Winter Shares Begin on November 4 (Group 1) and November 11 (Group 2)
We have been harvesting the storage crops and filling our coolers for a couple of weeks or more. Think of nearly 15,000 lbs of cabbage waiting to be distributed during the cold winter months…and all the meals you can create using the produce you know and love.
Below are a few details and reminders about winter shares, the ICF Cooperative Annual Meeting this week, and becoming a Co-op member.
See you across the street at 282 Intervale Road for the winter shares. Follow the signs!
If you need a reminder of your group dates, go to our calendar widget and add the dates to your calendar.
Whether you are new to the winter share process or a returning member, it's always good to review the general guidelines for picking up and more in our Member Guide.
If you have not ordered your bread, eggs, and cheese add-ons, please do so now. We'll have limited items available for purchase on site.
If you want to order other add-ons through our partnership with the Intervale Food Hub read more here and create an account. The order window for November 4 is closed now, but set up your account for future use.
Our Covid-19 adaptations have been updated here. Please note we are requiring masks for everyone inside of the building.
Don't forget the ICF Cooperative Annual Meeting(virtual) is this week, November 3, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. All are invited to attend. Please register here.
Members in good standing of the Intervale Community Farm Cooperative will receive an electronic ballot to elect a new board. Not a member of the co-op? You have time to sign up by going here.
If you have any questions about your co-op status, the annual meeting, or your winter share, contact Kathie.
End of Summer Share Reminders
The final summer 2021 pick-up is on October 28 . If you have missed weeks it's your final day to catch up.
At the end of every season we ask for your input on the season for our future planning. If you have not completed the current survey on the summer share season, please do so before October 30. Go here.
As we transition to the winter shares, we'll hold our ICF Cooperative Annual Meeting on Wednesday, November 3, 7:00-8:00 via Zoom. To register, go here. We have a slide show and report of the year, hear from the candidates running for the ICF Board, and more.
Members in good standing of the Intervale Community Farm Cooperative will receive electronic ballots to vote for board candidates. It's not too late to catch up on your equity contributions or become a new member of the co-op by going here. The major benefit of becoming a co-op member? You can elect to be signed up for summer and winter shares before the web forms are active.
ICF is Collaborating with the Intervale Food Hub
New this year! We are partnering with the Intervale Food Hub (IFH) to offer Intervale Community Farm members a wide selection of Vermont proteins, dairy, and provisions to round out your meals. Shop online at the Intervale Food Hub and collect your order at your ICF winter share pick-up. There is no order minimum or requirement to place an order every week. IFH has over 200 products from over 80 Vermont producers available in their online marketplace.
Featured products in this program include:
Dairy: Milk from Sweet Rowen Farm, Butterworks Cream, butter from Ploughgate Creamery and Vermont Creamery, and cheeses from von Trapp Creamery, Sweet Rowen, Shelburne Farms, and Stony Pond Farm.
Meat/Seafood: Wild-caught Alaskan salmon from Starbird Fish and Honeywilya Fish, pastured pork from Pigasus Meats, grassfed beef from Grass Cattle Co and Health Hero Farm, and chicken from Misty Knoll.
Plant-Based Proteins: Beans and bean burgers from Vermont Bean Crafters, New Deal Seitan, tofu from Vermont Soy, tempeh from Rhapsody Naturals, and cashew milk from Nutty Life.
Bakery: All Souls Tortilleria corn and flour tortillas, bread from Red Hen, granola from Butterfly Bakery, and crackers from Castleton Crackers.
Pantry and Provisions: Coffee from Brio and VT Coffee Co, tea from Free Verse Farm, chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates, Butterfly Bakery and Pitchfork Farm hot sauces and ferments, flour and cornmeal from Nitty Gritty Grain Co., dressings and vinegars from Eco Bean + Greens and Red Wagon Plants, jam from V Smiley Preserves, and much more.
