Record Crowd Makes First 2017 ‘Breakfast on the Farm’ Event a Success!

Record Crowd Makes First 2017 ‘Breakfast on the Farm’ Event a Success!

In just minutes, hundreds were in line, waiting for a delicious pancake breakfast to start their day of food, facts, and fun.  This year Breakfast on the Farm kicked off at Fairmont Farm in East Montpelier on June 17th.  And boy did the first event of 2017 set the bar high!

A record crowd of 1,200 turned out to learn about everything from cow comfort, to environmental stewardship on a self-guided tour.

Fairmont Farm is owned and operated by the Hall, Purchase, and Ayer families.  Established in 1992, the farm consists of three separate locations, two in East Montpelier, and one in Craftsbury.  The group milks 1,500 cows and care for over 3,600 acres of land.

Their appreciation of the environment and love of their animals was on full display in mid-June.  Just a day before the event, Fairmont Farm was named Vermont’s 2017 “Outstanding Dairy Farm of the Year.”  The selection is made by the New England Green Pastures Program and is bestowed upon a farm which demonstrated a dedication to their herd, pasture, crop management, environmental practices and local community.

With a quick stroll through the breakfast tent it was easy to see appetites and excitement levels were high.  Breakfast on the Farm is the perfect opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the animals which help produce Vermont’s top quality dairy products.  Visitors got a peek into the life and business of dairy farming in the Green Mountain State — home to over 850 dairy farms which make 63% of the milk for New England.

Fifteen different educational stations were located throughout the self-guided tour of Fairmont Farm.  Those stations covered everything from what cows eat, to how much milk they produce, to environmental techniques like cover crops, which dairy farmers use to protect the land and as well as water quality.

As a free, public event, Breakfast on the Farm could not take place without the help of generous and knowledgeable volunteers.  More than 100 of them from the community, many with experience in the dairy industry, joined Fairmont Farm staff and helped answer visitors’ questions about farming practices.

In Vermont, agriculture lives at the core of our society.  Breakfast on the Farm is one way we, Vermonters, can help ensure future generations maintain a connection to the land and an appreciation for the importance of agriculture in our state.  Help keep that connection alive and thriving!

If you missed the June 17th event don’t worry, you’ve got another chance!  A second Breakfast on the Farm is set for July 22nd at Blue Spruce Farm in Bridport, Vermont.  Make sure to reserve your free tickets!