The community record for this issue of the Cabot Chronicle, extracted from the original pages. Reprinted with permission from the Cabot Chronicle.
Original issue: Download the August 2016 pages (PDF)
Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.
In This Issue
- Prescription Drug Pricing — 136w
- The Cabot Chronicle Submission — 92w
- ♦ PEACHHAM — 140w
- Guidelines — 75w
- The Cabot Chronicle is distributed — 50w
- OMMUNITY — 249w
- Statement ~ — 54w
- OMMENTARY — 181w
- NKWMD Representative — 146w
- Asset Management – The Town has — 65w
- Water system consumer confidence — 285w
- Cabot, Marshfield, Calais, Walden and — 151w
- in — 50w
- Cecil E. Morse — 501w
- EMORIALS — 248w
- Betty Moskowitz — 104w
- By Barbara Carpenter — 506w
- By Roland (Slim) Payne — 188w
- Woman’s Chorus Moves to Montpelier — 52w
- A Sense of Wonder — 93w
- By Cecilia Gulka — 58w
- CRAIG — 59w
- ~ Danville ~ Peacham ~ Cabot ~ — 220w
- Summer Concert Series. Kava Ex- — 53w
- Danville Equestrian Center Summer — 63w
- Caledonia County Fair 10:00 a.m.- — 70w
- Wednesday, 8/17 — 53w
- Cabot United Church — 86w
- August 18 — 55w
- Andy Luce — 121w
- FIELD DAYS — 75w
- By Melissa Laurita Kohl — 251w
- To Make Valerian Tincture — 74w
- Blend — 95w
- Starts August 1 — 218w
- By Lynn Lehoe — 250w
- Avoid skin contact with Wild Parsnip — 123w
- Committee — 159w
- Cabot Athletics information — 85w
- Warning — 108w
- Host an International — 230w
- By Ellen Cairns — 213w
- High School Student! — 145w
- About Local Businesses — 222w
- Hallsmith — 79w
- Gwendolyn, I know you are always — 99w
- Cabot? — 104w
- Africa to Eastern Europe - you had — 96w
- Did you want to live here right — 106w
- Headwaters? — 246w
- Weaving Well-Being Festival, go to — 51w
- T WIN V ALLEY S ENIOR C ENTER — 240w
- $130 Benefit to Recreation — 101w
- 2017 Trees for Stream — 158w
- Lizzie — 89w
- Initiative — 135w
- Join us for Coffee and Dessert — 103w
Prescription Drug Pricing
Prescription drug costs have increased significantly in recent years. A decade ago, prescription drug inflation rates grew approximately 5% - 6% annually, and in recent years, that inflation rate has increased to 11% - 12% annually. Data illustrates that four of the top-ten selling prescription drugs have more than doubled in price since 2011. The remaining six top-ten selling prescription drugs have seen price increases between 54% and 96%. The Department of Vermont Health Access (DVHA) reported a 19% increase in spending on prescription drugs in fiscal year 2015. S.216 – An Act Relating to Prescriptions Drugs, passed by the Vermont Legislature and signed into law by the Governor, demands more transparency regarding the pricing of prescription drugs. The Green Mountain Care Board, in consultation with the Department of Vermont Health Access, is directed to annually
The Cabot Chronicle Submission
The Chronicle welcomes letters written length is recommended to be no longer than clarity and length or returned to the author letters and commentary published in The the authors and not necessarily the opinions The Cabot Chronicle reserves the right unsuitable material for our readers. Letters unless signed and accompanied by a phone and photographs for publication. The Cabot Chronicle is not responsible for The Cabot Chronicle assume responsibility products or services advertised on these pages. If you have editorial questions or would
DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior
Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson
♦ PEACHHAM
(Kitty) Toll identify up to 15 prescription drugs for which the price has increased more than 50% over five years or 15% in the prior 12 months. The Attorney General’s office will require the manufacturer to disclose all factors that contributed to the price increases, including the percentage each factor contributed to this increase. The information collected by the Attorney General’s office will be provided to the legislature and published on the Attorney General’s website. The Attorney General may bring civil action against any manufacturer that fails to provide information. S. 216 passed the House on a unanimous vote. Several other states have introduced similar legislation; however, Vermont is the first state to pass a prescription drug pricing transparency law. To research actions of the legislature, visit www.leg.state.vt.us or contact me for information. I can be reached at: kittytoll@live.com ktoll@leg.state.vt.us
Guidelines
with an economy of words. The maximum 400 words. Letters may be edited for with suggestions for re-submittal. All Cabot Chronicle represent the opinions of of staff. to reject letters that may contain will not be considered for publication number. We will gladly consider articles
errors in submitted material. Nor does for claims arising in connection with
like advertising information, call our office or email us at inquiries can also be sent to: The Cabot
The Cabot Chronicle is distributed
~ Mission The mission of The Cabot for the residents of the Cabot that will help readers become
Printed in Vermont ~ Copyright
No part of this paper may be reproduced for typographical errors. Acceptance of advertising indemnify publisher from loss or expense for errors in any advertising beyond the
OMMUNITY
The passing days of summer seem too swiftly leaving us. I am nearly half way done with my course in herbalism, and am ever so fascinated. There is so much to learn, and even after the course is over, there is yet more to be learned and experimented with. It really is exciting. I am, however, impatiently waiting for puppies, which won't be born until fall and spring. Yup, we are getting two. Yes, it does mean two more mouths to feed, but Labradors make the best companions. At least, that is our opinion. We are waiting on names because we have to meet them first and know them before naming them. Our rescue cat, Webberly, is doing so very well. He used to attack us and really hurt us quite badly, but he has become a sweet and loving soul since he has spent some time with us. We weren't sure love would be enough to bring him around, but it seems to be. Piss ant, our other cat of fifteen, still doesn't like Webberly very much, but they seem to tolerate each other for the most part. We do have to teach Webberly to leave the chickens alone. He doesn't know they are layers, not meat birds. The potatoes are high and the potato beetle season has been an easy one, as there have been so few of them. YAY! The rest of the garden, though - we ini-
the first day of the month and is
Statement ~
Chronicle is to regularly publish local news Area. Our purpose is to share information better involved in their Community.
