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Laura reporting:
Melissa Needham focuses on Healthy Communities in her role as public health specialist with Vermont’s Department of Health. Good to know there are such dedicated public servants in our state government, as she demonstrated in her talk on Food As Medicine at TTJ’s February resiliency talk. You can view her full presentation here: https://youtu.be/sJ9Oc6VlUSA Melissa started with an overview of chronic disease, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes among others. Vermont, though healthy by US standards, is facing an increase in chronic diseases along with the rest of the country. She said if one is food insecure, they are statistically at higher risk for chronic disease. She added that 12% of youth in Vermont are considered food insecure. She mentioned ‘modifiable risk factors’ which lead to food insecurity such as living in food deserts, convenience of unhealthy and/or junk food, psychological stresses and lack of nutritional education. Food as Medicine programs enable health compromised and/or financially challenged individuals to get a medical prescription for CSA shares, giving them access to organic vegetables and other foods. Programs might also include recipes, cooking classes, nutritional counseling and other things benefiting health. She said Vermont’s Farm to Plate initiative, in conjunction with Healthcare Communities of Practice, *CoPs oversee five Food as Medicine programs currently in Vermont: 1)Acorn 2)UVM’s Medical Center’s Farm Shares for Health 3)Healthy Roots Collaborative: Sheldon NW Farmacy CSA 4)VT Farmer Food Center Farmacy Project (Rutland) 5)VT Youth Conservation Corp’s Health Care Shares (Richmond) Melissa also mentioned three NOFA programs aiding community food access: -Farm Share: half-price CSA shares to those in need -Crop Cash: discounts at farmers markets for participants -3SquareVT farm stand match: discounts at farm stands for participants *CoP has regular zoom meetings which are open to the public, and bring together existing food farmacies and Farm to Plate organizers. If interested in attending, contact: Kelly Dolan: [email protected]  Laura here:
Rosemary Rochford, newcomer to Jericho, gave a very informative talk "Why Climate Change Matters to our Health” to about 25 of us at the community center in late January. Some tidbits are mentioned here; for the full video go to: https://youtu.be/iYROqlb_IPM In the early 2000s, Rosemary was in Kenya, doing malaria research. There she studied anopheles, a climate sensitive mosquito. Thus began her fascination with climate driven infectious diseases. Ultimately in 2015, she became co-director of the Colorado Consortium on Climate Change and Health. Rosemary talked about ice core labs for studying climate change. In locations such as the Arctic and Antarctic, researchers drill down about two miles deep for ice cores which are then stored in tubes. Going back as far as 800,000 years, the cores enable scientists to study gases trapped in the ice. Co2 can be measured to study trends over time. For example, in the 1860s levels started to rise with the industrial age. From a previous 360 ppm average, it reached 417 ppm as of 2022. Rosemary touched on the Paris Climate Accords; how a goal of keeping temperature increase to 1.5 degrees has been shattered, and that 2024 was the hottest year on record. When studying climate change effects on health, Rosemary said that heat index is actually a more important measurement than temperature, as it takes in the humidity factor as well. She mentioned numerous effects on the body, including core temperature rise, nervous system instability, dehydration, and blood vessel inflammation. She added that outdoor workers may take a heavier toll as 'wet bulb globe temperature' comes into play; how being exposed to sunlight adds heat stress to the body. She talked about Vermont specifically, how it's getting getting hotter and wetter here. Vermont averages six more inches of precipitation per year than in the 1960s. These days Vermonters are also effected by wildfires from Canada. Rosemary talked about the danger of fine particulates; smaller than sand, they are in the air from fires and can get into the lungs and even the bloodstream, causing undue damage. Rosemary spoke of the effects of climate change on food. She said that while most greenhouse gases are caused by burning fossil fuels, roughly a quarter are caused by food production; transportation, cows, and land use, etc. She talked about a so-called planetary heath diet, quoting the EAT Lancet Commission: "food is the single strongest lever to optimize human health and environmental sustainability on earth." She went on to recommend a "plant forward diet" which minimizes meat in the diet and prioritizes plant based food. *Many thanks to the folks at MMCTV for videotaping this presentation!  The band, Leaky Faucet greets Community Dinner folks Anne Clift reporting:
