The Bridge, September 20, 2012

Connecting Montpelier and nearby communities since 1993 | SEPTEMBER 20–OCTOBER 3, 2012

IT’S TIME TO TALK ABOUT FOOD! In this issue,
The Bridge talks to entrepreneurs in Vermont’s growing local food industry. In addition to the article about the New England Culinary Institute below, learn about the Farm to Plate push for more local meat-processing capacity, read an essay from local nonprofit Food Works on central Vermont’s food hubs, and meet seven local entrepreneurs and their food-producing businesses in profiles starting on page 12.

MONT E IN VER MAD

uc t s d Food Prod e-Adde ealth of Valu gW Our Growin

ALL PHOTOS BY BOB NUNER

PRSRT STD CAR-RT SORT U.S. Postage PAID Montpelier, VT Permit NO. 123

NECI Grads at Work in Vermont’s Food Economy
by Nat Frothingham
he 30-year achievement of the Montpelier-based New England Culinary Institute (NECI) includes a place in the thick of what can fairly be described as a food revolution here in Vermont. It used to be pretty commonplace to shop at a supermarket and buy food—lettuce, for example, or tomatoes or meat—that had been trucked into Vermont from a distant place. Often, that was the same sort of bland fare you would find in a restaurant: food that had little taste, wasn’t fresh and wasn’t pure. That situation hasn’t changed everywhere, even in Vermont, but it has changed. And places like NECI and natural food stores and local farmers’ markets and local

A Cornucopia of Careers
farms and, today, many Vermont dining places, are leading the way. In recent years, what’s happened is this: There’s now a market for fresh, high-quality local food. The demand is there. Food shoppers and diners want fresh, pure food and are willing to pay for it. In phone conversations with NECI founder and CEO Fran Voigt and with NECI Chef and Department Chair for Culinary Arts Lyndon Virkler, what stood out was the adventurous and expansive nature of the NECI student experience, which doesn’t simply focus on how to prepare food. “They don’t just study how to cook,” Voigt said. “We have a language requirement, a literary magazine.” Students take math—“really algebra,” Voigt explained. NECI students also develop the ability to

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write, learn critical thinking and take historical notes on the cuisine they are studying. “We had 31 electives at last count,” Voigt reported. “We’re more than just a minimalist culinary institute.” It’s both training and education, Voigt remarked. “You can’t discuss forever how to cook a certain dish. We’re teaching them to do that.” That’s a beginning. Students learn to appreciate the color combination. “We use art appreciation to make that connection,” he said. NECI also has a requirement for business planning, in which each student writes a business plan. With the food transformation that took place in the early ’90s, when NECI helped
see NECI, page 4

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Last 2012 Hazardous Waste Drop-off in Montpelier
he last 2012 Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD) hazardous waste collection in Montpelier will occur on September 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Vermont Department of Labor parking lot just off of Memorial Drive. Items they’ll expect include fluorescent lightbulbs, pesticides, mercury thermometers and thermostats, paint and paint products, and some household cleaners. The cost is $15 per carload, an inducement for neighbors to work together. CVSWMD also maintains a list of options for dealing with these kinds of things, called “A to Z Guide,” on their website, cvswmd.org. There may be other options too, like checking with merchants if they can take back spent items. Fluorescent tubes, for a small fee, can be turned in at some lighting supply houses.

HEARD ON THE

Are you a working senior (50+)?
Yoga (various styles): Sun. 5 pm, Mon. 7 am, Wed. 8 am & 5 pm, Thur. 5 pm Living Strong (exercise with weights): Mon. & Fri. 5 pm Beginning Ukulele: Tues. 6 pm Tango: Sun. 1 pm Latin Aerodance: Tues. 5 pm
Membership, newsletter, trips & registration at 58 Barre Street, Montpelier, montpelier-vt.org/msac, [email protected], or 223-2518.

At the Monpelier Senior Activity Center, we have classes that fit your schedule!
Tap Dance: Thurs. noon–1 pm (great lunch break!) Open Studio Art: Wed. 5:30 pm Basic Drawing: Thurs. 6:15–7:45 pm Additional NEW CLASSES at MSAC (Oct–Dec; register now!): French, Italian, and Spanish for True Beginners!; How to Use an iPhone; Metamorphosed Jewelry; American Harmony Singing; Sword Form Tai Chi; Introduction to Bridge; Great Plays Come Alive; New Film Series with Rick Winston; plus dozens of continuing classes!

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Speaking of Waste

VSWMD has halved the tax, or per capita fee, it charges member towns for the services it provides. The fee will drop from $2 per district resident to $1. CVSWMD attributes its ability to reduce this charge to “streamlining the organizational structure and developing a more cost-effective pricing structure for the CVSWMD Food Scraps collection program.”

New Guidelines for Harvesting Wood Energy

s we head into another heating season, The Bridge has learned that an amendment was entered into state statutes in the final days of the legislature that requires guidelines for wood-energy harvesting, particularly whole-tree harvesting. The amendment requires guidelines and monitoring regimes for sustainable harvest of wood for energy purposes and directs that the state’s building commissioner and forests, parks and recreation commissioner develop guidelines “with the objective being long-term forest health.” The guidelines would also affect lands in Vermont’s use value appraisal program, for which the state must approve management plans.

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Movies Go Digital

t’s a digital world—in the movies and in fundraising. Waitsfield’s Big Picture Theater has launched a $20,000 fundraising drive on kickstarter.com to raise funds for a digital movie projector (reported cost: $60,000 per screen). The deadline for contribution pledges is November 10. Reportedly, movies (at least new ones) on 35mm film won’t happen after the first of the year. Kickstarter is a fundraising website that has participants set a goal and a deadline. Pledges are made online, but if the goal isn’t met by the deadline, contributions go back to those who made them. Says the theater, “The Big Picture would like to raise half of what is needed to convert one theater, and pledges to finance the remaining costs and continue to fundraise in order to upgrade both theaters.”

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Coffee Roasters Give Red Cross Funds for Shelter

he American Red Cross of Vermont and the New Hampshire Upper Valley has announced an initiative funded by a $125,000 contribution from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR), to provide “the basic equipment needed to open a shelter, as well as a half day [of] training” for 251 Vermont and 12 New Hampshire towns. The Red Cross pegs equipment costs they’re providing to towns at $3,500, made possible by GMCR’s gift. The idea is to establish shelter infrastructure locally throughout the region, in what they’re calling a “local disaster-shelter initiative.”

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Creemee Season Expanded

oncerning climate change and dessert-ification, the Dairy Creme on Route 2 in Montpelier says its last day will be October 31, and it will be open seven days a week until then instead of just the weekends as it was last year. —all items by Bob Nuner

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t’s been terribly dry, but the wild grapes are juicy and plentiful, and the flavor is splendidly tart/sweet. They will be appreciated by migrating birds and by many animals as they become sweeter with each day. Several times I’ve seen pileated woodpeckers, upside down, way out on a high branch, plucking and gulping grapes as if they were natural-born fruit eaters. It’s also a year for poorly grown red efts. I’ve only seen them once this summer, since they venture forth on damp days after a rain, and our wet periods have been over fast. These little orange salamander larvae are only one-third the size I am used to seeing. But I’m looking up more than down. How will the fall colors unfold this year, and when will we ever get our ground really, really, wet again, our streams and ponds filled to brimming? —Nona Estrin

Nature Watch

P.O. Box 1143, Montpelier, VT 05601 Phone: 802-223-5112 | Fax: 802-223-7852 montpelierbridge.com; facebook.com/montpelierbridge Published every first and third Thursday
Editor & Publisher: Nat Frothingham General Manager: Bob Nuner Production Manager: Marisa Keller Sales Representatives: Carl Campbell, Carolyn Grodinsky, Rick McMahan Graphic Design & Layout: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Calendar Editor: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Bookkeeper: Kathryn Leith Distribution: Kevin Fair, Diana Koliander-Hart, Daniel Renfro Website & Social Media Manager: Dana Dwinell-Yardley Advertising: For information about advertising deadlines and rates, contact: 223-5112, ext. 11, [email protected] or [email protected] Editorial: Contact Bob, 223-5112, ext. 14, or [email protected]. Location: The Bridge office is located at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, on the lower level of Schulmaier Hall. Subscriptions: You can receive The Bridge by mail for $50 a year. Make out your check to The Bridge, and mail to The Bridge, PO Box 1143, Montpelier VT 05601.
Copyright 2012 by The Montpelier Bridge

Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!

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NECI, from page 1

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found the Vermont Fresh Network, the NECI curriculum has evolved. Voigt said that there is now “more instruction time related to sustainability, visits to farmers. It ends with a political understanding of how the [food] system works and how the sustainability movement is developing as a movement.’ Voigt talked about hiring Amy Trubek to teach at NECI in the late 1980s. “She was really by training an anthropologist from the University of Pennsylvania. That was the only place that allowed her to study the worldwide distribution of food. [At NECI] she developed a course that really laid the foundation for the point of view that that sustainability movement has now.” After her NECI teaching, Trubek served as executive director of the Vermont Fresh Network and is now a UVM food and nutrition professor. Her 2008 book, The Taste of Place, discusses, among other things, the possibility of reclaiming the taste of place of such foods as Vermont maple syrup and California wines. On her Taste of Place website she asks: “How can we reclaim the taste of place, and what can it mean for us in a country where, on average, any food has traveled at least fifteen hundred miles from farm to table?” In a phone conversation, NECI’s Virkler identified the sort of hands-on field experience that is expanding the career choices for a NECI graduate. “We have a BA culinary course in product development and entrepreneurship,” he said. He talked about student visits to local farms and to the Mad River Food Hub in Waitsfield, which is a kitchen for rent for food makers. “They do meat processing—not slaughter, but carcass breakdown. . . . Joe Buley from Screamin’ Ridge Rarm is producing his soups [there].” When a food maker uses a food hub, that food can be Vermont state-certified and shipped out of state

to Boston and New York, Virkler explained. The Vermont food movement enthusiasm and places like the Mad River Food Hub and the Food Venture Center in Hardwick are a resource for local farmers who want to produce value-added products such soups, natural dog biscuits and pet food, or beans for black-bean burgers. Virkler also mentioned kale chips and switchel, a traditional Vermont hot-weather thirst-quencher. These examples just touch the surface of the heightened food making going on locally. Whether it’s bread, cheese, wine, soup, beans, sweet potatoes, kale chips or anything else, NECI students and NECI graduates are taking their broad-based skills and, in Virkler’s words, “branching off.” A school that started out producing skilled cooks and chefs is now producing graduates who are starting food-related businesses, adding value to food or getting involved in the Farm to School movement. As Virkler said, “Two graduates are working the Burlington School System, another in the Randolph School System. They are learning about Farm to Table and learning about bringing farm to school.”

The Cheese-Making Life of a NECI Grad

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The list below shows the diversity of today’s foodrelated professional careers. In food preparation and restaurants: executive chef, pastry chef, personal chef, winery chef, corporate chef In hospitality and management: restaurant manager, spa manager, resort manager, hotel manager, concierge, director of special foods In food making and business: cheesemaker, butcher, brewmaster, mushroom grower, caterer, chocolatier In teaching and public outreach: chef instructor, food writer, food editor, food critic, food blogger, TV food host

oseph Alstat has a passion for cheese making. As a youth growing up in central Virginia, he milked at a couple of dairies. He also raised sheep that he presented in competition at the Greene County Fair. He had a grand champion one year and prizes in other years. Alstat graduated from the New England Culinary Institute (NECI) in December 2011 with a BA from the Culinary Arts Program. “It was very hands-on,” he said of his student experience at NECI. “Hands-on” meant working in the NECI restaurants in Montpelier, with classes at La Brioche and NECI on Main. Also as part of his NECI experience, Alstat had two internships back in Virginia, one at Barboursville Vineyards and a second at the Palladio Restaurant, which had, according to Alstat, “a very extensive cheese board.” When he got back to NECI in the fall of 2009, Alstat worked at Fat Toad Farm in Brookfield. Fat Toad is a goat dairy that makes chèvre and caramel. Now Alstat is in his third year as a cheese maker at Bonnieview Farm in Craftsbury. The farm has 200 head of sheep, and Alstat makes a number of cheeses. He makes two hard cheeses, Ben Nevis and Coomersdale, and three kinds of blue cheese: Mossend Blue, with a natural rind, from 100 percent cheese milk; Seaver Brook from 100 percent sheep’s milk; and a Roquefort, made either from sheep’s milk or a mix of cow and sheep milk. Alstat’s work at Bonnieview is seasonal—seven months a year—which leaves him time to pursue his cheese-making passion elsewhere, as well. As part of a Spanish cheese-making class that he took at UVM’s Vermont Institute of Artisan

Joe Alstat cutting curd. Photo courtesy Joe Alstat. Cheese, Alstat met Enric Canut, a Spanish cheese consultant. With Canut’s help, Alstat will be visiting Spain in the new year. He’ll spend a month each with three different cheese makers. One of these visits has been planned already, with the two other visits yet to be nailed down. After the trip, Alstat will return to Bonnieview in April. Alstat likes his work at Bonnieview. “I enjoy working with my hands, being around farms,” he said. And he noted that cheese making involves a lot of science, which he also enjoys. About his working life at the farm, he said, “I enjoy it. I’m pretty independent. My boss runs the farm; I take care of the cheese house.” —Nat Frothingham

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Experience the joys of being Jewish with

Apples & Honey Family Program
WEDNESDAY, O CTOBER 3, 5–6:30 PM
For families with children of all ages. Nourish your family’s body and soul with soup, salads, stories and songs in the Sukkah.
To register or for more info, contact Rabbi Tobie Weisman, Yearning for Learning Center, 223-0583.
The Yearning for Learning Center is a Jewish resource center in Montpelier designed to enhance people’s lives through informal Jewish education.

Craft Beers • Great Wines •

Vermont Cheeses • Fresh Seafood • Local Meats • Produce

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“The staff is great, remembering names, consistently cheerful and helpful, Th all with a sense of humor.” —M.C. “I love this market: it makes me feel like part of Montpelier!” —C.H.

Celebrating Five Years on October 2nd!
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Money Matters
The Current Election Cycle
And what is our problem with educating our young? How can we accept being ranked 14th in reading, 17th in science and 24th in math out of 34 industrialized nations? How can we possibly expect to compete in the world markets if we can’t educate world-class students? We have to agree that the needs of teachers and students are not mutually exclusive, but if we don’t do something serious about the cost of all levels of education—elementary, secondary and post-secondary— we’re going to return to the very class-based society that we apparently tried to shake off during the Revolution. We have to educate not only those children with the greatest financial resources, but also those with the best intellectual gifts, if we ever hope to regain the jobs we have shed. I agree that this country is built on rugged individualism, but a rugged individualist who can’t read and write, can’t add, and thinks the world is flat is still illiterate. And then there are the immigrants, those people who, for whatever reason, have come to this country in the hope of making a better life. All of my grandparents came to this country from other parts of the world (one of them illegally), and they built businesses and lives here. Their work at often menial jobs enabled their children to become doctors, scientists, accountants, librarians and artists. My grandparents gladly paid taxes on their modest immigrant incomes; my parents and their generation, in turn, contributed their proportionately greater share on their proportionately greater incomes. This country is richer for these past generations of immigrants—is it now OK to shut the doors, to exclude the next group that will contribute to the future wealth and diversity of this country? And if we do, what about all those jobs these current immigrants perform that U.S. citizens and legal residents can’t, or won’t? It’s bad enough that we have an epic drought across the country, but how many crops were lost this year and last because of the immigrant labor shortage? It’s time to stop playing games with language as a way to avoid constructive conversations and debates. It’s time to move away from the rhetoric and the lies and actually take actions that move the country forward, even if those actions are not universally popular. We have spent the last four years watching the partisan lockdown of Congress and its apparent disregard for the needs of the nation. Enough! November 6 is a mere 47 days away—after that, when the Washington kindergarten resumes, the endless bickering, the name calling and the hair pulling has to stop. It’s time for Congress to grow up. Margaret Atkins Munro, EA, is a licensed tax professional living in Essex Junction. She is the author of 529 & Other College Savings Plans for Dummies and coauthor of Taxes 2009 for Dummies and Estate & Trust Administration for Dummies (coauthored with Kathryn A. Murphy, Esq.).

Colors of the Wind
Saturday, October 6, 7:30 pm • Unitarian Church of Montpelier
$10–$25: tickets at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, at capitalcityconcerts. org, or at the door.

Featuring a large ensemble of musicians whose affiliations include the NYC Ballet Orchestra, the New Jersey Symphony, and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra in colorful and exhilarating works from a range of composers including Mozart, Poulenc, Janáček, and Mohammed Fairouz.

Art Walk!

by Peggy Munro

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suspect I am not the only one who is sickened by this election cycle. I am tired of the scathing partisanship, with its charges, its countercharges, and the smooth and unblushable habit of lying to the voters. I want to bang heads together; I want to play mother; I want to shout, “I don’t care who started it—it finishes right now.” But I don’t do any of these things because I, quite simply, can’t shout loud enough, and no one will hear me over the noise. But if I could, oh, what things I would have to say. I could start with jobs creation—and not just any jobs, but jobs that pay a living wage and allow families to live, to strive, to accomplish. I might talk about taxes, and the fact that lower taxes have not achieved the promised lower deficits, greater job creation or even greater investment. Been there, tried that, didn’t work, move on. Instead, let’s look at ways to raise revenues that foster spending, saving, job creation, investment and all the other good things that our economy needs to grow and prosper. I could talk about defense and about caring for those who have stood on the front line of this country and defended its interests, while at the same time moving our defense budget more into line with what the rest of the world spends on defense. Yes, I agree that our military should be the best, but do we really need to spend more than the combined defense budgets of the 17 next-highestspending countries? There is kill, there is overkill, and then there is truly ridiculous. We need to talk seriously about health care, about Social Security, about Medicare and Medicaid. Calling people names and slinging patently false accusations at them does not move the discussion forward—it merely expends a great deal of energy in destructive ways. In the meantime, these costs continue to expand at explosive and unsustainable rates, and we are no further ahead today than we were four, eight or even 12 years ago.

