Butternut Mountain Farm Brings Vermont Maple to the Masses

20 Pages·2014·11.42 MB·English

In This Issue
Organic Hydroponic? . . . . . . . 4
Lexicon of Sustainability . . . . 8
Organic Dairy Wins Award . . . .14
Farm Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
NOFA VT Board Ballot . . . . . . 19
The Quarterly Newsletter of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont
Tapping the Market: Butternut Mountain Farm Brings
Vermont Maple to the Masses
by Caitlin Jenness, NOFA Vermont Beginning Farmer Programs Coordinator and Revolving Loan Fund Administrator
In the 1970s, David Marvin started a small sugaring opera-
tion on his family’s land in Johnson, Vermont. Over the last
40 years, Marvin’s personal and business philosophy has led
him to build a thriving company while staying true to the
old-fashioned rural values that prioritize personal relation-
ships and quality products. The once-small sugaring opera-
tion in Johnson now encompasses approximately 16,000
taps, and Butternut Mountain Farm employs over 85 people
packaging and distributing syrup from over 300 producers
to a range of customers, including major retail and grocery
chains and natural foods markets throughout the nation. This
Photo courtesy Butternut Mountain Farm
syrup, processed in the heart of Morrisville, is sold locally and
online under the Butternut Mountain Farm label, bottled for allows Vermont syrup from many family farms to reach
numerous retailers’ private label brands, processed into maple these larger markets.
sugar and candies, and sold to food producers who use it in
Marvin grew up surrounded by the sugaring industry; his
products ranging from specialty cheese to vodka.
father, a professor of botany at the University of Vermont
When Marvin began sugaring, Vermont produced an esti- (UVM), co-founded UVM’s Proctor Research Center in
mated 225,000 gallons of syrup per year, but efficiencies in Underhill, VT which focuses on research, demonstration,
production, namely sap collection and boiling technologies, and education about sugar maples, collection, evapora-
have allowed Vermont’s maple syrup industry to expand tion, and other management issues affecting the industry.
significantly; last year Vermont’s maple syrup production In 1972, after completing his degree in Forestry at UVM
neared 1,300,000 gallons. and a few years in the Forest Service, Marvin wanted to
return to his family’s land in Johnson. Dairy farming had
That’s a quantity that even
little appeal, so he started a Christmas tree farm and a small
Vermont’s devoted maple-loving
sugaring operation. In those first few years he sold his syrup
population can’t hope to consume
primarily at the Burlington Farmers Market and through a
locally, so much of the syrup is
mail-order list. Over time, he added retail customers and a
sold out-of-state through various
delivery route around the state, continuing to expand his
markets: approximately 15% of the
operation to meet this demand.
state’s production is sold directly
through retail channels, and the In the 1980s, after facing two difficult sugaring seasons
remainder is sold either as bulk or back-to-back, Marvin found he was unable to fill his
wholesale. As an aggregator and
distributor, Butternut Mountain Continued on page 6 »
Farm serves an important role that
Winter Thoughts from Enid
NOFA Vermont
PO Box 697, 14 Pleasant St.
It was great to see so many of you at [This worldview] impedes dialogue between
Richmond, VT 05477
NOFA: 802-434-4122 what Phillip Ackerman-Leist dubbed our us and others. It greatly reduces the num-
VOF: 802-434-3821 SNOW-FA winter conference. Getting ber of collaborators we can work with on
[email protected] northern Vermont’s first big snow of the large national or global issues. I want to see
www.nofavt.org
winter on the Friday before the confer- organic’s best ideas presented and understood
Board of Directors ence was a hindrance, for sure, but I am as innovative farming solutions proven by
Mimi Arnstein impressed with the gusto of the attendees experience and science, not dismissed as unre-
Paul Costello – undeterred by weather that would have alistic or elitist or as ideology.
Sona Desai
shut down most of the states in this coun-
Mara Hearst We are part of something bigger, bigger than
try, much less their winter conferences. We
Debra Heleba
organic, fair trade, and all the critical issues
Andrew Knafel only faced one major cancellation due to
put together. This Something Bigger is the
Andrea Scott the storm – one of our FarmsTED speak-
Ross Thurber ers, Darlene Wolnik, was unable to fly future food system, emerging now.”
