What does it take to learn to garden?
Matthew Axe in his garden in Sea Cliff, N.Y. For Axe, the daily routines of gardening are now like a mindfulness practice. “Without consciously thinking, ‘Oh, this is my routine of getting myself square in the world,’ I think it probably is,” he said. (MATTHEW
Answer: A willingness to do it yourself
By M argaret Roach New York Times
If there were a manual on making your first garden, Chapter 1 would presumably recommend that beginners identify a piece of level ground where they can carve out a not-too-big bed or build a raised one.
One scenario unlikely to be suggested for novices: a series of beds and borders scrambling up and over multiple levels of terrain.
But that was precisely the situation Matthew Axe and his husband faced when they bought their home in Sea Cliff, New York, six years ago and began making its landscape their own. “We’re constantly battling the sands of time,” said Axe, a former vice president and creative director for Martha Stewart Living who now works with beauty, home and food-brand clients.
He’s not just talking gravitational pull: The growing medium underfoot is a shallow layer of topsoil over a base of sand. As they soon discovered, if they’re not careful with their plant choices and planting techniques, “things end up down at the bottom of the garden.”
The house is a pair of shingled, two-story cottages — one from 1920 and the other
from 2000 — joined by an enclosed hallway. That makes for a total of five living levels with “lots of little stairs,” Axe said, likening it to “those
houses that go down hills in San Francisco.”
Lots of little stairs are the order of things outdoors, too, where seven small staircases
aid in navigating the precipitous spot.
The house was once the residence of a married photographer and painter, who added the second structure to serve as creative work spaces; the garden was an additional creative domain for the painter. During the transition in ownership, the garden became overgrown. So, although they were beginners, Axe said, the first step was obvious: a wholesale cutback the fall after
they moved in. That included removing some elements that were too far gone, like the privet hedge in front, which they replaced with Manhattan Euonymus (Euonymus kiautschovicus).
From observer to hands-on gardener
Months would pass before Axe could survey the garden properly. But spring finally arrived, and things re-sprouted
Lee Reich | In the Garden
SUDOKU AND SCRABble and other games and puzzles offer endless hours of entertainment and stimulation. Or so I hear. I get those challenges and rewards from my garden. Case in point is a bed of sweet corn which, a few years ago, was stunted all season long and then, suddenly, all the plants’ leaves turned sickly as well. Needless to say, ears were developing poorly or not at all. Why, I asked?
At first, I thought perhaps there was a fertility problem with the stunted bed. But all the vegetable beds get the same fertility treatment, a
one-inch depth of compost annually. Watering is also the same, via drip irrigation. And early-season Chinese cabbage plants that shared that bed with the corn looked fine and healthy.
The suddenly sickly leaves were very telling, with yellow streaks that turned to tan, dead spots. It didn’t take long to nail down the cause to Stewart’s Wilt, also known as bacterial wilt. Two culprits are at work with Stewart’s wilt. The first is a bacterium (Pantoea stewartii), which needs a friend to actually get inside and infect a corn plant. That friend is the corn flea
beetle (Chaetocnema pulicaria). The beetles overwinter as adults, with the bacteria in their gut, and emerge in spring to feed on and infect corn plants. Seeds from infected plants can also grow
up infected, although this is relatively rare. Other evidence supported my finger-pointing. The corn flea beetle doesn’t tolerate cold weather well, making the disease more prevalent after milder winters. Check. The previous winter was one of our warmest winters. Stewart’s Wilt is also most prevalent in hot summers and dry summers. Check. Check.
A puzzling disease has afflicted this corn. (LEE REICH PHOTO)
Terry and Kim Kovel | Antiques & Collecting
Hot coals for pressed clothes
Would you want to use this charcoal-fueled iron on your clothes? Today, it’s better as a collectible curiosity than a usable appliance. (PHOTO CREDIT: HARTZELL’S AUCTION GALLERY INC.)
