Vermont has also seen an increase in membership-based medical practices, sometimes referred to as concierge care. These businesses are often backed by private equity firms.

We talk with Vermont Public health care reporter Lola Duffort and Yashaswini Singh, a healthcare economist and Brown University professor. Earlier this year she testified in front of a Vermont legislative committee about private equity in healthcare.

Then; This week is International Dark Sky Week, a global effort to celebrate the night sky and reduce light pollution. Improving the quality of the lighting we use at night could have a range of positive impacts, including supporting wildlife, cutting down on energy usage, and improving our own health.

The organization DarkSky International works to protect the night-time environment. The chapter lead for Vermont, Jon McCann, shares information about the benefits of natural darkness as well as upcoming local events.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We hear from Vermont state representative Brian Cina, a Progressive-Democrat from Burlington who wants Vermont to use opioid settlement funding to pursue ibogaine research. He introduced a bill about it this year. 

We're also joined by Dr. Rick Barnett, the former chair of Vermont’s psychedelic advisory committee and a clinical psychologist in Stowe. He says ibogaine can help with trauma, addiction, and depression. 

We also learn about what happens when you take ibogaine with Roger Guest, a mental health and addiction therapist who moved from Springfield, Vt. to Mexico to work with an ibogaine clinic.

Broadcast live on Thursday, Apr. 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Two well-known local callers help us explore the ever-changing culture of contra. Luke Donforth and Mary Wesley are both Burlington-based, but they call dances all across the region. Welsey is also the director of education and media at Vermont Folklife.

This episode also includes recordings of a recent contra dance at the Capital City Grange in Montpelier.

Interested in learning more about contra or trying it out for the first time? Check out one of these upcoming local dances, or find more information through the Country Dance and Song Society or trycontra.com.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Apr. 7, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition, it's a conversation about appropriate–and inappropriate–conduct in the workplace. 

We’ll hear from the executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women on the laws supporting employees from harassment. 

An employment attorney will share the importance of setting expectations around workplace culture and bridging the gap between generations. 

We’ll also hear from two local educators who work with young people on consent, empowerment and concepts around healthy masculinity. 

Locally, there’s stories like the Bennington Triangle and Emily's Bridge in Stowe. There’s also the superstitious behavior we inherit, such as saying 'rabbit rabbit' on the first of the month.

Today, you’ll hear from Kerry Noonan, a folklorist and Champlain College professor, and author Joe Citro from Windsor. He’s written lots of books about Vermont’s haunts, legends and best kept secrets.

We discuss the case with one of its subjects, Shela Linton of Brattleboro, and two constitutional lawyers: Jay Diaz, Civil Rights and workers compensation litigator at Darby Kolter & Roberts. He was formerly the lead advocate for qualified immunity reform with the ACLU of Vermont in Waterbury, and Jared Carter of Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Then: a few days after the Mar. 11 confrontation between ICE agents and protesters in South Burlington, the Vermont House advanced a bill to allow citizens sue federal agents for alleged civil rights violations. The bill's sponsor, Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), also chairs the Vermont House's Ethics Committee and the Judiciary Committee.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Each month, Vermont Edition visits or learns about a different Vermont town or city, with the goal of hitting all 252 of them. At the end of the hour, a guest helps us select our next location by spinning a big wheel.

Our guests are: the painter Charlie Hunter, twin brothers and small-scale developers John and Jeff Dunbar, Central Elementary School principal Kate Kane and Vermont Country Store proprietor Lyman Orton.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Plus, fossil fuel prices have increased significantly since the start of the war in Iran. Jared Duval with the Energy Action Network explains how rising gas prices affect Vermont’s economy. 

Miller is also the former host of the Vermont PBS show Makin’ Friends With Ryan Miller, and composes for film and theater. His indie-rock musical, Safety Not Guaranteed, based on the film of the same name, is currently at the Signature Theater in Northern Virginia.

We'll talk with him about his long-term friendships with his bandmates and making new friends when he and his family moved to Vermont. Plus, we'll take a tour of Miller's home music studio. 

Daisy Rockwell is an award-winning Hindi and Urdu translator based in North Bennington. Her love of languages runs deep, as does her passion for bringing new books to American readers. Her latest translation is Sleep Journeys, a book-length prose poem by the noted Urdu poet Azra Abbas.

Then, Mitch Wertlieb sits down with Westmore writer Ted Page. When he became a grandparent, Page couldn’t find much material that offered advice or reflection on this new stage of life. So, he decided to find out on his own and publish what he learned in Good Grandpa: Stories from the Heart of Grandfatherhood.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We’ll learn about Irish immigrants’ arrival in the Green Mountain State with Vincent Feeney, a Montpelier historian and co-founder of the Burlington Irish Heritage Festival. Seven Days Food writer Jordan Barry will share ideas for where to order traditional Irish food and other food news from our region.

Plus, Vermont Senate leader Phil Baruth recently announced his retirement. The Chittenden County Democrat reflects on his years in state government and shares his priorities for the rest of this legislative session.

Today's guest, Roy Desrochers, is a global sensory expert— what you could call a professional taster. He works with University of Vermont Extension’s northwest crops and soils program, which helps local farmers and manufacturers gain traction in the marketplace. He’s trained thousands of tasters all around the world, including at Borderview Farm in Alburgh.

Roy joins us to tell us about his long career helping major brands develop their best-selling flavors, training others to become finely tuned tasting experts, and about the subtle notes found in Vermont delicacies like maple syrup and milk from grass-fed animals. 

Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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To discuss the future of nuclear power in Vermont, we're joined by the state’s public service commissioner Kerrick Johnson, and Ben Edgerly Walsh, Climate and Energy Program Director of Vermont Public Interest Research Group (VPIRG). Johnson says today’s standards are too inflexible and that nuclear would lower energy costs for Vermonters. But Edgerly Walsh disagrees, saying nuclear power doesn't live up to the hype.

Then: An update on the Yankee Nuclear Plant in Vernon. It was shut down over a decade ago. What’s next for the land and the community? We're joined by Jim Pinkerton, one of two local representatives on the Vermont Yankee Nuclear Decommissioning Citizens Advisory Panel. He is also the chair of Vernon’s Planning & Economic Development Commission.

Broadcast live on Monday, March 9, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We’re joined by members of All the Rivers for a live performance and discussion of the diverse musical journeys that brought them together. Hear from the group’s founder and guitarist Avi Salloway. We’ll also chat with Dr. Jules Wetchi, founder of a Congolese Catholic choir that now sings with the group, percussionist Assane Coly of Senegal, and guitarist and singer Cintia Lovo Arias, who was born in Colombia and grew up in the U.S.

Broadcast live on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Soon after entering office, President Trump raised import taxes on China, Canada and other major trade partners. On Feb. 19 of this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that much of President Donald Trump's tariff policy was illegal. The next day, the White House imposed a 10% global tariff — then switched the number to 15%.

Representatives from a variety of industries discuss the tariffs' impacts on business and their reactions to the Supreme Court ruling.

Nik Holm is the CEO of Terry Precision Cycling, a Burlington-based women’s cycling apparel company. Terry Cycling was one of the small businesses that sued President Trump and his administration over tariffs.

Holmes Jacobs owns Two Brothers Tavern, a bar and restaurant in Middlebury. His recent Facebook post about the tariffs' negative impact on small businesses drew hundreds of comments. 

Allison Hope is the executive director of the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers’ Association. The U.S. imports syrup and sugaring supplies from Canada.

Jesse Mitchell works in imports and exports with Strader-Ferris International, a customs brokerage company with offices in New York and Ontario. He says the past year has been the most challenging in the company's 75-year history, due to the tariffs.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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And Grande Isle is one of the numerous towns battling the emerald ash borer. They’ll vote on whether to allocate tax dollars to remove ash trees killed by this invasive bug.