Kate Turcotte
from New Orleans, but people drove from
Shortly after the conference, I received an
Staff all over the east coast and farther reaches email from NOFA-VT member, and certi-
to spend the weekend together, despite the
Enid Wonnacott fied organic farmer, Peter Burmeister, who
Executive Director weather. Thank you all for your efforts.
had this response to Michael’s talk:
Kirsten Bower
Financial Manager If you were not able to be at the confer- “Michael has clearly aligned himself with
ence, I wanted to share some of the key-
Erin Buckwalter those commercial forces that have steadfastly
Food Security & notes and a post-conference conversation I worked to undermine organic standards in
Marketing Coordinator have had with one of our members that has
the cynical interest of pragmatism over prin-
Nicole Dehne kept me thinking. Our winter conference ciple. What may be very good for Red Tomato
VOF Coordinator theme this year was “Growing Outside the
is very bad for the interests of NOFA and
Sam Fuller Box.” We chose this to address the ways other similar organizations.
Technical Assistance the organic movement has grown beyond
Program Administrator
the confines of its “box” to address other Putting it another way, local is not the equiva-
Amy Gifford issues in our food system like social justice, lent of organic, not when the local producer
Vermont FEED Assistant
climate change, and health care. uses the same noxious chemicals and harmful
Caitlin Gildrien
tillage practices as large industrial agriculture.
Outreach Coordinator
We invited Michael Rozyne, founder of
…And to further recommend that we, as
Michael Good Equal Exchange and Red Tomato, as our
organic producers, should find ways to break
Community Food Security
Saturday keynote to tackle questions like:
Program Assistant down the wall between us and “conventional”
How can organic be a leverage point for
agriculturists sows the seed of destruction for
Ashley Green
addressing new issues like social justice and
VOF Livestock and Dairy the organic movement. In short Michael’s
Certification Specialist fair labor? How do we get our message out
speech was an outright exhortation for us to
to a larger choir? Can organic agriculture
Caitlin Jenness relax our standards and thereby give up the
Beginning Farmer Coordinator and serve as an important gateway to other
Revolving Loan Fund Administrator fight for pure, wholesome food.”
issues?
Abbie Nelson I appreciated Peter reaching out to
Agricultural Education Coordinator Recognizing the risk of taking just
highlight a very real debate – one being
some sections of Michael’s talk, entitled
Laura Nunziata discussed among the NOFA-VT board,
VOF Certification Specialist Something Bigger, out of context, these are
among producers, and at National Organic
some of his words that resonated for me:
Johanna Prader Standards Board meetings. At NOFA-VT,
VOF Certification Staff Assistant
we are in an ongoing conversation about
“There is also organic fundamentalism, the
Barbara Richardson our “something bigger” – the goal of a
Office Manager belief that organic philosophy covers every
robust local food system that stewards the
aspect of sustainable food; that it’s the only
Dave Rogers land and supports communities – and how
Policy Advisor way to farm responsibly; and the belief that
to balance our commitment to promote
all growers using conventional pesticides are
Gregg Stevens and market certified organic producers
VOF Certification Specialist morally wrong.
Becca Weiss
Office Assistant NOFA Vermont is an organization of farmers, gardeners, & consumers working to promote an economically
viable and ecologically sound Vermont food system for the benefit of current and future generations.
Page 2 NOFA Notes Spring 2014
with our knowledge that organic certi- local, or certified vs non-certified, or even farmers in Vermont tell their story.
fication is not the only way to measure organic vs sustainable. It is much larger
I am inspired by this organization that
a farm’s commitment to conscientious than all that. This time is about the in-
I have been part of for so many years,
and sustainable production. For exam- tegrity of our values as farmers and citi-
and I am inspired by our members
ple, by providing technical assistance zens, about how we treat everything from
– farmer and non-farmer, certified
to non-certified farms, are we dimin- our soil to our customers. This time is
organic and otherwise – who serve as
ishing the value of organic, or are we about how we can show that agriculture
an important collective voice thought-
bringing more farmers toward better can go from being the most exploitative
fully addressing many of the issues I
practices, some of who will eventually pursuit the planet has ever known to the
have raised in this article. Please help
pursue certification? most generative and healing pursuit. And
us continue the conversation by shar-
this time is about telling the full story
Helen Whybrow contributed to ing your comments on our blog or
of what we believe in as farmers and
the discussion as one of our Sunday Facebook page, or by contacting me
people.”
