Food and Philosophy at GMC
From the GMC Journal
Week of September 19, 2011
Raymond Boisvert, a leader of the new “convivialist” movement blending food with philosophy, gave a public talk at Green Mountain College on Thursday, September 22, at 4 p.m. in the East Room. The topic of his talk was “Convivialism Explored: How the Sick the Weak and the Parasitic Became new Paradigms for Philosophy and Evolution.” Raymond Boisvert received an M.A. from the University of Toronto and a Ph. D. from Emory University. A specialist in American philosophy, he has two books on John Dewey and many articles on Pragmatism.
Keith Presents Paper at American Philosophy Meeting
From the GMC Journal
Week of April 11, 2011
Prof. Heather Keith (philosophy) presented her paper "Pragmatist-Feminists Gone Wild: Addams, Noddings, and a Relational Approach to Environmental Ethics" at the annual meeting of the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy in Spokane, Wash., March 10-12.
Cerridwen Farm set to Receive $93,000 Grant
Green Mountain College’s Farm & Food Project has received a $93,000 grant from the Yavanna Foundation. The funding will be used to further develop the College’s fossil-free agriculture initiatives, including the hiring of a full-time post-doctoral researcher for two years and the associated purchase of research equipment. Read more.
Support from Duke Energy and Pierson Foundation Aids in Kitchen Revamp
Green Mountain College has received a $12,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation which will be matched by funding from the Pierson Family Foundation to renovate kitchen facilities at the College's Solar Harvest Center. The Solar Harvest Center (SHC), a farmhouse next to the College's Cerridwen farm, was acquired by GMC in 2008. Read more.
Windham Grant Helps GMC Study New Agricultural Methods
While greenhouses lengthen the production season for vegetable farms, heating these structures with gas-fired or electric air burners is expensive and energy intensive. Research at Green Mountain College, funded by a $15,000 grant from Vermont's Windham Foundation, will explore new ways to sustainably grow vegetables by integrating a solar-powered hot water system in "high tunnel" greenhouses. The three-year study may reveal inexpensive ways to produce higher yields while consuming less energy.
Green Mountain College announces Master's in Sustainable Food Systems
In April 2011, Green Mountain College announced a distance-learning master's degree in Sustainable Food Systems (MSFS), which builds on the surging interest in food and agriculture issues in the U.S. and on the success of the College's undergraduate major in sustainable agriculture. The MSFS program has received accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and GMC plans to launch its first cohort in January, 2012. Over thirty undergraduate students already focus their academic work on food systems at the College. Four grants over the past three years totaling over $250,000 have enhanced facilities and supported faculty research capacity at the College's Cerridwen Farm and the adjoining Solar Harvest Center. For more information on the MSFS program, click here.
College Receives $100,000 grant from Jane’s Trust
The Green Mountain College Farm & Food Project was awarded $100,000 from Jane’s Trust in May, 2011, to research the market potential for flash-frozen products, using a mobile flash-freeze unit provided to the College and several regional collaborators by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture.
Last June, the Farm & Food Project was granted use of the flash-freeze unit for three growing seasons in order to pilot flash-freezing of products for institutional and food pantry use. Flash-freeze units are expected to increase the ability of farmers to market seasonal products throughout the year. The College is currently using the unit for research and education, in conjunction with the Farm & Food Project’s new “Community Food Lab,” a commercial kitchen facility on campus dedicated to teaching and research.
Grow-a-Row Benefits from GMC Volunteers
On September 10, 14 GMC students partnered with Jane Nicklaw, the “tomato lady” of Castleton, to harvest 670 pounds of tomatoes from her garden for the Grow-a-Row program. Sponsored by Rutland Area Farm and Food Link (RAFFL), the Grow-a-Row program encourages farmers to either grow extra food with the intention of donating it to the program, or to invite RAFFL volunteers to glean extra produce that they are unable to harvest or market efficiently. The tomatoes from Jane’s garden were donated to Rutland area charities including the Community Cupboard and the Open Door Mission, a shelter for veterans. This was the second gleaning this month. On September 6, nine students harvested over fifty pounds of tomatoes at the Old Gates Farm in Castleton operated by two GMC alums, Adam Stevenson and Kris Jacoby-Stevenson.
RAFFL’s Grow-a-Row program helps eliminate hunger and malnutrition in Rutland County low-income communities by increasing access to fresh, healthy, locally grown food. So far this year the program has donated over 10,000 pounds of produce to local charitable agencies. With help from the GMC community, many more thousands of pounds will be donated before the end of the growing season. Contact Garland Mason, VISTA Local-Link Coordinator, to receive information regarding future gleanings and other events.
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