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The Cabot Chronicle

November 2021 · 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 November 2021 pages (PDF)

Automated extraction, spot-checked. Advertisements, the business directory, and puzzles are omitted; obituaries appear as individual entries.

In This Issue

Cabot Rink Returns This Winter!

by Susan Socks After a year off, the Cabot Rink will be back this winter. As always, we’ll need plenty of volunteer help, especially for daily maintenance: shoveling, snowplowing, and tidying up of supplies. If you’d like to help, please contact Susie Socks at or cabotfarm@gmail.com. The Cabot Rink is a program of the Cabot Recreation Committee, with support from the Cabot Volunteer Fire Department and the Cabot School, and built and maintained 100% by community volunteers. It takes a village to make a village rink! The rink frame will be built in mid December, and weather permitting, we’ll have ice around New Year’s. Loaner skates in all sizes will be available for borrowing, in the new “skate shed”. There will also be nets and pucks for hockey. Rink rules are posted on the rink bulletin board, to help everyone have a safe and fun winter recreation experience. Rink closures and other updates will be posted on the rink Facebook page, www.facebook.com/cabotrink. See you on the ice, soon!

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Director of Communications

for Agri-Mark/Cabot Cabot Creamery Co-operative closed its Cabot Farmers' Village Store on Saturday October 16, to allow for expansion of neighboring tenant, Cabot Café. "Cabot opened the Main Street store earlier this year to bring some life, enrecently re-opened after being closed due to the pandemic. The store is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cabot has a key role in the publicprivate collaboration around the Yellow Barn Project in Hardwick which will include a Cabot retail presence beginning in 2022. "Our retail team serves both retail ergy, and tourism to the town. We are thrilled to see tourism is increasing and that our neighboring tenants are growing," said Erica Burke, Cabot Retail Manager. "The Cabot Village Store has expanded their selection of Cabot products, so Cabot fans will still be able to find many of their favorites right in town." Other retail updates from the Cooperative: The Co-operative's Cabot Farmers' Store on Route 100 in Waterbury locations. Employees that had staffed the Cabot location will now support the Waterbury store," continued Burke. Cabot Creamery Co-operative, owned by farm families throughout New England and upstate New York, makes the world's finest cheeses and dairy products. From innovative and sustainable farms to making history as the world's first dairy co-operative to be a certified B Corp, Cabot farmers are committed to making better cheese and building a better world for their communities.

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Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and oil a sheet pan. Whisk together melted butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and salt. Toss cubed sweet potatoes with maple and butter mixture until well coated. Place sweet potatoes on the sheet pan and bake for 35 minutes, turning once halfway through. We usually don’t peel our sweet potatoes, but if that’s what your family does, feel free to peel them.

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Thanksgiving Turkey Tips

 Create your Brine: Proportions: ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup kosher salt, 3 cups water. If you want, add spices you like, an apple cut up, juice of lemon – anything to your taste. Make enough to cover your thawed turkey in a plastic bag or food-grade bucket. Bring the mixture to a boil to dissolve the sugar and salt.  Cool Down the Brine.  Steep: Place turkey and brine in your container; steep refrigerated 12-24 hours.  Rinse & Roast: Rinse off the turkey; stuff it if you want. Roast at 425 degrees for first hour then reduce temperature to 350 degrees.  Get a head start on gravy: In a blender, pour New Castle brown ale or similar, add a whole big apple, fresh lemon juice, white pepper, couple of teaspoons prepared mustard and process it until smooth. If you don’t stuff your turkey, pour it right inside the turkey before roasting.  Rest the Turkey;: When turkey is done, remove from roasting pan to rest.  Create the Gravy: Use the same roasting pan to create gravy to take

nine times a year and is provided locally

05647 ~ Published by the Cabot Community

express written permission from The Cabot Chronicle is contingent upon publisher’s approval and agreement based upon contents of advertising. Publisher does occupied by individual item in which the error appeared.

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Recipes

from The Cabot Chronicle.

wish everyone a great holiday. We hope company and great food, and provides the joys of life, even in difficult times. officials about their favorite Thanksgivshared some very yummy family favor-

advantage of the yummy bits left in the pan. Add chicken bone broth or something similar and the blender concoction. Use your choice of thickener – corn starch and cold water slurry is good for gluten-free gravy. You can use organic black strap molasses for color and flavor. The key is to add ingredients a bit at a time and taste as you go.

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Cake:

4 cups chopped apples 1-1/2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 1/4 cup soft butter 2 cups flour 3 teaspoons cinnamon 2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla Mix apples and sugar and set aside. Sift dry ingredients. Blend eggs, margarine or butter, then add apples. Then add dry ingredients and vanilla. Mix and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes.

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Ingredients:

1 jalapeno-optional 2 cloves garlic 2 cans whole kernel corn 1 8oz block of creamed cheese 1 large handful of grated cheddar cheese 1 large handful, grated parmesan cheese 6 pieces of bacon cooked crisp 2 tbsp of butter Salt Freshly ground pepper ½ cup bread crumbs ½ finely grated parmesan cheese 1 tsp thyme and sage (see ‘Thanksgiving Recipes’, page 3)

free of charge.

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Instructions:

1. Cook bacon crisp and chop into pieces, put aside. 2. Chop jalapeno, saute for 2-3 minutes then add cloves of finely chopped garlic in a saucepan large enough to fit 2 cans of corn and cheese. 3. When garlic and jalapeno start to soften, stir in 2 cans of corn, cut up bacon, 1 tbsp of butter, cream cheese, cheddar and parmesan. ( reserve ½ cup parmesan). 4. Pour into a casserole dish. 5. Mix the saved parmesan, bread crumbs and herbs together. over corn and bacon mix. Sprinkle

6. Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and all melted.

