Vermont's isolated mountains, harsh winters and small towns foster a community spirit that is unique among the 50 states. It's one of the few places left where you can borrow butter from your neighbors without being shooed away from the house with a cold glare. This sense of neighborliness extends to the environment and the creatures that inhabit it. Co-ops and natural food stores are common throughout the state. Vermonters also like to keep it small: this is one of the few places where small, family-owned farms haven't been pushed out by large agribusiness interests.
For travelers, there is plenty to see and do. The winters are harsh, and there are no beaches as in the rest of New England, but for those in-the-know, Vermont is a paradise for the ecologically minded. With a mostly rural population of 500,000 people, the majority of Vermont's land mass consists of the beautiful and well-protected Green Mountains, whose unparalleled beauty stands out most during the colorful autumn. Most visitors to the state come in the wintertime, driving up from New York City to ski the slopes. The other nine months, however, might be the best time to visit, when you can view this peaceful state without having to fight the mobs.
You've taken the road less traveled if you arrive in Bennington. Poet Robert Frost was buried here in the cemetery of the Old Bennington Congregational Church.
Along the main strip, stop for a sandwich at Alldays & Onions (519 Main St.,802-447-0043). Build your own sandwich from a long list of items on their chalkboard. Along Route 7, the Blue Benn Diner (102 Hunt St.,802-442-5140) has been serving quick meals to locals and lonely travelers for over 50 years. It's not all diner food, though - you'll find quiche, salads and vegetarian specials on their menu as well.
Bennington's natural foods store is Spice & Nice (233 North St.,802-442-8395).
Refugees from the urban jungles moved to Brattleboro, just north of the Massachusetts border, for some peace, quiet and communal living in the '60s. There's still a hippie feel to the town, although the radicals have come and gone. Sightseers should hike up to the famous Hogback Mountain Lookout for a 100-mile view of the surrounding Green Mountains.
Common Ground (25 Elliot St.,802-257-0855) is a worker-owned cooperative restaurant that works with local farmers to produce all-organic, all-vegetarian meals. Stir-fries and seitan sandwiches are some of the menu's offerings.
For groceries in town, there's no better place than the Brattleboro Food Co-op (2 Main St.,802-257-0236). In addition to a huge selection of organic produce and bulk foods, a full-service deli and café comes complete with a salad bar, juice bar, and a good selection of store-made soups, salads and entrées.
Calling it a city is a stretch, but at 50,000-plus it's the closest thing in Vermont. Civic events like the jazz and reggae festivals do draw a crowd, and the University of Vermont students keep things lively.
At the Church Street Marketplace downtown, the City Market Place (211 College St., 802-658-5061) is a hub of activity. Check out the community board for local events and the live music schedule. Tofu and seitan entrées with Asian influences are served all day. You can also pick up homemade breads at the bakery. Ethnic offerings in Burlington include India House Restaurant (207 Colchester Ave., 802-862-7800) and Pacific Rim (111 St. Paul, 802-651-3000). Both have vegetarian menus.
Natural foods markets in the city are plentiful. The Moon Meadow Market (150 Dorset St., S. Burlington, 802-862-9000) has a bakery, juice bar and gourmet deli. Healthy Living (4 Market St.,802-863-2569) is conveniently located downtown and has a café and a good selection of organic produce. The local cooperative is Onion River Co-op (274 N. Winooski Ave., 802-863-3659).
Killington is the location of both a prime ski resort and one of the nation's premier American restaurants. Hemingway's (Route 4, PO Box 337, 802-422-3886), located in a restored 19th-century mansion, has a gorgeous setting that is only fluff for the extravagance of its dinners. Vegetarian selections are offered, and they are just as creative as their meat dishes. Entrées such as vegetable strudel with hazelnuts and orange, asparagus flan with tomato fondue, and wild mushroom risottowill please even the most unimpressionable palate. Call ahead with special dietary needs. The staff can create vegan, wheat-free, Pritikin, Atkins, and low-fat meals. Be sure to make reservations - weekends fill up weeks in advance.
Manchester's outlet stores and resorts are much maligned by community-oriented locals. Admittedly, though, the nearby skiing is hard to beat. Pick up organic groceries near town at New Morning Natural Foods (Route 11 & 30, 802-362-3602).
The quaint town of Middlebury is a crossroads for those traveling through Central Vermont. A number of restaurants in town are worth stopping at, including the funky Storm Café (3 Mill St., 802-388-1063) located in the basement of the stone-structured Frog Hollow Mill. The almost Gothic interior is an excellent setting for the Storm Café's short menu of soups, salads and sandwiches. Organic produce is featured in several menu items. On old-fashioned Bakery Lane, you'll find Woody's (5 Bakery Ln., 802-388-4182), an eclectic restaurant serving innovative international cuisine. In the Middlebury Marbleworks building you'll find Panda House (2 Maple St., 802-388-3101), the town's favorite Chinese establishment.
