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Cabot Historical Society

Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

June 2022 · 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 June 2022 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Susan Alexander Elected

Steven Farnham of Plainfield, Susan Alexander of Cabot, and Betsy Allen of Plainfield won election to Washington Electric Cooperative’s (WEC) memberled Board of Directors. Farnham was the sole incumbent running for reelection; Alexander and Allen were newly elected to the Board. The results were announced May 5 by Board President Stephen Knowlton at WEC’s annual meeting, which was held virtually. Each board member serves a three-year term, effective immediately. All WEC directors serve at-large. 2022 brought a historic number of candidates interested in serving on the electric cooperative’s Board, as seven candidates vied for three seats. The remaining candidates were Olivia Campbell Andersen of East Montpelier, Pat Barnes of Vershire, Rachel Onuf of Washington, and JJ Vandette of Middlesex. Knowlton thanked the candidates for their time and consideration. He was

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to WEC Board

gratified by how many members chose to run, he said, and hoped to see them run again in coming years. “Your willingness to learn how a cooperative utility works and how we can serve our fellow members, to have power owned by the people, for the people, is something we don’t find every day,” he added. “A sincere thank you to each candidate for their interest and their commitment, and congratulations to Steve, Susan and Betsy,” said WEC General Manager Louis Porter. “I look forward to working with our new Board members and our full Board on the many challenges and opportunities our co-op faces, including climate change resilience and supporting members as they implement energy efficiency and beneficial electrical technologies, and to work together to fulfill our mission of bringing reliable, affordable power to our members in an equitable way.”

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Ukrainian Flag Raised

The blue and gold flag of Ukraine flies in Cabot at the Neighbors in Action building/Masonic Hall, in solidarity with the Ukrainian people during the brutal invasion by the Russian government. Cabot’s Selectboard and Town Clerk responded to a request from community residents to acknowledge Ukraine’s struggle to sustain its growing representative democracy and its independence as a nation-state. This action by the Town followed a community benefit concert organized by Cabot Arts of local musicians, young and older, at Harry’s Hardware “The Den,” which raised over $600 for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. R.D. Eno, selectboard member, and Roman Kokodyniak, of Ukrainian descent, raised the flag together on a rainy May day.

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Including CFD First

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released two large studies focused on firefighter cancer, and concluded that firefighters, paid or volunteer, face a 9 percent increase in cancer diagnoses, and a 14 percent increase in cancerrelated deaths, compared to the U.S. general population. As an overwhelming amount of information is now available demonstrating the high dangers of carcinogens from any type of fire call responded to, my priority as the newly elected Cabot Fire Chief is to ensure the safety and wellness of the volunteers who choose to donate their time. I am thankful to the community members who offer to volunteer their service to the Cabot Fire Department, helping others in times of need, despite the dangers. One of my first acts as Chief was to help the Department secure safety advances funded through the ARPA grants made available to the community of Cabot more broadly. These safety advances include a gear dryer, all new fire hose, and a hose washer. We are excited to incorporate these into our station, and appreciate the community support to keep the firefighter volunteers safe. The gear dryer allows members to have washed and dry gear available within hours after a call. members have to stagger Currently, washing due to lengthy air dry time --48 to 72 hours. This means members have to decide to not respond due to drying gear, or wear hazardous material during a call. Wearing hazardous gear is a danger to themselves, and to those we serve. A gear dryer also helps the department maintain the gear per the manufacturer’s requirements of washing AND drying, to help it last the full ten years of allowable operation. With a new set of gear costing over $2,400 per member, it is critical for this Department to invest in proper

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Register by July 4

Cabot Community Theater will hold our week-long kids’ theater camp outdoors again this summer, and we welcome new as well as returning thespians! The camp will run Monday-Friday August 15-19, with two half-day programs, culminating in a joint performance on Friday afternoon. The morning session (9 a.m.-noon) will be oriented towards kids age 7-12, and include theater games and activities, rehearsing and performing a fun comedy, plus creating the set and costumes. The afternoon session (noon-3 p.m.) will be for kids aged 11-16 who would like a deeper dive into acting skills and techniques. We will engage in acting exercises which explore the subtleties of portraying more realistic characters, and work on a comedy-drama about identity and peer pressure.

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Responders

maintenance of equipment to ensure members have proper (and safe) functioning gear. Hazardous materials degrade the fabric and can cause gear to be removed from service earlier than necessary. ARPA funds will also help the Department purchase all new fire hose and a hose washer. Many of the hoses in the department are presently 30 years old and failing the yearly pressure testing. Due to budget restraints, Cabot Fire Department has in the past acquired used hose that was taken out of service by other departments due to age. We can now replace the hoses with newer and lighter hoses with longer life expectancy and safer use during a fire. A hose washer allows us to wash our hoses and remove 98% of the carcinogens, glass, oils, etc. that get embedded during a fire. It will extend the life of the hoses. The volunteer firefighters on Cabot Fire Department greatly appreciate your continued support. As we plan for the needs of today and into the future, there will be options for voters and residents to consider future firefighter safety, and with regards to the current fire station, addressing the violations that are still unresolved in the existing building. I wish to thank all the public that attended the Select Board meeting and fully supported us in the ARPA funding process. It is great to see the overwhelming Cabot community support since being elected Chief in January. I have received messages by emails, phone, cards and chats on the street with people expressing how proud the community is of their fire fighter volunteers. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me directly. Be Safe! Chief Dean Deasy Chief@cabotfiredept.com

Cabot VT, 05647

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in August

We are very excited to be working with two new scripts from outstanding playwright Colleen Hughes, who has been working with us to write plays perfectly suited to our needs! She has generously offered to make adjustments in the scripts to accommodate the number of actors we have, so we’ll have a pre-registration deadline of July 4 to allow her time to do so. If your child would like to attend, please register at: https://tinyurl.com/cctsummercamp2022 The cost remains $60 for a half-day program, or $120 for the full day, payable on the first day of camp. We have scholarship aid available, so if the cost is a problem, please just let us know on the registration form. We welcome kids of all abilities, genders, backgrounds, levels of experience, and towns of residence.

