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ARTS+LEISURE The Addison Independent
JULY 14, 2016
Vermont Coffee Company owner Paul Ralston, standing, works with Jim Cave and Deb Gwinn on stage in the new Vermont Coffee Company Playhouse on Exchange Street in Middlebury for their debut performance of "Billy The Kid Sister" last weekend. INDEPENDENT PHOTO/TRENT CAMPBELL
Vermont Coffee spills onto the stage
C
offee and theater enthusiasts can now blend their two passions at a single address — 1197 Exchange Street in Middlebury, where Vermont Coffee Co. (VCC) has just opened its new playhouse. The new playhouse is the brainchild of longtime local thespian Deb Gwinn and her husband, VCC founder and CEO Paul Ralston.
BY JOHN FLOWERS
Members of Addison County’s thriving arts community are already familiar with the investments that Ralston and Gwinn have made in the local theater scene.
For 18 years, the couple ran a popular summer Shakespeare festival at the Inn at Baldwin Creek/Mary’s Restaurant in Bristol. Gwinn
and Ralston retired the festival in 2014, around the same time that Paul embarked on expansion of the VCC space within the Carrara complex on Exchange Street. “We took on a lot more space, and we had this area of around 2,400 square feet that we didn’t quite know how to use,” Ralston explained. Since the space at this point served no clear corporate purpose, Ralston and Gwinn sized it up for other uses. They agreed that it would make a great, 70-seat performance space — also known as a “black box theater” — for small productions under the artistic direction of Gwinn. “Local people might know my work from Shakespeare in the SEE COFFEE ON PAGE 7
PAGE 2 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
Christie Scheele ON EXHIBIT AT EDGEWATER GALLERY ON THE GREEN, MIDDLEBURY
C
hristie Scheele’s landscapes are somewhat minimalistic. You won’t see the hustle and bustle of people walking along lively avenues, copious houses lining a newly paved street, or brilliant flowers overcrowding an old park bench. But that lack of the superfluous, the openness of her compositions, is what makes her pieces so successful.
books. “It was my bread and butter,” Scheele, as a young artist, remembered. “It was a really good job. You could work hard and create time to be in your studio.”
When looking at Scheele’s works, many feel immediately calmed. The almost-59-yearold explains this feeling as her paintings’ ability to “down level the nervous system.” She commented in a recent interview on how in today’s world, it seems that so many aspects of our lives are filled with too much stuff. Too much in our workloads, calendars, brains. Too much clutter in our cars, in our homes, on our phones. By purging the inessentials from a landscape painting, she feels that the viewer can slow down and just focus on the simplicity of its overall beauty.
Establishing a good studio practice is very important to Scheele, and is something she encourages other artists to foster. “I think a lot of artists have a resistance to the studio... I think it’s human nature to not want to face ourselves, which is what you’re doing every time you make art... After a number of years I don’t have any of that resistance any more.”
“The hardest part is quieting our mind,” Scheele, the mother of grown twins, added in a later interview. “And letting what is there come out with the freedom and space you create — that’s what my work is about.” Scheele, her husband and a carpenter friend built a timber-frame studio almost 20 years ago. The studio is situated in the backyard of their home in the mountains of the Catskills in New York, where Scheele has been a fulltime professional artist since. Before she went full time, the Nebraska native did the coloring for Marvel comic
The Light That Glows - 32x60 oil on linen $7500
Scheele creates the free and open space in her studio so that she can carry it into her paintings. Traditionally, Scheele said, landscape artists are taught to build their background and then middle ground, before adding items into the foreground. Scheele often skips this last step and eliminates foreground elements to lead the viewer further into the work. By drawing the viewer deep into the composition, she removes the distraction of individual strands of grass, flowers, or figures and the viewer is able to have their own unique experience with the painting. Scheele’s work is emotionally unguided by underlying narrative in the paintings, but ultimately by the individual’s visual exploration of her beautiful landscapes.
Addison Independent
Fall Convergence - 24x48 oil on linen $5000
“When I first started doing landscapes in 1990 it was completely unplanned,” she explained. “I didn’t like the genre on the whole. I found it generally to be full of convention and not very alive.” It wasn’t until Scheele was on her honeymoon with her husband in St. John that she did a few landscape sketches, and then did a few oil paintings when she returned home. “Those four paintings were already better than anything I had done before,” she explained. “After that, there was no question... I like to work with big shapes and memory... It is endlessly absorbing.”
SCHEELE
Along with the de-cluttering of composition, Scheele uses superb technique to help create the overall atmospheric feeling of her works. She was once told that an artist’s quality is seen in their edges. Her signature soft focus technique originated from this careful speculation of the edges of her works. Her use of tempered edges not only shows her talent, but also contributes to the ambiguous nature of her paintings’ almost blurry look. CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2
Scheele starts each painting on a dark background, and then using house painters’ brushes and a scumbling technique (overlaying thinly applied paint with an almost dry brush), she builds her painting layer by layer. This slow construction of semi-transparent layers allows the lighter paint colors to develop a luminous quality as they play against the dark backdrop. “ It’s in the moments of working in large, loose swaths of the painting that the painting reaches its emergence,” she said. This is when Scheele has the most fun in her work. Scheele’s works are undisputedly her own, and mark her years of hard work as a full-time artist. When you look at the light from a car’s headlight dissipating into the morning fog, or the reflection of the stormy sky in a curving river bend, the subtle gradations of color in Scheele’s work are not only terrifically executed, but patently realistic. “What I like to emphasize is the joy of the process. That’s really my focus when teaching, too. In that process we’re all trying to improve and do the best we can all the time. It’s all a microcosm of life in a way. That in a way is the definition of happiness — to be completely engrossed in an activity that we love.” See Scheele’s work on display at Edgewater Gallery on the Green and come meet her in person on Saturday, July 16, from 1-3 p.m.
Summer Drive - 12x12 oil on linen $1400
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 3
PAGE 4 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
OUT OF TOWN Dance the night away at Prindle Barn HINESBURG — The Prindle Barn in the southwest corner of Hinesburg will open its doors to the public for the first time this Saturday night with a barn dance. Come see Middlebury father-son duo Mike and Leif Quinn, Sue Mahoney of Monkton and Andrea Haulenbeek of Hinesburg (she’s the owner of the barn and the one throwing the party). Haulenbeek has quite a story behind this barn that begins in 2012 when she helped take apart, move and restore it. Turns out, it was previously owned by a family member of hers in Johnson, Vt. Coincidence? Maybe, but considering the five generations of roots that Haulenbeek has in Vermont, it’s not that surprising. “Anyone can hold a dance on their property,” the Hinesburg native explained. “But if you have more than one or two, you need a town permit, and then start tackling a myriad of state regulations.” Unofficially, Haulenbeek hosted Mount Abe’s prom this year. Technically it was private, “but it was beautiful,” she assured.
six years to play music professionally in France, then joined Lofty’s Zzebra, a West African band, to co-write, record and perform in London, New York City, Vermont and Los Angeles. “It was a remarkably different type of ‘education,’ which carried over into all other music I’ve done,” she said. “So, from African to pipe organ, to the traditional Vermont dance music that I am playing now, I am still enjoying it all.