The local cooperative and organic grocery is Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op (1 Washington St., 802-388-7276).
The state capital is home to a mere 8,000 souls, a fitting symbol for the small-town nature of Vermont. For vegetarian dining near the gold-domed State Capitol, there is an oldie-but-goodie, Horn Of The Moon Café (8 Langdon St., 802-223-2895). Although the interior could use a facelift, the menu changes with the times. Nightly dinner specials are posted a month in advance and feature items such as roasted red pepper pasta, spinach and mushroom strudel, and yemiser we't, which is an Ethiopian stew.
The State Street Market & Deli (20 State St., 802-229-9353) provides the town with natural foods and deli items.
The working class town of Rutland near the Killington ski resort has two natural foods groceries. Buy organic produce at either Sunshine Natural Market & Deli (42-44 Center, 800-372-2050) or at Rutland Area Co-op (77 Wales, 802-773-0737).
In a cozy valley with nearby skiing and hiking trails, Stowe is a small town resident's dream. Ben & Jerry's, one of the most progressive companies in the nation, has a factory nearby which provides most of the town's jobs.
Miguel's Stowe Away (Mountain Rd., 802-253-7574) is recommended for Mexican cuisine, such as vegetarian beans, rice and burritos. Food For Thought (Route 100, 802-253-4733) is the town's natural grocery store. It has a full-service deli with sandwiches and soups.
The Inside Scoop
No trip to Vermont is complete without a visit to Ben & Jerry's famous ice cream factory. If there are happier cows this side of India, Ben & Jerry's has them. With a solid policy of using cream only from farms who have pledged not to use BGH (bovine growth hormone), Ben & Jerry's provides you with a non-toxic product. All their cream comes from local Vermont family farms. This ensures that profits stay in the community, something that large corporations as a whole fail to do.
Ben & Jerry's "1% for Peace" policy also ensures that the company gives back something to the community. Most of B&J's benefactors are local non-profits who are aided through both the donations and the volunteer work of employees. Despite the fact that some think it's just a clever marketing ploy, I like to think that there's some genuine kindness sprouting from these good old boys from Vermont.
The 30-minute tour includes a short video detailing the history of the company, a bird's-eye view of the production lines (including a look into the lives of the oh-so-lucky "Quality Assurance Engineers" who spend their days taste-testing away), and a visit to the tasting room to sample to the latest Ben & Jerry's concoction. Following the trip you can buy a hemp hat or recycled plastic frisbee in the gift shop, or head straight for the ice cream stand - the whole point of it all.
Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory Tour, Route 100, Waterbury, VT, 802-882-1260, www.benjerry.com.
Vermont's second ski resort is inundated with New Yorkers and Bostonians in the winter, yet is peaceful and idyllic the rest of the year. A few vegetarian items like the pumpkin raviolini can be found at Bella Luna Pizzeria/Tratorria (Sugarbush Village, 802-253-7574).
A Sweet Escape For All Your Senses
Looking for the ultimate healthy getaway? You'll adore Ron and Kathy's Sweet Onion Inn. Nestled deep in Vermont's scenic Green Mountains, the inn lies halfway between the Killington ski resort to the south and Sugarbush to the north. It's a popular winter location, but travelers also enjoy visiting in the fall for the New England colors, as well as in spring and summer when the Green Mountains show off their green.
Although the craftsmanship of the inn itself is a highlight, the novelty of the Sweet Onion Inn lies in its meals. Ron is a certified nutritionist and a past owner of a natural foods store who has brought his considerable skills to work here at the Sweet Onion. All guests receive both dinner and breakfast. Dinner is a doozie. Four courses are served, starting with a fresh dinner salad consisting of greens and vegetables culled from the couple's garden (whenever possible), followed by soup, entrée and dessert.
My meal was comprised of gazpacho soup, a well-treated Spanish quinoa, and heaping plates of tomato-filled tempeh enchiladas. Everything is cooked just moments before you arrive, and you can certainly taste the freshness. Ron enjoys personalizing his menus - call ahead regarding your dietary needs. In the summer you can dine on the deck while gazing at the stars.
If you're staying for a while, take advantage of some of the inn's extras. Kathy runs a well-stocked vitamin and herb shop next door to the inn. She'll be happy to open it at any time. Ron can provide nutritional counseling for guests at a reasonable hourly rate. Hypnotherapy, massage sessions, and planned outings are also available.
Sweet Onion Inn, Route 100, PO Box 66, Hancock, VT 05748, 802-767-3734.