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Cabot Historical Society

The 2017 Cabot Town Plan, states, “Seven small granite markers were placed beside the [original BayleyHazen] road, in about 1901, by the Old Home Days Committee. On a portion of the road that is now abandoned is a marker with the words ‘Gordon Shot,’ a reference to the death of a British General, during the Revolutionary War, who was shot in an attempt to get his boots. The marker that refers to the shooting of British Brigadier General Patrick Gordon is misleading. He was shot from ambush in the Province of Quebec, near Chamhly, by American Benjamin Whitcomb, a Lieutenant at the time.” The marker is on private property. Why is there a marker in Cabot? The shooting was more than 100 miles away. The answer is an 1881 “Vermont Historical Gazetteer” magazine article. Cabot historian John M. Fisher wrote: “Lieut. Thomas Lyford, who was with Whitcomb in the daring adventure of shooting General Gordon, was the fourth settler [of Cabot]. Connected with Hazen's army was a squad called Whitcomb's Rangers, among whom was Thomas Lyford, grandfather of Thomas Lyford now living in the village of Cabot. Gen. Hazen, expecting an attack from the enemy, Whitcomb and Lyford were sent to the north as spies. During the long scout, Whitcomb's shoes gave out, and he threatened to shoot the first man he met for his. After several days, cautiously proceeding, they heard a distant crackling of the brush, then a faint tramp of feet, and at once secreted themselves in an advantageous position, and waited. In a short time a scouting party of the enemy discovered themselves, British and Indians, making for Gen. Hazen's quarters, commanded by Gen. Gordon. Our scouts felt upon their action for a few moments hung great results; not only their own lives, but those of their comrades and Gen. Hazen's army. The enemy advanced, Gen. Gordon in front, little thinking what is concealed in the thicket. Whitcomb thinks of his shoes; tells Lyford to be cool; takes good aim; Gen. Gordon falls forward; throws his arms around the neck of his horse; the horse, frightened, turned back and ran into camp; the British general lived to get into camp, but died very soon after. Whitcomb was secreted under a bank where the waters in a little ravine had washed out a hole, which was covered with a log. Over this log, he said, a number of Indians ran whooping, brandishing their tomahawks; that he could have pulled any one of them off from the log as they passed over into the hole, but he thought it not best. Lyford was concealed near him. After a long search, the Indians gave up; they could not find the one who sent the bullet. As soon as Whitcomb and Lyford considered it safe, they came from their hiding places, and returned to the camp of Gen. Hazen with the news. Whitcomb did not get his shoes, but they had accomplished all and more than they set out for. The enemy, dismayed, retreated back to Canada, and thus ended what was expected to be a battle or skirmish on Cabot's Plain.” That thrilling fable never happened. Yet, there is some truth in the tale. Lt. Benjamin Whitcomb shot British Brigadier General Patrick Gordon from ambush on July 24, 1776. Whitcomb was scouting near Montreal. After the shooting, Whitcomb’s companion, who was not Thomas Lyford, was captured and confessed that Whitcomb was the sniper. The British were outraged. They grumbled that shooting a general from concealment was cowardly. Only a rascal would stoop so low. Proper European soldiers should face each other in brightly colored uniforms and discharge inaccurate muskets toward the opposing amassed array. Officers must be honorable, proper, upright gentlemen of polished good breeding, not lowly skulkers. Yet the British paid native American warriors and Canadian backwoodsmen to raid frontier farms and villages. The British howled that the sniper should hang as a murderer. The Canadian Governor-General posted a 50 guinea reward for Whitcomb, dead or alive. It was the largest reward offered during the war, but never claimed. After the shooting, Lt. Whitcomb became captain, and then major, of a new company, Whitcomb’s Rangers. Thomas Lyford was First Lieutenant of the new company. When General Hazen worked on the Bayley-Hazen Road, three years after the shooting, some Whitcomb’s Rangers guarded the road. Lyford became Cabot’s fourth settler after the war. The incident was well known for years, but largely forgotten now. Between 1776 and publishing the magazine in 1881, time and retelling the tale blurred memories. To be fair, the 1901 marker says only, “Gen. Gordon Shot.” It doesn’t say, “Here.”

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BITUARIES

Joyce Jacqueline S. Winchester Valentine Adams

Joyce S. Winchester, 88, passed away peacefully on the morning of May 9, 2022, at Mayo Rehab & Continuing Care in Northfield. She was predeceased by her husband, Leon Winchester, in 2015. Joyce had been a resident at Mayo since 2014. Previously, she and her husband had resided at their home on Windywood Road in Barre for over five decades. She was born in Barre, on October 9, 1933, the eldest child of Emmons and Ruth (Austin) Sargent. She grew up with her younger brother, Charles Sargent, at the Maple Lane farm in West Cabot, which had been in the family since the early1800s. Her father was a founding member of the Cabot Cooperative Creamery. Joyce graduated from Cabot High School as valedictorian of her class in 1951 and went on to receive an undergraduate degree from the University of Vermont.

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Cabot Trails Update

by Gary Gulka The Trails Committee is gearing up to begin work on trail development and improvements under our recently awarded state recreational trails grant. We hope to develop a new trail at Burtt’s Orchard this summer and improve parking and access to various existing trails. We are looking for volunteer trail stewards to help us monitor trail sections for maintenance needs, help with light clearing work, checking our infor-

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EMORIALS

Following graduation, she began teaching Home Economics at the Danville High School. On June 26, 1955, Joyce married Leon Winchester of South Ryegate, and they began their married life together in Danville – the beginning of what would ultimately lead to 60 years together. In 1960, Leon and Joyce built a new home in Barre Town where they raised their family and resided until 2014. Joyce is survived by two of her sons, Steven Winchester and his wife, Hana, of Cincinnati, OH, and James Winchester and his wife, Susanne, of Manhasset, NY. She is also survived by two daughters-in-law, Karen Winchester, East Montpelier, and Suzanne Winchester, Concord, NH; and grandchildren, Hana, Eva, Kayla, Janna, Jake, Christopher, Erich, Maggie, Joanna and Laura Winchester. There will be no calling hours. A private burial will be held at the Winchester family burial plot in Hope Cemetery.

mational kiosks, and participating in trail workdays. If you are interested in finding out more about trail stewards, you can send an email to cabotvttrails@gmail.com or talk with any Trails Committee member: Paul Wade, Monique Gerbex, Kris Schmitt, Dana Glazier, Chuck Talbert, Michael Socks, or Gary Gulka. We are trying to maintain paper copies of trail maps at our informational kiosks, but you can also access the trail maps at: https://www.cabotvermont.org/ cabot-trails.html.

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Cabot Conservation Committee

In December 2020, the Northeast Wilderness Trust (NEWT), in partnership with the Vermont River Conservancy, the Inlandsis Fund of Quebec, and Bluesource of Utah, purchased 5,900 acres of land in Woodbury and Elmore from the EB Hyde Timber Company to be protected as the Woodbury Mountain Preserve and ‘forever wild.’ Just over the hill (about six miles from Cabot) and across Route 14 now exists the largest non-government-protected wilderness area in Vermont, including Woodbury Mountain and some surrounding tracts. This wilderness, which hosts an incredible diversity of habitats, flora, and fauna, will now be protected in perpetuity, and will be appreciated by many generations to come. The Vermont River Conservancy will hold the conservation easement. What does ‘forever wild’ really mean? The lands included in the Woodbury Mountain Preserve will never be harvested for its resources. The wilderness area will be open to non-motorized use, but no trees will be cut or resources mined as long as the conservation easement is maintained. These woodlands will be allowed to become old-growth forests where natural forest progression will take place and future generations will have the opportunity to observe the rare and beautiful natural development and transition of a wilderness area. Currently, less than one percent of northeast forests are considered ‘oldgrowth,’ and only three percent of Vermont’s forests are protected as wilderness. The Woodbury Mountain Preserve contains a myriad of important natural habitats, including four ‘state significant’ vernal ponds, important black cherry and beech tree stands, critical bird habitats, rare natural communities, and an important link for wildlife migration between the Worcester Mountains and the Northeast Kingdom. It is home to several uncommon and vulnerable bird species, and Audubon and Birdlife International have designated this area as the only ‘Important Bird Area’ of global significance in Vermont. As a ‘forever wild’ forest, the preserve will also serve as a vital carbon sink as

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Preserve

climate change intensifies. Studies have determined that older forests sequester considerably more carbon in both the larger trees and the undisturbed soils than younger, managed forests. Preserving forest blocks like the Woodbury Mountain Preserve could have a significant impact on our carbon footprint in the state. These forests of the Preserve were formerly owned by the Meyers family of Cabot and Woodbury, and were historically managed for forest products, but the difficult access to the property and the unprofitability of current forestry economics prompted the family to sell the land to NEWT. The family saw the value in protecting it as a natural area and worked closely with NEWT to make this possible. The Preserve is open to the public for hiking, skiing, bird watching, hunting, and eco-studies, but no cutting of trails or access with motorized vehicles will be allowed, other than existing rights of ways. There is no immediate public parking at the preserve, but there is a nearby public parking location at Buck Lake. For more information about the Woodbury Mountain Preserve, visit the NEWT website at https:// newildernesstrust.org. always welcome for endeavor.

