As I write this post, I’m staring out my window at some white fluffy powder falling on the peak of Mount Mansfield, and it is BEAUTIFUL. The air is a brisk 39 degrees, although it doesn’t feel like it with the sun shining down on us. The ground is 100% covered with leaves of every color; it’s times like this that I’m reminded why I love Vermont so much.
All of this, and I still made it down to the lake last weekend… not for any reason you could guess though… THE second annual GIANT PUMPKIN REGATTA took place this past weekend down on the Burlington Waterfront, and it was hilarious!
Giant pumpkins of all sorts of color and design were hollowed out, plopped in the lake via forklift, and then paddled about as if they were true ocean vessels! This is the type of thing that really makes me say “Only in Burlington”.
Along with the regatta was a great fair with a moonbounce, several local farmers with stands, as well as a fantastic pet-costume contest.
Now I am in the middle of my week, and boy is it busy. As hard as it is to believe, we are officially ½ way through the first semester! How did this happen!?!? This milestone is marked significantly for me by a complete change in curriculum for one of my courses. CDAE 166, community entrepreneurship is a class run through the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ department, Community Development and Applied Economics (my home here at UVM).
In this class, we spend all of September and half of October working in-class to learn about what makes a successful entrepreneur and how to run a business. Once we hit the 3rd week in October (this week), the class, which has already been split into 9 groups of 7-10 students, goes off to run our own businesses for 3 weeks. My group, Harvest Munchies, is a bake-sale company. For the next 3 weeks we will be parked inside of the Dudley H. Davis Student Center, selling Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, pumpkin shaped rice krispy treats, candy-corn cupcakes and more!
This class is a great opportunity to transfer what we’ve learned in class to a real world experience. The project is called Dollar Enterprise, and Professor Chyi-Lyi Liang is working to bring it to the masses.
Well, I’m off to give a tour, and then to go look at new skis maybe! This weather has me feeling inspired!
Now go get outside!