Tag: 240606

Treasure Hunt 24/06/06

Hi, Donna,

These boat lanterns were in our camp at the lake, which was built in 1910. I’m not sure of the history, other than that my grandfather did have an old single-cylinder Laker boat in the 1920s, which the two oil lamps may have been on. Or it’s possible he obtained them from someone for possible use on his boat.

I would be very interested to know what you think their value might be.

Thank you.

Larry

Dear Larry,

Your boat lights all appear to be in great condition,all the glass intact. Maritime items are always collectible. Some more than others, and values fluctuate.

I found values for yours to be in the range of $100 to $200 each. Less for the electric ones. The value is priceless to find out if they were on your grandfather’s boat. Stories they could tell, right?

Thanks for sharing with us, Larry, and I hope this was helpful.

Donna

Donna Welch has spent more than 35 years in the antiques and collectibles field, appraising and instructing. Her new location is an Antique Art Studio located in Dunbarton, NH where she is still buying and selling. If you have questions about an antique or collectible send a clear photo and information to Donna at [email protected], or call her at 391-6550.

Have improv, will travel

Colin Mochrie takes the show on the road

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

Described as a hardworking and imaginative mammal in his bio on the show’s website, Colin Mochrie (Hilaritycus smoothius, as it says), known for his improv expertise on Whose Line is it Anyway? will be taking the stage in Portsmouth with Brad Sherwood, a fellow Whose Line-er at the Music Hall on Thursday, June 13, at 7:30 p.m. as part of their “Asking for Trouble” tour.

“It’s like a live version of Whose Line,” Mochrie said. “There’s a lot of games that would be familiar to a Whose Line fan … some games that we just made up ourselves…. We don’t have a host, we don’t have other people to work with. It’s just two hours of goofy fun.”

Audience members will have a good idea but will never know exactly which improv games to expect at the unscripted show.

“We do start off with a basic foundation but it can easily change…,” Mochrie said. “We do a new one that’s kind of fun, just because it scares me; we do sort of a musical tribute to the town that we’re playing, so it’s going to be a musical about Portsmouth, we’re hoping.”

Mochrie and Sherwood met on the hit television show.

“It was actually his idea to go on tour,” Mochrie said of Sherwood.

Every Super Bowl Sunday, Drew Carey, the former host, would take the cast to perform in Vegas in multiple shows leading up to the big game. Sherwood popped the question during one of these marathon improv sessions.

Afterward, they gave the idea a test run, and it worked. The tour has been running over 20 years.

“We’ve been friends, God, over 30 years now. It really helps when you’re working with someone, especially in improv, somebody you trust and you like. We both have sort of the same viewpoint on improv and what we like to do with it,” Mochrie said. Although nothing lasts forever. “So far. It could always turn, of course, because, you know, he has problems, but so far, so good.”

The Scottish-born Canadian improvisational comedian was drawn to the craft at an early age and referenced comedian Jonathan Winters and Robin Williams, as improv influences.

“I just saw this demonstration … that had been invented by this Englishman in Calgary called theater sports, and it was improv in sort of a sports setting where this referee would issue challenges and then you would improvise. I thought, ‘Oh, well this could be fun.’ It was something I enjoyed doing. I never thought, ‘Oh, this is going to be my career,’ just because there wasn’t an outlet.”

If Mochrie isn’t producing laughs on stage with Sherwood, he most likely will be on another stage doing the same.

“I improvise with a lot of different improv groups around the country,” he said. He also does an improv tour with his wife, Debra McGrath, as well as a tour with a hypnotist called Hyprov. “The beauty of improv is you’re kind of open to everything.”

Mochrie was open to the idea of a Whose Line live tour and noted that they had shot enough so that another season with host Aisha Tyler will be able to air: “It’s just a show you can’t kill, it keeps coming back.”

Mochrie is quite fond of the television show.

“I think the beauty of it was, we only shot two weekends a year so … unlike shows that go on forever and ever, we didn’t have a chance to get on each other’s nerves, so everybody still really enjoyed each other…,” he said. “We’re all good friends. We’re constantly tweeting and emailing and keeping in contact with each other. It is a good group.”

