Any Vermonters Here??

Just wanted to say hi to all my neighbors in VT - I live in the North Country of NH (Lancaster) and I work in Guildhall and St. Johnsbury VT. So... hi!
Cyndy

DD lives in Hardwick...we have visited there and it is really beautiful. I don't think I could live there though....too much snow for too long to suit me.

We hear that a lot from people who decide the winters are too bad for them, then they move south because it's somehow better...then they get 3 hurricanes in one season!

We don't get hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes, hailstorms. We don't have poisonous snakes, spiders or scorpions (or they're rare). The spiders we do have are small and easy to deal with. (I read somewhere we only have about 350 different kinds of spiders)
All we get are snowstorms, but the snow comes all at once, that's why it seems so bad. We don't just get a couple inches, we get several at a time (usually), we get dumped on.

It doesn't even get really hot up here in the summer, and the change of seasons is fascinating...I never get bored with the weather. Just when you get sick of one kind of weather, it changes. Snow is one exception, but often late in the season we have snow, but it is rather warm outside and it is really nice.

I'll take the snow over hurricanes and other natural disasters any day! At least with snow we see it coming, and we don't have to hide in a cellar to deal with it.

Some say Florida or California is paradise...I say New England is paradise! I wouldn't live down south for anything.

The main reason for me though, besides the snow, is the short growing season.
I appreciate your love of Vermont. I also love the people there. I just can't give up my "zone 6"... Call me a baby...I know ...I know...

Howdy- this is a particularly useful thread for me right now... My wife and I lived in Hinesburg for several years (I know- I definitely know...Chittenden County is not Vermont) up until about 6 years ago. We left to farm in NH on the seacoast. We just finished a long-term lease on land we were farming. We did several big farmers markets and ran a 60-family CSA. We had a great profitable business, but two things happened...First, we were burning out from doing everything ourselves. We each averaged 90 hour workweeks eight months out of the year and held other "off farm" jobs in the winter. Secondly, our lease was not renewed as the parcel is up for sale for close to a million dollars. A two-acre lot in this predominantly middle class town just sold for $235K. We have always lived debt free, but to buy in this area would cripple us, despite significant savings.

At this point, we have made a decision to scale-back to a homesteading scale. We are particularly suited to this as my wife is a great grower and I have a background in forestry, blacksmithing, carpentry, welding and mechanical stuff. The problem is, we have looked at many realtors listings in VT, primarily in the NEK, and they have all been pretty crummy. We have also placed ads and look in Picket Fence and GMT Trading Post. No luck. we have one more year on a neighbors farmland at a smaller scale, but we are looking to buy ASAP. We have been looking for years and are not "newbies". However, I think what we need is to find an unadvertised parcel by word of mouth. We have several different plans that would work with a variety of types of parcels, so I'm not going to be too specific so as not to limit responses. Essentially, it would be nice to have approximately 3 open or reclaimable acres with the remainder as hardwood dominated woodlot. Please help with suggestions or land that you may know. Your assistance is appreciated!!

Regards, FarmerJeff

www.GatewaytoStowe.com (I know, I know, NOT where you want to be... but for the fact that the residents are THE demographic most likely to pay premium prices for fresh and organic. But there is a link to Frank Bryant's book on the index page.

We're using his book as our first "cull" of communities. In a relatively short time we won't be able to afford to keep our house (the taxes have gone up 200% over the past 4 years). So we're looking for a new community... Frank's book is an indepth look at political participation in town meetings across northern Vermont, and his observers editorialize on the character of the town's they visited. Many stats and many bits of helpful info.

Thanks for the assistance Morrison Corner- you're right, that's not exactly where we want to be, although the Mad River Valley is gorgeous. We used to particularly enjoy coming over the pass and down into Waitsfield on our way to American Flatbread. If you've never been, its a great place that truly celebrates local and bioregional perspectives. We are currently focusing on what we are calling "location independent" products, essentially value added goods that can be shipped to any location. This is something we are already having good results with, and certainly, the Vermont label never hurt anyone!

Hoping to get some other input from folks in VT!

The Mad River Valley is lovely... and you should seriously look at Hancock, VT if you like the region. Hancock lies at the junction of 125 and 100 with relatively easy access through Middlebury gap to Middlebury, access up 100 to Waitsfield and Warren, and going north, I-89. It is even "convenient" to the Rutland region. At a certain age you have to start thinking about what medical facilities you'd use if you need them, and Rutland Regional is developing a fine, fine, reputation. Hancock is also a mill town wedged between the mountains... farmland will be sort of slanted (!) and you might have to do some clearing to find it, but I'm sure there is some there, under all those trees!

The Made in Vermont Label I detest the use of bold, but this is important... if your business is going to be dependant on the use of "Made in Vermont" to establish your brand, or use "Vermont" in the name (as in "Vermont Salt and Spice Company" or "Vermont Flatbread" you need to get up to speed on the new regulations governing the use of "Made in Vermont" or "Vermont" in the name of the product. Let's look at "Vermont Butter and Cheese Company."

Vermont Butter and Cheese makes a butter which is a "high burn temp" butter. Chefs love this stuff. My husband loves this stuff. Expensive but it lasts forever and it doesn't burn in a pan. It is made in Vermont. No problem there, Vermont cream, Vermont manufacture.

They also make goat's milk cheese. They make LOTS of goat's milk cheese. So much of it they can't find herds in Vermont producting sufficient milk for their needs. The milk comes from Canada. But the cheese is produced in Vermont.

There is some question as to whether or not they are a "Vermont" company.

The whole thing is, frankly, perfectly terrifying. I have companies which could find themselves out of business overnight if this thing goes through. People with thousands invested in labels and their brand names who overnight will find themselves illegal. It is a nightmare. And what really sucks is it is one persons little vindetta which spun out of control.

Do NOT move to Vermont thinking "made in Vermont" or "Vermont Soap" unless you understand these new regs and can make them work for you.

Oh... and since you can't buy "Vermont lye" you can't make "Vermont Soap" can you?

Thanks for the input- I think you misunderstood me though...by location independent, I mean producing a product in a remote area independent of a population center but being able to ship to (in our case a small but already established) clientele nationwide. Currently we are doing well with a product that we produce entirely from produce grown on our land with the exception of jars and labels. We would be seeking to carry this over. Additionally, our marketing is not dependent on the Vermont name in any way.

But again, we are off track , does anybody have a lead on property for sale? This would be a cash deal and we are ready to buy now! We have looked at hundreds of parcels over the last five years. We'll know the right one when we see it!

In Coventry there is a sheep farm for sale (call an agent out of Woodstock)... 220 acres, topsoil 12 feet deep. Forests are in the management program.. 20 year cycle I think, and on year 8. The rest of the property is tied up in every tax break, tax credit, tax abatement, program you can imagine. Even the barn was rehabbed under the "Barn Again" program and comes with restrictions!

What this means in English is the price of the farm fell well below "fair market value" because it comes with all these restrictions. They did a lovely job of bringing the fields back, the barn is flawless, the woods (from a distance) look in solid health. But the asking price was, by our standards, cheap. We could have rolled our house and 7 acres for that property one for one, and lowered our tax bill at the same time. What stopped us was the drive time to my husband's job, and the fact that with such a long drive time the burden of the farm would fall completely on my shoulders unless we hired help. Which, by the by, you could do... there's a little cottage that goes with the place.