Best of Central Vermont - Fall 2015

Central Vermont best of

FALL 2015 VOLUME 3, NO. 4

COMMUNITIES AND LIFESTYLE IN THE HEART OF THE GREEN MOUNTAINS

GRACE POTTER

A ROCK STAR RETURNS TO HER ROOTS

EVERGREEN GARDENS A GROWING BUSINESS

SHARING BREAD THE LOCAL WAY

AT RED HEN BAKING COMPANY

Cover photo by roger crowley

f e at u r e s

46 52 62

Grace Potter

A Rock Star Returns to her Roots

By Mike Morin

Evergreen gardens A Growing Business

By Phyl Newbeck

red hen baking company sharing bread the local way By mary gow

Contents

d e par t m e n t s

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19 editor’s Note 20 online hub 22 Contributors 26 Occasions & About 28 Out

by Cassie Horner taste of the town

34 boyden valley winery by dian parker

inn touch

39 capitol plaza by tony lolli

devilishly delicious

44 halloween cocktails what’s cooking

59 a cozy dinner with friends by susan nye

community

70 darn tough socks by laura dillon

bright ideas

76 the veteran barn door project

76

by mark aiken

83

dining & entertainment guide calendar

87 arts and entertainment chat

92 a conversation with joshua jerome

Executive Director of The Barre Partnership by stephen morris

find fun things

74

to ere wh

to bu y

fun fall shopping

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in Central Vermont

n spe cial a ctio dvertising se

Central Vermont best of

summer 2015 | Volume 3 no.3

Coffee Table Publishing P.O. Box 1460, Quechee, VT 05059

(802) 295-5295

www.bestofcentralvt.com Publishers

Robin Gales John Gales Bob Frisch Editor

Kirsten Gehlbach Copy Editor

Laura Dillon Art Director

Robbie Alterio Advertising Design

Hutchens Media, LLC Web Design

Locable Advertising

Robin Gales John Gales (802) 295-5295 coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net Keep us posted. Best of Central Vermont wants to hear from our readers. Correspondence may be addressed to letters to the editor, Best of Central Vermont, P.O. Box 1460, Quechee, VT 05059.

Advertising inquiries may be made by emailing ctpublishing@ comcast.net or coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net. Best of Central Vermont is published quarterly by Coffee Table Publishing, LLC, Š2014. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is strictly prohibited. Best of Central Vermont accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or photographs.

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

editor’s note

Fall is without question, my favorite time of the year. Not just because my birthday falls in the peak of color on our mountains. Fall speaks abundance with beautiful colors, the harvest in the fields, and many things to keep busy.

Run through a corn maze, pick some apples, or stomp on grapes.

Open the barn door and help a veteran and his or her family with horsemanship at Veteran Barn Door Project in Hardwick.

Enjoy mums and pumpkins at Evergreen Gardens in Waterbury Center. Taste ice wine drawn from local vines or cider from neighborhood trees. Maybe you prefer to try maple crème liqueur or the popular Big Barn Red that matches the colors on the horizon at Boyden Valley Winery in the Lamoille River Valley.

Enjoy breads, pastries, sandwiches and soups at the Red Hen Baking Company in Middlesex and make your Thanksgiving a different treat with bread recipes at bestofcentralvt.com.

Fall is a time for socks. When you are ready to shed your sandals after the warm summer, Cabot Darn Tough in Northfield is ready to keep your feet warm and cozy for the shorter days and cooler nights.

Enjoy the music, with crickets and our own Vermont rock star, Grace Potter. Catch her any chance you can. Take in opera throughout the region and ballet with a twist at Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe. View art in the Waitsfield round barn and walk through Stowe for “Exposed” sculptures.

This is Central Vermont in the best season!

Look forward to hearing from you, Kirsten Gehlbach kirsten@marketwithresults.com

www.facebook.com/ BestOfCentralVermont

@bestofcentralvt

www.bestofcentralvt.com

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v isi t us o nl ine

| w w w. b e s tofcen t r a lvt.co m

The Veteran Barn Door Project Started By a Vermont veteran this project uses horses to help veterans suffering PTSD. Find out how you call help with this much needed project at www.bestofcentralvt.com

ont Central Verm VOLU ME FALL 2015

3, NO. 4

best of

COM MU

LIFE STY LE NIT IES AND

UN TAI GRE EN MO RT OF THE IN THE HEA

NS

E POTTROOERTS GRAC URNS TO HER

A ROCK STAR

RET

RDENSS N GA EVERGREEA GRO WING BUSINES

Grace Potter

THE LOCAL WAY

AD SHARING BRE Y KING COMPAN AT RED HEN BA

SIGN UP TODAY!

The Vermont rocker is hitting the stage to share her new sound. Be sure you don’t miss out. Enter to win tickets and a hotel room for Grace’s concert on October 29 in Albany, New York.

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• A summary of our most popular articles and comments from our readers • Local event listings from our calendar • Special offers from Best of Central Vermont and local businesses • Exclusive insights into upcoming features and articles, and much more . . .

Join the conversation online . . .

bestofcentralvt.com Feel free to drop us a line at ryan@coffeetablepublishing.com, or share your comments on our site or on social media. You might even see your name in our next issue.

Autumn Entertaining Fall is the perfect time for a cozy dinner party with friends. With a few easy moves your guests will leave thinking you are a genius in the kitchen.

Find the tips you need to host a flawless dinner party at www.bestofcentralvt.com.

Red Hen Baking Company Bring Red Hen Bakery into your home this Thanksgiving with 3 recipes from Vermont’s own Artisan Bakers Randy George and Eliza Cain at www.bestofcentralvt.com

7

octob

CLICK ON OUR ONLINE CALENDAR TO SEE LOCAL EVENTS HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN ADD YOUR OWN EVENT FREE!

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co n t rib u to r s

TONY LOLLI is an author, columnist, and freelance writer. He writes columns for On The Water Magazine and The Northwoods Sporting Journal. He’s written six books on fly fishing, one of which was selected as one of the three Best Outdoor Books for 2012 by the New England Outdoor Writers Association.

Tony Lives in Cabot, Vermont, and can be reached at tonylolli@yahoo.com.

Laura Dillon is a native Vermonter who grew up in the Mad River Valley.

She now lives in Burlington with her dog Harry and cat Gus. She teaches high school English at the North American Hockey Academy in Stowe and is an avid reader and writer.

She can be contacted at lauradillonbtv@gmail.com.

Journalist and freelance writer MARY GOW is an arts correspondent for the Times Argus, a contributor to numerous regional magazines, and is the author of history of science books for middle school students. Mary lives in Warren, Vermont, and can be reached at mgow@gmavt.net.

DIAN PARKER is a writer for several New England publications. A passionate gardener and oil painter, she blogs about art and artists for West Branch Gallery in Stowe. A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, she has worked in theatre for 25 years as a director and teacher. Dian lives near Chelsea, Vermont, with her husband Jasper Tomkins, a children’s book writer and illustrator. She is currently working on a novel and can be reached at dianparker9@gmail.com.

Mark aiken is a freelance writer from Richmond, Vermont. He teaches skiing at Stowe and trains for marathons with his wife. Together, he and his wife are involved in another endurance sport: parenting. Contact him through his website www.

MarkAiken.com

A former flatlander from New York City, PHYL NEWBECK lives in Jericho where she has learned to stack a mean pile of firewood. When she’s not skiing, skating, bicycling, swimming or kayaking, she writes for several local weeklies, biweeklies, and monthlies. Phyl is the author of Virginia Hasn’t Always Been for Lovers: Interracial Marriage Bans and the Case of Richard and Mildred Loving.

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best of central Vermont | Fall 2015

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o cc a si o ns | by helen day art center

“Exposed” for Stowe For 24 years, “Exposed” has been part of the Stowe community. The exhibit began on the front lawn of the Helen Day Art Center in Stowe, until the first curators, Chris Curtis and John Matusz wondered, “Why not bring it to the greater community, so the art goes out to meet the people?” Let’s spread it out throughout the town.

“Let’s bring this out of the gallery walls,” says Rachel Moore, current Curator of “Exposed” and Assistant Director of the Helen Day Art Center. Rachel says, “Our goal is to expand.

Raise the profile, bring in more national, international talent, but keep it local.”

“We want this to be a destination,” Rachel says.

People are starting to travel to see this exhibition, year after year. We get international talent of high caliber to participate.”

This year’s theme for “Exposed” is Lineation.

They also initiated a permanent living willow

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installation by Susie J. Gray. She taught the students from Stowe Elementary School to make charcoal from willow, harvest it sustainably, and create sculpture from something unexpected—in the end, a living tunnel to explore, read in, and rest.

The artists include: Chris Curtis who co-owns West Branch Gallery and Sculpture Garden in Stowe. His newest installation Gnomon is at 67 Main Street.

Kate Pond, grew up in Vermont and has placed Sentinel, a concrete and Corten steel sculpture, along Main Street.

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

Through October 14, 2015 Helen Day Art Center 90 Pond Street, Stowe helenday.com/exposed2015

Andrea Lilienthal created Tip Top, a bamboo ladder perched on the balcony above the entrance to the Helen Day building.

Bruce White’s Light Ring can be seen on the Helen Day lawn.

Rodrigo Nava, head of the sculpture program at the Putney School, has his work Infinity From Large and Reverse Trapezohedron Form along Main Street.

John Clement presents Tiller – huge intertwined yellow rings – on the Helen Day’s front lawn.

Award-winning Vermont poet Ruth Stone’s verses grace storefront windows in her memory.

o u t a nd a b o u t | by c a ssie H o rner

Ballets with a Twist Mint Julep and Other Spirited Dances On Saturday, September 19, at 7:30 pm, the playful and sophisticated Ballets with a Twist: Mint Julep and Other Spirited Dances comes from NYC to Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center in Stowe, Vermont.

“It’s wholesome, glamorous and I do like a bit of wit,” says artistic director and choreographer Marilyn Klaus.

The company of 16, which includes three little girls, brings an American and European experience through dance vignettes inspired by cocktails.

The program combines the seriousness of “Bloody Mary” about the tragic life of Mary Tudor, with the lightness of “Manhattan Cocktail” represented by a lady walking her dog down Fifth Avenue. A new vignette, “Pink Lady,” has a dreamy 1930s and 40s heroine showing off the Schiaparelli pink of the era.

“Mint Julep,” the Vermont show’s namesake, is the special drink of the Kentucky Derby and “is a way to capture the essence of the event in shorthand,” says Klaus. It features the racetrack owner’s daughter, a trainer, thoroughbreds and three little ponies played by the company’s three little girls.

Klaus is originally from southern California. “My parents loved dancing,” she says. Her father, though an entrepreneur, had studied ballet with a member of Ballet Russes who had stayed in the U.S. She describes herself as “bitten by the dance bug early.” By age six, she had taken lessons in sacred hula, tap, and started ballet. She later moved to New York, and in 2009 formed Ballets with Twist, comprised of a team of three, including her as artistic director/ choreographer, a composer and a costume designer.

