Vermont Country September-October 2024 by New England Newspapers, Inc.

Fall destinations

Best spots to peep leaves, places to book a room

Bovine therapy

A farm where cows are professional cuddlers

Ghostly adventures

Meet a paranormal investigator who has explored Vermont

Cuddle cows to reduce stress By Lucia Coutermarsh

New England Street Food Festival returns By Lucia Coutermarsh A revitalized culinary spirit at Taan By Jennifer Brandt

Discover the heart of the Shires

Diverse dining in Bennington

Fire in the skies: A poetic look at autumn By

Victor C. Capelli

Bruins draft Bellows Falls teen By Brandon Canevari

Vermont Antique Mall a place to reminisce By Bob Audette

18 20 24 26 30

Fall things to do (beyond pumpkin spice) By Chris Mays

Scenic getaways: Places to stay

Stay in rural grandeur at The Weston By Cherise Forbes

A conversation with a paranormal investigator By Gen Louise Mangiaratti

Textile farmer revitalizes lost art By Danielle M. Crosier

Vermont Country Homes 6 8 10 12

Art for every heart at Vermont Artisan Designs

By Kristopher Radder and Bob Audette

39 40 44 48

A season of new beginnings at Bennington Theater

Which fruits are safest from pesticides? By Katharine A. Jameson

Top 10 films: True New England tales By Dan Tebo

AG Moore Building & Renovation began their Vermont-based historic restoration in 2006, with the picturesque Bybrook Farm. The company celebrates the ongoing trend to save and refresh historic properties in Woodstock and nearby areas. See their ad on page 56.

President and Publisher

Jordan Brechenser jbrechenser@reformer.com

Editor

Gen Louise Mangiaratti gmangiaratti@reformer.com

Windham County

Sales Manager

Lylah Wright lwright@reformer.com

Account Executives

Richard Lolatte rlolatte@reformer.com

Richard Battista rbattista@reformer.com

Karli Knapp kknapp@reformer.com

Bennington County

Sales Manager

Susan Plaisance splaisance @benningtonbanner.com

Account Executives

Ahmad Yassir ayassir @benningtonbanner.com

Gabriel Schatz gschatz @manchesterjournal.com

Vermont Country magazine is a publication of

Photo by Angela Moore

Pick up a courtesy copy at one of our Distributer Partner locations

BENNINGTON, V T DROP LOCATIONS

1. The Knott y Pine

130 Nor thside Dr, Bennington, V T • 802- 4 4 2-5 4 87

2 Sou thwestern Vermont Chamber of Commerce

100 Veterans Memorial Drive, Bennington, V T

• 802- 4 4 7-3 311

3. Better Bennington Corp

2 15 South S treet , Bennington, V T 05201 802- 4 4 2-57 58

4 Madison’s

4 28 Main S treet , Bennington, V T 05201 • 802- 4 4 2-7 397

5. Bennington Welcome Center

100 V T-2 79 Bennington, V T 05201

6. Avocado Pit 201 South S t , Bennington, V T 05201

7. Juniper L ane

4 45 Main S t Bennington, V T 802- 4 40-57 55

8. The 421 Craft Bar and Kitchen

4 2 1 Main S t , Bennington, VT

• 802- 4 40-597 2

9. Jay ’s Ar t & Frame Galler y 115 South S t Bennington, VT

• 802- 4 4 7-2 3 4 2

10. Elm S treet Market

251 Elm S t , Bennington, VT 802-7 53-7 366

11 Bennington Bookshop

109 south S t , Bennington, VT 0501 802- 4 4 2-5059

12 Bennington Museum

7 5 Main S t , Bennington, V T

• (802) 4 4 7-157 1

13. Sou th Shire

124 Elm S treet , Bennington

MANCHESTER, V T DROP LOCATIONS

1. Equinox Golf Resor t & Spa

3567 Main S treet , Manchester, V T 0525 4 802-362- 4 700

2. Kimpton Taconic Hotel

3835 Main S treet , Manchester, V T 0525 4 802-362-014 7

3. Manchester Business Assoc

4 826 Main S treet , Manchester Center, V T 05255 617-869-3591

4 Nor thshire Bookstore

4 869 Main S treet , Manchester Center, V T 05255 802-362-2 200

5. Reluc tant Panther 9W Road, Manchester, V T • 802-362-2568

6. Casablanca Motel

592 7 Main S t , Manchester Center, V T 05255

PIT TSFIELD, MA & TROY, NY DROP LOCATIONS

1. Berkshire Roots

501 Dalton Avenue, Pitt sf ield, MA 01201 413-553-93 3 3

NORTH BENNINGTON, V T DROP LOCATIONS

1. Park McCullough Historic Governors Mansion

1 Park S t , Nor th Bennington, VT 802- 4 4 2-5 4 41

2. Pangaea

3 Prospec t S t Nor th Bennington 802- 4 4 2- 4 466

3. Powers Market

9 Main S t Nor th Bennington, VT 802- 4 40-087 1

4. Prospec t Coffee House

1 Prospec t S t , Nor th Bennington 802-7 53-784 7

1. Brattleboro Chamber of Commerce

180 Main S treet , Brattleboro, V T 05301 802-25 4 - 4565

2 Hempicurean

257 Marlboro Road, Unit 102 , West Brattleboro, V T 05301 • 802-246- 4 367

3. Brattleboro Food Coop

2 Main S treet , Brattleboro, V T 05301

4. L atchis Hotel

50 Main S treet , Brattleboro, V T 05301 802-25 4 -6300

5. Vermont Countr y Deli

4 36 Western Avenue, Brattleboro, V T 05301

• 802-257-925 4

6. Vermont Market Place

580 Canal S treet , Brattleboro, V T 05301

• 802-25 4 -5861

7. Vermont Welcome Center

I-91 Nor th MM 5, 4, Guilford, V T 05301

8. Holiday Inn E xpress

100 Chickering Drive, Brattleboro, V T 05301 802-257-2400

OTHER V T DROP LOCATIONS

1. Greater Falls Regional Chamber of Commerce

17 Depot S treet , Bellows Falls, V T • 802- 463- 4 280

2 The Dorset Inn

8 Church S treet , Dorset , V T 802-867-5500

3. Vermont Distillers

7 7 55 Route 9 East , Marlboro, V T 802- 464 -2003

4. The New fane S tore

596 V T-30 New fane, V T 802-365-7 7 7 5

5. Harmonyville S tore 1412 V t-30 Townsend, V T 802-365-9417

6. Riverbend Farm Market

625 V t-30 Townsend, V T 802-365- 4600

7. HN Williams, Dorset 2 7 32 V T-30 Dorset , V T • 802-867-5353

8. Smitt y ’s Chester Market

526 Depot S t . Chester, V T

9. The Arlington Inn 3904 Vermont R te 7a, Arlington, V T 05250 • (802)

3 7 5-6532

10. S tone House Antique Center

557 - V T-103 Chester, V T

11. West River Lodge 1086 V T Route 30 New fane, V T 053 45 802-365-5001

12 Vermont Antique Mall Route 4 Quechee, V T

13. Farm Road Estate

7 Cross Town Road, Dover, V T 05356

• 802- 464 -8131

14. Londonderr y Village Market

5700 V T-100, Londonderr y, V T 0514 8 802-824 -314 4

15. Communit y Bank

97 E . Main S treet , Wilmington, V T

• 802- 464 -8688

16. Sugar Maple inn

145 Vermont R te 100, West Dover, V T

1 7. Trail 87

2 7 1 V T Route 100 West Dover, V T

PUTNE Y, V T DROP LOCATIONS

10. Pu tney General S tore

4 K imball Hill, Putney, V T 053 46

11. Pu tney Diner

128 Main S t Putney, V T 802-387-5 4 3 3

12 . Pu tney Food Co - op

8 Carol Brown Way, Putney, V T

BRAT TLEBORO, V T DROP LOCATIONS

'Come on out, enjoy yourself'

Ryan Kinney puts cheese whiz onto a cheesesteak at last year’s Street Food Festival.

New England Street Food Festival returns to Brattleboro Common

By Lucia Coutermarsh, Vermont Country correspondent

BRATTLEBORO — A festival that promises the two most important things, good food and fun, the sixth annual New England Street Food Festival will be held on the Brattleboro Common from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28.

Brought to you by the Brattleboro Reformer, the community-focused festival aims to provide a good time for the whole family at no cost to enter.

Six years ago, Reformer advertising representative Bud Lolatte decided he wanted to put on an event for the community that would bring people together while supporting local business. With the goal of giving back to the local community, Lolatte spoke on his favorite part about putting on the festival.

"When we started this, it was more of a community celebration and end-of-summer celebration. At the end of September we're kind of

coming into foliage, and there's an end-of-summer celebration for the community," Lolatte said. "That's why we were absolutely adamant about not charging an entrance fee, for people to come out to enjoy a nice late summer day afternoon. Listen to good music, get some good food, see some good crafts, and anybody in town can get there."

This year's festival-goers will be able to enjoy food from local eateries like Curbside Cafe, Vegan AF, Anon's Thai Cuisine, Mach's Wood Fired Pizza, Juniors Food Truck, Frisky Cow Gelato, Love Buzz Coffee, Scott Farm, Hamster Wheel Snow Cones, Crossroads Tacos and ATK Customs. Other vendors include Blue Pig Ice Cream, Amaru, Soul & Rico, The Uncommon Robin and Green Mountain Ramen.

Jeremy Dancosse is the owner of Crossroads Taco Food Trailer, who will be participating in the food festival for the third time as a food vendor. The community-centered atmosphere keeps Dancosse coming back.

"My first time, I really didn't know what to expect, and then I did it

Photos by Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country file photo

The Brattleboro Reformer’s Street Food Festival brings food and entertainment to the town Common.

Nikki Peruzzi, owner of Vegan A.F., works on dishes during last year’s Street Food Festival.

Main sponsor: Bar 580

Cornerstone sponsors: Brattleboro Area Realty, Fulflex, Members 1st Credit Union

Music sponsor: Chris Lewis, Realtor from Brattleboro Area Realty

Koozie sponsor: Berkley & Veller Greenwood Country Realtors

The Brattleboro Reformer’s Street Food Festival brings food and entertainment to the town Common. The event returns this year from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 28.

and it was great," Dancosse said. "I like how very family-focused the events are. That's a plus because I have a family of my own, so that's what really brought me in and it's been great so far."

Dancosse prides himself on his authentic food that Crossroads Food Trailer offers and the kind of service that his business and the other Street Food Festival vendors provide.

"I would have to say, probably food that they can't really find anywhere around here that's very authentic Hispanic food. Stuff that you would find if you had to cross the border to find very authentic Mexican food," Dancosse said. "I'm always happy and smiling and I try to be one-on-one with all my customers." Dancosse spoke on why he believes people should come out and participate in the festival.

"It's a great place for all your family, for the adults, and for all the small. There's a lot of stuff to do, there's great activities, awesome food, and if you like alcohol, there's great alcohol. It's just all around fun and great for a family event."

The New England Street Food Festival is partnering with the Que for the Cause and Brattleboro Buddy Walk for the second year. Open

to all who wish to participate, the Buddy Walk is a local fundraiser for the Special Olympics programs of Windham County and the Down Syndrome Awareness program. The 1-mile walk is free to register and will take place during the festival, on the Brattleboro Commons, beginning at 11 a.m.

"They inquired us, and we said this would be a great little thing to add to the festival atmosphere," Lolatte said. "It just made it so we're basically going to be utilizing the whole Brattleboro Common this year, and it just makes it more of a festival atmosphere."

In the years following the initial COVID outbreak, the main goal for the festival has been to put on an event that would unify the community and local business.

"This is our thing to give back to the community. We just want people to come out, have fun and enjoy. It was really important coming out of COVID that we did this because it got people out of their basements and their houses and actually get back out and do things again. We just want to kind of build on that momentum," Lolatte said. "You know, things might not be great in whatever's going on, but this one day, come on out, enjoy yourself." ~

For Chef Jariya, the decision to rebrand as Taan is a testament to her unwavering dedication to authenticity and meticulous care in every dish served.

A revitalized culinary spirit

Popular Thai spot rebrands as Taan

By Jennifer Brandt, Vermont Country correspondent

BENNINGTON — Embark on a journey into the reimagined Taan

Cuisine of Siam, a place where the rich heritage of Thai culinary tradition intertwines with a fresh, vibrant ambiance. Once known as Niramit and nestled within the warm embrace of the South Shire in Bennington, Vermont, Taan now beckons you to discover its revitalized spirit, guided by its passionate chef-owner.

The decision to rebrand as Taan was not just a change of name, but a deep-rooted commitment to honor the very essence of Thai cuisine and create a space that welcomes all. For Chef Jariya, this transformation is a testament to her unwavering dedication to authenticity and meticulous care in every dish served. During my recent visit, I was privileged to enter the bustling kitchen, where Chef Jariya generously shared her culinary secrets.

From the intricate steps of curry-making to selecting every ingredient, Chef Jariya emphasized the importance of quality and tradition. For her, authenticity means using coconut milk instead of water to maintain true flavors and incorporating palm sugar to preserve the dish's authentic taste. This dedication to craftsmanship and refusal to compromise on ingredients sets Taan apart, ensuring each bite is a delightful homage to Thailand's rich culinary heritage.

At Taan, every dish tells a story of passion and precision, inviting guests to savor the genuine flavors of Thailand with each visit. Whether you're a connoisseur of Thai cuisine or simply seeking a memorable dining experience, Taan promises to deliver exceptional flavor and warmth that leaves a lasting impression.

