An interesting change has been taking place in New Hampshire politics. Towns that were once solidly Republican have either switched over to competitive towns or are now tilting toward Democrats.
A recent example of this was the special election in Bedford for a state House seat. There was a time when that would be a safe Republican seat. But no more. Republicans lost the seat in a very close election. With that win, Democrats hold two of Bedford’s five seats. And almost a year ago in 2020, Bedford went for President Joe Biden over former President Donald Trump. In 2008, a year that saw President Barack Obama win New Hampshire and both U.S. House seats go to Democrats, Bedford elected all Republicans and in the presidential race went for Republican John McCain.
The same trend has been happening in other suburban towns. In Amherst, Democrats control all of its state House seats, just as they do in Bow. In Hollis, Democrats control one of two seats. The same trend has been happening on the Seacoast. Towns such as Rye, North Hampton and Hampton are electing more and more Democrats.
In the larger cities such as Manchester, Nashua, Concord and Portsmouth, Democrats have a near sweep of House seats.
Republicans continue to hold tight to Londonderry, Derry, Windham, Salem, Atkinson, Hudson and some smaller rural towns.
Parties tend to win because of a couple factors: changes in the party itself and changes in the electorate. Since Democrat Jeanne Shaheen was elected governor, Democrats have been careful to broaden their appeal, staying away from unpopular issues like statewide income taxes. This effort to broaden the appeal of the party has been very successful, creating a nearly unbroken 20 years of Democratic control of the governor’s office. Republicans were only able to take back the governor’s office with a centrist candidate, Chris Sununu. Sununu, for example, was able to win in Hampton, North Hampton and Rye, all towns his predecessor Maggie Hassan also won. He then helped Republicans take back the state House and Senate in 2020.
So what happened in Bedford and is it a wake-up call for Republicans or just a fluke?
It’s likely that voters, especially those in suburban towns like Bedford and Amherst, got more than they bargained for with the Republican legislature, a group that tilted far more right than the governor and took highly polarizing votes on abortion, public funding of private education and vaccinations. These are issues that might appeal to a vocal slice of the party, but they alienate voters in the suburban towns who will decide who controls the next legislature. To win elections, parties need to broaden their appeal.
Gin Blossoms singer Robin Wilson knows his band’s odds of making the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame are slim — “There’s a pretty deep bench you gotta work your way through before you get to us,” he said in a recent phone interview. It’s OK, though; the music HoF in Wilson’s home state of Arizona inducted them in 2017. Better still, the ’90s band is buzzing in the current zeitgeist.
They were name-checked on the season opener of Apple TV+’s hit show Ted Lasso and drafted into a Twitter war during the Phoenix Suns’ NBA playoff run. The Lasso mention was especially gratifying for Wilson. “‘Hey Jealousy’ is the best Gin Blossoms song,” the American football turned English soccer coach played by Jason Sudeikis said, “but ‘Follow You Down’ is my favorite.”
The latter song came at a critical juncture in the band’s career. After their major label debut New Miserable Experience went multiplatinum, Gin Blossoms founder and creative leader Doug Hopkins was consumed by addiction, left the band, and later died by suicide. “Follow You Down” was the lead single of their 1996 follow-up, Congratulations I’m Sorry. It would be their first and only Billboard No. 1.
“That helped legitimize the rest of the band,” Wilson said. “If that hadn’t happened, we would have been living in Doug’s shadow forever. ‘Follow You Down’ and ‘Till I Hear It From You’ — those songs were our opportunity to really prove that we had what it took … then for Ted Lasso to say it’s his favorite song 30 years later, it’s pretty … cool.”
“Follow You Down” came late in the process, recalled Wilson, when their record label demanded another hit.
“They were perfectly clear that they didn’t want just another song,” he said. “That’s about as much pressure as any band can ever be under; trying to follow up a multi-platinum debut, and then being told you’re not quite there yet. … I take an immense pride in what we did … but it’s not like we cured cancer; we just wrote a good song.”
Their first two albums represented a commercial pinnacle, and the group disbanded in 1997, but a reunited Gin Blossoms has continued to make new music since the early 2000s. Their most recent, 2018’s Mixed Reality, is a gem. For Wilson the creative spark is always around.
“It’s a deep ingrained passion I’ve had my whole life,” he said. “The first time I ever wrote a song, I think I was in the third grade, writing about UFOs and stuff. … It’s easy to perform, it’s easy to write. The hard part is being in a band and compromising with your bandmates, finding the middle ground, and even that isn’t as difficult as a lot of other things.”
Wilson is working on a solo project, Poppin’ Wheelies. It’s currently a soundtrack to an animation series that he hopes to place on Cartoon Network, Netflix or a similar platform. A video for one of the songs, “Little Stars,” is up on YouTube and has an unmistakable Gin Blossoms sound.
“My vision is Scooby Doo in outer space with great humor, retro ’70s, Saturday morning nostalgia,” he said. “On top of that it would be full of just great animation, and the music video sequences would be the standout moments. I’d like it to basically be like Spinal Tap in outer space.”
Perhaps he should pitch to Apple, given the Ted Lasso connection?
“That’s definitely one of my targets, but my agent is saying he’s not sure they’re really interested in animation … but a big part of Poppin’ Wheelies is guest stars and licensed music; in that sense I think they’d really get it. Clearly they have the budget we’d be hoping for, and it’s a prestige network.”
Gin Blossoms & Vertical Horizon When: Saturday, Sept. 18, 1 p.m. Where: Anheuser-Busch Brewery, Merrimack Tickets: $29 and up at ticketmaster.com More: 16 and over unless accompanied by a parent. Children under 5 not permitted.