Not only has Mochrie been on both British and American versions of Whose Line is it Anyway; he’s also performed in numerous film and television roles and most recently in the film Villains Inc., which came out in April. He is also an award-winning writer , performer and producer.

“I do have fun doing scripted stuff on film and television. What I enjoy about stage more, I think, is that we are the architects of our own fate,” he said. That sense of autonomy is a driving force behind his work: “Doing improv and doing our show, we’re in charge. If the show sucks, it’s because we suck. If it went great, it’s because we were good. There’s no one else to blame and I like having that pressure.”

“I just love [that] every show is different. Every show is for that audience. No one else will ever see it again,” Mochrie said. “So it keeps it fresh for us. I think that’s part of the reason we’re still enjoying each other and the show after all this time.”

Asking for Trouble
• Thursday, June 13, 7:30 p.m. at The Music Hall, 28 Chestnut St., Portsmouth, themusichall.org
Tickets $44 to $88

• Sunday, Oct. 6, 5 p.m. at the Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester, palacetheatre.org
Tickets $49 to $75

colinandbradshow.com

Featured Photo: Colin Mochrie. Courtesy Photo.

The Art Roundup 24/06/06

The latest from NH’s theater, arts and literary communities

• Music outdoors: Concerts on the Common is put on by the Londonderry Council of the Arts at the Town Common (265 Mammoth Road, Londonderry) on Wednesday evenings in the summer from 7 to 8:30 p.m., totaling 11 free and family-friendly performances that will run until Wednesday, Aug. 14. On Wednesday, June 12, Jessica Lynn will perform. In case of rain the show will be held at Matthew Thornton Gym. Visit londonderryartscouncil.org.

• More music outdoors: The 13-week Tuesday night Henniker Summer Music Series starts off with a local six-piece acoustic Americana band featuring strings and shared vocal harmonies called Peabody’s Coal Train on Tuesday, June 11, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Angela Robinson Bandstand in the Community Park, according to a press release. The show is free but donations are welcome. In case of rain, the concert will be held inside the adjacent Community Center. Food can be acquired at the venue or can be brought in for picnics. The series, featuring new acts each week, will run until Tuesday, Sept. 3. Visit Facebook.com/HennikerConcert.

• Art outdoors: The Concord Arts Market, an outdoor artisan and fine art market, will run one Saturday a month from June through October, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Rollins Park (33 Bow St., Concord). Market dates are June 8, July 13, Aug. 10 and Sept. 14. Visit concordartsmarket.net.

• On stage: Paradise Now! will be presented by Theatre Kapow at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St., Concord, ccanh.com) on Friday, June 7, at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 8, at 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, June 9, at 2 p.m. A group of women join a pyramid selling scheme promoting a range of essential oils in this U.S. premiere of the funny new play by Margaret Perry about ambition, exploitation and the search for connection in a fractured world, according to their website.See tkapow.com.

• The Currier Museum of Art will be holding its annual Member Appreciation Week from Wednesday, June 12, through Sunday, June 16, which includes private tours, special discounts, giveaways, an extensive raffle and more, according to their website. Starting from 1 to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, June 12, there will be a members-only art-making activity in the Green Studio to get creative energy moving for all skill and experience levels, and there is no fee or registration required, according to the same website. At 3 p.m. there will be an exhibition tour with Chief Curator Lorenzo Fusi, who will give an overview of their newest installation, Elisabeth Kley’s “Cymodocea,” in the museum’s Welcome Gallery, as well as a guided discussion of the current exhibition “Filippo de Pisis and Robert Mapplethorpe: A Distant Conversation,” according to their website. Registration is required since capacity is limited, and is just the beginning of the Currier’s Member Appreciation Week. Visit currier.org.

—Zachary Lewis

In the money

Palace season finale 42nd Street shines

By Michael Witthaus
[email protected]

The final musical in the Palace Theatre’s 2023-2024 season is far and away its best. From the tap-tastic overture that begins the show, with the curtain rising just enough to reveal 20 pairs of legs in full dance, to the triumphant ending number that gives it a title, 42nd Street is a gem, packed with dazzling dancing, classy choreography and standout stars.