EVERY OBSOLETE device was once the latest technology. A clothes iron heated by charcoal might sound laughably old-fashioned today, but it was an improvement on the earlier sadirons. “Sad” was an old word for “heavy,” and sadirons got their name from the solid metal bases that had to be heated directly on a stove. Adding fuel, in the form of hot coals, directly to the iron made things a little more convenient but imagine the risk of getting coal dust on your freshly washed clothes. To say nothing of the smoke!
This brass-plated iron by J. Schwieger and E. Frost has a hinged lid that closes with a latch, keeping the coals safely inside, and a vent that allows air in to flow around the coals and directs smoke away from
the ironing — and from the person doing it. This iron sold for $248 at Hartzell’s Auction Gallery. It’s safe to assume it was bought by a collector, not for practical use.
Even though antique irons sell to collectors, most of us would prefer using today’s electric irons — or, better yet not having to iron at all. Maybe the greatest invention of all would be fabrics that never need pressing.
Q.
These two plates have been in my family since before I was born. They once belonged to my great-aunt, and I’m the third generation to own them. Each plate has a raised design of a castle in a landscape and a raised feathery border. Both have
a mark on the back with the letters “J.S.” inside a shield shape. One of them has “Hohenschwangau 3518” on the back and the other says “Wartburg 3156.” They’re quite fragile and one has sustained some damage, though not on my
watch. Is there any information you might be able to come up with as to a value?
A. The mark on the back of your plates is for Josef Strnact, a pottery that was active in Turn-Teplitz, Bohemia (now Tronovany, Czech Republic),
a region known for its pottery and decorative arts, from 1881 to 1932. The company decorated porcelain and made the thick, fragile tin-glazed pottery called faience or majolica. Your plates have relief views of famous castles in
Germany that were restored in the 19th century and are still popular tourist attractions today. Pairs of plates like yours are usually worth about $250. Damage lowers the value.
Q. I would like to know how much my upholstered sofa is worth. It was made by Schweiger furniture company and dated December 1977.
A. Schweiger was an uphol-
stery manufacturer that started in Jefferson, Wisconsin, in 1899. They produced midpriced living room furniture, including chairs, sofas and sleeper sofas. By the 1970s, they had additional plants in Virginia, Mississippi and Utah. The company closed in 2004. In 2018, the Schweiger Industries Plant III in Jefferson was added to the National Register of Historic Places. 1970s furniture does not often sell for high prices unless it is by a major designer. Upholstered furniture can be difficult to sell; it shows wear easily and is expensive to repair. Sofas like yours usually sell for less than $500.
Q. I have a set of 12 Czechoslovakian dinner plates marked “A&M.C — Czechoslovakia #6029.” The plate has a gold edge, centered with 3/4 inch of red, green or blue, circled with a half inch gold and flower bouquets in the center. I have not found this series anywhere. I am looking for the value.
A. The state of Czechoslovakia was created in 1918 and split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, but the name was still used in some trademarks afterward. The
region has been famous for its quality ceramics and glassware for hundreds of years. Sets of plates marked Czechoslovakia can sell for anywhere from $50 to $500 at auctions, depending on the fame of the maker and quality and condition of the plates. A company called R&M Co. had a pattern called 6029 that sounds like yours, but we have not yet found out any more about them. Porcelain companies often changed names, merged with or sold to other companies, introduced new brands or changed their marks, so it can be difficult to track down lesser-known companies. A matching service
may have more information. There are also collectors’ clubs for Czechoslovakian decorative arts, like the Czech Collectors Association (czechcollectors.org) that may be able to help you.
TIP: Brass can be polished with this homemade remedy: Make a paste of equal parts salt, flour, and vinegar. Rub the paste on the brass with a soft cloth. Rinse completely. Buff with a clean, dry, soft cloth. Write to Kovels, The Republican, King Features Syndicate, 628 Virginia Dr., Orlando, FL 32803 or email us at collectorsgallery@kovels.com.
in a less jumbled state. Only then could he see what was what and begin to make more deliberate decisions.
He also studied the light patterns, noting the extremes he would be grappling with. The top of the garden is in full sun — a place “where the sunset is like somebody turned on the headlights,” he said. On the shady downhill side, moss is inclined to grow; just one dramatic sliver of sunlight hits the ground there over the course of a day.
