For centuries, humans have transported plants and animals and fungi all around the globe. Whether exotic plants for a home garden or spores hitching a ride on a boot, flora and fauna have found their way into ecosystems that were unprepared for their arrival. These “invasive species” have no natural predators to keep them in check and in that absence, they wreak havoc.

But which of these species has wreaked the most havoc in Vermont? That’s what Ashley Wojnarowski and Mike Mezzacapo of Pomfret want to know.

Josh Crane searches for answers and falls into the “bottomless pit” of invasive species management — and he gets up close with one of Vermont’s most fragile ecosystems.

For photos from our reporting, check out the web version of this story.

For help with species identification and to record your findings, check out iNaturalist.

This episode was reported by Josh Crane. It was produced and edited by Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive Producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Mike Bald, Betty Smith, Lexi Krupp, Abagael Giles, Corey Dockser, Charlie Nardozzi, Tim Parsons, Mary Walz, Mike Kiernan, Elise Schadler, Kim Jensen, Noah Hoffman, Evan Horne, David Moroney, Jay Herbert, Jack Lentz, Don Wenner, Virginia Barlow, Tony D’Amato, Markus Bradley, Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal, Noelia Barrios-Garcia, and Mary Holland.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

The “girlie shows” are long gone from the county fairs. Former clubs like Planet Rock in Barre and Club Fantasy in South Burlington have all shut down. Vermont is now the only New England state without strip clubs. One stripper who grew up in Vermont reached out with a simple question: Why?

For photos from our reporting, check out the web version of this story.

Thanks to Susan Meiselas and Magnum Photos for the materials from Carnival Strippers and Carnival Strippers Revisted.

This episode was reported by Sabine Poux. It was produced and edited by Josh Crane and Burgess Brown. Additional support from Sophie Stephens. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s Executive Producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Liam Elder-Connors, Jeff Haig, Steve Taylor, Scott Rogers, Fern Strong, Elaine Howe, Gail Weise, Jordan Mitchell, Matt Sutkoski, Lydia Flanagan and The Mutual Zine Society, as well as everyone we spoke to at the Tunbridge World’s Fair: Gary and Martha Howe, Baxter Doty, Dave Smith, Louise and Frank Mier, Elliot Morse, Betsy and David Race and Gary Young

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

• Ask a question about Vermont
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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

For as long as Carly Berlin has been reporting on housing issues for Vermont Public and VTDigger, she’s been hearing some version of this question: Is Vermont’s rise in homelessness due to unhoused people moving here from out-of-state?

She hasn’t been able to track down an easy answer to this question. And in the absence of information, the idea that Vermont’s benefits are a “magnet” for those experiencing homelessness has taken root, from the aisles of grocery stores to the Statehouse floor. It’s a narrative that’s shaping the conversation about homelessness in Vermont, and what the state should do to address it.

But is it even true? In this episode, Carly goes digging for data.

Find the web version of this story here.

Thanks to Joseph Valaske and Mark Tarmy of Putney for sharing their curiosity with us.

This episode was reported by Carly Berlin and produced by Burgess Brown. Editing and additional production from Sabine Poux and Josh Crane, with support from April McCullum and Alicia Freese. Angela Evancie is our executive producer. Theme music is by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Lola Duffort, Laura Nakasaka, Sophie Stephens, Jess Graff, Sarah Russell, Rick DeAngelis, Frank Knaack, Stephen Waclawik and Mary Mojica.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Updated: September 7, 2024 — We removed a caveat about data presented in this story to avoid repetition and the potential for misinterpretation.

A chapter of Northeast Kingdom history that is most mysterious. A man whose talent and ambition led him down a perilous path. To answer a question from Eric Lucier of Jay, Henry Epp tells the story of the Space Research Corporation and its founder, Gerald Bull.

We originally released this episode in 2022. Check out photos of the Space Research Corporation site, then and now, in our web feature.

Henry Epp reported this episode. It was produced by Angela Evancie, with additional editing and production by Myra Flynn and Josh Crane. This encore presentation was produced by Burgess Brown. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Anna Ste Marie, Kevin Trevellyan, Mark Davis, Michael Rogers, Kate Phillips and Paul Carnahan.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

• Ask a question about Vermont
• Vote on the question you want us to tackle next
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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public.