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Love Playing Piano
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loveplayingpiano.org

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Ramping Up Meat Production in Vermont
by Sylvia Fagin

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ore meat” was what Vermont food planners heard in 2011, when the Farm to Plate (F2P) strategic plan was released. The F2P process heard from a wide range of Vermonters—farmers, grocers, consumers—and the demand for more locally grown meat was widely voiced. To meet this demand, the Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund, which coordinates F2P, is working with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, schools and private businesses on tangible activities that will bring more Vermont-grown meat to consumers in and out of state. A network of more than 150 organizations has emerged to implement the F2P plan, according to Erica Campbell, the F2P program director. Those organizations have divided themselves into six working groups, one of which is the Vermont meat-processing task force. The task force is a “great community of practice,” says Chelsea Bardot Lewis, senior agriculture development coordinator with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture. “We meet monthly, and every month the room is full. People really want to figure out how to have a more vibrant meat sector [in Vermont].” The group serves as a sounding board for ideas, a forum for member organizations to gather input about planned projects and workshops, and a way for organizations to avoid duplication and make the most of their efforts. Task-force members include the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont, Farm Viability, the Vermont Economic Development Authority, UVM Extension, Rural Vermont and the Castanea Foundation, in addition to the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and the Sustainable Jobs Fund. Currently, the task force is working “at the intersection of production and processing so more producers can get meat to market,” Bardot Lewis says. Production refers to raising the animal; processing refers to slaughter and preparing the meat for sale. Vermont has six inspected slaughterhouses, and Bardot Lewis notes that these slaugh-

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terhouses provide sufficient “kill capacity.” Currently, however, most meat processing also occurs at the slaughterhouse, and the limited capacity at these slaughterhouses to cut, wrap and package meat is sometimes the constraining factor in terms of processing more local meat, she says. Both state and private organizations are stepping in with programs to ease these constraints. With funding earmarked by the legislature in the 2011 jobs bill, the Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury and the Vermont Technical College (VTC) in Randolph are collaborating to offer a new program to train skilled butchers and meat cutters. A “meat cutter” refers to someone who is trained to break down a whole animal into primal cuts—chuck, rib, flank, loin and so on—and then into retail cuts, like individual steaks. While many chefs have the skills to break a primal cut down into retail cuts, breaking a whole animal down into primal cuts is considered by many to be a lost art. Apparently, though, it’s an attractive skill set; the meat-cutters’ training program will begin in early October, and the 10 class slots are already full. After completing one year of coursework and a one-year paid internship, students will receive a certificate and can, if they choose, transfer some credits to VTC for an associate’s degree. Students in the program will take courses on “meat processing and fabrication” and “meat-animal carcass evaluation.” In the southern part of the state, food distributor Black River Produce is in the final phase of building a meat-processing facility that will provide jobs for some of those graduates, as well as increase the amount of Vermont meat sold to local and regional markets. Black River is renovating a 40,000square-foot building in North Springfield to use for meat processing, according to Sean Buchanan, business development manager with Black River. “By January, we’ll have one of the best meat-processing facilities in the state,” Buchanan says. The space will include 2,500 square feet of meat-processing space, with the capacity to bring in whole animals, which will either be broken down into primal cuts

Members of the Vermont meat-processing task force with a Vermont Meat Industry delegation to Parma, Italy, learning about prosciutto production. Photo courtesy Sean Buchanan. for restaurants and grocers with in-house butchers or butchered into retail cuts like flank steaks, tenderloins and ground meat. Black River plans to hire three new meatcutting employees in January and anticipates increasing that number to 10 by the end of 2013. Buchanan believes this expanded processing capacity will make it easier for more Vermont farmers to raise more meat animals. “Say you’re a farmer who raises 20 animals to sell to your customers at the farmers’ market,” Buchanan says. “Maybe you have the capacity to raise 10 more, but not the space or the energy to sell it.” With the new facility, Black River can buy the animal from the farmer and take over processing and distribution. The farmer will receive extra income from the sale of the animal without the hassle of storing or selling the meat. More Vermont meat will be available to retailers and restaurants. The Black River facility will also help to address the seasonal backlog at slaughterhouses. Many farmers take their animals for processing in the fall to avoid the expense of feeding the animals over the winter. Slaughterhouse staff get overwhelmed with all the animals, and there is often a long wait for farmers to get their packaged meat back from the slaughterhouse. “The big variable is how fast and efficiently you can do portion control and ground meat,” Buchanan says. Specifically designed space and equipment, in conjunction with trained staff, will enable Black River to customize each cut for retail, controlling the size and thickness, and therefore the price, of the meat cuts. “We’ll be able to take more time; we won’t have to rush,” Buchanan says.“We’ll work with the existing slaughterhouse infrastructure to make sure they’re always busy, and make this a year-round industry to help everyone stay in business.” More meat, indeed. Sylvia Fagin writes about local food and agriculture from her home in Montpelier. Contact her via her blog, Aar, Naam ~ Come, Eat, or at sylviafagin.wordpress.com or follow her on Twitter @sylviafagin.

Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival
Sheep ~ Goats ~ Llamas ~ Alpacas ~ Angora Rabbits
Knitting, Spinning, Weaving and Felting Supplies Sheep Shearing & Dog Herding Demo Shepherd & Fiber Workshops • Local Food & Music

24th Annual

Over 70 Vendors with Yarn, Fiber & Handcrafted Products

Tunbridge Fairgrounds, Tunbridge, VT Saturday 10 am–5 pm • Sunday 10 am–4 pm
Adults $6; seniors $5; children under 12 $1 • visit website for $1 off adult admission

September 29 & 30, 2012

vtsheepandwoolfest.org
sponsored by Vermont Sheep & Goat Association

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229-5721 Takeout and fullservice restaurant
15 Barre Street Montpelier, VT angelenospizza.com Since 1982

Vermont Fresh, Italian Inspired T
We use local eggs, beef and vegetables in our menu.

Central Vermont Food News

Tiny Bites

he city of Barre could have a downtown grocery store in its future. The Granite City Co-op Food Market (GCC) was incorporated in July with the mission “to create a co-operatively owned downtown food market and cafe that offers affordable, convenient, local, healthy and quality food that meets the diverse needs of Barre’s citizens and day-time workers.” GCC is currently considering City Place as a potential location. The co-op was recently awarded a $10,000 matching seed grant from the Food Co-op Initiative, a national organization, and a $1,200 grant from the Hunger Mountain Coop Community Fund (see below). Currently, GCC organizers are engaging in community outreach, legal and financial legwork, and membership development to make the co-op a reality. Visit granitecitycoop.org for more details, to make a membership pledge or to volunteer.

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unger is all around us: each year, the Vermont Foodbank and its partner agencies provide emergency food assistance to as many as 86,000 Vermonters. During September, which is Hunger Action Month, the Vermont Foodbank, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture and the Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association are partnering to sponsor Pick for Your
Neighbor.

At participating orchards during September and October, you can pick and purchase apples for donation to the Foodbank. In central Vermont, Burtt’s Apple Orchard in Cabot (917-2614) and Liberty Orchard in Brookfield (276-3161) are participating. Call the orchards for picking times. Whether you pick a bag, bucket or bushel, your effort will make a difference.

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ctober 4 is the 18th annual Share the Harvest fundraiser for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT)’s Farm Share program. Farm Share provides low-income Vermonters with subsidized community-supported agriculture shares from local farmers. In 2011, the Farm Share program served over 1,400 limited-income people statewide, with participation from 50 Vermont farms. On October 4, a portion of sales from some Vermont restaurants and grocers will be donated to the Farm Share program. Participating Montpelier restaurants include Capitol Grounds, Hunger Mountain Coop, Julio’s, La Brioche, the National Life cafeteria, NECI on Main, Sarducci’s and the Skinny Pancake.

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campus executive chef. Chef Jean-Louis Gerin won the championship on the Food Network show Chopped earlier this year. Gerin has cooked at his eponymous restaurant in Connecticut since 1985 and won the Best Chef Northeast award from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. Gerin will provide direction to NECI’s culinary instruction.

ew England Culinary Institute (NECI) welcomes a celebrity into the role of

utter makes it better, the old adage goes. Well, Vermont Butter and Cheese Creamery (VBC) is offering to make someone’s life better with a year-long supply of butter. Yes, you read that right. One lucky person will win a year’s supply of VBC’s European-style cultured butter, made in Barre. Visit vermontcreamery.com by September 30 to enter.

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o celebrate its 40th anniversary, the Hunger Mountain Coop has awarded a round of grants from the Hunger Mountain Cooperative Community Fund. Fat Toad Farm in Brookfield, the Community Kitchen Academy collaboration between the Vermont Foodbank and the Central Vermont Community Action Council, and the Granite City Co-op each received a grant of $1,200 from the fund. The fund provides financial support to businesses, organizations and initiatives aligned with the co-op’s mission of building a dynamic community of healthy individuals, sustainable local food systems and thriving cooperative commerce. [Disclosure: Sylvia Fagin is vice president of the Hunger Mountain Coop Council.] —compiled by Sylvia Fagin; send food news to [email protected]

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Advertise! 223-5112

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 9

Hands-On Gardener
Surviving the Harvest
even seeing some bacterial wilt. Even so, I’ve put up 60 quarts of dill pickles. In the spring I planted parsnips, forgot I’d planted them and popped cauliflower seedlings through the bed, remembered the parsnips, and dug the cauliflower out to plant in another bed. I was so annoyed with myself and worried about how that would affect the parsnip crop. Well the greens are about three feet high, and there don’t seem to be any holes where the cauliflowers were popped in and summarily popped out. Let it be a lesson to me to try to remember next year when I freak out about something. My biggest freakout in spring was over the horse manure that turned out to be too fresh. The sawdust hadn’t broken down and copious amounts turned into garden beds in spring sequestered the nitrogen in the soil. Summer squash sat and turned yellow and even died. But I’m still harvesting sweet, golden Gentry from the plant that looked like it was going to die for the first couple of weeks. And the peppers that I transplanted out of the greenhouse because the soil was so alkaline and nitrogen deficient have produced dream crops of huge, red, sweet Carmens, deep golden orbs of Tangerine Pimiento and chunky, hot Chilipeños. What a relief! There is nothing I crave more in winter than pepper jelly with sharp cheddar melted on toast. And the crop of butternut squash and pie pumpkins that I couldn’t find room for have thrived up, over and through the garden fence on one side and tucked up against the raspberries on the other. That is not to say that we suffered no losses. The marauding woodchuck probably halved my brussels sprout crop, a good thing since no one in my family is that keen on them. One interesting feature of the woodchuck’s gobbling has been that the plants that were most gnawed on developed sprouts very early, while the untouched plants are progressing slowly toward maturity after a frost. You have to admire these vegetables! Their tenacity for survival and insistence on producing against all odds has nothing to do with my skill as a gardener. It is built into the genetic material of the plant. A couple of people have written me with questions about freezing tomatoes. You can certainly freeze them, and they do not require blanching. I mostly freeze large Chelsea cherry tomatoes. They come in very handy for stews and soups in winter. The skins pop off readily as soon as they thaw. I also freeze celery, English peas, and sweet and hot peppers without blanching them at all. Everything else gets blanched on a timer. Even the vegetables that are a year old are fresh tasting and delicious. Happy harvesting! Miriam and her husband, David, live in East Montpelier, where they grow most of their own vegetables, berries and meat on less than 1/4 of an acre. Your questions and comments are welcome. You can reach Miriam at [email protected].

HOLLISTER HILL FARM
Delighting localvores since 2001 • We offer the best RAW JERSEY MILK around • Always delicious naturally raised BEEFALO beef, PORK and
POULTRY

• New to the store are

FARMSTEAD CHEESES, and wonderful ORGANIC FRUITS & VEGETABLES in season

Just ask our loyal customers!
Bring the family to visit the farm HOLLISTER HILL FARM 2193 Hollister Hill Rd. Marshfield, VT • 454-7725 hollisterhillfarm.com Open daily, 9 am–5 pm www.hollisterhillfarm.com

DAVID HANSEN

by Miriam Hansen

W

ell, we did finally get late blight. Indeed, the first signs appeared on the tomatoes August 26. We harvested the fruit, ripped out the plants and buried them. As the fruit has ripened, I’ve been cutting out the blighted bits and burying them with the infected plants. The photo above shows the enormous harvest ripening on the porch. Since then, I’ve canned 75 quarts of tomato sauce and 50 pints of salsa. We’ve sold heaps of Sun Gold and Chelsea cherry tomatoes from the greenhouse, where the blight was slower to hit. If there is one lesson I’d like to pass along from this gardening year, it is that despite repeated disasters—fresh-sawdust-laden horse manure, infestations of cucumber beetles, flea beetles and snails, a voracious ninja woodchuck, and diseases ranging from bacterial wilt on cucumbers to late blight on tomatoes—we have had a bumper crop of just about everything. The freezers are too full, the root cellar is bursting, and there is plenty to sell and give away. Just one look at the photograph and you understand why I titled this column “Surviving the Harvest.” You know you’re ready to be done when you’re relieved to see a blighted fruit. One less tomato to can or freeze or cook! I’ve made my best pasta sauce ever with the addition of Ailsa Craig and Copra onions sautéed with garlic and minced, grilled Chilipeño pepper thrown in. I burn the skin on the Chilipeños directly on the gas cook top, scrape off the skin, remove the innards, freeze them on trays and stack them like playing cards in plastic bags, suck the air out and put them in the freezer. For a gringa like me a little goes a long way, but those peppers do add a deep, hot, umami spice that is very pleasant on a chilly evening. I add a touch of sugar and salt to the sauce, along with handfuls of oregano and basil, cook it down by about a third, and can it in the steam canner. The cucumbers in the greenhouse are looking decidedly ragged. They succumbed to the cucumber-beetle infestation, and I’m

Eat Local Week
is October 6–14th!
100% local specials and plenty of all-local items on our regular menu!!!
City Center building, 89 Main Street, Montpelier Hours: 8 am–9 pm, seven days a week 262-CAKE | www.skinnypancake.com

Mark your calendars!

PAG E 10 • S E P T E M B E R 20 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012

THE BRIDGE

Food Hubs Work Toward Food Security
by Daniel Stein

F

ood security refers to a household’s physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that fulfills the dietary needs and food preferences of that household for living an active and healthy life. Hunger Free Vermont, an education and advocacy organization, reports that one out of every six children in Washington County was food insecure in 2010 (hunger freevt.org). More than one in every three children were eligible for free or reduced lunch, and one in every nine children participated in the free breakfast program, meaning the child’s family was incapable of providing breakfast to the child on any given day. More than 7,000 of the 60,000 residents of Washington County were on food stamps, which means that one in every 10 people in central Vermont struggled to feel safe in their ability to provide themselves or their families with healthy food. In addition to these figures, 17 sites currently exist to provide free lunches to children throughout the summer months, signaling a significant increase in childhood hunger. These figures are truly astonishing and representative of a systemic issue in our foodsupply chain. The corporate model, dominated by unsustainable transportation, creative but manipulative marketing, and far too many middlemen between the farm and the table, has left consumers undereducated and overpressured to spend more than they can afford just to survive. This model derives from a corporate drive to increase profits and efficiencies while delivering to the consumer a product that is affordable and desirable. However, this path has neglected many things along the way: the environmental impact of overusing the interstate highway system for trucking food, the economic viability of our local farmers, the negative impacts of industrial agriculture methods (like monocropping and fossil-

Essay

fuel–based fertilizing, which deplete the nutrients in our soil and, therefore, our food) and mostly the health and well-being of the end user: you. Solving these problems rests in buying local, supporting our farmers and becoming more environmentally and economically sustainable. To do this we must educate our communities to make better choices and then offer them opportunities and tools to make those choices. Investing our resources in community-based food systems means cutting off our dependency on large agribusiness and putting our trust in our neighbors. The solution is called a food hub. Have you heard the term before? A food hub is a place where farmers, producers and lovers of food can gather, create, grow, store, deliver, buy and sell food. The definition given by the USDA, symbolizing the key functions of a food hub, is a business that aggregates, stores, distributes or processes food. However, in a broader sense, these food hubs are community centers designed to be free-form, emerging from the culture of the locale, and are a direct representation of the community and its values. In central Vermont, there are already a number of food hubs working to rebuild our local food system in a just and sustainable way. For example, the Central Vermont Food Hub, run by farmers George Gross of Berlin and Joe Buley of Montpelier, delivers hundreds of boxes of fresh local food from a variety of growers and producers weekly through its CSA program. “They have a long way to go but have long-term potential if fuel prices continue to rise.” Gross says of food hubs. “They give an opportunity to lots of local producers to get their stuff out to the public without doing all of the legwork.” To learn more about the Central Vermont Food Hub, visit centralvermont foodhub.com. At the Mad River Food Hub, a fully equipped, licensed and USDA-inspected veg-

Caleb Kinney, a food educator with Food Works, serves up zucchini fritters for a mother-to-be outside the Waterbury Food Shelf. Photo courtesy Daniel Stein. etable and meat-processing facility located in Waitsfield, innovators of new food products can rent out a commercial kitchen and refrigerated or frozen storage to start or grow their small food business. Governor Peter Shumlin, during his speech at the hub’s grand opening earlier this year, told this community, “All good things in Vermont are local, and what you’re doing here today is going to grow jobs, economic opportunities and invigorate the renaissance in Vermont agriculture that I believe is just warming up. [Food hubs] are proof of that success.” Robin Morris, founder and general manager of the Mad River Food Hub, also works with business owners to organize their efficiencies and get on the track of running a successful food business. Learn more about the Mad River Food Hub at madriverfood hub.com. Farm-to-Table, a year-round distributor of local food based in Montpelier, offers the opportunity for institutional kitchens, restaurants and individuals to place an order online for fresh local food and have it delivered weekly to their kitchens. Farm-to-Table is a program of Food Works at Two Rivers Center, an educational nonprofit connecting people in central Vermont back to the land for 25 years. While Farm-to-Table is a functioning business, it is also committed to providing the community with nutrition education. Food Educator Caleb Kinney spent time this summer visiting emergency food shelves in central Vermont, showing participants how to sautée kale, squash and onions and fry up zucchini fritters. To learn more about Farmto-Table, visit foodworksvermont.org. Rebuilding our food system is both a challenge and an opportunity. As we can see, farmers like Gross are developing systems everywhere in the country that connect consumers directly to their farmers. For a community like central Vermont, a food hub is an obvious solution. We have an amazingly rich agricultural community, where people value their farmers, food producers and food service providers. Farmers are easily able to cultivate relationships with buyers, and organizations far and wide work diligently to provide the community with the support they need to thrive. Daniel Stein is Farm-to-Table coordinator at Food Works at Two Rivers Center. He lives in Plainfield.