Conservation Committee Alexander of the Cabot Donations are this important

Bird Walk: Cedric Conservation Committee led a bird walk on May 15 along the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail near Channel Drive. The 16 participants identified 24 bird species.

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ARPA Funds

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer Bonnie Wanninger from the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission attended the April 5 Selectboard Meeting. She presented some new information about ARPA funding. Bonnie explained that many things have changed, but one of the biggest is the categories. There are 66 categories, but for one, the rules have changed: category six, Loss of Revenue. She explained the final rule presumes municipalities lost ten million dollars. Thus, towns may claim up to ten million dollars just for revenue replacement. Towns have until April 30 and can claim funds for governmental expenses. Funds cannot be used to pay down loans or for reserve funds. Additionally, the town has three years to spend or obligate the funds. Mike Hogan asked Bonnie what she was hearing from other towns. Bonnie said most towns are going to use category six. She noted towns cannot go backwards on the decision, and that more ARPA funds will be released in April.

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Ash Tree Plan

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The ash trees in Vermont are under threat by an invasive insect known as the Ash Borer. The Town of Cabot has proactively been pursuing a plan to mitigate the danger along town roads that will exist when the Ash Borer kills the ash trees in Cabot. To that effect, the Cabot Tree Warden, Roland Payne Jr., presented the plan he has developed for the Town at the May 3 Selectboard meeting. Roland started out explaining Cabot is currently invaded by the insect on the south side, and the proposed plan provides for eight years of taking down trees along the roadside. The plan may have to change if the insect invades from the other side of town. He reviewed a set of spreadsheets he created to inventory large or hazardous trees. He felt the road crew may not feel comfortable taking down these trees. R.D. Eno, Selectboard member, asked if Roland’s spreadsheets accounted for trees that have been removed by Green Mountain Power (GMP). Roland responded that GMP is going to take down some of the trees on 215, and he has accounted for as much as he can in the spreadsheets. Roland continued by explaining the smaller trees, ones under 20 inches, are expected to be taken down by the road crew.

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CCA promotes their mission to enhance

is to empower Cabot residents to participate writer to cover select board and other meetings, be able to attend. Most meetings during meetings virtually through Zoom are

Bonnie added ARPA funds cannot be used to reduce tax rates. Towns still need a budget and to collect taxes. She noted some towns have policies that surplus funds must go to a reserve account, so town needs to check to make sure they are not forcing the town to violate ARPA rules. Bonnie reminded the board these are federal funds, and if the town spends more than $700,000 in a fiscal year, it triggers a special audit. She recommended ARPA funds be metered out so a special audit is not required. She added that ARPA funds can be used to match other federal grants. At the April 19 Selectboard meeting the board took up the motion recommended by Bonnie. Mike noted the reporting process for ARPA funds is very cryptic and taking the approach recommended by Bonnie would make things simpler. Mike wanted the board to approve taking the standard allowance to avoid the laborious reporting process. Mike read out a carefully worded motion crafted to meet the requirements and the board unanimously approved.

Mike Hogan said Roland estimated ten years and approximately $250,000 to take down the ash trees. He wondered if they had money in the budget for this expense. Fred Ducharme reminded Mike they didn’t have a plan when the budget was developed. Mike said they need to put money in the next budget cycle. Roland told the Selectboard that the more trees the road crew takes down, the less the costs are going to be for the Town. He added that a tree service will be needed for the large or hazardous trees, and those are the costs that need to be in the budget. Roland was hoping the Selectboard would approve his plan. Ian Ackermann stated he would like a couple more weeks to look at the plan. He felt a couple hundred trees were a lot for the road crew to take down. Roland pointed out it was 200 trees every two years. Gary Gulka, chair of the Conservation Committee, chimed in that we have to realize “every ash tree is going to die.” He added when they are dead, they will become hazardous. Roland also pointed out the insect is already in 35 states, and there is no money available from the State or the Federal Government. The Selectboard did not act upon approving the plan at this meeting. the quality of community life for those in the governance and management for the purpose of keeping community this time of Coronavirus are available posted regularly on Front Porch Forum,

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Creamery Water

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Cabot Creamery requested an increase in the amount of water it draws from the Town. At the April 19 Selectboard meeting, Aaron Paige of Cabot Creamery was present, along with Jim Brimblecombe of H2O Innovation, the company contracted to manage the Town’s wells and wastewater plant. Mike Hogan started the discussion by saying “no commitments will be made tonight.” He wanted to start off asking a few questions. Mike asked how much water the Creamery would need per day. Jim answered with two numbers: 8,000 gallons in the winter and 20,000 gallons in the summer. He explained the 20,000 gallons is equivalent to what the Town is drawing from wells, so it basically doubles the output of the wells. He added the wells haven’t been tested since 2000. He said it would be good to measure recovery time, which could be done by putting level sensors in the wells. Mike wanted to know if the Town needed a hydrologist, since Cabot could need more water at a later date, to make sure it has enough water for the primary users, residents on the system. Jim added there is concern for wells farther up Danville Hill Road, and agreed a hydrologist would be needed. Fred asked if sensors in the well would be able to indicate if the town was drawing down other people’s wells. Jim said “not really.” He explained that is why a hydrologist is needed. At this point, Mike said it would be fair to hear why the Creamery needs this additional water. Betty Ritter added that, in an email from Scott Stuart of the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the question was raised as to why not drill another well instead of using drinking water. Aaron Paige, speaking for the Creamery, said he can address all of those topics. He noted he is not familiar with Scott Stuart, and he had reached out to Carl Fuller. He explained that he talked to at least five different people from the DEC and they told him he would have to talk to the Town about using the Town’s water, and there is no issue from a permit point of view. He said that is why he has come to the Town. Aaron explained why the Creamery is coming to the Town. He said they could probably find a location to drill a new well, but it is complicated by the wastewater disposal they already have onsite. He noted the Creamery currently has three permitted wells. One well is not up to standards for food production and has been out of use for ten years. It is located residing, 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

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Usage

in the middle of the driveway, and doesn’t meet construction standards. Thus, they only have two operating wells. Aaron said Cabot is a very water rich area, and he thinks they are asking the equivalent of maybe ten gallons per minute. The Creamery believes the Town has the capacity, and the connections already exist. He further noted it would be an on-demand type of thing. He explained if the Town has a problem, it would be as easy as shutting off a valve. The proposed use of the water would be for the Creamery’s evaporative condensers, which are completely separate from the other systems, and are for refrigerators. Aaron explained if a lot of steam is seen coming from the plant, it is from these evaporative condensers. He added there would be no increase in wastewater, as only 10% of the water used for the condensers doesn’t get evaporated and goes down the industrial drain, disposed of by land spreading. Fred Ducharme said that he thinks the Town did a lot of studies which indicated the aquifer goes right up to Melvin Churhill’s, and down to the South Walden store. Mike asked about the process needed to drill another well. Aaron said he didn’t think the process was onerous, and the Creamery needs to look at it more closely. He noted if the Creamery is paying the Town of Cabot for water, it would be cheaper to drill the well. He added, if it can be agreed the Town’s well can work, the Creamery will not use anything above 20,000 gallons a day. R.D. Eno asked why there is a need for an increase in water supply. Aaron responded by saying the Creamery has been running into water supply issues. The washes are being changed to meet FDA requirements and the Creamery’s wells can only supply so much water. He noted they are running “dangerously close.” to their limits; if a well were to go out, it would take a while to restart it. If that happens, it could shut down production for the day. R.D. wanted clarification, and asked if the increase is related to increase in production and how much is the Creamery currently drawing from the Town? Aaron said he thinks the increase is more related to regulations and sanitation requirements. He also said currently the Creamery draws water from the Town for bathrooms and stuff like that, and not for the manufacturing process. Mike asked Jim how the board should proceed. Jim said they should do a study, but he doesn’t know at the moment how much it would cost.