Mike and Lief Quinn, Susan Mahoney and Andrea Haulenbeek will perform at the Prindle Barn Saturday.
Haulenbeek will be on keyboard, which she’s been playing pretty much all her life.
“Susan Mahoney is an excellent fiddler or classical violinist (a former teaching colleague), Mike Quinn is an experienced caller who plays concertina (a.k.a. Squeezebox), and his son Lief, 16, plays flute and banjo. We are all looking forward to opening the Prindle Barn with lively music and dancing for all to enjoy.” Come at 7:30 p.m., stay ‘till 10. Listen to the live band with fiddlers and a caller. $12 for adults, $8 for children under 12. There’s room for 250 folks, so don’t be late (or email Haulenbeek to reserve your tickets at andreainvt@gmavt.net).
“I grew up in Hinesburg, played traditional, classical music, and pipe organ for church at an early age,” she began, adding she went on to earn her Bachelor’s in Music Education and taught K-12 in various schools — 14 of which were spent at Mount Mansfield and seven at Williston Central School.
Editor's Note: Haulenbeek will play with African singer and percussionist, Fadhili Achinda, who is the eldest of eight
This Saturday might be a little different.
children living in Hinesburg. They will perform traditional Swahili
Earlier, at age 28, Haulenbeek left teaching for
gospel music at the barn Sunday, July 17 at 4 p.m.
presents the
2016 Garden Game
DID YOU KNOW...?
As of July 1, the new state vegetable of Vermont is the Gilfeather Turnip. Are you growing any turnips in your garden this summer? We’d love to see the results when they are ready to pick!
HOW DO YOU PLAY THE GARDEN GAME? ... IT’S EASY! The Garden Game is a competition for local gardeners to see who can grow the largest produce in several different categories.
Step 1. Pick the biggest veggie in your garden Step 2. Bring it in to our office in the Marble Works in Middlebury Step 3. Get your veg measured and its picture taken Step 4. Check the paper every week to make sure you’re still in the frontrunner spot!
We love to see fresh faces and new participants, as well as gardeners who have been playing for years. ADDISON COUNTY
INDEPENDENT
VERMONT’S TWICE-WEEKLY NEWSPAPER Middlebury, VT 05753 • (802) 388-4944 • www.AddisonIndependent.com
more info online at addisonindependent.com GARDEN GAME RULES
Entries must be home grown in the greater Addison County area • Only produce brought to the Addison Independent office between Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm will be eligible • Weekly front runners will be listed in the “Garden Game” column until another contestant provides a larger sample of that produce category (The largest entries as of Thursday noon deadline will be the front runners listed in that Monday’s edition) • One winner per category • Judge has final word • First place winners will be announced at sign of first frost.
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 5
IN TOWN MNFF announces opening night film WALK WITH ME: THE TRIALS OF DAMON J. KEITH We’re all getting excited for the 2nd Annual Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival starting Aug. 25, and one of the big questions is what film will open the festival. Well, now we know. MNFF announced that its opening night film will be the feature documentary Walk With Me: The Trials of Damon J. Keith. The film will screen on Thursday, August 25, at 7 p.m. at Middlebury’s Town Hall Theater. Director Jesse Nesser will speak with MNFF Artistic Director Jay Craven following the screening. Speaking of Nesser and his film, Craven said, “It wasn’t planned this way — but I’m pleased to say that Jesse Nesser was a recent student of mine at Marlboro College. I’m very proud of him and his ambitious, moving and compassionate film that so finely captures the animating spirit of Judge Damon J. Keith, a pioneering figure in the epic journey to advance civil rights in the United States.” “A stirring kick-off film sets the tone for the entire Festival,” MNFF Producer Lloyd Komesar commented. “Walk With Me offers our audiences a rich and powerful film experience and something to savor and talk about.” Walk With Me is slated to premiere at Michigan’s Traverse City Film Festival at the end of July. The MNFF will be the first Vermont showing. The feature documentary sheds light on the life and legacy of 94-year-old Damon J. Keith, who has served as a Detroit federal judge and U.S. Circuit Court judge for over 45 years and has established a compelling legacy as a life-long civil rights advocate. Judge Keith was first appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to serve on Eastern District of Michigan’s United States District Court. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter nominated Keith to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he continues to serve. Judge Keith’s decisions have desegregated public schools, prohibited President Nixon from warrantless wiretapping and addressed systemic racism. He has received over 40 honorary degrees, including the Edward J. Devitt Distinguished Service to Justice Award. “I really look forward to introducing Judge Keith’s story to audiences in
Judge Damon J. Keith and President Gerald R. Ford sit together in May 1975.
Vermont, a state that I love and where I chose to attend college” said 26-year-old filmmaker Nesser. “It feels simply great to come back to share my work at this particular festival, to audiences who enthusiastically support the work of new filmmakers, and where festival organizers embrace these with a respect typically shown to veteran directors. There are a great many good new films out there, and I am proud and humbled that mine was chosen by MNFF. I look forward to the festival, and enjoying the eclectic variety of other films by filmmakers whose company I’m honored to be in.” An opening night after party will follow at the Swift House Inn, where ticket holders can enjoy live music from Dayve Huckett and Art DeQuaisie and meet attending filmmakers. Opening Night tickets are sold separately from Festival Passes. Visit middfilmfest.org/ticket-sales for more info.
one two three THREE THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS WEEK WINE SPECTATOR AWARDS TWO LOCAL RESTAURANTS Do you love wine? Jessica’s in Middlebury and Basin Harbor in Vergennes were two of 3,595 restaurants in 50 states and 72 countries honored with a 2016 Restaurant Award from Wine Spectator last week. The award was established in 1981 to recognize the world’s best wine lists. Check ‘em out for an outstanding glass of wine and some pretty darn good food too.
ARE ANGELS WATCHING OVER YOU?
EVERYONE LOVES A GIANT PEACH
Joanne Trucker of “Inspired,” the new Angel Shop in the Compass SATURDAY JULY Music and Arts Compass Music, Brandon Center in Brandon, is leading a class on Saturday, July 30 from 1-4 p.m. Meet your Guardian Angel, the Archangels and other members of your spiritual “team.” Come with an open heart and mind, and 50 bucks. More info at 802-747-7135 or www.cmacvt.org.
THT’s Young Company presents this summer musical for the whole family JULY to enjoy. When Town Hall Theater, Middlebury James is sent by his conniving aunts to chop down their old fruit tree, he discovers a magic potion that results in a tremendous peach... and launches a journey of enormous proportions. Two performances: Friday, July 22 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, July 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets and info at 802-382-9222, www.townhalltheater.org or at the door.
30
22-23
PAGE 6 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
T HEATER
OWN HALL
Merchants Row, Middlebury, VT Tickets: 802-382-9222 • www.townhalltheater.org Wed 7/20 7pm $5 Suggested Donation A CONVERSATION WITH
AUTHOR DAWN TRIPP
The New York Times called Georgia “complex and original.” USA Today referred to this new novel as “magical and provocative.” Author Tripp will read from and lead an interactive talk about this dazzling book inspired by artist Georgia O’Keefe. Copies will be on sale.
