Top Stories for Tuesday May 20, 2008

Jill-of-All-Trades
By Rebecca K. Fay
   Well, her name isn't Jill, its Linda Welch and she owns and operates Sunrise Gardens, Greenhouse, Bakery and Catering Service in Shoreham.  
   Sunrise Gardens  Greenhouse begins planting during the winter in Linda's basement.   “I do everything from seeds or cuttings.” Cuttings are where Linda needs to root the leaf or stem before planting. In February and March Linda and her family begin to move the plants out to her four greenhouses that neighbor their home.  The greenhouses are technologically advanced due to the electrical work of her husband, Rick.   The greenhouses automatically regulate the heat. Linda explains, “If it's too hot fans turn on and vents will open up...if it's too cold the heater turns on.” If the thermostat reads less than 37 degrees or higher than 100 degrees an alarm goes off in the house alerting Linda, so she can regulate the temperature manually. 

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The Gingerbread Country Store
By Rebecca K. Fay
   Deb Wilkinson, a native Vermonter, owns the Gingerbread Country Store in Middlebury.  The Store is visible from Route 7 and decorated to look like a life-size gingerbread house.  Entering the store would remind any Vermonter of a classic country store with candy sticks, maple syrup, fresh fudge, and local Vermont crafts filling every nook and cranny of the store.
   Deb has also diversified her product by selling Fair Trade coffee, tea, chocolate, jam, and cashews.   Fair Trade promotes fair wages for the artisans who create the product.  Deb explains she likes to sell these items because it is a “gift that gives twice-helping artisans and…as a gift to a special friend.”
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This Week In Pictures

Select pictures from this week's edition of The Valley Voice.  [ more ]

Other Top Stories

• Vermont Rally Set For June 6 through 8-08