Stewart Cairns — Vermont Country file photos

Laab Gai is a Thai salad with minced chicken, shallots, mint leaves and a lime dressing.

Taan draws inspiration from diverse facets of Thai culture.

Tom Kha Gai is a Thai coconut chicken soup.

JUNIPER LANE

Discover the Heart this in Southwestern

a scenic byway that connects the towns of The Shires, each with its own story to tell. Manchester, nestled at the base of Mt. Equinox, is a four-season destination that shines brightest in the fall. The historic Hildene, the Lincoln family home, is a must-see. Perched on a hilltop, the estate offers a stunning vantage point to admire the vibrant patchwork of autumn colors that stretch across the valley below. Stroll through the meticulously maintained gardens, where late-season blooms mingle with the fiery reds and oranges of the surrounding woodlands. Inside, the mansion’s rich history and connection to President Abraham Lincoln’s family add a poignant layer to the beauty of the setting.

Outdoor Adventures and Local Flavors

Autumn in The Shires is synonymous with outdoor adventure, where the crisp air and breathtaking scenery create the perfect backdrop for exploring the region’s natural wonders. Take a hike up Bald Mountain and rest on the “White Rocks” as you gaze out onto the valley. The state parks in the area, including Woodford State Park and Shaftsbury State Park, are ideal for hiking, fishing, and simply enjoying the serenity of nature. Woodford, with its high elevation, often sees the first hints of snow mingling with fall’s last burst of color, creating a unique and serene landscape. For those seeking a more exhilarating experience, the trails of Long Trail offer challenging hikes with rewarding vistas at the summit, where you can see for miles across the autumn-draped mountains. For a gentler outdoor experience, take a leisurely drive along the many scenic byways that crisscross The Shires. Stop at roadside farm stands overflowing with apples, pumpkins, and late-season vegetables, or venture into one of the pick-your-own orchards for a classic autumn activity. The sweet scent of freshly pressed apple cider and the taste of warm cider doughnuts are autumnal delights not to be missed.

The crisp, cool air of autumn is a welcome relief after the humid Vermont summer. Locals and visitors alike head outside to enjoy the brilliant colors, which usually reach their peak around early to mid-October.

Photos by Lorianna Weathers Photography

The Bennington Battle Monument, Vermont’s tallest manmade structure, rises above the fiery autumn foliage in Bennington.

of The Shires Autumn Vermont

If you’re looking for a unique way to experience the outdoors, consider exploring The Shires on two wheels. The region offers an array of biking trails, from leisurely rides along country roads to more challenging mountain biking adventures. The quiet backroads provide the perfect setting to take in the stunning fall colors at your own pace. For a truly unforgettable experience, try the rail trails that wind through the countryside, offering a glimpse of Vermont’s rural charm as you pedal past farms, forests, and picturesque villages.

After a day of exploring, indulge in the local flavors that define The Shires. The region is home to a burgeoning farm-to-table movement, with chefs in local restaurants crafting seasonal dishes that highlight the best of Vermont’s produce. For a more refined dining experience, many of the region’s inns and restaurants feature menus that celebrate the bounty of the season, offering dishes that highlight local ingredients with creative flair.

Cultural Riches and Festivities

The Shires is also a hub of cultural activity, especially during the fall, when the season’s beauty inspires festivals and events that draw visitors from near and far. The Dorset Theatre Festival, Bennington Theater, Monument Art & Cultural Center, and Southern Vermont Arts Center host an array of performances and exhibitions, showcasing the region’s vibrant arts scene against the backdrop of stunning autumn landscapes. Whether you’re a theater enthusiast or an art lover, these venues offer a rich cultural experience that enhances your visit to The Shires.

If you’re a history buff, the American Museum of Fly Fishing and the Bennington Museum offer fascinating insights into the area’s past. The Bennington Museum is particularly renowned for its extensive collection

The “Old First” Congregational Church in Old Bennington is one of the oldest churches in the state. The great New England poet Robert Frost is buried in the cemetery behind the church.

of artifacts related to the Battle of Bennington, as well as its exhibits on regional art and history. The museum’s galleries provide a deep dive into the stories that have shaped this corner of Vermont, from the Revolutionary War to the modern day, making it a perfect stop on your autumn itinerary.

Festivals are another highlight of the season. The Garlic Town, USA festival in Bennington kicks off the season every Labor Day Weekend and is a unique celebration of all things garlic, featuring food, music, and local vendors. It’s an event that embodies the quirky, community-focused spirit of The Shires, drawing garlic lovers from all over to indulge in garlicky treats and enjoy the festive atmosphere. Meanwhile, the Peru Fair and Harvest Fest in October capture the essence of small-town Vermont with its traditional crafts, live music, and a famous harvest decor.

A Warm Welcome Awaits

Wherever your travels take you in The Shires, you’ll find warm hospitality and cozy accommodations that make you feel right at home. From historic inns like the Arlington Inn and Spa, Dorset Inn, The Four Chimneys Inn, or Equinox Golf Resort & Spa where history and luxury meet, to modern comforts at the Kimpton Taconic, Hampton Inn and Suites, or the Hotel Vervana there’s a place for every type of traveler. For a more intimate experience, consider one of the many charming bed and breakfasts or vacation rentals that dot the region. These accommodations often offer personalized touches, such as homemade breakfasts featuring local ingredients, that enhance your stay and provide a deeper connection to the local community.

As you plan your visit to The Shires of Southwestern Vermont this fall, prepare to be enchanted by the region’s stunning landscapes, rich history, and vibrant community. Whether it’s your first time or a return visit, The Shires offers endless opportunities to create lasting memories amid the splendor of autumn. The charm of this region lies not just in its scenic beauty, but in the stories, traditions, and people that make The Shires a truly special place to visit. Come for the foliage, stay for the experience, and leave with memories that will call you back year after year.

A great place to start is to pick up or download our new 2024-2025 Shires of Southwestern Vermont Travel Guide: exploretheshires.com/ shires-travel-guide

Manchester Center is home to the Manchester Designer Outlets, a collection of local and national brands with storefronts downtown.

The Manchester Visitor Center on Depot Street is between the Ralph Lauren and Fatface outlet stores.

Diverse Dining In Bennington Vermont

A Culinary Adventure Through Different Cultures

Vermont is not well-known for the diversity of its culinary scene, but in recent years Bennington Vermont, has become a destination for diverse and authentic cuisines. This quaint town, known for picturesque landscapes and historic charm, is now home to a variety of local diningestablishments offering flavors from around the world. From a new NYC-style bodega to the expansion of our Jamaican restaurant, Bennington’s food scene is punching well above its weight class. Join us as we explore some of the top eateries in Bennington, each bringing their unique tastes and stories to the community.

Savor the taste of NYC in Bennington at Vermont Chef, where a world of flavors awaits.

Opened in mid-June 2024, Vermont Chef is a NYC-style bodega that has quickly become a favorite among locals and visitors. With over 100 menu items and countless combinations, this spot offers NYC deli sandwiches, keto options, halal food such as gyros and falafel, fresh smoothies, a wide variety of seafood, and much more. Owner Naef Alnemer saw immense value in the Bennington community, stating, “The people in Bennington are so nice compared to the city, and we’re happy to be doing business here and starting to give back to the community that gave us this warm welcome.” Visit Vermont Chef at 713 Main St. and explore their menu at vt-chef.com.

Island Flavor – Jamaican Restaurant

Anique and Joan Gilpin have brought a piece of Jamaica to Bennington with their restaurant, Island Flavor. Offering traditional

Jamaican dishes such as oxtail and curry goat, as well as unique treats like Korean shaved ice, this eatery provides an immersive island experience.

Anique shares, “I’m happy to bring a piece of Jamaica to Vermont and give people the best experience through food, music, hospitality, and regular game nights!”

Find Island Flavor’s new location at 1001 Main St. and check out their menu at islandflavorvt.com.

Taan – Thai at South Shire

Located within the charming South Shire boutique hotel, Taan offers a family-style traditional Thai dining experience. The restaurant, directed by Khun Jariya, brings authentic flavors from Thailand using locally sourced ingredients. Jariya mentions, “I do my best in sourcing local ingredients and doing as many local partnerships as possible.” Taan also participates in pop-up events at Union South and the Monument Arts & Cultural Center. Visit them at 124 Elm St, Bennington, and view their menu at taansiam.com

Philly’s

– Traditional Cheesesteak Joint

Shem Adams, a Philadelphia native, brought the taste of Philly to Bennington with his traditional cheesesteak joint, Philly’s VT. The restaurant’s menu includes cheesesteaks, nachos, fries, chicken wings, and salads. On their opening day, Philly’s VT sold out of steak in just three hours. Shem is thrilled to share his Philly roots with Vermont.

Find them at 230 North Street and

explore the full menu on the Philly’s VT Facebook page.

Lil Britain – Vermont’s Only Authentic British

Fish Shop

For over 12 years, Nathan Johnson has been serving up authentic British fish and chips at Lil Britain. Known for their crispy fried fish, scallops, and traditional meat pies, this shop also offers imported snacks that transport customers straight to the British Isles. Nathan enjoys the open kitchen concept, saying, “I get to see everybody that I cook for, and they get to see me cooking. The fryers are right there; there’s not a whole lot of mystery about what we do.”

Visit Lil Britain at 116 North Street and follow them on Facebook for their menu and specials.

Afghan Food

Zakia Muslim Yar and her family, who fled Afghanistan in August 2021, have made Bennington their home and now share authentic Afghan meals with the community. Offering catering services and a weekly menu, Zakia’s Afghan Food has become a local favorite. Zakia expresses her gratitude, “We have so appreciated the welcome we received and now I am so pleased to be able to share the foods of my home with our community.” Check out their website for catering orders.

Mexican Cuisine in Bennington

Bennington boasts several great Mexican dining options. Harvest Brewing, known for its authentic burritos and chimichangas, also offers veggie options and occasional fish taco specials. Sean, the head brewer,

Vermont Chef Island Flavor

Philly's VT

and Tiffany, the taproom manager, create a welcoming community atmosphere. The Avocado Pit, located on South Street, is a quick spot for tacos, bowls, and burritos, perfect for lunch or dinner. Steven and Joshua Hodgin, the two brothers who recently took over ownership of both branches in Bennington and Manchester, have brought a refreshing energy and made beautiful improvements to the establishments.

Hidden Gems

Bennington’s dining scene also includes hidden gems influenced by various culinary traditions. The Four Chimneys Inn offers French-inspired cuisine, while the Mount Anthony Country Club has Argentine roots. Both Madison’s Brewing and 421 Craft Bar and Kitchen are run by first-generation Americans originally from Lebanon, adding even more diversity to the town’s culinary landscape. Pangaea Lounge in North Bennington has been well known for its impressive international dishes and fusions from all over the world. Located in North Bennington, the Pangaea menu, whether enjoyed indoors or on their outdoor deck, will surely take you on a culinary trip out of the village.

Additionally, Bennington Community Market has introduced Korean cheesesteaks and Vietnamese banh mi to their regular menu, and they’ve recently been hosting some fantastic Afghani pop-ups. The Bennington Museum also hosts regular pop-ups in partnership with Shanta from Corner of India.

Bennington Events

Some of Southern Vermont’s signature events take place in Bennington, Vermont, and we will be naming a few that excel at offering a diverse culinary experience. Yes, we all love festival burgers, cheese fries, and fried pickles, but it’s a unique experience when you step into any of these events and get surprised by what they’re offering. Bennington’s Garlic Town USA, taking place in August on Saturday, the 31st, often features cuisines from all around the world, making it a haven for foodies and farm-totable lovers. Mayfest has already happened, but its producers are about to put together Harvest Fest, which in the past has showcased Polish, Filipino,

Mexican, and Jamaican cuisines.

Who would’ve thought that Bennington, Vermont, would become a hub for multicultural and diverse cuisines?

Whether you’re planning a visit for hiking, swimming, skiing, or just exploring, Bennington offers an array of dining destinations to complement your adventures yearround. Plan your visit with Vermont Begins Here, Bennington Vermont’s online tourism guide. Subscribe to our free monthly newsletter for all the tips and local insiders to make the best out of your trip.

Theatre

Snow Playgrounds

Bennington Museum

Old First Church

Snowy Sunsets

Fall Foliage

Craft Breweries

Bennington Monument

Park-McCullough

Covered Bridges

Walkable Downtown

Unique Lodging

Lil Britain

Mexican Cuisine

Hidden Gems

A little animal therapy

Granite Oak Farm offers cow cuddling to help melt away your stress

By Lucia Coutermarsh

Vermont Country correspondent

HARRISVILLE, N.H. — At the Granite Oak Farm in Harrisville, Brian and Laura Bradford maintain a cozy business that provides people with the opportunity to hug, pet and snuggle with their cows.

Biscuit, Peppermint and Barley are the three professional cuddlers of Granite Oak Farm, whose cuddling services are available to anyone who is intrigued or in need of a little animal therapy.

Brian Bradford got the idea for cow cuddling when he went to the fairs as a child and experienced the love for cow cuddling firsthand. Once he was able to purchase land and cows, he began the cow cuddling business in hopes that it would bring as much joy to others as it did to him. Now, as Brian Bradford runs the front end of the business, Laura Bradford, his wife, operates behind the scenes.

“People use it a lot as a bucket list item. They've always wanted to cuddle a cow. And for others, it literally is like therapy for them,” Laura Bradford said. “We've got some folks that will come once a month, once every other month. They've told us that they get along with their coworkers better now. They're not as stressed as they used to be. And for a lot, it's just something fun and unique to do.”

