Vermont Almanac

The fifth edition of Vermont Almanac has been published and features all new stories about and by Vermont farmers, writers, loggers, artists, scientists, poets, thinkers, and doers. More than 60 Vermonters contributed stories to Volume V, including a bunch from the Bennington area. You can buy the books locally at the Bennington Bookshop, Northshire Bookstore, and Battenkill Books. They're also available at Wayside General Store in West Arlington, H.N. Williams in Dorset, and Regional Character in Manchester. They're a great Christmas gift for anyone who values the rural character of our state.

In Vol. V, readers will tag along on a moose hunt that brings together a community, ride along delivering feed to dairy farms, and visit a very special bird museum. They'll learn about innovations taking place on a century-old dairy farm, how a relatively new beef farm is forging ahead after losing its founder, and how one family has built a business grazing sheep amidst solar installations.

Remember the April eclipse, the déjà vu July 10 flood, and the super-dry fall? We document a year's worth of weather, while also diving into the real-world implications.

A special section in Vol. V explores how people of different faiths are building deep relationships with the land in our small state. Another chapter looks at the many ways Vermont's woodlot owners are caring for their land.

The "Nature Notes" found in each chapter cover everything from luna moths to lynx, red cedars to red berries. In the "At Home" sections of the book, you'll learn how to design a wood-fired sauna, carve a spoon, order beef in bulk, prevent injuries when doing chores, rockhound for gems, make flower jellies, and much more.

As always, there's a heavy dose of history, along with achingly beautiful essays. There's a sprinkle of poetry throughout, and a dash of fiction, too. It's a year's worth of content to be enjoyed in the year ahead.