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Fascialbodies.com • [email protected] • 223-7678, ext. 2

Connect with ensemble partners • Subscribe to learn Notation software Introductory lesson at no charge!
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Openings now for NEW STUDENTS and TRANSFER STUDENTS More than 45 years of experience with beginner and intermediate students Sarah Williams, 223-5307 • active member, Vermont Music Teachers Assoc.

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Design & Build Custom Energy-Efficient Homes Additions • Timber Frames Weatherization • Remodeling Kitchens • Bathrooms • Flooring Tiling • Cabinetry • Fine Woodwork

THE BRIDGE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 11

Local Dining Profiles
BAGITOS
Hand-rolled, freshly baked bagels and burritos, tacos and nachos made to order 28 Main Street, Montpelier, next to the Savoy 229-9212, bagitos.com Open seven days a week, Tuesday–Saturday until 8 p.m., Sunday and Monday until 2 p.m.

THE BLACK DOOR
44 Main Street, upstairs, Montpelier 225-6479, blackdoorvermont.com, facebook.com/blackdoorrestaurant Open Wednesday–Sunday at 5 p.m.; early diner specials until 7 p.m.

HUNGER MOUNTAIN COOP DELI AND CAFÉ
Your community-owned natural market and café 623 Stonecutters Way, Montpelier 223-8000, hungermountain.coop Open 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily

Bagitos offers the area’s finest bagels, which we hand roll, boil and bake daily (get hot bagels any morning), plus eight varieties of cream cheese, hummus, local tomatoes, red onions, lox and more. Bagitos also serves bagel sandwiches, including our house specialty, a pulled-pork sandwich. Breakfast sandwiches and burritos with local eggs and bacon are served until 11 a.m. In addition to our bagels, we also serve burritos, tacos and nachos made to order. We offer vegetarian, vegan and meat options with guacamole, three kinds of salsas and hot sauces, all made in house. Take out or stay and enjoy our warm, comfy atmosphere with free Wi-Fi, sunny corners and local artwork. Bagitos also serves wine, beer (five on tap, including Switchback and Shed Mountain Ale) and hard cider. We also have live music almost every day/night—details on our website, bagitos.com. On Thursday, October 5, come enjoy Colin McCaffrey and Pete Sutherland from 6 to 8 p.m. Other items we offer include Vermont Coffee Company organic, fair-trade coffee; delicious desserts, including blackand-whites and wheat-free and vegan choices; Italian sodas and a great drink selection; hearty soups coming again this fall; and many Vermont products, including ground beef, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, flour, tempeh, veggies,

Have you visited the Black Door lately? One of Montpelier’s best kept secrets, the Black Door’s menu has something for every taste! From appetizing tapas to hearty entrees, we use fresh local ingredients and wild edibles whenever available. The ever-changing menu features savory seafood, soups, stews, vegan and gluten-free options, and homemade desserts. Along with fine dining in a comfortable atmosphere, as a small music venue the Black Door received a Seven Daysies award and a Best of the Best by the Times Argus in 2012. The New York Times even enjoyed the third floor music scene during their recent 36 hours in Montpelier! Live performances Friday and Saturday night bring musicians from Montpelier and beyond, offering everything from bluegrass and Americana to rock, blues, jazz, hip hop, funk and soul. You name it and you can find it on the music schedule at the Door! Our bar carries a nice variety of wines, 17 draft beers and creative cocktails, including warm beverages to beat that autumn chill! Stop by and enjoy!

We are pleased to announce that after weeks of renovations, our café is open and our brand new deli is up and running! The Hunger Mountain Coop deli is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily (new extended hours!) and proudly features a tempting array of sandwich options, including gourmet grilled cheeses and grilled sandwiches, tasty cold-sandwich combinations on freshly baked breads, and made-to-order overstuffed burritos. We offer a cornucopia of freshly prepared foods in our grab-and-go case for you to bring home to enjoy. We also recently expanded our salad bar and hot food bar so that you can mix and match your favorite foods to your heart’s content. We are proud to say that 100 percent of the produce, beans and grains used in our deli and kitchen are organic or locally sourced. One hundred percent of our meat and dairy ingredients are all natural, and many are also organic or locally sourced. If you have time to eat here with us, we invite you to relax in our café overlooking the beautiful Winooski River or, in the warmer months, on our outdoor deck. The combination of delicious food and the outdoors . . . you can’t beat it!

J. MORGANS STEAKHOUSE
Vermont’s cutting-edge steakhouse 100 State Street, Montpelier 223-5252, jmorgans.com Open Monday–Sunday, 7 a.m.–10 p.m.

THAT’S LIFE SOUP
Delicious, nutrient-dense, globally inspired, locally sourced, feel-good soup 223-5333, “Thats Life Soup” on Facebook Lunch Tuesday–Friday, 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. Dinner Tuesday–Thursday, 5–8 p.m.; Friday– Saturday, 5–8:30 p.m.

UNCOMMON MARKET
1 School Street, Montpelier 223-7051, [email protected], uncommonmarket.net

When you’re looking for steak or seafood, and lots of it, then visit one of Vermont’s most prized steakhouses. J.Morgans Steakhouse, located in the heart of Montpelier, is known for exceedingly generous portions. We offer a tempting variety of 17 aged-in-house steaks featuring New York strips, rib eyes, teriyaki sirloin, filet mignon and prime rib roasted Friday and Saturday nights. There are fresh daily seafood specials, pasta dishes, and mountainous salads and desserts. Don’t forget about breakfast. Come in and enjoy all kinds of Benedicts, like lobster, steak and crab cake! Protein omelets, breakfast wraps and daily specials will surely get you started in the morning. There is also a carefully selected wine list and microbrews and an endless list of signature martinis. You just can’t go wrong for lunch, dinner or breakfast.

Profiles paid for by participating restaurants.

That’s Life Soup is a restaurant based on the global nutritional research of Weston A. Price. Here you can relax in a peaceful arts and crafts atmosphere and enjoy artfully prepared soups, French grille sandwiches, salads and desserts. Sit down in a cozy nook and curl up with a bowl of Turkish Wedding Soup, based on a 2000-year-old recipe, or try a fragrant bowl of Quaker Chicken Noodle. Dip your spoon into a classic Argentinean Pork Stew with Dried Plums or absorb the rich aroma of Moroccan Chicken with Honey, Lemon and Apricot Couscous. If you’re looking for something crunchy and savory, try our portobello mushroom grille with our artichoke tapenade and Manchego cheese, or our Forever Thankful turkey grille with Vermont cheddar, turkey, roasted red peppers, and cranberry relish. Our salads are fresh and deliciously prepared with our own dressings. Don’t forget to save room for dessert! Many customers say we have the best cheesecake they’ve ever had. Our menu changes daily. It’s always an adventure, the choices are endless, and you will always leave feeling good.

Lunch at the Uncommon Market features two soups every day, a hot sandwich special and custom-made sandwiches using Boar’s Head cold cuts. Gluten-free bread is available and house-made prepared foods are ready to go. Hearty breakfast sandwiches and freshly baked muffins every day starting at 6:30 a.m. Monday: A baked, spice-rubbed salmon sandwich, served warm on a soft roll with caper mayonnaise, lettuce, tomato and fresh lemon. Authentic New England clam chowder. Tuesday: Our version of the Philly steak and cheese. Thinly sliced roast beef, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, provolone and garlic mayonnaise. A bright and savory Greek lemon chicken soup with rice. Wednesday: A grilled ahi tuna steak served on a toasted kaiser with caper mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. Creamy lobster bisque. Thursday: The Bahn Mi—the classic Vietnamese sandwich with a savory marinated chicken thigh served with grated daikon, carrot and cilantro on a toasted kaiser. Spicy chicken and andouille sausage gumbo. Friday: Pulled pork, slow-cooked overnight, with twocabbage coleslaw on a kaiser. Incredible fish chowder.

PAG E 12 • S E P T E M B E R 20 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012

THE BRIDGE

FILLING NICHES
I
profiles and photos by Bob Nuner

How Small Food Businesses Thrive in Vermont
NUTTY STEPH’S: Why Make Money?
J
aquelyn Rieke has “been selling things since I was 9. I had a bread business in college, the Bread Broad, and I had day camps at my house when I was 11, and jewelry stands before that.” We know Rieke’s commercial presence as “Nutty Steph;” she runs the granola and chocolate business in Middlesex that shares a building with Red Hen Baking. Rieke says that working with employees had long been a challenge that “brought on a tremendous amount of personal strife that came home with me and went to bed with me and that I woke up with. So two and a half years ago, I let everyone go, and then I brought a partner, my life partner, in, and he and I ran it together, and then it was like two free employees instead of one, and under those conditions we were able to stabilize the business and now have eight employees. It was a financial stability that he helped me to attain, and then it was also an emotional capacity that I had to grow into.” Another challenge is to do something that feels worthwhile. For Rieke, “Business as a machine for making money is not adequate enough for me as a reason.” She mentions people who cared about something, like granola or chocolate, as being reasons she, in turn, would care about running the business. “Kind of interesting how those relationships were so profoundly impactful into what I did or didn’t do or why,” she says. Asked about growth and continuation, she says, “We want to see the website grow. [laughs] We want to bring a couple million dollars into Vermont through our website every year, starting now. We’re trying to get a really state-of-the-art website; we want to be one of the best e-commerce sites in the world. Because it’s such a high cost of ingredients, it’s hard for us to grow in the wholesale channels, so we want to be going directly to the customer. That’s another limitation that’s always been there for our growth; that our costs are just so high, that we don’t have the margin to go through distributors, so we sell directly.”

n this issue, we asked just a few of the many food entrepreneurs in central Vermont for their thoughts about what goes into a successful business venture. We didn’t have room to print all the stories, so check out montpelierbridge.com for more.

BOHEMIAN BREAD: It’s About Tenacity
B
ohemian Bread has ended its Sunday morning pastry-and-coffee hours because of traffic concerns as more and more visitors have driven up the road to enjoy the Marshfield bakery’s special weekly treats. Growth doesn’t come without grit, it appears. It also demands not only originality and hard work, but tenacity and resilience in the value-added food business, cofounder Robert Hunt says. “It’s all about quality. I’ve been in the food industry since about 1973, and I think I’m finally starting to get good at some of it. There’s a whole slew of wannabees moving here and putting the Vermont name on the latest gluten-free-organic-fair-trade-kale popcorn or whatever. But the long-term success of these boutique businesses and of the Vermont brand will ultimately depend on how good the product is. Enthusiasm is good, but it won’t get you through the days when a tire blows and it’s five below zero and your bread is starting to freeze in the back of the truck. Then what you need is experience, long-suffering and perhaps a shot of whiskey.”

AND PERHAPS A SHOT OF WHISKEY.
—Robert Hunt

WHAT YOU NEED IS EXPERIENCE, LONG-SUFFERING,

SOUPS
Mon & Tues 7 am–4 pm, Wed–Sat 7 am–6 pm, Sunday 8 am–6 pm Camp Meade, Rte 2, Middlesex 802-223-5200 redhenbaking.com

at Red Hen Bakery & Café
Soup master Erin is hard at work making seasonally changing delicious soups with local ingredients. Come check out some fall selections such as Butterworks Farm black bean chili and mulligatawny. Buy a cup, a bowl or enough for dinner for the whole family!

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802-225-6479 blackdoorvermont.com facebook.com/ blackdoorrestaurant 44 Main Street, Montpelier, upstairs

at 5pm, diners begin als for early Speci urday; bar & through Sat Wednesday ve music til closing. Li pas served un ta nd. ever y weeke

CELL 522-5708

We specialize in drain cleaning and power snaking, and we have a 100-foot camera to locate any problems in your plumbing. We also do boiler cleanings and tune-ups, plus oil tank swap-outs!

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 13

RED HEN BAKING: Doing a Few Things Well R
andy George, coowner, says Red Hen Baking started in September 1999 up on Duxbury Mountain Road. People might stop in, but 98 to 99 percent of the bread was delivered. “We’d dust our hands off and sell a loaf of bread to them,” George says. Red Hen has grown and now focuses on deliveries in the area between the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire and Burlington but uses a same-day delivery service to also get to places like Middlebury, Brattleboro and St. Johnsbury. For the last five of the eight years in Duxbury, Red Hen was looking for space. Then a friend purchased the old Camp Mead on Route 2 in Middlesex, with Red Hen in mind. As to risk, George says, “We had always seen 10 to 15 percent [annual] growth when we were in Duxbury, so that was pretty conservative.” So they didn’t do anything extraordinary to boost sales to meet the financial requirements of the new space and cost of leasehold improvements. In other aspects of growth, Red Hen has held the line on varieties. George says, “I’ve always been pleased that there are four or five varieties that sell as well as each other, then another 10 that are at

a tier below. Sometimes in the eyes of a customer, the lower-tier breads have real devout followers. As far as experimenting and doing new stuff, our breads are for the most part based on traditional methods and styles that are more European than anything else. . . . With a business like ours, where we’re baking something every day, we rotate day to day two to four days a week. We can’t make many varieties with shelf-life problems. There’s only so much subtle variation that people really appreciate, and there’s a lot to be said for doing a few things well. That said, we do have a lot of different varieties.” Red Hen also added a pizza crust to their offerings in the last year. “The hard thing is introducing things without taking something away. Just about every week at the farmers’ market, someone says, ‘No potato bread?’ . . . Bakery is very habit-forming. People line up at the farmers’ market with exact change, and they know what they want.” Red Hen now employs about 42 people. George says that he still needs to be intimately involved, paying attention to where flour comes from and to the details of the process, making sure things are going the way they should. About managing, he says, “It doesn’t really come naturally to me, and if I need a break, I still get out there making bread, which is really enjoyable, working with my hands. I do enjoy managing the business. It’s a project in social studies, in a sense: how to structure the business so things work out.” Have there been surprises? George writes in an e-mail, “Plan on there being many more demands on your time (outside of “the work itself”—things like talking to newspaper reporters!) than you ever expected there would be. To deal with that, create solid systems and training procedures so that you can hire good people to do the things that happen every day, and you can focus on the unexpected and project-oriented aspects of running the business.”

AL PORTICO: Getting Fresh
Y
ears ago when Angelo Caserta bought a Manchester restaurant, James Beard was extolling the rediscovered benefits of pasta. Caserta put a pasta machine in the front window, made fresh pasta every day and built the restaurant into a dinner establishment with new (to Americans), light Italian fare. That restaurant “did very well,” Caserta says. Making fresh food from scratch, involving his whole family (daughter Daniela helped out after school and on weekends), opening the kitchen so patrons could see their food prepared, and creating an informal, welcoming atmosphere were all part of a formula Caserta then brought to Montpelier, where he started another restaurant, now reborn as Al Portico. The emphasis and interest remains: Homemade, fresh, from-scratch meals made with quality ingredients. It’s no small challenge, says Daniela Caserta, now an adult and back in the family business after working in the field of early family therapy. “How do you make the marinara, manage the financials, maintain a good website and then do all the other things that are required to make a business thrive? When you see a small family restaurant succeed, there’s been a lot of work put into it. That’s the difference. It’s 24/7. You have to do it all. It’s intense.” For a family restaurant to succeed, she notes, “There has to be a passion. . . . You can’t teach somebody life experience.” But the benefits, she notes, are the family working together, and, “It’s your own.” While Daniela Caserta readies the restaurant for the day, ensuring that another batch of marinara sauce is started, Angelo Caserta is making a fresh batch of gelato. He shows off the investments required: A gleaming gelato machine that pasteurizes, then mixes the product; the flash freezer to prevent formation of ice crystals; the display case that keeps the gelato just a few degrees above freezing (“It’s cold, not frozen”); and the overnight chiller. As we wind up, he exhibits again his pleasure in food and flavors, enthusiastically describing his latest experiments: Gelato flavors for diabetics. He’s got a little more experimenting to do, he says, but very soon he’ll have as many as three new flavors for those to whom sugar is off-limits.

Elmore Roots is the Capital for Edibles
(just half an hour north of the capital)
We help you design and plant your fruit groves. Fall is the best time of year to plant (cool & moist for the next three seasons = less watering & stress).

802 888 3305 elmoreroots.com
Our 32nd year!

