COVID-19

Farmers Market Resources

Farmer Resources

* UNH Labor & Unemployment info

* Growing Farmers Guide to CARES Act

* Farm Common Labor COVID podcasts:
Part 1: Sick Leave on the Farm
Part 2: Health Screening and Unemployment on the Farm
Part 3: Diversifying Farm Sales in Response to COVID-19
Part 4: Farm Sales through Online Platforms and CSA

Product Sales Resources

* Intervale/VHCB Online Ordering
Platforms

* FACT Strategies for Online Sales

* Oregon Tilth: Sales Platforms

* NOFA VT Distribution Matchmaking Tool

* Young Farmers Guide to Direct Sales Software Platforms

* Farm Commons podcasts:
Diversifying Farm Sales
Farm sales through online platforms

Find Open Local Businesses and Farms. Search the Vital Communities Guide.

Valley Food & Farm News

Farm Viability a Priority for NH Nonprofits

Farm Viability a Priority for NH Nonprofits Farm and Food Businesses Eligible for Team of Coaches Tailored to Their Needs Organizations from around [...]

Upper Valley Everyone Eats: The Common Good; Not-So-Common Meals

With the close of 2020 came a pause for Upper Valley Everyone Eats (UVEE), the local hub of Vermont’s coronavirus relief program, Vermont Everyone E [...]

Pick Your Own is OPEN ♥

Yes...Local as Usual, Safer than Ever. Pick Your Own strawberry farms opened this past weekend. Get out there and pick the delish! There is not [...]

Berries: Delicious, versatile and in season now!

The Upper Valley berry season typically ranges from late June to early October. In our short, but fruitful season, we can enjoy raspberries and strawb [...]

A Letter To Our Upper Valley Schools

I hope this note finds you all healthy and adjusting to the routines of remote learning and teaching. I know my family and I are starting to feel a [...]

Climate and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Soil

Climate and Community Resilience: Lessons from the Soil Spring Community Webinar Series to Unpack What Creating Our Future Looks Like What is good f [...]

Upper Valley Farm to School Forum: Trauma & Nutrition

Event Postponed We will be rescheduling the forum to the late spring or next fall Upper Valley Farm to School Forum: Trauma & Nutritio [...]

Renewable Energy Funding for Farms and Small Businesses

Get the information you need to move forward with a renewable energy or energy efficiency project in Vermont or New Hampshire. Join Ken Yearman, Rural [...]

Canaan Keeps FarmRaisers Alive

Kale. Carrots. Beets. Potatoes. Powerkraut®! These are just a few of the delightful local foods I've received from Root 5 Farm over the past few m [...]

Celebrate Farm to School Month With Our Fall Farm to School Forum

Meet Your Local Farm to School Network! The Upper Valley Farm to School Network invites you to gather in your region to build local connections w [...]

Visit Our Food & Farm Blog

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Calendar

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Vital Communities Program News

"Put Your Money Where Your Life Is": Reclaiming Our Local Economy

"Put Your Money Where Your Life Is": Reclaiming Our Local Economy Event series focuses on local investment as a tool for rebuilding our region's economy "When the pandemic recedes, we all will be called upon to take extraordinary ...more

NH Route 120 Improvements Near Exit 18

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation (NHDOT) has recently begun a project to study multi-modal improvements to NH Route 120 from Hanover Street to Etna Road in Lebanon, NH. This project (NHDOT reference #29612) seeks ...more

Climate Partners Summit Resources

Climate Partners Summit Resources On February 25, 2021, over 70 interested partners and citizens joined the Upper Valley Adaptation Workgroup (UVAW) for a virtual Climate Partners Summit, featuring brief presentation from a variety of organizations working ...more

Local Investment Inspiration & Resources

An "investment" always concerns the outlay of some asset today (time, money, effort, etc.) in hopes of a greater payoff in the future than what was originally put in. Where you choose to invest your ...more

Digital Marketing Assistance for New Hampshire Businesses & Farms

Digital Marketing Assistance for New Hampshire Businesses & Farms Could your business benefit from professional consulting services to improve your marketing? With Rural Development funding, Vital Communities' Local First is hosting a free marketing workshop AND providing ...more

Climate Partners Summit February 25

Climate change has the potential to affect everyone on the planet and virtually every aspect of our lives, including here in the Upper Valley. The good news is that many throughout the Upper Valley are working ...more

Quest to the Star!

Have you seen the star alight upon Mt. Tom in Woodstock? Wouldn't it be fun to see it up close? You can if you follow the clues of the Mt. Tom Quest. The star traditionally ...more

Farm-Way gift cards, fat bikes, and YOU!

Whether you live in Vermont or New Hampshire, grab your bike, sneakers, or boots and join Vital Communities, Local Motion, and Go! Vermont for the 2021 Vermont Winter Bike/Walk Challenge, through February 12 (International Winter ...more

Neighbors Helping Neighbors Save Energy

This week marks the close of Vital Communities and volunteers’ 2020 Vermont Energy Savings project in seven towns in the Vermont side of the Upper Valley. Vital Communities partnered with Sustainable Woodstock (serving Woodstock, Hartland, ...more

Valley Quest Volunteer Monitors Needed

Do you enjoy being outdoors? Do you enjoy bringing others outdoors and making their experience something special? Then you are a good candidate for monitoring one or more of our 160+ Valley Quests throughout the Upper ...more

Localvore Passport Webinar

Learn how Localvore Passport can help your business connect with customers at an informational webinar, Tuesday, January 12 or Wednesday, January 13! (Attend either event. The same information will be presented twice; Zoom link below). Vermont-based Localvore is ...more

That's Snow Excuse!

