Home and Garden, and Real Estate- April 28, 2024

Mass. farms grapple with mild winter, weather variability, Page F6

How plants were

SPRINGFIELD

Plant sale to benefit student scholarships

The Springfield Garden Club will host its annual plant sale June 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Old Monkey House in Forest Park. Free entry to the plant sale is available at the Trafton Road entrance to Forest Park, 200 Trafton Road. A spring tradition and the club’s major scholarship fundraiser, the event offers many plants for sale from members’ gardens or grown from seed specifically for the sale. The Springfield Garden Club awards an annual scholarship of between $2,000 and $4,000 to a graduating high school senior, undergraduate or graduate college student majoring in a full-time plant science or environmental studies program, such as horticulture, floriculture, landscape design, conservation, forestry, botany, agronomy, plant pathology, environmental control, land management or other allied fields. Using proceeds from past plant sales, the club has given out over $80,000 in scholarships to students in the last 30-plus years.

(DON TREEGER / THE REPUBLICAN, FILE)

Garden programs

Berkshire Botanical Garden presents the following upcoming programs:

• Thursday, May 2, 5 p.m. via Zoom, “Spring Wildflowers.” In this two-part class, botanist Ted Elliman will focus on the wildflowers that grace Berkshire County’s spring woods. The evening program will present an overview of native wildflowers found in several kinds of forest communities in the Berkshires, with a focus on their identification features and particular habitats. A Saturday, May 4 walk, from

10 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be in woodlands notable for the beauty, abundance, and variety of their spring flora. There will be a garden van option for up to 10 people available on May 4, departing at 10 a.m. and returning at 2 p.m. Please bring lunch to enjoy in the field. Cost $50 members, $100 nonmembers;

• Saturday, May 4, “New Moon Botanical Bounty: Creating and Using Herbal infused Oils.” Delight in a spring-inspired tea while making lip balms, skin salves, and roll-on perfume/bug repellent energized by the Flower Moon from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. In this beginner-friend-

ly class led by Nicole Irene, participants will learn techniques to extract the healing properties of herbs and infuse them into nourishing oils. All students will make and take home a lip balm, salve, infused oil, mason jar of herbs, and a handout with basic instructions. This workshop welcomes all enthusiasts who share a passion for the power of plants. Cost $65 members, $80 nonmembers;

• Saturday, May 4, “Spring Tree Identification.” In this class, from 9 a.m. to noon, and led by Tom Ingersoll and Melissa LeVangie-Ingersoll,

Lee Reich | In the Garden

Grafting can strengthen, add variety to trees

ILIKE TO WAIT FOR the weather to cooperate before I get around to grafting. It finally did, and I began grafting some pear trees. I could have begun earlier, but the graft responds more quickly in warmer weather.

I’m going to describe three easy grafts I did yesterday. Which one I chose to do depended on the size of the rootstock on which I was grafting. The scions, which are the varieties I’m grafting on the rootstocks, are all one-year-old stems 6 to 12 inches long and more or less pencil-thick (remember what pencils are?). They have been stored, wrapped to prevent drying out, in the refrigerator so that they are more asleep than the awakening rootstocks.

The principles that make any graft work are all the same: Close kinship of stock and scion. Close proximity of the cambium — the layer just beneath the bark — of the stock and of the scion. All open wounds sealed against moisture loss. And immobilization of rootstock and scion

until graft succeeds. My book, “The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden,” goes into more detail about the why and the how of grafting.

For starters, I turned to the bark graft, good for grafting on rootstocks a couple or more inches across. This first graft was on a Tyson pear tree whose flavor wasn’t up to snuff, so that graft began with doing a Henry the Eighth, lopping off the tree’s head to graft height, which was a couple feet from ground level.

The bark graft comes with a good insurance policy. That’s because onto each rootstock, depending on its diameter, I can stick three, four, five — or even more — scions. Only one scion needs to grow, but the more that are grafted, the greater the chance of at least one growing.

I prepared a scion with a bevel cut 2 inches long, at its base, not quite all the way across from one side to the other. On the opposite side of the cut, I nicked off a short

Terry & Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting

Some tiles are worth collecting

IN PRESENT-DAY

houses, tile is usually a humble building material, limited to bathroom or kitchen surfaces for its durability and ease of cleaning. To collectors, they are an art form; especially if they were made by the art potteries of the early 20th century.

Wheatley Pottery, the maker of this flowered tile that sold for $216 at Soulis Auctions, was one of them. Thomas

J. Wheatley started his first pottery, T.J. Wheatley & Co., in 1880, but it closed within a few years. After some time working with Weller Pottery in Zanesville, Ohio, which was at one point the largest art pottery in the world, he tried again. Wheatley Pottery opened in 1903 in Cincinnati. In 1927, the Cambridge Tile Manufacturing Company of Covington, Kentucky, bought Wheatley Pottery. They stayed open until the 1980s.

Q.I have a L&L WMC lamp with two babies and three candle holders. The number 8360 is on the base. What is it worth?

A.Your lamp is made by Loevsky & Loevsky White Metal Castings, which went into business in New Jersey in the 1930s. They made lamps in many earlier styles, art deco, Arts & Crafts, Victorian, etc. Their lamps often had glass shades in a matching period style; for example, a Tiffany-style, stained-glass shade for an art nouveau base; or a frosted or painted glass globe and dangling prisms for a Victorian-style lamp. The number on the base of your lamp is probably a model number. We have not found that specific model, but similar lamps by the same company have sold for about $200 to $300.

Q. I have four Old Willow Myott teacup plates. On the bottom of the plates the following is written:

“Old Willow Myott Made

in Staffordshire England.” What are you able to tell me about the plates and their maker? Can you tell me when they might have been made? Are they worth anything? If so, who do you think might buy them?

