A view from Brattleboro, Vermont.

Most of us are tempted, at times, to seek another profession.  There are not many other countries that offer that opportunity as liberally as this one! So, why not? Then how about considering being an Innkeeper?  You would be your own boss, create a wonderful ambiance for the worn out, tired city folks, (the ones like you before you changed your life around) and you can schmooze  and have the pleasure of giving others  a truly genuine experience at your Inn.

The hook is to get away from corporate America: to the fresh air, to the hills, the bucolic vistas, the slower pace, the unpolluted water, the fresh vegetables and fruits all locally produced and the fish and meats and not contaminated by the production of the 13 large conglomerates that dominate the meat industry.

I was shocked to see the film: “Food Inc. com“.  My 19 year old granddaughter Hannah requested that I see it. Hannah has worked on an organic farm for the last 4 summers, in Guilford, Vt. and she reminded me how important it is that we protect our environment for ourselves but equally important for the guests that come to visit our area.

What we offer our guests is not only our hospitality, but we attract them to our uniqueness, our commitment to a freshness that no longer exists in the cities. We as Innkeepers have to be the stewards of “Farm -Fresh” products, putting on our menu the names of the apple farmer, the local egg-man, the local vegetable and meat farmer, as well as the old time Vermonter who caught the trout down stream and will take your guests on a guided tour.

We can’t support mass feed lots, where animals are force fed to speed up getting them fatter by genetically altered feed! Altered corn in the form of fructose is in the sodas we drink, in milk and yogurts we commercially buy and lots of items we consume without knowing that.

So if you make that commitment to Innkeeping, please consider carefully the commitment that you are willing to make to your environment.  At our seminar I always stress: you are the ambassador to your area, you influence the policies of your town, or city. That is a great contribution, that is being involved, that is caring for your guest and my hat is off to you for choosing to be that kind of  Innkeeper. Have a great rest of the summer! Heide