The show about show business won a Best Musical Tony when it debuted in 1980. Set in the Depression era, it follows rehearsals for Pretty Lady, a fictitious production that holds a few fortunes in its hands, including director Julian Morse (Dan Fenaughty), a Broadway legend looking to reverse his latest losing streak, and Peggy Sawyer (Jenna Bienvenue), fresh off the bus from Allentown with hopes of a spot in the chorus line.

Dorothy Brock is Pretty Lady’s star, due to a financial marriage of convenience. Her goofy but rich boyfriend financed the show on the condition that she be the leading lady, though she can’t dance and is past her prime. Larissa Klinger plays the role with nuance and grace; her performance is an understated gem.

Early on, different cast members offer scene-stealing turns — Megan Quinn as Maggie Jones, the brassy co-writer of Pretty Lady, and Ashton Lambert, playing high stepping tenor Billy Lawlor as the kind of person who treats a trip to the store as an audition — his over the top efforts to charm Peggy produced repeated out loud laughs from the audience.

Ultimately, however, 42nd Street’s lead actors carry the day, with Fenaughty commanding in a role originally played by Jerry Orbach. The cynical stage titan softens on the way to singing “Lullaby of Broadway” to remind Peggy of why she should hold on to her dreams. For her part, Bienvenue perfectly portrays her ingenue’s transformation from a chaos agent who can turn dance practice into a bowling alley in an earthquake, to finding her inner star.

Also, high marks are due to director and choreographer Carl Rajotte, for rising to the challenge of a production that has dancing in almost every scene. In particular, “Shadow Waltz” and its use of the Palace’s multimedia screen system was breathtaking. Closing extravaganzas in both acts are also stellar, all a reminder that technical investment in the theater is paying off handsomely.

With classic songs like “We’re In the Money” and “I Only Have Eyes For You” along with the infectious numbers “Go Into Your Dance” and “Dames,” it’s understandable that 42nd Street was the first film musical adapted for Broadway to succeed; it’s been produced hundreds if not thousands of times since.

It’s also director Rajotte’s favorite, for both its entertainment value and sentimental reasons.

“This is my fifth time doing 42nd Street,” he said during rehearsals. “I love Golden Age shows, but they tend to be a little out of date or sometimes the flow of the show is a little bit slower. This one was written in 1980 so it has that fast pacing, but with that charming Golden Age feel … it’s the best of both worlds.”

It’s also the show that brought Rajotte to Manchester. Twenty-five years ago, his father moved here after his mother had passed. One day he called his son, an actor in New York City, and told him about a professional theater company in his new home town. “I said, no, I would have heard of it,” Rajotte recalled.

In a wonderful bit of kismet, just a couple of days later Rajotte picked up a copy of Backstage, a newspaper for actors, and saw an announcement for auditions in New York for a production of 42nd Street at the Palace. He answered the call and was cast as Pretty Lady choreographer Andy Lee.

After that, he left on tour with another show.

“I figured I probably won’t be back again, but then Peter Ramsey called me while I was on tour and said, ‘Hey, how about you come back and choreograph and direct for us?’ I did a couple of shows, and then took the job full-time. This was really the intro, this show. So it’s dear to my heart.”

42nd Street
When: Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 2 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. through June 23
Where: Palace Theatre, 80 Hanover St., Manchester
Tickets: $28 to $49 at palacetheatre.org

Berry Delicious

Berries!

Almost time for strawberry and blueberry seasons

By Zachary Lewis
[email protected]

‘Tis the season where farms invite ordinary people to come onto their land to take part in the berry harvests.

Although last summer may have been a slight disappointment for berry aficionados, this year’s harvest is appearing to be much better.

Samantha Fay, Farm Stand Manager at Sunnycrest Farm (59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com),is positive about this year’s crop of berries.

“Everything seems to be going really well this year. Last year was pretty devastating due to the late frost that we had … strawberries last year with the rain was really bad,” Fay said.

It was the worst of yields but now it’s the best of yields in this tale of two berry seasons.

“This year, everything looks good. We haven’t had a frost and we haven’t had the really really cold temperatures, so all the crops thus far look really good,” Fay said.

