Episodes

What Class are You?

I drove around and asked people 'What class are you?'. Here's what they said. more

Mary Lake Sheep Slaughterer

A very intimate look at where food comes from more

It’s Town Meeting Again.

It's town meeting day. So let's TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN! more

Winter’s Bear

A show about neighbors helping neighbors. And seasonal depression. more

Speaking Whale

Author Tom Mustill on whale behavior, and AI's role in diciphering their language. Also, whale singing. Lots. more

More than a Dog

A show about our unique love of dogs, and the pain of losing them. more

Police Log: The Fanny Pack Edition

This is a show about some of the crime we deal with here in central Vermont. more

Fishing with Jay

Jay Allison takes me fishing and we talk about radio and getting old and falling in love with strangers more

Nature’s Top Deck, with Forrest Foster

Sitting at deer camp talking about hunting and loneliness and what to do next. more

Finn and the Bell

Finn Rooney killed himself in Walden, Vermont. This is a story about who he was and what he left. more

Fifty. A Phoenix Moment.

A show about turning 50 and recording Total Eclipse of the Heart. more

The Neighborhood

A postcard from childhood, that place we remember but can't visit anymore... more

Our Show One

Your pandemic stories, arguments, songs, middle of the night thoughts, grocery runs. Let's make some damn shows. more

Susan Asks, For Who? For What?

Susan delivers a dead owl to the Fairbanks Museum and then we talk about Covid. more

An American Life

In honor of Veteran's Day, a story of an extraordinary American life. more

Armand’s Garden

What does God have to do with gardening? For Armand...everything. more

Deer Camp

First night at deer camp. In a snowstorm. more

Nick Paley and a Shell with…

A conversation about working in HOLLYWOOD. And Marcel the Shell makes several adorable appearances. more

Leland is Moving On

Leland graduated from high school. Here is a show with all the Lelands, past and present. more

I Hate Google Meet

I am not fond of video conferencing. I learned this last week. more

Last Chapter

When Bill was diagnosed with terminal cancer, he asked his best friend to help him die. more

Forrest Foster, Independent Dairyman

He’s always practical and always generous and these things are always the same thing. more

Joslyn House

It's not a nursing home. It's not assisted living. It's a house...where love is evident. more

Makeup for Special Occasion

Tiana and I talk about what she has planned for her 1-year anniversary with her boyfriend. more

The Special Olympics Are Awesome

Excerpts from my day at the Fall Special Olympics. more

Bell Rising

Finn's bell finds its home at Hazen Union High School and rings in the Hardwick Memorial Day Parade. more

Sing Your Job

A little musical about not very much. more

An American Life

A story about war and hairdressing. more

Town Meeting

Where we make our own damn decisions. Civilly, and in person. more

A Perfect Drive with Garret Keizer

'What good is a poem? Maybe the good lies in the fact that there’s no easy answer to that question...' more

The Puppy Diaries

Chris and Beth got a puppy and recorded the first seven months. It was harrowing. And hilarious. more

Shaking out the Numb

The first show in an experimental series with Sylvan Esso. About everything. more

Thomas Talks About Coming Out. Twice.

Thomas talks about growing up with autism, and growing into his life as a gay man. more

Summer Musical

Pulling off a full musical with 120 kids in three weeks. It is a fricking miracle. more

Han’s Brain

A scientist on growing up second born in a one-child policy China. And we talk about the brain. And fish. more

The Defense

A show about the people who stand with the accused. more

The Farm, from THE BIG PONDER

Ira is a story keeper who collects epic tales from his everyday life. more

Hill Farm. A Tribute to Peter…

After forty years farming this land, Peter Dunning is getting done. more

I Am In Here

A journey into the life and mind of Mark Utter more

Cheerleader

It turns out there really is something called school spirit. Now I’m a believer. more

Helena Becomes an American

Helena is taking her citizenship test. I asked her to record what it feels like to become an American. more

Awful Sisters Christmas. Pandemic Year Two.

It's been another hard year for Pam and Andrea and Amanda. more

It’s New Years. Remember Grant Owen.

