Category: Q&A

Concord grower discusses this year’s harvest

Diane Souther of Apple Hill Farm in Concord provides insight into a frost’s devastating impact on their apple harvest this year.

Can you describe what exactly happened this year with the harvest and how that affected you?

On the night of May 19, we were bracing for the predicted cold spell. We have measures in place to safeguard our crops, like our wind machine and [techniques such as] irrigating the strawberries. Around 11 p.m., Chuck went out to monitor the temperatures. It’s common for the coldest part of these frosty nights to be around 5 or 6 in the morning, but this time, temperatures dropped significantly earlier, starting around 11:30 p.m. and remaining low until the next morning. … [The apples] were past the sensitive blossom stage and had already started forming on the trees, some even bigger than pea size, so we thought they’d be alright. But as the day warmed, the apples just started dropping. They had been frozen solid. There was about three weeks when we just didn’t talk about it. We were hoping that some would just stay on the tree and still survive, but they weren’t. The very few apples that did survive had visible frost rings, a scar-like mark around them. The blueberries, the raspberries, the corn — they all pulled through. But it was just too cold for the apples.

What have you heard from other farms around the state?

The cold spell affected a stretch right down the Merrimack Valley. But the impact varied based on factors like elevation. Seacoast growers, for example, were a bit shielded due to the tempering effect of the ocean. For us, the cold seemed to roll right off Mount Washington and sweep down the river valley, and the orchards in its path felt it the most. However, farms like Carter Hill, which is slightly higher in elevation than ours, experienced slightly warmer conditions — maybe by a degree or two. Even so, they too had challenges to address as the season progressed. What’s the plan moving forward?
Where do we go from here? Luckily, we’ve been in the apple business for a number of years, and we have lots of good friends. … We’ve made calls to them, and they’ve got apples that they’re sharing with us. We’re able to purchase apples from them so we’ll have apples in the farmstand. And we’re trying to keep positive; our vegetable crops are doing great. We grow more than one thing here at Apple Hill: Our corn is coming in, tomatoes are coming in, cucumbers, beans, all of that stuff.

Have you ever had to do that before? Source products from other farms?

Not to this extent, no. We’ve always supplemented a bit. We go back and forth: if we had a good year and had lots of Honeycrisps, some of these farms that we’re purchasing from this year are ones we used to sell apples to. This year, we’re buying apples from them. It’s a great support system, the fellowship of the farmers here in New Hampshire, and even extending to New England. They’re a fantastic group of people. When one is struggling, the others will step up and assist as much as they can. With the “pick your own” option affected [Apple Hill will not offer pick-your-own apples, according to its website] this year, do you have alternative experiences for visitors at the farm?
Absolutely. We have a few hiking trails. We feature pollination plots, which are fascinating to wander through as different flowers bloom and attract various pollinators as the season shifts. We’re anticipating the arrival of fall raspberries, though I can’t provide an exact date. It depends on having about 10 days of sunlight. Our grapes are another attraction; while the initial batch was affected by the frost, the second blooming — often referred to as a secondary set of fruits — managed to thrive.

How have your customers responded to the situation?

It took us a while to address it … but we announced it on our website. The overwhelming support from our customers has truly uplifted our spirits. Many expressed their sympathy as if we’d lost a family member when they heard about our apple loss. They’ve been supporting us by buying our other products. The community has been great.

Diane and Chuck Souther of Apple Hill Farm. Courtesy photo.

Telemonitoring patients at home

Granite VNA, New Hampshire’s leading home health care provider, has launched a telemonitoring program for patients with chronic illnesses. Leveraging advanced tech tools, the program aims to empower patients to proactively monitor their vital signs. Suzanne Olszak, RN, who has more than 30 years of experience in home health care and manages the program, discussed its impact, benefits and future.

Can you provide an overview of your program and its significance in the context of home health care?

We operate a telemonitoring program at Granite VNA, having launched it almost a year ago in October. With my 30 years in home care and a decade in telemonitoring with other agencies, this new program encompasses 50 telemonitoring units. … We provide these patients with a tablet, scale, blood pressure cuff and pulse oximeter for home use. They’re trained to daily monitor and record their weight, blood pressure and oxygen levels. The tablets, equipped with Bluetooth, transmit this data directly to our telemonitoring nurse’s computer. This allows for immediate tracking, enabling us to detect any detrimental trends. … Typically, we monitor patients for approximately 60 days. … If any alarming trends emerge, we communicate with both the patient and their health care providers to proactively intervene and adjust their care plan, to prevent potential hospitalizations.

Who is this program specifically designed to serve and support?

Our focus is on high-risk patients with chronic diseases such as congestive heart failure (CHF), COPD, and high blood pressure, particularly those with medication changes or frequent rehospitalizations. … We solely cater to patients from Granite VNA who have been recommended for skilled nursing or physical therapy. This telemonitoring service complements the assistance provided by their home care nurses and therapists.

