Vermont
Vermont’s 2024 apple crop bounces back after last year’s frost
BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – In 2023, a frost in May decimated the region’s apple crop. This year, growers are enjoying a complete rebound.
“This is 180 degrees out from last year,” said Phil Murdock of Chapin Orchards.
Last year, bloomless and bare branches forced Murdock to import apples from out of state to sustain his business. A late May freeze decimated what experts say was around 90% of the region’s harvest, but the apples we missed picking last year are back. As Murdock describes it, it’s a once-in-a-decade crop.
“I think the trees last year didn’t have to work to produce anything, a lot of pent-up energy, so they produced with vigor this year,” said Murdock.
The trees are full of apples, with so many of them that even apple expert Terence Bradshaw was excited by their almost logic-defying abundance and size.
“We didn’t really have flooding issues in the orchards, but we had plenty of water, so of the fruit we have it’s really good sized, so that’s nice. Because often when we have these big heavy years, the fruit are smaller, but these are a decent size,” said Bradshaw.
And with nights getting colder, Bradshaw tells me the apple starches turn sweet, and the first batch of cider at Adam’s Apple Orchard was pressed Friday.
“We’re happy to be making our own cider with our own apples again. We didn’t make much last year, so it feels like we’re back to normal,” said John Adams from Adam’s Apple Orchard.
With the apple industry back to business as usual, the only thing these growers asked for was good weather for the pick-your-own season.
Orchard owners tell me that this year’s apples should be good until November, so go out and pick your own.
Copyright 2024 WCAX. All rights reserved.
The outdoor concert season in Vermont started in early June, but the alfresco musical offerings really began unfolding later in the month after summer’s official start.
July is overflowing with live music outdoors. In in southern and northern Vermont you can find festivals, and there are music series at both the Essex Experience and the Shelburne Museum.
Artists including “Weird Al” Yankovic, Jack White, Thundertcat, Trombone Shorty and Gillian Welch are playing big stages, while local standouts such as Dave Grippo, High Summer and the Vermont Jazz Ensemble are making their sounds heard in the fresh air as well. Here’s the definitive list.
Jammin’ in July in Essex
5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 1, the weekly music series “Jammin’ in July” kicks off with the Lara Cwass Band and continues at the same time each week with, on July 8, The Grift; July 15, the All Night Boogie Band; July 22, Soul Porpoise with The Project; and July 29, Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits, The Old Stage at the Essex Experience. Free. doubleevt.com
Dead of Summer festival brings out the Dead
Thursday, July 9-Sunday, July 12, the Dead of Summer Music Festival welcomes God Street Wine, Pink Talking Fish, Leftover Salmon, Steely Dead, Giant Panda Guerrilla Dub Squad, Saints and Liars, Jatoba, Deadgrass, Mystic Dead, the Krishna Guthrie Band and many more acts paying tribute directly or indirectly to the Grateful Dead, Hunter Park, Manchester Center. $35-$335. deadofsummermusicfestival.com
Jeezum Crow at Jay Peak
Friday, July 10-Saturday, July 11, the 11th annual Jeezum Crow Festival starts with Yonder Mountain String Band, Dead Man Strumming and Beg, Steal or Borrow and continues Saturday with The Disco Biscuits, Lee Ross, Railroad Earth, Shane Goodwin, Magoo, Tim Comings, Charlie Parr, Koa Phoenix and Kyle Chadburn & the Earthbound Spirits, Stateside Amphitheater, Jay Peak. $45-$75; free for ages 6 and under. jaypeakresort.com
Do Good with Smash Mouth, Toad the Wet Sprocket
1:30 p.m. Saturday, July 11, the annual Do Good Fest unleashes the sounds of Neon Trees, Toad the Wet Sprocket, Smash Mouth, Augustana, Glam Cowboys and DJ Cheetatah on the back lawn at National Life, Montpelier. $10 minimum donation benefiting the National Life Peace of Mind Fund to support children’s mental health. dogoodfest.com
Middlebury Festival on the Green gets going
7 p.m. Sunday, July 12, the weeklong Middlebury Festival on the Green starts with the Colorado sextet Mojo Birds, town green, Middlebury. Free. festivalonthegreen.org
Get the blues with Jack White
7:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, rock star Jack White visits Vermont for a show on the midway lawn at the Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction; free for ages 12 and under. $69.50. highergroundmusic.com
Big Head Todd on a big mountain
