In Rochester, Books, Community, and Cats

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 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. goodhandscreamery.com   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. Visit HappyVermont.com Subscribe to my newsletter Find Skyline Holsteins on Facebook Learn more about Vermont's dairy industry

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  https://www.patreon.com/c/happyvermontpodcast/membership  

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 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 Visit HappyVermont.com Help Support Happy Vermont on Patreon 

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.com/cw/happyvermontpodcast      

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