Ballets with a Twist performs in a variety of venues from intimate Manhattan clubs to 1000-seat theaters.

“Wherever we go we make an essential grouping of cocktails,” Klaus says. “We create short vignettes for a modern American audience.”

To purchase tickets, visit www.sprucepeakarts.org 28

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

www.bestofcentralvt.com 29

out and about Photos Courtesy of The Inn at the Round Barn Farm

Art in the

Round Barn Show

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

The magical setting of the historic Joslyn Round Barn at the Inn at the Round Barn Farm in Waitsfield is home to the annual Art in the Round Barn Show. This year, the show celebrates its 25th anniversary. The opening reception is on September 20 from 4 pm to 7 pm, and the show runs from September 21 through October 12.

This juried show attracts high caliber artists whose work is chosen in an anonymous jury process. Artists are mainly from Vermont, with some from neighboring states. The barn walls come alive with acrylics, oils, pastels, watercolors, and mixed media (including sculpture, wood and glass).

The Green Mountain Cultural Center, based in Waitsfield, sponsors the Art in the Round Barn Show. The nonprofit organization brings visual and performing cultural events to the Mad River Valley.

The opening reception, on September 20 from 4 pm to 7 pm, costs $20 per person. Sweet and savory hors d’oeuvres will be served. The daily show begins on September 21 and runs through October 12. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm, except for Saturdays on September 26, October 3 and 10, and Sunday, October 11, when the show closes for private events.

For more information, visit www.greenmountainculturalcenter.org

www.bestofcentralvt.com 31

o u t a nd a b o u t

P h oto by Way n e Faw b u s h

Central Vermont Artistic Team Creates a Vermont Opera

Composer Erik Nielsen of Brookfield, Vermont was attending a Vermont Arts Council function circa 1998 when he happened to encounter Vermont Opera Theater board member Joan Stepenske in the lunch line. “She asked me, ‘Have you ever written an opera,’” recalls Nielsen. “I said, ‘no, but I could.’”

That chance conversation led to the collaboration of Nielsen and fellow Vermonter and poet David Budbill of Montpelier on a moving opera that touches on such issues as returning soldiers with PTSD, child welfare, racism, and the viability of small towns.

A Fleeting Animal: A Vermont Opera is 32

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

based on Budbill’s long poem cycle, Judevine (an evocative collection of characters in the fictional town) that has also been made into a play. The opera focuses on Tommy and Grace. He is a Vietnam veteran fighting demons that include the Angel of Depression. Grace, who loves him, keeps him from the abyss temporarily, but cannot in the end save him.

Nielsen, whose music has been performed worldwide, set the story of Tommy and Grace to music. “Working on the opera gave David the opportunity to revisit several characters never shown before on the stage,” says Nielsen. One of them is the Angel of Depression. “Once the libretto was set, it took me about nine months of

working constantly to write the music.”

A Fleeting Animal was performed six times to rave reviews in 2000. “About 18 months ago, while I was teaching music appreciation in Montpelier, my students wanted to hear about the opera,” Klaus recalls. “I thought it is time to do the opera again.”

This led to creation of a committee dedicated to fundraising for a series of performances in six venues in Vermont this fall. There will also be art shows at most of the locations, along with post-performance discussions in the communities about the issues raised by the opera.

For more information, visit www.afleetinganimal.com

Burlington tenor Adam Hall as Tommy and Marshfield soprano Mary Bonhag as Grace, star in the September 11 - 20 performances of A Fleeting Animal: An Opera from Judevine with music by Erik Nielsen and libretto

by David Budbill. The chorus, soloists, and instrumental members of TURNmusic will all be led by Music Director Anne Decker (pictured with members of the chorus). Margo Whitcomb is the Stage Director. www.bestofcentralvt.com 33

ta s te of t he t o wn | by Dian Parker Photos Courtesy of Boyden Valley Winery

Gold Leaf dessert wine crafted with Northern Spy apples and Boyden estate maple syrup, oak aged for two years in French oak barrels.

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

Come Celebrate

the Excellence of

Boyden Valley Winery

Did you know that Cambridge, Vermont is on the same latitude as Burgundy, France? And, that there is a winery in Cambridge that has its own red and white vineyards? Did you know that the Boyden Valley Winery is making their own red wine, white wine, and ice wines from these robust and hearty grapes as well as liqueurs crafted from Vermont apples?

I didn’t, so one day my husband and I ventured up north (just 50 minutes from Montpelier and 35 minutes from Burlington) for a tour and wine tasting. Were we ever surprised! Not only is the winery in the gorgeous Lamoille River Valley, but it is also set on a thousand acres of rich, loamy farmland, owned and run by the Boyden family for four generations.

How can wine be made in Vermont with our cold winters? David Boyden, owner and winemaker extraordinaire, explained, “We have vines developed at the University of Minnesota to withstand 35 degrees below zero. The grapes bud out late and we prune them late. My wife is from Quebec and we learned from the colder climates of Quebec as well as Switzerland what would work in Vermont.” www.bestofcentralvt.com 35

Above: Visit Julien, the manager at the new Boyden Valley Winery Tasting Room Annex location at Cold Hollow Cider Mill in Waterbury, Vermont. A newly renovated space where they featured Barn Dance Cider, a new collaborative hard cider available exclusively at Cold Hollow Cider Mill.

Right: Frontenac vines frame a picturesque view of Boyden Valley Winery and relaxing outdoor patio.

The vineyard has eight thousand grapevines.

The winery is housed in a restored 1875 carriage barn. In the barn’s spotless cellar, the wine is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel, and then aged in French oak casks from four to six months, up to two years. The results are sensational. Boyden Valley Winery offers two whites, one rosé, and three red wines, as well as four fruit wines.

One of my favorites – the white Cow Tipper – tastes clean, crisp and delicate. My husband loved their Riverbend Red, a medium-body wine similar to a Pinot Noir. Their most popular red is Big Barn Red, made from Frontenac and Cabernet grapes, similar to dry Bordeaux. The Frontenac grape was created by the University of Minnesota to be not only winter hearty, but also disease resistant. This produces a dark, high-sugar berry.

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

Visit the Tasting Room for a Fine Selection For only ten dollars, enjoy a wine tasting which includes six samples of your choice, plus a one cream liqueur, a local chocolate truffle, and a logo Boyden Valley Winery glass to take home (subject to availability).

My husband and I tasted, along with the red and white wines, some of their signature hard ciders, all of which are on tap. My favorite, Vermont Ice Hard Cider, is sparkling and dry in the Normandy style. The Boydens use wine yeast instead of brewer’s yeast and no

concentrates or sorbates. Try their ice wines, especially their premier wine, Vermont Ice Red, which is also made from their Frontenac grape. The wine is smooth and slightly sweet, with hints of plum and vanilla. An ice wine is made by freezing solid the grapes and allowing them to ferment in the oak casks from four to six months. By the way, this particular ice wine makes a splendid Cosmopolitan.

If you like sweet wines, try their Vermont Maple fruit wine, made from the syrup collected from 10,000 taps on 100 acres of maple trees. The Rhubarb Wine tastes

Join the festivities!

Fall is an opportunity to go to the Harvest Festival. Watch the grapes being harvested and pressed. They even have a grape stomping contest. Year-round there are free tours. The winery also serves gourmet cheese plates including five gourmet cheeses, bread and salami, chocolate, fresh fruit, and a glass of wine or hard cider, with ice cream for the kids.

Vermont Canoe & Kayak (802-644-8336) offers guided trips along the scenic Lamoille River. The tour ends at the winery, with a tasting and snack of local cheese, freshly baked bread, and a tour of the winemaking facility. In the fall and winter there are dog sledding tours and horse-drawn wagon or sleigh rides. The winery also offers group and corporate packages, as well as gift boxes.

exactly like rhubarbs, and their deep colored Blueberry and Cranberry wines live up to their names. They also make and sell dessert specialty wines like Cassis, a port-style wine, and Gold Leaf, made from apples and maple syrup, with complex oak and vanilla overtones – a winner of three gold medals.

Last but by no means least, you absolutely must taste their Vermont Ice Maple Crème Liqueur – smooth and rich, made from real cream, their own maple syrup, and Vermont apple brandy. Another delicious choice is their Glogg, a Swedish-style mulled red wine, which when heated is great for those cold nights and holidays.

Growing Quality and Family David and Linda started their business eighteen years ago and have built a quiet empire of beauty and exceptional taste.

With seventeen employees in addition to themselves, their business is growing in leaps and bounds. Due to David and Linda’s attention to detail and quality, the Boyden Valley Winery is not only making its mark in Vermont but across the country; they now ship to most every state. You can even join their Case Club for discounts.

Boyden Valley Winery is open year round.

You can watch winemaker Tommy Lambert www.bestofcentralvt.com 37

create the master blends of wine from vine to bottle.

Take a tour and watch Tyler Knight turn by hand the juicy dark red cranberries and the deep blue blueberries (never using concentrates) in the stainless steel vats or watch him take care of the vineyards.

The Boyden Farm is a family business. David’s father is in charge of the maple sugaring. You can come to the Maple Festival in the spring and watch him at work. David’s brother runs Boyden Beef with three hundred beef cows. In the summer and fall, the brother and sister-in-law put on 1-2 weddings every weekend on the beautiful property of the farm.

David and Linda are passionate about their wines and the products they offer. Their wines, cider, and liqueurs are a testament to their dedication and goal to produce high quality European-style wines. One tasting will tell – I can certainly attest to that.

Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits 64 Vermont Route 104, Cambridge (802) 644-8151 www.boydenvalley.com Open daily, 10am to 5pm Tours daily at 11:30am and 1pm

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

in n t ou c h | By Tony Lolli | Photos Courtesy of Capitol Plaza

the Capitol Plaza A Family Affair Twenty-one years ago, following the devastating Montpelier flood, Fred and Mary Bashara bought and renovated what is now the Capitol Plaza. Brian Cain, hotel and sales director, says, “We felt if we worked hard and paid attention, we’d be able to build an independent hotel of significance.” They were correct.

T

he four Bashara children, along with their spouses, continue to run the day-to-day operations of the Capitol Plaza and the accompanying J. Morgan’s Steakhouse. This endeavor would like to stay in the family – 12 of Fred and Mary’s grandchildren are learning the ropes and some of them are working part-time, in anticipation of the day when they’ll take over management.

The most important thing to Fred and Mary is establishing a strong work ethic in their grandchildren, ages 7 through 21.

www.bestofcentralvt.com 39

Above: The Capitol Plaza hosts weddings, parties, and conferences. The Ballroom was recently refurbished.

Right: The staff prides itself on their attention to detail, the evidence of which can be seen in every room.