Rachael Z. Miller explores the choices around the plastics in our daily lives in her new book, Decision-Making in the Age of Plastics: A choose-your-own-adventure style guide to purchasing while balancing your health, the environment and your budget.

Originally broadcast live on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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These plant and animal species are all classified as endangered or threatened in Vermont. And right now, local biologists are working to update the state’s Wildlife Action Plan. That plan is basically a wildlife-focused conservation blueprint for the state. The team that’s been working on it is proposing some changes that could mark a shift in how the state thinks about conservation.

Recently I sat down with Dr. Rosalind Renfrew to learn more. She’s based in Montpelier as the Wildlife Diversity Program lead for Vermont Fish & Wildlife. We were also joined by Kent McFarland from the Vermont Center for Ecostudies in Norwich.

Then;  Marie Curie is a famous name, but even if you know who she is, you might only know the basics of her extraordinary life. Marie Curie was a Polish-French scientist and a pioneer in the study of radioactivity. She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and the first person to win a Nobel twice.

Marie Curie is also the subject of a new book by Devon Jersild of Weybridge, Vermont. Devon is a psychotherapist and a writer. She’s won a prestigious O. Henry Award for her short story writing, and is the former associate director of the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, associate editor of the New England Review, and a visiting lecturer in English at Middlebury College.

Today on Vermont Edition: road salt and how it affects our natural world. 

The associate director of the Lake Champlain Sea Grant will share her research on sustainable alternatives to help navigate the slippery conditions of winter. A road foreman in Hyde Park discusses putting one of those alternatives to use. 

We’ll also hear the concerns of a Rutland state senator regarding cost and regulation. 

Then, we’ll head to Addison County, where a Lunar New Year celebration in Middlebury includes one of the biggest movies of the past year: K-Pop Demon Hunters.

Vermont Edition revisits a recent Brave Little State episode to find out why. 

Broadcast live on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Three longtime Alburgh residents join us: Terry Tatro, who's held numerous positions in town government; Peg Theoret, the founder and a trustee of the Alburgh Historical Society; Sandy Rosa, a member of the Alburgh Public Library board of trustees; and Jed Ladd, co-owner of J&M Ladd Families Farm.

We also hear Mikaela get a snowmobile lesson from Jeff Porter and Dave Landry of the Alburgh Sno Springers Club, a group of snowmobilers who spend the winter sledding on the Alburgh Dunes. And managing producer Jon Ehrens talks with Nick Smith, a 12th generation Vermont farmer who co-owns Emerald Visions, a cannabis cultivator in Alburgh. 

Broadcast live on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition, experienced skaters explain how to know when wild ice is safe to skate on and what to do if conditions suddenly shift. You’ll hear from the Pawlet-based moderator of the Vermont Nordic Skating Facebook group and a farmer-slash-skater from Barnet.

Plus, a Middlebury College alum manufactures Nordic skates in Alaska. He’ll explain the art of crafting the perfect blade for getting off the rink and out on remote ice.

Then: Green Mountain Transit faces serious budgetary issues. General Manager Clayton Clark says more service cuts could be on their way. He’s asking the state for more funding. We talk about the high demand for rides from older people and those with disabilities.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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For parents of young boys, these headlines and statistics can be particularly distressing. What can we control in our homes to help our boys navigate the world with confidence, happiness and care? 

Two guests join Vermont Edition to discuss the art and peril of raising boys. Keegan Albaugh is the founder of Dad Guild, a Burlington-based nonprofit that supports masc-identifying caregivers by running playgroups, educational events, pick up sports, peer support groups, and more. Kate Mangino is a Virginia-based speaker, facilitator and writer who is in Vermont to host a series of parenting workshops this week. She’s the author of the book Equal Partners: Improving Gender Equality at Home.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Every year in Montpelier, residents wake up to find their city covered in red hearts. This is the work of the Valentine Phantom, a mysterious figure— or figures— who brings love to the state capital each year in the form of thousands of hearts.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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For an update on Tendo's case and whereabouts, we speak with immigration attorney Brett Stokes. He is the director of the Center for Justice Reform Clinic at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Thousands of athletes are in Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics, which start tomorrow. Some of those athletes are from our little corner of the world, which makes them extra fun to root for. Here to give us a local look at the biggest international sports competition in the world is Mitch Wertlieb. He’s the host of Vermont This Week on our main TV channel, and as of just a few days ago, the host of the Sports Rapport, a weekly sports show from Vermont Public.

If you’re not familiar with the biathlon, here’s how it works. Athletes cross-country ski with rifles on their backs. During the race, they stop and shoot at targets 50 meters away. If they miss a shot, they get time added to their race, or they have to ski an extra 150 meter penalty loop. Biathlete Susan Dunklee of Craftsbury joins us now. She’s competed in three winter Olympics, and she’s won two silver medals in world championship races. She is now the Director of Biathlon at the Craftsbury Outdoor Center. 

Joining to walk us through this history is Michael Wimberly, a percussionist, composer and Bennington College professor. Last year, he organized a two-day symposium to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the division's founding with live music and reflections. 

Vermont has had a high rate of homelessness ever since the pandemic — one of the highest rates in the country. The state used to pay a lot of money to house people in motels, but that program was significantly scaled back last year. Some of the money was redirected to shelters that only open on the coldest nights. But when temperatures rise, even by just a few degrees, those shelters close their doors.

In Brattleboro, homeless encampments have been a repeated topic of discussion at select board meetings this winter. Meanwhile, the arts center 69A is working to provide basic services to homeless people in the area. It moved to a new location at the end of last year. Its director, Lisa Marie, has personal experience living in encampments in the Brattleboro area. 

We also hear from Charles "Chuck" Keir III, Brattleboro's assistant fire chief and town health officer, Becky Best, director of shelters at Groundworks Collaborative; select board chair Elizabeth McLoughlin and select board member Isaac Evans-Frantz.

Broadcast live on Monday, Feb. 2, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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A new book, Bernie for Burlington: The Rise of the People's Politician, covers that pivotal time of change in the Queen City. The author, poet and professor Dan Chiasson, is a Burlington native and weaves in many personal anecdotes about his hometown. 

Carney's speech at the World Economic Forum is viewed by many as a landmark moment in the rapidly shifting relationship between the U.S., Canada, and the international community writ large.

A year into Trump's second presidency, and nearly a year into Carney's leadership, we asked listeners from both Quebec and Vermont how they are feeling about the tensions between the two nations. Vermont Edition teamed up with our friends at the CBC's Radio Noon and their host Shawn Apel for this conversation. We also heard from Newport, VT Mayor Rick Ufford-Chase to hear how the Canadian boycott of the U.S. has affected his town. 

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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The 2026 Farmers Night series continues through April 8 and takes place on Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. at the Vermont Statehouse. Performances are free and open to the public.

Then, noted Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye is headed to Putney’s Yellow Barn for a performance that weaves together poetry and music. Nye joins the show, along with Yellow Barn’s executive director Catherine Stephan.

Naomi Shihab Nye will perform alongside musicians Daniel Chong, Jessica Bodner and Daniel Anastasio on Saturday, Jan. 31, at 3:00 p.m. Admission is free, but advance registration is recommended.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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The work of our region’s female farmers has been memorialized in black-and-white by the Plymouth-based photographer JuanCarlos Gonzalez. His series, Vermont Female Farmers, has been showcased at museums and gallery spaces across Vermont and in Boston. Its next stop is the Highland Center for the Arts in Greensboro, where Gonzalez's photographs will be on view from late February through late March.

Gonzalez and two of the women featured in the series join us to talk about the long legacy of women farmers in Vermont. Emily von Trapp owns von Trapp Flowers, a year-round flower farm in Waitsfield, and Jennifer Rodriguez owns Triple J Pastures, a livestock and vegetable farm in Irasburg.

But first we talk with meteorologist Mark Breen at the Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury about the upcoming weekend of extreme cold. 