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Bandstand on the

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The subject of a bandstand on the commons has been discussed at Selectboard meetings in the past, but it never went beyond a discussion of the idea. At the April 5 Selectboard meeting, Dana Robinson presented a proposal for a bandstand on the commons, with preliminary drawings, and a possible location. Dana started by saying this has come up because there is an opportunity, and ever since living in Cabot, “I’ve heard people just talking about having a bandstand in town.” He added that in his role in Cabot Arts, it's just a good fit for having a proper performance space. Dana said a Better Places Grant offered by the Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development would fund the bandstand. The grant offers a 2:1 match, and he asserted that this grant is intended for exactly this sort of purpose. Dana continued with presenting his preliminary drawings as a starting point for a concept. He explained that the grant requires a letter of support from the municipalities. He mentioned that the grant encourages community engagement, and that on the previous Tuesday he held an open forum. He said that there was lively discussion, and some people had constructive criticism. He felt that comments were needed to do this in a way so the community will support a bandstand. Dana described the process, starting with a letter of support. He said the next step would be engaging the Vermont Division of Historic Preservation, since the common is a historic space. Then crowdfunding for a couple of months would be necessary, and when that is complete, there is one year to complete the project. Dana added “the bandstand will not cost the taxpayers a single penny in its building,” and what we are planning should not cost the town much for maintenance for years going forward. Mike Hogan asked where Dana envisioned the bandstand on the common. Dana answered by describing a location at the corner of Common Road and Danville Road, in the trees, facing the monument. Mike let the public comment and ask questions. First to speak was Larry Gochey. Larry said, “the only problem I have about that, I’m definitely against it, because yesterday, the kids were playing on the common.” He continued, by talking about CSPAC at the school, and the rec field, and wondered why the rec field can’t be used.

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Bandstand on the

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Selectboard had a special meeting on the common prior to the regularly scheduled meeting on April 19 to discuss the possible locations of a bandstand. The entire Selectboard was present along with approximately ten members of the public. The meeting started with Dana Robinson describing to the board where the bandstand could be located. He had a blue tarp spread on the ground on the

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Common - Part 1

Dana answered Larry’s concerns by saying that we can use the rec field. A bandstand on a common is the “most quintessentially Vermont thing” that can be. He added that the historical society said there was a bandstand on the common in the late 1800s. Karen Larsen spoke about how the common is the heart of any village center. She talked about what it means to have a village green that is a multi-use space, mentioning cultural uses and business uses. She expressed that as a village, we have a lot of different spaces and baseball or softball can take place in many places, and on the common. She suggested there is an opportunity here for a shared use. Richie Hourihan said that he understands that Betty has the “say so” over the common. He described that when it was donated, nothing was supposed to be put on the common. He expressed concern that the town would have to maintain the bandstand. He questioned if Dana had looked past the hill at the rec field, it's like an amphitheater. He added that when we have a function on the common, people park on both sides of the road and two-way traffic can’t pass, and there are a lot of people that live there that don't want it. R.D. Eno, Selectboard member, was the next to speak and fully disclosed that he is on the Cabot Arts board of directors. He noted that it's not settled that the bandstand will be on the common, and it's under discussion. He then asked Dana what was needed in the letter he is requesting, and if there needs to be a final design and location, or if the board can endorse the concept. April Borelli spoke as a homeowner close to the common, and said she has concerns with the use, the noise, how often, etc. She expressed concern about her home life and wanted to make sure people living near the common are heard. Peg Hough spoke in favor of the idea of a bandstand and was open for the location. She shared that the town common is the center of the village and part of the idea behind this is building cohesion and community spirit. She noted that she has been to theater productions in the CSPAC building and doesn’t see it used as an outdoor venue. Mike ended the discussion by noting the town’s attorney is looking at the deed, which is taking time because it was written differently in that era.

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Common - Part 2

monument side of the big tree located at the corner of Common Road and Danville Hill Road. The blue tarp represented the outline of the bandstand and was approximately 14 feet square. He said he placed it back toward the big tree and between the smaller trees to keep it out of the play area. Dana explained the sound would be directed towards the monument. He said that as a musician, if he heard the sound bouncing back off the church, he would consider it too loud. R.D. Eno suggested if the board decided to approve the bandstand, he would form a bandstand governance committee. The governance committee would consist of village residents and he would be happy to chair. The purpose of the committee would be to devise an ordinance that would address all the concerns regarding the bandstand. He itemized things like noise, scheduling, parking, and security. He felt the concerns of the village residents around the common should be addressed by that ordinance. Mike Hogan responded that he didn’t think an ordinance was needed, since the municipality has the rule making authority. Linda Savoca spoke up at this point and talked about issues she has had in the past when events occurred on the common and worried that she would have to shut her windows every weekend. She said she didn’t want “my enjoyment of my property to be overly impacted by it.”

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Bandstand on the

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer

The Selectboard again discussed the topic of a bandstand on the common at the May 3 meeting. Mike Hogan recalled the previous discussions, and the visit to the common and the rec field. Mike noted they had asked Mike Tarrant, the Town’s attorney, at the beginning of the process to look at the deed and determine whether it was allowable to have a permanent structure. The information from the Town’s attorney is confidential as attorney client privilege, but the board decided to release the information and Mike read from the series of emails exchanged with the attorney. Mike said the attorney considered that the town received both a deed and a trust from J.W. Dana to Osgood, who was the Town Treasurer in 1822. were deed were The attorney had noted there various trust provisions, and the stated if certain trust provisions not complied with, then the deed is null and void. Mike read some more passages from the email, and the attorney stated, “There is a great risk in placing a structure on common land.” Mike concluded from his perspective he would err on the side of caution and not put a bandstand on the common. He reiterated he is not against a bandstand, and it’s better on the rec field. R.D. Eno spoke next and offered another perspective. He agreed Mike’s opinion is accurate but incomplete. R.D. said the board didn’t ask the attorney what effect the monument has upon the deed. He acknowledged the issue is not clear. R.D. went on to speculate that the monument could have voided the deed 150 years ago, and the Town now owns the common due to adverse effect. He proposed they ask the attorney. R.D. offered a motion to endorse the bandstand. He felt that if the town were to have a bandstand, then the common is the correct place. He said he would oppose a bandstand on the rec field because everyone has seen what happens to something not under constant supervision. He believes from the visit to the rec field there really isn’t a place to put The board then relocated the meeting to the rec field, and everyone traveled there and met part way between the parking area and the pavilion. The board discussed with Dana the potential locations of a bandstand in the area around the pavilion. Dana indicated the little knoll situated behind the basketball court would be a lovely place for a bandstand. He said it would be attractive from the road, and easy to get to. He felt it might be more challenging to get electricity to that location. He thought it wouldn’t be utilized as much outside the village as it would be on the common. On a windy day, R.D. noted there would probably be a lot more microphone noise, and observed that people would be looking up the hill and not down. Mike asked about secondary locations around the pavilion and Dana made another speculation. After some more discussion regarding the pavilion, Mike adjourned the meeting.