There’s a second family involved in the success of the Capitol Plaza: the employees. “It’s our extended family,” says Brian. “We have 60 to 70 employees between the hotel and J. Morgan’s Steakhouse. The thing we’re most proud of is that many of our managers have been with us between 10 and 21 years. We’ve seen their kids grow up and now some of them have grandkids. The family atmosphere is absolutely key to everything we do.” He believes it is this approach that accounts for so many repeat customers.

“If our clients were not repeat customers, we’d be out of business – they are the basis for our success,” explains Fred. Any problem identified by a customer is addressed immediately. “As a result, customers know our priority is their satisfaction. One of the 40

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

owners is always on site. This means we’re one of the few places you can actually speak to an owner regardless of the day or time,” says Fred. When visitors have a good experience they recommend the Capitol to their friends and colleagues.

A Big Experience in a Small Town The Capitol Plaza sells the Montpelier experience and customers are buying. One Connecticut couple took a January weekend getaway via Amtrak. They were picked up at the train station by the staff and had such a great time they came back twice more in the next six months.

“Because we’re an independent hotel, guests are surprised that in a relatively small town like Montpelier there’s a full-service hotel that’s paying attention to the details,” says Brian. “We’re going to continue to stress our independent hotel as a customer advantage over what a chain hotel can offer.”

Being an independent hotel has other benefits. “Unlike chain hotels, we don’t have a schedule for renovations. When we’re tired of looking at something, we change it,” Fred says. The lobby was upgraded in March of this year and J. Morgan’s Steakhouse has been renovated twice, most recently in 2011. “We recently refurbished the ballroom in just 13 www.bestofcentralvt.com 41

Above: Located on State Street, The Capitol is in the heart of downtown Montpelier.

Right: The Luxury Suites offer the highest in comfort and leisure, including a Jacuzzi bath.

days,” added Brian. “That’s not something any chain could accomplish in such a short time.”

Rooms with Charm The 65-guest room hotel has accommodations to meet every need. The Deluxe Double features two double or two queen-sized beds. The Colonial King and Queens innstyle rooms include amenities such as duvet bedding, terrycloth robes, wingback chairs, wireless service and individual coffeemakers.

Colonial Mini-Suites include an entrance living room with couch, flat screenTV, writing desk, refrigerator and Keurig coffeemakers. Private rooms feature a king bed complete with plush duvet bedding, oversized luxury pillows, and an in-room television. Bathrooms are equipped with spa showers and terrycloth robes.

Each of the three Luxury Suites features amenities such as a king-sized bed and private Jacuzzi tub or spa shower. Another suite offers 42

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

a two-room suite with a granite wet bar, a 46-inch flat screen TV, and a leather couch that opens into a double bed. Connected to the living room is a covered porch to enjoy morning coffee or the afternoon sun. The master bedroom offers privacy from the living room and has a crystal chandelier over a beautifully decorated King bed. The highlight

of the luxury bathroom features a tiled spa shower and a flat screen TV over the granite countertop.

Like most chain hotels, The Capitol Plaza offers accommodations for conferences and events. Conferences range from two to 250 people and there are 60 events every month. By Brian’s estimates, 60 to

70 percent of conference customers are return customers.

Delectable Dining J. Morgan’s is, first and foremost, a steakhouse. “We hand cut our beef and age it for at least three weeks,” Fred explains.

Fresh seafood arrives three or four times every week. The signature dish is a giant shrimp (four to the pound) cocktail.

Fred’s focus is on fresh food and local produce in generous portions at a reasonable price. Maintaining the high standards is executive chef Fred Bashara III. Easter and Mother’s Day buffets are big events at the Plaza. An impressive 1,000 guests attend each of these mega-events.

It takes anywhere from five to seven days to prepare, but the staff is always up to the challenge. For these special occasions, there’s also a special cocktail: the “Mary and the Boys,” a Bloody Mary garnished with shrimp instead of celery.

With an emphasis on family, attention to detail, constant upgrades and fine dining, one visit is all it will take to understand why so many Capitol Plaza customers return time and again.

The Capitol Plaza Hotel and Conference Center 100 State Street Montpelier (800) 274-5252 www.capitolplaza.com J. Morgan’s Steakhouse (802) 223-5222 www.bestofcentralvt.com 43

de v il ishly d el i ci o us

Ghoulish fun for Your Next Halloween Party

Vampires Kiss Martini 1 oz Rum 1 oz Melon Liquor Splash of soda Garnished with Raspberry puree around the rim

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

Pour some local flavor into your drinks Check out some of Central Vermont’s finest spirits Make any drink better with Caledonia Spirits famous Barr Hill Gin and Vodkas. www.caledoniaspirits.com The father/son duo behind Smugglers’ Notch Distillery, has created exquisite vodkas, whiskeys, rums, and gins. www.smugglersnotchdistillery.com Mad River Distillers, handcrafted and bottled in Warren, offers up local rum, brandy, and whiskey. www.madriverdistillers.com

Devil’s Blood Cocktail 1K oz Black Vodka Cranberry Juice Sugared rim with red food coloring Garnish with a cherry

Lady Fingers 2 cups flour K cup powdered sugar K lb butter 1 cup of blanched almonds 1 Tbsp. of food coloring Cream butter and sugar.

Add flour, mix well.

Roll out and cut into finger shapes, place on parchment paper.

Coat almonds in food coloring and dry. Roll 1 Tbsp. cookie dough into a finger shape. Press 1 almond at the end of cookie finger to form a nail. Lightly press fork tines to form knuckles.

Bake at 325 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes or until pale golden.

www.bestofcentralvt.com 45

by mike morin

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

A rock star returns to her roots

Grace Potter “I think that Vermont is an incredibly enriching place to be” makes for a nice branding image for the state.

It just sounds so much better when Waitsfield native Grace Potter says it.

“My family has spent generations in that part of the world,” says the musician and rock star. “I’m just an East Coast person. [It’s] the barometric pressure, and there’s something about the way the mountains are a little older and there’s not that angular, jagged desert vibe. I feel more like I’m in Ireland,” she adds.

Although she’s not home in Vermont as much as she might like to be, Grace recently headlined the Grand Point North Festival at Waterfront Park in Burlington.

This is the fifth year for the show, and she’s extremely proud to be its organizer.

Photo by Joseph Llanes www.bestofcentralvt.com

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“I really get to celebrate Vermont and the experience of being a Vermonter and share that with fans.”

Celebrating Vermont “Grand Point North is the absolute cherry on top of my life in Vermont—the one moment I really get to celebrate Vermont and the experience of being a Vermonter and share that with fans from out of state and, most importantly, in state. I’m really excited to get back and have a really special festival weekend,” says Grace. Just as exciting for her is the fact that her high school alma mater will also be a part of the festival. And it’s not because she’s Grace Potter and wanted them to be there, she confesses.

“This is incredible, but Harwood Union High School won a competition to get in. I have a feeling that the powers that be and the magic of the Mad River Valley must have had some hand in it, but I certainly didn’t.

I’m pleasantly surprised. It’s a really wonderful story. The director of the music department told me how many people got involved and engaged in trying to get in the band and to have an opportunity to get up there and play,” she says.

“This Is Where I’m Supposed to Be” Grace and her band have been on the road touring all summer in support of her first solo album, Midnight, released August 14.

A handful of dates have been more than memorable. In July, she opened for Neil Young. In June, it was the Rolling Stones in Minneapolis. It was on that night that Mick Jagger invited her to share the stage for a duet performance of the haunting hit “Gimme Shelter.” The electric YouTube video 48

48 www.bestofburlingtonvt.com

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

Next page: Grace belts out “Gimme Shelter” with Mick Jagger in Minneapolis in June. Photo courtesy of Jini Sache, www.ImagesByJini.com.

Right: Grace revealed her musical inclination at an early age.

of Grace’s powerhouse vocals with Jagger went viral, along with an incident reported

by TMZ that Keith Richards’s daughter had some friendly advice for her just prior to the number. Laughing, Grace confirms the story.

“That [report] was correct. Theodora, who is such a sweetheart, saved the day since my dress was falling off. My dress fell apart just before I was going on stage and my in-ear monitor pack was, like, busting out of the back of my dress. She came in with

“I felt just like when I was nine years old and saw James Brown and said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’”

needle and thread and pins, and she was so energetic and gave me one piece of advice: ‘Just don’t try to keep up with Mick. Nobody can.’” Despite the potential wardrobe malfunction, Grace remained composed for the magical seven minutes with Mick and the Stones’ revved-up fans.

“It is by far the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me in my musical experience. By far,” says Grace. “It was exciting. And it was revelatory for me because as I was preparing to go on stage and [had] the panic of my dress falling apart and all that other stuff going on, I was calm, I was present, I was ready. I felt just like when I was nine years old and saw James Brown and said, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ I was standing there, getting ready to walk on stage to sing with the Rolling Stones, and I was like, yep, this is where I’m supposed to be,” she recalls.

Her James Brown experience at age nine references an important moment Grace had at a concert she attended in Boston. It was so emotional for her that she recalls crying. It’s a conversation she’s had with other artists who had similar epiphanies.

“It’s absolute envy. That’s where the tears come from. Why can’t I be doing that now? Why do I have to wait? Why do I have to go to school? Why do I have to learn an instrument? Why do I have to work hard at this? Why can’t I just go up there and sing right now?

And I remember there was this overwhelming panic inside me that was like—I need to do that as soon as possible.”

A House Full of Music Long before James Brown danced into Grace’s childhood, her mother’s classical piano music filled the house. “My mom sings to the animals when she’s feeding them; she sings opera. My dad sang in a choir at St. Lawrence when he went there.” At age six, Grace began to learn the keys from her mom, who was also a piano teacher.

“I remember when she taught me ‘Maple Leaf Rag,’ really the first proper song I learned on the piano. And it’s only more sweet Photo by Josh Reed www.bestofcentralvt.com

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because I’m from Vermont and the maple leaf is sort of my talisman in many ways,” says Grace. Her great-uncle, Spiegle Willcox, was a well-known trombone player who performed in the Tommy Dorsey band in the ’30s and ’40s.

Grace’s love of family and Vermont is evident as she speaks warmly of her roots.

“My Aunt Patty, my Uncle Morgan, my Uncle Gordy. My mom’s whole side of the family all moved into the same town so they could be together and grow old together. I can literally go over the river and through the woods walking from my house to my uncle’s house and my aunt’s house. That feeling of being able to traipse through the woods and go over and knock on the door with some hot bread and some wine and just have a quiet night—those are the beautiful things that I love about living in Vermont.” It’s a long way from “Gimme Shelter.” But in a way, it’s really not.

Grace Potter gracepotter.com

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

By Phyl Newbeck Photos Courtesy of Evergreen Gardens

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

Evergreen Gardens A Growing Business

F

ourteen years ago, Michael and Carol MacLeod purchased Evergreen Gardens in Waterbury, leaving their Newtown, Connecticut home for the Green Mountain State. Michael, a native of Canada, was working in the flavor industry and Carol had a landscape design business but the pair decided they wanted to bring their sons – 10 and 12 at the time – further north.

