Environmental Sustainability of Dairies

I was reading an article on Grist.org about new efforts in the dairy industry to incorporate more sustainable practices, and a recent Dairy Sustainability summit. The article wasn’t terribly detailed, but did make a statement that “Numerous studies have demonstrated that organic dairy production produces between one-half to one-third fewer greenhouse-gas emissions and uses about […]

VT Compost Company Action Alert

This is posted on the NOFA-VT website, with a list of actions local farmers and consumers may take to support VT Compost Company. While this may not seem to directly affect livestock farmers, many of the farmers within the Pasture Network and VT Grass Farmers Association are diversified producers as well as appreciating the sustainable […]

Scientific Findings About Organic Agriculture

The Leopold Center at Iowa State has collected a series of peer-reviewed studies regarding various aspects of organic agriculture. This project was developed in response to claims that there are no significant differences in products produced under organic standards than products produced conventionally. Included in the articles cited are findings related specifically to grass-based animal […]

Raw Milk Now on Craig’s List

Now that the VT limitation on advertising raw milk has been removed (please note that there is still a limitation of on-farm sales to less than 50 quarts per day), the internet has become one more tool to connect local farms with prospective customers. http://burlington.craigslist.org/grd/749339260.html

Meat, Free Trade and Democracy

While looking around for Pasture Calendar events this month, I came across this article titled, “Meat, ‘free trade’ and democracy” by corporate anthropologist Jane Anne Morris. Not only does the article note the rejection by other countries of US imported beef, but also US state control taken away over 100 years ago in the name […]

When Can We Quit That Off-Farm Job?

It’s amazing the lengths that farmers must go to be able to farm. While this example from Randolph, VT, written by VGFA member Lisa McCrory of Earthwise Farm & Forest, shares the story of beginning farmers, the truth is that many long time farmers go to these lengths to keep the family farm afloat. http://www.organicmilk.org/ff_May_2008.shtml

Comstock Farm: Land Reclamation and Organic Fiber Marketing

The Comstock House Bed & Breakfast hosts numerous visitors every year, and a small flock of primarily Dorset sheep. Owners Ross Sneyd and Warren Hathaway started farming with sheep two years ago, and spent a great deal of time in 2007 establishing perimeter fence. Spring of 2008 was the first year lambing with their 18 […]