Happy Vermont

Slowing Down and Finding Happiness in Woodstock

Patrick Fultz and Leslie Browne intended to buy a house in Woodstock, Vermont. Instead, they end up purchasing and renovating a motel outside the center of town. Host Erica Houskeeper interviews the couple about why they decided to move to Vermont and what advice they give to guests who are visiting the area. 

The Roots of the Gilfeather Turnip Run Deep in Tiny Wardsboro

The small town of Wardsboro is where you’ll find a country store, local library, post office, and town hall. High on a hill just outside of the center of town is the farm where John Gilfeather developed the Gilfeather turnip, which is now the official Vermont State Vegetable. 

In this episode, host Erica Houskeeper talks with Wardsboro residents about John Gilfeather, the tight-lipped farmer behind the turnip and why the this heirloom vegetable is important to the community. 

Update 8/30/2021 7 pm: I just received word that the 2021 Gilfeather Turnip Festival has been canceled. 

Dreams Do Come True for This Middlebury Small Business Owner

Not only is Susan Shashok an environmentally conscious entrepreneur, she’s also civic-minded. Susan served on the Middlebury selectboard for seven years and is the town moderator for Middlebury’s annual Town Meeting—a position vacated a few years ago by former Vermont Governor Jim Douglas.

In this episode, host Erica Houskeeper talks to Susan about Caroline's Dream, the skincare company she founded 20 years ago. Susan shares the challenges and rewards of running a small business, and what it means to be an introvert, a Vermonter, and a healer. 

Learn more about Susan at www.happyvermont.com.  

Returning Home to Run the Rochester Cafe

If you’ve ever driven down Route 100 through the town of Rochester, you’ve likely noticed the Rochester Café. Constructed in the 1880s, the building has been used over the years as a drug store, a bank, a dentist office, a barber shop, and even a funeral parlor.

For the past 30 years, the building has been home to the Rochester Café. Last year, Rochester native Stephanie Lary returned to her hometown to be the general manager of the café. In this episode, Stephanie talks about coming home to run the same cafe that she worked at as a teenager and what she loves about Rochester. 

 

Learn more at www.happyvermont.com 

 

Dirt Road Rambles in Vermont

Paulette Staats and Paul Shriver of Braintree have explored more than 40 Vermont dirt roads by foot ever since they became empty nesters. The retired couple share some of their favorite dirt roads and what they've learned about each other and themselves on their walks. 

Kendra Knapik Makes a Splash in Vermont's Tiny Wine Industry

Winemaker Kendra Knapik spent part of her childhood in Vermont's Champlain Islands, where her grandfather operated a dairy farm and later a golf course. 

Kendra is a veterinary oncologist, and her husband Rob is a full-time professor and chair of the physics department at Norwich University. The vineyard is located in Grand Isle, while their winery – where they produce natural wine – is at their home in Stowe. 

In this episode, Kendra talks about her path to becoming a vineyard owner, incorporating sheep into the vineyard, and why she feels at home in the Champlain Islands.

 

For more information about the vineyard, visit http://ellisonestatevineyard.com. 

 

The Joy of Spring (Mini-Episode)

It’s March in Vermont, and those 60 degree days we’ve been having all week won’t last. They never do. 

Still, the first week of spring in Vermont turned out to be one of the warmest and sunniest in recent memory. Host Erica Houskeeper talks to neighbors, kids, and other Vermonters about what they love most about the spring season. 

A Vision to Revive Historic Main Street in Danby

Nancilee Kennedy arrived in southern Vermont in March 1971 and moved to Danby a decade ago. In recent years, she began to worry about her small community.

After the local general store in the heart of town closed its doors, Main Street became eerily quiet.

She decided to do something about it. In November, she opened Danby Village Shops, a local marketplace selling food, toys, home decor, self-care products, clothing, and more. 

Winter Swimming Adventures in Lake Champlain

Artist Katharine Montstream is a driving force behind the Red Hot Chilly Dippers, a dedicated group of adventurers that meet at Oakledge Park, Perkins Pier, or the Burlington waterfront for icy winter swims in Lake Champlain.

Love, Loss, and Cows on a Vermont Dairy Farm

Amy Richardson is a UVM alumna, mother of three, and Vermont dairy farmer. For 25 years, she's been part of the Richardson Farm, a dairy farm in Hartland that dates back to the early 1900s. 

In this episode, Amy talks about balancing farm life and family, the heartbreak of losing a parent, and everyday things that bring her joy.

(recorded in August 2020)