Logistical Details
Browse the offerings, set up your account now, and place your orders as follows:
Group 1 may place orders starting October 28
Group 2 may place orders starting November 4
Food Hub orders will be available to pick up with your normal winter share group
Orders must be placed by 6:00 a.m. Monday preceding your Thursday pick-up
Product selection, packing, billing, and questions are handled by the Intervale Food Hub
intervalefoodhub@intervale.org
Orders must be placed via this link only or your food will not be available to pick up with your winter share.
select "pick up"
select your ICF group
The Intervale Food Hub is a social enterprise of the Intervale Center delivering proteins, produce, and provisions from over 80 local producers in the greater Burlington, Vermont area.
Summer Share Survey is Ready and Summer Shares Will Be Ending
Fall is here. The leaves are changing, the light is changing, the smells in the air are changing. Root crops are being harvested in the fields for winter shares.
At the conclusion of every share season we ask for your input and feedback in a survey. The 2021 Summer Share Survey is ready and will be available until October 30. Please tell us what you liked or didn’t like about your experience.
Other dates to note:
Summer Shares: the last Monday pick-up will be October 25. The last Thursday pick-up will be October 28.
Winter Shares: iIf you have signed up for a winter share, the first Group 1 pick-up will be Thursday, November 4. The first Group 2 pick-up will be Thursday, November 11. Please remember that winter pick-ups are on Thursdays only, 2:00-6:00, and are every other week.
Unfortunately, we are starting a waiting list for winter shares. You may continue to sign up here but please do not send in any payments until you are confirmed.
Thank you for a wonderful summer!
Pumpkin Day RESCHEDULED TO Sunday, October 3, 10:00-2:00
2021 Pumpkin Day is RESCHEDULED to Sunday, October 3, 10:00-2:00 on account of rain. See you there!
Please join our annual pumpkin patch picking, always one of our favorite days at ICF! Meet at the summer pickup area and hop a tractor-drawn wagon for the 15-minute ride to our field of jack-o-lanterns, pie pumpkins, and decorative gourds. This is included in your ICF CSA share.
We may limit the number of unrelated people per wagon and require masks during the ride in accordance with evolving public health recommendations.
Walking to the pumpkin patch is also a lovely stroll past our greenhouses and salad crops, and we will happily transport your pumpkins back to the pick-up area so you don’t have to carry them.
If you do not attend Pumpkin Day, you may pick-up your pumpkins from the courtyard during our regular pick-ups, beginning Thursday, October 7th.
Summer Shares Will Be Ending
Fall is here. The leaves are changing, the light is changing, the smells in the air are changing. Root crops are being harvested in the fields for winter shares.
Sadly, all these things mean that the summer shares will be ending this month.
The last Monday pick-up will be October 25. The last Thursday pick-up will be October 28.
If you have signed up for a winter share, the first Group 1 pick-up will be Thursday, November 4. The first Group 2 pick-up will be Thursday, November 11. Please remember that winter pick-ups are on Thursdays only, 2:00-6:00, and are every other week.
Unfortunately, we are starting a waiting list for winter shares. You may continue to sign up here but please do not send in any payments until you are confirmed.
Thank you for a wonderful summer!
The 2021 Annual Meeting of the Intervale Community Farm Cooperative is November 3, 2021
Please join the Intervale Community Farm board and staff members for our 2021 Annual Meeting to celebrate the harvest and meet the candidates for the ICF Cooperative Board. All ICF CSA members are welcome and encouraged to attend our Annual Meeting: agenda and details below.
We’ll be meeting virtually again this year by Zoom on Wednesday, November 3rd, 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Register for the Zoom webinar here.
Intervale Community Farm Board Elections
Love Intervale Community Farm and want to help us thrive? Please consider running for the ICF Co-op Board of Directors, the governing body of ICF, working with staff to set long term goals and direction, while monitoring current activities. Thirty years of board members have given their time and talent to help make Intervale Community Farm the farm it is today. Shape ICF’s future and earn a free share for your efforts!
As Board member Mieko Ozeki puts it, “Joining the ICF Cooperative Board is a wonderful opportunity to get a full view on the farm operations and initiatives. The commitment is flexible and the Board welcomes diverse perspectives to further the mission of the ICF. Chat with a Board member to learn more about becoming an ICF Board member.” You may also look here for more information about the ICF Board and elections.
