For the opening of our last community meeting, Helen had the idea to do an adaptation of a classic kids’ TV show theme song. Here is the video…fun to hear the different voices and feel the love come through.
Helen, Jesse, Bonnie, Lauren
The 4H kids had a great time.
It was a long fair 5 days and they worked hard and had many wonderful moments. We had many first place winners including fall calf, spring calf, 2 year old cow, fall yearling, spring yearling, best 2 sisters, best 3 sisters, vegetables and jam. in 2nd place we had dam daughter, spring yearling Holstein, summer yearling, fall.yearling and 2yr old cow. Maeve got first place in showmanship in her age group and 3rd out of 91 kids.overall. Kate had best in show for her blueberry jam. In a few cow classes the cows took all the 5 top spots. Valerie, our stylish fall calf was reserve jr. Champion.
There were tours, yummy tastings of farm-made cheese and conversation. We had a great turn-out of visitors from all over the east coast. The 4-H club had presentations and an information table, there were farm tours, a house tour, and general site tours including the wood-fired oven and the shiitake mushroom area. We even had a lemonade stand. Thank you to all who visited. If you missed it, we will have another next year, or contact us to set up a visit.
After the event, Cobb Hill members enjoyed yummy pizza from the brick pizza oven.
NRCS Vermont picked our farm as their favorite conservation practices in action. USDA then choose us as their national favorite. The focus is on mothers of all types in farming, human,bovine and equine.
http://nrcs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=5ac6d2e3785b449ea3d4ef094cf680c7
Cheese lovers rejoice! Cheese Madness is coming to Wild Oats February 24-April 8. This exciting culinary event will pit eight local cheeses against each other to see who will win over customers’ palates to become the 2017 champion!
On Fridays and Saturdays during the competition, customers can sample two cheeses and vote for their favorite. The winning cheese will be announced the following Monday, will be on sale that week and will go on to compete in the semi-finals.
In addition, each week you vote, you’ll be eligible for the weekly giveaway of a fruit and cheese basket that will include the winning cheese.
Week 1: Ascutney Mountain (Cobb Hill Cheese, Hartland, Vt.) vs. Alpha Tolman (Jasper Hill Farm, Greensboro Bend, Vt.)
WINNER: ASCUTNEY MOUNTAIN
Quilt for Duncan. Every family made a square. Coleen guided us through and pulled it all together. The kids love it!
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Letter to Kerry gawalt from the Vermont secretary of agriculture congratulating her on her honor.
Congratulations to Kerry who was just named the Vermont Farm Woman of the Year in recognition of her excellent farming practices and service to the community. We are very proud of Kerry and her tireless work.
I fired up the Garn today for the first time in over 2 years since leaving then returning to the hill. I must say, I had some trepidation, but it was more of a cloudy sense of uncertainty rather than a raging worry.
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Now that sunset is early enough, we are starting our Outdoor Movie Nights! First movie is Saturday night, Sept. 24th. Kids' movie starts at 7 PM. Fairytale: A true story. Older kids' movie starts at 8:30, Young Frankenstein. People bring popcorn and blankets as we gather under the stars to enjoy the films!!!
From the Vermont Standard: Ten 4-Hers, accompanied by Kerry Gawalt, their leader, as well as their parents took 16 cows to show in the Cornish Fair. The Hartland Cattle Club won the 4-H Dairy Herdsmanship Award!!! This is given to a group for working well together, being good ambassadors to the public by teaching them about cows and farming, and for keeping their barn and animals clean and presentable. Back row, from left, Alex Gray, Gawalt, Emily Surrell, Mary Scherer and Stephen Scherer. Front row, Maeve Leslie-Gawalt, Delia Morgan, Silvia Hale, John Scherer and Kate Wehmeyer. Not pictured, Cody Comstock.
Around 30 Fellows from the President Obama Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) came to Cobb Hill for an afternoon and evening of tours, conversations, soccer, a barbecue, s'mores by the campfire and a bit of music. There were close to 80 people in attendance, between Cobb Hill families, YALI Fellows and YALI administrators from Dartmouth. It was fabulous to see our Cobb Hill kids in deep conversation with the Fellows, or watch the impromptu, multi-generational soccer game. YALI Fellows got to taste Cobb Hill cheese and frozen yogurt. It was a blast introducing them to maple syrup and explaining that it is made from the sap of trees. YALI Fellows brought their own treats to share, including grasshoppers!
Fellows shared their interests and heard about life a Cobb Hill. There were great conversations about conflict resolution, governance, small-scale farming, green building and energy systems, and our small businesses.
After dinner, we sat around the fire pit. The kids taught the YALI Fellows how to roast a marshmallow and make a s'more. People brought out instruments and shared a love of music.
It was an extraordinary day.
Cobb Hill is a community of people who want to explore the challenge of living in ways that are materially sufficient, socially and ecologically responsible, and satisfying to the soul. Located in Hartland, VT on 280 acres.
