By Johanna Setta, Food Access Coordinator Healthy Roots Collaborative
Local products made in Northwest Vermont can make for a memorable holiday meal. Highlighted below are some of the items Franklin and Grand Isle County farmers have available to you.
Boston Post Dairy: The White Diamond camembert style cheese took a bronze medal at the Eastern States competition this year! It’s a soft, creamy, surface ripened goats milk cheese that averages 8-9 ounces in size. Boston Post loves using the White Diamond with their local jams. Place the entire cheese on your favorite baking dish, drizzle jam or maple syrup on top, and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. This makes the perfect no fuss appetizer to be served with crackers or vegetables!
You can purchase White Diamond and other Boston Post Dairy Cheeses online by going to http://www.bostonpostdairy.com/farmstead-cheese.html. You can also buy any of their cheeses, soaps and lotions, maple products, and baked goods at their store front on 2061 Sampsonville Road in Enosburg Falls.
Happy Bird Poultry Farm: Make your holiday complete with a frozen, smoked, or cooked free-range chicken! They are located in Isle La Motte and have their own state inspected processing facility on site. Feeling like a whole bird might be too much to handle? Stop by the farm and pick-up a chicken pot pie. Ember likes to pair a whole roasted chicken with root vegetables and feels this classic dish really highlights the taste and quality of her happy birds!
You can stop by the farm store front Monday – Friday from Noon – 7 pm or Sat and Sun from 9 am until 7 pm. If you would like to place a large order or have a special request, give them a call at 802-343-4182 or email happybirdpoultryfarm@gmail.com.
Breezy Acres Farm: Their pork and beef cuts are perfect for a family dinner or brunch! They have everything from roasts to bacon and sausage and don’t forget your Christmas ham. Wendy loves her bacon and although she finds it to be glorious on its own, she finds it most useful for bean and casserole dishes.
You can find Breezy Acres products at restaurants like the 1906 house, Phineas Swann B&B, and the Black Lantern Inn. They have a price list on their website http://www.breezyacresfarmvt.com/ and you can purchase products by emailing breezyacresfarmvt@gmail.com or calling 802-326-2197. They have both on-farm pick-up and delivery routes.
Hackett’s Orchard: You can still source local apples, sweet cider, and maple syrup from this South Hero farm! Apple pie is not just for Thanksgiving. Surprise your family with warm sweet cider as an after dinner treat made with apples from down the road.
All products can be purchased at their farm store, which is open daily from 8 am – 6 pm until December 31st at 86 South St in South Hero. Feel free to call Deb at 802-372-4848 for special orders or inquiries about their products.
Blue Heron Farm: Their certified organic frozen heritage chicken, organic grass fed lamb, and organic wool yarn make both excellent holiday gifts and center pieces for your community meal with friends or family. They believe deeply that it is important for our world to have an organic, local food system. Christine and Adam are always looking for ways to give back and ensure that buying high quality food is affordable for their friends and neighbors.
You can find them at the Champlain Islands Winter Farmers Market at the Congregational Church in South Hero from 10 am – 2 pm on December 16th. Contact the farm for direct purchases of any of the above products by calling 802-372-3420 or emailing harmonyvt@yahoo.com.
Plymouth Cheese: Surprise your friends and family with this fun fact: Plymouth Cheese Factory is the second oldest cheese factory in the United States! They are particularly excited about those warm comfort foods during this time of year. Make your mac n’ cheese exciting by using their East Meadow cheese with a few slices of the hot pepper. They enjoy all of their varieties in a classic grilled cheese sandwich, diced up on salads, or in quesadillas.
You can purchase this fabulous Vermont Cheese at As the Crow Flies, the Coop Creamery, and Evelyn’s On the Square Bakery.
Seasoning: Now that there are some local meat and poultry options, how are we going to season that ham or whole chicken?
Bergeron Farm grows vegetables during the summer to fall months. In the winter, Terry sells his Pineapple Pepper Jelly and Picked Jalapeno Rings. The jelly makes a perfect marinade for meat and poultry or a sweet glaze for a ham. The jalapeno rings can be diced and added to ground beef to make spicy one-of-a kind burgers or topped over ham to create that sweet and savory combination. Call 802-933-4232 to pick-up either of these unique seasonings.
Winnie uses her jerk seasoning powder year-round. This is a great seasoning for any holiday dish that can be used on beef, chicken, pork, or even potatoes! A little bit of this custom seasoning goes a long way. You can purchase this product by calling 802-310-9716.
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