & Purchasing

Sharing the CSA Harvest

by Caitlin Gildrien

pring is the time of year when many localvores start searching for a CSA for the summer. Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, works like a food subscription: Customers sign up at the beginning of the season and receive their produce over the course of several weeks or months. This model provides the farmer with stability, as well as an income when seeds and other supplies for the coming season must be purchased. It also provides the consumer with a consistent supply of fresh, local food throughout the summer (and sometimes the fall and winter as well), in addition to the peace of mind that comes with knowing exactly where your food comes from. A CSA is an investment in your health and community, and as with any investment, it pays to do some research. Within the basic model, CSAs vary greatly from farm to farm. As you begin to explore CSA options, you will see that they are as diverse as Vermonts farms themselves. Some cost much more than others, but it

is very hard to compare CSAs based only on price: You must also consider how long the share lasts and how much food is included. Calculating a price per week is a good first step. Next, find out how many people the share is intended to feed and consider what kinds of food are involved. Some CSAs are only vegetables, while others include fruit, eggs, meat, dairy, baked goods or other items. These can increase the valueand the costof your share. If you think you wont be able to eat all of the wonderful produce described in the CSA brochure, ask about half shares or find someone to split yours with. If youre suffering from sticker shock at the thought of paying so much money at once, find out if your farm has a payment planmany do. Most CSA shares are picked up on the farm, but some also have alternative pickup locations. Find out when and where your CSAs pickup will be, and remember that you will be going there every week. Many CSA members enjoy spending a few minutes or longer with their farmer every week, and some CSA pickups are their own social gath-

erings. Others might prefer the convenience of an in-town option. Only you know what will be best for your lifestyle. Would you like an extra box of tomatoes or green beans to can in the summer? Do you have special dietary needs? What happens if you cant pick up your box one week? Perhaps the greatest value of the CSA comes from the relationship between farmer and customer. Dont be afraid to use that relationship to make your CSA work for you. NOFA and CSAs The Northeast Organic Farming Association (NOFA) of Vermont supports CSAs in several ways. You can find a listing of CSA farms on our website, nofavt.org, and we help farmers with logistical and marketing support for their CSAs. We also run a program called Vermont Farm Share, which provides limited-income Vermonters with financial support to participate in CSAs. The Vermont Farm Share Program is available to Vermonters living at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty income limit. Participants receive up to a 50 percent

subsidy in the price of their share, which is paid by contributions from community members. The major fundraiser for Vermont Farm Share is the Share the Harvest event, which takes place the first Thursday of October every year. During Share the Harvest, participating restaurants, co-ops and other establishments donate 15 percent of the days sales to the Vermont Farm Share Program. In 2012, Vermont Farm Share served over 1,500 limited-income Vermonters participating in the Vermont Farm Share Program, including over 500 adults and children and nearly 1,000 seniors. In addition to Share the Harvest, the program is funded through individual donations, a grant from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and the USDA Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program. To learn more, find a CSA near you or donate to the Vermont Farm Share fund; go to nofavt.org. Caitlin Gildrien is outreach coordinator for Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont. A version of this article was originally published in the spring 2010 issue of NOFA Notes, the quarterly newsletter of NOFA Vermont.

Thank You
to our local farmers & friends in food!

Heady Hump Day! $5 Head

Wednesd ay

is

y Toppe Come join rs the fun!

City Center building, 89 Main Street, Montpelier Hours: 8 am9 pm, seven days a week 262-CAKE | www.skinnypancake.com

PAG E 8 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

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Food & Farming: Growing & Purchasing

Northern Grain Growers Association Meets to Discuss Production

by Bob Nuner

Growing Grain in Vermont

camaraderie that we provide each other. The NGGA website (northerngraingrowers.org), developed in 2007, offers links to UVMs and University of Maines ongoing grain-growing research efforts, conferences, photos of field dayseven NGGAs field trip to Denmark to see Northern European grain growing. The conferences offer workshops and keynote speeches to farmers, bakers, brewers, malters, wholesalers, homesteaders and vendors, including equipment dealers. Master bakers from Red Hen Baking and King Arthur Flour offered baking workshops, and a salesman demonstrated a miniature ride-behind combine for harvesting grains. The machine offered an option for smallscale growers whose choices for mechanization in this era of industrial agriculture would otherwise be decades-old combines trucked in from the back lots of Midwest farmsrequiring significant mechanical skills to resurrect. The Chinese machine, costing about $5,000, fills an infrastructure niche for small producers, now that major manufacturers focus on towering combines with 30-foot harvesting heads, costing hundreds of thousands apiece. Against that industrial ag trend, this NGGA conference presented developments in smaller scale agriculture. Keynoter Stephen Jones, PhD, Washington state extension officer and grain breeder, opened with an exploration of where wheat and other grains (such as emmer, spelt, barley and rye) can be grown successfully. He spoke of wheat out of place. His slides portrayed locations ranging from vacant-lot farming in suburban Seattle to Vermont hillsides. Joness argument: Grains can grow in plenty of places where we no longer see them, even though they were once regular landscape features. With the dominance of industrial agriculture and loss of farmland to development, local breeding, growing, harvesting and storing activities have fallen away. Along with the crops, weve lost the infrastructure (grain elevators, mills, harvesting equipment and storage) and, perhaps most challenging, the accumulated knowledge around these small-scale activities. Justin ODay, attending from Cornell University, added to Joness observation, pointing out that with agriculture increasingly industrialized and invisible to average Americans, funding for research traditionally done by land grant colleges requires more attention. Americans no longer see the benefits that their tax dollars provide in agriculture. The research these institutions provide are no

ermont has hosted grain-growing conferences for nearly a decade. Early gatherings of the Northern Grain Growers Association (NGGA) took place in Bridport, where it hosted 15 or 20 farmers. The association then moved to Vermont Technical College in Randolph for several years, and for the last two, the NGGA has welcomed about 150 participants in Essex. NGGAs conference has drawn farmers from Maine, New York, Massachusetts, Quebec and Ontario. Early participants, says president and Randolph farmer Brent Beidler, were farmers with an interest in growing grains for cattle: The initial group involved more dairy farmers looking to grow grain, and the first conferences brought farmers down from Maine as there was collaborative research happening there with UVM on growing feeding grains. There was a gradual awakening to the potential for food-grade grains as the local eating movement took hold . . . We knew the movement was growing. From the very start, the foundational participants felt like our role was to be networking, education and research assistance. Jack Lazor [founder of Butterworks Farm] also likes to say that a major function of the group is the

longer clearly connected in the publics mind with their own livelihoods. Speaker Jones argued that the significance of land use change and decline of family farms includes a decline in previously common infrastructure and a decline in memory of how to do things. Memory fades, skills arent passed along and knowledge must be reestablished along with the crops that were reintroducing to places where they were once common. Even our heroes and the significance of their work has changed. Vermonters, Jones argued, should celebrate one of the leading wheat breeders of North America: UVM botanist Cyrus Pringle. Jones suggested that the NGGA urge Senator Leahy to nominate the Vermont Quaker (and Civil War conscientious objector pardoned by Lincoln) as a fitting subject for a stamp celebrating his achievements in the world of plant breeding. Two of Pringles wheat varieties were major staples for the American diet for a couple of decades after the Civil War. After the keynote speeches, participants broke into workshops discussing topics from baking to crop research, soil building, cattle grain rations, identity-preserved wheat, and flour marketing and homesteading techniques.

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 9

Hands-On Gardener
April 2013: Not for the Faint of Heart!

Summer Camps
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Greenhouse seedlings taking off. Photo by Miriam Hansen.

by Miriam Hansen

espite a spring that has looked more like November than April, I still think well be frost free by the third week of May. I know its hard to believe, but a pair of bluebirds has been frequenting the house my husband just built, fresh crocuses keep springing up and the February Daphne is holding itself in readiness to bloom. With mid-May in mind, Im seeding the last of the quick-growing vegetables, herbs and flowers that I start indoors. This includes many different kinds of basil, summer and winter squashes, sweet peas and the last of the zinnias. Ive been using a germination mat that maintains 80 to 85 degree temperatures for those plants that germinate quickest at high temperatures. It works well, but I dont find it such a vast improvement over my old system where I just slipped the flats onto a high shelf until the first seeds germinated. Warm air rises. So if you dont have a germination mat, place flats of heatloving tomatoes, peppers, cucurbits, zinnias and basil on a high shelf or top of a refrigerator until the first seeds germinate. With the exception of lettuce and celery, most vegetable seeds youre going to start indoors germinate quickest at temperatures between 80 and 90. This month, most of my time is spent potting on, which means transferring seedlings from smaller containers to larger ones. Unless the plant grows from the crown like celery, cilantro and parsley, you can bury leggy stems to just below the first set of leaves. Many gardening books and sites will advise you to bury tomatoes when you transplant them. This is good advice since all the little hairs on a tomato stem will develop into roots when they are covered with soil, giving you a stockier, stronger plant. But what many sites do not tell you is that this is also true for smooth stemmed vegetables like peppers, broccoli and cauliflower, as well as most flowersagain with the proviso that they do not send out their new leaves from the plants crown. Make sure you dont overwater. When plants get waterlogged, they cant take up oxygen and roots will begin to die off. When I transplant, I handle the seedlings very gently, trying to hold them by the leaves or root balls. If I do hold the stem, I do it very lightly so as not to crush this important transport system. A plant can readily do without a couple of leaves and losing some roots is not a death sentence, but if you crush a seedlings stem, that is the end of its life. In a normal spring, Id be mixing in some

of last years sifted compost to stretch the sterile potting mix Ive been using, but this year our compost piles are still frozen solid and very fibrous to boot. I could invest in a bag of Moo Doo or some of Vermont Compostings premier mix, but for the moment, my worm slurry works fine. I just mine around the bottom edges of the worm bin, throw back any worms that are hiding and watch out for their golden eggs. I dont want to drown the next generation of worms! As you can see from this months photo, even with the cold and lack of sun, the lettuce, spinach, claytonia and Asian cabbage greens have taken off in the greenhouse. What you see in the foreground are lettuce seedlings started March 1 and transplanted into the greenhouse April 1. The lettuces in the background were started last year at the end of September and went dormant at the end of November. Most lettuces I grow are about 40 to 55 days to maturity from germination. I start new flats about a month apart in late winter and early spring and increase that to every couple of weeks once the growing season is in full swing. I know growers who start chard, spinach and early beet greens indoors, but Ive never bothered. I do start kale and Chinese cabbage and some of the small Chinese specialty crops like bok choy and pak choi. The trick to growing them successfully is to keep them covered with row cover for a month or more to protect them from flea beetles. Ive been slowly moving toward commercial production and am growing herbs, vegetables, berries and flowers for sale at area restaurants and markets. I have mixed feelings about this direction. On the one hand, it is nice to be able to provide high-quality, organic food locally and make some money doing it. On the other hand, it is a very different affair to grow food to sell than it is to grow food for yourself and your family or to share with neighbors on a meal train. I recently went to a screening of Genetic Roulette about the health consequences of eating foods that have been genetically engineered. Right now, there is a bill going through the Vermont legislature to require companies to label foods that contain GMOs. I urge all my readers to get informed on this subject and keep on growing your own food! Happy gardening. Miriam and her husband, David, live in East Montpelier, where they grow most of their own vegetables, berries and meat on less than one-quarter of an acre. Your questions and comments are welcome. You can reach Miriam at freshair460@gmail.com.

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Half-day camps for preschoolers ages 35 Full-day camps for kids 1st4th grade Field tripbased camps for kids 5th8th grade Avian Wonders June 2529 Forest of Mysteries July 26 Summer Scientists July 913 Green Mountain Trekkers July 1620 Go GEO: Girls Exploring Outdoors August 610 Scholarships available for all camps.

North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier For complete descriptions, a brochure or to register, call 229-6206 or visit www.NorthBranchNatureCenter.org.

PAG E 10 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

THE BRIDGE

Food & Farming: Economics & Accessibilty

Value-Added Food at the Mad River Food Hub

by Joe Bossen

he Mad River Food Hub (MRFH) played a big role in my deciding to move up to the Mad River Valley from down in the Rutland area back in late 2010. The Wallace Center defines a food hub as a business or organization that actively manages the aggregation, distribution, and marketing of source-identified food products primarily from local and regional producers for the purpose of strengthening producer capacity and access to wholesale, retail, and institutional markets. My take on the definition might read: Food hubs help remove barriers and increase opportunities for folks looking to craft foods from nearby farms produce and sell these products primarily within that same food shed. My company, Vermont Bean Crafters, uses the MRFH to aggregate locally grown organic vegetables, beans and grains and turn them into products, such as our bean burgers, hummus and even catered meals, which we then distribute across our food shed, nourishing neighbors and the regional economy all the while. We easily halve the distance the average bite of your meal has traveled through our

food-shed networks. The hub is the nexus of that network; the heart of that entity. At the crux of hubs is an assumption that folks using them have an intention to participate in their regional economy as a core part of their business model, that they prioritize depth in their enterprise over breadth. Instead of growing our business by making widgets that industry research tells us are worth making based on how they resonate with emerging markets, and then going on to identify transnational markets where we can unload said widgets on a breadth-based model, our model asks deeper questions within our community, such as: What products do local restaurants, retailers, schools and hospitals regularly use? Among these products, where do they value freshness and quality most? Of these products, can we reconstruct them with the local ingredients presented to us from our initial question? These inquiries have helped us get to a point where, instead of building a business out of putting inanimate products on distant store shelves well never see, we can focus on increasing the extent to which we bring more nutritious food to our community. As a testament to this point, 10 percent of our sales last year were to public schools in Vermont. Over three-quarters of both our suppliers and customers exist within 300

miles of our kitchen in Waitsfield as a result of asking these questions and listening to the answers. Because we go for depth rather than breadth, we can offer better service and can guarantee a level of freshness, authenticity and transparency that wouldnt be available to us were we to just buy items from a company like Sysco and sell products back into the same faceless food system, where everything arrives in the same eerie white boxes sans gusto. But businesses need more than a model to be viable. We need infrastructure: the stuff that enables you to make other stuff. This is whats vital. And this is where food hubs pick upexactly where entrepreneurship leaves off, where bravado meets bricks and mortar. Before the MRFH, I tried making a transitional home for Bean Crafters at the on-farm kitchen of Boardman Hill Farm in West Rutland, where I had worked on and off for a couple years. Working around the farms CSA pack schedule, crammed coolers and freezers and omnipresent sheepdogs proved trying and led to weekly through-the-night production sessions to keep up with demand. I was beginning to question the long-term viability of my ambitions, when the MRFH got underway. With the food hubs support, the business was able to take off. We doubled our gross sales for the fourth year

in a row last year, buying over 79 percent of our ingredients from farms in Vermont and New York. We introduced new products and strengthened all three of our bottom lines in the process (people, planet, profit). We are doing all the things I had hoped all along wed be able to do. And its worth putting a point on this: We would not be in a position to grow our business to this point of viability without having access to the MRFH. Think about it: a several hundred thousand dollar facility that we can pay per day to use rather than going several hundred thousand dollars into debt to create. We have been at the hub for two years now, and within another year or so, we will have grown beyond its bounds. A happy dilemma, and one that is the core of the hubs business plan, a plan that brings thousands of pounds of locally grown organic produce to plates in homes, restaurants and institutions across the Northeast. The key takeaway: It takes stuff to make stuff. Food hubs humbly provide the stuff we need to make the stuff we need, if we are up for prioritizing a food system of depth over breadth. Joe Bossen is founder and president of Vermont Bean Crafters Co.

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 11

Food & Farming: Economics & Accessibilty

Local Farmers Plant Seeds for Sustainable Food Hub in Central Vermont
by Dan Stein

arm-to-Table (FTT), central Vermonts mission-driven food hub, provides year-round delivery of fresh locally grown and nutrient-dense foods to over 100 participating sites in Washington County. The mission of the program is to provide universal access of locally grown foods through education, marketing and distribution. FTT is a program of Food Works at Two Rivers Center, a hands-on food and agricultural education center in Montpelier working to strengthen our local food system and to empower children, families and seniors to grow, prepare, eat and preserve their own foods. FTT works with 10 local farmers to rebuild our local food system by planning crop production as a collective, identifying and developing new markets, public educa-

tion, and coordinated collection, storage and delivery of harvested produce. Each winter, the farmers gather to review prior crop plans, set goals and expectations for the new year, and create a collective growing plan for the upcoming season. Over the years, FTT has seen a steady increase in the diversity and quantity of locally grown foods being purchased by participating meal sites. This translates to healthier meals being served to seniors, preschool children, public school students and other vulnerable populations who cannot afford fresh local foods. Additionally, increased production of local food advances our regional goal of rebuilding the local food system and supporting local farmers. It feels like we are really grounding this program into a solid foundation. This is what being sustainable is about, said Mimi

Arnstein, who operates Wellspring Farm in Marshfield. As part of the 10th year of Farm-to-Table, these 10 farmers decided to do something a little different. This year, the farmers planted the seeds of sustainability for the program through 16 core principles. Among these principles are a commitment to cultivating new farmers, program and product branding, taking steps toward financial sustainability, providing universal access, and working toward a consensus-seeking process. Joey Klein, a lifetime steward of the land and FTT grower in central Vermont said, Its like were writing our own constitution. The goal of planning crop production as a collective is to ensure the most productive and sustainable use of the land in central Vermont, which ultimately lowers the cost of produce, gets more money into the hands

of farmers and ensures that food is grown each year that can be donated to local food shelves and free meal sites. This activity of collective crop planning is a growing trend in the national food hub movement. Food hubs around the country are beginning to realize the benefit of planning crops together for efficiency and productivity. You can learn more about the food hub movement by logging onto the National Good Food Network at ngfn.org/resources/food-hubs. Daniel Stein is the manager of Farm-toTable. To find out more about how you can purchase fresh local foods through FTT or how you can volunteer or donate to Food Works at Two Rivers Center, contact Dan via dan@foodworksvermont.org, phone 2237700 or visit FTTs website at farmtotable .foodworksvermont.org.

