Brave Little State

We aren't endorsing it, but ... if Vermont did manage to secede from the United States, how would we fare?

When it comes to Vermont's history with the Underground Railroad, where's the line between myth and truth? And whose voices are missing from the story? Those are the questions 'Brave Little State' set out to answer.

If you've lived in a state for a long time, or grew up there, you probably have this feeling - when you drive into or out of it, you feel like you can tell the difference. For many people, this is very true for crossings in and out of Vermont.

Vermont's citizen legislators get paid about $12,700 for five months of work. So, if you have a career and/or a family, how do you pull it off? This is the question recently brought to "Brave Little State."

This month, we're doing things a little differently. Instead of taking on one of your questions about Vermont, we're taking on three. We've got a question about those crooked windows you see on Vermont farmhouses, a question about Vermont's defunct gold mines and one about the history of Burlington's Church Street.

If you drink Vermont milk, or eat Vermont apples or vegetables, it's likely that you have foreign workers to thank. But do you know any? This month, we spend time with some of the members of the work force that keeps many of Vermont's farms running.

This month on "Brave Little State," a subterranean question about wastewater treatment in Vermont.

This month on "Brave Little State," a question about the many barns in Vermont that are left in a suspended state of disrepair.

The history of Vermont's whiteness - both racial and cultural - and stories from people of color about what it's like to live here. Fan of the show? Sign up for the BLS newsletter , submit a question about Vermont and/or make a gift to support people-powered journalism.

There's a creature that lives in Vermont that you don't see very often. It comes across the night in a cacophony of howls, yips and barks. Some attribute the sounds to coydogs, others to coywolves, still others to plain old coyotes. And everyone is right. This month: the fascinating canine that goes by all of those names.

On Election Day, nearly one in three Vermont voters cast ballots for Donald J. Trump - and VPR reporters teamed up with "Brave Little State" to hear from a few of them.

A question about the descendants of this region's first residents. Love the show? Sign up for the BLS newsletter , submit a question about Vermont and/or make a gift to support people-powered journalism. And remember: Be brave. Ask questions.

In this Halloween special from "Brave Little State," a terrifying compendium of spine-tingling Vermont ghost stories, as told to us by ... you.

This month on "Brave Little State," a question about utility bills in Vermont - and a small sampling of Vermont ghost stories.

This month on "Brave Little State," VPR's people-powered journalism podcast, a question about embezzlement in Vermont - and a myth about stone walls and woodland fairies.

In the inaugural episode of 'Brave Little State,' VPR's new, people-powered journalism podcast, we tackle a question about the history of the Vermont accent, and a question about a strange "thing" at the Waterbury rest area.

Be brave. Ask questions. Brave Little State is podcast for Vermonters and Vermonters-at-heart, powered by your curiosity. Every episode answers a question that's been asked and voted on by you, our audience — because we think our journalism is better when you're a part of it. From Vermont Public.