Memorializing the gold rush fever that engulfed the region between the 1850’s to 1880’s. Page 3
August 15, 2009
Punt, pass and kick competitors showcase their athletic talents amid cheers and laughter.
ECRWSS PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID NEW MARKET PRESS/ DENTON PUBLICATIONS
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Serving Addison and Chittenden Counties
Organic dairy farmers get help
Police chief faces more charges
NOFA’s dairy and livestock program In recent months, the economic recession has created unprecedented challenges for Vermont’s 200 certified organic dairy farmers. After years of double-digit increases in consumer demand, reliable milk prices and impressive expansion in the number of organic dairy farms in Vermont, sales of organic dairy products nationally have decreased substantially. There is now an oversupply of organic milk in most markets. The two major wholesale buyers of Vermont’s organic milk, Horizon Organics and Organic Valley Cooperative have implemented mandatory milk price or production cuts to address financial and supply-demand imbalances. For a large number of organic producers the milk check now falls well short of covering the high cost of purchased organic feeds and fixed costs of production. Especially hard hit are organic producers who are new to organic farming; many incurred significant debt in transitioning to certified organic production and are still working to refine organic grazing systems and animal management practices essential to profitable organic milk production. To date, one of Vermont’s certified dairy producers has sold the herd for financial reasons; two organic dairy producers have lost milk buyer contracts to produce organic milk. The coming months will be especially difficult for many organic producers until consumer demand for organic dairy products, and farm milk checks, recover. In 2009, as it does every year, NOFA Vermont’s Dairy and Livestock Technical Assistance Program offers services and workshops designed to help organic dairy producers improve their organic farm practices and income. On-farm consultation services include business planning, farm energy auditing and information about cost-cutting practices. NOFA Vermont’s Dairy and Livestock Program provides information about available low-cost loan and cost-sharing programs. Advanced technical workshops for organic farmers are regularly offered on all aspects of organic dairying, including milk quality, animal health and nutrition, grain and forage production, farm budgeting, pasture and grazing systems, on-farm composting and herd housing. A full series of summer workshops is planned. For more information about this summer ’s workshops and services offered by NOFA Vermont’s Dairy and Livestock Technical Assistance Program, visit NOFA Vermont’s webpage, www.nofavt.org, or call NOFA Vermont in Richmond at 244-6446.
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Lowe faces embezzlement, fraud The Attorney General’s Office announced last week that a citation has been issued to Chief Michael Lowe of the Vergennes Police Department, to appear in the Vermont District Court in Middlebury on Aug. 24, at 12:30 p.m., to face charges of embezzlement by a public official, neglect of duty, possession of a depressant, stimulant or narcotic drug, and two counts of obtaining a prescription by fraud/deceit.
Garden fresh in Starksboro
THE THRILL OF IT ALL—You didn’t have to be a youngster to experience all the oldfashioned carnival thrills at the 2009 Addison County Fair & Field Days in New Haven. Look on page 5 for more of J. Kirk Edwards’ photographs of this year’s fun-filled fair. Photo by J. Kirk Edwards
The Starksboro Village Meeting House is hosting a Garden Fresh Summer Supper on Sunday, Aug. 16, starting at 5 p.m. at the Starksboro First Baptist Church. The supper will benefit the Meeting House belfry restoration fund. Tickets are $8 for adults, and $ for children 12 and under. Register for a drawing for a year family membership at Shelburne Farms. The Meeting House will also be selling copies of Bertha’s Book, Starksboro t-shirts, sweatshirts, notecards, and woven afghans, and special cutlery. Reservations are suggested. Call 453-5227 or 453-2079 to reserve your seat.
Hinesburg commuters to get a needed lift The Town of Hinesburg, through its community organized transportation group Hinesburg Rides, has assembled a team to implement a $50,000 grant to increase ride sharing in, from, and through Hinesburg. The three different components of the project required specialized expertise: creating a web-based ride matching system; design and identity development; and a marketing plan that would tie it all together. Through a request for proposal process, the town selected a team to meet each of those needs: Feather River Productions of Waitsfield for the web site; the Image Farm of Middlebury for the creation of design and identity; and Andrea Grayson of Charlotte, for the marketing plan. “We thought about the various components of the project and who we thought would be the best fit for each part. We’re fortunate to have been able to assemble the team this way,” said Alex Weinhagen, director of planning and zoning for Hinesburg, and one of the leaders in this effort. Feather River Productions, led by James Foreman, is a Waitsfieldbased web design and programming company that will be building an online ride-matching system to facilitate carpooling and ride
See COMMUTING, page 7
TRAFFIC JAM—The community transportation group Hinesburg Rides has a $50,000 grant to increase ride sharing in, from, and through the town. Hinesburg has experienced a phenomenal growth in commuter traffic along the Route 116 corridor since the early 1990s.
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