“We looked at businesses in Vermont and saw that Evergreen Gardens was for sale,” Carol remembers. “We fell in love with it.” The couple was familiar with the area from their ski trips and was thrilled with the location.

“We’re nestled in the mountains,” Carol says, “It’s a beautiful setting with a red barn and pond and the mountains in the background.”

Evergreen Gardens had been in existence for three decades before the MacLeods purchased the business in 2002, but the couple immediately set about putting their imprint on the establishment. They introduced landscaping services, added bulk products like compost, topsoil and mulch, and began to grow more perennials and annuals. They expanded the company’s production of chrysanthemums, which are sold wholesale to other garden centers, as well as being featured at their own store.

Mike MacLeod is proud the company has two organic greenhouses and their products have been certified by both the Northeastern Organic Farming Association (NOFA) and the national Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI). “Everything you use from

soil to fertilizer to seeds has to be approved,” Carol says. “Both our growing and selling houses are certified and regularly inspected to make sure they are in compliance.” Even the water used in the organic greenhouses is treated differently from the water used for the conventional plants. The certification process involves a lot of work but Mike and Carol believe it is well worth the effort.

Evergreen Gardens opens on March 1 every year, but since the company has three year-round staffers who do inventory and maintenance during the winter, customers can come in well before the opening date if they need anything. March is when the family begins planting their annuals. “We get people from far and wide for our annuals because we grow so many ourselves,” www.bestofcentralvt.com

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Carol says. Half the annuals are grown at the nursery and the rest come from another local Vermont grower.

In the spring, the company also begins creating their signature hanging baskets including custom orders for restaurants, inns and individual homeowners. Last year they supplied 44 moss hanging baskets to Stowe Mountain Resort. As spring progresses, customers come in to purchase seeds and many start the planting season with pansies. Later, 54

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trees, shrubs and organic vegetables become the more popular purchases.

A green thumb runs in the family. Carol and Mike’s sons grew up working for their parents during summer breaks when they were in high school, usually helping out with the chrysanthemums. Their oldest son Ross has recently returned to his roots.

Ross helps with the company’s deliveries of compost, topsoil and mulch. He also runs the landscaping division that starts up in

June, traveling to the various job sites. Most of the company’s work is done locally but they travel to the Montpelier and Morrisville areas, as well as to Waterbury and Stowe.

A Multi-Seasonal Business: Evergreen Opens on March 1 and Doesn’t Miss a Season In June, Evergreen Gardens begins growing their 5,000 mums, many of which are sold to other garden centers and orchards.

Ross MacLeod, landscaping professional, is growing the family business.

Things quiet down in August but as soon as residents start retuning from vacation, they flock to the greenhouse to purchase chrysanthemums to add to their perennial gardens. The MacLeods also have a gift shop with garden ornaments, hummingbird feeders, pots and some handmade glass dishes. Whenever possible, they try to get their products from local vendors.

As the leaves turn yellow and red, customers continue to come to the greenhouse for mums and ornamental cabbage and kale.

“The key to our success is our knowledgeable and friendly staff.”

By mid-October, things quiet down, giving the family time to button up the nursery for winter – a process that takes three to four weeks. The lull also gives the family time to start getting ready for Christmas.

Carol is proud that in addition to being known for their mums, Evergreen Gardens has made a name for itself as a holiday market. “We’ve always sold wreaths,” Carol says “but after Thanksgiving the store becomes a full-fledged Christmas shop with ornaments, candles, table settings and wreaths.” Evergreen Gardens creates custom decorations www.bestofcentralvt.com

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Fall at Evergreen Gardens

and sells some wreaths mail order but Carol also teaches classes so her customers can make their own wreaths. “That’s a growing aspect of the business,” she says “and more and more people have heard about it.” The Christmas shop transformation begins the week after Thanksgiving when Carol throws a Ladies’ Night with food and wine as a thank you to her customers. The shop closes for the winter on December 24.

One of the biggest challenges of running a greenhouse is the weather. This year, a warm and sunny May brought people to the nursery in droves but a cool and wet June dampened some spirits. “People are still gardening,” Carol says “but business goes down because people don’t want to walk around a garden center in the rain. We are really weather dependent.”

Another problem facing growers is insects.

The MacLeods have spent the last five years using an integrated pest management program, which allows them to use beneficial 56

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insects like ladybugs to eat aphids and other pests. Thanks to this program, the family has been able to limit their use of insecticides to some spot spraying. Rather than spray to prevent fungus, they clean their plants on a daily basis to prevent unwanted growths.

Evergreen Gardens is also involved in a national “Save the Pollinators” program that helps people choose plants, which are favored by bees and butterflies. They have a large display and provide handouts to assist customers in selecting plants to help the local pollinator population. The MacLeods are hoping to plant some showcase gardens around their pond and one of their projects will be a butterfly garden to provide examples of how to attract Monarchs and other pollinators.

Growing Experience After 13 years, Carol still enjoys working in the garden center. “There’s no better place to be in March and April than a warm greenhouse with the sun shining in,” she says. In addition to the growing, Carol thrives on the customer interaction.

“We’re in a small community and you get to know a lot people,” she says. “It’s fun and exciting to chat with people and learn about their properties and gardens.”

Carol even visits with customers, free of www.bestofcentralvt.com

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charge, to help them decide how to improve their landscaping.

Keeping Evergreen Gardens going is hard work but Carol wouldn’t trade it for anything. “It’s wonderful,” she says. “You’re making things grow.” In addition, Carol believes she sees people at their best. “We don’t get cranky customers,” she says. “We get people who want to make their homes beautiful or grow food or want to know what they can do to help the environment. The work is educational and hands on and you’re 58

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making people’s lives better and happier.”

Carol believes her customers are coming to her for more than plants. “They come here looking for an experience they can take home with them,” she says. “It’s a great business to be in.”

Evergreen Gardens of Vermont 15 Cabin Lane, Waterbury Center (802) 244-8523 evergardens@yahoo.com www.evergreengardensvt.com

w h at ’ s co o k ing | by sus a n n y e | au t umn en t er ta ining

the Menu ysz

Radicchio and Baby Kale Salad Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms, Shallots & Garlic Ginger Crème Brûlée

a Cozy Dinner with

Friends

June rolls around and we can’t wait to get outside and on the grill. But fast forward a few months and our mouths are watering for fragrant soups, braises and anything with pumpkins or squash. It’s not just pumpkin time; the markets are filled with favorite cool weather vegetables. Delicious hardy greens like radicchio, kale, and escarole are ready for your salad bowl and Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic and lovely, wild mushrooms abound.

With cool days and crisp nights, it’s time to enjoy the harvest and invite friends over for the rich, warm taste of fall.

Radicchio and Baby Kale Salad Serves 8 2 Tbsp minced onion 1 small clove garlic, minced About 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar About 1 tsp balsamic vinegar About 1 tsp Dijon mustard Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 3 Tbsp or to taste extra-virgin olive oil About 8 oz baby kale About 8 oz radicchio, quartered, cored and cut into thin ribbons 2-3 scallions, thinly sliced 2-3 oz shaved sheep’s milk cheese — Pecorino, Manchego, or one from your favorite local dairy N cup pine nuts, lightly toasted N cup dried currants Put the onion, garlic, vinegars and mustard in a large salad bowl, season liberally with salt and pepper, and whisk to combine. Whisking constantly, slowly add the olive oil and continue whisking until well combined. Let this sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes.

Put the kale, radicchio and scallions in the bowl.

If prepping ahead, do not toss but cover and store in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator and toss the greens with the vinaigrette 15 to 20 minutes before serving. When ready to serve, toss again, sprinkle with cheese shavings, pine nuts and currants.

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www.bestofcentralvt.com 59

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Mushrooms, Shallots & Garlic Serves 8 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs 2 tps herbs de Provence Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil 12-16 shallots, peeled and trimmed 1 cup chicken broth

1 cup dry, white wine 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard 12-16 garlic cloves, trimmed and peeled 1K lbs assorted sliced fresh mushrooms (porcini, morel, shiitake and/or crimini) 1-2 Tbsp cognac

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place a roasting pan — large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer — in the oven for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the chicken with 1 tsp herbs and season with salt and pepper. Put the shallots in a bowl, drizzle them with a light coat of olive oil, sprinkle with about K tsp herbs, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Place the chicken, skin-side down in the hot roasting pan. Scatter the shallots around the pan. Return the pan to the oven and roast the chicken and shallots for 15 minutes.

While the chicken and shallots roast, put the mustard in a measuring cup or small bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly add the broth and K cup wine.

Turn the chicken and shallots, add the stock and wine mixture, and scatter the garlic around the pan.

Reduce the oven to 375 degrees, return the pan to the oven and continue roasting until the chicken is cooked through and golden and the vegetables are tender and caramelized — about 40 minutes.

Lightly coat a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium high. Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with the remaining herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and sauté until nicely browned.

The mushrooms can be sautéed a few hours in advance, cooled, covered and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before adding to the shallots and garlic. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover to keep warm.

Add the remaining wine and the cognac to the roasting pan and stir to combine and deglaze the pan. Add the mushrooms, toss to combine, and return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are heated through. Top the chicken with the vegetables and serve.

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Ginger Crème Brûlée Serves 8 3 cups heavy cream 2 Tbsp minced ginger 1 large egg 5 large egg yolks K cup brown sugar Pinch salt N tsp cinnamon 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract 1 Tbsp dark rum 1-2 tsp sugar for each serving Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stirring occasionally, bring the cream and ginger to a simmer in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Remove pan from heat and let it steep for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the egg, egg yolks, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon with an electric mixer on low speed.

With the mixer on medium speed, slowly add the warm cream to the eggs. (If you add it too quickly, the warm cream will scramble the eggs.)

Add the vanilla and rum. Strain through a finemesh sieve into a large measuring cup. Pour into 4 oz ramekins until almost full.

Arrange ramekins in a baking or roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the pan until it’s halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 40 minutes, or until custards are set. Add more water if needed.

Carefully remove the ramekins from the water bath, cool, and refrigerate for at least two hours.

To serve, sprinkle 1-2 tsp sugar evenly over the top of each custard and heat with a kitchen blowtorch until the sugar caramelizes. Let the crème brûlées sit for a minute or two until the caramelized sugar hardens, and then serve.

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By mary gow Photos Courtesy of Red Hen Baking Company

Red Hen

Baking Company

Sharing Bread the Local Way When Randy George and Eliza Cain moved back to Vermont in 1999 they had a straightforward vision: to found a bakery making superb handcrafted bread from organic ingredients.

They ended up creating much, much more.

Now in its 17th year, Red Hen Baking Company brilliantly fulfills Randy and Eliza’s original goal, baking artisan bread from the best ingredients available and delivering it fresh to its customers. Located just off of I-89 in Middlesex, the Red Hen Café, attached to the bakery, is a bustling meeting spot and destination. Red Hen supports and partners with regional farms – today almost all of the wheat comes from within 150 miles of the bakery. Having expanded from one employee to more than 40, Red Hen has become an example and advocate for livable wages and employee benefits.