FarmsTED speakers. Helen is an directly.
organic farmer in Waitsfield, a past Helen and filmmaker Michael Sacca
member of the NOFA-VT board of from Tunbridge worked together over
directors, and currently works with the summer to document the values
NOFA on communicating the values held by organic farmers in Vermont.
of organic production through video The resulting 9-minute video, Organic Watch Michael's and Helen’s talks, the Organic
and stories. Matters, was shown at the winter con- Matters film, and more conference highlights
on our YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/
ference and can be viewed on NOFA-
TheNOFAVT.
Helen said, “It’s time that we realize
VT’s webpage (www.nofavt.org).
that this time is not about organic vs
Please share it widely to help organic
The Necessary [r] Evolution for
Sustainable Food Systems
Calling all food systems scholars, practitioners, leaders, and eaters!
Join us for sessions with influential scholars and positive change makers
Engage in dialogue on the pressing food systems issues facing our world
uvm.edu/foodsystemssummit #UVMFoodSummit
NOFA Notes Spring 2014 Page 3
Is That Organic Tomato Hydroponically Grown?
By Nicole Dehne, Vermont Organic Farmers Certification Administrator
Walk into any natural food store in NOP standards require that that represents the interests of the organic
any season and you are likely to certified organic farmers maintain and community, carefully examined the
find a prominent display of gorgeous, work to continually improve the bio- appropriateness of allowing hydro-
red, organic tomatoes. The stores un- logical, chemical, and physical condi- ponically grown crops to be certified
derstand that many of their customers tion of the soil. organic.
want to be able to buy tomatoes year-
But there is no soil used in hydroponic It concluded that, “[H]ydroponics, the
round. But what most customers do
production systems. So, how is it that production of plants in nutrient rich
not know is that those organic green-
that USDA Organic hydroponic toma- solutions or moist inert material, or
house tomatoes may well be grown
toes wind up on our market shelves? aeroponics, a variation in which plant
hydroponically – in other countries.
roots are suspended in air and continu-
ally misted with nutrient solution,
“Hydroponics or aeroponics have their place in production agriculture, have their place in production agricul-
ture, but certainly cannot be classified
but certainly cannot be classified as certified organic growing methods .”
as certified organic growing methods
due to their exclusion of the soil-plant
Hydroponic crops are grown using
At January’s annual meeting of ecology intrinsic to organic farming
16 or 17 minerals, dissolved in water
Vermont Organic Farmers (VOF), an systems and USDA/NOP regulations
and in proportions that enable plants
LLC of NOFA Vermont and a USDA- governing them.”
to grow. ( In “organic” hydroponic
accredited organic certification agency,
systems, these nutrients would have to Despite this clear and direct recom-
the matter of whether hydroponic
be derived from natural sources, like mendation, the current administration
crops should be certified as organic
liquid fish.) Most often the plants are of the National Organic Program has
and allowed to display the familiar
grown in moist inert media such as continued to allow the certification of
USDA organic label was the subject of
perlite or coconut husks that provide hydroponic operations and crops. This
a long and serious discussion.
no nutrition. Almost any plant can be has angered informed organic consum-
Organic farmers at the meeting spoke grown this way. ers, many organic farming associations
knowledgeably and passionately about and organic farmers in Vermont and
In 2010, the National Organic
the founding principles of the organic across the nation.
Standards Board (NOSB), a fifteen-
farming movement. They spoke of
member USDA advisory board that
how reliance on chemical fertilizers Continued on page 5 »
degrades soil structure, fertility and
microbial life, to the detriment of
plant health and nutrient density.