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Due November 18

by Betty Ritter, Town Clerk

The Cabot Tax Bill final payment is due Thursday, November 18, 2021, at 5:00 p.m., or postmarked November 18, 2021. You may pay it in person, by mail, at our secure drop box in the rear of the Willey Building, or by credit card. You are now able to pay through the Town website by credit card. When paying your bill this way, please list the Parcel ID Number and/or your name on the Account Number. You will be charged a convenience fee of 3% for paying with a credit card. You may also call the Town Clerk’s office and we will take your credit card information via phone. Our

mailing address is P. O. Box 37, Cabot, VT 05647 If you did not pay your September 16 payment you will not be billed for penalties or interest. You can still make this payment any time between now and November 18. However, if you do not pay your full property tax bill by 5:00 p.m. on November 18, 2021, that is when you will begin to receive penalties and interest. 1 cup boiling water 1 cup sour cream 1 can jellied cranberry sauce 1 cup chopped pecans

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Directions:

Mix jellied cranberry sauce and 1 cup hot water in a blender or mixer until liquid and smooth. Dissolve both packages of gelatin in 1 cup of boiling water. Add cranberry mixture and pecans to gelatin mixture. Put half the mixture in a square or round pan or a special mold in freezer until firm (30-35 minutes). (I usually grease my container ever so slightly so it comes out easier). Spread sour cream over top of chilled mixture. (At this point, I add a few more pecans on the sour cream because when you slice it, it has the layered look.) After chilling, ad second half of gelatin mixture over sour cream and refrigerate until firm.

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Cabot Tree Warden

Autumn is upon us, and with the leaves fallen from our trees again, it’s a good time to assess the health of our ash trees. I am writing another article on the Emerald Ash Borer and the Ash Tree Management Plan for the town of Cabot. EAB was confirmed by Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, and Recreation in Cabot last November and is slowly moving northward from the Marshfield town line on the south end of town where it was first detected in Cabot. During the progression of the EAB infestation , our ash trees will slowly succumb to the damage EAB causes. All three species of ash trees present in town; black, green, and white, will be killed by these emerald green beetles. The mortality rate of EAB-damaged ash trees is over 99 percent. Once ash trees start to die from EAB, the trees become very brittle and extremely dangerous to work or be around. When these dead trees are removed by tree service workers, it is said “they shatter like glass.” A YouTube documentary on Emerald Ash Borer and the damage it causes can be viewed at https://www.you tube.com/watch?v=PMfORKbEivc. This YouTube video is ten minutes long and was created in states infested with EAB many years ahead of Vermont’s current EAB infestation:

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T REE W ARDEN

The chemical treatments shown in the YouTube video are good options for homeowners with ash trees they would like to save. In some cases, these treatments may cost much less than removal for larger ash trees close to a structure. With approximately 3,000 roadside ash trees in Cabot, removal is often the best option. An Ash Tree Management Plan is necessary to plan the removal of these infected trees. The plan includes an inventory of the quantity of ash trees on each roadway by size. It also contains a list of people involved with the Ash tree removal process and the role they will take. Options for management of roadside ash include preemptive, selective, and reactive management. The plan can include other aspects, such as a five-year work plan and a budget consisting of expected costs related to removal of the ash trees in the inventory. Other considerations include who will be responsible for tree removal, the Town road crew or a private contractor (tree service). Acceptable disposal methods will be defined in the plan. This can include leaving larger trees for landowners for firewood. (which must remain within the EAB area) The smaller trees can be chipped with a woodchipper and left to decompose. There are many issues which need to be considered and discussed to develop an Ash Tree Management Plan that will fit the needs of the Town of Cabot.

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Martha Jane Neveau

Martha Jane Neveau, 78, formerly of Cabot, died Sunday, October 10, 2021, in her home, with family at her side. She was born April 10, 1943, in Cabot, the daughter of Maurice and May (Walbridge) Wheeler. She attended Cabot High School. She enjoyed fishing, Scrabble and woodworking.

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Dale G. Walbridge

Dale G. Walbridge, 63, Groton, VT, died of sudden aneurysm on Saturday October 9, 2021. He was born in Hardwick on July 17, 1958, to Gerald and Lenna (Carr) Walbridge. Dale grew up on the family farm in Cabot with his siblings. Dale graduated from Cabot High School with the class of 1976 and joined the US Navy, where he learned the welding trade. Upon his honorable discharge in 1980, he worked for a short time on a farm before finding work as a welder at Knowlton Welding. Dale married Lynn Williams on June 25, 1988, in an outdoor wedding in Marshfield. Dale and Lynn bought the welding shop from “Slim” Knowlton in 2001 and changed the name to Walbridge Welding. They celebrated 20 years of successful business this year. Survivors include children, siblings, grandchildren and extended family. A private graveside service will be in Durant Cemetery in lower Cabot, held at the convenience of family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cabot Emergency Ambulance Service, 2947 Main St., Cabot, VT 05647. Arrangements are by Northern Vermont Funeral Service, Hardwick. For online condolences, visit northernvermontfuneralservice.com. Dale enjoyed woodworking, watching racing at Thunder Road, and his John Deere tractors. Mostly he enjoyed spending time with family, especially his grandson. He was predeceased by his parents; a brother, Brian Walbridge; and two sisters, Janice Walbridge and Marilyn Smith. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Lynn Walbridge; a son, Ryan Walbridge and his fiancé Paige Clark; a daughter, Lindsay Walbridge and her partner Jonathan Geary; a grandson, Chase and granddaughter Ella; two brothers, Lester Walbridge and his wife Carol and Wendell Walbridge and his wife Lesa; a sister, Joann Allen and her partner John Lacourse; and several aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Friends and family gathered to share stories and memories at the Groton Town Hall on Saturday, October 23, 2021. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation

1070 , Williston, VT 05495 or www.cancer.org. by Susan Shea

A walk in the woods during fall is likely to reveal an array of forest fungi. Ranging from delicate, tan miniumbrellas to fleshy, white softballs to foot-long, orange-yellow shelves growing out of rotten logs, they come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. Fungi are critical to the health of the forest, decomposing woody debris and helping trees obtain required nutrients. Fungi are neither plant nor animal, and biologists place them in their own kingdom. The mushroom we see is only a small part of the fungus. Mushrooms are the fruit of a fungus, temporary structures intended to disperse spores. Most of a fungus’ body, or mycelium, is hidden underground or inside the dead tree or fallen log upon which it is growing. The mycelium is made up of a network of threadlike filaments, called hyphae, which grow through soil or wood, secreting acids and enzymes that break down the substrate, making it easier for the fungus to absorb nutrients. If you roll over a few rotten logs, you can often see a spider-like web of white or yellow mycelia beneath. Many fungi play a vital role as decomposers in the forest. As they feed on leaf litter and dead trees, they convert this debris to humus, releasing and recycling nutrients back into the soil so new trees can grow. Only fungi and some bacteria are capable of breaking down lignin, the component of wood and other plants which imparts rigidity. The turkey tail fungus, with its concentric bands of brown, rust, and gray, is an example of a wood-decaying fungus. Other fungi are parasitic, growing on living trees, and may eventually kill their host. In an interesting relationship, the golden-colored honey mushroom both parasitizes living trees and then decomposes them, while the aborted entoloma fungus in turn parasitizes honey mushrooms. Some species of fungi, such as truffles and the giant puffball, greatly benefit trees and other plants by growing on their roots as symbiotic partners. This interwoven network of mycorrhizal fungi can soak up water and nutrients over a large area, helping a tree obtain many essential minerals. In exchange, the tree provides the fungi with energy-rich sugars it manufactures through photosynthesis. Reproduction in fungi is varied and complex. Many fungi can reproduce asexually, for example when fragments of hyphae break off and grow new colonies, as well as sexually. During sexual reproduction, the mycelium of a fungus merges with a compatible mating type of the same species underground (fungi do not have distinct genders). New hyphae are generated, and when temperatures and soil moisture are right, they develop fruiting bodies – or mushrooms – that erupt aboveground. Young mushrooms are known as buttons or eggs. In many species, as the egg grows, the cap breaks through the egg’s veil, the stalk lengthens, and the cap opens like an umbrella. The expanding cap breaks the secondary veil protecting the gills. Remnants of this veil form a ring or annulus visible around the stem in some mushrooms. Thousands to billions of spores ripen in rows of gills on the underside of the mushroom’s cap, and when ready, are disseminated by wind, water, or by hitching a ride on an animal. Only a small percentage will land in a spot suitable for germination and grow into another mycelium. Not all mushrooms have gills, however; for example, the boletes and the wood-decaying bracket and conk fungi bear their spores in elongated tubes, while the spores of hedgehog mushrooms develop on spines. Fungal fruit is an important food for wildlife. Chipmunks, mice, squirrels, skunks, deer, and grouse all eat mushrooms. Red squirrels will even dry and store mushrooms in the nooks and crannies of tree trunks and branches for later use. Human foragers, however, are wise to exercise caution if they plan to consume mushrooms. “There are quite a few mushrooms that could kill you,” said Dave Muska, a naturalist and educator at the North Branch Nature Center in Vermont. Muska and the students in his mycology class identified 60 species of fungi in the woods one weekend this fall, including many in the Amanita family, which includes the most poisonous mushrooms. He recommends taking a class or accompanying an experienced forager before eating any fungus. Or you can stay away from dining on wild fungi and simply enjoy their beauty, uniqueness, and the key role they play in a healthy forest. Susan Shea is a naturalist, writer, and conservationist who lives in Brookfield, Vermont. Illustration by Adelaide Murphy Tyrol. The Outside Story is assigned and edited by Northern Woodlands magazine and sponsored by the Wellborn Ecology Fund of the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation: www.nhcf.org.

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Northern Woodlands

03768

www.northernwoodlands.org -+ This article is reprinted with the permission of the Center for Northern Woodlands Education. A not for profit organization, Northern Woodlands seeks to advance a culture of forest stewardship in the northeast by increasing understanding of and appreciation for the natural wonders, economic productivity and ecological integrity of the region’s forests. Subscribe or donate at www.northernwoodlands.org.

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Budget Process Kickoff

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Selectboard held its first budget meeting on October 12 in preparation for next year's Town Meeting. The Selectboard had invited all town committees and local non-profits that have a dependency on the town budget to participate in a “round table discussion.” Mike Hogan began the meeting by explaining a few things about the budget process. He explained the next fiscal year starts on July 1, 2022, and ends on June 30, 2023, and is referred to as the FY23 budget. He noted that this is the same calendar as the State. He made clear that at Town Meeting the voters authorize the Selectboard to spend the money. He also noted that all the money does not have to be spent. The explanation continued with a description of various budgeting processes that are used. Mike said that governments typically use an incremental budgeting process, where administration can increase the budget a certain percentage each year. He also spoke about how some parts of the state government use a performance based budgeting, where goals are attached to the amounts, and he believed that is too complicated for the town. Thus, he explained that the town uses a zero-based budget process. Mike continued by noting the town has some baselines and historical data on what the town has spent. He further explained that the total budget is put into line items, then they add in the income, and the total is divided by the grand list to get the tax rate. He stipulated that the Selectboad has control on what the town can spend and can afford, and there are state statutes that stipulate how deficits are handled. Before turning the floor over to each of the representatives present, he explained that nothing was going to be finalized that night. The Selectboard wanted to know if there is anything that has come up that might impact next year, and if anyone is anticipating income, such as grants. The roundtable discussion started with the Recreation Committee.  Stephany Burtt, Brock Miller and Eric Schmidt spoke for the Recreation Committee and explained they have traditionally been focused on youth sports but are now trying to branch out to include everyone. They are also in preliminary discussion with the Twinfield K-6 sports program about a possible merger, which could increase revenues. They also would like to offer some compensation for coaches because it has been difficult to find volunteers. Brock, the new treasurer for the committee, said they are hoping for $24,000 in the budget. According to the budget sheet handed out at the meeting, the recreation committee FY22 budget was only $8,000, which was down from $10,000 in the FY21 budget. promotes their mission to enhance to empower Cabot residents to participate to cover select board and other meetings, able to attend. Most meetings during meetings virtually through Zoom are

