Vermont Travel Notes

Grunberg Haus Applesauce Pancakes

We're always very happy to share our recipes here at the Grunberg Haus. In fact, some of our recipes were handed down by the previous owners 11 years ago when we bought the inn, others we brought with us, and still others we've come across while searching for new ideas to offer our guests. So we don't jealously guard our recipes and instead freely pass them along for others to enjoy.

One person we shared a recipe with has written about it on her blog called A Mom Named Mindy (sadly no longer online). The recipe is very easy so give it a whirl and perhaps you will fall in love with applesauce pancakes as much as Mindy has!

Two quick notes: the lemon juice may not seem important but the acidity is what gives the pancakes their "body" and helps them brown properly. Another trick we use here is full flavored Grade A Dark Amber Vermont maple syrup.

Thanks Mindy! We hope to see you again some day.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Vermont Is Giving Away Gas Money!

The Vermont Department of Tourism is giving away $100 in a weekly drawing that you can enter online. It only takes a minute to answer about 12 survey questions and you're entered to win a $100 gas card. Nowhere else will pay you anything let alone a hundred dollars a minute!

[But wait, there's more! We'll even throw in beautiful scenery like the one above!]

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

New Dog Mountain Video and Burlington Exhibit

There is a fun, new YouTube video about Dog Mountain's 2010 fall festival in Saint Johnsbury VT. Stephan Huneck, artist and founder of Dog Mountain and its famous Dog chapel, passed away earlier this year so all the events from now on are in part memorials to his life and work.

Coincidentally, Frog Hollow gallery in Burlington is currently staging a Stephan Huneck exhibit through the end of this month. It features Huneck's prints, sculptures and books including a posthumously printed book entitles "Even Bad Dogs Go To Heaven" and even a replica of Dog Chapel.

Frog Hollow is the Vermont State Craft Center and features works from 250 Vermont artisans. It's located at 85 Church Street in Burlington. Their summer hours are still listed on the website but it should be open most days during winter. You can call (802) 863-6458 for details.

Both Dog Mountain and Frog Hollow also have Facebook pages.

All dog lovers should plan a visit to Dog Mountain located just outside Saint Johnsbury Vermont. It's open seven days a week year around and has festivals each year. For your GPS, plug in the address: 143 Parks Road, Saint Johnsbury, VT, 05819

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Shelburne Vineyard Wine and Food Festival Saturday

Shelburne Vineyard's Autumn Wine and Food Festival will be held tomorrow, Saturday, November 13 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

There will be free wine tastings, live jazz performances, and local food products from VT Smoke and Cure, Cavendish Game Birds, Olivia�s Croutons, VT Creamery, Shelburne Farms, Fat Toad Farms, Red Hen Bakery, Bread & Butter Farm, Daily Chocolate and Shelburne Kitchen.

Wine tasting includes Shelburne Vineyard, Eden Ice Cider, Artesano Mead and East Shore Vineyards.

This event is a benefit for the Chittenden Emergency Food Shelf. Visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation and enter a raffle to win food and wine prizes.

Shelburne Vineyards is located south of Burlington VT on Shelburne Road between Shelburne Museum and the VT Teddy Bear factory.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Champlain Valley Quilt Guild Annual Show

Shelburne Farms Coach Barn

28th Annual Quilt Show: Homage to Grandmother
Saturday October 30, 2010 10 to 5
Sunday October 31, 2010 10 to 4
Shelburne Farms Coach Barn

The Champlain Valley Quilters will be hosting their 2010 quilt show in the Coach Barn
at Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, Vermont, Harbor Road off Route 7. There will be quilt
displays, merchants, a silent auction, quilt raffle, handmade crafts, and special exhibits
and demonstrations.Lunch and refreshments will be available. Free parking; admission is $6.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Hardwick VT Featured in Yankee Magazine

Once the site of a thriving granite mine, Hardwick VT became a pleasant but hardscrabble looking town after the mine closed. Then it got hit by a major fire five years ago which destroyed several important old buildings in the middle of town. But it has made an admirable comeback in recent years. Most of that is due to the local food movement. Several articles have appeared with headlines along the lines of : "The Town That Food Saved."

