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Black Friday: Buying Local, Buying Made in Vermont
This holiday season, I’m opting out of the traditional box store shopping binges and foregoing plastic. I’m not only buying local, but I’m buying handcrafted in the USA, supporting both local businesses and the online handmade mega house Etsy. Shocking? Maybe, to some at least. Beyond the growing “buy local” craze is a growing momentum of buying handmade in the USA from home-based artisans and crafters, many of whom are selling their wares on sites like Etsy and Artfire. Before discovering Etsy, whenever I thought of “handmade” I used to conjure up images of church sales, knick-knacks, tired knit scarves and granny square crocheted blankets. But online sites, like Etsy, and an…
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A Christmas Bazaar Weekend
With the beautiful and warm weather we’ve had lately, it’s hard to imagine that the holiday season is nearly here. To get jazzed up for Christmas, why not make your way around the various Christmas Bazaars that are taking over the NEK this weekend. Here’s a quick peek at some of the upcoming holiday craft events. Friday, Nov. 11th: NVRH hosts the annual hospital Christmas Bazaar, 9 a.m. and throughout the day. Saturday, Nov. 12th: Hardwick Holiday Bazaar (Hardwick), United Church in Hardwick, S. Main St. Brownington Craft Fair (Brownington), Brownington School, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. 12th Annual Christmas Bazaar (Derby), Newport Elks Lodge #2155, Route 5. Opens at 9a.m. to…
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NEK Moms Weekend Scoop: December 4-5
Looking to bring family fun and holiday cheer to a potentially snowy Northeast Kingdom weekend? Here’s what going on around the kingdom: Saturday, December 4th: It’s Christmas Fun in downtown Lyndonville! 10a.m. Kids’ crafts at the Cobleigh, 12:00 visit with Santa at the Darling Inn. Wagon rides and cocoa, too! Catch the downtown holiday shopping bustle! Info call 626-9696. North Pole Express Train comes to Lyndonville. Contact theLyndon Freighthouse for tickets. 21st Annual Glover School Craft Fair, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. – crafts, bake sale, raffle, holiday music, Santa visits at 11:a.m. Winter Farmer’s Market, St. Johnsbury, 10 a.m. – 1p.m., Depot Square. Free Bowling Night, Waterfront Lanes in Newport.…
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Cut Your Own Christmas Trees
Excited for the holiday season, our family set out to cut our own Christmas tree last weekend. Though Thanksgiving leftovers still sat in the refrigerator, we couldn’t resist what seemed like the perfect Vermont day for our own Chevy Chase Christmas Vacation tree outing. It was snowy, but not frigid, and the roads and trees were covered with fresh snow. We discovered that Caledonia County (here in the NEK) takes the annual cake for the number of Christmas trees sold in Vermont. After doing some research, we settled on Steve Parker’s Christmas Tree Farm–High Reach Farm–in Danville (accessible through Danville or Wheelock). Parker’s tree farm doesn’t use herbicides or pesticides–all organic…