The process for cow cuddling begins with booking a session on the Granite Oak Farms website. After reading through the detailed descriptions of each cuddler's distinct personality, the customer can then book a session with their desired cuddler: $35 for 30 minutes or $55 for 60 minutes, and an

additional $10 for every additional person added to your party.

Making your way to the farm, you will likely be greeted by Santiago, Diego or Rodrigo the roosters, and Skittles the farm dog who will lead you to your cuddler. As safety precautions, Brian and Laura Bradford ask that people wear closed-toe shoes and be 10 years of age or older to enter the stalls with the cuddlers. People are invited to hug the cows, brush their fur, lay down with them or enjoy their company as the calming effects of the animal therapy take over. Hand sanitizer and a hand washing station are also available to customers after their cuddling session.

“My favorite part is just seeing people's reactions to it. We've built friendships through this by the clients that return and we've got this great kind of support base of people that follow the farm and reach out to us with anything exciting or funny that happens,” Laura Bradford said. “I love that part and I think it's fun building those relationships.”

During my visit at Granite Oak Farm, I had the pleasure of experiencing the snuggles of all three cow cuddlers. Having never petted an animal besides dogs or cats, I was able to get my fill of cow cuddles as I sat with the cows in their stalls and petted their surprisingly soft fur as I felt the stresses of the day melt away. I’d like to believe that myself and the cows got what we wanted out of the experience.

The Bradfords explained that they typically get mixed reactions when they tell people what they do, but the reactions they get from their customers reaffirm their beliefs in the helping effects of their business.

“People either get really excited or they're confused, and they want to know more,” Laura Bradford said. “I found that typically when I'm out and people say, what do you do? And I explain how my husband I have a farm and we do cow cuddling, I usually have to repeat myself a couple times. But the general kind of consensus when people get here is just one of excitement. And the sounds kind of coming from the stalls during cow cuddling. It varies between, you know, lots of laughter and just having, you know, a great time or to just complete quiet, because the cows lay down. They're laying on the couch, cuddling the cow, and they're just completely sending out.”

Another one of their goals as a local business operating out of a small town is to drive more tourism to the surrounding towns and their businesses. Since many of their regular customers come from all over New England

and other parts of the country, they often try to direct their customers to other local businesses they enjoy.

“We're a big proponent of supporting local businesses. Harrisville has been amazing and welcoming to us. We have people that will stop by just to say hi, and we love that. That was a big reason why we picked this area to move the farm to,” Laura Bradford said. “So that's another big one, is being surprised at how far people travel and then making sure that they go out and spend their dollars elsewhere to spread the love. It's kind of a nice way to spread that exposure and make sure that folks know what else is around here.”

Cuddlers on Wheels, or C.O.W., is the next endeavor that the Bradfords hope to accomplish as they have begun to take their cuddlers to events so more people can experience their cuddling effects.

“We had a person reach out a couple of years ago for a celebration of life. And so he took Lily, the only big cow that we use for cuddling. She's super gentle and amazing to that and just everyone loved it had such a great time,” Laura Bradford said. “If you would like us to bring a cow to you, then we can. Pricing varies depending on what they're looking for, how long they need us for. We'd like to stay within 30 miles or 30 minutes of the farm. But there's some flexibility with that. It's just kind of like, tell us what you want to do and let's see what we can work out.”~

Photos by Lucia Coutermarsh Vermont Country correspondent Owner Brian Bradford gives cuddler Biscuit a good scratch on the ear.

Mini Highland steer calf Barley loves chest rubs and snuggling all day long.

Fire in the skies

The autumn blaze that is Vermont

By Victor C. Capelli

As the tired August and September trees begin to tint with leaf tips of hesitant change, so too the browning meadows with their spent dry grasses indenting the rolling green undulating hills foreshadowing and anticipating with their waning wands at the apex of summer and then the gradual descent to tree transported autumn glories

But where is the lighthearted gaiety of springtime leaves and the bursting effervescent blossoms which once transformed our green hillsides in April, May and June? Where are all the exuberant flowers still yearning for that overhead summer solstice sun soaking the once cold winter earth? Alas, the eternal seasonal wheel contin-

ues to turn. The muted, fading, drooping springtime and summer blooms along with the tired-looking trees and the still-billowing yellow tufts of goldenrod and late summer wildflowers still rioting in the lush green fields and meadows about them are just the early, but telltale harbingers of the inevitable color change to come that will sweep all before it.

Above our heads, the dark inert green of the 400,000-acre Green Mountain National Forest atop that high ridge of a billion-year-old granite gneiss looms starkly down upon us. Those slopes are already prematurely peppered on the upper tree crowns with the barest rainbow flecks of the approaching Vermont color tidal wave coming in September, October and November.

Eighty-eight species of trees make up our forest demographics (native and introduced) and Vermont is the third most forested state in the lower 48, after New Hampshire and Maine, with a 78% tree canopy cover. A full 71% of the forests in the Green Mountain State consist of sugar maple, American beech, yellow birch and hemlock while the remaining species consist of white ash, basswood, red maple, white pine, red oaks, chestnut oaks, red spruce and balsam fir. In bogs and wetlands, black spruce and tamarack are also found. Vermont is a truly unique state in New England because our forests lie within a biological transition zone between the Canadian boreal forest of evergreens to the north and the southern mostly deciduous forests to the south.

Scott Stafford — Vermont Country file photo

A view from the grounds of the Lincoln family home, Hildene, in Manchester, in autumn.

With the exception of the change-resistant tawny oaks clinging stubbornly to their tough brown lower lignin-infused leaves (a unique botanical and ecological adaptation called “marcescence” common to oaks, beech and hornbeam in the winter months); the enveloping reign of rainbow spangled leaf brilliance in the Vermont hills soon becomes the supreme optical splendor eclipsing every visual aspect of the autumn landscape that greets our summer-soothed, accustomed and welcoming eyes.

The effusive consuming foliar fire that inflames the Vermont woods in autumn is the pervasive photosynthetic Midas touch of successive leaf pigments appearing from the combined effects of shortening daylight photoperiodism and colder nights triggering the slowdown and eventual shutdown of tree photosynthesis.

The chemical breakdown and disintegration of starchy green chlorophyll in the upper surface of the leaf from dropping air temperatures (below 32 F) expose the underlying red carotene, anthocyanins and yellow xanthophyll pigments beneath. Then, the formation of a corky stem plug called the abscissa that joins the leaf stem and the tree branch shuts off the flow of sap to and from the trunk and roots, cutting off leaf metabolism altogether.

Carotene is the most common and most stable of the leaf pigments and when all the chlorophyll finally disappears, it is only the reddish carotene pigment remaining which makes the leaf appear yellow. A cold snap will often hasten the change but strong sunlight will destroy the remaining chlorophyll in the leaf.

The gentle fluttering drop of every leaf to the thick forest floor duff is nature’s promise. Most deciduous trees by July and August have fully formed leaf buds on their stems underneath and are ready to go for next year’s spring growth.

Every tree species has a color scheme in the autumnal palate that proclaims its genetic and physical heritage arising from the leaf pigments present below the green chlorophyll leaf lattice we see. Every tree species contributes its own particular piece to the visual pie and the colorful pageant that parades before us.

Birches (Betula sp.), usually exhibits yellow-orange simple serrated leaves like the white or canoe birch or the yellow birch, which, out of the six common species of birch in Vermont, is the longest lived and largest birch species in the forest. A yellow birch has distinctive long, shaggy yellowish bark when it is old as opposed to the white birch with its brilliant white and black creased bark. The birches' yellow leaf colors are owed primarily to carotene. Other species like the red maple (Acer robur), with its sharp, three-pointed leaf, is the first maple to turn bright crimson from the dominant anthocyanin pigments. Red maple is also called the swamp maple because it prefers to grow in wet, soggy soils. Interestingly, higher soil acidity will make red maple leaves even darker red.

Staghorn sumac (not be confused with poison sumac and named for its furry, velvet-like, antler-like stems) also turns a scorching scarlet red from the overwhelming presence of anthocyanins. Their long, red, serrated pinnate leaves along with their sweet tasty reddish berries (make a great lemonade!) are fiery exclamation points at the edges of fields and meadows preceding the tree colors invading the hills. Their shrubby explosions of leaf fire jabs like swords at the dull green background of the forest edge. Red oaks and scarlet oaks (both found in Vermont) also display vivid reddish leaves because of the abundance of anthocyanins which take over as soon as the green chlorophyll departs.

The leaves of the ashes, on the other hand, display sharp contrast to the sharp red and orange tints about them. White, green or red ashes (genus Fraxinus) along with hickories (shagbark, pignut, bitternut or mockernut) and the walnuts (butternut or black walnut), simply turn a bright lemon or orange-yellow from the dominant carotene pigment and then drops off, falling to the sere forest floor already covered by their ripening nuts ready for the squirrels' feast and larder.

Not to be outdone by this leafy competition, the eastern cottonwood (Poplus) and all the aspens are the yellow counterpoints to the scintilla of the incoming flood of painted trees on the burnt umber hillsides of Vermont. Especially the leaves of quaking aspen (Poplus tremuloides) with their flat bladed stems, which quiver like a pulsating living heart in the cool northern breezes racing down the ridges of the Green Mountains.

But the sugar maple (Acer sacchrum) is the quintessential element of Vermont’s blaze of glory that detonates before our eyes every year. This species, out of all the deciduous trees in the Northeast forest, has the unique botanical gift of phytochemical combinations of all four pigments present in its leaves, beginning with the fall fading away of green chlorophyll in each leaf and then slowly exposing the orange red carotenoids, yellow xanthophyll and anthocyanin pigments descending from the top of the tree down to the lowest branches. Sugar maple leaves often turn pure red in the presence of sunlight or a bland yellow in the shade depending on their genetic makeup, weather and location.

An inconspicuous Clark Kent deftly hid and cloaked within the green clad anonymity of its green clad peers, this unassuming deciduous tree with the shortening of days and colder nights suddenly breaks out of the pack like a stunning Superman of fall foliage, in a spectacular uniform unrivaled in the community of New England forest trees.

The sugar maple, the state tree of Vermont, is the dominant deciduous tree species in Vermont. Twenty percent of our forest tree canopy, one in every four trees, consists of sugar maples. Out of Vermont’s 3.4 billion trees total, sugar maple alone is responsible for 2.4 million cords of tree growth annually. The sugar maple is joined by all its maple relatives: the Norway maple, (a non-native invasive species which doesn’t have the same magical chemical charisma as its cousin), the red maple, the silver maple (a maple with thrice dissected leaves), the striped maple (also called Moosewood), mountain maples, black maples, the Japanese maple (an Asian ornamental) and the box elder or ash leaved maple (a newcomer from the west) have all begun their transformation to the leaf incandescence that have made this state a tourist mecca for leaf peepers the world over. The leaf peeping boom attracts 3.4 million visitors every year to our state and contributes more than 25% of tourist revenue and approximately $600 to 800 million to the economy.

As the season rolls unceasingly through the golden hills of Vermont, we can only savor these colorful gifts of nature that bathe our eyes with captivating beauty, fleeting in the insistent autumn winds gathering and scurrying the fallen leaves so recently adorned on the green clasped mountain trees and which now tumble about aimlessly in the woodland snow-covered aisles of winter at the cold dark nadir of the year. ~

Victor C. Capelli is a retired environmental educator, environmental analyst and nature illustrator.

Photo provided by Zura Capelli

Beyond pumpkin spice

Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country file photos

Above: Cyclists weave in and out of the colorful foliage at Mount Snow on a fall day.

Below: People head to Dummerston for pancakes and apple pies during an Apple Pie Festival and Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast.

Fall in Vermont a brief though magical experience

By Chris Mays, Vermont Country

From foliage to festivals to fresh cider, there is always plenty to look forward to each fall in Vermont.

Here is a collection of photos from past foliage seasons and events to give you an idea of what you're in for.

Enjoy the scenery

Stratton Mountain Resort, in Stratton, is full of opportunities during the fall season such as mountain biking, scenic gondola and chairlift rides, and other festivities.

"We have a good run of fall events going," said Andrew Kimiecik, digital marketing manager.

Back-to-back brew fests are scheduled for Oct. 12 and Oct. 13, as part of the resort's HarvestFest Weekend. Activities include a chili cook-off and the annual Race to the Summit.

Mount Snow, too, offers mountain biking and scenic chairlift rides during the fall.

"Skiers and riders can get stoked for winter with Mount Snow’s signature fall events," said Courtney DiFiore, spokesperson for the resort. "Before heading into the winter season, we’re celebrating Vermont’s iconic fall foliage with the 29th annual Brewers Festival and 26th annual Oktoberfest."

Oktoberfest is happening over two weekends this fall, on Oct. 5 and 12.

Jack

a cider maker at Green

Orchards, in Putney, pours a bushel of apples into a machine that will wash them before grinding them during a cider making process.

Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country file photo People voyage to Hogback Mountain in Marlboro to look at the leaves changing during a past foliage season.

Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country file photo

Maples,

Mountain

A view from the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive.

Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country file photo

Arts, food, music and fundraisers fill the streets of Newfane during the annual Newfane Heritage Festival.

Radder —

People enjoy the fall foliage at Mount Snow, in Dover, during a past "leaf peeping" season.

The events will include a keg toss, craft fair and traditional German bier halls.

