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The Cabot Chronicle

October/November 2019 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.

Original issue: Download the October/November 2019 pages (PDF)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

Cabot’s ‘Wonder Why Farm’ Dairy Farm of the Year

Morgan Churchill can sum up his philosophy of farming in two words: "What if?" The 40-year-old dairy farmer and his wife, Jennifer, own Wonder Why Farm, a 235-head operation on a quiet country road in Cabot. His "What if?" way of thinking has helped them transition from milking 15 cows on his father's farm in 2002 to managing a certified organic herd with around 120 milkers on their current farm, which they first leased in 2005, and later purchased, from his uncle, Walter (Rusty) Churchill. It also why he's explored innovative ways to improve herd management and produce high-quality milk more profitably and efficiently, such as through installation of robotic milkers in a new state-of-the-art freestall barn. And it's why he continues to diversify the operation, including growing hemp for the first time this year. This forward-thinking approach recently led to an unexpected honor, that of being named the 2019 Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year. The farm is the third one in Cabot to win this award since it was first given out in 1962. Other winners were their neighbors, the Bothfelds, in 1993, and Jennifer's grandparents, Walter and Sally Goodrich, who farmed in partnership with her Dad, Myles Goodrich, in 1987. The award is presented annually to an exemplary farm by University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Vermont Dairy Industry Association (VDIA), in cooperation with the New England Green Pastures Program. The winner is chosen by a judging committee, comprised of past recipients of this prestigious award, who interview the finalists about their herd, pasture and crop management; milk production; environmental practices; pasture quality; and promotion of the dairy industry, among other criteria. According to UVM Extension's Tony Kitsos, the awards program coordinator, the judges were particularly impressed that the Churchills were able to take an older, low-input farm and build it to a high-level operation able to support a profitable, sustainable dairy. "They saw that they put lots of sweat equity into building up their dairy facility with robotic milkers at the center of their goals," he notes, adding that "this year's nominees came from a variety of dairy sectors- organic, grass-based, value-added and large conventional farms. While each farm had its strengths in certain areas, the Churchills exhibited high achievement in all aspects of the judging criteria." The couple will be recognized at a banquet at Eastern States Exposition in September, along with the Green Pastures winners from the five other New England states. They also will be the honored guests at the VDIA banquet at the Vermont Farm Show in January. Other finalists this year, listed alphabetically, were the Choiniere Family Farm, Highgate (Guy, Beth and Matt Choiniere); Savage View Farm (Dwight, Ryan and Travis Bullis); and Strafford Creamery, Strafford (Amy Huyffer and Earl Ransom).

Both Morgan and Jennifer grew up on dairy farms, developing a love for farming at an early age. It's a love that they are instilling in their children, Samuel, 11, and Nora, 8. "They started with very little and have been great stewards of their cows, people, money and land to get them to where they are today," says Jason Johnson, Farm Relationship Manager with Stonyfield Organic, who nominated the couple. "Morgan can fix anything, including building the new facility, and Jen is a great cow person."

Although Morgan has deep ancestral ties to the property--he is the fourth generation of Churchills to farm this land-his approach to farming has been different. While acknowledging that hard work equals success, he also values quality of life and spending time with his children, which is one of the reasons he and Jennifer decided to switch to robotic milking. In 2010, while still leasing the farm, they remodeled the existing tie-stall barn to milk more cows. Although it was the right solution at that time, retrofitting the barn was not a viable option to accommodate the new milking system. They also wanted to be able to house all their animals under one roof, so made the decision to construct a brand-new facility. They applied for a Dairy Improvement Grant through the Vermont Farm and Forest Viability Program in 2014, and were awarded $40,000. With additional funding through the Vermont Economic Development Authority, they were able to build a new 24,000 sq. ft. barn for about $400,000, as they did all but the steel framework themselves. Each 4x8-ft. stall in the well-ventilated freestall barn has sand bedding for cow comfort with bedded pack in the maternity area. To avoid overcrowding, ten stalls are always left empty. The facility also houses the robotic milking system, providing easy access for the milkers. "We went with the Galaxy Astrea 20.20 automatic milking system," Morgan says, "and were the first to buy this system in Vermont, although the second to have it installed. We needed more flexibility than we had with the pipeline in the tie-stall barn, but this is also less labor-intensive." They began milking with robotics in 2015, a year after they signed up with Stonyfield Organic in Londonderry, NH. Kitsos notes, "To be a farm shipping to Stonyfield means that they are able to maintain very high quality standards on an ongoing basis." The Churchills have received multiple silver awards for excellence from Stonyfield, currently running a 113,000 somatic cell count with extremely low bacteria count. As to the robotic milking system, the cows seem to love it, says Jennifer, as they can wander in when they're ready to be milked. Less stress means healthier animals and often higher milk production. "Once the cows learned their time slot for milking, we saw a change from herd mentality to independent thinkers," she adds. "With this set-up, they can pass each other in the laneway heading to or from the pasture." Daily milk production averages around 70 pounds per cow--or 21,350 pounds per year--with 3.9 percent butterfat and 3 percent protein. These numbers can be attributed to good management practices, not only for cow comfort and health, but also for selective breeding for year-round calving. They strive for a 13- to 14-month calving interval, breeding for polled, A2A2, medium-sized cows with good feet and legs and teat placement for the robotic system. Heifers are bred to calve at 24 months and at a weight of 1,000-1,200 pounds. Calves spend their first several weeks in a separate, well-ventilated area of the barn, which is insulated so temperatures never fall below 35 degrees Fahrenheit in the entire structure. They receive three feedings of colostrum and then get onegallon of milk per feeding twice a day until weaned. The cows are fed round bales and 18 pounds of grain and two pounds of molasses a day, in addition to free-choice sodium bicarbonate, minerals, salt and kelp for better hair condition. The farmers have 295 acres of hay, which provides about 60 percent of their herd's needs, and 120 acres of pasture. "Morgan and Jen have approached farming with both business and lifestyle goals in mind," Johnson points out. "The addition of the new facility and robotics was part of that approach, but they have also diversified their business in order to accommodate employees year round." The farmers began sugaring in 2012 to keep their workers employed in the off season. They have 400 buckets and 2,300 taps on pipeline, producing an average of 700 gallons of syrup a year. They've also planted four acres of hemp and have lined up a local buyer for the oil. Morgan admits, however, that growing hemp involves a lot of labor, as it needs to be harvested and dried. "We had to build a 35 x 60 ft. addition on the workshop to dry the hemp." So, he's taking a wait-and-see approach on whether they will expand their hemp production next year. When asked what makes their farm so successful, the dairyman says efficiency. "We've always looked to the future, always looking for a way to do something better and more efficiently. For example, we bought bigger equipment than we really need to hay. But it helps get the job done quicker, freeing us up to do something else."

