Thursday, March 24 — RUTLAND — Rutland Area Farm and Food Link will be hosting two interactive forums in conjunction with Vermont Farm to Plate and the Rutland Regional Planning Commission. Both forums will take place in Rutland City, followed by a farmers and friends mixer afterwards.
The first forum, “Rutland County: Planning for Growth in our Region’s Food System” will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Opera House conference room at 59-67 Merchants Row, 3rd floor, Rutland. Invited are all of Rutland County farm and food contributors, partners and collaborators. Get updates about the Rutland Regional Planning Commission’s agricultural chapter, weigh in with your perspectives and ideas, identify opportunities and challenges as well as ask questions and learn from each other.
The second forum, “Rutland Area Food Producers: Creating a Committed Customer Base” will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Vermont Farmers Food Center, 251 West Street, Rutland. All food producers in the Rutland area are welcome to actively participate in this facilitated forum, along with all others interested in the challenges and successes of customer engagement for local farms and food producers. Join for a diverse panel of producers who will share their experiences, challenges and successes in growing their committed customer bases. Get the results of RAFFL’s recent consumer survey and identify ways to build our local markets.
Following the day’s forums will be farmer and friends mixer at 7 p.m. at Hop ‘n Moose, 41 Center Street, Rutland. Those who love food, farms and community are invited! Slake your thirst, shake off the winter blues and join for casual gathering immediately following the last forum, to network and celebrate our vibrant farm and food scene.
For more information, visit www.rutlandfarmandfood.org and follow the menus.
