Keene's Culinary Experience...

The New Haven Connecticut Register just wrote an article about the varied and delicious culinary scene in Keene.  The Innkeepers who live here in the Monadnock region know we have great dining options for our guests, its nice when other people not from this area recognize it as well.

Click here to read the whole article.

Keene Sentinel: MonIFF Int'l Film Festival III a BIG success

MonIFF, the Monadnock International Film Festival just wrapped up its third season and it is being touted as a big success. Check out this article in the Keene Sentinel for all the details.

Colonial Theater in Keene: MonIFF 

Washington Post: New Hampshire #1 for Libraries

Of course this OpEd in the Washington Post refers to libraries in the entire state of New Hampshire.  However, the library in Peterborough received a special mention because it is the first tax supported library...in the world!!!

Old postcard image of Peterborough, NH Town Library

"One-Woman Bean-to-Bar Operation in Peterborough"

The Monadnock Region in the news...

The Boston Globe recently wrote an article featuring Neely Cohen and her recently opened chocolate shop named Vicuna Chocolate Factory.

Neely has a fascinating story of a journey that started in Peterborough and led her to New York, Israel, Chicago and South America before back home to Peterborough and her attention getting chocolate factory.  Read her story in the link provided above...or even better...make a trip to Peterborough and taste her fabulous chocolates and teas.

Spring Vacation: Be a Tourist in Your Own Town

Some schools in the region have their spring break next week. What will you do with the kids? Here’s an idea: Become a tourist in your own hometown, commonly known as a "stay-cation"! After all, how many times have you said you’ve wanted to climb Mt. Monadnock, visit a local museum or even stay at a local B&B?

Here are some tips to making your hometown “stay-cation” a success:

1. 
Visit to your local Chamber of Commerce for guides and maps. You may think you know your town, but you'd be surprised by all that is new to see and explore.


2. Go to the local library. Libraries often have special discounted rates and good resources for children about your hometown
3. Go to a restaurant you've never tried.


4. Sign up for a tour – such as a walking tour, museum tour or historical tour.


5. Park the car and walk! It's amazing how different your familiar surrounding looks on foot.
6. Book a night at your local hotel or B&B. You can't imagine how thrilling it is for kids to spend the night just minutes from home but still a sleepaway
7. Take pictures, have your kids send postcards to their neighbors and friends. They may think you're a little crazy, but you'll have fun!

Greater Monadnock Earth Days 2013

In the Monadnock Region, Earth Day doesn’t just come and go on April 22. Thanks to the efforts of Antioch University New England’s Environmental Studies Department, the Greater Monadnock Earth Days Festival spans a full two weeks – packed with workshops, seminars, community service projects and more to celebrate the region’s commitment to a healthy community and planet.

The fun (okay, work, but it’s fun if you do it with your neighbors and friends!) begins on Saturday, April 13 with a litter pick-up event, Green Up Keene.  The next week includes the Monadnock Earth Day Festival on April 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. starting with another clean-up event at the Ashuelot Trail in Keene, followed by an expo, sustainable skills workshop and more.

Earth Days continue the following week on college campuses throughout the region, such as at Keene State College’s earth week events, Marlboro College’s “Wild and Scenic Films Festival”, Franklin Pierce University’s Earth Day Fair on April 22nd and Campus Garden Building Party, a garden blessing and more.

The Earth Days conclude at Keene State College on April 27 with the Campus Ecology Solar Fest.

For more information, visit Greater Monadnock Earth Days 2013 Facebook page.

The Monadnock Region’s Abuzz with MONiff

Just in case you haven’t left your house (or read any local news!) since the snow began to fall, Monadnock International Film Festival (MONiff) – is the region’s first international film festival that will bring world-class film and filmmakers to the area this April.

This exciting event – held on April 4, 5 and 6, 2013 – will feature great movies (along with the filmmakers and actors) at various venues in Keene – including the Colonial Theatre and venues at Keene State College.

Films include international, national as well as New Hampshire made films http://moniff.org/festival-films; the festival includes film screenings, panel discussions with the filmmakers, actors and directors, and parties on each evening of the event.

MonIFF was created through a collaboration of artists, local film makers and producers, community leaders from local non-profits, universities and colleges, social service agencies and businesses.

Stonewall Farm’s Horse Drawn Sap Gathering Competition

These days, maple sugaring is done with the help of long tubes that are strung through the sugar bush. The no-nonsense process efficiently collects sap from the trees and transports it right into the sugarhouse where it is boiled down to maple syrup.

