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Preserving the history of Cabot, Vermont · Founded 1965

The Cabot Chronicle

August 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 August 2022 pages (PDF)

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

In This Issue

Town Treasurer

Cabot Property Tax bills were mailed on Wednesday, July 20. The first payment is due August 18 and the final payment is due November 17 at 5:00 p.m. Taxes unpaid after Thursday, November 17, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. will be delinquent. Maximum as allowable by law will be charged in addition to 8% penalty. Postmarks are accepted as timely proof of payment. Taxes are payable by credit card with a surcharge by phone, in person or at

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Summer Theater Camp

by Karen Mueller-Harder Please join Cabot Community Theater on Friday, August 19, at 4:30 p.m., as the actors in our summer theater camp perform world premieres of two one-act plays by the wonderful writer Colleen Hughes, who has collaborated with CCT to create plays uniquely suited for our group! The plays will be performed on the lawn outside the Cabot School Performing Arts Center. Of course kids tell ghost stories at campfires in the summer, but what do ghost kids do? Tell human stories, of course! See what happens in “Legend of the Ghost Forest” with the younger camp group. The older actors will then perform “The Kids’ Table,” a gentle comedy about some cousins hanging out during a family wedding, finding their way as they navigate the rocky path of early adolescence. Both plays are suitable for all audiences, though if you have very young kids, you are welcome to stay just for the first play; each play is about

DEADLINE: 15th of the month prior to production

Coordinator: Jeannie Johnson

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HAZEL M. GREAVES

our website, cabotvt.us. You may also mail a check, drop it off in person, or put it in our secure drop box located to the right of the back door. Tax bills are mailed to the owner of record as of April 1, 2022 (by statute), and are addressed to the last known address. Property owners are responsi-

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Performance

15 minutes long, and there will be a brief intermission.

len, Alexander and Ariabella Clayton, Mavis Hall, Autumn Hopkins, Aspen Long, Cora McIntyre, Bella Miller, Mary Rogerson, Gwyn and Micah Seifert, Lucas Smith, Aemilia Terrone, Jacob Tidd, 27 DOW DRIVE Henry Torres, Freya Van Deusen, and

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Harrison Warner. EAST HARDWICK VT 05836

Come support these talented kids by seeing what they can do--you'll have a great time!

The Cabot Chronicle is published nine times a year and is provided locally free of charge.

No part of this paper may be reproduced without express written permission from The Cabot Chronicle . Publisher is not responsible for typographical errors. Acceptance of advertising is contingent upon publisher’s approval and agreement by advertiser to indemnify publisher from loss or expense on claims based upon contents of advertising. Publisher does not assume liability for errors in any advertising beyond the cost of space occupied by individual item in which the error appeared.

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Shop in Village

by Jeanne Johnson

Seth O’Brien has announced the

was born and raised in Cabot. I graduated from Cabot School in 2007 and have always felt that this community is where I belong! I went away to New York City for college, transferred back to UVM, lived in Montpelier for a few years, and then moved back to the area. Cabot Chronicle: What credentials do you bring to the computer business? Seth O’Brien: I have been repairing computers and electronics for as long as I can remember! When I was in school at Cabot, I would assist the technology teacher (John McSweeney for anyone who has been in Cabot long enough to remember!) and he would give me lots of broken equipment to tinker with and learn how to repair. I have recently

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Services

found old video footage of my 12th birthday party and I had a whole computer lab setup in my parents’ house! When I was younger, the best toys I could have were a bunch of broken electronics - my parents would drive me around to local computer shops and ask for their “junk” for me to tinker with. From there my love of technology continued, I went to college for computer science and have been working for the past ten-plus years as the IT Specialist for the University of Vermont’s Rubinstein School of Environment and Natural Resources. I prefer the hands-on hardware repair work, but I also do a fair amount of website building and maintenance. Cabot Chronicle : How did you get into the drone business? Seth O’Brien: I got my first drone in 2015 as a Christmas gift - I had wanted one for a while, as it seemed like a fun way to combine my love of new technologies and photography. Unfortunately, I crashed it into a tree on the first day flying it, but that didn’t stop me! I was hooked! It was amazing to see the beautiful hills of Vermont from the perspective of a bird soaring over the mountains and through the valley! I spent lots of time practicing and have never had a crash or even a close call since! My wife and I then came up with the idea to do the Vermont 251 Project and attempt to visit every town in the state. When trying to figure out how to document our visits, we had the idea to make a drone video of each town. These turned out to be very popular with locals and our social media really took off. A fall foliage video in Groton State Forest “went viral” and reached over 1.5 million views and WCAX and WPTZ interviewed me on the evening news about the drone videos. At this point I started to get requests for videos of events, for real estate listings, etc. It made sense to try to turn the hobby into a business to cover the cost of all the equipment - and who wouldn’t want to do something so fun that can also make money!?! Cabot Chronicle: What was your most interesting job? Seth O’Brien: That is a tough one to answer. Recently, I would have to say that it was making a real estate video showcasing a local flower farm. Trying to highlight 1000s of flowers that were spread out over four and a half acres of land initially seemed intimidating. The business was also clearly a labor of love for the owners, so I felt like I really had to present it well if they were going to be happy. This kind of video was going to take a lot more artistic thought than a standard real estate listing video (here is the house and here is the land, etc.). What I thought was going to be a stressful editing experience ended up being the most interesting and relaxing video on which I have worked. By the time I finished, I felt like I had a connection to that land and the flowers blowing in the wind. Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=dILkSQWL4Mc. Cabot Chronicle: Why did you decide to open a business in Cabot (and thank you for doing so!) Seth O’Brien: Cabot has always been where I feel like I belong. I have been doing tech work for folks in Cabot on and off since high school and it is always great to catch up with old neighbors, teachers, and others from the community when I service their computers. My wife and I have a beautiful six-month old daughter, so finding something to do for work that is close to home and in our community is even more important to me now. Cabot has served me well growing up and now I hope to be able to give back and serve the community with all their technical and aerial photography needs! Cabot really has a good community spirit going for it. I would take a nice summer evening with locals listening to music at The Den over a big city concert any day. It seems like every time I go in the village store or walk downtown someone stops me and asks how I have been (or asks a random question about a computer)! We have so many great local businesses right here in town and I am honored to be able to add one more to the list! See Seth’s grand opening announcement on page 14 and his directory advertisement on page 15.

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BITUARIES

G. G. William William Livendale “Bill” Livendale

G. William “Bill” Livendale, 91, of Cabot Road passed away Monday, June 20, 2022, at his home. Born on July 16, 1930, in Barre, he was the son of George E. and Alene C. (Walker) Livendale. Growing up in the family home on Merchant Street, Barre, he attended local elementary school and graduated from Spaulding High School in the class of 1948. After graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in Springfield, VT. In 1973, after twenty-five years of service, he retired as a Lieutenant. His entire career was spent as an engineer for the Navy submarines, where he supervised the maintenance of countless subs all over the world. During his military life, he lived in various places such as Scotland, Hawaii, Key West, FL; Virginia; and Portsmouth, NH, to name a few. Soldiers with his occupation were known as Sub-Vets and Bill was most proud to be part of this team. On June 6, 1966, he married Ruth Snow in Hawaii and they became the proud parents of twin boys, Michael and William. After his retirement from the U.S. Navy, he settled in Marshfield, where in