Most Vermonters and many Vermont visitors are well acquainted with Red Hen’s products. Baked 363 days a year, Red Hen bread, made with organic grains and no preservatives, is delivered fresh to stores and restaurants from Burlington to Hanover every day. The bakery boasts more than a dozen types of bread including the baguette and its seed-covered sibling with a thin crisp crust and light interior. The Cyrus Pringle, inaugurated in 2009, is a mild chewy boule made entirely with Vermont grown wheat. There are plenty more to choose from – Alice’s Rye, Sprouternickel, and 100% Whole Wheat, among them.

www.bestofcentralvt.com

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Above: The Red Hen Café in Middlesex offers an array of treats. Like their breads, the pastries are handmade in their bakery. Below: The Café, which has become a local gathering place, serves lunch and is open 7 days a week.

The bakery bustles 24 hours a day. When the bread-making cycle ends late at night and the loaves are loaded into vans for delivery, the pastry makers arrive and start their magic. As dawn breaks, they prepare feather light croissants, flaky Danishes, and buttery scones to fill the case in the café – a central Vermont institution in its own right.

From Grains of Wheat into Loaves of Bread When Red Hen opened in 1999 in its first location on Route 100 in Duxbury, Randy was already well versed in the rituals of a good loaf. He knew home-baking from childhood – a picture in his office shows him as a toddler baking bread with his mother. While studying theater at Marlboro College, he was intro64

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duced to large scale baking through his parttime job working in the school’s kitchen with the accomplished restaurant chef who led the food service. After college, living in Seattle, Washington, and Portland, Oregon, Randy began his baking career. Focusing on organic and artisan breads, he refined his skills and learned bakery management.

In Portland, Randy and Eliza, who hails from the Mad River Valley, began to envisiage a return to the Green Mountains. Soon, their bakery plan was ready to fledge. Their first oven, purchased from Randy’s employer, was loaded in a truck for the cross-country trek. Even the Red Hen name was in place – drawn from the Russian folk tale of a resourceful little fowl that finds a few grains of wheat and marshals them from seeds

through harvest, milling, and baking.

“We started out with one employee who we hired as a driver,” Randy recalls. “I baked seven days a week for about 30 days,” recalls Randy. Red Hen quickly found a devoted following as customers discovered their loaves, always fresh, in independent markets and grocery stores. Their restaurant clientele also took off. By the end of the first year, the Red Hen team numbered eight employees along with the founders.

Local Grains – The Perfect Ingredients Producing Red Hen’s high quality bread requires not only talented bakers, but also perfect ingredients. “In most of our breads, the flour is it,” Randy explains, “along with

water and salt.” Getting exactly the right flour – organic, flavorful, and milled to meet their needs – is essential. From the beginning, connecting with the source of their ingredients was important to Randy and Eliza. Initially, connections were outside of Vermont, but new options soon arose.

“If you had told me a few years ago that we would see a day when almost all of our wheat comes from within 150 miles of the bakery, I would never have believed it,” says Randy.

In the early 2000s, wheat began to return to Vermont fields. Wheat had prominence in Vermont agriculture in the 1800s and is even memorialized on the Vermont state flag. However, its heyday was short-lived. The climate here, especially the ample rainfall, is challenging for farinaceous crops. But in recent years a handful of farmers have taken on the challenge and are successfully growing and selling wheat.

Red Hen works closely with two Vermont farms: Gleason Grains in Bridport and Aurora Farms in Charlotte.

Today, these two farms grow about 20% of the wheat used by Red Hen each year.

Through a more recent connection, Red Hen now gets almost all the rest of its flour from another family farm ­– Les Fermes Longprés in Les Cèdres, Quebec.

“You can’t usually point to your bread and know what farm it came from, but you can with ours,” says Randy.

Café and Store – A Centerpiece for the Community In 2007, as a mature production business with about 20 employees, Red Hen moved to Middlesex. The new space, designed to meet their baking needs, is prominently located in the former Camp Meade restaurant/museum complex. Initially, Randy and Eliza planned to have a modest shop as well. “We thought we would sell bread, some simple pastries, and coffee. But it was so clear – probably within the first hour – that people wanted lunch. So we started scrambling,” Randy says.

Now the centerpiece of Middlesex’s business district, the café and store wears many hats and wears them well. It’s a place for a casual breakfast or lunch, a quick coffee www.bestofcentralvt.com

65

and pastry stop for commuters, a popular spot to meet up for informal meetings, and the office away from the office for many customers who sip and nibble as they work on their laptops. Besides the soup, sandwiches, and baked goodies, Red Hen also sells cheese, beer, wine and specialty foods.

Meanwhile, the beating heart of Red Hen – the bakery – is clearly visible in the café through huge windows.

“Now it looks like this location is ideal, but it has taken time,” Randy reflects. “These things develop and we had to figure things out. It’s a little bit of a chicken and egg thing.

Sometimes we went chicken first and sometimes egg first. Sometimes you try egg and it 66

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doesn’t work, but you try the same thing a couple of years later and it hatches – not to push the hen metaphor too far.”

Team Red Hen As Red Hen serves the community with its breads and in its welcoming café, it has also grown its own community. The team of Red Hen employees now numbers over 40, with bread bakers, pastry bakers, soup makers, and many more.

“I never thought we would have the number of employees we have now, and at first, I didn’t think it was possible to grow the business to the point where we could afford very much in terms of benefits,” says Randy.

“But being an employer and the responsibility that comes with that and the challenges and opportunities that offers have become a really important part of what we do.”

Taking that responsibility and relationship seriously, Randy and Eliza have established employment standards at Red Hen that include providing paid sick days, paying an equal and livable wage, health coverage, and other benefits. They are statewide leaders in advocating for employee benefits. Their practice has earned recognition on the national stage. In April 2015, Randy was honored at the White House as part of the Working Families Champions of Change event, a forum focused on the importance of workplace poli-

Red Hen by the Numbers

15,000 10,000 2500

Average lbs of bread and rolls produced each week Average lbs of grains used each week

Lbs of flour milled from Vermont wheat that Red Hen uses

each week

6000

Lbs of flour Red Hen uses each week that is grown and milled at Les Fermes Longprés/Moulin des Cèdres, Québec

338

Acres required to grow all the wheat Red Hen uses in one year (based on average yields)

50

Percentage of the wheat crop at Gleason Grains and Les Fermes Longprés that goes to Red Hen

363 43 1 14

Days each year that Red Hen bakes bread and pastries

Number of employees today

Number of employees on September 1, 1999

Number of those employees who started working at Red Hen more than 5 years ago

3

Number of those employees who started working at Red Hen more than 10 years ago

6793 8177 198,049

Number of croissants sold in 2014

Number of sticky buns sold in 2014 Number of baguettes sold in 2014

www.bestofcentralvt.com

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cies that support working families flexibility.

The positive environment, appreciation, and benefits have contributed to the considerable tenure of Red Hen employees. Many of the bakers have been there for more than five years, and a few more than ten.

“It’s important to us to treat people right.

I still consider myself a baker more than anything else but I am a business owner now as well. That position is a nice opportunity to treat people the way we think people should be treated.”

Red Hen Baking Company 961B US Route 2, Middlesex (802) 223-5200 redhenbaking.com

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Bring Red Hen Bakery into your home this Thanksgiving with these enticing recipes at www.bestofcentralvt.com

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best of central Vermont | fall 2015

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69

co mmu nit y | By laura dillon | Photos Courtesy of darn tough socks unless noted

Darn Tough and Darn Good Cabot Hosiery Mills Expands There is a sense of pride that comes with making something – seeing it through from concept to finished product. Darn Tough Vermont and parent company, Cabot Hosiery Mills, knows that pride.

“Still Made in Vermont, USA,” the brands playful advertising slogan, speaks to their long running dedication to keep manufacturing in the Green Mountain State.

C

abot Hosiery Mills, nestled in Northfield, has been making socks for the past 36 years. The Cabot family has been in the business for three generations with CEO Ric Cabot now at the helm. Not only has the mill survived – in a business climate that is often hostile toward domestic production – it is still going strong. So strong, that in order to meet consumer demands, Cabot is expanding their production capacity.

Marketing director, Brian Brand, came to the company at an exciting time, with the expansion already starting to take off. “We’ve added 60 new knitting machines, and in the three months I’ve been here we’ve added more than 20 employees to meet the demands for the market,” Brian gently boasts.

Why is the consumer demand so high?

That has to do with Darn Tough Vermont, the mills in house brand. Prior to the introduction of Darn Tough, the mill produced socks for other companies, such as L.L. Bean, Gap, and Banana Republic. As the mill struggled to stay afloat they discovered that “a healthier business model would be

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to create an in house brand,” Brian explains.

“There was an opportunity to develop fantastically comfortable, great fitting, durable, merino wool socks.” Ric took advantage of that opportunity and Darn Tough Vermont was born. Consumers quickly discovered the quality of the brand and the rest is history.

“The growth was exponential,” Brian says.

Vermont Roots Run Deep When asked if Cabot had considered moving their expanded production oversees, Brian was adamant that Darn Tough Vermont, is and will remain a Vermont company. “The company’s roots are here in Northfield Vermont. Being a part of and being a contributor to central Vermont and all of Vermont has always been a really important value for the Cabot family,” Brian says. Keeping the company local is more than a business decision; in many ways it is a personal decision. “Doing it here in Vermont where the roots are so deep – it’s a commitment that is unwavering,” Brian explains.

That is not to say that staying local isn’t good for business too. There are benefits to keeping manufacturing in Northfield. There is a sign in the mill that reads, “Nobody ever outsourced anything for quality.” It is a phrase that the company lives by. “Having your own manufacturing facility gives you complete control over the process, from design to development to producing and packaging and shipping,” Brian says. That control enables Darn Tough to ensure they are making the highest quality products. Each sock is hand inspected before being shipped out. In his time at the company, Brian has already seen the positive effects. “We walk out into our mill everyday and we engage with our employees and we share a passion from one end of the building to the other, of making the best socks available on the market. Having that passion permeate the building is unbelievably valuable.”

Darn Tough’s commitment to staying in Vermont has not gone unnoticed. In February this year, US Senator Patrick Leahy honored

Photo by Mary Gow

Annual Sock Sale Looking to try out some Darn Tough socks? Need holiday presents that everyone will love?

Check out the annual Cabot Hosiery Mill Sock Sale.

Each year the mill hosts two weekends of sales in Northfield.

People travel from all over New England to get in on the deep discounts. Find great deals like buy-one-get-one-free, irregulars, and $1 bins. The sale offers everything from outdoor sports sock and work socks, to funky and colorfully patterned socks.

Make sure you get there early and with your game face on – there tend to be crowds.