A. Myott is one of the many potteries from the famous Staffordshire district of England. The Myott family purchased a pottery firm in 1898. Brothers Ashley and Sydney Myott opened their own factory in 1902. The company was incorporated as Myott, Son & Co. in 1942 and was bought by Interpace Corporation in 1969. They made dishes in hundreds of patterns. Old Willow is based on the willow pattern that has been made since 1780. It was inspired by Chinese porcelains.

Willow may be the most copied pattern in the world; pottery and porcelain factories throughout Europe, Asia and America have made their own versions. Willow pattern plates can sell for as little as $2 each to hundreds of dollars, depending on their age, condition, size and maker. Sets of willow plates made in Staffordshire generally sell for about $50-$150. Cup plates like yours are an unusual size, which could either mean that there is less interest in them or make them more valuable to interested buyers. There are collectors’ clubs for the willow pattern (International Willow Collectors Club, willowcollectors.org), Myott (Myott Collectors, myottcollectorsclub.com) and

Fresh flowers fade quickly. Art pottery tiles, like this one by Wheatley, are made to last.

Staffordshire dishes (Transferware Collectors Club, transferwarecollectorsclub. org). They may have additional information or be able to connect you with interested buyers. If you want to sell your plates, you may also want to contact a pattern-matching service like Replacements, Classic-Replacements or Missing Pieces. They sell individual dishes to replace missing or broken ones, and they may be interested in buying yours.

Q. My husband collected a series of gold-plated baseball cards from Danbury Mint a while back. He is downsizing and trying to sell these cards. To

date, we have found no one who is interested. We have contacted Danbury Mint to see if we can find a value for the cards he has and they have not been helpful. Could you please offer some guidance as to whom we should contact? We have tried local sporting goods companies and some auction houses.

A. Danbury Mint made gold-plated baseball cards

CURRENT PRICES

Current prices are recorded from antiques shows, flea markets, sales and auctions throughout the United States. Prices vary in different locations because of local economic conditions.

Fulper Pottery, dispenser, barrel shape, script lettering, "Ice Water," blue and white, narrow horizontal stripes, No. 3, stamped mark, 12 1/2 inches, $50.

Toy, Modern Farm Set, tin lithograph barn, plastic accessories, fence, animals, tractor, box, Louis Marx, $100.

Firefighting, helmet, white, painted, metal, leather placard, "Asst Chief," "MFD," interior label, Cairns & Brother, size 7 1/2, 14 inches, $150.

Royal Copenhagen, tureen, lid, Triton, Konkylie, conch shell shape, brown swirled ridges, asymmetrical handles, undertray, 16 inches, $385.

Waterford, vase, Cliffs of Moher, flared, pedestal base, ring, round foot, 13 x 7 1/2 inches, $420.

Silver-Continental, bowl, art deco, stylized leaves and seeds, pierced, gilt interior, glass insert, hallmarks, Steyl, 9 x 3 1/2 inches, $550.

Cabinet, corner, Provincial, pine, painted, green, multicolor flower cluster, light blue trim, door, interior shelf, toupie feet, European, c. 1900, 30 1/2 x 24 1/2 inches, $560.

(COWLES SYNDICATE INC.)

Berkshire Botanical Garden is hosting a lineup of programming this spring, including “Cultivating Mushrooms Outside” on Saturday, May 4.

ing workshop of the year, “Getting a Head Start with Annual Flowers,” will be held on Monday, April 29, at 7 p.m. at the Grange Hall at 297 Belchertown Road. The presenter will be Roberta McQuaid, author of the weekly “In the Garden” column for Turley Publications. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn about easy-to-grow annual flowers and leave with two seed packs to grow at home and then plant into your garden.

WILBRAHAM Spring plant sale

The Wilbraham Friends of the Library (WFOL) is holding a plant sale featuring two varieties of annuals. The sale will be pre-order only through May 15 with plant pickup available on Saturday, May 18, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Wilbraham Public Library, 25 Crane Park Drive. Begonias (pink or white) and Petunias (blue) will be

available in 5-inch pots that are ready to plant and show off. Plants are $5 each. Pick up an order form at the library or download from online. You can also request an order form by emailing friends@ wilbrahamlibrary.org. Return your order with payment to the library during regular business hours.

Send items for Garden Notes to pmastriano@repub.com two weeks prior to publication.

participants will revisit trees through the seasons, with a focus on spring, and witness their unique characteristics with and without leaves.

Identify species of trees as their leaves begin to sprout, ID a tree by its bark, and understand which trees flower in spring. Cost $50 members, $65 nonmembers;

• Saturday, May 4, “Cultivating Mushrooms Outside.” Start spring early with a dive into the fungal kingdom from 1 to 3 p.m. Instructor Willie Crosby will teach participants

Antiques

CONTINUES FROM PAGE F4

from 1996 to 2003. They released a new collection each year. The cards are made of cardstock with a very thin layer of gold. Sets of 50 cards bound in an album sell for about $30 to $100 at auctions and resale sites like eBay. The website Sportlots.com values most of the individual cards at about $2 each. Items like these that are marketed as “limited edition” or “collector’s edition” usually have relatively low values on the secondary market. Many people buy and save them with the intent to resell, so the

how to inoculate logs, wood chips and stumps for mushroom cultivation in your backyard. Learn the basic information everyone should know about fungi and get hands-on experience doing these easy-to-replicate growing methods. Cost $40 members, $60 nonmembers.

To register for these programs or for more information, visit berkshirebotanical.org. Berkshire Botanical Garden is located at 5 West Stockbridge Road.

WARE

Garden workshop

Ware Grange’s first garden-

collectibles market gets flooded. There is little value to the gold in the cards because such a small amount is used.

TIP: Don’t wrap things for storage in newspapers. The ink can yellow paper, fabrics and ceramics.

Terry Kovel and Kim Kovel answer readers’ questions sent to the column. Send a letter with one question describing the size, material (glass, pottery) and what you know about the item. Include only two pictures, the object and a closeup of any marks or damage. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@ kovels.com.

