Laura and Ken Dawson discuss the resilience of native grapes at Maple Springs Garden in Cedar Grove NC Credit Climate LIstening Project

I am looking forward to 3 days of learning and sharing ideas this coming week in the great state of Vermont – a national leader in practical and credible strategies for cultivating resilient communities – especially ag and food systems! I’ll be talking resilient agriculture and food systems with faculty, staff and students at UVM on Wednesday (10/18) and at Middlebury College on Thursday (10/19).

At UVM on Wednesday, I’ll focus on applications of resilience science to farm and food system education, research and development programs, where I will also meet with faculty and staff working in the Farming and Climate Change program at the Center for Sustainable Agriculture.  The Center is doing some very innovative work to develop economic case studies of climate adaptation, explore the potential of ecosystem services to enhance climate resilience of agroecosystems, and prepare farmers and foresters in the Northeast for the challenges that climate change will pose for their businesses.

The Organic Farm at Middlebury College, Vermont

I’ll be at Middlebury College on Thursday to talk food system resilience, with a focus on what it will take to put the U.S. food system on the path to resilient food future.  While at Middlebury, I’ll tour the student farm (celebrating it’s 15th year this year!)and talk with students in the Global Food Program about the work they are doing, at the college and beyond, to create solutions to some of the planet’s most challenging problems.

You can meet me at lunchtime seminars on campus both days or send me an email me if you would like to meet some other time while I’m on campus. Thanks to the UVM Plant and Soil Science Department and Woodin Colloquium Series, sponsored by the Environmental Studies Department at Middlebury for supporting my visit!