Some of the most beautiful things in the natural world are also the most fleeting. A rainbow may last just a moment. The pink light of sunrise, or alpenglow on a mountain lasts but a few minutes longer. Morning mists linger for an hour or so after sunrise, and a winter snowfall may hang in […]
Here in Vermont, there are still more barns from the last two to three centuries than there are box stores from this one. Armed with Thomas Durant Visser’s Field Guide to New England Barns and Farm Buildings, and The Vermont Barn Census brochure of “Historic Barn Types,” my recent Sunday drive to gaze at these inspiring […]
Let’s be honest: The best part of Thanksgiving (besides dessert) isn’t the all-American bird, the great symbol of the fall holiday. I have nothing against turkey (when properly cooked, it can yield wonderfully moist, delicious meat), but it’s really the dishes that surround the turkey—the mashed potatoes, the squash, the Brussels sprouts, the sweet potatoes, […]
Thousands of different varieties of potatoes are grown worldwide in a broad range of shapes, sizes and colors from tiny fingerling potatoes to the medium sized rounded reds to the larger yellow and whites and even some specialty purple varieties. Here in New England, potatoes are abundant and easy to grow and are very much […]
Each covered bridge in America holds the story of its community. When one falls, history vanishes. For 60 years the Gratons – father Milton and son Arnold – have kept covered bridges and their stories alive.
By late October, New England very much has a split personality. Southern New England is finally seeing the peak of their autumn color, and it’s been a long time coming. For weeks, residents of these areas have been teased by images of brilliant foliage from their neighbors to the north, in print, on the news, […]
Craftsbury Common is a handsome patch of grass surrounded by pretty white buildings. Depending on the season, this 2.2 acre parcel of land might be the site of a soccer game, a farmer’s market, a concert, a Hitchcock movie* (*see caption on last photo), or the finishing line of cross county ski race. According to […]
Witch hazel is a fascinating plant because it blooms at the very end or the very beginning of the growing season. Find out more about this perennial plant.
Our recipe archives are overflowing with recipes for this classic New England dish; here are a few of our favorites for baked beans.
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln at Ford’s Theater occurred on April 15, 1865. This somewhat gruesome though historically important story concerns the final chapter in the tragedy — 36 years later. The last time Fleetwood Lindley went to Oak Ridge Cemetery, he stayed. The funeral procession filed out of Springfield, in through the cemetery gates, […]
What is the true value of a farm, or of a farmer like Melvin Churchill? Dairy farmers across New England are clinging to a way of life that is quickly disappearing.
When doing your fall garden cleanup, leave some of your seed heads and dried plant material for wildlife to use for winter food and shelter. Many butterflies and pollinators overwinter in the garden. Think of your winter landscape. Leave ornamental grasses, astilbe, butterfly bushes, sedum, and other plants standing for winter interest. It’s best not […]