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Common - Part 3

such a facility. R.D. suggested a committee of village residents put together rules governing use of the bandstand and address all the concerns of village residents. R.D. announced his motion and Fred Ducharme seconded “for discussion.” Fred addressed R.D.’s speculation about the monument and said the board should spend more money. He noted that the monument shouldn’t be there, nor the fence, and there was a bandstand before. He said they should dig into that and get a resolution before they go any further. Larry Gochey spoke from the public and asked who would get the money from the grant. R.D. answered that it was a civic committee and is not part of Cabot Arts. Ian Ackermann spoke up on the phone and said the board should have a special meeting and have a vote. He said it sounds like no one wants it on the common, except a select few. Mike answered Ian by saying, “it’s not that simple.” Ian said, “for the record,” he didn’t have a problem with the bandstand, but wants to make sure the people closest to the common are not disrupted. Skip Bothfeld added the board needs to do the legal stuff first. The board tabled the motion for action at a future meeting. Mike said he would personally speak with the Town’s attorney.

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Principal

Dear Cabot Community, As we come to the end of our second pandemic year and as I come to the end of my second year as a member of the Cabot School community, I wanted to take some time to reflect on all we have accomplished in the face of great uncertainty. The following piece was submitted as testimony to the House Education Committee in late April. There are so many more stories to share about the successes and challenges of this year. Please come to one of our events in June to see the amazing work that students have engaged in. For a sample of projects in the high school, please take a visit to caboteducation.org to see the amazing work that our high school students produce. “As I reflect on our work this past year, I want to emphasize that this work began well before I became the principal at Cabot School and well before the advent of the Community Schools legislation. Cabot School embodies what it means to be a community school. Over the past five years, multiple restructurings driven by financial necessity as well as multiple transitions in leadership have caused disruption to the central role the community plays in the school. While these restructurings have created additional instability in a time of incredible uncertainty, Cabot school’s vision and commitment to community has never wavered. Act 67, the Community Schools legislation, has validated Cabot’s approach to teaching and learning while also providing an invaluable foundation for building coherence across and among the many interconnected relationships that define Cabot. “In this piece I want to share two stories, but know there are so many more stories from this year. It was a year of incredible challenge, within those challenges, these bright spots seem important to share. “The first story begins with two students who came into my office in the first week of school saying, “We want to start after school clubs.” While afterschool had been a part of our conversation during the grant writing process over the summer, it was students who came with a vision for what those clubs should be like. They said, “we want to gather information from students in the younger grades about their interests and then information from students in the older grades to see what they might be willing to facilitate.” Our student leadership committee took on this initial planning for afterschool. They surveyed students across grades 1-6. In November, when we were in the process of hiring a Community Coordinator, that small group met with her as a part of our interview process. elicited They shared their ideas and feedback, and this began their work together. “When our community coordinator started in December, this became the foundation of her work with community partners. The recreation committee,

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Message

Cabot Community Theater, a music organization, the local library, and multiple members of the parent community all became collaborators of afterschool clubs alongside student mentors in grades 7 through 12, and staff. Our afterschool program (the first at Cabot in almost a decade), which opened in March, has been an incredible success. Students have the opportunity to engage in robotics, art, music, sports, craft making, museum visits, Abenaki heritage, and more. In this first iteration, we are thrilled to enroll over 50 percent of our students in expect a 90% retention rate for teaching staff. “These are just two instances that exemplify our work from this year. As we look to continue to deepen and sustain this work in the future both fiscally and programmatically, we will continue to build out our emphasis on creating safe, inclusive and equitable learning environments. Our students need us to continue our work with inclusion in order to meet the needs of the range of learners that we serve. In the coming year, we will invest again in professional learning related to equity and inclusion. We will continue to build our community partnerships through internships for our seniors and use funding to continue to grow out projects that are rooted in community resources and relevant to the world around us. I would encourage you to reach out over the summer if you have questions about the school; I am available. I would encourage you to attend one of the many events in June, it is a great way to support our student community. Our young people need you, their community, at this time more than ever to continue to heal and grow their futures. Thank you all for your continued support.”

grades 1-6, facilitated by 14 middle and high school students, and partnering with four community partners. I hope you were able to hear the ways in which the pillars intertwined in the creation of our afterschool program. It stemmed from a need in the community, was driven by student voice, developed through collaborative leadership practices, engaged community and families in partnership, and ultimately has led to expanded and enriched learning time opportunities for all students in our school. “The second story is, perhaps, a little more mundane, but not less important to providing students with deep, meaningful, and connected learning experiences. It is a story that starts with building the capacity of the adults who work with our students. Over the past few years, Cabot School has been hit hard by fiscal challenges that have required multiple restructurings. It takes time for a community to stabilize after so much transition in ideal circumstances, and I think we can agree that these past two years have been less than ideal. So, as we looked to create coherence and deepen student engagement and literacy through projectbased learning, we began by focusing on retaining high quality teachers. “This required us to focus on adult learning and capacity building in a new way with the end goal of retaining teachers who are invested in building out our vision of being a community school. We invested in building out a group mentoring model, led by two retired teachers who are culture keepers in our school community. They meet both individually and as a group; their express purpose is to balance building meaningful connections among the adults while also providing individualized support. “This summer, with the support of the community schools grant funding, we will send a group of teachers to the Project Design Lab at UVM this summer to further deepen that work and we had the opportunity to work with EL Education, a leader in project-based design, to learn and grow the quality of our work. Lastly, we shifted time in our schedule so that teams had meaningful collaboration time to plan and digest their learning. “These professional learning experiences and the structures we have in place to support collaboration have begun to deepen our project-based teaching and learning. Students across grades engage in meaningful learning experiences, have access to books that are aligned to their projects, and have been able to expand their learning beyond school through fieldwork and experts. At this time, we

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Cabot School Year in Review

by Sonia Scherr, classes. Amid some ongoing pandemic Community Coordinator challenges, it was a year of new learning experiences and meaningful connecThe 2021-22 school year marked tions. Here is the year in photos. Cabot School’s return to fully in person

A crew of students and staff pause for a photo on the summit of Owls Head in Groton State Forest, after hiking the mountain together in September. Students spent the day in their buddy crews — multi-age groups that let younger and older students work together.

above right; Two eighth graders help raise the walls of Cabot's new Food Lab greenhouse space during a workday last fall. Designed and built by Cabot Middle School students, the Food Lab serves Cabot's Farm to School program. Over the last several years, middle school students have led this initiative through school curricula and community events. above left; A student has a family portrait taken with May, one of the teddy bears that joined the kindergarten this year. Each bear chose a kindergartener to be its family; the bears, which can accompany students inside and outside the classroom, serve as tools for their social-emotional learning. That includes helping children become more comfortable with new experiences, as when the kindergarteners gave their bears COVID tests before taking their own.