Future pickers should keep an eye on the weather.

“As long as we don’t get too much rain, the strawberries should look great,” Fay said. “Right now, fingers crossed, everything looks great.”

Not all berries grow the same way, though, and depending on foraging style, certain berries may be more fun to pick than others.

“Your strawberries are really low to the ground, so you’re more down on your knees harvesting them, where[as] raspberries, they’re a higher bush, so people can walk through those and pick at their height, which is nice,” Fay said. Since Sunnycrest only has a few rows of blackberries, visitors will only be able to pick these up at the farmstand when they do ripen.

The schedule typically flows from strawberries to blueberries and cherries to raspberries, then peaches and finally apples. A family could pick berries all summer long at the many farms and farm stands in the state.

“I think that it’s a really nice family activity for people to do and it’s really important for people to be able to have access to fresh fruit,” Fay said. “It’s nice to be able to harvest your own fruit and bring that home, because you have the satisfaction of seeing where it grows and being able to take it home and have it yourself.” But how much of the tasty reward can one bring home? A few ounces? A couple pounds?

“Maybe like 80 pounds at once just for a regular customer that comes in because we have some people come in that like to jam, so they’ll buy a good amount for jamming,” Fay said. “I’d say like 80 to 100 pounds for some people. But it’s not like an everyday thing…. That’s their one pick for the season when they make their batch of jam.” Ten to 20 pounds is a more typical amount for people to acquire in a single visit.

The delicate dance of berry harvesting is not for the faint of heart, but it is worth the effort. “They’re definitely a difficult crop to grow. They take a lot of care and the weather definitely plays a huge factor because they don’t like too much rain. It’s very rewarding when you get a great crop but it does take a lot to grow them. And we enjoy it,” Fay said.

Where to pick your own berries

Here’s a list of local farms that plan to offer fresh berries for pick-your-own throughout this upcoming season — we’ve included those that will have everything from strawberries and blueberries available for picking to raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and even peaches at some locations. Do you know of any in our area that we may have missed? Tell us about it at [email protected].

Apple Hill Farm

580 Mountain Road, Concord, 224-8862, applehillfarmnh.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black currants, apples

When: Projected opening date is around mid to late June, starting with pick-your-own strawberries, then blueberries from early July to early September, raspberries from mid-July to early August, black currants from late July to early August, and apples from late August to mid October, according to their website.

Applecrest Farm Orchards

133 Exeter Road, Hampton Falls, 926-3721, applecrest.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, peaches, nectarines, pears

When: The farm stand is open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; projected opening date TBA for pick-your-own strawberries will be around mid-June; followed by blueberries in early July and raspberries in mid-August; peaches, nectarines and pears early August through mid September, according to their website.

Bartlett’s Blueberry Farm

648 Bradford Road, Newport, 208-270-0466, bartlettsblueberryfarm.com

What: blueberries

When: Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the picking season is from mid-July to August; the self-service farm stand is open now from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. daily, or by appointment, offering items like blueberry jam, local maple syrup and honey, according to their website.

Bascom Road Blueberry Farm

371 Bascom Road, Newport, 359-7703, bascomroadblueberryfarm.com

What: strawberries and blueberries

Expected hours: The farm store is open daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The farm is offering pick-your-own strawberries for limited days in June to early July. Pick-your-own blueberries are expected to happen from July through September, according to their website. 2023 pricing, according to their website, was $12 for a small bucket, around 3 pounds, or $22 for a large bucket, which was around 6 pounds.

Beaver Pond Farm

1047 John Stark Hwy., Newport, 543-1107, beaverpondfarm.com

What: blueberries and raspberries

When: Daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., weather permitting, call on the day for conditions. Their season usually begins between July 1 and July 10 and typically runs through July and into early August, according to their website. They charge by the pint, not the pound, and offer free containers as well as water to pickers, according to the website.

Berry Good Farm

234 Parker Road, Goffstown, berrygoodfarmnh.com

What: blueberries

When: Anticipated to be open Wednesday and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. as well as Friday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Their pick-your-own blueberries will likely start around mid-July, according to their website.