05647 2016 by The Cabot Chronicle 1942-0943 without express written permission from Cabot is contingent upon publisher’s approval on claims based upon contents of advertising. Publisher cost of space occupied by individual item in which
OMMENTARY
tially had to fight with that varmint, the ground hog, who is looking well - and we have harvested a great deal of spinach, with more coming. We will dry some and make it a powder for a nutritious supplement to our food in winter. I love the thought of autumn coming. I like the harvest, and it is my most favorite time of year. No bugs to bother and the leaves look their loveliest with their fall colors. The sky seems to be a richer color blue, too. Ah yes, the distinctive aroma of autumn, too, tickles my fancy. Well, happy success to all you gardeners out there, and enjoy the weather as it comes. Life is full of surprises, like bears on your porch and raccoons outside your window, but that is just living in Vermont, I think. Best wishes for a lovely August and enjoy every day as best you can. Laura Lee Saorsa Smith fizgigdragon@aol.com
provided locally free of charge.
Chronicle. Publisher is not responsible and agreement by advertiser to does not assume liability the error appeared.
NKWMD Representative
The Cabot Recycling Center has expanded and is now taking a wider range of materials for recycling. In addition to our regularly recycled materials, the list of recyclables now includes: • Aerosol Cans • Agricultural Bale Wrap • Alkaline Batteries, automotive • Batteries, Rechargeable Batteries • Cellular Phone • Fluorescent Bulbs, CFL’s • Hard and Soft Covered Books • Lead Fishing Sinkers • Mercury Containing Devices (Thermostats, Thermometers, etc.) • Oil, oil filters • Printer Cartridges • Propane tanks • Scrap Metals • Car tires will be accepted for a fee. The Cabot Recycling Center will host an electronic recycling event on Saturday, August 20. Following this event, the Recycling Center will be taking electronics for free every Saturday during normal hours of operation. Please do not bring any electronics to the Recycling Center prior to August 20. They will not be accepted until that date.
Asset Management – The Town has
received an asset management grant to inventory and map the Danville Hill water line, the oldest service line on the system, and complete an asset management plan for our water system. This will allow us to manage expenses and budget for replacement costs for major components to the system. This work will be completed this fall and incorporated into the capital budget for equipment replacement.
Water system consumer confidence
report . Cabot residents directly connected to the Town water system received with their bill last month a copy of the water system consumer confidence report. This is a yearly report that indicates the water sample reports from our annual testing completed by Utility Partners as they monitor our water system. For those not on the Town water system who would like a copy of the report, there are copies available at the Town Clerk’s office, or you can call and request a copy. The test results indicate the highest level recorded for a variety of metals and minerals, as well as monthly Coliform testing, the range of levels recorded are also indicated, and at the end of each column is a number that indicates a level that, if detected, requires action by the community. Please note our lead test results are at a zero level. As a proactive measure, we have also inspected the few residences that are either new or on older water system connections, to confirm that the service entrances from the Town system are copper. If any residents have questions on the testing results, please contact the office directly. The following electronic items will be accepted at the Recycling Center beginning on August 20: Computers; Peripherals; Computer Monitors; Cathode Ray Tubes; Televisions; Printers; Personal Electronics such as Personal Digital Assistants and Personal Music Players; Electronic Game Consoles; Fax Machines; Wireless Telephones; Telephones; Answering Machines; Videocassette Recorders; Digital Versatile Disc Players; Digital Converter Boxes; Stereo Equipment and power supply cords (used to charge electronic devices). NO coffee makers, irons, or vacuum cleaners. For more information, please visit the Northeast Kingdom Waste Management District website at www.nekwmd.org or
Ben Davis
Cabot, VT 05647
Cabot, Marshfield, Calais, Walden and
plans. We will utilize this funding to replace three culverts on West Shore Road and reconstruct the headwalls, and two culverts on Route 215 South. Under the new stormwater permitting, the Town will be required to inventory potential erosion points in Town on the Town road system. These erosion points are identified by slope and proximity to water, and we are required to develop measures to improve these locations. If erosion is not an issue, this information also will be recorded, indicating measures used to prevent erosion. Best management practices will be shifting to encourage water to filtrate next to our roads where possible, limiting and or eliminating ditching, removing culverts where unnecessary, and making our road system less prone to washouts due to heavy rain events and flooding. A big thanks to Aldo, our Road Foreman, and our Road Crew, Rusty and Sid, as they work through the new requirements,
in
Cabot residents altering management techniques to meet the new requirements, make our roads better and community safer. Front porch forum has been a great resource for neighbors to communicate on the proposed all terrain vehicle ordinance in Cabot. Sign up, see what your neighbors are saying, and voice your thoughts.