 The Conservation Committee was represented by Gary Gulka and requested level funding at $1,000. Gary also spoke for the Trails Committee and explained how much progress they have made and that they hope to have three trail networks by the fall. He also announced that they are working on plans with the Town Forest, Burtts’

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Selectboard Solicits Ideas

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Selectboard has held two meetings to solicit ideas on how to spend the money the town is receiving from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), for which the Selectboard has sole authority over how the money is spent. The first of the two meetings was held on September 7 and another on October 5. Mike Hogan, Selectboard Chair, has authored an article for the Chronicle regarding ARPA monies which was published in the October edition. This article summarizes what was discussed at the October 5 meeting. On October 5, the Selectboard did not have a quorum since only Mike Hogan and Fred Ducharme were present, so they proceeded with an informal discussion. Mike started the meeting by reviewing how much money the town was getting, and that the town had already received half, amounting to $214,000. He mentioned that some discussion has already occurred about uses and listed some that had been proposed: youth librarian, fixes to water and wastewater facilities, digitizing records management, electricity on the common and recreation field. He also mentioned the Willey Building Committee is working on a list of projects. R.D. Eno asked about how much remains after accounting for all those proposed projects. Mike calculated that roughly $75,000 is left out of the $214,000 the town has already received. Betty Ritter, the Town Clerk, reviewed a letter sent by Gary Gulka and Chuck Talbert detailing projects proposed by the Trails Committee and she said it totaled around $35,000. Mike noted the

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Selectboard Summary

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer The Cabot Selectboard tackled several topics and issues in the past month. At the September 21 meeting, Jenn Miner expressed concern during her regular Emergency Management update. She noted that in Barre all the road crew had to quarantine due to a COVID-19 exposure, and there is a three day wait before one can get tested, and then a two to three day wait to get results. She was worried that if something like that happened in Cabot during the winter, the town could be without a road crew for up to six days. At the same meeting, the Selectboard was informed that Val Covell had reresiding, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues via Zoom for those who would like to or you can call the Town Clerk's office

Orchard and Cabot Smith Farm on future trail networks. He expects the committee to request $2,500 this year, an increase from $500 in last year’s budget. The meeting ended with Mike estimating they hope to have a finalized budget in November or early December. The next budget meeting was scheduled for October 26.

signed as Health Officer due to health reasons, and she had recommended Jenn Miner replace her. The board agreed and appointed Jenn for a three-year term. The board also appointed Sue Carpenter to the Development Review Board (DRB). The board also started consideration of a Parking Policy. Mike Hogan explained that it would be a temporary fix until the Zoning Bylaws are updated concerning the use of public parking when allocating parking for conditional use permits and site plan reviews. At this meeting and the subsequent meeting on October 5, Ian Ackerman, the board's Highway Crew liaison, spoke about the ongoing fight with beavers on (see ’Selectboard Summary’, page 6)

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Cabot Harvest - Winter

by Elizabeth Vitale And the Cabot Harvest Hub will be continuing along with it! The Summer Pilot of Cabot’s online farmer’s market met and exceeded our expectations. A huge thank you to Lori Augustyniak, Executive Director of the CCA, Allison Gulka, Co-chair of the Greater Cabot Working Lands Group and Niels Larsen of the Economic Development Work Group, and of course, all the food growers, producers, artisans, and crafters who have participated so far! And truly none of this would have been possible without our customers who have made the leap of faith to shop at the Hub and have truly made this a success! If you haven’t shopped yet, you should give the Hub a try – with over 280 products, there is something for everyone! The Cabot Harvest Hub Winter Market will begin November 13 and will continue to offer the same great assortment of products you’ve come to expect. From veggies to meat, baked goods, and specialty items, you can find a huge array of amazing local products at the Hub. We are still working on expanding our selection, so if you or someone you know is interested in trying to sell their goods, please get in touch! We recently had a new producer give us this feedback: “ Hey Guys, I have to tell you that I am so glad to have learned about this. Six hours live online, and I have already sold more than some days at an in-person farmer’s market. Totally worth the frustration of dealing with my slow internet to upload these items. It will only get easier! Thank you!! Rachel” Beginning with the Winter Market, there will be a few changes to the Hub. Customer Pick-up hours will be pushed back to 10:00 a.m.-12:00 noon on Satur-

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CCIF Report

by Greg Burtt Happy autumn! Since this spring, the Cabot Community Investment Fund committee has taken strides to reinvest the fund back into the stock market and make plans for future investments. From June to September, the fund saw an increase of about $5000 per month, but the downturn in the market during September made most of those gains go away. Here is our plan going forward: In the coming month, we will be sending a letter to all the committees and organiza-

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is Coming!

