Off The Gravel Road
Off the Gravel Road
Robb Ellis is a husband, father, grandfather, educator, tradesman, and public servant with a deep-rooted commitment to small-town life and hands-on learning. Born in Los Angeles, California, Robb moved to Vermont in the 1980s, where he began his first career in law enforcement. After retiring from the field, he transitioned into the plumbing and heating industry—eventually becoming a technical trainer at FIA, where he now helps shape the next generation of skilled trades professionals across New England.
Robb’s journey has taken him through Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, and now New Hampshire—where he and his wife Kristen have lived for many years. Married for over 31 years, they’ve raised three sons and are now proud grandparents to two granddaughters.
In addition to his work at FIA, Robb serves on the Barnstead Select Board and as an ex officio member of the zoning board, where he brings a grounded, practical voice to local governance. He’s also the force behind Storer Ranch and Cow Camp, rural education initiatives rooted in soil health, regenerative agriculture, and trades-based learning. Through programs like the Storer Ranchers 4-H Club and partnerships with local schools, Robb is helping rural youth gain real-world skills and a sense of stewardship for the land.
Having lived in small towns across New England, Robb has come to appreciate their quiet differences and shared spirit. Off the Gravel Road, his podcast, explores what makes these communities tick—sharing conversations from porches, pastures, and town halls that reflect the values, humor, and grit of life beyond the pavement.
Off The Gravel Road
Rusty’s Barnstead: The Two Cents That Built a Town
In this episode of Off the Gravel Road, we sit down with George “Rusty” Krause — a lifelong Barnstead resident whose name is woven through the town’s fire service, fields, and civic life.
Rusty has worn more hats than most folks could fit on a rack: engineer, farmer, fire chief, horseman, and now fire warden and public servant. He’s a man with a great sense of humor, a big heart for community, and a knack for telling it like it is — which is probably why I’ve lean on him as a sounding board in my role on the Select Board.
From the statewide burn ban to the days of green fire trucks, from hay fields and horses to family legacies that stretch back to World War II, this conversation captures both the flavor and the fabric of Barnstead.
Rusty’s two cents have guided countless town decisions — and in this conversation, he shares the history, humor, and hard-earned wisdom behind them.