I was cleaning and listening to Foreigner and I thought of Grant Owen. The perfect company for New Years. more

Will Staats, Hunting Biologist

A hunter and wildlife biologist takes me bird hunting. more

Growing Up in a War

Irfan tells me I can't understand war. I asked him to tell me about it anyway. more

Virtual Justice

What does justice lose when human contact is lost? more

Camp Zeno

A camp for people with and without disabilities that is the funnest ever. more

1900 Cars

It turns out there are a lot of ways to be food insecure and they're all invisible. more

Bird Man

Bryan Pfeiffer takes me birding and we talk about nature and a little about death. more

Susan on the Brown Couch

Susan and I lie on the couch and talk about her PI work, and some of the benefits of getting… more

Marriage in the Time of Covid

Marriage is hard. How hard is it during Covid? It seems pretty hard. more

Chris and Beth Sing

A show about Chris and Beth singing. Made from home recordings. more

Officer Clemmons

We talk about his childhood in the South, and one of the great loves of his life--Mr. Rogers. more

Party is Everything

To celebrate Inauguration Day...a show from Shaking out the Numb...PARTY IS EVERYTHING. more

Free Soup. Come.

Even if you don't like soup. Just come. more

An Interview About Interviewing with Jane…

I ask Jane Lindholm all the questions I've been wanting to ask for years. In her garage. more

Leland First Responder

Leland joined the volunteer fire department and I got a ride in his really loud truck. more

Surviving COVID, a Fever Dream

Daniel Kirk's story about surviving COVID, one fever dream at a time. more

Problems: The Awful Sisters Christmas Special

Three awful sisters plan a Zoom Christmas for their parents. more

Our Show Two

Our Show Two. Featuring...you during the pandemic. Come listen. more

A Talk About the F-Word, with…

A conversation with Bill Schubart about love and fatness. more

Police Log: Don’t Park Too Close…

Police here in central Vermont have been overrun with calls...and the cases are complex. Here is a special report. more

Karl Hammer and the Donkeys

A show about donkeys, optimal chickenhood, and our future on earth. more

Herschel’s Song

A practical joke from a loved one in the hereafter... more

Knots and Pandemics

Another celebration of mundane, beloved objects used in our unglamorous everyday lives... more

Leland in a Pandemic

Leland just finished 10th grade in the middle of a pandemic. We sat in separate cars and talked things over. more

Winnie

In her sixty years, Winnie has learned that not all Christians are actually Christian. more

Our Show Three

Here is Our Show 3 ... your recordings during the pandemic. more

Our Show Four

Our show....made of your recordings about the pandemic more

Our Show Five

Our fifth show, made with your recordings about the pandemic more

Our Show Six

Your recordings about the pandemic. more

Our Show Seven

Pots and pans in Barcelona, in Toronto, in Putney, Vermont. Your recordings of the pandemic. more

Crossing Guard

A guest show from Bianca Giaever about loneliness, God, and the quest to live a meaningful life. more

Brand New Life

A second conversation with T.O. about starting a new life after prison. Which is complicated. more

Gamelan and Subjects of Consequence

One instrument comprised of thirty instruments, played by a unique collection of individuals in central Vermont. more

Peter Schumann, Advisor General

A conversation with Bread and Puppet founder and director, Peter Schumann. And some fiddling and drumming. more

A Good Death

Tim Kasten's words on death and dying, and building a pine box for Tim, after his death. more

Announcement

A quick announcement about my dad. more

Bear Man

Ben Kilham knows black bears better than anyone you know. And I could listen to him talk forever. more

One more thing about Ben Kilham…

An outtake with Ben Kilham about living with dyslexia. more

Susan and I Talk About Cancer

Almost 50. The kids almost launched. Susan has a treatable cancer. We talk about what happens next. more

Sylvan Esso is a Good Band

A conversation about life on tour, musical collaboration, and church. Sort of. more

Senior

A show about graduating from high school. Excitement, plans, fears, and...prom. more

Leland Will Figure It Out

Leland and I drove to Number 10 Pond and talked about high school. And girls. And avocado toast. more

Truck Redux

Guys talking about their trucks. more

Bobcat Hunter

Patrick Soniera loves bobcats more than most anyone else, and every now and then he kills one. more

Problems, Episode 5: Vacation

The 5th episode of the radio drama, Problems. Joel just came back from vacation. But of course...there were problems. more

Logging By Hand

A story about the loggers who still cut with a chainsaw. more

Captain JP Sinclair

Captain JP Sinclair has investigated Vermont's most notorious homicides. Plus we used to play little league together. more

Amelia Drives Around

Amelia Meath of Sylvan Esso takes a slow drive before soundcheck. She's a really good driver. more

Christine

I followed Christine Hallquist in the last days of her gubernatorial campaign. She was fun. more