The current issue of Yankee Magazine now describes Hardwick as "The Center for an Agricultural Economy." It was written by Bill McKibben, a Vermont resident famous for his work on global warming. Mr. McKibben writes about some of the key people involved with the local food movement including the local investor funded restaurant, Claire's, and organic seed producer, High Mowing Seeds. It's an interesting read and provides insight into many of the related types of activities going on in Vermont today.

Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus, located about half an hour from Hardwick

09-09-09

I just found out that Magic Hat Brewing is having a "#9tacular" event tomorrow to celebrate 09-09-09, September 9, 2009. There's no mention of the next one a thousand years from now so it's best to attend this event which will be held on Church Street in Magic Hat's hometown of Burlington VT.

Magic Hat has a special affinity to nines because of one of the brewery's most popular beers is named #9. And if there's anything this company likes almost as much as beer, it's having a good time.

#9tacular starts at 6:00 pm and goes 'till 10:00. That's pm, not the next morning. There will be live karaoke, a performance by The Rubblebucket Orchestra band, a laser light show, a scavanger hunt to benefit the non-profit Burlington City Arts, and a chance to win a very cool #9 cruiser bike (contest ends Sept 18).

If you can't travel to Vermont for this, there will be many other #9tacular events around the country that may be nearer for you.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor (except the Magic Hat artwork) Grunberg Haus Inn

Alchemist Brewpub Update

The Alchemist Brewery and Pub is one of the most popular spots in this area for tourists and residents alike. Anyone who is a beer lover should put The Alchemist on your must-do list (bucket list?). It's located on South Main Street in Waterbury VT.

To keep up with what brewer John Kimmich is preparing, you can subscribe to the blog RSS feed. A recent entry talks about the gluten free offerings as well as other Summer Time Beers. John started preparing gluten free beer and food offerings after his wife and co-owner Jennifer discovered she needs to consume gluten-free products.

The food there is excellent so be sure to give it a try too. Executive Chef Jeff Lang uses a lot of locally grown fresh produce in his imaginative menu which you can look over on the website before you arrive.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Mother's Day Ideas

Nobody loves you as much as mom. You can give her a Mother's Day she will cherish with the gift of Vermont. Take her to a Vermont inn, restaurant, attraction, or simply a drive in the country.

If that's not possible this year, you can send Vermont to her with a Vermont Teddy Bear. They are very good at online orders and ship quickly. If you are going to travel to Vermont next weekend (Mother's Day is May 10), a tour of the Vermont Teddy Bear factory in Shelburne VT would be fun.

Vermont Teddy Bear has several pages of Mother's Day bears on its website, plus a grandmother bear too.

Make reservations soon and enjoy your day with mom.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Learn How To Make Chocolates Workshops in Stowe VT

Photo courtesy of Laughing Moon Chocolates

Laughing Moon Chocolates is a wonderful little store in Stowe VT which makes and sells an extensive line of chocolates using mostly locally produced ingredients.

Laughing Moon is offering workshops this spring and summer on how to make chocolates. These Chocolate Experience Workshops are intended for recreational users who would like to learn how to make their own candy at home. The cost is $150 per person. For more information and to register, contact owner Leigh Williams at (802) 253-9591.

Friday May 1
Chocolate Dipping Experience Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
A two-hour hand-on workshop on how to cook truffles, melt and temper chocolate, and hand-dipping.

Friday, June 26
Marshmallow Making Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
A two-hour workshop on how to make homemade marshmallow, prepare them for dipping, and hand-dip them in milk, dark and white chocolate. How to prepare S�mores or mix it with caramel or truffle centers.

Friday, July 10
Chocolate Dipping Experience Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
Same as the May 1 workshop above.

Friday, August 14
Local Bounty Workshop
6:00-8:00pm
Two-hour workshop highlighting Vermont made specialty foods including Mitzi�s Fresh Mountain Breakfast, Boyden Valley Winery, Rock Art Brewery, Green Mountain Distillers, The Nutty Vermonter & The Sweet Crunch Bake Shop. Thee will be instruction on how to make peanut butter using fresh Virginia-grown peanuts and work with other locally made foods to create chocolate specialties. Prepare homemade centers and hand-dip them in chocolate. Also, how to use fresh local blueberries and raspberries, and how to make make chocolate at home.

