PUTNEY — After nearly 18 months from its first meeting in January 2010, Transition Putney can boast several very real and practical manifestations of its members' intent to support and empower community efforts to reduce carbon emissions and create a self-sustaining local economy.
Started locally by Paul LeVasseur, Transition Putney is part of the global Transition Town movement, whose purpose is to address the triple challenges of oil depletion, climate change, and economic instability in a way that builds strong and connected communities.
Two of their most visible efforts are creating a 49-plot community garden and starting a farmers' market. Both projects now are in their second year.
Last year, the owners of the vacant acreage across from the Putney Food Co-op agreed to allow the community to grow food in what began as 22 lots. They also agreed to allow a Farmers' Market on the property, which ran for six weeks from September into October. That was followed by two successful winter markets held indoors at Green Mountain Orchards.
“Sales were high,” said LeVasseur. “They were so successful that they are doing it again this year.”
In addition to the Co-op site, LeVasseur said, Transition Putney is supporting community gardens at the Putney Central School as well. Organizer Mary Quinn says eight of the 18 plots are still available.
Daniel Hoviss is one of three managers of the Putney Community Garden.
“We found the land, found interested gardeners, and started the garden,” Hoviss said. “It all happened pretty much within a week. It was pretty simple, but that's how it should happen in a community.”
“Community gardens are about feeding the people in the community,” he added. “That doesn't mean it's free food, though.”
Hoviss said some food that was allowed to go by without being picked last year “and that's a waste of food,” he said. “This year, we are giving our excess garden food to the Putney and Brattleboro food shelves. We did some last year, but we're being a little more organized this year. But I try not to organize too much myself. It's up to the growers to decide what they want and how to do it.”
He said that Sweet Tree and High Meadow Farms have donated composted manure and plants, respectively, and the Co-op is providing them their water. His next project is putting together a pipe system across the road to the garden so water can be piped in, so hoses and sprinklers can be attached there.
He said he's hoping to get donations of good garden hoses, “splitters and headers,” and spritzers for the hoses.
(“People who would donate that stuff know what those are,” he said, laughing.)
“It's about sustainability, working together with other members of the community and getting to know them, and having fun,” Hoviss said. “We have seasoned gardeners and people who've never gardened before working together teaching one another.”
He also said workshops are planned to take place throughout the summer. Transition Putney has already had one workshop on how to make “wood char,” or wood that has been burned just right to make charcoal. That substance is then buried in the garden and releases nutrients to the soil, slowly.
Hoviss said that the garden could extend another row next year if needed.
To market, to market
“Last year was our big time to learn, and we knew that,” said Farmers' Market manager Kristina Israel of the organization's first year. “This year, we're getting our feet under us. We're just getting started and we already feel like we're a success.”
Israel said she volunteered for the task at the first Transition Putney forum because she had planned a festival last spring and was familiar with community organizing. Her position at the Co-op as marketing coordinator further qualified her, and she accepted the position.
She said that the job of organizing and managing the farmers' market “is a lot of work. I don't work that many hours, but I'm the one that receives the applications and fees. I arrange the musicians. I walk the streets and put up the posters. My hourly wage from the Co-op is matched, but I work less than 20 hours a week.”
Israel said the Farmers' Market “uses a lot of resources to run” and takes 3 percent commission, 2 percent of which goes to pay musicians.
“We didn't pay musicians last year, but we wanted to. This year, we're paying them,” Israel said.
Israel said Transition Putney applied for grants this year from the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont and received a capital grant of $1,250 “that went for producing a logo and signage this year,” as well as receiving a $1,500 grant that will allow them to offer EBT and debit card service.
“That's expensive to set up, so we really needed that grant,” Israel said.
She said that they received donations totaling around $600 last year from the River Valley Credit Union, People's United Bank, and the Putney Paper Co. have gone toward operating expenses.
She said the farmers' market board meets once a month to approve applicants for a 10 x 10 foot square booth space.
“If people sign up for the whole season, it's $10 a day. If it's just for the day, it's $15.”
Israel thinks the fees “are pretty reasonable.”
She said one of the most exciting things, “besides giving a venue for local farmers to sell their produce, is that I love anything that's entrepreneurial. Last year, we had a woman show up who didn't speak a lick of English, and sold tamales she had made for a dollar apiece. I love that kind of creative spirit.”
She said the market is on a year-to-year lease at their present location, and at some point in the future might have to consider moving to another place. She said one of own “little pipe dreams” is to have a farmers market every day of the week, but that would have to happen somewhere else in the town.
“We're not there yet,” said Israel.
Israel said she plans to have three youth markets through the summer, “where kids from organized by the schools and individually can come and sell stuff,” so they can get the experience of making and selling things to their community.
Transition Putney provided the catalyst for both the community gardens and the farmers' market simply by providing a venue for interested community members to come together to discuss ideas of what people wanted to see in town.
The premise of growing and buying food locally to reduce gas emissions is actively manifested in these two practical outcomes from Transition Putney discussions.
Getting to know who your neighbors are in the process builds a more solid sense of community where people feed and care for one another.
With a bigger Putney Community Garden and more Farmers' Market vendors this year than last, Transition Putney's idea of starting a dialogue within the community for change has found roots and shows promise.
“What is most important is opening up the communication between community members,” LeVasseur said. “We will continue to focus on relocalizing our food system, and building resilience in our community by offering workshops in traditional skills like gardening, hunting, soapmaking, basic auto mechanics, and bicycle repair.”