Want to Know More About L.E.A.F. Presentations?

Panel Presentation I: Biggest Bang for the Buck: Solar Hot Water: 9:00 Bradford Academy
Brett Tofel owns ReKnew Energy Systems, Inc. a family owned and operated solar energy company that
works with residences in VT, NH, and MA to provide custom designed electric, solar heating, and solar hot
water systems . The solar design and installation team has over 25 years of collective experience in the solar
industry. www.reknew.net
Howie Michaelson: Has been designing and installing renewable energy systems since 2002, and has lived off-
grid for 12 years. He founded Sun Catcher in 2006, a renewable energy company which designs, installs and
repairs residential and commercial systems in VT and NH. www.suncatchervt.com
Brad Vietje owns Green Works Solar Store in Groton, VT, one of the 32 USA Solar Store locations . Brad
designs and installs solar electric, solar heating and solar hot water systems, as well as providing consulting
on renewable energy, conservation and efficiency measures, passive solar design, and green building practices.
He is also a partner in a firm that provides design and engineering for zero energy buildings, and installs solar
heating systems. www.greenworkssolarstore.com

Energy Ball: Wind Generator: 9:00 Bradford Academy Be Green Solar, LLC (BGS) was founded in
2007 in response to a need for on-site maintenance of renewable energy systems. most especially for system
components such as inverters, charge controllers, generator interface.
BGS designs, installs and provides on-site maintenance support for solar, wind and micro-hydro renewable
systems. John Hassell, president and founder of BGS, retired from the normal job market in 2007, after 45
years (including 23 years in the US Air Force) as a communications and renewable systems engineer.. He has
created a large customer base for maintenance support and, yes, he makes house calls! www.begreensolar.com

Toss the Toxins: Cleaning Naturally: 10:30 Bradford Academy Jessica Barber will take us through a list of
common potentially harmful chemicals and how to reduce exposure. How to seek and use effective alternatives
to cleaning, remodeling, building, furnishing and everyday use. Jessica Barber is Owner of Interiors Green in
Bethlehem NH. www.interiorsgreen.com

Panel Presentation II: Why Solar, Why Now? Solar Electricity: 10:30 Bradford Academy
Brett Tofel, Howie Michaelson and Brad Vietje: See above for Bios.

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: Fossil Fuel-Aholics Anonymous – A 12 Step Program to End the Addiction and
Save the Planet.
12:45 Bradford Academy Patrick Parenteau, Professor of Law and Director of the
Environmental and Natural Resoures Law Clinic at Vermont Law School

Fashion on a Shoestring – 1:45 Bradford Academy Reduce, Reuse, Recycle will be exemplified in a fashion
show of clothing from area thrift stores. Produced and presented by Oxbow High School students, this show
will demonstrate that you don’t have to spend a fortune to look great.

The Future of Energy: Using Technology: 2:20 Bradford Academy Introducing several alternative and
sustainable energy technologies that will potentially offer economical energy solutions that do not rely on
fossil fuels. The basic principles and practical application of these technologies will be discussed as well as
the challenges that must be overcome to result in viable products. Brent Bartlett is the Engineering Manager
at Turbo Solutions Engineering LLC. He has more than ten years of engineering experience, in both turbo
machinery and industrial plasma cutting. At Turbo Solutions Engineering LLC, Brent performs aerodynamic
and hydrodynamic design and analysis of components, and integrates components in com-plete models of fluid
systems and thermodynamic cycles, many of which use sustainable energy sources such as wind, solar, and
geothermal energy.
Life Beyond Oil: Transition Towns: 2:20 Bradford Academy The Transition movement is a vibrant,
international, grassroots initiative that seeks to build sustainable community as we face the challenges of
climate change, oil depletion, and economic instability. The heart of Transition is the belief that if we engage
with enough imagination and ingenuity to unlock the collective genius of our communities, we can choose a
future that is abundant, equitable and socially connected. Carl Etnier is director of Peak Oil Awareness in
Montpelier, VT. He has worked with sustainability issues since the 1980s, with much of that time in sustainable
water and wastewater treatment. In 2006, he turned his attention full time to educating people to prepare for
peak oil. A founding member of Washington County’s Post-Carbon Sustainability Network and Transition Town
Montpelier, Carl hosts two radio shows and writes in newspapers and a blog related to the transition to a low-
energy future.