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Eleanor M. Thompson

Eleanor Mary Thompson, age 84, died in Cincinnati, Ohio, on July 6, 2022. She was born in Chicago, IL, on January 14, 1938. Following the death of her father, the family moved to Roslyn, NY. Eleanor graduated from Mineola High School, and at the age of 16 enrolled in the University of New Hampshire. Following graduation, she became a buyer for Korvettes Department Store, a job that allowed her to travel around the world. Travel would remain a passion for the rest of her life, and her family never tired of hearing about her adventures. Returning to school, Eleanor received a degree in physical therapy from Columbia University. An avid skier, in the mid1970s she moved from New York City to Denver. Each winter, she and her friends would ski in Aspen for the season, and she fell in love with the city. She later married Richard W. Spaulding,

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Current Use Application Deadline:

Applications must be submitted or postmarked for new enrollments and additions to existing enrollments to the Current Use Program by September 1. 2022 Current Use Legislation: Act 146: Eligibility of Reserve Forestland for Enrollment in the Use Value Appraisal Program This Act authorizes enrollment of reserve forestland in the Use Value Appraisal Program (UVA) as a new category of managed forestland where active growing and harvesting of forest crops would not be required. The purpose of

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EMORIALS

early years he enjoyed hunting and the outdoors. Maintaining his property was important to Bill. He built a pond in his backyard and stocked it with fish and made sure they were fed regularly. His memberships included the Masonic Lodge, where he had achieved 33 rd degree, the Mount Sinai Temple Shriners and the Sub Vets of New England. Bill was a quiet and private man who truly loved his family. Survivors include his twin sons, Michael “Mike” James Livendale and his wife, Pam of Michigan, and William “Bill” Matthew Livendale and his wife, Allison of California; his four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild as well as his sister Carol Livendale; his cousins Charles Livendale and Gail Walker all of Barre; and special friends John Morse, and Prudy and George Burns. The service to honor and celebrate his life was held on Friday, July 8, 2022, with inturnment in Hope Cemetery in Barre. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Memorial Program of Mt. Sinai Temple No. 3 for the Benefit of Shriners’ Hospitals for Chil-

-0742, or to a charity of one’s choice.

and they settled in Lexington, MA. They divided their time between homes in Lexington, Aspen, and Cabot, VT. In 2020, she moved to Cincinnati to be closer to her nephew and family. Eleanor was devoted to her friends and family. She was admired for her sense of humor, kindness, and compassion. She loved being in the outdoors, skiing, hiking, and camping. She especially loved standard poodles, and her beloved dog Lili was her constant companion. Her smile and laughter uplifted those around her, and she will be greatly missed. Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, her brother, Bernard E. Thompson, and sister, Joyce T. Ammerman. Survivors include her nephew, Robert T. Ammerman, grand-nephews Patrick B. and Evan R. Ammerman, niece-in-law Caroline B. Ammerman, step-daughters Sharon Spaulding and Susan S. Gilbert, step-son-in-law Paul A. Gilbert, and step-granddaughters Amy S. and Lucy A. Gilbert.

adding the Reserve Forestland subcategory is to encourage attainment of old growth forest conditions for the purposes of biodiversity and to mitigate the impact of climate change by making additional parcels and acreage eligible for UVA. New minimum acceptable standards regarding this subcategory will be established by the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation. Reserve Forestland shall be eligible for enrollment in Use Value Appraisal, under Managed Forestland, beginning July 1, 2023.

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Panel in Vermont?

Over the last decade or so while most of us weren’t looking, something very concerning has happened in Vermont: it has become easier to build commercial strip development like a Dollar General store in a rural town than to build renewable energy. Between 2006-2020, 37 Dollar General stores opened in Vermont. By comparison, Vermont hasn’t allowed a utility scale wind array to be built since 2012 and none are being planned for the foreseeable future. I’m not picking on Dollar General, they aren’t breaking any laws and in many communities are the go to place to shop for many residents. But something is very wrong when it’s harder to build the renewable energy we need to stave off climate chaos, than it is to build another chain big-box store. Why is this? In general, unless they trigger Act 250, most commercial projects only have to comply with local zoning ordinances. Meanwhile, commercial renewable energy projects have to run a regulatory gauntlet that gets more restrictive and less predictable every year. By law, Vermont’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) treats each application for commercial wind and solar as a “contested case” litigation requiring more extensive evidence for approval than any other local or state agency permitting. Most wind and solar projects must meet all the same criteria as apply to other development under Act 250 plus comply with additional PUC rules, special criteria set by the Legislature, comply with Town and Regional Plans and obtain permits from ANR before being considered for approval by the PUC. Going through all of this excessive permitting adds a lot of cost to these renewable energy projects and often results in otherwise well planned projects being rejected. In the end, all of this red tape greatly disincentivizes Vermont from going solar. In one example, a landowner in Bradford was trying to install solar panels on a parcel near a highway interchange that was behind a Hannaford’s shopping plaza and next to an existing auto parts supply warehouse, self-storage facility, convenience store and gas station. The PUC denied the permit for the solar array

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OMMENTARY

in the Community Commentary (LTE), those of this newspaper or its affiliates.

based on its aesthetic impacts to this industrial area. It is hard to comprehend how the PUC believes solar panels conflict with the aesthetic nature of an industrial park. The PUC has also crafted the most restrictive statewide sound standard for wind power in the nation, making the siting of wind energy projects basically impossible - Vermont now has a standard for sound from a wind turbine (39 decibels allowed at night) which is quieter than even the 40 decibels of background noise generally allowed in a library! And since no one is planning on damming any more of Vermont’s rivers for hydro power, the only way for us to create more renewable energy in the short term is more solar. Currently, Vermont uses roughly 1,000 megawatts (mw) of power each year. Vermont currently brings about 40mw of new solar on line a year- nowhere near enough for Vermont to be playing its part in combating climate change. And the need for renewables is sure to grow as state policies continue to encourage us to kick our fossil fuel addiction and electrify our transportation and home heating and cooling. have talked to in the solar Experts I energy field say we should be deploying at least 80mw of renewables each year and could if only state regulators would treat the renewable energy industry like they do other businesses - with a fair and predictable permitting process that allows for properly conceived and sited projects that are supported in a town’s plan to move forward. Summing up the problem (and solution), Bill McKibben, a Vermonter leading the global effort to combat climate change, says it best in his outstanding piece, “A Thing So ‘Shocking and Offensive’ It Literally Can’t Be Permitted,” the title of which refers to a sentence in a PUC decision rejecting a solar array visible to just ten homes, again based on aesthetics: “When we look at a solar panel or a wind turbine, we need to be able to see—and our leaders need to help us see, because that’s what leadership involves-that there’s something beautiful reflected back out of that silicon: people finally taking responsibility for the impact our lives have on the world and the people around

by Peter Sterling, Executive Director Renewable Energy Vermont

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Fire Department

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer At the June 21 meeting, Mike Hogan reported the fire department requested time to make a presentation. Speaking for the Fire Department was Chief Dean Deasy, First Assistant Chief Will Ameden, and Second Assistant Chief Nathan Smith. Dean started the presentation by asking everyone to be patient and expressed his hope that, as information is made available, all would conclude a new facility is needed in Cabot. Dean started by talking about the history of the fire department, started in 1867, and its relationship to the town over time. Dean also spoke of carcinogens and other health hazards related to fire fighting. He mentioned that when the original firehouse was built in its current location, it was only a two-bay building. Dean then noted that a lean-to was added in 1970 to support the newly formed ambulance service started in 1967. were He added that two more bays constructed in 1992 and the lean-to was converted into a meeting room. He emphasized that they are not out of room in the current building. Dean said that in 2012 a new firehouse was added to the town plan, and again in 2017. He noted that Cabot is growing and the demands on the fire department are increasing. He said that new safety procedures have been developed in the past five years, including decontamination. Dean emphasized the importance of protecting the safety of each volunteer in the emergency services. He brought forward a new plan for a 9,500 square foot building, reduced from the original 12,000 square foot proposal. Dean pointed out that the Cabot Fire Department’s ISO rating keeps everyone's homeowner’s insurance within reason, and that not having the firehouse centrally located would increase insurance rates. He also noted the proposed location and how the design meets all the requirements that have been set forth. Dean then introduced Will, who spoke about the Junior Firefighters Program, which is for 14- to 18-year-olds. Will also talked in more detail about the proposed public safety building plans, relating the importance of space for firefighters to decompress and cope with the mental health stresses. Nathan spoke next about why he thinks the Fire Department needs a new building. Nathan also spoke to how the Fire Department values the Ambulance Service. Finally, Dean asked the Selectboard to consider three items:

 First, to allow the building committee to contact a construction management company for a free proposal for design build services, to calculate the cost for the proposed new public safety building. promotes their mission to enhance is to empower Cabot residents to participate writer to cover selectboard and other meetings, able to attend. Most meetings are available are posted regularly on Front Porch available on the Town website, CabotVT.US

 Second, to allow the committee to apply for practical alternative funding in the form of available upcoming grants. He noted that this is critical to align funding to offset the cost to the town.  Lastly, he asked the Selectboard to request the Town Clerk to open an account so they can receive donations. Mike asked Dean for the presentations so they can be made available on the town website. Then Mike opened the floor to public questions. Karen Larsen spoke to establish a fuller understanding of the construction of a new emergency building. She said that her understanding was that the current building was not in compliance with current state and federal regulations. She asked if we are at the point where the town needs a new building, or the town would not have a fire department. Dean answered the question by talking about ventilation and decontamination, and how difficult it would be to retrofit the current building. Karen then spoke about her 16-year old son’s experience in the fire department, and of the dangers that firefighters bring home without proper decontamination. Delgaudio and Niels Larsen also in support of the Fire Department. Bill spoke

Ruth Goodrich talked about her respect for the people in the Fire Department and the dangers of the toxicity from fires. She expressed her understanding of the need for a good facility. She said she believes in a good solid foundation of study and cost analysis. She added that the proposal is something for the future and spoke of the importance of maintaining the present building. Next to speak was Sandy Pond, and she brought up Class 4 roads. She wondered if the town needs to look at how the fire department approaches, and has equipment for, the homes on Class 4 roads. Dean said he has been taking the largest truck, the engine, out on the roads to see if there would be any problems. Thus far he has been on Last Road and Cabot Plains without any problems. He postulated that in the future they could have a smaller truck with a pump that could travel on tight driveways. He said the biggest problem may not be the Class 4 roads, but driveways with tight clearances. Sandy also asked who was the “mystery architect” and Dean said he asked not to be named. Larry Gochey then asked about Walden’s and Marshfield’s fire house plans. Dean said Marshfield is talking about an addition and bringing their building up to spec, and Walden is worried about their fire house. Dean also said that Woodbury is constructing a new building across the street from the current facility and keeping the current station. the quality of community life for those in the governance and management for the purpose of keeping community via Zoom for those who would like Forum, or you can call the Town Clerk's by clicking on "Selectboard Meetings.

Eric Scribner lives next door to the proposed location and expressed concern that the proposed site is residential and locating a firehouse there would uproot the families living next to the site. R.D. Eno of the Selectboard responded by asking Dean to describe the process used to decide on the proposed site. Dean listed some of the requirements: city water, city sewer, three-phase power, level site and with good sight lines. Dean said they had looked at other properties, but only the proposed site met all the criteria. He expressed understanding for the residents in the area and said efforts are being made to minimize the impact. John Cookson asked if the Recycling Center was considered for the location and Dean said it was looked at very closely. He pointed out issues with the bridge, and with the intersection with Route 215. Dean said the equipment turning right onto Route 215 from Sawmill Road would cause a hazard. Richie Hourihan returned the discussion to the question about whether the State would close the current firehouse if a new one isn’t built. Dean responded that the firehouse would not be closed. He said the State has written up violations and placed them on file. He said

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Recycling Center

by Frank Kampf, Staff Writer As reported by the Chronicle, at the June 7 meeting, the Selectboard decided not to renew John Cookson’s contract for running the Recycling Center and put the contract out for public bid. At the June 21 meeting, the board went through the process of opening the bids. There was only one bid for the Selectboard to open, which Betty opened and read aloud. The lone bid was from John Cookson and requested a weekly rate of $50 for operating the Recycling Center (previously it was $75), and the fees charged to users would be a tire charge of $5 for up to 17 inches without rims, and a bag charge of $5 for 30-to-35pound bags. With the reduction, the

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By Will Walters

Thirty six units of floats, musicians, ers, Bread and Puppet, plus color guard iff’s cruiser pace car joined the Cabot

Marie Thompson, Will Walters, judges:

 Judges' Choice  Most Historic  Cheesiest  Most Patriotic  Most Agricultural Christ Covenant Maclay Family Cabot Creamery Red Door Bakery Rose and Skip All prize winners received residing, doing business, and visiting of our town. members informed about issues to listen in person. Instructions for

the State is waiting to see how things progress. Neil Alexander expressed that it is more about the safety of the firefighters. He said the current situation is “not safe for us.” R.D. spoke to Richard’s point that it's similar to when the Town built the wastewater plant, in that the State was going to have to take action if the Town hadn’t done something about wastewater in the village. Mike spoke of the importance of the Fire Department for Cabot Creamery and Ruth asked if the Creamery would be willing to help fund a new fire house, to which the answer was yes. She then expressed a desire to see how the pond on the proposed site would be protected from contaminants. She continued to talk about her concern of contaminants and there wasn’t any response to her questions or concerns. The Selectboard concluded the discussion by approving motions in support of Dean’s previous request regarding obtaining estimated construction costs, investigating grants, and opening an account for donations. At the end of the meeting, Betty reiterated that the Fire Department’s presentation would be posted to the town website shortly.

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Update

town will save $1300 a year. Betty added that John has up to date insurance and all the required permits. R.D. Eno said he was in favor of awarding the contract for the fee it was previously written. The Selectboard mulled over if that was permissible. R.D. made a motion to award the contract under the terms of the previous contract, from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2024. The motion was seconded, and R.D reasserted that his motion was for the previous amount and Mike disagreed. Mike said the terms would be for what was in the bid. The Selectboard voted to approve the motion, however the minutes reflect that the motion was for the terms of his bid.

dancers, bikand SherParade.

Noel Duprey and Abby Reed were

Church of Marshfield – hay wagons of Marshfield - 1935 automobile - 18-wheeler rig - decorated float Bothfield - old red tractor $50 cash award.

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Trails:

Gary Gulka spoke as the secretary of the Trails Committee. He described that ultimately the trail network would be interconnected, and in some instances interconnected by Class 3 and Class 4 roads. The committee wanted to know if they could place directional signs on roads for the trails. Mike expressed concerns over state requirements on signage. Ian asked Gary what type of signs they are considering. Kris Schmitt said the signs would be about six inches by eight inches, and they would just point out the direction to go for the trail. Gary volunteered to check with the State about signage requirements, and related Cabot trails signs are similar to what is done for the Cross Vermont Trail.

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Trees:

The next topic was about the replacement of trees on the Common. Roland Payne told the Selectboard he was considering replacing the two dead elm trees (already removed) with cherry trees or disease-free chestnut trees. Fred Ducharme wanted to know the water requirements of the two different trees and Roland said that water wasn’t the problem that killed the elm trees, but rather insects. The Selectboard mulled over the topic and decided to plant Chestnut trees. Roland said that fall conditions are needed to plant the trees, and it will not happen this summer.

