PicturePhotos by Chelsey McKenney
By Mike Divis and Chelsey McKenney

You look left, a see a sea of green grass. You look right, a patch of growing flowers. You breathe in and inhale the fresh country air, all while the sweet aroma of home cooked meals consumes you. This is just what you first experience as you pull up to Browns Orchard and Farm stand, but just wait until you get inside.

“Its like a hidden treasure, I love it,” said Jaclyn Countryman a resident of Castleton and a student at the local college.  “I always get my jelly and cider there.”

Browns Orchard and Farm stand is located on Route 30, about one mile south of Castleton Four Corners and is owned by Charlie Brown and his wife, Mary.   

“We have been working with the Farmers’ Market for 35 years come September,” said Charlie, “and our family has been growing vegetables since 1910 and the orchard since 1926.”

For years, Browns Orchard and Farm stand has provided its customers with all sorts of delicious choices from, apples, jellies, maple syrup, and a variety of baked goods. However, what they are really known for are their infamous homemade pies and apple cider.

“Our apple cider and pies are our biggest sellers,” said Mary Brown, who runs the farm stand.

“All of our pies are made from scratch, and our sweet corn is also really important to us,” she said.

The Browns have 10 sweet corn crops that are offered at different times throughout the summer, she said.

“We do this so they come in fresh for our customers,” said Charlie Brown. “We also grow zucchini and summer squash.”

Browns Orchard is a family owned business and each member has their own part in making sure it’s successful. They have two kids, a son, Charlie, also known as “Buddy,” and Brittany, who graduated from Castleton three years ago.

“Buddy works at our other business, Brown’s Quarry and Slate and Brittany works at the farm stand with her mom,” Charlie said.

 A lot of their customers, the Browns said, are actually from the Castleton State College.

“When the people on the lake leave, the college students come. Its great,” said Charlie.

Spring and summer are their busiest time of year, according to Charlie Brown, and the business usually kicks in around 3-6 pm.  

“I love going there in the summer because they always have a great variety of fresh vegetables to choose from. I can’t get enough of them,” said Countryman. 


 
PicturePhoto by JenniLee Mark
By JenniLee Mark

Kenneth Hill gets to be with his wife and bring her flowers every day -- even at work. He gets to make sure she’s happy and surrounded by everything she loves including hummingbirds, cardinals and dragonflies.

Unfortunately, his wife lost a battle to cancer eight years ago, but that doesn’t keep Hill from being with his true love. He works at Hillside Cemetery, where she’s buried, and visits her grave every morning when he arrives at work and every afternoon before he leaves.

“I feel more involved than when I wasn’t working here,” Hill said.

Hill used to work for the state Highway Department, but made the switch to working at the cemetery two years ago when the job opened up. Though most people wouldn’t love the job, Hill said he likes being able to work with his wife all day. 

Located on Cemetery Road off Brown Farm Road, the cemetery is the only active one left in the town of Castleton. Though there are others by the Federated church and elsewhere in the town, they are all inactive and much older.

That’s not to say that Hillside doesn’t have some older graves, though. Hillside has its fair share of long-time residents dating back as early as the late 1700s. There are even some Civil War veterans buried there.

According to Hill, the most interesting stones though aren’t actual stones; they’re logs. He said there are a couple of graves that have one giant log sitting on top of a few stacked logs and there are others shaped like books. Though they aren’t his choice for a gravesite, he said they are quite interesting to look at.

Hillside is owned by the town of Castleton and operates under the direction Cemetery Association President John Burke for 25 years now.

Burke began as a trustee without knowing it and said that when the “president became a resident” and the second president also passed away, he said he just ended up in the position.

“It’s a sad duty because the cemetery becomes a very important place to some people,” Burke said. “But it’s something somebody has to do and my heart goes out for it.”

A board of 13 trustees meets seven to eight times a year to make the necessary decisions on expenditures and electing officers.

The cemetery is maintained by Reggie Beayon and Hill. They work six months of the year digging plots, mowing and trimming around each stone to keep the cemetery presentable. This time of year is the busiest for them because of Memorial Day. However, with everything they do, they know they say they are serving their duty to the public and doing something respectful.

“The people we truly work to serve are pretty quiet,” Burke said. “They don’t really complain too much.”


 
PicturePhoto courtesy of CSC website
By Anna Olson

President Dave Wolk has been part of Castleton State College for twelve years. Through
personal struggles and dealing daily with college students, he would not change
it for the world. Though there are diverse groups of students throughout campus,
Wolk’s main goal is to have a personal connection with each and every student as well as being dedicated to the community surrounding the college.