Candidate nominations are due to Farm Manager Andy Jones no later than October 18, 2021. Please speak with Andy at an ICF pick-up, via email, or call 802-658-2919 x4.
If you are not sure about your status or whether you are a co-op, please contact Kathie. You can still complete your equity contribution or become a co-op member in time to run and/or vote in this election. To become a new co-op member, go here.
Annual Meeting Agenda
Since 1994 members have gathered for the annual meeting of the Intervale Community Farm Cooperative to hear about the season. While this year we are unable to dine together, we do look forward to sharing what 2021 has grown at ICF! We will feature:
Farm report from Farm Manager Andy Jones
Our annual slideshow, featuring highlights of 2021
Report from the Intervale Community Farm Board of Directors
Introduction to candidates running for the Intervale Community Farm Cooperative Board of Directors and board election process
Q&A from ICF members
Pumpkin Day at ICF is October 2, 10:00-2:00 - please check here for weather updates Saturday morning
Pumpkin Day. Saturday, October 2, 10:00-2:00.
Rain date Sunday, October 3
Please join our annual pumpkin patch picking, always one of our favorite days at ICF! Meet at the summer pickup area and hop a tractor-drawn wagon for the 15-minute ride to our field of jack-o-lanterns, pie pumpkins, and decorative gourds. This is included in your ICF CSA share.
We may limit the number of unrelated people per wagon and require masks during the ride in accordance with evolving public health recommendations.
Walking to the pumpkin patch is also a lovely stroll past our greenhouses and salad crops, and we will happily transport your pumpkins back to the pick-up area so you don’t have to carry them.
If you do not attend October 2nd, you may pick-up your pumpkins from the courtyard during our regular pick-ups, beginning Thursday, October 7th.
Senior Farm Share at Intervale Community Farm
Summer Tuesdays are special days at our Farm. Each week, ICF farmer Sarah Howe packs a selection of produce for 274 households living in sixteen senior housing sites in Burlington and nearby communities. In the more than 20 years since the program began, ICF has supplied local participants with over 3000 10-week shares!
The Senior Farm Share program is a collaborative effort between the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) and the Vermont Department of Aging and Independent Living, with funding from the US Department of Agriculture, aiming to get high quality fresh produce direct from Vermont farms to Vermont seniors by delivering mini-CSA shares during the summer.
Sarah notes, "Everyone is so grateful for this food, and we love to provide tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables we have learned are appreciated. "
As a bonus, once each summer each participant also receives a bouquet of fresh flowers cut and arranged by long time Board and Farm member Bonnie Acker. "Making up each bouquet, I'm always thinking about the joy it will bring to someone. A few years back one of the seniors sent a note, 'Thank you dear farmers. This was the first time in my life that I ever received fresh flowers.' I will think of that gratefulness forever."
2021-22 Winter Share Sign-up is Open
It’s that time again and already!
You can sign up for your winter shares now on our web page and then just sit back and wait!
Order your bread, eggs, and goat cheese supplemental products at the same time as your winter share. For more information and an order form for the products go here. We will have a limited number of items for sale on site so it’s much better to set up a pre-order.
As always winter pick-ups are every two weeks on the opposite side of the road from the summer area. You’ll have selections of root veggies, plus squash, cabbage, and weighed greens.
Group 1 will start November 4 and go until May 12. Group 2 will start November 11 and go until May 19. Please note that Group 2 has two date changes to Wednesdays around the holidays. Check out the calendar widget here so you don’t miss any of your dates!
Watch our web site, blog, and Facebook pages for any winter share updates, revised Covid procedures, and reminders of the first pick-ups.
We’re looking forward to seeing you in the snow!
Annual Meeting, Cooperative Board Elections, and Autumn Potluck: POSTPONED
The September 12, 2021 Intervale Community Farm Cooperative Annual Meeting, Board Elections, and Autumn Potluck have been postponed.