After a brutal attack, a woman finds herself seeing through the eyes of a killer in Malignant, an unexpected bit of horror from director James Wan.
Wan’s filmography, according to IMDb, includes “story by” credits on some of the Saw movies, some of the Conjuring universe movies, Aquaman and this movie, and he directed the first Saw, some Insidious movies, two Conjuring movies, Aquaman and its upcoming sequel. This movie fits well in that mix — it’s very “1980s classic horror”-styled horror with some, I don’t know, humor, I guess. I’m not saying Malignant is funny but it does have some moments of real kookiness.
Madison (Annabelle Wallis) comes home from work suffering from some pregnancy achy-ness. She is also suffering from having a violent jerk as a husband — Derek (Jake Abel), who takes time out of his busy afternoon of lying around to first harangue Madison about working while pregnant and then slam her head against a wall. Madison uses his run to get her some ice for her bleeding head wound to lock him out of the bedroom. He eventually falls asleep on the downstairs sofa, only to wake to the sound of someone in the kitchen. When he goes to investigate, he first finds the blender on, then the refrigerator door pops open, etc., in the manner of Spooky Things Messing With You so familiar in these movies. This spooky thing, which appears to us as a kind of a shadow person, doesn’t waste time escalating the Messing With Derek and pretty quickly clobbers him (the visuals and foley work here — and in the rest of the movie — are extravagantly “ew”).
Madison wakes up, tentatively coming out of the room, sees Derek’s very lifeless body and is then attacked herself and left unconscious in the nursery. She comes to in the hospital and is devastated to learn that she has lost the baby and falls into a stupor, with younger sister Sydney (Maddie Hasson) having to do the talking for her to Detective Kekoa Shaw (George Young). Shaw isn’t sure what’s happening but his partner Detective Regina Moss (Michole Briana White) thinks that Madison probably has something to do with Derek’s death. Then other people start dying and Madison, recovered enough to go home but still quite shaken, goes to the detectives to report that she can see the murders — she’s doing her laundry in her house, for example, when she suddenly finds herself watching the crime as if she were there.
For a while I found myself wondering if this movie was just a study in spooky atmospherics. There’s a lot of “room bathed in red light” and “crime scene in the rain” and “barely lit hospital/police station” and a few stretches shot in the Seattle Underground (a real thing, according to Wikipedia, where streets and first-story storefronts from ye olden times, now below the ground level, can be visited as a tourist attraction). And all of this is scored to some pretty top-notch “you are watching a modern riff on classic horror” style music, all screaming strings and anxiety synth. It’s cool but, like, why, I thought. Why are we spending time in a bunch of very familiar “movie like this” setups with some very “sure, I believe these people as people” characters who are otherwise not terribly memorable, I thought.
Initially.
When you realize the “why” — well, the movie takes on a whole new vibe. I’m still not exactly clear on where we, as a culture, landed with the whole “what is camp” discussion. I feel like, OK, maybe Malignant isn’t camp, per se, but it’s not totally not camp. It’s a crazy little ride, this movie, one that had me checking my watch initially but ultimately left me more amused than not.
I think, if you at all like horror, if you at all enjoy a late night and a bowl of popcorn and a feeling that maybe there should be more lights on in the house, this movie is probably a fun Saturday night in. B-
Rated R for strong horror violence and gruesome images, and for language, according to the MPA on filmratings.com. Directed by James Wan with a screenplay by Akela Cooper, Malignant is an hour and 51 minutes long and distributed by New Line Cinema. The movie is available on HBO Max through Oct. 10 and in theaters.
Red River Theatres 11 S. Main St., Concord 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org
Regal Fox Run Stadium 15 45 Gosling Road, Newington regmovies.com
Rex Theatre 23 Amherst St., Manchester 668-5588, palacetheatre.org
The Strand 20 Third St., Dover 343-1899, thestranddover.com
Wilton Town Hall Theatre 40 Main St., Wilton wiltontownhalltheatre.com, 654-3456
Shows
• David Byrne’s American Utopia (NR) will screen at O’neil Cinemas in Epping on Wednesday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m.
• The Card Counter (R, 2021) will screen at Red River Theatres in Concord Friday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 19, at 12:45 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.
• The Alpinist (PG-13, 2021) will screen at Red River Theatres in Concord Friday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 19, at 1:15 p.m., 4:15 p.m. and 7:15 p.m.
• Drifting (1923), starring Anna May Wong, Priscilla Dean and Wallace Beery, a silent film with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, will screen Sunday, Sept. 19, at 2 p.m. at Wilton Town Hall Theatre. A $10 donation is suggested.
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch (R, 2001) at Rex Theatre on Tuesday, Sept. 21, at 7 p.m. with a portion of the proceeds going to Motley Mutts Rescue. Tickets $12.
• Serial Mom (R, 1994) at Rex Theatre on Wednesday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m. with a portion of the proceeds going to Motley Mutts Rescue. Tickets cost $12.
• National Theatre Live Follies,a broadcast of a play from London’s National Theatre, screening at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord on Sunday, Oct. 3, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($12 for students).
• National Theatre Live Cyrano de Bergerac, a broadcast of a play from London’s National Theatre, screening at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord on Sunday, Oct. 17, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($12 for students).
• Frankenweenie (PG, 2012) at the Rex Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 17, 7 p.m. with a portion of the proceeds going to Motley Mutts Rescue. Tickets cost $12.