LIBERTY ORCHARD
Pick Your Own Apples
West Street, Brookfield Short, Easy-to-Pick Trees

Since 1972 Repairs • New floors and walls Crane work • Decorative concrete Consulting • ICF foundations
114 Three Mile Bridge Rd., Middlesex, VT • (802) 229-0480 [email protected] • gendronconcrete.com

Mon.–Thurs. 1PM to 5PM Fri.–Sun. 10AM to 5PM

802-276-3161
Dwayne & Ginny Brees www.libertyorchardvt.com

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PAG E 14 • S E P T E M B E R 20 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012

THE BRIDGE

PETE’S GREENS: Focus and Curiosity
P
ete Johnson’s vegetable-farm business, Pete’s Greens, is over 15 years old. The business has an extensive, well-organized website that directs retail customers to its community-supported agriculture (CSA) options, where participants sign up for deliveries, as well as a wholesale page, where the farm presents options for restaurant buyers as far away as Boston and New York. The Web pages also feature alliances the farm has formed with other local food advocates. Johnson’s arc involves early catering to high-end chefs, but then he found it workable to focus on the Vermont market, which was picking up. He talks about working in five- to six-year focuses. After that period of time, he looks for a new focus: “We have trouble resisting interesting new projects. If you have a good track record, then that’s how you grow. There’s never been a grand plan, but we take on things, and we add it to the mix. And then it goes naturally a little bigger.” About growth he says, “We’re constrained by biology and land. There’s only so much available. [We’re constrained] by the time required of preparing it, by the available storage. Biological factors lead into physical limitations. So it’s complicated: growing and storage. A lot of things could go wrong and do go wrong.” Essential for survival, it seems, is variety, both of produce and of distribution channels. “We sell our food lots of different ways. Markets ebb and flow. So it’s not fun to grow beautiful stuff and then have it not sell. But a variety of markets allow[s] us to move something that we’re really heavy in.” Johnson is appreciative of the growing support for local foods in Vermont. A new idea that excites him is a CSA-type arrangement organized by Greg Georgakilsis, whose organization, Farmers to You, uses the Internet to arrange deliveries of aggregated Vermont produce and farm products to consumers in the Boston area. Johnson advises people to start small and look for a somewhat unique, niche product. It’s hard to copy someone unless they’re far away. Look for ideas, he says, “Travel. Garner ideas, then put together your own program. I see imitative programs all over the country, so you have a whole bunch of vegetable farms with the same kind of program. It’s hard. The consumer is not exposed to the broad range of possibilities. Nail it small first, then go from there.” Johnson notes the changing role of a founder: “As scale changes, your role changes. If I’m not doing what I enjoy doing, then we should be doing something different.” Johnson does a reality check every once in a while, he says: “I hope I never get stuck in a place where I’m stuck having to do things on a certain scale because of financial obligations. Once you’re there, it can be hard to get out of that. If you’re not happy, things can start to turn bad in a hurry.”

FRESH TRACKS VINEYARD & WINERY:
Learning from Experience

A

different kind of farming operation is nestled in a hollow just off of Route 12, between Montpelier and Riverton: Fresh Tracks Farm Vineyard & Winery, owned by Christina Castegren and Kris Tootle. Asked about growth and planning, Tootle says, “Growth was an inevitable part of what we’ve done here. Starting from scratch with the goal of producing a value-added product has many different components and processes.” Castegren adds, “When we build something, it never seems to be big enough, even though it seems huge when we start out. That is something that I can warn new entrepreneurs about. . . . Go bigger . . . if you really want to succeed . . . you’ll need and appreciate that space. Also . . . it will cost more and take more man-hours than you’re planning for.” Asked if they wished they might have done anything differently, Tootle says, “If we were starting again with the knowledge that we have now, we would have planted only the varieties that have proven that

they agree with our climate! We started with 17 different varieties. We narrowed it down to six over the course of our experience. It’s much easier for new growers in the area now, as we have proven that many varieties are not well-suited here, [but] it would have been nice to know.” About the fermentation and aging processes, Castegren says, “We harvest in the fall, and most of the fermentations settle down by November. Each wine has its own schedule, so we have to adjust to that. Some whites and rosés can be bottled in late spring, but reds can take years. We don’t rush production at Fresh Tracks Farm. Even though the tasting room is begging the winemaker for a particular wine to round out their portfolio . . . it does not mean that she is willing to release a wine that is not ready. It requires a lot of patience on all fronts. That is not something that we anticipated getting into this. Even after we have bottled a wine, the winemaker still might keep everyone waiting for up to 9 months.”

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THE BRIDGE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 15

A Flood of Opportunity

ALCHEMIST BREWERY:

I

t’s not just what you want to do but what the gods send your way. Jen Kimmich of the Alchemist Brewery says she and her husband, John, have a running, good-natured disagreement about whether it’s “dumb luck or good planning” that enabled the Alchemist to establish a packaging plant out of the flood zone before unwelcome guest Tropical Storm Irene came through the doors of their brew pub. The Kimmiches had already noted a developing black-market demand for their flagship double India pale ale, Heady Topper. “People were smuggling it out of our pub, trading for it on e-Bay,” Kimmich says, so they began planning a canning operation. “We had a brew pub for eight years, and we were full all the time, and we were chasing our tails just to keep it going, and not seeing any growth, because the restaurant is as big as it is, and once you’re full all the time, you can’t get fuller, so we were trying to figure out a smart way to build our business, and we thought having this very small packaging brewery would just be a nice way to round out our business, something that we could potentially grow if we wanted to.” Then came Irene. The next day, the canning equipment’s manufacturer arrived from Vancouver to set up the new equipment for which they’d spent a year preparing. Kimmich ponders that without the cannery on the hill, they might well have just had to go bankrupt. As it is, they raised cash wherever they could, including VEDA loans to rehabilitate the downtown building, and drew advances

on their credit cards; the cannery helped provide cash flow as they absorbed huge losses. Flood insurance covered nothing in the basement brewery. FEMA said that part of town would not be allowed to build in basements. Clearly, they wouldn’t be able to reopen the pub’s basement brewery, even when they finished scrubbing and cleaning, so the brewery moved to the cannery. Now, Alchemist Brewery’s breezy website must cajole their avid fans, advising that the supply of Heady Topper is, once again, sold out for a few days. The Kimmiches doubled their original 1,500 barrels per year capacity to 3,000 shortly after the flood, responding to demand but also creating jobs. With such strong market demand, they’ll triple to 9,000 barrels by the end of 2012. They employ 12 staff, and with the next expansion expect to number 21, 80 percent of whom were brew-pub employees, longtime relationships built over the last eight years. Focusing on just one successful brew, they will, however, keep things fresh by recreating, once a month, brews from the original brew pub, available for locals in “growlers,” reusable stainless-steel containers, only at the brewery. It’s the local support for the monthly brews, Jen Kimmich says, that “keep[s] us enthusiastic and interested.” Asked for further advice, Kimmich says to start small; depend on local business, not tourism; and grow from within. The Alchemist was not, she noted, an overnight success, but it has built its brand over eight years.

PAG E 16 • S E P T E M B E R 20 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012

THE BRIDGE

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THE BRIDGE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 17

Upcoming Events
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
Let’s Make Unsalted Cultured Vegetables. With Tara Carpenter, personal therapeutic chef. Learn how to make cultured vegetables that deliver therapeutic amounts of beneficial flora to the gut. Recipe handouts and samples. 5:30–7 p.m. Meet outside Hunger Mountain Coop, Montpelier. $10 co-op member/owners, $12 nonmembers. Register at 223-8004, ext. 202, or [email protected]. Tara Mandala Dance Circle. Dance in praise of the divine feminine. 6–8 p.m. Plainfield Community Center (above the co-op). By donation. [email protected]. Event repeats Sunday, October 21.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
Hike with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Difficult climb on Mount Moosilauke in New Hampshire. Summit via Gorgebrook Trail from Dartmouth Ravine Lodge, descend Carriage Road and Snapper trails. Round trip 6.7 miles; 3,300 feet of elevation gain. Must contact leader Paul Deluca at 476-7987 or [email protected].

Civilian Conservation Corps Camp at the Waterbury Dam. Tour the camp with Anne Imhoff of the Waterbury Historical Society and Brian Aust, nature interpreter, then join the historical society for a potluck and lecture by Brian Lindner, Waterbury historian, on the CCC in Waterbury and Stowe. Tours at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., Little River State Park; potluck at 5:30 p.m., lecture at 6:30 p.m., Thatcher Brook Primary School, Waterbury. Free. Anne, 244-8433 or [email protected]. Stowe Foliage Artisan Market. A variety of handcrafted products: art, greeting cards, fiber art, specialty foods, teas and more. Live music by the Shady Trees and food by Carbeque. 10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Main Street, Stowe. Rain date Sunday, September 23. stowevibrancy.com. Using Local Plants for Seasonal Allergies. With Rebecca Dalgin, clinical herbalist. Discuss short- and long-term strategies for dealing with seasonal allergies. Take home a tincture blend or tea made from local plants. Beginner class; all welcome. 11 a.m.–1 p.m. The Village Nest, 4403 Main Street (top floor), Waitsfield. $20. Register with Rebecca, 552-0727 or [email protected]. wildheartwellness.net . Family Movie Matinee. A PG-rated, animated film all family members will enjoy. Noon–1:30. Waterbury Public Library. Free. Register with the library at 244-7036. Central Vermont Peace Concert. Celebrate the International Day of Peace with choral and musical performances, plus readings by poet David Budbill and others. Bring a chair and a candle. 5:30–7 p.m. State House lawn, Montpelier (rain location: Bethany Church, 115 Main Street). Esther, 225-6006, or Harris, 223-7399. If you would like to sing with the chorus, meet at 4 p.m. at Christ Episcopal Church. Riot Rodeo Roller Derby Bout. Twin City Riot plays the Poison Pixies in their final home bout of the season. 6–9 p.m.; whistle at 7 p.m. Barre Auditorium. $10 in advance; $15 at the door, free for children 8 and younger. Tickets at Espresso Bueno, Bear Pond Books or brownpapertickets.com. centralvermontrollerderby.com.
COURTESY SUSAN KLEIN

$25 adults, $12 students and seniors, $5 financially challenged. 8496900 or vcme.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

Hike with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Moderate 7-mile trek in Warren to Battell Shelter and Mount Abraham. Contact leader Ken Hertz, 229-4737 or [email protected], for meeting time and place. Bird Banding Demonstration. Visit the nature center’s banding station as naturalists catch, band, record data on and release resident and migrant birds. 7 a.m.–noon; drop by any time. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. 229-6206. Chandler Film Society. Hitchcock’s The Lady Vanishes (1938) with Margaret Lockwood, Dame May Whitty and Michael Redgrave. 7 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 71–73 Main Street, Randolph. $9. 431-0204 or [email protected].

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

COURTESY VERMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Advanced Medicare Workshop. Free, in-depth workshop for those seeking further explanation on advantage plans, supplement insurances and other Medicare issues. 3–4:30 p.m. Central Vermont Council on Aging, suite 200, 59 North Main Street, Barre. Free. Register at 479-0531. Event happens every fourth Monday. Laughter Club. Playful exercises to get you moving, breathing and laughing. No sense of humor required. For ages 8 and older. 6–7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-1607. Event repeats Monday, October 22. Exploring Plant Therapeutics through Taste and Smell. With Graham Unangst-Rufenacht, clinical intern at Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism. 6–8 p.m. Vermont Center for Integrative Herbalism, 250 Main Street (third floor), Montpelier. $10 VCIH members, $12 nonmembers. Register at 224-7100 or [email protected]. Gastronomy: Novels about Food and Culture. Read and discuss four mouthwatering novels about what we eat and who we are. Today, scholar Kati Osgood talks about The Mistress of Spices, by Chitra Divakaruni. 6:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. Free. A Vermont Humanities Council program. First in a four-part series on Mondays; next event October 15.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
Barre-Tones 41st Annual Show: Vermont Is Where It’s At! Central Vermont’s internationally ranked women’s a cappella chorus (above) travels throughout the towns in which they live using songs and Vermont wit. 7 p.m. Barre Opera House. $15 adults, $10 seniors, $7 youth under 18. Tickets at barre operahouse.org or at the door. barretonesvt.org. Traditional New England Dance. Dudley Laufman, venerable dance caller and National Heritage Fellow, calls traditional New England dances to the Homegrown Chestnuts house band. No experience needed. Bring shoes not worn outdoors and dessert to share. 8–11 p.m.; 7:30 p.m. beginners’ instruction. Capital City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northfield Street), Berlin. $8. Merry, 225-8921. Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble Concert: Musical Essence. VCME kicks off its 25th season with a concert featuring the work of African drummer Damascus Kafumbe and other ethnic-inspired works melding traditional and modern. 8 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. Saturday, September 22 Viva DeConcini Band (rock) Friday, September 28 A Fly Allusion (funk) NUTTY STEPH’S CHOCOLATERIE Route 2, Middlesex. All shows 7–10 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 229-2090 or nuttystephs.com. Every Thursday Bacon Thursdays, hot music and live conversation, 6 p.m.–midnight Thursday, September 27 Marygoround (feisty piano and accordian) POSITIVE PIE 2 22 State Street, Montpelier. 229-0453 or positivepie.com. Saturday, September 22 Bossman (power reggae), 10:30 p.m., $5, 21+ SKINNY PANCAKE 89 Main Street, Montpelier. 262-2253 or skinnypancake.com. Every Sunday Old-time sessions with Katie Trautz and friends, 4–6 p.m. (intermediate to advanced players welcome to sit in) Sunday, September 23 William Borg Schmitt (Appalachian) Sunday, September 30 Katie Trautz and friends (old-time)

Vermont Votes—Historic Elections in the Green Mountain State. Explore some of the state’s more unusual elections with state archivist Greg Sanford (above) and professor Frank Bryan, among other speakers, as part of the Vermont Historical Society annual meeting. 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Pavilion Building, 109 State Street, Montpelier. $20 VHS members or students; $25 nonmembers. Register with Diane, 479-8503, or at vermonthistory.org. Fall Crafting Workshop. Make centerpieces and arrangements to adorn your fall table with Sue Premore. For adults and teens. 9–11 a.m. Waterbury Public Library. Free. Registration required at 244-7036. Household Hazardous Waste Collection. Dispose of paints, pesticides, cleaning products, oil and more. 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Department of Labor parking lot, 5 Green Mountain Way, Montpelier. $15 per carload; car sharing encouraged. For a complete list of accepted items, call 229-9383, ext. 106, or visit cvswmd.org.

Live Music
BAGITOS 28 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows 6–8 p.m. unless otherwise noted. 229-9212 or bagitos.com. Every Wednesday Blues jam with the Usual Suspects and friends Every Saturday Irish/Celtic session, 2–5 p.m. Friday, September 21 Theo Exploration and Tiger Swami, 6 p.m.–close Saturday, September 22 Tony Mason Sunday, September 23 Brunch with Sean Murray, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesday, September 25 Open mic, 6:30–9 p.m. Thursday, September 27 Spider Roulette Friday, September 28 Bob Harris and the Well Trained Monkeys, 6 p.m.–close Saturday, September 29 Tom Gregory

Sunday, September 30 Brunch with Eric Friedman, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Tuesday, October 2 Jazz with Karl Miller and friends Thursday, October 4 Colin McCaffrey and Pete Sutherland BLACK DOOR 44 Main Street, Montpelier. All shows start at 9:30 p.m. with $5 cover unless otherwise noted. 225-6479 or blackdoorvermont.com. Friday, September 21 The Zac DuPont Band (soul) with Michael Chorney and Dollar General (eclectic) Saturday, September 22 The Dave Keller Band (blues/soul) Friday, September 28 The Stereofidelics (indie) Saturday, September 29 Jamie Kent and the Options (rock) Thursday, October 4 Dare 2B Square: old-time night with Damn Yankee String Band, 6 p.m. CHARLIE O’S 70 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-6820. Every Tuesday Karaoke Friday, September 21 Spit Jack, Stone Bullet (rock)

Medicare and You. New to Medicare? Have questions? We have answers. 3–4:30 p.m. Central Vermont Council on Aging, 59 North Main Street, Suite 200, Barre. Free. Register at 479-0531. Event happens every second and fourth Tuesday. Stone Sculpture Reception. View models for two new sculptures planned for Barre and meet the artists. 6–7 p.m. Studio Place Arts, 201 North Main Street, Barre. Free. 479-7069 or studioplacearts.com. Crafting with Old Clothes. Morgaine Bell helps you turn old T-shirts, sweatshirts and other unused apparel into new and useful items. Bring scissors or rotary cutters if you have them. 6–7:30 p.m. Reach office, 138 Main Street, Montpelier. Call to reserve a spot or if you need a ride, 262-6043. Business Building Blocks: Where is the Cash? Get right on the money and learn about cash-flow projections, financial statements and pricing for profit. 6–8:30 p.m. Central Vermont Community Action Council, 195 Route 302, Barre. Free, but space limited: sign up with Margaret, 476-8493, 800-843-8397 or [email protected]. Event happens every Tuesday through October 30. Author Reading and Signing: David Budbill. Local poet and playwright Budbill introduces his new book, Park Songs: A Poem/Play, set in a down-and-out Midwestern park where people from all walks of life gather. 7 p.m. Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-0774. see UPCOMING EVENTS, page 18

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT!
Send listings to [email protected].

Theater
MINI-MUD AUDITIONS Youth age 7–18 try out for Chandler’s annual variety show on November 3. Thursday, October 4. Chandler Music Hall, 71–73 Main Street, Randolph. Sign up for an audition time with Janet, 728-9402 or [email protected]. THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING Award-winning actor Janis Stevens stars in the heartfelt one-woman show based on Joan Didion’s best-selling memoir. Through September 23. Thursdays and Sundays, 7 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.; 2 p.m. matinees September 8 and 23. Lost Nation Theater, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. $30 Friday–Sunday, $25 Thursday; $5 discount for students and seniors. Show not suitable for children. Tickets at 229-0492 or lostnationtheater.org.

PAG E 18 • S E P T E M B E R 20 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012

THE BRIDGE

World-music rockers Fishtank Ensemble, who will play at the Barre Opera House on Friday, September 28, at 8 p.m.