Connecting Farmers with Restaurants

by Grace Meyer

Vermont Fresh Network

or 17 years, the Vermont Fresh Network (VFN) has joined together farmers, chefs, food artisans, institutions and distributors in a conversation about local food. While the challenges facing network members have evolved, the goal has not waveredVFN is committed to growing Vermonts local food economy by building relationships between agriculture and culinary professionals. Our chef members have proven their commitment to local food. In 2012, the network increased its membership requirements for culinary establishments. The new criteria necessitates that restaurants have at least four farm partnerships, that a minimum of 15 percent in annual food purchases be spent on Vermont-grown food, that three of the six USDA food groups be represented year-round on the menu, and that they participate in one network gathering per year. An amazing 70 percent of our members were able to meet or exceed these requirements. This year, we will award the new Golden Barn distinction to members with 15 or more farm partners who

also purchase over 30 percent of their food from Vermont. Two Montpelier members who meet or exceed the Golden Barn standards are The Skinny Pancake and Salt, a caf in Montpelier. Though these establishments are markedly different, both are built on the same principle: a commitment to locally produced ingredients. Chef/owners Jeremy Silansky (of The Skinny Pancake) and Suzanne Podhaizer (of Salt) spoke to VFN on the advantages and limitations of sourcing locally in 2013, and despite the differences in the two operations, their voices were unified on the topic. The Skinny Pancake has worked hard to defy the myth that you cant source locally while still providing a consistent, affordable meal at a large scale. Each Skinny Pancake location has a policy of supporting Vermont growers. While sourcing 10,000 pounds of Vermont-grown basil might be a challenge, the volume of product they require makes a prepurchase agreement a safe, sustainable and appealing option for farmers. Thomas Case of Arethusa Farm, at the Intervale in Burlington, has a strong relationship with The Skinny Pancake and sees the advantages

to partnering with restaurantslike focusing on fewer crops at that higher volume. Case makes his own deliveries to his chef partners, which allows a good amount of face time and discussion about product and expectations. These one-on-one relationships can be fruitful, but when maintaining partnerships with different personalities, it can lead to a more challenging job for the farmer. Case has worked with The Skinny Pancake for long enough now that a mutual understanding has developed, which has helped them work through unexpected roadblocks. The flood of 2011 left Case unable to hold up his side of the prepurchase agreement for mesclun greens. Together, Case and The Skinny Pancake worked out adjustments to the agreement that suited both parties. Case urges restaurants to visit the farms they partner with. He credits his success with The Skinny Pancake to a mutual understanding of each others needs: hes been in their kitchen and talked to their chefs, and they have walked his land and understand his farm. Suzanne Podhaizer echoes this sentiment at her small caf, where local food inspires Salts

ever-changing, inventive menu. Podhaizers relationships with her farmers allow her to adapt her menu on a whim to whatever is fresh and intriguing. While this is definitely an advantage, the flexibility needed to operate this way is not without its challenges. Competition for product among restaurants can leave chefs in a pickle, like when Podhaizers chicken farmer ran out of birds. Luckily, the farmer went to a neighboring farm to secure Podhaizers order and not leave her in a menu crisisthe responsible and thoughtful gesture reaffirmed her belief that when sourcing locally, were all in it together. We encourage interested parties to know your farmer and chef, visit local farmers markets and restaurants to start a conversation and consider joining the Vermont Fresh Network as a partner or community member, so we can continue to encourage, support and promote the flourishing partnerships that make up Vermonts local food landscape.

To find Vermont Fresh Network members in your area, visit vermontfresh.net.

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PAG E 12 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

THE BRIDGE

Food & Farming: Economics & Accessibilty

At the Senior Center: New Partnership, New Kitchen, New Meals Programs
by Nat Frothingham

new $70,000 commercial kitchen will soon be up and running at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center. Starting July 1, a number of food-related activities that have been in the planning stages will get started. The new programs are all part of a recent partnership established between the senior center and Just Basics, a nonprofit organization that manages Meals on Wheels, a program that delivers meals to seniors and qualified participants. At a Montpelier City Council meeting at the end of March 2013, Janna Clar, director of the senior center, and Kimberley Lashua, executive director of Just Basics, won approval from the council to establish the partnership. At least three food-related programs will be offered out of the new kitchen beginning this summer: Meals on Wheels, a caf, and a a congregate (or group) meals program at the center twice a week, anticipated to happen on on Tuesdays and Fridays at noon. For the past several years, the New England Culinary Institute has prepared food for Meals on Wheels at the National Life cafeteria. However, the long-range plan has been to shift food preparation to the senior center, once work on the new commercial kitchen is completed and a new food preparation contractor is identified. According to Clar and Lashua, discussions about shifting the Meals on Wheels program over to the senior center have been going on for a pretty long time. Making this shift and reestablishing other meal options have been largely on

pause since the fire at the senior center in December 2009. Another new offering will be a caf meal at the senior center on Thursdays. We think there are a lot of people who might want to use the caf before or after their senior center activities, said Lashua. Food can be eaten at the caf or taken home. Its more of a take-out situation, explained Lashua. Choose from two or three take-out options such as sandwiches or salads. Caf patrons would pay a set price. Until they have a sense of what the demand will be, the caf organizers will be trying it out one day per week. The idea for the caf, indeed for the group meals, is to serve nutritious meals with plenty of fresh, local food. The new food activities at the senior center will involve seniors in helping out with the meals. Said Clar, Were getting tremendous volunteer enthusiasm. People want to help and get involved. Its the new commercial kitchen that will make all three meals programs possible. We have expanded the size and scope of the kitchen, said Clar. There was never a walkin cold room or freezer. Now we can flashfreeze seasonal vegetables like squash. At the moment Just Basics is announcing a bidding process for individuals or organizationsall kinds of bidderswho might be interested in contracting to manage production for all three meals programs. Clar expressed excitement about the new partnership between Just Basics and the senior center. I cant help grinning widely these days, she said, knowing that were

Janna Clar, director of the Montpelier Senior Activity Center, left, and Kimberley Lashua, executive director of Just Basics. Photo by Becca Clark. finally moving forward with this partnership. Its been a long time coming, and the community passion for revamping the senior meals options is energizing. Clar put out an invitation to anyone in the community to come and take a look at the new senior center. A year and a half ago the senior center had just over 600 members. Now, were over 800 members, Clar said. And, she believes, some of that added membership strength is explained by the recent opening of the brand-new center and its exciting, expanded programming. Talking about the new senior center space, she said, Its bright and beautiful. Then she added, Im also pleased to say that the new kitchen equipment was delivered Monday [April 15] and is getting installed this week under the watchful eye of our patient and generous volunteer project manager, Eric Seidel. For further information about the Montpelier Senior Activity Center, phone 223-2618 or go online to montpelier-vt.org/msac.

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 13

Food & Farming: Economics & Accessibilty

Vermont Food System Atlas Nears Completion

by Rachel Carter

trengthening Vermonts food system is a top priority for the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) where analytical minds and visionary technology are in the final stages of developing the muchanticipated Vermont Food System Atlas. The third floor offices of VSJF, located next to the Montpelier police station, are bustling with preparations for the launch of the most comprehensive website of its kind in the country. The atlas features thousands of food system resources, including stories, videos, job listings, data, a searchable map and all sections of the Farm to Plate Strategic Plan. Farmers, food production businesses, specialty food producers, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and state entities will soon have access to a one-stop web portal searchable by people and places, region, keyword and food system categories to connect with one another and build economic partnerships based on production, distribution, marketing and outreach goals. The atlas is scheduled to launch in May.

As a diversified farmer, I anticipate being able to use the Food System Atlas as a single source to connect with all the resources available to help me farm successfully, says John Cleary of Cleary Family Farm in Plainfield. Improving farmer access to technical assistance programs, educational workshops and financing opportunities will help Vermont farmers grow and develop new markets. In my role as a fieldman for Organic Valley, the atlas will help me connect new and existing farmers with market opportunities offered by our farmer-owned cooperative. Erica Campbell, program director of the VSJF Farm to Plate Initiative adds, The Vermont Food System Atlas will also serve as the communication hub for the 225 food and farm businesses, organizations and stakeholders engaged in the states Farm to Plate [F2P] Network. Network members collaborate in working groups and task forces and are developing and initiating specific projects to meet the 25 F2P strategic plan goals. The atlas will help these groups stay connected and coordinated. Central Vermont involvement in the F2P Network is diverse. Hunger Mountain Coop

provides local food retail distribution support, expertise and opportunities for area producers. Greenfield Highland Beef of Plainfield and Greensboro Bend offer a producers perspective to technical assistance programs. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture is represented across network working groups. Montpeliers Food Works and the Vermont Foodbank help keep food access central in projects and conversations. Each will be able to use the atlas as suits their needs and goals. The atlas will provide Food Works with the tools to better communicate with other food system businesses and organizations around the state and will provide us with data and mapping tools to build a more resilient, just food system in the central Vermont region, comments Joseph Kiefer, cofounder and director of education at Food Works at Two Rivers Center. Central Vermont needs the tools that connect food system niches to rebuild a food system that will serve everyone. Having seen the atlas, I think it is an incredible resource to reweave the web for our future work. It will help farms and food producers connect to one another as well as increase local food in our restaurants,

generate more farm-to-school programs and rebuild food shelves. On April 16, the Central Vermont Food System Forum will be held at Goddard College from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m., a Central Vermont Food Systems Council public event that includes Food Works, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and the F2P Network. The upcoming food system forum is just one small example of how the F2P Network engages with relevant food system entities to cross-pollinate efforts, Campbell says. In addition to further generating practical food and farm collaborations, the atlas will offer easy ways to search for and share data found in the detailed chapters of the F2P Strategic Plan. To learn more about Farm to Plate and the Vermont Food System Atlas or to attend the Central Vermont Food System Forum, e-mail Sarah@vsjf.org, call 828-5670 or visit vtfood atlas.com. Follow Vermont Farm to Plate news and updates on Twitter at @VTfarm2plate. Rachel Carter is a Vermont food system journalist and communications specialist.

Farmers To You: Building a Sustainable Food System

by Simeon Chapin

f you walk down most any supermarket aisle in Boston, it would seem everything is in season and everything is available. Produce and food items are brought in from across the country or around the world to maintain stocked shelves. But the results are questionable. Cheap labor, unsustainable land management, chemical fertilizers, factory farming and other practices that degrade our communities and quality of food all contribute to the appearance of inexpensive, always available food. Greg Georgaklis, wanting to change this situation, started Farmers To You in Calais two and a half years ago with 22 families, a handful of farms and a small pickup truck. Now he is providing weekly deliveries from over 50 partner farms in Vermont, New Hampshire and Quebec to families in the Boston metro area at 11 community pickup sites and delivery to home or office. Deliveries are made year-round. Since that small beginning, Farmers To You has grown to serving over 430 families with weekly custom orders. Take Julie Wormser. For over a year now, she has fed her family in large part with food from farms and producers from within the New England food shed. When I order meats, cheeses, dairy and vegetables from Farmers To You, I get the freshest food on my

kitchen table, and its so easy, she said. But its more than that. She feels connected to a community of farmers and families who are supporting each other to reinvigorate the regional agriculture and economy. Farmers To You is working to create a saner food system, she said, and Im excited to be part of it. During his work as a consultant on Vermonts Farm To Plate project, Georgaklis realized that a significant barrier to the growth of local food consumption was an inequity between small family farms and large food retailers in both scale and model. Farmers To You was launched with the idea that partnering families and the farms that feed them in a small-scale direct-to-consumer distribution system would create mutual benefit for both. Were here to prove how a holistic partnership between farmers and families can thrive environmentally and economically, says Georgaklis. Theres knowledge and wisdom in natural systems that were modeling in our business design. My goal is to hone this model and then give it awayso that other communities across the country can do what were doing too. Families have complete choice of what is put in their order, and although there are no upfront costs to families joining the partnership, they must make a commitment to the farmers and producers. Farm To Table asks families to source a consistent portion of their

Staff of Farmers to You. Photo courtesy of Simeon Chapin. food from their partner farms, with a minimum of $40 each week. This ensures a steady demand, which is needed for the development of sustainable, local food businesses. While some partner farmers may have been skeptical of the model at first, they are all now seeing the benefit and have become committed to its success. Lee Blackwell, of Blackwell Roots Farm in Cabot, said, Weve been supplying Farmers To You for a couple of years now, and its really working for us. We are hoping for more growth in their Boston market and know that we can specifically plan on expansion as this market grows. The long-term vision is something we can really get behind. They have been completely reliable, flexible and go the extra mile. Cant beat it. Simeon Chapin is a staff member at Farmers To You, proudly offering Vermont products to CSA members.

PAG E 14 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

THE BRIDGE

Food & Farming: Growers & Producers

Louise Frazier: A Local Treasure of Food Lore

by Gail England

ave you ever noticed that sometimes you set out in one direction and end up in a completely different place than expected? This is one of those stories. As a member of Transition Town Montpelier, Ive been looking for ways to build a sustainable, resilient local food system that meets my needs today and those of future generations. Part of this is growing more of my own food, helping others do the same and then finding ways to store it. It wasnt all that long ago that people in Vermont didnt have electricity, so what did they do? Building root cellars for year-round food storage is one of the answers. These practical systems are back in vogue in central Vermont. Transition Town Montpelier has hosted root cellar tours and produced a root cellar video and will consult with folks wanting to build their own. All this led me to then ask: In late

spring when a root cellar is empty but the harvest hasnt come in yet, where can you get fresh foods? Wild harvesting of edible weeds is one answer, another is sprouting seeds, but is there anything else? This question led me to author/teacher Louise Frazier, owner of S & G Enterprises in East Montpelier and creator of Garden Splendors lacto-fermented vegetables. These delicious, ultrahealthy, probiotic vegetables have all the vitamins and minerals of raw vegetables but are easier to digest because of the lacto-fermentation process. In fact they provide our digestive systems with the good, healthy bacteria needed to function properly. OK, full disclosure. After taking a couple of classes with Louise, she made me her business partner, a surprise change of direction in my life. Not only do we create these vegetables, but she has been teaching me and others whole grain cooking too. In the 1980s, Louise and her partner, Wolf-

gang Rohrs, owned a vegetarian restaurant in Cologne, Germany, which focused on the tradition of whole grain cooking and using fresh, local, seasonal organic vegetables in new ways. Their menus were based on what was available from the regions farmers that week. An abundance of one crop challenged them to be creative, leading to unusual, delicious dishes. Known for her excellent teaching and cooking workshops, Louise then traveled throughout Germany spreading her wisdom. After returning home, they worked with Mahaiwe Harvest (formerly Gardens at Great Barrington), located at Sunways Farm in Massachusetts, one of the two original CSAs founded in the U.S. Then the U.S. Biodynamic Association sent Louise to Sweden to study lactic acid fermentation, an ancient way of preserving the abundance of the harvest. This method is perfect for those living in cold climates as the food can be stored easily in a root cellar or refrigerator.

At a youthful, energetic 81 years old, Louise still teaches workshops designed to pique the interests of expert cooks and beginners alike, focusing on the seasons, the foods available and what will prepare us inwardly as we transition into the next season. Workshops may combine cooking with millet, barley, buckwheat, rye or oat groats along with fresh parsnips, squash, chard, turnips or whatever. You may learn to make lactofermented vegetables and then use beet peels for soup. After the class, a meal is served for all. Samples of the lacto-fermented vegetables and whole grain cooking are available at the April 27 Capitol City Farmers Market. Or go to sunrisehillnutritionretreat.weebly.com for more information about classes. Louise Frazier is a local treasure, not what I expected to find when thinking about root cellars. Her knowledge of nutrition is vast as she brings a lifetime of experience to the table.

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VERMONT NATURAL RESOURCES COUNCIL

protecting our farmland and clean water for a bright, homegrown, food future

Members sustain us. Please become a member at VNRC.org.

Borromeo String Quartet

Saturday, April 27, 2013, 7:30 pm Unitarian Church of Montpelier
A fearless ensemble who appear to savour every sonic and atmospheric challenge. Gramophone
World premiere of Teta for ute and string quartet by NYC Arab-American composer Mohammed Fairouz, with utist Karen Kevra. The quartet will also play Beethovens Op. 135 and Dvoraks Op. 106 string quartets.
Tickets at Bear Pond Books and online at capitalcityconcerts.org

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Food & Farming: Growers & Producers

Joey Klein and Betsy Ziegler of Li

by Sylvia Fagin

Cultivating Grati
not hundreds of Vermont gardens have emerged from plants started at Littlewood. Weve got a hard-core fan club, he says, citing a mailing list of 500 people. That fan club has clearly appreciated Kleins strawberries, but folks may not understand the intricacies of growing them. Klein explains where his energys gone all these years and why hes willing to take a break. The thing about strawberries is that theyre profitable two years out of five, Klein says with a characteristic chuckle, outlining the many potential difficulties in raising organic strawberries. Namely, weeds, bugs and the wacky weather we have in the spring. Early May can see daytime temperatures of 50 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit, but nighttime temperatures can fall to 28 to 29 degrees, low enough to kill the delicate blossoms that will, if they survive, yield the biggest fruit. Hes set up systems to prevent frost, but they are labor intensive and, because its coldest at night, sleep stealing. Strawberries are a public-service crop, Klein quips. He and Betsy enjoyed seeing families come back year after year, he says, but its time to take a break. Im looking forward to a version of retirement, Klein says. Wed like to be able to get away from the farm more often to watch birds and visit friends. The change of scenery will be a well-deserved reward for this farmer whos been working the land since 1974. An original member of NOFA, the Northeast Organic Farming Association, Klein and those of his generation taught themselves how to farm organically. We had to go back and find techniques that were lost with chemical agriculture, Klein says. We developed a whole culture of sharing our discoveries. Klein is one of the six farmers highlighted in the exhibit Plowing Old Ground: Vermonts Organic Farming Pioneers, currently showing at the Vermont History Museum in the Pavilion Building in Montpelier. Klein notes that he and his associates saw themselves as a movement right from the get-go. We werent in it for ourselves. We wanted to change the economy and change how food was grown. And I think weve succeeded beyond our expectations. I think the organic farming movement is one of the big successes of the 1970s counterculture. It made me feel very good when Lieutenant

May 35

Our 31th Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Join us for our margarita specials and giveaways

May 512
facebook.com/ julioscantina 54 State Street, Montpelier 802-229-9348

Our 31th anniversary celebration!

