I wish I knew some of you in real life

[cali]

I've been thinking I'd like to have a DU dinner party this summer- if enough people (like 4+) could make it up to northern VT.

Internet community is fine, but it's not substitute for real life face to face interactions.

pm me if you're interested in this idea. (I really love to cook and feed people)

[Squinch]

1. Cali, I don't ever get to VT any more, but this is a sweet idea. Have a good time and tell us

about it when you meet the other DUers, OK?

[cali]

4. If it happens, I surely will tell you about it

[Exposethefrauds]

2. Lots of Psycho and Sociopaths on the internet you looking to become a victim or something?

Lots of remote areas in Northern VT, BTW you anywhere near Newport?

[cali]

3. Not far from Newport and I prefer to live my life trusting rather than worrying

and being suspicious.

[Exposethefrauds]

6. Well good luck with that, my life experiences make me more suspicious of people and very untrusting

of them too.

Hope you don't end up on the news in a bad way!

[Tsiyu]

28. DUers have been having meetups since 2001 or before

Lots and lots of meetups

But thanks for your concern

[jwirr]

17. A public meet up place makes it safer. I think some of the people in the Twin Cities do that. We

haven't had any meeting in Duluth. But that would be fun.

[Eleanors38]

20. Good life attitude. I-net crazies are snails out of shells in real life.

[FarPoint]

10. I've done several DU Meet- ups...

Always a great social gathering. Did one in Washington DC and another in Columbus Ohio.

[LeftofObama]

5. I've often thought it would be fun to meet other DUers in person,

but I'm afraid they would find me just as unforgettable in real life as they do online.

[Ferretherder]

7. Sounds 'Yummy', but, being in the big, red-state aeration pond that is Louisiana,...

...me and Ms.'herder would have a helluva trip ahead of us to make it up to Vermont. Still, I'd do it in a heartbeat to get to meet some real-life DU'ers, face to face, and eat some good cookin' ta boot!

Of course, I'd be the 'pain-in-the-ass' hangin' out in the kitchen with you goin','well of course I always add celery to my stock, 'cause I find that it adds a very subtle 'veggie' component, without dominating the overall flavor...oh, and when do you add your potatoes and carrots and such to your pot roast, 'cause I've found you can overcook them if you add them too early...another thing, blah, blah, blah...'

Yeah, I like to cook, too.

[cali]

12. lol. now I really want you and Ms. Herder to come.

Here's what's down the road from me- and I mean just down the road: the heirloom pork and beef place, the free range egg and chicken place, the greatest general store. I live in a village that's part of the foodiest town in the country:

For decades, the rural Vermont town of Hardwick (pop: 3,200) grappled with a challenged economy. Like so many small towns, the once-thriving regional industry had died, and the majority of the working population was forced to commute far beyond the town line to find work.

Enter the “agripreneurs,” a group of ambitious young agricultural entrepreneurs with big ideas about how regionalized food-based enterprise can be used to create sustainable economic development and wean our nation of its unhealthy dependence on industrial food.

In The Town That Food Saved, Ben explores the contradictions inherent to producing high-end “artisanal” food products in a working class community. To better understand how a local food system might work, he spends time not only with the agripreneurs, but also with the region’s numerous small-scale food producers, many of which have been quietly operating in the area for decades. The result is a delightfully inquisitive peek behind the curtain of the town that has been dubbed the “Silicon Valley of local food.”

<snip>

http://benhewitt.net/about/excerpt-from-the-town-that-food-saved/

Like beer? Ratebeer.com rated Hill Farmstead the best brewery in the... world.

http://www.hillfarmstead.com/main/

Cheese? Yep, you guessed it; the best cheese in the U.S.

http://www.jasperhillfarm.com/

and so much more.

It's worth the trip.

[KoKo]

19. Love Vermont!

Would definitely take you up on your offer if we still lived in the Northeast. We used to go to Vermont every Fall for the Foliage and pick up our Pumpkins for Halloween way back when we lived in CT. The Church Suppers there were the best food I've ever eaten in my life. We used to come home with Vermont Cheese and Hermits. Do they still make Hermits in Vermont? I've never found them anywhere else we've lived. We used to stay in Brattleboro and our favorite towns were Manchester, Weston and Grafton.


So glad to see them focusing on Artisinal Food products. Thanks for invite and post.

[Ferretherder]

21. DAMN, girl! Now I gotta' find a way to get me and the missus up there!

It sounds like you've done gone and found a little piece of Heaven, right here in the midst of slowly 'corporatizing' 'murica! Thanks for the cool local info and pages...will DEFINITELY check out the sites!

...and start savin' fer a trip!

[frazzled]

30. I've bought JasperHill cheeses before

Very nice. There are also some fine artisanal cheese makers here in the Midwest, in Indiana and Wisconsin.

The Pleasant Ridge Reserve from Upands Dairy http://www.uplandscheese.com/

The goat cheese from Capriole http://capriolegoatcheese.com/

If I could get to Vermont, I'd bring some to share

[monmouth3]

8. I am "A Florida woman" and we all know about her..LOL. Sounds like a great idea though..n/t

[FarPoint]

9. Ahhh..I was recently in Vermont..mid April.

Went to Montpelier for a week. Brett will go to college there, New England Culinary Institute starting in July.

[cali]

13. Cool. Maybe you have to take him?

[FarPoint]

14. Other family members will take him to NECI in July.

In April, we were in Vermont for a NECI program. Brett was completing a dual enrollment course as a highschool senior. I think Iwill be back in October.

[ancianita]

11. Wow!What a generous and kind invitation! I live in Chicago and Florida, but thanks for the outreach!

[Ninga]

15. Visiting friends in Hyde Park this July....I love to eat!

Although my post count is low, I have been at DU for 11 years.

[cali]

22. Hyde Park! That's practically next door

and I know you've been here for a long time.

When in July?

[Ninga]

33. Visiting Hyde Park starting July 12 or 13 for a week. nt

[oldandhappy]

16. This is a great idea.

Maybe I will try it in southern Ca. August. Bring your own picnic and meet at the beach or a park. hmmmm.

Thanks for the idea.

[cbayer]

18. Wish I could make it. Would love to meet you.

I had thought I might spend some time in Maine, but won't be making it that far.

Hope you are able to pull this off.

[LisaLynne]

23. I would specifically go to northern VT just to do this!

Even though I live in Indiana.

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. Something tells me you would be a most Wonderful Hostess... n/t

[cali]

25. and something tells me you'd be a fabulous guest.

[LuvNewcastle]

26. That's a wonderful, very generous idea.

If I can ever get myself out of Mississippi, besides little trips to New Orleans, I'd love to go. Oh well, you never know.

[mahina]

27. I feel the same. Thank you!

I get to New England every now and again and would really love to meet up. We did here in Hawaii a few times. It was entertaining!

[etherealtruth]

29. Wish I could make it to Vermont

I have never been there, but hear it is beautiful.


More importantly, if I remember correctly, you are a good cook (something that would make a 600-700 hundred mile drive almost worth it!)

[Arugula Latte]

31. You should serve fried chicken and Olive Garden takeout

and hire actors to smoke and breastfeed. Maybe somebody can bring a pitbull or two.

[cali]

32. I'll take it under advisement