UPCOMING EVENTS, from page 17

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26
Free Adult Pertussis Vaccination Clinic. Protect yourself and the babies around you from whooping cough. No appointment necessary. 7 a.m.–7 p.m. Vermont Department of Health, Barre District Office, McFarland State Office Building, 5 Perry Street, suite 250, Barre. 479-4200 Preschool Discovery Program: Fall Colors. Children age 3–5 and their families explore fall foliage through nature-based activities, crafts and guided outdoor explorations. 10–11:30 a.m. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. $5 members, $8 nonmember. 229-6206. Green Mountain Parkway: A Lesson for Today? Presented by public policy analyst Bruce Post. Part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. 1:30 p.m.; doors open at 12:30 for brown-bag lunch. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 58 Barre Street, Montpelier. $5 suggested donation. 223-173 or [email protected]. Series continues every Wednesday through December 12. Special Documentary Film Showing: Rise Like Lions. Join historian Jay Moore and Sue Morris from Marshfield for this powerful film and discussion about the Occupy Wall Street movement. 7 p.m Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marshfield. Free. 426-3581, [email protected] or marshfield. lib.vt.us.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

On Pilgrimage with Venerable Amy Miller. Be an armchair pilgrim to India, Nepal and other sacred destinations. 6–7:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier, Free. Milarepa Center, 633-4136. Ukulele Group. All ages and abilities welcome. 6–8 p.m. Montpelier Senior Activity Center, 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. 2232518. Event happens every second and fourth Thursday. Ecumenical Group. Songs of praise, Bible teaching, fellowship. 7–9 p.m. Jabbok Center for Christian Living, 8 Daniel Drive, Barre. Free. 476-3873. Event happens every second and fourth Thursday. Green Mountain Dog Club Monthly Meeting. Learn about the club and events. All dog lovers welcome. 7:30 p.m.

COURTESY DAN CASEY

Art & Exhibits
CALL TO ARTISTS: HANDCRAFTERS Vermont Hand Crafters, Vermont’s oldest and largest juried craft organization, seeks new members. Application deadline is September 25 for October 11 jury session. More information at vermonthandcrafters.com. CHANDLER GALLERY Turning Leaves: New Directions in Book Arts, innovative group show exploring the book form. 71–73 Main Street, Randolph. September 23– November 2. Reception Sunday, September 23, 4–6:30 p.m. 431-0204 or [email protected]. CONTEMPORARY DANCE & FITNESS STUDIO The Ballerina Series, batik fabric collage art and designs by Melissa Knight. 18 Langdon Street (third floor), Montpelier. Through October 11. 229-4676 or cdandfs.com. 54 MAIN STREET Light installation by Chris Jeffrey, followed by a photographic retrospective of Goddard College. 54 Main Street, Montpelier. Light through September 26, lightstudioj.com; Goddard show September 28–October 22, 322-1685 or goddard.edu. GLOBAL GIFTS Rock: Real and Imagined, paintings by Maggie Neale. At right, Rocky Cove, oil/wax in cradled board. Langdon Street, Montpelier. September 21–October 5. maggieneale.com. GOVERNOR’S GALLERY Chelsea artist Gerard Rinaldi’s large-format prints featuring lowly objects plucked from everyday life and elevated by composition. 109 State Street, Montpelier. Photo ID required for admission. Through September 28. 828-0749. GRACE GALLERY The Vermont Landscape, works by Merrill Densmore, Lawrence Fogg and Dot Kibbee. 59 Mill Street, Hardwick. Through October 9. 472-6857 or graceart.org. GREEN BEAN ART GALLERY Whimsical Watercolors, intricate, detailed drawings by Laura Shaw. Capitol Grounds, 27 State Street, Montpelier. Through September. [email protected].

GREEN MOUNTAIN FINE ART GALLERY We the People, figurative paintings by Dorothy Martinez exploring our country’s diversity.. 60 South Main Street, Stowe. Through early November. 253-1818 or greenmountainfineart.com. KELLOGG-HUBBARD LIBRARY Emergence, assemblages of natural objects and photography by Ruth Coppersmith. Hayes Room, 135 Main Street, Montpelier. October 4–November 5. Reception Thhursday, October 4, 6–7:30 p.m. 223-3338. KORONGO GALLERY Sailing Images, works by Caroline Tavelli-Abar. 18 Merchants Row, Randolph. Through October 12. 728-6788, [email protected] or caroline tavelli-abar.com. LOCAL 64 Painting or Collage?, collage paintings on wood panel by Vermont artist Ted Zilius. 5 State Street (second floor), Montpelier. Artist talk Friday, September 28, 6–7 p.m. local64.com. RED HEN BAKERY & CAFÉ Paintings by Anne Unangst, Marcia Hill and Cindy Griffith. Route 2, Middlesex. Through October 31. 229-4326, marciahillart.com or hungermountainarts.com. RIVER ARTS CENTER Paintings by Henry Kiely, focusing on iconic utilitarian objects. 74 Pleasant Street, Morrisville. Through October 14. 888-1261 or riverartsvt.org. THE SHOE HORN Paintings and Drawings of Sculpture, lively works on paper by Glen Coburn Hutcheson. 8 Langdon Street. September 29–November 30. glen@gchfineart.com. STUDIO PLACE ARTS Rock Solid, stone sculptures by area artisans and other works portraying qualities of stone; Kingdoms in the Sky, works by Vanessa Compton; and Freedom from Dilution, paintings by John David O’Shaughnessy. 201 North Main Street, Barre. September 25–November 3. Reception Friday, September 28, 5:30–7:30 p.m. 479-7069 or studioplacearts.com. TULSI TEA ROOM Textures of the Earth, photos by Christian Tubau Arjona, a Spanish artist living in Vermont. 34 Elm Street, Montpelier. Through September 21. Reception Friday, September 21, 5 p.m. 2230043.

VERMONT SUPREME COURT Anvils, Bridges and Steel, a show of hand-forged steel sculpture, prints and drawings by Worcester artist Lynn Newcomb. 111 State Street (first-floor lobby), Montpelier. Through October. 828-0749.

exploring the experiences of Norwich University alumni (Union and Confederate) during the Civil War. Norwich University, Northfield. Russian exhibit through January 2013; Civil War exhibit through April 2013. 485-2183 or norwich .edu/museum. VERMONT HERITAGE GALLERIES Icons, Oddities & Wonders, stories from the Vermont Historical Society collections; and The Emergence of the Granite City: Barre 1890 to 1940. 60 Washington Street, Barre. Through December. Free admission. 479-8500. VERMONT HISTORY MUSEUM Freedom & Unity: One Ideal, Many Stories, experience a full-sized Abenaki wigwam, a recreation of the Catamount Tavern, a railroad station complete with working telegraph, a World War II living room and more. 109 State Street, Montpelier. $5 adults, $12 families. 828-2291.
COURTESY MAGGIE NEALE

MUSEUMS

MADSONIAN MUSEUM OF INDUSTRIAL DESIGN Made in the Shade: The Design of Summer Vacation, showcasing design excellence in recreational items. 45 Bridge Street, Waitsfield. Through November 16. madsonian.org. SULLIVAN MUSEUM Tol’ ko Po Russky, Pozhaluista (“Russian Only, Please”), chronicling the history of the Russian school at Norwich University, 1968–2000; and 1861–1862: Toward a Higher Moral Purpose,

THE BRIDGE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 19

Commodore’s Inn, Stowe. 479-9843 or greenmountaindogclub.org. Event happens every fourth Thursday.

COURTESY GLEN COBURN HUTCHESON

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

Poetry Sharing Circle. Share the works of your favorite poets with others in a small-group setting. Bring brown-bag lunch if desired. Noon–1 p.m. Hayes Room, Hellogg-Hubbard Library. Free. Joanne, 595-2563. Event continues monthly through December; next meeting October 26. Montpelier Art Walk. View work by Vermont artists, including fine art, sculpture, fabric art and a photographic retrospective of Goddard College. Receptions, talks and meet-the-artist events at many venues, including Artisans Hand, Local 64 and Glen Hutcheson’s studio on Barre Street. 4–8 p.m. Downtown Montpelier. Free. For complete list of venues, pick up a guide at many downtown locations, or visit montpelieralive.org/artwalk. Vermont Creates Mixer. Make like-minded friends while learning more about central Vermont’s creative community. 5–7 p.m. Espresso Bueno, Barre. Free; RSVP at vermontcreates2.eventbrite.com. U-32 Variety Show. Entirely student-run talent and fun. 7 p.m. U-32 High School, 930 Gallison Hill Road, Montpelier. $7 adults, $5 students. Tickets at 229-0321, ext. 5179, or at the door. Show repeats Saturday, September 29. Fishtank Ensemble. The dynamic world-music quartet offers everything from wild Serbian and Transylvanian gypsy anthems to French hot jazz to flamenco. Part of the TD Bank Celebration series. 8 p.m. Barre Opera House $10–$26. Tickets at 476-8188 or or barreoperahouse.org. Extempo: Live Original Storytelling. Tell a 5- to 7.5-minute, first-person, true story from your own life. Sign up in advance, and come with your story already practiced to deliver it smoothly without the use of notes. No theme. 8 p.m. Espresso Bueno, 136 North Main Street, Barre. Free to participants; $5 otherwise. 479-0896 or extempovt.com.

Artist Glen Coburn Hutcheson at work. Hutcheson’s studio will be one of more than 25 downtown venues participating in the Montpelier Art Walk on Friday, September 28, 4–8 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
Hike with the Montpelier Section of the Green Mountain Club. Join Dave Hardy, Green Mountain Club’s director of field programs, for an on-site visit of the proposed footbridge over the Winooski River in Bolton. Bring lunch. Dress for a moderate hike from Bolton Notch Road down the new Long Trail/flag line and over Stimson Mountain to the north side of the Winooski. Meet at 8:15 a.m. at Montpelier High School. Leaders: Fred Jordan, 223-3935, and Pam Gillis, 879-1457. Prescription Drug Drop-Off Day. Turn in your unused or expired medications for safe disposal. Pills and capsules only. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Washington County Sheriff’s Department, 10 Elm Street, Montpelier; more sites in Northfield, Barre, Middlesex, Waterbury and Waitsfield: visit dea.gov for list of locations. Goddard Undergraduate Program Visiting Day. Learn more about the college’s low-residency Bachelor of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies during the programs’ residency. 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Goddard College community center, 123 Pitkin Road, Plainfield. RSVP at goddard .edu/BAVisitingDay. Erin, 800-468-4888 or erin.johnson@goddard .edu.

Blues and Jazz Improv Workshop. With Ira Friedman, piano faculty at Monteverdi Music School. All levels and ages welcome; ability to read music and knowledge of scales helpful. Bring your instrument; piano and drums provided. 4–5:30 p.m. 46 Barre Street, Montpelier. Free; donations welcome. [email protected]. Chicken Pie Supper. Seatings at 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Trinity United Methodist Church,137 Main Street, Montpelier. $10 adults, $5 children 10 and younger; takeout available. Reservations required: call Janice, 476-6403. Event repeats Saturday, October 13. U-32 Variety Show. See Friday, September 28, for description and information. Vermont Symphony Orchestra: Made in Vermont. Brilliant music to accompany Vermont’s brilliant fall foliage. Works by Michael Haydn, Shostakovich and Schubert and a world premiere by UVM professor David Feurzeig. 7:30 p.m. Chandler Music Hall, 71–73 Main Street, Randolph. $26 adults, $22 seniors, $13 students. Tickets at 728-6464 or chandler-arts.org. Trouble in Vienna. Pianist Diane Huling and soprano Lisa Jablow give a recital of music by Brahms, Mahler, Schonberg, Berg and Richard Stoehr, a Viennese composer who emigrated to Vermont. 8 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. $20 sliding scale. [email protected]. Contra Dance. All dances taught; no partner necessary. All ages welcome. Bring shoes not worn outdoors. 8–11 p.m. Capital

City Grange, 6612 Route 12 (Northfield Street), Berlin. $8. 7446163 or capitalcitygrange.org. Event happens every first, third and fifth Saturday. Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys: Forty and Farewell. The final concert of Vermont’s legendary bluegrass ensemble. 8 p.m. Barre Opera House. $18–$20. Tickets at 476-8188 or barreoperahouse.org.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

Poetry Reading with Bob Messing. 4 p.m. Red Hen Bakery and Café, Route 2, Middlesex. 223-3672. Film Showing: Made in Dagenham. A dramatization of the 1968 strike at Ford’s car plant in Dagenham, where female workers walked out in protest against sexual discrimination. 5–7 p.m. Old Labor Hall, 49 Granite Street, Barre. By donation. 4795600 or oldlaborhall.com. Evalyn Bates Degree Ceremony. Goddard College posthumously bestows an honorary doctorate in humane letters to Bates, founder of the nation’s first adult degree program. Refreshments. 4 p.m. Haybarn Theater, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plainfield. Free. RSVP at 322-1601 or goddard.edu/EvalynBates. see UPCOMING EVENTS, page 20 • Making Recovery Easier workshops, Tuesdays, 6–7:30 p.m. • Wit’s End Parent Support Group, Wednesdays, 6 p.m. • Narcotics Anonymous, Thursdays, 6:30 p.m. Open daily, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. 489 North Main Street, Barre. 479-7373. Overeaters Anonymous. Twelve-step program for physically, emotionally and spiritually overcoming overeating. Fridays, noon–1 p.m. Bethany Church, 115 Main Street, Montpelier. 223-3079.

Support Groups
BEREAVEMENT
Bereavement Support Group. For anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Every other Monday, 6–8 p.m., through December 17. Every other Wednesday, 10–11:30 a.m., through December 12. Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice, 600 Granger Road, Barre. Ginny, 223-1878. Bereaved Parents Support Group. Facilitated by Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice (CVHHH). Second Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m. CVHHH, 600 Granger Road, Berlin. Jeneane Lunn, 793-2376. Survivors of Suicide. Facilitated by Cory Gould. Third Thursdays, 5–6:30 p.m. Board room, Central Vermont Medical Center, Fisher Road, Berlin. Karen, 229-0591.

Writing to Enrich Your Life. For anyone affected by cancer. Third Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. Cancer Center resource room, Central Vermont Medical Center. 225-5449. Cancer Support Group. Third Wednesdays, 6 p.m. Potluck. For location, call Carole MacIntyre, 229-5931. Man-To-Man Prostate Cancer Support Group. Third Wednesdays, 6–8 p.m. Conference room 2, Central Vermont Medical Center. 872-6308 or 866-466-0626 (press 3).

HEALTH

DISASTER

CANCER

Kindred Connections. For anyone affected by cancer. Get help from Kindred Connections members who have been in your shoes. A program of the Vermont Cancer Survivor Network. Call Sherry, 479-3223, for more information. vcsn.net. Living with Advanced or Metastatic Cancer. Second Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m. Cancer Center resource room, Central Vermont Medical Center. Lunch provided. 225-5449

Hurricane Irene Support Group for Recovery Workers. Get peer support and help processing emotions, strengthen relationships and learn coping skills. Every other Monday, 3:30 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. 279-4670. Hurricane Irene Support Group. Share your story, listen to others, learn coping skills, build community and support your neighbors. Refreshments provided. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. Next meeting September 26. Berlin Elementary School. 279-8246.

KIDS

Grandparents Raising Their Children’s Children. First Wednesdays, 10 a.m.–noon, Barre Presbyterian Church, Summer Street. Second Tuesdays, 6–8 p.m., Wesley Methodist Church, Main Street, Waterbury. Third Thursdays, 6–8 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street. Child care provided in Montpelier and Waterbury. Evelyn, 476-1480.

Brain Injury Support Groups. Open to all survivors, caregivers and adult family members. Evening group facilitated by Marsha Bancroft; day group facilitated by Kathy Grange and Jane Hulstrunk. Evening group meets first Mondays, 5:30–7:30 p.m., DisAbility Rights of Vermont, 141 Main Street, Suite 7, Montpelier, 800-834-7890, ext. 106. Day group meets first and third Thursdays, 1:30–2:30 p.m., Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier, 244-6850. NAMI: Connection. A peer-led, recoveryoriented group for individuals living with mental illness. First and third Thursdays, 6–7:30 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. 800-6396480 or [email protected]. Celiac and Food Allergy Support Group. With Lisa Masé of Harmonized Cookery. Second Wednesdays, 4:30–6 p.m. Conference room 3, Central Vermont Medical Center. [email protected]. Diabetes Discussion Group. Focus on self-management. Open to anyone with diabetes and their families. Third Thursdays, 1:30 p.m. The Health Center, Plainfield. Free. Don, 3226600 or [email protected]. Diabetes Support Group. First Thursdays, 7–8 p.m. Conference room 3, Central Vermont Medical Center. 371-4152.

SOLIDARITY/IDENTITY

Men’s Group. Men discuss challenges of and insights about being male. Thursdays, 6:15–8:15 p.m. 174 Elm Street, Montpelier. Interview required: contact Neil Davis, psychologist-master, 223-3753. National Federation of the Blind, Montpelier Chapter. First Saturdays. Lane Shops community room, 1 Mechanic Street, Montpelier. 229-0093. Families of Color. Open to all. Play, eat and discuss issues of adoption, race and multiculturalism. Bring snacks and games to share, and dress for the weather. Third Sundays, 3–5 p.m. Unitarian Church, 130 Main Street, Montpelier. Alyson, 439-6096 or alyson@suncatchervt .com.

RECOVERY

Turning Point Center. Safe, supportive place for individuals and their families in or seeking recovery. • Alchoholics Anonymous, Sundays, 8:30 a.m.

