The Floating Bridge Food and Farms Cooperative’s Fall Foliage Trail provides visitors opportunities to frame the season’s glory in the intimacy of family farms in and around Vermont’s bucolic “Pond Village”, Brookfield. From lattes on hoof and farm fresh dinners to cider pressing, harvest markets and world class music, unique opportunities abound to enjoy the splendor and awe of seasonal change from the ground up.
“Our guests appreciate the seasonal bounty of our neighborhood farms and forests. Lee (Ariels’ chef) knows better than to hide the natural beauty of fresh produce and grass fed meat. And I look for fun ways to integrate seasonal treats in our drink menu,” Says Richard Fink of Ariel’s Restaurant.
Mari Omland of Green Mountain Girls Farm notes,“Farms used to be part of the background in the photos of leaf peepers. Increasingly visitors focus on fresh food with foliage as a backdrop. Visitors seek connection and refill their wells by taking in smells, sights and sounds of our farm.”
Fat Toad Farm’s Judith Irving catalyzed the neighborhood collaboration. “We started the Floating Bridge Food and Farm Cooperative to improve sustainability for our family farms and rural enterprises and to serve visitors who are hungry for authentic experiences in working agricultural communities.” Fat Toad Farm’s Farmstead Goat’s Milk Caramel is available in fine food stores across the country, via the farm’s website and on sale at the farm.
Below is a list of opportunities to explore local food while “leaf peeping” including our Fall Harvest Market, Sunday October 13th where Coop members will offer visitors and residents the opportunity to celebrate the harvest season with fresh local produce, meats, and farmstead products ranging from pickles to wood-fired oven pizzas and goat’s milk caramel to fresh apple cider. There will also be a cider making demonstration, all at Brookfield’s Old Town Hall.
About the markets, Marda Donner of Brookfield Bees noted, “Our FBFF Farmer's Market is a perfect confluence of community fellowship and the localvore movement.”
Check out FloatingBridgeFoodandFarms.com for updates and more details. And for even more ideas on how to incorporate Vermont’s bourgeoning farm and food deliciousness into your travels, explore the new statewide website www.DigInVT.com, an overview of authentic culinary tourism opportunities.
Meet some of the Floating Bridge Food and Farms Cooperative's Members:
Regular Offerings
· Meals: Ariel’s Restaurant serves hyperlocal fare Wednesday-Sunday 5:30-9:30
· Farm Tours: Fat Toad Farm & Green Mountain Girls Farm
· Giftshops & Farmstands: Fat Toad Farm, Ariel’s Restaurant & Green Mountain Girls Farm
· Farmstays and lodging: Green Mountain Girls Farm, LH Stowell & Sons Christmas Trees, Green Trails Inn
Scheduled Events
· October 5th Floating Bridge Food and Farms goes to Brooklyn for EscapeMaker’s Annual Local Food and Travel Expo
· October 10th Making Chevre at Home 5:30pm at Green Mountain Girls Farm
· October 11th Scrag Mountain Music and Farm Supper at the Green Mountain Girls Farm 5-9pm
· October 13th Harvest Market, cider pressing and demonstrations, Old Town Hall, Pond Village, Brookfield, 12-4 pm
· November 3rd Red Tail Ring & Pig Roast Green Mountain Girls Farm 4-8 pm
· November 29 – December 22 (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) LH Stowell & Son Choose & Cut your Christmas Tree 9 AM to 4:00 PM
· December 7th & 8th Floating Bridge Food & Farms Cooperative Annual Holiday Market
· A new series of skill building workshops and Cooking classes are currently being scheduled for late 2013 and 2014.
Available by appointment:
· Brookfield Bees: See cider pressing and learn about boiled cider
· Fieldstone Farm: Farm tour and pizza making. Ian and Chandra Blackmer’s outdoor wood-fired brick oven turns out delicious farmstead pizza year-round, they will be baking most Sundays. Call to schedule a tour.
· Green Mountain Girls Farm: Lattes on the Hoof, Cheese Classes and Farm Experiences
· LH Stowell & Son Christmas Tree Farm: Farm Tours with Christmas trees being shaped and trimmed in preparation for the Christmas season and Balsam Fir, Fraser Fir and Colorado Blue Spruce boughs being harvested for wholesale buyers for use making wreaths, kissing balls, garlands, and other decorations. See a mix of technology and hand craftmanship
· Newe Start Farm: If you are lucky, observe Sheri as she makes Indigo for dyeing wool.
· Pagoda Pond Gardens: Farm tours, herbs, daylilies. Pagoda Pond has over 700 varieties of daylilies growing at the farm – all of them labeled with name, hybridizer, year, height, etc. Though best enjoyed in bloom between June and September, fall visitors will find it a treat to talk all things lily with Ellen Shepheard.