Axe was no gardener — not yet anyway — but he was raised in Suffolk, England, by parents who were keen gardeners. And in his head was a catalog of aspirational images, gathered as a longtime viewer of the BBC series “Gardeners’ World” and during visits to Sissinghurst Castle in Kent, Beth Chatto’s garden in Essex and the Chelsea Flower Show — as well as too many exceptional private American gardens to count, thanks to his former job as a magazine art director. He had to let go of any sense of mastery, and forgive himself any mistakes, too. That included the bed of bearded irises that were accidentally uprooted during the initial cleanup, and another patch that were over-mulched later on, their rhizomes buried so deep they sulked and failed to flower. (Deep mulch may be better suited to helping the dahlias his
recalled from a long-ago magazine photo shoot. “And I had all of these hostas, so I thought, why not?” he said. “I could see it would be a wonderful place to have a hundred different types of hostas, because it would be the most beautiful showcase, but that wasn’t my journey. My journey was kind of like: This is what I’ve got. Let’s go for it.”
Into pockets between some of the stones he tucked small divisions of the many hostas that the previous owners had planted in beds and borders. On top, he planted Incrediball smooth hydrangeas (Hydrangea arborescens), ousting the Forsythia.
lovely, limey green and they’re just about to dry to the seed heads,” he said, a phase he had never noticed until he grew them himself. “I just knew them as the little flower that the bees went to, and outside every English cottage.”
He is hoping to develop more of his mother’s intuition about which volunteer seedlings should stay and which ones should go. “She’s much better at editing things out than I am,” he said. “She’s very decisive about what she likes and what she doesn’t like.”
husband loves overwinter in place outdoors; they plan to test that this fall.)
Despite various educational misfires, joining the ranks of hands-on gardeners gave Axe a perspective that eluded him during his experience as a spectator. “The ‘why,’ and what the people got out of it, didn’t strike me doing all those gardening stories,” he said, or visiting all those gardens.
Now was he was getting at the really good stuff.
A wall full of hostas
The first new project Axe and his husband tackled was a space intended for outdoor dining. This sprang from an idea he had seen in London gardens: a gravel square edged with low boxwood hedges.
Before long, neighbors were
stopping by to ask gardening questions.
“The hedge was so low, and nobody’s kind of seen that before,” he said. “People would come by and think we were experts, and they’d ask our opinions on things, but at that point we didn’t know.” (Perhaps his English accent helped convince them otherwise?)
The garden had come with some good structural bones. In addition to those seven staircases, there was a drylaid stone wall that served an important purpose. But the drab, gray stones weren’t what Axe wanted to see from the bedroom window — especially not as it was, with Forsythia growing on top.
He imagined the wall’s potential if transformed into a vertical garden, like one he
Another inheritance spoke to the previous owners’ artistic sense, and likewise appealed to his own. They had understood the importance of creating inside-out views and had sited garden areas on axis from key windows. Axe has sharpened those views, framing each one as he might crop a photo for a layout and adding fresh focal points, like a birdbath.
In other areas, he has heightened the garden’s visual impact with strategic transplanting, massing together similar plants that were dotted here and there about the place.
The latest module in his ongoing horticulture home study: developing the confidence to edit self-sown plants, like the tall biennial foxgloves (Digitalis purpurea) that he now enjoys not just for their flowers, but later on, too. “I love it when they turn that
He continues to puzzle out the best cultural practices, and especially what goes where. Sure, it would have been easier to hire someone to do a master plan. But whether the budget had allowed for that or not, he wouldn’t have had it any other way. If someone else had done the planning, he would never have experienced this intimate, hands-on exploration.
“When people say, ‘Oh, somebody came and designed my garden,’” he said, “I kind of feel like you miss the best bit: the figuring it out, the thinking about it, changing it” — the surprises, the disappointments.
“If somebody comes in and just does it for you, you miss out,” he added. “You get the final ‘ta-da,’ but you miss out on the real meat of what it is to own a garden, I think: a personal point of view.”