Cecil E. Morse
Longtime Cabot resident Cecil "Buggy" Morse passed away at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, on Tuesday, July 5, with his loving family by his side. The battle with complications from recent medical events and surgeries finally wore this strong, steadfast man down. Buggy was a man who saw the best in everyone and lived his entire life on his own terms. He was best known as the owner of the Lower Cabot General Store in Cabot and a retired man who took up a new vocation, Christmas tree farming. Buggy was born in Cabot, over the former Bunchy's Garage, on July 30, 1936, to Cecil E. Morse Sr. and Eugenia (Woods) Morse. He graduated from Cabot High School with five class members and lifelong friends in 1955. After graduating from high school, he joined the Army National Guard and held many jobs with local folks in their hardware stores, feed and grocery stores, and at Cabot Creamery. In 1961 he married Barbara (Lamberton) of Marshfield. He purchased the Lower Cabot General Store with his father and worked alongside his dad until his sudden passing in 1962. As owner of the grocery store, he and his wife expanded the business over the years to include hardware, some clothing, footwear, guns and chainsaws. He was famous for dickering with just about anything - guns, the dryer out of the house, land and sometimes even a horse or a sheep. Many folks traveled a distance to buy beef and steaks that were always delicious because of his aging technique. He was notorious for giving young kids an unwrapped Hershey's chocolate bar while their parents were shopping, much to their irritation upon discovery of a chocolatey mess. He was kind-hearted and helped anyone in need, after a house fire, death in the family, folks getting stuck or running out of gas, or someone needing a job. The general store was also a training ground for his three children, where they acquired his strong work ethic, learned to make change the right way, cut meat, and the value of great customer service. After a heart attack at an early age, he decided to get his exercise by cutting, splitting and selling firewood next door to the store. The firewood business was later taken over by his son, John. The renowned Lower Cabot General Store was sold in 1985. Upon retiring from the store, he and his wife started Christmas tree farming in 1984 at Bricketts Crossing in Cabot. They maintained over 40,000 trees between their land at Bricketts Crossing and Harrington Hill. In 2004, the state Christmas tree that adorned the capital building in Montpelier was chosen and cut from one of his plots. Each year, they made hundreds of wreaths, cut and sold trailer loads of trees, and managed a choose-and-cut operation, where he loved chatting with customers and friends. For 18 years, they left Vermont after tree season and headed to their house in Zephyrhills, FL, where they connected with fellow snowbirds.
EMORIALS
To finally slow down a bit, he sold the tree farm and relocated to Danville Hill, where he built a house and planted only 10,000 trees. He still kept busy with trees, berry bushes and doing odd jobs with his trusty John Deere tractor. Just prior to his last stay in the hospital, he wanted to get on that tractor and brush hog around the Christmas trees. He was glad to get home for a short time between hospital stays to be with his faithful German shepherds. Buggy was a member of the Green Mountain Masonic Lodge #68 in Cabot, where he was recently awarded a 55year pin by the master of the lodge. On Tuesday, he left his lifelong partner and wife, Barbara, of 55 years, three children and their families, John and Lisa Morse, of Kirby, Holly and Shaun McGinty of Westwood, MA, and Laurie Colgan of Marshfield, as well as his sister, Nancy, and her husband, Harold Houston, of Cabot, and their two daughters. Pampa will be greatly missed by his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who loved scouting for their annual Christmas trees with him in tow. A graveside Masonic service was held Sunday, July 10, at the Durant Cemetery in Lower Cabot. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in his memory be made to the scholarship fund at the Grand Lodge of Vermont F &AM, 49 East Barre Road, Barre, VT 05641. Arrangements by Holcomb-des Groseilliers Funeral Home, Church St., in Hardwick.
Betty Moskowitz
Betty Moskowitz passed away at home on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, in Maple Corner, after a long battle with illness. She worked in the fashion industry in New York City and moved to Vermont with her partner, Joan Heller. In 1989, she was employed at Cabot Creamery in its publicity department. She retired in 1992 and did volunteer work a Central Vermont Medical Center for more than ten years. She loved reading and the outdoors and spent most of her remaining years biking, hiking, kayaking, skiing and traveling as well as enjoying the beautiful Vermont countryside. To honor Betty's wishes, no services are planned.