(see ‘Cabot School Year In Review’, page 10)

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June 2 & 3 at CSPAC

by Chris Tormey

Since March, all of Cabot’s high school students have been working daily on some facet of an original musical that’s set to be performed at the Cabot School Performing Arts Center during the first week in June. The project has provided Band opportunities for students to develop and improve skills ranging from research and design to writing and musicianship as they’ve progressed from a plot idea to a finished script, accompa-

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Alec Moran

nying music and special effects, and their diverse contributions to the production will be on display when the curtain goes up on “Visions of Yesterday” at 7:00 p.m. on June 2 and 3. The project began with a challenge posed to a handful of students who chose “script-writing” as their contribution to the musical: create a story line for a script using time travel to explore a common theme over at least two decades. with To assist, each writer worked a student who researched the history and culture of the writer’s chosen decades. With support from Cabot’s language arts teacher Alex Modica and social studies teacher Anthony Chris-

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 Brody Moran

Brody Moran is planning to attend St John's College in Annapolis, Maryland, where he will pursue a liberal arts degree. He is not 100% sure of what his post-secondary career is going to be since he likes having his options open. He is looking forward to living near the nation's capital, where there will not be snow for five months of the year.

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Create Original

practicing for High School Musical tiano, six writer/historian teams developed their story lines, and after several weeks presented a completed scene from their drafts to a panel of students and staff that included Cabot alumni from previous productions. Based on that “scene slam,” one of the script ideas was chosen to move forward- a story developed by Cabot twelfth-grade writer Jesse Mudgett and 10th grade historical consultant Declan O’Connor which explores the facets of personal loss over several decades- and since then, all the scriptwriters have combined their talents to complete the script. With the script complete, other student teams have been able to get involved in weaving their parts into the developing play. A team working with (see ’High School Musical’, page 9)

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Courtney Robie-Rogers

Practicing lines in front of CSPAC (continued from page 8) Cabot’s music teacher Brian Boyes has analyzed current popular songs, as well as songs from the 1970’s and 1980’s, and selected those that would fit with the story, in several cases re-writing some of the lyrics to match with the scenes in the play. In turn, the fifteen members of the high school band have been using their “arts block” time each afternoon to learn to play the diverse set of songs selected. After spending the first part of the trimester learning the basics of sound, optics and electricity, students in science teacher Thomas Dunbar’s Theater Tech team have used the past month to design and build the sound, lighting and

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(continued)

Meanwhile, students in the art team lead by Julia Guerriero, Angela Ward and Jennifer Lindert have been working to creatively convey the different time periods in the musical through designing and producing the costumes and set. As the project has grown and progressed this spring, students’ roles in getting it to completion have often changed. For example, script-writers whose story lines were not chosen to move ahead as the musical’s script have joined forces to collectively complete that script, students from several teams are now practicing the songs selected, and students who did historical research at the project’s start are now interviewing and filming participants in the different teams enroute to producing a documentary about the project, assisted by local filmmaker Bess O’Brien. Along with assembling the varied pieces of the musical that the audience will see during the two performances, students have also learned about the behind-the-scenes planning, funding and organization that need to be in place for the show to happen. To facilitate fundraising for this musical, a team of students has launched a crowdfunding campaign effort- details of which will be available soon on the Cabot School Performing Arts Facebook page. Cabot High School students, as well as their teachers, are excited to share the finished product of their diverse contributions to this project with the community at the CSPAC on June 2 and 3. Doors open both nights at 6:30 p.m., with the show starting at 7:00. Admission is by a suggested donation of $10hope to see you there!

by Harrington Realty

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Cabot School Year In Review

(continued from page 7)

above left;. Elementary school students prepare to get back on their feet while crosscountry skiing at Craftsbury Outdoor Center. Each grade had four scheduled outings to Craftsbury this winter as part of the school’s efforts to foster wellness and above; A junior poses in the school library in November next to her display about a graphic novel she studied in Banned Books Club. Students in this course explored censorship in America and read and discussed books that have been challenged or banned for a variety of reasons. They then shared their knowledge with the public by creating a museum-style exhibit about their individual books, highlighting the significance and dangers of censorship.

above; The Cabot High School band performs in the Cabot School Performing Arts Center in December for the school’s elementary students. This was Cabot School’s first indoor concert since the start of the pandemic.

above; A student in the combined third and fourth grade shows a classmate how to use the model fire starter he made. His fire pit and the fish drying rack (left) were among the model artifacts that third and fourth graders created as part of their indepth study of Native Americans. Students shared this learning with community members at a December exhibition in the Willey Building. community. above right; Afterschool facilitator Angela Ward works on sewing skills with a first grader in her Crafty Stitchers Club as another child waits her turn. Cabot School launched a new afterschool program this spring that gives elementary school students a chance to explore their interests in clubs focused on recreation and the arts. The program also provides leadership opportunities for middle and high school students, who work with adult facilitators to lead the clubs.

above; Cabot high schoolers (center front) march with hundreds of their peers from around the state at the 2022 Youth Rally for the Planet in Montpelier. Organized by the Vermont Youth Lobby, the event gave young people an opportunity to speak out about climate change and related concerns.

left; A ninth grader tries out equipment at Vermont Tech’s Try a Major Day in May. High schoolers traveled to the VTC campus in Randolph to meet with faculty and current students and learn firsthand about a variety of majors, from nursing to engineering technology.

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Cabot Mentoring Interim Coordinator

Cabot is a vibrant rural community that has a long-standing tradition of supporting its youth through a successful mentoring program. That program, Cabot Mentoring, is hiring a new coordinator. The new coordinator will be a school employee and work closely with the school and community to support existing mentor/mentee matches, recruit youth and volunteer mentors in order to establish new matches, and publicize the Cabot Mentoring program. In addition, the coordinator will assist in fundraising, keep accurate and confidential records, review and update program materials, report to and work with the school principal and the Cabot Mentoring Advisory Board, and participate in professional development as needed. The coordinator will have an office space at the Cabot

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O R D I N A T O R

School, and work to further strengthen school and community ties through the mentoring program. The ideal candidate will enjoy working with both youth and adults, and have strong organizational, writing, verbal, and interpersonal skills. He/she will also have basic financial and digital literacy, budget management and grant writing skills. Experience working with youth in a formal or informal setting, and with community organizations or schools is preferred. The candidate will also need to pass background checks. The new program coordinator will have training and support from Pam Quinn (Twinfield Together Mentoring Program director), Mentor VT, and the interim program coordinator. Funding for this program supports up to 20 hours/ week. Pay rate is dependent on experience. Please send resume and cover letter to: cabotmentoring@gmail.com.

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Cabot Harvest Hub!

Sarah Spletzer-Welters

donville area with the creation of the NEK Harvest Hub! Starting May 30, Hub customers will have the option of shopping at either the Cabot Harvest Hub or the NEK Harvest Hub. If you choose to shop the NEK Harvest Hub, you will pick up your order at the Lyndonville Farmer's Market on Fridays, 3:00-6:00 p.m. If you choose to shop the Cabot Harvest Hub, you will pick up your order at 39 Main Street, Cabot, on Saturdays, 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Best of all, Hub Producers can sell to either or both markets, with the convenience of dropping off sold items for both Hubs at one location. In other great news, the Cabot Harvest Hub is celebrating one year of operation this month! We hope you’ll join us for a special “birthday party” Pop-up Market on June 25 , 9:00 a.m. -12:30 p.m. And, if you are looking for one of those great membership codes, try: HAPPYBIRTHDAY for a FREE six-week membership. It’s our gift to you to say “thanks” for making this project possible. Summer is here, and so are some great new products. Everything from fresh greens and eggs to fresh pasta (GF option available) and handmade gifts, so check it out today: http://CabotHarvestHub.org.