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (PG, 1993) at the Rex Theatre on Monday, Oct. 18, 7 p.m. with a portion of the proceeds going to Motley Mutts Rescue. Tickets cost $12.
• The Phantom of the Opera (1925), a silent film starring Lon Chaney, with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, on Thursday, Oct. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth. Tickets start at $10.
• Nosferatu (1922), a silent film directed by F.W. Murnau, on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Rex in Manchester, featuring live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis. Admission costs $10.
• The Big Parade (1925), a silent film with live musical accompaniment by Jeff Rapsis, on Thursday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. at the Flying Monkey in Plymouth. Tickets start at $10.
• National Theatre Live No Man’s Land a broadcast of a play from London’s National Theatre, screening at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord on Sunday, Nov. 21, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($12 for students).
• National Theatre Live The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time a broadcast of a play from London’s National Theatre, screening at the Bank of NH Stage in Concord on Sunday, Dec. 5, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets cost $15 ($12 for students).
• An evening with Chevy ChaseA screening of National Lampoon’sChristmas Vacation (1989, PG-13) plus Q&A with audience on Saturday, Dec. 11, 7 p.m. at the Cap Center. Tickets start at $59.50.
• Elf screening at Christmas Break on a Budget on Saturday, Dec. 18, at noon at The Strand in Dover. The afternoon will include storytime, family activities and the movie. The cost is $20 for a family of four or $8 each.
A three-day celebration of Greek culture through homemade food, music, dancing and crafts, Glendi is making a highly anticipated return this weekend a year after its first cancellation in more than four decades. The 42nd annual festival is happening at Manchester’s St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, where from Friday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 19, a diverse menu of authentic Greek items will be served, from lamb shanks to pastichio, plus dozens of homemade cookies and pastries available and imported Greek items for sale at an Aegean Market.
Originally known as the Harvest Bazaar, a small three-day fundraising event for the church and community center, the festival was renamed Glendi, which means “good times” in Greek, in 1980. The first event as it’s known today was held that year — since then, generations of church members and volunteers have gathered throughout each year to prepare Glendi’s featured dishes.
This will be the first in-person Glendi since the fall of 2019, although the church has presented a series of several “Taste of Glendi” drive-thru events in the interim.
Past Glendi event. Courtesy photo.
“I really do feel that there is a lot of pent up demand out there for events, especially our Glendi,” said George Skaperdas, festival co-chairman and president of its board of directors. “We decided in April that we were going to go ahead with it … and so it was full speed ahead, just doing our part to make sure that people are safe but still have a good time.”
Food preparation has been underway since early June and will continue right up until just days before the festival begins. As with previous years, dozens of tents will be set up on the church’s grounds all weekend, housing the food servings and outdoor dining tables.
“Everything that everybody expects out of Glendi will be there,” Skaperdas said. “The setup is pretty much the same. We’ve got everything to make everybody happy.”
Several returning favorites will be served once again, like the seasoned and marinated lamb that’s barbecued over charcoal; the baked lamb shanks with tomato sauce; the marinated chicken with Grecian herbs; and the pastichio, a Greek lasagna dish with a creamy cheese sauce. Stuffed green peppers with rice and meat, and dolmathes, or stuffed grape leaves with rice and meat covered in a lemon sauce, will be available too. All of these options can be ordered as part of a full meal, which comes with rice pilaf, a salad and a roll, or you can order them a la carte.
Other items will include gyros, served with a blend of beef and lamb; loukanikos, or Greek sausages; and chicken souvlaki that is topped with lettuce, red onion and tzatziki sauce and wrapped in pita bread. There will also be a small offering of non-Greek items like hot dogs, popcorn, cotton candy and freshly squeezed lemonade.
Inside the church’s community center will be an assorted display of desserts and pastries, including multiple versions of baklava; as well as loukoumades, or fried dough balls soaked in syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar, that come in quantities of six, 12 or 20. Several types of cookies are also returning, like finikia, or honey-dipped cookies with walnuts; and kourambiethes, which are dusted with powdered sugar.
The community center will once again have its Aegean Market open for the duration of the festival, where you’ll find items like Greek olive oil, coffees, jewelry and T-shirts for sale. Gift baskets, local restaurant gift cards and certificates, and other items will be raffled off.
Masks and hand sanitizer will be provided to festival attendees. Skaperdas said the state’s mobile vaccination van is expected to be parked at the church each day.
Glendi
When: Friday, Sept. 17, and Saturday, Sept. 18, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. (food services end at about 9:30 p.m.), and Sunday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Where: St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 650 Hanover St., Manchester Cost: Free admission; foods are priced per item Visit: stgeorge.nh.goarch.org, or find them on Facebook @glendinh Free parking is available at Derryfield Park (Bridge Street) and at the McDonough Elementary School (550 Lowell St.), with shuttle services to the church that will be available throughout the day on Friday and Saturday.
Featured photo: Past Glendi events. Courtesy photo.
Get in the harvest season spirit with some pig racing and corn mazes
It’s a farm’s time to shine.
Here in the thick of the late summer early fall harvest season, farms are getting a chance to show off their hard work — from displaying animals at upcoming fairs to welcoming guests for some agritainment.
Hence that cover pig. Pig-related events feature on the schedule of both the upcoming Granite State Fair and the Deerfield Fair. In addition to the pig barn and some pig racing on the schedule, you can see other animals in the barnyard babies, petting zoo and cattle barn at the Granite State Fair, which kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 16. Starting Sept. 30, you can see the horses, alpacas, sheep, goats and more at the Deerfield Fair.