New menu items Gift card giveaways every day

Th ank you, Central Vermont, for 31 years of Great Tim!

ome pundits have said that farmers are the new rock stars. Successful local food movements across the country and the seemingly exponential increase of farm-to-table restaurants have turned farmers into heroes in some circles. Interest in farm internships is on the rise, and a crop of young farmers is cultivating a new generation of diversified farms. Yet its incredibly hard work, being a landbased rock star. Weather is unpredictable, consumers are fickle, pests are tenacious and the human body has its limits. Theres an endless supply of work, but rarely an endless supply of funds to hire labor. It would be tempting to quit, but most farmers dont. What keeps them going? Every farmer probably has his own answer, his own X factor of longevity. For Joey Klein and Betsy Ziegler, owners of Littlewood Farm in Plainfield since 1983, its gratitude. The support from the community has been marvelous, Klein says. Were so grateful. Betsy and I want to thank people for supporting our strawberries for so many years. For more than 20 years, Littlewood Farm has hosted annual pick-your-own strawberries, inviting customers from near and far to traverse the fields in search of tiny, succulent berries to enjoy fresh or in pies and jam. Hundreds have turned out to fill cartons and flats in the much-anticipated, short-but-sweet season. This year, though, there wont be strawberries at Littlewood. My enthusiasm hasnt waned, but my energy has, Klein says, explaining this turn of events. Klein has had to slow down a bit since undergoing heart surgery in the fall of 2010, and strawberries, an incredibly labor-intensive crop, require more energy than hes got right now. Ill miss it, Klein says, noting that until now, hes planted strawberries every year. But while hes taking a break from strawberries, hell continue to grow vegetables for retail outlets, like the Hunger Mountain Coop, and annual events, like the bedding plant sale, will proceed as planned. Thats the last thing Id give up, Klein says. I love being in the greenhouse in March, and I love helping people get their gardens going. Littlewood grows a wide array of vegetable starts for its annual sale, which begins around Mothers Day and continues for a month. Dozens if

CLOSING APRIL 30, 2013

ANNOUNCEMENT:

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(802) 223-1555 or dothelling@gmail.com 29 East State Street, Montpelier Thank you for 30 wonderful years serving Central Vermont!

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Advertise! 223-5112

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itude

what a weekend!
May 35, 2013 Montpelier

ittlewood Farm
Governor Phil Scott started distributing bumper stickers that say Buy local, its not just for hippies anymore, Klein says. Klein is confident that the next generation of farmer rock stars will bear the torch well. Littlewood has hosted farm interns for years, and Klein sees his past interns as indicative of a capable cohort. Im very proud of the people whove interned here, he says. Im pleased with the educational impact the farm has had. Thanks to a recent initiative of the Vermont Land Trust, the farm will continue to be used for agricultural purposes into the future, with protection from subdivision and development. Klein notes that he and Betsy are grateful for all the support received in community contributions for this initiative. When the project is fully implemented, according to Klein, the land will be preserved for farming, and in the future, the property can only be sold to a buyer who will continue to farm the place. Until then, Joey and Betsy Klein will greet visitors to the greenhouse, dispense gardening advice, grow row upon row of vegetables for sale at local stores and feast on the crop theyve so carefully cultivated all these yearsgratitude.

Joey Klein in his fields. Photo courtesy of Sylvia Fagin. Sylvia Fagin writes about Vermont food and agriculture from her home in Montpelier. She currently serves as vice president of the Hunger Mountain Coop Council. Follow her on Twitter @sylviafagin.

Montpelier Alive coordinates

Green Up Day
Saturday, May 4, 911 am
Please meet up at the Farmers Market. Sign up for work slots online at montpelieralive.org or call 223-9604.

PAG E 18 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

THE BRIDGE

Food & Farming: Food Security

Sharing the Harvest with Vermonters in Need

by Michelle Wallace

ach year Vermont farmers donate as much 400,000 pounds of produce through the Vermont Foodbanks Gleaning Program. These donations are making access to healthy, local food a reality for all Vermonters. Gleaning is the act of harvesting and gathering surplus or seconds from farms. Relying on a network of hundreds of volunteers, the Vermont Foodbank collects fresh, nutritious food that might otherwise go to waste and delivers it to Vermonters in need through 270 partnering food shelves, meal sites and senior centers. Its a winning situation all around. Growers who have extra produce find a good home for their edibles beyond the compost pile; the foodbanks partner food shelves and meal sites get much-needed fresh food for their patrons; and the gleaners get to give back to their communities. The Vermont Foodbank Gleaning Program was born out of a necessity to secure more food for Vermonters in need. With declining donations from traditional sources, the Vermont Foodbank looked to local farms to help fill the growing need. Improving access to fresh, healthy produce for Vermonters who need food assistance is a top priority for the food bank. This wouldnt be possible without the generosity of Vermont farmers and the assistance of each and every volunteer. For more information about donating produce or volunteering, please contact Michelle Wallace at 477-4125 or by e-mail at mwallace@vtfoodbank.org. Vermont Fresh: A Fruit and Vegetable Handbook The publication of Vermont Fresh: A Fruit and Vegetable Handbook was a collaborative effort of the Vermont Foodbank, Salvation Farms and Sterling College. The handbook

A young gleaner. Photo courtesy of Michelle Wallace. highlights 40 fruits and vegetables that are particularly well suited to the Northeast region and addresses growing, storage, recipes and nutritional information. The handbook increases the information available on how to use fresh foods and complements work being done statewide through the Foodbanks Gleaning Program to increase access to Vermont-grown foods. The handbook is available as a free download on the Vermont Foodbank website at vtfoodbank.org. Vermont Foodbank is the states largest hunger-relief organization, serving communities in all 14 counties of Vermont through a network of more than 270 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, senior centers and after-school programs. Visit them at vtfoodbank.org.

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Food & Farming: Growers & Producers

Wait, WaitDont Throw That Away!

Rescuing Edible Food from the Compost Pile
He wondered how he and our organization might partner to help get his good food to those who needed it. You might be asking why foods are being discarded when so many people are without. George talks about a market where pretty foods are the norm. Weve been mesmerized by beautiful, absolutely 100 percent perfectlooking foods, says George. Weve been trained to say that a particular food is good because of the way it looks and what is acceptable in the U.S. marketplace. Just because there is a rotten spot that could be cut out or its misshapen or small doesnt mean that it is not good food. He also states that while it is much easier to compost than take the extra steps needed to put foods aside for the food pantry, it makes my staff feel good and appreciative to know that if they can work just a little bit harder, they can make that food actually go somewhere useful rather than the compost. Overall, it is about feeling good about what

by Kimberley Lashua

n July 2012, George Gross, owner and founder of Dog River Farm in Berlin, contacted me to discuss a gleaning partnership. As the executive director of Just Basics, an organization that works to recover or rescue food that is no longer sellable but is still edible, I am always looking for opportunities to save food. George and I had met a year earlier when he was using space at Trinity United Methodist Church as a drop-off site for his winter CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). He expressed that he no longer had an outlet where volunteers were coming to his farm to pick up donations that he defined as still edible, good foods. He and his staff were now composting or feeding the chickens with produce that had once been donated to the community. It was really noticeable when we lost a local gleaning program, George confesses.

you are doing and feeling good about the impact you are having on other people. George has donated more than 2,700 pounds of produce since we started this partnership. He says, This is maybe one-tenth of what weve been able to donate in the past. His hope is to continue our partnership by expanding the amount of produce that we are able to capture at the farm. We are looking for volunteers who could assist in collecting foods with Georges field crew. Volunteers can help sort foods that George is unable to market. They can work side by side with his staff as they are packingready and willing help as George calls it. If you would like to help with this very worthwhile program and make a difference in your community, please contact me at gretchen@pshift.com or 595-9145. Kimberley Lashua is executive director of Just Basics.

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PAG E 2 0 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

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Food & Farming: Food & Schools

Tangletown Farm: Smart Burgers and Sustainable Farming

by Lila Bennett

ustainable farming is a hot term right now, and there are a lot of ideas about what it means. In Vermont, we are trying to use and reuse everything our farms produce, reaching out to other farms and sharing our resources to benefit one other. Sustainable in Vermont means taking care of our grasses and soils and working together to ensure we are able to keep producing foods for generations to come. This is exciting as a farmer. Not only do we want to keep producing food, but we want to work together as farmers to produce the most healthful, wholesome and humanely raised foods. Until this year, Tangletown Farm did not own any farmland and so leased fields all over the place to farm. Nothing was connected. The chicken manure stayed on the chicken fields, the cow manure stayed on the cow fields, the pigs pooped in the woods. We bought our hay. It was fine because it got us into farming, but it wasnt sustainable from the closed-loop idea of everything contributing to the health of all. The chicken manure will return more to us by being spread on hay or vegetable fields. We knew we had to find a farm and consolidate our efforts toward sustainability. We looked at many farms and finally found a beautiful farm in West Glover, Vermont. Now

our chickens and pigs poop a lot, and we collect and compost it. This spring we will spread it on our hayfields. Then the hay will grow to be lush and nutritious to feed our cows, pigs, rabbits and hens. The cows and pigs also roam along and poop on the pastures and make the grass the chickens eat lush and nutritious. Everything feeds everything, including, and especially, our family and many Vermont families. It is a beautiful picture. Happy animals, happy fields and healthy children. There was another loop we hadnt considered until we moved here. Our farm is surrounded by dairy farms. Dairy cows must calve every year to keep making more milk. The little heifer (female) calves are kept at the dairy, so they always have new cows to keep making more milk. The bulls are the gap in the loop. It is a burden to find something to do with these calves, let alone the income lost from having a bull not a heifer. Right after we moved, the phone started ringing. The dairy farms wanted to know if we wanted to take the bulls and raise them for beef. It gave us an idea. We could take these male calves and raise them for hamburger and sell the meat at an affordable price to Vermont schools. The enterprise Smart Burgers was born. Schools, with their limited budgets, have difficulty providing quality food. Our school-

children, with their developing brains and high-energy needs, are expected to eat antibiotic-ridden, factory-farmed meats from miserable animals alongside canned vegetables and then are expected to thrive. This needs to be combated somehow. Lots of schools and communities are working hard for change. Smart Burgers is our effort. This year, we at Tangletown Farm are raising the dairy bulls for the program. The first Smart Burgers will be on the Green Mountain Farm-to-School truck in the fall. We set up Smart Burgers as a low-profit limited liability company separate from Tangletown Farm. It can thereby accept donations and apply for grants, with the mission of keeping the cost of burger to schools low while still making it worthwhile for farmers to raise the cattle. It is our hope that this will eventually allow dairies to raise their own bull calves up to market weight and then sell them to the Smart Burgers program, which will take care of the marketing and distribution, another tricky loop to close. This way, schools across Vermont can have wholesome beef for the kids and the dairy farms can have something to do with the bulls. We farm because we want to raise animals for meat with care. We want to know that there is healthy food in the world without antibiotics in it. We want people to trust that

the meat they are eating came from animals that lived the way they were supposed to. It feels great to be working with the dairy farms and closing one more gap. You can learn more about our farm, farming practices, what we offer and where to purchase at tangletownfarm.com. We are taking orders now for our year-round CSA, and we will be at the Montpelier farmers market each and every Saturday. Also coming soon is the Smart Burgers website, smartburgers.org, where you can learn about the program or donate. We hope to see you this summer at the farmers market, where there is every kind of food from every kind of farm. Sustainable means Vermonters feeding Vermonters, from chicken to carrot. Come support and enjoy the many healthy and sustainable choices produced so close to home. Lila Bennett, David Robb and their three children work together on Tangletown Farm in West Glover. Dave and Lila are both native Vermonters and have been farming for 10 years years together. Lila serves as president of the Capital City Farmers Market and is very committed to providing food to schools and lowincome Vermonters. Check out their website, tangletownfarm.com, and the Smart Burgers site, smartbugers.org.

Food News from Main Street Middle School

E
Food Insecurity in Our Community
veryone is busy. Youre busy, Im busy and that guy down the block is busy. Kimberley Lashua, the director of the Montpelier Food Pantry, is just as busy, but she still found the time to speak to students at Main Street Middle School. One of the things Lashua does is ensure that the community is aware of food insecurity. She led us through exercises where we assumed the roles of people trying to get enough to eat on a limited income. This helped us comprehend firsthand just how difficult it is to feed yourself and your family without enough money. In one activity we divided into families and created meals to feed our whole family for a week. Each family was given a certain amount of food, so some families had big, delicious meals while others scraped by on barely anything. This really made us think about how hard it would be if you didnt have enough money to eat nutritious, filling meals. What would you do to get enough to eat? Well, some people grow their own food or apply for programs such as Three Squares Vermont, and others go to food shelves like the Montpelier Food Pantry. Many students had never thought about this extremely common issue. Food insecurity was completely irrelevant to me. I never thought about it being so close to home, said eighthgrader Laura Smith. I now realize how many families have to make it through the day with only a couple of dollars, said eight-grader Elan Mayo. Later this month, seventh and eighth graders will bake fresh bread and donate it to the Montpelier Food Pantry. Our teacher, Lisa Cassetty, says she wants us to be able to make our own food and give back to our community. If you are food insecure, dont be afraid to accept help. At one time or another, you, me and pretty much everyone has needed some kind of help. Perhaps one day, it will be you who is donating the food or volunteering. There is something everybody can do to help food insecure households. So when you see an opportunity to help food insecure people, please do it. So yes, I know youre busy. I know you feel like there arent enough hours in the day. But finding that extra minute, or finding that extra dollar, could mean a starving family has food on the table. For more information about hunger in Vermont, visit hungerfreevt.org, justbasicsvt.org/ JBI/Food_Pantry.html or montpelierbridge.com/2012/10/essay-heroism-at-the-montpelierfood-pantry. Rachel Sucher, MSMS student

Cooking for the Good Samaritan Haven

ighth graders practiced healthy cooking skills in a community service project that involved cooking a healthy meal for 50 individuals staying at the Good Samaritan Haven, an emergency homeless shelter in Barre. The class of 16 students made chicken pot pie from scratch, says Family and Consumer Science teacher Anne Giroux. Students boiled the chickens, cooked the vegetables, picked the meat off the bone and made gravy from the juices; they also learned how to make biscuit dough from scratch for the top of the pot pie. The soon-to-be high schoolers sliced green beans for a healthy side dish and peeled Vermont apples for a sweet apple crisp. Giroux credits instructional assistant Nancy Vachon with the idea and the communications legwork, which gave the students the opportunity to assemble a complete, healthy meal from scratch and to use their new skills to make a positive impact in the community. Sylvia Fagin, MSMS teacher

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 21

Upcoming Events
FRIDAY, APRIL 19
Spring Migration Bird Walk: Berlin Pond. Explore local birding hot spots for warblers, vireos, thrushes and waterfowl. 78:30 a.m. Free for nature center members, $10 nonmembers. Call North Branch Nature Center for directions: 229-6206. Questions About Senior Services? Sarah Willhoit, information and assistant specialist with Central Vermont Council on Aging, helps coordinate services for food and nutrition assistance, housing, legal services, health insurance, caregiver supports, in-home help, transportation and more. 9 a.m.noon. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre Street. By appointment only; call Sarah, 479-4400, to schedule an appointment. Lunch & Learn: Letters from the Front. Author Robert Plumb and student actors read from Plumbs book Your Brother in Arms, featuring correspondence from George McClelland to his family as a citizen soldier with the 155th Pennsylvania Infantry. Light lunch served. Noon1 p.m. Sullivan Museum & History Center, Norwich University, Northeld. Free. 485-2183 or norwich.edu/museum. Dave the Raw Food Trucker. With David Conrardy. Learn how Dave, a formerly 430-pound ill trucker, started eating raw organic vegan food and lost 230 pounds, reversed colon cancer, diabetes, acid reux and kidney disease and weaned himself o most medication. 57 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $10 co-op member-owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Art and Author Night. Art opening of Lark Upsons work followed by a reading with author Gayle Hanson. Refreshments served. 6 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marsheld. Free. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com. Concert with Aurora Brush. The up-and-coming singer/ songwriter performs her repertoire of original work in the style of Norah Jones and Brandy Carlile. 7 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. By donation. A Polka, A Forgotten Waltz; A Recital of Ecstasy and Delirium. Pianist Diane Huling plays music from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including music of Busoni, Debussy, Beach, Bridge, Rachmanino, Chopin and Liszt. 7:30 p.m. White Chapel, Norwich University, Northeld. By donation. Dance Party with Johnny Rawls and the Dave Keller Band. The Mississippi and Vermont soul musicians join forces. Southern soul-food hors doeuvres by Susannas Catering. 7:30 p.m. River Arts Center, Pleasant Street, Morrisville. $15$20 sliding scale. riverartsvt.org. Laugh Local: Vermont Comedy Showcase. Hold on to your hats or seats for a wild mix of four Burlington and four central Vermont comics, shaken and not stirred. 8 p.m. American Legion Post #3, 21 Main Street, Montpelier. $8. Bob, 793-3884.