"We’re going big this Oktoberfest with our annual Stein Holding competition. It will be a preliminary qualifying round of the Vermont State Steinholding Championships," DiFiore said.

Other favorite fall spots include Hogback Mountain and the Mount Equinox Skyline Drive.

Festivities abound

Then, of course, there are the fall festivals.

The Newfane Heritage Festival celebrates community, crafts and entertainment. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Indigenous People’s Day weekend, Oct. 12 and 13, rain or shine.

"Since 1970, volunteers have made the Newfane Heritage Festival in the heart of historic Newfane village a fall season destination," an announcement states.

More than 60 juried artists and craftspeople will display and sell their work in the tents set up on the lawn in front of the historic Windham County Courthouse and the Union Hall. Music and food also are part of the event.

Proceeds of the event go to benefit the wider missions of the First Congregational Church of Newfane, including community support. The church’s mission is to make a difference in lives worldwide and in the community.

Other area fall festivals are Dummerston Apple Pie Festival (Oct. 13) and Bennington's Harvest Fest (Oct. 19).

Easy sipping

And don't forget the apple cider: Allen Brothers Farm Market in Westminster and Green Mountain Orchards in Putney are among local businesses that make their own right here in Southern Vermont.~

Stewart Cairns — Vermont Country file photo

Highland Ledge Farm from Savoy, Mass., sells its products at Harvest Fest in Bennington in 2023.

Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country

People take a gondola up Stratton Mountain, in Stratton, to catch a glimpse of the leaves from the top.

Stewart Cairns — Vermont Country file photo

Kristopher

Vermont Country file photo

file photo

Chalet 239, West Dover

Photos provided by Chalet 239 "We've already got a lot of bookings for October," Dan Dupuis, co-owner of Chalet 239, said in mid-August. "It's a great spot right on 100, located close to everything."

Chalet 239, a new boutique hotel on Route 100 in West Dover, is just a mile away from a fall foliage hotspot — the Mount Snow ski resort.

"We've already got a lot of bookings for October," Dan Dupuis, co-owner of Chalet 239, said in mid-August. "It's a great spot right on 100, located close to everything."

In December 2022, Dupuis and his wife bought the former Snow Creek Inn. In rough shape, the building was gutted and significantly renovated. Dupuis grew up in the neighboring town of Wilm-

ington. Currently, the couple lives in Naples, Fla.

"This is our first time going out with a commercial project like this but we've been home renovators and investors for about 15 years, mostly single-family homes," Dupuis said. "The hotel was something that we had talked about getting into and when we saw the one in Dover, it kind of hit home."

Scenic Placesthisto

Trying to decide where to stay

Having stayed locally to visit family, Dupuis had seen the degradation of local inns.

"When we saw Snow Creek, we decided to give it a shot," he said, "not only for the challenge of getting into the hotel scene but also my love for the area. We wanted to get things revitalized in that section of town. Hopefully people will follow. I think some have."

While most inns in the area go for a rustic feel, Dupuis wanted to go another route. He sees Chalet 239 as a place for a sophisticated, younger crowd wanting luxury near the mountain.

All the rooms are furnished with memory foam mattresses and vegan leather beds. All the floors are hard surface and waterproof.

"Everything's simplistic but it's got a beautiful design to it," Dupuis said.

Dupuis called the hotel's location "key," as Mount Snow can be seen from the driveway. He recently spoke with a snowmobile club to get a bridge on the property.

while on a foliage tour (or, as some call it, "leaf peeping")?

All the rooms at Chalet 239 are furnished with memory foam mattresses and vegan leather beds. The MOOver buses, which have bike and ski racks, are available from the hotel.

— Chris Mays, Vermont Country

Colonel Williams Inn, Marlboro

Whether you’re looking for shopping, nature or history, the Colonel Williams is ideally located for you.

From our beautiful property, you’re in a central location between Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York. Within an hour of us, there are hundreds of museums of all kinds and thousands of shops — many of which are locally owned.

If you’re looking for more natural wonders, we are a short drive from both the Green Mountain National Forest — with access to the famous Long Trail — and Molly Stark State Park. Hogback Mountain is just 10 minutes away, with the famous 100-mile view encompassing Vermont, Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The best part of the Colonel Williams Inn is that you don’t need to go anywhere to enjoy all the things a Vermont autumn has to offer. The Inn is centered on 9 gorgeous acres, with a large, picturesque pond at its heart, which is home to multiple generations of beavers. Because we’re surrounded by woods, wildlife is everywhere, so you can spend a nice morning out on our deck, enjoying a freshly brewed cup of coffee while

watching nature all around you.

The large barn on the property was the first raised structure in the town of Marlboro, built in 1769 by Colonel William Williams. Four guest rooms are in the original part of the house that Colonel Williams built for his family, and they still have the original wood flooring. Three rooms are in the section of the house built by the Adams family in the early 1820s, and the final two rooms are in the newest section of the house that was built in the 1960s. Every room has its own unique style and a selection of books from our extensive library.

At the Colonel Williams Inn, you get to experience true southern hospitality in a gorgeous New England setting.

On Wednesday nights, the Inn opens its full bar and serves dinner to both guests and the community. The menus range from French food to southern BBQ (made by real southerners!) to tropical, and between the food and the live music we often have, our Wednesday nights are a lively and fun experience.

At the Colonel Williams Inn, you get to experience true southern hospitality in a gorgeous New England setting. Come on by for beautiful fall foliage, a delicious cocktail or an exciting personal event.

— Victoria Osborne, owner / innkeeper, Colonel Williams Inn

Photos provided by Colonel Williams Inn

The Colonel Williams Inn is in a central location between Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York.

getaways fallstay

Here are a few options to call home base while experiencing fall in Southern Vermont.

Guests at Jamaica Haus have access to a kitchen and living/dining room as well as the rest of the 8,000-square-foot inn.

Jamaica Haus, Jamaica

From Jamaica Haus, fall foliage seekers can start an impressive tour and enjoy a bit of local history.

"There's just so much to see here," said Mercedes Ross, owner. "This is probably one of the richest places to watch foliage."

Ross believes the southern part of Vermont sometimes shows richer colors due to the moisture. She bought the inn, which has been around for about 200 years, about three years ago. She was needing a place to keep all her parents' stuff, including Austrian furniture and local historical artifacts.

To pay homage to her family's heritage, Ross renamed the Jamaica House to Jamaica Haus. Her parents, Austrian immigrants, came to Vermont in the 1960s, then helped develop Stratton Mountain Resort and found Stratton Mountain School. They ran the Birkenhaus, an inn at the base of the mountain, and her father played in the Stratton Mountain Boys.

"I was a little ski racer along with a lot of local kids up there," Ross said. "I'm so proud of that."

Ross runs a nonprofit, setting up bicycle mechanic programs at high schools. Her sister sells her baked goods under the business name Skinny Goose at West River Provisions across the street. Her father's art and prints are sold at the inn.

Four suites are rented out to guests, who have access to a kitchen and living/dining room as well

Snow Goose Inn, West Dover

In the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains, you’ll find the Snow Goose Inn. Just a few miles from the idyllic town of Wilmington and short drives to Manchester, Brattleboro and Bennington is where you’ll find the town of Dover — and the Snow Goose Inn.

Owned and run by the Parkers — Jon and Cheryl, since 2020 — their generational experience operating and managing corporate aircraft has given these innkeepers a keen ability to anticipate needs to provide a seamless and delightful guest experience. A quick glance at their online reviews tells you that this team delivers. Over our many years working in aviation, we have been all over the world and experienced guest services at every level, and more importantly, at every life stage. We know what its like to travel alone, as a couple, and with children, with toddlers and young adults.

The Snow Goose offers 12 rooms across 10,000 square feet — eight rooms, two junior suites and two amazing suites. All rooms have private baths, Wi-Fi, AC, Smart TV and most with fireplaces and direct access outside to your own private deck or porch

as the rest of the 8,000-square-foot inn. Shared spaces allow for complete strangers to become friends with other guests over a stay.

"It creates spontaneous community," Ross said. "There's lots of little spaces in the hotel to hunker down and be with other people or not. Each room is very spacious. The suites are fairly big."

In the living room is a wood stove. Outside is a fireplace.

Rooms have fridges, TV, internet and microwaves.

"It's just the coziest, wonderful place," Ross said. — Chris Mays, Vermont Country

area. The common area is vast and varied, offering quiet spots for two and larger gathering spaces for families and friends.

The grounds at the Snow Goose are beautiful — with multiple gardens, a stream, waterfall, ponds, multiple stone patios, decks, firepits and porches, the Snow Goose is your comfortable elegant mountain home for your Vermont fall experience.

A full cook-to-order breakfast is included, along with a happy hour, charcuterie board, and Ben and Jerry’s ice cream — the list goes on, and it’s all included with your stay.

provided by Jon Parker With multiple gardens, a stream, waterfall, ponds, multiple stone patios, decks, firepits and porches, the Snow Goose is your comfortable elegant mountain home for your Vermont fall experience.

The Snow Goose is your perfect Southern Vermont fall getaway. A mile from the lifts at Mount Snow, you can see the entire valley and Somerset reservoir from the top. Hike down or ride the lift back. We are also at about 1,800 feet elevation, which brings nearly guaranteed access to beautiful foliage all season.

The Snow Goose is perfectly situated on the Route 100 national scenic byway, consistently known as one of the most beautiful roads in New England. A short drive north or south along this road is sure to delight your senses.

—

Jon Parker, co-owner, Snow Goose Inn

Photos provided by Mercedes Ross

pay homage to her family's heritage, Mercedes Ross renamed the Jamaica House to Jamaica Haus.

The common area of Snow Goose Inn is vast and varied, offering quiet spots for two and larger gathering spaces for families and friends.

Photos

Childhood dream becomes reality

Bruins draft Elliott Groenewold of Bellows Falls

By Brandon Canevari

Vermont Country

LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Just over a month ago, the life of a Bellows Falls native was dramatically changed and, in the process, a boyhood dream was fulfilled.

Elliott Groenewold, 18, a defenseman, was drafted in the fourth round by the Boston Bruins with the 13th pick, 110th overall, in the National Hockey League draft, which took place June 28 and 29 in Las Vegas, Nev.

"It's been a crazy couple of weeks for sure being drafted by the Bruins," said Groenewold in a phone interview. "It's an honor and I'm super excited to have that opportunity."

Groenewold grew up on Griswold Drive in Bellows Falls in a tight-knit community. The rec center was nearby and Groenewold said he would often go there to play street hockey or basketball with friends.

From a young age, he was focused on hockey. Growing up, there was a deck on the outside of his parents' house where he and his brothers would shoot pucks and play two-on-two or three-on-three hockey games. The games, he said, helped his development and his brothers, all of whom were older, played a big role in developing his love of the game.

"They would always bring me along to the rink with them because they started playing at a pretty young age as well, so I was always tagging along with them and I’m super fortunate enough that they were able to put up with me and always take me along with their friends," said Groenewold. "We’d go skate at the rink for hours. We knew the Zamboni guy and he kind of let us in the back door all the time. We were rink rats back in the day and that’s kind of

Elliott Groenewold of Bellows Falls plays in a game with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League. Groenewold was drafted by the Boston Bruins in this year's NHL draft.

how I got into the game was kind of due to my brothers and I’m super grateful for that.”

When Groenewold was in middle school, he decided to play club hockey in New Hampshire. He said the experience changed his approach to the game because he recognized the sacrifice not just for himself, but for his parents. Playing on the club team not only involved long car rides, but it was more expensive than playing on a local team. At that point, Groenewold said he felt he owed it to both himself and his parents to take it seriously and try to

make it as far as he could in the sport. When it came time for high school, Groenewold attended boarding school at Bishop's College School in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, through his junior year. It was another experience that Groenewold said helped shape him as both a player and a person.

"Those years, it's like prime-time development, and the coaching staff up there was unbelievable. They helped me so much with my game, with my skating, with all aspects of the game," said Groenewold. "It's a little bit of a different style in Canada

Photo provided by Cedar Rapids RoughRiders

and everyone's really good there. They eat, sleep and breathe hockey up there, so it's a great culture to be in. I'm happy I had that experience and it definitely is a reason why I am where I am today."

After his junior year, Groenewold played for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders, a Tier 1 junior ice hockey team in the United States Hockey League in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It was while he was playing there that he said the Bruins first started showing interest in him. Groenewold said he had a few conversations with representatives of the team throughout the season. The day before the draft, Groenewold said he had a meeting with members of the Bruins and at that meeting, they told him they were planning to select him in either the third or fourth round.

It wasn't until after the draft, when he had been flown to Boston for the Bruins player development camp, that Groenewold said the reality of the situation began to sink in.

"Obviously being drafted and hearing my name called by the Bruins was an amazing experience. It gave me the chills."

Elliott Groenewold

"Obviously being drafted and hearing my name called by the Bruins was an amazing experience. It gave me the chills. Having my whole family there to experience it with me was amazing and being able to shake the whole staff's hands and put on the jersey for the first time with my last name on it was really special. You know, definitely being in Vegas, it did not sink in for a while just because everything's so crazy," Groenewold said.

There was another incredible experience after the draft. Growing up, Groenewold had been a big fan of Bruins forward Brad Marchand. After he arrived in Boston, Groenewold had the opportunity to meet him.

"That was awesome. It was pretty surreal," said Groenewold. "He's a guy that I've

provided by Andy Scanlon Elliott Groenewold of Bellows Falls plays in a game with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders in the United States Hockey League. Groenewold was drafted by the Boston Bruins in this year's NHL draft.

looked up to my whole life. He's just got great character. His perseverance is amazing and being able to meet him, talk hockey with him and talk life with him was really special. Just getting to meet him, he's such a wholesome guy, such a great guy with a lot of great values, so it was awesome to just sit down and talk to him for a little bit."

