VERMONT Magazine Fall 2022 | Page 12

STRONG and SHARP

Maker of Artisan Chocolates & Cakes
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Naked and Afraid XL took place in the Selati River Basin of South Africa , where Cumings teamed up with two other female contestants in a battle against the elements . She lived in shelters made out of thorns , ate snakes , and got stalked by lions . “ It was incredible . I love hunting , and hunting in Africa was completely different than hunting back home . I thought that I was going to need a big machete , but I actually ended up not having to cut down any trees . I used my knife to prepare the warthog that I shot there . I was actually the first female to ever get a big game kill on the show with my bow and arrow .”
Cumings appeared on Naked and Afraid XL for a second time in 2022 . Although the time that Cumings spent in the Amazonian forests of Peru during her second Naked and Afraid XL taping was harrowing , to say the least , it only reinforced her desire to participate in future seasons . “ The weather was horrible , and I had some health issues down there that made it even harder , but I had some great teammates with me who helped me get through the worst of it . I personally believe that pain makes you stronger and teaches important lessons , and I learned a lot from being there .”
A Powerful Partnership
As Cumings ’ reality television career continued to heat up , she also upgraded her shop , as well . After working in the small shed on her parent ’ s property for almost a decade , Cumings moved to Vermont in 2020 and opened a larger knifemaking shop with Kyle Farace . Her change of scene was largely influenced by her developing professional and romantic relationship with Farace , who was also learning the trade of knifemaking under her tutelage . Farace had never worked with steel before , but his previous experiences as an artist and craftsman allowed him to seamlessly transition into a new medium .
Farace first came to Vermont after moving to Windham from New Haven , Connecticut when he was eight years old . After arriving in the Green Mountain State , Farace was able to significantly broaden his creative horizons . Much like Cumings , Farace had an artistic bent from an early age . “ My mom signed me up for an afterschool arts program shortly after I moved to Vermont , and I also took different arts classes throughout high school . I dabbled in a variety of mediums , including oil , paint , watercolor , ceramics ,
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