The college has adopted the saying “the small college with a big heart,” but some
people are starting to disagree with it. What are your thoughts on
it?

We are a relationship based campus and we have had small
incremental growth over the decade and class sizes have not increased. We
maintain a unique and personal interaction among the students, coaches, and
faculty and staff members. People are worried with what might be and with what
is. We have an intimate connection here like an extended family. Much of the
future of our college will continue off campus. There will be hybrid classes.
Much of that growth won’t be here. The growth that we are planning within ten
years won’t affect the class sizes. We want to preserve what we can about
Castleton.


 How did being a Vermont state senator prepare you for being the president of a
college?
I was Commissioner of Education for the state [of Vermont] for
two years before I came here. In the past, I was also a teacher, superintendent and principal. I think all of those experiences together helped prepare me for this role. I have been here for 12 years. If you’ve noticed, my hair is turning gray! I love Castleton, and I never thought I would stay so long, but I have done so due to my love for the students, the faculty and staff, and the college itself. Serving in the state senate was helpful, but everything else has prepared me. The center of it is the students. They are number one. My passion is to treat students like they are my own family. The goal I have is to improve education and improve the relationship with the students that I have interacted with. 


There have been rumors floating through the town and through campus as to why $5000 was given to the police department. What was your reason behind it?
Over the last 12 years, we occasionally get requests for help. We want to be good
neighbors. The college doesn’t pay taxes. We have been helping the town in
little ways for decades. In the fall, late night and early morning nonsense was
occurring, so this was a way to help the town. We aren’t the only college that
does this. If you interview any college president, they will tell you what they
do for that town.



How do you feel about the relationship between the Castleton residents and the college students?
Well, I think it’s less than 1% who have been causing problems. I regret that this has
ever happened and I have tried to do anything that I can do to stop it. I am
disappointed in the small amount of students who have been causing trouble and
who have been disrespectful. More than 99% of our students are really good
citizens.



What do you think your biggest accomplishment is being the president of the
college?

The most heartwarming is, it has been 12 years, and there are a lot of students who
stay in touch. It is the relationship that I have been lucky to have with the
former students and current students. It is what keeps me
motivated.



Out of all the achievements at the college, what is one that you are most proud
of?
I’m not saying that I am responsible for this, but when I came here, the college was
like a jewelry drawer. It was scattered and had no organization. Now, our college is a beautiful, well organized jewelry chest. It is a drawer full of beautiful gems. It’s what we have. We have a connection with each other. We organized all these jewels into beautiful, organized gems into this college. Our
reputation matches our reality.


What do you hope to see in the future for the town of Castleton?
I hope to see a climate of mutual trust and respect between the college, its students, and community.

 
PicturePhoto contributed by Jeff Bruce
By Rebecca Roe

Summer is just around the corner and while many are excited for the freedom and warm weather, others are getting pumped up for “Sharkfest,” the rockin’ event that kicks off their summer.

“Sharkfest is a yearly do it yourself show that my band and I put together around the first of June,” said Jeff Bruce, member of the band “Morning Comes Early.” 
 
Sharkfest has been around since 2009 and each year the crowd grows bigger 
and bigger. 

 “Historically it has taken place every year at the Bomoseen Grange. We might move this year because of how 
small it is compared to how many people show up,” Bruce said. 
 
Though the date is not set for this year, the bands will stay the same with a few new performers. 

“’Morning Comes Early’ and ‘Next Time We Talk’ has played every year,” said drummer Brit Davis.

After the break up of her previous band, Davis and her new crew, ‘Get a Grip,’ will also take the stage. 

“We’re really stoked to be in the line-up,” she said. 
 
With the appearance of new bands there is bound to be an increase in attendance. 

“It always increases by year except for last year's Sharkfest: the most we had was around 190 people,” 
Bruce said. 

Both audience members and performers say they’ve had amazing memories that will forever stick out in their minds.

“For me, I would say the time my mom crowd-surfed,” Davis said laughing at the memory. 

According to Bruce, not all of his memories are about the performances and heart-racingly loud music. He recalls having a spray paint artist one year.

Sharkfest is an experience to not only listen to pop punk music, but to also meet new people. 

“I go for the music, the friends, and the atmosphere,” said Cooper Babbitt, member of ‘Awaken the Martyrs.’ 

According to Babbitt, the atmosphere is more welcoming than frightening. 
 
