SEPTEMBER 2021

September 2021 Volume 7 . Issue 10 golocalmagazines.com

Golden Gavel

Auctions in east windsor

Bashista’s Orchard southampton, MA

Local Vibe in stafford springs

Check it out

tougher than a tank

2 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

new this month SEPTEMBER 2021 . VOLUME 7 . ISSUE 10

13

GOLDEN GAVEL AUCTIONS If you are looking for a bargain, a “hidden treasure,” or just an entertaining night out, you can venture over to Golden Gavel Auctions on a Thursday night. Once there, you might bid on a bicycle, a diamond ring, toys, tools, farm equipment, artwork, dishes, or even a car!

6

A NOTE

13

GOLDEN GAVEL AUCTIONS

19

TOUGHER THAN A TANK

From The Editor Bargains, Hidden Treasure and more...

Noah Cass - Former Marine From Somers

LOCAL PICKS 24 GO Cool Stuff Just Outside Your Door

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SEPTEMBER 2021 . VOLUME 7 . ISSUE 10

25

bashista’s orchard

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local vibe

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local snapshot

36

go eat

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final countdown

43

Local Einstein

It’s Pick-Your-Own Apples Season in New England

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Newly Opened Stylish Store in Stafford Springs Michelle Johnson Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers 7 Fun and Festive Corn Mazes Put Your Thinking Caps On

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GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 5

a note

FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR . G. MICHAEL DOBBS

Are you a collector?

Well, I have that chronic condition and although at my age I’m considering getting rid of a few things, I’m still bringing more into the house.

As a kid, I collected the usual stuff – comic books, baseball cards, rocks and fossils, and stamps. Only the comics books, rocks and fossils survived as interests.

Once in junior high school, though, I was bit very hard and deep by the movie bug and once I realized there were things I could collect, I started.

Movie fans collect still photos, posters of various sizes and shapes, scripts, books about movies, and movies themselves. I never was able to buy 16mm prints of films, but I did buy a number of the 8mm versions of films. I still have them all.

Home video changed my life.

When I realized I could buy such things, I started the dominant collecting habit of my life.

I looked for movie items at used bookstores, flea markets, tag sales, ephemera shows and at auction houses.

The thrill of collecting is never really knowing what you would find and where you would find it.

I was at the Hadley Flea Market on Route 47 one Sunday morning and discovered a table with all sorts of vintage movie items. Most of them were newsletters from MGM to exhibitors discussing upcoming releases. Because they were from MGM, they were pricey.

There among them was a real treasure – at least to me. It was a full-color over-sized booklet from Monogram Pictures in 1934. It detailed what films the company was planning to make that year, and the booklet was to get theater owners excited about the upcoming product.

I snatched it up for $25. For all I know it may be the only copy extant.

There is something about the “hunt.” I realize finding a collectible is not the same as stalking wild game, but finding an item you don’t expect to find is indeed exciting.

I once found two framed comic strips by George Herriman, the legendary cartoonist best known for “Krazy Kat.” These were Herriman originals of his strip “The Dingbat Family” and the dealer thought they were “Mutt and Jeff” strips. The price was $150 for the pair, and a friend and I split the cost. I sold mine for $500.

Now I wish I had kept it, but the offer was too good.

That feeling of discovery is heightened at an auction. I’ve had some good luck at auctions as well. You may notice how we have a fine story about Golden Gavel in East Windsor, CT and if you have never gone to an auction before, it’s well worth trying.

Frankly even if you don’t bid, auctions can be very exciting. Watching the action as a group of people try to outbid each other is fun. It’s like reality TV, only live!

For almost 20 years I attended a film festival in Syracuse, NY where on the last day of the event there would be an auction. People attending the festival would bring in a dizzying variety of movie items – some desirable and some inexplicable.

Famed movie historian and critic Leonard Maltin served as the auctioneer and Leonard would have fun either pumping up the action with his descriptions of the items or comment on who would want such a thing.

If you have never gone to an auction and you’re a collector, do yourself a favor and try one out.

6 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

- G. Michael Dobbs, Managing Editor

MANAGING EDITOR G. Michael Dobbs

CREATIVE

Beth Thurber, Manager . Leigh Catchepaugh Elizabeth O’Donoghue . Susan Bartlett

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Golden G avel auctions !  VICKI MITCHELL

I

f you are looking for a bargain, a “hidden treasure,” or just an entertaining night out, you can venture over to Golden Gavel Auctions on a Thursday night. Once there, you might bid on a bicycle, a diamond ring, toys, tools, farm equipment, artwork, dishes, or even a car! You name it, and they probably have it, or will soon, at this facility in East Windsor. Mr. Patrick Soucy is the President, appraiser and auctioneer of the 25-year old business, and has been assisted for over 20 years

by Ralph Labozzo, also an appraiser and auctioneer, as well as a staff of 7 full-time and 8 part-time employees.

According to Soucy, the public may bring items into the facility to be consigned and sold at auction, or the company will meet with home or business owners who wish to liquidate an estate. Note that due to COVID, appraisals may be

obtained by emailing pictures of items to goldengavel@ATT.net. Their specialty, Soucy says, “is helping a family through the entire process of liquidating an estate. Any auction house can sell something great. We specialize in selling whole estates, and helping the family liquidate their assets and leaving the house broom clean and ready to sell.”