Healthy soil is more than just a physi-
cal medium that holds plants upright:
it is a complex ecosystem that recycles
and makes available minerals and nu-
trients that enable plants to resist pests
and diseases without the use of chemi-
cal inputs and synthetic fertilizers. The
“building” of rich living soils is the
central focus on every organic farm.
Since 2002, the USDA’s National
Organic Program (NOP), which is
responsible for developing national
standards for organic farming and food
processing, has recognized this prin-
Photo by Maria Reade
ciple of organic agriculture.
Page 4 NOFA Notes Spring 2014
Hydroponics, continued from page 4
Late in 2013, a Vermont organic farm- countries that allow hydroponics to organic consumers to sign on to Dave
er, David Chapman of Long Wind be labeled organic. Mexico, Canada, Chapman’s petition and let the policy
Farm, initiated online petitions for Japan, New Zealand, and 24 European makers in the USDA and the NOP
consumers and farmers that demand countries, (including Holland, know that many thousands of organic
that the NOP stop allowing hydro- England, Germany, Italy, France, and consumers, advocates and producers
ponic crops to be labeled organic. As Spain) all prohibit hydroponic veg- care about the integrity of Certified
of early March, these petitions have etables to be sold as organic in their Organic products, and that they expect
over one thousand signatures of con- own countries. the fundamental principles of organic
cerned consumers and farmers. agriculture to be respected – and not
But that does not prevent hydroponic
At the VOF meeting in January,
organic producers certified by VOF The vast majority of the “hydroponic organic” produce sold in this
expressed serious concerns that
country is grown in Mexico, Canada, or Holland . And it is not labeled as
the NOP is flagrantly ignoring the
hydroponic .
recommendation of the NOSB, and
approved the following resolution:
“Vermont Organic Farmers demands
treated like dirt.
that the National Organic Program producers in these countries from sell-
accept the 2010 NOSB recommenda- ing their hydroponic vegetables in the Sign on to David Chapman’s petition:
• www.keepthesoilinorganic.org
tion to prohibit soil-less hydroponic United States as certified organic! In
Read the NOSB recommendation:
vegetable production as certified or- fact, the vast majority of the “hydro-
• www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocN
ganic.” Senators Leahy, Sanders and ponic organic” produce sold in this ame=STELPRDC5084677
Representative Welch support this country is grown in Mexico, Canada,
Learn more about certified organic:
position and have stated their inten- or Holland. And it is not labeled as • nofavt.org/find-organic-food/why-organic
tion to press the NOP on the matter. hydroponic.
The United States is one of the few It is time to take a stand. We urge
Together, Better Choices
…like carrying thousands of local products.
Current local food sourcing needs at the Co-op:
Rolled oats Peaches, plums & pears
Organic popcorn kernels Cherries, sweet & pie
Single source butter Dried herbs & herbal teas
Season-extended greens Bee pollen
Heirloom vegetables Chicken, pastured and/or organic
Peas, snow & snap Lamb, pastured
For a full list, visit www.citymarket.coop/local-products-gap or
contact David Anderson, Merchandising Manager at 802-861-9722 or
[email protected].
Champlain Orchards, Shoreham photo by J.Silverman 82 S. Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
Open 7 days a week, 7 a.m. - 11 p.m.
[phone] www.citymarket.coop
NOFA Notes Spring 2014 Page 5
Butternut Mountain Farm, continued from page 1
accounts from his own production.
Faced with possibility of losing his
customers, he began to work with
other producers as a distributor.
Marvin realized that diversification
of supply (through sourcing syrup
from himself and others) along with
diversification in sales channels was
the key to a reliable business model –
and following that model, Butternut
Mountain Farm has grown, expanded,
and continued to find success. Marvin
still operates the sugarbush on his
family land in Johnson, and now also
purchases syrup from approximately
250 Vermont farms, as well as farmers
in New Hampshire, Maine, New York,
Maple syrup ready to meet the world. Photo courtesy Butternut Mountain Farm
Quebec, Wisconsin, and even Ohio.