Laughing Moon Chocolates has created a niche by incorporating locally produced foods into their chocolates. They make truffles with Boyden Valley Winery Big Barn Red Wine, Green Mountain Distillers Sunshine Vodka and Maple Liquor, Flag Hill Farm Pear and Apple Brandys, and Rock Art Vermonster Beer. The store offers chocolate covered homemade cookies baked by the Sweet Crunch Bake Shop in Hyde Park, and using Mitzi�s Fresh Mountain Breakfast and The Nutty Vermonter�s Triple Nut Butters.

Even if you don't want to attend the workshops, you should visit the store just to see how good it smells! There is a great selection of chocolates to meet every taste. Online ordering is available on the website too if you can't wait to get here and try them.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Cheese Making Classes in VT April 3 and 4

Photo courtesy of River Arts

If you're a cheese lover, perhaps you should look into making it yourself. You may have wondered if it's easy to do. Here's your opportunity to find out.

River Arts in Morrisville VT is holding two days of cheese making classes this coming Friday and Saturday.

You will have the rate opportunity to learn how to make Mozzarella, Cheddar and Ricotta. The cost is just $35 for one day or $55 for two days. You can sign up on the River Arts website or call them at (802) 888-1261.

"River Arts is a nonprofit organization that brings the energy, creativity and experience of the arts to all ages. We serve the Lamoille Valley of Vermont from Hardwick to Cambridge, from Eden to Stowe."

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

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Mount Snow Brewers Festival April 4

This Saturday, April 4, Mount Snow in southern Vermont will be hosting its Winter Brewer's Festival.

The event starts around 2:00 pm and continues into the evening. Some of the brewers on hand will be Magic Hat, Allagash, Long Trail, Harpoon, Rock Art, and Red Hook, Stone, North Coast and Budweiser.

Admission is $12 for adults age 21 and older and it includes a free first drink and free Mount Snow pint glass.

There will also be live music and a BBQ.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

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Ben & Jerry's Winter Festival March 7

Ben & Jerry's Homemade ice cream 7th annual Winter Festival is tomorrow, March 7.

Their factory tours will be free of charge and they will have games, ice cream (!), snow sculptures, food, sugar on snow (melted maple syrup poured over snow), and a gift sale.

Umiak Outfitters will be there offering snowshoe tours, along with food samplings from Cabot Cheese, Red Hen Bakery, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, and Cider House BBQ Restaurant.

The event is at the Waterbury VT factory on Route 100 about 3/4 of a mile north (toward Stowe) from exit 10 on Interstate highway 89.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Cabot Cheese Super Bowl Recipes

Cabot Coop is a group of Vermont dairy farmers that was founded in 1919. They have a very good blog with lots of helpful information including recipes.

The blog just posted some Super Bowl Recipes I think you will find useful. They certainly sound delicious:

Point Spread
Cheese and Bean Quesadillas ("Sudden Turnovers")
Habanero Cheddar and Black Bean Spread
Hot as a Torch! Jalapeno Poppers
Baked Jalapeno Poppers
Hot Broccoli-Cheddar Dip
Pizza
"Pig Skins "
Hero Sandwiches
Nachos

The website also features a handy online recipe box you can use to store your favorites for future reference.

There is even a beer and cheese pairings page.

(c) 2009 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Unusually Good Sales in VT This Weekend

Somehow, long ago, the tradition of having super sales during deer season got started in VT. If you live here, you know what I mean. You see newspaper advertisements addressed to "deer season widows" whose husbands are off in the woods in pursuit of deer. The deer hunting season in this state is huge, and so is this kick off to the shopping season.

There are two super sales that you might be interested in as destinations or stop offs while traveling in Vermont this weekend.