But before the days of plastic tubing, sap was collected in metal buckets and gathered up by teamsters who drove draft horses pulling sleds through the woods.

To see this bygone era come to life, visit Stonewall Farm in Keene on March 23rd for the 14th Annual Horse Drawn Sap Gathering Contest. The competition begins at 10 a.m.

The contest draws about a dozen teams of two-hitch draft horses from all around New England to compete: The drivers, using only voice commands, maneuver the team of horse-drawn sleds through the narrow sugar bush on the farm, collecting sap buckets and quickly emptying them into containers in the sled. The teamster who is the fastest, with the best control of the horses, and the least sap spills, wins.

The fun doesn’t end once the competition is over. Visitors can congratulate the teams of horses, and enjoy maple syrup sundaes, sugaring demonstrations, sampling maple syrup, hayrides, food and lots more.

Parking at the farm is limited. Free parking shuttles are available from Alumni Field (next to Keene High School) on Arch Street. Entrance fee: Stonewall Farm Members: $3/person; Non-Members: $5/person; Children 6 and under FREE.

Maple Syrup: How Sweet it is!

Before you buy maple syrup, you need to make sure it is the real deal. Real maple syrup is never labeled “breakfast” or “pancake” syrup, such as what you might find in a supermarket aisle: These concoctions are basically high fructose corn syrup with artificial flavoring. It is against U.S. law to label these sweeteners “maple syrup.”

Real maple syrup, as you many know, is a product from maple trees’ liquid sap, which is collected in late winter to early spring, and boiled down to make thick maple syrup. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of maple syrup – which is why our delicious maple syrup can be pricey.
When you visit a sugar house operation during maple sugaring season, or buy a bottle of real maple syrup, you might be confused by the types of “grades” of syrup.

Here’s a quick guide to what these labels mean, courtesy of information from the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association.  Note that the “grades” do not have to do with the purity of the maple syrup, simply the color and flavor. Chose your grade and color according to how strong you like your maple flavor.

Grade A Light Amber: This is the first run of maple syrup in early spring. It is light in color and has a delicate maple flavor. It’s used to make maple cream, candy and sugar.



Grade A Medium Amber: This is a syrup produced later in the season; the syrup is darker than the “light” and has a richer maple flavor. Many people prefer this grade for pouring over pancakes, ice cream or oatmeal. It is also used for making maple cream and sugar.

Grade A Dark Amber: This dark syrup is made toward the end of the sugaring season. This variety (as well as Grade B), is a favorite among native New Englanders since it has a preferred hearty maple flavor.

Grade B: This is the syrup that is produced at the very tail end of the season. Many producers make a small amount of this grade, which has very dark color and robust maple taste. Many prefer this grade for cooking, but it can also be used as a table syrup.

O Christmas Tree: Cut Your Own Trees in the Monadnock Region

Sure, you can unceremoniously pick up a Christmas tree in a lot. Or buy an artificial tree.

But there’s something magical about going out to a tree farm, walking through rows of evergreens, selecting a special one, and sawing down your very own Christmas tree.  Add to that the crisp winter air, the beauty of the Monadnock Region scenery, hot chocolate, cider and homemade donuts and you have Christmas memories that will last a lifetime.

While many trees may have already been tagged by now (die-hard cut-your-own tree fans were already out at the farms early this fall picking their trees) there are still wonderful trees to be found, cut, tied to your car, and taken home. If you are from out of town you can select from many fine B&Bs and inns throughout the region to make cutting your tree a relaxing pre-Christmas weekend getaway.

Here’s a list of the popular cut-your-own tree farms in the Monadnock Region. You may want to call ahead for hours, refreshments available and availability of trees. Many farms will provide saws and roping free of charge.

Keene
Monadnock View Farm * 603-352-7892
Wright’s Tree Farm * 603-352-4033

Richmond
Windswept Mountain View Christmas Tree Farm * 603-239-4005

Rindge
Sunny Slopes Farm * 603-899-3169

Surry
Crescendo Acres * 603-352-9380

Walpole
Homestead Farms * 603-756-4800

Westmoreland
Farmstead Acres * 603-352-8730
Old Ciderpress Farm * 603-399-7210

Winchester
My Old Farm * 603-239-6751

8th Annual Currier and Ives Cookie Tour

Cookie tours are a delightful cross between trick-or-treating (without going through the trouble of dressing in a costume) and the thrill of house hunting (without the impending mortgage payment).