Jericho/Underhill Food Hub hosted a community meal on January 8, at Browns River Middle School, bringing together over 150 local residents for an evening of good food, music, and community spirit. The event also included outreach for the food dependent, as leftovers were shared with local seniors, unhoused individuals and Food Not Bombs. The festivities began as guests entered the school; students in a jazz band known as the Leaky Faucets from BRMS, played lively music in the foyer. Their wonderful performance set an upbeat tone as guests settled in to enjoy the meal. The menu was a hearty celebration of local ingredients, with dishes made possible by the generous contributions of local farmers and a local baker. The meal featured butternut squash mac’n cheese, beef & lamb shepherd’s pies, tuscan bean and vegetable soup, a fresh salad, and a delicious apple crisp for dessert. Local bread, provided by Mountain Rise Bakery, was also served to accompany the meal. The local farms and bakery that contributed to the meal included: ● Moose Mountain Farm - Underhill ● Settlement Farm - Underhill ● The Farm Upstream - Jericho ● 2GALS Farm Works - Underhill ● Bone Mountain Farm - Jericho ● Jericho Settlers Farm - Jericho ● Chapin Orchards - Essex ● Mountain Rise Bakery - Underhill ● Davis Farm – Organic Valley - Jericho The generous donations of root vegetables, beef, lamb, salad greens, microgreens, apples, squash, dairy, and bread allowed the meal to showcase the flavors of the region, reinforcing the importance of supporting local agriculture. The event featured a demonstration on how to grow microgreens, with attendees having the option to take home a microgreens growing kit. Special thanks go to Gail Saseen and Leigh Girouard from 2GALS Farm Works for guiding people through the process and to the UVM Medical Center’s Culinary Medicine Team for providing the kits for people to take home. The evening was enjoyed by community members. Livy Strong shared, “What a meal! All was eaten with the camaraderie of our great community, eager to enjoy each other's company.” Laura Seman said, “Thank you so much for the delicious meal last evening! I appreciate the work, and exposing the community to the wonderful local food.” Angelike Contis reflected, “That dinner was great. The food was so amazing! It was fun, felt almost like going back in time being in the school cafeteria with friends and neighbors.” The Jericho/Underhill Food Hub and its Community Meal Committee extend a heartfelt thank you to the many volunteers who helped; everything from preparing the meal to cleaning and wrapping things up after the event. Billi Whitehill, from BRMS Food Services worked tirelessly to help make this event a success. The Food Hub looks forward to more opportunities to host such events, bringing people together around locally sourced ingredients. For more information on upcoming events or to get involved, please email [email protected] or join the Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/share/g/15Umv4rF4s/.  Telling stories is a way to boost our imaginations about the possibilities for the future. As an example, space travel to the moon was imagined and written about almost 100 years before it actually happened. Those early stories prepared us for space travel actually happening in the late 1960s.
As Rob Hopkins says, "What we cannot imagine, cannot come into being, as the future must enter into you a long time before it happens." At the Jericho Community Center on October 28th, Transition Town Jericho presented the YouTube video “I've been to the future & we won! Rob Hopkins Ministry of imagination”, that was presented on September 9th in Copenhagen. The 30 minute video, I've been to the future & we won! Rob Hopkins Ministry of imagination @Copenhagen 12/09/2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awjoWhcDOGs illustrates the power of storytelling to prepare us for the kind of future we would like to see. Rob Hopkins' talk invited the question: If we do everything we can now, what kind of future will we have in 2035? He also said, that to have a future we dream about, we should have “longing” for that better future and we should be asking “what if” questions to help us imagine what our future could be. After viewing the video, our group shared these ideas about what they thought was important for the future, as they envisioned it.