Broadcast live on Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Animals' winter survival strategies fall along similar lines. On Wednesday a trio of animal experts guided Vermont Edition listeners on a tour of our ecosystem in winter. We've compiled some of their best facts about overwintering, alongside stories from listeners.

The guests were: Ash Kerby-Miller, a staff naturalist at North Branch Nature Center, Sophie Mazowita, a consulting naturalist, educator, and wildlife tracker from Jeffersonville, and Gregory Pask, an insect chemical ecologist and associate professor of biology at Middlebury College.

"In our human experience of winter, it's a very tough time for a lot of us," Kerby-Miller said. "But for some animals, we are at the southern end, the warm end, of their range, and this is just a perfectly comfortable place for them."

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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For the latest in our Town by Town series, we head to Swanton, in Franklin County, for a live broadcast from the Swanton Public Library. Swanton is known for the Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, its ancient history of human settlement, its close proximity to the Canadian border, its historic railroad station, and much more.

This hour we’re joined by Vermont’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Rick Hildebrant. He talks us through the recent federal-level changes to vaccine policy, and how those policies interact with state-level guidelines. We’ll also learn more about this year’s flu season and what you can do to keep yourself and your family healthy this winter.

Dr. Hildebrant became the commissioner on Oct. 13, 2025. Formerly, he held several leadership roles at Rutland Regional Medical Center. He did his residency in internal medicine at Dartmouth Hitchcock and is a clinical assistant professor at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine.

Then, we'll talk with Era MacDonald, founder and director of the Merrymac Farm Sanctuary about her work saving animals and a new accreditation that will enable them to save even more. 

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Dr. Caitlin Hicks Pries, associate professor of biological sciences at Dartmouth College, discusses her research on the surprising ecosystem impacts of snow loss. The Appalachian Mountain Club has also been studying how winter climate change is affecting outdoor leisure pursuits in the region, and their director of research Dr. Sarah Nelson shares what they've learned. 

We also hear from Dick Dreissigacker, co-director of Craftsbury Outdoor Center, on the center's unusual strategy for securing early-season snow.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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This work began in 2024 with the passage of Act 181, which made significant changes to Vermont's signature land use law, known as Act 250. Act 181 divides the state into three tiers, each with different requirements for development. The new law places more of an emphasis on the location of the project rather than the project’s size.

A roundtable of guests discussed Act 181 as well as future legislative changes to spur housing development: Miro Weinberger, executive chair of Let’s Build Homes and the former mayor of Burlington; Kati Gallagher, sustainable communities program director at the Vermont Natural Resources Council; and Zeke Davisson, the chief operating officer of Summit Properties. 

Plus, Rep. Laura Sibilia, an Independent from Dover, discussed her concerns about Act 181's impact on rural communities. 

Samantha Kolber, owner and publisher of Rootstock Publishing in Montpelier, and Dede Cummings, owner and publisher of Green Writers Press in Brattleboro, tell us about the economics of publishing a book, soup to nuts, and how they work with new authors.

Former New Hampshire Public Radio host Laura Knoy published her debut historical fiction novel, The Shopkeeper of Alsace, last year with Bedazzle Ink Publishing. She shared with us her perspective as a new author and why an independent press was the best choice for her. 

We'll hear from the chairs of two powerful committees: Rep. Emilie Kornheiser, a Democrat from Brattleboro and the chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, which writes our taxes, and Rep. Alyssa Black, a Democrat from Essex, and the chair of the House Committee on Health Care. We’ll also talk with Rep. Ashley Bartley, a Republican from Franklin County who has teamed up with a Burlington Democrat to address economic issues.

And we'll close the hour with two of the newest members of the legislative page program: Eilidh Corbett, an eighth grader at Main Street Middle School in Montpelier, and Liam Chase, an eighth grade student at Barre Town School.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, January 6th, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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But first, we revisit a story from September, not about Catholicism, per say, but involving God nonetheless. And however unlikely it may sound, an outhouse. Vermont Public reporter Howard Weiss-Tisman shares the story of a historic church in Windsor County that was built in the early 19th century. Nearly 200 years later there is still no plumbing. But now, there’s a space to relieve oneself and enjoy a service, wedding, or memorial in greater comfort.

Today on Vermont Edition, we’ll listen back to a show from this summer about chestnut restoration efforts in the Northeast. Scientists are developing and planting blight-resistant American chestnuts around our region.

Then, what’s more majestic than a tree so big you can’t even wrap your arms around it? Through Vermont’s Big Tree Program, you can search a map of the state’s largest trees, like a massive white pine in Corinth or a beautiful paper birch in Canaan.

Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT) joins us to weigh in on the deployment. He’s spoken out against President Donald Trump’s actions against Venezuela.

Stephon Boatwright, a St. Michael’s College professor of international relations and political science, shares his perspective on the legality of recent U.S. actions in the Caribbean. And Peter Ladensack, a former guardsman, explains what it’s like when a unit mobilizes. He has firsthand experience — he was deployed to Afghanistan with the Vermont Army National Guard.

Today on Vermont Edition, we honor some of the remarkable people from our communities who died in 2025. You’ll hear from their friends, family members, colleagues, and admirers.

We’ll also share calls and emails from listeners with stories of family members and friends who passed away over the last year. 

She released a new album, "Neon Grey Midnight Green," and published a memoir, The Harder I Fight The More I Love You. In both, she uses her singular voice to weave together personal stories, the sounds of a diverse musical community and her abundant respect for the natural world.

Case has deep roots in Vermont. She spent some of her childhood years in Lamoille County and now has a farm in the Northeast Kingdom. 

She joins us to share her experiences over three decades in the music world, and the inspiration behind her latest album. 

Then; Seven Days food editor and writer Melissa Pasanen is back with her latest local recommendations, including bean-to-bar delights at Prophecy Chocolate, a painting-worthy salad at The Crooked Ram and the unmissable tater tots at Onion City Chicken & Oyster.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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He joins Vermont Edition to discuss his detention and the numerous other ways his school district is being affected by the Trump Administration's immigration crackdown.

Then: Vermont passed the Climate Superfund Act in 2024, allowing the state to sue fossil fuel companies for damage caused by climate change over the past 30 years. Legal challenges from the Trump administration and the oil industry soon followed. Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark gives an update on where those legal challenges stand today. Plus, Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak explains the process for tallying exactly how much money the state will aim to collect from fossil fuel companies. He also shares which of the state’s climate adaptation projects the money could help fund, and his hopes for these projects to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Then: Did your Spotify Wrapped make you realize that you’ve been listening to the same artists over and over again this year? Seven Days music critic Chris Farnsworth is here to tell us about local musicians with great new music. He’ll also tell us about the perils of being a music critic and comparing one band to another.

They’ve brought with them lists of new books by Vermont authors, the year’s bestselling genre fiction, children’s books and graphic novels and older books that are making a comeback. Open your notes app or get out your pen and paper. You’re going to want to write a lot of these titles down!

Many of the immigrants targeted for arrest work on local farms. A new book called Will Work for Food argues that their labor needs to be part of any discussion about our food supply chain. We're joined by the book's co-authors Teresa M. Mares, an associate professor of anthropology at the University of Vermont and the director of its food systems graduate program, and Laura-Anne Minkoff-Zern, an associate professor of geography and the environment at Syracuse University and the director of its graduate program in food studies.

Broadcast live on Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Then: noted Montpelier author Makenna Goodman has a new novel. It takes place in the middle of the countryside, where a professor is touring a seemingly idyllic house for sale. I’ll leave it at that for now.

Plus: there’s something special going on in Brattleboro for holiday window shoppers. Organizers of its first ever “festival of miniatures” tell us about the dollhouses, toy trains and tiny objects on view in local storefronts.

We also hear about artisans and makers all across the region, from bookbinders to metalsmiths, whose work might be the perfect gift for someone on your list. Plus, we talk with one of the founders of a new online donation platform based in Vermont that can help you support organizations doing good in our communities.