There are also good reasons to go visit a local farm or orchard. Local corn mazes have opened their attractions, offering a chance to spend some time in their corn fields. Apple picking season has started and growers are reporting that it’s been a good year for apples.
Feeling in the mood for some farm fun? Here are a few places to go.
Farmers at the fair
Animals are the highlight of New Hampshire’s agricultural fairs
By Angie Sykeny
From live music and amusement rides to demonstrations and delicious food, New Hampshire state fairs offer all kinds of fun, but the heart of the fair remains the same year after year.
“Agriculture is the bedrock of what fairs represent,” said E.J. Dean, fair coordinator for the Granite State Fair in Rochester. “Farmers wanting to showcase all of their hard work is how the fairs were born.”
“The largest percentage of time that a patron spends at any fairground is looking through the barns,” co-coordinator Mark Perry added. “At the end of that day, that’s why people come.”
For local farmers, the fair is a chance to engage with the public, spread the word about their farms and promote their products — like a farmers market, Dean said, but on a larger scale.
“The farmers are proud,” he said. “They love talking with people and showing off what they do.”
For fairgoers, the fair is a place to learn about agriculture in the state and see up-close how a cow is milked, how a sheep is sheared, how butter is made and more.
“When you hear that there’s 21 billion gallons of milk produced in the United States each year, it’s hard to quantify that number,” Dean said. “[The fair] sheds some light on the [agriculture] industry and puts all of the things that we take for granted in perspective.”
Putting a face to the name behind where their food comes from can encourage people to buy more local food and products, Perry said.
“People see and hear things [about food] in the news, and they want to know what is true,” he said. “Who better to ask than the farmer who produces the food?”
Another goal of the fair, Perry said, is to expand agriculture in the state by inspiring people with homesteads to take up farming, even if only on a small scale. Just half an acre is enough for a person to raise animals such as rabbits, chickens or goats, he said.
“As the number of full-time farmers decreases, there’s a need that’s being filled by part-time farmers,” he said. “We want to help champion those part-time farmers.”
But educating the public about agriculture isn’t the only mission of the fair, Perry said; making the experience fun and memorable is equally important, especially for children and families, and for people living in urban areas who don’t have many opportunities to visit farms or see live animals.
“When a kid gets to reach out and touch a calf or see a cow being milked for the first time, that’s a powerful thing,” Perry said. “There’s magic in that moment.”
Granite State Fair
Daily festivities include a cattle barn, pig barn, barnyard babies, exhibitions and displays, chickery, a petting zoo and live judging in the exhibition hall. Helicopter rides will be offered Friday through Sunday. Daily entertainment will include racing pigs, Circus Hollywood ($15 for a ringside box for up to four people) and a variety of live music. Recycled Percussion will perform on Friday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. (Tickets are $20). The horse pulling competition will take place on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. A mechanical bull riding competition will be held on both Thursdays, a cornhole tournament on both Fridays, and a demolition derby on both Sundays. When: Thursday through Sunday, from Sept. 16 through Sept. 19, and Sept. 23 through Sept. 26. On Thursday and Friday, both the main fair and midway open at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, the main fair opens at 10 a.m., and the midway opens at noon. Where: 72 Lafayette St., Rochester Tickets: $10 per person, free for children age 8 and under. Plus $7 for parking. Wristbands are available for $25 on Thursday from 4 p.m. to close, Saturday from noon to 4 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., and, on the final Sunday, from 5 p.m. to close. More info: granitestatefair.com
Deerfield Fair
Daily festivities include agricultural shows like a horse pull, pig scramble, cattle pull and more, as well as agricultural demonstrations, exhibits and competitions; tractor pulls and demonstrations; children’s shows and activities; magic shows; a variety of live music on multiple stages and strolling performers. Special events include a woodsman contest on Thursday at 10 a.m., a pumpkin weigh-off on Thursday at 6 p.m., Granite State Disc Dogs on Saturday at 2 and 4 p.m., a truck pull on Saturday at 5 p.m., and a women’s frypan toss on Sunday at 4 p.m. Where: 34 Stage Road, Deerfield When: Thursday, Sept. 30, through Sunday, Oct. 3. Hours are 8 a.m. to 10 pm., Thursday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., on Sunday. Tickets: $12 for adults ($10 if purchased online before Sept. 27), free for kids age 12 and under and for active military and veterans. $9 for seniors age 65 and older on Thursday and Friday at the gate only. Premium parking is available for $10. Midway wristbands are available for $30 on Friday (valid through 6 p.m.) and for $35 on Sunday (valid through closing). More info: deerfieldfair.com
Mazes of maize
Lose yourself in a corn maze this fall
By Matt Ingersoll
Traversing through a corn maze is a uniquely fall activity at the farm — most of them are open to the public from early to mid-September through about Halloween. From family-friendly mazes to spookier nighttime outings, there are all kinds of unique features and experiences you can discover as you make your way through the cornfields trying to get out.
Corn maze at Sherman Farm. Courtesy photo.
At Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton, there are two different 4-acre corn mazes with their own distinct themes that are never repeated after each year. Co-owner Holly Kimball, who was an elementary school teacher for more than 20 years, said she has a lot of fun designing the mazes and implementing various educational aspects into each theme.
“It’s a great outdoor activity that appeals to all ages,” Kimball said of the mazes. “This is our 24th year doing the mazes … and [they have] become a fall tradition for many people. … We get field trips from elementary school students right up through high school, [and] it can be a fun date activity or an outing for workplace team building.”
