Going to Vermont

[gordonzola]

So, I just did it, I booked my tickets to go to the only states in the country I’ve never visited and check out dairy farms and cheese makers. Does it snow in Vermont and Maine in April? I don’t want to die!

I’ve got a lot of things planned already, but it there anything, especially in Vermont, that I need to see or check out? Unfortunately, I had to shorten this vacation because of some construction/production issues at work, but Vermont appears to be like the size of my high school parking lot so I can probably fit some other things in if you, Dear Readers, have suggestions.

Comments

[dobrovolets.livejournal.com]

It's even been known to snow in Long Island in April, so the odds are even better/worse in Vermont or Maine.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE! ;)

It's been awhile since I've seen snow. as long as it doesn't prevent travel, I actually wouldn't mind.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

We're going to Tillamook next month so deyo can roll around in the raw curds. It's not artisan cheese, but he's not picky. :)

And cool! Probably won't snow. :)

I have Maine friends. Want I should link this and ask?

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

That's be great. Mostly I'll be in Vermont with a one day trip to Rockport, Maine.

[elgee-isaac.livejournal.com]

chances are dear Gordon, that you will encounter some snow *shiver*. though there can also be moments of the beauty of springtime, lilacs and forsythia and pussywillow. But that is later in the month and more south than north.
Where in VT. will you be going? Vermont is very beautiful so perhaps you will be smitten with it and never return. Check out the wooden bridges which we used to call "kissing bridges". Enjoy the dirt roads if they are not laden with snow.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

I will be going everywhere in Vermont. It's small and filled with dairies!

[ladycakes.livejournal.com]

the snow will not kill you.

drive slow and don't slam on your brakes...pump them

[nihilistic-kid.livejournal.com]

Eh, it ain't gonna snow.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

Don't rain on my snow parade.

[fidelity-astro.livejournal.com]

You should head over to neighboring New Hampshire for some sales-tax-free fireworks.

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

Then bring them home on the plane? :)

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

there are so many cheese events I can't possibly make them all.

[arasay.livejournal.com]

I think you should mention that thing about how VT=your high school parking lot whenever possible. Because you know those little states LOVE being reminded about how petite they are!

[dafydd.livejournal.com]

Troublemaker...

;-)

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

We mock gently when it storms here:

"Big weathah."
"Ayup."

:)

[sdn.livejournal.com]

dates? because i'm coming to YOUR CITY in april.

also, ping librarian -- she knows you had a trip in mind and she is great.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

4/17-4/24.

and thanks for the tip.

[sociofemme.livejournal.com]

Yay Vermont! Right now, in Burlington, VT, where I am, it is sunny and quite warm. It's been unseasonably warm all winter, in fact. But then, we're right up against Lake Champlain, where it stays cold but comparatively snowless. I would venture the guess that your trip in April will be slightly chilly and VERY muddy, but not snowy.

Either that, or we'll get that snowstorm we've been waiting for all winter. Oh, New England weather, how I love you.

[sociofemme.livejournal.com]

As far as seeing the sights, make sure you get some Lake Champlain chocolates. OMG TO DIE FOR. And of course, we have all the newest and most experimental Ben & Jerry flavors, yum. Tour the factory if you want even newer flavors--there's a couple of samples at the end.

[vestalvixen.livejournal.com]

Tell me you're kidding about the snow (although, yes, one year there was a blizzard on April 1st).

Fuck, man, those states are boring.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

yes, I'm kidding.

those states are boring to you because you're a cheese hater.

[aulaitcru.livejournal.com]

Will it snow in Vermont in April? Maybe, and it depends a lot on how far north you're venturing. My parents have had snow as late as mid-May.

Spring snows rarely last long, though and it being Vermont, crews are out immediately to clear the roads. (It's actually safer to drive in VT after an 18" snowfall than it is to drive in Philly after a 3" snowfall.)

VT is ridiculously quaint and bucolic, just about any place you go will be sickeningly picturesque.

Bring sturdy boots that you aren't afraid to get dirty. March and April are "mud season." And with more dirt roads than paved roads and visiting fams and cheesemakers you're going to encounter lots of mud.

Brattleboro has a great co-op. Worth checking out if you like visiting other co-ops.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

the co-op is already on my list. whoo-hoo!

[muncher.livejournal.com]

hq447 sent me.

About 12 years ago, I enjoyed going to Skunk Hollow Tavern in Hartland (on the east side of the state, in the CT River Valley). Tiny little town, and I recall some interesting live music there and decent food. Nearby is Woodstock, major tourist town - the idyllic New England town of cinema lore. You can do a glassblowing tour at Simon Pearce (http://www.simonpearce.com/CSTM_GlassTour1.aspx) in Quechee or Windsor, also along the river valley.

