n nt Cou try Sa mo mp er le V r November FreeFree 2017 • Statewide CalendarCaalendarle of Events,Events, MaMapp • Inns,Inns, B&B’s,B&B&B’s, DininDining,g, Real EstaEstatete • Plentynty ofof GoodGood Reading!Reading! FOR SALE Downtown Randolph, Vermont Depot Square 24 Pleasant Street 2 South Main Street 2 Park Street 2 Salisbury Street Ground Floor (Unit B) 10,000 square feet 3,200 square feet 7,700 sq. ft. plus basement (750 sq. ft.) Ground Floor: 1,660 sq. ft. Beautifully renovated re- 2nd Floor: 600 sq. ft. Formerly the headquarters ȱȱĜȱȱȱȱ Located at one of the busiest Total: 2,260 sq. ft. of Freedom Foods and the prime location on the ȱȱ ȱ Randolph Co-Op. New bath- corner of Main Street and Historically renovated CNRR Randolph. Ideal for a user or rooms and two new furnac- Merchant’s Row. Entire as an investment property. Railroad Station. Baggage es. 13 designated parking ȱĚȱȱśǰŖŖŖȱ building and beautiful out- 7 parking spaces immediately spaces. sq. ft. is available for lease. in front of building. door park. 12 parking spaces. 32 parking spaces. Recently occupied by the ful- Price: Available Upon Request Price: Available Upon Request ¢ȬęĴȱȱȱ Price: Available Upon Request Restaurant. Price: Available Upon Request For information or to inspect, please contact: Sam Sammis, Owner ~ (802) 522-8500 November Journal Taking Stock by Bill Felker At the end of August, I the same results—even being took inventory of what was excited at the same results? happening around the yard Fifty years ago, I was al- and in the alley. When I ways hungry for new sensa- compared my notes with the tions. I did everything I could observations from the same just to do it, just because it day in previous years, I found was different from what I had that little had changed one done before. year to the next. These days, I fi nd novelty My seasonal inventories in repetition. I am glad to fi nd are like that. They often the same plant in the same recreate the past; sometimes place blooming at the same they also heighten my aware- time year after year. I am ness of the present and give glad to hear the cicadas and me a feel for the future. The the katydids summer after repetitions of events rein- summer. force a sense of grounding. If each year is generally They bring few surprises or like the previous year, next disappointments. year may well be the same This year, someone asked as this year. But I am never photo by Billings Farm & Museum me if I could give an excuse completely sure, and so I live Basting the turkey for Thanksgiving in the farmhouse at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, VT for my listings, some practi- in a low-grade state of cos- cal application for writing mological suspense. There is down the same phenomena much at stake, it seems to me, Th anksgiving year after year. I made up in tracking the recurrence of a response on the spur of the most common events; I can see my mother stand, Grandpa, too, with hearty greeting, the moment about the meta- maybe even sanity is at stake. Tallow candle in her hand, Uncles, aunts, and cousins meeting; phoric quality of all nature, And there is always com- As some fi fty years ago she used to be; And the dinner will be coming by and by. but later I thought about pensation enough in doing “Now wake up, boys,” she is saying, Einstein’s statement about the experiment one more “It has snowed enough for sleighing”; Now the longed-for time is here: insanity as doing the same day. Each time, I am reas- Then we rub our eyes and listen, Bert and me. “You may sit right there, my dear”— thing over and over again and sured and reaffi rmed by the Such a feast as this was never seen before. expecting different results. results: I can know at least a “Baby Ernest is asleep, O, I never shall be able And so then I asked myself: portion of the future. It is a Very quiet you must keep To describe that loaded table, What is doing the same thing place I have visited before. It As you dress and come to breakfast right away; Everything you ever heard of and some more. over and over and expecting is familiar ground. It is home. You remember it’s Thanksgiving, And sure as you are living “I’ll bet I’ll eat more than you! We will drive to ‘little grandpa’s’ in the sleigh.” We will weigh when we are through, To discover who the champion may be.” Now I hear the sleigh bells ring, Now at last the meal is over, Keeping tune with hearts that sing, And we give the bones to Rover; As we smoothly glide along the pathless road. “Guess the dog is most