Happy Vermont

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. 

 

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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.

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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.

 

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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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