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Highway Department:

When the agenda reached the Highway, Ian talked about the need for a new pickup. He said it's a 2015 model and will cost $2200 for current repairs. Ellen Cairns asked about the budgeting for new trucks. Mike said they try to rotate the trucks. Ian said they have a new salt truck this year, which is leased for five years, and they will be replacing it every five years. He added that the plan is to

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Permits:

Betty proposed a rate increase for Driveway and Zoning Permits, as well as Development Review Board (DRB) Applications. She said that the expenses are exceeding what they are charging. She proposed increasing Driveway and Zoning permits from $40 to $60, and the DRB application to $125. She explained the costs are to cover the costs of advertising in two print media, and postage. After some discussion of the need for print advertising, the Selectboard approved the increase starting July 1st.

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Juneteenth:

Betty spoke about the Juneteenth holiday, which had been celebrated nationally the previous day. She said she is not too familiar with the holiday, but that it is for the signing of the emancipation proclamation. She said in the past, the Town has kept aligned with the State and Federal holidays. She noted that both the State and the Federal have made it a holiday. R.D. pointed out that he supported recognizing the holiday and said that it’s the date on which the signing of the proclamation was made known to the African Americans of Galveston Texas. Ellen Cairns said that it is not a State recognized holiday, and Mike agreed and said the motion was addressing that the Town would be recognizing it as a holiday. The motion was approved by the board.

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Cabot Tree Warden

Every summer I receive calls reporting Giant Hogweed growing along Cabot roadsides. In every case so far, the plants reported have been American Cow-parsnip (Heracleum maximum) incorrectly identified as Giant Hogweed (Heracleum Mantegazzianum). There are multiple similarities between these two plants, but Giant Hogweed is a much larger and dangerous invasive plant. American Cow-Parsnip, a native plant, is a noxious weed per the federal noxious weed act of 1974. Though remarkably similar, American CowParsnip and Giant Hogweed are readily identifiable as different plants. American Cow-Parsnip prefers growing on streamside’s and in damp open meadows. It is also an aggressive grower and can easily outcompete native plants, soon dominating a landscape. It has hollow stems one to one and a half inches in diameter and the leaves are as large as one and a half feet across. The stems are green and smooth. Plants grow four to seven feet tall, typically, but can grow as tall as fifteen feet in the right conditions. Giant Hogweed is native to Asia and Europe, introduced to North America in 1917 as an ornamental plant. An aggressive grower like American CowParsnip it is much larger in size. It grows along riverbanks and in temperate forests. The hollow stems are two to four inches in diameter and leaves can be as large as three to five feet across. The stems have dark reddish-purple spots and bristles. Giant Hogweed can grow up to eighteen feet tall. The sap of both plants contains photo toxins and will cause blistering of the skin if exposed to UV light, so please avoid contact with skin if around either of these plants. The only patch of Giant Hogweed in Cabot I am aware of is on Elm street. Cedric Alexander and I are remediating the Giant Hogweed plants. We cut all Giant Hogweed plants found growing in May and again in June. After cutting the plants three times this year, it appears under control, but will require cutting again in August as more plants grow back. The plants are herbaceous biennial, living only two years, but the plants seeds are viable for up to ten years, meaning remediation efforts will need to continue for years to completely eradicate this invasive plant from Elm street.

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Considering Options

by Greg Burtt, Chair

The CCIF committee has been at

work meeting every second Thursday of

the month. We meet at 6:00 p.m. at the

Recreation Field Pavilion during the

warmer months and encourage Cabot The mission statement of the CCIF residents to come and learn more about reads, “The purpose of the Cabot Comthe Cabot Community Investment Fund munity Investment Fund (CCIF) Plan is and give input to help us shape the futo provide financial resources, through a ture of the fund and it’s uses. fair and consistent process, to local indiThe CCIF is currently invested in viduals and groups for activities and prostocks and bonds through Union Bank. jects that serve to strengthen the ecoIt is comprised of a Trust fund of about nomic, cultural, educational, environ$520,000.00 and a Scholarship fund of mental, and social well-being of the $220,00.00. The Scholarship fund is Cabot community.” The committee is used to provide scholarships to Cabot investigating ways to best utilize the residents who wish to further their edufund to implement this mission statecation - be it toward college expenses, ment. We plan to submit an article for getting your CDL, advanced job training, vote at the 2023 Town Meeting to let the and any other training or education to voters of Cabot decide the future direcadvance your current or future career. tion of the fund. Options include: Further Cabot website info is to available those interested on the Town in ap- of

plying. The Trust fund has been used to

provide loans and grants to Cabot busi-

nesses, Cabot School, and various pro-

jects and expenses for the Town of Cabot.

The CCIF is managed according to

the CCIF plan, also available on the

Town of Cabot website. As the fund cur-

rently stands, the plan will not allow the

CCIF committee to disburse any addi-

tional funds from the Trust fund until

the rate of return improves or expenses

decrease.  Allowing the committee to invest the

fund to achieve higher rates of return.  Sequestering the fund for a time, after

all outstanding financial obligations

are met.  Investing the entire Trust and Scholar-

ship funds into carefully chosen pro-

jects in our community.  Restructuring the management of the

fund so that Cabot School and the

Town of Cabot manage their own

funds.

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Cabot School Fifth Grade

This school year, the 5th grade students at Cabot School wrote articles of interest to them. They published them in a short newspaper that was distributed during their exhibition of learning. We want to share some of those pieces here as they capture the work that students engaged in at school. Are you wondering: What’s going on in school? Here’s what they wanted to share with you. Submitted by Rebecca Tastistcheff, Cabot School Principal

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By Amyra Simmons

This year the kindergarteners started a program called Teddy Bear Curriculum. I heard about it and decided to interview the Kindergarten teacher, Liza, so I can get some more information about it. One of the questions that I asked was how do the kindergarteners use their teddy bears? Liza has noticed that they use them for both their emotions and for play. Another question that I asked was, what exciting things have the kindergarteners done with their teddy bears? Liza told me that they make their own personalized clothes for the teddy bear, draw cute family portraits and take pictures. My second to last question was, how can the kindergarteners personalize their teddy bears? I learned that they make lovely names and personality traits for their teddy bears. Lastly, I asked, do you plan on using these bears for next year’s kindergarteners? And this answer is an obvious yes, because it has been a big hit. The school is winding down, but the Kindergarten class will not need to worry about their teddy bears. Liza will create a special time for the Kindergarten class to transition their bears from school to home so they can keep their teddy bears, forever. Next year’s Kindergarten class will have a lot to look forward to next year with their teddy bears!

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Cabot Leads

by Vivian Bruney Cabot Leads is a program that the Cabot School has been doing for 5 years. Cabot Leads is a way for 5th-12th grade students to learn responsibility and to help our Cabot community. “Cabot Leads is an innovative jobs/leadership program that empowers student-voice, cultivates new skills, and provides authentic opportunities for personalized learning. The program also gives students the opportunity to take an active role in contributing to the Cabot community.” says Peter Stratman, a middle school teacher and one of the head teachers of the program Some job examples are Tech Support, Prep Cook, Farm Apprentice, Buddy Reader, Library Assistant, School News Reporter, Gardens and Grounds Manager, and many more. Students go to these jobs 1-3 times a week for 30 minutes to an hour. The amount of time that the students spend at their jobs depends on the job and when they need help. The teachers at Cabot School are in full support of the program for example, Dana Nelson the PE/health teacher says “I think it is a great opportunity for students to work on their professionalism and build relationships. It holds our students accountable to show up on time and support the school.” manalso states “We've Peter Stratbeen forced to scale back during the pandemic, but it's a fantastic program.” “I think it is a great program, both for the students participating and the younger students they interact with in class!” says Liam Hart, the elementary music teacher. The students are also in support of the program. 7th grade student Satori Rossi says “I think Cabot Leads will be interesting and fun”. As I'm sure you can see the Cabot School community is in full support of the program. Cabot Leads is a great program. The Cabot Leads program helps build real life experiences and community connections. The teachers and students appreciate the program and look forward to many more years with it.