Fri. 7/22 7pm & Sat 7/23 2pm
THT’S YOUNG COMPANY PRESENTS:
EXHIBITS ADDISON COUNTY IN PROFILE: SILHOUETTES FROM THE HENRY SHELDON MUSEUM ARCHIVES. On exhibit through summer 2016 at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, 1 Park St., Middlebury. 3882117 or www.henrysheldonmuseum.org. COLLECTIONS AND RECOLLECTIONS: PRESERVING PETER BARRANCO’S LEGACY. On exhibit through summer 2016 at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. 4472 Basin Harbor Road, Vergennes, 475-2022 or www.lcmm.org. DREAMING OF VERMONT, BY STEVEN P. Goodman. On exhibit for the month of July at Edgewater Gallery at Middlebury Falls. Come for an opening reception on Thursday, July 7 from 5-7 p.m. 1 Mill Street, Middlebury. 802-458-0098 or edgewatergallery.co INDEPENDENCE MUST BE WON: THE ART OF ELLEN VIERECK. On exhibit for 2016 at Mount Independence State Historic Site. 497 Mount Independence Road, Orwell. 802-948-2000 or www.historicsites.vermont. gov/MountIndependence. LIFE UNDER THE SHADOW: PAINTINGS BY HOM PRADHAN. On exhibit March 18-July 31 at Vermont Folklife Center. 88 Main St., Middlebury. Gallery and shop hours Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission by donation. 388-4964.
JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH THE MUSICAL Roald Dahl’s fantastical tale directed by Douglas Anderson
Sun 7/24 7pm $20 advance/ $25 door GRAMMY WINNER
ABIGAIL WASHBURN AND WU FEI A unique banjo-guzheng duo playing songs rooted in traditional Appalachian and Chinese music.
Tue Free* Tue 7/26 7/26 7:30pm 7:30pm Free* THE CONSTANCE HOLDEN MEMORIAL CONCERT
POINT COUNTERPOINT
The annual concert by the talented staff of the classical music school on Lake Dunmore. More info: pointcp.com *Donations benefit Point CounterPoint
Sat 7/30 8pm $5
ALICE’S WONDERBAND + friends Funky rock jazz fusion. Cash bar, dance floor, shenanigans! With special guest HAMJOB!
THE CURIOUS COUSINS OF VERMONT OUTSIDER ARTIST GAYLEEN AIKEN. On exhibit through summer 2016 at Henry Sheldon Museum, 1 Park St., Middlebury. Museum hours Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 388-2117 or www.henrysheldonmuseum.org. OBSERVING VERMONT ARCHITECTURE. On exhibit through Aug. 7 at Chimney Point Vermont State Historic Site, 7305 Vermont Route 125, Addison. 759-2412. PAUL STRAND IN VERMONT, 1943-1946. On exhibit in the Overbrook Gallery May 27-Aug. 7 at Middlebury College Museum of Art. 72 Porter Field/Route 30 South, Middlebury 443-3168 or www.middlebury.edu/arts. PEDALING THROUGH HISTORY: 150 YEARS OF THE BICYCLE, THE GLENN EAMES COLLECTION. On exhibit June 21-Oct. 16 at the Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History, 1 Park St, Middlebury. 388-2117 or www. henrysheldonmuseum.org. PERSEVERANCE: JAPANESE TATTOO TRADITION IN A MODERN WORLD. On exhibit in the Christian A. Johnson Memorial Gallery June 10-Aug. 7 at Middlebury College Museum of Art, 72 Porter Field/Route 30 South, Middlebury. 443-3168 or www.middlebury.edu/arts. Museum is closed Mondays. QUAKER MADE: VERMONT FURNITURE, 1820-1835. On exhibit starting Sunday, July 10 at the Rokeby Museum. Route 7, Ferrisburgh. 877-3406.
Tue 8/23 & Wed 8/24 7pm
THT’S YOUNG COMPANY PRESENTS:
REBECCA KINKEAD. New work will be on exhibit at Edgewater Gallery on the Green for the month of July. 6 Merchants Row, Middlebury. 802-9897419 or edgewatergallery.co
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
A wild twist on the classic tale of a girl, a rabbit and a world gone mad. Directed by Lindsay Pontius and Kendra Gratton.
In the Jackson Gallery now through 8/6 Free
KLARA CALITRI
THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: A VERMONT PASTEL SOCIETY EXHIBIT. on exhibit June 3-July 29 at Compass Music and Arts Center, 333 Jones Drive, Brandon. More info at www.cmacvt.org. HAVE AN EXHIBIT YOU WANT PUBLISHED?
Multi-Media – Paintings, Monotypes, Ceramics Detail
let us know NEWS@ADDISONINDEPENDENT.COM
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 7
COFFEE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
“AT THE PLAYHOUSE, WE HOPE TO BRING ORIGINAL WORK TO A SMALL, INTIMATE VENUE, WHERE FRIENDS CAN MEET TO ENJOY CREATING AND PERFORMING.”
Barn at Mary’s and performances at the Town Hall Theater,” said Gwinn. “At the playhouse, we hope to bring original work to a small, intimate venue, where friends can meet to enjoy creating and performing.”
INDEPENDENT PHOTO/TRENT CAMPBELL
Ralston, Gwinn and others pitched in during the past several months with painting and other chores to ready the playhouse for its grand unveiling the past Sunday, July 10, with an open house that included a performance of the play “Billy The Kid Sister.” Admission for the grand opening was free, and organizers will look to keep future ticket prices at $10. Gwinn and Karen Lefkoe were among the local actors in the cast of “Billy The Kid Sister.” “It’s going to be the beginning of what we hope is another nice little community space where performances happen and where people come together,” Ralston said of the new facility. “Our vision for it is primarily theater.” It will also occasionally serve as a recording venue for Ralston’s weekly, one-hour radio show called, “The Reluctant Politician.” The show airs Thursdays at 1 p.m. on WDEV 96.1 FM. The show is intended to help citizens learn about elected positions and hear from the people who currently hold those offices. The show also features commentary from people
familiar with the politics and economics of running for office. “We are going to do some live, before-studioaudience shows for the radio, and hopefully have some candidate debates and things like that,” Ralston said. “We imagine this pace as being flexible,” he added. “A lot of things happen in this industrial (park) area that support the arts… ” The playhouse is yet another example of Ralston’s effort to make Vermont Coffee — and the Middlebury industrial park in general — a place for people to gather. Last year he launched his neighboring café. A Vermont Coffee Playhouse website is currently under construction. That site will advertise upcoming performances and serve as an on-line conduit for ticket sales, according to Ralston. Tentative plans call for monthly shows at the new playhouse, with individual performances following a Thursday-Sunday pattern.
— Deb Gwinn
Gwinn will cull her players from the wealth of theatrical talent in the county, including Lefkoe. “I think (the playhouse) is a terrific addition to the arts community, because we don’t have a lot of small performance spaces,” Lefkoe said, noting the more elaborate THT, Addison Repertory Theater and Middlebury College venues. “Deb has a unique vision for a theater, and I think it will be a great addition,” she added. Lefkoe’s fans will see her in December as part of the Middlebury Actors’ Workshop production of “It’s a Wonderful Life, A Radio Play” at THT. Gwinn will also recruit from beyond the Green Mountain State. For example, the famed Gare St. Lazare players from Ireland will be performing at the playhouse in mid-October. They will perform two of Samuel Beckett’s prose pieces that they have adapted for stage: “The End” and “First Love.” More information about Gare St. Lazare can be found at garestlazareireland.com/home. Reporter John Flowers is at johnf@addisonindependent.com.
