Podcast
Happy Vermont
Hosted by happyvermont · EN
Places you love in Vermont. Visit www.happyvermont.com.
22episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
From Medicine to Cheesemaking: Reinventing a Life in Vermont
2w ago00:30:30Tap to summarizeLiz 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. goodhandscreamery.com happyvermont.com This episode was made possible with funding from Vermont Dairy Farmers.
Transcribe →Bringing a Vermont Dairy Farm Back to Life
Jul 1600:23:25Tap to summarizeSheena 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. Visit HappyVermont.com Subscribe to my newsletter Find Skyline Holsteins on Facebook Learn more about Vermont's dairy industry
Transcribe →The Call of the Loon
Jun 2500:30:56Tap to summarizeIn 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 https://www.patreon.com/c/happyvermontpodcast/membership
Transcribe →In Rochester, Books, Community, and Cats
Apr 1700:26:33Tap to summarizeSandy 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
Transcribe →In Sharon, a Beloved Music Center Looks to the Future
Apr 200:26:53Tap to summarizeThe 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.
Transcribe →The Magic of Maple Season in Vermont
Mar 1200:28:23Tap to summarizeMaple 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 Visit HappyVermont.com Help Support Happy Vermont on Patreon
Transcribe →Vermont General Stores: Past, Present and Future
Jan 2300:21:46Tap to summarizeThere’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.com/cw/happyvermontpodcast
Transcribe →Reviving a Town Hall in Townshend
Jan 800:26:26Tap to summarizeCory 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
Transcribe →Celebrating Brattleboro's Creative Spirit
Dec 400:40:07Tap to summarizeThis 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
Transcribe →Exploring Lost Ski Slopes in Underhill
Nov 1400:25:36Tap to summarizeJamie 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
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