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Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund launches new agriculture development program

Montpelier, Vt. — The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) today announced a new program designed to promote agricultural business development in Vermont. The Vermont Agriculture Development Program (VADP) will provide comprehensive technical support to help the state’s value-added food enterprises manage their growth.

John Ryan, a development consultant with 25 years of experience managing projects for public and private clients, will serve as its director.

Each year the VADP will assist a small number of promising entrepreneurs whose ideas for new businesses, or new enterprises at existing businesses, have the potential to advance agricultural development in our region.

It will provide critical venture coaching to help select businesses obtain the right match of growth capital for their size, scale and stage of business. Eligible applicants include value-added producers, processors and distributors of Vermont-grown food and fiber; and businesses devoted to agricultural infrastructure such as cheese aging, composting, marketing or distribution. In addition to adding value to Vermont’s working landscape, companies selected for this program will already have seasoned managers, at least two years of operating history and average annual sales in excess of $200,000.

“The VADP is intended to help value-added agricultural enterprises expand faster than they could on their own,” said Ellen Kahler, executive director of the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund.

“We’re working with these businesses at a particular point in their development. Most entrepreneurs have not gone to school to learn how to run a company, and few have the experience of raising equity capital or putting complicated financing together. Once they complete this stage, other state and local assistance providers, such as the VT-Small Business Development Center, regional development corporations or private consultants, can help them with the next steps in their development.

Top Gardening Time Saving Tips for Summer « Best Landscaping In ...

Top Gardening Time Saving Tips for Summer

A gardener’s work is never done, especially in summer when every part of the garden seems to need attention at the same time. If your ‘to do’ list is growing faster than your sunflowers – slow down! It is possible to have a beautiful garden and the leisure to enjoy it. All you have to do is find ways of cutting down the time you spend on routine tasks. Here are a few suggestions:

Lawn care

For an attractive lawn that will stand up to a fair amount of wear and tear with minimal maintenance, begin with top quality, weed free turf. Make sure you lay it properly to encourage strong root growth. When it comes to mowing, ‘little and often’ is the best policy. Leaving grass to grow too long and then cutting it by more than 1/3 of its height will put it under stress and weaken it. At the other extreme, keeping it very short will prevent it from making much of its own food and the roots will dry out quickly. Weekly mowing will save time in the long run. It keeps grass in good condition, controls invasive weeds, and reduces the need for frequent feeding and watering.

Watering

It’s a waste of time – and water – to regularly soak the whole garden. Some plants will wilt if they’re not watered daily in hot weather but others can thrive for weeks in parched soil. Reduce the need for watering by shading particularly vulnerable plants. Put a deep layer of mulch around trees, shrubs and on flowerbeds to conserve water in the soil. Add water retentive granules to containers and hanging baskets.

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When you do water, it’s far better to give a generous amount occasionally than a light sprinkling more often. If you only dampen the surface of the soil plants will develop shallow roots that are less able to withstand drought.

If you grow vegetables, or have lots of containers, an automatic watering system is a great time-saver. They are easy to install and can be fitted with a timer so you don’t even have to remember to turn the tap on and off!

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