SATURDAY, APRIL 20

Walk with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Moderate 5-mile road walk around Berlin Pond with possible extension to 8 miles according to group preference and leaders whim. Contact leader Kevin Ryan, 249-8849 or pinewhisp@comcast.net, for meeting time and place. Affordable Farmland: Vermont Land Trust Open House. Check out a 87-acre farm in South Barre. Asking price is $160,000. 10 a.m.3 p.m. For direcetions or more information, call Jon, 533-7705, or visit vlt.org/initiatives/barre-farm. PoemCity: Summit Songs. A showcase of poems set to music by Summit School teachers and students. See how musical words can be. 11 a.m. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Comics Madness with Marek Bennett. Cartoonist, musician, world traveler and educator Marek Bennett leads a discoverybased workshop on creating your own comic for ages 5 and up. 14 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-4665 or kellogghubbard.org. PoemCity: Poetry that Heals. With poet and teacher Mary Rose Dougherty. Explore how poetry can help us realign when we are thrown by life, access and release feelings and resolve emotional and spiritual distress. 3 p.m. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free, but space is limited; register at 223-3338. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Shape-Note Sing. Ian Smiley leads tunes from The Sacred Harp. All welcome; no experience necessary. Event happens by RSVP only: please call or e-mail to conrm. 6:308 p.m. Tulsi Tea Room, 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. By donation. Ian, 882-8274 or smileyira@gmail.com. Event happens every rst and third Saturday. Northern Third Musical Collaborations: Brahms, Mozart and Lutaslawski. Soa Hirsch, violinist, and John Dunlop, principal cellist, join pianist Alison Cerutti and violist Elizabeth Reid. 7:30 p.m. Barre Opera House. $15 adults, $5 youth under 18. Tickets at 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org. Contra Dance. All dances taught; no partner necessary. All ages welcome. Bring shoes not worn outdoors. 811 p.m. Capital City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northeld Street), Berlin. $8. 744-6163 or capitalcitygrange.org. Event happens every rst, third and fth Saturday. Stand-up Comedy for Project Independence. Vermont comics Carmen Lagala, Ben Orbison, Autumn Spencer, Nancy Schultz and Mike Thomas perform to benet the central Vermont adult day service. Show is rated PG-15. 8 p.m. 81 North Main Street, Barre. $12 in advance, $16 at the door. Tickets at Angelenos Restaurant and Woodbury Mountain Toys in Montpelier, New Chapter Book Store in Barre or pibarre.org.

PoemCity: The Yoga of Poetry; The Poetry of Yoga. Lydia Russell-McDade leads participants in exploring the uid poetry of bodies in motion, as well as the poetry that arises from this practice of articulation, self-expression and inspiration. Intermediate-level yoga; bring a notebook and pen. 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. Yoga Mountain Center, 7 Main Street, Montpelier. $10$30. Preregister at yogamountaincenter.com. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Early Spring Plant Walk. With clinical herbalist Rebecca Dalgin. Learn about plants that are widely distributed throughout our area and simple ways to incorporate their medicinal values into daily life. Tea served after walk. 12:30 p.m. Meet outside the Wild Heart Wellness oce (Flander/EarthWalk building), Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. $4$10. 552-0727 or wildheartwellness.net. Pruning 101 Workshop. Zach Leonard teaches the principles of fruit-tree and berry pruning with an emphasis on apple trees. Bring your questions and challenges and dress warmly, rain or shine. 13 p.m. Elmore Roots Nursery, 631 Symonds Mill Road, Wolcott. $10. 888-3305 or fruitpal@elmoreroots.com. Chandler Film Society. Watch the 1986 lm Room with a View, directed by James Ivory and starring Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter and Denholm Elliot. 7 p.m. Chandlers Upper Gallery, 7173 Main Street, Randolph. $9. 431-0204 or outreach@chandler-arts.org. 350.org Do the Math Tour. Documentary lm followed by a live-streamed discussion with leaders in the climate movement in New York City. 7 p.m. Community Center Media Room, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. Free. goddard.edu.

MONDAY, APRIL 22

SUNDAY, APRIL 21

Walk with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Easy 10-mile outing on the Stowe bike path. Meet at Montpelier High School. Contact leader Michael Chernick, 249-0520 or chernick5@comcast.net, for meeting time. NUTTY STEPHS CHOCOLATERIE Route 2, Middlesex. 229-2090 or nuttystephs.com. Every Thursday Bacon Thursday, live music and hot conversation, 6 p.m.midnight Saturday, April 20 Solid Gold Sing-Along with Jay Ekis, 710 p.m. Thursday, April 25 Concrete Rivals surf party, 69 p.m. POSITIVE PIE 2 22 State Street, Montpelier. 229-0453 or positivepie.com. Saturday, April 20 MadMen3 (dance), 10:30 p.m., $5, 21+ Friday, April 26 Abby Jenne and the Crooked Brook Band, 10:30 p.m., $5, 21+ Saturday, April 27 Michael Chorney and Hollar General (alternative/folk/Americana), 10:30 p.m., $5, 21+ SKINNY PANCAKE 89 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 262-2253 or skinnypancake.com. Every Sunday Old-time sessions with Katie Trautz and friends, 46 p.m. (intermediate to advanced players welcome to sit in) THE WHAMMY BAR Maple Corner Caf, 31 West County Road, Calais. All events free unless otherwise noted. 229-4329. Every Wednesday Open mic, 6:30 p.m.

Earth Day Celebration. Plant walk, community book swap, face painting and seed planting for kids, cell-phone and battery recycling, free samples and local food demos, information from local environmental organizations, raes and prizes. 10 a.m.5 p.m.; plant walk noon1 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Tipping Point Film Viewing and Discussion. Documentary on the impacts of the Canadian tar sands and what a Native community is doing about it. Followed by discussion with Goddard faculty members. 3:30 p.m. Community Center Media Room, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. Free. goddard.edu. Presented by Goddards BA in Individualized Studies program. Retrofitting and the Lost Art of Window Repair. With Steve Byers from Open Sash. Learn how the modern integration of weather seals, foam-insulated weight cavities and doublethermal resistance can get your old windows functioning as well as a modern window. 67 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. PoemCity: Writing Nature Poetry: Workshop and Readings. Workshop and reading with Andrew Hepburn. Use your imagination and senses to capture the natural world in verse. Families encouraged to attend. Bring writing supplies. 7 p.m. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free, but space limited; register at 223-3338. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Adult Book Group. Copies of the book available at the library. New members welcome. 78 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, Old Schoolhouse Common, Marsheld. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary @gmail.com. Event happens every fourth Monday. Kristen Iversen Reading & Q&A. Iversen reads from her haunting new book, Full Body Burden, combining investigative see UPCOMING EVENTS, page 22
Actors in Ransom, playing at Lost Nation Theater April 25May 12.

COURTESY CODY MICHAELS

Cody Michaels, who will be performing at Bagitos on Sunday, April 21.

Live Music
BAGITOS 28 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows 68 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 229-9212 or bagitos.com. Every Wednesday Blues jam with the Usual Suspects and friends Every Saturday Irish/Celtic session, 25 p.m. Sunday, April 21 Cody Michaels (solo piano), 11 a.m.2 p.m. Tuesday, April 30 Peoples Cafe with Occupy Central Vermont (music, art, poetry, activist discussions) CHARLIE OS 70 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows 10 p.m. unless otherwsie noted. 223-6820.

Every Monday Trivia Every Tuesday Karaoke Every Saturday All-request dance party with Blue Moon Friday, April 19 Andrea Gillis Band (soul rock) Saturday, April 20 Lava Moss (rock) Wednesday, April 24 Jay Ekis residency (rock), 8 p.m. Thursday, April 25 Jack Grelle/the Johnson Family (bluegrass), 9 p.m. Friday, April 26 Starline Rhythm Boys (honky-tonk/rockabilly), 9:30 p.m. FRESH TRACKS FARM 4373 Route 12, Berlin. 223-1151 or info@freshtracksfarm.com. Friday, April 26 The Usual Suspects (blues), 69 p.m.

ROBERT EDDY; COURTESY KATHLEEN KEENAN

Theater
RANSOM Music-drama based on the letters, diaries and military documents of Civil War soldier Ransom Towle of Rochester, Vermont. April 25May 12. 7 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays; 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday, April 27, and Sunday, May 12. Lost Nation Theater, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. $30 FridaySunday, $25 Thursday, $5 discount for students/seniors; $10 children age 611. Infants and toddlers not admitted; children under 6 admitted at discretion of theater. Tickets at 229-0492 or lostnationtheater.org.

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UPCOMING EVENTS, from page 21 journalism with personal memoir to reveal the destructive power of secrets. Part of the Visiting Writers series. 7:309 p.m. Haybarn Theatre, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. Free. goddard.edu. Presented by Goddards BFA Writing program.

TUESDAY, APRIL 23

Lunch & Learn: William Earles Painting. Emily Phillips, painting conservator, talks about the art restoration and cleaning of the painting that hung in Norwich Universitys dining facility for over 40 years. Noon1 p.m. Sullivan Museum & History Center, Norwich University, Northeld. Free. 485-2183 or norwich.edu/ museum. World Book Night at the Ainsworth. Librarians hand out copies of My Antonia by Willa Cather, while supplies last. 27 p.m. Ainsworth Public Library, Williamstown. 433-5887, ainsworthpl@yahoo.com or ainsworthpubliclibrary.wordpress.com. Medicare and You. Turning 65? Those new to Medicare get questions answered. 34:30 p.m. Central Vermont Council on Aging, 59 North Main Street, suite 200, Barre. Free. Register at 479-0531. Event happens every second and fourth Tuesday. Tech Tuesdays. Get help with any computer or Internet questions, or learn about the librarys new circulation software and how to use ListenUp to download audiobooks and more. Bring your iPod, tablet, phone, laptop or other device. 5:307 p.m. KelloggHubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338 or kellogghubbard.org. Event happens every second and fourth Tuesday. Ayurveda and the Energy of Food. With Karen Johnson, certied ayurvedic lifestyle consultant. Understand your unique body type, what foods serve you best and how to use this ancient science to increase vitality and balance with everyday foods and spices. 67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $2 co-op member-owners, $3 nonmembers. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. PoemCity: Goddard Writers Read. Wendy Call reads translations from the work of Mexican poets Irma Pineda and Jose Alfredo Escobar Martinez; Janet Sylvester reads poems from The Mark of Flesh and Breakwater, her most recent books. 6:30 p.m. Capitol Grounds, 27 State Street, Montpelier. Free. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. PoemCity: The Other Wish. Vermont poet Diane Swan reads from her new book of poetry. 7 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 229-0774 or poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Rhythm of Structure: Journey of a Math Artist. Keynote by artist John Sims as part of Goddard Colleges undergraduate program spring 2013 residency. 7:309 p.m. Haybarn Theatre, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. Free. goddard.edu.

with assistance from an artist. Noon1 p.m. Sullivan Museum & History Center, Norwich University, Northeld. Free. 485-2183 or norwich.edu/museum. School Vacation Days: Art of the Civil War. Kids age 612 participate in games, crafts and a snack inspired by topics featured at the history center. 14 p.m. Vermont History Center, 60 Washington Street, Barre. $8 per child; $6 per child for three or more children or Vermont Historical Society members. Preregistration required: 828-1413 or vhs-education@state.vt.us. vermonthistory. org/vacation. Going Solar Without Going Broke. With Jessica Edgerly Walsh from Suncommon. Learn about nancing options and state and federal incentives to help you go solar and save money. This workshop will focus on solar electric systems. 67 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 2238000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Five Important Wild Vermont Medicinals: A Chinese Medicine Perspective. With Brendan Kelly of Jade Mountain Wellness. Discover turkey tail, reishi, bloodroot, wild ginger and black birch. Detailed handouts provided. 69 p.m. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main Street, Montpelier. $15 VCIH members, $17 nonmembers. Preregistration required: 244-7100 or info@vtherbcenter.org. vtherbcenter.org. Business Building Blocks: Get More Done. With professional life coach Marianne Mullen. Learn ways to shift from feeling overwhelmed and stressed to productive and balanced. 68:30 p.m. Central Vermont Community Action, 195 Route 302, Berlin. Free, but registration required: sign up with Margaret, 4775214, 800-843-8397 or mferguson@cvcac.org. Bicycle Maintenance. Gas prices are going up: tune up your bike for spring with Anne Miller and special guests. 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marsheld. Free. 426-3581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com. Film Discussion Series: Deception. Bette Davis, Claude Rains and Paul Henreid star in this romantic mystery about a pianist who will stop at nothing to protect her refugee husband from her rich and powerful ex-lover. Discussion with library director Richard Bidnick follows. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library,135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338 or kellogghubbard.org. Woodcock Watch. Listen and watch for the dramatic courtship ight of the American woodcock, and be serenaded by spring peepers and Wilsons snipe. 7 p.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. $5 nature center members, $8 nonmembers. 229-6206. Poetry Reading. With Rick Eschholz, Julia Shipley, Ben Aleshire, Nicholas Spengler and other Vermont poets. 7 p.m. River Arts Center, Pleasant Street, Morrisville. riverartsvt.org.

$8 co-op member-owners, $10 nonmembers. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Musica Borealis: Dark Ships in the Northern Woods: Ballads and Stories of the Supernatural. With Tony Barrand, expert and exponent of traditional song and dance and former professor of anthropology at Boston University. 78:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338 or kellogghubbard.org. Presented in collaboration with the Center for Circumpolar Studies. Ecumenical Group. Songs of praise, Bible teaching, fellowship. 79 p.m. Jabbok Center for Christian Living, 8 Daniel Drive, Barre. Free. 479-0302. Event happens every second and fourth Thursday. Green Mountain Dog Club Monthly Meeting. Learn about the club and events. All dog lovers welcome. 7:30 p.m. Commodores Inn, Stowe. 479-9843 or greenmountaindogclub.org. Event happens every fourth Thursday.

FRIDAY, APRIL 26

Spring Migration Bird Walk: North Branch Nature Center. See Friday, April 19, for description and information. Worcester Clothing Swap. See Thursday, April 25, for discussion and information. LGBTQQ Youth Group. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning youth age 1322 enjoy free pizza, soft drinks and conversation. Facilitated by adult volunteers trained by Outright VT. 6:308 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. outrightvt.org. Event happens every second and fourth Friday. PoemCity: Transformations. Jon Turner reads from his new collection of poems and discusses the healing transformation that occurred from writing after his time at war in Iraq. 7 p.m. Storefront Gallery, 6 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free. poemcityvt.wordpress.com.

SATURDAY, APRIL 27

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24

THURSDAY, APRIL 25

Franois Truffaut Mini Film Festival: The 400 Blows. A neglected young man delves into a world of petty crime in this 1959 classic. Presented by lm scholar Rick Winston. Part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 10:30 a.m. Savoy Theater, Montpelier. $5 suggested donation. 223-1736 or clb247@cornell.edu. Series continues every Wednesday through May 8. Lunch & Learn: Outdoor Landscape Drawing Workshop. Try your hand at plein air drawing on the Norwich campus

School Vacation Days: Vermonts Natural Resources. See Wednesday, April 24, for description and information. Worcester Clothing Swap. Bring in your gently worn clothing and accessories, then pick out some new-to-you items on Saturday. 15 p.m. Worcester Historical Building, Old White School, Calais Road. Drop o continues Friday, April 26. Karen, 552-7494. Slowing Down to the Speed of Nature. With Ivan MacBeth of the Green Mountain Druid Order. Learn how to slow down, engage with nature and stop missing so much of life. 67:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier.

Walk with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Moderate 5-mile walk around Sodom Pond in Adamant. Contact leaders Mary Garcia, 622-0585, or Mary Smith, 505-0603, for meeting time and place. Signs of Spring. Amy Butler leads a walk around North Branch Nature Center in search of singing birds, chirping frogs, budding leaves and blooming owers. 810 a.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. Free for kids and nature center members, $10 nonmembers. 229-6206. Bethany Church Auction. Antiques, furniture and collectibles. 9 a.m. preview and concessions; bidding starts at 9:30 a.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. Melitta, 262-1019. Worcester Clothing Swap. Pick out new-to-you clothes and accessories. 9 a.m.3 p.m. Worcester Historical Building, Old White School, Calais Road. $1/bag suggested donation; benets Worcester Food Shelf and Community Kitchen. Karen, 552-7494. Spring Art Workshops for Youth: Comic Book Fun/ Build Your Own Superhero. For youth age 412. 9:30 a.m. noon. Helen Day Art Center, 90 Pond Street, Stowe. $25. Register at 253-8358. helenday.com. Workshops continue Saturday, May 27. PoemCity: The Chapbook: Reading and Writing the Slender Book. Jim Schley and Julia Shipley lead a hands-on class, covering a brief history of chapbooks, production techniques and the process of assembling a manuscript and nding a venue Wits End Parent Support Group, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Narcotics Anonymous, Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Open daily, 10 a.m.5 p.m. 489 North Main Street, Barre. 479-7373. Overeaters Anonymous. Twelve-step program for physically, emotionally and spiritually overcoming overeating. Fridays, noon1 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-3079.

Support Groups
BEREAVEMENT
Bereavement/Grief Support Group. For anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Every other Monday, 68 p.m., starts April 29. Every other Wednesday, 1011:30 a.m., starts April 24. Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre. Ginny or Jean, 223-1878. Bereaved Parents Support Group. Facilitated by Central Vermont Home Health & Hospice (CVHHH). Second Wednesdays, 68 p.m. CVHHH, 600 Granger Road, Berlin. Jeneane Lunn, 793-2376.

CANCER

Kindred Connections. For anyone aected by cancer. Get help from Kindred Connections members who have been in your shoes. A program of the Vermont Cancer Survivor Network. Call Sherry, 479-3223, for more information. vcsn.net. Living with Advanced or Metastatic Cancer. Second Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. Cancer Center resource room, Central Vermont Medical Center. Lunch provided. 225-5449. Writing to Enrich Your Life. For anyone aected by cancer. Third Tuesdays, noon 1 p.m. Cancer Center resource room, Central Vermont Medical Center. 225-5449.

