Growing the Good Food Movement: Reflections on Winter Conference 2015

The 33rd Annual NOFA Vermont Winter Conference was held February 14-16 at the University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington. “Growing the Good Food Movement” brought together organic farmers, gardeners, homesteaders, and consumers for 3 days of workshops, keynotes, singing, feasting, and mid-winter blues bashing. We hope you will enjoy these photos from the Conference. And please be sure to join us next year (we’re already planning the 2016 Conference)! Photos by Ali Zipparo

Sen. Bernie Sanders delights the audience by calling Vermont farmers “revolutionaries” in agriculture.

After her address, Natasha Bowens chatted in front of the podium with a conference attendee.

Vermont farmers are blessed with a supportive Congressional delegation. Appearing at the Winter Conference to speak to a packed house were, from left to right: Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Patrick Leahy, NOFA Vermont Executive Director Enid Wonnacott, Governor Peter Shumlin, and Representative Peter Welch.

An exhibitor shows his wares.

Children’s Conference participants concocted unique flatbreads which they cooked themselves outside the Davis Center in the NOFA wood-fired stone oven.

The conference featured 6 different workshop sessions with more than 80 workshops to choose from.

Workshop topics varied widely, from “Aquaponics in Cold Climates” to “Homesteading in the 21st Century”.

“All You Need is Love” singalong!

Jean Richardson (Nat. Organic Standards Board) chats with Dave Chapman (Long Wind Farm) and Nicole Dehne (NOFA).

Cat Buxton is the 2015 recipient of the Jack Cook Award, an award given annually to a NOFA-VT member who embodies the theme of the conference and shares their knowledge with others. Cat is the past Education Coordinator of Cedar Circle Farm in East Thetford and is currently serving as the Field Organizer for the Vermont Right to Know GMOs Coalition. Thank you for your efforts and congratulations Cat!

A member of the National Young Farmers Coalition shows some swag in the Exhibitors Hall.

Hearty conference attendees braved the brutal cold, with arctic winds and temperatures below zero.

Speaking to a full house, Natasha Bowens, our keynote speaker, blended storytelling, photography and oral history, to show how true food sovereignty means a place at the table for everyone.

Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund staff smile for the camera during a break in the conference schedule.

In what has become a tradition for the Conference, attendees of all ages worked on a giant community art project with artist Bonnie Acker.

Community artist Bonnie Acker helps a Children’s Conference attendee find a place on the tapestry for his piece.

Farmers/fiddlers Caleb Elder, Edith Gawler, and Bennett Konesni played oldtime ballads and hollers, livening up the halls of the conference.

A volunteers helps at registration.