Leslie Kielson began making Battenkill Brittle in Southern Vermont in the fall of 2010. Always in search of an energy bar that tasted good but didn't weigh you down, she started experimenting. She and her partner took this experiment on a 7-day bicycle trip through northern Vermont and were amazed at how just a small amount powered them up the many Vermont hills. Afterwards, friends and family were clamoring for more and hence, Battenkill Brittle was born. Leslie lives on a small homestead in southern Vermont with her partner and their dog and two cats. Quite a change from her life in New York City where she lived for 8 years and was a political organizer working to end the war in Iraq. But while she loved city life for a while, she was very happy to get back to the country where she could grow her own food and now also produce good, healthy food for others.