“You will most likely see some people there that you would have never expected to see at a show,” he said.

Sharkfest is an event that creates a connection between the performers and the audience. 

“It's one of the few shows I have played where I would rather be in the crowd than be playing,” Davis said. 


             


 
PicturePhoto by Rebecca Roe
By Molly DeMellier and Rebecca Roe

In the heart of downtown Castleton, masked by an aroma of hairspray and a floor dusting of split ends, lies Special Effects beauty salon.  

For nearly two decades owner Mary Diefendorf and co-worker, Kathy Traverse, have been the town’s beauticians and at times magicians.

 “Twenty years is a long time. You get little kids who turn into adults,” Diefendorf said.

 From the gossip to the changing hair styles, these women say they develop a bond with their customers. 

“It’s like another whole family that you get in your clients,” said Traverse. “I’ve done some kids since they were like two and they’re in their mid-twenties now.”

 According to Diefendorf, Special Effect’s client base is cyclical between seasonal lake residents and the college students. 
 
“It changes, but we always stay busy,” she said.

Diefendorf and Traverse keep their hands full and at times find themselves coming to their clients’ rescue.

“Kids will cut their own hair,” Traverse said.

Castleton student Tiaunna Leddick has witnessed a rare male hair crisis come to a resolution. She said during an appointment, a man walked in after shaving his own head and had missed a spot in the back. Since he was unable to reach the patch, the Special Effects stylists worked their magic.

It’s no secret that ladies will go to extreme measures to keep a hair appointment, even if it means challenging Mother Nature.

Diefendorf recalled one woman from Florida who spent her summers at the lake. In planning her salon commute, she did not budget her time for Vermont’s early-summer frost that painted her windshield.

“She stuck her head out the window to get here for her appointment,” Diefendorf said with a laugh. “Those are the diehard clients.”

 
PicturePhoto by Martina Marchese
By Anna Olson and Leah Ede

As you enter the small, shed-like building, the
aroma of mucky water and fish quickly flood your nose and pictures of people and
the fish they have caught cover the walls.

 Tom’s Bait and Tackle is the place to go to get your fishing, hunting and outdoor supplies, according to married couple Rob and Jessica Steele, who have owned the shop since 2005.

  “He [Tom] was the previous owner, but he passed away in 2004,” Jessica said. 

Rob had worked for Tom during his high school and college years, and when Tom passed away, the Steeles took over the business.

 “I pretty much did the same stuff we’re doin’ now,” Rob said. “The only thing that is different is back in the day, we used to be able to net our own bait, but the state changed the regulations.”

 Although the shop tends to be pretty busy at most times during the fishing season, there is an upside to that. 
 
“I like seeing all the locals,” Jessica said.

Most of the business comes from the locals in Castleton and the surrounding areas, as well as people who have summer homes on Lake Bomoseen.

Local resident Brandon Barrett is very familiar with the shop. 

“I’ve been going there for about eight years,” Barrett said. “I get all three fishing, hunting, and trapping combo
licenses.”

And he’s not alone.

“Last year we sold 940 resident fishing and 510 combination licenses, which is a hunting and fishing license together. It’s cheaper. We sold 410 non-resident fishing licenses. Another big one for residents is the three-day fishing license. We sold about 590 of those,” Jessica said.

 Licenses and fishing poles aren’t the only things you can find at Tom’s. They even have live fish to purchase for bait.

 “On average, in the summer we probably sell 150 pounds [of live fish] a week. We sell anywhere from 400 to 6 00 pounds a week in the winter, usually in February,” Jessica said. 
 
Rob said that working at Tom’s has one major benefit -- listening to his customers.

 “My favorite part of working here is getting’ to hear everybody’s fishin’ stories,”Rob
said.

 The locals also enjoy customers’ stories as well as the services that Tom’s has to
offer.

 “My favorite part about Tom’s Bait and Tackle is the service,” Barrett said. “It is
excellent there, and the staff is awesome. All the hunting and fishing stories
that go through that place are unbelievable.”


 
By Erica Bildeau

If you were to ask various students and educators in the area about current issues they are facing in their schools, a majority would speak of at least some form of bullying. According to the National Bullying Prevention Center, one out of every three school-aged children are bullied, which is roughly 13 million students each year.

Stemming from 2012 Fair Haven Union High School graduate and current Castleton State
College freshman Brian Ward’s success in creating an“Anti-Bullying Club” on at Castleton State College, a committee of students and staff recently planned and facilitated events to educate the Castleton community and local students on the importance of standing up against bullying.