One of the biggest sales is the Cabot Hosiery Company ("Darn Tough") annual sale in Northfield VT, just a few minutes drive from the state capital of Montpelier. The company has been holding this sale for 29 years and it is a big one. Cabot Hosiery makes socks for both indoor and outdoor wear. I plan to go tomorrow and load up on Merino wool socks.

I went to the Black Diamond sale a few years ago and was impressed with the great prices on outdoor wear, mostly winter jackets, pants, and hats. Black Diamond, located just outside Montpelier, has excellent good quality products.

Remember the famous line: "The more your buy, the more you save!" Our economy needs you. Well, actually, it needs your money.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Ben & Jerry's Online Halloween Games

One of the games on the Ben & Jerry's Halloween website pages is this "Undead Smackdown" (or ""Whack-A-Ghoul") game that I wasted about ten minutes playing. Use your mouse button to move the shovel and left click to bring the shovel down. Have fun!

I know from experience in talking with our inn's guests that many of them check the Ben & Jerry's website before they travel to Vermont (the company's Waterbury VT factory is about ten minutes from our facility). It is a very entertaining website with a mix of some seriousness thrown in once in a while.

If you go to the website, you can check the Ben & Jerry's Halloween page to find a lot of information including the history of Halloween, seasonal recipes, crafts, coloring book pages, safety tips, and some games. Note: when you go to the page and click on the Jack O Lantern, your pop-up blocker may prevent it from working. On Firefox browsers, click the bar above the web page and then click "Allow Pop-ups from benjerry.com." Then you can click the Jack O Lantern again to get into the website's Halloween section. Look at each page carefully and run your cursor over the various items that will then lead you to other pages.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

VT Teddy Bear Presidential Poll Shows Surprising Results

The next leaders of the free world. God help us.

In my September 21 entry, I mentioned that the Vermont Teddy Bear Company was selling Obama and McCain teddy bears. Now that the Vice Presidential candidates have been announced, Vermont Teddy Bear has rounded out the ticket with their four bears.

I had mentioned that it would be interesting to know which bear ticket was selling the most. In fact, if you look at the company's website, you will see that several thousand people have cast their "votes." You can do the same.

I was surprised to see that the McCain/Palin ticket was winning handily by about 2:1 over the Obama/Biden team - that certainly goes counter to all the polls I have seen lately.

Visit the company's Vermont stores In Shelburne VT and Waterbury Center VT, or order online the bears of your favorite candidates and don't forget to vote on November 4.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Vermont Fine Wood Furniture Festival in Woodstock

The Vermont Fine Furniture and Woodworking Festival is being held this weekend, Sept 27 and 28, in the central Vermont village of Woodstock. Look for the high school on Route 4 west of the village. Very good directions are on the website too.

The website also lists about 45 Vermont furniture and wood craftsmen including links to their websites. There are some great looking furniture being made here in Vermont so stop by the show if you can or shop from home if you cannot travel to Vermont this weekend.

If addition to the furniture festival, you'll get to visit Woodstock VT which is not only one of the prettiest villages in New England, I think it is one of the best looking in the country. It is located a few minutes east of Exit 1, Interstate 89 near White River Junction VT.

Bed by Walt Stanley, Brookside Woodworking. He writes an interesting blog too.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

National Hunting and Fishing Day Open House at Beagle Wear

Fishing and hunting are a big part of Vermont's heritage. For most native Vermonters, hunting is a tradition going back generations. There are many people here who take a week or two of vacation each year to go deer hunting. The regional radio station, WDEV, even broadcasts a few minutes each morning from a deer camp nearby once deer season opens.

VT deer hunting season is coming in the near future and the timing of the National Hunting and Fishing Day is well placed. To celebrate, Beagle Outdoor Wear is holding its annual open house at its store in Johnson VT , about 45 minutes north of us. The event goes from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and features some of the northeast's best hunters such as the Benoit Brothers and Bob Howe from Maine's Pine Grove Lodge.

Everyone is invited to this family event especially young people and adult newcomers who are interested in learning more about outdoor sports and how hunting and fishing affect Vermont�s wildlife.