How plants in Mass. were ‘tricked’ this year

By H adley Barndollar HBarndollar@masslive.com

Karen Daubmann was wide-eyed when 50,000 tulip bulbs at the Garden at Elm Bank started sprouting 16 days earlier than last year.

This is just the second year the Massachusetts Horticultural Society has done “Tulip Mania,” a time when the bright spring-blooming perennials take over the Wellesley property, so there’s a dearth of historical data to draw any significant conclusions.

But Daubmann, director of garden and programs for the society, was alarmed nonetheless, particularly coming off the fourth-warmest winter on record in Massachusetts.

“It was actually very, very surprising that they sprouted so early,” she said.

Even more interesting, perhaps, is the actual flowering of the tulips occurred on the very same day as last year because temperatures eventually turned cooler, stifling growth.

It’s been a deceiving spring season for many species thus far, and in turn, the people who grow them.

Jennifer Forman-Orth, an environmental biologist with the state’s Department of Agricultural Resources, said some plants were “tricked” by this year’s mild winter. They may have sprouted early, but they didn’t have the warmth necessary to keep growing. “We’re behind on growing-degree days even after the mild winter,” Forman-Orth said. “We’re way behind where we were in 2023.”

Winter is New England’s fastest-warming season, climate data shows, and there

was no shortage this year of 50-degree days.

In March, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced that the winter of 2023-2024 was the warmest on record in the United States.

Washington, D.C.’s world-famous cherry blossoms, specifically the Yoshino variety planted around the Tidal Basin near the National Mall, reached peak bloom on March 17, according to the U.S. Park Service, tying with 2000 as the second-earliest peak bloom in about 100 years.

The Park Service defines peak bloom as the day when 70% of the blossoms are open. It usually occurs between the last week of March and the first week of April, though temperatures

ultimately dictate one way or another.

In New England, the number of winter days falling below freezing is decreasing, ultimately influencing spring flora and fauna.

Horticulturalists at Cambridge’s Mount Auburn Cemetery, as well-known for its plants and wildlife as it is for headstones, noted many species started blooming two-tothree weeks earlier this year, WBUR reported in March.

In a Facebook post last month, Red Fire Farm in Granby wrote that it was finding oat cover crops they planted last fall that didn’t “winter-kill like they usually would.”

These crops are meant to die off during the winter and break down into organic

These photos show scenes from the second annual Tulip Mania at the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s Garden at Elm Bank in Wellesley.

Ryan Voiland, owner of Red Fire Farm, shows off hothouse tomato plants that have yet to set fruit. (JIM KINNEY / THE REPUBLICAN)

30-year US mortgage rate climbs for 4th straight week

Reaches highest level since November

By A LEX VEIGA Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed last week to its highest level since late November, another setback for home shoppers in what’s traditionally the housing market’s busiest time of the year.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage rose to 7.17% from 7.1% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.43%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week, lifting the average rate to 6.44% from 6.39% last week. A year ago, it averaged 5.71%, Freddie Mac said.

When mortgage rates rise, they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting how much they can afford at a time when the U.S. housing market remains constrained by relatively few homes for sale and rising home prices.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage has now increased four weeks in a row. The latest uptick brings it to its highest level since November 30, when it was 7.22%.

Home loan rates have been mostly drifting higher after a string of reports this year showing inflation remaining hotter than forecast, which has stoked doubts over how soon the Fed might decide to start lowering its benchmark interest rate. The uncertainty has pushed up bond yields.

Deeds

AGAWAM

Alan Rogers, Karisa M. Rogers and Mary Caporale to Edward C. Anderson, 118 Forest Hill Road, $330,000.

Carlton B. Hale, trustee, and Marion Montagna Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Sareen Properties LLC, 28 Florida Drive, $185,000.

Douglas Dichard, Tracy A. Dichard and Tracy A. Wilkie to Carlos Mukanu, 18 Katy Lane, $492,500.

Patricia A. Lindsey, estate, Lisa Allen-Geissler, representative, and Patricia Ann Lindsey, estate, to Jamison C. Gottier, 738 Barry St., $310,000.

Pine Crossing Construction Inc., to Sandra L. Fiedler, 69 Villa Drive, Unit 25, $469,900.

AMHERST

Michele Marotta, trustee, and Marjorie Haffer Irrevocable Trust to Susan West, trustee, and Susan West Revocable Living Trust, 24 Greenleaves Drive, $188,000.

Faheem Ibrahim Living Trust, Faheem Ibrahim, trustee, and Cynthia Khan, trustee, to Nan Zhao and Zhihong Ni, 16 Arbor Way, $738,000.

Jonathan A. Hite to Elizabeth J. Simon, Bedford Court, $100.

Gregory E. Caruso and Elizabeth H. Caruso to Caruso Family Melville Avenue Nominee Trust, 34 Carriage Lane, $100.

William Bailey Rosenbaum, Alivia-Anne Novak Zappas, Patricia L. Novak and Nicholas P. Zappas to Marrs Cottage LLC, 65 Mount Pleasant St., $670,000.

Cheryl M. Sabola and Debra A. Semensi to Matthew J. Sabola, 37 Meadow St., $264,000.

Brian McDonald, Denis McDonald and Lauren T. McDonald to Puzhen Wang, 26 Webster Court, $303,000.

Charles P. Sutphin and Peggy Sue Sutphin to Wade R. Elmore, 22 Foxglove Lane, $570,000.

ASHFIELD

George Paradee to James Bacon, 535 Cummington Road, $105,000.

Susan A. Gambino to Craig Gibson and Rachel Gibson, 449 Main St., $510,000.

BELCHERTOWN

Susan M. Gualberto to Daniel F. Gualberto, 68 Cheryl Circle, $129,564.

Bell Property Corp., to Nancy Tougas, Woodland Lane, $130,000.

Matthew C. Boudreau and Shaylene F. Boudreau to Matthew C. Boudreau, 22 Trillium Way, $100.

