Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Archives

Understanding Agroecology

This piece is co-authored by Tony VanWinkle, Director of the Rian Fried Center for Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems, Faculty in Sustainable Food Systems and Nicole Civita, Vice President of…

Sterling’s Self-Sufficiency Task Force & the Role of Low-Carbon Storage Crops in Increasing Community Food Sovereignty

In response to COVID-19, Sterling College mobilized a number of context-specific task forces to assess a way forward for the College amid the public health and economic crises that will…

Community Connections Keep Students Learning

At 6 am, Lara Weise, a then senior at Sterling, is feeding the horses. She cleans their stalls, and enjoys the quiet morning routine. On this July morning in 2020,…

What is Next for Chestnuts at Sterling College and in Vermont?

We are on the northern range of where the big majestic tree – American Chestnut (Castanea dentata) – used to call home. We have all heard amazing stories about what…

From the Alfond Barn: The Value of Quiet Time With Our Animals, Ourselves

As I approached the Alfond Barn on a cool August morning this summer at Sterling College, all was quiet. Our students were at home, so it was just farm staff…

Pre and Post COVID-19 Reflections on Andean Diversity & Resilience

As co-instructor for Sterling’s winter intensive course, Mountain Ecotourism and Sustainable Development, I was joined in Peru by Outdoor Education faculty member Josh Bossin and a group of Sterling students. There…

Lessons from the Coronavirus Seed Rush

On a grocery shopping trip in advance of Governor Phil Scott’s “stay home, stay safe” order here in Vermont, I noticed the installation of a new seed rack in the…

Sterling Farm Responses to COVID-19 Food Security Challenges

In the spring of 2020, as the reality of COVID-19 settled in, the Rian Fried Center (RFC) faced both a challenge and a great opportunity. As corporate food production and…

Bittersweet, A Student Retrospective on the Food: Community Provisioning and Action Pod

As Block One draws to its inevitable conclusion, I find myself thinking back on the experience in a fond yet bittersweet way. It seems so odd to think that only…

Dawnland Garden & Black River Seed Library

In partnership with the non-profit organization Abenaki Helping Abenaki and the Seeds of Renewal Project, the Rian Fried Center established in 2018 a heritage garden on the Sterling College campus….

Heritage Livestock & Rotational Grazing Systems

In addition to efforts focused on crop varieties, the Rian Fried Center is also deepening our commitment to heritage livestock breeds. This includes a transition toward on-farm breeding of dual-purpose…

Sterling Farm Creates Food Hub to Help Small Growers and Reduce Food Insecurity

STERLING FARM CREATES FOOD HUB TO HELP SMALL GROWERS AND REDUCE FOOD INSECURITY SNAP Benefits for CSA, Food From Micro-Local Producers, and Seed Library Throughout the pandemic, the Rian Fried…