For even more great gift ideas, check out Vermont Public's 2025 local gift guide.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We're joined by Grace Cottage CEO Olivia Sweetnam. The hospital she runs is unique for many reasons. Some of its doctors have worked there for decades. It’s one of the smallest hospitals not just in Vermont, but in the whole country. And it’s building a new family clinic by relying heavily on philanthropic support.

Grace Cottage also faces challenges that any rural hospital administrator would recognize. To put Grace Cottage’s situation in perspective, we talk with a medical professor at the University of Vermont, Erika Ziller. She’s researching how to improve rural health care in the state.

Gladstar discussed her roots in herbalism, from foraging for food and medicine with her grandmother to becoming the founder of a world-renowned herbal retreat center in Vermont and several companies. She also gave a tour of her herb and flower garden and explained some of her favorite plants' medicinal and culinary uses. 

Originally broadcast on Tuesday, Jun. 12, 2025. Rebroadcast on Monday, Nov. 25 at 12 and 7 p.m.

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This hour we celebrate the art of the local jingle with jingle writers who have composed some legendary earworms. This show is a rebroadcast from July.

Jim Giberty is based in Bethel and wrote ads for local ski areas, as well as some broader New England gems, most notable, The Lobster Claw in Cape Cod. Cary Reich is based in Florida, but he penned songs for Pizza Putt and Wendell's Furniture that will be familiar to longtime Vermonters. And we also hear from Daisy Nell, a folk musician who had some of her songs turned into local jingles. Her most famous was for the Snowsville General Store in 1979.

Originally broadcast live on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at noon. Rebroadcast on Monday, November 24, 2025 at noon and 7 p.m.

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We hear tips from injury prevention expert Tara Grenier on how to lower your risk of brain injury, including the proper way to wear a helmet. Pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Katrina Ducis explains what a concussion is, and how concussion treatment recommendations have changed in recent years. And Jess Leal, executive director of the Brain Injury Alliance of Vermont, shares how her organization helps connect traumatic brain injury survivors with support and resources.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition: you’ll hear from a co-chair of the task force, Representative Edye Graning, and a member, Jay Badams. They’ll share their reasons for not pushing forced mergers. Instead, they think consolidation should be voluntary, and come with incentives.

Then: it’s deer season, so get out your blaze orange if you haven’t already. Two game wardens – one current, one retired – have decades of experience between them. They’ll tell us about getting to know multi-generational families of hunters, investigating wild poaching cases and what it feels like to snag a deer.

"Voices from the Edge" features intimate interviews between its host, Tom Morgan, and his guests. Morgan founded the Addison County-based organization Green Mountain Justice. He and producer Corey Hendrickson tell us more about the podcast and the people it centers.

Broadcast live on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Grafton is known for its cross-country ski trails, its award-winning cheddar cheese, the centuries-old Grafton Inn, and its tight-knit community of longtime residents.

Our guests include: Grafton News editor Wendy Martin; lifelong Grafton resident Cynthia Gibbs; Patrick Cooperman of the Cooperman Company, which manufactures fifes and drums; Windham Foundation executive director Dan Lerner; Vermont Farmstead Cheese company president Kent Underwood; and Nikolas Katrick, executive director of the Nature Museum at Grafton.

Each month for "Town by Town," we spend an hour together learning about one of Vermont’s 252 towns or cities. Hear from regular folks and town leaders about what life is like there and how the town culture and economy have changed over the years. At the end of the hour, a guest helps us randomly select our next town by spinning a big Wheel of Fortune-style spinner.

Many veterans face mental and physical challenges because of experiences they had while serving. They often have to navigate complex legal systems to make sure they receive the benefits and services they’re entitled to.

Ahead of Veterans Day, we learn about a few local programs that support veterans. 

Misha Pemble-Belkin is an Army veteran and the coordinator of a veterans program for Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. They run year-round sports and recreation programs for people with cognitive, developmental, physical and emotional disabilities. Donald Hayes runs the Vermont Veterans Legal Assistance Project at Vermont Law and Graduate School. He’s also volunteered as a ski instructor with the New England Healing Sports Association and Vermont Adaptive.

We also hear from John Curtis, a veteran, and Kate Adams, who together run Ascutney Mountain Horse Farm in Perkinsville. They will host a free event for veterans, first responders, family and friends on Veterans Day.

Then, Vermont Edition managing editor Jon Ehrens speaks with Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth about some new releases from Vermont musicians that have caught his ear. 

We also talk about ways to support one another in this season through the sharing of food.. This hour you’ll hear about a couple different organizations that offer free meals or groceries to those in need.

Broadcast live on Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Alexander is the author of a new nonfiction book about the Civil War called "If I Can Get Home This Fall: A Story of Love, Loss, and a Cause in the Civil War." It tells the story of Dan Mason, a Union soldier from Glover who wrote over 100 love letters to his lover from the front lines of the war. The book highlights his views on slavery, the violence of war and his long-distance love.

Then; Robin Crofut-Brittingham of Montreal loves birds, and it shows in her new book. She crafted detailed watercolor illustrations of hundreds of different bird species, all with names and descriptions that will inspire you to bust out the binoculars and get birding. Her new book of illustrations is called The Illuminated Book of Birds. She joins us to talk about the process of creating these illustrations, the joy of painting birds, and some of her favorite species. 

Broadcast live on Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition: we celebrate our homegrown podcast’s 200th episode. To mark the milestone, the Brave Little State team answered 20 questions in one show.  

We’ll chat with the podcast’s lead producer and one of its founders. And we’ll even get the story behind the podcast’s perfectly Vermont name.

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Halloween brings out our crafty, creative sides. This time of year can also create a slight panic if you’ve waited too long to put together a costume for yourself or your kid. Thankfully, we've got a bunch of experts in the creative arts of dress up, crafting, and costuming.

Jennifer LaCasse, clothing supervisor for the ReSOURCE in Williston, gives us the scoop on costumes that have come through the store. We also heard from Sarah Bush, the costume shop supervisor for the University of Vermont’s Theater Department, and Luke Hungerford of Rail City Fan Fest in St. Albans, for a professional point of view and tips on experimenting with new materials. 

This was "We Are Water," a special series of performances inspired by the waterways of the north. It was part of the reopening celebrations for Dartmouth’s Hopkins Center for the Arts, which just completed a three-year renovation.

Yo-Yo Ma is a fellow at Dartmouth and the founder of the Silk Road Ensemble, a Grammy-winning group that plays music from all over the world. For "We Are Water," he teamed up with Chris Newell, a Passamaquoddy musician, educator and Dartmouth graduate whose work is closely tied to the lands and waters of New England. 

Newell and Ma were joined for the sunrise ceremony and evening concert by a diverse group of Indigenous and local musicians: Jeremy Dutcher, Andri Snaer Magnason, Mali Obomsawin, Nance Parker, Roger Paul, Lokotah Sanborn, Lauren Stevens, and Ida Mae Specker, a fiddler from Andover. Their performances combined music, poetry and storytelling.

Then; a discussion of "Along the River's Way," a new multimedia exhibition and oral history project about elder artists in the Mad River Valley. We hear from Christopher Wiersema, the executive director of Mad River Valley TV, and Tracy Brannstrom, a local journalist and the primary interviewer for the project. 

The exhibition will be open to the public at Mad River Valley Arts from Nov. 6 through Dec. 13 in Waitsfield.

Broadcast on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Kristen Budd, a senior research analyst at the Sentencing Project, authored the report. Tim Burgess, executive director of VT CURE, voted in the 2006 and 2008 elections while he was incarcerated in Vermont. And Vermont's Secretary of State, Sarah Copeland Hanzas, is assembling a new task force to increase voter participation in four underserved populations, including the incarcerated. 

Then: October is Substance Use Prevention Month. The Turning Point Center of Rutland runs a peer recovery coaching program for people in Vermont’s prisons who struggle with addiction. We’ll hear how the program’s going from Tracie Hauck, executive director of the Turning Point Center of Rutland.