Shelterwood Management LLC, to Rema Mills and Jonathan Mills, 20 Sarah Lane, $355,000.

Orin L. Bracey Jr., and MaryEllen O’Reilly-Bracey to Edward Cayo and Michelle Cayo, Munsell Street, $90,000.

Jason A. Overgaard and Diane M. Overgaard to Kristofer C. Nite and Valerie L. Nite, 15 Jasons Way, $610,000.

Bryan D. Jamgochian and Lucy T. Jamgochian to Gergess Abi Assaf and Patricia Lynn Abi Assaf, 8 Sherwood Drive, $455,000.

Hal H. Freeman, Angela M. Curto and Angela M. Freeman to Kristina Nowak and Nolan Medeiros, 52 South Liberty St., $400,000.

Orin L. Bracey Jr., and MaryEllen O’Reilly-Bracey to M & G Land Development LLC, Munsell Street, $80,000.

Orin L. Bracey Jr., and MaryEllen O’Reilly-Bracey to M & G Land Development LLC, Munsell Street, $80,000.

BERNARDSTON

Adrianne L. Boliski and Eric M. Boliski to Robert Graves, 84 Bald Mountain Road, $340,000.

BRIMFIELD

Christina Cassell to Christopher Beesley, 4 Hall Place Road, $232,500.

CHICOPEE

CAC Marketing LLC, to Alison Lonczak, 14 Blanchwood Ave., $341,000.

Daniel Burgos to Vasyl Levchyk and Lilia Levchyk, 322 Dale St., $405,000.

Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Resolute Realty Trust, trustee of, to Junior Ndikidjang, 20 Pendleton Ave., $325,000.

Gary M. Weiner, trustee, Laura J. Forbes and David M. Forbes to SACM Investments LLC, 51 Billings St., $21,000.

Gregory Lafountain, representative, and Jane C. Bergeron, estate, to Arnaldo Graceski, 24 Summer St., $309,999.

Joseph R. Conway, trustee, and Mack NA Servicing Trust, trustee of, to CP Property Group LLC, 15 Riverview Place, $103,750.

Kevin A. Joly and Amber M. Joly to Miguel A. Colon Lopez and Amanda N. Hernandez Ramos, 2 Lucretia Ave., $275,000.

COLRAIN

Patience Lowe, trustee of the Lowe Investment Trust, to Keith Ludwigsen, North Green River Road. $20,500.

Stowe Farm Community Homeowners Association Inc., “fka” Katywil Property Owners Association Inc., to Lauren Ockene and David Weinstein, Gilbert Drive, $83,400.

CONWAY

New England Church of God to Roaring Brook Camp LLC, 1076 Roaring Brook Road, $650,000.

EAST LONGMEADOW

Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and A-O-K Realty Trust, trustee of, to Stacy C. Elms, Brookhaven Drive, Par A, $10,000.

Gerald N. Aubrey, trustee, Gerry Aubrey, trustee, and Panther Nominee Trust, trustee of, to Peter Daniel Banko, trustee, Elizabeth Barbieri Banko, trustee, and Peter & Elizabeth Revocable Trust, trustee of, 42 Favorite Lane, Lot 6, $260,000.

Patricia Aleks, Linda Corish and Tina Dumond to Patricia Aleks and Linda Corish, 177 Vineland Ave., $100,000.

East Longmeadow Group Investors LLC, to Panini Properties MA LLC, 0 Parker Street, $175,000.

ERVING

John McAuley to Cheryl Bailey, Russell Bailey Sr., and Ryan Anthony Bailey, 21 East Main St., $268,000.

GRANBY

Donna G. Kmelius to Donna G. Kmelius and Lissa A. Cloutier, 18 Smith Ave., $100.

David A. Harris to Anthony Perla and Tamara Perla, 114 Morgan St., $89,000.

GRANVILLE

Dean Drzewiecki, Deborah Drzewiecki and Debra Drzewiecki to Nathan Jensen and Nicole Jensen, 1421 Main Road, $390,000.

Susanne M. Chase and Susanne M. Levangie to Tanya M. Laveck, 904 Main Road, $547,500.

GREENFIELD

Elaine P. Anderson and John R. Anderson, Jr., trustees of the John R. Anderson, Jr. and Elaine P. Anderson Revocable Trust, to Ellen M. Berson and Mark I. Berson, 104 Countryside, Unit

104 Country-Side Condominium, $316,000.

Jeanne T. Canteen to Old Albany Road LLC, 169 Old Albany Road, $800,000.

TM Properties Inc., to Rural Development Inc., 42 Cleveland St., $90,000.

Deborah D. Sigsworth and Kenneth F. Sigsworth, trustees of the Sigsworth Investment Trust, to Jeanne T. Canteen, 73 Ferrante Ave., $385,000.

Pioneer Valley Redevelopers LLC, receiver in Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. Estate of Julie Ringwood et al, to Pioneer Valley Redevelopers LLC, 100 Fairview St., $272,000.

Elaine Wysocki, personal representative of the Estate of Kevin P. Kaminski, to Scherrer Holdings LLC, 7 Cooke St., $140,000.

Judith A. Karpinski, Joan E. Karpinski, “aka” Joan E. Karpinski-O’Toole, Joyce E. Karpinski and Jane E. Sutcliffe, “aka” Jane E. Karpinski-Sutcliffe, to Jessa McCormack and Michael McCormack, 20 Frederick Road, $339,000.

HADLEY

John T. Boisvert Jr., and Joseph J. Boisvert to Food Bank of Western Massachusetts Inc., and Western Massachusetts Food Bank Inc., Shattuck Road Off, $95,000.

Pelham Road Partners LLC, to Kenneth H. Ozkaptan and Ellen Kristine Ozkaptan, 72 North Maple St., $450,000.

Hadley Rentals LLC, to DNB Properties LLC, 124 Rocky Hill Road, $495,000.