Their six step process for any home or estate includes an appraisal, assisting the family with the disbursement of items, the auction of saleable items, the donation of unsold items to charity, broom cleaning the house, and providing realtors for the sale of the property, if desired. They are also the official auction company for the state of Connecticut and the F.B.I., selling anything that has been stolen and is unclaimed, seized, or abandoned. This can lead to some rather unusual items coming up for

sale, such as cartons of deodorants or toothbrushes (yes…unused!), as well as the fine furniture, art work, jewelry, rare coins, and other collectables that are part of estate sales.

On Thursdays, a preview period of that evening’s auction items begins at 2:00 pm, when you may wander amongst the wide variety of goods.

An “early bird” auction is held outside beginning at 5:30, with Labozzo auctioning off everything from outdoor furniture and vacuum cleaners to tools and the aforementioned toothbrushes, stating with humor that “oral hygiene is very important and this will keep you stocked with toothbrushes for the rest of your life!” The main auction inside begins at 7:00 pm, and you only need your ID to obtain a numbered card which allows you to bid when items of interest come up. Purchases may be paid GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 13

for with cash, credit, or debit. Soucy is the auctioneer for this part of the evening, and as he says, “you have to keep the attention of the audience and put on a show to entertain them, but at the same time, you’re doing serious business.”

When asked about some of the most memorable or profitable items that have come their way, they tell the story of “The Buddha,” a 16th century wood-carved, lifesize statue. The owner had set a reserve price of $10,000, meaning that was the minimum amount they would sell it for. As it turned out, the largest collector of Oriental items in the world flew in from England and purchased it for $86,000! Another memorable sale came from a hoarder situation in Manchester, in which the house was full of “good stuff,” including a Tiffany lamp that sold for $23,000 and a Tiffany fire screen/fender that sold for $38,000.

In general, key markets now are jewelry (both costume and fine,) sterling silver, coins, and vintage toys.

Particularly “hot” items right now include vintage comic books; video games (ie. Atari, Sega, and Mario Bros;) G.I. Joes; Tonka trucks; and matchbox cars. Hmmm…maybe we should have let our kids keep that stuff in their rooms when they moved out after all!

In addition, Soucy says that guns, knives and military items are doing very well, as are automobiles, trucks, and motorcycles from estate sales. The Oriental art and porcelain market is also doing well, since “the middle class in some of those countries has grown and they are buying back a lot of antiques that were sold over the years.”

Before or during the auction, you can avail yourselves of a simple homemade meal and /or a tasty dessert. The Golden Gavel Grille is managed by Ted Jarrett, and much 14 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

of the cooking is done by Joanna Dube, who has also done the baking for the past 19 years.

A meal, none costing more than $9.00, may consist of pasta and meat sauce, meatloaf, or a variety of chicken dishes. Also available are grinders, hot dogs, soup in season, and desserts such as coconut cream or chocolate cream pie, cheesecake, carrot cake, or brownie sundaes.

Desserts are also very reasonable at only $3.00 a piece, and they sell out quickly.

Soucy says he has three favorite parts of his business. One is when he goes to appraise someone’s collection and he realizes he is looking at someone’s life work in putting it together over the years, and hearing about how much they have enjoyed it. Two is helping families and their loved ones sell their items and collections, while helping to empty the estate and bring closure to that chapter of their lives. Lastly, auctioneering is a great experience and a lot of fun, he says. “The most fun I’ve ever had at an auction was a charity event for a school in Union, Connecticut. Charity auctions are a lot of fun because there is no pressure about how much the items are going to bring for a consignor, like a normal auction.

Everybody is there for the same purpose... to raise money and have a good time. At this particular charity auction, I had not seen the list of what I was selling prior to the event.

I was about 20 items down on the list when I noticed the next item was …a dog wash?

I didn’t realize this was a real thing, and I started laughing and could not stop. The whole audience joined in and we just laughed for the next several minutes, while I pulled myself together.”

Soucy noted that they do 12 to 15 charity events in a “normal” year, where they donate their time to auction items for a specific cause or group, such as schools, churches, local soup kitchens, People to People, and St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital. He said, “this gives me great joy, and when you do good things…good things come back to you multiple times over.”

People interested in having an item(s) appraised for sale can email photos to goldengavel@ATT.net. In another nod to COVID, several auctions are being held on-line.

See their website for details www.goldengavel.com

Golden Gavel Auctions is located at 149 North Road (Rte. 140) in East Windsor, Connecticut 860-623-2100 GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 15

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TOUGHER THAN A

TANK ! KEITH O’CONNOR  NATE BLAIS & PIXELA PICTURA

N

oah Cass, a former Marine whose quest was to run 145 miles from his home in Somers, CT to Lake George, NY in support of fellow Marine Eddie Ryan who sustained a traumatic brain injury, has been documented on film and executive produced by Casey Affleck.

“This incredibly difficult journey that Noah embarks on works as a metaphor for the extremely challenging nature of returning home after service. The distance, the physical distance of a 145-mile run is probably the easier of that metaphor, easier than trying to come back home,” said Affleck in an official news release promoting the film.

The documentary “Tougher Than A Tank” from Pixela Pictura Films is available on iTunes where in its second day of release on August 4 it made it into their Top 20.

The story begins with Cass, a familiar

face around Somers, attended Somers High School where he played varsity lacrosse and often volunteered his services in the community.

Cass laughed that he “couldn’t get away with anything” while growing up because his father was pastor at Somers Congregational Church and “most everyone in our small town knew him.”

“My dad shaped my life….watching him pour his all into the church and community. My mom was a social worker, so I learned early from both of them the importance of giving back and being a part of the community,” Cass said.

Joining the military after high school was something Cass noted “I always wanted to do” and was a way to give back to his country.

