By Judith Tremblay, Ext. master gardener intern Now that the warmer days of spring are here, it is not uncommon for cabin fever to be replaced with gardening fever. However, it is important to take a step back and consider what can successfully be grown in your vegetable garden. A good starting point is to identify…

Mothers selflessly devote themselves to their children from infancy into adulthood. A mother’s love never wanes, and she’s always ready and willing to step in and put her children first.  Mother’s Day is a great chance for men, women and children to honor the special women in their lives. Delicious homemade treats can show mothers…

By Suzanne Freitas, UVM Extension master gardener  Warm days may tempt you to work in the garden and remove winter mulch, but wait a bit longer. We still could have more snow and some very cold nights. Plants still need protection. The freeze and thaw cycles of early spring can damage plants that have survived…

By Lee Emmons On certain afternoons, if I time it just right, I may spot a brown creeper (Certhia americana) on the trunk of a tree in my front yard. Moving stealthily, almost imperceptibly up the tree, the brown creeper hunts for food amongst the bark. I watch this avian mission with a sense of…

Record equity levels unlikely to spur many homeowners to sell Vermont has the third highest increase in real home value in the nation according to the First American Real House Price Index (RHPI), which measures the price changes of single-family properties throughout the U.S., adjusted for the impact of income and interest rate changes on consumer…

Wednesday, April 28—VIRTUAL—Marv Elliott, treasurer and active member of Rutland County Audubon, will present a Zoom birding program on Wednesday, April 28 at 6:30 p.m. This photo talk will follow a camping trip by Marv and his wife, Sue, from their home in Vermont to Alaska. The program will concentrate on birds, animals and plants,…

Community Garden workshop to help gardeners get ready for the season  Tuesday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m.—RUTLAND—Learn how to set your garden up for success this growing season at Make Your Bed: Starting Your Garden,  a beginner/intermediate gardening workshop held Tuesday, May 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the Northeast Community Gardens off Woodstock Ave. in…

May 3-7—VIRTUAL—The Composting Association of Vermont and the Agency of Natural Resources will be hosting the Vermont Organics Recycling Summit (VORS). This event will bring together leaders and learners from across the state to discuss creative ways to keep organics out of the trash and transform organics into valuable products. The free online summit is a great opportunity for anyone interested in how Vermont communities and organizations manage their food scraps successfully and overcome challenges.…

By Rachel Sargent Mirus On sunny, warm days, houseflies hatch and buzz around homes and offices. These flies complete aerobatic stunts that easily evade human efforts at swatting or shooing. That aerial agility, so frustrating to the would-be swatters, is thanks to a pair of highly specialized sense organs called halteres. Halteres are modified wings…

By Gary Salmon There is a line in the lyrics of this great Bee Gees song of the ‘70s that if I were an ash tree and John Travolta was singing it to me I would pay attention to: “Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me.” Since emerald ash borer (EAB) began infecting Vermont ash trees…

You want to take advantage of the benefits of weatherization: a warmer home, savings on your fuel bills, fewer drafts. But the costs feel like a big unknown, and you’re not sure where to start. Upfront costs are a concern for most home improvement projects. Good news: Most Vermonters are eligible for incentives and low…

The value of the right lighting in a home is undeniable. Lighting can instantly transform a room and create the ambiance homeowners are looking to establish. Though it might be mostly seen as a way to create mood inside a home, lighting also can do much for lawns and gardens. Backyards have come a long…

Home renovation trends are ever-changing. Renovations that might have been de rigueur 20 years ago may seem dated now. Recognizing the potentially popular trends of tomorrow is a great way for homeowners to give their homes a fresh new look and put themselves in position to capitalize on those trends when they put their homes…

Home renovation projects are significant undertakings. Working with skilled and experienced contractors can ensure projects go smoothly and are completed promptly. Timing is a big consideration for homeowners as they begin renovating their homes, and the home improvement experts at HomeAdvisor note that the following are some general timelines for popular renovation projects. Home addition:…

By Karen D. Lorentz An application has been filed by Killington/Pico Ski Resort Partners (KPSRP) for its master planned unit development (PUD) approval for the Base Camp at Bear Mountain project, the first development of slopeside units at Killington since 2006. The proposed community consists of  156 residential units. Application #21-011 seeks specific site plan…