While their positions are different, with Groenewold being on defense and Marchand being a forward, Groenewold said one of the things he loved about Marchand was the way he competed on the ice. While Marchand may not have been the biggest guy on the ice, Groenewold said he was always impressed with his physical style of play and his ability to win battles night in and night out. In that aspect, Groenewold said he has tried to model his game after Marchand.

Once the player development camp began, the reality of being a Boston Bruin began to set in and Groenewold realized he needed to keep working in order to play at the next level. Pro players were also participating in the player development camp and Groenewold said it was an adjustment to play with some of the players who were older, stronger and faster and catch up with their strength and pace. Still, he said he thought he fit in pretty well overall.

During the camp, players underwent

several different tests to evaluate things such as their fitness, strength, conditioning and mobility. When Groenewold got the results back, he shared them with his strength coach at Quinnipiac University, where he will be matriculating this coming fall, to be able to work with his strengths and focus on improving his weaknesses. There were also several meetings at the camp that focused on nutrition and sleep relative to performance, which Groenewold indicated was eye-opening. He said the biggest takeaway for him was having a greater understanding of how to train, eat and sleep to be a professional player.

While he was at the Bruins player development camp, Groenewold said he was able to work with one of the directors of player development, and former Bruin, Adam McQuaid.

"I'm working with him a lot to improve some areas of my game, just like working on my puck touches and my hands a little bit more. I'm kind of improving my offensive game, but keeping my game pretty simple and not changing the way I play in the defensive zone, (which is) being really hard to play against and taking pride in doing a really good job of shutting other team's top lines down," said Groenewold. With fall coming soon, Groenewold is currently getting ready for his first season at Quinnipiac University. A typical day for him, he said, usually begins with a workout sometime between 7:30 and 9 a.m. followed by a skate. That is typically followed by an academic or team meeting around noon, and he takes a course and usually has homework to do in the afternoon.

Groenewold was drawn to Quinnipiac after getting to experience the culture of the team while taking a tour of the university. The respect they had for each other, their core values and their desire to win were all attributes that became factors in Groenewold's decision to attend Quinnipiac.

"I want to win all the time and be successful as a team and as a player individually, so I think that's kind of what attracted me and I'm really excited to get the season started here in the fall," Groenewold said. "I think that this team has a lot of aspirations to do really great things this year and I think that's what I'm most excited about is pushing to win our league, win the championship there and then move onto the tournament, make the frozen four and win a national championship. I think that's all of our goal. That's all what we're looking forward to and the work we're putting in now is all going toward that."~

Photo

Rural grandeur

Photos

provided by George Forbes Crops from The Weston's farm infuse The Left Bank's menu with an unparalleled hometown feel.

Infusing a home away from home

with luxury — and flavor — at The Weston

By Cherise Forbes, Vermont Country

WESTON

— It's a rare thing to feel one with a community yet far and away — but The Weston manages to do just that. In the Southern Vermont town that shares its name, The Weston has keyed into what makes Vermont great, while earning its reputation as a luxury destination.

What is it that makes Vermont great, exactly? A sea of travel blogs will top the list with foliage, maple syrup and craft beer. Though those Vermont standbys are not to be missed, it's something simpler that exemplifies our state's unique character — it's the connections to the heart formed along the way.

At The Weston, that bond begins almost immediately upon arrival. From the front lawn, one feels that they are simply part of Weston's historic neighborhood. The establishment's two buildings appear at first to be any other stately residence, and that hometown feel permeates through every inch.

As soon as you walk through the door, you're reminded of The Weston's luxurious lineage. Owned by the Sharp family, multi-generational hoteliers best known for New York City's famed Carlyle and Gramercy Park Hotels, the Vermont experience is elevated by The Weston.

The carefully curated aesthetic, encompassing everything from the decadently patterned wallpaper to the lavish aroma of LAFCO's Feu de Bois, envelops the senses immediately. The interior grandeur pays tribute to the wilderness enveloping it (South-

ern Vermont is situated within a national forest, after all) with fine art, antiques and patterns evoking the natural world. Sturdy, centuries-old pine floorboards in the main building give a sense of the region's — and this property's — rich history.

The Weston's staff conveys a family atmosphere, without making themselves too familiar. If it's a getaway you're looking for, there's no better place to indulge in room service, take advantage of a modern yet timeless bar (stocked with Vermont-made spirits and snacks, of course), or enjoy other amenities like Diptyque toiletries.

Never far are opportunities in the outdoors including hiking, skiing and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Want to escape your room without going too far? Indulge in a facial and massage at the spa, or book a private lesson with a local yoga teacher in the adjoining studio. If you're feeling more social, hang out on the lawn for a game of croquet or bocci, or a good conversation by the fire pit.

Just a short jaunt down the road by foot is Weston's best-of-the-best. The iconic Vermont Country Store, which traces its roots

back to 1946, offers handcrafted goods, nostalgic toys and tasty treats that feel endless. The Weston Theater Company, a gem among Vermont's performing arts establishments, sits right across the town green (where it's worth stopping for a takeout coffee in the gazebo or under the trees).

Never far are opportunities in the outdoors including hiking, skiing and once-in-a-lifetime experiences like exploring off-road in a Land Rover or trying your hand (or should I say forearm?) at falconry. Weston's location near larger but still quaint towns like Manchester, Middlebury and Woodstock creates a rich landscape for shoppers and antique hunters as well.

One thing you won't want to travel for is dinner. While Vermont's culinary landscape is bustling with top-notch restaurants, it's hard to beat The Left Bank's combination of truly farm-to-table cuisine and an intimate atmosphere.

The restaurant's maximum capacity of 50 guests leaves you enlivened rather than overwhelmed, and regulars greeting their friends at the bar contributes to that feeling of finding a home away from home. Warm and knowledgeable servers stand at the ready to recommend a favorite dish, identify ingredients from The Weston's farm or garden, and determine the best wine pairing, helped by The Left Bank's collaboration with Vermont Artisanal Cellars, which connects the restaurant with hard-to-find labels made by small, low-impact producers.

Executive Chef Bretton Combs brings a sensible yet sensational approach to his menu, incorporating local and in-season ingredients from The Weston's farm just down the road. There, rows of organic and often heirloom crops meet seasonally smoking sugaring shack and the green mountains beyond. Farmer Toni Kessler works in close collaboration with Combs to grow ingredients that amplify the menu without taking too much from the land itself.

With a max capacity of 50 people, and parties no larger than six, The Left Bank maintains an intimate atmosphere.

2024 Wine & Harvest Festival

Set in t he backdrop of our world-renowned Vermont fall foliage, attendees of t he 15t h Annual Vermont Wine & Har vest Fest ival will discover, s avor and en joy Vermont vintners, small specialty food producers, chefs, painters, publishers, cheese makers, potters, jewelers, photographers, and farmers. The 2024 Fest ival takes place September 20 – September 21 wit h its signature events:

Wine Stroll and Soup Contest

Friday, September 20, 4:00 pm-7pm – Historic Downtown Wilmington

Grand Tast ing & Ar t isan Expo

Saturday, September 21, 11am – 5pm – Mount Snow Resor t, West Dover

Farmer Toni Kessler brings a palpable sense of joy and enthusiasm for agriculture to her work at The Weston's new farm.

While farm-to-table is popular everywhere, the direct connection between earth and plate at The Weston is a unique and delicious expression of the Vermont agricultural tradition: small-scale, hyper-seasonal and local. A menu spanning bistro fare, nostalgic dishes and New England flavor allows Chef Combs to infuse the skills he earned at San Francisco's SPIN and Cat Cora's Kitchen. Don't skip dessert — especially the homemade ice cream with inspired flavor combinations like saffron and cinnamon.

By the time you find yourself enveloped in the lush linens of your hand-carved poster bed, you may not need a blanket for warmth — but you will wake up feeling right at home.~

Mysterious occurrences

Q&A with a paranormal investigator, author of 'Haunted Vermont'

By Gen Louise Mangiaratti

Vermont Country

Thomas D'Agostino has seen, felt and heard some strange things.

As a college student, he briefly lived in a house in Scituate, R.I., that a friend was planning to flip. The first night, staying on the third floor, he heard banging and loud movement coming from below. Thinking rambunctious youth were sneaking in, he left powder on the floor to create footprints. The next night, he heard the same noises, but by the morning, the powder hadn't moved. In the same house, he says he experienced something invisible run up the stairs and kick open a door. Another time, he heard a kitchen table, with dishes and glasses on it, get overthrown, only to run in and find nothing disturbed. He says he saw apparitions in the parlor and in a photograph, looking out a window when

the house should have been empty. The final straw was when he and others saw a window frame come out of the wall.

"I moved out because I couldn't sleep or anything," D'Agostino recalls. "That's when I started studying meteorology, sociology, psychology, astronomy, astrology, philosophy, physics, ethics — anything and everything to figure out what is happening? Is any of this, all of it or none of it, a reason why these things happen to people?"

He also claims the house where he grew up, in Smithfield, R.I., was haunted. So it's no surprise he grew up to be an investigator of the paranormal, and the supernatural seems to follow him. During investigations, unseen forces have lifted his wife and co-investigator Arlene Nicholson into the air, slammed a door on him and pinned him, and hurled a board at another member of their team — among other

Photo provided by Arlene Nicholson Bailey's Mills/Spite Cemetery in Reading is among the haunted locations featured in "Haunted Vermont."

phenomena he has been unable to explain. That's how D'Agostino defines paranormal, or supernatural: anything that cannot be easily explained through science or common sense.

The team has spent some time in Vermont, and their adventures can be read about in his and Nicholson's book "Haunted Vermont," published by Schiffer Publishing in 2011. At Bennington College, they write of mysterious footsteps, phantom conversations and instruments that seem to play themselves in the historical Jennings Hall, believed by some to have inspired Shirley Jackson in the writing of "The Haunting of Hill House." In a Windham County meetinghouse, an organ plays itself and an apparition appears in a nearby graveyard. Exorcisms were performed to break suspected vampiric curses in Dummerston and Manchester. And at a Southern Vermont inn, doors open and slam shut on their own, and an apparition of an old woman appears in a rocking chair. The chapters of "Haunted Vermont" give a detailed history of each site as well as descriptions of paranormal occurrences.

"We love Vermont," D'Agostino said. "My family's from Vermont."

His mother's side of the family was from Swanton, and moved to Rutland before coming to Rhode Island.

D'Agostino and Nicholson's newest book is "Ghosts of King Philip's War," published in July by The History Press (Arcadia Publishing). King Philip's War took place in New England well before Vermont was made the 14th state. Haunts include a bog where crying is heard, dancing lights that appear out of nowhere (and have not been debunked

as fireflies — they appear in the winter), a cursed river and mysterious cairns that emit strange energy.

For more information and the opportunity to buy books by D'Agostino and Nicholson, ask your favorite Southern Vermont bookstore.

From his and Nicholson's home in Putnam, Conn. — a former nursing home they believe is haunted — D'Agostino, now going on 43 years of paranormal investigating, took the time to talk about what happens in an investigation, the role of Tarot cards and being friendly with the dead, and to answer the age-old question: Do you believe in ghosts?

Q: Can you start off by giving me an introduction to yourselves and what you do?

A: I've been investigating the paranormal now and researching for going on 43 years. I studied a lot of different sciences in college, to hopefully figure out why, or what happens. And Arlene and I have been doing this together since the ’90s, almost 30 years. We were friends, and then we got married 23 years ago, but we've been investigating all over New England.

This is the 18th book, "Ghosts of King Philip's War," that we actually are responsible for. We do investigations, private investigations. We don't charge for any of our investigations. We never have. We do a thing called Dining With The Dead 1031, where we go to haunted inns and hotels and restaurants, and people become the investigators.

We have a dinner first. We do giveaways. Then, we show them how to use the equipment, and there's tons of equipment in each of the rooms, and they actually become the investigators for the night. Then we go over the stuff and send it to them.

Q: What happens in an investigation?

A: First of all, everybody has a different approach. What you see on television isn't necessarily what happens. We don't meet with the people in front of cameras and all that.

One thing we do, is we go in shooting. Let's say we're going into someone's house. The second they answer the door, we have at least a handheld camera in-hand and a recorder and say, "Do you mind if we record right away, while we're setting up?" because we've had stuff happen while we were setting up.

We've come to realize that ghosts, spirits, energy, they might just be like pets. You know how a pet, when you first walk into someone's house, they're all excited, they're all over you and everything, then

Photo provided by Vickie and Bob Hughes Emily's Bridge in Stowe is among the haunted locations featured in "Haunted Vermont."

Photo provided by Arlene Nicholson

The Spaulding family in Dummerston was the subject of an early New England "vampire" case.

they get bored and go away? Then maybe 45 minutes, they're all over you again, because they're bored. Again. That's what's happened a majority of times when we do investigations is it happens right away — all of a sudden, this energy in that house, it's, "whoa, new energy."

We do that, and then we set up in areas, and we also try to just simulate the exact time. If these people are saying, "Every day at 2:30, this ghost walks through this room," we're not going to be there at 9:30 at night. We're going to be there to be set up by 2:30.

