Not Only Farmers Association

This past weekend we went to the annual meeting of the Vermont chapter of the Northeast Organic Farmer's Association (NOFA). It is really a pretty incredible organization. While NOFA has been a pioneering organization in its work to support and encourage organic farming, it has also broadened its appeal to include gardeners, and consumers, and anyone who cares about organic agriculture and the future of a sustainable farm economy in Vermont.

The website says it all:

The Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) is a non-profit association of consumers, gardeners, and diversified farmers who share a vision of local, organic agriculture. Through education and member participation, NOFA-VT works to strengthen agriculture in Vermont.

NOFA was originally founded in Vermont and is the oldest organic farming association (1971) in the United States. . . . NOFA-VT projects include the certification of organic products, an agriculture education program integrating agriculture curriculum into elementary schools as well as organic produce into school lunch programs, a Green Mountain Revolving Loan Fund to provide low interest loans to organic and transition farmers, promotion of organic products, an Apprenticeship & Willing Workers on Organic Farms program, bulk order of farm and garden supplies, and a Farm Share Program to provide food from organic community supported agriculture farms to low income families and individuals. In addition, we hold on farm summer workshops and an annual Winter Conference in February of each year.

Anyway, the big news from the annual meeting is that I got elected to the board of directors. For me it will be a great opportunity to be of service to an organization I believe in, and it will also help further integrate us into the organic community up here.

If you are as excited about organic agriculture as we are, you should join NOFA, or make a large charitable donation in my name!