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By Lily Monaco

There are new teachers at the Cabot School. For my article, I interviewed several of the new teachers to get to know them better. The first teacher that I will introduce you to is Liza. Liza is a Kindergarten teacher. She likes to teach because she loves “spending so much time with kids their joy and excitement about learning makes me more excited about learning!” Liza is from Newton, MA. She was a piano teacher. This is her 8th year of teaching. Her favorite thing to teach is reading and math. She likes to learn with her students. The next teacher that I interviewed was Kyla. Kyla is a first and second grade teacher. She said that she likes teaching because every day she gets to learn with her students. She lived in New York, but she's been living in Vermont for almost 10 years . Before she was a teacher she was a server In restaurants. She likes to teach her students math. The last new teacher that I interviewed was Lauren. She loves to teach her students new things. She was born in Peru and grew up in Texas and Virginia. This is her 7th year teaching. Before Lauren was a general education teacher, she was a special education teacher. Her first job was at Target when she was 16 years old. She loves teaching math, history and science. She likes teaching because her students always come up with different ways to solve problems. I hope you enjoyed learning about some of the new teachers at Cabot School. Thank you for reading.

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By Nora Churchill

Here at Cabot School we have some farmers! I interviewed Kris Stecker, the Cabot School Nurse and local farmer. She answered my questions to help me understand what she does at a farm. I asked Kris what type of cows she liked better, milk cows or beef cows. She said she liked milk cows better than beef cows because milk cows are friendlier. In my opinion, I agree with Kris, but I have not had the chance to have a beef farm. I also asked Kris why she likes farming. Kris likes farming because she lived in a town that had one farm. She was not into farming until she met her future husband, Paul Stecker who happened to work at that one farm in her town. He brought Kris to the farm and she was hooked, she loved all of the cows and calves. Kris has been farming for 34 years and hasn’t been on a vacation with her husband for 22 years. This summer they are going to Washington State to visit their daughter. I am happy they can do that and I think it will be fun for them. I’d be excited too if I were them.

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Husky of the Week

by Bella Miller Hey everyone! In this article I will be telling you about the Cabot School’s Husky of the Week program. First things first, you may be wondering “what is the Husky of the Week program?” Well that's why I’m here. The Husky of the Week program is when there is a student that follows all of the Cabot Values that are in place for the school. The Cabot values are respect, kindness, responsibility, and engagement. When someone does their best to follow our values, the teacher picks a student that stood out the most for the week and they become the Husky of the Week. Then, on Friday morning, the principal and the music teacher come into the classroom to sing a song to the Husky of the Week. This only happens for grades k-6. I wondered how it felt to be picked as Husky of the Week. I interviewed one of the Huskies of the Week, the survey below is from one of the Huskies of the Week. I think that the Husky of the Week makes kids want to follow the husky way more. I should know because I got Husky of the Week and it feels like you have won a reward for doing something awesome! If you're in Cabot School, I hope you get Husky of the Week!

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By Caden Veroneau

At Cabot School we have a high school band. The high school band teacher is Brian Boyes, he is one of the best music teachers I've ever known. I asked Brian for information, such as, how the band is set up, who else helps set up the band and what instruments they have. I. How is the band set up? “Our setup changes depending on what we are working on. For rehearsals, we like to set up in a circle so that everyone can see and hear each other. This really helps with communication and collaboration. But as we get closer to performances, we change our setup so that we are on the stage and we are facing the audience. We do this for a few weeks so that the musicians get used to playing without being able to see each other as well. This means that they need to use their listening skills more to perform successfully. II. Other people that help set up the band: Some of our band students also learn how to wire up the sound system and how to mix or engineer the sound for the theater. These students also learn how to set up and take down (or strike) the band setup. This is an important skill because when we do performances off campus we have to set up really quickly before a show. Our next performance is this May. We are currently creating an original musical play that has time travel in it. III What instruments do you have? If you have any singers, and finally who chooses the songs? The song selections are done by both me and the students. I really pay attention to what musical interests the students have along with what skills they need to work on. I work really hard to choose songs that will be challenging (while also allowing the student's musical strengths to shine through) and of interest to the musicians. Here's our instrumentation: 2 singers 4 guitars 1 marimba 1 drummer 1 bass 2 keyboards 3 horns (alto saxophone, tenor saxophone, trumpet) I am looking forward to being in the middle school band, hopefully next year, and having Brian as my teacher. I want to play either guitar, bass or the drums. I hopefully will learn a lot.

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ARTIST SHOWCASE

Many artistic residents call Cabot home, and a great deal of creativity occurs behind closed doors. The Cabot Chronicle has embarked on a mission to shine a light on the work of these talented neighbors, seeking to highlight their work and understand their story. With a CCF grant to pay for color printing photos of the art, we are embarking on an irregular schedule of interviews and work samples for your pleasure. This is the first article in the series.

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Art of Many Textures

by Jeanne Johnson Joanne Vecchiloa lives in a lovely brick cape just up the road from Durant Cemetery on VT Route 215 in Cabot. Growing up in Massachusetts, she was inspired and encouraged by Ray Brown, her art teacher at Quincy High School. She spent most of her high school years primarily in the art room exploring photography, painting, and etching. Joanne moved to Vermont in 1975, married, had three sons, and attended the Goddard Experimental Program in Further Education. She graduated with Joanne Vecchiola a BA in Art Education from Norwich University. College changed everything and as a single mom she moved to Montpelier in 1982 and began teaching to support her family. She met Bill Blakeney in 1993 through friends and they married and moved to Cabot. Bill was a fantastic woodturner and businessman and together they established Dunham Brothers Painting and Decorating where Joanne ran the office and did specialized decorative painting jobs. After years of drawing and painting, Joanne gravitated to working with clay. She started working on the wheel and eventually found her way to ceramic sculpture. (see ‘Joanne Vecchiola’, page 9)

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Joanne Vecchiola

(continued from page 8) After her retirement from Dunham Brothers and Bill’s death in 2018, her work with clay became more focused. She has exhibited around Vermont at the Chandler Gallery, Highland Center for the Arts, Catamount Arts and most recently the Art Barn in Cabot. On a recent trip to Mexico, she worked in a studio with other ceramic artists and was inspired by the lovely flowers of Mexico to create a large installation of 40 ceramic calla lilies. Her current ceramic work explores using photographs as a guide for imagery on clay boxes, which she then carves and experiments with a variety of underglazes and glazes. At the time of this interview, she had just received a shipment of underglazes to work with and was very excited about the potential of using new colors on recently made clay box forms. Her breadth of ceramic exploration extends to creating amazing cups, plates, and saucers, including individual celebratory commission work. Her first commission was to create a baby plate for a friend incorporating the baby's footprints along with lace, rosebuds, and words. She continues to accept commission work in ceramics for special occasions, such as weddings, engagements, and memorials. Her ceramic boxes and large wall flowers, along with plates, cups, and bowls, can be seen at the Art Barn and will be included in the September exhibit there. Joanne can be reached by email at joannevecchiola@gmail.com or phone