Broadcast live on Monday, October 27, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Despite the changing seasons, the gardeners among us are still busy, trouble shooting garden falls from the summer, prepping beds for the winter and bringing potted plants indoors. 

For anyone with turnip trouble or potato problems, it's Vermont Edition’s annual fall gardening show with Charlie Nardozzi, gardening consultant and host of All Things Gardening on Vermont Public.

The votes against independence won out by a tiny margin — 50.6% voted "no," while 49.4% voted yes.

A new Léger poll shows that Quebecers' attitudes on sovereignty have shifted significantly in the last 30 years. Sixty five percent of respondents said they'd vote 'no' on separating from Canada if asked to vote today. Fifty five percent said they do not believe Quebec has the economic means to become a sovereign nation.

On Vermont Edition, two Canadian political science professors shared their memories of the 1995 referendum. Luc Turgeon was a college student at the time at McGill University in Montreal. He is now a professor at the University of Ottawa in Ontario. Antonia Maioni was Turgeon's professor; she still teaches at McGill. Callers from the U.S. and Canada also joined the conversation.

Today on Vermont Edition, we’ll talk with these two new presidents of leading higher education institutions. We’ll hear about town-gown relations in both Burlington and Middlebury, and discuss the schools’ role in building housing, employing locals and more. 

The White House has threatened to take away federal funding from colleges and universities if they don’t fall in line around DEI and other issues. Marlene Tromp and Ian Baucom will weigh in on that delicate balance between protecting free speech and following White House dictum.

Today's show focused on Belvidere, in Lamoille County. At the time of the 2020 census, Belvidere had just over 350 residents. It was chartered in 1791 to an Irish lawyer from New York by the name of John Kelly. The theory is that he named Belvidere after a beautiful lake in Ireland. The word itself comes from the Italian for “beautiful view.”

A trio of longtime Belvidereans gave us insights into the town and its history: Cathy Manders-Adams, Belvidere's town clerk, her husband Ken Adams, a select board member who has lived there his entire life, and Neal Brown, who grew up in Belvidere and is the organizer of the Belvidere Bluegrass Festival. Tyler Barber, one of the town's newest residents, is helping create a community hub out of the old schoolhouse.

We also heard passages from the diary of the late Lena Eldred Rich, a Belvidere resident who recounted details from her life there in the early 20th century.

Broadcast live on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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The documentary "Walk With Me" by filmmaker and casting director Heidi Levitt tells the story of her husband Charlie Hess's early-onset Alzheimer's. The film screened earlier this year at the Middlebury International Film Festival, and it will screen again this Saturday at the Vermont International Film Festival in Burlington. Levitt and Hess split their time between Stowe and southern California.

While Alzheimer’s is a degenerative disease with no cure, there is a lot of positive news right now in terms of research, medications and health guidance that can slow cognitive loss, and supports for caregivers. We discussed these bright spots with Rhonda Williams, the public health program director for the Vermont Department of Health and the director of the Alzheimer’s and Healthy Aging program, and Meg Polyte, policy director for the Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

The Alzheimer’s Association 24/7 Helpline is a free service of support for people living with dementia, caregivers, families and the public. Connect with a live person who can provide information, local resources, crisis assistance and emotional support at 800.272.3900.

About one in ten workers in the United States is part of a union. That's not a lot, if you're comparing it to the height of union membership in the 1950s. One third of the American workforce used to be unionized. 

In the northeast, the most prominent unions have changed along with the economy. Labor organizers from three different sectors — public school teaching, mental health work, and farm labor — join Vermont Edition to discuss the state of today's labor movement. 

Nolan Rampy is a clinician at the Baird School, part of the Howard Center in Burlington, and the vice president of AFSCME 1674, a union representing mental healthcare workers. Will Lambek is an organizer with Migrant Justice, which supports immigrant farm workers in Vermont. And Caitlin MacLeod-Bluver is a Winooski High School teacher and a member of the Winooski Education Association, an affiliate of the Vermont-NEA. She was named Vermont’s 2025 Teacher of the Year.

Today on Vermont Edition, Senator Peter Welch will share his perspective on the negotiations underway on Capitol Hill and why Democrats picked this moment to fight. Senator Welch says it’s because millions of Americans could see their health insurance premiums double next year.

Then, most of Vermont is experiencing severe to extreme drought. State leaders are asking for federal aid for farms. We’ll hear what it’s been like for two farmers, one in West Corinth and the other in Orwell. Plus, a state forester will explain how drought affects fall foliage and forest fire risk.

But Sacred Harp goes beyond Christianity — all are welcome to sing. And this year, sacred harp aficionados are celebrating a brand new edition of their songbook.

Anya Skibbe and Anna Mays share the history and culture of Sacred Harp, and why it still feels relevant and resonant today. They also demonstrate four songs from the new songbook, alongside Colleen Hayes, Sarah Galper Maika, Jim, Linda, and Dan Coppick, Nicandra Galper, and Sage Chase-Dempsey.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, October 2, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m. Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message or check us out on Instagram.

We delve into one of the reasons there’s so much sticker shock–the behind-the-scenes influence of lobbyists on health care legislation as we speak with UVM professor Alex Garlick about his new book Pre-Existing Conditions: How Lobbying Makes Health Care More Expensive.

Then, former Vermont Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Amestoy has written a new legal thriller based on a murder trial in the Green Mountain State from the 1920’s. We hear about Winters’ Time: A Secret Pledge, a Severed Head, and the Murder That Brought America's Most Famous Lawyer to Vermont.

The whole Brave Little State team — Josh Crane, Sabina Poux and Burgess Brown — shared some insights from their reporting.

Then: a new film about the melting ice of Greenland features a University of Vermont professor. 

In 2014, Vermont’s governor Peter Shumlin signed a universal pre-K bill into law. Thereafter, 3 and 4-year-olds could get free pre-K for 10 hours a week through their public school system, or through subsidy on tuition to a private or home-based childcare centers. We’re about a decade into the implementation of this law, and there have been some big wins. But the pre-K world in Vermont is far from some stable, done deal. 

Our guests this hour are helping to shape the vision for pre-k education in Vermont. We're joined by Vermont Secretary of Education, Zoie Saunders, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Children and Families, Janet McLaughlin, executive director of the nonprofit Building Bright Futures, Morgan Crossman, and Executive Director of Turtle Island Children’s Center in Montpelier, Jocelyn York.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We’ll learn about this initiative that’s underway from Bennington to Burlington. Police and social services groups come together for weekly meetings to help specific community members with housing, addiction and other stressors. We’ll hear from a Vermont Public reporter, and a retired police chief-turned-situation table trainer.

Then: some communities offer a program that pays repeat offenders not to do drugs. It’s funded with settlement money from opioid manufacturers. We’ll hear from a UVM psychiatrist who helped develop this controversial approach.

Green Mountain Care Board chair Owen Foster joins us for the hour. The Board is in charge of approving budgets for Vermont’s 14 hospitals. He explains this year’s decisions, including some major cuts to UVM Medical Center’s rate requests. That’s the state’s largest hospital.

The Green Mountain Care Board also approves insurance premiums in Vermont. All these choices the board makes affect how much you will have to pay for health care. It’s a complicated knot we’ll untangle together.

Broadcast live on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Plus: Investigators have identified the last remaining victim in the Bear Brook murder case. New Hampshire Public Radio’s Jason Moon hosted a blockbuster podcast about the case. He’s just released an update about this final twist in the story.

Tech companies are investing billions of dollars in data centers to power artificial intelligence, and some of the biggest users of AI are students. Are they using generative AI to cheat, or to enhance their learning?

First we focus on higher ed when we speak with Hector Vila, an associate professor in Writing & Rhetoric at Middlebury. He teaches a first-year seminar at Middlebury College called “AI, Writing and Creativity" and is one of the organizers of the upcoming Clifford Symposium about AI.