“The Marine Corps was advertised as ‘the toughest’ and I wanted a big challenge. My family was in the military and

served in World War II and Vietnam. I wasn’t ready to go to college and knew it would be a waste of time and money. I just wasn’t ready for it and needed structure and discipline at that point in my life that I knew the Marines would offer me,” he said.

Cass signed paperwork to join the Marines one week to the day before the tragedy of 9/11, and went straight off to boot camp after graduating from high school with the realization that it was “pretty evident” he would be going into combat at some point. When he finished training, Cass chose the infantry where he would become a machine gunner.

“I thought that I would be going to Afghanistan, but it ended up that I shipped off to Iraq and I was there in 2003 for the initial invasion and liberation. It was during my second deployment to Iraq in 2005 that I was on the recovering end GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 19

IMAGE COURTESY OF PIXELA PICTURA

IMAGE COURTESY OF PIXELA PICTURA 20 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

of a mortar round. Our truck got hit by a round that blew up right in front of us and a chunk of shrapnel got lodged in my helmet with the blast and concussion rendering me deaf in my left ear,” Cass said.

Despite the hearing loss, he completed his four-year service in the Marines and returned to Somers in 2006 with no visible injuries, but with a common problem so many face after their return home - posttraumatic stress disorder and problematic alcohol use.

Cass said he “came to grips quickly” with his hearing loss, noting “it’s something you can’t fix.” But his posttraumatic stress disorder wasn’t as easily dealt with.

“There was this survivor’s guilt that I was carrying with me when I arrived home from deployment, and trying to make sense of war not making sense. I bounced between jobs, couldn’t find anything I liked or wanted to do, and there was a two-year period where I drank all the time,” Cass said.

He did manage to find some happiness in his life and in 2009 married his 8th grade sweetheart, Stacey, and they are the parents of three children. It was the love of his wife and other family members that eventually set him on a path to wellness.

“It wasn’t what you would consider an intervention, but they told me, ‘You’ve done this long enough, now get it together.’ I stopped drinking cold turkey and ended up running as an alternative, eventually participating in a few long-distance triathlons and an ultramarathon. I also went to college and earned a degree in psychology and now work for the State of Connecticut in the Department of Social Services. Eventually I was in a good spot for myself and knew, now 12 years later, it was time to reconnect with Eddie, something I just couldn’t do until I had worked through my own issues,” he added.

Cass met Ryan while attending job training school after boot camp. They were both machine gunners who went through the School of Infantry together. While they were deployed to Iraq in the same battalion, Ryan was in a sniper platoon and Cass was a machine gunner in a combined anti-armor platoon, so they were not physically fighting side by side.

“I learned of Eddie’s injuries when a medevac helicopter left our base to pick up wounded Marines, it was hard knowing it was him. Eddie was actually wounded by friendly fire and was shot twice in the head from a machine gun on top of a tank,” Cass said.

While Cass said it took him 12 years to work up the courage to reconnect with his Marine buddy, he did occasionally visit Ryan’s website as a way of catching up. It was December of 2016 when he called and spoke with Ryan’s mother to ask her if she thought Eddie would mind if he held a fundraising run to support him.

“I saw the run as a way to raise awareness for veteran healthcare support and what Eddie was going through, as much as it was to raise money to support

his further recovery efforts. It was a way to say that I was still there for him, and a demonstration of how running helped me to get my life back, and now it was a way to help somebody else,” Cass said.

But the run to Lake George that began on May 11, 2017, wasn’t the first time Cass would see Ryan. Prior to hitting the pavement for his old friend, he visited him twice at his Lake George home, even bringing his family along for a long weekend to the popular vacation destination.

“It was overwhelming in a good way. I was happy and excited to see Eddie again and I felt a sense of relief from the anxiety that I had built up over the years thinking if I was living my life to the fullest, knowing that many of my brothers were wounded and unable to carry out the lives they wished for. While Eddie can’t walk and his speech is somewhat delayed, he was the same Eddie, still cracking jokes, including about me not having a clean-shaven haircut, and that broke a lot of the tension,” Cass said.

Back home in Somers, Cass began to prepare for the grueling run made palpable by the fact he was going to make a difference in his friend’s life. He contacted two of his running buddies, Tim Sheehan and Kevin Coughlin who ran alongside him during his journey back to health, to see if they would participate in the fundraising run with him for moral support. They agreed. Next, he asked his brother-in-law Tom Alimberti and fellow Marine Gerrit Christensen to follow them in a van to provide water and meals and any assistance when needed. Alimberti had shared many miles running and bonding with Cass throughout his transition home, and Christensen was one of his closest friends that he served with.

To raise the funds, Noah, Tim, and Kevin took to social media, growing a following and surpassing each fundraising goal they set. Starting at $1,500, they continued to $5,000, then $10,000 and the collection for Eddie grew to roughly $15,000 through donations and Tougher Than A Tank t-shirts.

Still there was one thing left to do that would put a national face on his efforts and the need for others to support our veterans. Cass called Tim O’Donnell, who went to college with his brother-in-law to see if he would be interested in pursuing another project with him. He originally contacted the filmmaker back in 2014 looking for tips to help create his own documentary as he trained for a 50 mile ultra marathon.

O’Donnell worked with Nick Palmisciano of Ranger Up and Diesel Jack Media, who agreed

IMAGES ON THIS PAGE COURTESY OF PIXELA PICTURA

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 21

“I always knew it was only a couple hour’s drive to Eddies house. I just could never bring myself to do it and I couldn’t figure out why. I was sitting at work one day and said, ‘I’m going to set up a run to Eddie’s house.’

