Tag: 220915

Apple season

Your guide to finding fruit and fun at the orchard

By Matt Ingersoll

[email protected]

Most of southern New Hampshire continues to experience abnormally dry weather, but for local apple orchards recent rains over the past week have given the crops a much-needed boost.

Just under 48 percent of the Granite State remained under moderate or severe drought conditions, according to data from the U.S. Drought Monitor on Sept. 8 — nearly all of this has been confined to the state’s southern six counties. But a widespread 1- to 3-inch rainfall between Sept. 5 and Sept. 6 occurred at just the right time for apple growers, many of whom are in the midst of harvesting some of their most widely sought after varieties of the season.

Apple schedule
For more detailed information, visit each farm’s website to get live updates on which apples are in season.
• Late August to early September: Paula Red, McIntosh, Summermac
• September: Cortland, Empire, Gala, Golden Delicious, Macoun, Red Delicious, Snow Sweet
• October: Braeburn, Crispin, Honeycrisp, Gibson Golden, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Mutsu

“We just needed that rain so badly, and it was just the right time for it to come, so we feel very fortunate,” said Kris Mossey of McLeod Bros. Orchards in Milford, which began its pick-your-own apple season on Aug. 27 with Paula Reds, a mildly tart early season variety. “The McIntoshes and the Cortlands will benefit from the rain and size up a little bit as we go forward.”

The McIntosh apple is known for its dark red color and very crisp flavor, making it a great apple for straight eating, while Cortlands have a firmness that makes them great for baking in pies and cakes. According to Mossey, as the season moves through the end of September and into early October, other lesser-known varieties like Mutsus and Jonagolds become available.

“We usually wrap up somewhere around Columbus Day. We never know exactly for sure,” Mossey said. “In 2020, during Covid, we were actually picked out earlier than we thought, because we just had a lot of people who wanted to get outside and pick apples.”

In Hollis, Brookdale Fruit Farm kicked off its apple picking season on Sept. 3 with five varieties — McIntosh, Gala, Zestar, Jonamac and Honeycrisp. A total of 32 varieties are grown in the farm’s pick-your-own operation, encompassing about 24 of the farm’s 200 acres of apples.

“There’s been an extreme drought for the last eight weeks, but we run a very aggressive water management program,” said Chip Hardy, the farm’s fifth-generation owner. “We have drip irrigation on all of our apple trees [where] we’ve been spoon feeding them with water and fertilizers throughout the summer, so it looks like we’re going to have a very good apple crop.”

Drip irrigation practices, he said, involve placing tubes underneath the apple tree that have emitters where water is regularly discharged to keep the soil of the tree moist.

“Apples are 80 percent moisture, so in order for them to size, they need available water,” Hardy said. “The nice thing about drip irrigation is … we can control the water, and instead of using conventional overhead irrigation, which takes around 24,000 gallons of water to irrigate an acre, we’re only using around 6,000 gallons of water and accomplishing the same goal.”

Visitors of Brookdale Fruit Farm’s pick-your-own orchard are given a map with directions to each of the available varieties, as well as suggestions for how to use them.

Despite the drought, some apple growers farther north were able to take advantage of some fast-moving thunderstorms that passed through the area in July and August. This was the case at Apple Hill Farm, on the northern end of Concord, according to co-owner Diane Souther.

“We picked up a few storms that went through … and the orchard is based on some soils that are pretty dense, so they’ve been able to sustain without added water,” Souther said. “[The recent rain] will actually make the apples size up quite a bit, because the later apples that are still hanging on still have growing time. So that will just make them a little bit more plump, [and] as they size up they ripen up a little bit more, so the flavors will come out a little bit stronger.”

apples on branches in foreground, red buildings in background
McLeod Bros. Orchard in Milford. Courtesy photo.

Apple Hill Farm also started pick-your-own on Sept. 3 and will grow about 35 apple varieties during the season through about late October. Going forward, Souther said, the most ideal weather conditions for the crop will include bright sun with temperatures between 65 and 75 degrees, as well as cooler nights and the occasional rain shower.

“Going into the 40s at nighttime is fine, because that helps the tree know that fall is coming, and that actually forces the ripeness of the fruit as well,” she said.

Over at Meadow Ledge Farm in Loudon, second-generation owner Shawn Roberts said more than 60 apple varieties are grown. A portion of those are available for pick-your-own, while many others are sold inside the farm’s store. As at Apple Hill Farm, Roberts said Meadow Ledge Farm benefitted from passing thundershowers during the summer months, while they have also run irrigation practices to produce a healthy and bountiful apple crop.

