Vermont Business Magazine Cabot Creamery Co-operative has launched a Farmer Pen Pal Program, to connect their younger fans with the dairy farmers who supply the creamery. The program is designed to give a first-hand account of life on a dairy farm, the journey from cow to cheese, and all things farming.
“Our farm families are what makes Cabot so special,” said Rose Gomez, Cabot Farmer Integrator. “What better way to connect kids to the food they enjoy, than by hearing it directly from the farmers who produce it?”
When teachers or parents sign up for the Farmer Pen Pal Program, they receive letters from Cabot farmers, activity sheets, teacher resource guides, and classroom presentations to help bring the program to classrooms and homes. Since its initial launch in April 2021, the Cabot Farmer Pen Pal Program has worked with 6,800 children.
“We’ve been thrilled with the response to our Farmer Pen Pal Program in just its first six months,” said Gomez. “We’re excited to connect our Farmer Pen Pal followers with Jenni Tilton-Flood, one of our farmers, through a virtual farm tour later this month.”
The Cabot Farmer Pen Pal Program’s first-ever zoom farm tour will take place on October 27th at 10 a.m. EDT. Farmer Jenni Tilton-Flood from Clinton, Maine will show and share the ways her family cares for their cows and the planet, plus she will answer questions live from participants. Cabot is giving away 50 Cabot cheese gift boxes to farm tour attendees. Winners will be drawn at random and announced after the virtual farm tour. Sign up for the tour here.
Beyond the Pen Pal Program, Cabot offers a number of ways for kids to connect with farmers including the Cabot Farm Trail which was launched in the spring of 2021 and the free Farm Love Patch Program. The Cabot website also offers many kid-friendly activities including easy-to-make recipes and learning tools such as activity worksheets geared toward elementary-aged children.
Cabot Creamery Co-operative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and makes a full line of cheeses, Greek yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. Widely known as makers of “The World’s Best Cheddar,” Cabot is a cooperative of hundreds of dairy farm families that comprise Agri-Mark, Inc. the Northeast’s premier dairy cooperative. Since its founding, all profits have been returned to the farm families who own the co-op—a practice that continues to this day. Agri-Mark/Cabot farms are located throughout New England and upstate New York. For more information, visit: http://www.cabotcheese.coop. Cabot Creamery Co-operative is the world’s first cheese maker and dairy cooperative to achieve B Corporation Certification.
Source: Waitsfield, VT – October 2021 - Cabot Creamery Co-operative