New Hampshire Women Magazine - Nov/Dec 2020

COMPLIMENTARY

November/December 2020

NEW HAMPSHIRE

WOM EN MAGAZINE

Inspiring Women of New Hampshire

celebrating the women of New Hampshire

Bringing the Brine: Meet oyster farmers:

Laura Brown Fox Point Oysters LLC &

Krystin Ward

Choice Oysters LLC

Inside: Renew MediSpa Turning Back Time with Suspension Sutures

Page 14 Page 12.

NH Women Magazine / VOL 2 ISSUE 12

NEW HAMPSHIRE

WOMMAGAZINE

Melissa Diorio Editor-in-Chief 603.591.4952 Melissa@nhwomenmagazine.com

New Hampshire Women Magazine’s print publication is published by Melissa DiOrio of Gracant Communications (melissa@nhwomenmagazine.com). The name ‘New Hampshire Women Magazine’ is registered as a trade name with the State of New Hampshire by SG Communications, LLC and is used herein with its permission.

The term ‘New Hampshire Women’ is registered as a trademark with the State of New Hampshire by SG Communications, LLC and is used herein with its permission.

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Cover Photo By Elizabeth Ferris

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Business Spotlight Auger Building:

Growing for the Future Written by Crystal Ward Kent

Like most people, Ben Auger, president of Auger Building of Greenland, New Hampshire, will be glad to see the calendar page turn on the year 2020. However, he is also grateful for the many opportunities that the year unexpectedly brought. 2020 proved to be highly successful for his company, which works in a wide range of building areas, including residential, commercial and historic renovation. “We have been incredibly fortunate,” he says.

“We have been very busy and are on par with other years in terms of completed projects and revenues. With so many people home, we have seen a big uptick in renovations.

People need space for home offices, schooling areas or entertainment areas, or they just realize that their home needs an upgrade. Kitchen refurbishments have been popular, for example. We are also seeing lots of new construction, as people from COVID hot spots such as New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts have been moving here. Since we provide a wide

to add more employees and that a very good living.” goal should be fulfilled as well.

Auger, who’s been in the buildFrom a personal standpoint, he ing field for 38 years and headed is trying to make taking better his own company since 1984, care of his health a priority. “This continues to find the industry year has been a good wake up very rewarding. “I love many difcall,” he says. “It’s so easy to get ferent aspects of it,” he reflects. caught up in your career, espe“I love that it is always different; I cially when you are busy and like love problem-solving, but mostly what you do, but the best thing I love the relationships—with the you can do to protect yourself client, with my team and others from illness is to pay attention to who come together to finish a range of services, we have been your health overall—eat right, get project, and with the community. able to fulfill these needs.” your sleep, get exercise. I’ve also When you are doing a project, so Although business is going well, learned that I need to not get too many talented people come toAuger explains that there were stressed. The world news this year gether with a common goal and still challenges. “Like everyhas been overwhelming, between then work together to make that one, we’ve had to learn how to COVID, natural disasters and the goal a reality. You start with this do business in a very different election. I’ve learned to ‘tune out’ little germ of an idea and then environment,” he says. “Everyone from time to time so that I don’t in two months or two years, the wears masks; we have sanitation take on more stress than I need work is done and it’s beautiful. It stations everywhere, and nearly to. Hopefully, 2021 will be a better is so satisfying to see the project all of our meetings are by ZOOM, completed, whether it’s a new such as with planning boards, his- year for all of us.”

As Auger Building continues to kitchen or a new home. To know toric commissions, zoning boards, thrive and grow, Auger encourthat these diverse people comeven with our project managers ages more women to explore bined their efforts and skills to and for client meetings. I never make it happen is very rewarding. careers in the building industry. thought we could do some of this This is what keeps me excited work remotely but we’ve adapted “We need more women in this about the work and eager to be field,” he says. “I work with many and been successful. I’m really here every day.” women architects and landscape proud of the way our team has architects and we interact with a learned and continues to do so. lot of female clients who are We have embraced the challengoverseeing the renovation es of doing business this way. In of their families’ homes, but some respects, it’s worked out better, such as in meeting with cli- we need more women in the building world. I myself ents who live at a distance, but in hope to hire one or two general, I will be glad to get back female project managers. I to face-to-face dealings when it’s think they bring different safe again.” insights and that my clients Auger says that 2021 is shaping would welcome them. I also up to be a successful year as hope more young people in well, based on projects that have general consider a career in already booked. Financially, he hopes to see his business grow by building. It’s challenging and satisfying and you can make 20 percent over 2020, and he is on pace to do that. He also wants

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NH Women Magazine / VOL 2 ISSUE 12

BRINGING THE BRINE:

MEET TWO SISTERS GROWING SUSTAINABLE OYSTER FARMING BUSINESSES WHILE HELPING TO IMPROVE NH’S MOST FAMOUS ESTUARY’S WATER QUALITY AND LONGEVITY. It all depends on the tide,” says Brown. “Some days are spent gently shaking the oysters in the bags to clean them and keep them from growing together [because] they are sold as individual oysters, not clusters. Some days, I go through trays of oysters and break them apart, clean them of mud and source harvest-ready sizes.”