Baby, It’s Cold Outside: Practical Approaches To Insulating Your Home: 3:30 Bradford Academy Case
studies and demonstrations that show how heat moves in a home, clues you can use to locate weak spots, the
amount you might expect to save, and the products that you may use to improve the thermal shell of your
home. Jon Haehnel is an energy auditor with specific expertise in insulation and air sealing. He has been
testing and evaluating residential and commercial building envelopes from Maine to NY for the past 8 years.
His business, Zero by Degrees specializes in infrared and airtightness testing for large complex buildings and
provides energy audits, design support, and energy plans for all types of buildings.
zerobydegrees@gmail.com www.insulation-guide.com

How Wet Will it Get? Climate Change & Extreme Precipitation Events: 3:30 Bradford Academy Roger
Hill has over 25 years of experience in forecasting the weather all over the country. He began his weather career
in the US Army in Hawaii in 1973, then worked for the National Weather Service for over 10 years serving in
Montana, the California Sierras, Cape Hatteras and upstate New York. In 1986, he moved to Vermont and has
since consulted for a variety of clients from the Vermont Symphony Orchestra to the Grateful Dead to Thunder
Road. Along with his accurate predictions, Roger is best known for explaining complicated weather phenomena
in terms that anyone can understand. www.weatheringheights.com

Good Times with Enzymes: Cheesemaking: 9:00 Methodist Church With Ron Langdon, a cheesemakers
at the Robie Farm in Piermont . The Robie Farm produces five different styles of cheeses. Piermont is a semi-
soft Tomme; Toma and Gruyere are of the alpine family, Swaledale is a cloth bound cheddar type cheese, and
Manch-vegas is what they call a Yankee-friendly, cow-milk version of the Spanish cheese Manchego. The
Robie Farm owned and operated by Lee and Betty Sue Robie is a multi-generational, sixth-generation family
farm that offers raw milk; whole, low fat, skim and heavy cream; natural beef, pork sausage; ice cream, free-
range eggs, farmstead cheese, fresh produce, home-baked goods; and other local products ; Rt 10 Piermont, NH
03779 (603) 272-4872 robiefarm@wildblue.net www.robiefarm.com

Don’t Name Your Goats: Raising Goats: 9:00 Methodist Church Amy Cook will describe her efforts and
successes in developing a meat goat herd. Her primary objective, however, will be to address the questions
raised by participants about their own herd. Amy Cook has been a veterinarian at Stonecliff Animal Clinic in
Bradford for the past 14 years. She received her undergraduate degree from Cornell University in 1992 and
completed her graduate degree at Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine in 1996. She and her
family run a small farm in Bradford that provides almost all of the food for their table and all of the wood for
their heat.

Design, Plant, Cook: 10:30 Methodist Church Kitchen Gardens: Vegetable garden designs with European
potager style, featuring ornamental edibles, culinary herbs, greens and aromatics. Learn how to start seeds, grow
organic, and cook seasonal recipes.
Ellen Ecker Ogden Vermont food and garden writer and author of five books, including the upcoming /The
Complete Kitchen Garden Book/Co-founder of /The Cook’s Garden/ seed catalog and author of /From the
Cook’s Garden/ cookbook. www.ellenogden.com
Straw, Clay, Sand, Stone, Wood: Cold Climate Building: 10:30 Methodist Church New Frameworks
Natural Building is a collectively-owned natural building company based in Montpelier, VT. They are
committed to creating ecological, durable, beautiful structures and finishes for clients, through a building
process that is healthy for all involved, focusing on natural, local, low-impact materials such as straw, clay,
sand, stone, and wood. They combine these elements to build straw bale, wood chip/clay, cob, and timber frame
walls; to mix and apply natural, non-toxic paints and plasters; to install stone and tile installations; and to pour
and set adobe floors. Ace McArleton has led workshops and taught classes locally and nationally on natural
building as well as on issues of gender and access to the building trades, for both youth and adults. www.
newframeworks.com
Smells Like French Fries: Bio Diesel: 2:20 Methodist Church Learn how vegetable oil is converted into a
fuel that can heat your home or run your car. Robert Kuhsel of White Mountain Biodiesel recycles waste oil
from local restaurants and converts vegetable oils into a fuel that has many applications. For example, they
supply the fuel for The Mount Washington Cog Railway. The locomotives that were burning a ton of coal per
trip now use 18 gallons of bio-diesel instead.

Grow More, Grow Longer: Extending The Growing Season & Putting The Garden To Rest: 2:20
Methodist Church How to extend the growing season into late October and November with greens and roots
crops along with information on cold-frames and root cellars. The second part will focus on putting the garden
to sleep with cover crops and compost. Please bring your gardening questions. Ron Krupp is the author of The
Woodchuck’s Guide to Gardening, a Vermont organic gardening book, which received the Christian Science
Monitor Garden Book of the Year award for New England. Ron has been the garden and farm commentator on
Vermont Public Radio for the past 12 years.