This year happens to be the 250th anniversary of the nine-generation Beech Hill Farm, a milestone Kimball has integrated into one of the corn mazes. People are given a crossword puzzle with different clues to the answers they must search through the maze to find. Each clue has to do with a different fact about farming history.
The other corn maze activity at Beech Hill Farm is what Kimball calls a “Clue-Dunnit,” featuring a corn maze mystery twist on the popular board game. Attendees are tasked with finding the “suspect” who stole the weather vane off the top of the farm’s barn.
“It’s a cornfield scavenger hunt, where you go through with a checklist and find the ‘suspects,’ which are all farm animals,” she said. “They are all signs people have to find in the maze.”
Animals are also regularly used corn maze themes at Coppal House Farm in Lee. Owner John Hutton said they will usually focus on a different animal or bird each year that you’re likely to find in your backyard. As you make your way deeper into the maze, you’ll come across different facts about that animal — this year, he said, it’s all about red foxes.
“The different facts you find … help you navigate your way through the maze,” Hutton said, “so on top of learning about the fox, it’s a scavenger hunt. … It’s something fun that the whole family can do together, and it’s very interactive with no electronics involved.”
In Milford, Trombly Gardens has a corn maze that’s open to the public from dawn to dusk, with four wooden farm animals each maze-goer is challenged to find. According to business manager Alicia Kurlander, a Halloween-themed “haunted” corn maze with actors is currently in the works for each weekend throughout the month of October.
Where to find a local corn maze
Check out this list of local farms and orchards with corn mazes to discover this fall. Many of them feature their own unique themes, often with clues you must find to navigate your way out.
Applecrest Farm Orchards 133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $7 per person and free for ages 5 and under This 8-acre corn field features a maze of twists and turns that typically remains open through Halloween or early November depending on the weather conditions, according to Applecrest Farm Orchards owner Todd Wagner. Visitors who want to traverse it during the week are encouraged to check in at the farm market, as the maze entrance is only staffed on the weekends.
Beans & Greens Farm 245 Intervale Road, Gilford, 293-2853, beansandgreensfarm.com Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; a night maze is offered Thursday through Saturday, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., with a final sweep of the maze at 10 p.m. Cost: $14 for adults and $10 for kids; the cost for the night maze ranges from $18 to $22 (tentative) According to Cheyenne Patterson of the farm’s management team, the corn maze will open for the season on Sept. 17 and will conclude with a special Halloween-themed maze on Oct. 31.
Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn 107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton, 223-0828, beechhillfarm.com Hours: Daily, noon to dusk Cost: $6 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn has two 4-acre corn mazes, and one applied rate gives you access to both. Co-owner Holly Kimball said the farm has been offering them for more than two decades, with a different theme each year that has never been repeated. This year’s mazes include a cornfield-sized “crossword puzzle” in celebration of the farm’s 250th anniversary in 2021, as well as a “Clue-Dunnit” corn maze inspired by the popular board game.
Brookdale Fruit Farm 41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com Hours: Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Cost: $3 per person The corn maze, set to open soon, is among several of the family-friendly activities that will be available at Brookdale Fruit Farm this fall, along with hayrides and apple picking.
Coppal House Farm 118 N. River Road, Lee, 659-3572, nhcornmaze.com Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entrance is at 4:30 p.m.). Columbus Day hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $9 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for students, seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 5 and under Coppal House Farm features two corn mazes, with a different theme every year centered around a bird or animal you might see in your backyard. This year the theme is red foxes — maze attendees will learn various facts about the red fox that help them navigate their way out of the maze. Coppal House Farm co-owner John Hutton said the mazes are typically open through the last weekend of October, after which the corn is harvested for grain. There are also three upcoming nighttime maze dates that are open to the public, scheduled for Sept. 18, Oct. 9 and Oct. 23 (general admission is $12 per person; online ticketing only). Bring your own flashlight.
Elwood Orchards 54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entrance is at 5 p.m.) Cost: $10 per person and free for kids ages 5 and under The 15-acre corn maze at this family-owned and -operated farm and orchard is open now through the first weekend of November, owner Wayne Elwood said. Throughout the month of October, there is also a nighttime maze on Fridays and Saturdays that runs until 10 p.m. (last entrance is at 9 p.m.). Bring your own flashlight.
Emery Farm 147 Piscataqua Road, Durham, 742-8495, emeryfarm.com Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 2 and under This corn maze, featuring an educational pollinator theme, will be open daily through Oct. 31. Tickets can be purchased inside the farm’s market and cafe.
J & F Farms 124 Chester Road, Derry, 437-0535, jandffarmsnh.com Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $8 per person One of several available family-friendly activities, the corn maze at this longtime family-run farm is open to the public now through the end of October.
Lavoie’s Farm 172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: Free At the family-owned and -operated Lavoie’s Farm, visitors can traverse the 3-acre corn maze with a pick-your-own apple or pumpkin purchase.
Riverview Farm 141 River Road, Plainfield, 298-8519, riverviewnh.com Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 4 and under Artist and illustrator Emily Zea comes up with all kinds of unique themes each year for Riverview Farm’s corn maze. The theme of this year’s 3-acre maze is Ghosts and Monsters of New England.
Scamman Farm 69 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 686-1258, scammanfarm.com Hours: Monday, and Wednesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entrance is at 4:30 p.m.) Cost: $9 for adults, $7 for kids ages 5 to 12 and for seniors and active military service members, and free for kids ages 4 and under with a paid adult At more than 6 acres, Scamman’s Farm’s corn maze features a different theme every year. This year’s theme is “Fantasy Land.”