Then, we hear from educators in the Essex Westford School District who are monitoring and regulating the use of AI in their district. Peter Drescher is the director of technology and innovation, and Renee Langevin is the digital learning leader. She’s also the co-host of ExplAIned, a podcast about AI and education.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, September 15, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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To learn about what it takes to raise healthy horses, a panel of experts with personal equine connections will share their insights. Mary Fay leads the Whispering Pines 4-H Club and helps coordinate the Vermont 4-H Program. She lives in Westford and has been a 4-H leader for 55 years. We also spoke with Ripton resident Molly Witters, an equine veterinarian with Vermont Large Animal Clinic and Hospital in Milton, and Margaret Bojanowski, farm manager and riding director at the Eddy Farm School in Middlebury.

At a national level, the Trump administration cut sex ed funds for California after the state refused to remove references to gender identity from its curriculum. If the same thing happens in Vermont, the state could lose more that $650,000 dollars in federal funds. We’ll learn more from Carter Sherman, reproductive health and justice reporter with the Guardian US who’s been following this story. She’s also the author of The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation’s Fight Over Its Future.

Weighing in on Vermont Edition is: Dr. Anne Schuchat, a former deputy director at the CDC; Julie Arel, the interim head of Vermont’s Department of Health; and Dr. Timothy Lahey, an infectious disease physician at the University of Vermont Medical Center. Plus, Vermont Public senior political reporter Bob Kinzel talks about the CDC and RFK, Jr. with Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt).

Broadcast live on Monday, September 8, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Plus, a check-in with Vermont Public's two newest music hosts, Tad Cautious and DJ Llu. They’ll tell us stories from their radio roots, explain how they come up with playlists, and share some favorite new songs. If you’re sick of listening to the same five albums over and over, they have some great ideas for you on how to diversify your musical tastes. 

In the second installment of our fall series School Stories, we’re talking school meals. Food services coordinators Susan Grabowski of the Windham Southeast Supervisory Union and Kathy Alexander of the Mount Abe and Addison Northwest school districts discuss menus, how federal funding cuts could affect school meals and the pros and cons of following the USDA’s rules.

We'll also hear from a school district in southern Vermont, where a team of Afghan refugees cook up food in the cafeteria, including halal meals for Muslim and vegetarian students.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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On Vermont Edition's annual creemee show, we talk with the purveyors of some of your favorite frozen treats in the region. This year we hear from Hannah Connor, the café and kitchen manager at Red Hen Baking Company in Middlesex, Jess Yates, owner of Yates Family Orchard in Monkton (creators the Dreamee), and Amanda Ellis Thurber of Lilac Ridge Farm in West Brattleboro.

Plus: Asa Waterworth eats an eye-popping number of creemees every year — upwards of 50, she estimates. She takes photos of her cones and offers up recommendations on her instagram account, @creemeechronicles. Asa and Mikaela got a cone together and talked about what makes a perfect creemee down at Ice Cream Evan's at the Burlington Waterfront.

City leaders in Burlington continue to debate how to address illegal activity in public spaces like drug use and sleeping outside. Ahead of a key city council meeting tonight, Seven Days reporter Courtney Lamdin updates us on a proposal to increase police presence in Burlington’s City Hall Park.

Plus, we'll listen back to our conversation from June with the state’s Historic Preservation Officer about the state’s newest historic markers.

Klinger joins guest host Mitch Wertlieb to talk about about her book Ducks on the Pond. At turns darkly comic and dramatically poignant, it's a story of people from wildly different backgrounds and circumstances trying to find a sense of community and belonging in a fictional Vermont town...one that will feel very real to folks that have been here for generations, or are just arriving now.

Then: For more than a decade now, the Middlebury New Filmmakers festival has provided a haven for cinephiles in Vermont to gather together and get a first look at a wide range of new movies. Documentaries, dramas, comedies, experimental films — there’s pretty much something for everyone who loves movies to watch and talk about. But this year, the festival will also be hosting speakers who specialize in other forms in which narrative and story play an important role, such as poet Bianca stone and New York Times journalist David Sanger. They're going to apply their knowledge from their respective fields and how they relate to movie making. 

The Middlebury New Filmmaker’s Festival starts this Wednesday and runs through Sunday. Joining us is local filmmaker and the festival's artistic director, Jay Craven, and executive director Caitlin Boyle. 

Broadcast live on Monday, August 18, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We’ll relive Nectar’s storied history with Seven Days music editor Chris Farnsworth and what the closure of one Burlington music club signals about the local music scene in our region. Lee Anderson, owner of the music venue Radio Bean, explains how important it is to have a network of venues for up-and-coming musicians.

Our team set up shop right by the milking parlor at the fairgrounds as the food was getting fried, the kids were gearing up for the 4H competitions, and the rides were getting ready to provide the ambiance of summer fun. 

We spoke with the fair's president, Robert Congdon, Jr., who told us about the past and present of this storied Rutland tradition. We also heard from Marsha Johnson who is the superintendent of the Bucket of Junk Sculpture Contest, the writing contest, and runs the fair museum. UVM Extension 4H Coordinator for Rutland & Bennington Counties, Moonshine "Mooney" Shorey, talked to us about the 4H contests and brought along some young competitors. We got an on-air magic trick from magician Blaine Goad, a close encounter with a large snake courtesy of Alex Knapp, owner of Captain Aquatics Fins and Scales, and lastly, talked with Willie Tyler of Willie's BBQ. 

Broadcast live on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We weigh the pros and cons of this mental health approach with Dr. Steven Schlozman, the chief of child psychiatry at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, as well as an associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at UVM’s Larner College of Medicine, and Shannon Newell, who works with the Greater Rutland County Supervisory Union and is president of the Vermont Association of School Psychologists.

Plus: Dartmouth researchers recently conducted the first-ever clinical trial of an AI therapy chatbot. Nicholas Jacobson is the study’s senior author. He’s an associate professor of biomedical data science, psychiatry, and computer science at Dartmouth. He also directs the AIM HIGH Lab at Dartmouth, which stands for AI and Mental Health: Innovation in Technology Guided Healthcare.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Then, programs to support Vermont veterans have lost staff due to cuts in federal funding this summer. We’ll talk with the head of the Vermont National Guard’s family programs, and an organizer with a storytelling group for local vets.

Today on Vermont Edition, The New Yorker magazine staff writer John Seabrook explores how Vermont manages its rivers in his latest article. He sees scientists, land use planners and policymakers breaking away from tradition, and making choices that other states could mimic. We’ll also hear from Kevin Geiger, a land-use planner with the Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission, in Woodstock.

Plus, Jordan Barry of Seven Days shares the latest food news from around our region. 

Then, during the pandemic lockdown musician and songwriter Katy Hellman began to dig into her Irish heritage, particularly the folklore of the pre-Christian era. She used her newfound passion as inspiration for her newest musical venture Emerald Ground Water. Their new album is called "The World Below."


Lastly, a new musical comedy video series explores the natural world and our connection to it. It’s called “Biraland,” and it’s a 20-part video series created by Bira Vanara. He’s a multimedia artist and musician in Middlebury. "Biraland" features a host of wacky characters, catchy original music and wild effects, all conceived of and performed by its creator. Biraland was funded in part by Vermont Public’s Made Here Fund, which supports a diverse group of video and filmmakers across the state.

We’ll talk with two New Hampshire sisters featured in the new book – Olympic triathlete Sarah True and renowned novelist Lauren Groff. Plus, two Vermont brothers who come from a VERY large family.

Their goal, in large part, is to maintain housing for full-time residents — Vermont has a housing shortage, after all. But some short-term rental owners think the new rules are too strict and end up hurting the local economy.