“Every apple I’ve bitten into this year, the flavor has just been incredible,” he said. “Generally if you see a dry summer, the apples are actually going to be a little bit sweeter. … They might have a little less juice in them, but not enough to get worried about. So for the most part it’s going to be a heck of a good year.”

Hannah Turtle contributed to this cover story.

Apple pie
Courtesy of Brookdale Fruit Farm in Hollis

1 pastry for a 9-inch double-crust pie
½ cup unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ cup water
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the temperature and let it simmer. Place the bottom crust in your pan and fill with apples. Cover with a latticework of crust. Gently pour the sugar-and-butter liquid over the crust, pouring slowly so that it doesn’t run off. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, then continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the apples are soft.

More than apples

Find corn mazes and more at orchards and farms

By Katelyn Sahagian

[email protected]

In addition to fresh-pressed cider and warm, fluffy doughnuts, orchards and farms offer activities like corn mazes and other attractions to build on the lure of the fall harvest.

“We very early on figured out that the great appeal, besides picking some apples, is what else can [we] offer to give people a true New England farm experience,” said Todd Wagner, owner of Applecrest Farm Orchards in Hampton Falls.

Coppal House Farm’s corn maze. Courtesy photo.

Wagner said that while apple season is an institution at Applecrest, it’s not the only reason families have been coming for generations. In addition to apples, people have a chance to pick the final varieties of peaches and raspberries, and it’s also the start of the harvest season for pumpkins and decorative gourds. The farm offers free hayrides to the orchard locations and even features a 5-acre maze. Every weekend from Labor Day through the end of October, Applecrest Farm Orchards transforms into a harvest festival, featuring a corn roast, a live bluegrass band, tractor rides, and cornhole and other lawn games.

Riverview Farm in Plainfield takes a much quieter approach with its autumnal celebrations. Owner Paul Franklin said that it’s less in their nature to provide festivities, like live music or haunted happenings, and more to encourage visitors to spend time outdoors and as a family.

“[The season] is busy enough as it is,” Franklin said, adding that they put the emphasis on nature and enjoying the view of the Connecticut River. “We try to keep things quiet and focus on people enjoying the scenery.”

While picking apples is a huge draw for most people visiting farms, there are lots of other farms without pick-your-own offering family fun activities. Coppal House Farm in Lee doesn’t have apple orchards or any other seasonal produce, but it has won awards for its annual corn maze. This year, the animal theme for the maze is a praying mantis, assistant farm manager Hannah Bendroth said. She added that the design is almost always an animal or insect that can be found on the farm.

At Beans & Greens Farm in Gilford, there’s more than just a fun puzzle to solve — a haunted maze is featured every Friday and Saturday night throughout the season. But that isn’t where the spookiness ends, Beans & Greens Farm owner Chris Collias said. A special haunted farm event in October will have farm hands, actors and volunteers dressed up and ready to give everyone a fright.

Collias said that what matters most is that his farm is a place where everyone feels relaxed and can have some old-school New England fun.

“We want to be the place where the community meets,” he said. “Come hang out, see a beautiful setting and gardens. It’s just a great place to escape that hustle and bustle.”

Easy slow-cooker apple cider beef stew
Courtesy of Apple Hill Farm in Concord

1½ to 2 pounds lean stew beef
2 slices bacon
8 carrots, sliced thin
6 medium potatoes, sliced thin
2 apples, chopped (Cortlands or Northern Spys work well)
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup chopped onion
2 cups fresh apple cider

Cook up the two slices of bacon. Remove the bacon and pat dry with a paper towel. Reserve the bacon fat to saute the beef and chopped onion. Pat the beef dry and add to slow-cooker with remaining vegetables and apple cider. Stir to mix, cover and cook on low for eight hours. Thicken juices with a flour and cold water mixture — about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of flour and 2 tablespoons of water.

Pick Your Own

Applecrest Farm Orchards
Where: 133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: On weekends through the end of October, look for harvest festivals, which run Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As of Sept. 12, pick-your-own raspberries, blueberries and peaches are also available. There’s also a 5-acre corn maze.
Visit: applecrest.com

Apple Hill Farm
Where: 580 Mountain Road, Concord
Hours: Daily, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the farm stand for fresh produce and local food products.
Visit: applehillfarmnh.com

Appleview Orchard
Where: 1266 Upper City Road, Pittsfield
Hours: Tuesday through Friday, noon to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit with the farm animals on site and check out the country shop, which has seasonal food products and local craft products.
Visit: applevieworchard.com

Brookdale Fruit Farm
Where: 41 Broad St., Hollis
Hours: Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonus activities: Pick-your-own pumpkins will be available later in the season. A corn maze is open on the weekends.
Visit: brookdalefruitfarm.com

