Almost exactly a month after my trip to Burlington, Vermont, I finally combed through all of my pictures and narrowed them down to a select few. And now it’s recap tiiiime!
I left for Burlington, Vermont early Sunday morning on October 8 and by 10:30 a.m. the following Tuesday, I was back in Charlotte. It was a quick trip, but a gorgeous one!
Fall in Vermont and Learning About Organic Farming
Visiting Vermont in the fall and learning about organic farming was a dream. The foliage is stunning and pops of the most vibrant reds, oranges and yellows made me wish Charlotte would hurry up and realize it was fall already when I returned home. (Thankfully Charlotte got the memo last weekend.)
I was invited to Vermont by Stonyfield Organic to learn more about the importance of organics and organic farming and after a quick flight to Washington, D.C. and another to Burlington, I found myself in Vermont a little after lunchtime on Sunday. I was greeted by sunny skies and cool breezes, colorful leaves and rolling hills. Unfortunately Sunday’s sun was the only sun I’d see during my visit, but it was a beautiful welcome to the state and sneaking peeks at Lake Champlain as the sun was setting was nothing short of breathtaking.
The trip officially began about 20 minutes after I checked into my hotel room at Hotel Vermont, so I had just enough time to throw on a sweater and check in with Ryan before heading down to the lobby. We were greeted by the two-person PR team for Stonyfield (yep, only two of them – Stonyfield employs around 350 people and I definitely thought the company was much bigger) and after emailing with Kristina and Mairead for so long (years!), it was so nice to finally meet them in person. They planned a meet-and-greet event at Dedalus, a local wine and cheese shop, and the space was warmly lit and incredibly cozy.
Our group spent a solid two hours introducing ourselves to each other and learning more about our blogging pasts, ambitions, families and more. It was such a relaxed, laidback way to ease into the trip which was wonderful. So often blogging trips are go, go, go from the minute you step off the plane, so this informal kickoff was such a treat! I had plenty of time to meet the six additional bloggers on the trip and loved learning more about all of them. Blogging for a living can feel like a strange job in my day-to-day life and I cannot overstate how nice it is to connect with people who do what I do (or something very similar) in real life.
After our mini cocktail hour, we boarded the bus back to the hotel and got ready for dinner at Juniper, a farm-to-plate inspired restaurant that focuses on local ingredients. Our private room overlooked Lake Champlain and we couldn’t resist sipping our drinks out on the terrace before our meal.
(Our group from left to right: Claire of The Kitchy Kitchen / Bev of Bev Cooks / Sonja of A Couple Cooks / Me / Emily of Small Fry Blog / Erika of Essentially Erika / Gabby of Design Mom)
Over a three-course meal served family style that included the creamiest pumpkin soup, pillowy gnocchi, fork-tender chicken and perfectly sweet apple tarts, we learned more about organic farming practices, the benefits of choosing organic and the initiatives Stonyfield takes to help conventional dairy farmers switch to organic dairy farming. While I knew about the issue of pesticides, synthetic hormones and chemicals in conventional farming, I didn’t realize that organic foods are much higher in antioxidants (20-40 percent higher!) and other nutrients. Additionally, scientists have found that soil from organic farms is better at sequestering carbon (a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change) than conventional farms because organic soil has higher concentrations of humic acids. (These are substances in the soil that give soil its brown color and binds to the soil, making it more fertile and allowing it to retain water while assisting plants in nutrient absorption.)
Since we had a very full day ahead of us on Monday, after dinner and dessert, we all said our goodbyes and headed back to our hotel rooms where I tossed and turned but eventually fell asleep a little after midnight.
Monday
Our group was up and ready for the day a little after 7 a.m., decked out in rain jackets and wellies since the forecast told us to expect nothing but rain and clouds all day long. Unfortunately the forecast proved correct and we spent all day Monday with our hoods up and our cameras protected under ponchos and layers.
A one-hour drive northwest from Burlington brought us to Green Wind Farm, one of the family farms that supplies organic milk to Stonyfield.
We met Julie who owns the organic farm with her husband and right away we could see the passion she has for farming, her cows and cultivating high-quality pasture for her animals to graze. Because her cows are organic, they’re required to graze on pasture at least 120 days per year in addition to having year-round access to the outdoors. As part of this, her cows rotate through different grazing areas (paddocks) every day, each one saturated with lush grasses and plants. This method of farming allows the cows to feed themselves and fertilize their pastures naturally, resulting in less fossil-fuel consumption, less erosion, less air and water pollution and greater soil fertility. I was absolutely fascinated to learn more about the pasture the cows eat and on Green Wind Farm, the pasture is saturated with a myriad of plants. While the cows have preferences (they love dandelion which is a great source of vitamin C and stimulates liver activity), they will often gravitate toward different plants in the pasture depending on how they are feeling.
