Bring your finest meats and cheeses to the shores of Lake Champlain

Speaking of the great cheeses of New England, the annual Vermont Fresh Network Farmers' Forum is around the corner (Monday, August 8th). The writeup manages to make it sound less fun than it is, but based on my experience there last year, it is well worth the trip--the location, Shelburne Farms is gawjus, and your ticket entitles you to hours and hours of heavy noshing on all sorts of Vermont artisanal products, and dishes from Vermont chefs incorporating local ingredients. There is speechifying, featuring Odessa Piper of L'Etoile in Madison, who is evidently on the local and sustainable tip, as well as Tod Murphy of the Farmers' Diner, Pete Johnson of Pete's Greens, and braising enthusiast Molly Stevens. These luminaries will be discussing "The Art of the Possible: Creating a Dynamic Regional Food System." Cod will be listening with one ear, and lurking near the cheese reception. I wish other states did is much to promote this kind of agriculture as VT does. Imagine what could happen with this approach when it is applied in parts of the country where the growing season is longer than a week.