Vermont Public has launched “Small Vermont Businesses in Small Vermont Towns,” an eight-part series of short films by filmmaker Rocket, as part of the station’s Made Here Fund.
Rocket is a storyteller and the driving force behind Eat Vermont and Stellar, a mobile application that empowers people to create custom recipes and navigate the kitchen. He’s an alumnus of The Putney School ‘10 and Middlebury College ‘14, and recent graduate of the Vermont Law School.
“I’ve been to all 50 states, but I call Vermont home. I love this state for many reasons, most of all for its strong local food system, natural charm, and community-minded people,” Rocket said. “Small businesses are the bedrock of Vermont. The people who build and operate these businesses are heroes. I made this series to honor their resilient efforts and immortalize their stories as touchstones of Vermont life in the 2020s.”
New episodes are were released on Tuesdays at vermontpublic.org and YouTube from Aug. 13 to Oct. 1.
In this week’s, on Sept. 24, Rocket visits with Seth Leach, the seventh-generation farmer at Woodlawn Farmstead in Pawlet, to explore how vertical integration has been essential for this small dairy farm’s survival. Seth discusses how he and his wife Kate have worked to manage every step in milk production, from growing crops to making cheese to overcome the modern challenge of “buying retail and selling wholesale”. By partnering with renowned cheesemakers like Plymouth Artisan Cheese and Crowley Cheese, and even starting their own cheese brand, Woodlawn Creamery, the Leaches continue to find inventive ways to keep their 250-cow operation afloat.
Next week, on Oct. 1, Rocket visits with Jesse Plotsky & Owen Daniel-McCarter, co-owners of Babes Bar, a vibrant community center in the heart of Bethel. Babes is at once a queer friendly space, a watering hole for locals, and a must-visit on the itinerary of Vermonters statewide and visitors from further afield. Known for its warm atmosphere and eclectic events, Babes Bar serves as a cultural hub where people of all backgrounds can come together over drinks, dance, and delicious Chicago-style hotdogs.
The Made Here Fund was launched in 2022 to broaden and diversify Vermont storytelling. Makers from across the state were invited to apply for special funding to produce pieces such as short documentary and animated films, digital shorts and audio series.
Rocket’s project was one of 10 projects selected by a jury and funded in 2023. Previously released projects include films “The Balloonist,” “Love of the Land,” and “I Have Something To Get Off Of My Chest.” The remaining projects will be released over the next year.
