It’s week eight of the Sizzlin Summer Challenge and we are off to the farm – a trip, that as Vermonters, we are likely to take for granted given our state’s landscape. That said, I grew up in the city of Pittsburgh where farms were far from nearby. Thankfully, my parents insisted on piling us all into our Chevy Bel Air station wagon once or twice each summer to try our hand at milking cows, jumping on hay bales, playing with lambs and meeting Old McDonald.
Whether in Vermont or elsewhere during your travels this summer, farm visit possibilities are endless. Having just returned from a week in the province of Quebec I highly recommend a trip over the border to discover the fall strawberry fields. 
The farms are jam packed (did you catch that pun?) with the most delicate and delicious berries, a scrumptious and tasty treat especially with a little added cream. And lest I not forget, the lavender farm in Stanstead, Quebec, known as Bleu Lavande, is another excursion I recommend you add to your bucket list. The fields of lavender bloom in July, August and September in exquisite colors and the surrounding aroma is absolutely marvelous.
Back in Vermont, the apple orchards in the Champlain Valley are now teeming with apples soon ready for picking and some serious drooling. Cider, apple crisp and chowing down on a rich variety of apples is always high on my list. And then there are the vineyards now springing up throughout the state, wherein you may be able take part in harvesting the grapes or in some grape stomping. 
Perhaps you are more interested in paying a visit to one of Vermont’s 850 dairy farms or branching out to explore an alpaca, emu, chicken or turkey farm. You might wish to spend a bit of time volunteering to help a farmer with stacking hay or cleaning out stalls. In fact, there are farms throughout the USA (Farm Stay) that offer guests the chance to either participate in farm chores or spend time observing all the different aspects of farming. 
In 1787, while in Paris, Thomas Jefferson penned the following message to George Washington: “Agriculture is our wisest pursuit, because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals, and happiness.”
Let’s revel in all the ways agriculture reflects our values and our history this week. Venture out to a farm and get your hands dirty. Spend some time meeting the farmers and learning more about their lives. I guarantee it will be good for your soul.
See you on the PATH Ahead,
Shevonne, Gillian, Amy and Ashley