purchases organic syrup from at least The regulations protect the organic
Going Organic 50 other certified organic maple syrup integrity of the syrup itself by requir-
In 2000, Marvin was approached by producers. This organic syrup is then ing sugar makers to use non-synthetic
a customer – a large, national natural sold nationwide, often in chain stores defoamers (which are added to sap
foods store – which suggested Marvin serving traditionally lower-income during boiling), clean equipment with
have his maple syrup certified organic, demographic. In this way, Butternut food-grade sanitizers, avoid galvanized
and told him he could expect a 30% Mountain Farm is bringing a pure, or- buckets and storage tanks (which
increase in sales for the organic syrup. ganic, natural sweetener to the masses, contain tin), and periodically test their
Grasping this opportunity, Marvin ap- and its sales continue to outpace its syrup for lead content.
plied for and gained organic certifica- conventional counterpart.
More extensive are the requirements
tion for his sugaring operation. Marvin
Marvin initially resisted certification; producers must follow to protect the
and the store were both surprised
feeling that the guidelines were com- long-term health and future growth of
when, instead of the predicted 30%
mon sense for sugar makers anyway, their sugarbush. These practices center
sales increase, sales of organic syrup
he did not want to deal with the around the creation of, and adherence
actually doubled.
to, a forest management plan which
outlines strategies to promote and
manage overall forest health, biodiver-
Marvin and the store were both surprised when, instead of the
sity, invasive species management and
predicted 30% sales increase, sales of organic syrup actually doubled .
stand regeneration. [See sidebar.]
As Marvin indicated, these steps
should be common practice among
Based on that principle of the impor-
those interested in preserving the
tance of diversification in sales chan- additional paperwork that it requires.
longevity of Vermont’s maple indus-
nels, Butternut Mountain Farm strives He now recognizes the importance of
try, but with the steep increase in new
to ensure that no single customer organic certification, not just because
producers Vermont has seen in recent
makes up more than 20% of their of the sales it brings, but as a way to
years, the organic guidelines serve as
business. To keep with this, Marvin guarantee that he himself, and the
a set of best management practices to
challenged himself to grow the sales sugar makers he works with, follow
ensure producers keep long-term forest
of organic syrup in his other market sound management practices.
health in mind. Organic producers are
channels as well. Now, 50% of the
Organic standards for maple syrup ad- required to work with a forester to cre-
syrup sold by Butternut Mountain
dress two major areas: food safety and ate and follow their forest management
Farm is certified organic, and in addi-
integrity, and the long-term health
tion to his own production, Marvin
and sustainability of the sugarbush. Continued on page 7 »
Page 6 NOFA Notes Spring 2014
Butternut Mountain Farm, continued from page 6
plan, and they also must submit to a yearly inspection where
Protecting the Organic
all of these processes are verified by an independent third
party.
Sugarbush
Sweet Success
Small-scale sugaring was once a common, off-season addition
to other farming activities, providing an important source
of early season cash flow for farmers needing to pay off the
winter grain bill or purchase seeds, supplies, or equipment
for the upcoming season. While many of these smaller opera-
tions still exist, the state now has larger, more efficient opera-
tions, from which people are gaining a full-time income.
These producers have a choice to invest in processing and
bottling equipment and manage their own distribution, or
Organic standards have a lot to say about
sell to wholesale purchasers such as Butternut Mountain
ensuring the long-term health of our Farm. Marvin prides himself in the relationships he has with
maple forests. the producers who supply him. He tries to visit all of their
farms at least once every three years, recognizes them by
Logging practices:
name, and has had long-term purchasing relationships with
• Producers must log in a sustainable manner many, some of which extend through multiple generations.
that minimizes impact.
Butternut Mountain Farm now has a waiting list of produc-
• Logging roads must not cause runoff, un- ers who want to sell syrup to them. As Vermont’s maple
necessary compaction, or erosion issues. production continues to increase, Marvin will continue to
• Producers cannot use whole-tree harvesting seek new markets and value-added products. While Marvin
to remove logs from a forest, the practice initially set out to work the land, he now spends much of
of which can significantly limit re-growth of his time in the offices and packaging plant. This type of
future forests. work may not have the back-to-the-land allure that initially
attracted Marvin to sugaring, but Butternut Mountain Farm
Tree selection: can measure its success and contributions to the agricul-
tural economy in many arenas, ranging from being a quality
• To ensure growth of sizeable trees for a fu-
employer and active community based business, to being a
ture maple crop, producers must wait until
reliable purchasing partner.