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT!
[email protected]

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UPCOMING EVENTS, from page 19

MONDAY, OCTOBER 1

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3

Classic Book Club. 6 p.m. Cutler Memorial Library, Route 2, Plainfield. Free. Daniel, 793-0418. Event happens every first Monday. Poetry Reading: Evie Shockley. Shockley, associate professor of English at Rutgers University New Brunswick, will read from her newest book. Part of the Visiting Writers series. 7:30 p.m. Haybarn Theater, Goddard College, 123 Pitkin Road, Plainfield. Free. 454-8311 or goddard.edu.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2

Business Building Blocks: The World’s Online Marketplace. Get an overview on some of the tools you can use to affordably launch your business’s website. See Tuesday, September 25, for time, location and information.

Truth Set to Music: The Interwoven Arts of Poetry. Presented by poet Ellen Bryant Voigt. Part of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. See Wednesday, September 26, for time, location and information. Apples and Honey Family Program. For families with children of all ages. Experience the joys of being Jewish with nourishing soup, salads, stories and songs in the Sukkah. 5–6:30 p.m. Montpelier. Suggested donation $22 per family. To register or for more information, contact Tobie, 223-0583. Does Anyone in America Believe in the Rule of Law? Michael Lind, author and New America Foundation cofounder, considers whether a democratic republic can survive if leaders and citizens flout laws of which they disapprove. 7 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. Free. 223-3338. Part of the Vermont Humanities Council’s First Wednesdays series. Local Author Reading: George Longenecker. Local poet and professor Longenecker reads from his most recent work. 7 p.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marshfield. Free. 426-3581, [email protected] or marshfield.lib.vt.us.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4

Spiritual Housecleaning. Fearn Lickfield leads a workshop on clearing, balancing and harmonizing the energies of your house and land for comfort, peace, health and inspiration. 6–7:30 p.m. Reach office, 138 Main Street, Montpelier. Call to reserve a spot or if you need a ride: 262-6043. Science of Mind Principles. Study group for inquiring minds of all faiths. 6–8 p.m. Universal Rivers of Life, 28 East State Street, suite 4 (second floor), Montpelier. 223-3427 or [email protected]. Event happens every first and third Thursday. An Evening Without: Giving Voice to the Silenced. Vermont writers—including David Budbill, Howard Coffin, Kathryn Davis, David Dobbs, Willem Lange, Katherine Paterson and Sarah Strohmeyer—read from works that have been challenged, censored or banned. 7 p.m. Christ Episcopal Church, State Street, Montpelier. By donation.223-6304, ext. 114, or acluvt.org. Sponsored by the Vermont ACLU and Bear Pond Books.

Weekly Events
BICYCLING
Open Shop Nights. Have questions or a bike to donate, or need help with a bike repair? Come visit the volunteer-run community bike shop. Mondays and Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m. Tuesdays, 6–8 p.m. Freeride Montpelier, 89 Barre Street, Montpelier. By donation. 552-3521 or freeridemontpelier.org. Weekly Rides at Onion River Sports. Come in proper physical condition depending on ride, bring water and a snack and dress appropriately for weather. Helmets required. Anyone under 15 must be accompanied by an adult; anyone under 18 must have a signed parental permission form. Mondays Cyclocross Cruise, 6 p.m., 1- to 2-hour, moderate, casual cyclocross ride, climbing and descending beautiful dirt roads Tuesdays Cycling 101 with Linda Freeman, 5:30 p.m., all levels welcome Wednesdays Mountain Bike Ride, 5 p.m. or 6 p.m., intermediate to advanced rides on different area trails each week; for carpooling and more information, e-mail [email protected] Onion River Racing Wednesday Night World Championships, 5:30 p.m., fast ride with town line sprints and competitions for bragging rights, route announced at ride time; onionriverracing.com Thursdays Onion River Racing Thursday Night Nationals, 5:30 p.m., pace is zone 1 and 2, no-drop ride, route announced at ride time; onionriverracing .com.

herbs, crafts, drums, knives, special appearances by Cutler Memorial Library and more. Fridays, 4–7 p.m. Mill Street Park, corner of Mill and Main Street, Plainfield. Through October 5. 454-8614 or [email protected]. Capital City Farmers Market. Vegetables, milk, cheese, eggs, meat, maple syrup, fine crafts, prepared foods, plants and more. Live music all summer. Saturdays, 9 a.m.–1 p.m. 60 State Street (corner of State and Elm), Montpelier. Through October 27. Carolyn, 223-2958 or [email protected]. German Brunch: A Community Meal. All-you-can-eat buffet of fresh fruit, bread, salmon and local meats and cheeses. Mimosas and other drinks available for purchase from Nutty Steph’s. Sundays, 10 a.m.–2 pm. Nutty Steph’s, Route 2, Middlesex. $10 adult, $5 children 12 and under. nuttystephs.com.

GAMES

Apollo Duplicate Bridge Club. All welcome. Partners sometimes available. Fridays, 6:45 p.m. Bethany Church, Montpelier. 485-8990 or 223-3922.

HEALTH

Kimball Public Library, Chandler Center for the Arts and the Orange County Parent-Child Center. Mondays, 10–11:30 a.m., October 1–22. Chandler Music Hall, 71–73 Main Street, Randolph. To register or for more information, contact Emily, 431-0204 or [email protected] Youth Group. Games, movies, snacks and music. Mondays, 7–9 p.m. Church of the Crucified One, Route 100, Moretown. 496-4516. ★ Story Time and Playgroup. For children age 0–6. Story, followed by art, nature and cooking projects, as well as creative play. Dress for the weather. Wednesdays, 10–11:30 a.m. Jaquith Public Library, 122 School Street, Marshfield. 4263581 or [email protected]. Cub Capers Story Time and Songs. For children age 3–5 and their families. Tuesdays, 9:30 a.m. Children’s room, Bear Pond Books, 77 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-0774. Storytime with Bill. Stories, critters, crafts and snack.Wednesdays, 10 a.m., through October 24. Ainsworth Public Library, Main Street, Williamstown. 433-5887 or ainsworthpubliclibrary .wordpress.com. Story Time at Onion River Kids. Outdoor adventure tales and childhood classics. Sundays, 10:30 a.m. 7 Langdon Street, Montpelier. 223-6025.

tember 26. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. Free for nature-center members, $5 nonmembers, $3 children. 229-6206. Fall Migration Bird Walks. Search for migrating warblers, vireos, tanagers, thrushes and more. Beginners welcome! Binoculars available for loan. Fridays, 7:30–9 a.m., through October 5. North Branch Nature Center, 713 Elm Street, Montpelier. Free for kids and nature-center members, $10 nonmembers. 229-6206.

SPIRITUALITY

Free HIV Testing. Vermont CARES offers fast oral testing. Thursdays, 2–5 p.m. 58 East State Street, suite 3 (entrance at the back), Montpelier. vtcares.org. Chronic Pain Self-Management Workshop. Chronic-illness sufferers: improve quality of life and manage pain more effectively. Tuesdays, 6–8:30 p.m., Through September 25. Conference center, Gifford Medical Center, 44 South Main Street (Route 12), Randolph. Free; register at 728-7100, ext. 6.

LANGUAGE

BOOKS

KIDS & TEENS

English Conversation Practice Group. For students learning English for the first time. Tuesdays, 4–5 p.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. Sarah, 223-3403. Lunch in a Foreign Language. Bring lunch and practice your language skills with neighbors. Noon–1 p.m. Mondays, Hebrew. Tuesdays, Italian. Wednesdays, Spanish. Thursdays, French. Fridays, German. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. 223-3338.

Christian Science. God’s love meeting human needs. Reading room: Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–1 p.m.; Tuesdays, 5–8 p.m.; and Wednesdays, 5–7:15 p.m. Testimony meeting: Wednesdays, 7:30–8:30 p.m., nursery available. Worship service: Sundays, 10:30–11:30 a.m., Sunday school and nursery available. 145 State Street, Montpelier. 223-2477. Deepening Our Jewish Roots. Fun, engaging text study and discussion on Jewish spirituality. Sundays, 4:45–6:15 p.m. Yearning for Learning Center, Montpelier. Rabbi Tobie Weisman, 223-0583 or [email protected]. Christian Meditation Group. People of all faiths welcome. Mondays, noon–1 p.m. Christ Church, Montpelier. Regis, 223-6043. Shambhala Buddhist Meditation. Instruction available. All welcome. Sundays, 10 a.m.–noon, and Wednesdays, 6–7 p.m. Program and discussion follow Wednesday meditation. Shambhala Center, 64 Main Street, Montpelier. Free. 223-5137. Zen Meditation. Wednesdays, 6:30–7:30 p.m. 174 River Street, Montpelier. Call Tom for orientation, 229-0164. With Zen Affiliate of Vermont.

SPORTS

Ongoing Reading Group. Improve your reading and share some good books. Books chosen by group. Thursdays, 9–10 a.m. Central Vermont Adult Basic Education, Montpelier Learning Center, 100 State Street. 223-3403.

CRAFTS

Beaders Group. All levels of beading experience welcome. Free instruction available. Come with a project for creativity and community. Saturdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. The Bead Hive, Plainfield. 454-1615.

DANCE

Ecstatic Dance. Freestyle boogie with DJ using Gabrielle Roth’s mediative dance form, 5Rhythms. Wednesdays, 7–9 p.m. First and third Wednesdays, Worcester Town Hall, corner of Elmore Road and Calais Road; second and fourth Wednesdays, Plainfield Community Center (above the co-op). $5–$10 donation. Fearn, 505-8011 or [email protected].

FOOD

Plainfield Farmers’ Market. Local vegetables, fruits, meat, maple syrup, prepared foods, plants, body-care products, medicinal

The Basement Teen Center. Cable TV, PlayStation 3, pool table, free eats and fun events for teenagers. Monday–Thursday, 3–6 p.m.; Friday, 3–11 p.m. Basement Teen Center, 39 Main Street, Montpelier. 229-9151. Story Time at the Waterbury Public Library. Mondays, age 18–36 months. Wednesdays, age 0–18 months. Fridays, age 3–6 years. 10 a.m. Waterbury Public Library. Free. 244-7036. Library Activities for Kids • Story time, Tuesdays, 10:30–11:30 a.m. • Crafts, first Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. • Games, second Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. • Lego club, third Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. • Teen Advisory Group meeting, fourth Tuesdays, 3:30 p.m. • Chess club, Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. (call Robert, 229-1207, for information) • Young Adult Nights (games, movies, food, crafting and more for youth age 10–17), third Fridays, 6–9 p.m. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier. Free. 2234665. Events for Teens at the Aldrich Library. No-obligations teen book club on Mondays; game night on Wednesdays. 5 p.m. Aldrich Public Library, Barre. 476-7550. ★ Tales, Tunes and Tots. Weekly arts program for children age 3–5 sponsored by the

MONEY

Free Financial Education Workshops. With Joe Hicks from Central Vermont Community Action Council. Thursdays, 6–8 p.m., through October 11. Barre Evangelical Free Church, 17 South Main Street. Register with Tim, 746-8493 (mornings) or [email protected].

MUSIC

Sing With the Barre Tones. Women’s a cappella chorus. Mondays, 6:30 p.m. Alumni Hall (second floor), near Barre Auditorium. 223-2039 or [email protected]. ★ Vermont Fiddle Orchestra Rehearsals. For folk musicians of all levels. No audition required. Performances in December (participating in perfomance not required to attend rehearsals). Mondays, 7–9 p.m.; starts October 1. St. Augustine’s Church, Barre Street, Montpelier. $70 season; first rehearsal free. Sarah, 223-8945, ext. 1, or [email protected]. vtfiddleorchestra.org.

Roller Derby Open Recruitment and Recreational Practice. Central Vermont’s Wrecking Doll Society invites quad skaters age 18 and up to try out the action. No experience necessary. Equipment provided: first come, first served. Saturdays, 5–6:30 p.m. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. First skate free. centralvermontrollerderby.com. Coed Adult Floor Hockey League. Adult women and men welcome. Equipment provided. Sundays, 3–5 p.m., October 7–December 9; preregistration required. Montpelier Recreation Center, Barre Street. $55 for 10 weeks. bmfl[email protected] or vermontfloorhockey .com.

YOGA

OUTDOORS

Yoga with Lydia Russell-McDade. Build strength and flexibility as you learn safe alignment in a nourishing, supportive and inspiring environment. Mondays, 5:30–6:45 p.m., River House Yoga, Plainfield; Tuesdays, 10–11:15 a.m., Worcester Town Hall; Wednesdays, 4:30–5:45 p.m., Green Mountain Girls Farm, Northfield. $5–$20. Schedule at saprema-yoga.com.

Monarch Butterfly Tagging. Catch, tag and release migrating monarchs. Nets available to share, but bring a net if you have one. Wednesdays, 3:30–5 p.m. (stop by any time), through Sep-

★ indicates new or revised listing

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S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 21

Classes
AIKIDO
FINDING PEACE IN A SEA OF CONFLICT: THE BASICS OF AIKIDO Thursday evenings, 6–7:15 p.m. 1 Granite Street, Montpelier (near co-op by iron bridge). $50 for five weeks, starting September 27. This course for adults will be geared to the level of physical abilities of the participants. Instructor: Robert Lamprey, 20-year experienced co-head instructor, Aikido of Montpelier. Info: Theo, 917-4647; flyer: aikidoofmontpelier.org

register and for more information, contact [email protected], 249-7377 or vermontwildernessrites.com.

EMPLOYMENT FOR SALE

WRITING

WRITING COACH Are you struggling with beginning, continuing, finishing? Do you need tools and rules to keep you working from concept to completion? Art really is long, and life really short. WRITE NOW is what we have. Thirty years writing and coaching writers in all genres. Free consultation. [email protected], 225-6415.

DRIVERS: CDL-B Great pay, hometime. No forced dispatch! New singles from Plattsburgh, New York. Passport or enhanced license required. 888-567-4861.

SERVICES

HOUSE PAINTER Since 1986. Small interior jobs ideal. Neat, prompt, friendly. Local references. Pitz Quattrone, 229-4952. TRUCK FOR HIRE Call T&T Repeats, 224-1360.

FURNITURE FOR SALE Moving sale: dressers, bed frames, bookshelves, mirrors, file cabinets, chairs. Everything must go. Prices range from $20 to $185. For more info, call 223-4865. AREA RUGS Sizes range from 3 feet by 4.5 feet to 8.5 feet by 4.5 feet. Braided, hooked, oriental style. Call 223-4865. PINE BOOKCASES Two bookcases are 3 feet long by 4 feet high by 7.5 inches deep; one bookcase is 4 feet long by 3 feet 4 inches high by 11 inches deep. Call 223-4865.

THRIFT STORES

LANGUAGE

PARLIAMO ITALIANO Learn Italian in a fun and stress-free beginner class with native teacher from Rome. Ten classes (75 minutes each) for a total of $230, all material included. Starting Tuesday, October 9, at 5:30 p.m., in Montpelier. Call 598-7308.

Classifieds
ARTISTS & MUSICIANS
STUDIOS Studios for solo artists or to share starting at $150. Three larger rooms of various sizes also available. Join us as we transform a historic convent and school into a unique center for the arts, music and learning. Call Paul for a tour at 223-2120 or 461-6222.

T&T REPEATS Bikes, name-brand clothes, small household furniture and more. At least two free parking spaces for T&T customers. 116 Main Street, Montpelier, or call 224-1360. TRINITY COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Trinity United Methodist Church, 137 Main Street (use rear entrance), Montpelier. Donations accepted during normal business hours. 229-9155 or [email protected].

RETREAT

REAL ESTATE

BY STILL WATER October 4–8. What in your life is calling you? Listen. To the stillness and in the silence. An autumn retreat on Green River Reservoir. To

OFFICE FOR RENT 132 Main Street, second floor, three rooms plus private bath, parking. Bright, sunny, spacious. $995, includes all utilities. Call Patty, 223-1134.

Tell them you saw it in The Bridge!

PAG E 2 2 • S E P T E M B E R 20 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012

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The Montpelier School Page
This page was paid for by the Montpelier Public Schools and compiled by Richard Sheir.

O

School Facilities
Category

ver the summer, capital improvements were made to all three schools to create a better learning environment

New Staff in the Montpelier Schools
Name Karoline May New Position Former Employment Administration Interim director of curriculum, Principal, Chelsea School instruction and assessment, MPS Interim director of support services, MPS Principal, MHS Part-time literacy coach, UES Kindergarten teacher, UES 0.8 science teacher Covering Toni Ceckler’s LOA, MHS Physical education teacher, UES 0.2 school nurse, MSMS Education consultant, Vermont DOE Assistant principal/curricular director, Champlain Valley Union High School Third-grade teacher, South Royalton School Literacy/special education paraeducator, Rick Marcotte Central School Paraeducator/long-term sub, South Burlington High School Student teacher, Thatcher Brook and Colchester High School RN, Gifford Medical Center and substitute/long-term substitute, Washington Central Supervisory Union, MPS and Waitsfield Elementary School Special education teacher, Connecticut Center for Child Development Music teacher, Brunswick Central School, Troy, New York Physical education teacher, Hyde Park Elementary School Spanish/ESL teacher, Hartland Elementary School Math teacher, Northfield Middle/High School History and economics teacher, International School Manila, Philippines Music/band director, Lyle Jr./Sr. High School and Dallesport Elementary School, Washington Graduate student teaching intern, U-32 Special education instructional assistant, Shelburne Community School Science teacher, Peoples Academy Classroom teacher, Roxbury Village School Athletic director, Concord High and Graded School

Union Elementary School Asbestos abatement performed: In anticipation of converting the elementary school from the existing, original 1939 steam-heat distribution system to a hot-water system, all the pipe insulation located in the basement was removed, because it contained asbestos. Wood floor refinished: One classroom’s carpet was removed and the original hardwood floor was sanded and refinished. A single room was done in order to learn about the condition of the old floor and develop procedures for doing the work. It is hoped that over the next several years the majority of classrooms will have their original wood floors restored. Painting done: Classroom, stairs and windows were painted. Main Street Middle School Consumer science room refloored: The vinyl tile floor in the consumer science room was removed and replaced with a new vinyl tile floor. In addition, the room and windows were repainted, and new window blinds were installed. Classroom doors replaced: The original 1915 classroom doors were replaced with fire-rated doors and new hardware. The doors were stained oak to match the original historic interior. Painting done: The cafeteria walls were painted. Montpelier High School Carpet replaced: two classrooms and three guidance offices had carpet removed and replaced. Interior painting done: About half the interior halls and classroom door frames were repainted. The new, whiter color brightens up the long hallways. Bleachers removed: The old wooden seats and footboards were removed from the football field grandstands. The frames are being evaluated for possible reuse or replacement with new aluminum seats and footboards. The new bleachers will have an accessible ramp, better railings and a new press box. Window treatments improved: About 12 classrooms received new window shades to better control daylight and heat loss.

