Vermont's farms are at the heart of our local food system, and so many of them grow, raise, and produce amazing foods and beverages that grace our tables. During the 10th annual Vermont Open Farm Week, (August 4 – 11, 2024), farms around Vermont open up their doors to the public for unique on-farm experiences, many of which feature farm-fresh food and drink!
With a range of experiences from tastings to BBQ nights, you're bound to find something that satisfies your cravings! These are just some of the many events taking place on Vermont farms during Vermont Open Farm Week - click here for the full list of events.
Sunday, August 4
Wine Tastings at Snow Farm Vineyard
South Hero | Sunday, August 4, 11:00am - 5:00pm
Snow Farm Vineyard & Winery welcomes you to visit the vineyard and enjoy wine tasting and events all week long during Vermont Open Farm Week. Learn about locally grown grape varietals from a vineyard that has been producing wine since the mid-nineties on the shores of Lake Champlain. Throughout the week, guests can also be served specialty cocktails using Snow Farm Distilled products: Snow Farm Grappa, Gin, Maple Liqueur and Raspberry Liqueur. Walking in is totally free! Just pay for products, wine tastings, and cocktails. No registration needed. Snow Farm Vineyard is open to the public during Open Farm Week from 11:00am to 5:00pm daily and from 11:00am to 6:00pm Friday and Saturday.
Maple Tastings at Vermont Trade Winds Farm
Shoreham | August 4th and 10th from 12:00pm - 8:00pm
Come to Vermont Trade Winds Farm to taste several of their maple products! Sample their maple syrup, maple cream donuts and maple cream. While you're there, stop by the Ice Cream Bar for a maple creemee, made with their darkest maple syrup. Or, pick up some peaches from the farmstand!
Taste the Difference You Want to See in the World: Lamb Tasting & Conversation at Green Mountain Girls Farm
Northfield | 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Circle up or swing by and join lamb appreciator Nancy Peck at the grill and sample simple preparations you can repeat at home. Delight in both the delicious tastes and aroma as well as dialogue about favorite lamb preparations! Regenerative agriculture looks different, smells different, nourishes differently AND TASTES different! In addition to the kofta, swing into the farmstand and sample some of the summer abundance and stock up with groceries and gifts for regenivores and regenitarians in your life!
Thursday, August 8th
Candy Making Demonstration at Silloway Maple
Randolph Center | 12:00pm - 1:00pm
See how the boiled down maple syrup - only pure maple syrup - pours from the "pig", into the trough and is stirred, and then poured into molds. Everyone attending will have a sample of the fresh, warm candy. Enjoy maple creamees, tours, syrup samples, and self guided sugarwoods hike as well. Large playground and goats to see.
Lunch and Farm Tour at Vermont Youth Conservation Corps
Richmond | 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Join VYCC for lunch and a farm tour on Thursday, August 8. At 1:00, begin with a farm-fresh vegetarian lunch, made from food grown and prepared by Corps Members, in the restored historic West Monitor Barn. At 1:30, tour VYCC and hear from Corps Members (youth and young adults) along the way. You'll check out 11 acres of organic vegetable, poultry, and egg production, and hear about how the Health Care Share connects over 400 families with a CSA: Vermont’s largest prescription vegetable program! You'll enter the active construction site of the East Monitor Barn (built 1901), currently being restored. The farm stand will be open. Registration is required and lunch spots are limited to 10 guests.
S'mores Night at Adam's Berry Farm
Charlotte | 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Family fun night on the farm: S'mores, Burgers by Grass Cattle Co, cocktails, music, art and more! Come for s’mores on the farm. There'll be handcrafted marshmallows from Nomadic Kitchen and local chocolate from Lake Champlain Chocolates to make the most delicious s’mores. Grass Cattle Company will be making burgers (limited amount) and Adventure Dinner will be there with berry inspired cocktails. There'll be music, art and games to make it an all around amazing evening. So come pick berries, bring a picnic, eat s’mores and listen to music and celebrate farms. $10 entry fee per family/group and the cost of food and drinks.
