In 1987, after graduating from Goddard College with a BA in Historical Social Criticism, I spent June thru October working with Don Carpentier on the church, Briggs’ slate roof, and the foundation and subsequent frame raising of Don’s home, the 1794 Jared Root house. In the 1990’s I began Bull Thistle Press after learning the art from Gary Metras at Adastra Press and Ed Rayher of Swamp Press & Type Foundry. Utilizing skills further honed with Don on the Cady/Brown Store, Hancock school house/Don’s pottery and sundry projects, my wife, Mary, and I purchased 20 Vermont vertical acres and built our homestead from dense forest including a stone foundation, timber framed house and various outbuildings surrounded by terraced gardens. In 2014, Scott Penpraze asked me to get the print shop in running order. With Billy McMillen, this morphed into the legendary Wednesday Crew devoted to continuing Don’s restorative vision for Eastfield environs and the preservation of historic trade skills. For me, the true gem in the Village is the Thomas Farm Print Shop which houses an elegant Hoe hand press, a glorious Columbia hand press and a staggering collection of period display faces and engravings. In the coming years, I plan to continue the cleaning and refining of this space into an inviting 19th century print shop.