Evening group facilitated by Marsha Bancroft; day group facilitated by Kathy Grange and Jane Hulstrunk. Evening group meets rst Mondays, 5:307:30 p.m., DisAbility Rights of Vermont, 141 Main Street, Suite 7, Montpelier, 800-8347890, ext. 106. Day group meets rst and third Thursdays, 1:302:30 p.m., Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier, 244-6850. NAMI Vermont Family Support Group. Support group for families and friends of indiHurricane Irene Support Group for Re- viduals living with mental illness. Fourth Moncovery Workers. Get peer support and help days, 7 p.m. Central Vermont Medical Center, processing emotions, strengthen relationships room 3, Berlin. 800-639-6480 or namivt.org. and learn coping skills. Every other Monday, Celiac and Food Allergy Support 3:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Group. With Lisa Mas of Harmonized CookMontpelier. 279-4670. ery. Second Wednesdays, 4:306 p.m. ConferHurricane Irene Support Group. Share ence room 3, Central Vermont Medical Center. your story, listen to others, learn coping skills, lisamase@gmail.com. build community and support your neighbors. Diabetes Discussion Group. Focus on Refreshments provided. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. self-management. Open to anyone with diabetes Berlin Elementary School. 279-8246. and their families. Third Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. The Health Center, Plaineld. Free. Don, 3226600 or dgrabowski@the-health-center.org. Grandparents Raising Their Childrens Diabetes Support Group. First Thursdays, Children. First Wednesdays, 10 a.m.noon, 78 p.m. Conference room 3, Central Vermont Barre Presbyterian Church, Summer Street. Medical Center. 371-4152. Second Tuesdays, 68 p.m., Wesley Methodist Church, Main Street, Waterbury. Third Thursdays, 68 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Turning Point Center. Safe, supportive Church, 137 Main Street. Child care provided in place for individuals and their families in or Montpelier and Waterbury. Evelyn, 476-1480. seeking recovery. Alchoholics Anonymous, Sundays, 8:30 a.m. Making Recovery Easier workshops, Tuesdays, Brain Injury Support Groups. Open to all 67:30 p.m. survivors, caregivers and adult family members. Cancer Support Group. First Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Potluck. For location, call Carole MacIntyre, 229-5931. Man-to-Man Prostate Cancer Support Group. Third Wednesdays, 68 p.m. Conference room 2, Central Vermont Medical Center. 8726308 or 866-466-0626 (press 3).

DISASTER

SOLIDARITY/IDENTITY

KIDS

RECOVERY

HEALTH

Womens Group. Women age 40 and older explore important issues and challenges in their lives in a warm and supportive environment. Faciliatated by Amy Emler-Shaer and Julia W. Gresser. Wednesday evenings. 41 Elm Street, Montpelier. Call Julia, 262-6110, for more information. Mens Group. Men discuss challenges of and insights about being male. Wednesdays, 6:158:15 p.m. 174 Elm Street, Montpelier. Interview required: contact Neil, 223-3753. National Federation of the Blind, Montpelier Chapter. First Saturdays. Lane Shops community room, 1 Mechanic Street, Montpelier. 229-0093. Families of Color. Open to all. Play, eat and discuss issues of adoption, race and multiculturalism. Bring snacks and games to share; dress for the weather. Third Sundays, 35 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. Alyson, 439-6096 or alyson@suncatchervt.com.

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 2 3

for publishing it. 10 a.m.noon. Snelling Room, Vermont Historical Society, 109 State Street, Montpelier. Free, but space limited; register at 223-3338. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Indoor Farmers Market. Live music by Sheefra. Final indoor market; market moves downtown and outdoors Saturday, May 4. 10 a.m.2 p.m. Gym, Vermont College of Fine Arts, Montpelier. Carolyn, 223-2958 or manager@montpelierfarmersmarket.com. Childrens Book Swap. 10:30 a.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-4665 or kellogghubbard.org. Rug Hooking: Open Class for All Levels. Bring questions you have on a current project or get help starting a new one. Shop open for supplies. 15 p.m. Green Mountain Hooked Rugs, 2838 County Road, Montpelier. $25. Register at 223-1333 or vtpansy@ greenmountainhookedrugs.com. greenmountainhookedrugs.com. PoemCity: Chapbook Publishing Roundtable. Vermont chapbook publishers and authors Ann Aspell, Benjamin Aleshire, Andrew Miller-Brown and Neil Shepard discuss their love of writing, designing and selling the slender book. Moderated by Julia Shipley, poet and cofounder of the Montpelier-based Chickadee Chaps and Broads. 2 p.m. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. PoemCity: Three Chaps Reading. Burlington-based poets Ben Aleshire, Ralph Culver and Nicholas Spengler read from their chapbooks. 3:304:30 p.m. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. poemcityvt.wordpress.com. Lucky Dog Catsino Night. An evening of dining, drinks, dancing and dice to benet the Central Vermont Humane Society. Play blackjack, roulette, craps and poker, win prizes and help homeless pets. 711 p.m. Montpelier Elks Club, 1 Country Club Road. $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Tickets at Central Vermont Humane Society in East Montpelier, Guys Farm & Yard in Montpelier or cvhumane.com. [radical] signs of life. A work-in-progress showing of a performance by three local dancers and two New York City dancers, as part of an artistic residency at the studio. 7 p.m.; doors open at 6:30 p.m. Contemporary Dance and Fitness Studio, 18 Langdon Street (third oor), Montpelier. $10 suggested donation. 229-4676 or cdandfs.com. Capital City Concerts: Borromeo String Quartet. The quartet is joined by utist Karen Kevra in a world premiere of Teta, a new work by New York City composer Mohammed Fairouz, plus pieces by Beethoven and Dvorak. 7:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. $10$25.Tickets at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier or capitalcityconcerts.org. Paula Poundstone. The Wait Wait...Dont Tell Me panelist brings her spontaneous, intelligent humor to Chandler. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 7173 Main Street, Randolph. $34 in advance, $37 day of show. Tickets at 728-6464 or chandler-arts.org. Traditional New England Dance: Irish Ceili. Alice McNeish calls dances to tunes by Brian Kessler, Katrina VanTyne and friends, interspersed with performances and singing. No partner or experience necessary; all dances taught. Family friendly. Bring clean shoes and a snack to share. 8 p.m.; instruction/refresher 7:30 p.m. Capital City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northeld Street), Berlin. $8 adult, $5 student, $20 family. Merry, 225-8921. Ellis Jackson Solo Performance. World premiere of Jacobsons new comedy solo, Adapted from Samuel Beckett. Recommended for adult audiences. 8 p.m. Haybarn Theatre, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plaineld. goddard.edu.

SUNDAY, APRIL 28

Muddy Onion Spring Dirt Road Ride. A 35-mile, mostly dirt-road ride in and around Montpelier. Scenic roads, beautiful views and plenty of climbing. 9:30 a.m. ride start; registration opens at 8:30 a.m. Onion River Sports, Langdon Street, Montpelier. $20; includes fully stocked aid station and postrace meal. Register at bikereg.com/net/19072. Wildflower Walk with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Moderate outing in Little River State Park in Waterbury. Meet at 1 p.m. at Montpelier High School. Leaders: George Longenecker or Cynthia Martin, 229-9787 or marlong@myfairpoint.net.

Comedian Paula Poundstone, who will be performing at Chandler Music Hall on Saturday, April 27.

MONDAY, APRIL 29

TUESDAY, APRIL 30

Food Fiesta. Stories, rhymes and rice and beans with New England Culinary Institute chefs. 10:30 a.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-4665 or kellogghubbard.org. Vermont Womens Business Center: Business Wisdom Circle. Theme: The Feminine Principle in Business, conversations on how women do business dierently. A lightly structured networking and mentoring opportunity to learn and share in your business venture. 46 p.m. Quarry Grill and Tavern, 210 North Main Street, Barre. $10, includes refreshments; coupons available. Register at 479-9813 or info@vwbc.org. vwbc.org. Successful Life Changes: The Brain: Use It or Lose It. Discussion with Dr. Deborah Black of Central Vermont Medical Center and Jeanne Kern of the Central Vermont Council on Aging. 67:30 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre Street. Free. 262-6288 or 223-2518. Empowering Women Through Literacy. Joni Zwieg, executive director and president of Amurtel, an international relief and development organization focused on women and children, talks about the impact of literacy or illiteracy on womens lives. 6:30 p.m. Joslin Memorial Library, 4391 Main Street, Waitseld. Free. 496-4205. PoemCity: Annual Open Poetry. A night of reading, laughter and encouragement, open to the community. Space is limited: sign up in advance and limit your reading to 5 minutes so everyone has a chance to read. 7 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. Register at 229-0774. poemcityvt.wordpress.com.

COURTESY BECKY MCMEEKIN

Savvy Seniors. A performance troupe educating audiences on health care error, fraud and abuse. Q&A and discussion follows; refreshments provided. Presented by the Council of Vermont Elders and Lyric Theatre. 5 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, 151 High Street (Route 2), Plaineld. Free. 454-8504 or cutlerlibrary.org. Tonic Herbalism: The Wild Medicine Solution. With Guido Mas. Explore new ideas on how wild weedy plants have shaped our human nature, are keys to vibrant health and need to be a part of daily life. 5:307 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. Free. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. PoemCity: Until Nothing More Can Break . Kate Fetherston of Montpelier reads from her latest book of poems. 7 p.m. Hayes Room, Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. poemcityvt.wordpress.com.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1

Start Your Own Business Workshop. Learn how to get started and write a business plan with the Vermont Small Business Development Center. For all businesses. 9 a.m.1 p.m. Community National Bank, Barre. $99. Register at vtsbdc.org (click the Training tab). Heather, hgonyaw@vtsbdc.org. Franois Truffaut Mini Film Festival: Shoot the Piano Player. Life takes on unexpected complications for a pianist working in a bar in this 1960 classic. Presented by lm scholar Rick Winston. Part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 10:30 a.m. Savoy Theater, Montpelier. $5 suggested donation. 223-1736 or clb247@cornell.edu. Series continues every Wednesday through May 8. One Movement for People and the Planet: March and Day of Action. Vermonters unite through their struggles for child care, health care, workers rights, education, the right to organize, aordable housing and a healthy planet by taking part in a day of action toward human rights and true democracy. Kidfriendly activities, live music, food and a health screening clinic. 11:30 a.m. State House lawn, Montpelier. workerscenter.org. Apples and Honey Family Program: Preparing for Shavuot: Receiving the Torah. Families with children of all ages experience the joys of being Jewish. 56:30 p.m. Montpelier. Suggested donation $22 per family. To register or for more information, contact Tobie, 223-0583. see UPCOMING EVENTS, page 24

Art & Exhibits

BIGTOWN GALLERY Masterworks, group show exploring the personal collections of the late sculptor and printmaker Hugh Townley. 99 North Main Street, Rochester. Through July 28. Opening reception Saturday, April 20, 57 p.m. Hours: WednesdayFriday, 10 a.m.5 p.m.; Saturday, noon5 p.m. 7679670, info@bigtowngallery.com or bigtown gallery.com. BLINKING LIGHT GALLERY New Work: Landscapes and Heads, paintings by Janet Wormser. 16 Main Street, Plaineld. Through May 2. Hours: Thursdays, 26 p.m.; FridaySunday, 10 a.m.6 p.m. blinkinglight gallery.com. CHANDLER GALLERY Give Us Your Best! , group show by area artists. 7173 Main Street, Randolph. Through May 19. Hours: Friday, 35 p.m.; SaturdaySunday, noon 2 p.m. 431-0204 or outreach@chandler-arts.org. CHESHIRE CAT Jewelry by Sylvia Gaboriault, blending metal, lava, agate and beads. 28 Elm Street, Montpelier. Through April. 223-1981 or cheshirecatclothing .com. CONTEMPORARY DANCE & FITNESS STUDIO Captured Mind Wanderings, photography by Montpelier High School students Zivah Solo-

mon and Nathan Burton. 18 Langdon Street

(third oor), Montpelier. Through May 27. 2294676 or cdandfs.com. GIFFORD GALLERY X-pressions, graphite, pastel and colored pencil works by Jan Rogers. 44 South Main Street, Randolph. Through May 29. 728-2324. GODDARD ART GALLERY The Nature of Things, installation by seven artists: Thea Alvin, Khara Ledonne, Forrest White, Robyn Alvin, Gowri Savoor and Bruce Hathaway. 54 Main Street, Montpelier. Through May 11. Reception Friday, April 19, 6 p.m.; PoemCity social Friday, April 26, 7 p.m. Hours: WednesdayThursday, noon5 p.m.; FridaySaturday, noon7 p.m. 322-1685 or goddard.edu. GOVERNORS GALLERY Hard Line, Soft Color, scultpture by Robert Hitzig emphasizing grain patterns in wood and other inherent qualities of the material. 109 State Street (fth oor), Montpelier. Photo ID required for admission. Through June 28. Reception Wednesday, April 17, 35 p.m. 828-0749. GREEN BEAN ART GALLERY Twirl , digitally altered photography by Gary Seaton. Capitol Grounds, 27 State Street, Montpelier. Through April. curator@capitolgrounds .com. HELEN DAY ART CENTER Student art show: the gallerys 32nd year of exhibiting local students work. 90 Pond Street, Stowe. May 3May 26. Opening reception Friday,

May 3, 37 p.m. Hours: WednesdaySunday, noon5 p.m. 253-8358 or helenday.com. KELLOGG-HUBBARD LIBRARY Animals Are Figures, Too, mixed media by Wendy Hackett-Morgan, followed by The Art of Creative Aging, juried exhibit of work by local visual artists age 70 and older. 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Animals through April 26; Creative Aging May 131. Reception Thursday, May 2, 57 p.m. 223-3338. MONTPELIER SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER Still Learning to See, photographs by Montpelier resident and senior center member John Snell. 58 Barre Street, Montpelier. Through April. Artist talk Monday, April 29, 6:30 p.m. Hours: MondayFriday, 9 a.m.4 p.m. 223-2518. RED HEN CAF Seasons in Transition, Middlesex artist Cindy Grifth explores the changing seasons of the year. Route 2, Middlesex. May 1June 30. 2294326, cindy.grith.vt@gmail.com or redhenbaking.com. RIVER ARTS CENTER Looking at Landscape, an exhibit of paintings and drawings by Peter Fried, plus new sumi-e paintings by Alex Angio. 74 Pleasant Street, Morrisville. Through May 13. Hours: Monday Friday, 10 a.m.2 p.m. 888-1261 or riverartsvt .org. STATE HOUSE CAFETERIA GALLERY Parallels, photo-documentary exhibit by Libby Hillhouse of Ryegate. State House, 115 State Street (second oor), Montpelier. Through April

26. Hours: MondayThursday, 8 a.m.6 p.m.; Friday, 8 a.m.5 p.m. 828-0749. STOREFRONT STUDIO GALLERY Talking Portraits and Two-Part Inventions, an evolving show of experimental drawings, paintings and the occasional sculpture by Glen Coburn Hutcheson. 6 Barre Street, Montpelier. Hours: MondayFriday, 36 p.m. 839-5349 or gchneart.com. STUDIO PLACE ARTS Two by Two, group show exploring; art silent auction; Specimens, works by Jason GalliganBaldwin ; and BabyProof, works by Jenna Ann Kelly. 201 North Main Street, Barre. Through May 25. 479-7069 or studioplacearts.com. SULLIVAN MUSEUM & HISTORY CENTER These Honored Dead: Private and National Commemoration, stories of Norwich alumni from both sides of the Civil War conict in 1863. Norwich University, Northeld. Through December 20. 485-2183 or norwich.edu/museum. VERMONT HISTORY MUSEUM Plowing Old Ground: Vermonts Organic Farming Pioneers, photographs and interviews. 109 State Street, Montpelier. Through August. Hours: TuesdaySaturday, 10 a.m.4 p.m. 828-2291 or vermonthistory.org. VERMONT SUPREME COURT Underwater, oil paintings by Straord artist Micki Colbeck. 111 State Street (rst-oor lobby), Montpelier. Through April 30. Hours: MondayFriday, 8 a.m.4:30 p.m. 828-0749.

PAG E 24 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

THE BRIDGE

UPCOMING EVENTS, from page 23 Herbal Nutrition: Delicious, Mineral-Rich Recipes for Daily Wellness. With Sage Zelkowitz, community herbalist and educator. Learn how to make three plant-based supportive alternates to supplements: a nourishing herbal infusion, an iron-rich syrup and a high-calcium tea. 5:307:30 p.m. Hunger Mountain Coop community room, Montpelier. $10 co-op member-owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8000, ext. 202, or info@hungermountain.com. Decolonizing Herbalism, Empowering Herbalists. With Dana Woodru of Dandelioness Herbals and Sandra Lory of Mandala Botanicals. Through self-awareness as herbalists and teachers, construct safe, engaging and inclusive learning spaces, build

bridges and foster trusting relationships that help heal the wounds of colonialism, racism, classism and other forms of oppression. 68 p.m. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 252 Main Street, Montpelier. $10 VCIH members, $12 nonmembers. Preregistration required: 244-7100 or info@vtherbcenter.org. vtherbcenter.org. First Wednesdays: The Book of Kells. Dartmouth professor Jean Carroll considers this treasure of Western civilization and how the Irish monks lavish illustrations of the 1,200-year-old Gospel manuscript illuminate the artists thoughts about theology and the power of language. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338 or kellogghubbard.org. A Vermont Humanities Council program.

THURSDAY, MAY 2

Time Banking with the Onion River Exchange. Heather Kralik and time-bank members from the Onion River Exchange lead a discussion about what a time bank is, how it works and what it means to be a member. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338 or kellogghubbard.org.

Submit Your Event! Send listings to calendar @montpelierbridge.com. The deadline for our next issue, May 2, is Friday, April 26. 50 words or less, please. High-resolution photos also welcome.

Weekly Events
BICYCLING
Open Shop Nights. Have a bike to donate or need help with a bike repair? Visit the volunteerrun community bike shop. Tuesdays, 68 p.m.; Wednesdays, 57 p.m. Freeride Montpelier, 89 Barre Street, Montpelier. By donation. 5523521 or freeridemontpelier.org. Cyclocross Ride. A mellow, 12 hour dirtroad cruise. All abilities welcome; cyclocross bike highly recommended. Mondays, through May 27. Meet at 6 p.m. at Onion River Sports, Montpelier. 229-9409 or onionriver.com Cycling 101. Train for a summer of ridingwith Linda Freeman and Onion River Sports. Build condence, strength, endurance, road-riding skills and a sense of community with relaxed rides on local paved roads. For all abilities. Tuesdays, starts April 23; drop-ins welcome until July 2. Meet at 5:30 p.m. at Montpelier High School. 229-9409 or onionriver.com.