We ask questions. Arlene uses Tarot cards to try to field questions. She's a gifted Tarot reader, and she uses Tarot cards. It's better than saying, "Do you like pizza?" We've had amazing success, where she's drawn a card and asked a question based on it, and we've gotten the most amazing answers. Other than that, you're just gonna say, "Yeah, do you like pizza?" "What color shirt do you wear?" or whatever.

of this, and not just like they're being — boom, bang, bang — interrogated. And we're always nice, too.

Q: What is the protocol for setting up private investigations? I understand they are confidential.

The Tarot cards seem to connect an energy force, and we'll also act as if we're all just part of a party. We don't drill. We will ask questions. You would ask questions if you're hanging out with somebody, you just met somebody, just to get to know about them. But we also interact like they're part

A: For private investigations, people will call us up, or they'll email us and say they've got an issue. Something's happening, and they want to know why. Then I or Arlene will call them back. We'll just have a meeting with them, see what's going on, things we really want to know, in any

President Calvin Coolidge STATE

HISTORIC SITE

3780 Rou te 100A , Plymou th Notch (802) 672-1195

Adults : $12

Children (6-14): $4

circumstance: the age of the house, how long they lived there, do they know anyone who lived there before, is it anyone that may have died in the house? — the history basically, their history, what's going on, do you have children, do you have pets? When does it happen? Does it happen at night, during the day, all the time?

Then we will set up a time where we go, "OK, we're gonna go over your house and check it out." What we do is, we go there, and we're very discreet about the equipment, too. A truck doesn't pull up with, you know, "Tom and Arlene" written on the side.

A lot of people don't want everyone to know. A lot of these groups will go, "Well, we can't say anything. But tonight, we're going to be in Warwick, R.I., at 18 Main St., doing a private investigation" — we don't do that. Anything we write about, in these books and everything, is not people's homes.

Q: If someone were to ask you, do you believe in ghosts, what would your answer be?

A: I have no choice. I have absolutely no choice. Even if I didn't want to believe in them, I have no choice. I've seen many things happen.~

Children (under 6): Free Family Pass (up to 6 people): $30 $ 2024 Hours

Late May to Mid-October Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays) 10am-5pm

Vermont Antique Mall 'a trip down memory lane'

By Bob Audette, Vermont Country QUECHEE

— The Vermont Antique Mall on Quechee Gorge Village on Route 4 has become a destination spot for the curious and seekers of collectibles, vintage clothing and antiques.

More than 150 dealers on three floors offer curated items as varied as coin and card collections, classic Pyrex and cast iron cookware, clothes and handbags, pottery and crystals and antique furniture, jewelry, comic books, fine porcelain, baking dishes, tools of all kinds, souvenirs, knick-knacks and so much more.

There is so much to see and so many items to consider in the 18,000-square-foot building that visitors can spend most of a day browsing along the wide aisles of the mall.

"It can be a trip down memory lane," said Cindy Walker, who bought the business with her husband, Mark, and has been greeting people from around the world since 2016.

"I love meeting the people and hearing their stories," she said. "There's rarely a dull moment."

With a little bit of something for everybody, said Walker, the Vermont Antique Mall is the perfect way for a family to spend time together, with a conversation just waiting with each item on display.

Walker also praised her dealers, whom she credited with the knowledge and experience to

know what people of all ages might be looking for.

There is so much to consider while walking the aisles of the Vermont Antique Mall, folks might find themselves hankering for a bite to eat or something to quench their thirst.

Quechee Gorge Village offers many options, including craft beer at Foley Brothers Brewing, food at the Vermont Snack Shack, spirits at Vermont Spirits Distilling Company, and treats from the Sweet Spot Candy Shoppe.

into the care of Living The Dream Alpaca Farm.

If you're looking for maple syrup, Cabot and other artisanal cheeses, honey, wine, cider, books and puzzles, the General Store in Quechee Gorge Village has a little bit of everything, much of it sourced locally from Vermont.

But wait, there's more at the village, including Vermont Toys & Games with a cornucopia of unique toys and games. And don't skip the Vermont Spot Country Store, offering everything from delicious homemade fudge, penny candy and souvenirs to housewares and apparel.

Did we tell you about the rescue alpacas yet?

At the Vermont Alpaca Store, you can find apparel such as coats and sweaters and gloves made from alpaca fur, and you can pet one of the 10 alpacas that were rescued and taken

Once you've refortified yourself, you can continue to stroll the aisles of the Vermont Antique Mall, maybe spot something new or go back to something that sparked your interest earlier.

"For some people, visiting the Vermont Antique Mall is a family tradition," said Walker. "They come back year after year. We have little kids who gather with friends here for the special experience of finding something you never know you had to have. It warms my heart to see a younger generation starting their own collections."

The Vermont Antique Mall at Quechee Gorge Village, open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., is on Route 4 just a few minutes from Woodstock and just a stone's throw from Quechee Gorge, where hundreds of thousands of people each year stop to gaze down 165 feet to the Ottauquechee River. ~

Art for every heart at Vermont Artisan Designs

Photos by Kristopher Radder — Vermont Country

By Kristopher Radder and Bob Audette, Vermont Country

BRATTLEBORO — Art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, and the spirit of that observation is on display at Vermont Artisan Designs on Main Street in downtown Brattleboro.

"Brattleboro is a good place to be when it comes to being an artist or a lover of arts," said Greg Worden, who has owned and operated with his wife, Suzy, Vermont Artisan Designs and Kitchen Sync since 1988. "We focus on fine art upstairs and American craft here on the street level. Kitchen stuff next door and tuxedos and

On page 30:

Top. "There are enough people in Brattleboro who can see art in almost anything and everything," Greg Worden said.

Middle. "Brattleboro is a good place to be when it comes to being an artist or a lover of arts," said Greg Worden, who has owned and operated with his wife, Suzy, Vermont Artisan Designs and Kitchen Sync since 1988.

Bottom. Greg Worden is an owner of Vermont Artisan Designs.

suits downstairs.”

The Wordens feature art for every eye and every heart, with juried displays of all types of work from more than 300 artists and craftspeople.

“We’re about 90 percent Vermont-made or other parts of New England and about 10 percent from other parts of the country, but it's all American-made," said Worden, who said their shop has been able to thrive due to the quality of the art on offer and

how each item has its own special appeal.

"There are enough people in Brattleboro who can see art in almost anything and everything," he said.

Worden said Brattleboro has a quiet reputation as a gallery town, with Vermont Artisan Designs being only one of many that feature the mastery of the artisans who populate the region. He said that reputation draws lots of people to town to feast their eyes on the diversity of crafts here and find something that tolls a bell in their soul.

Vermont Artisan Designs was started on Elliot Street in 1973 by John and Lucy Gratwick Serkin, as LJ Serkin Gallery. They sold the business to Meg Howland, who moved it from Elliot Street to Main Street, where Beadniks is now, and changed the name to Vermont Artisan Designs. After the Wordens took over, they moved across the street to its current location at 106 Main St.

Before their purchase of the store, the Wordens were newspaper people, having worked at the Brattleboro Reformer for more than 15 years. Worden came here from the Midwest more than 50 years ago. His grandfather grew up in Brattleboro but left long ago, and Worden traveled to town to visit with a couple of college friends, meeting Suzy who grew up over the river in Chesterfield, N.H., and settling in.

"Brattleboro is so typically New England," he said. "We're happy to be here."

Dean Beery from North Manchester, Ind., looks at the art at Vermont Artisan Designs.

by Kristopher

— Vermont Country

Greg Worden, an owner of Vermont Artisan Designs on Main Street in Brattleboro, shows some of the art in the upper half of his business.

The gallery can be likened to a one-stop shop of great Vermont art, featuring works by John Dimick, Will Moses, Greg Hentzi, Mary Iselin, Woody Jackson, Claire Payne, H.M. Saffer II and more, including Simon Pearce, Josh Simpson and Wolf Kahn.

Shelves are also stacked with Solmate Socks, Oxo, Cuisinart, Wusthof, Casafina, LeCreuset, cookbooks, blown glass, wooden bowls, games, wrought iron, kaleidoscopes, scarves, sculptures, puzzles and Judaica.

Worden said in addition to the well established artists and crafters, Vermont Artisan Designs also features emerging artists, including art and craftwork from the region's refugee community.

There is so much on offer for every eye. The Wordens think everyone should have a piece of fine art in their home, so they offer layaway plans for all income levels.

"That makes it possible for anyone to own a piece of valuable art," he said.~

Greg Worden, co-owner of Vermont Artisan Designs and Kitchen Sync, shows the tuxedo shop they run on the bottom level of the store. Vermont Artisan Designs is celebrating 50 years of operations, with the Worden family in charge of it for the past 35 years.

Photos

Radder

From farm to tablecloth

Textile farmer works to revitalize a lost art and a lost industry

Photos by Danielle M. Crosier — Vermont Country Andrea Myklebust uses a wooden skutching board and knife to remove the loose boon from the plant fiber.

By Danielle M. Crosier

Vermont

Country

DANBY — Andrea Myklebust was standing in the shade of the studio doorway of her farm in Danby on a steamy summer morning, brushing small pieces of plant material from her clothing and fingering a loose thread at the hem of her tunic.

Myklebust’s tunic — more of a cotton peasant dress — was patterned in a white and blue French provincial print. It had just a touch of bohemian flair, and was worn lovingly thin and gauzy.

Her woven straw hat with its wide brim was adorned with naturally dyed and hand-braided cotton cords, dangling to the sides.

Together with the wide-leg linen trousers, there emerged a portrait of a woman who truly appreciated the fine nature and comfort of natural and organic fibers.

“I’m glowing,” Myklebust laughed, her eyes twinkling as she dabbed moisture from her brow.

It was one of those hazy, hot and humid mornings in Vermont where the weather only promises to become more volatile and oppressive as the day wears on.

Myklebust’s son, Grayson Sears, was working on the addition to the existing studio and her husband, Stanton Sears, was teaching a workshop.

The studio space — originally repurposed from an existing structure to house Stanton Sears’ woodworking, sculpting, welding and stone carving business — had more recently become of use to the whole family, Mykelbust said.

It now housed Stanton Sears’ new topographical map stained glass projects, as well as Grayson Sears’ Tactual Goods projects — hence the growing need for expansion.

Additionally, since moving to Vermont from Wisconsin five years ago, Myklebust has also used the studio space to create the wooden tools needed for her new passion — exploring the world of natural fibers and finding ways to relocalize textile production in Vermont.

It all emerged from a change-of-life moment.

Stanton Sears was getting ready to retire from college teaching, and the pair just decided, “Let’s go.” Myklebust and Sears knew they wanted to be in New England, and found the little farm in Danby just to their liking.

“Over the years, he and I have done a lot of work that was map-related, but these days I’m doing more of my traditional textile, natural fiber textile stuff,” said Myklebust, reminiscing of the days when she and her husband Stan had produced more than 70 collaborative public art pieces that frequently referenced geographical aspects of an area — a Bundt cake pattern along a bridge in Minnesota, a landmark barn in New Hampshire,

a bell tower sculpture for a midwestern community college.

Myklebust pointed to the model of the welded bell tower. A flower and other plants adorned the base, and a metal chicken and sheep stood peeking out of an opening in the tower, which unsurprisingly was topped with bells.

“There’s some potato-related imagery somewhere in there,” said Myklebust, throwing her head back as she laughed at the statement before explaining. “It was for an area that had historically been potato fields. But, that was 30 years ago — and, well — the chicken, the sheep, the farming — it was like a foreshadowing of our future.”

The Danby farm that the family now inhabits includes 12 acres of rolling pastures and fields, the original farmhouse inhabited by Myklebust and Sears and their grown children, a newer house inhabited by Myklebust’s parents who followed the family to Vermont, the sheep barn, a converted studio/barn and the original old barn with stone flooring.

Dense woodlands mark the borders of the property. Crops were sown in delineated plots, and Myklebust’s “motley crew” of 39 sheep were grazing under overarching bows of maple and pine on the edge of the far fields. The chickens were also “taking shade” from the heat.

In the plots closest to the drive grew the plantings for Myklebust’s natural dye garden, the hemp and flax varieties, an assortment of vegetables, luffa and a whole lot of rhubarb.

The rhubarb, Myklebust and her husband joke, is so large that, “It can be seen from near Earth orbit on satellite imagery.”

Along the rear of the property, Myklebust points out an area where a small ephemeral stream graces the property, at will.

The sheep, though, were the catalysts for everything, Myklebust said, turning to walk toward the gardens and entering through a wooden gate. As she walked along the rows, periodically bending over to pluck a weed and cast it aside, her hands draped gently along the stalks of the hemp and cupped the upper growth of the flax.

“My background is in the arts, and Stan and I were making public arts projects for a very long time, but, starting in 2011, 2012, I took a turn,” revealed Myklebust, almost wonderingly. “We were living in a place where I could finally start to have some sheep. I got really interested in working with natural fiber, and that’s really understating it. My entire life just veered off into this other direction.”

It began with learning to care for the sheep and progressed to learning how to spin, a task in which Myklebust often still finds a meditative sense of peace and well-being, especially in the

Andrea Myklebust cradles the head of a hemp cultivar in her cupped hands. "It'll give you a headache if you smoke it — but it makes excellent fiber," she said.

fall and winter months. The new passions progressed to weaving, which Myklebust had learned just a bit of in undergraduate school, and then into learning about the antique tools she was finding in the Midwest.

“All of these were from the Scandinavian and German immigrants who came in the 19th century and brought the tools with them — to work with wool and to work with flax,” said Myklebust, dabbing once again at her face with a sleeve. “And, just learning about it made me more curious about it — like, reading about all the steps that are involved in going from the raw material of a plant growing in the field all the way through to a piece of linen cloth — and I grew my first flax crop.”