Also attending the event will be VT Fish & Wildlife officials , Kingdom Knives, Outdoors Magazine, Iron Skillet Seasonings, VT Federation of Sportsmen, and the VT Big Game Trophy Club. Beagle Wear will be displaying their jackets and other clothing, some of which will be on sale. Plus, there will be a barbecue and door prizes.

Beagle Wear is traditional VT outdoor clothing manufactured in the USA and guaranteed for life. The company store is open most days but if you can't visit Vermont, you can order from their website.

Beagle Barn, Route 15, a few miles east of Johnson, VT

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Vote for the Best Bear for the Job

Did they have to make the ears stick out so much for the bear on the left? At least the bear on the right does not have age spots.

Who is the best bear to take on a bear of a job? You decide '08 . . . vote by purchasing the Obama Bear or the McCain Bear at Vermont Teddy Bear.

I imagine the company is keeping track of which one sells the most but they don't say anything on their website about releasing the results. It would be an interesting poll.

You can stop in their headquarters store in Shelburne VT, a few miles south of Burlington. You can also tour the factory there. The website link has information about tour and store hours.

VT Teddy Bear also has a store in Waterbury Center VT which has a full selection of bears and costumes plus a Pajama Gram outlet store where you can often find some very good bargains.

If you aren't traveling to Vermont before the election, you can order online of course and put your candidate on display for all to see - much more attention-getting than a bumper sticker or lapel pin.

I hope your candidate wins but, if not, you can curl up with your "best candidate" bear to comfort you through the next four years.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

CNN Article On Stephen Huneck Dog Chapel

I've written Vermont Travel Notes entries about Stephen Huneck's unique dog chapel in St. Johnsbury VT as well as his artwork and galleries around the state (the newest is in Stowe). His whimsical and sometimes touching artwork is very popular with dog owners all over the world. As a result, he has received publicity in a large number of places, the most recent being CNN and its website. The article is entitled "Doggy Disneyland draws animals, owners by the pack" and it's a good description of Stephen, his artwork, and his 175 acre farm with widely known dog chapel. It's quite a structure, requiring an expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars, and well worth a visit if you are a dog lover. From our inn, it is a little over a 45 minute drive to Dog Mountain..

Another great place to visit in the St. Johnsbury area is the Fairbanks Museum. I also recommend a drive north to Lake Willoughby and then over to the area around the town of Island Pond to do some moose spotting.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Waterbury's Alchemist Brew Pub Starts Blogging

The Alchemist brew pub and restaurant in Waterbury has been hugely popular right from day one four years ago. They have about seven excellent brews available including some standards and some specials from time to time. Moreover, they actually have a chef preparing food so the fare there is much better than the average hamburger and fries that most bars have. As a result, it is crowded most nights. If you like craft brewed beers, the Alchemist should definitely be on your list of places to visit in Vermont.

John Kimmick, the brew master, just started a blog and has one entry posted so far. It's a pretty good one as a matter of fact and gives the reader a good insight into what kinds of beers he is offering and some of the thought and work that goes into creating them.

The blog is called Notes from the Brewery and is subtitled "or What's Going on Down Here and Why." (The Brewing equipment is in the basement under the pub.)

I've seen quite a number of Vermont blogs get started only to dwindle quickly. That is why I usually wait until I'm sure the blog will really keep going before I recommend it or add it to my list of links in the left column of this blog. But I'm making an exception this time and we'll see how it works out. John even mentions being busy with work and family so I won't be surprised if the Alchemist blog has only occasional entries but that is OK as long as they are as good as the first one and John keeps writing them once in a while.

In addition to the blog, take a look at The Alchemist website for more information about the brews, the menu, news, operating hours, map, etc.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

New Long Trail Map Published by the Green Mountain Club

We're lucky to have the Green Mountain Club offices just a few minutes drive from our inn ( (map here). It is the single best source of information about hiking in Vermont. The club is best known for being the organization that maintains Vermont's Long Trail, the only trail that spans the length of the state from the Massachusetts border to the Canadian border.

