The Ottauquechee River is the connector that has flowed throughout VINS’ (Vermont Institute of Natural Science) 50 years of educating Vermonters on the environment, from its beginnings in Woodstock in 1972 to its current day campus in Quechee in 2022. “It just seems very fitting,” Mary Graham, VINS assistant executive director, says, “We’re here on the Ottauquechee River now when we were founded in 1972 to clean up the river, so there’s that wonderful connection from the beginning until now, over the last 50 years.”

The origin of the VINS lies in a case to clean up the Ottauquechee River.… Read More

For April Lawrence and Ben Pauly, opening and operating their Quechee-based doughnut business, Farmer and the Bell, has been a serendipitous endeavor.

Now about a year old, their bakery – which doubles as their shop – attracts a long line of customers waiting for fresh doughnuts before 8 am when they open on the weekends.

“Each weekend it’s just so much fun for us to go in, and waking up super early doesn’t even matter because we just meet smiling faces (on) every single customer,” Lawrence said.

Farmer and the Bell, a name inspired by the couple’s memory of growing up in families that used a dinner bell, was an idea conceived during the pandemic and the result of picking up a new hobby to help pass the time while at home, Lawrence said.… Read More

The Quechee Club recently announced the adoption of its campus-wide master plan to enhance the club’s lifestyle offerings for its member community, marking the beginning of the largest project in the Club’s 52-year history. The overwhelming approval of the proposed first phase of the renovation plans transforms the four-season residential community’s position to provide a variety of outdoor recreational pursuits, premier amenities, and an inviting social atmosphere, all centered around the enjoyment of the club’s Upper Valley Vermont location.

Long in planning stages, an iteration of the plan was first presented to membership in 2010, but was never approved in its entirety.… Read More

“I loved coming here for 33 years,” says Marty Banak, founder and former owner and operator of Wilderness Trails and the Vermont Fly Fishing School at the Quechee Inn at Marshland Farms. “This was my spot.”

Wilderness Trails was an all-season outdoor hub that rented outdoor equipment such as canoes, kayaks, and bikes, gave cross-country skiing lessons, and housed the Vermont Fly Fishing School where Banak taught fly-fishing to eager fishermen and women, young and old, visiting or staying year-round in Vermont.

Banak first started the Wilderness Trails business in 1981 at 28 years old alongside his childhood friend Larry Boymer.… Read More

Through outdoor learning, students at the Ottauquechee School experience benefits such as, safe opportunities for student-directed play, learning through discovery, and connecting with new peers. 

In the beginning of the pandemic, “all classes were spending as much time outdoors as possible for safety reasons and to allow for a mask break as learning continued, using outdoor spaces next to the school constructed by Paul Sadowski (garden organizer and longtime outdoor leader at Ottauquechee) and volunteers,” said first grade teacher Jodi Tierney. 

More recently, however, most teachers have shifted back to learning outdoors mainly when it makes most sense for them and their students.… Read More

Jim Cardenali, ski instructor at the Quechee Ski School says, “Passion is key. You really have to have passion,” Passion, and his mentors that have become lifelong friends are the keys that have guided him on his path as a ski instructor and coach – with many fascinating stops along the way. 

Cardenali, a native of Webster, MA currently living in Norwich with son Luca (daughter Sophie lives in Burlington), is regularly on his skis; he works as a private instructor, helps with the Hanover High Race Team, coaches the Coast Guard ski team, and runs race camps at number of locations throughout the year from Stratton to France.… Read More

One might say that COVER Home Repair and its companion, the COVER Store in White River Junction, are among the original recycling centers in the Upper Valley. With a broad mission “to foster hope and build community in the Upper Valley,” COVER has found its niche offering home repair and weatherization programs for income eligible homeowners. Founded in 1998 with just two individuals, COVER has grown substantially over its 23 years, and the passion for COVER’s enduring mission still fuels the many volunteers and staff.

Helen Hong is COVER’s new Executive Director, recently appointed after many years as a volunteer and six years as a member of the COVER Board.… Read More

Growing up in urban Massachusetts in the 1980s, Nick Tsouknakis and his older brother, Alex found themselves in the family business of making pizza. After their cousins had emigrated to the United States from Greece, they made Greek-style pizza their contribution to their adopted county. Nick arrived in Massachusetts from Koufi, Crete at the age of four, and by the time he had turned twelve he was tossing out fresh dough, just like the rest of the family.

Nick and Alex kept in touch with family in their homeland throughout their youth, who had instilled in them the deep value of food and cooking.… Read More

When two local companies partner to better our community, magical things can happen. JAG Productions, based in White River Junction is partnering with King Arthur Baking Company in Norwich. While a theater company and baking company seem an unlikely pair, together they are co-producing a beautiful series of performances, “Theatre on the Hill.”

“Theatre on the Hill” takes place on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings between August 13 and September 12 on the grassy hill behind King Arthur Baking Company. Proceeded with food and drinks provided by Upper Valley favorites such as Munchie Rollz, Griddle and Groovy, and Wolf Tree, “Theatre on the Hill” is an outdoor theater series featuring an array of performances including workshop productions, concert musicals and staged readings. … Read More

Before the rise of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, most families made their living by a small-scale, decentralized manufacturing business often operated out of their homes. By far, the most important “cottage industry” – as it would eventually be called – centered on the production of yarn and textile fabrics. Key to its operation was the entrepreneur who purchased the raw materials, distributed them among working families, passed the semi-finished products from one artisan to another, and then marketed the finished products. In time, hand production methods led to the rise of the mechanized factory system in which textiles were still the dominant industry. … Read More