Happy Vermont

At Fern River Farm in Chelsea, Christine McCue raises dairy cows and sheep. On her hillside farm that she runs with her partner Pat, Christine makes cheese and butter. It's a life she never really expected. Christine grew up in the suburbs and developed a love of animals early on. She earned a graduate degree in wildlife biology from the University of Vermont, and spent several years working in co...

George van Vlaanderen and Kristan Doolan made a decision three decades ago that would completely change their lives: they started a farm. The couple settled on a piece of land in Bakersfield with no driveway, no power, water or buildings. They lived in a yurt for four and a half years on the property. George and Kristan started their operation with four goats and learned as they went, all while st...

In the woods behind the von Trapp Family Lodge is a tiny stone chapel. The chapel was built more than 75 years ago by Werner von Trapp. He was the second son of Capt. Georg von Trapp and his first wife, Agathe Whitehead. In the movie The Sound of Music, Werner is depicted by the character named Kurt. Bob Stafford is a history buff and is the activities director at the von Trapp Family Lodge and re...

On Main Street in the southern Vermont town of Jamaica, there’s an old inn that’s been part of the village for more than 200 years. Painted yellow with purple shutters, the Jamaica Haus is run by Benzi Ross, who returned to Vermont after many years out west. Her sister, Tini Hamilton, operates a bakery at the Jamaica Haus called The Skinny Goose. The sisters grew up at Stratton Mountain Resort, wh...

At Kiss the Cow Farm in Barnard, Lisa and Randy Robar have built a life centered around hard work, sustainability, and a love for real food. The couple shares how it all began with a cow named Sophie living in their garage, and how their farmstead eventually grew into an organic dairy, ice cream business, and farm store. Learn more about Kiss the Cow Farm at kissthecowfarm.com happyvermont.com ver...

Liz Bleakley traded her career in medicine for a new adventure: becoming an artisan cheesemaker in Windsor, Vermont.   In this episode of Happy Vermont, Liz shares how she left her busy job as a physician assistant in Atlanta and, together with her family, moved to a small Vermont town, where she discovered a passion for making cheese.   Liz also talks about what resilience means and the power of...

Sheena Brown is a fourth-generation dairy farmer at Skyline Holsteins in Derby. Her great-grandfather bought this farm 81 years ago. As a child, she spent her days bottle-feeding lambs, walking a pet pig down the road, and following her father through the barn, convinced this was exactly where she belonged. Then, when she was in middle school, the family sold the dairy herd. The barn went quiet, a...

In this episode of Happy Vermont, host Erica Houskeeper explores the story of the common loon's recovery in Vermont.   Inspired by a personal encounter with a loon call after her brother’s passing on Sherman Reservoir, Erica meets experts Eric Hanson and Eloise Girard of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies to talk about the conservation successes and ongoing challenges facing these iconic birds.   T...

Sandy Lincoln owns The Bookery in Rochester, a cozy small-town shop that focuses on antiquarian and used books.   It's also a place where visitors can slow down, browse, and feel at home. With resident cats, quirky displays, and a friendly atmosphere, The Bookery is just as much about community as it is about books. facebook.com/thebookeryvt   happyvermont.com   Book Fair Details

The Seven Stars Arts Center is one of those rare places that blends history, community, reinvention, and a touch of quirkiness. What began as a Baptist church later became a grange hall, then a garage, and eventually a healing arts center. Now the building is an education and performing arts venue run by volunteers. Located a few doors from the Sharon Post Office on Route 14, the building still re...

Maple sugaring in Vermont is a tradition built on hard work, risk, and reward. When it comes to sugaring, the days are long, but the season is short. At Judd's Wayeeses Farms in Morgan, fourth generation Vermonter Jim Judd and his wife Donna Young have spent years perfecting their craft. “People look at our place, and what they don’t always consider is that I’ve been doing this for 50 years. This...

There’s a lot to love about Vermont general stores.  This episode includes an interview with Ben Doyle, the president of the Preservation Trust of Vermont in Montpelier. The organization has helped many Vermont towns save or reopen general stores.  I also chat with Dan and Alison Singleton of Singleton’s Store in Cavendish, which opened 80 years ago.   https://happyvermont.com https://www.patreon....