Carter Hill Orchard
Where: 73 Carter Hill Road, Concord
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the bakery for fresh treats like pies, cider doughnuts and whoopie pies.
Visit: carterhillapples.com

Currier Orchards
Where: 9 Peaslee Road, Merrimack
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Try their sweet cider, made fresh on site.
Visit: facebook.com/currierorchards

DeMeritt Hill Farm
Where: 20 Orchard Way, Lee
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit with farm animals, check out the farm market, go on a hayride, or walk recreational trails.
Visit: demeritthillfarm.com

Elwood Orchards
Where: 54 Elwood Road, Londonderry
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Elwood will offer pick-your-own pumpkins and also runs a corn maze daily (with nighttime corn mazes on Fridays and Saturdays in October).
Visit: elwoodorchards.com

Gould Hill Farm
Where: 656 Gould Hill Road, Contoocook
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the orchard’s onsite restaurant or the Contoocook Cider Co., which features a line of freshly produced hard ciders.
Visit: gouldhillfarm.com

Hackleboro Orchards
Where: 61 Orchard Road, Canterbury
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Enjoy hayrides, seasonal food trucks and live music.
Visit: hackleboroorchard.com

Hazelton Orchards
Where: 280 Derry Road, Chester
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: The orchard is home to a small store onsite with fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as other local food products.
Visit: facebook.com/hazeltonorchardschesterNH

Kimball Fruit Farm
Where: Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., state line
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Bonus activities: Find Kimball’s at local farmers markets and even sign up for fresh fruit and vegetable delivery.
Visit: kimball.farm

Lavoie’s Farm
Where: 172 Nartoff Road, Hollis
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Bonus activities: Look for hay rides on weekends and a corn maze open whenever the farm is open
Visit: lavoiesfarm.com

Lull Farm
Where: 65 Broad St., Hollis
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: The Daily Haul fish market is on site on Saturdays (pre-order at thedailyhaul.com) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Jamaican Jerk Chicken on weekends from noon to 7 p.m., weather permitting, according to the website.
Visit: livefreeandfarm.com

Mack’s Apples
Where: 230 Mammoth Road, Londonderry
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the ice cream shop or the market for a variety of local treats.
Visit: macksapples.com

McLeod Bros. Orchards
Where: 735 N. River Road, Milford
Hours: Monday through Friday, 1 to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the farm stand for extra fresh produce, or sign up for their CSA program.
Visit: mcleodorchards.com

Meadow Ledge Farm
Where: 612 Route 129, Loudon
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Look for live music on Saturdays and Sundays in the early afternoons. Also on weekends, hot doughnuts are served until 4:30 p.m. During Columbus Day weekend, there will be games for kids.
Visit: meadowledgefarm.com

Poverty Lane Orchards
Where: 98 Poverty Lane, Lebanon
Hours: Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonus activities: Hard cider and sweet cider tastings are available at the orchard, and trailer rides are held on the weekends.
Visit: povertylaneorchards.com

Riverview Farm
Where: 141 River Road, Plainfield
Hours: Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Bonus activities: 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.
Visit: riverviewnh.com

Smith Orchard
Where: 184 Leavitt Road, Belmont
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the store for a variety of local food and hand-crafted items.
Visit: smithorchard.com

Stone Mountain Farm
Where: 522 Laconia Road, Belmont
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the farm stand for local produce and maple syrup.
Visit: stonemtnfarm.com

Sunnycrest Farm
Where: 59 High Range Road, Londonderry
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Bonus activities: Visit the market and bakery for sweet treats as well as a variety of local food products.
Visit: sunnycrestfarmnh.com

Washburn’s Windy Hill Orchard
Where: 66 Mason Road, Greenville
Hours: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Bonus activities: Lose yourself in the orchard’s 5-acre corn maze or in the store for local treats, including frozen apple cider.
Visit: washburnswindyhillorchard.com

Corn Mazes

In addition to the orchards in our pick-your-own list with mazes, here are some other farms that offer live-sized puzzles. Know of a corn maze or pick-your-own opportunity not mentioned here? Let us know at [email protected]

Beans & Greens Farm
Where: 245 Intervale Road, Gilford
Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The farm has both a daytime maze and a nighttime spooky maze, which will be open from Sept. 17 through Halloween.
Cost: Tickets for the maze cost $14 for adults and $10 for kids. The cost for the night maze is $22. There is also a harvest festival this year starting on Oct. 9. As of Sept. 13 ticket prices to that event have not yet been announced.
Visit: beansandgreensfarm.com