Recognizing the increasing threat posed by Covid-19 in the greater Burlington community, the Intervale Community Farm Cooperative Board opted to cancel our previously scheduled, Sunday, September 12th Annual Meeting and Autumn Potluck and make the Annual Meeting a virtual event later in the autumn. Dates and details will follow.
In conjunction with revamping the event, the ICF Board also postponed the Board electoral period, scheduled to begin on September 13. Any interested candidates can still contact an ICF board member or Farm Manager Andy Jones for more information or to express interest.
The good news is that you still have time to catch up on your co-op equity payments or become a new co-op member! Contact Kathie to find out your status or become a co-op member here
Given the outdoor setting of our summer CSA pickups, we are not currently changing other ICF requirements, though this may change at any time.
Thank you for your patience and flexibility, and your long standing support of Intervale Community Farm!
Intervale Community Farm Cooperative Board of Directors Elections
Love Intervale Community Farm? Consider running for the ICF Cooperative Board!
The Intervale Community Farm Cooperative Board is the governing body of ICF, working with staff to set long term goals and direction while monitoring current activities. Thirty years of board members have given their time and talent to help make ICF the farm it is today. You could be a part of determining our future, all while receiving a free ICF share.
ICF Board member Mieko Ozeki shared her thoughts on the Board:
“A few years ago, my family and I joined the Intervale Community Farm summer CSA after moving to Burlington from Vergennes. We enjoy the fresh produce and add on items that support local businesses while connecting to the land, a couple miles from our house. Wholeheartedly, I am impressed with the impact of the ICF on the Greater Burlington community, making farm fresh food accessible to all while serving as stewards of Abenaki land. When the opportunity to join the ICF Cooperative Board came up, I gladly accepted the role to serve, to learn, and offer my skills / knowledge to ICF.
Joining the ICF Cooperative Board is a wonderful opportunity to get a full view on the farm operations and initiatives. The commitment is flexible and the Board welcomes diverse perspectives to further the mission of the ICF. Chat with a Board member to learn more about becoming an ICF Board member.”
The Board consists of 9 members, each serving 3 year terms, with 3 seats standing for election each year. Board members meet once a month, and should have an interest in supporting the objectives of the co-op. Any ICF Co-op Member in good standing may run for the board. Part of the ICF CSA share, but not an ICF Co-op member? Learn more or join here.
Meet the ICF Board and board candidates at the Intervale Community Farm Annual Meeting, Wednesday, November 3, 7:00-8:00pm, via Zoom. Details to follow!
These long term goals frame Board discussions:
Grow a wide variety of local, organic produce and provide related food products for members of ICF.
Cultivate a thriving farm ecosystem.
Foster a vibrant and interactive community of farmers and eaters.
Provide sustainable and fulfilling jobs for staff.
Benefit the wider community through partnerships, donations, and service.
Make ICF accessible to an economically-diverse membership.
Learn more about the work of the board here.
The two week board election period will run Wednesday, November 3 - Wednesday, November 17th, with terms beginning January 2022. ICF Co-op members in good standing will receive an electronic voting email on November 3rd.
Please email Farm Manager Andy Jones (or leave a message for Andy at 802-658-2919, ext 4), if you are interested in serving on the board. You may also contact one of ICF’s current board members for more information or to express your interest.
Plant Donation Program at ICF
Intervale Community Farm’s propagation greenhouse is tucked away on the east side of the farm, south of where the winter share gets distributed. The long greenhouse tables hold a shifting population of vegetable and flower seedlings, both to plant in the farm fields and to give away to people who need them.
The farm works with three main partners to distribute thousands of vegetable, herb, and flower seedlings every year. We do this both in large, planned plantings in the spring and also by donating extra seedlings from our regular weekly plantings.
The Vermont Community Garden Network has a long arm. Through VCGN, ICF vegetable starts found their way to affordable housing sites, New Farms for New Americans, the Co-op Victory Garden, the Community Teaching Garden, the Family Room Garden, and the Ethan Allen Residence. The Vermont Community Garden Network supports more than 200 gardening households and we are proud that about 1000 plants from ICF can help these great projects.
