VT Research News: Edible invasives, not glued to the set, horse economy, dairy farming tough on health

Submitted by tim on Sun, 06/09/2019 - 11:15

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Expand your diet
Looking to reduce your grocery bill? Vermont’s foraging experts may have your solution. A recent study proposes expanding Vermont’s foraging community and targeting edible invasive species as a way of controlling alien plant populations. Introducing foraging into Vermont’s food system will relieve pressure on native edible wild plant populations and positively impact Vermonters’ diets. (Pictured Japanese Knotweed)

New American’s & local food
The process of relocating is often a traumatic experience and food is a tool for carrying on traditions and feeling connected to a home country or culture. A recent article examined how this contributes to Burlington’s ‘Localvore’ movement. Community gardens, for example, give the opportunity to grow and cook culturally appropriate food that may not be available in Burlington grocery stores. The author also explores these issues on the podcast ‘Queen City Culture’.

Vermonters & television
Vermonters don’t watch a lot of television when compared to the rest of the country, according to a report from Verizon.Vermont came in third for the fewest TV hours watched after Utah and Maine with an average of slightly more than 2 hours per day. The study also found that Vermonters prefer Late-Night Talk Shows over any other genre.

Sunflowers at Risk
Damage to mature oilseed sunflowers by blackbirds accrues an average of millions of dollars in financial losses each year. A recent study which looks at the economic effects of blackbirds on sunflower yields in eight states, finds that Vermont oilseed sunflowers are at very high risk to blackbird damage, the most of any other state in the study.

Decertified police officers database
A recently launched database of police officers investigated for serious misconduct currently lists 13 Vermont police officers who were decertified between 2013 and 2017. The database, which allows users to search for police officers by name, state, or agency, was compiled by USA Today from public records and a list of decertified officers in 44 states. Vermont has the second least number of officers listed so far, second only to Maryland with four officers in the database. Read more in this Burlington Free Press article.

Horses & the economy
When it comes to Vermont’s economy, equine events aren’t horsing around. According to a recent report for the Vermont Horse Council, out-of-state parties attending equine events in Vermont contributed more than $21 million in economic activity in 2018. The report also found that spending by equine event participants in 2018 helped to support 314 jobs in the local economy.

Dairy farmers health challenges
Forty percent of surveyed Vermont-Latino migrant dairy farm workers did not meet the standards of health literacy according to the Short Assessment of Health Literacy. As a medically under-served population both in Vermont and nationally, this data emphasizes the importance of community outreach to Vermont’s migrant community in regards to health education, as well as providing safe access to healthcare.

Food insecurity
One in six children in Vermont don’t have access to an adequate food supply. A study advocating for mandatory food insecurity screening among pediatric primary care patients finds that of 47% sample of pediatric patients screened, 6% were food insecure, with the highest percentage being in Burlington. This data emphasizes the importance of universal screenings in Vermont’s pediatric offices.

New method helps childhood trauma
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are common among Vermont youth, with one in eight Vermont children experiencing three or more traumatic experiences before adulthood. Researchers suggest using a strength-based counseling model to give children a sense of security and coping mechanisms. In a survey of Vermont doctors, 62% saw this model as a cost-effective treatment plan while 100% of Vermont caregivers and patients believed the model to be effective in dealing with adversity.

Hybrid-Electrics not so green
A series of comparison tests between conventional vehicles and hybrid-electric vehicles in Chittenden County, Vermont finds that emissions for both vehicles are about the same when navigating at higher speed limits, steeper grades, and sharper curves. These factors decrease the efficiency of hybrid-electric vehicles because they activate the internal combustion engine. In a landscape that frequently requires these cars to shift to their engines, the study raises questions about the vehicle’s environmental attributes.

Depression diagnoses increase
A recent study monitoring the rates of recorded diagnoses during delivery hospitalizations of depression state by state between 2000 and 2015 finds that Vermont experienced an increase in recorded diagnoses, with an annual average of 5.3 diagnoses per 1,000 patients.

Drone use & erosion
New research finds that the use of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for monitoring bank erosion along river corridors is a cost-effective and efficient method for monitoring streambank erosion. This technology is now being used to track and monitor erosion and runoff along rivers in central Vermont.

Living Mountain: A Vermont Story in Photos and Poems
Starksboro poet John Clarke pays homage to living in the Green Mountains in his recent book of poetry and nature photography, Living Mountain: A Vermont Story in Photos and Poems. The work is organized into five sections that loosely align with the seasons of the year, from tapping trees to planting gardens. Beyond his odes to the natural beauty of the Green Mountain State, Clarke illustrates the passage of time, from his children flying the nest to meeting his grandchildren. For more information, see the Seven Days book review.

Unusual Threads: Stitching Together the Future of Fashion
The Southern Vermont Arts Center is promoting sustainable fashion in a new exhibit, “Unusual Threads: Stitching Together the Future of Fashion,” which will be on display from May 11th to June 23rd. The curators, comprised of a dozen artists and designers, utilized processes of recycling and organic materials to call attention to the issue of clothing waste while celebrating the art of fashion. See the Bennington Banner article for more information.

The World Pushes Back
Vermont writer Garret Keizer explores the mysteries of incongruity in his debut poetry collection, The World Pushes Back. The book is a departure from his previous works, mainly consisting of essays that have been noted for their philosophical analyses of big ideas like privacy and anger. See the Seven Days book review for more information.

Life on the Other Border
UVM anthropology professor and Vermont writer Teresa M. Mares addresses food insecurity experienced by migrant farmworkers in the northeastern border separating Vermont and Canada in her new book, Life on the Other Border Farmworkers and Food Justice in Vermont.

Check out our CRVT video which features Teresa Mares discussing the experiences and hardships faced by Vermont's migrant worker population: