Woodstock, VT 2018

   We just spent a few glorious days in Woodstock, Vermont, staying at the Woodstock Inn.  This is our fourth visit and much of the same staff were in attendance. You know a place treats it’s employees well when they stay on year after year.  
   We also spent some time just up the road at the Billings Farm and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Park, touring the original estate mansion.  (the main large home you’ll see in the photos below).  We stopped briefly at The Vermont Country Store- do you get the catalog?  So fun to browse the old fashioned clothes, soaps, candies, flannels, pj’s, blankets, dishwear, natural remedies of days gone by (that still work!) 
  I’ll let the pictures do the talking. 
Vermont Country Store, Rockingham, VT

   
Jenne Farm, Reading, VT – the most photographed farm in the country – google it! 
The Woodstock Inn

Town of Woodstock





The Billings Farm


Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller Mansion Tour  and Grounds

 Ladybird Johnson slept in this room when visiting, having been a friend of the Billings-Rockefellers at the time. 


The pool house, with greenhouses behind it. 

   It was a wonderful, peaceful, easy-going kind of weekend.  We consumed ridiculous amounts of really good food, (good thing we did a lot of walking)  some good hearty laughter and some drink, enjoyed fantastic fall weather and good company, mom and our son and future DIL having joined us.   It’s a beautiful thing.  

 I hope all is well in your part of the world –  thank you for stopping by. 🍂🍁




   

October in Vermont

  Jeanne P. – Miss Sally picked your name off the floor offerings – you’re my fall give-away winner!  You’ll receive a fall package in the mail shortly.   
  
   We had a lovely visit to Woodstock, Vermont last weekend. It’s our third trip to that town and Inn, and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to experience New England at it’s best.  Many beautiful old homes pf stone, brick, or clapboard with slate roofs, shops from a very old fashioned General Store to upscale art galleries, a pub or two, a flannel shop like no other, gift and clothing stores galore, and the Inn itself has great accommodations and is family friendly.  It ain’t cheap… but if you’re looking to treat yourself for just a few days – this is a great way to do it.   A post on a previous trip HERE
 A magnificent sunflower head in the garden at The Billings Farm and Museum. 

We took a bike ride through some of the backroads around town.

Same covered bridge…

Harvest Festival at the Billings Farm… where the “kids” participated in the games…

We visited the Vermont Institute of Natural Science and saw some magnificent rehabilitated birds.

This old place below is absolutely beautiful, stately, located right on the main street near the Inn, and totally dilapidated.  It’s the only property in a total state of abandonment in this area and I can’t imagine why no one is willing to fix her up.  If only it were within our means to take it on.

 We had mom along with us, and what a trooper. She kept up with all the trudging around  and next visit she wants to explore the neighborhood  too.   
  The one odd thing… it was tee shirt weather all weekend.  Even with the occasional rain showers. 

Woodstock, Vermont

     Last weekend we treated the kids and their significant others to a weekend at the Woodstock Inn in Vermont – sort of an early Christmas present.  The Guy and I visited for the first time last February and loved it so much we knew the kids would appreciate it too.   So we booked last weekend well in advance, as it is indeed “Leaf Peeping Season” here in New England.  That means the tourists flood in from all over to see Autumn in all it’s splendor.    When I used that term in the truck on the way up to the Inn, the kids were hysterical with laughter because apparently I used SUCH A DWEEBY TERM!   LEAF PEEPING… A HAHAHAHAHAAAA MOM!!!…      Apparently they haven’t been on earth long enough to know  IT IS A THING –  and I proved it at the gift shop in the center of the INN when the person working the store used the term “Leaf Peepers” referring to the crowds.    A HA! At the very least, I’m not the only DWEEB.    
     Anyway… The Inn is spectacularly New England, the food really good (two restaurants and bars within) and the accommodations wonderful.  The bedding alone is worth the stay.  There are many places for small groups to gather in the halls, entry ways, gathering places…. game rooms, library, the spa which we didn’t even see….   So, even if the weather were miserable outside, the Inn is a holiday all it’s own.  I highly recommend it.  
 Quechee Gorge, the largest in Vermont.   Let me tell ya ’bout that hike down the hill from that bridge you see there.. actually the down was easy.. the going back UP… well.   My calves still haven’t forgiven me. 

Brave kiddo.. notice how the rest of us are dressed… 
The Inn…. 

 The main hall….

 Game room on lower level… these two attempting vintage pacman…

Billings Farm and Museum just behind town… 

   We did some cow kissing and some Pumpkin Ice Cream making….. 

 … and lots of admiring the beautiful scenery.

   It was a wonderful three day weekend spent with this crew.  I love these kids more than they will ever fully understand. What a blessing it is to be together enjoying each others company.   We almost.. ALMOST… got through the mini vacation without talking politics.  That lovely town hall debate happened to be on the tube (insert kids hysterical laughter at moms use of yet another DWEEB term, ’cause it’s coming, I’m sure) on our second nights stay… and we watched in utter horror  or giddy glee.  One thought it was horrendous  .. the other thought it – went well-.   You can guess who’s who in this house, can’t ya.

 Thank you, my family… for a wonderful, wonderful weekend of togetherness.  Thank you to my Guy for treating us all. It’s a beautiful thing.    Except for the Trump signs.  WHY in a Bernie state were there so many Trump signs?!  That’s not really a question, I don’t want to know.

Vermont Agriculture

  My favorite thing to do when we visit Vermont is to hunt down the old barns with my camera.  Back in the day, the  houses were small and sturdy and the barns were built BIG, to accommodate the livelihood of the farmers,  their livestock and crops.  Many are tumbling down now, sad to see.


PS – Blogger is giving me real issues with fixing fonts on this post.. I apologize for the unruly appearance and size of fonts.  


Some Agricultural History: (or, skip to the pictures)  Farming has always played a major part in the lives of Vermonters.  In the late 1700’s, most Vermonters lived on self sufficient farms, which meant they consumed most of the food they produced.  Sheep were introduced to Vermont in 1811 and soon they became a major source of income for farmers.  The rough hillsides and climate of the state were especially suited for sheep raising.  By the 1840’s competition from other areas and economic conditions led to a decrease in sheep farming.


            In the years before the Civil War, Vermont began to move towards dairy farming.  Just after the late 1840’s, before there was refrigeration, the milk was made into cheese and butter and shipped by railroad to out of state markets.  After the refrigerated railroad car was invented in 1910, fluid milk was shipped in large quantities to cities like Boston and New York.

            In 1983 79% of the money made on farms was from dairy products and in 1995 it was 69.9%, but as it has in the past, farming in Vermont is changing.  There are fewer farms and less of the land in the state is used for agriculture.   Only the prime farmland remains in agriculture.  21.5% of Vermont land was used for the purpose of farming in 1997.  One reason for this is an increase in population and the resulting demand for good land.  Land is expensive and may sometimes bring large amounts of money when it is sold for housing instead of being used for farming.  Large farms may sometimes have a tax burden that is too difficult for the farmer to pay.  Much of our food is now shipped in from the west and south where it can be produced more cheaply.  Also there is an increase in the percentage of farmers who work at jobs off the farm to help supply themselves.  This means an increase in the number of part-time farms.

   We visited Sugarbush Farm first, owned  by the Luce Family …had a nice visit with their Belgian draft horses and bought some syrup and cheddar cheese.  Many of the remaining farms work very hard just to stay afloat, some of the families go back for three or four generations and are trying to hold on to  their heritage… no easy feat.  When I say “work very hard” – their physical labor is intense all year through and the money is sporatic and the pay not what it should be given the value of the fresh food and produce they provide.  Another problem is the young generation that would normally take over the responsibilities as their elders “age”… are turning away from the rural way of life and moving elsewhere, choosing a different path.  Then there are the economics of the beast… the land becomes more valuable than the sparse income these families can eek out with all that hard work. That  brings on a whole slew of other issues, sometimes dividing families in the process.  

     You’ve probably heard of the slogan… No Farms, No Food… ?…. well, when we buy fresh from these farms, the quality is outstanding and it’s easy to see how our factory produced foods have taken us down a rocky road. What many of us consume now can’t compare to what these farms have to offer.  What happens when they’re all gone?  It’s happening, slowly, but surely… you just have to take a ride out into the country and talk to them.


   The Luces are the second, third and fourth generations to live on Sugarbush Farm. Jack and Marion Ayres bought the farm in 1945 with a dream to make a go of country living. They were the first folks in Vermont to start packaging cheese in waxed bars so they would travel well without refrigeration. By 1975 the Boston Globe wrote about Sugarbush Farm “At the end of a scenic Vermont road lies a Cheese Lovers paradise.” In 1995 the American Cheese Society awarded Sugarbush Farm a Blue ribbon for the best smoked cheese in the country. Today the farm is operated by Betsy, the Ayres’s daughter, her husband Larry and their sons Ralph and Jeff. Its the Luce family’s goal to keep the farm a working, active operation. The future looks bright for the fourth generation with 7 grandchildren learning good working habits on the farm.

 Cheese, freshly waxed…. 

   
 More Barn Charm….

  Because it wasn’t far off our path,  I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to photograph Jenne Farm – the most photographed farm in New England.   Jenne farm, located on Jenne Road in Reading, Vermont, has been owned by the same family for generations.  The current residents are struggling to keep the farm going, and because of the prime real estate, it is feared they will eventually have to let go of it for development,  yet another gem lost to us forever.  I hope a way is found to preserve it.

A photo taken by a photographer in fall….

My version on a mid winter day ….

 We visited the Billings Farm and Museum, right on the outskirts of Woodstock, walking distance from the Inn…  click here for more info..   History of the farm HERE.   In brief, it was donated to the state of Vermont as a national historical park  by the Rockefellers and serves as a working dairy farm and educational facility/museum on the history of rural Vermont farm life.  For $14. you get the full tour, including a walk through the homesteads, the  immaculate dairy barns, nursery and a sleigh or wagon ride, depending on the footing.










   If he had his druthers… Mike’s dream cabin, where he can get away from it all..  just down the hill from Sugarbush Farm..

 Thanks for tagging along 🙂   And whenever you get the chance… buy fresh, buy local.. .support local farmers, producers, farm markets.   It matters, and you benefit. Win win.

Quechee, Vermont and the Simon Pearce Gallery

  We visited Quechee, just up the road from Woodstock Center – located along the Ottauquechee River in the Town of Hartford.  Quechee Gorge is stunning, and forms the southeast edge of the town.  I didn’t get pictures of the gorge, as the snow/ice were too heavy on the edges for safe photography climbing.  The covered bridge  was heavily damaged in Hurricane Irene and had to be rebuilt.  The  Simon Pearce mill also sustained damage and lost it’s entire glass works floor, on the lower lever.  Amazing how that hurricane affected this area of Vermont, hours from the coast.

  A must stop in this area is the Simon Pearce gallery and restaurant –  the food is divine (accent on fresh, local) and we enjoyed watching the glassworks downstairs.  The mill itself is incredible, with a huge waterfall that powers the entire place.  Amazing….

Some history on Quechee… This is long, but it’s worth the read – to see a once thriving community turn into a ghost town, and with thoughtful ressurction, it is thriving once again. ..  (or.. skip to the pictures)

 Quechee was settled in the 1760s when homesteaders were deeded acres for the erection of mills along the Ottauquechee River. The mills became the heartbeat of this community, providing everything from lumber to cider for the settlers. To accommodate growing traffic, a bridge was built over the Ottauquechee River at the current site of the Quechee covered bridge.

During the 1800s, the mills thrived, gaining particular attention for fabric. J.C. Parker and Co. (the property now occupied by Simon Pearce Glass) developed a fabric, “shoddy”, made of new wool and reworked soft rags, thereby gaining a reputation for producing some of the country’s finest white baby flannel. Another woolen mill, Dewey and Company, was establishing its reputation providing fabric for making baseball uniforms for the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. Over 64 buildings sprang up around this company, creating the village of Dewey’s Mills just downstream from Quechee Village.
In the 1950s, due to the shortage of an affordable labor force and the enticement of the South and its labor force, the mills started closing. Quechee lost the economic base that had existed for almost 200 years. The once booming community became a village of abandoned buildings with broken windows, fallen roofs, brush and bramble covered walls, crumbling foundations, a ghost town of what it had once been.
To add to the decline of Quechee Village, in 1962 a project to address flooding in the lower Connecticut River was initiated. As a result of this project, the village of Dewey’s Mills and that mill ceased to exist. In its place, the Army Corps of Engineers built a causeway between Dewey’s Mills Pond and the Ottauquechee River, which has created a walking trail and wonderful wildlife sanctuary.
In the late 1960s, a group of investors arrived in the area looking for that quintessential Vermont land to build a four-season resort community. As this was the first development of its size to come under the jurisdiction of Vermont’s Land Use Act 250 Law, the end result is a resort that is well planned, developed and maintained with great attention to its surrounding, which includes the Ottauquechee River Valley, its hillsides, open meadows and woodland. Known as the Quechee Lakes Corporation, the company purchased all available land for its planned community and amenities. Today, the Quechee Lakes Resort is one of New England’s finest resorts for seasonal and year-round owners.
Quechee Gorge, known as “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon”, on the Ottauquechee River is one of New England’s most popular natural wonders. Trails from the Quechee Gorge Visitor Center weave throughout the area (Gorge land is owned by the Army Corps of Engineers) and the Quechee Gorge State Park. A true destination site, over 200,000 visitors visit the Vermont Institute of Natural Science nearby, fish and canoe the river, hike the trails in summer and fall, and cross country ski and snowshoe in the winter.

 I took the picture below from the bridge… the power of this waterfall is indescribable….
The Simon Pearce Mill/Gallery/Restaurant is on the right.. the glassworks on the lower level…

We watched a Martini Glass come to be… the teamwork and the speed at which they have to move to work with the fired glass is incredible…  It takes about three years for a team to come together and work really efficiently at this trade.

 We came home with a set of ivory crackle glaze dishes, very sturdy and beautifully made.   Next post.. the rural beauty of this part of Vermont – We’ve explored the state some over the years.. and have to say, it’s our favorite spot.

Woodstock, Vermont – It’s a beautiful thing

       The Mr. and I  spent a lovely weekend in Woodstock, Vermont – lodging at the Woodstock Inn.  The accommodations are luxurious,  the staff very friendly and the food divine.  We had uncommonly warm weather for February in Vermont, but even if you were snowed in, the Inn has so much to offer and is so expansive, there’s room to wander without ever stepping outside.  There is a spa, two restaurants and tavern, a gift shop,  swimming pool in summer,  a full game room for the young and young at heart, many sitting areas throughout, a huge fireplace to lounge in front of in the lobby, wine and cheese tasting in the evenings…  It’s not cheap, but for a few night stay, it’s well worth the money even if it’s a big indulgence.  If you ski, golf, snow shoe or xcountry ski, they have packages for that too.

    The Town of Woodstock is absolutely beautiful. The Inn is located right on the Green, their address is 14 The Green, so no need to get in the car to walk in the village. There are many well maintained older and stately homes, not something you see a lot of in Vermont, so this surprised me.  Main Street and the Green  have many shops, boutiques, restaurants,  artisan galleries, a very old movie theatre and long standing businesses like the Pharmacy and General Store,  established in the late 1800s –

   If your’e interested – a brief history of Woodstock  HERE

 Delightful walking in this town.. and Middle Bridge is just across from the Inn…
see the star on the hill above it? 

 Bridge selfie

The General Store was founded in 1886…. 
Original wood floors and shelving. 
How many feet have walked these floors, carrying all their stories… 
 You can find just about EVERYTHING here… there are rooms I haven’t photographed..
Hunting and fishing gear, wine, groceries, wooden bowls and pottery and glassware and books and 
boots and jackets and t shirts and toiletries and if you’re so inclined…
have a seat and play a game of checkers. 
The pharmacy has the same feel, but  a little more upscale. 
 I’ll be back with a tour of Quechee and the Simon Pearce Mill… 

Heirloom Vermont

      I’ve figured it out, don’t ya know.  What is it about the state of Vermont?  It’s the feeling of going back in time a little… it’s the enjoyment of the simpler things in life.  It’s the less crowded highways and byways and back roads.

  Or.. it was.

 Yesterday, everyone and their sister, aunt, third cousin twice removed, ex-in laws and all of their fraternity and sorority brothers, apartment neighbors and church fellowship showed up.  Vermont has been discovered, times ten.

  We took our annual road trip to Scott farm in Dummerston, (I’ve blogged about that before if you want to read more on it.. put Vermont in the search box on my blog and the post will come up.) … where this year unbeknownst to us  they held their Heirloom Apple Festival on the same day as the Heritage Festival in Newfane, just up the road.  So.. there were many people at the Orchard.  It was lovely, though, and we brought home some delicious Heirloom apple varieties (hidden rose, it’s rose colored flesh!) and sampled and bought some hard cider.. and my favorite.. apple cider made from many varieties of heirloom apples…Liquid Gold, I’m tellin ya!

  Then we headed over the hill and came across an Apple Pie Festival that apparently  is also a favorite place for about 2,000 motorcyclists to descend upon.  That’s just a little slice of it….

 Took us a bit to get through the swarm and down to the river, across the beautiful covered Dummerston Bridge (also in previous post).  Then about five miles up Vermont Route 30 to The Heritage Festival in Newfane.   What I love about Newfane, nestled at the base of some low lying mountains… it’s beautiful. It’s unassuming. It’s a quiet town that pays homage to the way life was years ago.. simpler. The houses, churches and Union Hall well made with attention to detail, most cared for,  porches now piled high with firewood for the coming winter, tractors in many yards, whether ornamental or still in use… standing the test of time.  We actually came across some friends from Connecticut, enjoying the day in the same way.

     It’s a beautiful thing.

Road Trip! Vermont

 A drizzly morning turned  into a wonderful day as we weaved along Vermont Route 30 and on into Manchester to do some land looking, leaf peeping and apple, cider and pie hunting.

  After a hearty breakfast at Cracker Barrel on I-91 in Massachusetts, we headed into Vermont via Route 30, stopping in Dummerston (oh, that beautiful covered bridge.. see previous post HERE).. While in town, we visited   Scott Farm.   I read an article in this month’s Yankee Magazine about an old  state owned 571 acre farm and orchard lovingly cared for and overseen by a fellow named Zeke Goodband  who believes in cherishing the heirloom gems of the past that few of us get to experience in todays mass produce world -(think your standard Red Delicious, McIntosh, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious).  100 years ago there were at least 100 other varieties of apple, all with distinct and unique flavors. 

The Hidden Rose variety was our pick for the day… 

 
Zeke makes this cider himself from all the varieties of apple on the farm.
We brought home two LARGE ball jars full – the limit for any one customer,
that’s how popular it is.  It is LIQUID GOLD, that kind of delicious.

 
The buildings all have a beautiful slate roof, the slate originally from Vermont
and a very popular affordable roof material back in the day. As you can see, they last
and survive the Vermont winters just fine… much like the hearty people of the land.
 
 


While we were at the farm buying some delicious jams, crisp tart Hidden Rose apples and the best apple cider you’ll ever know,  Zeke walked into the farm stand.  He’s easy to recognize with his gentle expression and long beard.  I was thrilled to meet him and told him I so enjoyed the recent article in Yankee Magazine.  He is a lovely, quiet,  gentle soul and  appeared embarrassed at the recognition.  The dedication and hard work year round it takes to do what he does, preserving these gems that for a while were all but abandoned, serves us all in an immeasurable way.  I wish there were 5,000 more like him.

photo of Zeke courtesy Yankee Magazine/Michael Piazza

   To read more about Zeke Goodband and the centuries old farm once owned and loved by Rudyard Kipling… article HERE.

  Next stop along Route 30 was the Heritage Fair in Newfane.  I’ve blogged on it before… the apple pies the church ladies make are divine, as is their corn and potato chowder. Crafters come from all over and their work is beautiful.  There is a charming house I am in love with, it’s right on Main Street and I’ve photographed it before.. but it’s worthy of another shot.   We also got to listen to the down-home folk music of The Bourbon Shuffle…   and there was some tractor lust.

 

   On to Manchester, an upscale Vermont town with many fine shops, dining, book stores, ski slopes such as Bromley and Stratton, … and some gorgeous mountain views.  We did some land searching just for the fun of it and found more than one spot we could fall in love with.

 See what I mean?   *sigh* 

Thanks for coming along for the ride –

 

Hop in the car.. Let’s go to Vermont!

This time we trek up Route 30 N into Manchester.
The leaves are not quite “peak”… hard to judge this, as weather conditions
are always a factor leading up to the event itself.
I laugh to myself, because our mission is “to see the color”…
and to find a genuine church-made apple pie. 
Never had better, not even my own, no kidding.
The laugh is because we have the same beautiful foliage in Connecticut, truth be told..
but something about the mountains and the crisp air and maple everything
makes it more magical in Vermont.
First Stop.. West Dummerston Bridge…built in 1872…
longest two-span covered bridge in Vermont  at 267 feet.
It crosses the West River, which we follow for much of our trek up 30 N.

 

 

The West River is beautiful, we step down under the bridge
and we think out loud what an awesome kayak trip that would be.
Then we drive through the town of NewFane,
where volunteer firemen are collecting donations with their boots in the street..
and we stop at the Heritage Festival.
I love this town.
There were about 100 artisans and vendors on the church green
selling all kinds of beautiful things… this festival is worth a trip up North for sure.
You know I bought some of these….
and in that church on the left?…
I found this…
What we notice most when we visit Vermont
is the genuine ease and  friendliness of the people.  Even when they know you’re a “visitor”.
Mike always says he feels instant decompression when he drives over the border.
The Town of Newfane has some really  lovely typical Vermont
 buildings and houses along it’s “Main Street”…
 

Heading up to Stratton Mountain and Manchester just beyond it,
we come across this big red barn…
and a purple one too….
In Vermont, house and barn are usually close together,
and sometimes attached… as the winters are coooold.
Less exposure to the weather. 
This is why the bridges are covered.. to protect them from the elements. 

Manchester surprised me and I didn’t photograph it…it’s a very  upscale ski and shopping town,
with stores like J.Crew, Kenneth Cole, Michael Kohrs, etc…
Although we met a very down-to-earth shop owner of the Country market and gas station at
the  entrance to  town. He’s originally from New Jersey…
moved to Vermont to get away from it all.
He said it’s absolutely lovely to live there.. .just… bring a restaurant with you.
We followed the river back home….
..got awesome Maple Cheddar and Sage Cheddar at the Grafton Village Creamery..
This is seriously so freak’n delicious. Are you a cheese lover?
Find out if you can order it online, it’s worth it.
…and a stop at the Dam Diner. 
I just couldn’t pass that sign up.