Vermont’s economy is stable throughout these challenging times. Tom Kavel, economist for the Vermont State Legislature, indicates that the state has put away $60 million in stabilization reserve funds and $30 million in the human services caseload reserve. The state is working on a level funding budget for next year. What does this mean for [...]

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In a July 28 National Association of Realtors press release, NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun spoke true words of wisdom when he said, “The best way to ensure a more solid recovery in housing is to simply return to normal, sound credit standards so more creditworthy home buyers can get a mortgage.” Yun’s comment follows [...]

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Ben Hewitt,  author of “The Town That Food Saved: How One Community Found Vitality in Local Food” and back-to-the-land activist,  brought great attention to the town of Hardwick, VT with his book. Some senior-level English, Hazen Union High School, students have been discussing Hewitt’s book. They believe there is more to the story. Nancy Demers, [...]

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Two words, “Holding Pattern”. They bring to mind a sense of suspension in time and suspension in activity. Vermonters with their homes already on the market, and some who had simply begun to contemplate selling, woke up to this two-word headline on their Sunday morning Burlington Free Press. Imagine the temptation to fling the paper [...]

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Wealth: An abundance of valuable material possessions or resources that have a monetary or exchangeable value. This means different things to different people, but one thing is certain, we work hard to earn our keep, acquire the things we want and afford the little and big extravagances that add spice to the daily grind. Wealth [...]

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John Churchman is a Vermont Artist and Photographer. He and his family live on a small, northern Vermont farm, thus many of the sights that capture his attention are very much grounded in the daily farm-to-table life he is so closely familiar with. A March 22 Burlington Free Press headline reads, “Vermont Photographer Turns Mud [...]

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The ripple effects of human tragedy reach far beyond land and oceans. We do not need to suffer the immediate consequences of nature’s unforgiving powers to react on a very personal level. On the one hand, we feel compassion for fellow humans who must face a sudden blow to the storyline of their lives; on [...]

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The price of food is rising. This typically happens every winter, but it seems more noticeable this year. Whether it is in the form of a good day of fishing, harvesting the land or a trip to the grocery store, securing nourishment is a biologically programmed trait. So when we hear on the news that [...]

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A recent Stowe Reporter article introduces a rather exciting concept for local merchants, visitors and residents. Indeed, Stowe Today, the Web version of the Stowe Reporter, and Townpool have teamed up to offer daily discounts on local services and products. “Starting Feb. 16,” the article informs us, “Visitors to StoweToday will be able to sign [...]

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An article published today, on the National Association of Realtors’ website, seems to confirm the market assessment brought to light in comments by economists who attended the January 12 International Builders’ Show (see Blog post titled Trendy Tuesdays). “Existing-home sales rose sharply in December,” begins the article, “when sales increased for the fifth time in [...]

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