Beech Hill Farm and Ice Cream Barn
Where: 107 Beech Hill Road, Hopkinton
Hours: Daily, noon to 7 p.m. (last time to enter the maze is 30 minutes before dusk), through Oct. 31
Cost: $7 per person (free for kids ages 3 and under)
Beech Hill Farm’s 8-acre cornfield is split into two separate mazes, with several scavenger hunt activities that correspond with various themes. This year’s themes are “Ice Cream Jeopardy” and “NH Eco-Spy.”
Visit: beechhillfarm.com

Charmingfare Farm
Where: 774 High St., Candia
Hours: Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, and Saturday, Oct. 8, through Sunday, Oct. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $22 per person and children ages 2 and younger are free.
Every year, the farm hosts a Pumpkin Festival with tractor rides, pumpkin picking, characters in costume and other activities.
Visit: visitthefarm.com

Coppal House Farm
Where: 118 N. River Road, Lee
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
In addition to their regular daytime corn maze, there is also a flash night maze. There’s also horse-drawn wagon rides on Saturdays and Sundays starting on Sept 17.
Visit: nhcornmaze.com

Emery Farm
Where: 147 Piscataqua Road, Durham
Hours: Daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: $5 per person and free for kids ages 2 and under, $9 for a combination with wagon ride.
The farm features a family friendly, educational corn maze that the farm states takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The wagon rides take visitors on a tour of the farm, around the cornfields, pumpkin patches, honeybee hives, and more.
Visit: emeryfarm.com

J&F Farms
Where: 124 Chester Road, Derry
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
In addition to the petting farm and sweet treats at the farmstand, J&F Farms has a seasonal corn maze with different themes. Currently, there’s a fall theme to the maze and when the month changes to October, then it’ll be a Halloween maze.
Visit: jandffarmsnh.com

Sherman Farm
Where: 2679 E. Conway Road, Center Conway
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
While the goats, play area, and ice cream are available, there is also “The Maize,” a corn maze that was designed this year with help from students at New Suncook Elementary School in Lovell, Maine. It’s due to open for the season on Sept. 24 and will welcome visitors every Saturday and Sunday through Oct. 30.
Visit: shermanfarmnh.com

Trombly Gardens
Where: 150 N. River Road, Milford
Hours: Daily, dawn to dusk
Cost: Prices vary per activity.
The corn maze is open and ready for people to enjoy. In addition to the maze, there are pick-your-own pumpkins, farm animals to feed and visit, hayrides and more.
Visit: tromblygardens.net

Featured photo: Apple Hill Farm in Concord. Courtesy photo.

This Week 22/09/15

Big Events September 15, 2022 and beyond

Friday, Sept. 16

The New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival start today at 9 a.m. There will be traditional Scottish events, like sheepdog trials, Scottish heavy athletics and highland dancing, as well as different demonstrations and the clan village. Ticket prices range from $30 to $55 per day for adults, are $5 for children 5 years old to preteen, and are free for children younger than 5. There are bundle options available. Visit nhscot.org to purchase tickets and for a full listing of events. Other happenings include activities for kids, Try It classes, Scottish living history, Clan Village (where you can learn more about specific families), music and food (meat pies, bridies, haggis and Scotch eggs are all mentioned on the website). Special events (requiring separate tickets) include the Whisky Master Classes, beer tasting, a harp contest and Highland Brews & Bites, the website said.

Friday, Sept. 16

Celebrate Halloween early with the Fisher Cats today with Halloween Night, the theme at tonight’s game against the Harrisburg Senators at Northeast Delta Dental Stadium in downtown Manchester. Game time is 6:35 p.m. Tonight’s game comes in the middle of the regular season’s final run of home games, with the Thursday, Sept. 15, and Saturday, Sept. 17, games both featuring post-game fireworks (both games start at 6:35 p.m.) The Sunday, Sept. 18, caps the season’s home schedule with a game at 1:35 p.m. where the theme is fan appreciation and there is a winter hat giveaway. Ticket prices start at $12. Visit nhfishercats.com.

Saturday, Sept. 17

The New Hampshire Old Graveyard Association is holding its fall meeting today at 9 a.m. at the Merrimack Historical Society (10 Depot St.). The group works to restore and preserve old graveyards across New Hampshire. This is the annual fall meeting where members and non-members can attend. The meeting is free to attend; see nhoga.com.

Saturday, Sept. 17

Nashua Library (2 Court St.) is holding the last library pop-up book sale today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on its library plaza. The sale will have used books, movies, music, games, puzzles and more for all age ranges costing from 25 cents to $2. In addition to the used items, there will be newly published books and gift cards that will be priced differently. Find out more at nashualibrary.org.