Berrybogg Farm

650 Province Road, Strafford, 664-2100, berryboggfarm.com

What: Blueberries

When: Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start sometime shortly after the Fourth of July, according to last year’s dates. Last year’s prices were $3.50 per pound (seniors 65 and older and military $3.40 per pound), and if participants pick 10 or more pounds the price will be $3.25 per pound, according to their website.

Brookdale Fruit Farm

41 Broad St., Hollis, 465-2240, brookdalefruitfarm.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries and blackberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries are expected to be available around mid to late June, followed by blueberries and raspberries by early July and blackberries and black raspberries into August, according to their website.

Carter Hill Orchard

73 Carter Hill Road, Concord, 225-2625, carterhillapples.com

What: blueberries

When: Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start sometime in July, according to their website.

Devriendt Farm Products

178 S. Mast St., Goffstown, 497-2793, devriendtfarm.com

What: strawberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries expected around the second or third week of June and they will have Pick Your Own boxes at a cost of $1 for you to pick into if you do not bring your own container, according to their website.

Elwood Orchards

54 Elwood Road, Londonderry, 434-6017, elwoodorchards.com

What: cherries

When: TBA; pick-your-own cherries are expected to be available around early July.

Gould Hill Farm

656 Gould Hill Farm, Contoocook, 746-3811, gouldhillfarm.com

What: Blueberries, peaches

When: Farm stand is closed until mid-July. Pick-your-own blueberries will likely start around mid-July and will run into early August; peaches typically start in early August and run to early September, with peaches available in the store from late July to early September, according to their website.

Grandpa’s Farm

143 Clough Hill Road, Loudon, 783-5690, grandpasfarmnh.com

What: blueberries

When: Daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. They offer blueberries from the middle of July to the middle of August and their new Lower Field has three varieties, Duke, Spartan and Bluecrop, which will ripen in that order, according to their website.

Grounding Stone Farm

289 Maple St., Contoocook, 746-1064, groundingstonefarm.com

What: blueberries, Certified Organic by the NH Dept. of Agriculture, Markets & Food, according to their website

When: Open July 6 through the third week of August.

Hackleboro Orchards

61 Orchard Road, Canterbury, 783-4248, hackleboroorchard.com

What: blueberries

When: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; pick-your-own blueberries are expected between mid-June and late August, and will be $3.29 per pound, according to their website.

Kimball Fruit Farm

Route 122, on the Hollis and Pepperell, Mass., border, 978-433-9751, kimball.farm

What: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries are projected for the middle of June, blueberries from July to early August (best picking usually mid-July), raspberries from July to early October, and blackberries from August to early October. The farm stand is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., according to their website.

Lavoie’s Farm

172 Nartoff Road, Hollis, 882-0072, lavoiesfarm.wordpress.com

What: strawberries and blueberries

When: Their hours vary by season but they are normally open June 1 until Oct. 31, according to their website.

McKenzie’s Farm

71 Northeast Pond Road, Milton, 652-9400, mckenziesfarm.com

What: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and peaches

When: Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily; strawberries are expected to be ready by the middle of June, followed by raspberries around July 4 and blueberries also in early July, with peaches available in August, according to their website.

Norland Berries

164 N. Barnstead Road, Center Barnstead, 776-2021, norlandberries.com

What: blueberries

When: Berries will likely be available by early to mid-July, according to last year’s dates.

Saltbox Farm

321 Portsmouth Ave., Stratham, 436-7978, saltboxfarmnh.com

What: blueberries

When: The farm stand is open only during seasonal hours during their berry picking season and typically runs from early July to early September, according to their Facebook page.

Smith Farm Stand

15 Smith Farm Road, Gilford, 524-7673, smithfarmstand.com

What: raspberries and blueberries

When: The farm features three raspberry beds and one blueberry field, according to their website. Raspberries are expected to be ready for picking around the second week of July, followed by blueberries in mid-July. If their supply allows, one night each year they stay open late for twilight picking with special discounts, according to the same website.

Spring Ledge Farm

37 Main St., New London, 526-6253, springledgefarm.com

What: strawberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries expected in June, and their picking field address is 985 Pleasant St. in New London, according to their website.