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CABOT ♦ DANVILLE ♦ PEACHHAM

by Representative Catherine “Kitty” Toll Legislators will return to Montpelier the first week of January to open the 2020 legislative session. Priorities for the session will include, but certainly not be limited to, passing a balanced budget, continuing efforts to expand high speed internet throughout the state, addressing health risks associated with vaping, focusing on the state’s retirement systems, securing our information technology systems that are being targeted daily by cyber threats, developing more housing opportunities for Vermonters, addressing climate change, expanding job training and job readiness programs and, of course, keeping a focus on growing Vermont’s economy. During the off-session period, I enjoy hearing from constituents about legislative actions that have been passed or proposed and ideas and suggestions to improve our state and communities, as well as helping Vermonters navigate state government, services and programs. Additionally, I have had the opportunity to attend several forums to learn more about challenges and successes of other states across the nation and how these same issues are impacting our own state. Beyond sustainable budgeting, retirement obligations, climate change and taxes, state leaders are also focused on demographics and automation. This sharing of information is important as we continue to make critical decisions for Vermont. Vermont is not the only state experiencing an aging population; it is happening across the United States. This demographic change is often referred to as the “silver tsunami.” Baby boomers are aging, and this population bubble is changing the face of our workforce, our communities, and is changing the demand on specific services and programs. Artificial intelligence (AI) and automation are also changing the workforce of today and tomorrow. Training for jobs that do not exist now but will exist in the very near future is a challenge. In the 2017-2018 legislative session, Vermont was the first state to create an Artificial Intelligence Task Force charged with investigating and making recommendations for the responsible growth of Vermont’s emerging technology markets, the use of artificial intelligence in State government, and State regulation of the AI field. The Vermont Legislature has directed the task force to investigate both the benefits and potential risks of artificial intelligence. Advances in technology benefits us all; however, this quickly changing world is also creating challenges. For information on any bill or action taken by the House or Senate or standing committee, please visit: www.leg.state.vt.us. These are live pages and are updated regularly. Please contact me directly with your questions and concerns. [email protected] or [email protected] PO Box 192, Danville, VT 05828 802-684-3671 (Home) or 802-828-2228 (State House)

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Bees Wrap Workshop in October

by Allison Gulka The Greater Cabot Working Landscape Network is hosting a workshop in collaboration with the Cabot Public Library on making bees wrap. This beeswax-based product makes a great, renewable alternative to single use plastics for covering foods. It is also a sustainable product that supports local beekeepers.

Shannon Choquette of the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District will lead this workshop, free of charge, for 18 participants in the Willey Building this October. Stay tuned on Front Porch Forum for date and details. If you are interested in receiving future updates about the workshop, please email us at workinglandscape@cabotver mont.org.

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Cabot Emergency Ambulance Service Gaining Strength

We have probably all heard the old quote from Aesop, “Slow and steady wins the race”. This may sound cliché’, but it is often true! Also, Galatians 6:9 says “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart”. Cabot Ambulance has been making slow but steady progress! Since the last Cabot Chronicle issue, we have one new member, and another pending. We have also started an EMT class. There are ten students enrolled in the class, and seven of them are going for Cabot Ambulance! There are also a couple others who were emergency responders for Cabot in the past, will be “auditing” some of the class and then testing out. This class should be completed by the end of February 2020. There will (probably) then be a National Registry (NREMT) psychomotor exam in March of 2020, after which each student can schedule their final test, which is a CBT (computer based test – the replacement of the written tests) also done by the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians. This means that if all goes well, Cabot Ambulance should have seven to nine newly certified or re-certified EMTs by sometime around April or May of 2020. (No pressure students…) We are currently still struggling with our emergency responses, due to our relatively low number of certified responders available at a given time. So, if someone does need to call 911 and has a longer than normal wait time for us to arrive, or has to wait for a mutual aid ambulance from another town, I am sincerely sorry. I hope and believe that we will be in a much better situation by this time next year, and may have seven to ten more certified EMTs than we currently have. Meanwhile, we will carry on, and continue to do the best we can with the resources we have. Thank you to all those who are volunteering on Cabot Emergency Ambulance Service, and all those who have served in the past!

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Happy Fall from the Zoning Office

With winter fast approaching, please remember to pull permits for any building you are considering doing on your property. Permits are required for any building taking place as well as any change of use occurring. Feel free to call with any questions if you are unsure if your project requires a permit or not. Many projects may also require state permitting, such as wetland, shoreline and septic. Once a permit is approved, you have one year to begin the project before the permit expires. Remember to allow for up to 30 days for review in the Zoning Office, as well as 15 days after approval before construction can begin on a project. Agriculture permits have no fee involved, but should still be filled out for recording purposes. The select board voted on August 20, 2019, to increase the permitting fees of building and driveway permits to $40. These permits are available on the town website. The fee for permits was last changed in 2000 from $10 to $17. I look forward to working with anyone building in the future.

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What is a Dry Hydrant?

Andy Luce at Bricketts Crossing. Photo by Chip Taylor.