Saturday, Sept. 17

The Manchester Citywide Arts Festival, which started Sept. 12, culminates this weekend with events including a free street fair today (10 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and tomorrow (Sept. 18; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the opera block on Hanover Street. Find more information on all the Festival’s events at manchesterartsfestival.com and in our festival pullout in the Sept. 8 issue of the Hippo, starting on page 25 (find the e-edition at hippopress.com).

Wednesday, Sept. 21

Red River Theatres’ (11 S. Main St. in Concord; redrivertheatres.org, 224-4600) on-going “Hitchcock … and Trains” film series will feature the classic Strangers on a Train (1951) tonight at 6 p.m. A discussion will follow the screening.

Save the date! Friday, Sept. 23
Majestic Theatre’s 17th annual auction and performance, called Majestic-Opoly, is today and Saturday, Sept. 24, at the theater’s studio (880 Page St., Manchester) starting at 6:30 p.m. In addition to silent auctions and raffles, there will be performances by Majestic’s adult, teen and youth actors. Proceeds benefit the Majestic Theatre and the Ted Herbert Music School. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at majestictheatre.net.

Featured photo. New Hampshire Highland Games and Festival. Courtesy photo.

Quality of Life 22/09/15

Health care labor shortages

Health care workforce shortages in New Hampshire have resulted in an increased reliance on contract labor, according to a recent report released by the New Hampshire Hospital Association, which has driven expenses up and operating margins down at hospitals and health care facilities throughout the state. New Hampshire hospitals experienced a 133.1 percent increase in contract labor costs from 2021 to 2022 and are projected to spend $302.7 million on contract labor in 2022, up from $118.5 in 2019, pre-pandemic.

QOL score: -2

Comment: The New Hampshire Hospital Association is working to address the problem by calling on stakeholders to support workforce development initiatives that ensure sustainable recruitment and retention of health care workers, and is calling for state and federal resources to support hospitals at this time of high demand for hospital services.

Getting food to people who need it

Citizens Financial Group has contributed $56,000 to the New Hampshire Food Bank — funding that will support two new refrigerated food distribution trucks, ensuring reliable daily transportation to provide food to people throughout New Hampshire who are experiencing food insecurity. Approximately 7 percent of New Hampshire’s residents — and 9.5 percent of New Hampshire children — are in need of food assistance, according to a press release. There will be an unveiling of one of the new trucks on Thursday, Sept. 22, at 10 a.m., at the NH Food Bank headquarters (700 E. Industrial Park Drive, Manchester).

QOL score: +1

Comment: Citizens Financial Group is also hosting a virtual food drive throughout September to support Feeding America, which provides at least 10 meals through community food banks for every $1 donated. It has agreed to match each dollar donated up to $20,000, according to the release. Visit teamfeed.feedingamerica.org to learn how you can help.

Bike and park

Bike to the Manchester Citywide Arts Festival street fair (at the Opera Block of Hanover Street this Saturday, Sept. 17, and Sunday, Sept. 18) and the Queen City Bike Collective will provide free valet bike parking (from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday), according to a press release from the Manchester mayor’s office. Also happening downtown Saturday is the CelebratED MHT event in Veterans Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. celebrating Manchester’s schools and offering food and entertainment. Attendees of either event — or just anyone who wants to ride their bike downtown this weekend— can leave their ride with the Queen City Bike Collective in City Hall Plaza.

QOL score: +1

Comments: Manchester’s mayor’s office, Queen City Bike Collective and Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission are also hosting a Park(ing) Day event on Friday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Bookery (844 Elm St. in downton Manchester) in the outdoor dining area, the press release said.

More art returns

The New Hampshire Furniture Masters return after a two-year hiatus with their Signature Fundraising Gala, known as the Main Event, on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Kimball Jenkins Estate (266 N. Main St. in Concord). According to a press release, the event will feature an open house during the day, as well as a reception will be held in the evening with a silent auction, live entertainment, artisanal fare and craft beer. Tickets cost $20; admission is free for individuals age 21 and under. Visit furnituremasters.org/the-main-event.

QOL score: +1

Comment: The New Hampshire Furniture Masters Annual Exhibition, on display at Kimball Jenkins now through Oct. 25, is the result of a three-month artistic partnership between 14 Furniture Masters and 28 selected artists and faculty from Kimball Jenkins and features fine furniture, paintings, photography and poems.

QOL score: 82

Net change: +1

QOL this week: 83

What’s affecting your Quality of Life here in New Hampshire? Let us know at [email protected].

NFL people to watch in 2022

With Week 1 gone and 16 games still left to play, here are a few people worth keeping an eye on before the Pats see them at some point as the season unfolds.