Anyone can set up a Go Fund Me page, but not just anybody can walk out their front door and say I’m going to see a brother I haven’t seen in 12 years and I’m going to run there in 2 ½ days and I don’t have a choice.”

POSTER IMAGE COURTESY OF PIXELA PICTURA

to help fund the film The Last Time I Heard True Silence, which focused on his transition to civilian life and the role ultrarunning played in it.

O’Donnell is an Emmy-nominated and award winning documentary filmmaker. His work has appeared on ESPN, NBC, PBS, OutsideTV, CNN Films, Uninterrupted and events around the world. His film “Not a War Story” opened at #1 for all iTunes documentaries and premiered at the Academy of Motion Pictures.

“I told him about the run for Eddie and he got on board, and with a co-director Jon Mercer, they shared the van and documented the entire run from the time we left my home in Somers, to waking up in a hotel the second day, to arriving at Eddie’s home in Lake George,” Cass said.

What transpired during the run? What challenges did the three runners face? What special moments did they share together? And what was it like to finally arrive at Eddie’s house and see his face?

For those and other answers to your questions, visit iTunes or Amazon Prime Video to purchase for $9.99 or rent for $4.99 “Tougher Than a Tank.”

To view the trailer, visit https://www.pixelapicturafilms.com/project/ tougherthanatank

22 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

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go local picks

COOL STUFF JUST OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR AND ONLINE!

81ST ANYTHING THAT MOVES EVENT CONNECTICUT TROLLEY MUSEUM

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 AT 11 AM EDT – 6 PM EDT 58 NORTH ROAD, EAST WINDSOR, CT The Trolley Museum will celebrate their anniversary showcasing some of their collection including equipment that aren’t normally viewable with a trolley parade. Experience the golden age of transportation as trolley cars parade by. Additionally they will hold a Static Air Show with Skylark Airpark, A BBQ Food Truck will be on-site and live Music by Steel N Eazy. The Trolley Cars will take you to and from the airfield to view the airplanes. The Museum will be open from 11am-6pm with the Air Show, Music & Food Truck from 11am-4pm. The Trolley Parade will begin at 5pm. Tickets will be $15 per person and no charge for children under 2.

Tickets will be sold online with ticket time slots. Everyone with a ticket is welcome to stay for the Trolley Parade at 5pm.

http://www.ct-trolley.org/ • (860) 627-6540 www.eventbrite.com/e/81st-anniversary-anything-that-movesevent-tickets-166985459003

THE BIG E! THE BIG E RETURNS SEPT. 17-OCT. 3!

SEPTEMBER 18 - OCTOBER 3RD 1305 MEMORIAL AVENUE, WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA 01089 “Big is Back” is the theme of this year’s Fair. Currently the fifth largest fair in North America, The Big E will debut some BIG surprises this year including The Super Wheel, a 150 ft. high Ferris wheel with 36 climate-controlled gondolas that seat up to six people.

It will be located between the Better Living Center and the Gate 5 entrance. Music fans will enjoy top-name concerts at The Big E Arena, sponsored by Truly Hard Seltzer. Guests will be able to visit the Avenue of States, Storrowton Village Museum, shop, eat iconic fair foods, watch the new Big Parade, ride the rides and much more.

Eastern States Exposition, home of The Big E, will enforce COVID-19 regulations required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and Town of West Springfield at the time of this engagement.

24 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

ANNUAL GARLIC FESTIVAL OLDE MISTICK VILLAGE SAT., SEPT. 18 AT 11 AM – 7 PM • SUN., SEPT. 19 AT 11 AM – 76PM 27 COOGAN BLVD BUILDING 6, MYSTIC, CT 06355 Olde Mistick Village, the iconic shopping and dining experience with a colonial village atmosphere, will be hosting its 14th Annual Garlic Festival on Sept. 18 and 19. This award-winning food festival is dedicated to all things garlic. To celebrate the abundant fall harvest, farmers from the region will present an amazing variety of garlic for sale. They will also be selling fresh produce, jams, preserves, syrups, honey, herbs, baked goods, and more.

Free · Olde Mistick Village http://www.oldemistickvillage.com/

Bashista’s Orchard ! KEITH O’CONNOR  NATE BLAIS

I

t’s pick-your-own apples time in New England and Bashista’s Orchard in Southampton has plenty of “good pickin’s.”

New England - well known for its lush orchards - is prime apple picking territory and farms bearing the popular crisp fruit are key destinations in the fall for families looking for an enjoyable outing with the kids.

The Bashista family has been growing apples since Jacob Bashista established the farm in the 1920s, and many of the old standard trees are still producing fruit. Today there are well over 1,000

trees on 30 acres of orchard with 50 varieties of apples for eating, baking and cider making.

“As pick-your-own became increasingly popular with folks, we decided it was time to bring what was becoming a tradition with families to our farm for the many people who would often inquire if it was something we offered,” said Tom Bashista, who along with his wife Cheryl continued the farming tradition in 2010 when they took ownership of the farm.

But there was another reason for the switch in thinking to pick-your-own.

“At one time we had a crew who picked

everything we sold. When the market changed and the price of labor more than doubled, we had to change our business plan because we simply couldn’t afford a sizable crew any longer. By introducing pick-your-own apples in parts of our orchard, we now had people paying us to pick our apples,” he added.

The fourth generation of his family to run the farm, Bashista said his earliest memories as a boy was harvest time in the orchard.

“It was a real community effort back then. We would have friends and relatives picking apples and the Red Sox would GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 25

be on the radio in the background. It was a different mentality in those days back in the late 1960s and early 1970s compared to today where there is not much sense of community anymore. It’s me and my two sons, Jacob, 18, and Jonathan, 18, bringing in the harvest these days,” Bashista said.