days (because, really, no-one wants to get up too early to shovel their driveway!). The Hub has also hired a new Site Coordinator to work with us. Sadie Tilden will bring her great customer service experience and enthusiasm to the Hub. You’ll see her smiling face at both Producer Drop-offs and Customer Pick-ups. One more change is that the Hub will start to accept EBT/SNAP benefits! The details are still being ironed out, but this is an exciting way for us to offer local food to more people in our community. Finally, our most exciting announcement is that the Cabot Harvest Hub is graduating from the great start the Greater Cabot Working Lands Group, the Economic Development Work Group,

gave us. Their support has enabled us to take the Hub from just an idea to a working solution. 13, the Hub will brella of Faith in Starting November move under the umAction (soon to be renamed Neighbors in Action). Faith in Action is working towards providing inter-generational programming to the Cabot community centered on food as both the hook and the practical tool to foster social connectedness. This vision is very much in line with the goals of the Cabot Harvest Hub, and we are all thrilled with this transition! Be sure to check out the newest lineup of products online at http:// cabotharvesthub.org. joined yet, join today If you haven’t with a FREE oneweek Sprout Membership using code: SPROUT2021 and see what all your neighbors are talking about! Also, please stop by our Pop-up Harvest Market, Saturday, November 20, 9:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m. We hope to see you soon!

tions in Cabot explaining our intention to disburse the entirety of the CCIF directly into enduring Cabot investments. The process will take several years with the intention that the fund be invested in a lasting way that will benefit as many Cabot residents as possible. In addition, the voters of Cabot will decide how all the money is spent. So stay tuned…. After collaborating with committees, boards, and organizations, we hope to have crafted an article or two for vote this March.

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us,

by Gary Gulka

The next time you are in the Cabot Library, stop by the Conservation Resources shelf which is stocked with quality books and publications on the natural environment, many of which are bestsellers. There is some great winter reading, and most of these publications are chock full of photos, line drawings and other diagrams. Here’s just a small sample: Attracting Native Pollinators (Xerces Society) – One of the best guides on all aspects of bee and butterfly pollinators, and tangible ways that you can make a difference. Thirty-Eight (Stephen Long) – A fascinating account of the 1938 hurricane that

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Selectboard Summary

(continued from page 5) the South Walden Road, and that they have captured two beavers thus far. He also discussed with the board about a replacement six-wheeler truck. Since it takes time to order and build one, Ian needed the board's agreement to save a spot in the manufacturing queue. He explained they could still back out if the town didn’t approve it at Town Meeting. His estimate on the cost of buying it was around $40,000 a year for five years, or $26,000 a year to lease it. If they leased it, they could replace it with a new one at the end of the lease. An error in the grand list was also discussed at the October 5 meeting. Apparently, there was a clerical error which put a decimal point in the wrong place. The correction would reduce the grand list by approximately $70,000. noted that since the tax bills had Mike already been sent out, the correction would not affect the tax rate. He explained the tax rate is set by dividing the budget by the grand list. Another topic of conversation centered around the grist millstone that is erected near the pavilion at the recreation field. Betty Ritter explained that a promise had been made when the Guzmans donated the grist millstone. The town was supposed to have placed something in its original location on Guzman's property. Though there is nothing in writing, the board felt it should honor the promise and Fred Ducharme was going to check into the details of the promise by those who were involved at the time.

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Willey Building

Cabot Arts Show and Tell invites visual see) of all kinds to join us once a month on the Willey Building for discussion of works devastated New England forests, including Vermont’s, and the evidence of the storm that can still be seen today, and what could happen in a future hurricane like this that has occurred every couple hundred years. Finding the Mother Tree (Suzanne Simard) – The evidence that trees are more than just a source of timber and pulp but complex social and cooperative creatures, connected through underground networks, sharing information, nutrients, and other vital information. Eager: The Surprising Secret Lives of Beavers and Why They Matter (Ben Goldfarb) – A highly praised, witty literary science work that looks at nature’s foremost construction engineer and shows us why the restoration of an animal almost driven to extinction is now considered essential to our landscape and ecological resilience. The Conservation Committee will continue to stock the shelves with quality publications that will broaden your understanding of the natural environment that we depend on in so many ways for our wellbeing. If you have any suggestions, please let us know. If you have good books that you wish to share through donation to the collection, we welcome donations.

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Community Schools: Helping

by Rebecca Tatischeff, Principal

This past summer, Cabot School spent time applying for a Community Schools Grant through new legislation passed this past year. In my experience over the past year, Cabot School is, at its heart, a community school. We sit literally at the center of our community and hold a vision of being connected to the work of the community inside and outside the school campus. On August 29 we received notice that we were among a small number of recipients of this three-year award. The first-year budget for this award is about $163,000 and I expect that the following years will be comparable. The focus of our first year is around building capacity to continue to engage in projectbased instruction with a focus on literacy integration. This includes funding for professional learning, books and book sets aligned with projects, and funding to continue our summer planning days, either in June or in August. This first year will also focus on building out connections with the community through fieldwork and trips, Cabot Leads, Internships, and afterschool. work out, we are poised To build this to hire a community coordinator who will help to carry forward and build relationships with community partners. Most immediately, this funding has helped us create a bridge between the school day and after school activities. In partnership with Cabot Community Theater, the Cabot Library, and Cabot

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to Build Bridges

Recreation Department, we are able to align our school day with the after-school offerings for youth in the community. These partnerships make our work stronger and help our students feel connected. In the coming months, a group of student leaders is working to imagine an afterschool program that is driven by student interest clubs. We look forward to building that together. I hope that this work can help to draw our school work closer to those beyond the boundaries of school. Be on the lookout for opportunities to connect students with local businesses through internships. Please consider calling the office with questions you might have about what’s happening in the school or attending a school board meeting; I welcome your questions.

