As Vermont compost piles get turned over and worked into this year’s home gardens, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and Vermont Foodbank are calling attention to the importance of feeding people before feeding the soil.

Bob and Barb are Vermont farmers with a passion for growing and sharing one staple, nutrient-dense crop with their community: potatoes. They also partner with Vermont Foodbank to make sure their local potatoes are available to neighbors experiencing hunger.

Learn about how Vermont Foodbank's partnerships get food to communities around the state—and how you and your neighbors can find resources near you.

It seems spring has finally arrived, and our spring edition of Kernels is here with it. Spring in Vermont is a time of renewal. New life begins under the melting snow, and paths of green appear on south-facing hills. Gentler days are ahead.

The Vermont Food Security Coalition received an award at the Feeding America national conference in April for its “extraordinary commitment to supporting neighbors facing hunger.”

3SquaresVT (SNAP) provides help with groceries to about 61,000 people in Vermont. An estimated 60% of people who are eligible are not enrolled. Could you be one of them?  

Food insecurity is a solvable problem. While the bulk of the Foodbank’s work is distributing nourishing food every day, the team is also working at addressing hunger by advocating for policies that can ultimately end hunger.

Now that you’ve learned a bit about our food sources and distribution routes (see Part Two and Part Three in this series), you may be wondering: what happens once the food arrives to one of the three Vermont Foodbank distribution centers?

Summer in Vermont brings a bounty of local food. Here are five ways to stretch your food budget and eat local—get seeds and seedlings for your garden, get discounts at your local co-op, find free coupons at farmers markets, find free coupons at farm stands, and get a discount on your CSA farm share.