Erica Heilman

"The post office, the general store, the Grange, these are nodes of human connection. So you know, the big question, like, 'What are we going to lose when we lose these villages?' We're going to lose the physical infrastructure for certain kinds of unplanned connections with people."

Karen Meisner and her family, who lived in a 200 year old home in Plainfield, experienced this week's flood as fully as any family might. They spent the night upstairs, while the Winooski River tore through the downstairs. Vermont Public's Erica Heilman caught up with Meisner while she was staying temporarily with a friend in East Montpelier.

Editor's note: This piece contains some difficult and graphic scenes that may not be for everyone.A thoughtful and visceral introduction to where lamb chops come from, with sheep shearer and butcherer Mary Lake.

Armand Patoine introduces us to the tradition of cutting winterberry boughs for Christmas, with or without permission.

People come to Ernie's auctions to buy the contents of whole houses, but they also come for good food and company. Soon this long-loved pastime will come to an end.

"What class are you?" It's a question that Vermont Public reporter Erica Heilman recently asked people she encountered in the Northeast Kingdom. In the final installment of a five-part series, we hear Ethan Perry of Orleans talk about working at Family Dollar, and the challenges of dreaming about a future when there's not always enough to eat now.

"What class are you?" It's a question that Vermont Public reporter Erica Heilman recently asked people she encountered in the Northeast Kingdom. In the fourth of a five-part series, we hear 73-year-old Brownington logger and builder Jane Greenwood describe what it's like to straddle two classes: the "working class" and the "NPR class."

"What class are you?" It's a question that Vermont Public reporter Erica Heilman recently asked people she encountered in the Northeast Kingdom. In the third story of a five-part series, we hear how Karen Shaw of Hardwick lives on a farm and describes herself as "agricultural class." She's angry all the time, and she doesn't see much hope for cultural and class reunification. She figures we should just split the country in two.

"What class are you?" It's a question that Vermont Public reporter Erica Heilman recently asked people she encountered in the Northeast Kingdom. In the second of a five-part series, we hear from Irasburg photographer John Miller about black skid marks in the road, and the importance of approaching neighbors with curiosity and humility.

"What class are you?" It's a question that Vermont Public reporter Erica Heilman recently asked people she encountered in the Northeast Kingdom. In the first of a five-part series, we hear Kytreana Patrick of Newport describe how growing up "working class" leads inevitably to a working class adulthood. And she speculates about why rich people don't like talking about class.