Blue Socks For Kids This will be the 8th year Cabot Hosiery Mills and Darn Tough Vermont pair up with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Vermont to distribute warm socks to Vermont kids. In the past seven years the Blue Sock program has distributed nearly 65,000 pairs of socks to children in need of warm clothing.

Courtesy of Blue Cross and Blue Shield

Can’t make it to Vermont?

Darn Tough socks can be found online at GearX.com, REI.com and Gearcoop.com. Visit their website darntough.com for a full list of stores and online retailers, and remember to shop local.

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the company. In a speech on the Senate floor, Senator Leahy proudly spoke of Vermont as an example of local innovation and economic growth: “Mr. President, in Vermont, small businesses are the foundation of our State’s economy. They spur economic growth and create jobs.” Senator Leahy goes on to praise Darn Tough: “One such place is Darn Tough Socks – which sounds like a very small place, but it is not. They decided we should have upscale brand quality socks with a lifetime guarantee, produced in America, and not –like so many other things – have to be exported from other companies. They have done a huge amount of charity work in our State. But they are also one who shows that jobs can be created in America and can thrive in America.” They certainly are demonstrating how to create new, local jobs; the manufacturing expansion is expected to create 250 to 300 new jobs over the next five years.

Quality & Craftsmanship Consumers have also noticed Darn Tough Vermont’s and parent company Cabot Hosiery Mill’s dedication to quality. Since the Darn Tough brand was introduced over ten years ago, loyal consumers have been drawn to the quality and durability of the socks. Made in Vermont, they are designed to withstand everything that the Vermont climate has to offer. Whether you are a skier, snowboarder, hiker, runner, or just someone looking for comfort, Darn Tough has the sock to meet your needs. Made on small needle, fine gauge knitting machines, all the socks are high density without the bulk.

Darn Tough Vermont is so sure of the quality of their product, that they offer a lifetime guarantee on all of their socks. Their website confidently explains their return policy: “If our socks are not the most comfortable, durable and best fitting socks you have ever owned, return them for another pair, or your money back. No strings. No conditions. For life.” In the sock market, this is a pretty unique deal.

Don’t like them? Return them. Wear a hole in them – which is difficult in a pair of Darn Tough socks ­– and you can return them for a new pair. The only thing they ask is that you wash the socks before returning them, which seems like a reasonable request.

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Taking a Step Forward It’s easy to see why Darn Tough has become so popular that it needs to expand. “We are planning a phased expansion. We’ve reconfigured our space in our current building and added new machines and added new state of the art equipment. We really ramped up and maximized the space we already have available to us,” Brian says. Moving forward, Brian says, “We will be looking at breaking ground in 2016 on another 100,000 square feet that will be connected to the existing 50,000 square foot building.” It is an exciting time for the

company, for the town of Northfield, and for local enterprise.

Anyone who has lived in or visited Vermont knows that it is a place characterized by strong and resilient people. Darn Tough Vermont is a company that has come to symbolize that durability. One might even call them darn tough.

Cabot Hosiery Mills Darn Tough Vermont 364 Whetstone Drive, Northfield (802) 485-6078, (877) 327-6883 darntough.com www.bestofcentralvt.com 73

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Fall Flavors

Shopping and fun things to do in Central Vermont!

Morse Farm

Whether you’re sharing the taste of Vermont with friends and family across the country or across the street, Morse Farm has a selection of the finest Vermont products in gift combinations for any budget. Stop by or shop online. Sure, there’s the finest Vermont maple syrup you’ll ever taste, but there’s also much more to choose from. If you’re lucky enough to be in the area, stop by with the whole family for sugarhouse tours, the woodshed theater, maple trail, and more.

168 County Road Montpelier, VT (800) 242-2740 maple@morsefarm.com www.morsefarm.com

Smugglers’ Notch Distillery

For the perfect gift, use mini bottles of our bourbon, vodka, gin, or rum for Vermont-inspired hospitality baskets, table favors, hostess gifts, and holiday stocking stuffers. Along with full-sized bottles, embossed shot glasses, bourbon peach jam, bourbon-barrel aged maple syrup, and flasks, they are ideal gifts to keep your family, colleagues, friends, or wedding party in great spirits!

276 Main Street Jeffersonville, VT (802) 539-4876 And at 2657 Waterbury Barrel House & Tasting Room Cabot Annex, Route 100 Waterbury Center, VT www.smugglersnotchdistillery.com

Versa Spray-On Tanning at Fringe Salon No headaches, no lying in a booth over and over. The heated application hydrates the skin for longer lasting color.

Book your space today for the VersaPro Spray Tanning. Only takes minutes to do, and very affordable! Plus you can customize your tanning. Only the legs, only the face…NO Problem!! VersaPro is THE latest in tanning and you’re going to LOVE it! Call Tanja today to book your space.

Vermont Shopping Plaza Barre-Montpelier Road Barre, VT (802) 249-2269

alla vita

An Olive Oil Taproom and Trattoria

We offer our customers the freshest, highest quality extra virgin olive oils and aged balsamic vinegars from around the globe, with free samplings daily. We highlight these oils and vinegars in our healthy and delicious salads, panini, soups, fresh pasta, pestos & tapenade. Stop in today for lunch or a taste.

27 State Street Montpelier, VT (802) 225-6526 www.allavitavermont.com Mon, Tues, Thur & Fri 10–5 Wednesday 10–6 Saturday 10–4 Lunch items available Monday thru Friday 11–2

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Yarn Vermont

We have a new name and a new look, but we still offer exquisite yarns and superior service! Our shelves at Yarn in downtown Montpelier are filled with gorgeous yarns in a multitude of colors. We carry brands such as Berroco, Cascade, and Malabrigo plus Vermont-made products and a full selection of needles, hooks, notions, bags, buttons, and more. Come get inspired to knit, crochet, weave, or felt something amazing!

112 Main Street Montpelier, VT (802) 229-2444 www.yarnvt.com Monday-Friday 10am–5:30pm Saturday 10am–4pm Sunday Closed Other times by arrangement.

Copy World

Copy World can help you personalize any special gift!

Canvas prints, photo calendars, and custom photo birthday cards make the perfect unique gifts for your loved ones.

Copy World has great gift ideas for every budget.

59 North Main Street Barre, VT (802) 476-3615 www.CopyWorldVT.com Open 7 days

Boutiliers Fine Art Materials and Custom Framing

Fine custom framing since 1925, we offer the finest art supplies from around the world. We can frame absolutely anything, from Great-Grandma’s favorite cooking spoons and your child’s school bus toy to wedding photos or that giant canvas you bought on your last vacation. We’ve done it all! We also lovingly reframe items that need updating, rehabilitation, or repair with the newest archival materials. Come discover the artist in you!

22 Church Street, 2nd Floor Burlington, VT (802) 864-5475 www.boutiliersart.com See us on Facebook Monday–Saturday 10am–6pm Sunday 12–5pm

Commodities Natural Market

Stowe’s new natural food store, Commodities Natural Market, located at 512 Mountain Road, is open 7 days a week: Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 8am-7pm. Friday 8am-8pm and Sunday 8am6pm. The store features fresh organic produce, groceries, gourmet and specialty foods, local cheeses and dairy products, freshly baked breads, a gigantic bulk selection, grab and go, HBA, an amazing selection of wines, craft beers and cider.

512 Mountain Road Stowe, VT (802) 253-4464 commoditiesvt@gmail.com www.facebook.com/commoditiesnaturalmarket

brigh t ide a s | By mark aiken | Photos by joannie matter

Veterans returning from war often have a difficult time reintegrating back into society. Take Robby Hemingway, for example, a National Guardsman from Swanton who spent a year in Iraq. Robby and his team routinely kicked down doors in buildings, set up checkpoints, and operated in a hostile and dangerous environment. Returning home, however, he has suffered from a lack of motivation, an inability to secure employment, and a lack of patience – even with those closest to him.

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Horses

Helping Humans

The Veteran Barn Door Project www.bestofcentralvt.com

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Steven DePalma with his horse Quiote takes a moment to connect in the round pen after a long session and enjoys a moment of trust. Bottom; Robby Hemmingway makes a trusting connection with Sugar.

He received counseling, but didn’t really see any improvements. In early June, however, Robby took a different approach, signing up for a program in Waterbury Center that offered a different sort of therapy.

The weekend program, organized by the Veteran Barn Door Project, gave several war veterans the chance to interact with horses.

The experience gave Robby some valuable insights. “I started out a little too hard,” he says. “The instructor said I needed to have a softer approach.” These lessons, says Robby, can also be applied in areas of his life away from horses. “It was an amazing weekend,” he says. “It made me think about aspects of my marriage and how I deal with my kids.

Coming out of it, I’m a little more relaxed and much more aware of the bigger picture.”

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder The Veteran Barn Door Project is an organization dedicated to providing natural horsemanship for veterans and their families – particularly those suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (known as PTSD).

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“The more time I spent in the saddle and the more I was around people who ride, the more my life felt like it had a purpose.”

— Steven feeling,” says Steven DePalma, Veteran Barn Door Project founder.

Steven knows a thing or two about veterans, PTSD, and the healing power of horses. Steven spent the better part of 2010 in the Paktia region of Afghanistan along the Afghan-Pakistani border as an infantryman in a rifle platoon. It was an isolated and dangerous post. “We received more mortars than mail,” he says. Before his tour was over, Steven lost two comrades on patrols. “They were really good guys,” he says.

Steven wasn’t able to join his platoon the day his friends died for health reasons.

Survivor’s guilt is a common form of PTSD in returning soldiers like Steven. “I always felt that if I had been healthier, maybe the outcome would have been different,” he says.

PTSD manifests itself differently in everyone. It is common for those suffering from PTSD to succumb to substance abuse; for Steven it was alcohol. He suffered from depression and anger and he couldn’t hold down a job. He eventually attempted suicide.

After hospitalization in the mental ward of a V.A. hospital, Steven returned to the horse farm where he and his now ex-wife kept horses. Asked what helped him most in the days, weeks, and months that followed, there is no hesitation. “My horses,” he says.

“The more time I spent in the saddle and the more I was around people who ride, the more my life felt like it had a purpose.”

The Healing Power of Horses Eventually Steven went to work for the National Guard, which contracted him to teach leadership trainings. What money he made went towards boarding his horses, who continued to help him through his own personal and mental struggles. He avoided www.bestofcentralvt.com

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rent by sleeping in his car, at friends’, or in the tack room of Allenwood Farm in Plainfield, where he boarded his two horses.

During this time, he became more and more awed and interested in the healing power of horses, and over time became interested in sharing this power with other veterans struggling with PTSD. Horse therapy is nothing new; there are horse therapy programs for autism, physical disabilities, victims of abuse, and phobias – you name it.

When Steven’s contract with the National Guard ran out in December 2014, he ramped up his efforts to get the Veteran Barn Door Project off the ground. Writing up a business plan with his brother, he held his first program in February, working with two veterans. “It was a huge success,” he says. “And it gave me the opportunity to learn how to organize these programs and to realize the need to forge partnerships and raise funds moving forward.”

