FERRISBURGH — Vermont’s first “Breakfast on the Farm” event comes to Nea-Tocht Farm in Ferrisburgh on Saturday, Aug. 22. This free, public event will include a delicious breakfast, self-guided tours of the dairy farm and a peek into the life and business of farming in Vermont. Although this is a free event, tickets must be reserved in advance through www.vermontbreakfastonthefarm.com.
Nea-Tocht Farm, a family-owned dairy, is located at 28 Vanders Way in Ferrisburgh,. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with breakfast seating times every hour from 9 until noon. 
The Nea-Tocht Farm is a family farm, owned and operated by Raymond and Linda Vander Wey, their five children and their grandchildren. With the third generation growing up on the farm and taking on more responsibility, they are looking forward to more generations to come. The farm has won many awards for their high-quality milk, and in 2000 was honored with the Dairy Farm of the Year award. The Vander Wey family houses 500 cows in free stall barns on 800 acres of land.
“The Breakfast on the Farm event gives us the perfect opportunity to show the public how our family farm is traditional in some sense, but also embraces new technologies like our wind turbine and robotic milker. We look forward to sharing our passion for farming and our commitment to pass this legacy to the next generation,” said the Vander Weys.
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture is the lead organizing partner of Vermont Breakfast on the Farm. The event goal is to provide a first-hand look at modern food production and the farm families who work hard to produce a safe, wholesome food supply for Vermont communities and the world through educational stations that highlight how farmers care for the environment, their animals and their community.
“This event will provide the community with a chance to see a real, working dairy farm, up close,” said Chuck Ross, Vermont’s ag secretary. “Opportunities such as this help raise awareness for farm practices and build agricultural literacy — an understanding of where our food comes from, and how it is produced. This is one way we can help ensure future generations of Vermonters maintain a connection to the land and an appreciation for the importance of agriculture in our state.”
For more information about the first annual Vermont Breakfast on the Farm, visit www.vermontbreakfastonthefarm.com, email [email protected] or call Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food, and Markets at (802) 828-2430.