Welcoming Back Monarch Butterflies to Vermont

April 28, 2022August 4, 2022 Katrina Moore

Last updated on August 4th, 2022 at 04:36 pm

Salesperson Alex with a butterfly taking cover from the rain, last summer

Each spring, Monarch Butterflies return to North America from their winter habitat. You may know about our tree-planting partnership with Forest for Monarchs in Michoacan, Mexico, but Monarchs need our support here in Vermont, too.

Milkweed is the host plant of the Monarch Butterfly. Mature Monarchs lay their eggs on the underside of the leaves of the plant, and larval caterpillars rely on the plant for the entirety of their diet at this stage of life.

Founder and CEO Peggy Farabaugh harvesting milkweed seed pods in the fall for spring sowing

Every year, we start milkweed seeds indoors, and also direct-sow them outdoors, in order to support the Monarchs. This year, we are also starting milkweed plants in small cells we have made out of rolled newspaper for ease of distributing them to the community. If these plants are to make a comeback in southern Vermont, they will need to be planted more broadly than just our 109 acres.

Salesperson Sean Henry separating milkweed plant starts from a tray of seedlings

Many in our small town of Vernon, Vermont have said that the milkweed plants which return every year will be the lasting legacy of founder and CEO Peggy Farabaugh. We are so proud of her!

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This blog is written by your friends at Vermont Woods Studios. Check out our Vermont made furniture and home decor online and visit our showroom and art gallery at Stonehurst, the newly restored 1800s farmhouse nestled in the foothills of the Green Mountains.

Stonehurst Showroom’s Edible Landscape – Spring Has Sprung!

April 20, 2022April 22, 2022 Katrina Moore

Last updated on April 22nd, 2022 at 04:19 pm

This year, we received a truckload of compost from a local rancher (the father of our fantastic intern Whitney—if you received a package of wood samples last year, she may have sent them to you). Tractor load by tractor load we are moving the compost to sunny spots on the property. Placing compost directly onto the grass eliminates the need for labor-intensive tilling.

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6 Tips for Buying Copeland Furniture Online

April 2, 2022April 4, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on April 4th, 2022 at 03:35 pm

Copeland Furniture | Astrid Bedroom Set | American Made in Vermont — Copeland’s Astrid Bed embodies natural modernism. Each bed is handcrafted and displays the subtle characteristics of real wood that bring out the luxurious feel of this authentic design. Where’s the best place to buy it? Read on.

You Love it. Now Learn How to Buy Copeland Furniture Online.

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Everyone Can Help Ukraine

March 9, 2022March 11, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on March 11th, 2022 at 10:15 am

What Can One Person (or One Small State or One Small Business) Do?

Like you, our team at VWS is watching in horror as events unfold during Russia’s war on Ukraine. We are compelled to try to do something to help. In the face of such an existential threat it’s hard to imagine what we can do that would make a difference. But if everyone does something, no matter how small, it will add up. Read More

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Vermont Magazine Features VWS

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022 Peggy Farabaugh

Vermont Magazine Article about Vermont Woods Studios — Vermont Magazine’s article features our furniture store & Stonehurst showroom in Vernon, VT. Come see us. Bring your snowshoes.

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2021 Year in Review

January 1, 2022September 2, 2022 Riley Farabaugh

Last updated on September 2nd, 2022 at 10:17 am

It’s that time of year again! Every year, we do a post detailing some of the important milestones, accomplishments, and projects we’ve completed here at Vermont Woods Studios. So without further ado…

The VWS Green Team — Nina took this picture of the VWS Green Team, including our new mates, Alex and Katrina. From left: Ken Farabaugh, Alexandra Chisholm, Michelle Rooks, Peggy Farabaugh, Sean Henry, Dennis Shanoff, Greg Augustine, Nina Markiw, Kelli Dobosz, Katrina Moore and Brian Doherty.

We Grew Our Team

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Plant Trees with Us

December 10, 2021December 13, 2021 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on December 13th, 2021 at 12:07 pm

Why Plant Trees?

In 2005 Ken and I founded VWS to be a force for change in the area of forest and wildlife conservation. I grew up spending a lot of time outside in nature, always on the look out for anything that moved. In the evenings I’d be reading National Geographic or watching Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom on TV. My dream was to do something to help protect wildlife. Later on, after learning that 80% of the world’s land animals live in the woods, forest conservation and planting trees became my passion. Read More

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Food Forest

November 5, 2021November 7, 2021 Peggy Farabaugh

Last updated on November 7th, 2021 at 07:25 am

An Update on Our “Food Forest” at Stonehurst

Vermonters are serious about growing food! If you’ve ever visited our showroom in Vernon, VT, you may have walked through the wooded trails, gardens, and fruit and berry orchard–what’s been collectively called our “food forest” here at Stonehurst. This time of year, we are busy at work collecting the last of the harvest and processing seeds for next year’s crops.

Did you know that some crops, like garlic, benefit from overwintering in the ground? This week we turned over the garden beds and added an insulating layer of leaves for garlic and shallots. Individual cloves of seed garlic will turn into full heads of garlic by mid-summer, with no maintenance or watering.