ACORN Launches Eat Local VT App

Middlebury, VT – ACORN’s new Eat Local VT App is a unique solution for the Champlain Valley’s rurally dispersed and agriculturally diverse region. The app makes it easy for residents and visitors to locate and connect with the nearly 250 farmers and food producers in the area.

Now available for mobile download in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, Eat Local VT allows users to explore businesses with an interactive map, search bar or filter options to find producers across product categories, services, and purchase options. 

The pandemic shutdown helped make what was once a dream a reality: the 12 year-old Champlain Valley Local Food and Farm Guide, printed in collaboration with The Addison Independent, is finally moving online. “I’ve been envisioning this app since I joined ACORN in 2015, but we never had the time or ability to make it happen. As a result of the stay-at-home order last spring, we had a surge of interest from Middlebury College students who were eager to partner with ACORN to volunteer for local projects,” says Lindsey Berk, ACORN’s new Executive Director. 

The Middlebury students who designed and developed the app had a great experience working with ACORN. In a group statement, they said: “Not only did we develop professional skills and help fellow Vermonters through our work on this app, but we were also introduced to a fantastic local food community that we may never have known otherwise. We hope that our app helps people discover a new favorite farm, explore Vermont's food culture, and have fun.” 

This app was developed in conjunction with Middlebury College’s MiddDev student club. It is sponsored by Cooperative Insurance.

There are plans for a desktop version of the app in the future.

2021 will be the final year the Local Food and Farm Guide is printed, and will be used as a transition to market the app to the wider community. 

Farmers and food producers who would like to update their listing in the app or guide should contact Susan Smiley: susan.smiley46@gmail.com

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ACORN’s mission is to promote the growth and health of local food and agriculture in Vermont's Champlain Valley. ACORN is a community-based organization working to reinvest in our local economy, revitalize our local food systems and reconnect our regional community. For more information, go to www.acornvt.org/.