Sunnycrest Farm

59 High Range Road, Londonderry, 432-7753, sunnycrestfarmnh.com

What: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries and peaches

When: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily for pick-your-own strawberries beginning in June, with cherries starting around June 15, followed by blueberries and raspberries around the start of July and peaches in August if supplies allow, according to their website.

Trombly Gardens

150 N. River Road, Milford, 673-0647, tromblygardens.net

What: strawberries and blueberries

When: Pick-your-own strawberries are expected later in June, followed by blueberries in early July.

When are they ready?
Sources: agriculture.nh.gov and extension.unh.edu
• Strawberries: early to mid-June
• Blueberries: early to mid-July
• Raspberries: early to mid-July
• Cherries: early to mid-July
• Blackberries: mid to late July or early August

Lavender fields forever

2024’s hot flavor gets its own harvest season

By John Fladd
[email protected]

Get acquainted with lavender by starting at the source — a field where it’s grown.

“We have generations that come here together, and it’s really a lovely sight,” said Missy Biagiottie, owner of Lavender Fields (393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner, 456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com), a farm where families can pick their own lavender. “You see mothers, grandmothers and granddaughters all picking together. It’s a really nice experience.”

If you’re imagining groups of women in sundresses and straw hats, Biagiottie said, that’s pretty much what she sees. “Our target market is women. I’d say 95 percent of the people who visit us are women. It’s a nice, family, low-key event. It’s meant to be serene.”

Lavender is a perennial plant — meaning that it continues to grow, season after season — but requires year-round maintenance to be at its peak for a two- to three-week harvesting season in mid-July. This year, Biagiotti estimated her farms will be open for “U-Pick” customers between July 5 and July 21. When the farm’s staff harvests lavender, they use old-fashioned sickles, bundle the stalks, and hang them to dry in the farm’s barn to dry until it is needed.

“Of course, we give our U-Pickers nice little garden snips,” she said, “and give them instruction on how to cut the lavender so it might generate another bloom later in the season.”

She said most customers are not looking to take a lot of lavender home with them.

“They’re usually looking for a perfect stem,” Biagiotti said. They take it home and make lavender lemonade or lavender cookies. They might use it decoratively or for craft purposes. Most people will take it home for a memory and hang it up to dry like another herb. The scent lasts for a very long time, she said.

Biagiotti and her team harvest the rest of the lavender to distill into lavender hydrosol — a lavender-infused water — and lavender oil, both of which they use as a base for lavender products that they sell at the farm and online. They sell bath and body products but also lavender food products and cooking ingredients, such as lavender simple syrup, lavender honey, lavender-infused vinegar and oil, white hot chocolate with lavender, a blueberry lavender drink mixer and culinary lavender buds.

Inspired to cook with your lavender? According to pastry chef Emilee Viaud, owner of Sweet Treats by Emilee and pastry chef for Greenleaf Restaurant in Milford, lavender is not an ingredient you can throw into a recipe on a whim; it needs a bit of planning.

“With lavender, it’s not really enjoyable to eat in itself,” she said. “In pastry, infusing it into pastry cream is what I like to do, because the floral soapiness complements the creaminess of the pastry cream really well. They kind of balance each other out.”

Viaud said lavender often works best as a supporting flavor.

“Lemon and lavender work well together. The spices I like to add to that is cardamom or fennel. With fennel seed, you can grind it up and infuse it into the pastry cream, and when you strain it, you’ll remove all those extra components you don’t really want to eat,” Viaud said.

“My husband [chef Chris Viaud] uses it in one of his cocktails,” she said. “He infuses it into a simple syrup and uses it that way.”

He is not the only one to do that. For the past several years, as bartenders have experimented with more and more nontraditional flavors for cocktails, lavender has become a go-to flavor to play off more orthodox ingredients.

“We do a couple of lavender drinks,” said Niko Kfoury, bartender at Firefly Restaurant in Manchester. “Under the Favorites section of our cocktail menu, we’ve got a lavender-blueberry lemonade. We’ve got a lavender gin gimlet as well. The Favorites never change; those are always on the menu. I think it [lavender] has a floral quality. It’s just a really calming, soothing flavor that’s really complementary with a lot of different ingredients. It adds a calmness to a flavor profile.”