Bill Belichick: After Sunday’s 20-7 loss to Miami, he remains at 321 career wins. Thus he still needs four more to move past NFL founder George Halas’s 324 into second place for all time in career coaching wins, and that would then be 26 behind the 347 of all-time leader Don Shula, a guy who made the chase a little more personal by calling Coach B “Beli-cheat” after the spy-gate nonsense of 2007. I always thought that was a jealously petty shot by Shula to diminish the Pats’ attempt at surpassing Shula’s undefeated Dolphins of 1972 by finishing 19-0.

It gets a little murky between regular wins and overall wins, however, as today’s expanded playoff format helped Coach B to a 31-19 lead over Shula in post-season wins.

All of which means the 70-year-old Belchick will need three full seasons averaging nine wins per to pass Shula, while Papa Bear hopefully will be in the rear view mirror in October. While Belichick has the expanded playoffs on his side, Halas did his damage in 40 years, Shula 33, while it’ll be just 31 for Belichick if he gets there in three years.

As for hardware, he, Halas and back in the day Packers coach Curly Lambeau are tied with six NFL title teams each, while Shula was a paltry 2-5 in NFL title games, which includes somehow losing to the Jets in SB3.

Josh McDaniels: Guys rarely get a third chance when they flunk out after being a hot-shot head coach. So he’s on a personal hot seat in Year 1 with Oakland, er, I mean Las Vegas after his fairly disastrous turn in Denver. But that was over 10 years ago and that’s a lot more time than Coach B had before coming to New England for Round 2 after he was fired by Cleveland. By the time Vegas and the Pats meet on Dec. 18, we’ll know how his second chance has started, and whether the Pats’ O has survived his departure.

Tyreek Hill: While his departure didn’t seem to bother Patrick Mahomes much as he threw for five TDs in KC’s Week 1 44-21 blowout of Phoenix, he did occupy the Patriots’ attention all afternoon in Miami’s 20-7 win with eight catches (on 12 targets) for 94 yards. That helped distracted attention from game MVP Jaylen Waddle. Why? Because speed kills, which Bill B should have addressed in the off-season by trading for a proven ready-on-Day 1 home run hitter instead of drafting a maybe one in Round 2.

Hill will show us all why twice each year until at least 2026.

Jonathan Taylor: My friend the insurance mogul Dick Lombardi was right that I missed a lot by not paying attention when he was killing it in college at Wisconsin. My loss. After last season’s 1,811 rushing yards he’s 20 shy of 3,000 yards in two seasons and already has 29 TDs and averaged 5.3 a carry. He got off the same in Sunday’s 20-20 tie in Houston with 161 (5.2 per) and a TD. They (gulp) see him and Indy on Nov. 6.

The QBs: The Patriots defense will have its hands full as they face two guys drafted ahead of Mac Jones in 2021, along with three MVP contenders.

Zach Wilson and Justin Fields: Both were thoroughly outplayed by Mac in their rookie seasons. So besides rookie mistakes and dumb injuries, not much is on their resumes yet. Wilson is already hurt and expected to miss the Jets’ first month, But Fields got off nicely by beating fellow 2021 draftee Trey Lance by throwing for two scores in Chicago’s 19-10 upset of the ’49ers.

Lamar Jackson: He comes to Foxboro in Week 3. He’s an MVP winner once already, but took Baltimore’s sure playoff mid-season spot with him when he went out for the season in Week 12 last year. This is always the fear/risk when a QB’s game revolves around running as much as his does. But when he’s healthy, watch out, as his production as a runner is what makes him so dangerous and fun to watch.

Aaron Rodgers: Not a huge fan, but there’s no denying how good the reigning MVP is in the regular season. And now that the Green Bay brass caved to his “trade me or else” snit, they’ll see him in Week 4 at GB.

Josh Allen: All I can say about him is, I was right after being all in on him despite an up and down rookie year, and all the local media geniuses (Michael Felger, Tony Mazz and the Globe’s Ben Volin) mocking him as a bust during his early years were dead wrong. He’s a beast who crushed NE twice last year and who started the same way last Thursday night as Buffalo thumped the defending champs to give more credence to him as my pick for MVP.

Sean McVay: They won’t see him, but if you’re looking for who has the best chance to eventually pass Shula or Belichick’s final total, look no further. Hired at 31, he’s got an eight-year head start on Coach B and had 55 wins in his first five seasons to Coach B’s 36. He made his first SB in Year 3 and got his first SB win in Year 5. For BB both came in Year 7. Even his coaching tree is better. Zac Taylor got Cincy to the SB in Year 3 and Matt LaFleur is 39-10 in three years with GB while Bill’s assistants have mostly failed as head coaches.