Today Bashista Orchards is known for much more than their apples. Over the years the orchard was expanded to grow peaches, pears, nectarines, apricots, plums and cherries. Customers also stop by the family-run farm to purchase their “awesome,” as their website describes them, cider donuts, as well as apple cider, store-baked pies and breads, country gifts and crafts from artisan soaps to jewelry, local vegetables and locallyproduced maple syrup and maple candy, raw honey, and cider vinegar.

Tom and Jean Bashista (Jacob had a son Walter who went on to run the family farm beginning in the 1940s before his son Tom took reins at the orchard) expanded the retail store in 1984, and baked goods were added to the operation, giving them a reason to remain open year-round.

“We bake our own,” Bashista said about their pies, a wide variety of which includes the more popular Dutch Apple, as well as Strawberry Rhubarb, Blueberry, Apple, and the combination Fruits of the Forest, which he said has “a little zing to it.”

The menu for sweet tooths also includes cider donuts - plain, apple crisp or the seasonal pumpkin - scones, cookies, apple fritters, store baked breads of several kinds, as well as other taste-tempting treats, including a customer favorite - apple cake.

“We just added another baker to our staff to keep up with demand,” Bashista said, noting his son Jonathan and daughter Amanda, 21, both help out in the bakery.

With a web address gotcider.net, it wouldn’t be Bashista Orchards without a cider mill, which was added to the farm in 1996 using equipment purchased from Tom Molitoris of Easthampton. They use a slow pressed blend of ripe apples and the end product is unpasteurized with nothing added or taken away.

Bashista noted that people tell him that they make “the best cider around.”

“Our cider is a blend of our apples. I don’t like just using a single variety because the end product doesn’t have as good a flavor. I like to have sweet and tart blended together.

We sell our cider year-round along with our cider slushies which have no sugar added 26 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

and are a big favorite with customers,” Bashista said.

The cider making process involves brushing and rinsing the apples before grinding. The trimmed and washed apples then ride up an elevator before dropping into the grinder. Then the ground apples are pumped into the racking cloth and piled upon one another for pressing. The juice is pressed out of the cloth and filled into jugs. All that is left is damp pulp, which is taken by a local farmer who feeds it to his cows “In-season we spend about 10 hours in the cider mill to produce 350 gallons of cider per day, and that includes cleaning up afterward. I do the pressing and my brother, David, does the jugging,” he said.

In addition to their apples and other orchard fruits, customers will also find fresh, locally-grown fruits and vegetables in season - everything from corn, squash, tomatoes to all kinds of berries and much more - at their country store. Also, just in time for the fall and Halloween, Bashista will soon be bringing in bins of locally grown sugar pumpkins big and small for cooking or carving.

“Our focus is on the orchard, not ground crops, so I support local farmers by purchasing their fruits and vegetables, and they buy our orchard fruits to sell at their roadside stands,” Bashista said.

Other local products sold at the store include Maple Line Dairy products and Maple Valley Creamery Ice Cream, both from Hadley, MA; local beef from Bofat Hill Farm in Chesterfield, MA; turkey pies from Diemand Farm in Wendell, MA; Crowley Cheese from Vermont, and local free range chicken eggs, as well as duck and goose eggs in season from Jersey Hill Farm in Chicopee, MA. On top of everything they are known for, Bashista Orchards is also in the history books.

“We still have people who stop by and want to know where it happened,” Bashista said.

The “it” they are asking about is the site where a plane crash nearly took the life of the late Senator Ted Kennedy.

It was on the night of June 19 - while flying in for the state’s Democratic convention - that on their approach to Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport in Westfield, bad weather sent the plane into a dive crashing into Bashista’s orchard, several miles short of the runway.

Bashista’s Orchard is also in the books for a large piece of glacial rock referred to as “Apple Rock” that is considered as a Massachusetts landmark. Bashista’s great-grandfather discovered the chunk of history while clearing land after the 1950s to extend the orchard.

If you are planning on apple picking this fall, in September at Bashista’s Orchard there are JonaGOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 27

than, McIntosh, Ruby Mac and Cortland to pick, followed in October by other varieties such as Empire, Fuji, Jonafree, Jonagold, and Mutsu.

Customers purchase a ½ bushel bag at the store for $30 and may pick from any of the varieties that are ready at the time in the pick-your-own sections of the orchard. Free parking and admission. No ladders are required.

But it is not just apple time in September and October, apple seekers can bite into their favorite varieties all year long at Bashista Orchards. In 1984 Tom and Jean added to their existing cold storage room and apple sorting area to the 1940s building that is home to their business. Most of the building is cold storage which allows them to offer their fruit through the winter into spring.

“Even today we still have some apples in cold storage from last year’s growing season. The varieties that store well such as Braeburn and Winesap are still really good eating apples even after being stored all winter. Small by industry standards, we have cold storage capacity of around 5,000 bushel of apples,” Bashista said.

For those who want to be further “in the know,” Bashista offered the following thoughts about his apples that come in every size, shape and color.

“Some people turn their noses up at Macs which are so popular and nice for eating. They are also a good sauce apple. When they are freshly picked, Macs are crisp and lightly tart. But if you want something even sweeter, try a Macoun. Honeycrisp are all the rage, but are difficult to grow. The Honeycrisp tree has higher nutritional needs than most other apple trees in order to produce nice consistent quality fruit. I doubt, however, Honeycrisp apples would win if they were in a supermarket taste test. If you are thirsty, however, they are watery apples.

