Strolling of the Heifers
Strolling of the Heifers was an annual local food parade and festival hosted in Brattleboro, Vermont each year.{{Cite news|author=Maddi Shaw|url=http://www.reformer.com/stories/thousands-turn-out-for-strolling-of-the-heifers,158422|title=Thousands turn out for Strolling of the Heifers|work=The Brattleboro Reformer|date=June 6, 2016|language=en}} The organization behind the parade expanded to support other local food initiatives, most notably a Locavore Index, which evaluates the availability and policy support for local food in American states.{{Cite news|url=http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/locavoreindex/|title=Strolling of the Heifers 2016 Locavore Index: Which states are most committed to locally-sourced food?|publisher=Strolling of the Heifers|access-date=2017-05-10|language=en-US|archive-date=2017-05-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170509195642/http://www.strollingoftheheifers.com/locavoreindex/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|author=Gina Vercesi|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2017/04/20/burlington-five-ways/5R3X85dk1OvOi7hpaSiUWL/story.html|title=Five ways to experience Burlington, Vt.|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=April 21, 2017}}{{Cite news|author=Amy Grisak|url=http://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/news/local/2017/05/09/farm-fork-movement-takes-hold/101469510/|title=Farm to fork movement takes hold|work=Great Falls Tribune|date=May 10, 2017|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.takepart.com/article/2016/05/23/locavore-index|title=Year After Year, the Same State Ranks as the Best for Local Food|work=TakePart|access-date=2017-05-10|language=en}}
Festival
The celebration was founded in 2002 by Orly Munzing, with a focus on sustainable agriculture in the region. The parade was inspired by the Running of the Bulls, but instead of enraged bulls, groomed heifers walked down the main street wearing garlands and flower decked hats.{{Cite web|url=http://www.brattleborotv.org/strolling-heifers-parade|title=Strolling of the Heifers Parade|publisher=Brattleboro Community Television|language=en|date=2017}}
Senator Bernie Sanders attended the parade nearly every year,{{Cite news|url=https://berniesanders.com/strolling-of-the-heifers/|title=Strolling of the Heifers|date=June 6, 2015|publisher=Friends of Bernie Sanders|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|author= Howard Weiss-Tisman|url=http://www.berkshireeagle.com/stories/strolling-of-the-heifers-sanders-to-march-in-annual-brattleboro-event-on-saturday,321664|title=Strolling of the Heifers: Sanders to march in annual Brattleboro event on Saturday|work=The Berkshire Eagle|date=June 4, 2015|language=en}} and has been credited with inspiring the parade by founder Orly Munzing.{{Cite news|url=http://www.wcax.com/story/29256889/strolling-of-the-heifers-in-brattleboro|title=Strolling of the Heifers in Brattleboro|publisher=WCAX|date=June 6, 2015|language=en}}
In December, 2022 Munzing announced that the parade would be discontinued and the funds disbursed between three organizations; The Winston Prouty Center (a center for child and family development), The Downtown Brattleboro Alliance and the Agritech Institute for Small Farms.{{cite web |url=https://www.wcax.com/2022/12/30/strolling-heifers-cow-parade-ends-mission-will-go/ |title=‘Strolling of the Heifers’ cow parade ends but mission will go on |date=30 December 2024 |accessdate=15 May 2025}}
Other programs
Strolling of the Heifers expanded from just running a parade, to also include small business development programs and local food advocacy programs.{{Cite press release|url=https://vtdigger.org/2017/03/09/sen-sanders-speak-brattleboro-strolling-heifers-entrepreneurship-grant/|title=Sen. Sanders to Speak in Brattleboro on Strolling of the Heifers Entrepreneurship Grant|date=March 8, 2017|publisher=Strolling of the Heifers}} For example, they ran a culinary skills program for training the local workforce.{{Cite news|author=Wendy M. Levy|url=http://www.commonsnews.org/site/site05/story.php?articleno=12809|title=A new path into the kitchen: Strolling of the Heifers Farm-to-Plate Apprenticeship Program hopes to guide more people into food-service jobs|work=The Commons|access-date=2017-05-10}} The organization also published its annual Locavore Index, which rates the capacity of different states for providing local food.
The Strolling of the Heifers owned The River Garden, a building in downtown Brattleboro.{{Cite news|url=http://digital.vpr.net/post/strolling-heifers-founders-buy-brattleboro-river-garden#stream/0|title=Strolling of the Heifers Founders to Buy Brattleboro River Garden|last=Keese|first=Susan|date=July 23, 2013|publisher=Vermont Public Radio|language=en}}
References
{{Reflist}}
Category:2002 establishments in Vermont
Category:Sustainable agriculture
Category:2022 disestablishments in Vermont
Category:Tourist attractions in Windham County, Vermont
Category:Events postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Category:Festivals established in 2002
Category:Festivals disestablished in 2022