Sherman Farm 2679 E. Conway Road, Center Conway, 939-2412, shermanfarmnh.com Hours: Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: Varies from $12 to $15 per person, depending on the day, and free for kids ages 2 and under Known simply as “The Maize,” this year’s 12-acre corn maze was designed with help from students at Pine Street Elementary School in Center Conway. It’s due to open for the season on Sept. 18 and will welcome visitors every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 24.
Trombly Gardens 150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under Four wooden animals hidden throughout this corn maze for attendees to attempt to find. Trombly Gardens business manager Alicia Kurlander said a Halloween-themed haunted nighttime maze with actors who will try to jump out and scare you is also being planned for each weekend throughout the month of October. You can receive a discount to enter the corn maze if you bring a non-perishable canned food item to donate to the local food bank.
Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard 66 Mason Road, Greenville, 878-2101, find them on Facebook @washburnswindyhill Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 3 and under The 5-acre corn maze at Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard is open through the end of October, according to owner Timothy Anderson. A nighttime maze will also be hosted from Friday, Oct. 29, through Sunday, Oct. 31, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. each night.
Macs and Honeycrisps
Where to load up on apples
By Amy Diaz
The McIntoshes are ready.
Over Labor Day weekend, Apple Hill Farm in Concord kicked off its season of pick-your-own with its trees heavy with McIntoshes. The rain, rough on ground crops, has been good for apples, helping them to get big and juicy, said Diane Souther, owner at Apple Hill.
“The apples are plentiful,” Souther said on Sept. 7, when she expected Cortlands to be ready for picking in a few days and then Macouns soon after that, followed by Empires, with other varieties expected more toward the third and fourth weeks of September. Souther’s farm has more than 60 varieties of apples, some in PYO and some that the farm picks, some of them for eating and baking and some for hard cider.
Leigh Hardy, pick-your-own manager at Brookdale Fruit Farm, agreed that this year’s crop is large — big apples and lots of them. Brookdale has 32 varieties for pick your own as well as other varieties available in the farm stand. On Sept. 7 she said Jonamacs, Galas, McIntoshes and Honeycrisps were ready, with Cortlands and Empires coming soon.
“They’re coming in a bit earlier,” Hardy said, estimating that crops were available about 10 days or so earlier.
While some varieties like the McIntoshes and Galas will go all season long some apples have shorter seasons of three or so weeks when they are available, so Souther recommends that pickers be flexible if their favorite variety isn’t available at the moment and try something new. She recommends, at pick your own or at farm stands and farmers markets, asking farmers about varieties you may not have seen in decades past, such as Ambrosia, a yellowish apple with a red tinge that is sweeter and can last a while in the refrigerator.
Hardy said some people are becoming “apple connoisseurs” and interested in new varieties as well as some of the older New England varieties, such as the Baldwin apple, which is harder and stores well but has a great flavor when you cook with it, she said. Empire (a cross between a Red Delicious and a McIntosh) has a good flavor as does Spencer (a cross between a Golden Delicious and a McIntosh).
“Those are really good,” Hardy said.
Others to look for later in September are the Snow Sweet (a mild apple that doesn’t turn brown when you cut it), a Ruby Mac (a McIntosh variety that is sold red and a little bit tarter) and some new Honeycrisp varieties that are available later, like Pink Luster, Firecracker and Crimson Crisp, Hardy said.
At Brookdale they offer both a paper map and a version you can get on your smartphone via a QR code that will help direct you toward trees that are ready for picking and help you find the varieties you’re interested in.
For apples you don’t eat right away, Souther and Hardy recommend putting them in a refrigerator at as close to 33 degrees as possible for future eating. Sweeter apples especially need refrigeration, Hardy said, and if you store apples in a cool basement or garage, don’t leave them directly on cement, where moisture will get into the apple and speed rot; elevate them a little. Souther also suggested that apples you don’t eat now can go toward a future pie: Make a pie filling and freeze to use later in the winter when you want a fresh taste of fall.
Apple Grower of the Year
Brookdale Fruit Farm, which has been operated for 174 years by seven generations of the same family, received special recognition this year: Chip Hardy and sons Trevor Hardy and Tyler Hardy were named 2021 Apple Growers of the Year by American Fruit Grower and Western Fruit Grower magazines, according to a story on GrowingProduce.com. (Tyler Hardy, who died in 2019, was called “one of New Hampshire’s up-and-coming agricultural stars” in the story.) The farm is only the second farm in New Hampshire to receive the award, the website said.
Where to get your apples
Here are a few of the local apple orchards offering pick-your-own. On the day you plan to head out, call ahead to check that the varieties you’re interested in are available. Most of these farms also sell apples at their farm stands (along with other goodies) if you’d rather pick up than pick your own, and many of the websites (which, along with the farms’ and orchards’ social media, is where most of the pricing and hours listed here come from) list varieties available at the orchard (including, in some cases, what’s currently available for picking). Is your favorite pick-your-own farm not on this list? Let us know about it at [email protected].
Apple Annie 66 Rowell Road East in Brentwood; 778-3127, appleannienh.org Hours open for PYO: Thursday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Email for reserving group times Monday through Wednesday) Cost: Bags priced at $1.75 per pound
Applecrest Farm Orchards 133 Exeter Road (Route 88) in Hampton Falls; 926-3721, applecrest.com Hours open for PYO: daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $15 for half a peck, $30 for a peck, $40 for half a bushel Also: In September, PYO raspberries and peaches; into October, pumpkins and gourds. On weekends look for harvest festivals, which run Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can feature live music, tractor rides, eats for sale and more.