Lavender!

Lavender to pick

Lavender Fields at Pumpkin Blossom Farm
393 Pumpkin Hill Road, Warner
456-2443, pumpkinblossomfarm.com

Tentative dates for picking lavender are Friday, July 5, through Sunday, July 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Lavender to taste

Sweet Treats by Emilee
facebook.com/EmileesSweetTreats

Greenleaf
54 Nashua St., Milford
213-5447, greenleafmilford.com
Open Tuesday through Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m.

Firefly Bistro and Bar
22 Concord St., Manchester
935-9740, fireflynh.com
Open Monday through Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m; Saturday and Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday dinner 4 to 9 p.m.; Sunday dinner 4 to 8 p.m.

Market season

Farmers markets build customer loyalty

By John Fladd
[email protected]

Selling at a farmers market, meeting your customers one-on-one, letting them try your product and answering their questions is a way for farmers, craftspeople and other makers to build customer loyalty and word-of-mouth marketing.

Becca and Mindy Dean, for instance, have a passion for goat milk, and their farm, Galomime Farm Too in Mont Vernon, sells its goat products at the Bedford Farmers Market on Tuesday afternoons.

Co-owner Becca Dean said that working at a farmers market gives them the opportunity to introduce goat milk products to customers who wouldn’t normally look for them.

“We have a unique product and it may not be for everyone, but everyone who has tried our product seems to love it!” Dean said. She has noticed that the sorts of customers who shop at farmers markets seem to be open to new experiences.

“One [customer] stated that he and his family plan dinners for the week based on what they get at the market,” she said

Although some New Hampshire farmers markets open in May, most wait to open until June, when the weather is more reliable and some fresh produce is ready to pick and sell. John Blake of DJ Honey, who also sells at the Bedford market, said business will pick up significantly with the end of the school year.

“The beginning of the season seems to be normal,” he said. “We did start a few weeks earlier than usual [this year]. When school gets out the market will be in full swing. I see the rest of the season being a good one.”

If you shop at a farmers market, you will notice that many vendors there sell a variety of goods other than fruits and vegetables.

Donna Silva of Lone Willow Farms in Mont Vernon sells her farm’s products in Milford and Bedford but limits her food sales to Milford.

“This is my first year at the Bedford Farmers Market,” she said. “I don’t sell food products there because they have enough farm-to-table vendors. … This will be my fourth year at the Milford Farmers Market, where I do sell my awesome veggies, produce, herbs and edible flowers. At both markets I sell flowers and gifts [or] art I make from my flowers.”

According to Joshua Marshall, the Director of the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture’s Division of Agricultural Development, numbers and statistics for New Hampshire’s farmers markets can be elusive.

“New Hampshire has a pretty vibrant farmers market industry and the interesting thing is we don’t have any sort of centralized registration that they [farmers markets] are required to do, so it’s hard to get a big picture of how many are out there,” he said. The Agriculture Department keeps a voluntary publication on its website where farmers markets can publish their events, but submitting information to it isn’t mandatory.

“Between the summer and winter markets, we have just over 40,” Marshall said. “That is a little bit down over previous years, which has been closer to 50, but I know that there are a lot more out there.”

Marketeers

Galomime Farm Too
60 Old Amherst Road, Mont Vernon
facebook.com/GalomimeFarmToo
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market

DJ’s Pure Honey
facebook.com/djspurehoney
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market and Nashua Farmers Market

Lone Willow Farms
70 Tater St., Mont Vernon
731-0611, lonewillowfarms.com
Sells at Bedford Farmers Market and Milford Farmers Outdoor Market

This Week 24/06/06

Friday, June 7

Classic ’80s hair band Stryper will perform at the Tupelo Music Hall (10 A St. in Derry, 437-5100, tupelohall.com) as part of their To Hell With the Amps unplugged tour. They will take the stage at 8 p.m. and tickets start at $47.