According to Myklebust, natural fiber farming is a lost way of life — a lost art — and one that she sees in need of revival. “Less than 1% of the annual global textile production today tends to be natural Bast fibers like hemp and flax.”

“Most textiles today are made from fossil fuels — so, it’s plastic,” she added. “And, you don’t have to look far in any sort of textile production over the centuries to find a lot of environmental degradation and human exploitation. My interest is coming out of history and looking ahead — ahead, toward a future where we have to be thinking very differently about cloth.”

Today, on her Danby farm, Myklebust is growing multiple varieties of hemp — for a research grant for the University of Vermont, and for herself. For herself, she is also growing flax.

Both hemp and flax are raised from seed and used to be locally worked from farm to tablecloth. It was a year-long process.

In the spring, the seed would be started and growth would continue through the summer — during which time, crops would be tended with care to ensure the plants remained upright and undamaged. Harvesting would take place at different levels of maturity, depending upon how the fibers were to be used — and, sometimes, male plants of certain cultivars might be harvested earlier than their female counterparts in order to produce a fiber of superior quality for linen.

During the late summer and early fall, harvesting would shift to retting — a process of using water moisture and microorganisms to naturally break down the exterior stem fibers and the inner core of the plants, releasing the soft and flexible fibers within.

Once retting was complete, the braking, skutching, hackling and skeining would take place — and the winter months would be used for spinning and weaving. In the early spring, dyeing might take place with flowers, herbs and tinctures prepared from last summer’s or last fall’s harvest

“Vermont, like the rest of the northeastern United States, is a good climate for this,” said Myklebust. “You’re harvesting it at the beginning of August. And, with the traditional process of retting — breaking down the stems so that they can be processed — this is great. The weather that we have where we get this heavy dew in the morning — it’s perfect.”

The soft and flexible fibers produced after the retting and processing come from the phloem, the inner bark of the plants. They are revealed slowly, as a variety of methods are employed to break away all of the other plant material (known as the boon) — a process that Myklebust pointed out used to be passed from one generation to another.

“It’s a lost art, a lost industry,” she said, shrugging and acknowledging that it has been a struggle to try to piece that ancient knowledge base back together for a future generation.

“Hemp is interesting. It’s known for its resistance to rotting and that is why it was traditionally used in rope and in sailcloth and canvas. The word canvas comes from cannabis — literally, the plant named the cloth,” said Myklebust, adding that centuries ago, hemp was used for a myriad of other textiles, such as a really fine linen thread.

In the steamy heat, moisture had already dampened her upper lip and the rim of her brow. Removing her woven straw sun hat, she smiled and blotted her brow again with a forearm as she walked and talked. And there really was a radiance about her — she was glowing.

“It’s beautiful material. It’s fun to work with at all stages of development,” said Myklebust, cleaning the boon from the plant fiber and demonstrating the ancient practices as she spoke — and explaining that while her favorite place to be in the summer is in her garden with her plants, it can vary seasonally.

“Traditional textile practices are grounding. For me, there is a common thread — there’s the symbiotic relationship of keeping animals that nurture the soil, growing and harvesting and creating from the ground you are on, reclaiming these lost arts.”

To those who see this as an “unsophisticated way of living, a step back from civilized life,” Myklebust would counter that this, and the collaborative cooperatives that she envisions will emerge from this, are the future.~

HAND CRAFTED SPIRITS & LIQUEURS

FROM SOUTHERN VERMONT’S DEERFIELD VALLEY

A SEASON OF LAUGHTER, MUSIC, AND NEW BEGINNINGS AT BENNINGTON THEATER

In the heart of Downtown Bennington, the Bennington Theater, formerly known as Oldcastle Theater, is set to captivate audiences once again with its highly anticipated 2024-2025 season Located at 331 Main Street, this beloved cultural hub is committed to enriching the community through the transformative power of live performance, offering a diverse range of shows year-round

Welcome To Our 52nd Season!

This season promises a dynamic array of 30 performances through December, with more lined up for 2025 The ever-popular Comedy Series returns, bringing over 20 nationally touring comedians to the stage Kicking off on September 21 is Graham Kay, fresh from appearances on The Tonight Show and The Late Show Returning favorites include Michael Palascak (October 26) and Jon Rudnitski (November 16), who wowed Bennington audiences last year with sold-out shows

For the first time, Tom Thakkar (October 5), Ryan O’Flanagan (October 12), Taylor Williamson (November 2), and Tom Cotter (November 30) will join the lineup.

A Season of Music and Magic

Bennington Theater's Music Series opens with Americana Women on September 5 This all-female band brings electrifying harmonies and a blend of original country tunes alongside covers of icons like Brandi Carlile and Dolly Parton

On September 7, Sandy Hackett and Lisa Dawn Miller will take the stage for a Vegasstyle cabaret show that pays homage to their legendary fathers, comedian Buddy Hackett and songwriter Ron Miller This husband-andwife duo combines comedy and music for a night of pure entertainment.

The genre-bending group Gangstagrass, known for their unique fusion of bluegrass and hip-hop, performs on September 19 in a special members-only event. Their innovative sound, famously featured in the TV show Justified, is sure to leave a lasting impression.

On September 29, TAKE 3 will dazzle with their “Bach Meets Rock” fusion, blending classical and contemporary styles in a performance full of energy and passion.

Swing fans won’t want to miss PHAT CAT, an 11-piece swing band from Hollywood, who will have the town dancing on Main Street on November 14.

Theater and Film

This season isn’t just about music and comedy there’s plenty of theater to enjoy as well The Halloween favorite Whispering Bones returns with spooky stories and spinetingling laughter Plus, the theater will be launching a new film series, starting with an exciting film festival.

Engaging Events for All

The 2024 season will feature a continuation of the popular children's shows and an exciting new dance series for all ages

In addition to performances, Bennington Theater brings back its popular Trivia Night Live! hosted by Jim Thatch Each month,

individuals and teams can test their wits across a variety of topics, from movies to science

Stephanie Phelan also returns with her Wine and Improv event, where participants are invited to unleash their creativity through live theater games No experience is required just a sense of humor and a willingness to have fun

New Leadership and Fresh Works

This season marks a new chapter with the arrival of co-artistic directors David DubovFlinn and John Lugar Together, they will lead the charge in producing an exciting season of theater, starting with Scrooge in Rouge, a cheeky, campy twist on A Christmas Carol

Suzanne Wessler heads up the New Works Series, a program dedicated to showcasing never-before-produced plays This fall, the program will feature Rhinestone Cowboy and The AI at Delphi, giving audiences the chance to engage directly with playwrights through talkbacks and feedback sessions

Pesticide pertinence What fruits are the safest?

By Katharine A. Jameson Vermont Country correspondent

I try to say no to my children every now and again just so they will hear the word "no."

So often today, we are thrust into the child-led swirl of questions and requests and I find myself either dazing out and not answering them at all, or saying yes so they’ll stop pestering me (whatever happened to being seen and not heard?).

A fruit demand is not a request to which I will usually issue a negative answer, unless they ask for non-organic berries. For me, fruit is always allowed — it can be sugary, yes, but it is well-balanced with fiber and gives us more than it taketh away (nutrient-wise).

I had a client who lamented that she couldn’t eat fruit. I asked why and she responded that they contain too much sugar. My mind was blown. After all, I had just perused her food journal that was lined with packaged foods and meal replacement bars

that packed MUCH more sugar than God-given fruit. I gave her the permission she needed to eat fruit when she liked and within moderation and her life changed significantly (for the better).

Many health-minded individuals’ decisions are driven by lists like the "Dirty Dozen" and the "Clean 15" as published each year by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). These lists can be helpful because they outline the highest (and lowest) levels of residual pesticides in various fruits and veggies.

Strawberries, for instance, have topped the "Dirty Dozen" list for the last several years, along with their other berry counterparts. They’re followed this year by spinach in second place. Kale, collards and mustard greens are in third place, making me wonder why I would add a side of greens to any meal (oh, how I love my greens). Grapes, peaches, pears and nectarines are next up and the list goes on (visit ewg.org for the entire list). Sadly, green beans trail the dirty dozen as last in place (but still placed) tainted by a pesticide the EPA banned over a decade ago. If this doesn’t give you an idea about how long we are plagued by underestimating the potential harms of pesticides, nothing will.

This recipe uses four ears of fresh corn.

Photos by Katharine A. Jameson — Vermont Country correspondent Try this economical, healthy and delicious corn salad.

Making the list

Carrots top the Clean 15 list — funny, because I swear I can tell the difference in taste between an organic carrot and a conventionally grown one. (Challenge me to a taste test and I will accept!). They’re followed by sweet potatoes, mangoes and mushrooms (which surprised me). I do try to buy most things organic, but honestly, it’s not only prohibitively expensive, it’s exhausting.

Pesticides have been linked to higher rates of cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Higher instances of Parkinson’s and other chronic health issues have been attributed to high pesticide exposure as well. Poorer intellectual development and reduced lung function have been connected to pesticide ingestion during pregnancy. Pesticides are endocrine disruptors, chemicals that disturb our delicate hormonal balance.

A couple of weeks ago, I raved about the quality of produce in Europe, but a recent Consumer Report delineates the different levels in residual pesticide levels in fruits and veggies. The results were surprising. They compared both conventional and organic produce grown internationally and domestically and this is what they found:

Apples

Coming in at number eight on the Dirty Dozen list, apples grown conventionally in the U.S. are marked as "moderate"-risk in the report. Those grown conventionally that are imported are marked as "very low"risk. Organic apples grown in the US were graded as "very low" in pesticide risk.

Blueberries

Although they bring up the rear of the Dirty Dozen list, coming in at number 11, conventionally grown blubs, grown both in the U.S. and those imported, are marked as a "high" and a "very high" risk, respectively. Steer clear in favor of those that are organic.

Grapes

Coming in fourth on the Dirty list, grapes deliver moderate risk unless they’re grown organically (abroad or here in the U.S.). They are labeled "very low"-risk when organic, regardless of where they’re grown.

Strawberries

As discussed, strawberries have steadfastly maintained their premier position on the DD list for many years, and this year is no

exception. Unless organic, grown at home or abroad, they carry a high or a very high risk of pesticide, so focusing on organically grown berries is imperative.

Mangoes

While mangos are third on the Clean 15 list, according to Consumer Reports, those grown conventionally in the U.S. deliver a "low" risk, whereas their imported counterparts are a bit safer, labeled as "very low"-risk. Organic are also "low"-risk, but fruits with thicker skins are often deemed safer than those with thin skins like berries and grapes.

Spinach

While most of us think that fresh fruit and veggies are key for health, don’t underestimate the freshness of frozen produce. It may be counterintuitive, but they could be even fresher than the "fresh" stuff that has taken days to get to us. Spinach is one example, as conventionally grown (fresh or frozen,) is rated with a "high" risk for pesticides, frozen organic spinach (imported and U.S.-grown) is a "very low" risk.

Green beans

Green beans round out the Dirty Dozen list at number 12. The only decent option for these, sadly, is U.S.-grown organic. Those imported, even those certified as organic, carry a "very high" risk, whereas their American counterparts are cleaner. When shopping, keep in mind that locally grown produce helps to stem the carbon footprint and impact that shipping food from far away delivers. That apple from New Zealand impacts the environment a whole lot more than an organic one from the farm stand down the road.

Both of the lists put forth by the Environmental Working Group are powerful tools when making choices at the store. It’s never been more important to spend less at the grocery as the prices keep ticking up.

Try this economical, healthy and delicious corn salad. (Sweet corn is rumored to be okay to eat conventionally, as it is on the Clean 15 list. Just be careful about genetically modified corn, as it is specifically designed to tolerate high levels of weed killers.)

Katharine A. Jameson, a certified nutrition counselor who grew up in Williamsville and Townshend, writes about food and health for Vermont News & Media. For more tricks, tips and hacks, find her on Instagram: @foodforthoughtwithkat

Easy summery salad Ingredients

4 ears fresh corn, shucked

1 cucumber, peeled and diced

2 fresh summer squash, cut into medium thick ribbons

Salt and pepper to taste

¼ extra virgin olive oil (to brush on squash)

1/2 ripe avocado, cut into chunks

Feta cheese (to taste), cut into chunks

¼ teaspoon dried dill

For the dressing

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ lemon, juiced (or more as desired)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Method

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place corn into boiling water and boil for 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Brush ribbons of squash with olive oil. On a hot grill pan, place squash, brushing the other side with oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Peel and chop cucumber and add to a bowl.

Once corn has cooled, cut it from the ear and add to bowl with cucumber.

Flip squash, cooking until just tender. Cut into cubes and allow to cool before adding to corn and cucumber.

Season with dill.

Combine all dressing ingredients together in a jar and shake it ‘til you make it.

Dress corn mixture when ready to serve, adding chunks of feta and avocado.

Add fresh herbs if desired and enjoy!

32 Taps, Craft Beers, Fresh Craft Cocktails and Delicious Food!

WED & THURS 5PM-9PM

FRIDAY 4:30PM - 9PM

SATURDAY 12PM-9PM

(802) 4 40-5972

421 MAIN STREE T, BENNINGTON, V T FOLLOW US FOR E VENTS AND SPECIALS! CONTACT US FOR PRIVATE E VENTS.

It happened here

10 true New England tales on the big screen

By Dan Tebo, Vermont Country correspondent

It must be some sort of intellectual muscle memory. Even for those of us who haven’t seen the inside of a classroom in decades (like this old critic), the first chilly September night will forever serve as the signal for one to abandon the frivolity of summer in favor of more scholarly pursuits: museums instead of beaches, hardcover nonfiction instead of paperbacks, cafes instead of swim-up bars …

This pivot to seriousness extends to cinemas, where tales of great import slowly start to replace superhero-fueled summer blockbusters. Fortunately, our very own region is lousy with filmable history spanning the centuries.