FOOD

Free Community Meals in Montpelier. All welcome. Mondays: Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, 11 a.m.1 p.m. Tuesdays: Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Wednesdays: Christ Church, 64 State Street, 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Thursdays: Trinity Church, 137 Main Street, 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Fridays: St. Augustine Church, 18 Barre Street, 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Sundays: Last Sundays only, Bethany Church, 115 Main Street (hosted by Beth Jacob Synagogue), 4:305:30 p.m. Noon Cafe. Soup, fresh bread, good company and lively conversation. Wednesdays, noon. Old Meeting House, East Montpelier. By donation. oldmeetinghouse.org.

age 3 and their adults. Thursdays, 9:3011 a.m., through June 13. St. Augustines Church, Barre Street, Montpelier. Christopher, 262-3292, ext. 115. fcwcvt.org. Dads and Kids Playgroup. For children birth to age 5 and their male grown-ups. Free dinner provided before playtime. Thursdays, 67:30 p.m., through June 13. Family Center of Washington County, 383 Sherwood Drive, Montpelier. Christopher, 262-3292, ext. 115. fcwcvt.org. Cub Capers Story Time. Story and song for children age 35 and their families. Led by Carrie Fitz. Saturdays, 10 a.m. Childrens room, Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 229-0774 or jane@bearpondbooks.com.

LANGUAGE

GAMES

BOOKS

Apollo Duplicate Bridge Club. All welcome. Partners sometimes available. Fridays, 6:45 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. $3. 485-8990 or 223-3922.

English Conversation Practice Group. For students learning English for the rst time. Tuesdays, 45 p.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. Sarah, 223-3403. Lunch in a Foreign Language. Bring lunch and practice your language skills with neighbors. Noon1 p.m. Mondays, Hebrew. Tuesdays, Italian. Wednesdays, Spanish. Thursdays, French. KelloggHubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-3338.

service: Sundays, 10:3011:30 a.m., Sunday school and nursery available. 145 State Street, Montpelier. 223-2477. Deepening Our Jewish Roots. Fun, engaging text study and discussion on Jewish spirituality. Sundays, 4:456:15 p.m. Yearning for Learning Center, Montpelier. Rabbi Tobie Weisman, 223-0583 or info@yearning4learning.org. Christian Meditation Group. People of all faiths welcome. Mondays, noon1 p.m. Christ Church, Montpelier. Regis, 223-6043. Shambhala Buddhist Meditation. Instruction available. All welcome. Sundays, 10 a.m.noon, and Wednesdays, 67 p.m. Program and discussion follow Wednesday meditation. Shambhala Center, 64 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-5137. Zen Meditation. Wednesdays, 6:307:30 p.m. 174 River Street, Montpelier. Free. Call Tom for orientation, 229-0164. With Zen Aliate of Vermont.

SPORTS

Ongoing Reading Group. Improve your reading and share some good books. Books chosen by group. Thursdays, 910 a.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. 223-3403. Book Discussion Group. Group focuses on The Thoughtful Dresser: The Art of Adornment, the Pleasures of Shopping, and Why Clothes Matter, by Linda Grant. Facilitated by Peggy Ramel, AmeriCorps member at Central Vermont Council on Aging. Fridays, 101:15 a.m., through June 14. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre Street. Free; books available for $13. Sign up at 223-2518.

HEALTH

COMPUTERS

Tech Help at the Library. Get help with any computer or Internet questions, or learn about the librarys new circulation software and how to use ListenUp to download audiobooks and more. Bring your iPod, tablet, phone, laptop or other device. Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.1:30 p.m., through mid-April. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338 or kellogg hubbard.org. Additional help on second and fourth Tuesdays: see Upcoming Events.

Powerful Tools for Caregivers. Learn tools to help reduce stress, communicate eectively, take care of yourself, reduce guilt, anger and depression, make tough decisions, set goals and problem-solve. Wednesdays, through April 24, 57 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre Street, Montpelier. $20 suggested donation to help defray cost of The Caregiver Helpbook . Register with Jeanne, 476-2671. Presented by the Central Vermont Council on Aging. Free HIV Testing. Vermont CARES oers fast oral testing. Thursdays, 25 p.m. 58 East State Street, suite 3 (entrance at the back), Montpelier. 371-6222 or vtcares.org. Affordable Acupuncture. Full acupuncture sessions with Chris Hollis and Trish Mitchell. Mondays and Wednesdays, 27 p.m.; Fridays, 9 a.m.2 p.m. 79 Main Street, suite 8 (above Coee Corner), Montpelier. $15$40 sliding scale. Walk in or schedule an appointment at montpelier communityacupuncture.com.

MUSIC

Sing with the Barre Tones. Womens a cappella chorus. Mondays, 6:30 p.m. Alumni Hall (second oor), near Barre Auditorium. 223-2039 or rjmorgan1956@comcast.net. Monteverdi Young Singers Chorus Rehearsal. New chorus members welcome. Wednesdays, 45 p.m. Montpelier. Call 229-9000 for location and more information. Friday Night Community Drum Circle. Open drumming hosted by the Unitarian Universalists of Barre. Everyone welcome. Fridays, 79 p.m. Parish house, Barre Universalist Church, Main and Church streets, Barre. Follow your ears or follow the signs. Accessible venue possible with advance notice: 503-724-7301.

Roller Derby Open Recruitment and Recreational Practice. Central Vermonts Wrecking Doll Society invites quad skaters age 18 and up to try out the action. No experience necessary. Equipment provided: rst come, rst served. Saturdays, 56:30 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. First skate free. centralvermontrollerderby.com. Coed Adult Floor Hockey League. Adult women and men welcome. Equipment provided. Sundays, 35 p.m., through April 21. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. $52 for 13 weeks or $5 per week. bmoorhockey@gmail.com or vermontoorhockey.com.

TEENS

PARENTING

CRAFTS

KIDS

Beaders Group. All levels of beading experience welcome. Free instruction available. Come with a project for creativity and community. Saturdays, 11 a.m.2 p.m. The Bead Hive, Plaineld. 454-1615.

DANCE

Ecstatic Dance. Dance your heart awake. No experience necessary. Sundays, 5:307:30 p.m., Christ Church, State Street, Montpelier. Wednesdays, 79 p.m.; rst and third Wednesdays: Worcester Town Hall, corner of Elmore Road and Calais Road; second and fourth Wednesdays: Plaineld Community Center (above the co-op). $10. Fearn, 505-8011 or fearnessence@gmail.com. Ballroom Dance Class. With instructor Samir Elabd. For beginning to intermediate dancers. Tuesdays, through April 30. Foxtrot 67 p.m.; Latin line dancing 78 p.m. $14 per class; walk-ins welcome. Register at 225-8699; information at 223-2921 or elabd@comcast.net.

Story Time at the Waterbury Public Library. No story time April 2226. Mondays, babies and toddlers. Fridays, preschoolers. 10 a.m. Waterbury Public Library. Free. 244-7036. Story Time at the Kellogg-Hubbard Library. Tuesdays and Fridays, 10:30 a.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-4665. Story Hour at the Aldrich. For babies, toddlers and kindergarteners. Mondays and Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m., through mid-May. Aldrich Public Library, Washington Street, Barre. Adrianne, 476-7550. Story Time with Bill and His Critters. Story and craft. Wednesdays, 10 a.m., through April 17. Ainsworth Public Library, Main Street, Williamstown. 433-5887, ainsworthpl@yahoo.com or ainsworthpubliclibrary.wordpress.com. Story Time and Playgroup. For children age 06. Story with Sylvia Smith, followed by playtime with Melissa Seifert. Wednesdays, 1011:30 a.m.; program follows the Twineld calendar and is not held on weeks when the school is closed. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marsheld. 4263581 or jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com. Baby Play Playgroup. For children birth to

Mamas Circle. Meet and connect with others experiencing the joys and challenges of new motherhood. For infants up to 1 year old and their mothers (toddler siblings welcome). Snacks, drinks and parent education materials provided. Thursdays, 10 a.m.noon, through April 19. Good Beginnings of Central Vermont, 174 River Street, Montpelier. centralvt.goodbeginnings.net.

The Basement Teen Center. Cable TV, PlayStation 3, pool table, free eats and fun events for teenagers. MondayThursday, 36 p.m.; Friday, 311 p.m. Basement Teen Center, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-9151. Homework Help for Teens. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 35 p.m. Aldrich Public Library, Washington Street, Barre. 476-7550. Mad River Valley Youth Group. Sundays, 79 p.m. Meets at various area churches; call Ben, 497-4516, for location and informtion.

YOGA

RECYCLING

Free Food Scrap Collection. Compost your food waste along with your regular trash and recycling. Wednesdays, 9 a.m.5 p.m.; Saturdays 6 a.m.1 p.m. DJs Convenience Store, 56 River Street, Montpelier. cvswmd.org. Dollar Days. Bring in odd and sundry items for reuse, upcycling and recycling, including toothbrushes, bottle caps, cassette tapes, books, textiles, batteries and more. Mondays and Fridays, 12:30 p.m.5:30 p.m. Additional Recyclables Collection Center, 3 Williams Lane, Barre. $1 per car load. Complete list of accepted items at 229-9383, ext. 106, collino@cvswmd.org or cvswmd.org.

SPIRITUALITY

Yoga with Lydia . Build strength and exibility as you learn safe alignment in a nourishing, supportive and inspiring environment. Drop-ins welcome. Mondays, 5:30 p.m., River House Yoga, Plaineld (sliding scale). Wednesdays, 4:30 p.m., Green Mountain Girls Farm, Northeld (sliding scale). Tuesdays and Fridays, noon, Yoga Mountain Center, Montpelier. Rates and directions at 2296300 or saprema-yoga.com. Yoga and Wine. With Lori Flower from Sattva Yoga. Bring your own mat. Thursdays, 56:15 p.m.; wine bar open after class. Fresh Tracks Farm, Route 12, Berlin. $8 yoga; wine available for purchase. freshtracksfarm.com. Community Yoga. All levels welcome to this community-focused practice. Fridays, 5:306:30 p.m. Yoga Mountain Center, 7 Main Street (second oor), Montpelier. By donation. 223-5302 or yoga mountaincenter.com.

Christian Science. Gods love meeting human needs. Reading room: TuesdaySaturday, 11 a.m.1 p.m.; Tuesdays, 58 p.m.; and Wednesdays, 57:15 p.m. Testimony meeting: Wednesdays, 7:308:30 p.m., nursery available. Worship

indicates new or revised listing for this issue

THE BRIDGE

A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 2 5

Class listings and classifieds are 50 words for $25; discounts available. To place an ad, call Carolyn or Ivan, 223-5112, ext. 11 or 12.

Classes
ART & CRAFT
CLASSES AND CAMPS AT HELEN DAY ART CENTER Digital Photography II, ages 16+, Tuesdays, April 30May 28, 9:30 a.m.noon. Youth summer camps: painting, animation, fashion design and more! Camp registration early-bird discount ends May 1. Visit helenday.com for details. Member discounts and scholarships available. 90 Pond Street, Stowe. 253-8358. SPRING POTTERY CLASSES Come and get dirty at the Mud Studio. Clay classes for adults, teens and kids of all skill levels start May 6. Call 224-7000 or visit themud studio.com to download a registration form.

MUSIC

DJEMBE DRUM LESSONS With master drummer Chimie Bangoura. Thursdays at 6:15 p.m. beginning May 2, at the First Church in Barre, Universalist. Space is limited. E-mail chimieband@hotmail.com to preregister or call 622-0717. Seven weeks for $105, or $15 per class. Drums available for rent.

SERVICES

HOUSE PAINTER Since 1986. Small interior jobs ideal. Neat, prompt, friendly. Local references. Pitz Quattrone, 229-4952. QUALITY INTERIOR PAINTING In your home or workspace. Specialty: Lazure technique using earth pigments. References available. Kay Gibson, 454-7129. PRUNING Early spring pruning of apple, crabapple, pear; selective pruning and thinning of deciduous stock, including lilac, burning bush, viburnum, most others. Andy Plante, 223-5409.

quality, one house at a time

Free estimates References

FD Professional Painting
Interior & Exterior

Classifieds
MALE ACTORS NEEDED! Unadilla Theater, in East Calais, is seeking male actors for a community theater production of The Merchant of Venice. Many roles available, all ages. Rehearsals include an immersion in learning to speak Shakespeare. Performances in early July. Contact Bill, 456-8968 or unadilla@pshift.com.

desalvo12tree@yahoo.com

802-752-9470

Frank DeSalvo

CASTING

THRIFT STORES

MONTPELIER FOR RENT

Black Door Bistro, Main Street
Turnkey opportunity. 39 years continuous operation. Ready for business. Seats 100+/-. Beautiful outside deck seats additional 40+/-. Fully equipped, fully operational, excellent condition. Licensed, permitted, liquor, food, entertainment.
For information, contact Montpelier Property Management: 802.223.3166 or centralvtrentals@gmail.com

TAI CHI

T&T REPEATS Bikes, name-brand clothes, small household furniture and more. At least two free parking spaces for T&T customers. 116 Main Street, Montpelier, or call 224-1360. TRINITY COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.4 p.m. Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street (use rear entrance), Montpelier. Donations accepted during normal business hours. 229-9155 or tctsvt@yahoo.com.

TAI CHI CHUAN IN MONTPELIER Beginners class. Cheng Man-ching simplifed yang-style. Taught by Patrick Cavanaugh of the Long River Tai Chi Circle. Begins Tuesday, April 9. 78 p.m., Bethany United Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. For more information, contact Patrick, 490-6405 or patrick@longrivertaichi.org. Registration open through May 7. TAI CHI FOR BEGINNERS A six-week course starting May 14. Tuesday evenings, 7:309 p.m.. Enjoy learning these slow, graceful movements of this ancient Chinese practice that are rejuvenating and calming. Taught by Sara Norton. First class is free. In Montpelier at 1 Granite street. Preregistration not necessary. Judy, 229-0741.

FOR SALE

COUCH FOR SALE With queen-size hide-a-bed. Good condition. Mattress in excellent condition. Maroon-colored velour cover a bit worn. $250. Call 223-4865.

NEW CONSTRUCTION RENOVATIONS WOODWORKING GENERAL CONTRACTING

clarconstruction.com

223-3447

PAG E 26 A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013

THE BRIDGE

A Message from City Hall

This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.

Construction Projects Heat Up

What is district heat? The Montpelier district heat project is a joint project between the city of Montpelier and the state of Vermont to provide local renewable energy to downtown Montpelier. With the rebuilding of the states existing central heating plant, modern wood-fired boilers will heat the capitol complex, and connections will be put in place to expand its service area to city and school buildings as well as private buildings in downtown Montpelier The state of Vermont is rebuilding the heat plant at 120 State Street (behind the DMV building). This rebuilt heat plant will be fitted with two new biomass boilers that burn local wood to supply heat to state and city buildings and provide customers along the heating route. The city is installing preinsulated pipe underground, which will distribute hot water to heat downtown buildings that have elected to connect to the system. How do we know this is going to work? This is proven technology. The state of Vermont converted their district heat system to wood (primarily) in the early 1980s. After 30 years of operating this system, the state is seeking to upgrade and expand it, not abandon it. Other municipalities, such as Jamestown, New York and St. Paul, Minnesota, have operated these successfully for years. This is common technology on college campuses around the country. National Life recently installed similar biomass heating technology. The owner/operators of the St. Paul system are among the lead consultants and advisors for our Montpelier project. What is the city building and where and when? The citys work will include replacement of aging water lines and installation of new piping along the heat distribution route. The state will be rebuilding the existing central heating plant to include modern wood-fired boilers. Again, please refer to the map insert for route and projected dates for each segment. Work begins this week and will continue into early September. What will this mean for getting around in Montpelier? Work will occur in one zone at a time (zones delineated on the map), and every effort will be made to maintain the flow of traffic during construction. In order to maintain two-way traffic as much as possible, parking along the construction route may be reduced while the contractor is working in each zone. Once work in a zone is completed, pavement will be placed over the construction area and traffic returned to normal. At the end of the installation of the piping, final road pavement will be installed. Work in each zone is estimated to last approximately two weeks. The city and contractor will attempt to manage the unique conditions of each zone. We also caution that these are work zones with heavy equipment, trenches and specialized welding equipment. Please keep a safe distance away and remember that the bright welding arc can be dangerous for unshielded eyes. What measures are in place to ensure quality construction? The project has been designed by Hallam-ICS, Inc., a qualified engineering firm. Included on the design team are Evergreen Energy from St. Paul, which has years of experience constructing and operating district heat systems. The general construction contractor is Kingsbury Construction from Waitsfield. It is an established company in this region and has successfully completed many public infrastructure projects, including several for Montpelier. The contractor has demonstrated very strong knowledge of this technology and shown a willingness to work with the community for the best outcome. During construction, the city will have a certified inspector on site to review every single weld of pipe sections and assure that all installations are done according to specifications. Radiological testing will be used randomly throughout the project to review all work and connections. What is happening with the state heating plant? The state of Vermont is managing the construction of the heating plant as a separate project from the citys distribution system. The city is coordinating efforts and design work with the state to assure consistency and effectiveness. At present, the state expects the plant to be under construction this summer with temporary functionality by the end of October and full functionality by the end of December. The city is working with the state to address contingencies for October, November and December. Where can I find out more information about district heat? The city will provide construction information on the Montpelier district heat project through the following mediums: A district heat phone line will be updated regularly and can be reached at 262-6200. Updates will be posted to the website (montpelier-vt.org) and will be cross-posted to Facebook (City of Montpelier, VT City Government) and Twitter (@vtmontpelier). Display cases at City Hall will be used to provide background on the project and upto-date information. Regular construction updates will be provided to local news outlets. Given the citys commitment to infrastructure improvements, what other work is being done this summer? The project schedule in the table below outlines all other work anticipated to be completed during this season. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we work through this seasonal inconvenience.

