Ok, we do grow a lot of apples here in Vermont, and over 17% of our housing is a second home or vacation property, so does that make Springfield, Vermont, the epicenter of Eden? Well, let’s consider this…
Springfield, Vermont, has been selected by PC Magazine as one of the Best Places to Work from Home in the United States. Five of our Town’s businesses have been chosen as the Best Places to Work in Vermont by Vermont Biz. Now, you add on the ambiance of rural life, fresh air, blue skies, and Jacob’s coat of foliage all year long; it is starting to sound like Eden to me.
Now Eden is nice, but what happens once I bite the apple? Will you fall into a deep sleep or feel the need to explore? Well, Springfield is the hub of New England. We are right off Interstate 91, with Boston and Montreal a podcast or two away, and New York and Washington DC are just a luxury train ride away. You have access to 3 international airports that will whisk your relaxed soul to all the exotic places you can imagine and quickly bring you back to sanity.
If you are looking for something a bit dreamier, grab a coffee and sit at Comtu Park along the Black River Falls, or grab a kayak and meander slowly along the Connecticut River. Walk a trail at Hartness Park, grab a pair of snowshoes from the Town Library, or grab a quick workout at the Edgar May Health Center.
Ok, this may be the workers, Eden, but I do need to do serious business here. After all, this is RURAL VERMONT. Can I get real work done here? Well, without going into Springfield’s fantastic history, mentioning that more patens have originated here than any other city in America, or reminding you that this is the epicenter of Precision Valley…because that is in the past. We can point out that Springfield is the home of Vermont Telephone (VTel), which has installed a 10G fibre optic pipeline from Montreal down to New York, right through the middle of town. Yes, that same 10G fibre is available to every home and business in Springfield (and rumor has it there is a bump up-coming). Additionally, Springfield is the home of the Black River Innovation Campus (BRIC), a nonprofit providing entrepreneurs a facility to work out their digital and advanced manufacturing concepts, providing them the mentorship, business connections, and workspace to develop and run their businesses.
So, what does a typical work-from-home day look like in Springfield, Vermont?
Head to the Edgar May Health and Fitness Center to get your morning workout, swim in, and get the creative juices flowing.
Head to Black River Coffee Bar for a maple latte and a fresh bagel while you stream your first morning Zoom call in the WIFI-enabled community room.
Next, head up to the coworking space at the Black River Innovation Campus, which is enabled with 10G internet, where you can work without those home distractions.
Time for lunch; head back to the Springfield CoOp for something from their hot bar. During summer, sit out in Comtu Park along the Black River’s Comtu Falls and borrow the WIFI from the adjacent coffee bar while you “work from home.”
Need to check in on things at home and prepare for that evening team call? Grab a four-pack of Vermont Beer Makers Pebble IPA, connect to your 10G home WIFI, and enjoy the maple trees and scurrying squirrels while your teammates listen to cars honking and sirens passing their home offices.
Before grabbing dinner at the Copper Fox or Black Rock Steak House, stroll along the Toonerville trail as it meanders along the Black River to the boat landing at the Connecticut River.
So, are you ready to take a bite of Springfield’s Apple of Eden? Come check us out and bring your laptop and flannel shirt. See you soon.