By Barbara Carpenter
Please open the Internet to: “Up and down saw mill in operation. YouTube.” Turn up the audio, turn on your imagination and perhaps close your eyes. This is a sound that often filled our little valley almost 200 years ago. An ambitious young man in his twenties named Horace Clark built a sawmill like this. Horace was born in April, 1800. He was the son of Prudence and Noah C. Clark, and the farm where he was born is about a mile distant in the town of Calais on the old County Road. Horace built a dam on the Newell Brook (now called Creamery Brook), impounding water that flows from Little Mud Pond and Big Mud Pond, both in the Town of Woodbury. The mill was in the Town of Cabot, but the brook soon flows into the Town of Marshfield and joins the Winooski River in Marshfield village. The lumber for my house, built in 1830, was sawn in Horace’s mill. He was able to saw very big logs. Some of the interior board partitions in my house are 24 inches wide and eight feet long. Except for windows and doors, the house is completely encased in vertical hemlock planks, three inches thick and eight feet long. The planks bear the unmistakable pattern left by the up and down sawmill's blade. Of course, Horace also kept busy clearing land and raising crops – wheat, beans, Indian corn, Irish potatoes and hay enough for a horse, a cow and a few sheep. He also made butter and maple sugar, but he called himself a “millwright” until he was seventy years old. Thereafter, he was simply a "farmer.” When he was 26, Horace married Sophia Foster of Calais. Horace and Sofia had two sons and two daughters: William, the youngest son, died of typhoid fever while a soldier in the Civil War; the oldest son, Alvaro, continued living on the farm until he lost it in an 1881 divorce settlement; daughter Lovinia married Mason Hall and lived nearby in another house built with lumber from Horace’s mill (David Carpenter lives there today); daughter Phila married Charles Nounes and moved to Nebraska. When Horace was 77 years old, he also went west. He died in Disjoins, Iowa, 144 miles from Phila in Papilion, Nebraska. He is buried in the North Prairie Cemetery in Muskatine County, Iowa – a long, long ways away from the mill pond on Newell Brook in Cabot! Barbara Carpenter resides on her farm in the southwestern corner of Cabot on what was the old County Road from Cabot to Calais. She has produced an excellent history of the road and the families who lived there over the years. She has also written several other important works involving Cabot history, including co-authoring “Cabot Vermont, a Collection of Memories from the Century Past,” published in 1999, and a previous article for the Cabot Chronicle about Civil War soldier Adolphus Perry. Ms. Carpenter can be contacted at carpfarm@fair point.net, or through the Cabot Historical Society , cabothistorical@gmail.com.
By Roland (Slim) Payne
By Roland (Slim) Payne Giant hogweed on Elm Street – I was
going to have it sprayed, but most of it is The trees are all planted and mulched, stunted from the last treatment. It and they seem to be doing well so far. I started out strong this year, and then only watered them once, and since then fizzled out, so I cut the flowers so it can’t the rain has come about right to take care go to seed. Some small flowers may come of them. out, so I will keep watch and clip them. It took a lot of mulch this year we now
have about 50 trees to take care of, but A fireman pulled a patron out of a
we are still getting lawn mower damage. burning bar in Saint Johnsbury and
When they are small, it doesn’t take asked if he had any idea how this started.
much bark damage to kill them. They “I don’t know,” said the patron, it was
are all mulched, so it should be easy to already on fire when I went in.”
stay away from them.
Woman’s Chorus Moves to Montpelier
After more than 40 years in the Barre area, The Barre-Tones women’s a cappella chorus, singing in the barbershop style, announces its new home at the Capital City Grange, just off Montpelier’s Main Street on Route 12 in Berlin. The chorus will begin regular 7:00 p.m. rehearsals on August 1, and con-
A Sense of Wonder
tinue each Monday evening at its new rehearsal location. Women of all ages and music-reading ability (from none to extensive) are invited to visit and participate in singing with fun, like-minded music lovers. No formal training or experi- Capital City Grange is located at 6612 ence is needed, simply bring a good sing- VT Rt 12, Berlin VT. The Barre-Tones is ing voice and willingness to learn. For an internationally-ranked women’s a more information about the Barre-Tones, cappella barbershop chorus with 30 visit www.BarretonesVT.com or call 802- members singing in four part harmony
By Cecilia Gulka
Early Childhood Nature Camp was held at Cabot School June 20 – 24, 2016. Twelve children from Cabot and Twinfield attended the program, taught by educators Lynn Talamini and Cecilia Gulka. The children observed, explored, questioned and discovered the natural world. Plants and birds were studied in the forest classroom adjacent to the elementary playground. Marie and Larry
CRAIG
Thompson provided access to a calm, shallow stretch of the Winooski River behind their house, for a morning of water exploration with Cabot Conservation Committee member, Gary Gulka. The children participated in the summer breakfast and lunch program served at the school. Science investigations, art projects, stories, songs and snacks related to the day’s theme rounded out each day.
~ Danville ~ Peacham ~ Cabot ~
“ As a business owner I know firsthand that I would like this state to be more business friendly, we need new and expanding businesses to create jobs and help our economy. I will also be a strong advocate for our local schools, they are a central part of our communities, we need to keep them that way and at the same time make them affordable to the taxpayers. I will work with other like-minded legislators to prioritize the economy and will be a consistent and reliable voice for small business and working families ,”
Craig has been a taxpayer in Danville for all of his adult life. His own children attend Danville school and he is a member of the board of directors in several local community organizations, including; the Caledonia County Fair board of directors, the Vermont Beagle Club, President of the NH/VT Hare Association, Northeast Kingdom Wheelers Club, and the Vermont ATV Sportsman Association. Craig previously served as a member of the Danville Select Board for four years, the Danville Fire Department, the Danville Rescue Squad, the Caledonia County Forest and Stream board, as well as serving as a Little League Coach and as Past Master of the Washburn Masonic Lodge # 92. Since 1985, Vance has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for local nonprofits
Summer Concert Series. Kava Ex-
press 6:30 p.m. Mildly rock and soul classics from the Beatles to George Benson to Stevie Wonder to U2. Highly danceable. Playground on site for the children, Book /Bake sales and Barbeque stand to purchase hot dogs and burgers. Old Schoolhouse Common gazebo in Marshfield (lower gym in Jaquith library building if raining).
Danville Equestrian Center Summer
Horse Show 9:00 a.m. Refreshments on site. Danville Equestrian Center, 1906 Joe's Brook Road, Danville. Contact 802-
86 th Danville Community Fair 10:30 a.m. Variety of musical entertainment, horse and pony pulls, variety of food provided, arcade rides and games, bingo, volleyball tournament, rib cook off, FIREWORKS 9:00 p.m. Circus Smirkus 1:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. FINALE WEEKEND! Tickets
Circus Road, Greensboro. websitewww.smirkus.org.