What’s summer without a road trip? Every year, Brave Little State travels around Vermont to find the stories behind the road signs. But even with several years of investigations under our seatbelts, we’re still finding plenty of surprises.

This year, we looked into the stories behind Lake Willoughby, Hells Peak Road and Pumpkin Harbor Road.

You can find the web version of this story here. And psst — check out our new Brave Little State landing page, which, for the first time, has a searchable archive of all our past episodes.

Check out our previous brief histories of Vermont road names:

• 2023: Tigertown, Hateful Hill and Gerts Knob
• 2022: Iranistan Road, a Jericho grab bag and punny highway signs
• 2021: Cow Path 40, Agony Hill Road, Texas Falls
• 2020: Devil’s Washbowl, Popple Dungeon Road, Lost Nation Road, Smuggler’s Notch
• 2019: Mad Tom River Road, Hi-Lo Biddy Road, Star Pudding Farm Road, Sawnee Bean Road
• 2018: States Prison Hollow Road, Poor Farm Road, Lime Kiln Road, Kelley Stand Road

This episode was reported, produced, edited and mixed by Adiah Gholston, Burgess Brown, Samantha Watson and Sabine Poux. Our managing editor and senior producer is Josh Crane and our executive producer is Angela Evancie. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Thanks to this year’s question askers: Beverly Decker, Sarah Hazleton and John Finlay.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

• Ask a question about Vermont
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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Whew… a big question. And certainly not one with a yes or no answer. Happiness looks different depending on who you ask. So we visited five Vermonters to learn what happiness looks like to them.

Question-asker Courtney Rabuffo is a recent transplant to Vermont. She’s found a lot of happiness in her new home in North Hero. But she wants to know how other Vermonters are faring, which is why she asked us:

"Are Vermonters happy? And are they happier than people in other New England states?"

Find the web version of this episode here.

This episode was reported by Mitch Wertlieb and produced by Sabine Poux. Editing and additional production from Josh Crane, Burgess Brown and Kevin Trevellyn. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Zoe McDonald, Winona Johnson and Heather Call.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

• Ask a question about Vermont
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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

Jeezum crow, is it tough to find the origin of the phrase ‘jeezum crow’! Join us for our exploration into this quintessential Vermont saying, as we journey from folklore to linguistics to… crows.

Thanks to Sandra Bettis of Middlesex for the great question:

“Where did ‘jeezum crow’ come from and is it just a Vermont saying?”

Find the web version of this episode here.

This episode was reported by Mikaela Lefrak. It was produced and edited by Angela Evancie, Josh Crane, Sabine Poux and Burgess Brown. Ty Gibbons composed our theme music. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions and Banjo Dan.

Special thanks to Sophie Stephens, Laura Nakasaka, Jim Stanford, Martha Barnette, Grant Barrett and Mary Danko.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

• Ask a question about Vermont
• Vote on the question you want us to tackle next
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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.

P.S.: An earlier version of this story said Vermont History is a magazine. The audio has been updated to reflect that it is a journal.

Here we are again. Exactly one year after historic floods ravaged Vermont, parts of the state are again dealing with devastating flooding following heavy rains. We turn back to a 2023 episode about how understanding why these floods are so destructive is not as simple as measuring rainfall.

Last year, reporter Lexi Krupp took on what turned out to be a very timely question from Gus Goodwin of East Montpelier. He wanted to know:

“What does an old stream look like? Does Vermont have any? And can we manage for them?”

We’re revisiting that episode as Vermont assesses the damage from yet another round of flooding. You can find the web version of this episode here.

For the most up-to-date flood coverage, you can visit vermontpublic.org.

This episode was reported by Lexi Krupp and produced by Josh Crane with help from Mae Nagusky. This re-run was produced by Sabine Poux. Angela Evancie is Brave Little State’s executive producer. Our theme music is by Ty Gibbons. Other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Sophie Stephens, Mark Davis, Mikaela Lefrak, Bill Keeton, Mary and Greg Russ, Ellen Wohl, Will Elridge, Skip Lisle and Elizabeth Trail.

As always, our journalism is better when you’re a part of it:

• Ask a question about Vermont
• Vote on the question you want us to tackle next
• Sign up for the BLS newsletter
• Say hi on Instagram and Reddit @bravestatevt
• Drop us an email: hello@bravelittlestate.org
• Call our BLS hotline: 802-552-4880
• Make a gift to support people-powered journalism
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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.