as glad as you and me.” While our hearts are beating wildly, We express the truth but mildly, Grandpa shows his pigs and cows, Visit our website at www.vtecostudies.org As we boys exclaim, “I’m awful glad it snowed.” And the hay that fi lls the mows; VCE, PO Box 420 • Norwich, VT 05055 Then we play and visit till we have to go. (802) 649-1431 • [email protected] Now I see my grandma stand, Once again the bells are jingling, Signs of fl our on her hand, Frosty air sets faces tingling; And l guess she’s just been making chicken pie; Then we fall asleep beneath the buffalo. Brown Bag Lunch Series —NATHANIEL MOODY Waterbury, VT 1844-1893 Speakers • Music • Demos Since 1954, an every weekday at noon organization of Bring your lunch! Vermont enthusiasts Useful Vermont Websites Strolling of the Heifers whose objective is to Vermont Tourism Site: vermontvacation.com River Garden Headquarters visit the state’s 251 Vermont Chamber of Commerce: visitvt.com 157 Main Street Brattleboro, VT towns and cities. Vermont State Parks: vtstateparks.com See the complete schedule Green Mountain National Forest: fs.fed.us/r9/gmfl on our website wwww.vt251.comww.vt251.com Discover Vermont Vacations: discoververmontvacations.com www.strollingoftheheifers.com ((802)802) 234-5039234-5039 Vermont Outdoor Guide Association: voga.org Teacher Treasures BAKERY, DELI A Teacher Resource Store & More! Scrapbooking Materials & Gently FARMS GREENHOUSE Used Books/Lending Library 722-3395 & GAS “A Hands-On Store” Southern School Year Hours: Vermont 2–5 pm Wed–Fri and 10–5 on Sat Dairy Goat (802) 365-4811 • (802) 365-4426 fax Assocation VT’S LARGEST FARM MARKET Cynthia W. Nau • [email protected] www.vtgoats.com Homemade Pies – 10” Pies from Scratch Right on Rt. 30—just north of Newfane Village Pumpkin, Pecan, Four-Berry, Apple and more! — Featuring Made-to-Order — Vermont Country Sampler Sandwiches, Homemade Pizza and Mac & Cheese November 2017, Vol. XXXIII The Vermont Country Sampler is distributed free Pressing our own Vermont Apple Cider over-the-counter in and out of Vermont. Advertising rates on request. Deadline the 10th of the preceding Hard Cider, Wine and Beer month. Calendar of Events published free of charge. Seating Area • Garden Center • Restrooms Mail your information to us by the 15th of the Gas Station • Superb Service preceding month. Northern Forest Vermont Country Sampler Canoe Trail Free WiFi • www.allenbrothersfarms.com P.O. Box 197, N. Clarendon, VT 05759 Guidebook • Maps Easy on/off I-91, Exit 5 • Route 5, Westminster, VT (802) 772-7463 Membership • Volunteer [email protected] www.vermontcountrysampler.com (802) 496-2285 Hours: 5:30AM - 9PM • 7 Days a week northernforestcanoetrail.org Page 2 Vermont Country Sampler, November 2017 photo by Billings Farm & Museum Draft horses hitched up and waiting to pull a wagon full of visitors around the farm at Billings Farm & Museum in Woodstock, VT. Woodstock, VT Celebrating Thanksgiving Traditions at Flames Stables Route 100 South, Wilmington, VT (802) 464-8329 Billings Farm & Museum Billings Farm & Museum, horses for a ride around the values. The Farm & Museum dents’ weeks, 10:00 a.m. to gateway to Vermont’s rural farm. In the education room, has served as a gateway to 4:00 p.m. Admission: adults: Scenic Horseback Riding heritage, will be open for hands-on activities for all Vermont’s rural heritage $15.00; 62 & over: $14.00; Year-Round Trail Rides Thanksgiving Weekend, Fri- ages include “making the for over 1.7 million visitors children 5-15: $8.00; 3-4: $25 for 40 Min. day- Sunday, November 24 – perfect pie crust” and peeling and 340,000 of the region’s $4.00; 2 & under: free. The 26, 2017 from 10:00 a.m. to apples for drying. school children. Farm & Museum is located Children Over 6 Can Ride Alone 4:00 p.m. The weekend will one-half mile north of the ~ By Reservation ~ feature traditional cooking November Weekends Open daily April 1 through Woodstock village green on demonstrations in the farm- Enjoy Billings Farm dur- October 31, 10:00 a.m. to Vermont Route 12. For infor- Great Family Fun house, horse-drawn wagon ing the late fall as our season 5:00 p.m., weekends Nov. – mation: (802) 457-2355 or At the Lowest Prices Around! rides, farm tours, Introduc- winds down, the brilliance of Feb., and Christmas & Presi- www.billingsfarm.org. tion to Milking and Milk- foliage has softened, but the ing the Herd programs and weather is still pleasant. hands-on food preparation Come visit on November and preservation activities. 4 & 5, and 18 & 19.