BRATTLEBORO — Windham Grows, a project of Strolling of the Heifers, is the recipient of the Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility Innovation and Inspiration Award.
Orly Munzing, founder of Strolling of the Heifers, accepted the award at the 18th Annual VBSR Awards Ceremony and Dinner on Sept. 25.
Munzing developed the pioneering Windham Grows Food and Agriculture Business Accelerator. According to a news release, the program is a socially responsible food and agriculture business accelerator that provides a cohort experience and critical services, resources, financing, and business mentors to early-stage food and agriculture businesses.
Munzing's vision has resulted in the building of an ecosystem supportive of emerging “agri-preneurs” who start up and operate innovative agribusinesses and farms that practice sustainable techniques. The cohort experience gives participants the opportunity to address the challenges of, and to share the successes in, creating sustainable food systems.
Seventy-five percent of businesses in the Windham Grows program are women-owned. Munzing has created new alliances between food-and-farm entrepreneurs and potential investors, she has inspired entrepreneurs to embark on joint ventures, and she has gathered together a large group of community volunteers committed to the sustainability of local agriculture.
Munzing founded Strolling of the Heifers in 2002 and serves as its executive director. Previously, she served for 24 years as a learning specialist with the Windham Central Supervisory Union.
Over the years, Strolling of the Heifers has launched educational programs, a micro-loan fund, and a farm internship program for youth, all of which are now carried on by other organizations.
In addition to Windham Grows, the Stroll continues to operate the farm/food business planning competition; the Locavore Index; the Farm/Food Innovation Center at the River Garden; the Farm-to-Table Apprenticeship Program; and the Slow Living Summit.