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The Cabot Chronicle

August 2016 · Issue Record

← From the Cabot Chronicle

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)

Text extracted from the original pages and checked for reading order. Advertisements, listings, the calendar and puzzles are omitted. Where part of a story could not be converted cleanly, it is marked and the full story is in the PDF.

In This Issue

Grandma’s Country Thrift Store May Be Closing

By Jody Walker I have been open since November 2015. I have been able to donate to the Cabot Community School $100 in gift certificates to the store, as well as $500 in winter clothing, which consisted of snow suits, boots, gloves, mittens, sweatpants and shirts. I have also donated Canopic Jars from Egypt to the History Department, a value of $900. For those who don't know what they are, they are stone jars used in Burials; with the jars, they received a book that explains what they are and how the jars were used. I have helped people within the community extensively. I also have helped make sure some children in the community had a Christmas, and I still can't seem to keep my head above water.

30K, 60K and 100K rides. A new 30K route is planned, on less-travelled roads to make it safer for all. And, even if you don't ride or run, please join us for a delicious lunch on the I would like to thank the residents of Cabot who have been there for me. I don't want to close the store down, because there are families in the Community that really need it, and we are trying very hard to keep it running. I would appreciate any help any of you can give to make it work better, and satisfy those who criticize. I would also like to give a BIG THANK YOU to Leonard Spencer for all his understanding, patience and support. The store will be open on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5:00 p.m. For anyone with donations or questions, please call Peg at (802) 595-1405 or call Jody at (802) 793-6194. Thank You. Grandmas Country Thrift Store 3075 Main Street, Cabot, VT Cabot Common.

For more information, please go to www.ridetheridges.net.

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Cabot Ride the Ridges - Again this Year

By Paul Wade The fourth annual Cabot Ride the Ridges bike ride will be held this year on Sunday, September 11, starting on the Cabot Common. Ride the Ridges is the major fundraiser for the Cabot Connects Mentoring Program. Although we offer the event free to children and at low cost to local residents, last year we raised $4,600 for Cabot Connects, thanks to the generous support of corporate and individual sponsors. The Cabot Connects mentoring program has been an integral part of the Cabot community, helping children connect with adults for 11 years.

Ride the Ridges has been growing each year, and last year drew nearly 100 riders from all over New England. Riders braved a damp day and steep climbs on rides ranging from 10 to 100 kilometers. Riders praised the scenic views that Cabot residents know and love, as well as wood-fired pizza from Woodbelly, Jasper Hill cheeses, Switchel and other local foods they found upon returning to the Cabot Common. Ride the Ridges has been enjoyed by a number of local participants, as well as visitors to Cabot. This year, we would like to encourage even more local riders and runners, with very low registration fees for Cabot residents and students (under 12 free). Even if you don't do a lot of biking, you might be able to manage the 10 kilometer ride or run. For the more adventurous, there are

Part of this story may be missing here. See the original pages, page 1 onward.

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COMMUNITY COMMENTARY

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 initially 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 [email protected]

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CABOT ♦ DANVILLE ♦ PEACHHAM

By Representative Catherine (Kitty) Toll

Transparency in 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 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:

[email protected] [email protected] PO Box 192 Danville, VT 05828 802-684-3671 802-563-2627 The Cabot Chronicle reserves the right to reject letters that may contain at 563-3338, visit our website, www.CabotVermont.org or email us at

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Cabot Recycling

By Ben Davis, 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.

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; 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 call the district at (802) 626-3532 or (800) 734-4602.

Ben Davis P.O. Box 8 Cabot, VT 05647 802-563-2341 (h) 802-454-7747 (w)

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Planning Notes

By Karen Deasy Zoning Administrator and Planner

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.

Better Roads Grant. For the third year in a row, the Town has received a Better Roads Grant. This funding is being utilized to upsize structures and replace culverts that are failing, consistently wash out and cause erosion issues near brooks and streams. The program has expanded this year to include major road stabilization projects and opportunities for Towns to develop erosion control 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, altering management techniques to meet the new requirements, make our roads better and community safer.

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OBITUARIES & MEMORIALS

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.

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 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.

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Horace Clark, Millwright

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, [email protected].

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Are you interested in supporting and promoting

P. O. Box 245 Cabot, VT 05647 Office located in the Willey Building [email protected] -a working landscape in Cabot?

-opportunities for community economic development in Cabot? -a thriving arts scene in Cabot? -a vibrant local newspaper in Cabot?

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ADVICE FROM THE TREE WARDEN

By Roland (Slim) Payne

The trees are all planted and mulched, and they seem to be doing well so far. I only watered them once, and since then the rain has come about right to take care of them. It took a lot of mulch this year we now have about 50 trees to take care of, but we are still getting lawn mower damage. When they are small, it doesn’t take much bark damage to kill them. They are all mulched, so it should be easy to stay away from them.