6 p.m. Thursday, July 16, ‘90s rockers Big Head Todd and the Monsters inaugurate a trio of concerts co-presented by Higher Ground and the Spruce Peak Performing Arts Center, Spruce Peak Village Green, Stowe. $16.70-$64.85; free for ages 5 and under. highergroundmusic.com or sprucepeakarts.org
Getting Frendly in southern Vermont
Thursday, July 16-Saturday, July 18, the Frendly Gathering (remember, there is no “I” in Frend) brings Gatsby’s Revenge, Neighbor, Satsang, Ryan Dempsey, Coyote Island, Jatoba, Jarv, The Big Takeover, All Night Boogie Band and more to Timber Ridge, Windham. $250; free for ages 13 and under. frendlygathering.com
Dave Grippo joined by Jennifer Hartswick
7 p.m. Friday, July 17, Vermont sax legend Dave Grippo leads the Grippo Funk Band with trumpeter/singer/Vermont native Jennifer Hartswick, The Old Stage at the Essex Experience. $20. doubleevt.com
Music and food in Stowe
Noon-8 p.m. Saturday, July 18, the first von Trapp Music & Food Festival offers plenty of the latter as well as music from Uprooted featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root plus Dwight & Nicole, the All Night Boogie Band, Blues Over Easy featuring Gina Coleman and Mal Maiz, von Trapp Family Lodge & Resort concert meadow, Stowe. $40-$125. vontrappresort.com/musicfestival
Welch and Rawlings and a night at the Museum
7 p.m. Tuesday, July 21, Americana stalwarts Gillian Welch and David Rawlings play the Concerts on the Green series at the Shelburne Museum. $56. highergroundmusic.com
Long lines for Trombone Shorty
7 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, the jazz-and-more sounds of Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, joined by JJ Grey & Mofro, continue the Concerts on the Green series at the Shelburne Museum. Sold out. highergroundmusic.com
Getting weird with Al Yankovic
7:30 p.m., Friday, July 24, musical comedy weirdo “Weird Al” Yankovic follows Puddles Pity Party in a performance on the midway lawn, Champlain Valley Exposition, Essex Junction. $69.50; seated admission is sold out; free general-admission tickets for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com
Maple Roots Music Festival takes shape
Noon Saturday, July 25, the half-day Maple Roots Music Festival offers performances by the Vermont Jazz Ensemble, the Lara Cwass Band, festival organizer Michael-Louis Smith & Friends, Bob Wagner, High Summer, Mikahely, Linda Bassick, Doug Perkins’ “Hot Pickin’ Party,” the Eames Brothers Band, the Onion River Jazz Band and more, Morse Farm Maple Sugar Works, Montpelier. Free; donations accepted; parking passes available upon entry for a fee. maplerootsfest.com
A bit of Allman, a bit of Betts
7 p.m. Saturday, July 25, together, Devon Allman and Duane Betts lead The Allman Betts Band, inspired by the sounds of their family’s Allman Brothers Band, Stateside Amphitheater, Jay Peak Resort. $49 in advance, $65 day of show; free for ages 6 and under. jaypeakresort.com
Sample The Samples once again in Essex
7 p.m. Saturday, July 25, veteran jam-rock favorites The Samples, plus Arty LaVigne & Friends, play outside on The Old Stage at The Double E, Essex. $25. doubleevermont.com
Shakey and Dope sing in Shelburne
6 p.m. Sunday, July 26, two guys named Alejandro Rose-Garcia and Angus Stone — better known as Shakey Graves and Dope Lemon — share a Concerts on the Green bill that includes an opening performance from Texino, Shelburne Museum. $54.50; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com
Thundercat starts Waterfront Concert Series
7 p.m. Thursday, July 30, bassist and singer Thundercat jump-starts four straight days of music presented by Higher Ground in its Waterfront Concert Series, Waterfront Park, Burlington. $54.50; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com
Sylvan Esso goes down to the water
7 p.m. Friday, July 31, electropop group Sylvan Esso, featuring Bennington College graduate Amelia Meath, follows Landlady on the second night of Higher Ground’s Waterfront Concert Series, Waterfront Park, Burlington. $54.50; free for ages 12 and under. highergroundmusic.com
Contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@burlingtonfreepress.com.
BROWNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Vermont authorities are searching for a missing Troy woman.
The Vermont State Police say Nicole Richardson, 39, was last seen Friday evening at a home on Pepin Road in Brownington. She was expected to travel through Orleans to Loop Road in Troy, but never arrived and has not been in contact with her family.
Richardson was last seen wearing a black and white dress and driving a maroon 2008 Hyundai Accent sedan with Vermont registration KVW103.
Anyone with information on Richardson’s whereabouts is asked to call the Vermont State Police Derby barracks at 802-334-8881.
Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.
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