There's always Stowe, in central VT. Cute town, home of the Trapp Family Lodge (http://www.trappfamily.com/index.php), the family of Sound of Music or whatever.

I also recommend doing something out on Lake Champlain, though I'm not exactly sure what's possible that time of year. Kayaking on the lake is fantastic though.

[liveavatar.livejournal.com]

I don't know whether it's still there, but a while back there was a wonderful restaurant in Burlington that served the Best Evar 40-Clove Chicken. Don't schedule anything heavy after you eat it, though, because the sedative effect will put you out for at least an hour. :) Ah, that memory lingers still.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

wow, that sounds pretty great.

[ame-chan.livejournal.com]

Brattleboro is great. Mocha Joe's has some great coffees. The King Arthur Flour Co. is just over the river in New Hampshire (near Dartmouth College) and they have tours and a big factory store.

Vermont weather is very unpredictable, It is still winter for them. Still quite cold. I'd say pack for inclement conditions, lots of layers. Snow is a definite possibility this time of year.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

Definitely layers ! And King Arthur is in Norwich VT (they must have a store in Dartmouth, a cool little town as well?)

Forgot to say that for coffee - http://www.capitolgrounds.com/ in the lovely capitol city of Montpelier is a great place. Plus Montpelier is the smallest state capitol or something like that - the only one without a McDonalds in the country! (yay us!) (You will note btw that one thing I ADORE about my transplant home of VT (I'm *from* MI) is that in VT? NO BILLBOARDS!!! YAY!

http://kingarthurflour.com/ourstore/ Thanks for the reminder btw - I've not been there yet but gourmet friends of ours swear by the King Arthur Store! :-)

[clover44.livejournal.com]

I live in MidCoast Maine and we have absolutely no snow on the ground and I don't see any in our future. It certainly is possible but I don't see it this year.

When I lived in NH it snowed on my 11th birthday - May 17th!!!

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

I got snowed in for a week once, in April -- in California.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

AH! Well! I just happen to *live* in Shelburne VT. (my friend tammylcpointed me to this post.

I do know that Shelburne Farms Cheese is supposed to be quite good - it *used* to be the only American Cheddar that Zingerman's Deli in A2 carried (but I think that has since changed - still - it's good and they let you taste various ages of it.) Shelburne Farms also happens to be a lovely place to tour with a gorgeous barn that looks like a place I would cheerfully live in! While you are there you can check out the bread made by O'Bread is quite yum. It's also a nice place to hike around a bit.
http://www.shelburnefarms.org/

I'm sure that these guys - the Artisan Cheese Society (http://www.cheesesociety.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=22) out of UVM could point you at great artisan cheesemakers in the state - they must know them all! http://www.cheesesociety.org/associations/2382/membersearch.cfm that's the search which, sure enough, lists lots of members in VT!


I know of a few as follows:
http://www.blueledgefarm.com/
http://www.graftonvillagecheese.com/
http://www.vtbutterandcheeseco.com/
http://www.vermontshepherd.com/
http://www.sheepcheese.com/ (not open to public)
http://www.vtcheese.com/
http://thistlehillfarm.com/
And I don't have web sites but also something like Lazy Lady Farm?? and
Orb Weaver Farm - 3406 Limekiln Road - New Haven, VT 05472

I've tried all of those at various times and enjoyed them. BUt you can poke around.

This: http://www.vtcheese.com/vtcheese/charliestory.htm could be fun (the VT Cheese trail)

A culinary spot I've always wanted to see but haven't made yet is
http://www.farmersdiner.com/ Read about em - apparently they got rave reviews in the NYTimes food section. The cool thing is that they try to use all local food (or nearly all).

NECI is great to visit and there is one downtown in Burlington on Church St which itself is fun to browse for used books and *stuff* - pedestrian shopping street.

This is not a dairy but a fun place to look for cheese at great prices is
Cheese Traders and Wine Sellers in S. Burlington on Williston Rd.
A sort of "outlet/deli" :-)

Lake Champlain Chocolates (http://www.lakechamplainchocolates.com/default.aspx) is quite good chocolate and the "factory tour", though short, is fun and more to the point you can buy yummy stuff "seconds" there (not perfect but tastes just as good!)

For more hoity toity chocolates check out:
http://www.blackflowerchocolate.com/ which is literally up the street from me! :-)

If you are into wine you can check out: http://www.shelburnevineyard.com/ which is also local to me and, I am told, up and coming. (although I don't know wine well at all)

Well - that's probably more info than you need.