HAMPDEN

Evan Boyle and Jessica Boyle to Keith Nicoli and Heather Tracy Nicoli, 0 Wilbraham Road, $385,000.

Irene F. Graves to Paul Yasi and Jennifer Yasi, 174 Wilbraham Road, $320,000.

HAWLEY

Lien Vuong to 124 E. Hawley Rd LLC, 124 East Hawley Road, $425,000.

HOLLAND

Dennis Sneade to Raffi Keshishian and Adrineh R. Derbidian, 20 Maybrook Road, $449,000.

Cormier & Sons Construction & Homebuilding LLC, to Jill Marie Papandrea, 529 Old County Road, $555,000.

HOLYOKE

Carl Hartig, Robina J. Hartig and Robert E. Hartig to Nathan Nuttall and Meredith Nuttall, 11 Grant St., $275,000.

Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Alecto Realty Trust, trustee of, to Principia Holdings LLC, 78-82 Newton St., $230,000.

Jean X. Fernandez to Kidanny Fernandez, 79-81 Pine St., $100.

Jonathan D. Aronstein and Nina A. Aronstein to Lobsang Dolma, 203205 Allyn St., $385,000.

Jonathan Mills and Rema Mills to Venetia M. Guerrasio and Thomas M. Stoker, 58 Waldo St., $336,000.

Larry T. Camus to Christian Fernando Figueroa and Jamie Vachon, 66 Homestead Ave., $250,000.

Modern Creative Contractor Inc., to Janice Garcia, 19 Charles St., $309,900.

Greater Springfield Habitat For Humanity Inc., to Antonia Santos, 360 Chestnut St., $290,000.

Richard F. Kmon to Elizabeth A. Kmon, 63 Portland St., $30,000.

20C Maple Crest Circle Realty Trust, trustee of, and Nicholas P. Boccio, trustee, to Adith Socorro Rodriguez Quinones, 20 Maple Crest Circle, Unit C, $206,000.

HUNTINGTON

U.S.A. Housing & Urban Development to Ieva Berberian, 7 Basket St., $52,000.

Dwayne Amstutz, trustee, and Thomas Road Land Trust to Lawrence S. Scott-Smith, Thomas Road, $50,000.

LEVERETT

Hong Tong Cai to Si Ci Zhu, 475 Long Plain Road, $140,000.

LONGMEADOW

Quercus Properties LLC, to Daniel George Capretta II, and Anna M. Capretta, 50 Oak Road, $375,000.

Robert W. Sullivan and Catherine D. Sullivan to Ivan Soares and Rebecca Soares, 21 Salem Road, $678,000.

Tran T. Le and Huy Q. Le to Mohamed A. Aliyar, 51 Wellesley Drive, $520,000.

LUDLOW

Antonio Afonso, Teresa Afonso, Maria Luisa Afonso Burke and Fatima Afonso Mendes to Samuel Cobb and Martha Cobb, 22 Bristol St., $320,000.

Brian P. Andraca and Breanna Collins to Gilbert Palatino, 61 Lawton St., $299,000.

Dino J. Dangelo and Brenda L. Dangelo to Erwin A. Enderle III, and Karen M. Enderle, 123 Westerly Circle, $650,000.

Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Waiwai Realty Trust, trustee of, to Jeffrey Jansson Jr., and Cassandra Forsman, 162 James St., $310,000.

Jinzhou Li to Connor L. Pare, 35 Waters Edge Drive, Unit 35, $260,000.

Jonathan P. Kielbania and Virginia L. Kielbania to Alexander Pena, 238 Holyoke St., $369,900.

MJ Real Estate LLC, to Jonathan Kielbania and Virginia Kielbania, 75 White St., $309,900.

Sarah M. Pascale to Alexandria

Lynn Florence and Eric Raymond Bauer, 52 Skyridge St., $255,000.

Vincent Fuda and Elizabeth Fuda to Kayla Bolduc and Chad D Parent, 306 Chapin St., $360,000.

Whitetail Wreks LLC, and Armand P. Deslauriers to Richard Young and Mirella Young, Equinox Pass, Lot 89, $177,400.

MONSON

Carol A. Snyder and Frederick J. Snyder to Matthew R. Lillibridge and Laura D. Lillibridge, 66 Margaret St., $370,000.

Joyce A. Pikul to Robert E. Flynn and Chelsea R. Flynn, 246 Bumstead Road, $340,000.

MONTAGUE

Justin D. Killeen to Anne L. Moore, 411 Federal St., $300,000.

NORTHAMPTON

Frances Celia Corriveau to Elaine M. Reall, 12 East St., $200,000.

Judith A. Dion and Paul A. Dion to Brandon Hagen, 87 Chapel St., $379,000.

Katie M. McDonough, personal representative, and Louisa Ferree, estate, to Chenevert Properties LLC, 177 Crescent St., $410,000.

Sylvia Windhurst, personal representative, and Alan J. Irish, estate, to Steven R. Kusmer, trustee, Patricia A. Plude, trustee, and Kusmer-Plude Family Trust, 41 Hillside Road, $910,000.

Jonathan N. Kelley and Katie J. Kelley to Lee Feldscher, Florence Road, $237,000.

Barbara Samuels, trustee, Nancy Ryburn, trustee, Barbara Samuels & Nancy Ryburn Joint Revocable Trust and Samuels-Ryburn Joint Revocable Trust, to Susan Claire Faludi, trustee, and Susan Claire

Faludi Revocable Trust, 23 Higgins Way, $901,000.

J. Cherry Sullivan to Dominik Niceva and Helena Bankovic, 80 Damon Road, $185,000.

ORANGE

Tracey M. Hachey to Joshua B. Smith, 171 Royalston Road, $100,000.

Bruce A. Gabrenas to DPM Consult LLC, 67 Fountain St., $175,000.

Jacques Andre Istel to Bell Point LLC, Walnut Hill Road, $45,000.