You get to tour the inside of an inn, bed and breakfast, store, library or historical society with your friends, see enchanting Christmas decorations and ideas for your home – AND you get a cookie treat (and a recipe card)! It doesn’t get any better than this.

The Monadnock Region’s Currier & Ives Cookie Tour – held this year on December 8, 2012 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. -- takes you on a 13-stop tour through the quintessentially New England towns of Fitzwilliam, Jaffrey, Rindge, Troy, Marlborough, Peterborough and Swanzey. Tickets are $10; a portion of this year's proceeds will be donated to the Santa's House of Jaffrey, which provides toys to local children in need.

Tour Stops include:
Little River Bed & Breakfast, Peterborough*
Paper & Roses, Peterborough
Anytime Apparel, Peterborough
The Woodbound Inn, Rindge*
Jaffrey Public Library (Santa’s House), Jaffrey
The Monadnock Inn, Jaffrey*
The Inn at East Hill Farm, Troy*
Common Collections, Troy
The Fitzwilliam Historical Society, Fitzwilliam
The Troy Historical Society, Troy*
Inn of the Tartan Fox, Swanzey
Swanzey Historical Society, Swanzey
Unbridled Chocolates, Marlborough

*Tickets can be purchased at these locations from November 26 through the day of the tour. Cash or check only.

A tour map will be printed on your ticket. You can begin the tour at any location. The average time between locations is about a 10 minute drive. Make sure you bring a cookie tin or container to store your cookies.

So pack up your friends, your sense of adventure, and have a great time touring great local establishments and tasting delicious homemade cookies!  Turn your cookie tour into an overnight or weekend getaway by staying at a local B&B or inn.

Monadnock Region’s Public Forests

Many of us who live in the Monadnock Region have a deep connection with the surrounding forests – perhaps it’s because wherever you are in the area you’re never very far away from trees – lots of them.

New Hampshire, in fact, is the second most forested state in the nation (number one is Maine); forests are spread over 4.8 million acres – that’s 84 percent of the entire state.

Seems like an incredible statistic when you consider that deforestation on a global level is at an all time high (about 32 million acres of forest worldwide are destroyed every year – equal roughly in size to New York State) and that only 27 percent of the entire U.S. is forested land.

When staying at a Monadnock Region inn or B&B put on your hiking shoes and explore some of our beautiful and protected forest locations. It’s a perfect way to go “leaf peeping” during the fall season.

Fox State Forest * Hillsborough * 1,445 acres
This forest has been a State of New Hampshire research station since 1933. Open daily with more than 20 miles of trails for hiking and cross country skiing. The forest has an education center and farmhouse/office.

Shieling State Forest * Peterborough * 45 acres
Enjoy more than 2 miles of self-guided foot trails through valleys, tree-covered ridges and even a wildflower preserve. There is also a learning center with an exhibit area. Located ¼ mile south of the Monadnock Community Hospital in Peterborough. For more information call 603-271-2214.

Gap Mountain * Jaffrey/Troy * 1,100 acres
A fascinating 1.5 mile to the top that includes old cellar holes, apple trees, stone walls, meadows, and an old unfinished ski tow. At the top, enjoy a stunning view of Mt. Monadnock and enjoy picking wild blueberries in the summer.

Heald Tract * Wilton * 975 acres
This forest provides opportunities for hiking, fishing, birding, nature walks and picnicking. And, there’s plenty of wildlife to watch: moose, beaver, otter, hares, blue heron, fox and deer.

Madame Sherri Forest * West Chesterfield * 513 acres
The forest was named for an eccentric wealthy woman, Madame Antoinette Sherri, who worked as a costume designer for the Ziegfeld Follies in the 1920s and built her “castle” in the woods in West Chesterfield. The castle was destroyed by fire in 1962, but the foundation and grand stone staircase remain with the forest grown up all around it.

McCabe Forest * Antrim * 192 acres
This forest was once in danger of being developed into a golf course and/or a housing complex with river views. Instead, owner Dorothy McCabe deeded the land (and her home) in 1982 to the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests to manage and protect. Today, you can walk along 2 mile loop of diverse and lovely trails through meadows and forests along the Contoocook River.