For this issue, we decided to take a look at some true New England stories brought to life on the big screen. Fair warning: almost all of these movies take place in Massachusetts and feature Mark Wahlberg. So slip on your cable-knit sweater and let Marky Mark dance you up some local history. Feel the vibrations.

Glory (1989):

This Civil War drama was required viewing in 7th grade classrooms across New England. A heroically miscast Matthew Broderick volunteers to head up the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, one of the first all-Black regiments in the Union. Luckily said regiment is populated by the likes of Denzel Washington and Morgan Freeman, who act circles around poor Ferris Bueller.

A Civil Action (1998): There’s one truly great film about a tenacious attorney battling a major corporation accused of environmental pollution. And that film is “Erin Brockovich.” This flick, featuring John Travolta as a personal injury lawyer chasing down water polluters in Woburn Mass., isn’t half bad either. Robert Duvall received a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his performance.

Girl, Interrupted (1999):

The Social Network (2010):

Cambridge native Susanna Kaysen’s memoir of her late 1960s stint as a patient at Belmont’s McLean Hospital was a bestseller upon its release in 1993. Winona Ryder was awarded the plum lead role for the film adaptation only to find herself upstaged by a feral 24-yearold named Angelina Jolie. Soundtrack courtesy of an old “Freedom Rock” cassette.

The Perfect Storm (2000): “Das Boot” director Wolfgang Petersen was the perfect choice to bring the gripping story of the Andrea Gail, a doomed fishing boat out of Gloucester, Mass., to the big screen. Less perfect was the casting of George “I’m not even going to attempt a Boston accent” Clooney as the ship’s captain. Mark Wahlberg co-stars because of course he does.

In the 14 years since this still mesmerizing buzzsaw of a film about a sullen Harvard outcast who created Facebook was released, the social media giant has permanently altered society and the concept of human interaction … and not for the better. Basically what I’m trying to say is: I smell a sequel.

The Fighter (2010): Former Calvin Klein model Mark Wahlberg got into fighting shape to play scrappy Lowell boxing legend Micky Ward in this profoundly entertaining biopic that’s equal parts heartbreaking and hilarious. Christian Bale's bug-eyed performance as Micky’s biblically troubled older brother Dicky is simply stunning.

Black Mass (2015): The life and crimes of South Boston gang leader Whitey Bulger is can’t-miss material for your book, documentary or

feature film. Unfortunately, journeyman director Scott Cooper lacks the storytelling chops of the greats. Johnny Depp tries hard to menace in the lead role but mostly looks like an upside-down bowling pin with a bad hairpiece.

Spotlight (2015): In writer/director Tom McCarthy’s astounding Best Picture winner, a team of Boston Globe reporters risk life, limb and sanity to expose the Catholic church’s decades-long child abuse scandal.

The entire cast is top flight, but it was Mark Ruffalo who received a Best Supporting Actor nomination. Which means there’s five films on this list where an actor was either nominated or won the award for acting in a supporting role.

Patriots Day (2016): The last thing anyone in and around Boston wanted three years after the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings was an amped up action flick starring Mark Wahlberg as a fictional Dunkin’ Donuts-swilling super cop. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what we got! “Patriots Day” is serviceable and well-intentioned and also completely unnecessary.

Lost Nation (2024): For those of you looking for a New England tale that does NOT take place in Massachusetts, I offer up this richly woven Vermont origin story that

follows both a swaggering Ethan Allen as well as newly liberated African American poet Lucy Terry Prince. It’s truly miraculous what longtime Vermont writer/director Jay Craven was able to accomplish with a Kickstarter budget smaller than a Marvel movie’s weekly craft services tab. ~

See our ads on pages 50-51

Photo provided by Brattleboro Area Realty

Vermont

31 Red Tail L ane, Brat

This wonderfully unique home was designed and built for the owner, by the owner, in 2022. The house is close to downtown but is privately nestled in a new neighborhood just off the beaten path. The beautiful rear porch is surrounded by professionally maintained gardens, a meadow view, and a lovely secluded rear lawn. The interior open-concept layout shows a U-shaped kitchen with a long center island at one end and the living room with huge windows to the gardens at the other. One-level living is hard to find and this is a perfect fit with an attached garage so no raindrops will ever fall on your head. The energy efficiency of this home is 5-Star +. This is a house of the future - all- electric, no fossil fuels, an impressive HERS rating, an induction range, a heat pump dryer, and a heat pump water heater The energy usage for the calendar year 2023 totaled $1188. (with daytime thermostat at 69, nighttime at 66). The addition of a modestly sized photovoltaic roof system would bring the annual energy usage down to zero.

93 Butterfield Hill Rd, Weathersfield, VT

In the heart of it all! S tart by coming home to your ver y own true log home! The front porch greets and invites you to stop and rock a minute bef ore star ting your c hores. Listen to the little stream, just out of sight but near enough to tickle your fanc y. Eat out or eat in? The circular stone fire pit will cox you outside in all seasons, Cook, lose yourself in the fire, or just tell tales. Or..come in and light the fireplace in the living room big enough to gather them all. The butcher block kitchen encourages help or company, but company you will have as you share your skills. No vac ations needed here, minutes to skiing, hiking, boating....anything you love to do outside...fishing...golf...rockin in the moonlight! The Springfield and North Springfield reser voirs and the Springweather Nature Area close by for great hiking biking. Crown Point Golf ....Okemo...and many more places to spend a great weekend from home. W hatever you chose, come home to treat your muscles and bones to your own private wood fired sauna! Amazing loc ation in an amazing little town of Perkinsville....just ask anyone who knows about this little secret.

$2,250,000 131 Wo o dsman Road E xt., Dover, V T

4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 4000 sq. ft. • MLS # 5001708

Breathtaking new construction architectural contemporary with a once in a lifetime view. This extraordinar y home sits at the crest of the Dover Hills, with absolutely beautiful views of the Mount Snow & Haystack ridgeline. The 11 acre end of road parcel has utter privacy, yet all the convenience to skiing expected in a luxur y mountain escape. The interior of this unique house boasts a large open floor plan with floor to ceiling windows to take in the vie w, automated sun shades, a large great room area w/fireplace, white oak floors, spectacular chef ’ s kitchen, and easy access to the patio & exterior entertaining space The lower level primar y suite offers a spa like bath, pedestal tub, tiled shower, walk in c loset, and dramatic views. A glass office/studio space is ideal for working from home and there is a dr ive through double garage, exposed wood beams on the exterior, whole home automation, central ac, and more.

37 Deer Hill Road, Newfane, V T

$1,800,000 • 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, 3534 sq. ft. MLS # 5008810

Tucked away at the end of a serene countr y lane, this treasured property has been lovingly cared for by the same family for over fif ty years and is now ready for a new owner Spanning 70 sec luded acres in the charming town of Newfane, the estate features a spacious 3,400 square-foot farmhouse, a c lassic red barn, a three-bay workshop/garage, & a professionalsiz ed c lay tennis cour t. Perched on a hillside, the proper t y offers breathtaking southeastern views, beautiful perennial gardens, ancient stone walls, and a tranquil pond. The main farmhouse, dating back to 1840, inc ludes 5 bedrooms and has been a center of family life for generations. The workshop/garage, built in 2002, inc ludes a one-bedroom apartment above, providing additional living space O ver the decades, this property has been transformed into a family retreat, surrounded by majestic maple trees. It ’ s not just a home—it ’ s a peaceful sanctuar y away from the hustle and bustle of ever yday life. L ocated just 25 minutes from Mount Snow & and within 2.5 hours of Boston and 4 hours from NYC.

Ju s t a 1/ 2 mile fro m th e M ount S now Re s o r t

no r th e ntran ce , thi s re novate d chale t i s your

ho m e ba s e fo r a d ve nture Featurin g 5 b e d s &

3 full bath s , thi s s pa ciou s chale t of fe r s a warm

an d coz y atm o s p h e re in th e winte r an d an invitin g ou td o o r s pa ce with d e ck s an d a nice

ba ck yard fo r summ e r- a p e r fe c t four- s ea s o n

va c atio n ho m e Ta s tefully up date d with m o d e rn fini s h e s fo r co nve nie n ce an d s t yle with ju s t e nou gh of th e o riginal fini s h e s to re t ain that ru s tic charm of a cla s sic s ki chale t T h e ma in livin g area of th e ho m e i s o p e n with a great size d kitch e n , lot s of s to rag e , all n ew ap plian ce s an d eat in area Full dinin g area o p e nin g ou t to d e ck s pa ce , a coz y livin g ro o m an d a p rimar y suite larg e e nou gh fo r a sit tin g area a s well

O n th e lowe r level (w hich i s all ab ove gra d e!) 4 m o re b e d s an d 2 m o re full bath s plu s laun dr y, mu dro o m an d airlo cke d e ntr y way. You ’ll al s o e njoy quick a cce s s to to p s ki d e s tinatio n s: M ount S now, Strat to n M ount ain i s 15 mile s away, Bro mley 23 mile s , an d M agic M ount ai n i s 27 mile s S now m o bile trail s , natio nal fo re s t , multiple lake s an d e n dle s s ou td o o r re creatio n o p tio n s are al s o n earby S eize thi s o p p o r tunit y to make thi s p ro p e r t y your s in tim e fo r th e foliag e s ea s o n , fall fe s tival s , an d o p e nin g day (of multiple m ount ain s!) T hi s i s th e p re mie r s ki lo c atio n fo r e pic va c atio n s!

Step into a piece of history with this versatile property in the downtown business district of Wilmington, Vermont. For decades, this property has served as a beloved destination for travelers, skiers, diners, and locals alike. This well-known establishment and landmark is ready for its next chapter under your stewardship. The property includes a full bar, large open dining rooms, entertainment space, office space, 4 bedroom owner’s quarters, two 2 bedroom apartments, and a standalone building with 16 motel rooms. Located in the heart of downtown Wilmington, this property boasts excellent frontage on Route 9, offering fantastic visibility and ample parking in a paved lot. With an unheard-of 3 acres of in-town space, there’s plenty of room for events on the beautiful lawn, which fronts Beaver Brook or the entertaining/dining deck which over looks the brook and lawn. Its prime location offers close proximity to multiple ski areas, lakes, and four-season recreation opportunities. Local public transportation access makes it easy to reach the Amtrak train station, providing direct connectivity from there to Boston and NYC. You can also catch a shuttle to Mount Snow Ski Resort. The potential here is immense. Whether you envision a restaurant, entertainment venue, hospitality operation, or even multi-family apartments and housing?which are in high demand?this property can accommodate your vision. Don’t miss this opportunity to breathe new life into a cherished local landmark.

Vermont Country September-October 2024

Fall destinations

Bovine therapy

Ghostly adventures

'Come on out, enjoy yourself'

New England Street Food Festival returns to Brattleboro Common

A revitalized culinary spirit

Popular Thai spot rebrands as Taan

JUNIPER LANE

Sponsored by The Shires of Southwestern Vermont DMO

Discover the Heart this in Southwestern

Outdoor Adventures and Local Flavors

of The Shires Autumn Vermont

Cultural Riches and Festivities

A Warm Welcome Awaits

Diverse Dining In Bennington Vermont

A Culinary Adventure Through Different Cultures

Philly’s

– Traditional Cheesesteak Joint

Fish Shop

Afghan Food

Hidden Gems

A little animal therapy

Granite Oak Farm offers cow cuddling to help melt away your stress

Fire in the skies

The autumn blaze that is Vermont

Beyond pumpkin spice

Fall in Vermont a brief though magical experience

Enjoy the scenery

Festivities abound

Easy sipping

Chalet 239, West Dover

Scenic Placesthisto

Colonel Williams Inn, Marlboro

getaways fallstay

Jamaica Haus, Jamaica

Snow Goose Inn, West Dover

Childhood dream becomes reality

Bruins draft Elliott Groenewold of Bellows Falls

Rural grandeur

Infusing a home away from home

with luxury — and flavor — at The Weston

2024 Wine & Harvest Festival

Mysterious occurrences

Q&A with a paranormal investigator, author of 'Haunted Vermont'

President Calvin Coolidge STATE

HISTORIC SITE

Vermont Antique Mall 'a trip down memory lane'

Art for every heart at Vermont Artisan Designs

From farm to tablecloth

Textile farmer works to revitalize a lost art and a lost industry

Vermont

HAND CRAFTED SPIRITS & LIQUEURS

FROM SOUTHERN VERMONT’S DEERFIELD VALLEY

A SEASON OF LAUGHTER, MUSIC, AND NEW BEGINNINGS AT BENNINGTON THEATER

Welcome To Our 52nd Season!

A Season of Music and Magic

Theater and Film

Engaging Events for All

New Leadership and Fresh Works

Pesticide pertinence What fruits are the safest?

Making the list

Apples

Grapes

Mangoes

Spinach

Green beans

Easy summery salad Ingredients

Method

It happened here

10 true New England tales on the big screen

31 Red Tail L ane, Brat

93 Butterfield Hill Rd, Weathersfield, VT

37 Deer Hill Road, Newfane, V T