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802 . 453 . 2500 BristolElectronicsVT.com FREE SITE EVALUATIONS
PAGE 8 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
CALENDAR top pick EVERYONE LOVES A GOOD FREE MOVIE SCREENING UNDER THE STARS. BEETLEJUICE IS UP NEXT THURSDAY IN BRISTOL AND STAR WARS IS ON DECK. DON'T FORGET YOUR BLANKET, BUG SPRAY AND SNACKS!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT
WHAT YOU WANT TO DO JULY 14-24, 2016
ARTS
FILM
ARTIST MEET-AND-GREET IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, July 16, 1-3 p.m., Edgewater Gallery on the Green. Meet Christie Scheele and see her soft-focus landscapes. Info: 802-9897419 or edgewatergallery-vt.com.
MOVIES IN THE PARK AFTER DARK IN BRISTOL. Thursday, July 14, dusk, “Beetlejuice.” Thursday, July 21, dusk, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (yes, that “Star Wars”!). Part of Bristol Rec’s annual outdoor film series with classics shown on a theater-size screen. Free. Bring a blanket and bug spray. Series runs weekly (except Aug. 11) through Aug. 18.
ARTS WALK IN VERGENNES. Friday, July 22, 5-7 p.m., downtown Vergennes. Monthly summer arts walk featuring exhibits, musicians, comedians, actors and poets and locations around the Little City. Info: http:// vergennesdowntown.org/arts-walk. CRAFT FAIR IN MIDDLEBURY. Saturday, July 23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Middlebury town green. Annual Middlebury Studio School fundraiser featuring works by local artists, MSS teachers and more. Children’s activities, a chance to try the pottery wheel and a chance to win a free pottery class. Art includes baskets, wood, pottery, jewelry, quilts, photography, herbal and fiber. Info: www.middleburystudioschool.org.
DANCE LINE DANCING IN NEW HAVEN. Saturday, July 23, 6-8 p.m., New Haven Town Hall. Addison County Line Dancers offer classes $5 each (children 10 and under are free). Info: 802-989-6701.
SILENT FILM SCREENING IN BRANDON. Saturday, July 16, 7 p.m., Brandon Town Hall. Showing “A Sailor Made Man” (1921), starring comic superstar Harold Lloyd, plus comedy short subjects. Live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Admission is free but free-will donations are accepted to help with ongoing renovation of the town hall. Info: www. brandontownhall.org. Part of the town hall’s annual summer silent film series. MOVIE NIGHT IN SHOREHAM. Monday, July 18, 7 p.m., Platt Memorial Library. Screening of a new release from Disney on a 10-foot screen. Enjoy the latest installment of this classic space epic series (PG-13). Popcorn and soda. Info: www. plattlib.org or 897-2647. SCREENING OF “DEEP TIME” AT MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE. Thursday, July 19, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Dana Auditorium. After the screening, director Noah Hunter will discuss the people behind the oil industry. Free.
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“BLAST FROM THE PAST” PIE-MAKING PRESENTATION IN ADDISON. Sunday, July 24, 2-4 p.m., Chimney Point State Historic Site. Anne Collins, Vermont author of “Vintage Pies,” gives a presentation titled “Making Pies Then and Now” and C PUBLIYS ALWA ME! O WELC
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Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 9
CALENDAR shares samples. Info: Info: 802-759-2412 or www.historicsites. vermont.gov/chimneypoint.
MUSIC SUMMER CARILLON CONCERT SERIES AT MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE. Friday, July 15, 5 p.m., Mead Chapel and surrounding lawns. The carillon in the tower of Mead Chapel will be played by Elena Sadina, carillonneur for the Middlebury Summer Russian Language School and Belgian Carillon School. Free. Info: http://go.middlebury.edu/carillon. CAMP POINT COUNTERPOINT STUDENT CONCERT IN BRANDON. Friday, July 15, 7 p.m., Brandon Town Hall. Students from the Advanced Chamber Music Program perform. Free-will donation. Proceeds benefit the town hall. Info: 247-6720. STUDENT RECITAL IN SALISBURY. Saturday, July 16, 1 p.m., Salisbury Congregational Church. Students from Camp Point CounterPoint will play. THE PETER AND WILL ANDERSON TRIO IN CONCERT IN BRANDON. Saturday, July 16, 7:30 p.m., Brandon Music. Jazz. Tickets $20. Reservations recommended: 802-247-4295 or www.brandon-music.net. “A MOZART EXTRAVAGANZA” IN FERRISBURGH. Sunday, July 17, 7:30-9:30 p.m., Basin Harbor Club. The New York Chamber Soloists play a full Mozart program, including Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Exultate Jubilate (with Sarah Cullins) and Ave Verum Corpus. Tickets $35 adults, free for children younger than 12. Tickets at melvinkaplan29@gmail.com or 802-425-2209. BAND CONCERT IN VERGENNES. Monday, July 18, 7 p.m., City Park. Concerts held Monday evenings through Aug. 22. HANCOCK GREEN SUMMER CONCERTS PRESENTS SOUTH ROYALTON TOWN BAND. Thursday, July 19, 6:30 p.m., Hancock Town Green. Bring a chair and a picnic. Homemade desserts will be sold. Free. RED HOT JUBA IN CONCERT IN BRANDON. Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m., Central Park. Blisterin’ hot countrified jazz and Green Mountain swing. Family friendly. Bring your lawn chairs, enjoy food from vendors set up in the park. Part of the Brandon Summer Concert Series. TOWN BAND CONCERT IN BRISTOL. Wednesday, July 20, 7 p.m., town green. Bring a lawn chair, blanket or picnic dinner and enjoy an evening of small-town entertainment. BRISTOL FOLK SESSION IN BRISTOL. Wednesday, July 20, 6-9 p.m., Hatch 31, 31 Main St., Bristol. Open jam, all welcome. Bring your voices, instruments, songs and tunes. Irish/Celtic, Maritime, Appalachian, Quebecois, Roots/Blues, World Music, Dead, Dylan. Singing along highly encouraged — it’s like church with beer! Info: www.vtceltic.com/bristolfolk-session.htm.
BLUES JAM IN MIDDLEBURY. Wednesday, July 20, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. Dennis Willmott from Left Eye Jump will provide lead guitar, bass and drums if you need backup, or take a break and let you play. Bring your instrument and get ready to jam. Info: www.go51main.com. SUMMER CARILLON CONCERT SERIES AT MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE. Friday, July 22, 5 p.m., Mead Chapel and surrounding lawns. The carillon in the tower of Mead Chapel will be played by Sergei Gratchev, carillonneur for the Middlebury Summer Russian Language School and the city of Hulst, Netherlands. Free. Info: http://go.middlebury.edu/ carillon. ZEPHYR IN CONCERT IN SALISBURY. Friday, July 22, 7:30 p.m., Salisbury Congregational Church. This local vocal
kids pick Early season blueberries arrived last week! Bring bug spray, rain boots and baskets for a tasty outing. Pick extra for the freezer to enjoy year round. Berries should last through mid August. — Eliza Eaton, MiniBury.com
SEE CALENDAR ON PAGE 13
festival schedule
JULY 20‐16
THURSDAY, JULY 14 NOON. Rik Palieri. A new breed of folksingers and singer/songwriters who takes the listener on a musical jaunt around the world. A “brown bag special.” 7 P.M. The Brett Hughes Band. Singer, songwriter, guitar player, music lover Brett Hughes brings his band to the festival stage. 8:30 P.M. Dwight & Nicole. Multi-instrumentalist and singer/ songwriter Dwight Ritcher and BMA Female Vocalist of the Year Nicole Nelson join forces.
