BRIDGEWATER, VT. — This is the story of two craftspeople working in an unpredictable economy, keeping their passion alive while running a successful business — a challenge even for them, artists whose furniture is sold all over the world, whose pottery has been in the White House and the homes of Hollywood elite.

Almost 175 years after publication of "Papers," Kent, just 50 miles southeast of London, is still known as the garden of England and the larder of London. Its formal flower gardens make it a destination, but it also has become a destination for foodies interested in locally produced artisanal foods and locally raised livestock. With its oast houses for drying hops, its farmhouses, rounded tiles and clear, leaded windows, Kent remains stubbornly rural in character.