“Vermont Farm Kids: Rooted in the Land” is a documentary photo exhibit and film celebrating the lives of a diverse array of youth who have grown up in farming families. It is currently on display in the cafeteria at the Vermont State House, 115 State Street in Montpelier, through the month of May. Visitors are welcome Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm, or Saturdays, 11am to 3pm (July through October only). There is no charge to visit the exhibit.
The still life photo series was cultivated from a documentary film project featuring interviews with kids from a variety of farms—dairy, produce, livestock, and maple. The work’s images and interviews poignantly capture what it means to grow up as a farm kid in Vermont.
The project was created for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) by Maria Buteux Reade, a Vermont farmer and freelance writer, and James Chandler, a videographer from Dorset, Vermont. The collaborators traveled more than 1,500 miles around Vermont and interviewed 20 kids between the ages of 8 and 29, including those young adults who stayed on the farm and those who left and chose to return. This was their chance to reflect on their experiences, discuss the joys and challenges of their work, and share their stories with the Vermont community and beyond.
“One of the highlights was witnessing the wisdom of the farm kids,” said Maria Reade. “They shared their innate appreciation of the benefits of their agricultural lifestyle and heritage. Every single person we interviewed, from 8 to 29, recognized the gift of having open space in which to roam and adventure.”
“Vermont Farm Kids: Rooted in the Land” was the highlight of Vermont’s 5th annual Agricultural Literacy Week, in November of 2017. This week was started by NOFA-VT as a statewide effort to promote the understanding of agriculture, with a focus on local farming, healthy food, and strong communities.
This project was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Johnson Family Foundation, the Forrest and Frances Lattner Foundation, Farm Credit Northeast Ag Enhancement , along with the support of the Vermont Department of Libraries and Vermont Agency of Food and Markets.
To view or download this free film, please visit https://nofavt.org/vermont-farm-kids. NOFA-VT is available to co-host public event screenings. If interested in hosting a screening, please contact Misse Axelrod [email protected] 802.279.1548.
We hope you'll visit the exhibit at the State House, but if you can't get to Montpelier, you can view the photos here »