Dealing with fires in a large city is made easier, as water is available from municipal fire hydrants spaced every 500 feet or so. We have hydrants in Cabot Village, but outside the Village, obtaining water to fight a fire can be a challenge, particularly in winter when ponds can be covered with a thick layer of snow and ice. The solution is something called a "dry hydrant". They are dry because, unlike a conventional pressurized hydrant, they produce water only when a fire engine is connected to them and sucks the water out, into the engine and onward to the fire hose. (Think of using a straw to drink your favorite beverage.) Dry hydrants, which are located within several dozen feet of a stream or pond, have a huge advantage in rural water supply for firefighting. They are far less expensive than running miles of water pipes along rural roads, and can be situated right next to a road, so there is no need to carry a portable fire pump through weeds and brush to a pond and (in winter) scrape snow and chop a hole through the ice. Cabot is fortunate that, through State grants and the work of fire department volunteers, we have twelve of these dry hydrants situated around the Town. While these hydrants are generally trouble free, they do need to be inspected, flushed out and tested, and your fire department tries to do that process for each dry hydrant at least once every year. That's usually routine, and of course, provides practice for a time when a hydrant is needed for an actual fire. But sometimes there are surprises: The hydrant intake out in the pond can become clogged, or a joint on the hydrant may leak, preventing the fire engine from drawing a vacuum and obtaining water. And sometimes there's more severe damage. Last winter, the dry hydrant on Brickett's Crossing was hit by a plow as snow was being cleared from around it. That was discovered during one of those routine tests, and recently Andy Luce and Chip Taylor replaced the broken section of PVC pipe. The Cabot Fire Department will finish it up by repainting the new PVC pipe, and more clearly mark the site so it doesn't get lost under winter snow when it's being plowed out. Of course the repaired hydrant will be tested to make sure it's good to go.

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Real Internet? Central Vermont Fiber Update

by Andy Gilbert As many may or may not know, Cabot is a member of the Central Vermont Fiber Communications Union District. This is a virtual town overlay established with the goal of bringing high speed, reliable internet to our 17 member communities. This is a big goal and presents a number of challenges, including organization, funding, planning, communication and more. That said, some encouraging progress has been made. CVFiber has been awarded or is likely to receive a number of grants to help with formal feasibility and business planning exercises. This includes a Vermont ACCD (Agency of Commerce and Community Development) ThinkVermont grant, along with a USDA (US Department of Agriculture) grant. In addition, we are working to obtain some additional funds made available by recent Vermont legislative action (H513). This bill was a big boost for this effort and others like it around the state. And just the act of our 17 towns forming CVFiber sent an important message to the legislature.

In addition, we are asking members of our communities to help us in the planning process by filling out a survey. The link to this is available on our website at https://cvfiber.net/news/survey/. It is also directly available at https://arcg.is/1uaOm1 (but that is hard to type!). All CVFiber meetings are public and warned. They typically are on the second Tuesday of the month in the elementary school in Berlin. The website is at https://cvfiber.net/. There is also a Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/CentralVermontInternet/. Finally, all our revenue is currently through donations. Anyone interested in supporting this effort can contribute through the donation link available on the website. Funding dollars at this point are both critical to bootstrapping the effort and highly leveraged as they are typically used to match grant awards. If you have any questions please feel free to email me, Andy Gilbert, at [email protected]. Thank you!

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Is Your Land Survey on File?

by Cabot Board of Listers

Just because you have had your land surveyed doesn’t necessarily mean your parcel record has been updated. Two things must occur for that to happen: 1) you need to file your survey with the Town Clerk (there is a $25 filing fee to have your survey recorded in town archives); and 2) the Listers need to be aware you have filed a survey and your acreage may need to be updated. The acreage on some parcels was recorded decades ago, back when records were hand-written in pencil. If you have more accurate data, we would like to work with you to ensure your parcel record is accurate and complete. If you have filed a survey with the Town Clerk, please shoot us an email at [email protected] or give us a phone call at 563-3139 to let us know. We’ll do the research to find the survey number, update your record with the correct acreage, and record the survey number in your file so it will be available to future owners and listers.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

Bruce Lamell, Jr.

Bruce Lamell Jr., formerly of Barre, born in Council Grove, KS, on June 26, 1974, died in a motorcycle accident on August 8, 2019. Born to Bruce Lamell and Cheryl (Bullard) Smith, he is survived by his brother, Ralph with sister-in -law Heidi and their five children; a stepbrother, Neil and his step-mother Ingrid; his son, Bruce Lamell III; his wife, Jennifer; a granddaughter; and his daughter, Bryonna Lamell. His grandparents were Ralph and Isabell Lamell, of South Barre, as well as a grandfather, Douglas Bullard, who all predeceased him. His grandmother, Phyllis Bullard, still re-

Ruth Pearl Stuart LaPoint

Ruth Pearl Stuart LaPoint, 85, of Glinka Road, passed quietly away on Saturday, July 6, 2019, at her home with her beloved cat, Smudge, by her side. She was cherished and will be missed dearly by her children Gordon LaPoint and significant other Pauline, Sandy Ducharme and husband Richard, Sheila Michaud and husband Dale, Teri Lawrence and husband Peter Comart and Gary LaPoint and wife Rose; grandchildren Melanie LaPoint, Christina Ducharme, Stephanie Ducharme, Kristofer Michaud, Nicolas Michaud, Isaac Lawrence, Maija Lawrence, Anya Comart, Chrystal LaPoint, Gary Jr. La- Point and Jaisy LaPoint; and several great-grandchildren. In addition, Ruth will be missed by her brother, Russell Stuart and wife Edna; and many nieces and nephews. She will also be missed dearly by her neighbors on Glinka Road, who have all supported each other. Ruth was a kind and gentle soul. She will be remembered with adoration for her unconditional love, compassion and generosity. She always looked for and found the good in people and life in general touching many lives with her love and kindness and encouraging those around her to find compassion for others. An avid lover of animals, domestic and wild, she had a special connection with animals and found great joy in her beloved cats over the years. Also a lover of horses, Ruth never missed a Kentucky Derby race. She bestowed her love of animals on all who knew her. Ruth also had a knack for gardening, especially perennisides in South Barre. He had many aunts and uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews. While growing up, he enjoyed motorcycles and the freedom he experienced while riding them, and loved hunting and fishing. As an adult, he loved mechanics, construction, painting and contract woodwork. He was a perfectionist at what he endeavored. He had a quick, easy laugh and tried lending a hand to those in need. There will be no official services but a suggestion of barbecues and/or bonfires to remember the good times would be a nice memory. His ashes will be scattered at various places in Cabot, which he always felt a home base.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 4 onward.