Photo By Elizabeth Ferris for oyster farmers (and sisters!), The daily low tides at the Laura Brown of Fox Point Oysters Great Bay Estuary reveal a LLC of Durham and Krystin Ward beautiful underwater landscape painted with tufts of of Choice Oysters LLC of Portswaving seaweed and almost mouth, low tide starts a ticking perfectly-placed halved clock - a three-hour window to shells scattered across the tend to their beloved crops. sandy bottom. The calmness of this time hushes the A Typical Day Wearing waders in waist-deep bouncing buoys marking the waters at the mouth of Great Bay homes of what may be one of the greatest natural water (known as Little Bay), the women filters on earth - the Eastern gently walk their kayaks over to the mud flats that house bags, oyster. cages, and even loose oysters To the average observer, they have seeded on the bay’s low tide seems like a time floor. With a sum of three farms of testing patience. Many between them (one for Brown and boats sit sulking on the two for Ward), precious time is mud and tied to their tidal docks, while kids wait for the strategically calculated and spent cleaning the equipment and raking rising waters to make way for cannon balls and dives the oysters seeded below.

“I typically get up with the sun. off floating platforms. Yet, 6 / VOL 2 ISSUE 13 / NEW HAMPSHIRE WOMEN MAGAZINE

Women Run, Women Owned Oyster farming in many ways is about nurturing the animal.

And, maybe that’s one reason why women are shining in the industry? One of many factors in this nurturing process is that providing such desirable conditions yields plumper meat and attractive shells. With the growing interest in oysters, and over a 604 percent increase in NH’s oyster harvesting between 2013 and 2019*, consumers are building preferences for taste, texture, and crave the freshness buying local brings. “I think that oysters in general have reached an all-time high,” says Ward. “I think that many people are realizing that many farms, on land or in the water, are owned by women and hopefully this has helped in their career choice.”

Ward, a farmer-scientist who works heavily in oyster restoration as well, sells oysters called Little Bay Littles and larger Salty Girlz. When asked about their special characteristics she says, “Our oysters have a firm texture and are very briny, they pack a punch. At certain times in the season they are described as having a creamy finish. They have a nice, thick cupped shell.”

Brown, who has a masters in

fine arts and left the world of art education, sculpture, and glassblowing to return to New Hampshire and start a farm with her sister’s advice and guidance, describes her oysters as a wine connoisseur describes her favorite bottle. “My oysters have a khaki, teardrop shell with a deep cup, offering a briny kick, a hint of sweet and a clean finish,” she says. “They are grown where the mouth of the Bellamy River meets Little Bay.” Brown explains that a great influx of tidal waters from the Atlantic Ocean, coupled with fresh waters from five major rivers whirl around the bay creating food sources for oysters. She continues, “This unique blend of nutrients in the water creates the flavor of the oysters and each farm can have a distinct taste depending on the location and how they are farmed.”

Navigating the COVID Crisis With the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not only businesses on land that have had to change their business models to cope with this new way of living, Brown and Ward have also had to think quickly and creatively to keep their businesses afloat.

“My business was primarily wholesale, some retail, and I added some events,” says Brown. “When COVID hit, restaurants (wholesale), largely disappeared. Events were also cancelled. I had to completely change my business model to sell directly to retail clients.

* Information provided by NH Sea Grant and NH Farmers Shellfish Initiative

Photo by Elizabeth Ferris

NH Women Magazine / VOL 2 ISSUE 12

NHWM | Inspiring Women

Customers ordered online and picked up at a parking lot near my farm. So, a drop off of hundreds of oysters to one wholesaler each week became a dozen at a time to each customer.”

Brown says she also teamed up with other local groups to deliver to customers. “Retail saved me,” she says. “It took 100 percent more effort and a lot of customer service to make it happen, but I kept the business afloat and can keep going another year.”

Ward focused more on oyster restoration on Great Bay with organizations like the UNH Jackson Estuarine Laboratory when the pandemic hit. “During COVID, my focus has been more on oyster restoration on the bay, working with agencies in NH and providing them with oysters that will help repopulate the natural oyster reefs. During COVID, many of the restaurants were closed down or running a minimum capacity, so it was a challenge

figuring out which direction my farm should go in.” She continues, “I think my work at the UNH Jackson Estuarine Laboratory and how COVID has affected the state has been an influence with how I run my farm these days.”