Vermont Public reporter Howard-Weiss Tisman shares an update on current debates over short-term rentals in southern Vermont towns. We also hear from Julie Marks, the founder and executive director of the Vermont Short Term Rental Alliance, the chair of Londonderry's housing commission Patty Eisenhauer, and Nate Lantieri of the Vermont Housing Finance Agency.

Broadcast live on Monday, July 28, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Through his show, he elevated local musicians and introduced listeners to new sounds and styles. He was also a musician himself and played more than two dozen instruments. We’ll share memories with friends, fellow musicians, and our listeners.

Then: A new addiction treatment clinic has opened in Bennington.We’ll talk with Vermont’s deputy health commissioner about how this clinic fits into the state’s hub and spoke system.

Author Mike Ayers joins Mikaela to talk about his new oral history which chronicles the rise of the jam band genre in the 1990s, and the culture that surrounded them. It's called "Sharing in the Groove: The Untold Story of the 90s Jam Band Explosion and the Scene that Followed." We talk about some of the biggest jam bands to come out of this region, and remember some of the most iconic local concerts. Mike Ayers is a veteran music journalist, and he’s been to more than 20 Grateful Dead shows and 130 Phish shows.

Broadcast live on Tuesday July 22, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Many farmers use these treated seeds to keep pests away, but pollutes water and hurts fragile pollinator populations, like honey bees. The Vermont state government is in charge of enforcing this ban. It also has a role in determining exemptions. Who still gets to use neonics, and under what conditions? We’ll hear how the state is making those choices, using information from local farms. We’ll also learn about other neonics restrictions in Quebec and New York.

Three local film professionals join Vermont Edition to talk about their latest projects: Chad Ervin, president of the Vermont Production Collective and director of the documentary Gone Guys; Emma Schlenoff, producer of The Obelisk and a Vermont Production Collective board member; and Alexey Hartlieb-Shea, who co-wrote The Obelisk and stars in it.

Then; Shelburne Museum in Chittenden County celebrates a wide range of American art. If you visit, you’ll find everything from a round barn full of circus-themed figurines, to a Ticonderoga steamboat permanently beached on a green field. Through the end of October, you can also visit the exhibition “Making a Noise: Indigenous Sound Art.” The pieces on display are all by Indigenous artists, and they merge sound and textile design to create interactive works.

Victoria Sunnergren is Shelburne Museum’s curator of Native American Art. She tells us more about the artists and their work. 

Broadcast live on Thursday, July 17 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

Landmark College in Putney is designed for students who learn differently, like those with dyslexia, autism, or ADHD. The college marks its 40th anniversary this fall, and its new president Jim Dlugos is optimistic about its future.

The Willowell Foundation runs outdoor learning programs in Addison County that let young students chart their own paths. Founder and executive director Matt Schlien discusses his efforts to revive the Walden Project, a high school program focused on ecology, wellness, civic engagement and time outdoors.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We’ll hear how the travel ban affects refugees, green card holders, international students and others in our region. joined from Brattleboro by Joe Wiah, director of the Ethiopian Community Development Council, a refugee resettlement agency in Brattleboeo, Tracy Dolan, the director of Vermont’s state refugee office, and Kristen Connors, an immigration attorney at Montroll, Oettinger and Barquist in Burlington

Plus: The Mexican consulate recently set up a mobile location in Brattleboro. We’ll hear from a Mexican farmworker living in Vermont amid the Trump Administration’s immigration crackdown.

This hour we celebrate the art of the local jingle. We from some jingle writers who have written some legendary earworms. Jim Giberty is based in Bethel and wrote ads for local ski areas, as well as some broader New England gems, most notable, The Lobster Claw in Cape Cod. Cary Reich is based in Florida, but penned songs for Pizza Putt and Wendell's Furniture that will be familiar to longtime Vermonters. And we hear from Daisy Nell, a folk musician who has just so happened to have her songs become local jingles - her most famous being from the 1980s for the Snowsville General Store. 

Broadcast live on Thursday, July 10, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Vermont Public reporter Lola Duffort has been closely following the education reform process and this ethics complaint.

We also explore the process of investigating alleged ethical violations, such as conflicts of interest and other financial entanglements that could influence lawmaking. We speak with the executive director of the Vermont State Ethics Commission, Christina Sivret, and members of the House and Senate ethics committees, Rep. Martin LaLonde (D-South Burlington), and Sen. Tanya Vyhovsky, (P/D-Chittenden Central). 

Broadcast live on Monday, July 7, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Seven Days food writer and editor Melissa Pasanen shares some of her favorite snack menu items, like the smash burgers from Gondola's Snack Bar in Morristown and the hand cut fries at Green Meadows Grill in Williston. We also talk with local snack bar owners: Marilyn Kozlowski of Joe's Snack Bar in Jericho, Jason Boutin of Cajun's Snack Bar in Lowell, Jon Villeneuve of Kate's Food Truck in Jericho, and Josh Butler of Village Snack Bar in Rutland.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Then: we bring you a recent episode of the podcast Brave Little State/ Producer Burgess Brown explores what it’s like to get around Vermont and maintain a social life when you can no longer drive.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, July 1st, 2025 at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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In the Vermont Supreme Court case Baker v. Vermont, the court ruled that the state had no legal basis to discriminate against same-sex couples. If the legislature would not allow same-sex couples to get marriage licenses, lawmakers would have to figure out a legal alternative. The result: civil unions.

Stan Baker was the lead plaintiff on that case, alongside with his partner, Peter Harrigan, and two other couples. He died on Monday at the age of 79. We'll listen back to a 2019 interview he gave on Vermont Edition, and hear from Susan Murray of Burlington. She was one of the attorneys who represented Baker and the other plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Vermont Edition producer Andrea Laurion spoke with LGBTQ+ Vermonters who were coming of age — and coming out — when civil unions became legal. They were likely too young at the time to be thinking about marriage for themselves, but old enough to know what was going on and how it might affect them one day. 

We also talk with David Moats, who won a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 for his editorials about civil unions in the Rutland Herald.

Bianca Stone of Brandon reflects on her first year as Vermont’s poet laureate, Geof Hewitt of Calais tells us about the roots of slam poetry, Alexandria Hall explains how she carries her Vergennes roots with her while living in California, and Sarah Audsley of Johnson discusses the influence of her personal identity on her poetry.

Broadcast on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Last week, our team went to The Barre Social Club to record a live panel discussion with Barre-area LGBTQ business owners and organizers who are trying to strengthen ties in Barre’s queer community and support vulnerable people there.

Our guests were; Liv Dunton of Fox Market and Bar in East Montpelier and Foxy’s in Barre. Maddie Cobb is a co-owner of Slowpoke Exchange, a buy-sell-trade shop for vintage and modern clothing in Barre. Heather Ely is the executive director of the Rainbow Bridge Community Center in Barre - a nonprofit that provides support for vulnerable communities and a gathering space for connection. And Lee Baker is a potter and a co-organizer of Vermont Queer Craft.

They also shared their thoughts on making Central Vermont home, the recent Supreme Court decision upholding a Tennessee ban on gender affirming care, and about Pride Month – where Barre just hosted its fifth annual pride parade.

Broadcast on Monday, June 23, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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This hour we discuss how wildfires affect our landscapes, and how wildfire smoke affects air quality and our bodies. Our guests are David Grass, a senior environmental health manager at the Vermont Department of Health, and David Phillips, a Toronto-based climatologist emeritus with Environment and Climate Change Canada, a governmental agency.

This episode also includes an interview with Boston Globe correspondent Paul Heintz about recent ICE detentions in Vermont, including an immigrant rights advocate and his 18-year-old stepdaughter.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Broadcast live on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Guest host Mitch Wertlieb speaks with the Putney-based writer about what inspired his book--which blends elements of climate fact with science fiction, telling a story that stretches from the not too distant future to a world that in ten thousand years is visited by one man who may or may not be the last surviving member of an otherwise wiped-out human race.

Plus, we'll discuss some of the better ways you can feel like the last person on earth by exploring great out-of-the-way wilderness hikes with Claire Polfus, a recreation program manager for the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation.