Administration Administration Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher

Mary O’Neill Adam Bunting Jacqueline White-Love Heather Bates Michael Hendrix Marie Jennings Clayton S. Wetzel III

Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher

Peter Taffel Cailin O’Hara Emmanuel Riby-Williams Karen Rodis Whitney Machnik

Special educator, MHS Music teacher, MHS/MSMS Physical education teacher, UES 0.6 ELL teacher, UES Math teacher, MHS/MSMS 0.6 Social-studies teacher covering Lyman Castle’s LOA, MHS Music teacher, MSMS/MHS

Teacher Teacher Heather McLane

Teacher

Kirk Kreitz

Teacher Teacher Teacher Teacher Support staff

Sam Bromley Lisa Cassetty Katherine Chabot Hannah Geier Matthew Link

0.8 science teacher, MHS Language-arts teacher covering Kim Scott’s LOA, MSMS Science teacher, MHS First-grade teacher, UES Athletic director, MHS

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Student Assessment

or the school district, the transition to the New England Common Assessment Project (NECAP) has never been a totally comfortable process. Many parents valued the importance of portfolio assessment, and student work still is a part of parent conferences. Assessment on the next level is also important. Many parents wonder whether it is completely test driven. It isn’t. Seven years ago, Montpelier Public Schools began using professional learning communities (PLCs)as a way to assess student learning. PLCs promote collegiality and a focus on student-centered instruction. At the core of PLC work are four questions: • What do we want our students to know? • How will we know they know? • What will we do if they do not know it? • What will we do if they already know it? This focus ensures that district’s work is based on students and stays focused on learning. A Note from the Editor This is my final outing editing the School Page on behalf of the Montpelier School District. I have been in charge of the page under five superintendents, having started when John Everett was still on board. It is time for another volunteer to take over. Fortunately, in Montpelier, there is never a shortage of volunteers to step forward to help the district—a fact that is noted in May, when hundreds of volunteers and scores of businesses are honored for their contribution on a page in The Bridge. As the person editing the district’s

Currently, the district uses this model to bring best practices in curriculum, instruction and assessment to our schools. Keeping the focus on the above questions ensures that the district’s work with students is rigorous, relevant and inspiring

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Montpelier Cross-Country Team Poised for a Championship Run

hen people think about high-school sports, soccer, basketball, football or field hockey come to mind. In Montpelier, the most dynamic sports are the sports that are newer. Last year’s ultimate Frisbee team challenged for the state championship in its second year. Cross country is another relative newcomer, having returned to action only five years ago. Last season, both our girls and boys finished fifth in the state Division II championships, a very strong The articles on this page speak of a healthy school district. The new staff brings a wide and healthy range of prior experience to their new positions. Assessment of student achievement is far from a static, slavish adherence to test scores. Our facilities are being upgraded. Montpelier High School’s cross-country team is poised to meet or surpass the high accomplishments of last year’s ultimate Frisbee team and bring distinction to the district from “small sports.” In sum, I leave my keyboard knowing the next person editing this page has a great story to tell. —Richard Sheir

message to Montpelier, I have become something of an outside insider to the district’s inner workings. As such, I’ve developed a great respect for the teachers, staff, administration and school-board members. It is far from easy to deliver a quality product given the resources afforded to a micro school district. The amount of juggling involved is immense on the part of administration. Through the years, the teachers and their union have been more than good partners, and the board has been responsible in keeping the school tax burden in line with the middle of the pack.

performance for a young team. This season, cross country returns 23 boys and girls from last year’s team. Twenty-three of 26 members of the team have at least one year’s experience running cross country, and many have two or three years’ experience. The prospects for a championship run are good, particularly since a significant percentage of the team did a fair amount of running over the summer. They are a motivated group eager to improve. The boys’ team is led by last year’s Division II state champion, senior Daniel Grosvenor. Daniel has improved dramatically in the 18 months he has been running competitively and looks poised to continue his progression. At the 2011 New England Championship, which was held on November 12 at Ponaganset High School in Rhode Island, Daniel finished 42 out of 250 boys in a time of 16:42 on the 5K course, a personal best. Daniel is followed by a fellow senior and a large group of 11 juniors, many of whom appear ready to significantly lower their times and move up in races. Also, two freshmen have been running strong in the early season. Senior Laura Mears leads the girls’ team. She finished second in the Division II state championship and topped off that performance with state titles in the 800 meters and 3,000 meters during the spring track season. At the 2011 New England Championship, Laura finished 111 out of 250 girls in 20:14, also a personal record. Laura is ably backed up by three returning seniors who placed well last year, a returning junior and another junior new to the team, who is a strong addition to the team, and five returning sophomores who all look stronger than last year. It has to be noted that Montpelier High School hosted a cross-country meet this year on September 11. This is the first meet Montpelier has hosted since the team was reestablished five years ago. Montpelier cross country deserves far more public attention than it receives.

THE BRIDGE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 2 3

A Message from City Hall
This page was paid for by the City of Montpelier.

Early Start to the Budget Process
projections for many years. In response to this action step, the projections will contain greater detail. The key element of any long-term budget projection is the basis of any assumptions relating to revenue or expenditures. Assure that all Matrix report recommendations have been addressed. For those not familiar with the terminology, the city retained the Matrix Consulting firm in 2011 to review the operations of city government. The Matrix report contained several recommendations, most of which have been implemented or are in the process of being implemented. Last year’s city council reviewed the report with each department. The budget study committee has taken a hard look at the Matrix report, and this year’s council will follow up after receiving the committee’s comments. Set a budget target, and focus budget discussions on policy and services, not line items. In most prior years, the city council has reviewed the proposed budget in great detail, literally looking over every line item. This year, the council has set a goal of establishing an overall budget target, articulating policy priorities and asking staff to present a budget that meets those parameters. The idea is that this will focus discussion on overall service levels and key decisions rather than the details of each expenditure item. City staff will still have to develop a detailed budget but will need to change the presentation so that the emphasis is on the overall financial and service picture. Complete five-year plan to implement debt and fund-balance policy. In 2011, the city council adopted policies for working within acceptable debt limits and creating a responsible fund balance. Debt limits relate to how much bonding the city can take on related to overall revenues. Fund balance relates to how much money the city can hold in reserve for emergencies and cash flow rather than using for one-time expenses or tax-rate reduction. These policies will be particularly relevant as the council wrestles with pending infrastructure needs that may require bonds to finance. The council is reviewing the debtlimit policy and current bonded indebtedness at its meeting September 26. Establish a rational process for funding outside agencies. The city council, for years, has struggled with identifying the best way to fund “outside agencies,” that is, those groups that provide public services within Montpelier and central Vermont but that are not direct city services. Among the options utilized have been placing all of the agencies on the ballot individually (which was done last year), placing all of the agencies within the city budget if they did not request an increase (which had been done in most prior years), and choosing which agencies belonged on the ballot and which agencies should be in budget (which had been done infrequently). The council, this year, has chosen to create the Montpelier Community Fund, where the total amount of money formerly allocated to these agencies (approximately $130,000) is appropriated. The community fund will entertain proposals for funding and will issue grants to agencies based on community needs. Budget Challenges The primary challenge for the upcoming budget will be balancing the backlog of infrastructure needs and ongoing service costs against the affordability of the tax rate. It is no secret that the city’s roads have fallen into disrepair. City facilities and equipment have also suffered from deferred funding. A recent analysis of road conditions indicates that as much as $7 million in major capital work should be spent over the next six years, along with another $175,000 to $185,000 in annual road maintenance. This is accompanied by a separate report indicating that, on average, $125,000 per year needs to be spent on city buildings and facilities over the next 10 years. At the same time, initial budget forecasts for continuing city services indicate a potential need for a 3.8 percent budget increase and, potentially, as much as 5 cents in taxrate increase. Projections like these are not unusual at this early stage of the budget process. City officials are well aware that citizens can’t afford everything and are preparing to make the necessary policy, service and project choices. Over the next few months, an appropriate blend of budget, services, infrastructure funding and bonding will be selected for presentation at the annual city election on March 5, 2013. Schedule A formal schedule has not yet been adopted. More detail and more dates will be publicized as they are established. However, for those wishing to follow the budget process, these are key dates—all are Wednesday nights: September 26: Discussion of debt-limit policy and current bonded indebtedness October 10: Presentation of the budget study committee report October 24: General discussion of council budget policy and direction December 5 or 12: Presentation of city manager’s recommended budget to city council January 9 and 23, 2013: Public hearings on city council’s proposed budget March 5, 2013: Annual city meeting election and budget vote going to seek advice from communications professionals or consultants who can provide an outsider’s perspective on what we are doing. If you wish to get regular information from the city government, you might consider liking City of Montpelier, VT on Facebook or following @vtmontpelier on Twitter or checking our website regularly. I also remind everyone that all city council meetings (and many other city meetings) are streamed live on the website and also archived for later viewing, even searchable by agenda item. All documents that the city council receives are posted on the Web for public viewing.

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September 11 Anniversary

by William Fraser, city manager

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he city’s budget process has always been an intense time, generally reaching its peak in December and January as the deadlines for the March vote approach. One criticism that has been levied against the city is that this very important deliberation that determines the propertytax rate occurs in the dead of winter and, in part, during holiday season. Last year’s budget process included some very engaged citizen participation both at council meetings and through various media outlets. As a result, this year’s city council has sought to develop a more inclusive process and one that starts earlier in the year. Each year the city council establishes its goals and priorities. This document guides the work of city staff and influences the agenda of the city council throughout the year. After last year’s budget process, the council has looked to approach this year’s budget differently. One of the council’s goals, adopted on June 27, is detailed below. Goal: to balance and control municipal budgeting, taxes and services relative to current population and grand list tax base. Action steps: Assemble a citizens’ group to compile municipal tax-rate information from comparable municipalities. In July, the city council appointed a group of 18 volunteers to a budget study committee. This group has been meeting very diligently both as a full committee and in multiple subcommittees. The subcommittees have been taking concentrated looks at the Matrix report, data comparisons, the city’s debt load and capital projects, the public-safety departments (fire and police), the public works department, the planning and development department, the recreation department, the city’s administrative departments (city manager, city clerk, finance, assessor, etc.), and the budget process. These citizens have contributed a huge amount of time and effort. They have met with city staff, contacted other communities, reviewed available data, met regularly as a full group, as well as in subgroups, and spent time drafting reports. The full report of this committee will be presented at the city council meeting on October 10. The report will be posted on the city’s website. Develop longer-term budget projections. City staff has presented five-year budget

ast week the nation observed the 11th anniversary of the events of September 11, 2001. I join with others in paying tribute to all who lost their lives that day and, in particular, the public servants and first responders who lost their lives seeking to assist others. I have three friends who work for the New York City Police Department and my thoughts were very much with them this weekend. I knew one of them on that fateful day 11 years ago and still remember getting e-mail updates from him as the horror unfolded. This also provides me the opportunity to say thank you to the men and women of the Montpelier police and fire departments. Thankfully they have not had to deal with something as catastrophic as planes flying into buildings, but they are always there for us during floods, hurricanes, storms, fires, disturbances and other emergencies. They are on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. When most of us are observing weekends and holidays, there are police officers, firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers on duty ready to respond to local emergencies.

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Zoning Revisions Underway

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Communications

n addition to budget goals, the city council has established a goal of providing comprehensive, accessible and useful information to constituent groups about the city government and the community. To accomplish this, I am going to do a deeper review with the goal of incorporating even more new approaches. I want to look at our communications practices as a whole with the idea of modernizing and improving. We’re scratching the surface with technology and social media. This proved beneficial during last year’s flooding events but can be taken much further. I am talking about more than just emergency communications. I include the website, the Facebook/ Twitter accounts, the annual report, press releases, departmental information, mailings to citizens, notices for events or projects, contact with the press, and communications with the council and staff. I am

he planning department has created a new Web page for the work in progress on the zoning revisions. To get information about the zoning, go to the Rezoning Initiative link on our home page or montpeliervt.org/group/380.html. The planning commission meets on the second and fourth Mondays of every month. They need to hear from you—the new master plan calls for neighborhood standards to be developed, so that new development fits in with the character of existing neighborhoods. What does that mean to you? Please come to the planningcommission meetings and let us know. The planning commission has recently received a complete draft of a fully revised zoning ordinance. They will be reviewing this in great detail over the next few months with the goal of presenting a final recommendation to the city council in March. Please stay involved with the process if you are interested in land-use issues in Montpelier. Thank you for reading this article and for your interest in Montpelier city government. Please feel free to contact me at 223-9502 if you have any questions or comments.

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THE BRIDGE

Tech Check
We’ve Landed. Now Where Are the Martians?
12.5-minute wait time for communicating with Curiosity. And that’s for an instruction set far less detailed than any photo attachment. I guess that helps put it in perspective! For more information on the Curiosity rover: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Science_ Laboratory. Stop Delaying Your Gadget Upgrades I’m a frugal person. Heck, sometimes I’m just cheap. This quality is something that many clients have come to appreciate—I’m rarely one to solve a problem by throwing money at it. After all, the most expensive solution is rarely the best one. The same can be said of the cheapest solution, however, especially when it means delaying upgrades. It’s true that you can usually stretch that computer (or car, dryer or refrigerator) an extra few months. Sometimes that makes the most sense, especially when money is tight. Yet when it comes to technology—especially business technology—it’s rarely a good move. At best, you’re deferring the cost of the upgrades. At worst, you’re creating a challenging scenario that will leave you with hidden expenses, delays and other unforeseen issues. In the past few months I have made some dramatic infrastructure upgrades to a few businesses. Those that had upgraded recently required less effort and time and had fewer challenges. Those that had delayed their upgrades were not so lucky. Their upgrades took more time and saw many issues arise. Even with personal technology, there’s a limit to how much you should delay. Many of us have owned a car that cost more to repair than the cost of a similar new car. It doesn’t take very long to abandon that old car and buy a new vehicle. The same is true of technology. Remember that your time has value—you can’t get any of it back. Every minute you spend frustrated with that ancient computer or dealing with a temperamental cellphone is a minute you could be spending with something more enjoyable. We all know when it’s time to replace that gizmo, so don’t sacrifice your time just to delay spending a few dollars. Jeremy Lesniak founded Vermont Computing (vermontcomputing.com) in 2001 after graduating from Clark University and opened a store on Merchants Row, in Randolph, in May of 2003. He also serves as managing editor for anewdomain.net. He lives in Plainfield.

by Jeremy Lesniak

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short time ago, we started to see some very impressive images come back from NASA’s Curiosity rover as it rolled around Mars. It took less than a year for the Curiosity rover to get from Cape Canaveral to the Red Planet. A year is a long time, but that still seems awfully fast to me. After all, Mars is 54 million kilometers away when it is closest. The technology behind the propulsion and continued energy of the rover is what fascinates me most. Unlike previous Mars missions, Curiosity is powered by a small nuclear reactor. Previous missions attempted to use solar energy to power the robots, but dust kept interfering with the solar collection. If you haven’t seen these photos, there are some places to find them on the Web. I’m particularly struck by some of the photos at NASA’s website—nasa.gov/mission_pages/ msl/multimedia/index.html. Many of them show detail that I would never expect to see. Seeing a photograph of dirt that looks like it could be in my driveway, yet knowing it’s from another planet, is nothing short of surreal. Seeing shadows and craters makes me feel like I’m much closer than I am. Much of the imaging and communication technology in use is similar to things we use every day. The computers on board are actually less powerful than what most of us use at our desk. The communication between earth and the rover is done at a speed slower than we’re used to—slower, even, than dial-up access. If you thought you hated waiting for Web pages to load, imagine the NASA scientists and their

THE BRIDGE

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 – O C TO B E R 3, 2 012 • PAG E 2 5

THE REAL ESTATE PAGE
SELLER Brooker, Craig estate & Brooker, Brian K. Williams, Mary B. trustee Ricker, William G. et al. Myers, Stephen & Mason, Jennifer Gewissler, Dejung Stone, John F. Aldrich, Bradley F. & Mary F. Chaves, Jessica Geer, Ruth A. Friihauf, Edward J. & Loretta A. Abair, Janice H. Irish, Kenneth & Sandra Huckins Noss, James P. & Joy D. Cheney, Benjamin & Kimberly Miller, Florence & Finnegan, William City Center Associates Gruen, Kris Lanius Living Trust Guidry, Marguerite L. Lane-Karnas, Brian & Catherine B. Phelon, Judith W. et al. Dwinell, Margaret M. Sedano, Richard P. & Youngwood, Susan Swyer, Hermine Crawford, Patricia F. Hill, Paul & Brenda Cleland, Bernadette G. Sales, Robin BUYER

Sponsored by: Century 21 Jack Associates, 223-6302

Real Estate Transactions
ADDRESS DATE 5/16/12 5/16/12 5/16/12 5/17/12 5/22/12 5/23/12 5/29/12 5/29/12 5/30/12 5/31/12 5/31/12 6/1/12 6/13/12 6/14/12 6/14/12 6/14/12 6/20/12 6/21/12 6/28/12 6/29/12 7/3/12 7/5/12 7/9/12 7/9/12 7/11/12 7/12/12 7/16/12 7/18/12 PRICE TYPE Pazdan, Grace & Lewins, Scott 1893 Main Street Kulkarni, Aniket & Tara 193 Dover Road Blueberry Assoc LLC & Hood & Ayer LLP 17 State Street Brink, Nicholas B. & Kristine I. 14 Roberts Street Moore, James W. & Mia T. 18 Leap Frog Hollow Signorat, Monique & Stein, Sharon & Lori 48 Dover Road Kucinskas, Eric K. & Stephanie R. 6 Dunpatrick Circle Geller, Alex M. 7 Kent Street Turley, Chelsea M. & Peter A. 288 Cityside Drive, #62 Monk, Matthew B. & Tammy M. 12 Sabin Street Grabowski, Donald L. 3 Miles Court Baker, Carole 579 Gallison Hill Road Chaves, Jessica 4 Mechanic Street, #1 Brothers, Jason & Tirah 250 Barre Street Rubow, M ia 4 Holmes Court City Center, Montpelier LLC 89 Main Street Antler, Lauren & Martin, Carl 1 Marvin Street Lawson, Judith D. 58 Wheelock Street Matheson, Monique 311 State Street, #6 Feldman, Jacob & Backus, Ena 16 Mountainview Street Lawson, Ronald C. 121 Freedom Drive Suter, Nathan W. & Lloyd, Morgan E. 5 Liberty Street Brondyke, Aaron & Zachai, Christine 9 Sabin Street Crawford, Patricia F. 53 Cityside Drive, #9 Howard, Michael P. & Horan, Colleen M. 136 Murray Hill Drive, #23 Pringles, Claudia 93 Berlin Street Supan, Brian & Karen 8 North Park Drive Barrette, William & Lilyquist, Christine 15 First Avenue 170,000 Single 233,000 Single 550,000 Comm. 189,000 Single 175,000 Land 6.27 AC± 290,000 Single 315,000 Single 185,900 Single 215,000 Condo 355,300 Single 125,000 Single 8,000 Mobile home 165,000 Condo 105,000 Single 236,750 Single 6,325,000 Comm. 282,150 Single 180,000 Single 130,000 Condo 185,000 Single 175,000 Condo 218,000 Multi (2) 285,000 Single 259,000 Condo 238,000 Condo 161,000 Multi (2) 340,000 Single 199,000 Single

Charming Old Cape
3 blocks from State House; acre of land, backs up on hundreds of acres of undevelopable forest. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, huge kitchen. $279,000. 279-5816.