 Dave here: The Extra Row Project is in its 4th year as a cooperative effort between local farmers and Transition Town Jericho (TTJ). Our main participant is Tucker Andrews of Bone Mountain Farm. Tucker provides the space in his field, plants the squash and ensures that the plants are healthy and watered. The Transition Town Jericho team then harvests and distributes the yield. Without both these teams working in support of each other, this opportunity would not be available. TTJ provided over a dozen volunteers on a late summer day in September, including families and children that worked like a hive of bees; one listening closely may have heard a distinct buzz of excitement and possibility! We were able to pick 350 squash this year. Distributions included: Aunt Dot's - 80 Heavenly Food Shelf Essex Junction UCC - 90 Family Room - 90 Jericho, Underhill, Essex Food shelf - 90 Thanks to Chantal O'Connor for providing the pictures for this blog. This past July, Tucker’s farm and home was flooded and most of the farm crop was destroyed. The squash plants did survive, but two thirds of the farm produce were lost. Even with this loss, Tucker still believes that the mission to support the community is vitally important. Transition Town Jericho is one of many groups and individuals that have contributed to Tucker in recovery support. If interested in making a contribution, here is the contact info: Farmer: Tucker Andrews Email: [email protected] Address: 3533 Nashville Rd, Bolton VT 05465  Laura here: “I hope one day a tree is planted here, and it will be the source of nutrition” “Instead of depressing it was strangely life affirming” ”It seemed so normal…so natural” These are just a few quotes from people who’ve experienced green burial of a family member. On September 23, representatives from the Vermont Forest Cemetery (VFC) came to the Jericho Community Center to present on Vermont’s first and only green burial ground, located in Roxbury VT. About 20 of us were present; we watched the film From Earth to Earth: The Lost Art of Dying in America and heard from presenters Jim Hogle and Andrea Stander, both VFC board members. In green or natural burial “the un-embalmed body is placed in a biodegradable container or shroud...then placed directly in the soil at least three and a half feet below the surface...” according to the VFC brochure. Jim said family members are encouraged to be part of the process, and may choose to physically help place the departed’s body into the earth, saying that the involvement often aids in letting go, aiding the grieving process. Besides having its first green burial site, much has evolved in Vermont around death and burials in the last few years. Andrea said that cemeteries can legally put aside space for green burials, and laws have changed around home burials as well. There are death cafes around the state (one here in Jericho!) and one can now study at UVM to become a death doula. Michelle Acciavatti, founder of the VFC has presented at transition town meetings in the past; thus, many of us in Jericho can appreciate how her dreams have come to fruition! Regular VFC tours are offered and for more info, go to www.cemetery.eco  After completing the spring garden deliveries, the Transition Town team—Dave, Laura, and Chris—set out to reconnect with the young gardeners to see how their gardens had fared. They were eager to learn about the children’s gardening experiences, including what they grew, how their plants thrived, and whether they enjoyed managing their own gardens. We successfully followed up with 6 of the 9 contest winners, discovering a rich tapestry of gardening stories filled with both triumphs and challenges. These reflections echoed the common ups and downs of gardening that we all experience. A follow-up discussions covered important seasonal preparations. The team offered advice on how to "put their garden to bed" for the winter, helping the young gardeners plan for the off-season and ensure their gardens are well-prepared for the next growing year. This proactive approach will set the stage for a successful and vibrant gardening season when May arrives in 2025. Maddie and Wilder - Maddie and Wilder embarked on a vibrant gardening adventure, cultivating carrots, corn, basil, cucumbers, and potatoes. With so many vegetable ideas, they faced the delightful challenge of deciding what to plant. They found joy in tending to their garden, often taking the opportunity to weed while others were occupied with activities around the house. Their excitement is building as they eagerly await the harvest of their corn, looking forward to enjoying the fruits of their labor. The garden became a magical place for them, as they delighted in discovering wood frogs, caterpillars, and a colorful array of butterflies, which added an enchanting touch to their gardening experience. Hatteras and Nash - Hatteras and Nash cultivated a vibrant garden with an impressive variety of plants, including carrots, marigolds, lettuce, Roma tomatoes, and cucumbers. They specifically planted marigolds to help deter garden pests, making their garden both beautiful and functional. One of their favorite activities was creating