If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
Baby boy goats often have a very different fate than female goats on goat dairy farms. Find out what No Goat Left Behind is doing to change that.
Head to the North Fork if you're in the mood for large plots of farmland, farmstands, U-picks and wineries.
Thanks to its widespread support of artisanal farms and "cottage" food producers, Vermont is a delicious destination at any time of year, but fall brings particular bounty.
On dark days, when memories of spring speak of beginnings, fall can bring forth the fear of endings. Nature sleeps under its blanket of dead leaves. Daylight fades early and reappears late. We hover by the lampshade, and open a book.
Whether you call it leaf peeping, foliage following or just "spending a day outside," enjoying fall's colors is one of the simplest joys of this wonderful time of year. Whether you're practically a professional leaf-peeper or just a casual enthusiast, you'll need to know where to take in the season's splendor. Of course, there's much more to autumn than looking at leaves.
While the storm passed by New York City with a barely a sprinkle of rain, the storm that finally battered southern Vermont was a slow, relentless rain that soaked the area, breaking dams, flooding homes, and destroying businesses.
One year ago I sat here and called my congregational leaders and we reviewed the weather forecast and reluctantly decided to cancel church services the next day. By the middle of the next morning, Hurricane Irene had devastated the community where we live.
I am not really a "nature girl," so promises of fly fishing lessons and campfires in the Vermont woods did not entice. But to the woods I went -- and I was absolutely floored.
The event was not unusual for the political season: some local candidates spoke, but the main attraction was the first debate for the Democratic candidates for Vermont's Attorney General, the 15-year incumbent Bill Sorrell and the challenger, state's attorney TJ Donovan.
It is time to speak out. It is time to listen. It is time to act. Access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human right. It's going to take basic human action to make it happen, with all of us working, caring, growing food, sharing our stories and sharing the food at our tables.
With more than 20 breweries around the state, Vermont is also known as one of the premiere beer-crafting hot spots in the country. You can always make a pit stop at one of the brewing locations to see what all the fuss is about or sign up for an Official Passport and head out on the Vermont Brewery Challenge.
Under the insurance industry's radar, a grassroots movement for the human right to health care prompted the state of Vermont to pass the country's first law for universal, publicly financed health care.
Unlike people in the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, Australia, South Korea, Japan, Brazil, China, Russia, New Zealand and other countries where labels are required, Americans don't know if the food they eat has been genetically altered.
As we reach planetary boundaries, endless growth is not the answer. We need progress and we cannot have progress without measuring what we value, even if it isn't monetized.
It sounds cliche to say that being a pastor is the hardest thing I've ever done, but it's true. And yet, I can't imagine doing anything else.