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The Little Creamery

by Jane Brown During the early 1800s when Cabot was first being settled, nearly every family had a cow or two, and perhaps a few chickens and a hog, whatever was needed to provide for their family. As the community grew, some of these subsistence farmers realized that a few more cows could mean extra milk, cream and butter to barter or sell, thereby improving their livelihood. Butter making was a tiresome task, usually performed by women, and most local farmers found it difficult to find markets for the small quantities of butter they could offer. Keeping the butter fresh until they had enough to sell was a problem, and finding markets for such small amounts was difficult. Farmers often had to store their butter for weeks until they had enough to sell, usually to local markets, hotels or individuals. When railroads reached the area in the mid to late 1800s, the demand for butter grew and

1920s late, Cabot Creamery

farmers began to increase their herds and their butter production. The processing remained the same – churning at home, then each contributing what product they had accumulated into combined shipments large enough to be sent from Walden, West Danville or Marshfield by rail to cities such as Boston and Portland. with By the early 1890s, creameries large churns began operating in the nearby communities of Calais, Danville and Hardwick. Farmers could take their cream there and receive payment; but for the majority of small farmers in Cabot, transporting their cream to those places was difficult or impossible. Faced with these common problems, late in 1892 a group of Cabot farmers gathered to try to find a solution. With neighboring towns building creameries, it seemed logical that Cabot could do the same. After several meetings and long discussions, the group agreed to issue and sell stock to build their own creamery. In February 1893, three thousand dollars of stock was issued and the Cabot Creamery Company was officially formed. Mr. Luke C. Fisher was elected president and manager, Hiram Wells, clerk, and T. H. Lance, treasurer. Members of the new organization pledged six hundred cows to supply the milk. The old Buchanan lot at the south end of the village was selected as the site for the new facility. Mosley and Stoddard of Rutland, Vermont, were engaged to build and outfit the creamery with the most modern equipment available.

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That Could

1893 Opening day, Cabot Creamery

Luke Fisher was one of the largest and most progressive farmers around at the time. A neighbor, Fred Blodgett, worked for Fisher as a young man, and years later wrote in his memoirs that Fisher kept a herd of thirty or forty cows. He recalled that Fisher had all the most up-to-date equipment on his farm, including a “creamery” in a back kitchen of the farmhouse. It had a cement floor, running water, a large steam-powered centrifugal cream separator (the first of its kind), and a large churn. Fisher’s son, Dean, worked in their home creamery making and packing the butter. Luke Fisher was an obvious choice to run the new Cabot Creamery. That fall, Fisher and Blodgett located and dug out the old spring at the Buchanan place. He arranged for ice to be cut at West Hill Pond and stored that winter for use in the new creamery. Construction on the creamery was begun in early spring and it opened for business on the morning of June 19, 1893. The first day of operation, the creamery processed 6,000 pounds of milk, and within two weeks they were receiving double that amount and producing 550 pounds of butter. In August, the newspaper, Vermont Watchman reported that the creamery was “the most important industry” in Cabot. According to that same report, about the only complaint in town was that the creamery ran on Sunday, just like every other day of the week. (Article continued in July edition)

1931 Cabot Creamed Popcorn Cheese Truck.

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Green Your Yard with

by Susan Socks of Garden Goddess Consulting and Gardening Many of us love the look of a tidy, well -trimmed green lawn. But the gaspowered tools used to create that lawn have big environmental costs. String trimmers and leaf blowers typically use two-stroke engines, because they are cheap and lightweight. They also burn fuel very inefficiently, spraying about 30% of their fuel as unburnt aerosols, emitting tremendous amounts of pollution. In a study conducted by Edmunds' InsideLine.com, the company subjected a high-performance pickup truck and a two-stroke leaf blower to automotive emissions tests. They found that under normal usage conditions — alternating the blower between high power and idle— the two-stroke leaf blower engine emitted nearly 299 times the hydrocarbons of the pickup truck. The blower emitted many times as much carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides as well. These emissions make smog and acid rain and contribute to climate change. In addition, two-stroke engines are very loud. Many communities, including Burlington VT, are enacting noise ordinances limiting leaf blowers to 65 decibels (the level of electric leaf blowers), effectively banning gasoline-powered blowers which operate at around 90 decibels. Gas powered lawn mowers have a huge pollution and noise footprint as well. Though many mowers are fourstroke engines (cleaner and quieter than two-stroke), they still emit as much during operation as 45 cars. A gas mower’s four-stroke engine runs at about 95 decibels (similar to a motorcycle) vs an equivalent electric mower at 75 decibels (like a washing machine). One solution to lawn pollution is to switch to electric equipment. But the big question: do electric tools work? Happily, yes! Electric mowers, trimmers, and blowers have come a long way in the last several years, in terms of both power and battery life. Our farm uses an electric Ryobi zero-turn riding mower for our work pathways and yard; it does the whole property on a single charge. In my gardening business, I use a batteryoperated string trimmer, brush cutter, leaf blower, and pruning chainsaw. With a pair of spare batteries, I can easily run these tools all day. What about cost? Electric equipment is a little more expensive up front. However, there is no yearly engine maintenance, and no gas to buy. Well maintained batteries last for years. If you will be keeping your equipment for several years, the overall cost to go electric is actually less than a gas machine. Of course, electricity is only as green as the generating source; fortunately for the Cabot area, both Washington Electric and Green Mountain Power get most of their electricity from renewable, carbon-free sources. To sum up the benefits of electric:  No emissions: you aren’t breathing harmful fumes, or contributing to bad

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Electric Tools

air quality in your neighborhood, and you won’t smell like gasoline at the end of your task.  Quiet: electric machines are much quieter than their gas-powered equivalent  Easy maintenance: just charge the batteries and wipe off the dirt occasionally. No oil, gas, filters, or tuneups needed.  Affordable: same cost (or less) over the lifetime of the machine, compared to gas equipment. To go electric, check out these companies offering electric lawn care tools: Ryobi, Craftsman, Dewalt, Makita, Toro, Worx, SunJoe, Greenworks, and DR Power Equipment. For commercial scale equipment, try Mean Green Electric Mowers. If you hire out your lawn care, look for services that use electric equipment. This garden article is brought to you by Susan Socks, aka the Garden Goddess. Stay tuned for upcoming articles on green lawn care, pruning, garden tools, edible landscapes, and more. For gardening help, visit www.SocksFamily

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June 2022

This year our Summer Reading Program for children and families will be based on the theme “Oceans of Possibilities.” Starting on June 15 children can sign-up for the reading challenge to earn a prize and a free t -shirt. Also starting in June, on Fridays, we will hold morning programs at 10:30 a.m. for six weeks for children ages birth to age 7. The first one is on June 24. Join Nicky Auerbach for fun activities based on the theme, “ Oceans of Possibilities”. Nicky has her Masters Degree in education and loves to create fun learning opportunities for children. On June 24 at 6:30 p.m. we will hold our first

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Vermont Ag Hall of Fame

The Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame announced the 2022 inductees. Over the past 20 years, over 90 contributors to Vermont agriculture have been celebrated with the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame honor. A celebratory luncheon is scheduled during the Champlain Valley Fair on Wednesday, August 31, 2022, at noon. 2022 Lifetime Achievement: This category recognizes those who have made a significant contribution to the advancement, improvement, or development of Vermont agriculture over the course of their long career. Nominees shall have played an active role in Vermont agriculture for at least thirty years.

