Vermont

On a sunny, summer morning in late June, Ronnie Russell is “windshield farming.”Driving from field to field in his Ford pick-up, he can see that his corn…

The disease known as white-nose syndrome has killed millions of bats, but scientists are seeing hopeful signs that some bat colonies are recovering.

Americans don't eat much barbecued goat, but the meat is a mainstay in many African, Asian and Caribbean diets. In Vermont, farmers raise it for refugees and immigrants, and hope to mainstream it.

Forget "Grade A" — Vermont has a new system for grading maple syrup. The state hopes names like "Delicate" and "Robust" will educate consumers, but some residents are just plain confused.

For centuries, people thought sap had to flow down a tree's body through a spigot at the bottom. But researchers have discovered that sap can flow upward, too, which allows syrup production from much younger trees, and could even turn maple syrup into a row crop.

How about a nice, juicy moose burger with your venison? Wild-game suppers are a rural American harvest tradition dating back to Colonial times. This year, 800 people turned out for the long-running "Superbowl" of these suppers, where hunters donate most of the meat (with some roadkill thrown in).

Most Americans say public libraries are important to the community — but eight states don't actually support them. Texas has cut budgets drastically; in Vermont, local librarians must go hand in hand to town meetings every year. Neda Ulaby reports on the landscape of library funding across the U.S.

Bavarian plum cake reminds Gesine Bullock-Prado of her mother and childhood split between Germany and the U.S. The dessert uses Damson plums, which are only in season for a short time each summer.

Advocates say these new state laws show the public safety argument is starting to carry weight. New laws in Vermont, Connecticut and Colorado reflect an about-face in policy after 9/11, when states enacted tighter licensing rules.

For one Vermont couple, "local" doesn't mean heading to the farmers market. It means finding a natural salad bar at your picnic spot — or maybe even in your backyard.