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Back to School

by Rebecca Tatistcheff, Principal We are excited to welcome students back to school on August 24. This will be the first year that my update to families and the community has not talked about the technicalities of responding to the global COVID pandemic. However, this does not mean that the lasting impacts of the pandemic are a thing of the past. This year, we will continue to focus on sustainability and coherence through the lens of patience and empathy. Over the past two years, despite incredibly trying circumstances, Cabot School has begun to deepen our programmatic and fiscal sustainability and coherence. We have incredible bright spots to celebrate and grow from. Our teaching teams and teaching model will remain intact across the school community, allowing teachers and students to deepen their connections. In addition to staffing sustainability and coherence, we are also continuing to deepen our commitment and understanding of projectbased learning. Last year, all students participated in at least one public exhibition of learning that provided them an opportunity to share their learning with an audience beyond their teacher and their peers. These authentic experiences will only deepen as students continue to learn critical skills of collaboration and communication. In addition to those who are staying with us, we are welcoming five exceptional new members to our teaching team. Lauren Warner joins us as an elementary theater teacher with years of experience in teaching and community theater, and we welcome her and her family who made the trek from Colorado this summer. Rory Woodard joins us our school librarian; we are excited for her to continue to grow and deepen our incredibly diverse and inclusive collection. Carolyn Zuaro joins us after several years of teaching in Southern Vermont and many years as an artist, to support our young visual artists across the school. Lauren Cleary joins us as our elementary school counselor; Lauren has been a member of our larger Supervisor Union community as a parent for many years and brings a wealth of experience with our local community and commitment to the mental health and

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CABOT SCHOL

wellbeing of young people. Collin Cole will join our community after five years of teaching at an arts-based school in Florida and will support our seventh to twelfth graders with deepening their math and science learning. Traditions like buddy crew hikes, winterfest, and field day will continue to be highlights of our work across our school. And we will continue to value relationships and connection as the primary way to ensure student learning is holistic. We will continue to emphasize the importance of transferable skills to help students adapt to an ever-changing world within the context of social emotional wellness and connection. Lastly, our work this year will focus on patience. While the urgency of the pandemic response may appear to be over, the wounds caused by the pandemic are still tender and often hidden for adults and students alike. Each member of our community has experienced some loss due to COVID, and each member of our community will experience that loss differently. Our work as a school community will be to have patience with that healing, to take the lead of students, and to remember that the lasting impacts of this collective trauma may not ever be fully known but will likely be ever present for all members of the Cabot community. Thank you for continuing to support our small community school. I hope you’ll take the time to visit us this year for an exhibition or to reach out to set-up a time to speak with me or some our students or teachers. You can find out more about events and student work by visiting cabotschool.org and clicking on Teaching and Learning . You can see updates via our Facebook page.

districts with one to five English Learning (EL) students enrolled, and categorical aid of $50,000 for school districts with six to 25 EL students enrolled. Changes to these weights are made effective for FY 2025. Because these updated weights will impact schools’ tax rates differently, there is a transition provision that limits a district’s tax rate annual increase to five percent over a maximum of five years. Updates pupil weights and limits, the degree to which homestead property tax rates can increase over fiscal years 2025–2029. Suspends the excess spending penalty during fiscal years 2024–2029, and the hold harmless provision and ballot language requirements during fiscal years 2025–2029. Requires the Agency of Education to implement the universal income declaration form for the 2023–24 school year. Sets out required English learner services to be offered by school districts and provides categorical aid for English learner services to districts with 25 or fewer English learners. Creates new positions at the Agency of Education.

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Here's what to know

Starting July 16, people in mental health crisis have a new three-digit number, 988, through which to reach trained counselors. People experiencing a mental health crisis have a new way to reach out for help in the U.S. Starting Saturday, they can simply call or text the numbers 9-88. Modeled after 911, the new threedigit 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is designed to be a memorable and quick number that connects people who are suicidal or in any other mental health crisis to a trained mental health professional. "If you are willing to turn to someone in your moment of crisis, 988 will be there," said Xavier Becerra, the secretary of the federal Department of Health and Human Services, at a recent press briefing. "988 won't be a busy signal, and 988 won't put you on hold. You will get help." The primary goal of the new number is to make it easier for people to call for help. Lawmakers and mental health advocates also see this launch as an opportunity to transform the mental health care system and make care easily accessible everywhere in the United States. The Biden administration has invested more than $400 million in beefing up crisis centers and other mental health services to support the 988 system. Here is what you need to know about the new number and the effort to expand access to urgent mental health care. 988 fills a big gap in mental health crisis care Currently, the majority of people experiencing a mental health emergency end up dialing 911. The problem is that 911 wasn't set up to address mental health needs. Either callers end up in a frenetic emergency room, waiting for hours and sometimes days to get care, or they end up interacting with law enforcement, which can lead to tragedy or trauma. Mental health advocates hope that 988 will become a widely known, safer and more effective alternative. "Unlike other medical emergencies, mental health crises overwhelmingly result in a law enforcement response," says psychologist Benjamin Miller, president of Well Being Trust. "If you look at the data from the police, about 20% of their total staff time is spent reAmends the education quality standards. Requires an evaluation of the act in achieving the act’s goals. Requires the Joint Fiscal Office to contract for services to review Career and Technical Education (CTE) funding and governance structures. Requires the Department of Taxes to make recommendations regarding the implementation of an income-based education tax system to replace the homestead property tax system.

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Health

sponding and transporting individuals who are experiencing a mental health crisis." Just last year, he adds, more than "two million people with serious mental illness were booked in jail." And nearly a quarter of fatal shootings by the police in recent years have involved people with mental illness, he adds. The goal of the effort behind 988 is to ultimately reduce these kinds of confrontations with law enforcement and connect people in crisis to help right away. It's part of a longer-term effort to ramp up mental emergency response teams around the country. The idea for 988 has been in the works for a few years. In 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law a bipartisan bill to create this number to respond to all mental health crises. It's a joint effort by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 988 connects callers to a network of trained counselors The 988 lifeline will connect people to the existing network of more than 200 local crisis call centers around the country. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline's 10-digit number — 1-800-2738255 — will remain active, but calls will be routed to 988. People who call or text the number will be connected to a trained counselor at a crisis center closest to them. If a local crisis center is too busy to respond right away, the call gets routed to one of 16 backup centers around the country. For the vast majority of people who call the current National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, the call itself is an effective intervention. "We know that close to 90% of people who call get what they need from the phone call," says Chuck Ingoglia, CEO of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The remaining 10% of callers may need additional support or in-person (see ‘988 Hotline, page 11)

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Serious federal funds are supporting