This just reiterated in my mind the power of the foods we eat and the way they can help and heal our bodies. During our visit to Green Wind Farm, we talked a lot about the health of organic dairy cows versus conventional dairy cows and I was shocked to learn that organic cows live twice as long and rarely seem to get sick. Organic cows cannot be treated with synthetic hormones and antibiotics which are both frequently given to non-organic farm animals to change their reproductive cycles and speed up their growth. It was really interesting for me to hear from multiple dairy farmers about the dramatic shift in their cow’s health when they switched to organic farming and pasture grazing.
Once we were officially too wet to keep trudging through the mud, Julie invited us inside her home for the most incredible homemade brunch.
Julie and her husband live in a farmhouse that was built in the 1800s and served a comforting spread of hot coffee with the best creamer I’ve ever had, fresh-from-the-oven bread with a thick slab of butter, cheesy egg casserole and a pickled beet salad. I don’t think I was the only one who couldn’t resist filling my plate more than once and loved everything. With our stomachs full and caffeine kicking in, we were ready for our next adventure and headed off to Windy Hill Farm, another family-owned organic farm that supplies milk to Stonyfield. Windy Hill is a larger farm with a herd of approximately 100 beautiful Holstein cows and even though it was pouring during our visit to Windy Hill, somehow we still had a good time!
We made it back to our hotel with just enough time to shower and change before we were off to a farm-to-table dinner featuring a spread of delicious organic produce from Philo Ridge Farm. The farm is owned by husband-wife duo Peter and Diana who purchased a run-down conventional dairy farm to save it from ruin. They transformed the farm into a fully-functioning organic farm complete with a stunning farmhouse they are currently using for organic farming education and community events. Diana was once a student of Gary Hirshberg, the founder of Stonyfield and shares his passion for organic farming. Gary actually joined us for dinner which was really amazing. (For my fellow NPR podcast lovers, you may recognize his name from his recent feature on How I Built This.) Gary was really interested in our thoughts on organic farming and choosing organic products; what information surprised us about organic farming after our farm tours, what roadblocks stand in our way from purchasing organics (the resounding answer here was price) and more. I felt honored to be included in such a lively, honest and informative discussion.
We arrived back at our hotel just before midnight and I’m pretty sure all of us crashed hard, especially since a number of us at pre-5 a.m. wakeup calls the next day. It was a whirlwind trip, but a wonderful one! Thank you so much to Stonyfield for including me! I loved fall in Vermont and learning about organic farming.
Stonyfield Organic Yogurt Giveaway
And now for a giveaway!! I’m partnering with Stonyfield to give away three months of FREE yogurt! One PBF reader will receive coupons to stock up on a wide variety of Stonyfield yogurt, whether you prefer their organic whole milk Greek yogurt, 100% Grassfed yogurt, soy yogurt, YoBaby or YoKids yogurts (Chase is still 100 percent obsessed with the mango YoBaby yogurt) or want to try their double cream yogurt (it truly tastes like dessert)! To enter this giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post telling me your favorite kind of Stonyfield yogurt or one reason why you believe it is important to choose organic food when possible.
I will randomly select a winner next Friday, November 17 at 7 a.m. (EST), when the giveaway closes. (U.S. entries only, please.) Good luck!
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I think I’ve only purchased their Greek yogurt because I can’t eat much dairy, but I’ve always enjoyed it!
This definitely opens my eyes to how hard organic farmers work and how much they truly care about their animals and products. What a great learning experience! My favorite Stonyfield yogurt is the 0% fat Greek Yogurt, plain or vanilla. So yummy! My mom and I also like the vanilla bean whole milk Greek yogurt too.
Strawberry Smoothie is my go to breakfast for early morning work days! And the plain Greek is a fridge staple and my dogs get a spoonful every morning! Organic dairy products is an absolute must for me- having grown up with local milk delivery and knowing where it is sourced is super important for my mind and body.
I like stoneyfields plain Greek yogurt 🙂
I had no idea that organic was so important in dairy too – thank you for such an informative post! I actually haven’t had any stoneyfield products (that i know of!), so I’m going to check them out next time I am at the store — a sampling of each type would be my first go-to for comparison sake. 🙂
We love the kids Stonyfield yogurt tubes . We put them in the freezer for my two year old and call them popsicles! ??
I love eating their plain yogurt with granola for breakfast. I think that organic dairy has a better flavor than non-organic dairy, because the cows that produce it are healthier and happier!
I only ever buy organic dairy products, and my son lovvvvvvvvvvves the yobaby and yokids yogurt! I have been known to eat it myself on occasion….
OV cows for the win! I love Stonyfield and I love organic farmers <3 You're outfits are also…ON POINT.
I <3 their nonfat greek yogurt for an extra bang of protein after my evening workouts (with raspberries, of course)
Wow, I never thought that non organic cows are treated that way. Thats awful. Definitely makes me think about my choices.
Looks like an incredible trip!
I love Vermont! My favorite yogurt is just plain – when I was pregnant I got really into it with a couple cheerios mixed in with almonds and haven’t stopped since!
Greek Stonyfiled strawberry yogurt is definitely my favorite! So rich and creamy!
My 4-year-old loves the Stonyfield Pear, Spinach and Mango yogurt pouches. They include the only spinach she eats so I am happy! 😉
so, call me boring, but I really just love vanilla yogurt. If you freeze it a little and add toppings its allllllmost like ice cream!