Caledonia County Fair 10:00 a.m.-
10:00 p.m. each day. 8/24-8/28. Vermont's oldest continuously running agricultural fair. Entertainment Wednesday ATV event, Thursday Motocross Thrill Show, Friday 4x4 Truck Pull, Saturday Concert and Sunday Demo. Other events include Children's barnyard, cattle/ livestock, goats, poultry, swine and commercial exhibits, sugarhouse, information booth and gift shop, 4-H exhibits, Floral Hall displays, antique tractors. 1 Fairgrounds Rd, Lyndonville. Tickets available in August, find us on Facebook
Church Street, East Hardwick.
Wednesday, 8/17
2016 Orleans County Fair Join our 149 th Blue Ribbon Agricultural Fair in Barton. 8/17-8/21. Open 8:00 a.m. Midway opens 11:00 a.m. Children under 12 MUST be with an adult. Dreamland Amusements is your ticket to family fun. Many events each day, go to www.orleanscountyfair.net for more information. Barton, 278 Roaring Brook Road.
Cabot United Church
Thursday evening suppers Alternate weeks in August Meal served from 5:30—6:30 p.m. Takeouts available. Served with salads, rolls, dessert and drinks The contest challenges ing summer. And in Vermont, with our outdoor culture and bountiful local produce, outdoor cooking has ascended to an art form. After years of listening to stories of extraordinary campfire culinary conquests, we decided it might be fun to lay down a campfire cooking challenge, and to share the best for all to enjoy.” entrants to submit videos of themselves and/or their
August 18
BBQ Chicken
under $5 team preparing their favorite camping recipes. Finalists will be selected by park staff and the winners will be chosen by online voting. Videos and recipes will be shared online at vtstateparks.com. First, second and third prizes will be awarded and winners will receive free camping, firewood, Vermont products and bragging rights.
Andy Luce
• Individuals as well as teams may participate. • Videos should be no more than 2 minutes long and depict the creation of the dish as well as the final product. • Written recipe must accompany video submission. • You can submit as many entries as you like. • Cooking must be done on wood or charcoal. You can use a BBQ grill, at camp or at home, but no gas cooking or grilling is permitted. • Bonus points will be awarded for using healthy and local foods. • Videos should be in .wmv, .mp4, .avi or .mov format. • Send submissions to parks@vermont.gov. • Entries must be received by September 5, 2016. More information can be found online at vtstateparks.com.
FIELD DAYS
Franklin County Field Days August 4-7 www.franklincountyfielddays.org Addison County Fair & Field Days August 9-13 www.addisoncountyfielddays.com Orleans County Fair August 17-21 www.orleanscountyfair.net Vermont State Fair August 16-20 www.vermontstatefair.net Caledonia County Fair August 24-28 www.caledoniacountyfair.com Champlain Valley Exposition August 26-September 4 www.champlainvalleyfair.org Guilford Fair September 3-5 www.guilfordfairvermont.com Tunbridge World’s Fair September 15-18 www.tunbridgeworldsfair.com Vermont Sheep & Wool Festival October 1-2 www.vtsheepandwoolfest.com Vermont Farm Show January 31- February 2, 2017 www.vtfarmshow.com Vermont Flower Show March 3-5 www.greenworksvermont.org
By Melissa Laurita Kohl
Valeriana officinalis might be what the pied piper carried to lure all those rats away, but it works equally well on cats. So well, in fact, that I consider it an essential item for my kitty first aid kit (sprinkle a hearty dose of valerian in your cat carrier and watch with awe as your cat climbs in and enjoys the ride to the vet). Like catnip, valerian is calming to humans. In fact, it is one of the stronger herbal sedatives and pain relievers we have legal access to. Smelling like stinky feet, this musky root is most often prepared as a tincture. It is one herb that people have a range of responses to. I recommend people take valerian for the first time in the middle of the day, when they can afford to get very sleepy or very alert, maybe even agitated. Five to ten percent of people cannot process valerian the same way and have the opposite reaction – they tense up and get agitated. The 90-95% of us who respond well to valerian are lucky, as this is one of the most supremely relaxing herbs you can find. When I take it, it feels like slipping into a hot tub – every muscle in my body unravels, including smooth muscle (which is found in organs like the lungs). How sensitive anyone is to valerian varies, so it is hard to give an exact dosage. I recommend starting with a low dose and working up from there.
To Make Valerian Tincture
Fill a jar halfway with valerian root – dried or fresh. Cover jar to top with organic vodka. Cap and store in a cool dark place. You can stir daily, especially if using dried herb, as it can clump and stick in the bottom. Your tincture will be ready in 4 to 6 weeks; at which time you can strain it or take some off the top. You can also add valerian to tea.
Blend
1 part chamomile 1 part lemon balm 1 part passionflower ¼ part valerian Use 1 tablespoon of herb to 1 cup of water. Steep covered for 15 minutes. Valerian is a very safe herb, however it is important to do more research, or talk to a qualified practitioner, before taking a new herb, particularly if you are pregnant or nursing, are taking pharmaceuticals, or have liver or kidney disease. Melissa Laurita Kohl runs the Fungi & Flora Folkschool in Peacham, where she offers classes, private lessons, and herbal consultations. Contact her at:
@gmail.com; or fungiflorafolkschool.com.