ALEX CLARK

by William Fraser, city manager

ecent rain, sleet, ice and snow do not necessarily conjure up images of summer. For city government, however, April signifies the beginning of a short construction and infrastructure maintenance season. This year promises to be very busy because one of the key priorities included in the recently approved budget was added funding for these very projects. We thank you residents for your support of that budget and these improvements. District heat is the biggest, most complex and most publicized of all of these projects. Work on the citys heating distribution began this week and will continue into late August and early September. Please save the special map insert in this edition of The Bridge, which shows the system route and estimated construction schedule. We anticipate that all businesses will remain open and accessible throughout construction, and we encourage people to support these enterprises during this time. Why are we building the district heat project? Benefits of district heat include: Reduced health-threatening air emissions from fuel combustion in downtown Montpelier by as much as 11 tons per year. Replacement of approximately 300,000 gallons of oil per year between the state of Vermont and downtown buildings as a prime fuel source with locally and regionally produced wood chips keeping that economic activity in the Northeast. Fuel cost stabilization for city government and the school department, allowing tax dollars to potentially be redirected toward services or infrastructure rather than to pay rising oil prices. An economic development opportunity in downtown Montpelier by providing a cleaner and potentially cheaper source of heat for private building owners. The potential removal of many private oil furnaces and underground fuel oil storage tanks from flood-prone areas.

As always, thank you for your interest in Montpelier city government. Please feel free to contact me at wfraser@montpelier-vt.org or 223-9502 with any questions, comments or concerns that you may have.

Department of Public Works Summer 2013 Project Schedule

PROJECT Paving Dunpatrick Circle College Street (MainWoodrow) Marvin Street (BinghamCollege) North Park Drive Monsignor Crosby Avenue Woodcrest Drive Berlin Street (Granitecity line) State Street (BaileyMain) Bike path (Liquor controlBailey) Sidewalks Liberty Street (north side LoomisFuller) Hubbard Street (BarreEast State) Monsignor Crosby Avenue Spot repairs (citywide including East State, Elm, Barre) State Street (TaylorBailey) Retaining Walls/Slope Stability Marvin Street (near #6) Cherry Avenue Wilder Street Storm Drain State Street at Bailey Avenue Bridges Rialto Bridge (State, abutment/ deck) Spring Street Bridge (approach slab) Major Construction Projects District heat (multiple streets) River Street sewer (#223 Scribner) AprilOctober 2013 June 2013October 2013 AprilMay 2013 September 2013? June 2013 JulyAugust 2013 August 2013 June 2013 With the State Street paving project JuneAugust 2013 Contingent on Paving Grant approval At the end of the district heat project EXPECTED SCHEDULE JulySeptember 2013

THE BRIDGE

A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 27

City Council Appoints Committees, Discusses Parking

by Ivan Shadis

evelopment occupied Montpeliers City Council as they returned to their usual haunt on April 10. (City Halls elevator is fixed.) The council first heard from John Bloch, seeking reappointment to the Planning Commission. Noting glacial movement in the development of new zoning policy, Bloch said, I dont think its a Gordian knot . . . Its been over two years since weve been sucking on that lollipop. Its time we throw that stick away and write down what weve been thinking. When asked by Tom Golonka, District 1 representative, why rewriting of the zoning was so slow, Bloch said: There is no polite way to put this . . . There has not been a single suggestion brought forth by the professional staff. We fill a lot of time finding

how many angels will fit on the head of a pin . . . For myself Ill tell you, Im not happy. I didnt just fall off the turnip truck. I know about development, I know about zoning. Bloch was reappointed planning commissioner unanimously. Volunteering their street smarts, seven applicants filled seven positions on the new pedestrian committee: Michael Philbrick, John Snell, Anne Ferguson, Harris Webster, James McQueston, Christian Andresen and Eve Jacobs-Carnahan were appointed. Richard Sheir and Nolan Langweil joined the parking committee, as City Council appointed them at-large representatives alongside their colleagues: Andrew Brewer from the Montpelier Business Association, Michael Clasen for the Vermont Department of Buildings and General Services, Diane Decoteau of the Vermont State Employees Association, Thom Wood of the School Department

and Brian Cain for the Capitol Plaza Hotel. The council eliminated a number of parking spaces on Hubbard Street, prompting Councilor Thierry Guerlain to offer that he had measured, in shoed foot lengths, the width of East State Street at six intervals between top and bottom and that there was a universal width along the whole span. He suggested the consistently wide road might be made available for parking along one side along the entire length of the street. The council then turned to economic development. Darren Winham, an economic consultant to Barre and Waterbury, proposed himself as liaison. A local development corporation executive director, Winham advocated for a private but city-funded corporation to lobby for private business interests to locate in Montpelier. The reason I think it works better not under the auspices of the payroll of municipal

staff is that often time municipal staff will be purely at odds with the business community, said Winham. Mike Miller [planning commissioner during Winhams stint with Barre] and I were at odds all the time. I had people who had buildings who said they would not invest in this space unless there was parking. Mike Miller said this was a terrible idea. We literally went in there and shook hands and battled, and I won that one and lost many and after we had a beer. Speaking of beer, The Skinny Pancake was awarded an ongoing outside consumption permit, despite Councilor Alan Weisss indictment against public alcohol consumption: Im opposed to so-called alcoholic beverages being sold like that throughout the day. It does not set a good example for the city. For young people walking by, it offers all sorts of opportunities for abuse.

New School District Position to Incorporate Emerging Technologies

by Zachary Beechler

e live in an increasingly technological world, and our schools are not immune, the challenge being how to integrate teaching and technology in ways that not only enhance learning but are exciting for students, comfortable for teachers and appealing to families moving here. With that in mind, the school district has created the position of director of curriculum, instruction, assessment and technology, responsible for adjusting to emerging technologies and shifting pedagogies of how students learn and teachers teach. On April 10, the board heard presentations from two final two candidates for the position. Greg Young has taught science in traditional and nontraditional public schools for 11 years, served as state liaison for the New England Secondary Schools Consortium, and now teaches preengineering and STEM classes at the Green Mountain Technology and Career Center. Michael Martin has taught foreign languages for the last 15 years at Champlain Valley Union High School, is pursuing a PhD in educational leadership and policy studies at UVM, and is an associate for the Rowland Foundation, which promotes professional development and leadership opportunities for Vermont secondary educators. The newly formed position combines two previously existing posts, director of cur-

riculum, instruction and assessment (currently an interim position) and director of technology. Upcoming vacancies allowed Superintendent Ricca to merge the two positions, following the model of other Vermont districts. The reorganization better reflects evolving attitudes in education, which before separated technology and curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Hopefully this new position is going to help merge and put those hands really where they belong, said Ricca, as we look towards furthering education in Montpelier public schools and making sure that technology is thought of as an element of our curriculum, instruction and assessment and not Heres my lesson plan. How can I incorporate technology? Montpeliers middle and high school already use interactive white boards connected to a computer and displayed via ceiling projector in some classrooms, and students sign out laptops and net books from the library, but some computers in the computer lab are older, slower and prone to crashing. And not all teachers are comfortable using technology, preferring chalkboards and textbooks. This generation doesnt learn the same as previous generations, said Martin during his presentation. The changes with social media and technology are moving so quickly, we know that students dont learn the same way. As each generation becomes more savvy and opportunities for incorporating technology into education multiply, how do small

schools like Montpelier, keep up? Besides keeping pace with technological developments geared toward education, the director of curriculum, instruction, assessment and technology will be responsible for adopting alternative methods for student assessment adjusted to an increasingly interdisciplinary educational environment. Rather than relying solely on standardized test scores and the like, a variety of assessment methods could create a more qualified and comprehensive portrait of student learning, for example eportfolios, similar to traditional portfolios of student work except electronic and usually posted online. And cell phones equipped with cameras could document visual evidence of projects, especially outside school. The district hopes that the position not only

communicates academic successes and innovation to Montpelier, but beyond as well, as Montpelier competes to fill its schools. There IS potential for cheating and plagiarism, difficult to monitor online, especially when students collaborate, and some teachers could hesitate to incorporate phones into the curriculum, as cell phone use is already an issue in the high school, described by one teacher as epidemic. This past February, Vermont lawmakers considered a bill (still in committee) requiring schools to ban e-device use by students while in school. Regardless of risks, phones, computers and other innovations arent going away, and rather than ban them, the district seeks new ways to incorporate technology to benefit students and Montpelier.

WANTED:

Vendors for New Northeld Farmers Market

WHAT: The Friendly Farmers Market will start in mid-May and run
through mid-October. We are seeking new vendors! WHEN: Monday afternoons, 36 p.m. WHO: Call Verne Duclos, 802-728-3602 PRICE: First time free; $5 per market up to $25 for season

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THE BRIDGE

Tech Check
Recycle That Old Computer
the infections. There are a number of free programs to assist with this. For those of you with Linux or MacOS, the first four suggestions still hold, though the RAM numbers will be different for you. Dont let that computer go to waste! For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/malware.

ANNIE TIBERIO CAMERON

C
by Jeremy Lesniak

Ways to Keep Your Website Safe

Tell them you saw it in The Bridge !

omputers are never obsolete. Assuming that it is free of damage, a computer will always do exactly as much as it did when new. Your needs may change, but the computer can still be useful. Here are five ways you can rehab your old computer. Repurpose It: Lots of people have more than one computer. If youre one of them, you can slide that old computer into a role that doesnt require as much juice. You might use the computer in the kitchen or apply parental controls and make it the homework computer. Clean It: Few computers are properly maintained. Take some time and uninstall the junk you dont use, run a can of compressed air through the inside, defragment the hard drive and stop programs from running in the background. Add RAM: RAM is inexpensive these days. My suggestions for RAM configurations based on current pricing are: 2 GB for Windows XP; 4 GB for Windows Vista or Windows 7 (32 bit); 8 GB for Windows Vista or Windows 8 (64 bit). You might be able to use more depending on the specifics of your system, but youll see a diminishing rate of return beyond these amounts. Upgrade the Hard Drive: Solid State Drives (SSDs) have reached a price where everyone should have them in every computer. There are even ways to duplicate your data onto the SSD using imaging software, which will eliminate the need for reinstalling your operating system and programs. Disinfect It: Every Windows computer I see these days is infected, though the user rarely knows it. Malware is so pervasive that I will bet your Windows computer is infected right now. You may be surprised at how much better your computer runs after removing

ontent Management Systembased (CMS) websites like Joomla, Drupal and WordPress are all the rage. Their ease of use has led to major targeting from not-sonice individuals. Here are five things to do that will help protect your CMS website. Update the Core: As long as youre using a current CMS, there will be security upgrades to the core. Whenever these upgrades are released, make sure to install them. Make Backups: Whether you perform a manual backup, pay an outside service or use a plug-in, you need to backup regularly. I recommend automatic backups. Automation reduces the chance of forgetting to back up the website. One caveat: Keep multiple versions of the backup in case the most recent one is infected. Update Plug-ins: Just like the core, these plug-ins are often updated with functionality, performance or security fixes. Install any plug-in updates as soon as possible. Watch for Infections: There are a range of services to protect your site, including plug-ins that automatically scan your websites files. Other services focus on removing infections. Free services generally detect infections, while the paid services are more likely to automatically repair problems. Even the free knowledge is worth having. Be Careful of Comments: The commenting systems on websites have become a growing problem for website and blog owners. If your website automatically approves comments, its possible that a commenter can post comments with an embedded malicious code. There are no guarantees, and, unfortunately, theres a good chance your site will be compromised at some point. The key is to stay diligent and mitigate the damage. For more information, please visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_content_management_system. Jeremy Lesniak founded Vermont Computing (vermontcomputing.com) in 2001 after graduating from Clark University and opened a store on Merchants Row (Randolph) in May 2003. He also serves as managing editor for anew domain.net. He resides in Moretown.

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Editorial
Our Community Dinner and Afterward
f you announce a community dinner for Thursday evening, April 11, and bring in food, and if the food is good and theres enough of it, and if you lay the tables for 80 people and 80 people turn out, and if the farewells are tender and sweet, and if the speeches are short and to the point, and if our readers and friends tell us what they like about The Bridge and how exactly The Bridge can be made better, and if theres joy and pleasure in the airdoesnt that sound like a successful community dinner? Many businesses in the community helped to make the event a success. In rough alphabetical order, the following local stores, eating Carolyn Grodinsky, Bridge sales representa- places and florists generously provided us with tive, serves food at the April 11 dinner. Photo food, drink, flowers and tablecloths: Angelenos, Bagitos, Birchgrove Baking, Botanica by Suzannah Mullikin. Florals, Hunger Mountain Coop, Julios, Manghis Bread, New England Culinary Institute, Petals & Things, Positive Pie, Sarduccis, Shaws, The Skinny Pancake, Vermont Thrush Restaurant, The Uncommon Market and Village Pizza. Nor could we have organized and brought the event without the assistance and generosity of Janna Clar, Liz Dodd and the amazing staff of the Montpelier Senior Activity Center. I have thanked our own organizer Joyce Kahn in a previous issue of The Bridge, but I want to thank her again. And I also thank my longtime friend and graphic design artist Mason Singer. In order to update the paper to meet our community needs, we want to hear from several constituencies who read The Bridge. Our readers and friends who joined us on April 11 for the community dinner are one such group. But there are others, such as our advertisers, young people in school and young adults out of school, new parents, the Barre community, our own staff at the paper, friends and experts who have consulted with us and the writers who have contributed their talent to the paper over many years. In the weeks ahead we will be meeting with and listening to these established and prospective readers. Well let you know what we find out and what changes we will be implementing based on this feedback as we move forward to build on a history of the paper thats now almost 20 years in the making.

Letters
Labeling GMO Foods Is Vital To the Editor: Right now, the Vermont legislature is debating whether or not you have a right to know whats in the food you eat and feed your families. The problem is that genetically engineered foods (GMOs) are becoming more and more prevalent in our foods every year. About 70 to 80 percent of processed foods available in U.S. grocery stores contain some genetically engineered materials. And heres the kicker: The safety of these foods is inadequately tested. Many potential health concerns, such as the presence of allergens and toxins, are overlooked under current testing protocols. Worse, GMOs have been linked to sick, sterile and dead livestock and damage to virtually every organ studied in lab animals. Labeling GMOs has strong popular support. More than 90 percent of Americans support labeling GMOs, and more than 50 other countries already have GMO-labeling laws. We have a right to know whats in the food we eat. Please call or write to your Vermont legislator today to demand GMO labeling in Vermont. Kathleen Moore, Marshfield Al Portico Passes the Torch to Simply Subs To the Editor: On April 15, Al Portico closed. After several years in this business, we are passing the torch to Ed Lacross, proprietor of Simply Subs. Ed and his team will take over the business and continue to provide Montpelier with quality food at affordable prices. In addition to the variety of sandwiches available, Simply Subs will also offer delicious pizza and gelato. Thats right; the gelato will still be available under the new management. Serving as a consultant, rest assured that I will personally teach Ed the secrets of Italian gelato making. In addition to keeping the pizza and gelato, Simply Subs may even begin to offer an extensive breakfast menu as well. Currently, Simply Subs is scheduled to open at the end of May. Please help us welcome this new business into the community. We wish them great success! On behalf of my wife and family, I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation to all my customers who, throughout my time in business, have supported and encouraged me to provide the best product I possibly could. I have valued my time spent as a small business owner in Montpelier and look forward to seeing many of you as we engage in leisure activities in the community. Arrivederci, Montpelier! Angelo Caserta, former owner of Al Portico, Montpelier Support Requested for Green Mountain United Way To the Editor: Green Mountain United Way (GMUW) is a local organization that collaborates with community partners to identify community needs and works to diminish and prevent them. The folks at GMUW and their community partners believe in the importance of financial stability, healthy living, early learning and providing basic needs for our whole community, including our most vulnerable. I currently serve on the board of directors of GMUW. Being in the banking industry, I appreciate GMUWs commitment to making Vermonters more financially stable by hosting financial literacy workshops. I have seen the results of their efforts in educating local people in how to budget and save for everyday expenses, emergencies and their future. This type of instruction is also vital to everyones need to be more diligent during these tough economic times. All this good work, however, takes funding. GMUWs annual campaign will soon be coming to a close, yet there still remains approximately $150,000 to raise to reach this years goal of $600,000. Less than three weeks remain until the end of the campaign. I urge you to please send your tax-deductible contributions to GMUW at 963 Paine Turnpike N #2, Montpelier, VT 05602. If you have already donated, we thank you very sincerely and hope you will consider sending another donation. Every gift is meaningful and will be greatly appreciated. Kevin Lunn, vice president, GMUW Board of Directors, Montpelier Thanks for a Successful Blood drive To the Editor: We would like to thank the Montpelier area businesses, organizations, publications and individuals for their contributions of space, time, print and blood, which led to the success of the recent Red Cross Blood Drive in Montpelier. A great deal of effort goes into the organization of a blood drive, and an enormous amount of generosity makes it successful. Thank you for your generosity. Dawn Anderson, 9-1-1 Public Educator, Montpelier Funds Needed for Fuel Assistance To the Editor: If the Vermont legislature doesnt act, many Vermonters will be going cold next winter as assistance for our most vulnerable residents through Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) will be woefully underfunded. LIHEAP helps keep families safe and healthy by providing assistance with paying for heating bills. Due to significant federal cuts and diminishing support from the state, the funding for this program continues to drop, and more and more people each year have difficulty affording their rising utility bills. Depending on what happens in Montpelier and Washington, D.C., LIHEAP could fall as much as $5 million below current funding levels. No Vermonter should have to choose between heating their home, putting food on the table or buying the medicine they need to remain healthy. We feel both a public health and a moral obligation to help our fellow citizens. We hope you will join us in contacting your legislator to ask for their support of needed funds. You can reach the State House at 800-322-5616 and ask to leave a message for your representative or senator. Your call can make a real difference. Greg Marchildon, AARP Vermont state director, Montpelier

Montpeliers April Celebration of Poetry

rom day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute, spring in our mountains can raise our spirits or almost break our hearts. Or as T. S. Eliot advises us in his memorable 1922 poem The Waste Land: April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain. Halfway through April is PoemCityMontpeliers local recognition of National Poetry Month through window displays, workshops, readings and a host of other word, sound and image events celebrating poetry. In the spirit of our current monthlong celebration, here is a poem written by Siiri Pombar, a sixth-grade student at Main Street Middle School in Montpelier. Purple Purple is grapes, You can turn into jelly. Purple are fake hippos, With big round bellies. Purple is popular, Though not quite with me. Purple is fun, And Yay! and Whee! Purple is first place, Though sometimes thats blue. Purple is success, And happiness, too. That is purple.

