Northland Lens

09/03/2026

First you learn how to do it. Then you learn how to help someone else do it.

While photographing the Open Dairy Show at the Caledonia County Fair, I noticed older and more experienced exhibitors working alongside younger kids who were still learning their way around the ring.

During my conversation with Kellie Jenkins, I learned that there are lessons happening on both sides.

The younger kid gets guidance and reassurance.

The older kid learns patience, responsibility—and how to lead.

It’s another one of those little lessons from 4-H that reaches well beyond the show ring.

Click the link for the story behind the photo—and what I learned about how 4-H turns young learners into young leaders.

At the Caledonia County Fair, experienced 4-H dairy exhibitors help younger kids learn while developing leadership skills of their own.

09/03/2026

Sometimes the calf acts a fool.

That was one of the lessons Kellie Jenkins talked about when we discussed what kids learn through 4-H.

At the Caledonia County Fair, I caught one of those lessons happening in real time.

You prepare. You practice. And sometimes the calf still has other ideas.

A Northland Note from the Open Dairy Show.

Click the link to see the moment—and read why sometimes learning what to do when things don’t go your way may be one of the best lessons of all.

At the Caledonia County Fair Open Dairy Show, a young exhibitor learns a 4-H lesson about patience, perseverance and handling the unexpected.

08/28/2026

What Happens Before a 4-Her Enters the Show Ring?

For Northern Voices, I sat down with Kellie Jenkins to talk about Vermont 4-H, the families behind it, and the work young people put in long before fair week. And this conversation is only the beginning of the story.

Click the link below to read more about the conversation, and to hear the audio from the interview.

Kellie Jenkins talks about Vermont 4-H, the young people and families behind it, and what goes into preparing for fair season in the Northeast Kingdom.

08/19/2026

Your business has a story. Let’s tell it.

Northland Lens is about telling the stories of life here in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom — and some of those stories are found inside our local businesses, nonprofits, churches, farms, and community organizations.

I’m now offering photography, writing, and social media storytelling to local organizations that want to connect with their communities in a more personal way.

That might mean photographing the people behind your business. Showing customers what happens behind the scenes. Creating reels and social media posts. Highlighting the people you serve. Helping keep your page active. Or simply finding the stories you’re already living every day and helping you tell them well.

This isn’t about filling your page with advertisements.

It’s about helping people know who you are, what you do, and why you do it.

If you’re a Northeast Kingdom business or organization that could use some help telling your story, I’d love to talk.

Photography
Writing & copy
Social media content
Short-form video & reels
Digital storytelling

Send Northland Lens a message, or visit NorthlandLens.com to see the kind of stories I love to tell.

Life in the North, Through a Local Lens.

08/19/2026

There’s something about a freshly cut hayfield that makes me slow down and look.

This one got me thinking about an old Vermont saying—“Make hay while the sun shines.” But maybe there’s more wisdom in those words than simply working hard while we have the chance.

My latest Northland Note is a companion to my new North Star Monthly column, reflecting on hayfields, changing seasons, local businesses and learning to recognize the season we’re actually in.

🌾 Read the Northland Note, then follow the link to the full column in the North Star Monthly.

A Vermont hayfield offers a lesson about work, seasons and knowing when to produce, prepare, adapt or wait in the Northeast Kingdom.

08/07/2026

Sometimes the best moments happen after everyone else has gone home.

I stuck around after the Circus Smirkus Road Show and ended up capturing a few fun, unscripted moments as the performers laughed, horsed around, and simply enjoyed being kids after the show.

It reminded me why I love lingering a little longer. Sometimes the story doesn't end when the event does.

If you know of a person, place, business, tradition, or event in the Northeast Kingdom—or anywhere across Northern New England—that has a story worth telling, I'd love to hear about it. I'm always looking for the next story to share through Northland Lens.

Read the full Through the Lens post here:
https://northlandlens.com/through-the-lens-the-show-after-the-show/

08/06/2026

Northland Note: The Quiet Work of August

There is something about August in the Northeast Kingdom that can fool you into thinking nothing is happening. The wildflowers have mostly faded. The brilliant greens of June have settled into darker shades. The excitement of spring has given way to what feels, at first glance, like stillness. But if you stop for a moment, you'll notice the grasses. Standing along roadsides and field edges, their seed heads have begun to dry and catch the afternoon sun.... for the rest of this post, click the link below.

https://northlandlens.com/northland-note-the-quiet-work-of-august/

08/03/2026

Help Me Tell the Stories of the North

One of the greatest things about living here is that every town, every back road, and every neighbor has a story.

That's what Northland Lens is all about.

I'm always looking for the people, places, traditions, and events that make the Northeast Kingdom and surrounding communities such a special place to call home. Sometimes those stories are found at a local event. Other times, they're hidden in a family business, an old farm, a volunteer organization, or simply someone with an interesting journey to share.

I'd love your help.

Do you know...
• Someone with an inspiring or unique story?
• A family business with deep local roots?
• An artist, craftsman, farmer, or entrepreneur doing something interesting?
• A community event that deserves more attention?
• A hidden gem, scenic location, or local tradition?
• Someone making a quiet difference in their community?

I'd love to hear about it.

You don't have to be famous to have a story worth telling. In fact, some of the best stories are about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

Feel free to tag someone in the comments or send me a private message with your ideas. I can't promise I'll be able to cover everything, but I'm always looking for new stories to share through Northland Lens.

Thanks for helping me celebrate the people and places that make our corner of Vermont so special.

— Tim Lenahan
Northland Lens
Life in the North, Through a Local Lens.

07/24/2026

Heading down to Granny's Scoops to take some photos!

07/24/2026

We're excited to have our article about Granny's Scoops go live in The North Star Monthly!
https://www.northstarmonthly.com/features/community-gathers-around-new-ice-cream-shop-in-island-pond/article_9f6c71c4-9025-4afc-86d6-c627c38cf736.html

Soon we will be featuring the audio interview on Northland Lens, so stay tuned!

By the Fourth of July weekend, the line stretched out the door.