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Chitty Bang Comes to Cabot!

by Karen Mueller-Harder

Cabot Community Theater is excited to announce that we will be performing Chitty Bang this spring, April 2-5! This delightful show will be a lot of fun for performers and audience alike, featuring many wonderful songs and memorable characters. The stage musical is quite similar to the film, though with a few additional songs and some differing dialogue to work better on stage. In addition to a good number of lead roles, there are some great chorus parts, and also some non-singing roles, so there should be opportunities for everyone who wants to perform! Auditions will be held in late autumn, and will be announced on Front Porch Forum and on our Facebook page.

This show will require some interesting technical creativity, so we’ll need people with ideas about how to make a car seem to fly in CSPAC, and folks to help with all areas of design and production. If you are interested in working on the show in any way, please drop a note to [email protected]. CCT is a welcoming, friendly, and inclusive group, and we’d love to have you join in the fun!

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

As I am writing my article, it is obvious that fall is upon us. Tree leaves are starting to change, and will soon be a festival of fall colors. Along with the fall foliage come the firewood chores for all who burn wood. If you are cutting ash firewood in Cabot, I ask that you watch for signs of emerald ash borer (EAB) in the trees that are removed. The most obvious sign will be galleries from the larva on the tree below the outer bark. D shaped exit holes approximately ⅛" in diameter on the bark will be another sure sign of EAB presence. As for my efforts to monitor for EAB, the August check of the two purple traps in Cabot found no EAB in either trap. I will check and remove the purple traps for the season later today, I am hoping the traps do not contain any EAB this time, as well. The purple traps are placed and monitored by forest pest first detectors at locations all over the State where EAB is likely to be present. EAB was found in two purple traps in Alburg during August as a result of this monitoring. The forest pest first detector program also distributes a newsletter, where I recently read an interesting article about the future of our ash trees. The article was written about a six year study conducted by Penn State researchers. The study suggested that ash trees will continue to exist after the EAB infestation is over. "Lingering ash," that's what the US Forest Service calls the relatively few green and white Ash trees that survive the EAB onslaught. Those trees do not survive by accident, and may save the species, according to the Penn State researchers. If you are interested in reading this article, the URL is (https://phys.org/news/2019-09ash-tree-species-survive-emerald.html). Only time will tell if this will be the outcome for ash trees after the EAB infestation has passed. On another note, the trees that have been planted on the town green appear to be healthy and should become beautiful shade trees in the future. If anyone has suggestions on other tree plantings for the town green spaces, please let me know your ideas.

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Building and Maintaining a Positive School Community

by Cabot School Board Near the end of his bus ride to school one morning in early September, a Cabot School first-grader asked his bus driver to see if the driver could call ahead to the school to see if ”that lady that helped me last time” would be able to meet him again as he got off the bus. According to the young student, he had a tough morning, and wasn’t ready to go to class. He was hoping that the Cabot School teacher who had helped him get calmed down and ready for learning the previous week might be able to lend that support again. On that morning, the Cabot teacher was indeed available to help. According to an evening presentation by school staff in early September, the self- awareness and foresight that prompted the young student’s request is at least partly a result of ongoing efforts at the school to promote strong student voice and a positive school community. On September 9, Principal Glenda Cresto and school staff members Sarah Ainsworth, Samantha Scribner and Jackie Batten hosted a Cabot School information program entitled “Preparing Students for Success I,” which provided a thorough overview of current programs and practices in place to provide students and staff with the tools needed to develop and maintain a positive school environment. For a number of years, Cabot School has participated in a statewide program entitled PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention System) that assists in building positive school climates. This year, Cabot was recognized for the exemplary progress it’s made thus far. In a nutshell, the PBIS program developed at Cabot models and teaches the behaviors needed to maintain a classroom climate where students feel safe, respected and able to learn, and also provides a framework for students and staff to recognize and change behaviors that detract from that positive climate. The behavior expectations at Cabot (called “the Husky Way”) are for students to be respectful, responsible, kind, engaged and safe. Recognizing that developing positive behaviors in children requires the same processes that students need to develop skills like reading and writing, teachers and staff at Cabot explicitly teach their students what these behaviors look like across the range of school environments (classroom, cafeteria, bus, etc.) and provide ample time throughout the year for modeling, discussing and practicing them. Positive behaviors are recognized and celebrated, and students and classes awarded “Husky Bucks” as reinforcement can use the Bucks for school supplies, Cabot gear, and class celebrations. Cabot uses a color-coded system to classify the range of student behaviors and the kinds of strategies needed in different situations to get students back to the “Green Zone”, where their behavior allows them and their fellow students to feel safe, engaged and ready to learn. Behaviors in the Red zone are serious enough to require administrative involvement, while less disruptive/dangerous Blue or Yellow behaviors are dealt with in the classroom. Students learn strategies they can use in the classroom to get back to the Green Zone on their own. According to Principal Glenda Cresto, the system in place this year will provide the framework, staff, and tools to maintain the type of positive school environment that students need in order to learn. “Students need to feel a sense of belonging in school before they can feel comfortable enough to take the healthy risks necessary to learn. That sense of belonging reflects the degree to which students feel respected, accepted and supported by teachers and peers. “In addition to the PBIS program, Cabot is also using a set of tools called “Restorative Practices” this year to help foster positive classroom communities. Cabot was one of ten schools across the state recently awarded grants for professional development and coaching in establishing restorative practices schoolwide. The foundation of restorative practices are daily “community circles” where students have the opportunity to share their thoughts on a range of topics. These circles help build a strong classroom community in a number of ways: They promote understanding, help break down barriers, and also provide a safe space for students and teachers to address issues or conflicts as they arise. When serious issues come up, the restorative approach also provides a way to repair relationships and community. At this “targeted” level, the discussion is focused on what happened, who has been affected by it, and brainstorming what needs to be done to make things right. According to Principal Cresto, this approach is far more valuable for the student and the community because the focus remains on learning from mistakes and direct accountability for one’s actions. Cabot School families will be able to find out more about PBIS and Restorative Practices at the school-wide open house on the evening of Wednesday, September 18. On Monday , October 14, the next school information session, “Preparing Students for Success II”, will focus on specific programs in Cabot’s middle school and high school. All interested students, families, and community members are encouraged to attend; refreshments will be served.

