Why Vermont Breakfast on the Farm is a Must Do
If you love Vermont farm experiences like I do, you’ve probably checked off on your list visits to Shelburne Farms, Billings Farm and the animal barns at the Champlain Valley Fair. If you haven’t done Vermont Breakfast on the Farm, you should because it’s a totally different experience than the rest. Why?
Delicious Food that is Connected to Local Farms
You’ll make the connection between the food you eat and the farmers that make it. The dairy at Breakfast on the Farm is made with the milk from Vermont dairy farms. Many farmers in Vermont are part of the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery - including our farm. That means that the milk from our farm and the other 350+ farmers that are members is made into many dairy products including Green Mountain Creamery Yogurt and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream - both of which have been served at Breakfast on the Farm. This year you can visit St. Albans Co-op member, Maxwell’s Neighborhood Farm, on June 22 in Newport and enjoy lots of yummy local food.
One July 27, Vermont Breakfast on the Farm will be at Sprague Ranch just outside of Montpelier, and their milk is supplied to Booth Brothers Dairy. Booth Brothers has a long history in Vermont, producing fresh, local milk from farms in Central Vermont. The milk is processed in Barre, Vermont where it is bottled and then distributed to stores around the state. Their milk will of course be served at Breakfast on the Farm.
Real Conversations about Real Life on Farms
For one day, over 100 of the best and most talented people that are part of the dairy community in Vermont are together volunteering at Vermont Breakfast on the Farm. I have volunteered at the event for four years and I am so honored to be part of the group of people who care so much about dairy cows, the land, and how the farming community can contribute positively to the state. This includes dairy farmers, educators, co-operatives, veterinarians, and more. You can ask them real questions about how dairy farming works and get real answers. For many people who come to the event with concerns about dairy farming - a chat with a farmer helps them to share their concerns, ask questions, and often they leave the conversation with a new perspective.
Witness Birth on the Farm
Nearly every year there is a calf born at each Vermont Breakfast on the Farm. Many of the farms have multiple calves born per day, and so the odds are good that you will witness the miracle of birth. You can watch how a farmer helps a cow give birth, and talk to their veterinarian about any questions you have. Calves are the next generation of milking cows and their health is of the highest priority. As you tour the farm you can follow what it’s like for a calf to grow up on a farm as she transitions from one area of the farm to the next, and ultimately becomes part of the milking cow group. At Meadowbrook Acres, we have a cow that has been with us for 13 years - born in 2006. She is consistently among one of the best milking cows we have, giving 90 pounds of milk per day - or about 10 gallons. Happy, healthy cows live long and productive lives on dairy farms.
Visit VermontBreakfastontheFarm.com to learn more.