Apple Hill Farm 580 Mountain Road (Route 132) in Concord; 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com Hours open for PYO: daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Cost: Peck is $15, half bushel is $25. Also: As of Sept. 3 Apple Hill still had PYO seedless grapes.
Appleview Orchard 1266 Upper City Road in Pittsfield; 435-3553, applevieworchard.com Hours open for PYO: daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (earlier as the sun sets earlier) Cost: Call for pricing. Also: Free hayrides on weekends, weather permitting.
Brookdale Fruit Farm 41 Broad St. in Hollis; 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com Hours open for PYO: Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (call for information on group outings on Mondays and Tuesdays) Cost: $35 for half a bushel or $1.75 per pound. Also: PYO pumpkins later in the season, according to the farm’s website. On weekends, check out the corn maze and hayrides.
Carter Hill Orchard 73 Carter Hill Road in Concord; 225-2625, carterhillapples.com Hours open for PYO: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Currier Orchards 9 Peaslee Road in Merrimack; 881-8864, find them on Facebook @currierorchards Hours open for PYO: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: $15 for a 10-pound bag; $30 for a 20-pound bag. Also: The store is open until 6 p.m.
DeMeritt Hill Farm 20 Orchard Way, Lee; 868-2111, demeritthillfarm.com Hours open for PYO: Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m; Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: Purchase one peck bag to pick: $18 for a peck bag. Also: PYO pumpkins. Visit farm animals and on weekends take a hayride ($2 per person), weather permitting. The farm also has several upcoming events including a Harvest Weekend (Sept. 25 and Sept. 26) and a Pumpkinfest (Oct. 2 and Oct. 3) and Haunted Overlook, a haunted attraction that opens Oct. 8.
Elwood Orchards 54 Elwood Road in Londonderry; 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com Hours open for PYO: Open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: Call for pricing. Also: Elwood will offer pick your own pumpkins and runs a corn maze daily (with nighttime corn mazes on Fridays and Saturdays in October).
Gould Hill Farm 656 Gould Hill Road in Contoocook, 746- 3811, gouldhillfarm.com Hours open for PYO: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (plus Monday, Oct. 11) Cost: Quarter peck (which is about two or three pounds depending on the apple) is $7, half peck is $12, peck is $18, half bushel is $28. Also: Gould Hill operates Contoocook Cider Co., which has a tasting room open weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for flights, tastings and light food (such as cheese plates) and live music from 1 to 4 p.m., according to the website. Cider doughnuts on weekends.
Hackleboro Orchards 61 Orchard Road in Canterbury; 783-4248, on Facebook Hours open for PYO: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: By the page $6 half peck, $10 peck and $20 a half bushel Also: Every weekend they offer burgers, hot dogs, cider doughnuts and ice cream.
Hazelton Orchards 280 Derry Road in Chester; 493-4804, find them on Facebook @hazeltonorchardschesternh Hours open for PYO: Daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: Call for pricing.
Lavoie’s Farm 172 Nartoff Road in Hollis; 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.com Hours open for PYO: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cost: $1.99 per pound. Also: PYO pumpkins. Look for hay rides on weekends and a corn maze open whenever the farm is open.
Lull Farm 65 Broad St. in Hollis; 465-7079, livefreeandfarm.com Hours open for PYO: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: Peck for $15, and half bushel for $30. Also: Food on weekends and The Daily Haul fish market Saturdays (preorder at thedailyhaul.com).
Mack’s Apples 230 Mammoth Road in Londonderry; 432- 3456, macksapples.com Hours open for PYO: Daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Cost: Purchase bags for picking as you enter the orchard. Also: PYO peaches and pumpkins.
McLeod Bros. Orchards 735 N. River Road in Milford; 673-3544, mcleodorchards.com Hours open for PYO: Monday through Friday from 1 to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (also 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Columbus Day) Cost: Buy bags or baskets before picking — $16 for peck bag, $27 for a half bushel bag; $24 for a peck basket, $35 for a half bushel basket. Also: For groups larger than 7 people, make a reservation online.
Meadow Ledge Farm 612 Route 129 in Loudon; 798-5860, meadowledgefarm.com Hours open for PYO: Daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also: Look for the farm’s Harvest Festival on Columbus Day weekend, with games for the kids, music and entertainment. After Thanksgiving they sell Christmas trees and wreaths among other items.
Sullivan Farm 70 Coburn Ave. in Nashua; 595-4560, find them on Facebook Hours open for PYO: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard 66 Mason Road in Greenville; 878-2101 Hours open for PYO: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cost: $12 for a peck, $24 for a half bushel. Purchase apple bags inside the farm stand or reusable baskets. Also: PYO pumpkins. The orchard also has a corn maze and free hayrides on weekends.
Featured photo: Corn maze at Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn in Hopkinton. Courtesy photo.
Information from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services
Covid-19 news
As of Sept. 13, there were 3,437 active infections of Covid-19 in New Hampshire and 154 current hospitalizations. All 10 counties still showed substantial transmission levels.
In an effort to combat the surging delta variant, President Joe Biden on Sept. 9 announced a mandate that employers with more than 100 workers require them to be vaccinated or get tested for the virus weekly. Gov. Chris Sununu was critical of the mandate, calling it “overreaching” in a statement issued Sept. 13. “I am working directly with my fellow governors to see how best we can push back against this federal overreach,” Sununu said. “I am as pro-vaccine as it gets, but I do not support this mandate from Washington as it is not the answer.”
