A dry wall is built with no mortar. The stones are carefully selected and they interlock and gravity holds them in place. The Great Wall of China was built this way. Scott Carrier’s wall was built this way too. Here is his story.

For the last year I’ve been conducting interviews about death and dying for The Wake Up to Dying Project–a project that encourages people to think, and talk about death and dying.  The goal is to help people be a little more prepared, both practically and emotionally, for our own deaths, and the deaths of loved ones.  Today’s show features segments from an interview with Tim Kasten of Middlesex, VT. Tim has experienced more death in his family than many of us and he has significant medical conditions of his own. Death has become a pressing consideration for him, and as both a Buddhist and scientist, he approaches the subject with intense curiosity. Here are segments from our conversation.

Here is one final deer story, recorded this year after youth hunting weekend. Jack Fannon, 12, went out hunting on his parents’ land in Calais, with friend, mentor, and hunter safety instructor Bob Raskevitz. Here’s what happened….

Alan LePage has been an organic vegetable gardener in central Vermont for over thirty years–long before anyone cared much about organic farming–long, long before words like ‘sustainable’, ‘local’, ‘artisinal’ started being used, ad nauseam. His family has farmed the same piece of land since the civil war. Alan is also an expert mushroom forager, mentor, activist and philosopher. He has a voracious mind and he’s impossible to categorize, except perhaps as an event. I had to interview him twice. I hope you enjoy this interview. I sure did.

You can hear Alan LePage every Sunday morning on WGDR, 91.1, from 6:00 – 9:00 AM. The show is called The Curse of the Golden Turnip. You’ll hear music, and endlessly great advice and stories about agriculture, foraging, and agricultural policy.

[Amazing] photos are by Josh Larkin. Link to more of his work below.

An interview with poet, teacher, and reigning Vermont poetry slam champion, Geof Hewitt. In this interview, Geof talks about a lifetime of writing and what it means, to him, to be successful. He talks about his early years as a Vermont homesteader from New Jersery, and slowly becoming a Vermonter. And of course we hear lots of poetry.

Geof has published three books for teachers and four collections of poetry. His books are available at Bear Pond Books in Montpelier, in libraries, and online.

This is a show about songs, and stories about songs. You’ll  hear about sack races, summer camp, love lost and found–and the songs that marked these events. There is some Meat Loaf this hour. There is brave singing and humming. There is blood and there are guitar solos. It’s an hour of music you’re sure to love and hate, and I encourage you to dance.

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My mom singing a song using her hands:

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This week features radio producer and writer Scott Carrier, reading from his book, Prisoner of Zion. This program was produced by Larry Massett for Hearing Voices, and ran nationally in 2011. The great folks there have given me permission to air it on Rumble Strip Vermont.

Shortly after the World Trade Center fell in autumn 2001, it became clear the United States would invade Afghanistan. Producer Scott Carrier decided he ought to go there too. Why? To see for himself: that’s what writers do. Who are these fanatics, these fundamentalists, the Taliban and the like? And what do they want?

In this program, Carrier narrates his trip to Afghanistan. With his young guide and translator, Najibulla, they tour the horrors of war.

Years later Naji tells Scott he must leave his homeland — the dangers for a translator have become extreme. Scott gets Najibulla accepted at Utah Valley University. Naji, it turns out, handles the Mormons quite well, while Scott, teaching at the same school, has a hard time with them. At the end Naji is graduating, about to get married, and start a new job; while Scott wonders whether he can stand teaching another year — or if he’ll wind up on the street like Naji.

Thanks:

Big thanks to Barrett Golding, Scott Carrier, and Larry Massett for giving me permission to air this show. Thank you to Larry for sending me tracks….over and over….

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/140254783″ params=”color=ff5500&inverse=false&auto_play=false&show_user=true” width=”100%” height=”20″ iframe=”true” /]This hour features four Vermont soldiers captured at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. The program weaves together their stories of capture, internment, and the challenges of returning to civilian life.

Credits:

This program features Vermont veterans Cliff Austin, Harrison Burney, Bill Busier, and Robert Norton.

It has aired on public radio affiliates across the country and on NPR’s Hearing Voices and on SoundPrint

Produced in collaboration with Greg Sharrow of the Vermont Folklife Center.

This week’s episode of Rumble Strip is about the high art of Vermont road maintenance, and the diplomacy required to (almost) please everyone.  It features interviews with East Montpelier road foreman Mike Garand and retired state highway dispatcher Ray Burke.

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT IF YOU HAVE ONE!  Also, if you subscribe to the site, you’ll receive automatic announcements on upcoming shows. Thanks!

My thanks to Andy Kolovos of the Vermont Folklife Center for his help with archival material for this program. Thanks also to Calais Selectboard member Scott Bassage for supplying audio from Calais Town Meeting.

Singer Miriam Bernardo talks about what can go right, and wrong—onstage. She talks about how she puts a life together as a musician in central Vermont, and what it feels like to sing, and live—wide open. And? We get to hear her sing.

The show also features radio documentary producer Larry Massett, reading from the Barre police log.

Photographs of Miriam by Josh Larkin

Show music credits:

Ribbon Bow: Writer unknown. Performed by Foley Artist

Secret Words: Paul Bowles. Performed by Foley Artist

Is Anything Wrong: Lhasa De Sela. Performed by Foley Artist

They’ll Come Back: Sun Ra. Performed by Magic City/led by Michael Chorney