fresh lettuce salads from their own harvest. Laura provided valuable guidance, teaching them how to thin out their carrots and other plants to ensure ample space for growth. Their tomato plants flourished with lush, green foliage, showing signs of excellent health. Despite their success, they encountered some challenges. Rabbits visited their garden and nibbled on the carrot tops, prompting them to install a fence to protect their crops. Overall, Hatteras and Nash found gardening to be a fun and rewarding experience, particularly enjoying the fresh vegetables they grew. Looking ahead, they plan to plant garlic in the fall to prepare for a bountiful garden next year. Elijah -Elijah’s garden included strawberries, radishes, green onions, and both beefsteak and cherry tomatoes. He dedicated almost every day to tending his garden, with his neighbor friend often joining him to help out. Despite his diligent care, Elijah encountered a few challenges. Slugs and birds became unwelcome visitors, particularly enjoying his strawberries. He tried to use copper strips to deter the slugs, but found it tricky to keep them securely in place. Elijah is planning to explore the “Three Sisters” planting method next year. This Native American technique involves growing corn, beans, and squash together, with each plant supporting the others in a symbiotic relationship. Elijah has thoroughly enjoyed the experience of having his own garden, relishing the pleasure of snacking on homegrown vegetables and the satisfaction of nurturing his own plants. For the upcoming season, he’s contemplating adding something new to his garden, such as cucumbers, to further diversify his harvest. Henry & Will - Henry and Will grew a diverse garden featuring cucumbers, basil, carrots, and green beans. While their gardening efforts were generally successful, they encountered some challenges with the soil's performance. To address this, they added composted fertilizer, which helped improve the soil quality. The green beans were a highlight, though they turned out a bit tough to the bite. They also took an educational approach to their cucumber plants, learning about the differences between male and female flowers and the crucial role of pollinators in transferring pollen from male to female flowers to fertilize the fruit. Henry and Will did an excellent job thinning their carrot plants, ensuring there was enough space for the carrots to grow properly beneath the soil. Their basil plants thrived, and they've enjoyed using the fresh basil to enhance their spaghetti meals. Overall, having their own garden significantly increased their engagement and enthusiasm for gardening, making the experience rewarding. They liked that the garden was located close to the house for easy access. Guy and Evelyn - Guy and Evelyn’s garden flourished with zucchini squash, watermelon, and sweet peppers. This summer, they have enjoyed a bountiful harvest of zucchini, which grew so vigorously that it took over a significant portion of the garden. All their plants were started from seeds, showcasing their commitment and patience. They delved into the fascinating world of zucchini pollination, learning about the differences between male and female flowers and how pollinators transfer pollen from male to female flowers to fertilize the fruit. Their garden benefited from an abundance of bees, drawn in by the surrounding flowers that attract these crucial pollinators. In addition to their current crops, Guy and Evelyn are excited about their plans for next year, considering growing carrots and perhaps potatoes. They also tackled a challenge with powdery mildew affecting their zucchini leaves, learning how to identify and remove the infected leaves to keep their garden healthy and productive. Merrill - Merrill's garden featured a mix of flowers and vegetables of potatoes, dahlias, peppers, radishes, and carrots. Despite her efforts, she faced some challenges with the garden mix soil, which didn’t support optimal growth for her plants. She was encouraged to enhance her soil in the fall, so next spring it will be set for a new growing year. Merrill diligently watered her carrots and maintained good spacing for most of them, though some plants still required thinning to achieve the best results. Her tomato plant has shown promising growth, adding a touch of anticipation for the harvest. Looking ahead to next year, Merrill has decided to skip growing radishes but plans to maintain her current approach with the rest of her garden. She found great joy in tending her garden and appreciated the support of her sister, Amelia, who helped in the garden as well.. Delphine - Delphine grew basil, cherry tomatoes, carrots, edible flowers, marigolds, nasturtium, and ground cherries, she tried chard, but did not grow, . Will be using the basil to make pesto. Had to use neem oil to help control some of the bugs. Delphine is standing with her dog Oaka in the picture below. The garden took a while to get going but late summer she had lots of vegetables.  