PennyMac Loan Services LLC, to Jean Maurin, 23 Stone Valley Road, $154,732.

PALMER

John W. St. Amand, trustee, and Edward R. St. Amand Trust, trustee of, to Joshua T. Smith, 34 Ware St., $225,000.

Jonathan A. Marcinkiewicz and Paul P. Marcinkiewicz to Evan Crossman, 4113-4115 Church St., $280,000.

Joseph Stiebitz to Michael E. Binczewski, Marzanna Wilson and Holly D. Binczewski, 206 Bourne St., Unit H, $100,000.

Laura M. Brown to Nicholas McCalley, 55 Buckland St., $329,500.

PELHAM

Marion W. Copeland, trustee, and Copeland Investment Trust to Joseph Famighette and Mary Patrice Famighette, 128 Amherst Road, $405,000.

SHELBURNE

Jeanne T. Canteen to Old Albany Road LLC, 169 Old Albany Road, $800,000.

Kathleen T. O’Rourke to T. Wilson Flanders, 7 Warren Court, $400,000.

SHUTESBURY

Patricia Convery, “fka” Patricia C. Smith, to Bryan D. Beneitone, 309 Montague Road, “fka” 107 Montague Road, $372,000.

SOUTH HADLEY

Brett F. Johnson to Brittany Ankiewicz and Dustin P. Yager, 465 Newton St., $330,000.

Gregory J. Linscott Jr., to Joan Groden O’Connell, 275 Hadley St., $360,000.

Dennis Kirby and Christine Kirby to Harsha Bandara Navarantne and Diyath Bandara Navaratne, 41 West Summit St., $186,000.

SOUTHAMPTON

Laurence F. Mase and Joyce L. Mase to Carolyn M. Mase, trustee, and Mase Family Irrevocable Income-Only Trust, 17 Hillside Meadow Drive, $100.

David K. Roland and Janice L. Landis to Donna L. Wright, 3 Glendale Woods Drive, $291,590.

Cordon LLC, to O’Connor Land & Timber LLC, 121-123 Brickyard Road, $100.

SOUTHWICK

Hedge Hog Industries Corp., to Mehmet Mizanoglu and Lynda M. Mizanoglu, 28 Noble Steed Crossing, $625,000.

RM Blerman LLC, and R. M. Blerman LLC, to Joseph P. Miller, trustee, Charlene M. Miller, trustee, and Miller Revocable Trust, trustee of, 72 Granville Road, $427,400.

SPRINGFIELD

1090 Boston Road Inc., to Pinecrest Holdings LLC, 1112 Boston Road, $134,550.

Ajax 2020-D REO Corp., to NSP Residential LLC, 63 Telbar St., $180,000.

Anthony Bixby to Eduar Bravo Masariegos, 151-153 Monroe St., $306,500.

Antoinette Lewis, representative, Brenda D. Thomas, estate, and Brenda Diane Thomas, estate, to Angel Colon, 4 Silas St., $245,000.

Benjamin L. Lawlor and Benjamin L. Lawler to MLB Property Management LLC, 161 Kensington Ave., $440,000.

Beverly A. Gay, trustee, and Beverly A. Gay Trust, trustee of, to CRG Properties LLC, South Cottage St., $425,000.

Blanca Iris Valentin and Blanca I. Garcia to Lida Lim, 243 Lamont St., $272,500.

BRVSA Associates LLC, to Patricia De La Rosa and Zury M. Santiago Gutierrez, 87 Oak Grove Ave., $285,000.

AK & M Properties & Estates LLC, to Augustin Hernandez Hernandez, 68 Forest Park Ave., $341,000.

Cal Rolling Hills LLC, to 6S T Springfield MA LLC, 365 Cadwell Drive, $3,100,000.

Carrasquillo Fix Up LLC, to Caridad Jean-Baptiste, 89 Sparrow Drive, $340,000.

Chelyka Diaz to Dawn M. Wanzo, 81 Pemaquid St., $260,000.

Chenevert Properties LLC, to Unlimited Property Services LLC, 219 Morton St., $135,000.

Cherrie Jowers to Barthelemy Properties LLC, 28-30 Marble St.,

$280,000.

Corey A. Diaz and Amy Diaz to Jose Nelson Arenas Caceres, 53-55 Fernwold St., $245,000.

Daniel J. Michael, representative, and Richard P. Keefe, estate, to Jacob Martinez and Michelle Martinez, 50 Home St., $260,000.

David Roffo to Kelly Summers and Danielle Summers, 111 Warrenton St., $310,000.

Debra A. O’Connor to Angel Franco, 118 Oak St., $210,000.

Desmond B. Mullally to Kish McDonald, 385 Worthington St., Unit 4E, $175,000.

Elite Properties LLC, and Elite Properites LLC, to Mildred Osei Abrah, 137 Massachusetts Ave., $405,000.

Fumi Realty Inc., to Richard MacDonald, 38 Larchmont St., $249,525.

Hedge Hog Industries Corp., to Juan L. Vazquez-Mercado, 64 Colonial Ave., $270,000.

Jason S. Donaldson, trustee, Jason Donaldson, trustee, and Etabav Realty Trust, trustee of, to DB Investments & Properties LLC, 226228 College St., $130,000.

Jefferson Barros and Ana Fortin-Barros to Moises A. Bonilla, 189-191 Dickinson St., $401,000.

Jeffrey W. Peristere to Erica Davis and Judy Daniels, 76 Paulk Terrace, $365,000.

Jenny L. Wiley to Andrea P. Allen, 550 Tiffany St., $305,000.

Joy E. Levine to Brooke Eddy, 137 Croyden Terrace, $260,850.

Juliane McGuill Brayton and David Robert McGuill to Latoya Gordon Hallums, 21 Marchioness Road, $271,500.

Lawrence E. Martel Jr., representative, John Peter Martel, estate, John Martel, estate, William Martel, Mary Ann Nolan and Maryann Nolan to Hedge Hog Industries Corp., 56 Audley Road, $255,000.