trees are at minimum 9” in diameter before
tapping. Businesses such as Butternut Mountain Farm are often
unsung heroes in the diversification and growth of Vermont’s
• Producers must maintain biodiversity in
agricultural sector. While many have recently been drawn to
their sugarbushes to prohibit the transfor-
farming as a way of life, businesses like Marvin’s are essential
mation to maple mono-crops.
to build the infrastructure and sales channels that support
Tapping: many of those farmers. And while the local, direct-to-con-
sumer sale is deservedly praised, there is still an important
• Each year’s tap holes must be far enough
place in the farming economy for the export of products that
apart from the previous year’s tap to ensure
Vermont produces well and in quantity.
the tap holes can heal properly.
Vermont is the nation’s leader in maple syrup production,
• Producers can only put a limited number of
and as long as weather conditions favor its production in the
taps per tree.
state, Butternut Mountain Farm will be a key driver support-
• Producers can’t use fungicidal treatments,
ing the strength of the sugaring industry for those involved.
which prevent tap holes from closing, invite
1
disease and bacteria into the trees, and can
stunt their future growth. For more information:
• Butternut Mountain Farm: www.butternutmountainfarm.com/
• Organic Standards for Maple: www.nofavt.org/VOF
NOFA Notes Spring 2014 Page 7
The Lexicon of Sustainability: Tapping Into Practitioners
and Innovators
By Maria Buteux Reade, NOFA Vermont member
This article explores the work of Douglas and Laura Gayeton, creators of “The Lexicon of Sustainability.” The Gayetons presented their project at a
lunchtime session during the NOFA-VT Winter Conference in February. The couple then traveled to Green Mountain College where they spent four
days working with graduate students in Philip Ackerman-Leist’s Masters in Sustainable Food Systems program.
Douglas Geyeton discusses his process in a
class at Green Mountain College following
the Winter Conference.
Fair trade, free trade, direct trade. No wonder people are confused. Each that’s when they saw firsthand people’s
Grain fed, pasture raised, cage free. year, new vocabulary evolves to explain confusion over what to eat and how
Food security, food sovereignty, food how food is grown, marketed, and dis- it’s grown. Market days became an
justice. How about bio-regionalism? tributed. Unfortunately some of these exercise in education as the Gayetons
Face certification? Aguoir? Farm fairies? terms confuse more than clarify. Yet patiently explained concepts such as
If you can accurately define these terms, Douglas Gayeton claims that with a lactose intolerance, gluten free, organic
congratulations. If you struggle a bit to little education, these same words can versus local, sustainably raised. People
explain them, don’t worry – you are not also change the world. Especially when appeared bewildered by the terminol-
alone. that education blends with art. ogy related to food and farming. So
the couple decided to merge their
There’s a limited amount of real estate Gayeton and his wife, Laura,
talents to create a lexicon of sustain-
on food packages. Savvy marketers can have launched “The Lexicon of
ability, using art and words to clarify
exploit the public’s vague understand- Sustainability,” a resource to help
the concepts.
ing of how our food is produced and people better understand the concepts
thus use trigger words that impact behind sustainability. They believe that Douglas is a filmmaker, photographer,
our food decisions. Eggs are a prime “people can’t be expected to live more and writer, and Laura has twenty years
example with descriptors such as cage sustainably if they don’t comprehend of experience producing commercials.
free, free range, pasture raised. But the basic principles.” This multi-plat- Their first step was to travel the country
did the hens actually live and scratch form approach includes a website, a se- and abroad to interview thought lead-
outside in the grass or was there merely ries of short films, and a body of photo ers, farmers, and food systems innova-
a door in the corner of the warehouse? collages. A book (Local: The New Face tors, asking people to define the key
Or beef: some consumers are puzzled of Food and Farming in America) will terms and concepts of their practices.
by the distinction between grain hit the shelves this June. Certain people are synonymous with
finished and grass fed. Can a farm be specific solutions. For example, Alice
In 2004, the Gayetons were raising
organic but not certified organic? If Waters and the edible schoolyard, Wes
goats in Petaluma, California and
neither, does that mean the farmer is Jackson on prairie restoration, Vandana
started a goat milk ice cream com-
purely conventional and maybe uses Shiva on seed saving, Paul Stamets on
pany, the first in the U.S. They sold
GMO seeds? mushrooms and Temple Grandin on
their product at farmers markets, and
humane slaughter.