Then, we'll be joined by sociology professor Amy Blackstone of the University of Maine, who researches why some people opt out of parenting. Her book is Childfree by Choice.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, June 10, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition, the state’s Historic Preservation Officer tells us about the state’s newest historic markers, like the one for Devil’s Bowl Speedway, New England’s fastest dirt track, or another in Fayston for Ralph Waldo Ellison, author of the classic novel Invisible Man.

Then, soccer star Sam Mewis will coach two women’s exhibition games this summer for the Vermont Green. She’s a FIFA World Cup champion, an Olympic medalist and one of the best midfielders to come out of the U.S. We’ll hear more about coaching in Vermont, and her popular Men in Blazers podcast, the Women’s Game.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition: a trio of local education reporters break down the ed reform debate. This bill seeks to fundamentally transform how Vermont schools are run and how they are funded. It could set class size minimums, dramatically cut the number of school districts, and change how we pay for public education and independent school tuition. We'll hear from Alison Novak with Seven Days, Ethan Weinstein with VTDigger, and Vermont Public’s Lola Duffort. 

Today on Vermont Edition: the fight to restore and protect the water quality of our region’s largest lakes. We’ll hear from a Quebec-based group about their effort to designate Memphremagog as a lake in crisis. 

We’ll also talk with a scientist from the Lake Champlain Basin Program, and a shoreline ecologist with Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation. They’ll tell us about the biggest threats to these water bodies, like phosphorus runoff.

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Here to to talk flood preparedness is the director of Vermont Emergency Management, Eric Forand. His office is working to improve communication with individual towns when a disaster hits. We also talk with volunteer organizers about their plans to help Vermonters weather this years storms. Megan Mathers of Northeast Kingdom Organizing and the Kingdom United Resilience and Recovery Effort, and Jon Copans of the Montpelier Commission for Recovery and Resilience join us. 

Today on Vermont Edition, we share a recent episode of Brave Little State. It digs into this listener question about Vermont Law and Graduate School: “Do South Royalton and the surrounding towns actually have to worry about the Vermont law school leaving, or is it just a recurring rumor?” Produce Sabine Poux learns about the law school’s footprint in that part of the state.

Plus, a live discussion with Vermont Supreme Court Justice Karen Carroll and lawyer Andrew Cliburn on how the law school shaped their careers.

Then, The Trump administration has filed a lawsuit against Vermont and three other states for legislation that allows them to sue oil companies for damage caused by climate change over the last 30 years. Vermont was the first in the state to pass such a law, called the Climate Action Superfund. Pat Parenteau, a professor at Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Environmental Law Center, tells us about this lawsuit and the two other lawsuits coming from outside of the state and how they may play out. Independent State Rep. Anne Donahue tells us why she thinks Vermont's law should be repealed. And Vermont State Treasurer Mike Pieciak explains his office's work to determine the specific amount that the state aims to collect from oil companies. 

Broadcast live on Monday, May 12, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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In this first installment, she takes us to Barre. As Mary explains, the city had a booming granite industry, and this industrial tradition birthed an artistic one.

Then, we meet a Tibetan musician and dancer who has infused his cultural heritage into Vermont's. 

Broadcast live on Thursday, May 8, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Plus, Quebec's Eastern Townships may be overshadowed by the glamour associated with the city of Montreal, but the editors of a new book called "Quebec's Eastern Townships and the World" argue the collection of towns just north of the border have their own historical and cultural footprint that reaches far beyond the province.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Plus: April is National Poetry Month. For the final installment of our April poetry series, we’ll talk with Sarah Audsley of Johnson. Her poetry often reflects her experiences as a Korean American adoptee living in Vermont.

For the first installment, Mikaela Lefrak went to the Middlebury home of François Clemmons.. Clemmons is best known for playing Officer Clemmons on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood.

Clemmons discusses how he came to embrace his Blackness, his homosexuality, and his desire to be a performer.

Broadcast live on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Plus, Vergennes native Alexandria Hall is based in Los Angeles, but a lot of Vermont's essence is found in her work. Her poems reflect the daily life and language of rural Vermont.

Vermont Edition co-hosted a cross-border conversation in partnership with Radio Noon, a call-in program from the CBC in Quebec. Mikaela Lefrak and Radio Noon host Shawn Apel took calls and emails from listeners on both sides of the border about the current state of U.S.-Canada relations. We also heard about the real-world repercussions of President Donald Trump’s “51st state” rhetoric.

Vermont Public reporter Peter Hirschfeld joined the conversation as well to talk about the effect the Trump administration is having on Canadian tourism in Vermont, and how the state's lawmakers are reacting to the increased tensions. 

Broadcast live on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Our reporters covering these detentions, Sabine Poux and Lexi Krupp share the latest updates. The cases shine a light on changing federal immigration practices, and Vermont's role in them. We also hear from immigration attorney Brett Stokes and state senator Becca White. who represents Mahdawi's district and was present when he was detained.

Plus: For our National Poetry Month series, poet Geof Hewitt tells us about building a daily writing practice.

Broadcast live on Thursday, April 17, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Then, we'll be joined by the superintendents of two school districts, one from central Vermont and the other in the Northeast Kingdom. We’ll hear how their school budgets are shaping up and how they're preparing for education changes from Washington.

Plus: Vermont’s poet laureate, Bianca Stone helps us celebrate National Poetry Month.

Bike advocates across the region are trying to make commuting by bike more accessible and safe for Vermonters. Joining us is Jonathon Weber of Local Motion, Hanif Nazerli of the Capital City Corridor bike share project, and Darren Ohl of the Vermont Bicycle Shop in Barre discussed road safety, to discuss bike infrastructure development, and access to good bikes and gear.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Broadcast live on Monday, April 7, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We talk with herpetologist Jim Andrews of Salisbury who tells us about so-called Big Nights, when humans help salamanders, frogs, and toads cross roads without getting flattened by tires. And he suggests ways to support these species during their migration season, and how to report your own sightings of these travelling amphibians.

Broadcast live on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Green Mountain Care Board president Owen Foster joins us to talk about the rising costs of health insurance premiums, and the financial challenges facing rural hospitals.

Then, Some Vermont-based employers are trying to diversify their hiring pool. But it can be tough to get BIPOC hires to move to a majority white state. We’ll hear about a program that helps people of color feel less alone when they move here for work.

Broadcast live on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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We break down where exactly our tax dollars go, both at the state and federal level. Vermont’s new tax commissioner Bill Shouldice explains where the state’s pot of tax dollars comes from, and where it gets allocated He also breaks down how his office estimates property taxes every year.

Then, Chuck Marr helps us understand how it works. He’s steeped in the minutiae of federal tax policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. He tells us about the biggest programs our tax dollars fund, like Medicare and Medicaid, and how that could be changing with this new Administration and Congress.

Then: the annual Public Philosophy Week returns. Two local philosophy professors will tell us about upcoming philosophical lectures and mind-stimulating discussions around the state.

Gov. Phil Scott tapped Dr. Levine in 2017 to lead Vermont's Department of Health. As health commissioner, he provided guidance on public health concerns like opioid addiction, teen substance use, and respiratory viruses. He sat down with Vermont Edition ahead of his retirement at the end of March.

Broadcast live on Monday, March 24, 2025, at noon; rebroadcast at 7 p.m.

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Today on Vermont Edition: It’s the latest in our March series Animal Hour and it’s all about sheep. We begin with local historian Mark Bushnell who tells us all about the sheep boom and bust of the 1800s. 

Even though there aren’t as many sheep here as there used to be, there’s still a lot of Vermonters out there shearing sheep for their wool, raising lambs for meat, or producing award-winning sheep’s milk cheese. We’ll talk with Mark Rogers, head of the Vermont Sheep and Goat Association, and Amber Reed, a livestock grazing expert in Barnet.