The club has just issued its latest version of the Long Trail Map. You can order on the club's website which also has hiking books.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn

Spooky Beer from Magic Hat

The folks at Magic Hat Brewing are known for being, shall we say, a little off beam but they make a high quality product, have fun doing it, and contribute generously to charities.

They produce special runs from time to time and here is their Halloween seasonal offering:

The beer is great plus you get a distinctive box you can use to store your Halloween decorations.

They have a factory tour, tastings, and souvenir shop at their South Burlington factory.

(c) Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Vermont Inn

Fall Foliage Photographs

(c) Judith Lombardi Golden Acres Photography

There must be a billion photographs of Vermont fall foliage, mostly taken by us amateurs but there are some professionally taken examples that accurately render the scenes we saw but perhaps did not photograph too well.

One place to find excellent photos is at the fall foliage page on the Golden Acres website.

Golden Acres is the photography business run by Judy Lombardi of White River Junction, VT. She photographs mostly nature subjects which you can see on her beautiful web site.

Put a photo on your wall and you can enjoy a little of the magnificence of Vermont fall foliage year around!

Two Great VT Products for Winter

Beagle Tracker Jacket

If you will be traveling to Vermont in the next few months, take a look at your winter jacket before you come. If that old coat has already lead a full, productive life, maybe it's time to retire it and start looking for a replacement. Or, if you are all set for another winter, maybe you are looking for unique gift ideas.

I have a couple of suggestions for two very high quality Vermont made products. Conveniently, their stores are only a few miles apart in northern Vermont (map).

Most every outdoors person in this state has probably owned a Johnson Woolen Mills product and probably still has one or two. The company has been around for 165 years and it is a traditional favorite of Vermonters, especially hunters and loggers. The company not only makes its products in the USA, they make them here in Vermont. Anyone who has ever spent time with the average Vermont worker will agree that the word that best describes these people is "solid." They work steadily and are quietly proud of what they do. But they're nonchalant about it too as if being proud is too close to being boastful.

In addition to jackets, Johnson Woolen Mills is known for its long-lasting woolen pants and hats, capes and ponchos, handbags, and more.

Coincidently, the company has a store in a village named Johnson. It is in the middle of town, on Route 15 (click map link above).

If Johnson Woolen Mills is "old school," Beagle Outdoor Wear is the high tech version. Their outdoor coats and other gear are treated with the latest in waterproofing technology:

"1. Beagle outerwear is made from very tightly woven wool, treated with DuPont Teflon� fabric protector, so water beads up and rolls right off!

"2. Most products are available with FABTEX�-5X, a thin layer of breathable laminate, which stops wind and water from passing through.

"3. For cold weather, choose our MICROTHERM� lined models. Besides the extra warmth, it also wicks moisture away from your skin, keeping you toasty warm and dry."

Both companies have an excellent reputation in Vermont and their products are WARM, even in the middle of a Vermont winter.

Johnson Woolen Mills Boston Bag

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor [except product photos which are owned by the respective companies] Grunberg Haus

Vermont Holiday Cards

A Vermont holiday card created by a Vermont artist featuring a Vermont scene .

About an hour south of our inn, there is an artist who works in a small cottage producing richly detailed holiday cards that have a charming nostalgic look.

Mike Biegel, and cat Piper, live and work together near the village of Sharon. Mike produces a line of holiday cards to bring in some money to fund his ski habit and Piper's food habit.

You can see his full line of Vermont-inspired cards, and purchase them too, online at Vermont Holiday Cards and Holiday Cards Online.

Mike also has a web site for his commercial illustration work at mikebiegel.com.

Mailboxes across the country have already been filling with fall catalogs, and the Christmas holiday catalogs are not far behind. The more responsible of you reading this will probably be lining up your winter holiday card purchases soon so I thought I would get his posted now. For people like me, there will be a reminder on this blog in November.