Linda Zolendziewski to James W. Fiore, 97 Groveland St., $135,000.

Sullivan Property Preservation LLC, to Kelli L. Phillips, 65 Hollywood St., $200,000.

Louis Bonavita to Andrew F. DelSanto, 210 Navajo Road, $300,000.

Luis A Villanueva to Lucimar Ribeiro and Ricardo Ribeiro Dos Santos, 564 Chestnut St, $327,000.

Marilyn R. Billings, representataive, John J. Ellis-Monaghan, representataive, Marilyn Ruth Monaghan, estate, and Marilyn R. Monaghan, estate, to Elizabeth Langat, 80 Embassy Road, $282,000.

Matthew R. Lillibridge and Laura D. Lillibridge to Jonathan P. LaFrenaye and Alexandra L. Wahr, 162 Hartford Terrace, $304,000.

bevel. Then, into the freshly-cut stub on the rootstock, I made two vertical slits through the bark, each about 2 inches long and as far apart as the width of the base of the scion.

Carefully peeling back the flap of bark welcomed in the long, cut surface of the scion, putting the cambial layers of rootstock and scion in close contact. This was repeated with the other scions, all around the stub. With the peeled back flaps of bark from the rootstock pushed back up against each inserted scion, one or two staples from a staple gun or a tight wrapping with stretchy electrician’s tape sufficed to hold everything in place.

Finally, I sealed all cut surfaces against moisture loss, for which there are a number of home-made and commercial products. My favorite is a commercial product

called Tree-Kote, a black goo that works really well and absorbs sunlight.

For smaller rootstocks, say 3/4 inch up to a couple of inches across, there’s the cleft graft. This also comes with an insurance policy, though not as good as that of the bark graft because it only gets two scions per graft. Still, it’s easy so chances for success are high. At the base of each of the two scions, I made two bevel cuts less than halfway through, each two inches long and not exactly on opposite sides. Viewed head on and from below, the uncut portion was slightly wedge-

Sometimes, with that large root system fueling growth, a bark graft scion will grow 2 or 3 feet its first season!

shaped.

Turning to the rootstock, an older rootstock (OH x F 87), I lopped it off squarely, with a saw, then created a split a couple of inches deep in the middle of the cut surface by hammering a heavy, sharp knife right down into it. After removing the knife, a screwdriver pushed down into the split separated it enough to insert the two prepared scions at each edge of the cleft with their cambiums aligned with the

cambium of the rootstock. Pulling out the screwdriver caused the springiness of the rootstock to close the cleft and hold the scions securely in place. As with the bark graft, all cut surfaces got smeared with Tree-Kote.

The whip graft is my graft of choice when rootstock and scion are about the same thickness, pencil-thick. Rootstocks for whip grafts were again OH x F87 pears, this time one-year-old rootstocks, pencil-thick.

I cut the bottom of the scion with a smooth, sloping cut an inch to an inch and a half long, and made a similar cut at the top of the rootstock. Holding the sloping cuts against each other and aligning just one edge of each if their diameters didn’t exactly match, I bound rootstock and scion together with a rubber grafting strip. (I’ve also used thick rubber bands, sliced open.)

As with any graft, cut surfaces must be sealed against moisture loss. Parafilm helps holds the graft together and seals in moisture. Once my whip graft scions are growing strongly, I’ll cut a vertical slit into the binding to prevent it from choking the plant.

There you have it: three easy grafts to make new trees or make over an older tree. Now the excitement begins, watching and waiting for new growth. Sometimes, with that large root system fueling growth, a bark graft scion will grow 2 or 3 feet its first season!

Grafting is an easy and interesting method for making a new tree, adding another variety to an existing tree, or changing the variety of a tree. (LEE REICH PHOTOS)

matter, providing the soil with nutrients.

“I’ve been farming for like 30 years now, I think, and this is the first winter I can ever remember having oats survived through the winter,” farm owner Ryan Voiland said in the Facebook video.

Forman-Orth pointed to increasing weather variability being one of the most challenging hurdles for farmers and growers. Even if average temperatures are warmer across the board, she said, a drastic fluctuation or sudden freeze can cause the most damage — possibly throwing off an entire operation.

A

Daubmann noted the late-season frost in mid-May of last year, which devastated fruit growers across the state when temperatures fell into the 20s. At the time, the Boston Globe reported Clarkdale Fruit Farms in Deerfield, for example, lost about 80% of its apples, pears, plums and grapes.

New USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map

Last fall, the U.S Department of Agriculture released its first update to its Plant Hardiness Zone Map in over a decade, indicating obvious warming patterns, particularly in the Northeast.

The map can be used by gardeners and farmers as a standard to determine which perennial plants are most likely to do well at a particular location. It’s based on the average annual extreme low winter temperature over the last 30 years.

Because of the 30-year average, the federal agency says the update isn’t necessarily reflec-

tive of real-time global climate change. But that doesn’t mean the zone shifts don’t mirror general warming patterns.

In Massachusetts, the shifts are seen particularly in the central and western parts of the state, where in the 2023 update, many areas changed from a cooler zone 5b to a warmer 6a. Parts of Cape Cod went from zone 7a to 7b.

Deeds

Melissa M. Baker, Melissa M. Moriarty and Daniel Moriarty to Elijah Volkov, 75 Nassau Drive, $217,000.

Michael Rhodes and Mary Husson to Tanashe Edwards, trustee, and Linux Holdings Trust Co., trustee of, 35 Patricia Circle, $35,500.

Nolava LLC, to S & G Realty LLC, 4-8 Leyfred Terrace, $2,090,000.

NSP Residential LLC, to Tammy M. Brown and Kevin E. Brown, 63 Telbar St., $230,700.

Pah Properties LLC, to Brendan Malik Rios and Danielle Alexis Rios, 37 Silver St, $317,500.