988's launch Ever since its launch in 2005, the existing 10-digit lifeline has seen increasing use. But until recently, local call centers received very little federal funding. "They've been operating on shoestring for many, many years," says John Draper, the executive director of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Many centers have closed because of lack of resources in recent years. According to the HHS, in 2021 the lifeline received 3.6 million calls, chats and texts. But a 2021 report by SAMHSA found that the current system is able to respond to only 85% of calls, 56% of texts and 30% of chats. Health officials project that the number of calls, chats and texts will at least double in the first full year after 988 goes live. To prepare for this rise in demand, the federal government has made significant investments in the network. "Earlier this year, Congress finally started appropriating additional dollars to provide support to call centers so that they could hire dedicated staff to work on the 988 number," says Ingoglia, of the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. The Biden administration has dedicated $432 million — up from $24 million — toward building the capacity of local and backup call centers and providing associated services, including a subnetwork for Spanish speakers, according to a statement from the HHS. And that's significant, says Draper. "A number of centers are [now] being funded in ways that they've never received funds before, so it's very encouraging," he says. The centers have been able to hire new staff, and the lifeline has been able to expand the capacity of backup centers. And he's already seeing an impact on the lifeline's ability to respond to those who reach out, he says. For example, he says, "right now we're answering over 90% of our chats. And this time last year it was closer to 20 to 23%." This could be the start of a new era, but there's a long road ahead It will take time and more resources for 988 to reach its ultimate goal, advocates say. "This is the beginning of a story," says Ingoglia. "It's going to continue to require investment at the federal level, at the state level, at the local level, to really make sure that this reaches its potential." The 2020 law allows states to pass legislation to add a small fee to cellphone bills as a permanent source of funds for 988 and associated mental health services. (That approach is used to help support 911 services.) But so far, only four states have done so, and only two more have legislation in the works. A recent survey of 180 public health officials from around the country by the nonprofit research group Rand Corp. found that 51% of respondents said they were not involved in developing a strategic plan for 988. And only 16% said they had created a budget to support 988 operations. But "a lot of states are recognizing the really critical need around mental health and mental health emergency access right now," says Lauren Conaboy, vice president of national policy at Centerstone, a behavioral health and addiction service provider operating in several states. So she's hopeful that once the number goes live, more states will eventually start enacting legislation to better support 988 in the long run. That would include investing in initiatives like the mobile crisis team and crisis stabilization unit that helped the Kimball family in Oregon, as well as other behavioral health services, including addiction care. "The transition to 988 has come to represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to revisit and reconceptualize how crisis services are resourced and delivered in communities across the country," says Colleen Carr, director of the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention at Education Development Center. SAMHSA's Delphin-Rittmon is urging states and territories to invest more in transforming the country's mental health crisis response system. Despite the slow progress in many states, mental health advocates are excited about 988. "We've got to get the training wheels on it and get it out of the garage and start pedaling, knowing that this is a process," says Becky Stoll, vice president for crisis and disaster management at Centerstone. "We can keep maturing it and getting it towards being adequately capable in all areas."

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Consulting and Gardening

It’s the heart of summer in Vermont, and vegetable gardens and orchards are overflowing. It’s wonderful (and healthful) to have a table full of local foods from your garden and neighboring farms. And all this great food doesn’t have to be a fleeting pleasure…with a little planning and work, you can enjoy local food for months, or even yearround. Intimidated by canning? No worries! There are lots of other ways to preserve food: freezing, dehydration, fermenting, and root cellaring, and room temperature storage. Regardless of the method, always use the best, freshest produce; don’t bother saving fruits and veggies that are past their prime.

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Freezing:

Freezing foods is fast and simple. If you freeze food on a baking sheet before bagging, the frozen food stays separated for easy use. Berries can be frozen as they are; other fruits may need pitting or peeling. Vegetables need to be blanched (a quick dunk in boiling water followed by ice water) before freezing, to destroy enzymes that cause them to get tough and stringy. Cooked foods freeze great: think pureed squash, jam, pie filling, or extra corn cut from the cob after boiling a vat full for company. To avoid freezer burn, store frozen foods in airtight wrapping with all the air removed. Vacuum baggers are great if you can afford one, but you can also use a drinking straw to suck the air out of a good quality plastic bag.

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Dehydrating:

Dehydrating is great for herbs. To preserve the flavor in herbs, store them as whole or lightly crumbled leaves in jars or airtight bags, and crumble them finer when you add them to your cooking. Fruits and veggies need to be sliced thinly and evenly before drying. You can also make your own fruit leather, excellent for lunchboxes or hiking, and less expensive than store bought.

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Fermentation:

Many vegetables can be fermented for storage, with the side benefit of adding probiotics to your diet. Cut or shred vegetables, pack into jars, add salt brine and herbs & spices, allow to sit at room temperature for three or four days, and another 4-6 weeks in a cool dark place for flavors to develop. Sauerkraut, kim-

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Root cellar:

Lots of root crops (potatoes, carrots, turnips, rutabaga) will keep all winter in a root cellar space. You don’t need a whole separate cellar, just a space that stays a bit above freezing, a bit damp, dark, and with a little air flow. washed potatoes and We keep uncarrots in feed bags through March, in a boxed-in section of uninsulated basement wall. Some apple varieties also store well in a root cellar, but because they give off gas that causes ripening and spoilage, don’t store other produce with your apples.

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Basement and kitchen storage:

Winter squash, onions, and shallots keep well at 50-55 F, about the temperature of most unheated basements. Softneck garlic (the type you see braided) does just fine hanging in the kitchen all winter. that! Doesn’t get any easier than

I hope you’ll be inspired to try one of these methods to save some of this summer’s goodies for later use. In midwinter, when you open a jar of herbs, or taste frozen raspberries with a splash of maple, you’ll be glad you took the time to put a little something by. If you feel you need a little guidance on food preservation, check out the following books, or feel free to reach out to me, the Garden Goddess; it’s one of my consulting services.  Putting Food By , by Green, Hertzberg, & Vaughan  The Art Of Fermentation , by Sandor Katz  The Beginner’s Guide to Dehydrating Food , by Theresa Marrone  Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables , by Mike and Nancy Bubel

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Neighbors in Action

Neighbors in Action is launching a new series of workshops designed to help you make the most of summer’s abundance. Whether it’s the tomatoes from your garden, the case of blueberries on sale at the farmer’s market, or the bag of zucchini your neighbor snuck in your open car window, we should all take the opportunity to save these wonderful items for the winter. The five-part Capture the Harvest Workshop Series will run Monday evenings, 5:30-7 p.m., August 15, 22 and 29, with some additional dates in September to be announced, at the Neighbors in Action building on Main Street in Cabot. The series will teach participants how to freeze, dehydrate, ferment and can everything from veggies to fresh herbs, and even meats and dairy. We are fortunate to have a wealth of knowledge in our own community and homesteaders Ewa Senkowska and Carrie Randolph will both be leading these workshops. Are you curious whether you need to blanch your carrots before you freeze them? Can you freeze dairy? Or perhaps you’d love to save money on expensive dried herbs at the store. Do you love sauerkraut but have always found fermentation to be a mystery? These workshops will answer all these questions and more! Best of all, the workshops are FREE and all needed materials are provided. You’ll walk away with knowledge and even a sample of what you prepared! If you’re a home gardener, thrifty shopper, or just looking to stretch your food dollars, be sure to check it out! Space is limited, so RSVP today at www.NeighborsinActionVT.org! All participants will be entered into a raffle to win a FREE dehydrator! What a great way to make your own jerky, fruit rollups, herbal teas and more. Enjoy the abundance of the season!

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Cabot Harvest Hub Manager

Summer is a special time in Vermont – short, but so abundant! Green hills, day lilies on the sites of the road, open air concerts, farmer’s markets… As the days grow warmer, the Cabot Harvest Hub’s online shop is filling with fresh produce, fruit and onfarm-made products such as garlic scape pesto. The Harvest Hub will host its very own Pop-Up Market on Saturday, August 20, from 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at the Neighbors in Action building on 39 Main Street. Local food vendors and artists will sell their goods and Cabot’s Dale Brown will be playing live music! The Cabot Harvest Hub was founded in 2021 as a platform to support local food producers and artists and make their creations available to our community. The Harvest Hub online shop is basically a digital farmer’s market. Our local vendors sell anything from fresh bread, meat and produce to handmade gifts and wellness products. A lot of the Harvest Hub’s products could be described as “beyond organic”, which means the farmer is following sustainable farming practices and doesn’t use any pesticides or herbicides. The results are high quality, delicious food products. Even my six-year old can taste the difference! When I made meatballs with Hollister Hill’s ground beef for the first time, my son exclaimed: “Can you always buy this meat from now on, Mama?” And five minutes later he asked me: “Can I have more?! This is so good!” It’s sweet to see how my children are starting to connect with our Harvest Hub’s producers. In their curiosity, they are asking questions such as, “Is this jelly from the woman who also raises goats?” And they were thrilled to discover a picture of our neighbor’s sauna on the Harvest Hub’s website. They experience first hand what it means to buy local and to support farmers in our own community.

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Abundance

One of my most enjoyable tasks this summer will be to visit our Harvest Hub’s producers at their farms and studios. I take photos and conduct little interviews to share in our weekly emailed newsletter and on our website – what a great way to get to know my neighbors and local business owners! Here is how the Harvest Hub works: Members of the Hub shop weekly, from Monday at noon until Thursday at 5 p.m., and pick up their goods in Cabot (3339 Main Street) on Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. If you are curious about becoming a Member, head over to our site at www.CabotHarvestHub.org to load up your cart. You can use code: SHOPLOCAL at the checkout for a free 6week membership. You might be surprised that you can not only buy the greater part of your groceries through the Harvest Hub – but you will also find wonderful gifts for friends and family. Think about a gift basket of local goodies for someone in your life who is leaving for college this fall or a gift certificate for a family with a new baby. The Cabot Harvest Hub is currently looking for producers who would like to sell raw milk, Artisan cheese or lacto-fermented vegetables (such as Sauerkraut) through our online store. Please send an email to Sarah Spletzer - We lter s at c abo tharvesthub@gmail.com if you make any products that would be a great addition to our online shop! Last but not least I can’t possibly write this article without mentioning how much fun we had on the 4 th of July! As we handed out little samples from our Harvest Hub producers, we so enjoyed the beautiful weather and great crowd that showed up to the parade on Main Street! Thanks to E.N.D.’s Blends for providing us with a selection of their 20+ varieties of herbal and black teas and to Broadfork Farm for the yummy goat milk caramels! Enjoy the abundance of summer, everyone!

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August 9

Join youth librarian Amanda Otto for ocean themed stories, songs, crafts and activities this summer! Stay after for snacks and active play on the swing sets, sand box and fields for hiking and birdwatching. Story and Activity Time will take a short break mid-August we will start back up again Tuesday, August 26 - 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. All are welcome!

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Summer Reading Program - June

15 - August 13 (all ages) Over 70 children have signed up for our reading challenge - join them, there’s still time and it's easy! Stop by the library and pick up a tally sheet and stickers to record your reading. Read 15 minutes a day for 15 days. When you are done, bring your tally sheet to the library and pick out a free book, t-shirt and an additional prize open to kids of all ages. Join the Thousand Page Club - read 1,000 pages and receive a voucher for a free pint of ice cream at the Cabot Village Store!

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Camp with Tara Goreau

In the beginning of July, several youth helped to paint a large-scale mural at the Cabot Rec Field Pavilion. The mural project led by professional artist Tara Goreau was funded by a grant from Vermont Afterschool. The vivid and colorful painting features both local flora and fauna as well as several fantastical elements. The first session of mural camp was a big success! Cabot resident and mural assistant, Declan O’Connor, aged 16, said, “This program was great because it allowed community members like me to add something to this space. Being someone who is a senior and will be graduating next year, it is nice to be able to leave a bit of a lasting mark.” Participants enjoyed getting to collaborate with a professional artist on the project, too. Tara provided ample opportunities for the young artists to decide which elements should be included and encouraged them to paint in their own style.

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Summer Events at the Jaquith Public Library

All events are free and held at the library (unless noted otherwise)

or email: jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com or visit our website: www.jaquithpubliclibrary.org

Summer Concert Series Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Come on down to the Old Schoolhouse Common gazebo for six free summer concerts! Enjoy great food from local food vendors, the bake & book sale by the Friends of the Jaquith and bid on fantastic items in the Silent Auction. Mary Rogerson, aged 11, also from Cabot, commented on how much she enjoyed the program, stating, “I have had a lot of fun during this project and I’m proud of what I’ve done.” During breaks, participants enjoyed an assortment of fresh fruit and other healthy snacks and even got to squeeze in a game or two of chess with Tara along the way. Join us for more fun during Mural Camp - Session 2! Session 2: August 3 - 5 th , 2 - 5 p.m. (ages 10-18) - Please email amandaotto.cabotlibrary@gmail.com to register for one or more days. The Night Sky – the week of August 8-12 th – 8 p.m. – 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 will 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. In progress mural featuring Tara Goreau and several of the mural participants. From left: Jacob Tidd, Declan O’Connor, Mary Rogerson, Leilah Thompson, Natalie Gouge, Eleanor and Penelope Otto, Noeisha Shuart, Tara Goreau and Sarah Thompson Our fall programs will be announced later this month on Front Porch Forum, Cabot Connects and our website - cabotlibrary.com. Thanks so much to the Library Trustees for their continued dedication to the library: Grace Hoffman, Niall McCallum, Angela Ogle, Kurt Steinert and Beth Wade and our student representative, Ila Steinert. Thanks especially to the Friends of the Cabot Library: Maria AcchioneGoodrich, Sandy Atkins, Mary Lou DeLacy, Beth Wade and Janet Westervelt, for the largest book sale ever and to everyone who came out and donated so generously. Special thanks to our student workers who have been assisting with programming all summer – Natalie Gouge, Brody Moran, Declan O’Connor, Aysha Russell, and Noeshia Shuart - they have been a joy to work with – we appreciate their hard work and enthusiasm! See you at the library! Kathleen Hoyne – Library Director Amanda Otto – Youth Librarian August 4 Lewis Franco and the Missing Cats have been bringing the swing to Vermont audiences for nearly two decades. Featuring original and classic tunes with rich vocal harmonies and inspiring jazz improvisation. Lewis Franco, Will Patton, Don Schabner and Susannah Blachly. August 11 Jeremiah McLane is an accordionist and pianist with a diverse musical background who has performed throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. His music is a blend of Franco-American, Celtic, and other elements of traditional and contemporary music. Jeremiah McLane (accordion and keyboard) and Eric McDonald (guitar, vocals and mandolin).

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Outdoor Movies

Thursday Evenings at 8:15 p.m. August 18 & 25 See library website for details.

Read and Win an “Oceans of Possibilities” T-shirt, a book and a prize! Here’s how: 1. Come to the library and sign up to read! We will give you a reading log and stickers so you can keep track of your own progress. 2. For every 15 minutes you read, or you are read to, put a sticker on your reading log. Jot down the title of your book. 3. Earn 25 stickers-- WIN a t-shirt, a book and a prize of your choice.

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Program Coordinator

Cabot Mentoring is making ready to train and match new pairs of mentors and mentees as the school year begins this fall, offering a program that is both flexible and structured, built to suit the needs of mentors and students in this first school year post-pandemic. Recognizing that we’ve all been through a lot in the last two years, especially our children, and that forming new relationships may require a bit more support, Cabot Mentoring will offer mentorship pairs the opportunity to start meetKaren Hatcher, New Coordinator ing regularly during the school day or after school on campus, allowing students to matches beginning to ensure all are to get comfortable with a new adult comfortable and clear about how the friend in a known environment. Commu- mentoring program works. The initial nity based mentorship is also available commitment is for meeting two-to-four for those who are interested and ready to times per month for twelve months and spend time outside of the school campus. matches are supported by the program Mentors go through an application coordinator. process which includes background Community members interested in checks, interview, references and train- becoming a mentor, and parents/ ing prior to being matched. Mentees are guardians of children aged 7-17 interalso interviewed to learn about their in- ested in seeking a mentor for their child terests prior to matching. Parents, men- (ren) should reach out to Karen Hatcher, tors, mentees and the Cabot Mentoring program coordinator at cabotmentorprogram coordinator meet together prior ing@gmail.com. Photo by Rollin Tebbetts: “The Boblinks are now leaving the Cabot hayfields for wintering in central South America. A Boblink round-trip migration can be up to 12,000 miles.”

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← From the Cabot Chronicle