Janet Arnold
1. Describe your past and current involvement with Intervale Community Farm (ICF) and why you are excited about serving on the Board.
I moved to the Burlington area from Massachusetts in March of this year to be closer to my daughter, son-in-law, and their new baby. My daughter Katie splits a CSA share with her sister-in-law Kelly Orleans and told me I would love the farm. She was right! I signed up for a share and so enjoy coming to the farm every Monday to gather my delicious food for the week ahead. You have built such a wonderful community here and I enjoy seeing friends and watching the children play and pick flowers. I even met a woman there who moved to Burlington recently as well and we have become good friends. I enjoy the “pick your own” experience for some of the produce and the flowers have been such a treat all summer long! The farm is a special place. I met Bonnie through the volunteer opportunities at City Market and what a joy it has been to get to know her! I have met such delightful people while weeding on the farm. We have great conversations and share knowledge about food, community happenings, good books and so many other things.
2. Please describe any relevant skills you would like to contribute to ICF that make you a good candidate for the Board. This may include specific skills such as accounting and financial planning, land management, engineering, flood management, farm and food sovereignty policy, experience with cooperatives, addressing diversity issues, strategic planning, or past board or community organization experience. Or, you may have never served on a Board or don’t have specific skills but have a passion for food, health or farming and love ICF; describe these qualities as well.
I have an engineering background and worked for an environmental consulting firm prior to my retirement in 2024. I have good organizational and problem solving skills. I have never served on a board before but believe that organic local food is the root of good health and love that ICF is working to make healthy food available to all. I really enjoy spending time at the farm and believe that I could be an asset by serving on the board.
3. The ICF Board has identified the importance of serving the diverse members of the Burlington community whether because of wealth, racial, ethnic or religious background, recent immigration, gender or LGBT identity or other. What experience do you have, personal, business or organizational, that could help ICF work towards this goal? Do you have any suggestions?
My experience working with diverse members of the community is limited but I will give some thought to ways to work towards the goal of serving these members.
4. ICF experienced tremendous flooding in recent years which impacted our food, our land, and our personnel. We think these events might become more frequent in the future, what ideas do you have about the future of ICF and how it might deal with these challenges? Do you currently have the time outside of Board meetings to help grapple with these challenges which involve both short-term and long-term solutions?
I heard about the flooding the prior two years at the ICF. I do have some contacts with engineers at my previous firm that may be able to provide some ideas or guidance on avenues to research to problem-solve these events.
5. What else would you like ICF members to know about you?
My interest in food began as a child when I would visit my grandmother with my family. We would stay with her for a week every summer. I have such fond memories of her cooking everything from scratch from produce from her garden and really grew to love food. I volunteered at a food bank for several years while living in California and really enjoyed serving the community in this way. I am curious, work well with people and can network easily. I would very much appreciate an opportunity to serve on the board.