Pah Properties LLC to Erica M. McAuliffe, 110 Quincy St., $270,000.

Pah Properties LLC, to Javier Laboy and Myra Y. Garcia Senquiz, 14 Tourigny St., $269,000.

Paul R. Gramarossa and Denise J. Gramarossa to Frank J. Gleason and Jennifer J. Cigler, 66 Clydesdale Lane, $300,000.

Phantom Holdings LLC, to Marisa Rivera and Roberto Bermudez Jr., 70 Coleman St., $260,000.

Rafariel Garcia and Luz P Rios-Gar-

cia to Jametrious Liddell-Sourdiffe, 3 Smallwood St., $349,900.

RBT Enterprise LLC, to Carole Anne Calderon, 116-120 William St., $415,000.

Revampit LLC, to Mark Eric Bido and Lety Martinez Hidalgo, 86-88 Chestnut St., $356,000.

Richard A. Beyer to William Raleigh and David Kachinski, W S Ambrose St., $150,000.

Sean Stevens and Jennifer M. Stevens to Matthew T. Pahl and Kaley Fournier, 84 Meadow Brook Road, $335,000.

Tanashe Edwards, trustee, and Linux Holding Trust, trustee of, to Chenevert Properties LLC, 35 Patricia Circle, $190,000.

Thomas Ricks and Julia Ricks to Lamikco T. Magee, 121 Brandon Ave., $320,000.

U S Bank Trust, trustee, and Master Participation Trust LSF8, trustee of, to Carina Marrero, 85 Bowles Park, $255,000.

WALES

Deborah A. Walker to Richard J. Kszaszcz, 4 Lake Shore Drive, $75,000.

WARE

William C. King Sr., and Kevin E. King to Kevin E. King and Colleen D. King, 9 Hutchinson Road, $100.

Nicholas J. Cianci and Sarah A. Cianci to Elisabeth R. Daddario and Nicholas B. Papp, Old Gilbertville Road, $70,000.

Darin M. Snow Sr., to Kristi-Lee Kinney, 123 Glendale Circle, $330,000.

MRT Development LLC, to Richard Maldonado and Peter Elias, 24 Coldbrook Drive, $50,000.

Robert E. Provencal and Joanne M. Demers to Colton Rier and Dana Rier, Greenwich Road, $42,000.

Kayley Leigh Jones and Trevor Joseph Snyder to Daniel Warsaw, 11 Walnut St., $284,000.

WEST SPRINGFIELD

ARPC LLC, to Maxwell D. Foxx, 31 Cottage St., $210,000.

Christopher J. Fontaine and Sydney Brochu to Shannon B. Doyle, 34 City View Ave., $250,000.

Doris R. Bartolucci to Paul L. Harlin Jr., and Marlene P. Harlin, 10 Hickory Hill, $470,000.

Kenneth P. Turnbull to Mark R. Turnbull, 83 Miami St., $125,000.

Steven R. Rossi and Julianne Rossi to Jennifer Marie Rossi, 25 Brice Road, $280,000.

William C. Gibbs and Barbara C. Gibbs to NPN Realty LLC, Great Plains Road, $17,500.

WESTFIELD

Bernadine M. Laquerre and Paul A. Laquerre to Jeffrey D. Edinger and Shirely M. Edinger, 4 Greylock St., $228,000.

Bridget M. Gosiewski to David Fowler and Laurel Fowler, 1430 Russell Road, Unit 24, $200,000.

John L. Vershon III, to Nikolas Fiore and Abaigeal Malouin, 4 Ravine Circle, $415,000.

Lizette Rodriguez and Hector L. Rodriguez to Gregory J. Linscott Jr., and Jillian G. Golaski, 80 Elizabeth Ave., $466,000.

Malia Homebuyers LLC, to Steven W. Gardner, 5 Bancroft St., $420,000.

Michael Solek to John L. Vershon III, 12 Robinson Drive, $317,000.

WESTHAMPTON

Kevin C. Netto and Jovita B. Netto to Kevin C. Netto Jr., trustee, and Netto 2024 Irrevocable Trust,

Zone 5a is now almost entirely gone from Western Massachusetts.

“I think it’s a double-edged sword in that the USDA changes are exciting for people in this region because it’s like, ‘Oh, I can grow that thing I could never grow before,’” Daubmann said, “but it’s also terrifying because we’re heating up.”

Southampton Road, $100.

WHATELY

Nathan S. Nourse, personal representative of the Estate of Mary C. Nourse, to Nathan S. Nourse, trustee of the Mary C. Nourse 2017 Trust, 18 Masterson Road, $100.

Nathan S. Nourse, trustee of the Mary C. Nourse 2017 Trust, to Nathan S. Nourse, 18 Masterson Road, $100.

WILBRAHAM

Nicole A .LaPointe to Maureen Pisani, 408 Dipping Hole Road, $260,000.

Rosemary Simonich, representative, James Lamica, representative, Robin C. Lamica, estate, and Robin Christopher Lamica, estate, to Brandon Lawrence and Tara Lawrence, 4 Iroquois Lane, $770,000.

Xiuyi Liang to Rafariel Garcia and Luz P. Rios Garcia, 512 Mountain Road, $535,000.

WORTHINGTON

Thibaud E. Doultremont and Elizabeth A. Augustin to Grace A. Golden and Christopher Lombardi, 264 Goss Hill Road, $475,000.

side-by-side of the 2012 and 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Maps shows the changes in Massachusetts.

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Beautiful and loving Golden Retrievers, UTD w/vaccines, males and females available. Call 413-885-0773

Golden Retriever Puppies avail. from top kennel in Ohio, Glory Dawn Goldens. We will be in Massachusetts April 28 and still have 4 avail. puppies for adoption. $2300 for each puppy and $300 for shipping. Call Steven 330-466-9451 for more info. Puppy, 2 months, Black Lab Mix. $400. Call 413-244-8046

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