Leaf Peepers Guide: Events, food, farmers-market, fun, and outdoors for the week

Events

Green Mountain Pug Rescue Pug Social

Sept. 25: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., contests, prizes, food at Pug Cafe, silent auction and Chinese Raffle, Rescue Alumni Parade, pug races. Topnotch field, Route 108/Mountain Road. $10 adults, $5 under 12. www.gmpr.org; Karen, 626-8280.

Pumpkin chuckin’ festival

Oct. 3: 11 a.m. to dusk; firings at 1, 2, and 3 p.m.; noon to dusk, music by Wilbur’s Dog. Pumpkins tossed from a trebuchet. Four divisions; prizes; exhibitions; corn maze; games; food. Benefit for Cambridge Rotary and Lamoille Family Center. $5 adults, $3 ages 12 and under; corn maze $4/$2. Boyden Farm. Dave Jordan, 888-2910; DJordan@gmavt.net. How to build a trebuchet: vtpumpkinchuckin.blogspot.com.

Rock Solid: Annual Barre Stone Show

Barre, VT Stone Carvers Show Oct. 5 – Nov. 6

Stone carvers from Barre and around the area show their talent. Contemporary and classic designs in 3-D sculpture and 2-D relief, stone assemblages, and paintings or drawings that show the beautiful qualities of stone. Studio Place Arts, 201 North Main St., Barre. Information: 802-479-7069

Cabot Apple Pie Festival Oct. 16

Eleventh annual apple pie judging with adult and youth divisions. Silent auction and craft fair. Lunch and pies for sale. Live music. Free admission and parking. Entry fee for pie contest. Benefits the Cabot Historical Society.  Cabot School gym, Main Street, Cabot. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. 802-563-3396 or email bonniesd@together.net for information.

Food

Vermont Fresh Network farmers’ dinner series. Chefs and cooks turn locally grown and raised products into memorable meals.

•Belted Cow Bistro, Essex, Oct. 4, 802-316-3883 or www.beltedcowvt.com

•Hen of the Wood, Waterbury, Nov. 4, 802-244-7300 or www.henofthewood.com

•Kitchen Table Bistro, Richmond, Nov. 11, 802-434-8686 or www.thekitchentablebistro.com

•Inn at the Round Barn, Waitsfield, Nov. 20, 802-496-2276 or www.theroundbarn.com

More information: www.vermontfresh.net

Fall Farmers Markets

Capital City Farmers Market

State Street, Montpelier. Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., through October. 802-223-2958.

Farmers & Artisan Market

River Arts Center, Pleasant Street, Morrisville. Wednesdays, 3-6:30 p.m., year-round.

Hardwick Farmers Market

Route 15. Fridays, 3 - 6 p.m., through Oct. 22. 802-833-8337.

Johnson Common Farmers Market

Route 15, downtown. Tuesdays, 3:30 - 6:30 p.m., through Oct 15. 802-635-1692.

Morrisville Farmers Market

Hannaford’s parking lot. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., through October. 802-888-7053.

Stowe Farmers Market

Route 108 at Red Barn Shops field. Sundays, 10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., through October. 802- 472-8566.

Waitsfield Farmers Market

Mad River Green in Waitsfield. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., through Oct. 23. 802-472-8027.

Waterbury Farmers Market

Rusty Parker Park, Route 2, downtown Waterbury. Thursdays 3-7 p.m., through October. 802-279-4371.

SIPtemberFest Sept. 25

Find out what’s brewing in Vermont through beer tastings, local food, lift rides and live music. Partial proceeds benefit the Mad River Path Association. Saturday, Sept. 25, 12-5 p.m. at Mad River Glen in Waitsfield. $25; $10 for chairlift rides for adults, $5 for kids; free for designated drivers and those under 21. www.siptemberfest.com.

Cheddar is a Verb: Be a Cheesemaker for a Day Oct.1

A full-day experience in the art and science of cheese at Shelburne Farms. Work side-by-side with cheesemakers to turn 6,000 pounds of milk into cheddar. Topics include: raw milk cheese, the eight steps of cheesemaking, and cheese quality and aging. The day includes a home cheese-making demonstration. 8 a.m.-4 p.m., $75 per person. Adults only. 1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne. 802-985-8686 or www.shelburnefarms.org.

Cooking Close to Home: In Season Oct. 7

Diane Imrie and Richard Jarmusz, co-authors of  “Cooking Close to Home: A Year of Seasonal Recipes,” return to Shelburne Farms to share more tips for eating in season using the produce typically received in a farm share or grown in a home garden. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. 1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne. 802-985-8686 or www.shelburnefarms.org.

Wine Tasting in the Trapp Family Lodge Wine Cellar Oct. 1 – Oct. 31

Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe will be tasting new releases of wine for inclusion on their list.  On some dates, wine experts will be on hand to discuss the wines and answer any questions. 4 p.m.-6 p.m., 700 Trapp Hill Road, Stowe, $15 per person. 802-253-8511 or www.trappfamily.com.

•Oct. 2: Cabernet Franc from the Loire

•Oct. 7: California Pinot Noir

•Oct. 13: Super Tuscan

•Oct.16: Piemonte Nebbiolo

Discover Food and Wine Festival Oct. 9

The best of Vermont, from cheeses to chocolate. Wine tastings, food and wine experts, music by Jenni Johnson. $29 per person. Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Jeffersonville. 800-451-8752.

Fun Fall Into Stories Sept. 27

Preschoolers learn about winged wonders through bird tales, crafts, nature walks and more. 10:30 –11 a.m., Birds of Vermont Museum, Huntington. Free with regular admission. www.birdsofvermont.org.

Monarch Butterfly Tagging Sept. 29

In 2007, a black-and-orange flyer identified at the nature center was recovered in Mexico. Folks catch, tag and release the migrating monarchs to help with future connections. Wednesday, Sept. 29, 3:30-5 p.m. at North Branch Nature Center in Montpelier. Free. www.northbranchnaturecenter.org.

Shelburne Farms 32nd Annual Harvest Festival Sept. 25

Celebrate the autumn traditions of Vermont’s farms and forests with musical entertainment, hay rides, demonstrations, farm-fresh food from Shelburne Farms and neighboring farmers, antique farm machinery and farm animals.  Want to volunteer?  Call 985-8686. Please no pets. 10 a.m. -4 p.m. Adults $8; children $5. Free to members and children under 3. 1611 Harbor Road, Shelburne. 802-985-8686 or www.shelburnefarms.org.

Outdoors

Guided hike at Spruce Peak

Sept. 25 and Oct. 2

Hike to the top of Spruce Peak to Look Out Rocks for majestic views of Mansfield. Dhatoff@sprucepeak.com for reservations.

Green Mountain Club hikes

Oct. 2: 8 a.m., Middlesex-Waterbury. Meet at Montpelier High School. Leaders: Eric Seidel, 223-1406; John Buddington, 229-0725.

Oct. 16: Stowe-Worcester. Difficult. 11.1 miles. Leader: Charlene Bohl, 229-9908 or charlenebohl@comast.net.

Oct. 30: 8 a.m., work hike; Stowe, Smugglers’ Notch. All abilities. Meet at Montpelier High School. Leader: Eric Seidel, 223-1406; trails@gmcmontpelier.org.