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Two partnerships proved to be turning points as Steven’s focus shifted to the weekend-long program in June: Stephanie Brinkman, owner of Wildwood Farm in Waterbury Center, where the June program was held, and Greg Eliel, the equine technician from Wisdom, Montana who Steven contracted to lead the event. “The June program was the real deal,” says Steven.

“It was one of the most awesome, most enlightening experiences with horses and veterans in my life.”

What Next?

Bringing in professional horse people made the June weekend special and Steven plans to continue this into the future. Stephanie donated her home, her arena, and horses for the three-day program, while Greg, having grown up on a Montana cattle ranch, brought a lifetime of horsemanship plus 26 years of horse therapy experience.

Greg arrived in Waterbury Center with a program outline, while Stephanie provided everything the program needed – including building a fire pit for the group to sit around and unwind after sessions were over. “They have lives,” says Greg of Stephanie and Steven. “But they acted as if nothing else in the world was going on that weekend.”

The program started on the ground; Greg taught participants to throw a lariat.

From there, they moved to a round pen and worked with horses on leads. “I learned that everything you do sends a message to the horse,” says Robby. Participants realized that a gentle hand was most effective in getting horses to follow on a lead. And above all, they needed to build a rapport and establish trust with the animals – something that many returning veterans struggle with in everyday relationships and with loved ones.

This is why horse therapy works, says Greg. If you are a person who can’t trust, somehow you can learn to trust a horse.

“Horses have an amazing ability to touch a human heart – whether troubled or not,” he says. Eventually Greg taught participants to mount and ride the animals. “A horse can feel a mosquito on its back,” says Robby.

“It can certainly sense whether the rider is tense, is smiling, or is relaxed.”

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Steven DePalma and Nate Thomas taking a break during a Natural Horsemanship Clinic at Wildwood Farm in Waterbury Center.

Steven has five more programs scheduled to take place in locations from Maine to Florida. He plans to continue to learn from Greg so that he too can lead programs in the future. His focus is now shifting to fundraising. The goal is for veterans to participate in these programs with no expense. “This is an opportunity to help people who served their country,” says Greg. “The skill sets that Steven brings – with his military and leadership experience and his understanding of how horses can connect with people – make this unique.”

Steven hopes the Veteran Barn Door Project can secure the funding it needs to make a difference for veterans – a few at a time. He recognizes what the program means to himself, also a veteran who struggled with PTSD. “I still struggle,” he says. “But I have a better outlook.” His new approach comes as the result of being able to help others.

“This is about veterans and their families,” he says. “And it’s about me being able to stay involved with soldiers.”

Veteran Barn Door Project 1908 Mountain View Rd, East Hardwick (802) 917-3550 sdepalma@veteranbarndoor.com veteranbarndoor.com

online extra!

Find out how you can help the Veteran Barn Door Project at www.bestofcentralvt.com

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special advertising section

best of

FALL 2015

Dining Guide

Central vermont

J. Morgans Steakhouse Serving steaks, seafood, and Sunday brunch since 1994. Our recent renovation opens a new chapter in this award-winning restaurant. Known for exceedingly generous portions, we feature over 20 aged-in-house steaks, daily seafood, designer pasta dishes, and mountainous salads and desserts.

Located on Montpelier’s historic State Street. $$ Vermont’s Cutting Edge Steakhouse 100 State Street, Montpelier, VT (802) 223-5222 www.jmorganssteakhouse.com

Key to Symbols $ most entrées under $10 $$ most entrées $10 to $25 $$$ most entrées over $25

Beyond the Menu

Red Hen Bakery and Café

ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING GUIDE FOR CENTRAL VERMONT

El Cortijo

Windjammer Restaurant

Famous hearth-baked breads, plus an excellent selection of freshly baked pastries­­—croissants, scones, cookies, maple-glazed sticky buns, and more. Soups and sandwiches made in house, featuring local ingredients. Fine wines, beer, cheese, and specialty grocery items. $–$$

Farm-to-taco experience in the historic 1950s Oasis diner. Tacos, burritos, and Mexican-style entrées made with local ingredients and expressed in fun fresh ways. Fresh-squeezed margaritas and handcrafted cocktails served in a lively, vibrant atmosphere. Full menu available all day. Lunch, Dinner, Take-out. $–$$

Featuring American fare, vegetarian and gluten-free options, as well as an extensive salad bar. Specialty cocktails, craft beers, and a Wine Spectator wine list complement both the restaurant and pub menus.

Supporting Vermont farms, producers, and businesses since 1977. $–$$

961B US Rt. 2 Middlesex, VT (802) 223-5200 www.redhenbaking.com

189 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 497-1668 www.CortijoVT.com

1076 Williston Road South Burlington, VT (802) 862-6585 www.windjammerrestaurant.com

ENTERTAINMENT AND DINING GUIDE FOR CENTRAL VERMONT

Beyond the Menu

Sarducci’s Restaurant & Bar

Sarducci’s is a Mediterranean-style Italian restaurant serving central Vermont.

We strive to serve superb food with outstanding service in an informal ambience. We cater to families, special occasions, and travelers alike. Renowned by our community for great food at reasonable prices. $-$$ 3 Main Street Montpelier, VT (802) 223-0229 www.sarduccis.com

Cornerstone Pub & Kitchen

Guild Tavern

The Farmhouse Tap & Grill

A modern American pub where friends, families, tradesmen, and business people gather to enjoy great food and craft beers. From burgers and wings to fresh scallops and filet mignon, there’s something for everyone! Come help us revitalize Barre “One Pint at a Time.” $$

Wood-fired grill featuring dry-aged, locally-sourced beef, pork, and poultry.

Casual tavern fare, classic steakhouse entrées, seafood and vegetarian options, innovative cocktail program, award-winning wine list, and weekly specials. $$

Dedicated to showcasing local farms and food producers, our menu features award-winning burgers, comfort entrées, artisan cheeses, vegetarian options, and nightly innovations. The Tap Room delivers highly prized and rare beers.

Special Happenins’ Wed. nights. $$

47 Main Street Barre, VT (802) 476-2121 www.cornerstonepk.com

1633 Williston Road South Burlington, VT (802) 497-1207 www.guildtavern.com

160 Bank Street Burlington, VT (802) 859-0888 www.farmhousetg.com

Sauce Italian Specialties

Prepared Italian dishes made fresh daily and ready to go! Specialty store with house-made mozzarella, fine wines and assorted Italian products. Enjoy restaurant-quality food at home! Catering available. Lunch, Dinner, and Take-out. $-$$ 407 Mountain Road Stowe, VT (802) 760-6151 www.saucevt.com

Pascolo Ristorante

Ladder One Grill

Handmade Italian cuisine, featuring fresh pastas, wood-fired pizza, house salumi, Northeast seafood, and homemade gelato sundaes. An exciting Italian wine menu complements the casual fare, celebrating everything from the subtle complex wines of Piemonte to the bold beauties of Italy’s Southern regions. $–$$

Owner Valerie White-Beaudet invites you to stop in and enjoy a fabulous meal.

Our motto is “Where heroes are made” and we’ve incorporated our menu to honor the past and present heroes in firefighting. Enjoy Prime Rib, NY Sirloin Steaks or a BRICK OVEN pizza! Lunch, Dinner, and Take-out. $-$$

83 Church Street Burlington, VT (802) 497-1613 www.pascolovt.com

8 South Main Street Firehouse at Barre Barre, VT 05641 (802) 883-2000 www.ladder1grill.com

fall 2015 | arts & entertainment calendar

Food & Brews September 19, 20 Harvest Festival Enjoy wine tastings, local food vendors, live music, grape stomping, tours of the winemaking facility with the winemaker, and hay rides. Great fun for adults and kids.

Boyden Valley Winery & Spirits 64 Route 104, Cambridge (802) 644-8151 www.boydenvalley.com

October 2-4 Stowe Oktoberfest Friday, Oct 2, 7pm - 11pm: Opening Concert Saturday, Oct 3, 11am - 8pm & Sunday, Oct 4, 11am - 3pm The event field will be transformed into a Bavarian village: From Oompah bands to authentic Bavarian foods and freshly brewed Vermont beers, to traditional sing-a-longs and dancing, there’s something for everyone. It’s a weekend full of music, dancing, and of course great beer.

Stowe Events Field Weeks Hill Rd, Stowe www.stoweoktoberfest.com

November 21 Big Kicker Kick off the winter season with Mad River Glen and Sugarbush. The Valley’s two ski resorts throw a freestyle party with rail jams, ski movies, local food and libations, and appearances by partners including The High Fives Foundation and Flyin’ Ryan.

Lareau Farm and Inn 48 Lareau Road, Waitsfield www.madriverglen.com

Rock Solid September 19 Ballets with a Twist: Mint Julep and Other Spirited Dances Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center Saturday, 7:30pm Mint Julep and Other Spirited Dances reinvents the glamour and excitement of classic entertainment with an original mix of charismatic choreography, intoxicating music and exquisite costume design. This family-friendly, pop-infused performing arts experience launches iconic American refreshments off the menu and onto the stage in a series of sparkling and witty vignettes.

Arts & Entertainment is sponsored by

Music & Arts September 15 - October 30 15th Annual Stone Show: Rock Solid Presented annually by Studio Place Arts (SPA) since 2000, this exhibit showcases creative pieces by some of the outstanding artisans who work in this area in the granite industry.

Opening reception: Sept. 17, 5:30-7:30pm Studio Place Arts (SPA) 201 N Main St, Barre (802) 479-7069 www.studioplacearts.com

www.bestofcentralvt.com

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October 3 Francesca Blanchard Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center Saturday, 8pm Twenty two year-old Francesca Banchard has been called a “a profound, mature talent” who “displays guile and artistic sensitivity that would be the envy of many tunesmiths twice her age. She may be young, but she has an old soul.” Her intimate music, sung in French and English, reflects on her travels, both physical and emotional.

francesca blanchard

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fall 2015 | arts & entertainment calendar

October 10 The Gathering: Concert for Autumn Colors Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center Saturday, 8pm The legacy of Windham Hill Records continues today with The Gathering: Contemporary productions by Will Ackerman. Featuring renowned musicians, Barbara Higbie, David Cullen, Jill Haley, David Lindsay, and Tom Eaton.

Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center 122 Hourglass Drive, Stowe (802) 760-4634 www.sprucepeakarts.org

Through October 14 Exposed: Outdoor Sculpture Exhibit

exposed

Showcasing 13 monumental sculptures and installations. The art works are installed in Stowe along Main Street and the recreation path and at Helen Day Art Center.

Helen Day Art Center 90 Pond St., Stowe www.helenday.com/exposed2015

www.bestofcentralvt.com

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champlain lake watch

fall foliage weekend filter through Vermont unseen and unheard. This is an exciting opportunity to view these common, yet seldom-seen, birds. Follow signs from the North Branch Nature Center parking lot to the banding station, dress warmly, and bring a flashlight.

