A death on Elliot Street - The Commons

24 The Commons • July 2009 The Commons • July 2009 NEWS 25The Brattleboro Food Co-op’sOFTHELilac Ridge Farm West Brattleboro, VT“Brattleboro is the best town to farm in, it’s a special place to be”, so says Stu Thurber. Stu’sFather bought Lilac Ridge Farm in 1937; he started with six cows and grew enough food tofeed the family. Over the years the farm has become a thriving dairy that passed to Stu andhis wife Beverly, and now their son and daughter-in-law Ross Thurber and Amanda Ellis-Thurber run Lilac Ridge Farm. Amanda and Ross have expanded the operation to includeorganic fruits, vegetables and cut flowers. The location of Lilac Ridge helps to prove Stu’spoint, there are not many places in this country where you can turn off of a major trafficartery and in five minutes find yourself at a small, family run, organic, dairy and producefarm, nestled in a residential neighborhood. Brattleboro is one of them, and Lilac Ridge isthat farm.The good folks at Lilac Ridge work six hundred acres and have 50 cows. Ten of thoseacres are reserved for organic fruits and vegetables, and flowers. The milk from Lilac Ridge’scows goes to Organic Valley, a national organic dairy co-op, and to Stonyfield Farm Yogurt.The produce is sold to local restaurants including Amy’s Bakery and Fireworks Restaurant.Lilac Ridge is part of the Vermont Fresh Network an association of Vermont Farmers andChefs dedicated to increasing the amount of seasonal, local produce served in Vermont’sMeet the folks from Lilac Ridge Farm atthe Co-op Wednesday, July 8, 3–7 pmRoss, Amanda, Beverly and Stu of Lilac Ridge Farm, West Brattleboro, VTrestaurants. For the rest of us the Thurbers sell to the Co-op, have a stand on the farm and canbe found at the Brattleboro Area Farmers’ Markets.With all the things the Thurbers, and Ellis-Thurbers are involved in, it is no wonderthat Lilac Ridge is being featured in Robert Kenner’s new movie Food Inc. about themechanization of our current national food system. Amanda and Ross will be featuredalongside the likes of Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan of Fast Food Nation and TheOmnivore’s Dilemma fame. Not bad for farmers whose first commercial sale of produce wassurplus they had grown for their own wedding.Hopefully, Food Inc. will be coming to a theater near you. If not, rest assured LilacRidge Farm will continue to bring you organic milk and fresh organic produce from a farm,right around the corner.July 2009Lilac Ridge Farm, Brattleboro, VermontYoga with DanteFree to Co-op ShareholdersEvery Wednesday 5:30–7pm.Prakriti Yoga Studio, 139 Main St., #701YogaEvery Wednesday, 12-1pm, $3Prakriti Yoga Studio, 139 Main St., #701Co-op Closed July 4thThe Co-op will be closed in observence ofIndependence Day, Saturday, July 4.Meet & GreetLilac Ridge FarmWednesday July 8, 3-7pmCome and meet the folksfrom Lilac Ridge Farmin West Brattleboro.The crew at Lilac Ridge FarmCommunity Burger BanquetSaturday, July 11, 11-2pmJoin us for a picnic on the Whetstone Pathway.All proceeds to benefit the Brattleboro Drop–InCenter. Great food and live music. TAINO withSana & Papo Nickel and Dan Dewalt will be playingLatin music from 11-2pm.Herbs and Supplementsfor Lyme DiseaseTuesday, July 14, 6:00 to 8:00 pmCo-op Community RoomNo ChargeA debilitating condition that can affect thebody and mind in a variety of complex ways,many people diagnosed with Lyme diseasereport continuing health problems even afterconventional treatment. We will cover theresearch and methodology in using herbs, foodsand nutritional supplements found helpful afterco-opcalendarsymptoms have taken hold and our health hasbegun to deteriorate. And of course, we willdiscuss several ways in which we can prevent theticks that carry diseases from biting us.Kids Can Cook!Fridays this summer at the Co-op, we are makinglunch. Join us in the Community Room from11-12:30 for a cooking lesson and meal. Thisprogram is open to children going into Grades 2through 7 and is free. Pre-registration is required,sign up at the customer service counter. Classsize is limited so sign up soon! Due to spacelimitations please sign up for only one cookingclass per month.July 17—Giant Puff PancakeJuly 24—Cheesy FeetJuly 31—Tacos and Fresh SalsaMonday–Saturday 8-9 • Sunday 9-9 • 2 Main St., Brattleboro, Vermont • 802 257-0236 • www.brattleborofoodcoop.com