Victim Advocate

Stories from the people who stand with victims of crime, from investigation through conviction. more

The Neighborhood

A postcard from childhood, that place we remember but can't visit anymore... more

Let’s Pull the Damn Woman Card

Candid conversation about being a woman and not being a man running for office. more

Plain Life

He's seven days out of federal prison, and looking for a plain life. more

Game Warden

I spent a day with game warden Jeff Whipple during deer season. It was exciting. more

Problems Episode 4: Coffee and Public…

A radio drama about two friends who support each other through their problems...in this episode, coffee and public school. more

Emergency

An up-close look at the mental healthcare crisis in our emergency rooms. more

Robert Ford Last Ambassador

The last U.S. Ambassador to Syria arrived in the country just in time for the civil war to begin.... more

Problems, Episode 3: A Celebrity Interview

An interview with acclaimed performance artist Steve McFadden more

When the Food Runs Out

Conversations with Americans who don't have enough to eat. more

They Are Us, Part 1: Sarah

The story of one woman's struggle with major depression, and her recovery. more

They Are Us, Part 2: Home

Housing for people with serious mental illness is in short supply... more

They Are Us, Show 3: Parents

What it's like day to day, year to year, to be the parent of a child with schizophrenia. more

They Are Us, Show 4: They…

In this show we look at the challenges in our community mental health care system. more

They Are Us, Show 5: My…

A story about Vermont’s only permanent, supervised housing for people with serious mental illness. more

They Are Us, Show 6: I…

Leslie hears voices. This is a story about what it’s like to be normal, from Leslie’s point of view. more

Problems, Episode 2: Open Mic

Pam and Joel plan a song for open mic. They're excited but there are always hurdles. more

They Are Us, Show 7: Work

The role that meaningful work plays in the lives of those with serious mental illness more

Driving Around With Susan. Again!

Private investigator Susan Randall talks about preparing a life story for a sentencing...then moving on. more

One of Those Teachers

A show about the love and art of teaching elementary school. And 6th grade mating rituals. more

Police Log, Gancy’s Cows Edition

It's getting warmer here, and things are heating up at local police departments. more

Learning the Trade

A valentine to people learning to work in the world, and the people helping them get there.... more

Vermont Private Eye

Susan Randall talks about 15 years as a private investigator in Vermont. more

The Museum of Everyday Life

Clare Dolan's mission of glorious obscurity. more

Graffiti Photographer

Steve has spent decades wandering alleyways, climbing under bridges...documenting graffiti. more

Shaggs’ Own Thing: The Story of…

Either one of the best bands from the '60s, or one of the worst bands of all time. more

A Tribute to Greg Sharrow

What happens to love after memory is gone? A tribute to Greg Sharrow. more

Scott’s Nature

Scott Carrier tells the story of a place in the wilderness far, far away from the news. It's a musical. more

Leland. It’s a Porcupine!

The fourth season of Leland, my neighbor on the next hill over. This year...survival, cow skulls and North Korea... more

Problems, Episode 1: Grout and the…

Pam and Joel help each other through their problems. We listen. more

Carl. A Different Breed of Cat

A conversation with one of Vermont's last mountain men. more

Son Lux

Ryan Lott, founder of Son Lux, talks about where he goes looking for music in his brain. more

Hitchhiker

At 26, Scott Carrier hitchhiked across the US and ended up at NPR's front door. This is the story. more

Dunkin’ Donuts

Seasonal depression, Dunkin' Donuts, and learning about civic engagement in middle age. more

Rowell

A few minutes in the barn with John and Eddie Rowell. more

Catastrophe and Grace

A story about mime and Parkinson's Disease more

Seasons Greetings From Liz and Jerry!

An annual season's greetings card from the Danforths. Fair warning, they had a rough year. more

Hill Farm

After forty years farming this land, Peter Dunning is getting done. more

Police Log, Burning Lawn Chairs Edition

Pretzel-related crime and more trouble at Dunkin' Donuts. The police have been busy. more

Benedict Arnold’s Leg

Steve Sheinkin talks about boring textbook writing, the politics of American origin stories, and Benedict Arnold's leg. more

Truck

Guys talking about their rigs. more

Waitress

Stories from the people who serve your food. more

Mind Windows

A public radio program that gives your mind a chance to open its windows. Open them and then...see what happens! more

Three Weeks

An intimate conversation about the loss of a baby. What happens after the hardest thing happens? more