Starts August 1
Wild turkeys are found throughout most of Vermont, but their reproductive success is monitored annually by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department with a little help from "citizen scientists" who report the number and size of turkey families they see during August. Fish & Wildlife is again asking the public for help. If you see a group of young turkeys in Vermont during August, the department asks you to go to the turkey brood survey on its website (www.vermontfishandwildlife.com) where you can record where and when you observed the number of adult and young turkeys, or poults. "Data gathered from the survey will help establish long-term trends in Vermont's turkey population," says Vermont Fish & Wildlife's wild turkey biologist Amy Alfieri. "It will also answer questions about the impacts of spring and winter weather on the survival of poults and adult turkeys, which helps in setting turkey seasons and harvest limits." Over-abundant turkey populations can damage crops and food stored for livestock in bunker silos. "We monitor Vermont wild turkey numbers annually in order to maximize the benefits of having turkeys while minimizing the liabilities," says Alfieri. "Turkey hunting is a mechanism for managing Vermont's turkey population within these limits." "Please help us scientifically manage the turkey population by reporting your Vermont turkey sightings during August," added Alfieri.
By Lynn Lehoe
Cabot Recreation summer camps started with soccer camp. The kids met for a week with high school students Taylor Abbott, Jeremy Maxfield, Matthew Lehoe, and Rider Lalomia, along with adult supervision. We had approximately 20 kids that participated throughout the week. The kids played various soccer games throughout the week. Even with the high heat, the kids had a lot of fun, and we hope to incorporate some water games next year! Dance Camp was held at the Willey Building. Gala Morse and her sister Maddy taught the kids throughout the week. Dance camp hosted 13 campers. The dancers made a music video and put on a performance for their parents at the end of the week. Theater camp followed by Art camp was two new camp options this year. Theater camp was in the morning with Karen Mueller-Harder, Cameron Mueller-Harder, and Megan Walker. In the afternoon the campers could attend art camp where they mixed art projects with set design and even included some outdoor activities. The art camp was hosted by Alison Bergman, Cabot's art teacher, and Megan Walker. The campers put on their plays at the end of the week. Lacrosse camp was hosted by Aaron Fuller with the help of a high school student. The camp was an introductory course on Lacrosse and had 12 participants. The kids even threw in some different games in between, like Frisbee, tag, and even Simon Says! We ended the summer camps with Basketball which was the last week of
Avoid skin contact with Wild Parsnip
Although this is the same plant as the common garden parsnip we eat in soups and stews, the flower heads are the second year growth from the carrot-like roots. It is a close relative of carrots, parsley, angelica, and giant hogweed, all of which can cause similar skin reactions in sensitive individuals. Wild parsnips produce a sap, or plant juice, that can cause burns to the skin in the presence of sunlight. In some cases, the burns are similar to second-degree sunburns, and can cause painful rashes and raised blisters. The Department of Health advises people to avoid the sap or juice produced by the wild parsnip. Avoid skin and eye contact with this sap. If you need to work with the plant:
Committee
July. Please check the next month's Chronicle for information regarding basketball camp. All camps had kids not only from Cabot, but Marshfield and Plainfield, Hardwick, Danville, etc. It was great that we could host so many kids this summer. We hope we can continue the camps next summer and even incorporate some new ideas. Please watch the next edition of the Chronicle for pictures from the camps. We have heard from kids, parents and the camp counselors how much fun they had and are hoping we can continue the trend next year! A HUGE THANK YOU to all adults and students that participated and helped make the camps happen this summer! Soccer season will be starting very, very soon! As always, we need volunteers to help run a successful soccer season. If you are a parent or community member that could lend a hand to Cabot kids for the soccer season, please email me at Cabotrecreation@gmail.com or you may
Cabot Athletics information
Soccer season is almost here! Preseason officially starts August 18th. Players must attend 10 practices in order to play in the first game. Cabot varsity's first home game and first game of the season will be Saturday, September 3. We will host Sharon with the girls playing at 11:00 a.m. and the boys playing at 1:00 p.m. Dates and times are subject to change. A full schedule will be posted in the next Chronicle . Any questions about Cabot Athletics, please contact me at LLe-
Warning
Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs. Wash clothes that come in contact with the sap. Work with the plant on cloudy days, and always wash your skin immediately after coming in contact with the sap. If you are using string trimmers or power mowers in areas where this plant grows, wear eye/face protection, in addition to long pants, long sleeves, and gloves. If you get sap on your skin: Wash the skin thoroughly with soap and water as soon as possible. Protect the exposed skin from sunlight for at least 48 hours. If you experience a skin reaction, call your physician.