The recent pandemic surge has already affected high school football in New Hampshire, forcing the postponements of at least three games in the state just two weeks into the season, according to WMUR. Manchester Central High School has suspended all football activities for 10 days after several players tested positive for the virus, while Newfound Regional High School in Bristol and Kearsarge High School in North Sutton also had to cancel. Cases have all the while continued to climb in young people — according to a Sept. 13 report from WMUR, nearly a quarter of all 337 new cases reported on Sept. 10 were in children younger than 18 years of age.
Economic development
The City of Manchester announced last week that it is going to hire a Director of Economic Development, a new position that the community and business leaders have been asking for, Mayor Joyce Craig said in a press release. “The Economic Development Director will oversee Manchester’s overall economic development by not only supporting our existing business community, but by working to bring more employers into the city, and bolstering our community’s economic recovery after the Covid-19 pandemic,” she said in the release. The director will work with the city, the business community and local stakeholders to create and implement an economic development strategy for Manchester. The new position, along with a Business Liaison, was funded through federal American Rescue Plan funds, and the salary ranges from $72,061.70 to $102,742.87, depending on experience, plus benefits.
Expenses relief
A Covid-19 Expenses Relief Program was launched last week by the Governor’s Office for Emergency Relief and Recovery to assist New Hampshire for-profit Main Street businesses with Covid-related expenses in 2020 and 2021, according to a press release. “Thousands of New Hampshire small businesses have been helped through our state programs to address the economic impacts of Covid-19,” Commissioner Taylor Caswell, executive director of GOFERR, said in the release. “We realize, however, that as many small businesses have continued to adapt their operations throughout the pandemic many remain in need of financial assistance.” Reimbursement applications will be accepted until Oct. 1 on the GOFERR website. Eligible expenses include costs incurred while closed due to Covid, like prorated rent, mortgage payments and utilities; costs incurred as a result of reopening, such as PPE and installation of physical safety measures, and increased costs of doing business as a result of Covid, like HVAC improvements, creation or addition of indoor or outdoor space for social distancing and increased costs due to supply chain disruptions or increased demand, the release said.
Eviction services
The New Hampshire Circuit Court has expanded its collaboration with the New Hampshire Emergency Rental Assistance Program following the end of the CDC eviction moratorium.
According to a press release, the federally funded rental assistance program can pay for up to 15 months of back and future rent, utilities and other housing-related expenses for eligible tenants. At the courthouse, landlords and tenants will be able to start applications for rental assistance, provide documents necessary to complete existing applications, get updates on application status, and ask questions about the program. Those who bring all the required documentation to court may be able to get approved for assistance on the spot. To apply online, landlords and tenants in Rockingham and Hillsborough counties can go to snhs.org, while those in other counties can go to capnh.org or call 2-1-1.
VLACS in demand
New Hampshire’s Virtual Learning Academy Charter School is struggling to keep up with the demand for its online learning services this fall, according to a report from NHPR. The program grew last year in response to the number of students who wanted to stay fully remote but had limited options through their local public school, the report said. But despite public schools fully reopening this fall, enrollment at VLACS has continued to rise. VLACS CEO Steve Kossakoski told NHPR that enrollment has increased nearly 50 percent from this time last year, with more than 7,300 students in grades K-12. That demand, plus glitches with software upgrades, has caused problems for families who are still waiting to fully enroll or start classes, and they’re struggling to access classes and customer service, NHPR reported. Kossakoski told NHPR that the school has increased personnel, but it may take a few more weeks to resolve the issues. VLACS is free to students and gets its funding from the state, which pays about $6,000 per student or about $500 per half-credit class, according to the report.
Be prepared
With September being National Preparedness Month, the New Hampshire Department of Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management has been promoting one area of preparedness each week. This week its emphasis is on winter storms, while Sept. 19 through Sept. 25 will be on hurricanes and tornadoes, and Sept. 16 through Sept. 30 will focus on power outages. To prepare for all such instances, the department urges residents to stay informed by signing up for NH Alerts or downloading the NH Alerts mobile app to receive free emergency notifications, including weather alerts from the National Weather Service; having a family emergency plan so everyone knows where to go and what to do; making an emergency kit with supplies for the entire family; and getting involved in preparedness efforts in your community. Visit ReadyNH.gov.
The New Hampshire Highland Games returns to Loon Mountain in Lincoln this weekend with heavy athletics competitions, entertainment, food and activities celebrating Scottish culture. The three-day event, which normally attracts around 35,000 attendees, limited its capacity this year as a Covid safety precaution, and tickets are now completely sold out, according to the event’s Facebook page.
Who couldn’t use a SNHUG? The Southern New Hampshire Ukulele Group is holding its 6th annual SNHUGFEST on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 11 a.m. on the River Stage at Henry Law Park in Dover. According to a press release, the free festival features ukulele performances, food vendors, raffle prizes and more.
Take a Water Walk at Greeley Park in Nashua on Saturday, Sept. 18, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. According to a press release, the walk will benefit the Thank You Project, which builds wells in Nigeria and offers scholarships to students. Walkers who pledge $25 or more will get a Water Walk T-shirt. Visit thankyouproject.org.
ThinkGym, a new after-school enrichment program in Windham, is opening soon and will be offering science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) enrichment for children in kindergarten to grade 8. According to a press release, there will be open houses Wednesday, Sept. 22, from 7 to 8 p.m., and Friday, Sept. 24, from 5 to 6 p.m. Visit mythinkgym.com.
