James Bernard Frost - Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire & Vermont. The Best Organic Food Stores, Farmers Markets & Vegetarian Restaurants

---

V ermont's isolated mountains, harsh winters and small towns foster a community spirit that is unique among the 50 states.

It's one of the few places left where you can borrow butter from your neighbors without being shooed away from the house with a cold glare. This sense of neighborliness extends to the environment and the creatures that inhabit it. Co-ops and natural food stores are common throughout the state. Vermonters also like to keep it small: this is one of the few places where small, family-owned farms haven't been pushed out by large agribusiness interests. For travelers, there is plenty to see and do. The winters are harsh, and there are no beaches as in the rest of New England, but for those in-the-know, Vermont is a paradise for the ecologically minded.

With a mostly rural population of 500,000 people, the majority of Vermont's land mass consists of the beautiful and well-protected Green Mountains, whose unparalleled beauty stands out most during the colorful autumn. Most visitors to the state come in the wintertime, driving up from New York City to ski the slopes. The other nine months, however, might be the best time to visit, when you can view this peaceful state without having to fight the mobs.

You've taken the road less traveled if you arrive in Bennington. Poet Robert Frost was buried here in the cemetery of the Old Bennington Congregational Church. Along the main strip, stop for a sandwich at Alldays & Onions (519 Main St., 802-447-0043).

Build your own sandwich from a long list of items on their chalkboard. Along Route 7, the Blue Benn Diner (102 Hunt St., 802-442-5140) has been serving quick meals to locals and lonely travelers for over 50 years. It's not all diner food, though - you'll find quiche, salads and vegetarian specials on their menu as well. Bennington's natural foods store is Spice & Nice (233 North St., 802-442-8395).

Refugees from the urban jungles moved to Brattleboro, just north of the Massachusetts border, for some peace, quiet and communal living in the '60s. There's still a hippie feel to the town, although the radicals have come and gone.

Sightseers should hike up to the famous Hogback Mountain Lookout for a 100-mile view of the surrounding Green Mountains. Common Ground (25 Elliot St., 802-257-0855) is a worker-owned cooperative restaurant that works with local farmers to produce all-organic, all-vegetarian meals. Stir-fries and seitan sandwiches are some of the menu's offerings. For groceries in town, there's no better place than the Brattleboro Food Co-op (2 Main St., 802-257-0236). In addition to a huge selection of organic produce and bulk foods, a full-service deli and caf comes complete with a salad bar, juice bar, and a good selection of store-made soups, salads and entres.

Calling it a city is a stretch, but at 50,000-plus it's the closest thing in Vermont.

Civic events like the jazz and reggae festivals do draw a crowd, and the University of Vermont students keep things lively. At the Church Street Marketplace downtown, the City Market Place (211 College St., 802-658-5061) is a hub of activity. Check out the community board for local events and the live music schedule. Tofu and seitan entres with Asian influences are served all day. You can also pick up homemade breads at the bakery. Ethnic offerings in Burlington include India House Restaurant (207 Colchester Ave., 802-862-7800) and Pacific Rim (111 St.

Paul, 802-651-3000). Both have vegetarian menus. Natural foods markets in the city are plentiful. The Moon Meadow Market (150 Dorset St., S. Burlington, 802-862-9000) has a bakery, juice bar and gourmet deli. Healthy Living (4 Market St., 802-863-2569) is conveniently located downtown and has a caf and a good selection of organic produce.