Brooke Geery

Originally published on the Mountain Times- Sept. 30, 2020 By Brooke Geery High in the hills above Ludlow, after the paved road turns to dirt, sits Barker Farm, a massive 155-acre property dotted with giant maple trees and buildings in various states of disrepair. On the right  side of the street is a reminder that it’s 2020—the Coolidge Solar Project, with rows of massive panels, covering over 88 acres of the property. But on the left side of the road, a massive antique wrecker stands as a literal welcome sign to the 22nd annual Autumn Round Up, a small-engine and antique tractor show held on Sept. 26-27. You probably didn’t…

Originally published in the Mountain Times- Sept. 16, 2020 Current and former students of McNeese State University in Louisiana raise their fingers in the official college salute, send the message “Geaux Pokes” to their friends down south. By Brooke Geery Early in the morning of Aug. 27, Hurricane Laura slammed into DeRidder, Louisiana, causing widespread destruction. Ruth Tolar, a 30-year resident of Killington, watched from afar as her hometown, and her entire family, sat directly in the hurricane’s path. “Even though the floods were not what was expected, there is extreme damage done to the area,” Tolar said on Facebook. “Most of the areas are looking at 6-8 weeks—at least—before…

Originally published in the Mountain Times Deadly Amanita in all its stages. Mushroom hunting in Vermont provides hours of entertainment and health benefits, too By Brooke Geery A vast network of underground mycelium lies hidden in the forests of Vermont. This is, until the right combo of water and heat cause it to spring forth as wild mushrooms in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are edible, some are poisonous, some are just plain cool to see. With a little research and training, you can learn not only to spot them, but identify which are delicious and vitamin rich. This article is by no means a comprehensive guide, but…

Originally published in the Mountain Times Tony Sudol. By Brooke Geery By Brooke Geery Much like their winter brethren, mountain bikers are a hardy sort. They’re not going to let a little thing like a global pandemic spoil all the fun. So, although the Bike Bum race series, normally held on Killington Resort’s network of trails, was not able to happen at the resort this year, organizers regrouped and moved things just down the road to the Killington Mountain Bike Club’s trails behind Base Camp Outfitters on Route 4. This year, riders negotiate the TBR (Thundering Brook Road) trail, which was created in seven days by KSA Built. KSA Built…