The South Coast Insider - November 2023

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Inside derr

NOVEMBER 2023 Vol. 27 / No. 11

A time to

remember

Finding roots Shopping tips

New artists Tree hugging

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November 2023 | Vol. 27 | No. 11 Published by Coastal Communications Corp.

Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Ljiljana Vasiljevic Editor Sebastian Clarkin Contributors Lori Bradley, Michael J. DeCicco, Paul Kandarian,

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Tom Lopes, Sean McCarthy, Elizabeth Morse Read,

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CONTENTS NOVEMBER 2023

COVER STORY

12 Celebrating history

By Rona Trachtenberg

18 What is happening to our trees?

By Lori Bradley

THINGS TO DO

5

Give thanks for November!

By Elizabeth Morse Read

14 ‘Tis the season to shop early

By Brooklynn Smith

BUSINESS BUZZ

10 On exhibit

By Sean McCarthy

16 Growing community

By Michael J. DeCicco

ON MY MIND

22 Heaven underfoot

By Paul Kandarian

ON THE COVER

the south coast issuu.com/coastalmags

Inside derr

NOVEMBER 2023 Vol. 27 / No. 11

A time to

remember

This breathtaking view comes from the Fort Meetinghouse at Plimoth Plantation. Today, Finding roots New artists the home of the Shopping tips Tree hugging First Thanksgiving hosts an extraordinary parade and one-of-a-kind celebration.

Learn more by turning to page 12 or by visiting usathanksgiving.com.

4

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

THINGS TO DO

Give thanks for

November!

Stroll through the brilliantly illuminated Roger Williams Park Zoo for the Holiday Lights Spectacular November 24 through December 31 (rwpzoo.org)!

by Elizabeth Morse Read

B

ut as the holiday hoopla gears up, remember to honor our military on Veterans Day November 11, and don’t forget to change your clocks November 6!

And many of the traditional holiday extravaganzas along the South Coast open in November, so visit them early and beat the crowds!

(Less chance of snow, then, too!)

Holiday fun for everyone!

Learn about our holiday traditions and history at the Plimoth-Pawtuxet Museums in Plymouth! Take a virtual field trip about “The Wampanoag:

After a torrid and tempestuous summer and early fall, we can all be grateful for the return of traditional holiday season get-togethers and cooler-weather indoor celebrations!

People of the Dawn” on November 3, or “Fact and Fiction About the First Thanksgiving” on November 13 (plimoth.org).

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on AHA! Nights in New Bedford! The November 9 theme is “Made in New Bedford” (ahanewbedford.org).

It’s time to sharpen the ice skates (or rent them) for indoor skating at Fall River’s Driscoll Arena (508679-3274), New Bedford’s Hetland Arena (508-999-9051), Taunton’s Aleixo Arena (508-824-4987) or

Plymouth’s Armstrong Arena (508746-8825) (fmcicesports.com)!

Learn about early American holiday traditions by taking an hour-long lantern-led walking tour of Newport (newporthistorytours.org)!

Take the kids to the Providence Performing Arts Center to see “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” November 28-December 3 (ppacri. org)!

Celebrate Thanksgiving in Plymouth, America’s Hometown, with festivities, parade, concert, beer garden, exhibits, harvest CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

5

Enjoy free family fun and entertainment on AHA! Nights in New Bedford! The November 9 theme is “Made in New Bedford” (ahanewbedford.org).

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

market and more November 17-19 (usathanksgiving.com)!

Get ready for a fun-filled day iceskating or riding ice bumper cars at The Providence Rink in downtown Providence (theprovidencerink. com)!

Food, drink, and shopping

Head for downtown New Bedford for the Co-Pop Small Business Saturday November 25 at the Co-Creative Center – shop small, local, and handmade (cocreativenb. org)!

Don’t miss the European-style Christmas Market at the Christmas Wonderland and Festival of Lights at Edaville Railroad in Carver from November 10 through January 1 (edaville.com)!

Be on the lookout for the 4th Annual Holiday Artisan Market this month at Linden Place in Bristol (lindenplace.org)!

Learn about Portuguese cuisine and culture by attending the free lecture at New Bedford’s Whaling Museum on November 2 with Maria Lawton, the “Azorean Green Bean” (whalingmuseum.org)!

6

Learn about early American holiday traditions by taking an hour-long lantern-led walking tour of Newport (newporthistorytours.org)!

Check out the many restaurants in greater Newport during Newport Restaurant Week November 3-12 (discovernewport.org/newportrestaurant-week)!

Admire the craftsmanship of more than 90 artisans and students – handmade furniture, home décor and art – at The Holiday Market Fine Furnishings Show on November 3-5 at the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence (finefurnishingsshows. com)!

Taste your way through the historic district with New Bedford Food Tours on a 3-hour guided walking tour to sample local foods at five signature restaurants, a 2-hour “Art and Brunch” tour of the city, or a 3-hour “A Taste of Portugal” tour in Fall River (nbfoodtours.com)!

Go on a Vineyard Voyage with the Providence Riverboat Company (providenceriverboat.com) Keep checking for the date of the annual “All That Glitters” holiday fair at Loon Lake Lodge in Lakeville – great shopping, cash bar, live music (lakevilleartscouncilma.org).

Don’t miss the free Holiday Sip & Stroll shopping event on the Middleboro Town Hall Lawn on November 18 (burtwoodschool. com)!

Shop online for that special gift

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

at “Artists for the Bay” November 15-December 31 (savebay.org/art)!

Eat Fresh, Eat Local! Fill your baskets with local produce, pies and jams, dairy products and holiday decorations! To find a farm, vineyard or indoor farmers market near you, visit semaponline.org, farmfreshri. org, or coastalfoodshed.org. To find food and wine events, go to farmcoast.com, coastalwinetrail. com, or ediblesouthshore.com.

All the world’s a stage

Head for New Bedford’s Whaling Museum on November 18 for the Culture*Park Short Plays Marathon – day-long readings of new original works (whalingmuseum.org).

Start your holiday season with a performance of “A Christmas Carol” at Trinity Rep in Providence November 9-December 31 (trinityrep.com).

Mark your calendars for the special events and entertainment at the Providence Performing Arts Center and The VETS! Head for The Alley Theatre in Middleboro for Drag in a Bag November 11 (burtwoodschool.com).

Don’t miss the New Bedford Festival Theatre’s fundraiser “Oh What a Night!” NBFT Celebrates CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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7

“The Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff” will be performed by the Newport Contemporary Ballet (formerly The Island Moving Company) from November 22 through December 1 (newportcontemporaryballet.org)!

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

Contemporary Broadway on November 11 at White’s of Westport, along with cocktail hour, buffet dinner, and silent auction (nbfestivaltheatre.com)!

Enjoy dinner and a performance of Live Comedy with Dawn Tyler & Friends November 10 and “Miracle on South Division Street” November 8 to December 31 at the Newport Playhouse (newportplayhouse.com).

Enjoy a performance of “Murder on the Orient Express” at Your Theatre in New Bedford on November 10-12, 17-19 (yourtheatre. org).

South Coast sounds

Follow The Z On the Road! Don’t miss the Dave Alves Band on November 30 at the Kilburn Mill Event Center in New Bedford (zeiterion.org)!

Treat yourself to tribute performances of Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash on November 4 at White’s of Westport (southcoastcomedy.com)!

8

Head for Pilgrim Memorial Hall in Plymouth to hear We Are Messengers November 4, Air Supply November 9, America’s Hometown: Baroque and Beyond with The Plymouth Philharmonic November 17, Senior Alumni Drum & Bugle Corps November 18 (memorialhall. com).

Find out who’s on stage at the District Center for the Arts in Taunton! Don’t miss Trinity November 3, Living On A Bad Name November 4, Johnny Folsom 4 November 10, Strange Magic November 11, The Four November 17, Completely Unchained November 18, Redeye Thanksgiving Eve Party November 22, Blushing Brides November 24, Disco Dream November 25 (thedistrictcenterforarts.com)!

Check out who’s on stage at the Spire Center for the Performing Arts of Greater Plymouth! Don’t miss Dana Fuchs November 3, Magical Mystery Doors November 4, House of Hamill November 9, Anthony Geraci November 10, Gabe Stillman November 11, Chelsea

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

Admire the craftsmanship of more than 90 artisans and students – handmade furniture, home décor and art – at The Holiday Market Fine Furnishings Show on November 3-5 at the Waterfire Arts Center in Providence (finefurnishingsshows. com)!

Berry November 16, Matt Scofield November 18, Michael Sweet Band November 24, James Montgomery November 25 (spirecenter.org).

Head for The Narrows Center for the Arts in Fall River for great music! Don’t miss Southside Johnny & the Asbury Dukes November 2, Eric Lindell November 3, Duke Robillard November 4, Manel The Island Man November 10, Fantastic Cat November 18, Michael Troy Concert November 19, Roomful of Blues November 24, Neil McCarthy November 25, Gary Hoey November 30 (narrowscenter.com)!

Classical acts

Keep checking for the date of the Holiday Pops Concert performed by the Fall River Symphony Orchestra with the South Coast Community Chorale at BCC’s Jackson Theatre (fallriversymphonyorchestra.org)!

Mark your calendar for the Christmas Concerts with the Spirit of St. Anthony Choir on Sunday afternoons at St. Anthony of Padua Church in New Bedford (musicatsaintanthonys.org)!

Buy your tickets early to see “The

Celebrate Thanksgiving in Plymouth, America’s Hometown, with festivities, parade, concert, beer garden, exhibits, harvest market and more November 17-19 (usathanksgiving.com)!

Newport Nutcracker at Rosecliff” on November 22 through December 1 performed by the Newport Contemporary Ballet (formerly The Island Moving Company) (newportcontemporaryballet.org)!

Mark your calendars now for the award-winning Rhode Island Civic Chorale and Orchestra’s performance of “Mendelssohn: Prelude to Greatness” November 18 at the Church of St. Sebastian in Providence and on November 19 at St. James’ Church in Manville (ricco. org).

Enjoy hearing violinist William Hagen playing Dvorak and Brahms on November 3 at the Newport Classical Recital Hall (newportclassical.org).

Keep checking Newport’s Emmanuel Church website for the date of its Classical Christmas Concert (emmanuelnewport.org)!

Follow The Z On the Road! Don’t miss the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra’s “Beautiful Moments” On November 18 at New Bedford High School’s Bronspiegel Auditorium (zeiterion.org)!

Don’t miss the New Bedford Festival Theatre’s fundraiser “Oh What a Night!” NBFT Celebrates Contemporary Broadway on November 11 at White’s of Westport, along with cocktail hour, buffet dinner, and silent auction (nbfestivaltheatre.com)!

Listen to the Borromeo Quartet on November 5 at Westport’s Concerts at the Point (concertsatthepoint.org)!

Head for Pilgrim Memorial Hall in Plymouth to hear “America’s Hometown: Baroque and Beyond” with The Plymouth Philharmonic November 17 (memorialhall.com).

The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra will perform Debussy’s “La Mer” on November 10-11 at The VETS (riphil.org).

Let there be lights!

The Annual Festival of Lights at LaSalette Shrine in Attleboro begins November 23 through January 1 – more than 300,000 lights illuminating ten acres (lasaletteattleboroshrine.org)!

Bundle up and watch Waterfire in Providence on November 4 (waterfire.org)!

Buy your tickets early for the Christmas Wonderland and Festival of Lights at Edaville Railroad in Carver from November 9 through December 31! Heated train

rides illuminated by 17 million lights throughout the park (edaville.com)!

Buy your tickets online to stroll through the brilliantly illuminated Roger Williams Park Zoo for the Holiday Lights Spectacular November 24 through December 31 (rwpzoo.org)!

Deck the halls

Be dazzled by the over-the-top splendor of the Gilded Age during “Holidays at the Newport Mansions” November 18 to January 1 (newportmansions.org)!

Bundle up and enjoy the lights and Christmas decorations indoors and out at Blithewold Mansion and Gardens in Bristol (blithewold.org).

Visit the Victorian-era decorated halls of the Fall River Historical Museum (lizzieborden.org).

Keep an eye out for the date of the Annual Christmas Open House at the Museum of Newport Irish History – enjoy eggnog and Celtic caroling while strolling through the exhibits and gift shop (newportirishhistory.org)!

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

9

BUSINESS BUZZ

t i b i h x e On

by Sean McCarthy

Gallery X knows that all great artists were once young and unknown.

F

or many high school students, the opportunity to showcase their art in a professional gallery can be a major step in their personal creative development, providing confidence and inspiration.

And for those who enjoy art, the level of quality work being done by area young people can be impressive.

Impressive enough to want to buy it.

When the High School Select Redux student art show debuts on Wednesday, October 25 at Gallery X in downtown New Bedford, it will be a valuable opportunity for young area creatives to have their work showcased in a vibrant community of artists – a win/win situation for artists and art enthusiasts.

“These aren’t high schoolers making art; these are artists who happen

10

The show will include as many as 100 students from New Bedford High School, Dartmouth High School, and Fairhaven High School

to be in high school,” says Zachary White, Executive Director of Gallery X. “Much of the work wouldn’t make you think it’s done by students – it would go well with works by more accomplished artists.”

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

Funded by an Art Is Everywhere! grant from New Bedford Creative, the show will include as many as 100 students from New Bedford High School, Dartmouth High School, and Fairhaven High School. Located at 169 William Street, the show will be open to the public until November 26. At the conclusion of the exhibit, four students from each of the three schools will be awarded a year’s membership at the gallery, where they can continue to show their work.

This year’s show will also feature work by a group of teachers from the three schools.

The student art will be in a variety of media, including painting, drawing, digital art, photography, ceramics, and mixed media. The grant allows the students and teachers to make

“This is a good opportunity for these people to be seen and get exposure,” White says of the students. “It’s good for their self esteem and motivation. It may inspire them to go further with their work and do more shows. Doing your first show helps you get over your nervousness, making it easier to do more shows.

They’re going to get a lot of feedback from the community.” professional presentations at no cost to them or the schools.

Gallery X is a nonprofit organization.

Admission to the gallery is free, though donations are welcome.

Grand entrance

“This is a good opportunity for these people to be seen and get exposure,” White says of the students. “It’s good for their self esteem and motivation.

It may inspire them to go further with their work and do more shows. Doing your first show helps you get over your nervousness, making it easier to do more shows. They’re going to get a lot of feedback from the community.”

“Any time a student can showcase their work is an amazing opportunity, but to be included in a gallery in a city like New Bedford, where the art community is bustling, provides its own advantages,” says Christine Neville, an art teacher at Fairhaven High School. “By including artwork on display in the gallery, students are more likely to visit the space, and in turn see the artwork of others in the local communities. Many of our students have not been to a gallery or museum, but by attending the show they gain a sense of belonging. To witness others viewing their art and talking about it can be a confidence booster.”

“These are hardworking students who are developing their skills, ideas, and voices,” says Rosannetta Rivera, an art teacher at New Bedford High School.

“New Bedford is such a creative place, and this exhibit adds a little more creativity to downtown. They’re presenting to the public, which enables the public’s creativity to grow.”

This is the third consecutive year for the student show. The last two years were strictly students from New Bedford High. The high school showcase was started in 1999 and ran through 2010/2011 before going on a hiatus.“This year is exciting because we’re going to see work by other high schools,” Rivera says. “As teachers, we’re eager to see what other teachers are doing, and the students are excited to see what other kids at their level are doing.

This is more than just presenting in front of a class.”

As in years past, the student showcase will allow for visitors to purchase art done by the students.

“There’s a lot more going on artistically than people may realize,” White says. “There’s a lot of young talent in this area. This is one of the most popular shows we do each year.”

“The experience of having their work included in a gallery art show can lead to more opportunities” Neville says. “They can join a mailing list and participate in future shows.

Their confidence can be lifted to make more art, and hopefully they will continue to share their art with others. It can also give them an awareness that viewing others’ art is an important part of the artistic process, but also a way to interact with the world.”

The Art Is Everywhere! grant will enable the gallery to expand its hours so that the students, their families, and the general public can enjoy the exhibit. The gallery’s website is galleryx.org.

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November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

11

COVER STORY

Celebrating

history

by Rona Trachtenberg

In 1996, Plymouth resident Joe McStow created a pre-Thanksgiving Day weekend event for locals, visitors, and tourists

I

t was so well-received that he continued hosting it for four more years. In 2000, Olly deMacedo, a Plymouth businessman, took over as Executive Director and he has lovingly overseen every detail of the America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration for the past 23 years.

With the celebration in its 27th year, de Macedo is still “proud to continue the tradition that Joe started.

Our team of dedicated volunteers works behind the scenes year-round to keep this fantastic historic event going. It is a labor of love for county

12

“

What makes this parade so special and what keeps the 150,000 to 175,000 spectators coming back year after year is that they are eager to see the unique theme we have chosen and the new floats we created to represent that historical achievement.

and community. We are a nonprofit organization and we all have worked diligently to establish this weekend as one of the best events in Massachusetts.

Indeed, it is a nationallyranked Thanksgiving

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

Celebration of our nation’s history. Our mission is history and tradition. We strive to educate, preserve, and tell America’s story throughout the weekend.”

The celebration lasts three days (November

17, 18, and 19) and takes place the weekend before Thanksgiving.

Plymouth’s Memorial Hall is the site of two excellent ticketed concerts: Friday night features the Plymouth Philharmonic, and Saturday night hosts the annual National Drum and Bugle Corp concert.

Sandwiched in between is the big Saturday morning event: America’s only historically accurate chronological parade televised live to millions of viewers by WCVB, Channel 5 TV, and streaming on-demand on Very Local Boston.

“We visually and

authentically bring history to life by representing every century since the Pilgrims landed here,” explained deMacedo.

“What makes this parade so special and what keeps the 150,000 to 175,000 spectators coming back year after year is that they are eager to see the unique theme we have chosen and the new floats we created to represent that historical achievement.

“We are all about showing gratitude to our country and celebrating the successful accomplishments of our nation,” said deMacedo.

“To that end, this year’s theme: The Price of Freedom will be represented by a float in honor of Norman Rockwell’s 1943 Four Freedoms artwork, which toured the US and raised $132 million dollars for the WWII effort.

“Among our other 23 new historic floats will be the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, the 100th anniversary of the Teddy Bear, the 80th anniversary of the (1943) PT109, and a replica of the Vietnam War’s Huey Helicopter."

The parade’s opening ceremonies start at 9:15 a.m. at the Pilgrim Memorial Park (Plymouth Rock) at 79 Water Street with a special musical presentation by the 6-String Soldiers of the US Army Field Band. The parade will include 12 marching bands, with one from as far away as Minnesota. Reenactors will be in period dress from the 16th through 20th centuries. All five

military branches will be represented by their respective marching groups and our veterans will be honored for their service – especially those who paid the ultimate price. In past years, weather and wind permitting, spectators were wowed by a military helicopter flyover. Last, but not least, everyone gets into the spirit of Christmas as the Santa float signifies the end of this wonderful 2.5-mile parade.

If you bring canned goods, you can place them on the Hometown Express float as it rides by. All donations will go to the local food banks that help feed families in need for Thanksgiving!

Once the Saturday parade is over, spectators and marchers all unite at the waterfront to enjoy the Food Truck Alley, Craft Beer/Wine Tent, Children’s Pavilion, music by the opening ceremony performers, and the Portal to the Past Reenactment Village, where living historians from four centuries of American history demonstrate what life was like back then.

On Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors can enjoy the Harvest Market.

If you are looking for a fun family activity to perk up the middle of November, you will want to mark your calendar to attend one, two, or all three days of the exciting historic America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Celebration in Plymouth.

For more information, visit usathanksgiving.com.

Reservations recommended Daily specials, seasonal drink menu, family style meals and homemade desserts, in a comfortable atmosphere with great service that will keep you coming back! * Family Style Dinners * Door Dash Delivery * Online Ordering Available * Daily Specials * Homemade Desserts

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November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

13

THINGS TO DO

‘Tis the

season to shop

early

by Brooklynn Smith

W

ith Halloween ending, people are preparing for activities such as Thanksgiving dinners, booking flights in advance, and holiday shopping.

In the past, it was common for people to start their holiday shopping either on the day of Black Friday right after a Thanksgiving meal or in the beginning of December. Yet times have definitely changed.

Each year, retailers fill their shelves with holiday inventories earlier and earlier. Soon, it won’t come as a surprise when we see Christmas decorations alongside back to school supplies!

Now you may be asking yourself, why on earth would I start shopping for the holidays months before December? Well picture 14

As the days grow shorter and the air turns crispier, there is an undeniable magical feeling of the holidays coming

this: December rolls around, everyone is scrambling in the stores to find the perfect gifts, people are rushing for the last popular game console on the shelf, all of the remaining Christmas trees are small, straggly, and unhealthy, and you’re overwhelmed. Some would simply go online to shop for their items, but the websites are lagging and the delivery trucks are stalling due to everyone else cramming in last-minute shopping.

Imagine how less stressed you’d be if you had done your shopping in advance!

By shopping early, you can avoid the chaos and have more time to enjoy with family and friends.

Let’s explore how we can do this!

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

First, create a budget.

Always remember that budgets are your friend.

Budgets frame how much you can spend and it can help narrow down on what you should buy.

Make a detailed list.

Of all the decorations and gifts you plan to purchase and write an estimation on what each item might cost. A good tip while doing this is to take a quick search around your house for items that you might already have on hand, like old Christmas ornaments or leftover wrapping paper.

These can be eliminated from your budget and save you in the long run.

Set aside a portion of your paycheck.

If cash is king, then the

credit card is the queen of spending. And during the holidays it’s unfortunately very normal to rack up large amounts of credit card debt. Plus, with the country teetering on a possible recession and inflation rising higher and higher, it can feel impossible to afford everything we want all at once. A way to go around this is to save portions of your paycheck. Not only will this lower stress, but it will also help meet your budget goals.

Keep an eye out for sales.

Searching for holiday sales will ultimately stretch your budget further and save your wallet from heartache.

Retail shops sneak in early holiday sales in October for eager beavers. Starting in October, stores like Walmart, BestBuy, Kohl’s,

Searching for holiday sales will ultimately stretch your budget further and save your wallet from heartache.

Macy’s and Amazon are hosting 48-hour-long sales for popular seasonal and gift items. BestBuy also hosts sales events on October 20-22.

Retailers also reward early birds with specials and Black Friday sales that extend throughout November.

While the brick-and-mortar stores have Black Friday, online retailers offer shoppers Cyber Monday.

This is a perfect opportunity to snag gifts that you couldn’t find in person or to buy novelty items that can only be found online.

If you have an adventurous spirit, you can find special holiday deals at local shops too! In Downtown New Bedford there are numerous local boutiques, nautical gift stores and art gallery shops that offer brilliant holiday sales. Not only will you benefit by saving money on these sales, but you will also generously give back to your community by supporting local businesses.

Take advantage of post holiday sales.

If all goes well with your budget, and you spend within your means, you can benefit from participating in post-holiday sales. After the festivities are over, stores are then focused on removing holiday inventories, ranging from toys, foods, electronics, clothing, and seasonal paraphernalia. Again, it’s best to keep certain items in mind when you go after sales. Think of items that

you know will be marked up later in the year like electronics. Taking this chance to scoop up huge discounted deals will give you early bird points!

Don’t skip over DIY gifts.

Do-it-yourself gifts or homemade gifts can be extremely heartwarming.

They could be a family china tea set, a handmade painting, or even a selfwritten poetry book. DIY gifts take precious time and energy to create, so getting a headstart on buying what you need will give you ample time.

The holiday season is a time for joy, laughs, and new memories with family and friends. It’s meant for baking delicious treats, decorating your home, attending parties, and embracing the holiday spirit.

Yet, it can also be a chaotic and stressful time for others. This is why shopping early is a practical solution.

Winter seasons come and go in the blink of an eye. Holidays only last for one or two days and then they’re over. We want to enjoy this time as much as possible. So let’s not get swamped with the chore of shopping. Let’s remain fully present and engaged in the moment.

We must remember that holiday shopping centers around beautifying our holiday experience. And by engaging in this, we truly give ourselves the greatest gift of all: time with the people we love.

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November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

15

g n i w o r G

BUSINESS BUZZ

COMMUNITY

by Michael J. DeCicco

The holistic farm, market, classroom, and kitchen known as Round the Bend Farm (RTB) in South Dartmouth is not easy to access – it’s down a winding end of Russells Mills Road at 92 Allen Neck Road

B

ut the programs there are worth making the trip.

Amid a slew of educational and farming programs, agricultural entrepreneurs, and farmland, an important component of the farm sticks out: the Elements Learning Collaborative. Elements is a nonprofit organization that since 2018 has provided children and families with holistic outdoor education, using sister nonprofit RTB as a home base.

Elements’ co-founder Cristy O’Brien said the working farm and education center is “an alternative opportunity for schooling children and community members and connecting them with nature. Our mission is to provide holistic, joyful, and meaningful educational experiences for a diverse group of children and families.”

The programs include the Elements Nature Program, a full-day holistic alternative to traditional nature learning for 4-10 year olds. There's

16

also Family Days, for an entire family; Summer Camp; Homeschooling Discussions; and Elements at Home, a combination of virtual and downloadable curriculum. (For more information on these programs, visit elementslearning.org.)

The collaborative's home, the 115-acre Round The Bend Farm, was established in 2013 with the financial support of the Bromley Charitable Trust and a plethora of other funders.

It contains fields with a diversity of herbs, fruits, and vegetables, as well as grazing chickens, cows, goats and pigs. In the middle of the farm are two clapboard, wood-frame, pine wall board buildings connected by an open-air breezeway.

One building contains a spacious and airy kitchen and dining area.

The other features a post and beam auditorium-sized hall for classrooms and a market for the colder seasons.

An Open Farm Day that offers tours

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

of the farm every third Saturday of the month through December features for sale organic vegetables, fruits, jams, and prepared foods from the farm’s own crops, and meat from its own “agripreneurs’” animals – not to mention live music. Next to one of the chicken pens at the farms’ entrance, a canvas yurt can be seen among the trees. It is here where the Elements Learning Collaborative classes and camps are based.

Setting roots

Executive Director and Co-Founder Desa Van Laarhoven describes the farm as “a restorative community and ecosystem filled with vibrant and diverse people and other living creatures.” Its mission and goals, she said, are to act as a living laboratory to educate and empower people of all ages. “We believe in hope and abundance and strive to model

The farm hosts field trips with thousands of kids each year to teach them everything McGovern’s Family Restaurant about sustainability and social justice.

310 Shove Street, Fall River 508-679-5010 mcgovernsonthewater.com

This well-known restaurant and banquet facility overlooking Laurel Lake usually packs them in for a large buffet on Thanksgiving Day. The menu typically includes traditional turkey dinner with Paul’s butternut squash, prime rib, ham, and much more. The restaurant has been offering dine-in and takeout, including its locally famous corned beef and cabbage, for 50 years. Here’s a protip: if you can’t wait until Thanksgiving for a roast turkey dinner, you don’t have to – it’s on the regular menu.

Merrills on the Waterfront

36 Homers Wharf, New Bedford nature, redefine wealth, and value 508-997-7010 diversity,” she said. merrillswaterfront.com The farm does this by hosting field This favorite restaurant and function trips thousands of kids each facilitywith sits on the waterfront overlooking year to teach them everything about port. But if isn’t your the busy sustainability andturkey socialday, justice. thing on traditional be sure “Sustainability livingofferings. in a way to keep watch formeans their holiday thatyear, is in Merrill’s harmony with up nature and Last served turkey and humanity,” Van Laarhoven explained. prime rib, all the sides like apple sage “Social justice is living in balance with and sweet corn and polenta ravihumanity being open-hearted and oli, plus piesby galore. open to diversity and differences.”

She illustrated these points by The Pasta House noting the farm starts its tours with 100 Alden Road, Fairhaven the Wampanoag Wetu (hut) which 508-993-9913 was built last year by Annawon thepastahouse.net Weeden of the Wampanaog Masphee If their Pumpkin Patch Old-Fashioned tribe. Doing so shows young visitors (now on the bar menu) doesn’t get you that Native Americans were here inside, nothing will. Luckily, you can usthe and can still us the abefore recipe in sidebar forteach this drink and ways of nature. serve it with your Thanksgiving dinner In late September of 2022, the farm takeout hosted a Powwow with Weeden to The Pasta House served up a spread further connect the turkey publicdinner, to theham last year that included culture andmignon, tradition of local Native dinner, braised short rib, Americans; a little pickup over 2,000 people and more. Currently, and delivery participated. is available from the regular menu, including cider go. We’ll “I their haveapple learned sosangria much to from my just haveAmerican to wait andfriends see what Native onthey howdream to be up for Thanksgiving. in balance with nature and all living creatures. Folks in their tribe who wereWharf different are revered and their The Tavern opinions valued,” Van Laarhoven 215 Water Street, Warren said.

“I studied biology in college, 401-289-2524 where I believed diversity is key to thewharftavernri.com nature’s success.

If there was a the group While stuffed quahogs nibbled by of diverse people who were given water may not be a Thanksgiving tradi-a problem to solve, if they truly listened tion, the Wharf Tavern, established in

to visit the safe outdoor pop-up markets (waterfire.org/art-mart). And on First Thursdays (November 5) you can “shop and dine local” in Barrington, Bristol, 1955 on the historic wharf that datesand Warren (discovernewport.org). to the 1700s, isn’t all about summer.

Kick-off the holiday at Frerichs Last year they served season up a feast of turkey, Farmprime in Warren with “Girls Night Out” roast rib, sausage and more.

The restaurant offers on November 6, 7 andcurrently 8 – buy your dine-in takeout, including some ovholidayand trees, greenery, and gifts there, en-ready dishes like seafood too (frerichsfarm.com).

Thencasserole mark and lobster. yourstuffed calendar for the Newport Block Party & Holiday Stroll at Bowen’s Wharf

White’s of Westport on November 27 – you can watch

66 Road, Westport theState Illuminated Boat Parade while 508-675-7185 you shop and enjoy Caribbean music shop.lafrancehospitality.com (bowenswharf.com).

White’s has been offering family-style takeout and curbside meals pickup for It’s the gifts months, sothoughtful when Turkey Day comes that count around, it’s a good bet they’ll have a hanAnd you can’t find giftson forthat all the dle (or if rather a drumstick) too.speCurrently, restaurant is offering meal cial peoplethe in your life, consider buying packages platters likeshops, its “Taste of gift cards and to restaurants, vineNew England” that comes with chowyards, special event venues, local farms, to each other, I believe the problem der, quahogs clam cakes orand its Italian would have and many different e-commerce websites, or grocery stores. package of salad, lasagna, and holistic solutions.”

Use mail-order services tomeatballs deliver flowbreadsticks.

Both meals serve six.

Also The farm'sand future, she said, ers, sweets, specialty foodswill yearavailable are dinner-for-two meal packs include Manifest Love Truck, round to a someone you wantFood to thank or like and chips, lobster rolls, bourbon funded byyour the appreciation.

Red Sox organization's to express beef tips, and even kid-sized pasta and Jean Yawkey Foundation, thattowill For those who are always hard buy meatballs for two.

With more than 60 travel the South signing Coast area this fall a gift for, consider them up for years in the hospitality industry, White’s supporting RTB program partners an annual subscription to a streaming is accustomed to cooking for a crowd. with education and nutrition, and service, app, podcast, premier sports/ which will be led by Van Laarhoven’s movies/cultural channel, magazine, or brother, RTB Chef in their newspaper.

Or Executive make a donation and Kitchen Director Shawn Van name to their favorite charity, educationLaarhoven.

The truck is an outgrowth al institution, or cultural organization. of the Manifest Love program the Consider how much it would be apprecifarm started during the COVID First you’ll need to an concoct cinnamon ated if you upgraded older relative’s pandemic in cup 2020 to provide syrup. Mix ½ sugar, ½ cup water, digital capabilities with an easy-to-use services such ascinnamon bags of foods and a three-inch stick inand a smartphone, tablet, or notebook – and advice on healthy eating to the 120 small pan.

Bring it just to a boil, turn off then helped to set up Zoom or Skype. clients ofand its let partners: NorthStar the heat it cool. Remove the You can keep the holiday spirit alive this Learning YWCA, Youth cinnamonCenters, stick and the discard or use it to year, even though you may not all be togarnish the cocktail if you like. syrOpportunities Unlimited, andThe Sacred gether celebrate Thanksgiving.

It just up willto last for three weeks in the fridge.

Birthing Village, which advocates for takes some imagination good cheer!

To make cocktail, and a shakmothers ofthe color.

Pumpkin Old-Fashioned

er halfway with thing ice. Combine ¼ cup “The biggest I hear from pumpkinispuree with three ounces visitors that they feel so calm and bourbon, two ounces maple syrup, ¼ loved,” Van Laarhoven said.

“A sense ounce cinnamon syrup, one ounce orof peace while they’re here.

Their ange liqueur, and two senses are filled.

It smells so good dashes orange here, they say. bitJust listen to nature’s ters. Shake well. sounds!

Fill two old fash“We’re proud that we’re living our ioned glasses with our talk,” she said. mission – walking ice, pour the For moreininformation, visit strained cocktail roundthebendfarm.org, or visit the and garnish with farm yourself ata92 Allen Neck Road of orange peel intwist South Dartmouth. and a cherry.

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The South Coast | November 2020 November 2023Insider | The South Coast Insider

19 17

COVER STORY

What is

happening to our trees?

by Lori Bradley

In her captivating short story “What a Girl Knows About Trees” Somerset writer Kathryn Kulpa shares her love for our largest form of vertical vegetation.

“Trees are your friends. They won’t let you fall,” she writes. “A girl’s mother told her this once and the girl never forgot it, and never was afraid to climb to the tallest tops and look out past hedgy borders dividing yard from yard, high enough to see the ocean, or, on foggy days, at least the neighbor’s swimming pool.”

M

y parents also nurtured a crop of old apple orchard trees in our backyard where my siblings and most of the neighborhood children gathered to play – climbing into the flowers in the midst of hordes of humming bees in the spring and launching apple wars with the mucky, fermenting fruit that covered the ground in late fall. It was bittersweet play, though.

My mother was sure the people who

18

were going to buy our house would cut down the apple trees – and she was right – but sweet memories of that small orchard accompany me into adulthood.

Like the new residents of our house, many people are cavalier about trees.

People still cut through vegetation with abandon when a new warehouse is needed near the highway, or a housing development takes the place of farmland. Decorative but invasive

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

species are planted for natural fencing, or for beauty, then quickly take over and destroy native plants.

Humans have always treated trees as a convenience, an annoyance, or purely as a valued construction material.

Lately though, with warmer weather leaving stands of skeletal bare trees or trees showing yearround browning and wilted leaves throughout the South Coast, people are starting to wonder what is happening to the landscape and express anxiety about the changes to beloved places. Proximity to the ocean seems to hasten the changes that are taking place across Massachusetts, and it can be psychologically and ecologically devastating to watch favorite tree varieties die off and leave forests looking thin and forlorn. Tree damage to homes is becoming more prevalent and some homeowners opt to cut favorite trees rather than risk an accident. Sadly, some

With warmer weather leaving stands of skeletal bare trees or trees showing year-round browning and wilted leaves throughout the South Coast, people are starting to wonder what is happening to the landscape and express anxiety about the changes to beloved places.

CONTI

guaran week a The p consu receiv can re ue to g “No sh says B All pr directl gnarly

Grow

of the iconic New England trees such as Blue Spruce, Sugar Maple, and Copper Beech are particularly environmentally stressed and beginning to die out.

Green investments

With more people starting to appreciate the intrinsic value of trees, Massachusetts initiated several programs to save or replace them in 2023, especially targeting urban areas like Fall River that suffer most from increased heat as the aging tree canopy collapses. And the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service announced a onebillion-dollar investment in projects that restore trees and green spaces in urban areas. Funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, the Forest Service is investing in improving tree cover in urban, suburban, and rural areas nationwide. The USDA shares the reasoning behind their commitment to this initiative on their website: “Studies show that communities with access to trees and green spaces are associated with improved health outcomes, reduced crime, lower average temperatures, and an influx of other kinds of investments and new economic opportunities.”

Fall River is a recipient of a onemillion-dollar grant for a project called the Urban Tree Canopy

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The B the So their re Farm M learne tainab their g new b Due Farm’s fered t Now the Tiv tion, w overgr nate th focusi Thank living i the op shield As m selves harsh moder For o manag tion of always efficie But e leave o The fa studen in orde to help “It ca says. “ use te quality That first bi

Fall River is a recipient of a one million-dollar grant for a project called the Urban Tree Canopy Expansion Initiative. Populations most vulnerable to climate change are targeted to improve shade and green spaces in crowded urban neighborhoods, and to provide incentives for public stewardship and careers in environmental fields.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

Expansion Initiative. Populations most vulnerable to climate change are targeted to improve shade and green spaces in crowded urban neighborhoods, and to provide incentives for public stewardship and careers in environmental fields.

Massachusetts state-sponsored initiatives to help foster tree growth and climate resilience include the Massachusetts Forest Stewardship Plan, through which licensed foresters work with private landowners to improve and maintain landscapes and forests with a goal of developing a ten-year forest management and sustainability plan. With drought conditions in 2022 increasing forest fires that threatened bordering towns in 2022, Massachusetts Forest Service 20

designated approximately two million dollars to forest health improvement, including programs that increase resistance and resilience of trees and forests to mitigate and adapt to climate change, improve woodland ecosystems and biodiversity, increase the tree canopy, and provide new forest-management jobs.

Increased governmental spending and new projects are encouraging, but the battle is difficult and not one that forest scientists entirely understand as the climate of coastal Massachusetts rapidly begins to resemble that of North Carolina.

Many foresters suggest planting new vegetation that is native to the southern states and potentially more resistant to a future of rising temperatures and extreme weather events in New England.

The list of climate-induced tree stressors is many including

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

increasing invasive pests and diseases such as Asian long-horned beetle, oak wilt, and Beech leaf disease, which in 2023 threatens some of the state’s most iconic trees such as the beloved 100-year-old Beech in the town of Swampscott that recently succumbed to the new disease.

Additional threats include changes in temperature and precipitation patterns, increased ice storms, hurricanes, and drought conditions which stress trees and lead to decline. Even as new trees are being planted in urban areas, air pollution is a major detriment to their growth by damaging leaves and interfering with photosynthesis. Soil degradation and water pollution due to human activity and building construction can lead to tree decline. And some trees are just plain old and dying off. Many of the maples and oaks prevalent in

consumerism that involves demonstraForest professionals advise tions, sit-ins and, I kid you not because I’m replanting with climateafraid of them, a “Zombie Walk,” where volunteer zombies wander with resistant trees thatmalls will blank stares and explain “Buy Nothing significantly change the Day” to befuddled shoppers before, I aslookeating andtheir feeling sume, flesh. of our How are ya, what’s new, how’s it goforests, streets, and parks, ing? Say that and more on November 21, whichHello canDay,” result ininathe type “National created hopes that conflicts can be resolved through of collective mourning for communication rather than the use of the loss of sense of place force, a lofty goal that, given there really has never been a time when there’s not war raging somewhere around the globe.

South Coast cities were planted at World Philosophy Day is an international the turn of the 20th century and are day proclaimed by UNESCO comes into reaching their end of their lifecycles. being every third Thursday of November.

Forest professionals advise Or does it? Hmmm? replanting with climate-resistant Silly as World Day on November trees that will Toilet significantly change 19 sounds, it is an actual Nations the look and feeling ofUnited our forests, observance day to tackle the global streets, and parks, which can result

in a type of collective mourning for the loss of sense of place, which according to Psychology Today is called “ecological mourning.” It is considered by therapists to be a new and unique form of grief.

The best way for people to become resistant to this sense of grief is to take action. There are plenty of local incentives, like the Urban Tree Canopy Expansion Initiative in Fall River, through which to find a community of activists. There is also hope in programs like the Massachusetts Legacy Tree Program which celebrates and highlights iconic Massachusetts trees. Many of the trees on the 2023 Legacy List are Beech trees, including the magnificent, spreading, deep-red Beeches in Buttonwood Park and Clasky Common Park in New Bedford. Hopefully, increased attention to these valuable trees will help them resist the ravages of Beech leaf wilt for the time being, but warming temperatures will continue to bring new blights. It will take everincreasing energy and efforts of the scientific community, government agencies, and citizens to keep our forest canopy providing us with essential shade, clean air, beauty, and wonder in the future.

sanitation crisis because worldwide, 4.2 billion of us live without safe sanitation Year Think Round or Second Home options. of that the next time you’re lucky59 enough to be relaxing with a magaThird Street, Westport zine in a comfy loo.

Hungry? November is your month, with tasty days sprinkled throughout, odes to everything from banana pudding to vinegar and everything in between, including hot sauce, nachos, pickles, espresso, deviled eggs, French toast and more.

Honoring all that grub makes perfect sense that November 15 is National Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day. In closing, and in observance of November being an election month, I’d like to add it is now National Impotency Month, which has nothing to do with the Republicans in Congress, much as it sounds like it should.

Happy winter, people! All eight damn months of it.

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The South Coast | November 2020 November 2023Insider | The South Coast Insider

23 21

ON MY MIND

Heaven underfoot The Mattapoisett Rail Trail, an ongoing work-in-progress, gets more spectacular with every new piece.

by Paul Kandarian

Heaven’s not what awaits us when we close our eyes for the last time.

Heaven just may be what’s right there in front of us when we open them every day.

22

T

hat’s overstatement perhaps, but here’s the thing: if you wake up, 1) that’s a win right there and 2) it gives you a chance to drink in the new day, be it good, bad or ugly.

Why? See number 1.

Where I’m going with this is simple: I love to walk in the great outdoors, and that doesn’t mean hiking up and down kneestraining mountains up north. I love hikes flat and lovely, and no better area for my money (read: free) exists than right here in the South Coast.

November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

One glorious walk I just found came courtesy of my lady, who loves walking herself and who introduced me to the newest portion of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail, an ongoing work-in-progress that gets more spectacular with every new piece. The most recently opened part runs about two miles over a paved path and expansive boardwalk, from Depot Street off Route 6 in Mattapoisett to the Fairhaven line.

Simply put, it is just stunning, and the best way

to see that is of course to walk it, but I encourage you to find aerial footage online to fully appreciate the sprawling beauty this new walk encompasses.

The west end of the trail, from Mattapoisett Neck Road to Reservation Road, opened in July 2022. The chunk between Reservation Road and the end of Goodspeed Island road opened this past spring, a gorgeous span that crosses the Mattapoisett River estuary, salt marshes and Reservation Beach at

The Rocky Point State Park, a place near and dear to my heart, is one of the best parks in New England, with 120 acres open to the public.

the head of Mattapoisett Harbor.

Biking is an option, but be wary of the electric bikes, which frankly baffle me: if it’s exercise you seek, pedal. Just sitting on a motorized scooter and blasting down a trail where so many people are walking is a recipe for disaster. But then again, I’m a walking purist – or an old fart if you prefer – I like the quiet plodding of feet over the whir of wheels.

That aside, this is truly an amazing piece in the local conservation landscape and kudos to all for creating this ongoing recreational jewel. And hats or helmets off to the Friends of the Mattapoisett Rail Trail for its latest initiative, “Bikes for All,” in which the nonprofit refurbishes donated bikes and has, since 2021, distributed more than 100 bikes, helmets, and (thankfully) bike bells! You hear the bell, get the hell… outta the way! Works for me.

I love being surprised by great walks like that, and recently found others on a day I was doing a short acting job in Tiverton and finally figured out a way to walk the Sakonnet River Bridge. I’d driven over it countless times and saw the walking path over it. I gotta tell ya, it is a spectacular site and a little unnerving, walking a path immediately adjacent to the thundering traffic whizzing by, but so worth it.

The path is on the north side of the bridge, a short walk of about seven tenths of a mile, with two spots that jut out to give you a place to stand and survey the stunning view of the river where it meets Mount Hope Bay. It’s not a long, strenuous walk, but is unique and just a beautiful spot to enjoy the natural beauty of a spot juxtaposed by the rushing crush of cars and trucks.

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November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

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November 2023 | The South Coast Insider

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longsweeping sidewalk in a part of Portsmouth I’d never seen before, Island Park, with its rocky beach and expansive ocean views. Long ago, there was an amusement park here until the hurricane of ‘38 whipped it into ruin and killed 18 people. It still has the look of an old-school beach neighborhood like so many in Rhode Island, with restaurants and bars and small businesses that look like they've been there forever.

And farther down Rhode Island roads is Rocky Point State Park, a place near and dear to my heart; as a lad, I’d come here with family when it was an amusement park famous for its chairlift over the midway, the giant arch

from the 1964 World’s Fair, a gigantic saltwater pool, and a variety of rides and attractions that made the place a Rhode Island institution.

It eventually shut down – its huge shore dinner hall falling into disrepair and coyotes and rats infesting the massive holding until the state took it over, cleaned it up and made it one of the best parks in New England, its 120 acres open to the public to walk, drink in those spectacular ocean views, and reminisce.

Are these walks heaven?

Okay, maybe that’s a stretch, but since I’m no believer in the long-held myth of the biblical place, I’m keeping my baby blues open and my feet moving to take in the heavens right here on Earth.

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