email [email protected]

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A Sense of Belonging

Each year, the leadership team in the Supervisory Union (SU) sits down in the summer months to plan for the upcoming school year. One of the first tasks we address is to determine a theme for the year. This is an important first step that guides us through the rest of our planning, starting with how we will launch the school year at opening day in-service events through all of the planning we do for professional development for the teachers and staff of the schools. While the theme is not all we have to focus on, setting it allows us to orient our thinking around a big idea. With Cabot now part of a much larger Supervisory Union – we are one of seven schools in the newlyenlarged Caledonia Central Supervisory Union – I had anticipated that setting a theme and coordinating our work might be challenging. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly we zeroed in on a common theme. This is not my theme

– it is our theme, and I am grateful to all my colleagues across the Supervisory Union and the seven schools for owning this. Our theme for this school year is Belonging. Like most of the work we do at schools, it did not arise in a vacuum, but from other work that we have been doing for the past several years, both in Cabot/Twinfield and in the other five schools in the SU (Walden, Danville, Waterford, Peacham, and Barnet). The genesis of this theme was our work on equity, which has been the #1 topic of discussion in education circles for a couple of years. Discussions about equity are morphing from “here’s something important to think about,” into, “here are some things that are first principles for achieving equity in education.” The search for equity informs much of the work we do when we make decisions about how to use our limited resources in the school, a situation that is especially true in Cabot. Since we don’t have unlimited money to throw at our challenges, we are always seeking ways to leverage what we have available to improve the learning climate in the school. As usual, that comes down to improving and leveraging the natural skills of our staff by focusing everyone on new “mindset” practices. All of this led us to this year’s theme – Belonging. We have Cabot’s children in our school for 175 days a year, roughly seven hours each day, and while they are here, we want them – every single one of them

– to feel as if they are the most important person on campus. This, to me, is the essence of belonging in a school environment. This is not quite the same as making them feel “special,” but rather it is a necessary antidote for some of our children who do not otherwise have this feeling elsewhere in their lives. Most of our children come to us from safe loving homes, and they arrive each day with a sense of belonging that carries forward from their home to school. Unfortunately, this is not true for all of our students, and we know from our years of working with children from challenging home environments that what they need more than anything else is a place where they feel safe and loved – where they feel as if they are part of the larger community – where they feel as if they belong. We also know that until we solve this challenge for all our children, we will continue to struggle in meeting our number one objective in school – teaching and learning – not just for our struggling learners, but for all learners. We know that before we can reach children intellectually, we have to reach them emotionally. Some of my readers by now might be feeling that providing for the emotional care of children to create a sense of belonging is not our responsibility, that this is a parenting obligation that should not be paid for by the taxpayers who fund our school. To that I can only say – consider the alternative, consider the potential outcome from not building the necessary emotional connections that open up each child to the possibilities of learning, to thinking about the larger world beyond their home in Cabot, to realizing a life of meaning. If we are to be judged for our ability to educate all children, then we need to be constantly thinking about how to create a safe learning environment where that is possible for all children. We are convinced that the root of this lies in each child having a sense of belonging in our school, and I invite you to look at the work we do at Cabot school through that lens.

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Cabot Selectboard Update

by Fred Ducharme, Chair

 Route 215 to West Hill Pond Road will be paved by October. Town Hall parking lot paving should be completed. All lights in parking lot are installed,  run at half power with timers, lighting directed down to avoid unnecessary light pollution. Includes electrical outlets with timers. Heat pump system is being installed in Town Clerk’s office and second floor meeting room.

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Destination Imagination Back in Cabot?

by Jane Youngbaer Destination Imagination is alive and well throughout Vermont, the USA, and the world. Can we bring it back to Cabot? How about starting teams in some nearby towns? Many readers have participated in Destination Imagination or know someone who has. Others are not familiar with this program at all. Here is a brief description of the program, with an update on the latest for 2019-20. Destination Imagination is a nonprofit educational organization for creativity and teamwork. Kids from kindergarten through college, including homeschool and community groups, collaborate on teams of three to seven members to solve creative challenges. An adult Team Manager facilitates the work of the team, but all the ideas and creations must come from the team members. Only the K-2 Rising Stars are allowed some assistance with their early learning challenges. You may have heard of STEM or STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, with A for Arts). Destination Imagination is all about STEAM and Team. Each team chooses a Challenge with specific criteria, which they work on for several months. The main focus of each Challenge may be Service Learning, Science, Fine Arts, Technical, Engineering, or Improvisation. Groups also do many short Instant Challenges, which are different each time and require quick thinking as a team. Each group also has the opportunity to showcase their own special talents, such as music or art. Rising Stars have their own noncompetitive Challenge. This year it’s “Blast Off,” in which they create and present a play about characters who travel from one planet to another. Team-created rockets and puppets are also a part of this exciting Challenge. The Challenges for grades 3 and up (usually around age 8+) have even more detail. Challenge Overviews can be found online at www.destinationimag ination.org, or just ask and I will send that to you. All teams are invited to present their Challenge solutions at the Vermont Destination Imagination Tournament at Burlington High School, this year on March 21, 2020. This is a competition for all teams except Rising Stars, who present what they have done and receive feedback, but not scores from the Appraisers. Older teams may also opt out of the competitive aspect of D.I. The Tournament is a celebration, with many fun activities in addition to Challenge presentations and Instant Challenges. First place teams are eligible to go to the Global Finals in Kansas City, MO (no longer in Knoxville TN). Since 2002, seven different teams from Cabot have gone to Global Finals! Vermont Destination Imagination will do a free workshop and Team Manager training for your school or community group if you are interested in starting a team. For more information please contact me at [email protected].

