FALL/HARVEST SEASON BEER RELEASE DATES • Squirrel Fights (nut brown ale) - Aug.12th • Festbier (oktoberfest marzen) - Sept. 2nd • Oktoberfest Festival at Concord Craft - October. 4th • Dia de los Muertos (tequila barrel aged ale) - Oct. 7th • Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout - Nov. 4th
HOURS
Tues-Thurs 3-9 pm Fri 2-9 pm Sat 12-9 pm Sun 12-8 pm
FRESH CRAFT BEER BREWED ON-SITE • Plenty of Seating Inside & Outside
• 16 fresh brews on tap with gluten free options • Beer available to go in cans, cases, kegs and growlers. • Located Downtown with plenty of parking…Easy On-Easy Off from I-93
@concordcraftbrewing
(603) 856-7625
117 Storrs Street, Concord, NH
MONITOR FILE
Elaine Collins picks up dried hay from a field on the 40-acre family farm on Scoodac Road in Warner on Oct. 7, 2025.
inside Staff picks for fall season.............................................. Page 6 Warner hosts annual foliage fest................................ Page 10 Seasonal events in Monadnock Region ..................... Page 12 Book Festival returns to Concord ................................ Page 14 Five events to celebrate autumn ................................. Page 16 A roundup of local farmstands ................................... Page 17 Where to see peak foliage across the U.S. ................ Page 20
Harvest Guide
Copyright 2025 by the Newspapers of New England. All rights reserved. CONCORD MONITOR Monitor Publishing, PO Box 1177 Concord, N.H. 03302-1177 Advertising: ads@cmonitor.com Editorial: features@cmonitor.com MONADNOCK LEDGER-TRANSCRIPT PO Box 36, Peterborough NH 03458 Advertising information: 924-7172, ads@ledgertranscript.com
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HARVEST GUIDE 2026
Fall is in the air here at Steele’s Come check out all the new seasonal cards, gifts, puzzles and candles. 25 TURNPIKE ROAD • JAFFREY, NH 03452
603-532-8765
“Try Us”
www.tiegerrealty.com • E-mail: info@tiegerrealty.com
603-924-7203
40 MAIN STREET • PETERBOROUGH, NH steelesstationers.com
NE-492380
OPEN 9AM-5PM • MON-SAT
Making memories? It’s in our nature.
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VisitWhiteMountains.com
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
alpine adventures. bRETTON wOODS Skyway gondola. cannon mountain. clark’s bears. conway scenic railroad. cranmore mountain resort. flume gorge. granite state railway. living shores aquarium. loon mountain resort. lost river gorge & boulder caves. Mt. washington auto road. mount washington cog railway. polar caves. santa’s village. story land. whale’s tale water park.
FALLING FOR AUTUMN Monitor, Ledger-Transcript staff share their favorite ways to savor the season. Read their responses on Page 6.
The corn maze at Beech Hill Farm in Hopkinton features wide open spaces and two different designs. Monitor file
The Road Home Is Easier Than You Think... Call Chris Today!
Fall Into Fabulous Finds at Twin Elm Farm Come browse through our charming 19th-century farmhouse and barn filled with antique, vintage, and one-of-a-kind, carefully curated furnishings and accents for your home and garden.
Christine Lavery BROKER/REALTOR c 603-547-5944 christine.lavery@nnereg.com
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HARVEST GUIDE 2026
Join us for our upcoming seasonal events, complete with music, refreshments, special offers, and plenty of inspiration for the season ahead:
Fall Gathering: October 10–12 • Holiday Open House: November 14–15 Open seven days a week:
Hours: Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.
133 Wilton Road, Peterborough, NH 03458 603-784-5341 www.TwinElmFarm.com
PO Box 83 Peterborough, NH 03458 603-567-7155 nnerealestategroup.com
Your CBD Store Celebrates 7 years in Business.
It really is incredible to think about where we started 7 years ago. On our first day of business I think we only had about 10 different products to offer with limited sizes and strengths. Fast forward 7 years later and we can now offer over 50 different products in multiple strengths and sizes for Pain, Anxiety, Sleep & Focus as well as a variety of other ailments. Through the development of different products and applications SunMed has always kept Safety and High Quality as their number 1 priority. It truly has been an amazing journey for Laurie and I. We have developed many friendships along the way, many of which started the first year in business. What is really satisfying is that the business is really now growing “Organically” (no pun intended) Smith laughs. We are seeing new customers come in everyday from our regular customers telling their Family, Friends, Neighbors, & coworkers to stop in and try some CBD. We are so grateful for
all our customers and the support they have shown us, we never take them for granted. We love educating our new customers on the potential benefits of CBD and how it works in our bodies. We also enjoy addressing any myths or misconceptions that they might have about CBD. When we first opened in 2019 CBD was just starting to become a possible alternative to prescription drugs we found that there was a lot of misinformation out there so we had our work cut out for us on educating the public, while at the same time earning there trust through not only education but also “No Pressure” approach. We have always made it our priority to treat each customer as if they are family. We have learned that when you take the time to educate and answer questions along with treating customers with Kindness, Patience and Respect the sales will automatically fall into place. The last thing we want to do is add to a persons stress or anxiety and make them feel pressured to make a purchase. We also feel that it is very important for our customers to realize that not all CBD is the same, there is a ton of variation in Quality and effectiveness.
We have not raised prices on any of our products since opening our doors, in some cases we have lowered prices as well as developing customer programs to keep the products affordable. We have something for every budget from starter packs to lower strengths we try to help as many customers as possible regardless of their budget. As a first time customer you can expect to be greeted with a smile and a warm welcome. We will introduce the SunMed brand and briefly explain what makes us different. Next we will offer education on the Endocannabinoid system, this can take 3-5 minutes or as long as a customer may like. We love answering questions!! Next we are all ears in listening to what you’re experiencing and for a lot of our customers this in it self is comforting… to just be listened to. On many occasions a tissue and a hug is needed and happily provided. We’ve had 23 year olds fighting severe anxiety
The product is not intended to prevent, treat, diagnose or cure any condition or disease and has not been tested or approved by the FDA.
If a customer decides to make a purchase we write everything down as far as dosage and verbally go over it with them. We will usually do a follow up call within 4-5 days to check in to see how they are doing. We have found that a little empathy goes a long way. So much of our daily purchases are done with a click of a button with no real human interaction Just a hope & a prayer that it works with no one to answer questions or hold accountable. Smith Admits with a smile… The most gratifying part of our job is seeing that “new Customer” walk back through our door with a huge smile to share with us how much better they are doing which sometimes requires another tissue and a hug.
Rick & Laurie invite you to stop in Tuesday thru Saturday 10-6 for free education and samples.
Your CBD Store Concord 603-715-1153 211 Loudon Rd. Ste A Concord N.H. @ Courtyard SQ
(across from Sugar River bank) in front of From the Top Hair Salon
First Time Customers
20% OFF Your Purchase
Cannot be combined with any other offers. Expires 10/31/2026
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
As Rick and Laurie Smith think back to their Grand Opening in March of 2019 they are amazed at how fast the time has gone by.
Rick admits… we are not the cheapest brand but based on our results for the last 7 years we believe we are the best. Talk is cheap and anyone can make these claims but if you read what our customers are saying in our on line reviews I think we’ve earned some bragging rights Smith laughs.
and or depression to 60 year old men with extreme back pain that are unable to work and provide for the family. We have people come in that haven’t slept in days and can’t function anymore.
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SunMed Products are very high quality. They are all 3rd party tested with QR codes on packaging so that you can verify what’s in the container before making any purchases, in addition SunMed uses CO2 in our extraction process rather than chemical solvents. (a much cleaner and effective process).
STAFF PICKS OF THE SEASON
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
A
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NE-492574
s the air grows cooler and the leaves take on russet hues, there’s no shortage of enjoyment to be had. Here’s some autumn favorites, right from the Concord Monitor and Monadnock Ledger-Transcript staff. RachelWachman: As much as I love the crunch of leaves underfoot as I make my way up a mountain or romp through a forest, something specifically about fall draws me to the kitchen. I stock up on canned pumpkin, containers of cinnamon, bushels of apples and, of course, lots of butter. Be it apple Wachman crisp (which the Concord Monitor staff will tell you I bring to every social gathering between the months of September and December), pumpkin scones or cinnamon rolls, I find a way to infuse fall flavors into everything I craft in the oven. And one of the best parts is sharing with others. I love a dinner party during every season, but something about autumn gatherings – perhaps because daylight feels extra precious as it fades – makes food taste even better and the company all the more fun. David Brooks: My wife and I have made applesauce with a set of friends every fall for three decades. We have to let them participate because they own the Squeeze-O strainer! It removes cores, skin and seeds, leaving the crushed Brooks apple flesh awaiting sugar and cinnamon to taste. This lets us use all the apples from our tree, including the bruised and damaged ones – which is most of them since we don’t spray it. I haven’t eaten store-bought applesauce since Bill Clinton was president. Emilia Wisniewski: Last year, my best friend came up to visit me in Concord, and we got to enjoy a true New England fall together. Not that the fall in Boston,
where we both went to school, wasn’t short of fantastic, but we got to see the season in a whole new light: specifically, the pumpkin patches. We traveled south to Londonderry, where we picked the tiniest pumpkins we could find — and enjoyed apple cider donuts as we went along. Picking out a pumpkin was something I haven’t done since I was a kid, but she and I got to experience Wisniewski that magic all over again. We went home with our prized pumpkins, but we didn’t go at it with any carving tools (my apartment would have been a mess!). Instead, we painted over the pumpkins with cute characters — she made a ghost and I drew a bunny. New Hampshire has definitely instilled a new sense of fall for me, one that hasn’t been around for years. I plan to be back to that pumpkin patch — and others — to pick out the best of the best to set the autumn mood early in the season. As much fun as I had painting the pumpkins last year, maybe I’ll consider carving one this time. Charlotte Matherly: Two years ago, during my first New Hampshire fall, my mom visited me during peak fall color. We joined thousands of leaf-peepers in a short-lived trudge along the Kancamagus Highway before ditching for the closest trailhead, which led us to the Discovery Trail in Lincoln, an accessible 1.4-mile loop through the trees. It was less of a hike and more of a Matherly walk in the woods, but I can still picture the abundant layer of vibrant, golden leaves resting on the forest floor. I’ve wanted to go back ever since. Nowadays, I’d like to think I’ve become a more experienced New Englander — for example, I know now that it’s a bad idea to attempt to drive the Kanc on the second Saturday in October. As SEE STAFF PICKS PAGE 7
anyone in our newsroom will tell you, I’ve made it my mission these past two years to explore every random corner of New Hampshire I can find. My favorite spots are those less-traveled, like Everett Lake in Weare and Powder Mill Pond in Bennington, but I enjoy a good apple-themed adventure as much as anyone. Carter Hill Orchard in Concord is a staple. The views at Gould Hill Farm in Contoocook, with a locally made hard apple cider in hand, are unbeatable. Jesseca Timmons: Hiking in the fall is the best: drier weather, no bugs (although you still have to watch out for ticks!); cooler temperatures, and of course, stunning foliage. While visitors to our state flock to the White Mountains and Mount Monadnock, there are countless lesser-known hiking trails where the views are just as beautiful and the crowds are nonexistent. One less crowded trail is the 23-mile Wapack Trail, which runs from North Pack in Greenfield, NH, to Mt. Watatic, just Timmons over the border in Ashburnham, MA. Most people start at Mount Watatic and head north, so the northern end of the trail is less crowded. Park at the trailhead parking lot in Greenfield, and from the summit, follow the Cliff Trail and signs for the Wapack Trail. The shoulder trail between North Pack and Pack Monadnock doesn’t see a lot of hikers, and it has stunning views to the south. On a clear day, you can see downtown Boston! At Miller State Park, home of Pack Monadnock, you can take a climb up the fire tower, check out the gift shop — which has ice cream! — and observe the raptor watch staffed by naturalists from the Harris Center for Conservation Education. For people who would like to enjoy the views but have mobility issues, cars can drive up the access road to Miller State Park for $4 per adult. Adults over age 65 are free. For more information about the Wapack Trail, go to https://wapack.org/trail-overview-andmap/. Alex Rapp: There’s nothing quite like college football in the fall, even if it’s not the biggest sport around. Dart-
mouth and UNH have already begun their 2026 campaigns, and both put on quite the spectacles on gamedays. Locally, New England College is entering its second year as a varsity program at the Division III level. The Pilgrims will face the Plymouth State Panthers to start the season on Sept. 5, but there will be Rapp plenty of opportunities to catch them down the road. Going to a new town, exploring it on gameday, partaking in a tailgate with friends, grilling and watching football is great, but it’s always the company that makes it special. If you have a group of friends available on a weekend, go watch some live sports locally and enjoy the cool fall weather. Rebeca Pereira: Jars of cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice sit in my cupboard all year waiting for the fall. I could, theoretically, use them whenever, but there’s something special about spiced desserts in crisp weather. My birthday falls in mid-October, so not only am I partial to this season but my baking repertoire has, over the years, filled to overflowing with recipes for autumnal layer cakes. I like a chocolate spice cake with mascarpone whipped Pereira cream frosting. I love a black tea cake with honey buttercream. And despite growing up in New England, I would commit despicable crimes for a weighty, decadent slice of a classic Southern hummingbird cake. These tiered projects are labors of love, the perfect blueprint for a Saturday spent indoors, toiling over the stand mixer, barreling through episode after episode of “Gilmore Girls”, soaking in the pleasures of the season. Kiera McLaughlin: Throughout the fall season, all of my weekends are dedicated to spending time with my grandparents and preparing for our favorite holiday: Halloween. The drive over Temple Mountain and around Dublin Lake to their house each SatSEE STAFF PICKS PAGE 8
Save The Date THIS YEAR’S ALEX SEPKUS SHOW
October 15-16-17
2 Capital Plaza ~ 57 N Main Street Concord 603-224-2920 • Goldsmiths-Gallery.com
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
STAFF PICKS FROM PAGE 6
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staff picks
staff picks STAFF PICKS FROM PAGE 7
MONITOR FILE
An apple at Carter Hill Orchard in Concord just begins to ripen in August 2025.
urday makes me fall in love with autumn in New England all over again. Back in the day, my grandpa would carve a huge pumpkin and place it on a table outside their home on Halloween. That night, lines would form leading to the front door with kids dressed up as princesses and superheroes waiting to talk to the Great Pumpkin and get a piece of candy from my grandma. Nowadays, we spend the night handing out candy bags and still always end the night with a cup of homemade squash soup. Catherine McLaughlin: I’m so spoiled by New Hampshire apple orchards that I can barely bring myself to eat grocery store apples the rest of the year. Everyone kind of has a favorite spot, but I look forward all fall to the afternoon when I roll up to Gould Hill and stuff a little white bag with Macs (and maybe finish things off with a cider flight afterward). Sorry to all the McLaughlin Macintosh haters out there, but I like a soft, sweet apple. Macs are known to be great for baking (and I know a great crisp recipe), but I think the best thing to do with a good New Hamp-
shire apple is just to eat it. Really nothing compares, and I love getting to reap the benefits for the days and weeks that follow. Jeremy Margolis: The best autumn activity is indisputably leaf jumping. Growing up, my family would rake all the leaves in our yard together. Then, we would run at the pile at full speed and launch ourselves into it, enveloping our bodies in a rainbow melange of dead foliage. Is it wet and smelly? Yes. Will you find fragments of leaves in unwelcome places afterward? Absolutely. But there is truly no other way to more Margolis fully experience fall than by submerging in it. For the more comfort-minded among you, here are a few of my favorite local fall spots: The Salisbury Woods, a combined haunt and community fundraiser, will simultaneously make you scream and marvel at the creative ingenuity of Brett Walker and his team. Canterbury Aleworks will transport you across the pond for a craft brew in a traditional pub setting. Gould Hill Farm is my favorite place to sip cider, catch live music, and gaze out at the mountains on a crisp fall afternoon.
Wool Arts Tour Map Saturday, October 10, 2026, 10 am - 5 pm Sunday, October 11, 2026, 10 am - 4 pm
Stop at all five picturesque farms on the map to catch a glimpse of fiber farming, meet new woolie friends, learn a new craft, shop local artisans and farmers and more! Go in whatever order works for you and enjoy the foliage!
Spinner Farm 192 Old County Rd, Deering, NH
Windfall Farm 5 Old North Branch Rd, Antrim, NH
Glory Be Farm 268 Bible Hill Rd, Bennington, NH
Ten Talents at La Bergerie Dumas
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Scan for Info
420 Slip Road, Greenfield, NH
Heritage edition wine release Brookline, NH
Maple Lane Farm 24 Maple Lane Farm, Lyndeborough, NH
NE-492562
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
250 Years of American Heritage
21 Averill Road, Brookline, NH, 03033 (603) 244-3165 | averillhousevineyard.com
PLAN AHEAD! Cell service and GPS can be spotty in our rural scenic areas. Make a plan before you tour. NE-492174
Main Road is rt 31 Using your phone: Open your camera and scan this QR code to get to the website for more information. www.woolartstournh.com
Come share a touch of country with us!
Pick Your Own Apples
580 Mountain Rd., Concord 224-8862 www.applehillfarmnh.com Dir: I-93 to Exit 17, head east to Rt. 132, north on Rt. 132, 1/3 mile - on Canterbury/Concord townline.
Buy Fresh.
Buy Local. Maple Products & Smoked Meats/Cheeses • Maple AgedCreamery Cheese & Smoked NH Milk FromProducts, Contoocook NH&Milk Fruit • Pies Baked Goods From our Farm Kitchen Our own Pancake Crisp Goods Mixes From our Farm Ki • Fruit Pies &&Baked Cider•Donuts From Chichester Country Our own Pancake & Apple Crisp Store Mixes
We can Mail Apples to your Loved Ones in the U.S. Call for details
Daily 8:30am - 5:30pm Thru Wed November 25th
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Seasonal StandOpen Open FarmFarm Stand
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umpkins Apples & Pumpkins interVeggies Squash & Winter Squash Sweet Apple Cider & Caramel Apples Cider Local Wine & Hard Cider Hard Cider Jams & Jellies Simmered Here
The Dalton Bridge in Warner is just off of South Main Street. The 79th annual Fall Foliage Festival is taking place from Friday, Oct. 9 to Sunday, Oct. 11 this year. Monitor file
PUMPKINS AND PIGGIES Sat 10/3 & Sun 10/4 Sat 10/10, Sun 10/11, & Mon 10/12 10 am - 4 pm
• PYO Pumpkins and Feed the Pigs • Hayride • Farm to table food tent • Cow Parades • Corn Maze • Children’s Crafts
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• Build a scarecrow and more fall fun! Visit our farm store - open everyday year round!
250 West Road, Canterbury, NH 03224 | 603.742.4084 for more info visit brookfordfarm.com/events
warner
Annual foliage fest returns 79th annual event runs from Oct. 9 to Oct. 11 this year
As the leaves turn to splendid shades of yellow, orange and red, Warner prepares its Main Street to welcome hundreds of Granite Staters and out-of-staters alike to its 79th annual Fall Foliage Festival, taking place from Friday, Oct. 9 to Sunday, Oct. 11. The celebration kicks off Friday evening with live music. The festival also features over 100 vendors, each of whom will line Main Street and Kearsarge Mountain Road with their stalls, selling jewelry, pottery, sweet treats, skincare products. Food trucks offer a variety of meals, snacks, drinks and more. On Saturday morning, the festival’s 5K run will occur at 9:30 a.m. and take participants
through the small town’s roads. Registration costs $30. Other events to look forward to include the farmers market, midway rides, parades, the oxen pull on Saturday and the lumberjack competition on Sunday. Donations made to the festival all go back into Warner and its local businesses. Parking costs $10 per vehicle, and the main lot is located at Nichol’s Field on Route 103. A free shuttle will go between the lot and the festival. Additional parking can be found in front of Dalton Bridge on West Joppa Road and at the Mentis Sciences building on 40 Depot St. More information can be found at wfff.org.
AP FILE
Honor ~ Celebrate ~ Reflect Services, celebrations, workshops, and reflection among the peaceful beauty of our grounds and trails. Open to all, dawn to dusk. Please visit soon!
10 Hale Hill Rd, Rindge, NH • 603-899-3300
cathedralofthepines.org NE-492046
We will be closed on September 16th due to Saluting Branches doing work on our grounds.
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Serving veterans & the public for 80 years!
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
HIKING | GARDENS | EVENTS | BELL TOWER | MUSEUM
monadnock region
Art and foliage tours lined up By JESSECA TIMMONS
artists who live in surrounding towns, including New Ipswich, Rindge, Every second weekend in Swanzey, Temple, October, nearly a hundred Nelson/Munsonville and local artists in the MonadKeene. Both events are free nock Region open their stuand open to the public. For a dios for the Monadnock Art preview of this year’s Tour and the Fall Foliage makers on the Monadnock Arts Tour. Art Tour, stop by the The events include every opening gallery exhibit and imaginable type of artist and reception on Saturday, Oct. maker: from painters, sculp3, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at tors, photographers and the Monadnock Center for woodworkers to artists who AP FILE History and Culture at 19 work in glass, multimedia, Morning mist hovers over a field as leaves turn to fall foliage colors at sunrise along a country Grove Street in Peterborleather, metal, paper and road in Auburn, N.H., on Oct. 7, 2025. ough. Artists will have crefibers. Most studios on the ations on display and be pretour are open all three days or woodworkers; and others grew out of the historic town Peterborough, Hansent to answer questions — Saturday, Sunday and cock center, and the HarDublin Arts Colony, inzig-zag from one favorite about their work. InformaMonday — and the entire artist to the next. The Mon- cludes Dublin and all its risville mills. An interactive tion about the self-guided three days could easily be filled by seeing every artist. adnock Art Tour, now in its bordering towns (Peterbor- map is available this year at tours can be found MonadnockArt.org. The at https://monadAs they’re spread out over a 28th year, is designed to for ough, Marlborough, HarFall Foliage Art Studio Tour nockart.org/monadnockrisville, Hancock and Jaflarge area, it’s best to have a participants to take advandeveloped as a complement art-open-studio-tour/ and frey). Studios are spread plan. Some people hit every tage of the region’s beauty, with scenic drives between throughout the towns, with to the Monadnock Art Tour https://www.fallfoliageartartist in one town; some studios. The tour, which seek out jewelry, ceramics some clustered in downand includes a wide array of studiotour.com/.
Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour
TAKE OUR WEEKLY POLL For Your Chance for a $75 Gift Card at:
www.TheConcordInsider/JoeKings75
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One Random Entry Wins Every Week!
October 10-12, 2026 | 10- 5 pm Explore, Connect, Collect! Visit the studios of over 25 talented artists in Southwestern NH Map & Brochure Available At Local Businesses & On Our Website
For more information: fallfoliageartstudiotour.com
All Part Of Our 75 Days Of Savings Leading Up To Our Big 75th Anniversary Celebration on October 4, 2026!
Maple leaves turn to fall foliage colors at sunrise along a country road in Auburn, N.H. AP FILE
Helping you with your home is what we do! * Windows & Doors * Flooring & Cabinets * Paints & Stains * Construction Materials & Hardware * Seasonal In & Outdoors * Consultations
PETERBOROUGH, NH 603.924.9436 NASHUA, NH 603.880.7778 NE-492509
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Whether you need to remodel, upgrade, downsize, update, or build an an-law apartment, we have everything you need to get the job done. Visit Us Today!
concord
Book Fest returns to Main Street Free, all-day festival will take place downtown on Oct. 3
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HARVEST GUIDE 2026
The New Hampshire Book Festival’s 2026 lineup features more than 60 acclaimed authors, poets, illustrators and literary moderators who will gather for two days of conversations, book signings and familyfriendly programming this fall. The free, all-day festival will take place on Saturday, October 3 in downtown Concord. It is supported by ticketed keynote events for schoolchildren, adults and families. This year’s headliners are international bestselling author Jodi Picoult, who will deliver the festival’s Opening Keynote on October 2 at 7 p.m., and bestselling author and cartoonist Jeff Kinney, creator
of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, who will present the Children’s Keynote on October 2 at 10:30 a.m., and the Family Keynote on October 3 at 6:30 p.m. The 2026 festival showcases an extraordinary range of voices from national and local literary communities representing fiction, nonfiction, poetry, children’s literature, young adult novels, and graphic storytelling. Panels will be moderated by authors and literary professionals, including contributors from the Concord Monitor and NHPR. “We’re really excited about this year’s lineup, SEE BOOK FEST PAGE 15
The NH Book Fest debuted in Concord in the fall of 2024.
NEW HAMPSHIRE BOOK FESTIVAL
plan, Hester Kaplan, Meg Kearney, Lee Kelly, Andrew Krivak, Rajani LaRocca, Cait Levin, Michael Lowenthal, Nicholas Lund, Mindy McGinnis, Kate McGovern, Rena Mosteirin, Keith O’Brien, Christine Pride, Adi Rule, Rebecca Rule, Shannon Sanders, Kate Schoedinger, Elaine Sexton, Dan Simon, Jacquelyn Stolos, SJ Taylor, Alexandra Villasante, For more information, visit nhbookfestival.org.
ALICE BLUE
10 School Street Peterborough, NH 03458 New Fall Styles Every Week! ALICE_BLUE_BOUTIQUE_NH | ALICEBLUEANA1@GMAIL.COM
5” Solid White Oak starting at $7.09/sf NE-492576
NE-492336
The New Hampshire Book Festival is where stories come alive and community thrives. Held annually in downtown Concord, NH, since 2024, the festival brings together readers and authors for a vibrant twoday celebration of books, ideas, and creativity. With programming for both adults and children, the festival offers something for everyone — making it New Hampshire’s premier literary event.
Fall is the best time to install hardwood!
Women’s Clothing & Accessories
(603) 924-6520
About the NH Book Festival
438 Gibbons Hwy | Wilton, NH 03086-5815 Phone: 603-654-5400 | www.DevineFlooring.com
HARVEST GUIDE 2026
Anderson, Diane Les Becquets, with its wide range of authors, Rebecca Bendheim, Susan genres, and subjects,” said New Donovan Bernhard, Winsome Bingham, Jenna Blum, Valerie Hampshire Book Festival coBolling, Lisa Borders, Emilie founder Sarah McCraw Crow. Christie Burack, Nora Shalaway “Some of this year’s authors have won multiple awards and Carpenter, Brinda Charry, Wyn Cooper, Lynette D’Amico, Julie have longtime readerships, while others are debut authors. Carrick Dalton, Christine The festival offers readers of all Hartman Derr, Maggie Dietz, David Elliott, E.M. Elliott, ages the chance to engage diCarrie Finison, Bonnie rectly with the people behind Friedman, Maria Gianferrari, the books they love.” Christopher Golden, T. GreenThe 2026 author lineup inwood, Edwin Hill, Kate Hoscludes: Jodi Picoult, Jeff Kinney, M. T. ford, Eloisa James, Carla Ka-
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BOOK FEST FROM PAGE 14
don’t miss it
Five events to celebrate autumn By EMILIA WISNIEWSKI
Some hallmark features of the event include a variety of performances, food, art and activities that The days may be getting shorter and the temperatures dropping, but represent over 70 cultures from they herald the spectacular display across the globe. The event will take place from 11 of fall colors on the trees, somea.m. to 5 p.m. at Keach Park. Inforthing New Hampshire is proud to mation on how to participate as a showcase. Residents and visitors will be able vendor or a donor will be available to see these warm shades of red, or- soon on the festival’s website. ange and yellow while enjoying these five events coming up this fall Deerfield State Fair — Oct. 1-4 season. The beloved state fair kicks off Concord Multicultural October’s fall festivities, offering Festival — Sept. 20 plenty of fun for all visitors. Fairgoers can expect dazzling The 19th annual festival is live music and circus shows, a vast coming back to Concord, bringing together rich cultures from around array of local food and products, and even an excavator rodeo. You the world, represented by local Granite Staters. The festival aims to can count on finding all the classic create “opportunities for people to fair staples, such as amusement share traditions, build relationships, park rides. Adult tickets at the gate will be and celebrate the diversity that $12 but discounts are offered if strengthens our community,” actickets are bought online before Occording to its website.
tober. Children 12 and younger and at 7:30. See more information at Inmembers of the military get in free. town Concord’s website. More information about events, vendors and other attractions are at Concord Farmers’ Market — ends Oct. 31 deerfieldfair.com. Saturday mornings in downtown Halloween Howl — Concord have been bustling since Oct. 23 the farmers’ market opened in May After sunset, Concord will be on Capitol Street. Local shoppers packed with witches, ghouls and hunt for the freshest foods and topbeasts — but don’t worry; they’re quality artisan goods offered by just trick-or-treating around Main vendors who arrive from across Street. Family and friends will enjoy New Hampshire. this community Halloween event The outdoor market — one of the featuring music, food trucks and oldest operating farmers’ markets games. in the state, with dozens of vendors Trick-or-treating starts at 5:30 participating every year — wraps p.m., and individuals and busithings up at the end of October. nesses can participate in Trunk or Stop by to get your fix of local Treat if they register by Oct. 16. If coffee, produce, cut flowers, baked you have a costume that’ll strike goods, and heaven knows what fear or get laughs, sign up for the else. costume contest before 6 p.m. The winter farmers market, held A flash mob, a pumpkin contest inside the building at 7 Eagle and games will amplify the HalSquare, opens in November and loween spirit; the events will finish runs through April.
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INSIDE: BUSINESS QUARTERLY Future warriors attend soccer clinics
Designer Alan Melad’s studio and home
Sports, Page 9
House & Home, Page 8
50 $1.$1
PETERBOROUGH, NH
2026 TUESDAY, AUGUST 4,
PE TERBOROUGH
PETERBOROUGH, NH
n
reconstructio Loss of barn sparks
A fire destroyed a beloved
rhood on July 29 barn at Nubanusit Neighbo
MCH preps for cyclospora cases
MASON
Board delays decision on excavation site
The nationwide outbreak has exceeded 6,700 cases, including a cluster in Keene
Onyx’s site plan hearing allow moves to Aug. 26 to for independent reviews
By KIERA MCLAUGHLIN ipt Ledger-Transcr
By ASHLEY SAARI Ledger-Transcript
Planning Mason The and deliberaBoard’s hearing for a tion on an application site plan gravel excavation this month was continued public comwithout further ment. of the pubA continuation the site plan lic hearing on for had been scheduled the applicant Wednesday, but to requested a continuation 26 meeting. the board’s Aug. for the reThe stated reason completion quest was to allow review of of an independent al the applicant’s environment trucking engineering and plans. the reThe board granted quest for a continuance. the meetIn the agenda for announced ing, the board had the hearits intent to continue public testiing and said no accepted durmony would be meeting. ing Wednesday’s SEE MASON A5
cyclospora As a nationwide past 6,700 conoutbreak swells including a firmed cases — 17 tied to letcluster of at least Medituce served at Cheshire — Monadcal Center in Keene Hospital nock Community to handle any says it’s ready arise. local cases that confirmed The state first the Cheshire nine cases tied to cafeteria on Center Medical / Ledger-Transcript JESSECA TIMMONS 28, DHHS put July 23; by July with two peothat count at 17, hospitalized. ple has The local outbreak prodlettuce been traced to Farms, which ucts from Taylor recalled as have since been national part of a much larger Nationcyclospora outbreak. has continally, the case count the Cenued to climb sharply: most ter for Disease Control’s uprecent weekly surveillance than 6,700 date shows more domesnfirmed laboratory-co May 1, with tic cases since additional more than 11,500 investigation cases still under 4,200 con— up from roughly week eara firmed cases just lier. officials Michigan health that two announced Monday linked to the deaths have been outbreak. MD in Dr. Adam Darnobid, at the Medicine Emergency HosMonadnock Communityis preMCH pital, confirmed virus cyclospora pared for the that cause dior other viruses arrhea. able to and ready “We are it,” Darnobid take care of said. hospital the He clarified and has access to specialists providers. strong healthcare different is While cyclospora / Ledger-Transcript JESSECA TIMMONS A5 of SEE CYCLOSPOR A left, and Deb Hatcher
D 16th annual Granny Walk draws crowd
The Granny D walkers,
led by organizer Kate
highlights Democracy Festival voter registration concerns ahead of fall elections
Coon, arrive in Depot
Square.
happy to be part “We’re just really want to pay tribof it, and we certainly be part of it as and ute to Granny D Dana Plank said. long as we can,” able,” said Andy “As long as we’re
Plank. Peterborough said By JESSECA TIMMONS Sue Martin of every year. Ledger-Transcript she does the walk to remem“It’s just very important on her took part in the ber Granny D’s work and carry About 30 people D walk in Dublin legacy,” Martin said. 16th annual Granny Saturday. education cooron Sarah Ortiz, voter the and Peterborough D Walk comDemocracy, said The annual Grannyof Dublin resi- dinator for Open focus is to enwork organization’s current voter memorates the to confirm their D” Haddock, who dent Doris “Granny United States at courage voters as changes in the registration status, walked across for campaign fi- voter laws have resulted in longtime removed age 90 to advocate NH voters being knowlreform. registered nance the threewithout their Walkers who completed in from the rolls Cobb Hill Road hour route from site of Haddock’s edge. to strengthen democracy the work “We near sure evDublin, Park to Depot Square by in New Hampshire by making by relongtime home, to the ballot, were welcomed eryone has access from campaigns, in Peterborough Festival, sponbig money the annual Democracy and the Pe- moving working for fair districting,” of and by sored by Open Democracy big message right Unit of the League Ortiz said. “Our terborough Plus to check their NH. Sara Ortiz, now is to tell people Women Voters of Plank of Antrim Democracy. Dana and Andy SEE WALK A5 Open part first time taking said it was their walk. in the
From aerospace engineer to hometown hero, Larry Schwartz shares his journey of helping others save money in New Hampshire By KIERA MCLAUGHLIN Ledger-Transcript
I
f you ask Larry Schwartz about his past, he will probably respond, “I’ve lived 25 lives,” and he’s not wrong. Known in the Monadnock region for his free assistance with tax returns and financial advice, Schwartz has contributed much more during his time in the Granite State. In New Hampshire alone, Schwartz has worked as a financial advisor, home improvement contractor, chair of the
FR ANCESTOWN
Town sets Aug. 8 meeting on district split
OUR 2026 COMMUNITY PARTNER
Hancock Select Board, magician, woodworker, author and board game designer. Originally from Chicago, he carried over lots of his skills to Monadnock, and also worked as a paperboy, photographer and aerospace engineer. If it seems like there is nothing Schwartz can’t do, he would agree with you. “I just have this insatiable desire to learn how to do interesting things,” he said.
Noisy and busy Chicago Schwartz was born and raised in the inner city of Chicago, where his family lived below the poverty line. This taught him to appreciate that “every dollar matters,” he explained as SEE HOMETOWN HEROES A4
KIERA MCLAUGHLIN / Ledger-Transcript
Larry Schwartz retires from financial advising but never slows down.
While the challenges continue, so do the good works done by our neighbors, our teachers, our health care providers, our volunteers and so many others. This is their story. Savings Bank of Walpole is proud to support the 2026 Hometown Heroes who were nominated by members of the community and selected by editors of the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript. Nominate your Hometown Hero at ledgertranscript.com.
DUBLIN: Neighbor buys long-abandoned property, uncovers family history
Four warrant articles related to the split from ConVal are on the ballot
DUBLIN
Town celebrates library’s 125th birthday Festivities included a hat parade, musical per formances and historic exhibits
By JESSECA TIMMONS Ledger-Transcript
The recently established Francestown Independent School District will host a Special District Meeting on Aug. 8 to present four warrant articles to Francestown voters. If the articles pass, they will enable the town to move forward with completing the process of withdrawing from the ConVal School District. The meeting will start at 10 a.m. at Francestown Elemen-
By KIERA MCLAUGHLIN Ledger-Transcript
A look inside the abandoned barn showcasing the stalls with animal chew marks.
WES ALDRICH / Courtesy
Happy ending for ‘haunted house’
SEE SPLIT A5
Green Living 6 Classified 14 Opinion 7 Crossword 15 House&Home 8 Calendar 15 Business 9 Obituaries 3, 16
The town of Dublin showed up for the celebration of Dublin Community Day as well as the 125th birthday of the Dublin Public Library on Saturday. The morning started with the second annual hat parade and competition in the Yankee Publishing parking lot, with the Dublin Fire Department serving free ice cream sundaes and the Dublin Police Department cooking American classics at the barbecue. Community Day organizers joined kids strutting around the parking lot with their fancy and creative hats. Each participant received an award specific to their headpiece creation.
20 Grove St. Peterborough, NH 03458 Visit ledgertranscript.com or Call (603) 924-7172 to get started! 603-924-7172 Your support of local journalism supports our community. ledgertranscript.com By KIERA MCLAUGHLIN Ledger-Transcript
A
n abandoned house and barn on Route 101 in Dublin have spooked generations of Granite Staters, who whisper of an untimely death and a curse on the land. But after a neighbor bought the property in December, the real story finally came to light.
“What I can’t understand for the life of me is how the person who owned that could neglect it so badly. … It’s house abuse,” Olga Davidson Nagy, the home’s new owner, said.
History of the mystery house: 1880s-1970s
The popular story told in neighboring towns or online is the story Nagy
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ABOUT THE SERIES Each month, the Monadnock Ledger-Transcript will recognize one of our region’s many Hometown Heroes. Follow along at ledgertranscript.com and learn how you can nominate a Hometown Hero.
A legacy of service and savings
KIERA MCLAUGHLIN / Ledger-Transcript
PE TERBOROUGH
PE TERBOROUGH
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Heroes
Sue Chollet stands staring at the remnants of her barn.
was injured. No barn pic- one looked like it was shoot“It of horse pictures. with “horse and it was flying her horses tures,” Chollet said. of ing lava out, By KIERA MCLAUGHLIN air,” said pasture in the Early on the morning de- up and over into the porches” and a Ledger-Transcript a world a resident barn was back. Never imagining al- July 29, the fire broke out. Venessa Calabrese, . Chunks the barn, Chollet when a moved in without photos of her horses stroyed being of the neighborhood proptook When Sue Chollet horse barn was time, of embers flew over the resident of ways rarely of the beautiful The at the SEE FIRE A5 as the first used for storage spread. No d & and they called home. did not Nubanusit Neighborhoo in 2007, structure the problem. Plenty and the fire “That’s Farm in Peterboroughbuilt for barn she had a large
7 Calendar 10 Opinion 10 Viewpoints 7 Crossword For the Record15 Schools 11 9 Obituaries 16 Sports 12 Classified 14 Business
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3 40-year career. Page Ed Walker reflects on RE TIREMENT: Fire Chief . Page 12 illar Lab moves to Dublin BUSINESS : The Caterp
Library turns 125
and Wes Aldrich, her son-in-law, knew as well. The theory goes something like this: A man built the home and barn for his child and their fiancée as a wedding present. While on their honeymoon, the couple died in a plane crash, leaving the father heartbroken and the house empty.
With more than a dozen birthday cakes for the celebration, the Dublin Public Library was ready to celebrate 125 years of public service. With a history dating back to 1793 with the establishment of the Dublin Social Library,
SEE HOUSE A5
SEE DUBLIN A4
Representing Quality Properties at all Price Points.
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farm stands Brookford Farm 250 West Road, Canterbury 603-742-4084 | brookfordfarm.csa@gmail.com 100% grass-fed beef, lamb and dairy; pasture-raised pork, chicken and eggs; certified organic vegetables. SNAP/EBT accepted.
Someday Farm 76 Pickard Road, Canterbury 603-783-9436 | somedayfarmnh@aol.com Alpaca products, including socks, gloves, scarves, hats, finger puppets, insoles, yarn, roving and raw fiber. Also jams, jellies, mustards, dipping oils, jewelry, catnip bags, homemade products and alpaca compost.
Grand View Farm 35 Fife Road, Canterbury 603-520-6901 | radavis12764@ gmail.com Cut-flower bouquets, pick-yourown flowers, pumpkins and winter squash.
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SEE FARM STANDS PAGE 19
Produce cultivated at Brookford Farm ready to purchase at their farm store in Canterbury in April 2025.
MONITOR FILE
Monadnock Art Open Studios Tour October 10–12 ~ 10am–5pm
Information, Tour Map, and Artist Profiles at
www. monadnockart .org
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A self-guided tour through the breathtaking fall landscape and picturesque towns of the Monadnock Region in Southwestern NH. A vast array of mediums and styles, and an intimate setting to chat with world-class artists in their element. Studios open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.
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Guided Squam Lake Cruises
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Wonder
Live Animal Trail open daily May 1 to November 1
Day Camps & Hiking Trails
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Raptor Migration Celebration 9/19 Grandparents Day 10/3 Howl O Ween 10/24 Fall New Hampshire Day 11/1
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plums and crabapples; fresh vegetables, corn, winter squash, gourds and pumpkins. Also fruit pies, jams and jellies, pickles, maple products, Ambrosia honey, apple cider doughnuts and apples are seen fresh cider.
603-228-4872 Strawberries from early June to early July; blueberries in July and early August; pumpkins in September and October; Christmas trees from after Thanksgiving through Christmas.
on display at Apple Hill Farm in Concord on Nov. 15, 2014.
Apple Hill Farm 580 Mountain Road, Concord 603-224-8862 | info@applehillfarmnh.com Seasonal fruits and vegetables, along with a variety of New Hampshire products. On-site bakery offering breads, pies and farm-made jams and jellies.
Contoocook Creamery at Bohanan Farm
Monitor file
Budding Flower Farm 253 French Road, Henniker buddingflowerfarm@gmail.com Fresh flower bouquets.
945 Penacook Road, Contoocook Hop N Hen Farm 212 Hemlock Corner Loop, Hencontoocookcreamery@gmail.com Pasteurized and homogenized niker white and flavored milk, beef, sea603-428-7113 | farmer@hopnsonal produce, eggs, baked goods, henfarm.com cheese, butter and other local prodCertified organic vegetables and ucts. fruit, broiler chickens, turkeys and eggs. Off-site farm stand.
Grounding Stone Farm
289 Maple Street, Contoocook 413-563-5912 | kathleenjacobs@ groundingstonefarm.com Certified organic blueberries.
Gould Hill Farm 656 Gould Hill Road, Hopkinton 603-746-3811 | info@gouldhillfarm.com
Apple Meadow Farm
229 Temple Road, New Ipswich 603-831-8330 | adapt2hope100@ gmail.com Pick-your-own pears, elderberries, native blueberries and cranberries; pollinator meadow.
Ben’s Pure Maple
Fruit and pick-your-own blueber- Products LLC ries, peaches, nectarines and apples; 8 Webster Highway, Temple pumpkins; Christmas trees; hand603-924-3111 | sales@ made baked goods and cider dough- bensmaplesyrup.com nuts. Pure maple products, locally made products, gifts, deli items and Grandpa’s Farm more. 143 Clough Hill Road, Loudon Yankee Farmer’s 603-783-5690 | rod@grandpasMarket LLC farmnh.com Blueberries and Christmas trees. 360 Route 103 East, Warner 603-456-2833 | info@yankeeMeadow Ledge Farm farmersmarket.com Bison, grass-fed beef, chicken, 612 N.H. Route 129, Loudon turkey and pork, along with elk, 603-798-5860 | nhapples@ venison, wild-caught fish, eggs, yahoo.com cheese, maple products, honey and Apples, peaches, blueberries, other specialty foods. strawberries, pears, nectarines,
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leaf-peeping
Where to see peak foliage across the U.S. By NATALIE B. COMPTON
The Washington Post
Four autumns ago, college senior Evan Fisher found himself with a problem. Like many people who love the changing colors of the season, he was frustrated with how difficult it was to predict when fall foliage would be at its best. Websites that promised such information were never as accurate they claimed, so the atmospheric science student decided to take matters into his own hands. About a year later, Explore Fall was born. Fisher’s site features an interactive map that uses weather data and community reports to make color predictions he said are within three days, 80 percent of the time. That means “we have confidence that, on average, the map is accurate within plus or minus
A maple tree shows its fall colors in Woodstock, Maine, on Sept. 17, 2010.
three days,” Fisher said. To dial the map in, Fisher said Explore Fall is launching an app this year that will allow users to log
foliage reports that will update the map accordingly “because at the end of the day … we’re never going to beat the accuracy of
AP FILE
someone who’s standing on the ground in Vermont and looking at the tree,” he said. To use the map to plan an autumnal adventure, just
Nourish Your Local Roots
input a destination anywhere across the Lower 48 plus Alaska, and you’ll get a quick “expected peak color estimate” date, or you can tap through for a deeperdive forecast that includes trip timing advice and suggestions for where to leaf peep in the area. For example, the Washington, D.C., page says we can expect normal color quality this year, with an expected peak window of Nov. 4 through 10 and recommends foliage enthusiasts visit the U.S. National Arboretum, Theodore Roosevelt Island and Rock Creek Park. The first true fall colors should begin to emerge around Oct. 9, with peak color near Nov. 7 and pastpeak conditions beginning around Nov. 12. Nearby color timing is fairly uni-
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North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains Since Lauren Doyle moved to North Carolina in 2013, she’s been amazed at how few visitors the state’s Blue Ridge Mountains get compared with other scenic parts of the country. It often feels like you’ve stumbled on a well-kept secret, as “we don’t really see a ton of travelers,” said Doyle, president of the boutique travel agency the Travel Mechanic. If you’re flying in, pick up a rental car in Greensboro or Charlotte, then pick a small town like Boone, Blowing Rock or Banner Elk as your home base for hiking, brewery hopping and farm visits. “I like to call it ‘the triangle of the mountains’ because it’s very easy to go between those three places,”
Doyle said. Her advice for accommodations: look for charming bed-and-breakfasts like the Mast Farm Inn just outside of Boone, or book a vacation rental through companies like Eagles Nest or Blue Ridge Mountain Rentals. Expected peak color: Mid-to-late October. Don’t miss: Top-notch barbecue as well as farm-to-table dining at places like the seasonally open Artisanal Restaurant.
peninsula and work west to stay ahead of crowds. Orth says hiking at Downs Farm Preserve or Orient Beach State Park can also be calmer on the crowd front. Expected peak color: Late October through early November. Don’t miss: Wine tasting at smaller outfits like Paumanok Vineyards, Suhru & Lieb Vineyards or One Woman Wines & Vineyards, Orth said.
mends the Inn of the Five Graces where guests are promised “a beautifully curated, design-rich stay that feels deeply connected to Santa Fe’s artistic and cultural identity,” she said.
Ontonagon, Michigan
If you’re not lucky enough to call vibrant Michigan home when fall hits, where would a local send you? Tieka Knight, a travel blogger who lives in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Northern New Mexico says her neck of the woods will do. Start your trip in Marquette then It’s the desert color palette that North Fork, sets northern New Mexico apart as head west to Ontonagon County, an New York area of the “U.P.” that “still feels a fall favorite for Caroline Labbé, wonderfully wild and untouched,” Farm stands. Oyster shacks. Vine- owner of Labbé Travel. Knight said in an email. “There’s the terra-cotta and the yards. The North Fork of Long IsIn Porcupine Mountains Wilderland is a strong contender for those yellows and, in Taos, you also have ness State Park, Knight says seeking the “coastal grandmother” the evergreens,” Labbé said. “It’s a forests, waterfalls, Lake Superior little more unique than what you version of a fall trip. Just don’t exand winding roads steal the show. might see back east.” pect to have the place to yourself. But don’t worry too much about For the full effect, Labbé tells Fall weekends can bring “significant pumpkin traffic,” Angie Orth, host travelers to split their time between planning activities in advance. “Just driving around and stopping of the podcast “Traveling with Santa Fe for the dining scene and AAA,” said in an email. gallery hopping and Taos for more whenever something looks beautiful is half the experience,” she dramatic landscapes and hiking in If you can, visit during th early s aid. the glow of golden aspen trees. November, Orth said, when you’ll There’s one exception: dining. Expected peak color: Mid-Ocstill find some fall color but visitor Knight cautioned that dining opnumbers drop dramatically. If you tober, around Oct. 14. do go during peak times, start your Don’t miss: For a luxurious bouSEE FOLIAGE PAGE 22 tique spa retreat, Labbé recomdays on the eastern end of the
The Greenfield Inn
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form, so the local forecast should translate well across the area, the website says. Now that you know how to time a trip, the only question remaining is where to go? So we asked travel experts to share their favorite destinations to celebrate fall. Here are their picks.
21
FOLIAGE FROM PAGE 20
leaf-peeping
A tractor sits in an open hay field off of Schoodac Road in Warner in 2025, against a backdrop of leaves turning a variety of colors. FOLIAGE FROM PAGE 21
tions in Ontonagon are fairly limited, and most places close by 8 p.m. So you’ll want to consider dinner plans even if you’re winging the rest of your day. Expected peak color: Mid-October, around Oct. 20. Don’t miss: Stubb’s Museum Bar in Ontonagon village. Knight calls this taxidermy-decorated dive bar that serves pizza “an Upper Penin-
sula treasure.”
over 1.5 million-acre Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. “Usually the Teton County, Montana last couple weeks of September are Glacier National Park and Yellow- the best color-wise,” she said. Carr says Great Falls — Montana’s stone are not the only parts of Monthird-largest city — is a good tana with breathtaking nature. Maggie Carr, co-owner of the wilder- jumping off point to grab a rental car and go. Her highlight activities ness guiding company Dropstone Outfitting, sells visitors on spending in the area include horseback riding, hiking or fishing with a time along the Rocky Mountain Front, where you can escape into vast backdrop of fall foliage. If you’d like to camp, Carr likes Cave Mountain expanses of great outdoors, like the
MONITOR FILE
or Mortimer Gulch, two campgrounds full of deciduous trees, or you can look for a hotel or motel in towns like Augusta or her native Choteau. Expected peak color: Early October. Don’t miss: A stop at Curly Willow Floral & Gifts in Choteau. “It’s a funky combination of a flower shop, a gift shop and a liquor store,” Carr said.
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