Huertas, organized through UVM, helps Latino/a farm workers in Northern Vermont and Addison County plant kitchen gardens with culturally appropriate food. Volunteers from Huertas communicate with these workers’ employers to help them find garden space and access to tools. Commercial and home growers get them the plants they want to grow. The Intervale Community Farm grew several hundred tomatoes and herbs for Huertas to distribute.
We started more than 6000 seedlings specifically for Feeding Chittenden’s spring plant give-away, delivering broccoli, melons, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, and cabbages. In late May, farmer Aly drove our truck and trailer filled with plants from the ICF up North Avenue to Burlington High School, in two different trips! We also donate to their teaching garden, the Raised Bed Project, used for educating new gardeners; this produce goes to the food shelf to make meals or to give out during food distributions. Over the last 20 years, we’ve grown more than 100,000 seedlings for this effort: a lot of vegetables!
As we eat our ICF vegetables grown on the farm we can also imagine our plants in many other families’ gardens, putting food on their tables.
Sarah Howe contributed this description of our program. Find out more about Sarah here.
2021 Farm Staff
Rarely do you find our entire farm staff in one place at the same time (and in fact, Bella Palmieri is missing from this photo.) Our staff for this year:
Back row (left to right): Emma Gonzalez, Colin Swanson, Silas Branson, Kathie Sullivan, Maya Bower, Chris Spencer, Samantha DuPont
Middle kneeling (left to right): Will Pearl, Sarah Howe, Andy Jones
Front row kneeling (left to right): Meg Lyczak, Georgia McDougall, Aly Martelle
Meg and Georgia are the newest members of our staff.
We’re building a new staff page on our web site. To see more information about a member, see here. And check back for the missing profiles!
ICF Board: Welcome a New Member
Board member Andrea Solazzo had to step down from our board recently. We’re pleased to welcome Mieko Ozeki to the board to complete Andrea’s term.
Mieko (she/her) is the owner of Radiance Studios and cofounder of Vermont Womenpreneurs, an entrepreneur peer network of women business owners. In addition to the ICF board, she serves on the board of the Vermont Farmers Market Association and is a Commissioner on Governor Scott's Future of Agriculture Commission. She recently was the Market Director of the Burlington Farmers Market. Mieko and her husband Josh love being ICF members and introducing their daughter Naomi to where her food comes from.
Save the Dates: Summer Shares Will Be Starting in June
Soon our blackboard will be filled with information to welcome you to the farm.
Strawberry field
2021 Summer Shares will be starting Monday, June 7 and Thursday, June 10
We will update you on more specifics and our initial COVID-19 adaptations in the next week or so, as mandates continue to evolve and sunset.
Thank you for your patience!
There is still time to order your bread and cheese for the summer share. Go here for the order form.
Other housekeeping reminders are noted in a blog post here. Please check these items so you are assured of receiving all of our communications!
We can't wait to see you!
PYO flower field inside the corral
End of Winter Shares, Preparing for Summer
Planting tomatoes in the high tunnel.
May is a very busy time on the farm. Plants are big enough to be moved from the “prop house” (our heated greenhouse where seeds are started, tomatoes are grafted) to the “cold frame” for hardening off before going into the ground. Fields are being prepared, the full summer crew is on site, and we are sold out for summer shares.
Plants for the annual sale.
But we need to finish up the 2020-21 winter shares at the same time! You’ve noticed some harbingers of spring lately: parsley, cilantro, radishes have been treats to find at pick-up.
Our annual plant sale, where you can get annuals and herbs and tomato plants for your home garden, will be held during the last two winter pick-ups on May 13 and May 20. Read more here.
The winter survey was sent out so you can give us feedback for future planning. If you missed it, go here.
To make sure you get all electronic communications from us for the summer share, please do the following:
add kathie@intervalecommunityfarm.com to your email Contacts. Often, bulk email messages end up in Spam folders or the Gmail “Promotions” folder otherwise.
be sure to check your Spam and Promotions folders regularly.
we are likely starting pick-ups in early June. You’ll be getting various messages to confirm your pick-up day and time or to select a day and time.