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You are Invited Cabot Trails Landowner Breakfast Saturday, October, 26, 9-11 a.m.

by Andy Gilbert The Cabot Trails Committee will be hosting a landowner breakfast and discussion on October 26 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. in the Willey Building. Everyone is welcome to attend. The meeting is informational. The ultimate success of any trails effort in Cabot will rely on the voluntary and willing support and partnership of private landowners. The meeting will be an opportunity to communicate some of what the committee has learned about trails and usage appropriate for the community and match that to concerns, questions, and ideas of private landowners willing to voluntarily allow access for trails. Emphasis on voluntarily. If you aren’t interested in trails, you don’t have to do anything. We won’t establish or support trails on private land without explicit landowner permission.

We hope to have a mix of items for breakfast, such as quiches, muffins, fruit, oatmeal, beverages, coffee, and tea. The discussion will be friendly and open. We will post an agenda on Front Porch Forum as time approaches. In the meantime, the trails committee meetings are typically held on the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. in the Willey Building. Again, anyone is welcome to attend, and you don’t have to be on the committee to help. That is a big point. As we hopefully move to the point of actual trail establishment and maintenance, we will be quite reliant on folks that like to “do” things versus come to meetings and talk! If anyone is interested in knowing more or helping, please contact myself, Andy Gilbert ([email protected]), or the town clerk.

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Cabot School Farm to School Fall News: Fresh and Local!

by Nene Riley In January of 2019, Cabot School received a $15,000 Farm to School (F2S) grant. A committee of teachers, staff, and community members have been working with F2S consultants to come up with the two-year plan below. The mission of Cabot’s Farm-to-School initiative is to support the food service program in delivering fresh, local, whole food to children and families, and to strengthen partnerships with local agriculture. Our Project Based Learning (PBL) curriculum includes a focus on gardening, healthy plants and soil, and cooking and preserving food we grow ourselves. Some action steps include: Brock Miller, our food service manager, will increase capacity for storage and preservation, and purchase equipment to utilize fresh produce. He will develop a system for increasing and tracking local purchasing. Cabot School will put on a Harvest Supper for the community annually which showcases PBL work, the fruits of the garden and local farmers. This year’s supper is November 2. We will have a Harvest of the Month program through the cafeteria, and build a sustainable system for planting, harvesting and maintaining the school’s gardens. Cabot Leads students will participate in farm internships, and classes will visit local farms. Cabot high school students will study the waste stream and develop an on-site composting system. Cabot Leads students will keep a garden journal and school website to document the work over time. Cabot Teachers will participate in onsite workshops with Shelburne Farms in the fall, and a team will travel there in the spring to create a curriculum ladder based on new information and the work already being done in classes.

Upcoming Dates and Community Connections:  Garden Work Day Thursday, September 26th 9:00-11:00 a.m. Community Harvest Supper, Saturday, November 2 Brock will roast a pig, and is also looking for local farmers to buy food from for this supper. Items needed include root crops, squash, pumpkins, cider, salad items, and more. Look for more information about this November event on the Front Porch Forum.

If you would like to volunteer at the Garden Work Day or if you have produce to sell for the Harvest Supper, please email Nene Riley, [email protected] orBrockMiler , bmil [email protected]. If you need more information, please call the school 802- 563-2289 x207.

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How does someone become a mentor?

By Susie Socks Maybe you’ve thought about becoming a mentor, but you’re not sure about the process. “What are the requirements? What will be expected of me? Who will I be mentoring? What will I do with a mentee? Will there be help and support?”

Requirements: Mentors must be 21 or older, pass background checks, and attend a two-hour orientation training. They need to be reliable, patient, compassionate, and good listeners.

Expectations: Mentors meet with their mentee two to four times a month, for a total of at least six hours per month.

Who you’ll be mentoring: A youth ages 7-17, who lives in Cabot and/or goes to school in Cabot. Students apply to the program and are interviewed to give us a good idea of their interests, what kind of a person they would like to spend time with, and whether they have the emotional maturity to have a respectful and reciprocal relationship with an adult. If a youth seems a good match for a mentor, we arrange a meeting with the mentor, youth, and family. It takes agreement by everyone before we formally match a mentee and mentor.

What you’ll do: This is the fun part! Cabot Mentoring provides a list of free, fun activity ideas, as well as a monthly listing of free local events. We also do our best to provide gear (free of charge) to mentee/mentor pairs who need equipment to bike, kayak, snowshoe, and so on. Activities are decided upon by the mentee & mentor, and include things like baking, reading, walking, hiking, woodworking, fishing, arts and crafts, visiting museums, going to concerts, and just having a good talk.

Help and support: Prior to being matched with a youth, all new mentors have a two-hour training where they learn program policies and work through real-life mentoring scenarios. The Cabot Mentoring program coordinator is available to talk through challenges and connect mentors with resources. Further training is offered one or two times per year for those who would like to deepen their understanding of topics related to mentoring. Cabot Mentoring works to make sure that you:

 

 feel ready to be a mentor are matched with a youth who is a good fit have plenty of ideas to get you started have the support you need to succeed Sound good?

Then take the first step to making a difference in a child’s life, by contacting us at [email protected]. You can find more information at our website, www.cabotmentoring.org.

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3053 Main St, Cabot, VT ~ 802-563-2745

The Cabot Artisans Gallery is hosting a Fiber Arts Exhibit on Tuesday, October 1, as part of the Cabot Fall Foliage Day activities. We will be open from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The Fiber Arts Exhibit will include quilts, knitted items, hooked rugs, weaving, floorcloths, and more. There will be demonstrations going on all day: quilt making, rug hooking, spinning, and weaving. On October 4 and 5, the gallery is hosting a Rug Hooking workshop. Please contact Sandy Ducharme at [email protected] or 563-2745 for more information and to register. On October 5 and 6, The Gallery is participating in the Vermont Craft Council “Open Studio Weekend” and will be open both days from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. There will be artisans there to talk about their crafts throughout the day.