Don't be deterred by wet, cold or snow. Good times can be had when a-questing you go! Be sure to search our website Valley Quest page selecting for Season and Year Round to see what ...more

Love your bike ride, even in cold weather

We (Bethany and Mike from the Transportation team) are still riding our bikes these cold dark days, because it keeps us healthy and relieves anxiety! Your bike can offer fresh air, motion, and safe social ...more

Weatherize Webinar, August 17

Weatherize Webinar with NHSaves Monday, August 17 at Noon Did Covid-19 stop your 2020 weatherization plans in their tracks? NOW is the right time to jump back on the weatherize band wagon. Lower energy bills and cozy ...more

Welcome 31 New Upper Valley Change-makers

Vital Communities celebrated the graduation of the Leadership Upper Valley Class of 2020 on Wednesday, June 10. This event marked the program’s 14th graduating class, as 31 local leaders completed the 10-month program with a ...more

Five Inspiring Stories

On March 18, Vital Communities held a webinar featuring five inspiring stories from energy committees across the Upper Valley. Stories included: Electric charging stations in Bethel An Upper Valley eBike lending library Energy saving window ...more

Stand in Your Circle of Strength and Lead

Ed. Note: On May 30, Vital Communities honored 12 community leaders who’ve added immeasurably to the vitality of the Upper Valley at its annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration. The following are the event’s keynote remarks ...more

Heroes & Leaders: Creating a Vital Upper Valley

Every spring, Leadership Upper Valley, a program of Vital Communities, hosts the annual Heroes & Leaders Celebration to recognize individuals who make significant contributions to the Upper Valley. In 2019, we are pleased to honor ...more

Staff

Becka Warren

Food & Farm Coordinator

Food & Farm

802-291-9100 x112

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Food & Farm

— Becka Warren, Food & Farm Coordinator

Part of Vital Communities' Food & Farm team since 2012, Becka fosters relationships that keep agriculture a daily part of community life in the Upper Valley. She works with current and future farmers, businesses, schools, and partners across Vermont and New Hampshire to build connections that support farm viability and keep our landscapes working. Becka lived in Seattle for many years, where she worked for the Washington State University Small Farms Program, Cascade Harvest Coalition, Seattle Tilth, and area vegetable farms. Becka is also a writer, founding and writing Ask Umbra at gristmagazine.com until 2009. She holds a BA from Brown University and lives in Hartland, Vermont, with her family.

Beth Roy

Food & Farm Manager

Valley Quest, Food & Farm

802-291-9100 x105

email
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Valley Quest, Food & Farm

— Beth Roy, Food & Farm Manager

Beth leads Vital Communities' Food & Farm team, including its Upper Valley Farm to School programming, and also oversees Valley Quest. Before joining Vital Communities, Beth worked in the environmental and place-based education fields for 17 years in various positions around New England including at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and as the Director of Education at the Nature Museum in Grafton, Vt. She previously served on the boards of the Vermont Science Teacher Association and the Vermont State-Wide Environmental Education Programs, a coalition of dozens of individuals and organizations promoting sustainability and environmental education in Vermont. Beth is a New Hampshire native and lives in Hartland, Vt., with her husband and two children, and serves on the Hartland School Board. When Beth is not working you will find her exploring the woods around her home with her family or cooking up a new taste test (made of local foods, of course!) for her children.

Doreen Guillette

Assistant to the Executive Director, Flavors Coordinator

Food & Farm

802-291-9100 x104

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Food & Farm

— Doreen Guillette, Assistant to the Executive Director, Flavors Coordinator

Doreen Guillette joined Vital Communities in January 2020 as the Flavors of the Valley Coordinator and Assistant to the Executive Director, with many years of administrative and management experience at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, self-employment, and volunteering. An Upper Valley native, Doreen spends most of her time and energy caring for her mini-farm and a large family in Norwich. She is a strong advocate for local community and is president of the Beaver Meadow Chapel, Trustee of the Beaver Meadow Schoolhouse, and Co-Chair of the West Norwich Community Resilience Organization. Doreen enjoys hiking, kayaking, writing poetry, nature photography, and cooking meals that come from her own land.

Nancy LaRowe

Food & Farm and Local First Coordinator

Local First, Food & Farm

802-291-9100 x106

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phone phone

Local First, Food & Farm

— Nancy LaRowe, Food & Farm and Local First Coordinator

Nancy joined Vital Communities as the Food & Farm Coordinator in 2014. She works to support and grow our local food system and economy. Nancy has lived, worked, and farmed in the Upper Valley for more than 25 years and believes our community is healthier and stronger when our connections to food and the farms that produce it stay vital.

Nancy's informal job title is Farmer-in-Residence: she also runs a pasture-based cattle farm in Norwich. Nancy is on the Board of the Norwich Farmers' Market and a retired Norwich volunteer firefighter and EMT. She loves puttering in the garden, hiking with her dog, and visiting farmers' markets.