FRIDAY, JULY 15 NOON. Magician Tom Verner. Local magician Tom Verner may be best known for his Magicians Without Borders organizations, which offers magic shows for children in refugee camps, orphanages and hospitals around the world. A “brown bag special.” 7 P.M. The DuPont Brothers. Indie-folk duo that has toured the country in the last couple of years. Known for versatile songwriting, blood harmonies and fingerstyle guitar arrangements. 8:30 P.M. Madaila. Local Middlebury music heroes Mark Daly, Willoughby Morse, Eric B. Maier, Dan Ryan and Jer Coons calling themselves “dance rock dreamers” and “a neon-pop juggernaut.”
SATURDAY, JULY 16 7 P.M. Vermont Jazz Ensemble street dance. Annual finale to Middlebury’s Festival on-the-Green, the dance features music in the jazz and big band styles, with selections in rock, fusion, Latin and popular styles. Come right at 7 p.m. to learn dance steps with Jim Condon. FOR MORE INFO VISIT FESTIVALONTHEGREEN.ORG
PAGE 10 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
Meet the chefs Ben and Sarah Wood from Otter Creek Bakery
T
uesdays are croissant days. Four of us stood around the large wood table at Otter Creek Bakery pulling off triangles of dough and rolling them (or, well, at least trying to) into the delectable flaky pastries. The count: 500 croissants.
BY ELSIE LYNN PARINI
“This is money in the bank,” said Sarah Wood, pastry chef and co-owner of the Middlebury bakery. The croissants are frozen and baked fresh every day for the rest of the week. Sarah and her team of 3-4 bakers arrive every morning around 3:30. “Well, unless it’s November,” Sarah corrected, “then we might not get here until 4.” Whatever. It’s early. “We start with a bang,” said Sarah. First they make the coffee. Then for three-plus hours they prep and bake all the pastries, breads, cakes and other treats you see displayed when you walk in the cosily cramped bakery. “They are all our recipes, tweaked from the basics,” Sarah said. “We chat in the morning about the weather and what’s going on in town and then decide what to make and how much.” Then around noon the bakers call it a day, and the lunch cooks take over with chef Ben Wood, Sarah’s husband and co-owner of the bakery. “He’s the other side of the coin,” Sarah smiled. “I open and he closes.” The husband-wife, savory-sweet, duo first met when they were 7- or 8-years-old growing up in Deleware. “Our families were friends,” Sarah explained. They trained together as chefs working a circuit in the ‘70s that took them to Nantucket in the summers and to Vermont in the winters. Sarah and Ben cooked with Jean-Charles Berruet, a classically-trained French chef from Brittany, in Nantuckett; until one day “he threw us out of the coop,” said Sarah.
“He said, ‘go open your own place.’” “All of our mentors told us to go to New York City,” Sarah said. “But I don’t like the city. I wanted a farm and horses and a garden.” So they picked Vermont. The Woods opened Otter Creek Cafe and Bakery in 1986, in what is now Storm Cafe. About three years later they moved the bakery to the current location on College Street. For less than 2 years, they ran both locations — Sarah ran the bakery and Ben the cafe. But, “that was stupid,” said Sarah. “We needed each other.” So they closed the restaurant-cafe in the early ‘90s. As the shifts change, the lunch crew adds a few more bodies to the efficient kitchen. “We use every part of this space,” Sarah noted, of the retro-fitted gas station. Ben busily prepared the ingredients for the Bahn Mi Vietnamese style special sandwich, while regular sandwiches were carefully stacked, dishes were starting to be cleaned and veggies were chopped for salads, pickling, garnishes and maybe just for show. No joke, Ben is probably the fastest man with a blade in all of Addison County. “You bounce the knife like a seesaw,” he said simply, as the massive chopper basically vibrated the cilantro into perfect shreds. Don’t feel bad, he started practicing back in 1976. Just think how good you’d be at something if you did it for 40 years. “I’ve been at this a long time,” Ben said. “You either learn, or you get out. It’s really fun, the more you learn the more you find that you need to learn.” Learn is right. Ben’s good at it too. He doesn’t even use a recipe. “I try occasionally,” he laughed. “It doesn’t work well.” So after 35 years of marriage and 30 in business in Middlebury, this savory-sweet couple says it can be tiring. But at the end of the day: “It’s a labor of love.”
Ben and Sarah Wood stand in their kitchen at Otter Creek Bakery in Middleb
bury.
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 11
BAHN MI SADWICH INGREDIENTS: ½ cup pulled pork 1 Petit pain ¼ cup pickled vegetables — carrot, onion, peppers (cucumber pickles can be substituted) 6 cucumber slices 3 slices fresh tomato 6 cilantro sprigs (don’t be shy, it “makes” this sandwich) Spicy Sweet Chili Sauce (available in the Asian food section of the supermarket)
AUGUST SPECIAL:
LOBSTER DINNER 1 1/4 lb. Maine Lobster Served with Red Bliss Potatoes & Corn Every Friday & Saturday Night ONLY
19.51
$
DIRECTIONS: Splice bread lengthwise, toast lightly, pile on ingredients and enjoy!
HONEY CORNMEAL SCONES Cream very well: 9 oz salted butter (softened) 9 oz sugar 2 tbsp plus 2 tsp baking powder Scrape down and cream some more until thoroughly blended. Then add: ¾ cup honey (we use local raw honey) 1 ¼ cup milk 1 ½ cup coarse cornmeal Mix well then add: 2 eggs 3 ¾ cup all-purpose flour Mix until combined. Best if refrigerated at least an hour or even overnight. Scoop (we use an ice cream scoop) onto a sheet lined with parchment or buttered and floured pan, so scones won’t stick. Space 3-inches apart, then brush lightly with milk, sprinkle with granulated sugar then powdered sugar — this gives them their “cracked earth” appearance. Bake 10-15 minutes at 375F. Yields approximately 12 large scones. INDEPENDENT PHOTO/TRENT CAMPBELL
GREAT FOOD • LIVE ENTERTAINMENT John Lyons Saturday, July 16| 7:30-9:30 pm John Lyons began teaching private guitar lessons over thirty years ago in Rutland, Vermont. He is a graduate of Mount St. Joseph Academy and attended Berklee College of Music. He also studied jazz guitar with studio great Barry Joseph Galbraith, head of the music department at Bennington College. John also played in a jazz group locally as well as a rock band “The Worx.” Blues Jam Wednesday, July 20|8-10 pm Join us every 3rd Wednesday for Blues Jam. Dennis Willmott from Left Eye Jump will provide lead guitar, bass, and drums and these guys will back you up or take a break and let you play. All musicians and blues fans are welcome! Everyone will get a chance to play. Pick it Up Friday, July 22| 8-10 pm Bob Gagnon Trio Saturday, July 23| 8-10 pm Led by Vermont-born jazz guitarist Bob Gagnon, this trio plays jazz standards and Gagnon’s original compositions that are inspired by Charlie Parker, Django Reinhardt, and Ahmad Jamal.
Appalachian Gap Distillery Tasting Tuesday, July 26| 5-8 pm Stop in to try their newest whiskey and some of their classics. We will also be shaking up some $5 summer cocktails! Root 7 Thursday, July 28| 6:30-8:30 Just when you thought “Date Night” couldn’t get any better... 51% off all bottles of wine plus an a Capella performance! Root 7 is a small, mixed ensemble a Capella group whose passion for music brings us together from across the Champlain Valley. Totally Submerged Friday, July 29| 8:30-10:30 VT Rock trio playing original materials and covers spanning Classic Rock from the ‘60s through the ‘90s. Members: Paden Kalinen - lead guitar backup vocals Jake McLaughlin - keys, lead vocals Dagan Selbach - drums, vocals In the Pocket Jazz Saturday, July 30| 8:30-10:30 In the Pocket is a 6-piece ensemble based in Burlington, Vermont playing jazz classics from the Swing, Be-Bop and Sinatra Eras. Featuring Michael Lestrange on vocals and George Voland.
51 Main Street • Middlebury, VT • 802.388.8209 go51main.com • Tuesday - Saturday 4pm - Late
PAGE 12 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
Addison Independent
CALENDAR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
ensemble sings Americana, bluegrass, gospel and blues. Susan Nop, Kathleen Dutton and Tyler Smith. Free-will donations appreciated.
SNAKE MOUNTAIN BLUEGRASS IN CONCERT IN BRANDON. Saturday, July 23, 7:30 p.m., Brandon Music. Bluegrass. Tickets $20. Reservations recommended: 802247-4295 or www.brandon-music.net. L.C. JAZZ DANCE BAND IN CONCERT IN BRANDON. Saturday, July 23, 8 p.m., Brandon Town Hall. This popular big band brings on the swing. Come dance or just listen. Tickets $8 adults; $14 couples; $7 students, seniors and military. Proceeds benefit the town hall and the L.C. Jazz Scholarship Fund. Info: 247-6720.
SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES “A MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY” IN FERRISBURGH. Sunday, July 17, 3-4:30 p.m., Basin Harbor Club. The New York Chamber Soloists present “Alice Meets the Queen,” by Gerald Fried. Attendees are invited to dress as their favorite “Alice in Wonderland” character. Tea and crumpets will be served. Program geared toward the young and young at heart. Admission $15 adults, free for children 12 and younger.
THEATER CHILDREN’S THEATER IN BRISTOL. Thursday, July 14, 3 p.m., Holley Hall. Youth playwrights and performers in Summer Encore Theatre present “The Olympic Games” for ages 6 and older. The Greek gods descend upon earth for good or evil. Audience participation is invited. JAPANESE PERFORMERS AT MIDDLEBURY. Friday, July 15, 7:30 a.m., Wright Theater, Middlebury College. Kamikiri is a performance where the player receives a request from the audience and cuts an image out of a plain piece of paper, without drawing an outline. The act lasts only a few minutes, then the performer asks for another request.
PAST A Some of our long time favorites are... • Chicken/Broccoli Alfredo • Meat Lasagna • Chicken Parmesan
Create Your Own Pasta
The performer, Hayashiya Niraku, is one of a handful of professional performers in Japan. Both rakugo and kamikiri are performance arts unique to Japan. Free. AUDITIONS FOR BRANDON TOWN PLAYERS IN BRANDON. Sunday, July 17 and 24, 6:30 p.m., Brandon Senior Center. The Brandon Town Players announce auditions for their upcoming murder mystery comedy. Roles for six females and four males, ages 18-80. Performance dates will be Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, at the Brandon Town Hall. Info: Kathy 802-247-6720.
top pick
LOVE TEA PARTIES AND DRESSING UP? CHECK OUT THE MAD HATTER'S TEA PARTY AT BASIN HARBOR ON SUNDAY. IT'S SURE TO BE A WILD TIME FOR ALL AGES.
“LOOK OUT OLYMPICS, HERE COMES ZEUS” ON STAGE IN BRANDON. Wednesday, July 20, 6:30 p.m., Brandon Town Hall. Students in grades 7-12 from Rutland’s Encore Theater develop plays that involve the audience in assisting the characters in finding a happy ending. Audience participation includes games audience members can play to receive Olympic-style awards. Tickets $3 adults, $2 seniors, students and military. Info: 247-6720. “JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH” ON STAGE IN MIDDLEBURY. Friday, July 22, 7 p.m., Saturday, July 23, 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, July 24, 7 p.m.,Town Hall Theater. A musical performed by the Young Company, THT’s youth troupe. Tickets $10 general, $5 kids 12 and younger. Tickets available at the THT box office, 382-9222, www. townhalltheater.org or at the door. “ALICE IN WONDERLAND” ON STAGE IN BRISTOL. Friday, July 22, 7 p.m., Saturday, July 23, 7 p.m. and Sunday, July 24, 1 p.m., Holley Hall. Local thespians perform in a benefit for Lawrence Memorial Library.
more calendar See SECTION A for the Addison County community calendar. Go online to see it all!
W W W. A D D I S O N I N D E P E N D E N T. C O M
JULY PIES OF THE MONTH THE CATTLE DRIVE
A Creamy Horseradish Sauce, topped with Shaved Steak, Baby Spinach, Red Peppers, Red Onion and Fresh Chopped Garlic. NY $ 1
Psstask about out secret pizza!
THE FRUITFUL FUNGI
with any of our topping choices!
7 Sauces to Choose From! Lingiuni, Vermicelli, & Penne Served with Bread & Butter or Garlic Bread
S
The Slice Guy
Stringed instruments & musical accessories 802-458-1266
8. 00 0 .5 $19
an ic i li
Red Sauce Pie with Baby Spinach, Button Mushrooms, Roasted Oyster Mushrooms, Chopped Garlic and Mozzarella Cheese! A Classic Flavor Combination that is Sure to be a Favorite!
Pizza • Pasta • Subs • Soups • Salads • Calzones
DINE-IN & TAKE-OUT 802-388-3164 Fresh, convenient and local since 1982 WASHINGTON ST • MIDDLEBURY GreenPeppersRestaurant.com
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 13
388-7755 • Delivery daily from 5pm www.ninospizzamiddlebury.com
21 MACINTYRE LANE • MIDDLEBURY
7 Seymour St, Middlebury (back of building by RR tracks)
Tu-Th 12-5, F 12-6, Sa 12-4 Online anytime at Theonlineguitarstore.com
PAGE 14 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
Music in the park RED HOT JUBA NEXT UP IN BRANDON'S FREE SUMMER CONCERT SERIES
T
he warmth of the late-day sun on your face, the swell of music and the smell of popcorn carried on an evening breeze... Come find all of this at Brandon’s new summer concert series.
Every Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in July and August, JULY Brandon’s Central WEDNESDAY Central Park, Brandon Park will be the site of a free concert.
20
Coming up Wednesday, July 20, see Red Hot Juba and their blisterin’ hot countrified jazz and Green Mountain swing. Using a shifting and impulsive mix of styles while carving out an approach all their own, Red Hot Juba can turn from dynamic jump-blues to bittersweet soul on a dime. With a growing reputation for long, high energy sets, the band will cover a broad and varied expanse of musical ground over the course of an evening, and enjoy the sights along the way. Come on out with your friends and neighbors and relax with some quality music and comfort food from local vendors. Carver Street in front of the Congregational Church will be closed during the concerts so feel free to let the kids run around. For more information, contact the Brandon Area Chamber of Commerce at 247-6401. Go to the events calendar at Brandon.org and click on the event for more info.
Members of Red Hot Juba, Eric Krull, Bryan Aubin, D Davis and Steve Goldman, will get you up on your feet Wednesday, July 20, in Brandon.
who's playing JULY 20: Red Hot Juba — Blisterin’ hot countrified jazz and Green Mountain swing. JULY 27: Snake Mountain Bluegrass — A great mix of traditional and modern bluegrass. AUGUST 3: The Brandon Town Band — Classic band concert music with light classics, show tunes, marches, and something for dancing. AUGUST 10: Bob Stannard and Those Dangerous Bluesmen — Some of the best
blues Vermont has to offer. AUGUST 17: Moose Crossing — Classy and energetic mix of classic and contemporary jazz. AUGUST 24: Phineas Gage — Vermont’s pherocious pholkgospel grassicana band. AUGUST 31: Tintype Gypsies — Local musical troublemakers Angus Chaney & Emily Nelson — A volatile combination of music makers offering up American folk punk.
live music The Brazen Youth in Middlebury. Friday, July 15, 6-8 p.m., 51 Main. Cooie DeFrancesco in Middlebury. Friday, July 15, 6 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. Binger in Middlebury. Friday, July 15, 9 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. John Lyons in Middlebury. Saturday, July 16, 7:30-9:30 p.m., 51 Main. Rehab Roadhouse in Middlebury. Saturday, July 16, 9 p.m., Two Brothers Tavern. Cookie’s Hot Club in New Haven. Friday, July 22, 6-8 p.m., Lincoln Peak Vineyard. Simply Acoustic in Middlebury. Friday, July 22, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. Bob Gagnon Trio in Middlebury. Saturday, July 23, 8-10 p.m., 51 Main. Root 7 in Middlebury. Thursday, July 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m., 51 Main.
"DO YOU KNOW THAT OUR SOUL IS COMPOSED OF HARMONY?" — Leonardo DaVinci
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 15
the movie FREE STATE OF JONES — RUNNING TIME: 2:19 — RATING: R "Free State of Jones" offers an absorbing look at a small sliver of the Civil War. Written and co-directed by Gary Ross, it is the story of Newton Knight, a poor farmer who experienced corrupt behavior among Confederate soldiers and southern courts during the Civil War. Are you tuning out? Please not yet. Matthew McConaughey sculpts a multi-dimensional character who has one quality ideologues lack: he learns from what he sees. He watches waves of Confederates and Yankees as they march in straight lines toward each other, then falling dead or terribly wounded by the inescapable gunfire. That was the routine of war. Just one century ago communication and medicine were primitive. He sees the rules of the awful game: officers first, no matter how serious the wounds of others, field hospitals foul with blood and limbs sawn from the wounded with filthy saws. Newton watches Confederate soldiers destroying farms, stealing grain, and abusing slaves and women. When the Confederacy announces that rich plantation families will be exempt from the draft, one exemption for every twenty slaves owned, two for every forty, Newton’s loyalties snap. He assembles a band of deserters and runaway slaves all trying to escape the inequities dealt them because of who they are. He declares “The Free State of Jones” in Mississippi which at that point is the richest state in the country. It is also the birthplace of the masked brutality of the Ku Klux Klan. Gary Ross gives us a superb picture of the time as reflected in the gift of life to the rich, in the lack of any protection for the poor – even their right to the food they grow for themselves. The first part of his film is an explicit and nearly unimaginable look at the American war that killed 600,000 people. The rest is an intriguing exploration of the minds and motivations of survivors who have nothing waiting for them. Newton’s group of deserters and runaway slaves sees quickly that there is no place for them even
Matthew McConaughey and Jacob Lofland in Free State of Jones (2016).
though they are ready to work hard. Matthew McConaughey’s Newton is an interesting study of a complicated man. GuGu Mbatha-Raw gives a lovely performance as Rachel, a plantation slave who leaves to join Newton’s band. Mahershala Ali makes Moses a gentle, wise, ally for Newton’s determination to start the free state of Jones County for the benefit of men and women, black and white, who have no place to go. A history lesson? You bet, and it’s a welcome one — a searing glimpse of one grim piece of raw truth from that war. Gary Ross is very open about what parts are fictionalized, always the challenge when turning history into a movie. If it grabs you as it did me, go to his scene by scene explanation of the truth of his movie at freestateofjones.com. If only high school teachers would build a course on this film. Congratulations, Gary Ross. — Reviewed by Joan Ellis
the book ON TRAILS — BY ROBERT MOOR One inherent purpose and benefit of a good trail is that you are seldom required to examine it; instead you are free to let your mind wander as you follow it. Robert Moor’s new book, On Trails, takes a close look at trails, paths, desire lines, as he researches the long history of trails, from the Precambrian to the postmodern. It is surprising how the significance of trails abounds in many schools of thought, including religion, and eye-opening to delve into how trails form, how the path of least resistance often becomes the only path. Moor, a recipient of the Middlebury Fellowship in Environmental Journalism, began mulling over this question as he hiked the Appalachian Trail and discovered the duality of thru-hiking as a way to be free from the daily constraints of living yet confining himself to the trail as a way of limiting his options. This book is filled with dualities of that nature: “The freedom of the trail is riverine, not oceanic.” Conducting research on foot and by interviewing experts, the resulting exploration is a highly enjoyable read, a perfect companion to a long summer evening, whether on your back porch or at a lean-to on the AT. — Reviewed by Jenny Lyons of the Vermont Bookshop in Middlebury. Mark your calendars: Robert Moor will read from and sign On Trails at the Vermont Book Shop, Thursday, Sept. 15, at 6:30 p.m.
BOOKS TO READ ON YOUR PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT A Time of Gifts, Patrick Leigh Fermor Reading the Mountains of Home, John Elder Dirt Work, Christine Byl The Path, Michael Puett A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson Walking the Nile, Levison Wood Trespassing Across America, Ken Ilgunas Wandering Home, Bill McKibben
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| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
basics of growing
BLUEBERRIES Blueberries are one of the most popular and healthful fruits, are easy to grow, and can be grown as an ornamental shrub. Many have colorful red fall leaves. If you like eating blueberries from the store or picking your own, consider if you might have the space and conditions for growing them in your landscape. The most important aspects for growing blueberries successfully are choosing hardy varieties and having the right soil.
BY LEONARD PERRY
There are five main groups of blueberries, representing three main species. The northern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum) and lowbush (Vaccinium angustifolium) are the main species for northern gardeners, as well as hybrids of these called “half-high”. While the highbush reach from 6 to 15 feet high, depending on climate and cultivar (cultivated variety), the lowbush only reach a foot or so high. The half-high reach from 3 to 5 feet high. When choosing blueberry cultivars, you’ll want at least two if not three different ones for cross pollination unless they are one of the few listed as “self fertile”. Make sure to choose ones from the same group as, for instance, a lowbush wont pollinate a highbush type. Make sure, too, that they are listed to bloom the same time. You’ll find cultivars listed as early, mid, or late season. Although this often refers to ripening of the berries, relative bloom time is similar except for some commercial cultivars. So the bees can move the pollen among your different bushes, plant them near each other, or preferably intermixed. Other than getting the right cultivars, you’ll need the right soil for blueberries to succeed. They like plenty of organic matter in the soil, and well-
drained soils so roots don’t rot. Perhaps the most important point though is to have acid soils ― ones with a low pH of 4.5 to 5.2. You can probably get by with a pH of up to 6.0 if you use plenty of peat moss, which is acidic. Sulfur also can be used to lower the pH. If soils are more alkaline (most plants grow best with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 ― the latter being neutral), it may take work yearly to try and lower the pH. One solution if the soil pH is too high is to get a shorter cultivar, such as lowbush or half-high, and plant in a container. Just make sure the pot is large enough, perhaps 15 to 20 gallon size, or 18 to 24 inches wide and 12 to 15 inches deep. You can plant container and all right in the ground. If left above ground, make sure to bring into an unheated shed or garage over winter that wont allow the soil to freeze. Ample ground heat protects roots in the ground during winter, something roots above ground in pots don’t get. Container blueberries also are great for small gardens. When planting in containers, use half peat moss and half potting soil. Once you have the right cultivars, and soil, plant as you would other shrubs. Give enough space ― at least 5 to 7 feet apart for the highbush, 3 to 5 feet apart for the half-high, and 2 to 3 feet apart for the lowbush. Add plenty of peat moss or compost, or both, when planting. Blueberry roots are near the surface and sensitive to drying out, so don’t allow them to dry before planting and water well once planted. Keep them well-watered until established, and even later when droughts. Several inches of mulch helps retain moisture, and helps prevent weeds. Hand pulling weeds is
best so not to damage their shallow roots with a hoe. Since blueberries usually begin bearing fruit when 4- to 5-years-old, buying older and larger plants will give you fruit in fewer years. You don’t really need to prune bushes, except to remove broken or rubbing branches, until they are much older. They do need some fertilizer, such as a cup of 5-3-4 or similar for young plants, more for larger mature ones. Apply this in early spring, and perhaps again in late June. If leaves are reddish or have reddish dots, and are overall light green to yellowish, they may need more nitrogen such as from ammonium sulfate. If leaves are light green between veins, this is a common symptom indicating iron deficiency. This, in turn, may mean the soil pH is too high. Check it first, and correct if needed, and the iron deficiency may be solved too. Animals don’t really bother blueberries, but they are a favorite food of birds. You
Addison Independent
BLUEBERRIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16
may try scare tactics such as noise emitters and bright balloons and objects hung among plants, but the best method most end up using is tight bird netting over plants. This netting is black and of thin plastic strands that aren’t really obtrusive or even noticeable from a distance.
Whether you grow your own or just pick blueberries locally, berries are simple to just wash and freeze for use through the rest of the year. Eating more blueberries, even making and drinking blueberry juice, you’ll realize a range of health benefits. Not only are they very high in antioxidants, but
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 17
they contain other compounds as well that help your immune system fight infections, help to reduce belly fat, promote urinary tract health, preserve vision and brain health, reduce the risk of heart disease, aid digestion, help prevent certain cancers, and serve as an antidepressant to keep you in a good mood. And you thought blueberry pie just tastes good! Leonard Perry, Horticulture Professor Emeritus, University of Vermont
PAGE 18 — Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016
home values
70 Court Street, Middlebury, VT
802-989-7522
BillBeck.com
champlainvalleyproperty.com cvpropnf@comcast.net
D CEE DU IC RE PR
STARKSBORO $244,500 Charming 3-bedroom, 2-bath brick ranch, great flow for very comfortable living. Spacious living with mountain view through a wonderful large window! Within the last 10 years, owners added an oversized 2-car garage with a. Easy access to Rte. 17 for commuting, but the location is very private, peaceful and quiet!
Learn more at
www.acbor.org.
MIDDLEBURY $39,900 Spacious mobile home, heavily renovated – new roof 2 years ago and new kitchen just 1 year ago (plus new floor & dishwasher). Newer windows, carpet, central air and upgraded bathroom. There is both an enclosed porch and a lovely deck. Price includes a good amount of furniture! Well maintained park. New owners must be approved by park owner. MIDDLEBURY $209,000 Well maintained 1800’s farmhouse with 2 acres of land (very nice soil), with features one hopes to find in an older home – wide pine floors, fireplace, large mudroom, plus many nice updates – newer windows and heating system. Easy drive to town!
THE AVERAGE SALES PRICE IN ADDISON COUNTY FOR A TOWNHOUSECONDO ROSE 16% (UP TO $171,485) SINCE THE START OF THIS YEAR. IN FACT IN MAY, CONDO SALES IN ADDISON COUNTY WERE AT A YEAR-TODATE HIGH OF $172,000.
ORWELL – Well maintained Colonial on mature maple-treed road with 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 3 fireplaces, full 7’ dry cellar, 3-car detached garage. New 30x50 barn with stalls. Fenced yard, electric fenced paddock and pastures. Many extras! $350,000
EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY D CEE U C D I RE PR
CORNWALL – Lovely 5-star rated, 4 BR 3+BA, Connor Home with attached 2-car garage at the end of a willow tree-lined drive. Fireplace, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, pool room, family room, spacious deck & stunning mountain views. Barn plus a 23x22 office suite over garage. $675,000
ORWELL $45,000 Beautiful 16 acre sloping lot has views to the west with road frontage and easy access to Route 22A. Potential for many building sites. Partially cleared area with mature pine and birch trees. A great opportunity to own land near the historic village of Orwell.
ORWELL - “Thistle Hill”, on a high knoll in Orwell, offers a commanding view to the east and Vermont East Creek Wildlife Management Area. Well maintained c1840 Colonial with remarkable landscaping, large vegetable gardens, fenced swimming pool, heated and air conditioned studio/office, approx 8 fenced acres. Opportunity to have a 15 acre “Gentleman’s Farm.” $349,000.
802-388-7983 Bill Beck Real Estate
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All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 as amended which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or persons receiving public assistance, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertisement for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-424-8590. For the Washington, DC area please call HUD at 426-3500.
Addison Independent
| ARTS+LEISURE | Thursday, July 14, 2016 — PAGE 19
Enjoy the rainbow! Limited Quantity
Polymer Chairs... to last a lifetime.
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Route 7 South • Middlebury, VT • 802-388-6297
ARTS+LEISURE The Addison Independent
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