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 conservation for the federal government.

Christine shares how her love for animals led her to farming and deepened her connection to the land.

Learn more about Fern River Farm at https://www.fernriverfarm.com/

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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 starting a family.

Today, Does’ Leap Farm is a working dairy producing organic goat cheese.

Host Erica Houskeeper talks with George about those challenging early years on the farm, as well as the power of self-reliance, and how he and Kristan built a farm and a good life.

https://doesleap.com

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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 resort.

Bob grew up in Stowe and first started working for the resort in 1994. In this episode of Happy Vermont, Bob talks about the von Trapp's escape from Austria, why the family came to Vermont, and Werner’s decision to build the stone chapel.

http://www.vontrappresort.com

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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, where their parents, Emo and Ann Henrich, were beloved in the Stratton community and beyond.

Old photographs, artwork and furniture from the early years of Stratton fill the Jamaica Haus. The sisters are embracing their parents legacy while also finding their own way to bring people together in the place they call home.

To learn more:

https://www.jamaicahaus.com/

https://www.instagram.com/skinnygoosebakery/

https://happyvermont.com/

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 https://www.kissthecowfarm.com/

https://happyvermont.com/

https://vermontdairy.com/

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 community.

https://www.goodhandscreamery.com https://happyvermont.com/ This episode was made possible with funding from Vermont Dairy Farmers.

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, and it seemed like her dream of farming here might disappear.

Fortunately, it didn't.

In 2015, Sheena reopened the family dairy. Today, she and her partner, Ben, are raising three young boys on the same farm where she grew up.

Now they're taking on perhaps their biggest challenge yet: transitioning from conventional dairy farming to organic in hopes of creating a more sustainable future for the farm, and for the next generation.

This episode was made possible with funding from Vermont Dairy Farmers.

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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. Tune in to hear about loons’ unique calls, the threats they’ve overcome, and their presence on Vermont’s lakes, ponds and and reservoirs. Visit Happy Vermont https://happyvermont.com Subscribe to Happy Vermont's newsletter https://mailchi.mp/happyvermont/subscribe-to-happy-vermont Support Happy Vermont on Patreon
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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.

https://www.facebook.com/thebookeryvt/ https://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 resembles an old church. But the steeple and an exterior clock from its earlier days are long gone. Today, the top of the building is flat, and musical notes are etched in a framed circle once told you the time.

The center gets its name from a 1990s creation. On the yellow front doors are two stained-glass windows hand-painted with seven stars.

Yet, despite its whimsical exterior, the inside the building is where the magic happens.

“There’s a great extended community that like to come to Seven Stars. They love the hall, and they love the music,” says Anne Mapplebeck of Sharon, a visual artist who volunteers regularly at Seven Stars with her husband, Michael Barsanti.

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 didn’t happen overnight,” says Judd, whose maple farm is five miles from the Canadian border.

In this episode, we talk about maple season, why sap can taste different from place to place, and what it takes to make a living as a Vermont sugar maker.

Buy Vermont Maple Syrup from Judd's Wayeeses Farms

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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

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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.

https://www.brattleboro.com/

https://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 Vermont Holiday Gift Guide

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 jumped at the chance.

It wasn’t just about owning a part of movie history, but how the iconic, Gothic structure on Village Road could become a vibrant events venue and community gathering space.

In this episode, I talk to Kendall and lifelong East Corinth resident Wade Pierson about Beetlejuice, the building's past, present and future, and the meaning of community.

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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.

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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 sculpture in the world. Art conservator Bob Hannum of Barre is working with the state of Vermont to clean, repair and move these sculptures into view so they can be enjoyed once again by the public.

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