Monson Village * Wilton (but must be accessed through Hollis) * 215 acres
A 3-mile trail that is steeped in history: You’ll find a restored Colonial-era house, old cellar holes and stonewalls. Monson Village was New Hampshire’s first inland pioneer settlement.

And the list of Monadnock Region forests goes on!

Here are a few more forests you may want to explore if you happen to be staying in one of these Monadnock Region towns.  Make sure you ask your Monadnock Region inn or B&B host for more information and directions:

Alison Nims Piper Memorial Forest * Sullivan * 199 acres
Blaine Forest * Jaffrey * 167 acres
Olson Family Forest * Sullivan * 775 acres
Parker Hill Forest * Roxbury * 89 acres
Rumrill Family Forest * Stoddard * 89 acres
Stearns-Lamot Forest * Rindge * 123 acres
Stephens Forest * Wilton * 120 acres
Taves Forest * Roxbury/Marlborough * 175 acres
Thurston V. Williams Family Forest * Stoddard * 379 acres
Welch Family Farm Forest * Hancock * 120 acres

En Plein Air: Art in the Great Outdoors

“En plein air” is a French term that translates to “in the open air.” In the art world, the expression is used to describe artists who take their canvases, brushes, paints and create their art outside, in the natural light.

Much like creating art “en plein air” is an exceptional way to capture nature’s beauty on canvas, viewing art in the great outdoors – in the natural light -- is quite a different experience than viewing artwork in an indoor gallery.

In the Monadnock Region, the biggest outdoor art exhibit is “Art in the Park,” which takes place at the Ashuelot Park on West Street in Keene every Labor Day weekend. This year’s 54th Annual Art in the Park, which is run by the Monadnock Area Artists Association falls on September 1-2, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

More than 80 artists from around New England are represented and will exhibit and sell their work; there is also an area for students from the region’s two high schools to exhibit their artwork. There is also a raffle to fund art scholarships.

For more information visit Monadnock Area Artists for more information.

Once Art in the Park is over you can get your local artist fix in a few more weekends of art events this fall.

These two events are studio tours that take you right into an artists’ working environment:

September 15-16: The 7th Annual Hillsborough Open Studio Tour. This take you to artists’ studios within a 20 mile radius of downtown Hillsborough.

October 6-7 (Columbus Day Weekend):

17th Annual Monadnock Open Studio Art Tour: This tour travels through the towns surrounding Mt. Monadnock: Chesham, Dublin, Hancock, Harrisville, Jaffrey, Marlborough, Peterborough and Sharon.

Fall Foliage Art Studio Tour: Another wonderful tour that takes you through the Monadnock region including the towns of New Ipswich, Rindge, Swanzey, Spofford, Keene, Nelson, Stoddard and Antrim.

28th Annual NH Wool Arts Tour: The tour features fiber artists who work in wool from local sheep and alpacas, and farms that sell yarn and wool.  This event is fun for the whole family and is great for people who enjoy the fiber arts or would simply like to meet the animals, enjoy the fall colors and visit some farms.

November 3 & 4:

Keene Art Tour. A self-guided art studio tour featuring 19 artists in 13 studios in Keene, New Hampshire.  Featuring painting, pottery, furniture, jewelry, drawing, sculpture and more.  Free and open to the public. Pick up your brochure and map at our headquarters, Creative Encounters at 18 Main Street in Keene.

Pitcher Mountain: Easy Climb, Great Views and Wild Blueberries

Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard, N.H. is 2,153 feet tall but it will perhaps be the easiest New Hampshire mountain you will ever climb -- and it comes with all the “great view” perks of a tougher climb.

The hike to the top (300 vertical feet from the trailhead) is less than ½ mile (0.4 miles to be exact); the main trail (the one to the right of the parking lot and blazed with white triangles) is a well-traveled wide fire road through what is known as Andorra Forest, owned and managed by the Faulkner family for more than 70 years.

The hike gets those who are even just moderately fit up to the summit in about 20 minutes with barely breaking a sweat (there is another rocky/bolder trail option to the left of the parking lot, blazed with blue if you’d like more of a challenge). The easy-peasy path will reward you along the way with bucolic views of the 200-acre Pitcher Mountain Farm, which raises Scottish Highland beef cattle.

Once at the top you can see, on a clear day, the southern portion of Vermont’s Green Mountains, most of the Monadnock Region (including Mt. Monadnock) and even the White Mountains (Mt. Lafayette) if the sky is really clear. The 50-foot fire tower at the top can be climbed to get an even better 360 degree view.