2022 Honoree:

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Jackie Folsom ,

Farmer and Ag lobbyist. Cabot, VT Jackie has spent nearly the last 40 years truly dedicated to Vermont agriculture. Her vast involvement includes all types of farm chores, ag promotion, advocacy, education and role modeling. Her long career holds the trust of many Vermonters as she worked tirelessly with farmers and legislatures in policy development and reform. Most know Jackie

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Fun

Nights for people of all ages with great presenters coming to amaze and amuse us all: Tie-Dye with Trina Villa ; Outside Games and Free Ice cream with the Marshfield Recreation Committee; Make Your Own Biosphere with botanist Jacqueline Soule; Pollinators with Jerry Schneider; and Monarch, Lady Beetle, Bug Walk with

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into

for her more recent roles as the manager for the Vermont Farm Show and passionate involvement in Washington County’s Farm Bureau. Jackie has spent her most recent years lobbying for the Vermont Farm Bureau, where she will be greatly missed in her planned retirement this year. Twin Valley Senior Center continues to be open to all, even through COVID19. Our primary mission is to provide nutritious food to older adults in our rural communities. Most of our meals are sent out through the Meals on Wheels program. Our dedicated drivers have made deliveries through snow, rain, ice and especially mud. We are so proud that our volunteer drivers have delivered all our meals this year regardless of conditions. In addition to providing meals, the drivers are a reliable source of human social contact to people in very remote areas who may meet very few other people during any given week. We are so fortunate to have a committed group of volunteers that keep our meals program running. In addition to Meals on Wheels, we also serve congregate meals to folks who can make it in to the Center. Our meals are currently provided by Taste Solutions Catering, which we purchase, and bread donated by Red Hen Baking. We continue to seek a Kitchen Manager/ Chef so that we can bring the entire meal program back under our own roof. At the Center we have Yoga, Chair Yoga, Tai Chi, and multiple Bone Builders classes that are available in person or online. We also have in-person Art Classes and a Mystery Book Club. In addition, SASH sponsors Bingo every other Monday and Blood Pressure Clinics every other Wednesday. Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice provides Foot Clinics on a regular monthly basis. Eugene Troia – TVSC Director

4583 U.S. Route 2 East Montpelier VT 05651 twinvalleyseniors@myfairpoint.net

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Outdoor Story and Activity Time

– June 14 & June 28 10:30 -11:30 am. Children and their caregivers are invited to enjoy stories and songs, and then reimagine them through crafts and play together. Stay after for snacks and more active play on the swing sets, sand box and fields for hiking and birdwatching.

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The Community Service Program

for high school students (ages 14-18) has been a great success. A huge shout out to senior Jesse Mudgett, juniors Wyatt Searles and Laibah Jawad, sophomores Chase Alden, Declan O’Connor, Ila Steinert and Noeshia Shuart and freshmen Lyndsay Maxfield, Jacob Tidd, Sarah Thompson and Ethan Searles for all your hard work! Over the past few months, these volunteers have created artwork, take-home kits and summer reading packets as part of our Summer Reading Program, helped to unpack supplies and set up equipment, catalog and select books for Story and Activity Time, package books as part of our Read to Me Program, and facilitated activities and games for our Outdoor Adventure Book Club.

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Oceans of Possibilities! Registration

for our Summer Library Program will be available June 15. Stop by the library to register. Who can sign up for the Youth Summer Library Program? Kids of any age may sign up in person and pick up an Oceans of Possibilities tally sheet, stickers to record their reading, and a bookmark.

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Thousand Page Club - Read 1,000

pages and receive a voucher for a free pint of ice cream at the Cabot Village Store! Mural Art Camp - Large-scale public art can help bring more beauty to spaces, facilitate community conversations and encourage people to appreciate and pay attention to the environment they occupy. This summer we will hold two different mural camps with professional artist Tara Goreau at the Cabot Rec Field Pavilion. You can find Tara’s vivid and detailed murals throughout the Northeast Kingdom. Visit Tara’s website at http://www.walltonic.com to see her work! Session 1: June 28 - July 1 & July 6 - 8, 2 - 5 pm (ages 14-18). Help design and paint a large-scale mural at the Rec Field Pavilion this summer with Tara Goreau!

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Space

Email All skill levels are welcome. is limited to 5 participants. amandaotto.cabotlibrary @gmail.com to reserve your spot today! Session 2: August 3 - 5, 2 - 5 pm (ages 11-13). Help design and paint colorful murals to help beautify the pavilion this summer with professional muralist Tara Goreau! All skill levels are welcome. Space is limited to 8 participants. Email amandaotto.cabotlib rary@gmail.com to reserve your spot today! Fun for the Family - Join us for special programming throughout the summer! Check our website and Front Porch Forum for the most up to date information. Additional programs may be added throughout the summer.

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Who’s Living in Your Watershed?

This Live animal program will introduce audiences of all ages to the live animals found in and around our own back yards. For example- we might start with the snapping turtle as a very aquatic animal and then meet a frog who lives part of his life away from water. Different animals will lead us to the ridgeline where the broad-winged hawk might live before it flies to South America, bringing our watershed thousands of miles away. The theme of water’s importance and what a watershed is will be the thread that weaves through the close-up looks and information about the animals. July 4 th Friends of the Cabot Library Book Sale – Join the Friends of the Cabot Library and peruse hundreds of books for sale by donation before and after the July 4 Cabot Parade. Books will be on the front lawn of the library all morning. Many thanks to the Friends of the Library for their hours sorting and organizing books for you to look through.

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Watershed Wildlife.

Where does a drop of water falling in your backyard come from? Where does it go? And who does it meet along the way? Join a VINS Environmental Educator in exploring the ways in which our green mountain landscape and the oceans of the world are intimately connected. We’ll trace the raindrop’s journey with a watershed model and meet two live animal ambassadors who depend on this cycle, while learning ways we can help our land and oceans stay healthy. The Night Sky – the week of August 8-12 – 8 pm – Cabot Rec Field Pavilion. Join Mazie O’Connor and Amanda Otto as we look through the library’s new telescope at the night sky. We’ll pick the best weather day and announce it on our website and Front Porch Forum. The Perseids Meteor Shower is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. Unfortunately, the nearly full moon this year will block out all but the brightest meteors, but the Perseids are so bright and numerous that it could still be a decent show. Donations - We are still looking for shells and other ocean themed natural objects such as sand, coral, driftwood, etc. If you have anything you are willing to donate or let us borrow please be in touch.

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Traveling to a beach soon?

Please consider collecting a small bag or bottle of sand for us! Label it with your name and where the sample was collected, and if you would like the sample back.

We are especially pleased to announce the Cabot Public Library was a recipient of a Vermont Afterschool grant for $48,968 for the purpose of expanding access to and improving the quality of summer enrichment opportunities and afterschool programming for children and youth. These funds will be used over the next 15 months and will allow for a series of additional programs such as the Mural Art Camp offered this summer, additional play equipment at the Rec Field Pavillion, more sturdy wood posts and mounts for the StoryWalk, presenters/ performers and afterschool program supplies. Many thanks to Beth Wade for her grant writing expertise! Thanks so much to the Library Trustees for their dedicated work for the library: Grace Hoffman, Niall McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Beth Wade, and our student representative, Ila Steinert. See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian

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← From the Cabot Chronicle