The History of Poor Farms in Vermont with Jodi Lew-Smith

Wednesday, July 29 at 7:00 PM
Greensboro Free Library

Join us at the Greensboro Free Library for a talk with local author Jodi Lew-Smith on The History of Poor Farms in Vermont, the true story behind her award-winning new novel, Asa James.

Lew-Smith will explore the 150-year history of Vermont poor farms, including how they changed over time and why some succeeded while others struggled. Her talk will also connect this history to the fictional poor farm portrayed in Asa James, the story of a young man raised on a Vermont poor farm in 1875.

Jodi Lew-Smith lives on a hill farm in Hardwick with her husband, dog, chickens, and 250 apple trees. She has always been a writer and also enjoys biology, which comes through in her fiction. Asa James was awarded the 2025 prize for Historical Fiction in the American Legacy Book Awards.

A book signing will follow the talk.

This program is free and open to the public.