It is too late now, but thinking ahead to next year, you can pick sweet cherries in mid- to late-June and tart ones right after the sweets are finished.

“We have a huge following of people who come from as far as Boston and New York to pick their own cherries. They come to us because picking cherries was a normal thing to do in their native countries, but many growers don’t allow cherry picking in their orchards,” Bashista said.

Bashista Orchards is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. They sometimes are open fewer days in April and May and recommend calling ahead or checking their Facebook page for details.

Centrally located from Route 10, Route 202, Route 141, Route 91 and the Massachusetts Turnpike, Bashista Orchards is located at 160 East St. in Southampton.

For more information, visit gotcider.net or call 413-527-9091.

28 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

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!  VICKI MITCHELL

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ocal Vibe, “a not so general, general store,” opened in June in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. The small and stylish store, located on picturesque Main Street, offers locally made crafts, arts, tye-dye items, jewelry, soaps, candies, and spices to name just a few of the eclectic items available. The owners are Jodi Harmon and Dan Tomlin, the husband and wife duo who also own the adjacent Stafford Cidery. Dan focuses more on the cider making, while Jodi works on the store. She is assisted by her niece, Jessica Gentry.

Jodi explained the decision to open the store by saying, “when this retail space became available, we jumped at the chance to rent it. It shares a small back room with the Cidery and it just seemed like a natural fit for us. We’ve always thought a retail store sounded fun. With the shared space with the Cidery, it makes it a lot easier to share some expenses and resources, so we figured why not go for it! Our goal was to be a little different than just a straight out gift store and we tagged ourselves with the line of a “Not So General, General Store”. We hope to carry things that people need but maybe can’t find elsewhere… some things that are made locally, or made with a little more care about the environment. We are always trying to find new and different items to bring in, and if people want us to carry something, they should just ask. We’ve found a few great products already that are because someone recommended them to us. We want to have what our customers want!”

Local Vibe currently carries items from about 50 vendors and consigners. For example, you can find spices from the Atlantic Spice Company out of Truro, Massachusetts, a place where Jodi spent family vacations. More unusual spices such as Jamaican Jerk, Garam Masala, Chinese 5 Spice mix and a pickling spice blend can be purchased at very reasonable prices.

You can also take your meals up a notch by using one of the flavored vinegars or oils the store carries, such as blood orange, lemon, fig, or curry infused GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 31

olive oils. Chocolate covered cherries and espresso beans, orange truffles, local maple syrup, honey, and applesauce, dip mixes, and salsa all help to make food items their largest selling category.

Other top selling items are adjustable silver rings, which Jodi describes as “simple but elegant,” and used LP records, which “people love picking through! We love music at Local Vibe, and we hope to bring more music related items such as picks, strings, and maybe even some guitars into the store in the near future.”

Conscious Step Socks are described as “great quality socks, with profits from each pair benefitting a different cause such as saving the whales or reading more books.” The company is committed to lasting social and environmental change, and their production process “supports farms and factories with fair wages, safe facilities, and sustainable materials.”

Check out the store’s fun and practical double layered umbrellas with great designs, which fold IN after use to keep you and your surroundings dry! Animal lovers will find home décor and tasty treats for pampering their pets, including cat treats with fun names like Purrsecco and Pinot Meow. Tye-dye items including shirts, socks, totes, pillow cases, and tapestries are made by a local woman, and all the items are brightly colored and unique.

You can also find beaded bracelets “made with lovely earth tone stones and lava beads that can pick up scents,” says Jodi. “We also have sparkling bottle necklaces that can hold oils, but look amazing regardless of what they hold.

32 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

The wood and felt hangers can be used in your car, on your purse, or wherever you want a scent pick-me-up.” Of course, they also sell the essential oils you’ll want to “give your day a natural boost.” More great scents can be enjoyed by burning one of the store’s candles, with unusual scents such as blackberry brandy or whiskey and tobacco.

Fun for the kids and grown-ups alike are the reusable glow sticks, which “instead of the shake and crack disposable glow sticks, these bright blue beauties last for hours! Super bright, and when they finally do slow their glowing, you can replace the small batteries and keep plastic out of our landfills!” notes Jodi.

In addition to the many unique and fun items in the store, Local Vibe also sponsors several unusual events.

Henna Art provides a temporary stain on the skin in a variety of designs and colors, which will lighten over time and gradually fade away within about two weeks. Henna artist Linda from Hennatize Me will create a unique design just for you. Each design takes about 20 minutes and costs $40.00. The next session will be held on Friday, September 10th between 6:00 and 8:00 pm in the small and comfortable event space at the back of the store. Reservations for yourself or a small group of 4 or 5 are recommended. Another sponsored event is a Tarot card reading by Peg from Find Your Path. Private readings are also held in the event space, and cost $20.00 for GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 33

a 15-minute session. The next reading will take place on Saturday, September 25th, between 3:00 and 7:00 pm. Again, reservations are recommended.

With all that Local Vibe offers, Jodi says she most enjoys making connections.

She explains, “searching out items that are made by people who are passionate about what they are creating really adds something to the product. You feel that love and pride in an item…it’s much different from mass produced goods. And I love listening to a customer discover an item in the store with a similar enthusiasm....excited about their unique find. That customer shopping in our little store supports us and we support the creators...we just love being the bridge that brings people together. I’m happy when my vendors make money. I’m happy when shoppers find that perfect something. I guess I like being the facilitator for those connections!”

Days and hours open will be expanded soon…check Facebook for updates.