The Bullying Awareness Conference took place from Tuesday April 30 until Thursday May 2, with each day offering a different event.

The conference began with an interactive workshop facilitated by Vermont native and educator Jerry Kreitzer. Students from Proctor High School, Fair Haven Union High School, Castleton State College and corresponding staff personnel gathered at the college where they had the opportunity to interac and consider how each
could help stop bullying at their own school. 

Kreitzer had the students pair up with someone from a different school they did not previously know. Each pair was instructed to share their personal experiences with bullying and some of the concerns they had about tackling them. The pairs later joined another and formed small groups where they discussed their thoughts on why people bully, reasons why someone might be bullied and why bullying is still so prevalent. 

The room that started out almost silent and full of students who were visibly uncomfortable while awaiting instruction from Kreitzer had emerged into a learning environment where knowledge and insight flowed from person to person in
a safe and comfortable manner. 

 “I was amazed at how much of an impact the workshop had on me. I wish more Castleton students went and heard the firsthand stories from the high school students,” said Castleton State College student Cody Tancreti.
 
One student, who will remain anonymous due to the nature of the information, provided insight on the bullying that she witnesses and experiences at her school. When Kreitzer asked the group about things that might help stop these occurrences, she said that making sure all teachers and aides take all students more serious when they report cases of bullying or concerns would help students who are being bullied feel more secure.

The adults in the room all shook their heads in agreement.

“I think that the teachers need to pay more attention in the hallways in between classes,” said another student, suggesting that these time periods are often when bullying frequently takes place.

One of the school officials agreed, but also reminded students that they each have the power to help by discouraging the bullying and refraining from being a bystander.

The students in attendance may not have been friends beforehand, but by the end of the discussions, everyone demonstrated respect and understanding for each other. Kreitzer concluded by encouraging each student or staff member to return to their schools and serve as an active influence on their peers by modeling positive behavior when it comes to dealing with bullying.

The Anti-Bullying Conference continued for two more days with a panel of members of the Castleton community who had been affected by bullying on Wednesday, May 1, and the showing of the “Bully” movie followed by a discussion on Thursday, May 2. 
 
Members of the conference planning committee organized the events with the hopes of inspiring positive changes in the behavior of students at the college and surrounding grade schools.
 
Ward, the driving force behind the conference’s success, was pleased with how it went.

 “I am excited about how much of a difference this can make and I hope to keep this going every year while I am a student at Castleton State College,” Ward said.

 
Picture
Photos contributed by The Ieremias family.

By Courtney Parker and Hannah Messer

For nearly 45 years, the Fair Haven Inn has been providing luscious Greek cuisine to the surrounding area. Coming here from Connecticut, current owner Demetrios “Jimmy” Ieremias has been here since the restaurant’s original opening.

 “We wanted to mix a Greek flare with American food,” Ieremias said. “Vermont is beautiful.”
             
Ieremias said at the time the restaurant was introduced, there were no Greek or Mediterranean food venues around and even through up and down economies, he said business has always remained steady.

 “We even have celebrities coming here from time to time,” Ieremias said.

Celebrity visitors include Sandra Bullock, who spent Easter at the Inn in 2010 following her gruesome divorce. She fled to the quiet state of Vermont to avoid all of the negative publicity about her divorce.

Other celebrity visitors include Dom DeLuise and James Coburn.

 “It’s nice getting big people in our little restaurant,” Ieremias said.

Besides the famous, many locals flock to Inn on a regular basis.

Sudbury locals Priscilla and Roger Berube are frequent visitors who share a meal at the venue at least once a week.  

The now retired couple admires not only the Fair Haven Inn’s fine dining options, but also the calm atmosphere the restaurant provides.

“It’s very homey,” said Priscilla, adding that she enjoys the dimmed lighting and running waterfalls featured throughout the building.  

The two love sitting near the cozy fireplace located in the dining room and have even become known on a first name basis by the staff.  

“The food is wonderful and the staff is great,” she said.

Though the ambiance and service are an added bonus for Roger, it is the mouthwatering food dishes that keep him coming back every week.

Greek scallops and the Sunday special of petite filet mignon are just a few of his favorites, each followed by his must-have dessert.  

“Their crème brulee,” said Roger, already counting down the days till his next taste, “There’s nothing like it.”

The Inn attracts a younger crowd as well. Andrea Cohen, a 22-year-old Rutland native, has been going to the Inn for as long as she can remember with her family.
             