October 12 and 19, The Gallery is hosting a Quilting Workshop. More information to follow on that. Please cont actSandyDucharmeat [email protected] or 563-2745 for more information and to register. The Gallery will close for a brief period from October 14 through November 20 and reopen for the holiday season on Thursday, November 21. The Gallery will close for the season on December 24, re-opening next May. We look forward to hosting more workshops throughout the year, with some coming up in October and November to include quilting and wood working for women. Please watch for more details on these workshops. Thank you for all of the community support and for shopping locally.

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Cabot Rink

By Susie Socks With the leaves changing and temperatures dropping, it’s time to start thinking about winter activities…like the Cabot rink! If you are new to Cabot, every winter we build a 75’ x 50’ skating rink on the Town Common, right next to the school and church. We keep a large collection of skates at the rink for people to borrow, in just about every size. We also provide hockey goals, and stacked milk crates for beginner skaters. The Cabot rink is built and maintained 100% by volunteers, with funds for materials provided by the Cabot Recreation Committee. Having been a skating coach in my previous career, I’m currently in the role of lead volunteer, and I’m also available to help with skate fit & safety, and assistance for beginner skaters. If you would like to help out on the Cabot rink project, maintenance crew is always our biggest need. The ice always needs to be kept snow free, which means shoveling or snow blowing every day in January-mid March. That’s right, every day. We aim to have two people scheduled per day…if you’d like to sign up for a day, we’d be very grateful! We are also seeking donations of equipment (skates in good shape, hockey sticks, pucks, milk crates) and funds (for expenses outside the scope of our budget). This year, we are excited to try out our new loaner skate storage system. We have two sheds with slatted shelving built by the Cabot School tech ed students. This new system should be great for keeping skates organized and dry. If you are interested in helping out or making a donation, if you have questions or ideas for the rink, or if you need help with skates and getting started with skating, please contact me at [email protected] .

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Where in the World is the Cabot Chronicle?

The Chronicle was seen at the premier showing of the new Downton Abbey movie with Maria and Jim Goodrich. Photo by Maria Angela Acchione Goodrich.

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 To all Veterans Twin Valley Seniors would like you to join us on Veteran’s Day, November 11, to be our guest at the center for lunch. We are always pleased to have you attend and enjoy a great lunch with the seniors. Lunch will be served @ 12:30 p.m. and a call or email would be appreciated if you can join us. Telephone is 802-223-3322 and email: [email protected].

At this time of the year, some of our elderly residents contact me with requests to help them find rides, help with stacking wood, getting buttoned up for winter, or snow shoveling. If you are willing to help a neighbor who needs these kinds of services, please contact me at the center with your name, telephone number and town you live in. I would be happy to connect you together. I can be reached by calling 802-223-3322 or emailing [email protected]. Did you know that TVSC has the capability of hosting small gatherings (with or without catering) such as receptions after funeral services, holiday parties, showers, etc.? We will rent out the space with kitchen privileges or bring your own potluck.

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At the Jaquith Public Library

Old Schoolhouse Common,122 School Street, Marshfield, VT 802-426-3581

by Susan Green

All events are free and held at the library 122 School Street, Room 2, Marshfield, VT.

Marshfield Harvest Festival Sunday, September 29, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Free Family Friendly Activities: face painting, cider pressing, arts and crafts, field games, music and more! Book sale, bake sale, horse and wagon rides, yard sale, craft sale and raffle for a gourmet food and wine basket. “Chili-Cook-off” from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in our “Chili tent” and then vote for your best tasting chili and the cook will win a prize!! Salads and corn bread will complement the chili. $8 adults and $4 children. Barbecue if you don’t like chili: hamburgers from a local farm, hot dogs and veggie burgers will be for sale.  12:15 p.m. Music with Bella & the Notables (Bandstand)  1:00 to 2:30 p.m. Slide Show and

Talk: "Industries in North Montpelier". Come learn about the early settlers and industries of the village of North Montpelier - including many old photographs.  2:00 p.m. Music with Kick’em Jenny

(Bandstand)  3:00 p.m. Forest Farmers Sugarbush

Tour:  4:00 p.m. Hike up to the Marshfield

Cliffs Do people compliment you on your chili? Do you have what it takes to be the best chili chef in Marshfield? The Friends of the Jaquith Library are hosting a chili cook off at the September 29th Harvest Festival in Marshfield this year. Contestants are entered to win one of three prize baskets from local businesses and artists. Seeking: Vendors for Marshfield Harvest Festival on September 29 We’d like to invite any local vendors to sell craft items, antiques, flea market items or local produce. Bring your own table / tent. To reserve a space email [email protected] or call the library at 426 -3581. Fundraisers are for the library, $20 a space, limit two tables. Local nonprofits: If you are a 501c3 organization and would like to participate, you are welcome to do so free of charge. We encourage you to have some kind of interactive display or game to go with the festive feel of the day!

Wednesday, October 9 at 7 p.m.

Join Emma Hanson, Wood Energy Coordinator at the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation for a presentation on how you can opt out of fossil fuels and heat your home or business with local, renewable wood heat. Her presentation will include a brief overview of all the wood heating options available with time for Q&A. Sponsored by The RAMP Energy Task Force Almost There: Movies About the Future Third Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

October 16 (1979) It turns out that HG Wells didn’t just write about a time machine, he also invented one in this film. He uses it to protect the future (a utopia, he thinks) from a terrible murderer. For movie title go to the Jaquith Library website.

November 20 (2006) It is 2027, no children have been born in 18 years and society has fallen apart (because what’s the point). Then a woman turns up who’s about to deliver a child.

Beautiful Tree Walk at the Stranahan Town Forestwith Ed Jalbert Sunday, October 13, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. We will meet at the Jake Martin Road parking area in Marshfield. The south public access to Stranahan Town Forest is located on your left about halfway down Jake Martin Road. Look for the kiosk located at the turn off into the parking area. Co-sponsored by the Stranahan Stewardship Committee, Marshfield Conservation Commission, and the Jaquith Public Library.