Interestingly the guy with NFL best winning percentage (.759) also started at a really young age. John Madden was just 33 when Al Davis hired him to coach Oakland in 1969.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Email Dave Long at [email protected].

Rudy the Rudster author to release third book

Rudy 3: Change Can Be Good due out in mid-October

Portsmouth-based author Diane Robbins Jones discussed the upcoming third and final book in her Rudy the Rudster children’s series, Rudy 3: Change Can Be Good, available now for pre-order and expected to be released in mid-October. Visit rudytherudster.com.

What is your Rudy the Rudster series about?

cover for book - Rudy 3: Change Can be Good, showing illustration of woman patting horse's neck

It’s about Rudy, my real-life horse. I got him about seven and a half years ago. It was my first time owning a horse. I’d always loved them since I was a kid. I was taking riding lessons at a local stable, but I had no plans to own a horse at that moment. Things weren’t going particularly well for Rudy and his owner, and they were trying to find a new owner. Meanwhile, I had already noticed him … and connected with him. … When it became clear that his situation was a little bit in flux, I ended up leasing him for a few months. From there, after three months, they wanted to know if I’d make some kind of commitment, and I decided to buy him. I bought him for $1, which tells you quite a bit about how things were going with that situation.

What drew you to Rudy?

You can’t miss him. Yes, there’s a million chestnut horses, but Rudy is big, very charismatic, and he wants to engage with humans. … Poor Rudy hadn’t really been given all the things he needed to succeed. He started acting out, being angry, kicking in the stall walls and got rude with his human handlers. I thought he must just be upset that he doesn’t have a person to give him love and attention, so I started giving him love and attention. I felt like he was going to end up someplace bad if somebody didn’t step in and try to help them.

What led you to create a children’s book series about Rudy?

Rudy changed pretty much everything in my life, and all for the better. … I was in the financial services industry. To be completely honest, I really never had a plan to write children’s books. Writing a book had been on my bucket list for years, but a children’s book was not the kind of book I had in mind. It wasn’t until I started working with Rudy that this story started flowing through me. … Rudy had certain scars from his former life that we had to work through, and I thought that’s a lot like human life. A lot of kids go through stuff like that, kids who are adopted or in foster care or go through a divorce with their parents. So I thought Rudy’s story is going to be very relatable; why don’t I have him share all of his emotions and thoughts about what he’s going through? And maybe, when kids read this book with their parents, it’ll open up a conversation about how they feel.

What lessons can kids learn from Rudy?

Rudy is like all of us, with character flaws and shortcomings, but also with many gifts. There are many teachable human lessons about commitment, perseverance and how you’re going to feel fear from time to time, but Rudy faced a lot of his fears, so how can you overcome your fears? … The other part of it is trying to raise people’s awareness about what it means to be a horse owner. A horse is a huge commitment. If people get a dog and it doesn’t work out, they can bring it to the SPCA, and the same thing happens with horses, but with more dire consequences, since not a lot of people are in a position to care for these huge animals who cost a lot and need a lot of care. … Rudy and I try to educate kids about how horses operate and what they need and all the physiological stuff that goes on. [The books] have equine terms bolded, with a glossary in the back so kids can learn what that word means. In each book I also have 20 fun horse facts. You’d think I’d run out of horse facts, but there are millions; you could go on forever. … I’ve also partnered with a woman, Susan DiFelice, who has this really awesome website called allpony.com, which has all this great horse information. She created a section in her blog on the website called “Rudy’s Corner” where Rudy educates kids about equine practitioners, from vets to saddle fitters to massage therapists.

Are there any more books in your future?

This book wraps things up in the sense that Rudy and I are settled. It’s clear that Rudy has found his forever home, and he has advanced a lot and is able to do things he wouldn’t have done before. … There’s another book I’m thinking of writing that Rudy would still be in, but it will be a whole different thing. It may not even be a children’s book; it could be an adult book. Either way, Rudy has too big of a role in my life to be left out.

Featured photo: Diane Robbins Jones. Courtesy photo.

News & Notes 22/09/15

Omicron boosters

Covid booster vaccinations updated to protect against the omicron variant are now available in New Hampshire. According to a press release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, the boosters, also known as bivalent doses, were recently authorized by the FDA and are recommended by the CDC for anyone age 12 or older who received their primary series of Covid vaccines or a booster dose at least two months ago. “These updated booster doses more closely align to the new Covid-19 omicron variant and [are] the most effective way to prevent serious illness, hospitalization and death from Covid-19,” state epidemiologist Dr. Benjamin Chan said in the release, adding that a “fall surge” of Covid infections is expected. Almost 56,000 doses have already arrived at health care provider offices, pharmacies and urgent care centers throughout the state, and 100,000 additional doses have been ordered. To find a booster vaccination location near you, contact your primary care physician or visit vaccines.gov.

