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2020 Rooted in Vermont Week

 

“Food In Your Backyard” Week @ Your Library (October 11-17, 2020)

From October 11 - 17, 2020, the Vermont Department of Libraries (VTLIB) will team up with Rooted in Vermont to promote library programming that explores food found in your backyard – and we invite you to join us!

What's Rooted in Vermont?

Rooted in Vermont is a grassroots movement that celebrates how Vermonters enjoy and acquire local food. They’re working to change the “local food” narrative so everyone sees local food as their own – not just some trendy thing. Their goal: to increase consumption of local food, resulting in more jobs and more money staying in our communities while preserving Vermont’s working landscapes. For more information: Rooted in Vermont Brochure (PDF).

What is "Exploring Food in Your Backyard Week?"

We are encouraging libraries across the state to schedule one or more programs/activities for their community that focus on food that patrons can find “in their backyard.” Whether that’s gardening, foraging, or hunting and fishing - there are lots of activities to explore.

Given uncertainties about gatherings later this year, we encourage libraries to schedule online, asynchronous, or other types of programs that allow for distancing. To help with this, we are doing three things:

  1. We’ve brainstormed a list of program ideas to help inspire you (both virtual and non-virtual ideas)
  2. We are planning an online “kick off” event that you can share with your patrons. This Facebook Live event will feature author, former state legislator, VPR commentator, and well-known beekeeper and home brewer Bill Mares; VT State Librarian and award-winning baker Jason Broughton; and farmer and co-creator of the Cooking Through Covid Facebook group, Natalie Guillette. There will be cooking demonstrations, information sharing and more. Tune in and invite a friend!
  3. We created a Beanstack challenge for the Food in Your Backyard week. Library patrons who register for the Food in Your Backyard Week Beanstack Challenge need to participate in ONE (1) event to become eligible to win a "Vermont Maple 100" gift basket to celebrate all things maple this fall. Tell patrons to register for Beanstack and look for the Food in Your Backyard Week challenge.

Rooted in Vermont’s project manager Shane Rogers will actively promote the week via social media, Front Porch Forum postings, and the Rooted in Vermont grassroots email list. VTLIB is looking into additional avenues for statewide promotion, including paid advertisements online and in newspapers.

How to Participate:

  1. Plan an activity for your library with a Rooted in Vermont theme focusing on some aspect of “food in your backyard” – gardening, foraging, and/or hunting and fishing.
  2. Submit the activity details through the Google Form.
  3. Promote the activity using your usual promotion channels and our customizable poster (PDF).
  4. Tell your patrons to register for Beanstack and look for the Food in Your Backyard Week challenge.

For participating, you will receive the following items and assistance from Rooted in Vermont:

  1. A package of FREE Rooted in Vermont bumper stickers, postcards, and brochures
  2. Before the event, Rooted in Vermont will send a press release featuring your event to your local newspaper and provide you a copy to distribute as you see fit
  3. Rooted in Vermont will add your event to their website, www.rootedinvermont.org, and actively promote the ‘Exploring Food in Your Backyard’ events leading up to the week

            

Questions? Contact Shane Rogers, Rooted in Vermont: 802-828-0404; shane@vsjf.org