Giant hogweed on Elm Street – I was going to have it sprayed, but most of it is stunted from the last treatment. It started out strong this year, and then fizzled out, so I cut the flowers so it can’t go to seed. Some small flowers may come out, so I will keep watch and clip them.

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A Sense of Wonder

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 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.

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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 continue 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 experience is needed, simply bring a good singing voice and willingness to learn. For more information about the Barre-Tones, visit www.BarretonesVT.com or call 802- 552-3489.

Capital City Grange is located at 6612 VT Rt 12, Berlin VT. The Barre-Tones is an internationally-ranked women’s a cappella barbershop chorus with 30 members singing in four part harmony under the direction of Carol Hollenbeck.

By Cecilia Gulka

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FOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ~ 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,”

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FOOD SHARE AND FOOD DROP DATES

CABOT FOOD SHARE Wednesday, AUGUST 10 Noon-2:00 p.m. Wednesday, AUGUST 24 Noon-2:00 p.m. Cabot Masonic Hall 3339 Main Street FAITH IN ACTION NORTHERN COMMUNITIES PARTNERSHIP INC. A Nonsectarian 501C3 ~ Who Is My Neighbor?

Available for Cabot Residents

MARSHFIELD FOOD DROP Second Saturday of every month.

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Vermont State Parks Lays Down Campfire Cook-off Challenge

Vermont State Parks invites you to participate in the first ever Vermont State Parks Campfire Cookoff video competition. Craig Whipple, Director of State Parks explains, “Cooking in the outdoors is an intrinsic part of enjoying 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.”

The contest challenges entrants to submit videos of themselves and/or their 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.

More information can be found online at vtstateparks.com vtstateparks.com.

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• 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 [email protected].

• Entries must be received by September 5, 2016.

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Cabot Recreation Committee

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 Wild Parsnips

(Pastinaca sativa L.) are very common in many parts of Vermont. The plants grow wild along roadsides and other unmaintained areas, and produce yellow flowers that appear similar to Queen Anne’s Lace.

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 [email protected] or you may call me at 498-4704.

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 [email protected] or 498-4704.

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Better than Catnip

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.

Peaceful Peach 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: (802) 503-1268; fungi.flora.folkschool @gmail.com; or fungiflorafolkschool.com.

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Wild Parsnip Warning

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:

• 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)

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Vermont Turkey Brood Survey 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.

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Bring the World to Your Home - Host an International High School Student!

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 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, at 802-279-2158 or [email protected].

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What Are You Up To?

By Sarah Spletzer Gwendolyn 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.

What is your next step in bringing these activities to the people in 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.

What is your greater vision for 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.

If you want to register for the 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 [email protected].

What Are You Up To? is brought to you by the Cabot Community Association. If you would like to suggest a Cabot resident to be highlighted in this monthly column, please email lori @ cabotver mont.org or call

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A New Monthly Column About Local Businesses

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 Cabot Community Association (CCA) 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 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 from you! Call us at 563-3338 or email [email protected].

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TWIN VALLEY SENIOR CENTER

4583 U.S. Route 2 P.O. Box 152 East Montpelier, VT 05651 By Rita Copeland, Executive Director

Foot clinics at Twin Valley Senior Center will be held on August 3 and 24; please call 223-3322 to make your appointment. TVSC is still in need of volunteers to help pack our Meals on Wheels program meals. This consists of learning the process of preparing the already-cooked meals for packaging, sealing, labeling and packing of the packaged meals for the different routes and those scheduled for freezing. It takes approximately 2 hours 3 times a week. Days and times are negotiable to fit your schedule. The back up call feature of our system is really needed for the full time volunteers that oversee the process. Please call 223- 3322 or email: [email protected] if you can help us with this important process. We are also looking for Meals on Wheels backup drivers to cover the six towns we serve when the regular drivers are on vacation or otherwise unavailable. We are in need of manual wheelchairs for our medical equipment supplies, which we loan out to people in need. Please let us know if you have one that you would like to donate. Heads Up!!!!!! Twin Valley will have a fundraising dinner on August 28 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Menu and chef yet to be determined. We enjoy people attending and eating at the Center for this occasion, but will also have take-out available. Watch local media as more information becomes available.

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Cabot Night at Mountaineers Game $130 Benefit to Recreation Committee

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 to the Committee to support summer recreation camps. A good community outing on a hot summer night.

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WNRCD Seeking Participants for 2017 Trees for Stream Initiative

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, 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.

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Vermont Open Farm Week 2016 August 15-21

https://www.diginvt.com/blog/vermont-open-farm-week-2016/Do you love local food and farms? Want to get to know your farmer better -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 Creamery Cooperative Visitors Center, Goodrich’s Maple Farm, Gozzard City 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.

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