Can Bio Char Save the Planet?: Improving Soil Fertility With Biochar: 3:30 Methodist Church
Gardeners and farmers know that successful food production begins with healthy soil Peter Hirst will describe
how to make and apply biochar at home efficiently, responsibly, and safely. The process creates a fine-grained,
highly porous charcoal that helps soils retain nutrients and water and improves water quality. More nutrients
stay in the soil instead of leaching into groundwater and causing pollution. Peter Hirst is President and Chair
of Biochar Northeast. His company, New England Biochar, offers finished biochar products, biochar production
equipment and training and consulting services. peter@newenglandbiochar.org <http://newenglandbiochar.
org/>
Knitting Basics: 9:00 Bradford Library Jeanne Smith owns Bradford Yarn in Bradford, Vermont. She also
works at Grafton County Nursing Home as an RN. www.bradfordyarn.com
Rags to Riches: Extending The Life Of Your Clothing: 10:30 Bradford Library Conni Bryan of West
Topsham is a life-long Vermonter, has been sewing for over 40 years and works as a home sewer.
Quilting For Beginners: 2:20 Bradford Library Conni Bryan of West Topsham is a life-long Vermonter, has
been sewing for over 40 years and works as a home seamstress.

Gubernatorial Candidate’s Forum: 5:00 Bradford Academy – Vermont’s Energy Future

 For Youth and Families:

Kid’s Craft Room: All Day Bradford Academy

Solar Panels, Batteries & Circuits: 9:00 Aubuchon Building Jim McCracken, Bradford Elementary School
(ages 8 – 12)

Electricity & the Environment: 10.00 Aubuchon Building VT Energy Education Program (ages 8 – 12)

Solar Challenge: 12:30 Aubuchon Building VT Energy Education Program (ages 8 – 12)

Oxen Agility: During Morning Breaks & at 12:15 Kyle Boutin, Oxbow High School student and his award-
winning oxen will demonstrate their
abilities in the parking lot across from the
Bradford Academy

Meet Our Vendors:

You’ll Find Them Under the Big Tents at L.E.A.F.

ARC Mechanical Contractors- Kim Sager 229 Depot St., Bradford, VT 05033 ksager@arcmech.com www.
arcmech.com
Be Green Solar °© John Hassell 459 Bradley Hill Rd. Benton, NH 03785 info@begreensolar.com
Building Energy °© Brent Mellen_2458 Christian Street, Suite 101, White River Junction, VT 05001 www.
buildingenergyvt.com
Cookeville Composting - Robert Sandberg_Owner, Operator, 587 Abe Jacobs Rd, Corinth, Vt. 05039
Efficiency Vermont www.efficiencyvermont.com
Green Mountain Geothermal °© James Ashley PO Box 222, West Danville, VT 05873 jashley@kingcon.com
www.vermontgeo.com
Green Works Solar Store °© Brad Vietje 1334 Scott Memorial Highway, Groton, Vt. 05046 greensun@fairpoint.
net www.greenworkssolarstore.com

gro Solar °© Gaelan Brown 601 Old River Road, White River Jct., Vt. 05001 info@grosolar.com www.
grosolar.com
Interiors Green °© Jessica Barber 2021 Main St., Bethlehem, NH 03574 info@interiorsgreen.com www.
interiorsgreen.com
New Creations °© Peggy Lydem 721 Village Rd, East Corinth, Vt. 05039 pegsownmail@gmail.com
New Frameworks Natural Building, LLC °© Ace McArleton 134 Barre St, Montpelier, VT 05602 info@
newframeworks.com www.newframeworks.com
ReKnew Energy Systems, Inc. °© Brett Tofel 50 Cliff Street, South Royalton VT 05068 sales@reknew.net
www.reknew.net
Roywood Masonry Heaters °© Royce Thompson1854 Fuller Rd, Newbury, Vt. 05051 roycet40@yahoo.com
www.masonryheat.com
The Sewing Studio °© Carolyn Cross 3-10 Eastern Ave. St Johnsbury, Vt. 05819 cmcross@wildblue.net
www.sewingstudiovt.com
Solartech °© Rich Nicol 754 Station Rd, Sutton, VT 05867 info@solartechvt.com www.solartechvt.com
Solarium Arch Drywall °© Michael C Lehoe 916 Ducharme Rd., Marshfield, Vt. 05658 mclehoe@gmail.com
Sun Catcher °© Howie Michaelson_1050 Lost Meadow Rd, Corinth, Vt. 05039 info@suncatchervt.com
www.suncatchervt.com
Tarm Biomass 4 Britton Lane, P.O. Box 285, Lyme, NH 03768 info@tarmusa.com www.tarmbiomass.com
Two Rivers –Ottauquechee Regional Commission °© Chris Sargent_www.trorc.org
Upper Valley Land Trust - Nora Doyle-Burr 19 Buck Rd., Hanover, NH 03755 noradoyle-burr@uvlt.com
www.uvlt.org
White Mountain Biodiesel °© Robert Kuhsel_35 Business Park Rd N. Haverhill, NH 03774 robertkuhsel@
yahoo.com www.whitemountainbiodiesel.com

Wind Turbines of Vermont °© Dale Leroux 1369 Glover Rd Barton, VT 05822 windturbinesofvermont@comcast.
net www.windturbinesofvermont.com

Zero by Degrees °© Jon Haehnel 287 Fairview Square, Fairlee, VT 05045 zerobydegrees@gmail.com www.
insulation-guide.com