Thrilling Halloween Movie with Spine-tingling Refreshments. Wednesday, October 30 at 7:00 p.m.

The movie Titles will be posted on the Jaquith Library website.

Concert with Iain MacHarg on the Scottish Bagpipes In November (T.B.A. ) Watch for date and time on our website! Iain MacHarg is one of the region’s leading pipers. His reputation as a teacher and performer has gained widespread acclaim. He is a founder of the Celtic rock bands Whiskey Before Breakfast and Prydein and the Catamount Pipe Band, four time finalists at the World Pipe Band Championships, and current Northeastern Pipe Band Champions. This is a fundraiser and the proceeds will go toward youth services. Cost: $8-10 for adults, children are free.

Introductory Oral History Workshop Tuesday, November 12th from 9:30 until 3:30 The introductory Oral History Workshop includes an overview of oral history theory and method, a demonstration interview, a discussion of recording techniques, practice with equipment and a brief discussion of digital file management. 5-8 recording kits will be provided for attendees to use in teams of 2-3. Preregistration is required and the commitment needs to be for the entire 6 hour workshop. Lunch is included.

Winter Clothing Drive Saturday, November 16 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Free good quality clothing is available at the Old Schoolhouse Common gym. If you have good quality clothes to donate, please drop them off at the library during the week before the event. Co-sponsored by the Onion River Food Shelf and the Jaquith Public Library.

ONGOING EVENTS Chapters in History Four Turmoil Perennially Swirling Saturday afternoons at 2:00 p.m.

The public is encouraged to participate in this free reading and discussion series of presidential biographies. Books are available for loan from the library. For more information, please call 454 - 1680. Co-sponsored by The Marshfield Historical Society and the Jaquith Public Library.

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CABOT PUBLIC LIBRARY FALL NEWS

Read to Me, our new program that provides free books to every child in Cabot for the first three years of their life, was launched in July of this year. Thanks to the family and many friends of Mary Tebbetts, the first year of the program will be funded from their donations to the library, in Mary’s memory. Please consider sponsoring a child for a year with a $30 donation. The Library Trustees and I are happy to welcome Mekiah Smith as our new Student Representative to the Library Board. Mekiah has been coming to the library for many years, and pitches in as soon as she walks through the door, by shelving books and helping out at the desk. She is a very talented artist and will help bring a student’s perspective to our discussions. Thank you, Mekiah! Preschool Story Hour is on Tuesday mornings at 10:00 a.m. with Beth Wade reading and Mary Lou DeLacy providing singalong music. Come dressed up for our special Halloween Story Hour – with spooky stories, fun games and yummy treats on Tuesday, October 29, at 10:00 a.m., and stop by the library for Trick or Treats on Halloween night. Join Dana and Susan Robinson for music and stories during Cabot’s Fall Foliage Festival - Tuesday, October 1, from 11:00 a.m.-noon. Americana-roots and folk duo, Dana and Susan Robinson, will be performing selections from their new, Vermont-inspired recording, The Town That Music Saved. Dana and Susan combine vivid songwriting and storytelling, with fiddle tunes, banjo grooves, elegant melodies, and rich harmony singing. Their compositions have been featured in Ken Burns's "The National Parks, America's Best Idea" and "The Dust Bowl.” Seven Days writes, “Dana is a master storyteller, spinning his yarns with the precise skill of an artisan loom weaver.” Wednesdays, October 2, 9 & 16 - 5:30- 6:45 p.m. - Yoga & Active Isolated Stretching - Alicia Feltus. An energizing stretch & strengthening class followed by deep relaxation. Yoga tones organs and glands, improves hormone balance, sleep, digestion and mood! AIS provides an effective, dynamic, facilitated stretching of major muscle groups, restoring fascial planes. Learn unique sequences to isolate and stretch major muscle groups to increase blood and lymph flow, prevent injury and improve injury recovery. Contra dances start up again on the second Saturday of the month September

– May – please look for flyers indicating each month’s musicians. Meditation with Daria Babbitt will be

October 12: Truman by David McCullough November 9: Eisenhower In War

and Peace by Jean Edward Smith Story Time and Playgroup Wednesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Join Sylvia Smith for story time, and follow up with playgroup with facilitator, Erin Barry. For children birth to age six and their grown-ups. We follow the Twinfield Union School calendar and do not hold the program the days Twinfield is closed.

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 10 onward.

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Little Free Library on Cabot Plains Leave a Book, Take a Book

…front of Cabot Plains Cemetery, right across from the entrance to Dubray Road, stands this “little free library.” Built at a workshop at The Foundry (makerspace) in Lyndonville about a year and a half ago, sponsored by the AARP and the VT Department of Libraries, as well as the Foundry, it was decorated by Ariana Curtis. The Spaulding Trust gave permission for the location. You can go to littlefreelibrary.org for more information. There may be more little free libraries in Cabot’s future.

The beginning of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 11.

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2019 Cabot Ride the Ridges

by the RTR Committee The seventh annual Cabot Ride the Ridges bicycle ride was held on Sunday, September 8, and it was the best ride ev -ah! We had 188 riders participating, from 5 year old Abe tackling the 10KM loop to a US Tour de France pro taking on the 100KM. Not sure many folks can brag about a riding event that appeals to that wide a range of cyclists! The weather started out a bit wet and cool, but ended up being a splendid day to show off all the best of our community and surroundings, from the views, farms, and roads to the food and the people. The post-ride food was awesome, including Woodbelly Pizza, Jasper Hill cheese, Burtts apples and donuts, and other local food, including Kingdom Harvest Kombucha, Rhapsody Natural Foods, Vermont Creamery, Talberts Maple Farm, and Artisan Coffee. And there was even a post ride raffle of donated products. All proceeds from Cabot Ride the Ridges benefit the Cabot Mentoring program. This year was a record year in that regard. And the more riders we get in the future, the better. That said, while the event continues to grow, we will keep it low key, community focused and grass roots in feel and vibe. It has become not just a fund raiser but a community based activity, allowing us to share all the best that living in central Vermont has to offer. Thank you to everyone that participated or volunteered!

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