This article originally appeared in The New York Times.
A photo provided by Matthew Axe shows a dahlia flower in his garden in Sea Cliff, N.Y. This fall, Axe plans to experiment with whether dahlias can overwinter outdoors with a deep layer of mulch. (MATTHEW AXE VIA THE NEW YORK TIMES)
Average rate on a 30-year mortgage ticks up to 6.49%
By A lex Veiga Associated Press
The average rate on a 30year mortgage edged higher this week, holding close to its lowest level in more than a year.
The rate rose to 6.49% from 6.47% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 7.09%.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week, pushing the average rate up to 5.66% from 5.63% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.46%, Freddie Mac said.
Despite the modest uptick, mortgage rates are expected to keep trending lower overall this year, as signs of waning inflation and a cooling job market have raised expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate next month for the first time in four years.
“In 2023, the 30-year fixedrate mortgage nearly hit 8%, slamming the brakes on the housing market,” said Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. “Now, the 30-year fixed-rate hovers around 6.5% and will likely trend down in the coming months as inflation continues to slow. Lower rates are good news for potential buyers and sellers alike.”
The rate on a 30-year mortgage is influenced by several factors, including how the bond market reacts to the central bank’s interest rate policy decisions. That can move the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
Deeds
AGAWAM
Amanda Shepard to Robin Austin, 52 Corey Colonial, $248,000.
Amparo Marco to Wesley Alan Rosner and Carolyn A. Rosner, 5G Castle Hill Road, Unit G, $320,000.
Anatoly Kozhenevsky to Pavel Kuzmenko, trustee, and Valley Realty Trust, trustee of, Rear Valley Street, $1,000.
Carla R. Cooper, Jack E. Cooper and Jack E. Cooper Jr., to Jason S. Donaldson, trustee, and Coalie Realty Trust, trustee of, 1341 Suffield St., $170,000.
Dennis F. Fitch to Nicole Gray, 21 Ash Lane, Unit 21, $265,000.
Gorete S. Goncalves to Gonca Yesim Sarikcioglu, 91 Mill St., $330,000.
Hailley K. King to Jacob R. Duffus and Kristina Lemire, 38 Damato Way, $700,000.
Harry H. Protzenko to Coalie Realty Trust, trustee of, and Jason S. Donaldson, trustee, 309 Rowley St., $191,000.
Kenneth J. Florek and Debora A. Florek to Kyle J. Florek, 13E Castle Hills Road, $309,000.
Messanvi Ekon and Nicole Ekon to Madasyn Ward, 54 Dogwood Lane, Unit 54, $285,000.
Thomas A. Stabilo, Diane M. Knowles, Kim M. Brehaut, Donna A. Fieldhouse and Barbara A. Stabilo to Stephen P. Coswell and Marianne Coswell, 142 Canterbury
Way, Unit 16, $435,000.
AMHERST
Susan Kaplan to Winifred Connerton and Jennifer Ryan, 164 North East St., $710,000.
Zoe C. Abram and William S. Van Heuvelen to Kaitlyn M. Jaffe and Scott P. Kingston, 4 Stagecoach Road, $600,000.
Michael E. Williamson and Elizabeth Y. Brinkerhoff to Elizabeth Lewis, 670 East Pleasant St., $475,000.
Historic Renovations & Rental Properties Ltd., to Mehul Patel and Jyotika Patel, 487 Main St., $525,000.
Mara Niefer, Joyce Keith and Alexander Niefer to Barbara J. Smith and Paul D. Barker, 1488 South East St., $827,500.
Anantjit Singh to Hanna Hlukhova and Dmitry Kireev, 351 Henry St., $540,000.
Hilda Greenbaum, trustee, and Revocable Indenture of Trust of Hilda Greenbaum to Bluhen LLC, 351 Main St., $1,262,000.
ASHFIELD
Zackary Lafitt to Anthony Basile, John Ford Road, $9,000.
Frances A. Goralski and Thomas P. Goralski to Travis S. Riemer, Bird Hill Road, $60,000.
