July at the Intervale Center

Summer is buzzing in the Intervale! Learn about resilience in our Food Access program, the pollinator-friendly native trees and shrubs on sale now at our Conservation Nursery, our berry harvesting volunteer events, and more below.

Farms

Photo credit: Katie Palatucci

For many years, surplus crops from neighboring farms were the primary source of produce in our free Fair Share CSA food distributions. When crops were an imperfect, unmarketable shape or were simply too small of a harvest to be worth bringing to market, farms would invite our Food Access team and our volunteers to harvest those fresh, nutritious items and redistribute it for free to our community—a process known as gleaning. However, in recent years, with increased extreme weather events, farms have had less excess to give, all while the end of pandemic-era financial assistance has left more families seeking food access. 

To meet growing demand within the community and to remain climate resilient, our Food Access program has diversified its methods for food procurement. In 2024, we merged our Food Access program under the umbrella of our Intervale Food Hub and shifted to purchasing more produce for our free food distributions. This shift allows our Food Access program to remain resilient by building on the established relationships that the Food Hub holds with farmers.

Learn more about how the Intervale Food Hub and our Food Access program work together in our latest blog post. If you’d like to get involved with our Food Access work, visit our Food Access page to learn more or sign up to volunteer!

Photo credit: Sol Nikas

As we hit high season here in Vermont, maybe you’re noticing some kinks in your business systems, opportunities for record-keeping efficiencies, or the need to explore new enterprises. Seeking free assistance? The Vermont Farm & Forest Viability Program works with farm, food, and forest businesses to navigate the complexities of running a successful business. Through the Intervale Center and other service provider organizations, we offer in-depth advising with experienced professionals to help you improve your business skills, plan for the future, and recover from weather-related disasters. Looking to increase profitability, make strategic decisions, or transition to a new enterprise or ownership? We can help with that, and more.

To learn more, email jillian@vhcb.org, call 802-828-5587, or visit the website. 

Land

As members of the Riparian Lands Native Seed Partnership (RLNSP), the Intervale Conservation Nursery has been busy tracking and collecting native tree and shrub seeds across the state this summer! The seeds we collect will grow into forests that improve water quality, store carbon, mitigate climate impacts, and provide healthy habitats for wildlife.   

After a couple of years exploring seed collection sites in our base areas of the northern Champlain Valley and Northeast Kingdom, this year, we have expanded our search into southern Vermont—now capturing all four seed zones of Vermont in our collection efforts. Learn more about our seed source map developments, seed collection progress, direct seeding trials, and more in the latest RLNSP newsletter!  

The Intervale Conservation Nursery Summer Sale is open! Our team has over 30 species of native trees and shrubs potted up and ready for your summer planting projects.

Looking to boost pollinator habitat? We’ve also grown out a great selection of pollinator-friendly species, including Joe Pye Weed, Common Boneset, and Common Milkweed, available by the flat or in individual 4"x4" containers.

Availability is limited — for a current availability list and to place an order, contact Ben at benr@intervale.org.

People

Over the past few years, the Intervale Center has planted hundreds of food-bearing plants in an effort to be more flood resilient and to offer a greater diversity of food to our community. These plants have just started to bear fruit!

In the coming weeks, as berries ripen, we will be posting berry harvesting volunteer events to help us harvest red currants, raspberries, elderberries, aronia berries, and more to be donated through our free Fair Share CSA. Volunteers will be welcome to bring some home as well! At our first berry harvest, we collected 40 pounds of black currants for Fair Share!

Stay tuned for more berry harvesting events here! 

This summer, you can support the Intervale Center while you sip! We are grateful to be collaborating with some awesome local businesses who will be donating a portion of their proceeds this summer to fuel our work to strengthen community food systems. You can sip for a cause at:

  • T-Ruggs Tavern - donating $1 for every Fiddlehead IPA now through the end of August

  • Four Quarters – donating $1 for every Stargazer poured at Bluegrass Wednesday nights this July

  • Monkey House – donating $1 per featured drink during the month of August

  • Zero Gravity - donating $1 per Green State Lager during the month of August 

Thanks to Windjammer, Waterworks, The 126, and Shelburne Vineyards for partnering with us earlier this summer!

Kerri Grimaldi