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September Huskies of the Week

This year, we started a tradition of celebrating one elementary student from each grade band for their contribution as members of our community. Each Friday, I visit classrooms to deliver these positive messages and certificates to students who have exemplified our core values: Engagement, Respect, Responsibility, and Kindness. Congratulations to September’s Huskies of the Week! Kindergarten: Arin Persons, Cooper Colson Grades 1-2: Alice Churchill, Winter Perry, Ashton Nunn Grades 3-4: Owen Adam, Paisley North, Carter Heber

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Charging Station is Online

by Jim Wolynetz

Our village EV station is now LIVE and open to the public! I’m proud to say it was recently featured in a front-page article in the Hardwick Gazette and even on WDEV. The unit is a two-plug, Level 2 charger that operates on a per-use honor system requesting a 25¢ donation per Kwh used. Charging can be for electric vehicles or the new electric snowmobiles. I cannot thank the Select Board, the town clerk’s office, GMP, the CCA and the friends and citizens of Cabot enough for making this project possible! Peg Hough pays for her electric vehicle charge Happy winter everyone! at the Willey Building Charging Station

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Chittenden County Forester

Permission to reprint granted to the Cabot Conservation Committee by the author Forests are communities, a rich mixture of organisms engaged in relationships and interactions with each other, built around the living architecture of trees. These communities parallel healthy human communities in many ways, not because they are simple and uniform but because they are messy, dynamic, diverse and interconnected, engaged in a complex process of renewal and change that will never be completed. Being responsible stewards of our forests forces us to take the long view, as the life span of a single generation of trees may exceed ours by centuries. Responsible forest stewardship is about building a better world for countless future generations of people and for the thousands of species that make up our forests, the millions of organisms present in a handful of forest soils. The imprint that we leave on our forests, as in our human communities, is our legacy . The forests of Vermont are infused with the legacies of the past. Nearly all of them were cleared in the 1800’s, some maintained as agricultural land for a century or more. While about 75% of Vermont is now forested, most of our forests are still in recovery, dramatically shaped by this clearing. Today, Vermont’s forests are generally much younger, less diverse and less complex than the forests that covered our state just a few centuries ago. Like human communities, forests are multi-generational. While many of Vermont’s forests are currently dominated by a single generation of trees (which took root in abandoned fields), this is a temporary condition. Over decades or centuries, the uniformity of these simple forests will break down, tree mortality – death – allowing new generations of trees to establish and grow among the old. Also like our communities, forests leave legacies for future generations. The remnants of trees and forests of the past are what foresters and ecologists call “biological legacies.” Biological legacies may be as obvious as massive “wolf trees” or as subtle as rich soil, built on the organic material from trees long since gone by. Over time these legacies make forests richer, more diverse and more resilient, broadening the range of habitat niches available for a wide vari-

3075 Main St.,

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Open Thursday to Sunday

Serving a variety of baked goods, coffee, Sunday Take Home Meals ~ Classic and “Bringing Grilled Cheese Check us out on facebook for specials and ety of organisms and buffering them against forest health threats. To some, biological legacies may seem like a waste; our intuition tells us to value simplicity, regularity and productivity over complexity and diversity. For example, large, old trees are sometimes called “decadent” and killed to make space for younger, more valuable “thrifty” trees. Like the elders in our human communities, while old trees may not be the fastest, most efficient, or most productive ones in the forest, they enrich our world in countless ways. Among other benefits, old trees provide unique habitat for wildlife, invertebrates (bugs), mosses and lichens, fungi and other microorganisms that don’t associate with younger trees. They are hubs in complex underground “mycorrhizal” networks in which fungi link trees together, allowing them to communicate and share resources. These connections make forests more resilient and healthier in the longterm. How do we bring these lessons about legacy into the management of our forests? We need to recognize the importance of creating and maintaining biological legacies, leaving some big trees and lots of dead wood in the woods, modeling our management on the way that forests naturally grow and develop and striving to create forests which are complex and multi-generational. We need to re-train ourselves to value diversity and complexity over simplicity and productivity. How do we leave a better legacy for the future? In our forests, as in our human communities, we don’t get to choose the legacies we inherit; the only choice we truly have is what we’re going to do about it. When I bought my land in Bolton, I took on the legacy of centuries of mismanagement, an unhealthy forest infested with non-native invasive plants and affected by a local over-population of deer. I inherited a changing climate, an increasingly fragmented landscape and the persistent effects of non-native invasive pests and pathogens like the emerald ash borer, Dutch elm disease, beech bark disease and more. I can complain about how these problems aren’t my fault, or I can take responsibility for the world we have and work hard to leave a better legacy for future generations. Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester. He can be reached at ethan.tapper@vermont.gov or by phone at

or see what he’s been up to at https:// linktr.ee/ChittendenCountyForester.