Laura here: The Jericho-Underhill Food Hub hosted a Community Brunch on Sunday August 11 at the Covered Bridge Blueberry Farm in Underhill. This was the first of a series of free seasonal meals featuring local foods and highlighting area farmers and producers. Twice the number of people showed up as were expected, topping 120 people. Some families were actually at the blueberry farm to pick blueberries; when they found out about the free brunch, they decided to stay adding a lovely component of blue-faced children! The brunch fare was mostly local food provided by area farmers; besides blueberry pancakes there was sausage, potatoes & onions, salad, blueberry lemonade and iced coffee. With slow griddle action due to the unusual power demands, people in the food line had time to catch up with friends, share stories and make new acquaintances. Four of the farms who donated food were represented at the event as well. Over 25 volunteers made this gathering possible; everything from planning the event to hoisting up the tent, setting up tables, food prep, serving and cleanup; thank you citizens of Underhill and Jericho! As Jericho resident Bernie Paquette said after the event, “I will always believe that contribution, sharing and caring equals community.” Many thanks to the local farms and businesses who donated produce, eggs and drinks to the brunch including the Covered Bridge Blueberry Farm, Jericho Settler’s Farm, The Farm Upstream, 2 Gals Farm Works, Settlement Farm, Chamberlins, and Jericho Ale and Bean. The next Community Meal will be a winter dinner, sometime in January featuring the delectable possibilities of stored crops and seasonal fare.  Laura reporting: As TTJ and the combined Jericho-Underhill Food Hub tackle issues around local food access, it’s inspirational to see what’s happening in other Vermont towns. Jenevra Wetmore, executive director of Sustainable Woodstock since October of last year, presented a talk June 24 at the JCC on community gardens, Grow Your Own, and other programs in southern Vermont. There are two community gardens in Woodstock; one at Billings Farm and the other, King Farm, supported by the Vermont Land Trust. The gardens are no till and organic. About thirty families and organizations use them, with participants paying a sliding scale fee and serving two volunteer days per year. These community gardens also provide hundreds of pounds of produce for the Woodstock Food Shelf. Jenevra touched upon some of the many challenges they’ve faced, including erosion (caused by placement of beds too close to a brook), invasives, and jumping worms. There is a part time garden coordinator; Jenevra stressed that most important quality of the coordinator is people skills rather than gardening knowledge. Grow Your Own Garden program, started during Covid, supports people who couldn’t otherwise afford to garden, providing free kits of seedlings, seeds and beginning gardening book. Jenevra said that in the last four years, it has served 700 people in both Woodstock and surrounding towns. Sustainable Woodstock is proud of their work at Riverside Mobile Home Park, a place that has contaminated soils and periodic flooding. They set up nineteen raised beds there this year, enabling residents to garden in spite of the odds. Much talked about here, a community kitchen to process food and hold classes, etc. is now being organized in Woodstock; the local high school and Vermont Land Trust are combining forces to get it off the ground with Sustainable Woodstock offering their support. Jenevra said people show up for big things, “community barn raising events” she called them. For example, Sustainable Woodstock hosts yearly Earth Day events; other activities include workshops (a Gardening for Nature series last year), online film series and monthly Green Drinks events. Weekly columns in the local paper keep people informed. Organizers here have much to learn from the numerous activities of Sustainable Woodstock; for more details check out: www.sustainablewoodstock.org   Dave here: Congratulations from the Transition Town Jericho team to 2024 contest winners! The purpose of this contest is to contribute to our town's journey toward resiliency and self-sufficiency. We hope that, in a small way, these kids can learn about gardening firsthand, understanding that sowing and growing seeds are fundamental to where food comes from and how it provides for families. Thanks to the Town of Jericho for funding the project again this year and to Geoff Cole for providing the trailer for transporting the soil and helping make the garden deliveries along with Laura and Dave. Also a shout out to Lisa Hoare for helping build the raised garden beds and joining for deliveries as well. This year we had nine winners and are donated the tenth bed to the The Children's Institute at Jericho Inc. held at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Now I'd like to introduce you to this year's winners; hover your curser over their picture to see what they said they want to grow in their garden. Several of our competitors drew pictures of their gardens to be, enjoy! The Transition Town Jericho Team will be out to visit the gardens late July or Early August to see how the gardens are growing. Stay tuned for that report with some more pictures.
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