View of mountains from fire tower

 If you happen to climb Pitcher Mountain in mid- to late-August, be sure to bring along a coffee can, basket or bucket to collect the mountain’s wealth of wild high-bush blueberries (the small, dark and incredibly sweet kind) – there’s 50 acres of these berry bushes at or near the summit. Payment is by honor system at the trailhead in the parking lot – give an honest estimate of how much you picked – and drop a dollar or two per pint on your way out.

Easy climb. Great views. And sweet blueberries to pick in August. You can’t ask more of a mountain hike. Plus the drive to Pitcher Mountain on Route 123 is a scenic pleasure.

A Sanctuary Among the Pine Trees

Even if you are not particularly spiritually or religiously inclined, a visit to the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge will soothe your soul.

This nondenominational open air cathedral sits on a restful hilltop with a splendid view of Mt. Monadnock in the distance. While the pine trees that make up the seating area in the cathedral were hit hard in a 2008 ice storm, there are enough trees still standing to give an “enclosed” feel to the outdoor chapel.

Outdoor cathedral with views of Mt Monadnock

The Cathedral of the Pines was created by Sibyl and Douglas Sloan III to honor those who sacrificed their lives in World War II, including their son Lt. Sanderson (“Sandy”) Sloan, a pilot who purchased the land in Rindge in hopes of building a home for him and his bride when he returned from the war.

But the young B-17 pilot’s life was cut short when he was shot down over Germany; he died and never returned to build his home. His parents created Cathedral of the Pines on the property he purchased as an interfaith shrine to Sandy and a national memorial to those who have served their country.

Cathedral Tower

The Cathedral’s website notes: “It was their hope that interfaith understanding would help bring world peace.”

Today, the Cathedral of the Pines, a nonprofit organization that is supported 100 percent by private donations, is the site of many weddings, ceremonies, church services and events. The Cathedral of the Pines, which encompasses 236 acres – some of which are beautifully landscaped with flowers and pathways – is open free to the public daily from May through October. The site welcomes visitors to participate in events, mediate in the outdoor chapels and learn about its history in the small museum on the grounds.  There is also a small gift shop on the premises.

So, if you are visiting the Monadnock Region, stop by the Cathedral of the Pines for an hour or two of respite from the world. Bring your lunch (there are picnic tables), walk the grounds, stay a while to gaze at the splendid view … and prepared to be rejuvenated.

The Cathedral of the Pines is located off Rte. 119, a few miles east of Rte. 202. 
Follow the signs upon entering Rindge, NH.

Become a Localvore

It’s easy – not to mention healthy -- to eat local food in the height of the summer season in New England. In New Hampshire, we celebrate Eat Local Month the entire month of August (August 5-11 is NH Farmers’ Market Week.

How can you learn about the art of preserving, growing and even foraging for your own food?  The Monadnock Localvores have workshops almost year-round on just how to do that. These workshops are run by knowledgeable farmers and backyard enthusiasts who will expertly guide you through the art of gathering your own mushrooms, cooking with your CSA bounty, baking bread, making cheese and even brewing your own beer or local apple wine.

Visit the Monadnock Region, the unspoiled Southwest corner of New Hampshire, and take advantage of the opportunity to "eat local" at one of our charming B&Bs or Inns serving the most scrumptious breakfasts you will find anywhere.

Here are some upcoming workshops (click through to link to find out pricing and remaining slots available):

• August 16, 2012 (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) Wild Mushroom Foray 
• September 6, 2012 (6-8 p.m.) Brewing a Local Beer
• October 14, 2012 (2-4 p.m.) Apple Wine Making
• October 21, 2012 (1-3 p.m.) Beginner Beekeeping

Full of Hot Air - The Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair

Whether you love floating high in the sky in a piloted hot air balloon, or you prefer to watch balloons from terra firma, there is something for everyone at the Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair, held this year Thursday through Sunday, July 19-22, 2012. Parking is $5 per car, but entrance to festival itself is free.

The festival has become a major four-day extravaganza for this small town of 6,000  since the festival merged dates with the former Hillsborough Fireman’s Weekend, and recently, an artisans fair has been added to the weekend. Today, Hillsborough welcomes more than 30,000 people each year to the festival.