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Cabot Historical Society

In 1881, Hemenway's Historical Gazetteer, included John M. Fisher's history of Cabot. One sentence said, "The town was named by Lyman Hitchcock, one of the grantees, in honor of his bride-elect, Miss Cabot, of Connecticut, a descendant of Sebastian Cabot." This romantic snippet was embellished and retold. In 1977, Vermont Place Names, Footprints of History, by Esther Munroe Swift, dramatized the tale: Cabot was named for Sophia Cabot, fiancée of Major Lyman Hitchcock. Sophia's father wouldn't let her marry a soldier. Lyman made the second-largest land buy in town. Sophia's father let her marry, after he appraised Lyman's land with surveyors. Apocryphal tales about history abound. Whether six-year-old George Washington, confessing to chopping down a cherry tree, or Abe Lincoln chopping up vampires, facts fail in fables. Here's the real yarn. Lyman Hitchcock (1746 - 1819) was Second Lieutenant in a Connecticut State regiment from April 1776 to April 1777. After that, he was a partner in an Albany, NY, business. On July 1, 1780, Lyman re-enlisted for eight months as a Continental Army Major. He commanded troops guarding the northern frontier against invasion from Canada. Sebastian Cabot was not an ancestor of Sophia. T he Neapolitan explorer and his brother were named Caboto. King Henry VII of England commissioned them to explore the coast of North America. Books about exploring the New World sold better when the hero's name sounded familiar. The New England Cabot family was founded by brothers John and George Cabot. They moved from the English Channel Island of Jersey to Salem, Massachusetts, in 1700. Sophia's father was George's son. He was the Reverend Marston Cabot, a graduate of Harvard College, and a respected preacher. Parson Marston Cabot died "of apoplexy" April 8, 1756, in the pulpit of the Second or North Society of Killingly (now Thompson), Connecticut. Sophia was

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Call

born July 20, 1756, three months later. She was the youngest of 14 children. Her brother, Marston Cabot, Jr., (17471814) suggested that Major Hitchcock should buy land in the new Vermont town 30 years after his father died. Marston Cabot, Jr., was a farmer and early settler in Hartland, Vermont. He became Windsor County Surveyor. Marston surveyed Hartland, Williamstown, Berlin, Northfield, Wildersburgh (now Barre) and Cabot. Foster's history noted that "Cabot" and James Whitelaw surveyed Cabot. The survey was in 1786. Lyman and Sophia married on September 14, 1785. They were married for a year when lots were drawn to assign parcels to buyers. The war ended in 1783; Lyman was no longer a soldier. There were 72 lots; each was 53.3 acres. Lyman Hitchcock drew only one, lot 54. It was one row away from the Woodbury line. Sophia Hitchcock got one lot in her married name. Hers was lot two, on the Peacham town line. Sophia's lot was worth more than Lyman's, because it was near the Bayley -Hazen Road, which entered from Peacham. That was the only road. Surveyors often were paid with land. Whitelaw got lot seven, also on the Peacham line. There was no lot in Marston Cabot's name, nor record of other payment for his work. Was lot two a gift to his kid sister, Sophia? Lyman Hitchcock became first Cabot Town Clerk in 1788. He was the first Justice of the Peace in 1790 and a Selectman in 1791 and 1792. In 1793 he was a delegate to the Vermont Constitutional Convention. Lyman and Sophia had one girl and four boys. One son was born in Cabot, Hiram Washington Hitchcock. Two sons died in childhood. Their daughter, Sophia Marston Cabot, died at age 27, without marrying. Hiram Washington and his surviving brother, Dwight Cabot Hitchcock, became farmers in Champlain, NY. Lyman died there in 1819; Sophia in 1825. The true story has war, peace, love, and loss. On November 30, 1740, Sophia's father gave a sermon, after three of his children died in an epidemic. He concluded, "This Labour of Love will not soon nor easily be forgotten."

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All Kinds of Gifts – All in One Place

From maple syrup and award-winning cheese to mouth-watering edibles, the bounty on the family dinner table to the local eatery, from beautiful hand-made creations, home furnishings and supplies to jewelry and personal care items, there are countless one-of-a-kind treasures that come from Cabot. Although they vary greatly in terms of style, they all have a few important things in common. Quality craftsmanship. Locally sourced ingredients. Pride, patience, care, and yes, love. Browse our makers and merchants for gift ideas that are as unique and special as Vermont itself.

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Local First

Before you struggle with crowds, supply chain issues and shipping costs this year for holidays, Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consider filling your needs locally. Look up and down Main Street and peruse Cabot Harvest Hub at http://cabotharvesthub.org. From fresh and natural groceries and entertaining supplies to one-of-a-kind gifts, many of your needs can be met locally. You’ll save time, fuel and energy, and contribute to a robust community.

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Library Director

The Cabot Public Library is open! Come visit in person Monday 3 pm – 6 pm, Tuesday noon – 6 pm, Wednesday 2 pm-6 pm, Thursday 9 am-6 pm and Saturday 9 am-noon. Curbside library service will still be available during regular library hours. Three new youth programs are underway at the Cabot Public Library:

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Book Club and Outdoor Exploration

Program aims to provide 7–11-year-olds with a sense of adventure and discovery through reading and outdoor play. During our first meeting, the group spent time getting to know each other while walking on one of the trails located behind the library. During the journey, each child selected a walking stick and adorned it with natural objects from the forest floor. Children spent time sharing knowledge of the local flora and their reason for choosing a particular object. Our first walk met with some adventure of our own when we unexpectedly met a friendly and energetic dog on the trail. Our colorful walking sticks suddenly had a new purpose and we enjoyed a quick round of fetch as we chatted with the owner. We ended the day discussing three possible book choices and even fit in a game of tag. STEAM Program provides 11–14year-olds the chance to explore topics in science, technology, engineering, art/ design, and math though a hands-on approach. Participants will be given a different challenge card and materials kit each session. As they work together in pairs or small groups, participants will have the chance to utilize higher level thinking skills, problem-solving, creativity and working collaboratively. Having fun and having a growth mindset will be emphasized as they engage in these friendly competitions! DIY Program is designed for 11–14year-olds and will explore a variety of craft making. The first few sessions will be dedicated to making friendship bracelets using a variety of techniques including using mini looms for beaded brace-

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T WIN V ALLEY S ENIOR

4583 U.S. Route 2

East Montpelier, VT 05651 by Dyne Sapp

Twin Valley Senior Center is open for lunch, exercise and art classes, so come on by and join in. Lunch is open to the public and served Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 12:15 pm. Cost is by donation of $5.00 seniors

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Ongoing Program - Outdoor Story

and Activity Time –Tuesdays – 10 am -11 am – At Story time, children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy stories and songs, and then re-imagine them through crafts and play together. Stay after for snacks and more active play on the swing sets, sandbox, and fields, for hiking and birdwatching. Meet at the Cabot Rec Field shelter where there are six well-spaced picnic tables available. Dress for the weather!