My fav is vanilla or blueberry! Stoneyfield is delicious!!! Love the company and what they stand for.
I love their plain vanilla yogurt. I try to eat organic as much as possible because the health benefits are astounding!
My son loves the stonyfield organic whole milk pouches, especially for on the go!
I *know* that organic products are best but it’s really nice to see it all in action and remind myself EXACTLY why it’s important. It must have been cool to see it all in person. I buy organic when I can because it’s more natural (no antibiotics, growth hormones, etc) and know the animals are much happier and healthier.
As a side note – I really enjoy reading your event/recap posts! Very well written and include interesting snippets of insight. 🙂
My daughter loves all of the YoBaby flavors, especially the apple!
I’ve actually never had Stonyfield yogurt, but I would love to try it! This was a very informative post!
My husband loves stonyfield with granola!
Great explanation and I love yogurt for baking, great way to lighten it up!
It’s a constant struggle for me – trying to be kindness to the environment but knowing my impact still leaves a footprint. Choosing organic farming is one way you can make that footprint a little lighter. Also, strawberry is always delicious! 😉
Thanks for sharing all those stats about how and why organic dairy is better, it is a nice reminder when I’m buying $6 organic milk instead of the less than $3 conventional milk! I really like the vanilla stonyfield yogurt and then adding granola and chocolate chips to it!
I definitely don’t have a favorite Stoneyfield product because I love all of them!
I love getting Stonyfield’s large tubs of plain, whole milk yogurt.
Loved this post, such valuable information. I’m a vanilla girl all the way. Add a little fruit or gondola and it’s perfect.
I love their Greek yogurt-all of the flavors. It tastes great in my overnight oats.
I love the plain Greek yogurt!
Love the Whole Milk Vanilla yogurt from Stonyfield! We started buying Stonyfield yogurt for our 10 month old daughter and now we can’t get enough of it! I’m a Vermonter and loved this post and you for highlighting the great stuff folks in our state are doing!
My stepson loves their Greek yogurt and I really like the soy version.
The only yogurt we have in our home is Stoneyfield Organic! The kids love the YoBaby, and Yokids lines. I think strawberry banana Smoothies would be the household favorite and most requested!!! Love this post and the reassurance that buying Stoneyfield organic is healthier for all involved……even the cows!!
Team Stonyfield Vanilla all the way
I would love the “O’Soy” yogurts. I’m vegan for multiple reasons, and it’s organic! Which only strengthens the issues my veganism helps to combat.
I love the whole milk Greek yogurt, especially the cherry flavor!
Grass fed, plain whole milk is my very favorite! With a yogurt loving son and husband we go through A LOT of yogurt ?
My favorites are vanilla or blueberry!
I’m a big fan of plain full fat yogurt, try to support organic (certified and non certified), local (i.e. american) foods. I had no idea Stoneyfield was so passionate about these things, so I’m ready to jump on board. Organic is so much more then just for food, it’s the practice of being good stewards of the earth. And to round it all out we shouldn’t be applying known carcinogens to our foods and environment!
My kids love yogurt and eat it twice a day! There favorite is vanilla and I often add a few sprinkles which they love.
I LOVE stonyfield O’soy yogurt! I have a dairy intolerance but prior to being diagnosed with that, greek yogurt was a regular part of my diet.
Stonyfield O’soy allows me to still eat yogurt as a healthy snack, promoting my overall health, but avoiding a dairy stomach ache. I love the vanilla flavor… it’s one of my favorite morning routines!
I also have a niece and nephew who are addicted to the Yo’baby! 🙂
Love all the yobaby yogurts and the whole milk pouches!
Their whole milk vanilla bean is my favorite. I only had a chance to try it once, and LOVED the flavor. The texture was a bit different than I was used to, but it was absolutely delicious.
I have been trying to eat more organic products without getting obsessed with it. Things like peanut butter and milk are high on my list of things to buy organic since I eat them without fail EVERYDAY. Thank you so much for the giveaway.
I love me some vanilla mixed with nuts, fruit, or whatever my tummy is craving!
I just love stonyfield plain low fat yogurt. It’s just so creamy and delicious, and now I feel even better about eating it!
I love Stonyfield! My mom is a native Vermonter and raised me on the stuff! It was one of my first foods. My favorite right now is their plain Greek yogurt, but I love their traditional yogurt as well.
Organic yogurt is great because the price point isn’t terribly high compared to non-organic!
I would love to try the soy yogurt for both myself and my kids. We try to avoid dairy and I’ve never found a great soy tasting yogurt. Buying organic products is extremely important to us. I know that there is a lot of certification involved to attain the organic label, so I appreciate that Stonyfield has taken this extra step.
Stonyfield is the only product I’ll buy for my children, 3 and 1. They love the Yokids and Yobaby flavors!
Now that I have a baby, I am much more interested in researching what we eat and orgnaic foods. I also just purchased our first pack of yo baby organic yogurt for my 8 month old to try! I would love this giveaway for her and for my family to try the other products!!