Healing Great Bay Decades before Brown and Ward started their oyster farms, Great Bay was feeling the effects of disease and overharvesting.

With the substantial decrease in natural oyster reefs, the bay suffered significantly.

Oysters are critical to the bay’s ecosystem. And, a major benefit of running oyster farms for these sisters, is the obvious environmental benefit they have on positively affecting Great Bay. A single oyster can filter 30 to 40 gallons of water a day. “Oyster’s are nature’s pumps,” says Brown. “They filter water where they get their nutrients and help keep water clear.”

A typical growth period of an oyster is two and a half to three years to prepare an oyster for harvest. “The oysters I put in each

Photo by Hannah Ferris

year will produce baby oysters working tides, listening to the naturally after one year, I believe,” birds, watching the sun rise and says Brown. “I harvest two and set. Working in a way that actua half to three year old oysters, ally benefits the environment is so each year my hundreds of very fulfilling.” thousands of oysters are produc“The farm is a happy place ing millions of baby oysters that - grounding, calming, and hopefully find their way to natural restorative,” says Brown. It can reefs, rocks, etcetera, where they also be exhausting, redundant, grow up [and] pump and filter and physically hard on the water and thrive.” body. Each day, however, I feel “‘Bottom seeding’ oysters is anrestored. I found myself rising other method that we use on the with the sun and sleeping with farms,” says Ward. “As the oyster nightfall over the years. And, in seed gets to be about an inch and winter, when the oysters rest, a half long, they are mostly safe so do I. I sleep longer and lonfrom crab predation, so that’s ger until spring comes and my when we spread the [oyster] energy is renewed. The water seed on the bottom to grow until is invigorating and when I take reaching market size. As we do time off the farm, I find myself this over the years, the oysters eager to get back in the water. that we don’t harvest, continue to It does something for the soul.” grow on the bottom and become To learn more about restoration too big. Another farmer and I efforts in Great Bay, visit: thought of a way to use these large oysters to help repopulate natural reefs in Great Bay that are https://seagrant.unh.edu/ in the restoration phase.” https://www.nature.org/en-us/aboutWard continues, “Most of the us/where-we-work/united-states/ farmers in Little Bay are now new-hampshire/oyster-restoration-inworking with Alix Laferriere with the-great-bay-estuary/ the NH Nature Conservancy and Ray Grizzle UNH’s Jackson Estua- https://marine.unh.edu/facility/jackrine Laboratory to transport these son-estuarine-laboratory large oysters and smaller seed oysters to a reef that has had declining numbers of oysters over the years. The low number of oysters equals low number spawning.

These farmed oysters are placed on a clam shell base at these restoration areas where they will be able to repopulate the area.”

Brown, Ward and most farmers in Little Bay also work with the NH Sea Grant using large, unmarketable oysters to create a reef located on the farm site. “This reef will mimic what we’re trying to achieve on the restoration sites and will be monitored yearly.”

The Great Connection Both sisters agree there’s a deep connection with nature while serving the farms. “Yes, definitely, a huge connection with nature.

It’s beautiful out on the farm,

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Photo by Elizabeth Ferris NH Women Magazine / VOL 2 ISSUE 12

| NHWM

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EDUCATION COLUMN The Power Of Gratitude & Optimism In Difficult Circumstances: How To Help Children Stay Positive

By Samantha Wingate, Director of Admissions and Advancement

G

ratitude is a powerful thing. Though life moves quickly, it’s important to take a step back and remember what we’re grateful for—especially as we celebrate the holiday season and head towards a new year.

2020 has brought unexpected challenges.

While staying positive might be harder than in years past, the holidays provide families with a wonderful learning opportunity to show their children the true power of gratitude and what the holiday season is really about.

How Gratitude Makes An Impact Adopting a gracious view can make a world of difference in someone’s attitude— in children and adults alike. However, it can also go beyond inspiring a positive mindset. The optimism you and your children explore together can benefit not only their mindset, but also their ability to process and absorb information.

selves and the world around them—they’ll be more open to explore their surroundings to the fullest extent.

Samantha Wingate Director of Admissions and Advancement

Fostering Optimism This Holiday Season Keeping your family safe is crucial—but that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make the most of a socially-distant holiday season.

•

•

Write letters of gratitude to the essential workers near you or in your life. As you and your children work together, share with them what it means to be an essential worker, and what’s still possible during our day-to-day lives thanks to those hard working individuals.