There are lots of activities within these four days of this charming New England summer festival to satisfy everyone in your family: carnival rides, an artisan fair, live music, a parade, a 5K road race, fireworks, and a bevy of colorful hot air balloons, which will dramatically lift off twice a day at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. (weather permitting) on Saturday and Sunday.

The balloons are, of course, the main attraction to the festival. And there are several ways to enjoy them:

• Flights over the Monadnock Region. Full-fledged flights piloted and crewed by regional balloon enthusiasts – will be available to the general public. The rides last anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and cost $200 per passenger (most balloons can carry 3-5 passengers as well as the pilot).  Cash, checks and all major credit cards are accepted. To make flight reservations, call (603) 464-0377. 
• Tethered flights. For those who prefer to remain closer to the ground, there will also be tethered flights available – meaning the balloon is secured to the ground and are piloted into the air about 50 feet for about 5 minutes then floated gently back to the ground. The cost is $15 per person.
• Night glow show. For those who don’t want any part of jumping into a balloon’s basket, but appreciate the beauty of hot air balloons, don’t miss the “Night Glow Show” at dusk on Friday night where a half dozen (or more) balloons will remain on the ground but inflate (using the white flame) and become dramatically illuminated. This show is free to the public.

The Hillsborough Balloon Festival & Fair is sponsored by civic organizations and groups (the Hillsborough Civic Organization, comprised of the three original local groups, the Hillsborough Fire Department, Hillsborough Lions Club, and the Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce) and the proceeds from the festival provide major financial support for these organizations.

Need a place to stay while attending the festival?  Inquire with a local B&B for great overnight accommodations to make your weekend getaway complete.

I Scream, You Scream...

It was 1984 when President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month. He also proclaimed the third Sunday of July as National Ice Cream Day, where all people of this great nation should observe the day with “appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Ice cream lovers in the U.S. will forevermore tip their cones to the 40th president of the United States for this awesome proclamation. We can eat our favorite dessert with abandon throughout the hottest month of the year – and relish some sweet celebrations held everywhere on the third Sunday – this year held on July 15 – that’s right, this Sunday!

Before digging into those cones and dishes laden with frozen desserts, here are some fun facts courtesy of the International Ice Cream Association) about ice cream:

• America is the ice cream capital of the world – it produces 1.5 million gallons per year; each American consumes an average of 22 quarts per year.
• Not surprisingly, vanilla is the most popular flavor in the U.S. (it comprises about 20 to 29 percent of all ice cream sales); chocolate is a distant second and garners about 10 percent of the market.
• One out of every five ice cream eaters admit to binging on ice cream in the middle of the night; this study discovered that men binge in the middle of the night more than women.
• About 9 percent of all the milk produced in the U.S. is used for ice cream.

In the Monadnock Region we are fortunate to have our own share of locally-made, high quality (okay, its amazing!) ice cream.  Below is a list of some of your local innkeepers favorite ice cream places.

• The best known in the area may be Walpole Creamery, which not only sells out of its Scoop Shop in Walpole, but is available in many retail locations in the region.  Their ice cream is of the highest quality and some of the tastiest around!
• Kimball Farm in Jaffrey is known for its huge portions, extensive variety of flavors, and great quality.  It is more than just an ice cream stand, it's more like a clam shack that's not on the beach since they serve plenty of lobster rolls, fried clams, burgers, fish and chips and chicken finger baskets.
• Connolly Brothers Farm in Temple is a true farm experience.  You drive up the dirt entrance road till you reach the dairy barn...cows on the right and dairy store on the left.  If you drive up on the right day you can walk in on them (the owners...not the cows) actually making and packing the ice cream.  This is not a scoop shop, their delicious home made ice cream is available in cups or pints or as cookie sandwiches and chocolate covered pops.  Don't forget to thank the cows on your way out :)
• Step back in time at the Central Square Ice Cream Shop in Hillsborough, an old fashioned soda-shop and parlor reminiscent of a bygone era.  The ice cream is homemade and worthy of a stop!

The latest local entry into the frozen dessert business is Stonewall Farm, a non-profit educational farm in Keene that is now producing ice cream from certified organic milk from its own cows.To commemorate the day with a celebration Reagan would have most certainly approved of, visit Stonewall Farm this Sunday where the farm will be celebrating National Ice Cream Day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you get there early (at 9 a.m.) you’ll catch the “Bikes for Bovines” fundraiser race.