Cory Ciklin and a group of volunteers are helping to bring the Townshend Town Hall and Opera House back to its former glory. https://happyvermont.com

This holiday season, windows on Brattleboro's Main Street and beyond are being decorated for the inaugural Festival of Miniatures.  Festival organizer Melany Kahn talks about the event and the town she loves. She also shares insight into Brattleboro's strengths and challenges, and why local art matters. www.brattleboro.com happyvermont.com      

Jamie Ide of Jericho spends a lot of time on the western side of Mount Mansfield—where you’ll find Underhill State Park and trails to hike to the top of Vermont’s highest peak. But it turns out there was a ski area there, too. Jamie talks about finding relics of the old ski area in Underhill and what it was like on the quieter side of the mountain many years ago. https://happyvermont.com Happy Ver...

Kendall Gendron's favorite movie is Beetlejuice. When the Seattle native met her future husband and discovered that his hometown was East Corinth—where the movie was filmed—it felt like a match made in heaven. In 2016, the couple moved from the Pacific Northwest to East Corinth. When the opportunity arose to own the fictional Miss Shannon's School for Girls from the Beetlejuice movies, Kendall jum...

Mike Snyder is passionate about keeping Vermont forests healthy, especially in the face of climate change.  We met up on a wooded trail in Stowe to talk about the consequences of overuse, the foliage outlook for this year, and how we can be more mindful when we’re exploring the woods.

At one time there were 38 fire towers in Vermont. Now there are fewer, but Vermont fire towers are more popular than ever. Luke O’Brien, a forest recreation specialist with the State of Vermont, talks about the history of Vermont fire towers and why they matter. Visit my website: happyvermont.com Help support Happy Vermont: patreon.com Subscribe to Happy Vermont's newsletter: mailchi.mp/happyvermo...

South Mountain in Bristol is a legendary place.   Ethan Mitchell, a history and mathematics teacher, grew up in nearby New Haven. He’s a folklore enthusiast who has researched tales of money digging in Vermont, including stories about people searching for treasure on South Mountain.   https://happyvermont.com  

Along Vermont’s interstates stand a unique collection of 16 abstract sculptures created by internationally renowned artists. more than 50 years ago. These sculptures were placed at rest areas along Interstates 89 and 91 in the early 1970s. Decades later, most of them are now hidden by forest growth. That will soon change. The collection could be described as the largest outdoor presentation of scu...

Margaret Loftus is a former public defender.  She’s now a farmer. She and her husband Jonathan left Brooklyn for Vermont in 2006 in search of a better place to raise their kids—Keelan, Tobin and Wendell—and grow their own food. After years of learning about farming, growing organic vegetables, and raising animals for beef, pork and lamb, the family-run Crossmolina Farm—named after a town in Irelan...

Host Erica Houskeeper talks with attorney Spencer Crispe of West Brattleboro and forester Norm Arseneault of Granville about why Vermont ancient roads still matter. Subscribe to my newsletter Support Happy Vermont on Patreon  Visit HappyVermont.com Get in touch: hello@happyvermont.com

Chris Wilcox is vice president of Wilcox Ice Cream in Sunderland. Chris was my first friend when my family moved to Vermont in 1979.  Not only were we friends, we were neighbors, too. I would zig zag my way through a couple of fields and cross a dirt to get to her house. The farm you see just south of Equinox Valley nursery on Route 7A, where Chris spent her childhood. But 24 years ago, on May 7,...

Hotels used to stand at the top of some of Vermont's mountains, like Mount Mansfield, Camel's Hump, Snake Mountain and Mount Equinox.  Mary Skelton spent eight childhood summers at the Mount Mansfield Summit Hotel. It was a hotel her dad managed, and he served as the hotel's postmaster.  In this episode, Mary talks about the old hotel on Vermont's highest mountain, her joyful memories, and the end...

Vermont has no shortage of offbeat place names. What is special about place names is that they come with a story, either a true story or one that's a mix of myth, folklore and fact.  In this episode, host Erica Houskeeper shares some of Vermont's interesting place names.  Support Happy Vermont on Patreon   Visit HappyVermont.com