October 24 Champlain Lake Watch

Autumn Activities Great Vermont Corn Maze The Great Vermont Corn Maze is open through October 18, from 10am-3pm.

Farmland of Terror on the first two Friday and Saturday nights in October includes a walk through a haunted cornfield with 14 buildings, animatronics, mostly live actors, and special effects.

1404 Wheelock Rd, Danville (802) 748-1399 www.vermontcornmaze.com 90

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Percy Farm Corn Maze The Percy family’s maze is open through MidLate October from 11am-5pm. Sweet corn for sale in season and maple syrup for sale year round tapped by the Percy family and boiled down in their sugar shack.

Route 108, Stowe (802) 371-9999 www.percyfarmcornmaze.com

October 10 Saw-whet Owl Banding Saturday, 7pm Every fall, migrating pint-sized Saw-whet Owls

Saturday, 7:30am - 4:30pm The Champlain flyway is a corridor for tens of thousands of waterfowl that migrate through Vermont each spring and fall. Join the search with North Branch Nature Center in the Champlain Valley for ducks, geese, and others.

North Branch Nature Center 713 Elm Street, Montpelier (802) 229-6206 www.northbranchnaturecenter.org

September 26, 27 Fall Foliage Weekend at Mad River Glen 10am-2:30pm See the amazing foliage from the summit of Stark Mountain. Ride “The Single” America’s favorite chairlift. Enjoy lunch or a beverage in General Stark’s Pub. Mad River Glen 62 Mad River Resort Road, Fayston madriverglen.com/visit/event-calendar

best of

October 3 Montpelier Arts Fest The full-day event will be an art-forward festival that will include food, art installations, performing art, pop-up galleries, and music.

Larger headline events will anchor the day with a variety of charismatic happenings.

State Street, Montpelier www.montpelieralive.org

October 9-11 Stowe Foliage Arts Festival Two hundred juried artisans exhibit and sell a wide range of contemporary and traditional craft work as well as original art, photography, sculpture, and specialty food products. Visitors spend the day seeing their favorite exhibitors and meeting new ones. While having a bite and a beer in the dining tent, enjoy live music on Saturday and Sunday.

Stowe Events Field Weeks Hill Rd, Stowe www.gostowe.com/arts-crafts

October 10, 11 Sugarbush Community Weekend 9am-8pm Celebrate autumn in Vermont with pumpkin carving, scenic lift rides and hikes, harvestinspired dining, live music, kids’ camps, and mountain activities. Family Oktoberfest on Sunday features cabbage bowling, Bavarianinspired food, drink and live music.

Lincoln Peak Sugarbush Resort, Warren (800) 537-8427 www.sugarbush.com

great vermont corn maze

Central Vermont

Advertisers Index

Adirondack Audiology..................................................................... 6 All Smiles...........................................................................................58 alla vita...............................................................................................74 Ann Roche Casual Furniture..........................................................31 Arbortrek........................................................................................... 10 Artisans’ Gallery..............................................................................73 Artisans Hand..................................................................................29 Bennington Potters North..............................................................31 Birdseye Building and Design.......................................................38 Bisbee’s Hardware and Home Center.........................................13 Blackrock Luxury Builders.............................................................23 Bouchard Pierce Appliance...........................................................82 Bouchard Pierce Kitchen................................................................43 Bourne’s Energy................................................................................21 Boutiliers Fine Art and Custom Framing...................................75 Broadleaf Landscape Architecture............................................. 45 Burlington Marble and Granite.....................................................17 Capital Copy.................................................................................... 50 Central Vermont Medical Center............................................... 69 City Lights.........................................................................................29 Clear Choice MD.............................................................................33 Cody Chevrolet............................................................................... 88 Coldwell Banker/Classic Homes................ Outside Back Cover Commodities Natural Market......................................................75 Copy World . ..............................................................................75, 91 Cornerstone Pub and Kitchen......................................................85 Cynthia Knauf Landscape Architecture......................................61 db Design..........................................................................................67 Delair’s Carpet Barn.........................................................................61 di Stefano Landscaping . ...............................................................43 East Warren Community Market............................................... 60 El Cortijo........................................................................................... 84 Evergreen Gardens of Vermont...................................................72 Farmhouse Tap and Grill................................................................85 Fjall Raven........................................................................................... 9 Fresh Tracks Winery.......................................................................65 Gillespie Fuels.................................................... Inside Front Cover Glassworks........................................................................................87 Goodfellows Fine Jewelers........................................................7, 27 Green Mountain Camera.................................................................8 Guild Tavern......................................................................................85 Hickok and Boardman Real Estate..............................................57 Inside Out Gallery.......................................................................... 68 Interior Design by Keeping Good Company.............................55 J. Morgan’s Steakhouse.................................................................83

For more information about print and online advertising opportunities, contact John or Robin Gales at (802) 295-5295 or email coffeetablepublishing@comcast.net.

Ladder One Grill/Firehouse Inn............................................73, 85 Landshapes.......................................................................................79 Liebling..................................................................................................1 Little River Realty............................................................................. 18 Mayo Health Center.......................................................................72 McKernon Group................................................ Inside Back Cover Mid State Dodge............................................................................... 2 Montpelier Pharmacy......................................................................12 Morse Farm.......................................................................................74 Mountain Road Marketplace................................................. 24-25 Orchard Valley Waldorf School...................................................72 Pascolo Ristorante...........................................................................85 Peregrine Design/Build.................................................................. 19 Red Hen Bakery and Café............................................................. 84 Rodd Roofing................................................................................... 86 Round Barn Inn..................................................................................15 Saint Michael’s College..................................................................37 Salaam Boutique............................................................................. 60 Sarducci’s Restaurant and Bar......................................................85 Sauce Italian Specialties................................................................85 Shaw’s General Store........................................................................ 5 Smugglers’ Notch Distillery..........................................................74 Smugglers’ Notch Resort.............................................................. 89 Stowe Association........................................................................... 18 Stowe Red Barn Realty...................................................................33 Stowe Soaring................................................................................... 41 Sunday Sales Guy............................................................................65 Sundara Day Spa.............................................................................67 The Automaster................................................................................51 The Blue Stone................................................................................... 3 The Carriage Shed...........................................................................82 The Cushman Design Group........................................................ 41 The Store...........................................................................................37 Truex Cullins.....................................................................................79 Vermont Bed Store............................................................................4 Versapro Tanning.............................................................................74 Wagner Hodgson Architecture Landscaping.......................... 69 Wake Robin....................................................................................... 81 West Branch Gallery....................................................................... 81 William Raveis Real Estate........................................................... 80 Windjammer Restaurant and Pub.............................................. 84 Windows and Doors by Brownell................................................55 Winterfell........................................................................................... 11 Yarn Vermont...................................................................................75

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cen t r a l v erm o n t ch at w i t h j oshua jero me

by s t ephen m o rris

Hope for the Past, Hope for the Future Barre’s Next Step Joshua Jerome has big dreams for Barre.

A Graniteville native and lifelong Vermonter, he is the Executive Director of The Barre Partnership, a local non-profit committed to fostering a vibrant downtown. Tellingly, the organization’s motto is, “Strength through Community.”

P

erhaps no town in Vermont has seen as dramatic an ebb and flow of fortunes over the last century as Barre. Chartered in 1780, it was the discovery of large deposits of granite that would chart the future course for the Washington County town. The population ballooned to 7,000 by 1890 as immigrants from Italy, Spain, Scotland, Quebec, Greece, and Lithuania brought bustle and prosperity. The town earned the title of “Granite Capital of the World.”

Barre has always been a rough and tumble blue-collar town with skilled artisans producing the materials that provided, literally, the cornerstones for some of the nation’s most prominent edifices. Communities dependent on resource extraction, inevitably, have to cope with changing times. Resources dwindle, technologies change, and new competition emerges. Barre was no exception. By the 1960s the downtown area – once teeming with businesses catering to wellpaid tradespeople— struggled to combat the deterioration of the local economy.

This is the Barre to which Joshua Jerome has borne to witness in his lifetime. He is a community development professional with multiple links to local businesses and loan investment. His passion is small business. With a Masters degree in Sustainable Business & Communities, he came to The Barre Partnership from Community Capital of Vermont.

When he’s not working to promote the interests of downtown Barre – by coordinating activities that maintain and improve the economic, social and cultural quality of life – you are most likely to find him in his garden or playing with his daughters, Sophia and Alyce.

When was the Partnership formed?

JJ: It was formed in 1999 out of the Barre Merchants Bureau, an organization that had been in existence for many decades. The City of Barre wanted to access certain types of grants and tax credits and that could only happen by having a designated downtown organization like The Barre Partnership.

What was the state of downtown Barre at the time?

JJ: The infrastructure was getting old; potholes along Main Street, sidewalks crumbling, light poles did not work all the time. Despite the aesthetics of the infrastructure, Barre still had many viable and successful businesses with very little vacancies. However, the 90’s economy transition started to take their toll on downtown businesses by 2001. The role of big box stores and consumer choice won over the smaller locally owned retail establishments in 92

best of central Vermont | fall 2015

downtown Barre. Inevitably, the downtown saw a number of businesses close in the following years for various reasons.

Was there a single event or influence that marked the turnaround point?

JJ: The City of Barre had been talking about the infrastructure upgrades needed on Main Street for years, so the start of the construction was a catalyzing moment in the downtown’s turnaround. But even before the Main Street construction, the overall sentiment of the downtown was starting to turn more positive.

What are a few examples of outstanding successes?

JJ: We took over the Barre Heritage Festival & Homecoming Days from the City about six years ago. At the time, the festival was floundering and was really lacking its own identity. Under the Partnership’s guidance, to bring the festival to where it is today. As a result, we have a multi-day festival that sees about 15,000 people come into downtown Barre.

We also started the Summer Concert Series. It was originally held in City Hall Park, but it currently is held in Currier Park. The new venue allows for larger crowds and is more family friendly with plenty of space for young kids to run around. We put on 10 concerts free to the public on Wednesday evenings from mid June to mid August and try to present a diverse mix of musical genres.

What are the main challenges that the partnership faces moving forward?

JJ: Our biggest challenge (as an organization with one employee) is to keep the volunteers that this organization depends on, showing up. We are also a membership organization and being engaged with the business and property owner community is critical to the organizations effectiveness. If The Partnership cannot engage with them in a way that increases their “buy in” on the concept of revitalization, our efforts will be diminished.

The premier type of granite that was quarried from the surrounding hills is known a “Barre Gray,” prized for its fine grain, even texture, and resistance.

Spectacular examples of what the creativity of humans can accomplish with the wonders of nature can be viewed at the Hope Cemetery where many of the granite shed workers created their own eternal monuments. It’s a fitting reminder than in celebrating its heritage, Barre is also celebrating its future.

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