First Year Plant (basal rosette)
Host an International
CIEE, a nonprofit educational exchange organization, is seeking welcoming host families in Vermont to host international students for the upcoming school year. Our students represent over 60 nationalities, and come to the U.S. for five or ten months to study at American high schools, live with local families, and experience life as American teenagers! Students arrive with insurance, spending money, and tested English language skills. Families that host our students come in all shapes and sizes (kids, no kids, empty nesters, single parents and so on), all that we ask is that you provide a bed (student can share a room with a child of same gender and within four years of age), three meals a day, and accept him or her into your home as one of your own! Families may act as a welcome family and host for two to four months or as a permanent family and host for the entire stay. A CIEE Local Coordinator expertly matches your family with a student based on your lifestyle and preferences, and we provide local and professional support, 24/7, for the duration of the program. The Local Coordinator in your area is Susan Kuegel who has been with CIEE for four years as both a Local Coordinator and Host Mom. We have many students still eagerly awaiting news about a host family, including Petro, who is a 15-year-old boy
By Ellen Cairns
Over the last couple of months, we've had articles featuring local business people and what they're up to. This month we're going to add an overview of the
and what it is doing to support local businesses. The CCA is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation with a mission to enhance the quality of community life for those residing in or visiting Cabot and for those doing business here. The CCA is open to all from Cabot and the greater Cabot community who support this mission. The Board of the CCA currently consists of Frank Kampf, Paul Wade, Jan Westervelt, and R.D. Eno. The Program Representatives are Jeannie Johnson, representing The Cabot Chronicle ; Sjon Welters, representing Cabot Working Landscapes Network; and Roz Daniels, representing Cabot Arts. Lori Augustyniak is the Director of the CCA, and Ellen Cairns is the Business Outreach Coordinator. The CCA also provides fiscal and administrative services for the Northeast Kingdom Chorus, Cabot Connects mentoring program, Northeast Kingdom Warriors Soccer Club, Friends of the Cabot Library, and the Cabot Economic Development Workgroup. It provides a service to the town by supporting community events like Maple Fest; loaning out items such as sign boards and folding tables as well as providing administrative and accounting assistance for community groups; and a Durable Medical
High School Student!
from Ukraine who wants to teach his host family about Ukrainian culture, traditions, and his amazing country. He studies at a linguistic high school and wants to become an international lawyer. He is also interested in programming. He is communicative and cheerful and loves to spend time with his family, go to the cinema, and play sports such as soccer. He hopes that his best friends for life will be his host family. He cannot live with indoor cats due to allergies. His GPA is a 4.00. Change a young person’s life and form a bond that lasts a lifetime! If you are unable to host, please note that we offer a $100 referral fee for any family you refer to us that ends up hosting! To learn more about our program and this wonderful opportunity, visit www.ciee.org/highschool or contact Susan Kuegel, your Local Coordinator,
About Local Businesses
Equipment Registry to help residents find what they need when recovering from an injury or surgery. As you can see, the CCA has a lot to offer! Over the last several months, Lori and Ellen have been brainstorming ways to support local businesses. First, we compiled a list of businesses in the six towns where the Chronicle is distributed (Cabot, Marshfield, and W. Danville get postal delivery of the paper to all mailing addresses, and Danville, Hardwick, and Plainfield have drop-offs at a variety of locations – 2,000 copies are printed monthly). In those towns, alone, there are over 100 businesses on our list! Some ideas we're working on are: - Featuring local business people, farmers, and artists in the Chronicle each month - Creating a Welcome Wagon to let new residents know of businesses and services in the area - Promoting local businesses on the CCA website - Creating a network of businesses to share resources, services, supplies, equipment, and ideas - Letting residents know of businesses in the area when we see requests for services on Front Porch Forum or other venues Ellen will be contacting local business people over the next few months. If you have a business and are interested in any of the above- or have other ideas you'd like to propose - we'd love to hear
Hallsmith
Gwendolyn Hallsmith founded the ecovillage Headwaters Garden and Learning Center on Danville Hill Rd in 2009. She is 56 years old and married (to Michael Taub). For more information on her business, go to www.headwatersvermont.org and global -community.org Gwendolyn has written several books about sustainable development and economics, and has worked in Vermont for 24 years for municipal government, state government, international organizations, and as a pastor for the Federated Church in Williamstown while she was in divinity school.
Gwendolyn, I know you are always
full of ideas, what is your newest project? The Healer cooperative [Vermont’s Weaving Well-Being network], is a new project we have been working on, but also one that I personally have been working on for several years. We are trying to raise awareness for the different types of healing modalities that exist and encourage people in Cabot to access different types of healthy activities – massage, acupuncture, and meditation. There are lots of ways in which people can be active; not just maintaining their health, but enhancing it. Headwaters wants to make those types of activities available for people.
Cabot?
The Weaving Well Being Festival, that we are hosting on August 6 and 7, is open to the general public and will offer classes, sessions and all types of activities for people who are interested in coming and learning more. We will have classes in the morning on dance, Tai Chi and meditation, there will be an herb walk, and at lunch we have a guest speaking about Acupuncture. And then, if you want to individually engage with one of the practitioners, you can set up appointments for the afternoon. You have traveled quite a bit in your private and work life. From South
Africa to Eastern Europe - you had
the chance to really get to know people and places. What makes you choose Cabot as your home? (Laughs) Because it’s the best place in the world! I lived on many of the major continents and worked on all of them, you know, and Cabot, Vermont, is actually where it’s at. I love Vermont, I love Cabot! It’s a wonderful place. Cabot is still an old-fashioned settled farming community. Those are an endangered species in this country! The strength of our farms and the strength of our infrastructure for farming makes Cabot a really special place.
Did you want to live here right
away? Were you actively looking for land to buy for the Headwaters ecovillage? Or did that idea develop over time? Well, I knew the Welters family before I moved here. I had this most unusual experience when I first came out to visit them, a long time ago, now. They invited me on a Sunday afternoon to visit them, and when I arrived, it felt like I had come home! But I couldn’t explain it at the time. And over time, Elysha [Welters] and I talked about how neat it would be to have an ecovillage, and then this land became available and I bought it.
Headwaters?
