A girl kneels in the dirt, holding a magnifying glass to a plant. She can’t see what lies below the surface, but viewers can: a vibrantly colored landscape of subterranean insects, microbes, fungi and carbon molecules.
This illustration, by Cecily Anderson of Tunbridge, represents the agricultural education taking place at Cedar Circle Farm and Education Center in East Thetford — and reveals the unseen relationship between soil health and its ability to draw carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The artwork is an apt introduction to the Climate Farmer Stories Project, a three-year effort funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and organized by Vital Communities, based in White River Junction.
The project launched a multimedia exhibit earlier this month featuring 13 portraits of Upper Valley farmers who are combating climate change in various ways, from farming methods to energy management. The portraits, created by regional artists, are paired with quotes from farmers, audio interviews and a companion website to foster support for climate-friendly farms.
Currently on view through the end of April at the BALE Commons in South Royalton and the Statehouse cafeteria in Montpelier, the exhibit will make its way to community spaces, libraries and even the King Arthur Baking headquarters in Norwich by the end of the year.
“Many farms would consider themselves stewards of the land,” said Nancy LaRowe, director of food, farm and economy for Vital Communities. “And they’re not well versed in how to tell that story. There’s so much that farms provide to the community that often doesn’t get compensated.”
The exhibit’s goal is to give climate-focused farmers in the Upper Valley more resources to share their carbon-mitigation strategies and stories. The artwork raises awareness of the role of these farms, which also receive assistance from the project to promote their practices to consumers and the community.
Other farms featured in the exhibit include Green Mountain Girls Farm in Northfield, Silloway Maple in Randolph Center and Sweetland Farm in Norwich. To Norah Lake of Sweetland, a diversified meat and veggie operation, being a climate farmer means “always trying to do better as we sit down to make the … thousands of micro-decisions that happen on a farm every day and every season,” she said.
For example, Lake diversifies Sweetland’s crops and uses cover crops to generate healthy soil, as well as sources nutrients and compost as locally as possible. In 2018, she pledged to cut carbon emissions by 90 percent over 10 years. The farm has since insulated buildings and installed solar panels. It’s in the process of switching to electric vehicles and tractors.
“Farming in a sustainable manner is really expensive,” Lake said. “We need our community to recognize the value of farming with a focus on the climate and support us by buying our products.”
For its next phase, the project will add a dozen more farmers and portraits. The hope is to bring all 25 artworks together in a larger exhibit in the future.
Anderson, a graphic designer and illustrator, proposed the concept. One of seven artists in the exhibit — others include South Burlington painter Misoo Bang and Rutland muralist LMNOPI — she serves as the project’s creative director.
“Our food choices impact the climate, and there are people in our communities who are doing this kind of amazing, hands-on direct action to help solve the problem,” Anderson said. “The food you buy can not only sequester carbon but also support biodiversity and build resilience in the face of climate chaos.”
The original print version of this article was headlined “Art and Soil | A new exhibit portrays farmers’ role in combating climate change”
This article appears in Apr 19-25, 2023.
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