Colleges prepare for monkeypox

The New Hampshire College and University Council, a consortium of 21 public and private institutions of higher education in the state, is working with institution leaders to prepare for an outbreak of monkeypox among student populations on campuses. According to a press release, New Hampshire colleges and universities are closely monitoring for updated information about monkeypox and are ready to respond to an outbreak according to the guidelines that the Centers for Disease Control issued for higher education institutions in late August. “We are working to share information and guidance available to both administrators and students, to ensure they understand what this virus is, how it is transmitted and ways in which it can be treated and prevented,” Debby Scire, president and CEO of the Council, said in the release. “Although we have no information that suggests we are facing an outbreak, just like the lessons of the pandemic have taught us, it is important to be prepared.” Congregate living environments, such as colleges and universities that offer on-campus housing, have an increased risk of a monkeypox outbreak, according to the CDC.

Behavioral and geriatric care ER

Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, a member of Dartmouth Health and New Hampshire’s only academic medical center, will open a newly constructed expansion of its emergency department to patients on Thursday, Sept. 15. According to a press release, the $7 million project, built over the course of 16 months, is focused on improving access to behavioral and geriatric health care. It includes nine new patient rooms, some of which feature enhanced safety elements for behavioral health patients that improve visibility and reduce risk of self-harm; space for a wider array of therapeutic interventions; greater privacy for communication with attorneys and the state court system; and a place for social activities for children and adolescents. Six of the new rooms have a window, which Christine T. Finn, M.D., a psychiatrist and director of Emergency Psychiatry Services at DHMC, said in the release is “critical for [behavioral health] patients who stay longer than a few hours” and beneficial for elderly behavioral health patients for whom a lack of natural light can contribute to increased confusion. Other additions include a treatment room with negative pressure capability for high-threat infection, a group therapy and activity room, a mass decontamination room and a single decontamination room.

Extra EZ-Pass Center

The New Hampshire Department of Transportation opened a temporary E-ZPass Walk In Center on the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16) at Exit 16 in Rochester on Monday, Sept. 12, to help travelers prepare for the new 24-hour All Electronic Toll (AET), a cashless collection system, that will be implemented at Dover and Rochester toll plazas in late October. The Center is open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with customer service representatives ready to help travelers open E-ZPass accounts, accept payments if money is owed and answer questions about the upcoming changes to the toll system. All New Hampshire toll plazas currently operate as AET between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Visit nhaet.com to learn more about AET and the conversion projects in Dover and Rochester.

Praise for Northeast Delta Dental

Northeast Delta Dental has been recognized by Business NH as one of the Best Companies to Work For in NH in 2022, placing sixth out of 30, and marking the fifth time in the last seven years that the company has received the recognition. A nonprofit member company of Delta Dental Plans Association, Northeast Delta Dental provides dental insurance programs for more than 1 million people living in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont. The company was awarded for creating an engaging workplace and for acknowledging the correlation between employees’ sense of fulfillment and their productivity, according to a press release.

Private movie showings are being offered for a limited time at O’neil Cinemas in Epping (24 Calef Hwy.), featuring new release films. Bookings are available Friday through Sunday at 12:30, 3:30 or 6:30 p.m., according to the website. Rates start at $200 for the theater rental, plus $9 per person. Party packages for groups of 10 or more people are also available. Visit oneilcinemas.com/epping-nh/programs/private-movie-showings.

Colby-Sawyer College in New London was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top colleges in the region, according to a press release. In the publication’s 2023 Best Colleges issue, the college ranked in the top 10 for two categories — Best Undergraduate Teaching (North) and Best Regional College (North) —and ranked 23rd in Top Performers on Social Mobility (North). Colby-Sawyer President Susan D. Stuebner announced earlier this month that tuition at the college would be cut by more than 60 percent to $17,500 for the 2023 academic year in an effort to increase transparency in higher education pricing.

The Manchester Historic Association presented the Red Arrow Diner with its Century Club Award during the 30th annual Historic Preservation Awards on Sept. 8 at Manchester Community College, according to a press release. The 24-hour diner, on Lowell Street, was established in 1922, and is celebrating its 100th year of business this year. It was named a City Landmark in 2000. The diner has expanded to include locations in Concord, Londonderry and Nashua. Visit redarrowdiner.com/100.

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