“I have spent every birthday there since at least middle school,” Cohen said. “My family celebrates all of our birthdays, anniversaries, and a lot of holidays there.”

Cohen expressed her love for the Inn’s “scrumptious French onion soup.”

The Cohens are among many regular and loyal customers who call the inn one of their favorites in the area and plan to continue coming to the restaurant for years to come. 

“My parents have brought me and my sister there for years,” Cohen said, “I’ll be sure to make my children regulars here too.”


 
Picture
By Courtney Parker and Martina Marchese

On a nice warm spring day, Roxies is overflowing with locals enjoying everything from ice cream cones to mouthwatering burgers and crispy fresh-cut fries. The aroma makes your taste buds tingle in anticipation.

One of the many frequent visitors is nearby resident Fred Bova, who while chowing down on his burger and fries says it’s at least a once-a-week occurrence.

“It’s pretty good food and obviously their fries are standout,” said Bova.  “They open early in the season and close late, so that’s always nice. They’re probably open more than any other outdoor food place.”

While the one of-a-kind Roxies fries are a main attention grabber, patrons say the creamy-style ice cream is another treat high up on the list.

Haley Amerio, 7, loves going to Roxies because “we get to have ice cream!” she said with a delighted ice cream-covered smile on her face.

Others remember Roxies as a favorite pastime from long ago.

“It was a big doin’ man, when we got to go to the Roxie wagon,” resident Doug Lawrence said, recalling his Roxie visits as a child back in the 70s.

Owner Earle Wilson started the originally blue Roxies wagon in the early 1900’s. The first food wagon was located at the Rutland Main Street Park and was a famous spot for popcorn and hot dogs.

Roxies was eventually sold to its current owners, and is now run by Sandi Rivers. The truck has remained in the Rivers family for over 50 years.

“I got thrown on the counter when I was 12 at the Rutland location,” said Rivers. “The people are my favorite part about working here.”

Rivers says the customers are most rewarding part about working at Roxies.

Other family members have also taken their turn helping to grow the business.  

River’s grandson, Matt Church, designed the Roxie logo when he was a teenager and he fondly remembers his time working in the family business. Church started when he was about 10 years old and has been a big part of the business for about 20 years now.

While many locals flock to Roxies, Castleton State College students and faculty have also grown fond of the popular hot spot.

Castleton Media Center and library employees have taken an extreme liking to the Roxie’s offerings, so much that they have dedicated a day to dining there, known as Roxie Fridays.  

“I enjoy that it's outside,” said Media Center employee Sarah Chambers. “There are many days that we are stuck inside all day during the summer so it's a good opportunity to get outside with my fellow colleagues for a while.”

Every Friday the group of four to six people venture to Roxie’s as a summer tradition, always making sure to order a quart size order of fries to share.    

“It’s a popular place,” she said.  “It’s tasty, local and the people there are very friendly.”

 
Picture
Photo By Mike Divis
By Mike Divis

A year ago when you walked into the Castleton Corners Deli, you might have heard New York City accent taunting Red Sox fans from the former owner.

These days, the taunts have been replaced by the smell of Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

But while some aspects of the place have changed, patrons say the famous subs remained the same.

The Castleton Corners Deli, also known as Citgo Subs, has a warm atmosphere when you walk in. There are smells of Indian food and fresh cut deli meats wafting through the air. Customers talk with the owners as they load their subs full of meat and vegetables.

The deli is located on the four corners across from the Mobil and Dunkin’ Donuts.

Owner Muhammad Bilal is originally from Pakistan and lived in New York from 2002 until he and his family moved to Castleton on Nov. 9.

“I love the atmosphere. The countryside and the lake were a big attraction,” Bilal said.

An important part of the deli, Bilal said, is to keep prices low.

“We try to lower our prices since we know how money hard for some people, especially being near the college. I’ve been there before, so I can relate,” Bilal said.

The deli has a mix of Indian and Pakistani food, but their stuffed subs are among the most popular.

“The subs are really big and weren’t expensive at all,” said Castleton State College sophomore Megan Breen.

The subs are especially popular because they are made with whatever the customer chooses from cheese to meat.

“The food is good, they have fresh ingredients and the people are nice,” Castleton State College junior Thomas Bradder said.

Bilal is pleased with the feedback – and glad to be here.

“I’m happy I’ve become a part of the community since moving here and I appreciate all the support from the members of Castleton,” Bilal said.