A Hike Through History at Little River State Park with a Vermont Master Naturalist

Rocky hill farms on Ricker Mountain in Little River State Park, Vermont were first settled around the early 1800s, typically on plots of 100 acres, which farmers often purchased sight unseen. These early subsistence farmers worked hard to create a “new” England landscape, complete with the 30 x 40-foot English style barns. By the mid-1830s, farmers throughout Vermont had shifted to more commercial farming, clearing almost 80% of Vermont forests and grazing 6 million Merino sheep in Vermont pastures. With the additional income from wool and other products, successful hill farmers expanded the size of their homes and barns. But the boom didn’t last. Eventually, Vermont sheep farmers lost their competitive edge in the global Merino wool market. Most hill farms successfully shifted to dairy. But by the early 1900s, many hill farms were abandoned when eroding soils, westward expansion, and other forces made it too hard to compete. Collapsing cellar holes, stone walls, scraggly apple trees, overgrown wells, weathered headstones, rusty maple sap buckets, and other signs of these times are still scattered in Vermont woods. Join Alicia Daniel, Director of Vermont Master Naturalist, on a hike reading the landscape of Vermont’s settlement history in Little River State Park as she looks for clues that tell this story. Then go out and explore the woods near you!

[@jerianderson9352]

Great job! Wonderful video! THANK YOU!!

[@sophiecassel5014]

Appreciate the land acknowledgement woven in with this illustrative narrative!

[@tobengalvin5060]

Thank you for creating this video. Well done!

[@gabrielallen3211]

Beautiful editing and a fantastic lecture!