What is the primary purpose and intended outcome of this program for high-risk patients?

Our goal is twofold: reduce hospitalizations and empower patients to be more engaged and informed about their health. … The objective is to instill in these high-risk patients — CHF, hypertension, COPD patients — the significance of daily vitals monitoring. We educate them about diet and the critical aspects of their specific condition. Ultimately, we want patients to become autonomous in managing their health, particularly in identifying when they need medical attention. … Our hope is that with this knowledge and monitoring, patients can become more proactive and independent in managing their conditions.

How are the patients adapting to using this technology?

Many patients initially feel nervous about using the new technology, primarily because the majority of our users are elderly. However, they adapt surprisingly well. We provide hands-on guidance, having them practice while we’re present in their homes. The process is relatively simple for most — stepping on a scale or using a pulse oximeter. The biggest challenge tends to be the blood pressure cuff, as it requires positioning the arm correctly and tightening the loop, but we’ve designed it to be as user-friendly as possible.

Does this program help in freeing up time for the nurses?

Absolutely, it does. Instead of requiring multiple weekly visits for nurses to see a patient, the frequency can be reduced to once a week or even every other week. This is possible because a nurse constantly monitors the vitals, and this data is transferred to the patient’s matrix care chart, which is their home care record. … Additionally, patients appreciate this setup since they don’t have to always wait for a nurse to visit, yet they’re reassured that someone is monitoring their vitals throughout the program duration.

Do you plan to extend the program to other medical conditions or broaden its reach in any way?

The decision is primarily made on a case-by-case basis. If a nurse reaches out to me about a patient with a complex situation whom they believe would benefit from this technology, I’m fully on board with setting it up in their home.

Featured photo: UNH system libraries are located in Manchester, Durham, Keene and Plymouth. Courtesy graphic.

University libraries lend to all state residents

University libraries have traditionally been reserved for students and faculty. However, the University of New Hampshire (UNH) has expanded access to its resources, now allowing the broader community to utilize its collections. We spoke with Tara Lynn Fulton, Dean of the UNH Library, to delve into the reasons behind this decision, the response from the community and the implications for academic libraries in the future. New Hampshire residents (18 years old and older) can obtain library cards from USNH campuses with valid identification and proof of residency. Visit library.unh.edu.

Why did you decide to start offering free borrowing to New Hampshire residents?

First, to offer some broader context: We have public libraries in communities across the state. … If someone requires more in-depth research that their local library can’t fulfill, these libraries offer interlibrary loans. We’ve always participated in this, lending materials. Each of our libraries also traditionally had a small regional group that could obtain library cards. This isn’t a new initiative; most people have relied on their public libraries. But for individuals like writers or high school students involved in advanced research, it’s been a beneficial service. Our primary mission is to serve the campus: our students and faculty. Historically, this meant physical collections like print books, DVDs, and other materials. As the digital era has progressed, more of our collections have transitioned to e-books and digital media. During the Covid era, with a shift to remote learning, our faculty leaned heavily into these electronic resources, and the need for physical materials lessened. This made me wonder: Why not open up our resources more widely? I brought this up with other library directors from the University System of New Hampshire, and they were all on board. Hence, the initiative evolved.

Have you seen an uptick in borrowers?

Several people got cards as soon as the news spread. It’s not a vast number, but for those who wanted it, it’s been valuable. I’ve seen a few people walking around in the library. One individual mentioned how they appreciated the chance to check out materials and were also grateful to know they’re welcome in our building. This offering has reinforced to the community that our facilities are open and available for their use.

What distinguishes your library’s materials from those in a typical town library?

Our library’s core focus is to serve the university by providing materials that support higher education. While town libraries offer a general assortment of classic literature and popular reads, our collection delves deeper, especially into areas like English literature and American literature. The depth varies based on campus programs; for instance, the Durham campus emphasizes science, so we have a substantial array of historical physics materials. We have extensive collections, including non-circulating special ones, such as an in-depth history of New Hampshire, invaluable for researchers or authors seeking historical accuracy. Campuses like Keene and Plymouth, historically centered on teacher education, provide resources beneficial for educators, such as specialized teaching methods for specific grades.

Is there a plan to digitize the special collections, extending their accessibility?

We’re taking progressive steps to digitize, ensuring we adhere to copyright constraints. A notable accomplishment from the past year is digitizing New Hampshire’s town reports in their entirety, which has been well-received. Most of our digitized collections can be browsed on our website.

Do you think other universities might adopt a similar approach, opening their libraries to local residents?

This might differ from state to state. New Hampshire’s tight-knit nature promotes a strong bond between universities and communities. Our effort seems like a logical progression in this partnership. While I’m unaware of similar endeavors in other states, the global trend moving away from print materials might inspire similar initiatives. We’d be delighted to be trailblazers in this movement.

Featured photo: UNH system libraries are located in Manchester, Durham, Keene and Plymouth. Courtesy graphic.