Crime and Punishment Under Trump

Jeff Sessions is bringing back the war on drugs. Why should I care? more

Driving around with Susan

Private investigator Susan Randall and I drive around and talk about criminal justice and single parenting. more

Your Neighbor

Victor is an undocumented Mexican farm worker whose future is increasingly uncertain. What is it like to never feel safe? more

Hunger is Boring

How feeding hungry people works. And how it's not working. more

Four Jobs and No Money

Beth has 4 jobs and not enough money. What is it like to never have enough? more

We Are Sending You Light

Temporarily healing the weary through song. more

Another Day Older

What we imagine our lives will be, what our lives have been, and discussion of age appropriate clothing. more

Our School

What school consolidation means for small town life in Vermont... more

Leland is Almost Done Seventh Grade

It's been a year since we've heard from my neighbor, Leland. Here's what's on his mind. more

Judge Cashman

Retired Vermont judge Ed Cashman talks about 25 years on the bench, and why punishment is never enough. more

Deep Stealth Mode

"When my son was three and just learning to talk, he informed me that 'he' was a 'she'." more

Six Parents. Six DCF Stories

A close look at what it's like to be a parent inside the DCF system. more

The Wildlife

"Two pigeons, named Cody and Megan, were house hunting on the balcony of my apartment..." more

Inside DCF

A rare look inside Vermont's most private and most troubled state agency. more

Nicholas is Waiting

A short visit into the mind of Nicholas, who waits patiently for his first child to make an appearance. more

Seasonal Update from the Keens!

Ho ho ho! It's time again for the annual seasonal update from the Keens! more

Seasonal Update

Here's a seasonal roundup of highlights from a year in the Becht family. Happy Holidays! more

Hot Bird. Again.

'You work each bird as an individual...' more

Police Log, Bunk Bed Dispute Edition

A stolen garage door clicker and a growling female. Here's your summer police report from central Vermont. more

After the Forgetting

A show about love, family and dementia. In two parts. more

Object of My Affection

Not all true love gets a holiday. more

Charlie Hunter Paints Outside

Painter Charlie Hunter talks about what it feels like to make paintings, and we drive around in his Honda Element. more

Lentils Suck

That’s the thing about lentils, if they were going to soften, they would have already fucking softened. more

Jim Rooney

Record producer Jim Rooney talks about how to make something great, then let it go. more

Jubal. Tail End of the Old…

A conversation about hunting, then welding, then hunting again. more

In Case of Emergency

Take a moment to locate the emergency exit, situated in the ceiling right above your seat... more

Michael Chorney, Music Inventor

An interview with one of Vermont's finest musician composers. Plus? He sings. more

Leland, the Almost Middle School Edition

He's about to graduate from elementary school. He's got a lot on his mind. more

Homeless

Kevin is uneasy in the world of people. That's why he keeps his tent close by. more

Muskrat Trapper

Barry Forbes talks about hunting, trapping, and a life lived on Route 116. more

Police Log, Stolen Pie Edition

Recent calls to the Barre and Montpelier city police more

A Conversation with M.T. Anderson

We talk about his new book. And writing. And middle age. And demonic possession...something for everyone. more

Jesse

Growing up in a family where drug addiction is a fact of life. more

A Beer with Ben Hewitt

A conversation with one of Vermont's most committed homesteaders. more

Aunties

I'm Aunt Bea. This is Aunt Lil. Both musty with penciled in moustaches and the stodgy good breeding of cauliflowers... more

Pretend You’re the Grownup

When friends potty trained at the dinner table, childhood educator Brett Berk figured it was time to write a book. more

The Test

Scott Carrier spent a summer administering an hour-long mental health test with individuals in Utah. This is his story about… more

Berned in Reno

Sarah Miller writes about her love for Bernie, and canvasing for Bernie in Nevada. more

Farewell Mark Johnson

After 25 years of interviewing for the Mark Johnson Show, Mark Johnson gets interviewed about interviewing. more

Fred Webster

Stories from a life in the Kingdom. more

Police Log

Some calls to the Barre Police in recent days. more

The Taxidermists

Power duo Rodney and Theresa Elmer talk taxidermy... more

Day Before Christmas Police Log

Shampoo was stolen. Grapes were thrown. The police have been busy. more

Police Log Summer 2015

Some calls in to the police in central Vermont this summer. There were odors. A machete was seen. more

Press 4

Larry Massett sent me this weird story. I’m hoping it's the beginning of weird new podcast... more