Headwaters is dedicated to community life that strives to be in alignment with the health of the natural world and to foster the health of all. This means building our homes to minimize the impacts that we have on the environment, to be affordable in Vermont’s economy, and to offer educational programs and events where people can learn more about human and environmental health. My philosophy for ecovillage development is that you don’t just build a little gated community up on a hill away from everybody, but you work really hard to bring the values and the ideas to the place itself. So the fact that we are walking distance from Cabot village, that we are on the water and sewer system here, that we are part of the village community, to me is really important. It’s not like we are trying to be an isolated little enclave up the road. We open up all our events to the greater Cabot community, and I have been working on different committees in the community that are strengthening the farming economy and looking out to make sure the village stays economically viable. So, the Weaving Well Being festival, for example, is being held in the village at the Willey Building. We are working with the Cabot School to offer certain wellness appointments in the wellness rooms at the school instead of having people come up here, because that way it feels like it’s part of the Cabot community.
Weaving Well-Being Festival, go to
http://well-being-weekend.event brite.com. You can contact Gwen about the wellness offerings at the school at gwenhs@gmail.com.
What Are You Up To? is brought to you by the Cabot Community ciation. would like AssoIf you to suggest a Cabot resident to be highlighted in this monthly please column, email lori@cabotver mont.org or call
T WIN V ALLEY S ENIOR C ENTER
4583 U.S. Route 2
that oversee the process. Please call 223East Montpelier, VT 32 or email: Twinvalleysen05651 iors@myfairpoint.net if you can help us
By Rita Copeland, Executive Director with this important process.
We are also looking for Meals on Foot clinics at Twin Valley Senior CenWheels backup drivers to cover the six ter will be held on August 3 and 24; towns we serve when the regular drivers
are on vacation or otherwise unavailable. pointment. We are in need of manual wheelchairs TVSC is still in need of volunteers to for our medical equipment supplies, help pack our Meals on Wheels program which we loan out to people in need. meals. This consists of learning the procPlease let us know if you have one that ess of preparing the already-cooked you would like to donate. meals for packaging, sealing, labeling and packing of the packaged meals for Heads Up! Twin Valley will have a
fundraising dinner on August 28 from the different routes and those scheduled 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Menu and chef yet for freezing. It takes approximately 2 to be determined. We enjoy people athours 3 times a week. Days and times tending and eating at the Center for this are negotiable to fit your schedule. The occasion, but will also have take-out back up call feature of our system is available. Watch local media as more really needed for the full time volunteers information becomes available.
$130 Benefit to Recreation
More than thirty Cabot residents rode the school bus to Montpelier for the Mountaineers game with the Connecticut Schooners, and up to a dozen more drove themselves to the game on Cabot Night (July 12). CCA purchased 39 tickets, which doesn’t include the Cabot residents who attend on their own season pass (you know who you are, Bothfelds!). Cabot kids drew the winning 50/50 raffle ticket on the ballfield at the bottom of the sixth inning, splitting the ticket sales between the lucky winner and the Cabot Recreation Committee. Cabot School Principal Dave Schilling went home with over $130 to bring
2017 Trees for Stream
The Winooski Natural Resource Conservation District (WNRCD) is currently seeking landowners within the District who live along rivers or streams and are interested in installing riparian buffers on their property during the 2017 growing season. Riparian buffers are the grasses, shrubs, and/or trees that grow along streams. In natural conditions, these plants colonize streambanks, controlling erosion and helping to filter and clean stormwater runoff before it enters our waterways. Without this protection, streambanks become unstable, erode, and become a greater source of non-point source pollution. According to the Lake Champlain Basin Program’s most recent State of the Lake report, the erosion of streambanks accounts for roughly 20% of VT’s total phosphorus load into the Lake. Stream bank erosion is of particular concern in the Winooski watershed, where so many live and work adjacent to our rivers. If you own property along a stream or river and would be interested in having a riparian buffer planted on your property,
Lizzie
Lizzie is a wonderful, sweet, gentle girl of six years. She has totally won my heart. She has the most beautiful and unusual grey and white markings. Lizzie is a bit shy at first, but once you start petting and stroking her, she is so responsive, purring and kneading, head butting and licking your face, and gazing deeply into your eyes with that "You are not going to leave me, are you?" look. She would be a perfect companion in a quiet, loving home. If you would like to
Initiative
contact WNRCD’s Stormwater Specialist, Holly Kreiner at holly@winooski nrcd.org to set up a site visit. Landowners who participate in the program will be required to contribute a small portion of the planting cost and commit to a longterm stewardship of the buffers, once planted. For more information on participating in our Trees for Streams initiative, or for more information on conservation programs and resources provided, visit www.winooskinrcd.org. The Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District is one of 14 conservation districts throughout Vermont. It encompasses all of Chittenden and Washington County, as well as parts of Orange County (Orange, Williamstown and Washington). The district relies on grants and individual donations to complete its conservation work. The WNRCD focuses its resources on completing conservation projects within the areas of agricultural assistance, forestland enhancement, urban conservation and watershed stewardship.
Join us for Coffee and Dessert
and to get a behind-the-scenes look into Vermont's vibrant working agricultural landscape? Mark your calendar for Vermont Open Farm Week: August 15-21, 2016, taking place at farms across Vermont! During Vermont Open Farm Week, you can meet the farmers, plants, and animals that bring your favorite high-quality Vermont products to your plate. Cabot farms listed on the website include Burtt’s Apple Orchard, Cabot
at Provender Farm and Hooker Mountain Farm. Search the website by town for a link to each farm to learn what they offer and when they are open. To search what is available statewide, go to the website listed above.