Local Vibe is located at 72 Main Street in Stafford Springs, Connecticut facebook.com/LocalVibeStore Current store hours are Friday and Saturday from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm and Sunday from 1:00 to 5:00 pm.

34 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

local snapshot  Michelle Johnson

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 35

go eat

! RECIPE SUBMITTED BY NATHAN BLAIS

Sweet Potato Black Bean Burgers

For the veggie burger (makes about 10) 4 large sweet potatoes 1 bag boil in a bag brown rice 2 cans of black beans 1 cup of whole oats 1 small onion 2 teaspoons of cumin

Preheat your oven to 425F, cut your sweet potatoes in half, the long way and roast for about 45-50 minutes.

Mash together your beans, cooked brown rice, oats, sweet potatoes, a small onion (diced), and all the seasonings. Once fully mixed together, form your patties and put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 425 for about 15 minutes or so. Serve with roasted red pepper hummus and sriracha!

1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon turmeric 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt & pepper to taste 36 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

NATHAN BLAIS I’m a photographer from Springfield. I combined my love for cooking and photography and turned it into a career. Check out my instagram @nateblais!

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Doctor of Audiology

Doctor of Audiology

The Finest Hearing Care by Doctors of Audiology

Great Selection!

– Since 1984 –

200 North Main Street, North Building, Suite 103 East Longmeadow, MA • 413-525-7979 www.hampdenhearing.com

LONGMEADOW SHOPS PARKING LOT 666 Bliss Road • Next to athletic fields

de F resh Dai ly MaFor ! the Very Best in Donuts There’s Only One...

GERRY’S DONUTS

Memory Lamps • Gourmet Food • Gifts • All-Occasion Specialty Baskets

5 OFF

$

any purchase of $30 or more

GERRY’S DONUTS

“Eye Opener” Combo

*Excludes Memory Items Expires 10/4/21

WELCOME FALL! 111 Main Street, Somersville, CT 860.265.2282 Delivery to most area towns, including Massachusetts

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK starting after Labor Day - call for hours www.somersvillagegifts.com

Pizza • Grinders Appetizers Wings Calzones Salads • Wraps Sandwiches Hamburgers Omelets • Desserts

00 OFF 4 Order of $15 or More $

Pick-up only. Cannot be combined with other offers. Expires 9/30/21.

112 Pearl St. • Enfield, CT • 860.741.3679 • 860.741.3670 www.enfieldpizza.com

All Homemade with The Freshest Ingredients!

40 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

1

$ 79

GERRY’S DONUTS

“The Muffin Man”

1

$ 79

GERRY’S DONUTS

“Donut Worry Be Happy”

$

225

Your choice of donut, danish or muffin Coupon Expires 9/30/21

3 Muffins (Limit 2 Dozen) Coupon Expires 9/30/21

6 Donuts (Limit 2 Dozen) Coupon Expires 9/30/21

180 Windsorville Rd (5 Corners Plaza) Rt. 74 • Ellington, CT

180 Windsorville Rd (5 Corners Plaza) Rt. 74 • Ellington, CT

180 Windsorville Rd (5 Corners Plaza) Rt. 74 • Ellington, CT

180 Windsorville Rd (5 Corners Plaza) Rt. 74 • Ellington, CT

ENFIELD

PAINT

401 Enfield Street • Enfield, CT

860-745-3721

enfieldctpaint@gmail.com

$

5.00 OFF

a gallon of paint

Hours: M-F 7:30-5:30 Sat 8-3 • Sun closed

THE BEST PLACE TO WELCOME FALL! Visit Our Interactive Corn Maze

“IT’S YOUR TURN”

Buying & Selling Quality Used Records Hours: Tues.-Sun. 11am-6pm

Andy Crespo

52 Main St. Apt. 6 Florence, MA

Every Weekend – September 18-Halloween 540 Somers Road East Longmeadow, MA

413.348.9628

APPLES•CIDER•SOUP SHACK theappleplace.net

We Gotta Key for That!

Car, Truck, Boat, Motorcycle, Padlock, Cessna, Gumball Machine...

Whatever it is! We can make it.

413-585-5738

andybarnowl@comcast.net

Your Local, Family Owned Kitchen Experts.

Custom Closet Systems Kitchen & Bath Cabinetry • Laundry • Quartz Granite • Corian • Laminate • Full Remodeling

YEP! We gotta key for that!

977 St. James Avenue Springfield, MA

LOCKSMITHS

413-732-8538

servulocksmiths.com

1 Allen St. Hampden, MA

(413) 566-8324

di Hampden House

OUR NEW OUTDOOR PATIO IS OPEN!

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT IS BACK!

Kitchen Encounters offers friendly, local service. We will help you visualize your new kitchen or bath with our expert design service and we are ALWAYS a better value than the big box stores. You can trust Kitchen Encounters because our families are local, just like yours!

Visit Our Beautiful Showroom

Follow us on Instagram @kitchenencounters1994

15 RAILROAD AVENUE, WILBRAHAM 413-596-6535 | WWW.KITCHEN-ENCOUNTERS.COM

Over 25 Years in Business!

Friday & Saturday Nights Open for Lunch Friday thru Sunday Half Price Pizza Monday Night in Our Lounge

See our website for our Banquet & Catering Menu

lacucinahampden.com Lounge Open & Pizza 7 Days

Mon. 3pm-8pm | Tues.-Thurs. 3pm-8pm | Fri.-Sat. 11:30am-9pm Sun. 11:30am-8pm

COMING IN OUR OCTOBER ISSUE

Weddings TO ADVERTISE...

