News from Up North
October 13th, 2013 · No Comments · Posted in News from Up North, rural life
It’s time for apple picking and cider making and we spent the day with our friends Shannon and Jared who threw a cidering party on their farm outside Cambridge.
It was a gorgeous fall day–sunny and warm, with hardly a cloud in the sky. About 50 souls were on hand to help pick the apples and press the cider, then partake of an early potluck supper. My wife made a pot of her famous roast butternut squash and apple soup. There was apple crisp, pumpkin cake and all the cider you could drink.
Shannon and Jared raise chickens and pigs on 60 acres and sell product at the Cambridge farmers market, as well as at the local food co-op and dressed chickens by subscription on the farm. But they don’t own the place. They live in a yurt and work the land courtesy of a gentleman who bought the farm and moved there from Minneapolis four years ago. He had visited the area to help build a “spiritual garden” and fell in love with Washington County. After making the purchase, he started looking for a younger couple to do the actual farming. Word got around, and Jared, who grew up in the area and counts Grandma Moses as a distant relative–came knocking on the door.
Jared and Shannon wanted to live close to the land and grow wholesome food for their children. They have a pre-school daughter and recently gave birth to a boy.
As you can see, the view of the rolling countryside from the top of the property is quite spectacular, just the kind of panorama Grandma Moses might have chosen for one of her paintings….
Meanwhile, Washington County authorities are investigating the theft of a mobile home from the parking lot of the Big Apple Diner in Hampton in mid-August. Witnesses saw it being driven away by a white tractor. It was last seen headed for Vermont.
Theater season at Hubbard Hall in Cambridge begins Nov. 15 with a production of Jean Giradoux’s Ondine. Also slated for the 2013-2014 season are performances of Parallel Lives, The Kathy and Mo Show, King Lear and Of Mice and Men. To purchase tickets, go to www.hubardhall.org.
The Spanish Club at Cambridge Central School is raising funds this year by selling Navel oranges and grapefruit direct from citrus groves in Florida. Cartons of 10 and 20 pounds, priced from $20-$27, are expected to be delivered before Nov. 24, just in time for Thanksgiving. To make a purchase, e-mail the club advisor, Caroline Goss, at caroline.goss@cambridgecsd.org.
Congratulations to members of Boy Scout Troop 27 from Greenwich who participated in the Twin Rivers Council Fall Camporee, titled, “The Sky is the Limit.” The event was held at the Fulton County Airport, where scouts had an opportunity to earn merit badges in aviation.
Hat tip to Mrs. Parker, the first grade teacher in Salem, who had pupils read David Goes to School as a way to ease kids into the school routine. After reading how David went a bit crazy after starting school, Mrs. Parker had her kids discuss and write out the school rules.
Mark your calendars: The Salem Astronomers will be meeting at 7 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Salem Courthouse Community Center.
On Thursday, Oct. 17, Joseph C. Nelson, author of Spanning Time: Vermont’s Covered Bridges, will be giving a talk at the Pawlet Community Church on the subject of whether covered bridge appeal “rests on aesthetic beauty or perfection in engineering and construction.”
Finally, Rensselaer County Dairy Princess Lindsey McMahon urges readers to eat plenty of cheese in October to mark National Cheese Month. “Whether made from 2 percent, 1 percent or fat-free milk, cheese contains nine essential nutrients including various vitamins and calcium that are vital for our bodies,” the dairy princess says.
One way to consume cheese would be to follow the dairy princess’ recipe for four-cheese pizza. First, mix 1/4 cup olive oil, 1 tablespoons minced garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt with 8 sliced Roma tomatoes. Toss together and allow to sit 15 minutes. Brush 2 pre-baked, 12-inch pizza crusts with some of the tomato marinade, then sprinkle on a mix of Mozzarella and Fontina cheeses. Arrange tomato slices over the top, then sprinkle with Parmesan and feta cheeses. Bake in a 400-degree oven until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
This edition of News from Up North was culled from actual news reports in the Washington County Area and is presented here for the enjoyment and edification of our readers. As always, stay alert and please drive carefully.
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