Mike accepts assignments for custom work too. You can contact the artist directly at 802.763.7769 or toll free at 888.267.2300, or by email to mike{insert the "at" sign here]vermontholidaycards.com

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

"Ya Girl" Outdoor Clothing Made By and For Women

When I was in high school, I worked a few summers at the local J.C. Penney store. That was decades ago and, believe it or not, blue jeans for girls were just coming into fashion. I remember a number of high school and college girls strolling right into the men's clothing department to see if they could find a pair of jeans that would fit. Unfortunately, either the waist or the hips would fit but rarely both. It wasn't long before the manufacturers woke up and started producing jeans cut to fit women's bodies.

All that came back to mind when I came across Ya Girl work pants. These are tough, duck cloth work pants manufactured to meet the demands of outdoors activities such as hiking, farming, and gardening, while fitting the female body.

These rugged pants are made in the most rugged part of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom. It's a beautiful part of the state with a hardy environment. The people who live there are just as hardy (but friendly!) and most of them make their living outdoors. They need clothing that will stand up to a challenging environment and harsh work conditions.

"Ya Girl" clothing is designed, riveted, and sewn by women in Vermont. The next time you travel to Vermont, you can find them at Addison Outfitters in Vergennes, Middlebury Mountaineering in Middlebury, Outdoor Gear Exchange in Burlington, and The Pick and Shovel in Newport. Or order directly from the company's online store.

Vermont Gift Idea for Skiers

Magic Mountain Red Chairs Now on Sale

Here is a perfect gift for skiers: a chair lift swing from Magic Mountain in Londonderry Vermont. At $500 plus shipping, it's a little pricey I suppose but it does have the swing frame and a coat of fresh red paint or other color if you wish. Considering what skiers spend on their sport, this is a bargain. And of course, you have to add in the cool factor. The swing even comes with a double black diamond Red Line sign.

Earlier this year, Mad River Glen was selling its historic single chairs at auction for a minimum of $1000 each so with Magic Mountain's chairs you are getting twice the chair for half the price!

As they say, you'll be the only one in your neighborhood with a chair lift swing. Heck, you might even be the only one in your state.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Two Old Saps Vermont Maple Syrup Producers

Vermont Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup - our favorite

We go through about 12 gallons of maple syrup per year at our inn. We were buying it from some neighbors but their evaporator pan (used to boil down the sap to make syrup) cracked and they don't have the money to get another one. Further, they "aren't getting any younger" and are therefore thinking this is a good time to retire from the hard work of making VT maple syrup. We had to locate another supplier and after several phone calls, we found the best price at Two Old Saps in Lincoln Vermont, about 30 minutes south of Burlington in northwestern Vermont

I met Paul, one of the saps, the other day and had a nice chat along with getting a look at their sizable sugar house where they boil down sap from 2,000 maple tree taps. A neighbor of theirs was also dropping off some of his sap when I drove up.

You can't order online at their website but they do have a toll free phone number: 1-877-683-0269. If you are in the area, you can stop by for a visit but be forewarned that a normal car (i.e., low and two wheel drive) probably won't make it up their long dirt road that goes fairly deep into the forest. If you have a four wheel or all wheel drive, you shouldn't have much of a problem but the driving will be slow because of either the frozen ruts or mud depending upon the weather that day. That's just the way it is during Vermont's sugaring season.

You can read more about the different grades of Vermont maple syrup at the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association website.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Bag Balm: Probably Vermont's Second Most Famous Brand

When I was in college I worked at a pharmacy. One of the funniest (to a 20 year old) products at the store was something called Bag Balm . The pharmacist told me it was developed to keep the skin on cow udders moist so they would not become so dry and chapped that the cow would find milking painful. And the pharmacist also told me it was the best skin moisturizing product even though it cost far less than the upscale cosmetic creams the pharmacy also carried.

Bag Balm was not that well known back then but it is today, and it is still made in Lyndonville Vermont by The Dairy Association. The Dairy Association founded the business in 1889. Bag Balm became known nationally when famous reporter Charles Kuralt featured it on his television news series �On the Road� and in his 1985 book.

Bag Balm is great for hands dried by winter weather and it helps year around for cuts, scratches, skin irritations. Dog owners, groomers, and veterinarians use it on paw abrasions, and you will usually find it on farms where it is used on all types of animals.