Page 8 NOFA Notes Spring 2014
Along the way, the Gayetons also “The Story of an Egg,” which quickly project user-friendly. Project Localize
came across fascinating people who became the most-watched video on teaches kids to map their local food
introduced new terms and principles. pbs.org, tackles the issue of mass-pro- system and identify who grows and
“We’re less expert about the subjects duction versus pasture-raised methods. distributes their food. Their 2013 pilot
we document and more adept at find- 21 additional short films will appear program, working with 75 high school
ing those experts and bringing their on pbs.org throughout 2014. The goal students in Ames, Iowa, ended up
ideas to the widest possible audience,” is to explore how food (or water or en- travelling to Capitol Hill in a presenta-
says Gayeton. They met Benzi, a ergy) is created, harvested, distributed, tion to the USDA.
young farmer from Israel who coined and consumed.
“We recognize that no single person
the term “Economies of Community,”
The Lexicon project exists to spark dia- with a camera could ever capture the
as opposed to economies of scale. And
logue, to get consumers and producers extraordinary volume of innovative
Alejandro and Nikhil of Oakland,
thinking and talking. The multi-plat- thinking happening across the country,
California who practice upcycling,
form approach allows people to enter so we decided to crowd-source the
adding value (inoculated fungi
the conversation through a variety of making of the information artworks.”
spawn) to a potential waste product
portals: website, video, photo collage. Ideally, a body of artworks coalesces
(spent coffee grounds) and convert-
For the Gayetons, it’s all about open- into a pop-up show, curated by a local
ing it to a viable new product (oyster
sourced ideas and information. People volunteer to share with their commu-
mushrooms).
are both information disseminators nity, with the goal of sparking discus-
From Inspiration to Information Art
Back in California, Douglas and Laura
developed a unique form of art featur-
ing hand-written text etched onto
a photo collage made of up to 500
images. The end result, which can take
from a week to a year to complete, is a
rich and vibrant large-scale (2 ft x 3 ft)
photograph that tells a story through
the merged images and the handwrit-
ten text which captures the subject’s An information
own words. Those pieces, called “in- artwork in progress.
Photo courtesy
formation artworks,” can exist on their
Douglas Gayeton
own while also forming the basis of the
short films. The artworks document
our food systems and practices, from and collectors. Douglas encourages sion and action. Lindsay Arbuckle of
agriculture to fisheries, rural to urban. this concept of “promiscuous distribu- Alchemy Gardens in Rutland serves as
More than 200 have been created all tion,” generating free information for the curator for Vermont.
across the United States over the past the public to use and spread. For him,
The Lexicon of Sustainability team
five years. the more people who take and distrib-
taps into the people with ideas that can
ute content, the more opportunity for
At the NOFA Winter Conference in change the way we think and live. The
enlightenment.
February, Douglas and Laura gave an Lexicon focused on food and farming
hour-long presentation of five short Project Localize is yet another initia- first. Next up: water and energy. Stay
films they have produced for pbs. tive under the Lexicon umbrella. The tuned and remember, our words can
org. Entitled “Know Your Food,” the Gayetons teach interested groups of change the world. 1
films’ power stems from their brevity: students, from high school juniors
For more information:
they range from three to six minutes. and seniors to graduate students, how • www.lexiconofsustainability
Each film offers an intensive, creative to interview movers and shakers from • www.pbs.org/food/shows/the-lexicon-of-
sustainability/
immersion into a single concept, for their own community food systems
example, “Local vs. Organic,” “True and create information artworks. They
Cost Accounting,” “Food Waste,” and equip participants with a tool kit of
“Economies of Community.” instructions that makes the digital
NOFA Notes Spring 2014 Page 9
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