Preparing for your summer share:
we’ll be updating our Covid Procedures close to our start date to take into account the latest advisories.
if you plan to order bread or cheese to accompany your veggies, please get these ordered here. Eggs are sold out right now, but we hope to have additional product later in the summer. Sign up to be on the waiting list.
add all the summer pick-up dates to your calendar using our widget found here.
become familiar with where we list the expected items for your week’s pick-up here.
Don’t forget the Farm Work Days we’ve scheduled throughout the spring and summer. Get all the details here.
Finally, we encourage you to become a member of the ICF Co-op and elect to be automatically signed up for summer and/or winter shares. With the increased demand for our shares, being a co-op member is one way to avoid missing out. Find membership information here.
Strawberries are uncovered from the winter slumber.
18th Annual ICF Plant Sale
We’re happy to announce the dates for our 18th Annual Plant Sale at the Final Winter Pick-ups, May 13th and May 20th, from 2:00-6:00 pm.
We’re going back to sales on site! Plants will be on our flatbed wagons, Aly will be processing your purchases, and we’ll be far enough away from the winter share pick-up area so crowds won’t be an issue.
You can write checks for the exact amount or charge to your account. We will have a small amount of cash to be able to make change for purchases.
We anticipate having the following plants for sale (but there may be some surprises, too):
Annuals
Marigold, Rudbeckia (black eyed Susan), Portulaca, Dahlia, Lobelia, Petunia, Snap dragons, Alyssum, Nasturtium, Cosmos, Morning glory, Zinnia
Herbs
Parsley, Thyme, Basil, Cilantro, Dill
Vegetables
Tomatoes
REMINDER
The 2020-21 Winter Share pick-ups will be finishing soon.
The last Group 1 pick-up will be May 13
The last Group 2 pick-up will be May 20
****Annual Plant Sale will be held on BOTH DATES.****
Member Work Days at ICF: Days in 2021 (REVISED INFO 6/14/21)
Last summer and fall we had several member work days at the farm, organized and supported by ICF Board members. The days were glorious and the work was enjoyable and productive, and we are excited that we’ve resumed these this summer!
ICF Board members Bonnie Acker and Mark Twery are again leading this effort. Workdays are a great way to meet other farm members and board members, and talk about Intervale Community Farm. City Market members can earn work hours. Everyone wins!
Depending on the day, we’ll be clearing trees and brush, gleaning vegetables for donations, weeding, and possibly helping with the crops planted for the Abenaki Land Link Project.
Where: meet at the ICF parking lot on the summer pick-up side
When: revised dates are below; rain dates are noted if feasible.
Saturday June 26 / rain date Sunday June 27
Saturday July 10 / rain date Sunday July 11
Saturday July 24 / rain date Sunday July 25
Saturday August 7 / rain date Sunday August 8
Saturday August 21 / rain date Sunday August 22
Saturday September 4 / rain date Sunday September 5
Time: 7:00 a.m. to noon. Come for any amount of time, all help will be appreciated!
Bring: A water bottle, your favorite work gloves, clippers, loppers, bow-saws. We’ll have extra gloves and tools available.
Wear: Durable work clothes, footwear, and sun-protection hats are very useful for this farm work.
RSVP and Questions: To sign-up or obtain more information, please contact ICF Board member/CSA member/Veggie lover Bonnie Acker Signing up helps us organize tasks and tools, announce a rain date, and inform you if there will be a limit on participants.
We hope you can join us for one or more of these days. We’re looking forward to seeing you and doing some enjoyable and useful work together.
Help Intervale Community Farm Go Solar!
ICF is planning to install solar panels on the rooftops of our farm buildings this summer. Generating our own electricity has been a goal of ICF for several years, and while it took a while to get here, we expect to have our system up and running by mid-July this summer. Rated at 46kw, the system will provide all of the electrical needs of ICF, with some additional capacity we expect to grow into. Excess power in the near term will be purchased and used by our farm neighbors. We are looking for Intervale Community Farm Cooperative members interested in earning a financial return while supporting ICF’s switch to solar power. If you are interested, please contact Farm Manager Andy Jones, andy@intervalecommunityfarm.com or 802 658 2919x4.