Twin City Taxis Closing a Loss to the Community To the Editor: Regarding the sudden demise of Twin City Taxi in Montpelier [Heard on the Street, April 6, 2013], I want to express my regret and disappointment. For those of us who live without cars (by choice or otherwise), having a local, reliable taxi service is vitally imporThis years PoemCity celebration is presented by the Kellogg-Hubbard Library and Monttant, especially when public transportation pelier Alive and is sponsored by the Vermont College of Fine Arts with further timely help options remain so limited. Car owners, too, from the Vermont Humanities Council and additional support from Goddard College and require a taxi every now and then, when the city of Montpelier. using a car or bus would not be feasible. I counted on Twin, both day and night, for trips to and from the train and called on WHAT DO YOU THINK? them to help me transport artwork and other large items. They were friendly, prompt and Read something you want to respond to? We welcome your letters highly efficient in running their business. and opinion pieces. Letters must be 300 words or fewer; opinions, 600 What has occurred is a loss to the whole words or fewer. Send your piece to editorial@montpelierbridge.com. community. Deborah Hillman, Montpelier Deadline for the May 2 issue is Monday, April 29, at 5 p.m.

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Local Food Cures Diseases Caused by Industrial Food

by David Grundy

hat a wonderful food distribution system we have available to us today. Why, we can trip on down to the supermarket and select from a wide variety of foods from around the country and even from around the world. We can enjoy strawberries in December, summer squash in winter and blueberries in May, as well as a huge variety of delectables our industrial food system has dreamed up for us, including enough treats to make our taste buds tired from the effort of digesting them. Its enough to make our ancestors quite envious. But aside from the often quoted statistic that our food travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to us; that we are using huge amounts of fossil fuels to produce the fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides needed to grow and irrigate much of this food; or that the amount of water used to irrigate much of this cropland is creating a water shortage in

Opinions

some parts of the country, I am interested to learn that recent research seems to show that those ancestors might have had it better than we do today. Studies show that many of the diseases and maladies our bodies suffer from today were not problems for those hunter-gatherer folks. There is no evidence they suffered from tooth decay, diabetes, cancers, obesityafflictions all part of a group collectively labeled diseases of civilization. Significantly, many of these conditions started to appear in the population about 10,000 years ago, around the beginning of agriculture. What in the world has become of our food? Many think that some of the conditions mentioned above are the direct result of what we humans have, with the best of intentions, added to the food. Our beef is now fattened up in feedlots so crowded with animals that veterinarians must patrol the lots looking for diseased animals so they can be removed. To prevent disease, animals

are fed many antibiotics, which then get into our bodies. Physicians are now worried that strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics are developing. Our milk supply is tainted with chemicals designed to make the cows produce more. Our fruits and vegetables are covered with pesticides to avoid blemishes, the sight of which might deter us from purchasing them. And now, through the wonders of food chemistry, we have partially hydrogenated vegetable oil to increase shelf life and high-fructose corn syrup to make our delectables even sweeterboth of which have been shown to have deleterious effects on our body chemistry. Add to these the growing concern about the use of GMOs flooding our industrial food system. So, what are we to do? Well, through the good work of the folks who manage the Four Corners School House in East Montpelier, a group of local food producers in town has banded together to market food to their neighbors and to some commercial sites beyond our town that is closer to what our hunter-gatherer ancestors had available to them. Some produce grass-fed beef: a diet the cow was designed to consume instead of the poorly digested corn fed in feedlots. Some

raise free-range chickens, instead of the commercial method of shoving three hens into a cage so small they cant turn around. Some graze sheep, pigs and meat chickens on our clean Vermont grass. Some grow organic vegetables while others preserve these crops by fermentation to enhance rather than degrade their quality. Some produce milk with nothing in it other than what the cow gives us. Through the wonders of technology, we dont have to rely on strawberries from South America. We can harvest the berries and other crops when they are at their peak and freeze or can them for consumption throughout the yearinstead of picking them early so they arrive at the supermarket shelf ripe, but old. We can do this with many of the wonderfully fresh and healthy foods produced right here in our hometown. Vermont is leading the country not only in the largest number of farmers markets per capita but in the production and consumption of local foods. It may not be as easy as zipping down to the supermarket for the weeks groceries, but the benefits of having healthier, better tasting food is certainly worth it.

April Fools for Farmers: H.112 and GMO Regulation

by Gerard Renfro
I dont care about pollution. Im an air conditioned gypsy, thats my solution. Watch the police and tax man miss me. The Who tial risks of GMOs. During this time the VeGeFooL3 worked hard on public awareness, but passively accepted the forced introduction of GMOs into Vermont before the science was understood. The first attempt at GMO labeling died in committee thanks to (now governor) Shumlins interference. As the years passed, a second bill did not. This time because Governor Douglas vetoed the Farmer Protection Act on the advice of thoroughly pro-biotech agriculture commissioner Steven Kerr. Kerr defended his rejection of the bill, with unabashed hypocrisy, on the lack of scientific evidence. If the VeGeFooL3 had forced the State House to do its job 10 years ago, we might not be in the place we are today. My second reservation is due to the intentionally misleading perception that organic agri-biz products are generally GMO free. The organic label does not protect the consumer from the results of genetic drifta product can be labeled USDA organic without any verification of GMO contamination. This issue is closely connected with that of the outright theft of the local organic movement by the USDA. Local organics was and still is about food and soil health. Organic agribusiness is about stock investors and big food companies. But their interests and that of the biotech industry would be at odds if organic food were suspected by the public to be contaminated with GMOs. So the organic business sector found an easy solutionsee no evil, label no evil, make more money. A product that is contaminated by pollen drift can be labeled USDA organic, thus justifying a higher price, which conspicuously preppie consumers will pay. Ironically, it may be the seemingly innocent engine of organic agriculture that helps genetic contaminants to enter our diet at undetectably low levels. This is very similar to industrial waste, like tetraethyl lead being added to gasoline and spewed out in car exhaust. To their credit, the VeGeFooL3 are very honest about this contradiction in labeling but insist that including organic in the labeling bill would immediately kill the bill. I respect this honesty, but it leads to a related concern: our ability to fight a legal boxing match even if the bill actually passes. On one side of the ring, we have Joe Public and Jane Local Farmer. On the other side, we have the slippery Shumlin administration and his biotech buddies. Shumlin may paint himself as the defender of food quality and small business (Go Team Stale!), but his record shows the opposite. He constantly shies away from biotech issues while talking about value-added foods, which is politalk for more expensive. This fits neatly into the preppie organic food/GMO misperception and the Vermont Seal of Quality image that is highly profitable for the state. Vermonts politicians have already run away twice on GMO legislation and from a lawsuit (Monsanto and rBGH labeling). I expect Shumlins administration to hide behind face-saving claims that there is no money for a lawsuit, which unfortunately, is credible. Perhaps if the state had a surplus of funds, a legal challenge would not be so threatening, but these days it seems that every sector of the public is feeling the fiscal crunch. Meanwhile, the private sector really is getting richer: The same corporate scum that took trillions in bailouts are now finding overseas tax shelters. Wall Street enjoys the current poor job market because job competition means lower wages. Our public funds are starving because Wall Street is fat, thus our taxes are destined to be used against us if the GMO legislation goes to court. Regulators are actually pro-biotech lap dogs, our budgets are screwed, and the organic business sector profits from our ignorance. There is every reason to believe that any GMO regulation is doomed to fail. Let us see if Vermonts priorities are in the wallet or in the gut. The VT Right to Know GMOs 2013 Campaign is a collaborative effort between VPIRG, Rural Vermont and NOFA. This coalition works to give Vermonters information by requiring the labeling of genetically engineered food products sold at retail outlets in the state of Vermont. If you would like to learn more or sign the petition, visit vpirg.org/gmo.

et ready for a third round of food fighting at the state legislature. H.112 (the Vermont Genetic Engineering Food Labeling Act) is being presented to the Vermont House this year. I call it the VeGeFool Act. The legislation requires those products made by direct genetic manipulation (as opposed to accidental pollen drift) to be labeled. I basically support the bill, but have many doubts on the issues. First is the past behavior of three local organizations that support the new legislation (NOFA, Rural Vermont and VPIRGthe VeGeFooL3). For years, the Vermont legislature has intentionally avoided any formal hearings on the science about the poten-

East Montpelier Trails Fundraising Update

ast fall, East Montpelier Trails, Inc. (EMTI) launched a fundraising campaign to improve the beautiful Mallory Brook Trail between Johnson Road and Cherry Tree Hill Road. EMTI is happy to report that it has received almost $2000 toward its goal of raising $4000 from the community. Trail builder extraordinaire Greg Western worked through the fall of 2012 to repair rock stair stream crossings damaged during the flood of May 2011 and make them resilient for any future flooding, as well as to improve other troubling wet spots. He will begin the final phase of repairing the stream gullies in June of this year. Please stop by and check out his amazing stone and wood handwork while you enjoy a walk on this unique trail, or sign up for a volunteer workday. And of course, your generous donation will be greatly appreciated. EMTI still has $2,000 left to raise. If youve ever been grateful to have these fine and varied trails right in our community, this is a great chance to join the effort. In addition, volunteers are welcome to help on the trail. Send your e-mail address to Dave at dhwebb67@comcast.net, and EMTI will let you know when work dates are available. Greg Western is a trail genius, and you will learn a lot. Donate: Any amount you can give is appreciated. EMTI will acknowledge all donors unless you state that you wish to remain anonymous. Please send checks to: EMTI, c/o Richard Brock, 234 Cutler Heights, Montpelier, VT 05602. EMTI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Questions? Contact: Richard Brock, 223-7029 or cutlersend@gmail.com; Nona Estrin, 223-7745 or nona@vtlink.net; Rick Hopkins, 229-4735 or hoppy5@myfairpoint. net; Sue Chickering, 229-6232 or sue.chickering@gmail.com; Dave Webb, 279-2198 or dhwebb67@comcast.net; Sandy Woodbeck, 229-0734 or sandywoodbeck@gmail.com; or Mary Stone, 223-2319 or mtstone1@myfairpoint.net. Sue Chickering

Annual Campaign Update: Again, Thanks

s this issue of The Bridge goes to press, recent contributions to the papers annual campaign take us to a current campaign total of $14,033 toward a campaign goal of $15,000. Writing on behalf of everyone at the paperwriters, editors, graphic designers, our very effective bookkeeper and the team of people who deliver the paper please accept our thanks for your timely and generous and needed support. Please help the paper complete its current campaign successfully. Please feel free to drop off an envelope at The Bridge office. We are located on the lower level of Schulmaier Hall, just off College Street on the Vermont College of Fine Arts campus. Or contribute to the campaign by writing a check made payable to The Bridge and mailed to this address: The Bridge, P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601. Again, thanks. Nat Frothingham

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A P R I L 18 M AY 1, 2 013 PAG E 31

Remembering Bob Northrop: Volunteer Extraordinaire

by Bob Lincoln

ecently, I attended a memorial service in honor of Bob Northrop who died on March 30 at the age of 92. Bob was a unique public citizen who volunteered thousands of hours to many organizations including Vermont Public Radio, the Vermont Electric Cooperative, the Vermont Mozart Festival and others. One of his most important volunteer commitments was to the Green Mountain Club (GMC) and the Long Trail (LT), the oldest long-distance hiking trail in America. And herein lies a story. At the age of 16, Bob hiked the Long Trail end to end for the first time, and at the age of 80, he hiked it for the seventh and last time. As he stated in a letter to the GMC board in 1997: The Long Trail has been a wonderful gift to the quality of my life. I first met Bob when he walked into my office many years ago and told me he wanted to raise funds for the Long Trail Protection Campaign, the clubs effort to permanently secure sections of the Long Trail in northern Vermont that were not protected from development. He thought that hiking the LT end to end in celebration of his 75th birthday might attract some attention and help us to achieve our goal. Boy, was he right. What ensued was a series of fundraising and public relations initiatives that led to our raising over $75,000 for the campaign. To quote Bob: While we have exceeded the age-symbolic goal of $75,000 by quite a few thousand dollars, I believe that we all know this is but a down payment on the larger amount. So there is a lot of money yet Bob Lincoln is a former director of developto be raised, but what has happened so far Bob Northrop. Photo courtesy of the Green Mountain Club. has only increased my enthusiasm. So Bob ment at the Green Mountain Club.

Opinions

immediately began to prepare for another fundraising end-to-ender upon the occasion of his 80th birthday in the year 2000, which included lots of hikes on the LT and lots of time at home on the treadmill. During his last hike, he fell and badly bruised some ribs and left the trail to spend the night at home. He spoke to a neighbor who was a nurse, who told him she could do nothing to help him, so he might as well get back on the trail. He did the next day in some pain and persevered until Journeys End, where we held a big party with dozens of friends and family in attendance to celebrate his achievement. And we activated the sensors on the border, which resulted in a government helicopter fly-over to check us outwhich amused Bob greatly. The GMC received more than $200,000 from both of Bobs hikes, we raised awareness across the state and beyond for our conservation initiative, and we made many new friends for the Long Trail. Bobs hands were literally all over this effort, including handaddressing hundreds of envelopes, making phone calls to friends and strangers, sharing ideas for spreading the word throughout Vermont and beyond and getting interviewed by some radio stations. He was indefatigable. This was Bobs extraordinary legacy to the Long Trail because he was a man whose commitment to the project was profound and long lasting and proved very successful. He inspired me and many others with his willingness to go to great lengths to achieve our goals. I will miss him as a friend, and the club will miss his love for the Long Trail and his dedication to our mission.

Users of Strong Cannabis Need Rehab, Not Just a Ticket

by Catherine Antley

am a physician in Vermont. Reluctantly, I am testifying April 18 before the Senate on H.200, which makes possession of cannabis a civil offense instead of a crime. I am a private person and have a busy life but feel compelled in this instance to testify because there seems to be a piece of the issue that is not being vocalized: recent medical literature that is drawing ever clearer links between cannabis use and mental health disease, with an accompanying high cost to our state.

To understand the issue, one has to realize that the cannabis plant of today differs from that of the 1970s. In the United States, pure THC is made in laboratories and sprayed on cannabis leaves to make the particularly dangerous cheap cannabis. A growing appreciation for the danger that todays cannabis poses can be found in the Netherlands. In 2011 the Dutch cabinet designated cannabis with a THC content of 15 percent or more as a hard drug, in the same category as cocaine and ecstasy. The cabinet deems strong cannabis as a drug with unacceptable risk, especially when used at a

young age. The Dutch go on to declare that the consumption and production of strong cannabis will be severely punished. What scientific literature informed the Dutch decision to change their stance? Shouldnt we educate ourselves through review of up-to-date medical research on cannabis before making policies that will affect our childrens lives and well-being? I am concerned that legislators may not appreciate the strength and downside of cannabis, which medical and scientific research in the last two years has revealed. Do we know how much of Vermonts cannabis has a

Capital City Concerts Presents Premiere Performance April 27

ontpeliers Capital City Concerts is presenting the Borromeo String Quartet in a world premiere performance by composer Mohammed Fairouz on Saturday, April 27, at 7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Church. Teta for flute and string quartet was commissioned by Capital City Concerts in 2012 as the first major commission in its history. Its a large-scale, threemovement work for flute and string quartet combining colorful Middle Eastern style with highly textured counterpoint, and a wide range of emotions and will be performed by flutist Karen Kevra and the Borromeo String Quartet. The composer will attend. The Borromeo is one of the worlds leading string quartets and champions 27-year-old Arab-American composer Mohammed Fairouz, whom the BBC World News called one of the most talented composers of his generation and the New York Times called an important new artistic voice. Fairouzs distinctive musical language melds Middle-Eastern modes and Western structures to deeply expressive effect. Nicholas Kitchen, Borromeo first violinist, introduced Capital City Concerts artistic director Karen Kevra to Fairouz in 2010 when she was seeking a composer who could write a Middle Easternflavored piece. That introduction resulted in Teta (Arabic for grandmother)a musical celebration of history, heritage, culture, family and youth. The evening will also include two celebrated string quartets: Beethovens Opus 135 String Quartet and Dvoraks G major String Quartet, Opus 106. Northwest Mutual Financial Network and National Life Group are the sponsors for this concert. Advance sale tickets are recommended. For more information and to charge tickets ($10$25), go to capitalcityconcerts. org. Tickets may also be purchased (cash or check only) at Bear Pond Books, Montpelier.

high THC content or how to control this? Thirty percent of middle school students use cannabis. Nearly all users start by 12th grade. Adverse effects are especially linked to early usage. The scientific literature is clear that regular use of cannabis especially of high potency varieties increases the risk of schizophrenia. Some individuals who would otherwise have remained well will develop schizophrenia says internationally recognized authority on schizophrenia Sir Robin Murray of Kings College London. Dr. Steingard and Dr. Batra, leaders in our state psychiatric community, are also in full agreement regarding the risks of cannabis. Long-term use of cannabis causes a 10 point decrease in IQ. Pregnant mothers who use cannabis have children at higher risk for later opiate abuse and ADHD. If high THC cannabis is deemed as dangerous as hard drugs by the Netherlands, is this something for which we should be giving out speeding tickets? Would we give out tickets for opium or coca leaves? It is wrong to assess this piece of legislation without current and up-to-date information. Our lawmakers need to be aware of the potential dangers. I do not advocate criminal punishment for drug use. I personally feel that the money spent on jail would be better spent on hospitalization, substance abuse assessment and rehab. If criminal laws (or avoiding them with treatment, if needed) help force people into treatment that a ticket will not, then perhaps this law could be written to address this specifically. I would like to explore forced alternatives to criminal prosecution, which this law could create, when needed.

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