Kendall Wild, A Toast

Come sit on the couch and hear stories about a Vermont legend. more

Soccer Mom

Being a soccer mom is harder than it looks. more

The Green River Stories

Here is the best canoe story. It's by Scott Carrier. I listen to it over and over. more

Love Life

Steve Fugate roams the roads of America with a suggestion over his head... more

Bison Selfies

Today on Fresh Air, an interview with the author of a new book, Bison Selfies. more

A Long Day on the Road

A mind bending day in Tbilisi with Larry Massett. more

Drag Out

Larry Massett and Joe Frank talk about the supremacy of their cars. It's like debate club except without facts. more

Cats on Boats

Sometimes the world's hottest villain calls you on the phone.... more

Jessamyn West. Technology Lady.

She mucks about at the intersection of libraries, technology and politics. Then reports back... more

Police Log, May 2015

A person didn’t return DVDs. more

Private Investigator

Life as a private investigator in Vermont. Not all covered bridges. more

Three Things I Learned at School

Marc Estrin shares his pearls of wisdom from school. There were only three. more

A Night on Mount Shasta

Larry visits Mt. Shasta...destination for the spiritually curious. more

Why Cooking Sucks

Cooking...the art that yields profound shame and frustration. more

Police Log, March 2015

A thawed sock was found... more

Shannon

Two strangers meet and talk very late one night on a northbound NYC subway... more

Leland

Leland. On death, deep space, and Revolutionary War reenactments. more

Eyes on the Sky

Flurries will stick around, possibly turning to wet snow east of Route 2. Here is...Eyes on the Sky. more

Ed Epstein, A Life in Art

"The beauty of the boat is in the concept not the details." more

More Poopy Old People

Old, but still letting air out of people's tires. more

Piano Practice

A short story about piano practice and parental rage. more

Solidod, An Apache Original

The life and times of Solidod, an Apache original. more

Big Job

A show about the hardest, most humbling job. Parenting. more

Poopy Old Man

An unvarnished perspective on aging by a poopy old man. more

My Son Teaches Me a Game

What is he talking about?? more

Buy Nothing Day

In this season of holidays, we bring you a celebration of...Buy Nothing Day! more

A Vermonter’s Lament

A monologue from a 4th generation Vermont farmer. more

The Eyes of Sibiu

Larry Massett travels back to Romania with Andrei Codrescu. And the ghosts are watching. more

Gold, Frankenstein and Myrrh

The Christmas story. As told by a six-year-old. more

Magic: The Gathering

Wizards, elves, zombies, math and strategy. You won't understand it. But they do. more

Rock Lottery

A commentary about risking intense shame in the name of good parenting. more

Raw Tape

An unedited interview with a young man in Barre, starting life after jail. more

Jamie Cope in Black and White

Where do great photographs come from? more

Town

Sounds and stories from a town. more

Strange Days

The farther you go from home, the stranger things get. A story about Paul Bowles. more

Thunder Road

For generations of Vermonters, Thursday nights in the summer have meant one thing....Thunder Road. more

Night Dreams of Another Life

A late night shopping cart reminds Marc Estrin of a song.... more

Boring Man

Everyone's heard about the counter-cultural festival called Burning Man. But you may not know about Boring Man... more

Woodstove

It's been a long winter. Let's talk about our woodstoves. more

Dry Wall

The Great Wall of China was built with no mortar. Scott Carrier's wall was also built with no mortar. Here's… more

Mortality Tales

An interview about death and dying with someone whose seen his share....Tim Kasten. more

Alan LePage

Interview with central Vermont organic gardening icon Alan LePage. more

Geof Hewitt

An interview with poet, teacher, and reigning Vermont poetry slam champion, Geof Hewitt. more

That Song

A show about songs and stories about songs. Shame, heartbreak, love, summer camp. more

Prisoner of Zion

The US invaded Afghanistan. Scott Carrier decided he ought to go there too. To see for himself. Who are these… more

Prisoners of War

The story of four Vermonters captured at the Battle of the Bulge. more

Road Scholars

The high art of Vermont road management. Featuring Mike Garand and Ray Burke. more

Miriam Bernardo

Singer Miriam Bernardo talks about making a life in music in central Vermont. And she sings. more

Colin McCaffrey Talks Shop

Musician and producer Colin McCaffrey talks about finding inspiration, music as a career, and mushroom foraging... more

Good conversation that takes its time, hosted by Erica Heilman.

Episodes