Call Jeanette @ 860.729.1606 or email jgrenier@thereminder.com GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 41

The Final Countdown

Corn mazes you must check out!

7 fun and festive corn mazes!

HICKS FAMILY FARM

1299 MA-2 E, CHARLEMONT, MA HICKSCORNMAZE.COM SAT & SUN 10-5, THROUGH OCT. 31 We are an extended family working hard to keep our 5th generation farm in operation. We opened the corn maze in 2011 and have continued to grow into a family friendly place to visit! Come play the scavenger hunt game in the maze & play mini golf in the field! Come visit a few of the farm animals and have fun.

This will be our 11th year!

MIKE’S MAZE AT WARNER FARM

23 S. MAIN ST. SUNDERLAND, MA MIKESMAZE.COM THURS 12-5, FRI - SUN 9-5, THROUGH NOV. 1 Every year we concoct a brand new maze, along with themed games that will challenge you to solve puzzles and problems, and lead you on your exploration through the corn! Be prepared to laugh and learn as you wander the 8-acre maze, encountering installations and trivia at every turn!

BROWN’S HARVEST

FAIR WEATHER GROWERS

In the Fall we offer hayrides around the farm, pumpkins, gourds, mums, cider and our popular cider donuts.

It’s a great place to have birthday parties or other group events. Weekend activities include our 6-acre corn maze, kids’ corn maze, face painting, DJ, and special entertainment!

In 2010 after visiting many other Corn Mazes, we decided to try agritourism ourselves and we turned our 16 acres field on County Line Drive in Cromwell into the Fair Weather Growers Fall Festival and Corn Maze. Open the middle of September right thru the end of October you will now see the fields filled with families on Friday, Saturday and Sunday along with Columbus Day.

1911 POQUONOCK AVE, WINDSOR, CT BROWNSHARVEST.COM WED - FRI 11-6 & SAT - SUN 10-5, THROUGH OCTOBER 31

10 COUNTY LINE DR, CROMWELL, CT FAIRWEATHERGROWERS.COM FRIDAY-SUNDAY 10-6, THROUGH OCTOBER 31

SCANTIC VALLEY FARM

ROLLING ACRES CORN MAZE

RIVERVIEW FARMS

Come enjoy our 8 acre corn maze, pumpkin picking, hayrides and plenty of family activities. We also have delicious things to eat like our Specialty Burgers featuring beef we raise here on the farm and our signature Apple Cider Donut Sundae!

Rolling Acres Corn Maze theme this year is the farm. The barn being the largest part of the maze.

The maze is located on 12 acres of field and we have transformed about 2.64 miles of maze into the corn with rolling acres, and dead ends. Our corn maze was professionally designed and cut by The Corn Maze Guy, a division of Newton Graphics, LLC.

You will feel the temperature drop a few degrees when you enter the Corn Maze. The rustling leaves underfoot drown out other sounds, and as you turn the first corner, everything changes. You are surrounded by cornstalks that loom overhead and obscure your view of the outside.

Only a few landmarks help your family navigate and conquer the maze along zigzagging paths.

327 NINTH DISTRICT ROAD, SOMERS, CT SCANTICVALLEYFARM.COM SATURDAY-SUNDAY 11-6, THROUGH OCTOBER 31

42 GO LOCAL SEPTEMBER 2021

53 PLEASANT ST, SOUTHAMPTON, MA FRI 5-11, SAT 11-11, SUN 11-9, THROUGH OCTOBER 31

91 WASSUC RD, SOUTH GLASTONBURY, CT RIVERVIEWFARMSCT.COM SATURDAY-SUNDAY 10-6, THROUGH OCTOBER 31

local einstein

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE - NO GOOGLING!

IN WHAT YEAR DID LABOR DAY BECOME AN OFFICIAL FEDERAL HOLIDAY IN THE US?

WHAT CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE WAS ORIGINALLY TITLED “THE BABYSITTER MURDERS?”

[A] 1884 [B] 1894 [C] 1904 [D] 1914

WHAT MOUNTAIN IS NICKNAMED THE “SAVAGE MOUNTAIN?”

[A] Scream [B] Halloween [C] Rosemary’s Baby [D] A Nightmare on Elm Street WHAT FAMOUS POEM BEGINS WITH THE LINE “LISTEN MY CHILDREN AND YOU SHALL HEAR…?”

[A] K2 [B] Mount Everest [C] Annapurna [D] Matterhorn WHICH US STATE CONTAINS THE GUADALUPE, TRINITY, BRAZOS AND COLORADO RIVERS (AMONG OTHERS)?

[A] [B] [C] [D]

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE CURRENT NHL TEAM BASED IN MINNESOTA? [A] North Stars [B] Stars [C] Wild [D] Kings

[A] Texas [B] New Mexico [C] Colorado [D] Utah

ACROPHOBIA IS THE FEAR OF WHAT?

IN THE GODFATHER: PART II, WHO PLAYED VITO CORLEONE? [A] Al Pacino [B] Robert Duvall [C] Marlon Brando [D] Robert DeNiro

[A] Needles [B] Heights [C] The Dark [D] Insects

[A] Mercury [B] Mars [C] Pluto [D] Neptune

# CORRECT

IQ

RANK

ANSWERS:

8-9 5-7 2-4 0-1

160 110 50 3

Prodigy Egghead Meh Simpleton

1)B 2)B 3)A 4)B 5)A 6)C 7)B 8)D 9)A

WHAT IS THE SMALLEST PLANET IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM?

The Raven Paul Revere’s Ride The Ghost The Charge of the Light Brigade

GOLOCALMAGAZINES.COM 43