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Book

Group – meets monthly, usually the fourth Thursday of the month. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, November’s book group will meet on the 18 th at 2 pm. The new series will be African American Experience: The Harlem Renaissance and will be facilitated by Vermont Humanities Council scholar, Gina Logan. All are welcome! “During the 1920s, New York’s Harlem neighborhood hosted an explosion of African-American cultural expression. This series features a history of the era alongside texts that have come to define it.” Thanks so much to the Library Trustees for their time and devotion to the library: Linda Gabrielson, Jeannie McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Beth Wade. Welcome aboard to our new student representative – Ila Steinert who has been a dedicated library volunteer helping with cataloging new materials in the collection. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

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C ENTER

and $6.00 for under 60. No one is turned away. Bone Builder classes are Monday and Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. and Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 7:30 a.m. All Bone Builder classes are offered inperson and on Zoom. Taichi for Fall Prevention is on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:00 a.m. in person. Sun 73 is also offered on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Exercise classes are free and approved by the Arthritis Foundation. Pastel painting for all levels begins October 15 at 3:00 p.m. for six weeks at a $35 registration fee. Call Cecile Sher-

Free bus service is provided for seniors in the six communities we serve of Cabot, Calais, East Montpelier, Marshfield, Plainfield and Woodbury.

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McGarvey.

comes with She has two children and a wealth of experience and ideas. She is motivated to provide COVID-19-safe and engaging programming for kids of all ages in our community. Get ready for some fun with Sasha during story and activity time. These science, art, and nature-based programs will encourage creativity, exploration and time for parents and caregivers to share child rearing practices and challenges. We will start with outside programming, eventually moving inside when it is safe to do so. Please bring masks to wear while COVID-19 numbers are still high in our community.

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MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF

Twin Valley Senior Center (located in East rector. This position is 30 hours per week and ence. Responsibilities include program planning, community outreach, fundraising, supervision of volunteers and overall daily operations of to pass a background check. We are a team of staff and volunteers who possible to our senior community. The services in the quality of life of our senior population. This is an opportunity to serve and give team. Someday we may find ourselves in happy smiles, warm hugs (pre-COVID-19), ~~~Position is open

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Story Time at Home!

We have ten themed Story Time at Home bags you can check out and bring home. Each bag contains a collection of picture books (both fiction and non-fiction titles) and a related craft - with all the supplies and instructions you need to complete it. Themes available are Snow, Owls, Transportation, Butterflies, Friendship, Music & Dance, Moon, Gratitude, Pumpkins, and Bedtime. Take a little of the magic of story time home with you! Have a theme you'd like to see? would love to hear about it! We

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Checkout!

STEAM-focused Maker kits catalogued and ready for checkout! Robotics kit, snap circuits electricity kit, engineering, and more. Our library of nontraditional lending items is growing! For a full list and description of Maker kits, click the link and scroll down: https:// www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org/new-andfeatured-kids.html. Supported in part by the Vermont Humanities Council.

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Our Online Services:

Online access to eBooks and audiobooks is still available through Green Mountain Overdrive/Listen-up Vermont and Libby and they can be accessed through the library's website. Both services allow users to either stream or download audiobooks and eBooks and are free to library patrons. There are also digital resources available from the library, such as VT Online Library, Universal Class and Consumer Reports. You can find links to all of these from our website www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org/ digital.html.

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Expanded Wi-Fi at the Jaquith Pub-

lic Library! The Wi-Fi at the Jaquith is new and improved and reaches all around the building to the gazebo and picnic tables. It has a much stronger signal inside and out. We thank the volunteer-driven nonprofit, Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC) project Connect for providing the expanded Wi-Fi hardware and installation free of charge. The ITDRC project Connect initiative has provided Wi-Fi at hundreds of sites across the country. Look for the project Connect by ITDRC.org Wi-Fi network; no password is required.

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OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY

Montpelier) is seeking an Executive Disalary is negotiable depending on experiMeals on Wheels, administration, of paid and volunteer staff, recruitment the Center. Must be able

work together to provide the best services provided make a significant difference

back to your community. Be a part of our need of these services. Benefits include: gratitude and heartfelt thank you.

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Cabot Trails Update

by Gwen Hallsmith and Gary Gulka Just in time for winter, the Cabot Trails Committee has completed mapping and marking three sets of trails around town; the Talbert Farm Trails up on Bothfeld Hill Road and Elm Street Cemetery, the McQueeney Trails up on Cabot Plains, and the Winter Trail that runs between Danville Hill Road and Dubray Road. We hope to expand the Winter Trail down to Menard Road and up to Taylor Road. We will have trail maps posted at trailheads and on the town web site soon. The Trails Committee submitted a letter of interest for a recreational trails grant offered through the VT Dept. of Forests, Parks & Recreation and have recently been invited to submit a full application. Although there is no guarantee of grant funding, we are hopeful that this can be a large source of funding for tools, equipment, trail building materials, and administrative help to expand and market the trails network and to establish a volunteer trail stewards program for ongoing maintenance. If you are interested in becoming involved, send a message saying subscribe to: CabotTrails+subscribe@google groups.com or send Gwen a note at gwenhs@gmail.com.

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← From the Cabot Chronicle