The Dairy Association also makes products for horse hooves and leather goods but they will always be best know for that funny-sounding but great-working product called Bag Balm.

Interesting side note: The Dairy Association has been headed by only three people in its 118 year history and only four secretaries (or administrative assistants, as they are called today).

The Dairy Association's town of Lyndonville is a nice place to visit. It is located in the Northeast section of the state known as the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont's most rural and least populated area.

Lyndonville is one of three villages that comprise Lyndon. The other two are Lyndon and Lyndon Center. Yes, I know it's goofy but that type of arrangement is common in Vermont.

The town of Lyndon had already been organized 75 years before Lyndonville was built in 1866 to serve as a major railroad center, making it Vermont's only railroad-built town. Today the population is about 5,500, not one of whom has dry skin.

Vermont's best known brand? Ben & Jerry's ice cream, naturally!

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Vermont Ski Furniture

Most likely you have seen those chairs or tables made out of old skis but did you know that there is a company in Vermont that makes those products?

Vermont Ski Recyclers is a 12 year old, Morrisville Vermont company making furniture from outdated ski equipment that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill.

The furntiture is often used indoors but naturally the skis can hold up to many many years of outdoor use.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

Mad River Rocket Sled: Well Named

I ran into a friend and fellow innkeeper yesterday who very enthusiastically told me he had just purchased a Mad River Rocket sled. As he said, the product is well named and the emphasis should be on the word "Rocket."

I should explain that this guy is over 50 years old and not what anyone would call a wild man! But he had attended a demo put on by Waitsfield VT outfitter Clearwater Sports and had such a great time, he bought one of the sleds. I've heard of other people doing the same thing. The sled may look like a young person's toy but its appeal is much broader. Its reputation is growing too. I think the product is only a few years old but its popularity in this part of Vermont is strong. Everyone I know who has tried it has had a great time. They are fun to ride and easy to control.

Mad River Rockets sleds come in five models, range in price from $50 to $275, and are made in the USA just down the road a few minutes from me in Warren VT. You can buy on the web site or click a link to one of the retailers listed there.

When you are at the web site, be sure to see The Stash photo gallery for great photos of the sleds at Ranier, Utah, Italy, Germany.

Here is the best way to give this a try. Rent a Mad River Rocket sled at Clearwater Sports in Waitsfield VT for just $12 and have them give you directions to Lincoln Gap Road about 15 minutes drive from the store. This road is closed to car traffic in winter and provides a long, thrilling ride. Take a look at some YouTube video here and here to see how the sleds operate and how much fun they are.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus

Hammerhead: the Vermont-made High Tech Extreme Sled

It is interesting to see how geography and weather affects life. In a place where there is much snow and many hills, even leisure activities like sledding can get serious after a while.

Evidence of this is the Hammerhead, a full-out sled for those who want to see how far sledding can go. The company is located in the central Vermont town of Ferrisburgh, south of Burlington about midway to Middlebury. The sled is recommended for people at least ten years of age and is really designged with adult size sled drivers in mind. It measures 51" long x 9" tall x 23" wide.

The company has an outstanding quality website loaded with information right down to a link to the website of an industrial design consulting firm that helped develop the Hammerhead.

There is a very good review of the sled by Ken Picard on the Seven Days newspaper. The opening paragraph of that review actually summarizes the sled well: "Combine the operational simplicity of a downhill sled with the 21st-century engineering of a snowboard and the lightweight durability of a modern snowshoe, and what do you get? A sled that handles like a Ferrari and moves with nearly as much speed."

Also see the Find A Hill database submitted by the public at large in different states describing their favorite sledding hills.

The retail price is around $300. Yes, it's a lot for a sled but considering you will be going as fast as a rocket, it's a ton cheaper than rocket fuel. You should also budget a helmet and some protective gear in case your sledding hill has trees.

When you are in Vermont, check some of the local outdoor outfitters to see if you can rent one. I know Umiak Outfitters in Stowe rents them and they can also direct you to some local sledding hills (I like the one behind the Stowe elementary school).

There is another great sled made in Vermont called the Mad River Rocketsled and I'll post an entry about them soon too.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus