Exeter Brewing Co. develops strong local following
For Justin Cooper and Eric Rackliffe of Exeter Brewing Co., slow and steady wins the race. Except there’s no race; it’s really just about enjoying the journey.
“We’ve just always had a plan to go at our own pace,” said Cooper, who started the Exeter-based brewery with Rackliffe about a year and a half ago, where they have since been pumping out an array of super hoppy IPAs. “We’re excited about the support we have. If we’re still having fun, we’re going to keep doing it. We keep asking ourselves that question … and the answer’s always been yes.”
The approach has worked as the brewery has developed a robust local following. You can only find Exeter Brewing Co. beers in a handful of locations, including Gerry’s Variety, On the Vine Marketplace and Blue Moon Evolution — and you should expect those establishments to sell out the day they receive shipments.
Don’t go to the brewery either, as it doesn’t have a retail operation or a taproom at this time. By the way, that’s just fine with Rackliffe and Cooper. Maybe someday they’ll expand, but for now, they’re good right where they are, they say.
Cooper and Rackliffe have known each other for more than 20 years. They were actually college roommates and both happened to spend time living in Colorado at the same time, which helped them stay connected. Cooper is from Vermont and Rackliffe is from Maine, and now they’ve landed right in the middle in the Granite State.
Rackliffe picked up the home brewing habit and the pair ultimately started brewing together. From there, they began sharing beer with friends and family and grew the effort until they effectively launched the brewing company at the Exeter Beer and Chili Festival in October 2019.
“It was such a success. We ran out of beer early,” said Cooper, who noted he and Rackliffe still work full-time outside of the brewery.
Let’s get to the beers.
“We tend to make beers we like to drink,” Cooper said.
That means hoppy IPAs, like Swasey Daze, which is a big, juicy New England-style IPA with “flavors and aromas of pineapple, citrus, peach, passionfruit, apricot and a hint of watermelon,” says the brewery.
All of the brewery’s offerings are named after local historic landmarks and figures, such as Broadside Double IPA, named after Dunlap Broadsides, which printed copies of the Declaration of Independence, or Jailhouse Spring Pale Ale, named after a well-known freshwater spring in Exeter. Purple Dinosaur New England IPA gets its name from the “iconic spring-mounted purple dinosaur” situated in a local park.
The Oated Sleeper caught my attention, and is “probably the simplest oatmeal stout you can make,” Cooper said. The stout comes in at 9.4 percent ABV so watch out.
“That’s been my approach all along: keep it simple, stupid,” Rackliffe said. “We don’t have 10 hops in each beer. We have a max of three hops. It just lets the ingredients show and shine…. Keep it simple and let the beer speak for itself.”
Frankly, at a time when some of today’s beer choices are a bit over the top, that’s a refreshing approach.
When it comes to IPAs, Cooper said most of their beers do have that “forward-facing juice” but they do finish a little bitter, as the duo have an affinity to “old-school” IPAs: “the finish isn’t as sweet.”
Moving forward, they’ll just continue to pace themselves, and they’ll continue to look for ways to collaborate with the local community. They have plans to team up with a local coffee shop for one brew and they plan to team up with the fire department on another.
“We’re boot-strapping. There is no outside money or investment. If the market is responding favorably, we’ll respond,” Cooper said.
What’s in My Fridge New World American IPA by Mayflower Brewing Co. (Plymouth, Mass.) I opened my fridge and saw this one in there. I don’t know how it got there but I didn’t waste any time grabbing it. I’ve had this before but, candidly, I don’t remember it blowing me away previously. But this time, wow. It’s definitely got a tropical kick and just enough bitterness to balance that out. Excellent American IPA. Cheers!
Steve Zyck of Mont Vernon is the owner and founder of Wood Stove Kitchen (woodstovekitchen.com, and on Facebook and Instagram @woodstovekitchen), a producer of all-natural drink mixes, including a mulling syrup and a hot toddy mix, as well as cocktail and mocktail mixers in a variety of flavors, like blueberry and lavender, strawberry and basil, and grapefruit and rosemary. Originally from Chicago, Zyck first came to New Hampshire as a student of Dartmouth College, later going on to hold multiple positions at humanitarian aid agencies and governments across Europe and the Middle East. He started Wood Stove Kitchen in 2017, making small-batch mixers for mulled wine, one of his favorite drinks, out of his own home. Today you can find his products at nearly every New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet statewide as well as at a number of small country stores and a few national retailers.
What is your must-have kitchen item?
For me, it’s a mason jar, hands down. I use my mason jars for pickling, as cocktail shakers, as measuring cups, as a glass. … There’s no single thing that is more useful in the kitchen.
What would you have for your last meal?
Gummy peaches and a white wine spritzer. Honestly, I’m still a kid at heart. I basically still have the core tastes that I did when I was 15 years old.
What is your favorite local restaurant?
Al Basha Mediterranean Grill in Manchester. It’s a small place and they do a lot of takeout, especially over the past year, but they have absolutely wonderful baba ganoush, falafel and shawarma.
What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your products?
Steve Carell. I’m a big fan of The Office and his movies.
What is your favorite product that you offer?
My personal favorite is my blueberry and lavender mixer. For me it’s just the perfect flavor combination of being fruity and tart. … I would say 99 percent of my products are used for drinks, but people always find other creative ways. I once had an email from a customer who said she uses the mulling syrup in her kids’ pancake batter. Then there was a time when my local general store here in Mont Vernon made holiday-spiced cupcakes with it.
What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?
A lot of barbecue and a lot of smoking, not only in terms of meats but in other things. … I know so many people who bought high-end smokers and grills during the pandemic. I think this is going to be a great season for butchers.
What is your favorite thing to cook at home?
My favorite thing to make is a beet salad, usually with boiled or steamed beets. Then beyond that, all of the other ingredients can change a little, based on what I have. Usually I’ll add cucumber, or sometimes sweet onion or shallots. … It’s an amazingly versatile salad that you can whip up with whatever you have around the house.
Blueberry and lavender gin fizz Courtesy of Steve Zyck of Wood Stove Kitchen, woodstovekitchen.com
2 ounces Wood Stove Kitchen blueberry and lavender cocktail/mocktail mixer 2 ounces Barr Hill gin 4 to 6 ounces seltzer or club soda Lemon wedge, fresh lavender or herbs to garnish (optional)
Mix the gin and blueberry and lavender mixer together, then top off with as much seltzer or club soda as you like. The honey, lemon and lavender in the mixer gives the drink a perfect balance between sweet, tart and floral and herbal.
Food & Drink
Farmers markets
• Cole Gardens Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Cole Gardens (430 Loudon Road, Concord), now through Oct. 30. Visit colegardens.com.
• Concord Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, on Capitol Street in Concord (near the Statehouse), now through Oct. 30. Visit concordfarmersmarket.com.
• Contoocook Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to noon, at 896 Main Street in Contoocook (by the gazebo behind the train depot), now through October. Find them on Facebook @contoocookfarmersmarket.
• Exeter Farmers Market is Thursdays, from 2:15 to 5:30 p.m., at Swasey Park in Exeter, beginning May 6 and through Oct. 28. Visit seacoastgrowers.org.
• Francestown Community Market is Fridays, from 4 to 7 p.m., at the horse sheds near the Francestown Police Station (15 New Boston Road). Find them on Facebook @francestowncommunitymarket.
• Milford Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at 300 Elm Street in Milford (across the street from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op), beginning May 8 and through Oct. 9. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.
• Peterborough Farmers Market is Wednesdays, from 3 to 6 p.m., on the lawn of the Peterborough Community Center (25 Elm St.), now through October. Find them on Facebook @peterboroughnhfarmersmarket.
• Portsmouth Farmers Market is Saturdays, from 8 a.m. to noon, at Little Harbour Elementary School (50 Clough Drive, Portsmouth), now through Nov. 6. Visit seacoastgrowers.org.
• Salem Farmers Market is Sundays, from 10 a.m. to noon, inside the former Rockler Woodworking building (369 S. Broadway, Salem). Visit salemnhfarmersmarket.org.
• Wolfeboro Area Farmers Market is Thursdays, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m., at Clark Park (233 S. Main St., Wolfeboro), beginning May 6 and through Oct. 28. Visit wolfeborofarmersmarket.com.
LaBelle opening new restaurant, culinary market and sparkling wine barn in Derry
Nearly a decade after opening their flagship location in Amherst, LaBelle Winery co-owners Amy LaBelle and her husband Cesar Arboleda are expanding to a 45-acre property on Route 111 in Derry. The new space, opening in several phases over the coming weeks and months, will introduce a brand new restaurant concept, a retail market, and an onsite sparkling wine tasting barn, along with performance and event spaces and a nine-hole golf course.
A former attorney, LaBelle became inspired to pursue winemaking following a visit to a winery while on vacation in Nova Scotia in 2001. She founded LaBelle Winery in 2005 at Alyson’s Orchard in Walpole, later moving the operations to Amherst in late 2012. Last December, she and Arboleda closed on the former Brookstone Events & Golf space in Derry.
“We’ve been trying to expand the LaBelle brand for some time,” she said. “We came and toured this property … and just fell in love with it. It’s a beautiful spot.”
In addition to offering all new types of menu options out of the restaurant and market, LaBelle said a new line of sparkling wines will be produced out of the tasting barn, which will soon be built on a three-acre vineyard. Here’s a look at each core aspect of LaBelle Winery Derry.
Americus Restaurant
With nearly 300 seats inside and more than 100 others on an outdoor terrace overlooking an onsite pond, Americus Restaurant, due to open this month, is roughly four times the size of The Bistro at LaBelle Winery in Amherst. The name “Americus” was chosen as a tribute to the American Dream — Arboleda, LaBelle said, came to the United States with his family as a child from Medellin, Colombia, while her family also immigrated here just a few generations prior.
“We both have a strong belief in work ethic and a love for this country,” LaBelle said. “We also developed a wine in tribute to the American dream called Americus. … So we decided to name the restaurant after it, because I think it follows suit that we took this huge leap of faith.”
The interior space of Americus includes multiple round booths and high-top tables, a full bar with beers and wines on draft, and a 50-person private dining room separated by glass doors.
Unlike the restaurant in Amherst, which has a heavy focus on French bistro fare as well as a concept of pairing food with many of LaBelle’s wines, Americus will offer New England contemporary farm-to-table cuisine with “lots of international flair thrown in,” she said.
Former Bedford Village Inn executive chef Peter Agostinelli was recently brought on board as LaBelle Winery’s culinary director, overseeing all of the company’s food and beverage operations. Agostinelli is a longtime friend of LaBelle’s and an industry veteran who also spent a few years at the nationally acclaimed Grill 23 & Bar in Boston.
“Peter and I really wanted to create a menu that was approachable and familiar but incredibly elevated,” LaBelle said. “You can sit in the dining room and have a fancy anniversary dinner of a rib-eye for two with charred garlic and lemons … [or] you can have the most casual meal here after you play a round of golf with your buddies, … maybe some wings or some wood-fired pizza and beer on draft. It’s going to be one of those places where you’ll see everything.”
The kitchen is also much bigger than the one in Amherst, she said, and will similarly serve as a shared space for the restaurant and the event ballroom. Much of the bulk production of items like sauces, salad dressings and pastries will also be moving from Amherst to Derry.
Americus will be open for dinner to start, according to LaBelle, with plans to eventually expand to lunch on weekdays and brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
LaBelle Market
Housed in the former pro shop of Brookstone’s golf course will be LaBelle Market, a retail space offering prepared and made-to-order foods that’s also due to open soon.
The market will feature menu items handwritten on chalkboards, as well as outdoor seating beneath a covered veranda and windows overlooking the golf course and vineyards. In addition to coffees and espresso drinks, food offerings will include everything from house pastries like croissants, muffins, Danishes and scones, to breakfast sandwiches, platters for catering, prepared entrees, artisanal cheeses and charcuterie, prime cuts of beef, marinated beef tips and chicken, house pastas, house ice cream flavors and wood-fired pizzas to go.
“You’ll be able to either grab something on site if you’re golfing … or take it for a picnic on the vineyard once it’s installed,” LaBelle said. “It will be great for people who don’t want to cook or are busy with family and saying, ‘Oh gosh, what are we going to have for dinner tonight?’ You can come here and grab everything you need. … There will be convenience items too, so good quality local milk, eggs, bread, things like that.”
Other items for sale will be from The Winemaker’s Kitchen, LaBelle’s line of artisan culinary products, which include jams, sauces, marinades, vinegars and cooking oils, as well as new offerings to be bottled, like a few new salad dressing flavors, a bloody mary mix and a triple citrus sour mix. The 2,400-square-foot building is also serving as the check-in spot for golfers.
“The pro shop that was here was mostly an empty building that was vastly under-utilized,” LaBelle said, “so now it’s really going to be brought to life.”
Vineyard visions
Directly to the east of LaBelle Market, in the area of what used to be Brookstone’s driving range, plans are currently underway to install three acres of vineyards, vegetable and flower gardens.
“It’s going to be awesome for picnicking and walking, and there will be a wedding ceremony space right in the middle of it,” LaBelle said. “So right in the middle, you’ll have this gorgeous ceremony space, and [couples] can get married among the vines. It’s going to be incredible.”
A sparkling wine tasting barn, a newly built structure for the property, is also coming soon. That will include a tasting room in the front, a production space in the back and wine storage in a basement. LaBelle’s dozens of wines will be available for sampling, plus a new line of red, white and rosé sparkling wines debuting with the space. Grape varieties set to be planted soon will take about two years to produce fruit for winemaking.
Across the parking lot from the vineyard is the newly renovated ballroom and onsite bar, which will be used for wedding receptions, baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties and other functions. LaBelle said the ballroom will also host a 15-show summer concert series, beginning on Thursday, May 27, with James Taylor tribute act JT Express.
“We’ll be doing wine tasting classes and cooking classes too,” LaBelle said. “We developed a kids’ cooking class in Amherst last summer that was a lot of fun, so we’ll do that here.”
LaBelle Winery Derry Includes Americus Restaurant and LaBelle Market, as well as an onsite golf course, event spaces and a soon-to-be sparkling wine tasting barn Where: 14 Route 111, Derry More info: Visit labellewinery.com, find them on Facebook and Instagram, or call 672-9898
The Links at LaBelle Winery LaBelle never had a dream of owning a golf course but said she realized it’s not unlike owning a restaurant, vineyard or market. “To me, it’s hospitality,” she said. “I’m inviting you onto my property to have an experience, to have fun, [and] to make a great memory spending time with your friends.” The Links at LaBelle Winery, a nine-hole par 3 golf course, and a miniature golf course called Mini Links, both opened to the public on May 1 following a restoration process. According to LaBelle, the entire nine-hole course can be played in roughly an hour and a half. Memberships are available that include two wine tasting cards, unlimited golfing access, preferred tee times and advance booking. Beginning this summer, there will also be golf lessons for adults and golf camps designed for kids.
Feautred photo: Aerial shot of the new LaBelle property opening in Derry. Courtesy photo.
• Return of the market: After canceling its winter season, the Milford Farmers Market will be returning outdoors one month earlier than normal, on Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to market manager Adrienne Colsia. This will be the town’s largest outdoor market yet, with between 17 and 20 vendors on the schedule each week selling a wide variety of products like meats, fish, vegetables, baked goods, wine and craft beer, coffee beans and personal care products. The market will continue outdoors, rain or shine, at 300 Elm St. in Milford (across the street from the New Hampshire Antique Co-op) through Oct. 9. Visit milfordnhfarmersmarket.com.
• Fresh catch: The Merrimack County Conservation District (10 Ferry St., Concord) is taking orders for a trout sale for fish lovers looking to restock their ponds, offering New Hampshire-raised disease-free rainbow and brook trout in 6- to 8-inch or 10- to 12-inch sizes. Orders are due by Tuesday, May 11 — bagged 6- to 8-inch trout can be picked up at the Conservation District’s Concord center on Sunday, May 16, from 1 to 1:30 p.m. The fish must then be released to your pond immediately. Larger trout will be directly delivered to your pond (you do not need to be a Merrimack County resident to participate). Visit merrimackccd.org to fill out an order form.
• Souvlaki to go: Join Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (68 N. State St., Concord) for its next boxed Greek dinner to go event on Sunday, May 16, from noon to 1 p.m. Now through May 12, orders are being accepted for boxed meals, featuring chicken souvlaki, rice pilaf, Greek salad and a dinner roll, for $15 per person. The event is drive-thru and takeout only — email ordermygreekfood@gmail.com or call 953-3051 to place your order. The church is also planning a similar event for June 13, when fresh gyro sandwiches will be available. Visit holytrinitynh.org.
• Shop (and eat) local: Nearly 40 local vendors will participate in the inaugural Henniker Handmade & Homegrown event, set for Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Henniker Community Center park (57 Main St.). Prepared food will be available on site from Abby’s Cafe, while the Country Spirit Restaurant will also be selling candied apples and other sweet treats. Other happenings will include live music performances from Walker Smith and Decatur Creek, as well as raffles and various items for sale like jewelry, pottery, soaps, body care products, candles and more. Admission is free — raffle tickets can be purchased at the event or in advance online. Email hennikercommunitymarket@gmail.com.
• Gate City Brewfest update: In lieu of its traditional beer festival and wing competition format, this year’s Gate City Brewfest will be pivoting to a live concert to be held at Holman Stadium in Nashua on Friday, Aug. 27. “After much deliberation and working within the city guidelines, it was simply not feasible to bring you the Gate City Brewfest beer festival model you are used to this year, but we do plan to return to that model in 2022,” reads a recent post on the event’s Facebook page. The live concert being planned in its place will offer both stadium and pod-style lawn seating on the field, plus an assortment of beer, non-alcoholic beverages and food options available, according to the post.
JC Haze is an independent voiceover actor and producer based in Manchester and a voiceover instructor at NH Tunes in Manchester.
Explain your job and what it entails.
On a day-to-day basis, I could be auditioning for clients [based] locally or around the country and around the world. … Seldom do [clients] hire you right away. You could be auditioning with a dozen or so other voice talents. … They send me a little script … and I sit here in my in-home studio and produce a demo and send it to them and hope they call me back and tell me I got the gig. … Once they’ve hired you for the gig, the client will tell you what they’re looking for, and you just need to deliver the goods. … If I’m recording at home, I’ll send them a bunch of takes. … If you’re recording in a professional recording studio, the client will be there with you, directing you.
How long have you had this job?
I launched JC Haze Voice Over about 14 years ago, in 2007 … but I had been doing a lot of voice recordings since I first got into the radio and broadcast business in 1979.
What led you to this career field?
I always wanted to do something with my voice. … Listening to radio commercials, I’d think, ‘I could do that. … I could use my voice to make clients happy, and to make myself happy, and to pay the mortgage.’ … When I was let go of a programming job in radio, I decided that it was time to be more of a business person for myself … so I created my own voiceover business.
What kind of … training did you need?
You don’t need a college education to be a voiceover actor. What you do need to have is thick skin. You have to be ready for a lot of people saying ‘no’ before you get the occasional ‘yes.’
What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?
Since I’m working in my own studio, I don’t have to worry about that, outside of the occasional Skype or Zoom call. I can wear whatever I want, whatever is comfortable.
How has your job changed over the last year?
During these days of Covid, a lot of work has been on the shoulders of the voiceover talent to do in their own studio. They record [at home] and email the to the agency or client so that no one has to go into a studio. Once Covid restrictions are lifted, we’ll probably go back to some [in-studio recording], but I think a lot of companies have realized, ‘Hey, we don’t need to have the voiceover talent drive 40 miles to come to our studio. They can do it in their own studio … and we can direct them over the phone or a Zoom call if we want to.’
What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?
It’s really important to back up your audio files. I knew that, but you always think, ‘[A computer crash] isn’t going to happen to me.’ Then, you have a computer crash and you lose everything.
What do you wish other people knew about your job?
We’re not making tons of money. It’s like any other industry, where there’s a top 5 percent making 70 percent of the money. You have to really want it … and you have to work really hard to make money doing it.
What was the first job you ever had?
I worked at Brooks Brothers clothing store, down in the shipping department.
What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?
Don’t give up, and don’t stop believing in yourself; just keep plugging away.
Five favorites Favorite book: The Art of Voice Acting by James R. Alburger Favorite movie: Blazing Saddles Favorite music: The Beatles and ELO Favorite food: A good salmon and a good ravioli Favorite thing about NH: Coming from New York, I like the slower and more relaxed pace here, and the friendly vibe.
Dear Donna, Enclosed is a necklace belonging to my great-grandma that I believe is of the Victorian era and made of brass. I have tried to research it but came up with nothing. There is also a cup and saucer, also belonging to my grandma, that says “J.P.L.France” and then “Limoges.” I believe it could be of some value, and any help would be greatly appreciated.
Jackie from Pelham
Dear Jackie, Let’s start with your tea cup and saucer. The mark “J.P.L.” stands for Jean Pouyat Limoges. This was done during the middle to late 1800s. Definitely part of a much larger set for dining.
You are right about Limoges china having value, but in today’s market even value can sometimes be a tough market. The value on china is in the makers and mostly in the larger more uncommon pieces that are in excellent condition (which is hard to find). Then it would be in the hand painting designs (patterns). There is quite a history behind Limoges, and it’s interesting to read about in books or online to find out more about yours.
The value would be in the $25 range for the tea cup and saucer. Finding a buyer might be tough. though. in today’s market.
As far as your sweet necklace, unless pieces like it are marked it’s tough to find a value. So some things can give us a clue: material (gold or silver would have a higher value than brass); age (tough to tell in this case) and maker (if not signed then go by the design and condition).
It looks to be an earlier style, maybe from the same estate and period of time as your tea cup and saucer or a bit later. I think we’re safe to say it is in the $40 range but I would have it checked by a professional to confirm my view from here.
New Hampshire Children’s Trust is offering a free download of its Strengthening Families Across NH Activity Book. Courtesy image.
Outdoor circus
Find jugglers, acrobats, aerialists and other circus performers in the great outdoors during Circus in the Woods. Register now to attend one of Flying Gravity Circus’s four performances, taking place at four different nature and arts organizations in New Hampshire for the remaining Sundays in May — at the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock on May 9, the Beaver Brook Association in Hollis on May 16, the Hooper Institute in Walpole on May 23, and the Andres Institute of Art on May 30. Flying Gravity is a nonprofit based at High Mowing School in Wilton and is a circus education organization that promotes artistic expression, physical fitness and positive youth development through circus arts. Circus in the Woods will allow the annual show, which was canceled last year, to return as a fun family activity in a safe environment. Performances are between 2 and 5 p.m. and reservations are required through eventbrite.com. Tickets are $5 (children 2 and under get in free). Reserve a time slot now at flyinggravitycircus.org.
Mission to Mars
Find out what NASA is up to on Mars during Super Stellar Friday at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive, Concord). On Friday, May 7, the discovery center will hold its monthly virtual program at 7 p.m.; this month’s topic is “Robotic Life on Mars.” STEM instructor and senior Discovery Center educator Dave McDonald will share updates on the Perseverance Mars rover and Ingenuity Mars helicopter and talk about what’s next for their missions. The event is free, but registration is required at starhop.com.
Traditionally, June is the month for eating strawberries. But you can, in fact, grow varieties of strawberries that produce berries all summer, or that produce berries in June and again in the fall. In any case, now is the time to buy your strawberry plants before they are all sold out.
There are three basic types of strawberries: June-bearing strawberries, so-called ever-bearing strawberries, and day-neutral strawberries. Plant June-bearing berries this summer, and you will need to wait until next summer for your first berries (pick off any blossoms this year so they develop good roots). Ever-bearing berries are not really ever-bearing: they will deliver a load of fruit this fall, and again in future years in June and the fall. Day-neutral berries are not affected by day length and are truly ever-bearing. The first year, however, you will not get any June berries.
Strawberries are sold in clumps of bare root plants, usually 25 per bundle. They should be planted when the soil is at least 50 degrees, and when risk of hard frost has passed. A hard frost is one that is colder than 28 degrees and lasts for 12 hours or more.
You can buy plants starting in early May at your local garden center or feed-and-grain store. You can also go online and order from seed companies, but many varieties were already sold out at Fedco Seeds and Johnny’s Selected Seeds when I checked in late April. Nourse Farms in Massachusetts prefers that you order in the fall but still had several varieties available when I checked.
All strawberries like rich, well-drained soil. If you have a heavy clay you will need to make raised beds and add lots of compost. Work the compost in with a fork or shovel to make the soil fluffier. Even average soil needs compost for best results, as does sandy soil. Sandy soil will hold moisture much better if you stir in plenty of compost.
You do not need to create wood-sided beds. Just mound up the soil to create a bed about 3 1/2 feet wide that is 4 to 6 inches taller than your walkways. For 25 plants, a wide bed 20 feet long should do. For day-neutral berries, you can plant two rows of plants 12 to 18 inches apart in a bed. June berries need more space, so plant just one row per bed, and space 18 to 24 inches. But always read the directions that come with the berries and space accordingly. Don’t crowd your plants or they will produce smaller berries.
I recommend the day-neutral berries. They do not require as much work as June-bearing plants, which send out runners that need to be rooted in or pinched off. The day-neutral plants stay in nice tidy clumps. And they produce berries all summer long, starting in the second year. Their berries are smaller than June berries, however.
Assuming you have just average soil, you should work in some minerals and fertilizer in addition to compost before planting the berries. Five pounds of an organic, slow-release fertilizer in a 20-foot-wide row should be adequate. A good organic bagged fertilizer will add the three most necessary minerals — nitrogen for green growth, phosphate for strong roots and good flowering, and potassium for strong cell walls and resistance to drought and cold.
Organic fertilizers also add other nutrients that do not come in a bag of chemical fertilizer, things like calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, chlorine and iron. Organic fertilizers are made from things like seaweed, chicken manure, peanut hulls and cottonseed meal. These break down over time and supply nutrients to your plants.
There are a number of ways of planting your strawberries, but the main thing to focus on is getting good contact with the soil. To plant the berries, I smooth the soil surface, then dig shallow holes with small mounds of soil in the center of each. I spread out the roots over the mound, and then cover the roots with soil and pat it down. It’s important to not cover the crown (the growing point where the leaves begin).
An alternative way is to just cut a slice in the soil with a putty knife and push the roots into that slice with the putty knife. The crown needs to be at the soil surface, and the soil well-patted down. Nourse Farms (noursefarms.com) has a video on how to use that method.
After planting, water well and then water two or three times a week until they are well-established. All berries are high in water content, so don’t let the plants dry out if we have a drought again this summer.
Strawberries hate weeds, so always plant into a weed-free bed. Grasses will compete with your berries, reducing the size and number of your berries. One way to minimize the labor of weeding is to mulch well. I put down four to six sheets of newspaper over the soil between beds and cover it with straw, mulch hay or dry leaves.
Strawberries are a relatively easy crop to grow and will reward you nicely. Most varieties will come back for a few years, but eventually they lose vigor. Still — strawberry shortcake anyone?
Featured photo: Day neutral strawberries first picking. Courtesy photo.
Local radio host, columnist, author and filmmaker Rob Azevedo adds poetry to his list of activities with his debut collection, Turning on the Wasp, recently released by Spartan Press.
The new venture, which he started in April 2020, came as a surprise even to himself, Azevedo said.
“For some reason, I just started getting these poetic lines in my head … and when I get something in my head, it doesn’t leave my head until I do something about it,” he said, “so I just started writing them down.”
While Azevedo has done some creative writing in the past, including the screenplays for six short films featured at the SNOB Film Festival in Concord, and a memoir, Notes From The Last Breath Farm: A Music Junkie’s Quest to be Heard, released by Plaidswede Publishing in 2019, poetry is a literary art form he hadn’t explored since his college days, he said.
“I went from having written maybe 10 or so poems in my whole life to writing 50 poems over the course of four or five months,” he said, adding that his poems now total more than 250.
With modest expectations, Azevedo submitted a few of his poems to the Spartan Press, hoping to get one featured on its website, he said, but the publisher had bigger plans for Azevedo’s poems.
“He loved them and said, ‘What do you think about putting out a book of your poetry?’” Azevedo said. “That [scenario] is unheard of when it comes to publishing — normally, getting something published is a grind … and could take years, so I really hit the jackpot.”
Turning on the Wasp features 80 free verse poems, “perfect for flash poetry,” Azevedo said, at around 100 to 150 words each. They explore a wide range of subject matter, such as love, lust, rock ’n’ roll and social issues, with a tone that Azevedo described as “darkly comic.”
“They could be prompted by a line in a song, something I’m watching on TV, a work of art or something that happened in my own life,” he said. “Whatever [causes] that rush of poetry in my head, I just go with it and dive right into it.”
In the title poem, for example, Azevedo reflects on a near-death experience that he had two years ago, when he was stung by a wasp. He went into shock and stopped breathing.
“It’s all about me getting back at that wasp that almost took me out,” he said.
Azevedo continues to write poetry every morning, he said, and has no plans of stopping.
“I can’t seem to get away from it; I’m hooked,” he said. “It has consumed me to the point where I’m barely writing anything else.”
He has already assembled a collection of poems for another book, which he intends to pitch to his publisher at the end of the summer and, if approved, release in the winter.
“I’m just going to keep writing more and more poetry until this phase of my creative life is over and I move on to a new one.”
Turning on the Wasp by Rob Azevedo The book is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Gibson’s Bookstore in Concord. Find Azevedo on Twitter (@robazza33) or email him at onemanmanch@gmail.com.
The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities
The work of Roberto Lugo is currently on display at the Currier Museum of Art. Photo by Neal Santos, courtesy of Wexler Gallery.
• Pottery joy: The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St., Manchester) presents a new exhibition, “Roberto Lugo: Te traigo mi le lo lai – I bring you my joy,” from May 6 through Sept. 26. Lugo is a Philadelphia-based potter, painter, social activist, spoken word poet and educator. His pottery reimagines traditional forms and techniques with inspiration from urban graffiti and hip-hop culture. In this exhibition, Lugo pays homage to his Puerto Rican heritage and explores his cultural identity and its connection to family, place and legacy. “The Currier Museum has a long history of collecting and displaying studio ceramics, and Roberto Lugo is undoubtedly one of the most significant voices working today,” Samantha Cataldo, the museum’s curator of contemporary art, said in a press release. “We are excited for the public to experience this unique installation and find their own connections to these important themes of community, value, and legacy.” Museum admission costs $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online in advance. Museum hours are Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. (free after 5 p.m.); and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the hour of 10 to 11 a.m. currently reserved for seniors and museum members. Lugo will give a virtual talk on Tuesday, May 11, at 5 p.m. It’s free and open to the public. In July, Lugo and fellow ceramicist Margaret Kinkeade will be in residence at the museum and will lead community workshops on ceramics. Details on the workshops are TBA. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• Exploring opioid addiction through theater: The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Elephant-in-the-Room Series, in partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, presents a reading of A Wider Circle virtually over Zoom on Thursday, May 20, from 7 to 9 p.m. Now in its fourth year, the Elephant-in-the-Room Series presents play readings followed by open discussions about subjects that are difficult to talk about, such as human trafficking and sexual abuse, death and dying, mental illness and more. A Wider Circle, written by local playwright and social studies teacher Mary Ellen Hedrick, centers on the family of a woman in the aftermath of her opioid overdose death. Following the reading, there will be a panel discussion on the opioid crisis’ effect on families with Hedrick, Rebecca Throop of Seacoast Mental Health Center and other opioid addiction and recovery experts. The event is free, and registration is required. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
• Meri Goyette makes her artist debut: City Arts Nashua and The Nashua Telegraph present an exhibition, “Geometric Abstraction through Cut and Paste,” featuring the works of Meri Goyette, on display in the windows and lobby of the Telegraph offices (110 Main St., Suite 1, Nashua) now through June 11. Goyette, who is 95 years old, has been a longtime supporter and patron of the arts in Nashua and beyond, but has never publicly shown her own work until now. The exhibition will include statement collages and collectible greeting cards that she crafted from paper, fabric and glue during the pandemic. “Meri is such an inspiration to all of us in the arts here in Nashua and we are so fortunate that she serves on our Advisory Board and partners with us to support City Arts Nashua’s mission,” City Arts Nashua president Lisa Bissonnette said in a press release. Visit cityartsnashua.org.
• New artisan market: Henniker Community Market will host its first annual Henniker Handmade & Homegrown event at Henniker Community Center Park (57 Main St., Henniker) on Saturday, May 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nearly 40 local vendors and artisans will sell handmade items including jewelry, pottery, textiles, soaps and body care products, baskets, candles, birdhouses, fine art paintings and prints, home decor and more. See “Henniker Community Market” on Facebook or email hennikercommunitymarket@gmail.com.
Art
Classes & lectures
• GENERAL ART CLASSES In-person art classes for all levels and two-dimensional media. held with small groups of two to five students. Private classes are also available. Diane Crespo Fine Art Gallery (32 Hanover St., Manchester). Students are asked to wear masks in the gallery. Tuition costs $20 per group class and $28 per private class, with payment due at the beginning of the class. Call 493-1677 or visit dianecrespofineart.com for availability.
• DRAWING & PAINTING CLASSES Art House Studios, 66 Hanover St., Suite 202, Manchester. Classes include Drawing Fundamentals, Painting in Acrylic, Drawing: Observation to Abstraction, Exploring Mixed Media, and Figure Drawing. Class sizes are limited to six students. Visit arthousestudios.org.
Exhibits
• DUO ARTIST EXHIBIT Features oils by Jim Ryan and watercolors by Lorraine Makhoul. On view during May. Seacoast Artist Association, 130 Water St., Exeter. Call 778-8856 or visit seacoastartist.org.
• 35TH ANNUAL OMER T. LASSONDE JURIED EXHIBITION The New Hampshire Art Association presents a group art show featuring works in a variety of media by NHAA members and non-members. NHAA’s Robert Lincoln Levy Gallery (136 State St., Portsmouth). On view now through May 30. Call 431-4230 and visit nhartassociation.org.
• “TRANSFORMATIONS: NATURE AND BEYOND” The New Hampshire Art Association presents works by digital artist William Townsend. Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce Gallery, 49 S. Main St., Concord. On display now through June 17. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Visit nhartassociation.org or call 431-4230.
• “THE BODY IN ART: FROM THE SPIRITUAL TO THE SENSUAL” Exhibit provides a look at how artists through the ages have used the human body as a means of creative expression. On view now through Sept. 1. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “TOMIE DEPAOLA AT THE CURRIER” Exhibition celebrates the illustrator’s life and legacy through a collection of his original drawings. On view now. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• “RETABLOS RECONSIDERED” Exhibit features works by 12 artists inspired by retablos, the honorific art form of devotional paintings that relate to miraculous events. Twiggs Gallery (254 King St., Boscawen). On view now through June 6. Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Call 975-0015 or visit twiggsgallery.wordpress.com.
• “GEOMETRIC ABSTRACTION THROUGH CUT AND PASTE” City Arts Nashua and The Nashua Telegraph present an exhibition featuring the works of Meri Goyette, including statement collages and collectible greetings cards that she crafted from paper, fabric and glue during the pandemic. On display in the windows and lobby of the Telegraph offices (110 Main St., Suite 1, Nashua). Now through June 11. Visit cityartsnashua.org.
• “CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY” Exhibit features immersive large-scale drawings by Larissa Fassler that reflect the Berlin-based artist’s observations of downtown Manchester while she was an artist-in-residence at the Currier Museum in 2019. On view now through fall. Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester. Museum admission tickets cost $15, $13 for seniors age 65 and up, and must be booked online. Call 669-6144 or visit currier.org.
• GALLERY ART A new collection of art by more than 20 area artists on display now in-person and online. Creative Ventures Gallery (411 Nashua St., Milford). Call 672-2500 or visit creativeventuresfineart.com.
Special events
• MAGNIFY VOICES EXPRESSIVE ARTS CELEBRATION Youth artwork showcased to help raise awareness and decrease stigma of mental illness and affect change to ensure social and emotional health for all children in New Hampshire. May, date TBA. Visit tinyurl.com/magnifyvoices2021 or email magnifyvoices@gmail.com.
Tours
• NASHUA PUBLIC ART AUDIO TOUR Self-guided audio tours of the sculptures and murals in downtown Nashua, offered via the Distrx app, which uses Bluetooth iBeacon technology to automatically display photos and text and provides audio descriptions at each stop on the tour as tourists approach the works of art. Each tour has 10 to 15 stops. Free and accessible on Android and iOS on demand. Available in English and Spanish. Visit downtownnashua.org.
Theater
Shows
• FAME JR. The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 12. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• FUN HOME The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 28. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• GODSPELL The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. Now through May 30. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• QUEEN CITY IMPROV The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Fri., May 7, May 21 and June 4, and Thurs., June 17, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• COMEDY OUT OF THE ’BOX The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Sat., May 8, May 22 and June 5, and Thurs., June 24, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• 42ND STREET Recorded live in London. Virtual screening presented by Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord. May 12 through May 19. $15 per ticket. Call 225-1111 or visit ccanh.com.
• DISCOVERING MAGIC WITH ANDREW PINARD The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). Wed., May 19 and June 16, 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• A WIDER CIRCLE The New Hampshire Theatre Project’s Elephant-in-the-Room Series, in partnership with the Seacoast Mental Health Center, presents a reading of the play, written by local playwright and social studies teacher Mary Ellen Hedrick. Virtual, via Zoom. Thurs., May 20, 7 to 9 p.m. Free. Registration is required. Visit nhtheatreproject.org.
• ROTARY PARK PLAY FESTIVAL Presented by Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative and Community Players of Concord. Features short original plays by New Hampshire playwrights. Sat., May 29, and Sun., May 30. Outdoors at Rotary Park, 30 Beacon St., E. Laconia. See Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative on Facebook or email powerhouse@belknapmill.org.
• PIPPIN The Seacoast Repertory Theatre PAPA Jr. presents. Virtual and in person at 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. June 10 through July 18. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• HOLMES & WATSON Phylloxera Productions presents. The Hatbox Theatre (Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, Concord). June 11 through June 27. Tickets cost $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Call 715-2315 or visit hatboxnh.com.
• STEEL MAGNOLIAS The Majestic Theatre presents. Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. June 18 through June 27, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.
• HAMLET Post-apocalyptic reimagining of Shakespeare’s classic, produced by Cue Zero Theatre Co. June 18 through June 27. Derry Opera House, 29 W. Broadway, Derry. Visit cztheatre.com or email cztheatre@gmail.com.
• ‘TIL BETH DO US PART The Majestic Theatre presents. Virtual and in person at Majestic Studio Theatre, 880 Page St., Manchester. July 16 through July 25, with showtimes on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Visit majestictheatre.net or call 669-7469.
• CABARET The Seacoast Repertory Theatre presents. 125 Bow St., Portsmouth. July 22 through Sept. 5. Visit seacoastrep.org or call 433-4472.
• THAT GOLDEN GIRLS SHOW: A PUPPET PARODY at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S. Main St. in Concord; ccanh.com) on Sat., Nov. 20, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $35.
• TRUE TALES LIVE Monthly showcase of storytellers. Held virtually via Zoom. Last Tuesday of the month, 7 p.m., now through June, and September through December. Visit truetaleslivenh.org.