Secret Gardens

For a gardener, there is something enticing about a “secret garden” … those home gardens that you might catch a small but inviting glimpse of an arbor, the turn of stone path, a flower bed alive with color.   For us avid gardeners, it takes every ounce of restraint not to edge in and take a closer peek.

The best way to indulge the voyeuristic gardener in us – and to get new ideas for your own garden – is to go on a garden tour. The most popular garden tour in the Monadnock Region is the annual Secret Gardens of Keene.

The Secret Gardens of Keene tour, hosted by the Cheshire Housing Trust, is held this year (rain or shine) on June 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The tour is actually a successful fundraiser for the nonprofit organization to support its mission to provide affordable housing for moderate- to low-income families (the Cheshire Housing Trust runs 63 affordable apartments or rooms in Keene, Marlborough and Hinsdale).

Each year the tour features new gardens throughout Keene – from traditional landscapes to more eclectic gardening styles. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $12 each at various locations throughout the region, or purchased at the day of the tour for $15 at Ashuelot River Park (273 West Street in Keene).

Once the Secret Gardens of Keene tour day is over, make sure you mark your calendar for The Garden Conservancy’s “Open Days” which will be held twice this year in the Monadnock Region.

The Garden Conservancy’s Monadnock Region Open Days:

• June 30, 2012, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. A tour of four exquisite private family gardens in Peterborough, Harrisville and Nelson. 
• July 1, 2012, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tour includes gardens in Walpole, Alstead Center and nearby Wilmington, Vt.

Here are some tips for attending a garden tour:

• Stay on the paths. Don’t ever wander into a garden bed.
• Never take any seeds, seedlings or plants without permission.
• Don’t stop in the middle of the pathway – if you want to linger to admire a plant or take photographs let other visitors pass you.
• Don’t go into any roped off areas for any reason.
• Carpool to each location with friends in order to reduce traffic and pollution.
• Thank the host at each stop – it is a lot of work getting a garden ready to be viewed by the general public.

The best way to enjoy a garden tour is with your family or a group of friends. If you are from outside the Monadnock Region, book an overnight stay at a B&B or inn to get an early jump on the tour; and take a break during the middle of the day with lunch at one of the many Monadnock Region’s restaurants.

Strawberry Fields Forever

Strawberry season – at least the fresh pick-your-own kind – certainly doesn’t last “forever.”  But for a few glorious weeks in June, it’s strawberry season in the Monadnock Region.

Fresh strawberries grown locally are a different breed altogether from those golf ball sized flavorless kind shipped from thousands of miles away and hermetically sealed in a plastic container. Our strawberries may be smaller, but they are popping with lip-smacking juicy flavor – perfect for making strawberry shortcake, topped with fresh whipped cream, or eaten straight off the strawberry plant.

If you visit in June and stay at one of our B&Bs or inns, you can bet that those freshly picked strawberries will make it to the breakfast menu. You can also visit one of our Local Farmers' Markets held every day of the week during the summer to pick up a pint for a snack.

Visit one of our several PYO strawberry fields during your stay this June. While you’re at it, pick a few extra pints for your friends and neighbors for a much-appreciated souvenir of your trip to the Monadnock Region!

Make sure you call ahead before you head out to pick strawberries to get the latest on the picking conditions.

PYO or Farmstand Strawberries in Southwest New Hampshire:

Alyson’s Orchard
57 Alyson’s Lane, Walpole NH
603-756-9800

Darby Brook Farm
347 Hill Road, Alstead NH
603-835-6624
 

Homestead Farms
16 River Road South, Walpole NH
603-756-4800

Monadnock Berries
545 West Hill Road, Troy NH
603-242-6417

Rosaly's Garden
Route 123 South, Peterborough NH

Tenney Farm
1 Main Street, Antrim NH
603-588-2020

And if you are visiting the Monadnock Region in mid- to late-June, don’t miss our two annual strawberry festivals:

Wilton’s 5th Annual Strawberry Festival and Craft Fair:
Saturday, June 16, 2012, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Wilton Center Unitarian Church, Wilton, NH
For more information email: Carolynhoggroy@yahoo.com.

Picadilly Farm’s Annual Family Concert and Strawberry Shortcake:
Saturday, June 23, 2012, 1-3 pm
Picadilly Farm, 264 South Parrish Road, Winchester

For more information on these and other Pick-Your-Own locations throughout New Hampshire, download this handy PYO guide put out by the New Hampshire Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food.