Have an active dialogue with your family about what they’re thankful for this year.

Show them the power of looking for the light during difficult times, and teach them by example about how they can shift their gaze to a “glass half full” mindset.

•

They’ll not only feel better about them-

Together, tell your friends and family how much they mean to you. Reach out to those you might not be able to celebrate with

this year and remind your family that, though those loved ones might seem far away, they are never far from your thoughts and hearts.

•

Give your family (and yourself) some grace. Though optimism can be a powerful tool, let your kids know that it’s okay to feel sad, upset, or angry about the current circumstances, and that those emotions are normal. Give them the space to work through their feelings, to make way for the ability to look towards a brighter future ahead.

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NH Women Magazine / VOL 2 ISSUE 12

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NH Women Magazine / VOL 2 ISSUE 12

Written by Dr. Lisa Vuich, Owner of Renew Medi Spa

MEDICAL SPA | SPECIAL SECTION

TURNING BACK TIME WITH SUSPENSION SUTURES Dr. Lisa Vuich is a graduate of Tufts University (1988) and Tufts University School of Medicine (1992). She opened Renew MediSpa in 2006 and has worked steadily since then to ensure that Renew MediSpa remains at the cutting edge of the latest advancements in nonsurgical aesthetics. She is a nationally recognized injector, a member of numerous aesthetic organizations, a Key Opinion Leader for several aesthetic companies, and a Master Clinical instructor for Specialty Med Training. She is board certified by the American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine and regularly instructs physicians and other providers on injection technique, platelet-rich plasma therapies and other aesthetic procedures through the Renew MediSpa Training Institute.

This time of year is what those of us in the MediSpa industry call “busy season.”

It’s a time when our clients scramble for appointments to polish their look prior to celebrations such as holiday parties and family events in particular. In the year of Covid, (or, as we call it, “CoronApocolypse”).

I didn’t honestly know what to expect in terms of appointment demand given that social gatherings are understandably downsized or cancelled. Interestingly, my schedule is packed and I am currently booking into January. It turns out that mask wearing has become the new “aesthetic procedure camouflage.”

“Let’s do it now, if I get a bruise no one will see it anyway,” is the new mantra!

One non-surgical procedure on the rise is called “Absorbable Suspension Sutures,” or “Silhouette InstaLift” for short. This is an in office aesthetic procedure that places collagen stimulating sutures into the fatty layer just under the skin, to reposition it into an elevated position- creating the “InstaLift.” If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and done what I call the “two fingertip tug up” to correct the droop you see in the cheeks or the jawline, then you know what this procedure is indicated for!

These sutures were FDA approved in April 2015, but had been popular in Europe for years prior to that. Studies date back as far as the mid 1990s.

The sutures are as thin and flexible as fishing wire, clear in color, and capable of instantly picking up the skin overlying them due to the tiny cones that provide the supportive structure. Those cones are made mostly of a compound called poly-Llactic acid (PLLA), which is what we call a bio-stimulater.

It forces the fibroblasts in the region to produce collagen. PLLA is also the active ingredient in Sculptra Aesthetic, an injectable liquid form that we use to restore lost volume in the face through collagen stimulation.

The two advantages of the sutures over the liquid formulation are 1. Instant gratification lift/skin repositioning 2. The ability to lift and add collagen without “plumping” the cheeks

InstaLift Sutures

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Over time, as these sutures dissolve, new collagen is left in their place to maintain the result. Although the word suture may have you thinking “surgical,” there are no incisions or stitches with this procedure. They are placed through nothing more than “needle pokes” on the surface and the downtime is minimal. In the same way that you see a temporary mark on your skin after blood is drawn, the same is true after the Silhouette InstaLift procedure. They are seen on the cheeks and resolve over the course of a couple of days. Makeup can be worn the following day as needed to cover these over. I often combine these sutures with a few PDO threads in the cheek region, for added support, as in the case below.

Thanks to the strong collagen stimulation, the results of this procedure are very long lasting. Most will boost their results with additional sutures at the 1.5 to 2 year mark.

Information on our Silhouette InstaLift special promotion can be accessed by going to https://

lp.renewmedispa.com/ specials2020. We offer free consultations with Laura or Danielle here at Renew, to help you determine if you are a candidate. You can also email photos to Laura@ renewmedispa.com for general recommendations (she will review the photos with me of course) and scheduling assistance.

For physicians or nurse practitioners interested in learning this technique, I have released an online training module called The Art of Thread Lifting Master Class, which can be accessed by going to www.medispatraininginstitute.com.

Upon completion of the online module, you can schedule a hands on training at the RenewMediSpa Training Institute in Derry, NH.

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