Move Right In!
Clean, charming ranch in Barre. Fresh paint, hardwood floors, 2 decks, 3 bedrooms, full bath. Located on .32 acres with views, walk- out basement. $114,995. Call Steve Ribolini, 229-8334.

Rustic Post-and-Beam
Home in park-like setting. Beautiful custom kitchen perfect for cooking, eating, homework, hanging out. Bright, open interior. 4 bedrooms, 2 baths. New roof, septic. $329,000. Contact robert.b.smart@gmail. com or 454-8320.

Barre Home
In one of the best neighborhoods in town. Three stories with basement, exterior recently painted. Large lot with detached garage. Homes on street are selling for $178,000; asking $89,000. [email protected].

Advertise! 223-5112

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THE BRIDGE

Editorial
A Farewell to Andrea Taylor

Letters
The Moss Sawbuck To the Editor: Sawbuck is slang for the $10 bill and is based on the Roman numeral interpretation of the X shape of the device holding wood to be sawed. Below I am proposing 10 legislative bills that I will introduce if elected. Mike Murphy’s April column in Time magazine was titled, “The Past Is History: Candidates, we know what you have done. Now tell us what you’re going to do.” Murphy was, of course, addressing Obama and Romney, but I believe his admonition should apply to all candidates for elective office. Hence the Moss sawbuck, below. I. Single-payer health care now II. Single term of office to replace professional career politicians III. Fairness doctrine law to level playing field and end buying office IV. Senior amendment, so obligation to seniors will be the senior obligation of the U.S., and tax forwarder office to collect Vermonters’ federal taxes and tax returns V. Initiative, referendum and recall for direct democracy and real voter control VI. Cooperatives, not corporations, to end corporatocracy control of legislation VII. Evaluate lobbies as good and bad, and eliminate bad lobbies VIII. Replace judges with justice, and end the law business IX. Choice of jury duty or legislative service for jury pool volunteers X. Suffrage and legislative service limits for political conservatism handicapped Brevity is the soul of wit. A BBC study of developed nations found the U.S. the most corrupt. We can become the least corrupt in one biennium by implementing the Moss sawbuck. Thanks. —Peter Moss, independent peace and prosperity candidate for U.S. and Vermont Senate, Fairfax. across Vermont. Citizens Bank Foundation supplied backpacks that were stuffed with the new school supplies and distributed to designated youth-serving agencies including Boys & Girls Clubs of Rutland, Burlington and Brattleboro; COTS; and the Springfield Parent Child Center. Hearty thanks go out to our partners MIX 98.1/WJJR, 1230 WJOY and KOOL 105. At Citizens Bank, we believe good banking is good citizenship. On behalf of all of the schoolchildren in Vermont who received backpacks this year, thank you. —Joe Carelli, president, Vermont Citizens Bank Obama Works for Us To the Editor: I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Democratic National Convention. I feel energized and renewed that there is a better future out there for the USA. Our focus should be on what is best for the greatest amount of people. I believe the middle class is growin,g as more jobs are being created and giving hope to people by the increases in small businesses expanding. President Obama is promoting equal pay for equal work, health care, Medicare and Medicaid, education, technology, renewable energy, and foreign policy. This is what he is doing right. I find it very hard to listen to the opposite party saying what the president has done wrong or is doing wrong. He started out in 2008 with an inherited eight years of Republican rule, with the country ready to collapse in many ways. I believe that being president is an on-the-job training for the first term. I feel he has done an excellent job handling each crisis, doing what is best for the country. He has many experts giving him advice, but he has to make the final decision. He is not afraid of work and is a very intelligent leader. He has tackled the auto industry, Wall Street, the wars and our deadliest enemy, Osama bin Laden. We are still the greatest nation on Earth; people want to come here for a better life for themselves and their families. We live in a great democracy, where we have the opportunity and freedom to cast our votes, making our voices heard, for President Obama, to continue the work that needs to be done. Each and every vote counts! —Irene Noella Badeau, Montpelier

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few days ago, Andrea Taylor, with her husband, Richard, left Montpelier for Champaign, Illinois, where Richard has taken up a new position. Whatever the reason, it feels as if the remarkable Andrea Taylor has almost slipped out of town unnoticed. Of course, that isn’t true. There was a well-attended going-away party for Andrea at the retirement community Westview Meadows on September 7. But if there’s a feeling that Andrea is leaving town rather quietly, it’s because Andrea is not someone who claims personal attention. Instead, she’s committed deeply to the people she serves. In Montpelier she served elders at the Gary Home as activity director, then for a time at the Montpelier Senior Activity Center as director, then back to the Gary Home as director, then in recent years, at a critical period, as director both of the Gary Home and Westview Meadows. Charles Wiley is a longtime board member of the O.M. Fisher Home, the nonprofit organization behind Westview Meadows and the Gary Home, both in Montpelier. Wiley talked to The Bridge by phone, and when he was asked about Andrea Taylor the first two words that came to his mind were “people” and “contact” to describe her remarkable way with people. Westview Meadows opened in 2004. As a new retirement community with both independent apartments and a residential-care portion, there were residents to attract and space to fill. When the first director of Westview Meadows decided to leave and move on after a year of service, there was a big void to fill. One of Andrea’s many tasks was to get the occupancy of the residential-care portion of the building filled up. “And she did,” said Wiley. Then he added, “She formed a remarkable staff. She was very good at keeping a staff of qualified people working for her.” In recent years, Dawn Provost, now the acting director of Westview Meadows, worked alongside Andrea. She talked about Andrea’s great personality. She said, “Andrea was the most caring, compassionate, devoted person I know.” Which is why it’s so hard to say goodbye to her.

A Busy Arts Calendar

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here are a large number of important arts events on the horizon over the next several days. Some of them are listed in the calendar pages of this issue. Others came to our attention after the calendar deadline. A few events deserve more than just a calendar mention.

Central Vermont Peace Concert, September 22 One of thousands of like events around the world in commemoration of the United National International Day of Peace on Saturday, September 22, is the Central Vermont Peace Concert. That concert with readings and local musicians is set for the Vermont State House lawn, September 22 at 5:30 p.m. Other concerts will take places at such far-flung locations as Dobele, Latvia; Tel Aviv, Israel; Cairne, Australia; and other world locations. Cheers for Gear for Schoolkids To the Editor: West African Drumming Workshop, September 29 We would like to thank the good citizens Renowned international master drummer Kaku Kkwaakye Obeng, who is originally from of Vermont who helped make our annual Ghana but now teaches at Brown University, will be giving a West African drumming work- Gear for Grades drive such an outstanding shop at Hubbard Park (front shed) on Saturday, September 29, from noon to 2 p.m. For more success. With the help of our colleagues, our information, contact Jordan Mensah at 498-5987. customers and members of our community, more than 400 Vermont children returned to Banjo Dan and the Mid-nite Plowboys, September 29 school this year with the supplies they need After performing in Vermont, across the Northeast and overseas for 40 years, Banjo Dan to learn. Close to 4,000 new school items and the Mid-nite Plowboys will play their last-ever concert at the Barre Opera House on were collected at Citizens Bank branches Saturday, September 29 at 8 p.m. In a press announcement, a band member said, “It’s sort of the ending of an era, and we’re really pleased to be doing our last show right here in central Vermont.” Bob Messing Reads at Red Hen, September 30 Local poet Bob Messing will read from his poetry—“mostly new stuff,” he says, “should be fun,”—at Red Hen Baking on Sunday, September 30, at 4 p.m.

Volunteer Drivers Needed (Mileage Reimbursement Offered)

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WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Read something that you want to respond to? Worked up about a local issue? We welcome your letters and opinion pieces. Letters must be 300 words or fewer; opinions, 600 words or fewer. Send them to [email protected]. Deadline for the October 4 issue is Monday, October 1, at 5 p.m. We reserve the right to edit all submissions for length, clarity or style. In many cases, we will work with you to make sure your piece meets our journalistic standards. You can also connect with us and other Bridge readers on Facebook any time: facebook.com/montpelierbridge.

his message from the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, the nonprofit organization that serves many of the needs of Vermonters who are either blind or have visual impairments: “In Montpelier and nearby communities there is now an immediate and urgent need for volunteer drivers to get blind and visually impaired people where they need to go: to the grocery store or a doctor’s office or to satisfy other basic needs.” Those of us who drive a car can see a doctor, pick up groceries and the like, often with relative ease. This is not true for people who are blind or whose vision is impaired and who have to rely on others. That makes the current and immediate need for volunteer drivers so critical. Many of those who serve as volunteer drivers take on this responsibility because it gives them a chance to give back and make a strong difference in the life of someone who has trouble seeing or who may not be able to see at all. The truth is that sometimes a very small individual volunteer effort at the right time and place can have an immense benefit to someone in need. We’ve all experienced a critical need at one or more times in our lives. So we know what getting timely help can do. According to the association, volunteer drivers work on an as-needed basis and are free to accept or decline any trip to suit their own schedules. Drivers also receive mileage reimbursement for the use of their cars. If you can respond to this need, please call Cathie toll-free at 877-350-8838. —Nat Frothingham

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Reflecting on Occupy’s First Year
by Margaret Blanchard
The enemy is fear. We think it’s hate. But it’s fear. —Gandhi

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oining the first Occupy march in Montpelier a year ago was easy. I was eager to protest corporate greed, rising income inequality, corruption of democracy, out-ofcontrol campaign financing and millionaire congresspersons. But after a lifetime of activism I was hesitant to join another movement. I’d had my fill of righteous indignation and hopeless struggles against the rich and powerful. I was not drawn to physical encampments or angry confrontations. And I knew how social movements can turn your life inside out. Yet here I am a year later, faithfully attending regular assemblies and small gatherings. At first I was intrigued by our diversity, people of all ages from various backgrounds passionate about a variety of issues (energy, environment, peace, workers’ rights, women’s equality) unified around this focus on fairness. Then I was impressed by the younger generation’s commitment to “direct democ-

racy,” a radical version of our “participatory democracy.” Gradually I’ve come to respect our core of central Vermont Occupiers, a resilient, creative, compassionate, cooperative group of talented organizers. I continue to be intrigued with what we’re experiencing together in this movement. Most of us are also engaged with other, more focused campaigns like the Workers Center’s Human Rights, Transition Town, overturning Citizens United or the Keystone Pipeline. Occupy serves as the handle of an umbrella whose spokes reach out in all directions, reminding us of the economic and political realities whose challenge binds us together. At first the term “occupy” reminded me of “occupation,” which sounds like work but smells like imperialism. But after a while I recognized how “occupy” can also suggest an active dwelling within. It’s a verb, not a noun. Its opposite is “vacate.” Reflecting on Woody Guthrie’s claim “this land is your land, this land is my land,” contrasted with Barbara Ehrenreich’s “This Land is Their Land,” I realized that the Occupy movement is about ownership. It’s about who owns the “us” of the U.S. A gluttonous 1 percent, or

Berlin Pond Protection Group Starts Up

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group of central Vermonters has created an organization, Citizens to Protect Berlin Pond, in response to a recent decision by the Vermont Supreme Court that Montpelier lacked authority to prohibit nonmotorized recreational use of the pond. A statement announcing the group’s formation noted, “Berlin Pond is a unique resource in Vermont because it has historically existed as a place where natural processes have been allowed to predominate without human interference.” For more information about the group, e-mail Maggie J. Kerrin at maggiejkerrin@aol. com (put “Berlin Pond” in the subject line). —Marisa Keller

the rest of us? What does our “owning” as an “us” look like? Unless on some fundamental communal level, not controlled by individual self-interest and greed, we own our democracy and collectively disavow our national history of discrimination, exploitation and imperialism, we might as well acknowledge that we, despite the physical comforts many still enjoy, are economic and political indentured servants. Deep divisions within our body politic distract us from the fact that few of us possess the means to secure true liberation. Only if we find ways to unite around the democratic values that inspired this country’s foundation can we, once again, emancipate ourselves. Democracy is a delicate creation. It must be reseeded by each generation. What this means for each of us will have to be decided by each of us. Because this is a movement, not an organization, you don’t have to be a “member” to contribute to this process of restoring our national ideals. Not many of us, obviously, are inspired to chant poetry, wear tents and carry signs. Not all are willing to participate in nonviolent resistance training. Some of us have spent years practicing spiritual discipline, nonviolent communication and peaceful negotiation. Others of us, soldiers or police, are trained to keep order and protect people and property. Many are turned off by conflict or rage. We don’t expect all of you to become Occupiers, but we need your participation in a renewal of the values Occupy is trying to own. Without broad agreement our move-

Opinion

ment cannot succeed and our country will continue to suffer. As the women’s movement discovered through its network of consciousness-raising groups, we need to explore these issues of democracy and economic justice through conversations in small groups—within existing organizations, both private and public, family discussions and library forums—and through shared and individual acts of conscience and courage. We need to practice direct democracy in our schools and in our communities. We need to develop viable alternative economic systems for sharing goods, exchanging skills and owning our own productions. The community garden at the nature center is a beautiful example of the diverse fruitfulness possible from collective action in concert with a sharing environment. If each of us could discover one way to explore these issues, and if together we could share our insights, this movement could save our country. Globally, we are surrounded by people risking their lives to achieve democracies far more threatened than the one we already claim. Historically, we honor so many Americans who’ve given their lives for our freedoms. For us to hand over our own democracy to a tiny minority of selfish billionaires and their retinues seems the worse kind of betrayal of values we share with ourselves, and with these others. Margaret Blanchard is a writer, teacher and poet. She lives in West Topsham.
COURTESY ZACK DUPONT

Two Local Shows of Note
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atti Casey and Bob Amos (below) will be performing at the Nutshell at Ennis Hill Road in Marshfield on Saturday, September 22, at 7 p.m. (Suggested donation $10, with reservations recommended; call 426-3955.) A press release announcing the concert describes the duo as “two of Vermont’s best songwriters” who are coming together in “a Green Mountain acoustic tour de force that showcases beautiful guitar playing, terrific harmony singing and unforgettable songs.” Native Vermonter Patti Casey is well known to local audiences and has won several national songwriting contests. According to the release, “Bob Amos achieved national recognition as a singer, guitarist and songwriter with his former band Front Range, which recorded five CDs for indie label Sugar Hill and toured throughout North American and Europe for 12 years.”

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COURTESY PATTI CASEY

urlington singer, songwriter and guitarist Zack duPont (above, center, with his band) will share a bill with Michael Chorney & Dollar General on Friday evening, September 21, starting at 9:30 p.m. at the Black Door in Montpelier. Music critic Josh Potter said of duPont, “Zack is all about songcraft. With gorgeous vocal harmonies and Appalachian fingerpicking that tips into the realm of high-plains balladry. Virtuosity here is a means toward more mature ends.” DuPont has opened for Taj Mahal, Ben Sollee, Allen Stone, Sonya Kitchell, Raul Midon, Ryone Montbleau, Marco Benevento, State Radio and the Barr Brothers, to name a few. Seven Days has called Chorney one of “Vermont’s most prolific and innovative musicians,” who “leaves a distinctive mark on everything he touches.” DuPont wrote of Chorney, “Michael Chorney has done lots of work with Montpelier native and nationally acclaimed musician Anais Mitchell. He’s produced three of her albums and arranged for her acclaimed release Hadestown.” —Nat Frothingham

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