Thursday, June 6

On the first Thursday of every month, the Rockingham Brewing Co. (1 Corporate Park Drive, Unit 1, Derry, 216-2324, rockinghambrewing.com) provides Ales and Alterations — Do you have a pile of clothes that are in need of a small repair or alteration? The pub will provide repair and alterations on the spot. Bring in an item, then sip a pint while you wait. Patches are available for purchase and can also be sewn on while you wait.

Thursday, June 6

Pipe Dream Brewing (49 Harvey Road, Unit 4, Londonderry, 404-0751, pipedreambrewingnh.com) will host an evening of Sip and Script from 6 to 7:30 p.m., a workshop to introduce participants to modern calligraphy with a pointed dip pen and ink. This class includes 1 1/2 hours of instruction and a beginner’s calligraphy kit. Tickets are $65.

Friday, June 7

The theme of tonight’s First Friday, which runs from 4 to 8 p.m in downtown Concord, is Beach Party. Expect food trucks, live music, a live dance party with a limbo contest, volleyball on the Statehouse lawn, a wine tasting and much more. See intownconcord.org.

Saturday, June 8

There will be a public auction of 15 surplus City-owned properties at JFK Coliseum (303 Beech St. in Manchester, 624-6444) this morning at 10 a.m. The City of Manchester has identified 20 lots across 15 sites that are surplus to its needs. Of the 15 vacant lots, 12 were acquired by Tax Collector’s Deed. For more information, visit jsjauctions.com.

Saturday, June 8

Symphony NH will perform a concert of the Music of John Williams – Star Wars and More at the Capitol Center for the Arts (44 S Main St., Concord, 225-1111, ccanh.com) tonight at 7:30 p.m. The music of John Williams will include scores from Star Wars to Superman to Indiana Jones to Harry Potter and more. A pre-concert talk about the pieces performed will take place at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $20.75.

Monday, June 10

The Perimeter Jazz Ensemble, an 18-piece big band under the direction of Peter Hazzard, is set to make its debut performance at the Manchester Community Music School (2291 Elm St., Manchester, 644-4548, mcmusicschool.org) auditorium at 7 p.m.. Tickets are $5; children age 12 and under are free.

Tuesday, June 11

The Red River Theaters (11 S Main St., Concord, 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) will host the first annual Creative Guts Short Film Festival from 6 to 9 p.m. The Festival will present short films by independent filmmakers from New Hampshire and beyond, of all backgrounds. The spirit of this festival is to celebrate the creativity, voice and collaboration of filmmakers. These films are not rated. Some films contain adult themes, language and violence, and may not be suitable for children. All films will be open-captioned. Tickets are $12 and available through Red River’s website.

Wednesday, June 12

Chunky’s Cinema Pub (707 Huse Road, Manchester, 206-3888, chunkys.com) will host an evening of Scratch Ticket Bingo tonight at 7 p.m. Chunky’s will divide up scratch tickets (supplied by Chunky’s) and play various bingo rounds throughout the night with a special jackpot for the last game. Tickets are $12 each and include a complimentary movie admission for a future movie and a $5 food voucher to be used toward a meal during the event. This purchase ensures a seat and a bingo card, and a $5 scratch ticket (provided by Chunky’s) gets added to the pot. Seats to this event are secured online only; there will be no walk-up access to this event.

Wednesday, June 12

The Dover Public Library and Teatotaller Café will host Dishing with Drag Queens; at the library at 6:30 p.m. Dive into a fabulous chat where drag stars spill the beans while glamming up! Unveil the secrets of the Queen world and snag some makeup tricks along the way. The night will end with a sassy mini-drag show. Featured performers include Morticiaa, Summer Rhaine and Mother Moon. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Dover Public Library.

Save the Date! Manchester Pride Parade, Saturday, June 15
Manchester’s Pride Week will start on Saturday, June 15, with a Pride Parade and Festival. The parade will begin at 11:15 a.m. and proceed down Elm Street to Veterans Park, where the Festival will take place from noon to 6 p.m. There will be live entertainment, food trucks, local vendors and artists, and more. See the complete line-up of events at manchestertrue.org.

Featured photo: Stryper.

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