It *can* snow in VT in April, it has. To be safe I'd assume cool but not cold and bring layers. It's likely to be oh 50-60s I think in April. Layers are your friend in VT. If you go to Stow for example (pretty and fun touristy town and near Mt. Mansfield) and climb or hike Mt. Mansfield it will be cold on the mountain (duh). ;-)

BTW - Ben and Jerry's is the biggest tourist attraction in VT and yes, the factory tour is kind of fun, but frankly, unless you have kids - give it a miss. Lake Champlain Chocolates makes ice cream now which is to die for!!

Umm... goes that help!? Feel free to prod me for other ideas.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

And, oh yeah, I had fun touring the Cabot store but admit that Cabot is sort of in the category of "quite good supermarket cheese" but the fun thing is all the cheesy comestibles they have (like various cheese flavors to shake on popcorn!)

Dakin Farms is also fun. It's a little like a "VT tourist place for foodies" I guess - they have excellent Maple Syrup, yummy horseradish cheese dip, really tasty maple smoked jerky... that sort of thing. Good food. They are near us in Charlotte so not that far from Burlington either.

Have fun! VT is a lovely state - the prettiest time is arguably the fall but that's also the busiest and the lake is lovely in the spring.

[amarama.livejournal.com]

It may snow.

I spent lots and lots of time in Burlington as a youth, and it is also where I got all my cancer stuff done. There is a downtown in Burlington that will remind you of Ithaca's. Most of the places I went 10-15 years ago no longer exist.

Vermont is small, but the roads can be treacherous, so beware.

The north country/NE Kingdom of Vermont is the best part, most gnarly, least cute. Best things to observe are general live-free-or-die-ness. Bumper stickers that tell NYers to go home and people to buy locally-produced milk and etc.

And hear is my favorite place in Vermont:

http://www.vermonter.com/hopecemetery.asp

[amarama.livejournal.com]

Hear? Here.

[sarahshevett.livejournal.com]

It always snows the first week of April. Every year.

[folkmew.livejournal.com]

Really!? Ok, now I have to start keeping records! :-)

I notice you have goats! Cool. My friend is going to raise sheep and I keep urging her towards goats. Years ago we went to the MI state fair and met "the goat lady" as we called her everafter. "Get a goat! " she said, "A horse!? A horse will eat you out of house and home, but a goat! A goat, pays for itself!" :-)

I suppose sheep are nice too though.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_mymy/]

will you ever come visit pennsylvania? we need to hang to hang out again. but first, pay for your ebay auctions! ;)

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

oh crap. sorry about that. I forgot to check the account I use for ebay. ooops!

[kightp.livejournal.com]

Here via mactavish: I spent a week in Maine last June, and the weather ranged from hot and sunny to drizzly to foggy to blustery, sometimes in the course of one day. Being a Northwesterner myself, I felt right at home. Pack some light wet-weather gear, a sweater and plenty of dry socks and you'll be fine.

As for things to do: If you're fond of tasty arthropods, eat lobster. You don't even have to pony up for the whole shell-cracking experience. Just about every small town has a diner or fish shack that serves lobster rolls: Lobster meat and a touch of mayo on a soft bun.

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

yes, lobster yes! thanks for the tip.

[thisisthenow.livejournal.com]

If you can schlep over to Burlington, it's pretty cool. Just avoid the smelly patchouli smelling hippies in the center of town (unless you're looking for some ganja, but something tells me that maybe cheese and weed don't mix. Stick to wine.) And you can't turn around in Vermont without tripping over a dairy or two.

Speaking of wine, Boyden Valley Winery is nice to do a wine and cheese tasting:
http://www.boydenvalley.com/tours.html

[gordonzola.livejournal.com]

yay wine. know any craft breweries?

[chitinous.livejournal.com]

Ben & Jerry's factory - free ice cream!

[cpf.livejournal.com]

Seconding the mention of mud season. That's actually what everyone in the state refers to spring as. The combination of thaws and rainwater make a real mess. I doubt it will snow much, but there may still be snow on the ground, especially in the higher elevations (NE Kingdom, ski areas). Good boots are a must.

Folkmew mentioned Shelburne Farms, and if you do end up there (it's just south of Burlington and I assume that is where you are flying in to) and your trip extends into May at all you should check out the Shelburne Museum (which opens May 1st). http://www.shelburnemuseum.org/ If not, peruse the website and kick yourself for missing out on the best thing in Vermont.

I was going to suggest checking out the Brautigan Library, but apparently that has been moved to the Presidio branch of the SFPL (lucky you!).