Friday, August 9th
How to Grow Grapes and Make Wine at Shelburne Vineyard
Shelburne 10:00am - 11:30am
Have you thought of growing wine grapes in Vermont, or wanted to learn how to make wine at home? Join the folks at Shelburne Vineyard for this course to learn all about cold climate winegrowing and the basics of home winemaking! Winegrowers Ethan Joseph and Tyler Mackelvey will teach the course, which includes a tour of our vineyard and winery. The cost for this event is $20 - please pre-register here!
Fried Chicken Dinner at Maple Wind Farm
Richmond | 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Get ready for the ultimate local farm Take Out dinner featuring mouthwatering golden, crispy, GF pasture-raised fried chicken. You have options to order the maple cornbread and crunchy organic slaw. Maple Wind Farm's commitment to quality shines through with chicken sourced right from their farm. Taste the difference in every juicy and tender bite. There will be some dessert options to surprise any dinner guests! (not eligible for delivery) $23/plate. Please reserve your dinners online.
Smoked Chicken Dinner at Plew Farm
Richmond | 6:00pm - 8:00pm
From Plew Farm to your table! Dinner served in the big red barn, featuring smoked Plew Farm chicken, corn on the cob, salads, drinks & dessert. Rain or shine! Cost is $25 per person. Reservations required. Please RSVP to [email protected] or call 802-259-2250.
Saturday, August 10th
Meet the Bees and Taste Honey from Around the World at Brookfield Bees
Brookfield | August 10th and 11th at 11:00am - 3:00pm
Brookfield Bees will be open Saturday August 10th and Sunday August 11th, 11am to 3pm for visitors interested in beekeeping and local honey. Their honey is unprocessed, with no heating or filtering so you get all the good things honey can provide. They have a huge collection of honey from all over the country and all over the world, from Maine to California and Iceland to New Zealand. Visitors will have an opportunity to try honey from various locations and various floral sources. So come meet the beekeeper, see an observation hive, watch bees work an actual hive through binoculars and find out why honey from the supermarket just cannot compete.
The 3rd Annual Great North American Maple Pie Contest at Baird Farm
Chittenden | 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Sit back and picnic while you watch the 3rd Annual Great North American Maple Pie Contest go down! Activities will include: pie contest with local celebrity judges, pie throwing, and of course eating pie and ice cream! The winner of the pie contest will receive a year's supply of maple syrup and other pie themed prizes! Lawn games, pie themed music, and fun for the whole family! Free to attend but please bring cash to participate in the pielicious activities! A portion of proceeds will go towards the Vermont Farmer's Food Center. Registration only required if making a pie.
Pasture Walk & Whole Hog BBQ Potluck with Live Music at Snug Valley Farm
Hardwick | 4:00pm - 9:00pm
Help us celebrate Open Farm Week at Snug Valley Farm in East Hardwick, VT with a pasture walk, pot luck, whole hog BBQ, and live music from our farmer friends. Make your way to Pumpkin Lane in East Hardwick where we will show you around Snug Valley Farm to see grass-fed beef grazing on pasture and heritage breed pigs romping about. Farmer Ben Nottermann will talk about the true meaning of regenerative agriculture and how our animals help sequester carbon and rebuild soil health. Then we will share an incredible meal of whole hog BBQ and potluck side dishes with live music from local farmers. Let's dance into the evening together. For this event, we welcome you to: - Bring a potluck dish (please put your name and phone number on the bottom of the bowl in case you forget to take it home with you) - BYOD - Bring your own drinks.
Sunday, August 11th
Corn Roast at Gingue Family Farm
Waterford | 11:00am - 3:00pm
Gingue Family Farm is well known for its amazing sweet corn, and one of their favorite ways to eat it is by roasting it over a bed of red hot coals. Enjoy some of the best roasted sweet corn around and then take a self-guided tour of the farm. Take a walk up to see the heifers, say hello to the pigs and chickens and stop in the farm store to see the granite stone mill. Gingue Family Farm loves animals but asks that pets be left at home since they can scare the livestock.