BELCHERTOWN
Joyce N. Wyanski to Catherine H. Burt and Sandra M. Ellis, 23
Metacomet St., $525,000. Andrey Bezkulov and Larissa Bezkulov to Vasile Taralunga, 41 Old Sawmill Road, $100,000.
Carol J. Avonti, trustee, Family Trust and Richard S. Stein Revocable Living Trust to Lisa Stein-Lesure, 51-55 Poole Road, $100.
David Hornstein and Joan Schaffner to Cesar James Alvarez and Emily Beth Orling, 7 Knight St., $675,000.
M & G Land Development LLC, to Samantha Mangano and Jessica Jackson, 146 Sargent St., $270,000.
Joseph Black and Nicole Black to Jamie A. Kohn and Aimee A. Kohn, 304 Bardwell St., $526,000.
BERNARDSTON
Pamela T. Buzzell, trustee of the Pamela T. Buzzell Investment Trust, and Roger S. Buzzell, trustee of the Roger S. Buzzell Investment Trust, to Grantwood Union LLC, 43 Martindale Road, $396,475.
BLANDF ORD
Peter J. Curro and Heidi Kuester Curro to Erika Balbier and Amy Hagstrom, 115 Chester Road, $346,500.
BRIMFIELD
Christopher Joseph Comunale and Layne E. Comunale to Enrico A.
Giovanello and Jamie L. Giovanello, 33 Champeaux Road, $599,900.
John E. Worrell and Linda Ammons to Thomas Melvin and Tammie Melvin, 194 Wales Road, $435,000.
Judith A. Harris, representative, and Violette Jean Harris, estate, to Chestnut Hill Homes LLC, 47 Tower Hill Road, $169,900.
CHARLEMONT
John Hansen Jr., Mary A. Hansen and John P. Hansen to Lisa E. Acquaviva and Trevor G. Humphrey, Legate Hill Road, $110,000.
Susan Willis, trustee of the Doray Investment Trust, to Sarah Lynn Grinnell and Jeremy Michael Morris, 104 Main St., $325,000.
Michael J. Taylor to James M. Kemp and Bess M. Rincon-Kemp, 120 Hawk Hill Road, $500,000.
CHESTER
David W. LaFogg and Stephanie M. Pinard to Rayman Michael Koivisto and Kayla M. Koivisto, 113 East River Road, $500,000.
Kathryn P. Gesner to Alexis Bradley, 29 Williams St., $230,000.
Richard Stephen Paton to Trust Auer Rocque Inc., 104 Smith Road, $20,000.
CHESTERFIELD
Steven Dwight to Todd A. Sussman and Zohar Gal, 386 Main Road, $310,000.
(ADOBE STOCK PHOTO)
Deeds
CHICOPEE
Agnieszka Dziedzic to Tadeusz Wadas, 1287 Granby Road, $155,000.
Angelica Cruz to Michele A. Flynn, 115 South St., Unit B, $130,000.
Benjamin Nyzio to Noah Scott Palmer and Anna Korman, 100 Lawndale St., $345,000.
Bryan J. Zajchowski, trustee, and Trust Joan R. Parks Family Irrevocable, trustee of, to Marie Valliere and Nicholas Bernard, 79 Taylor St., $330,000.
Eleven Eleven Real Estate Associates LLC, to Angela R. Pereira and Ethan D. Reipold, 55 Lynwood Drive, Unit 6011B, $210,000.
David A. Mengel and Kathleen R. Mengel to David A. Mengel, trustee, Kathleen R. Mengel, trustee, and DKM Realty Trust, trustee of, 166 Catherine St., $100.
Donna Marie Montemagni, trustee, and Masse Family Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Brenda Rivera, 90 Stewart St., $243,000.
Edwin R. Delgado to Malgorzata Filip, 114 Colonial Circle, Unit B, $190,000.
Gilbert & Son Insulation Inc., to Richard Dejesus and Sonia Colon, 68 Springfield St., $120,000.
Haruna Bature, Triska-Tushanna Bature and Triska Williams Humphrey to Miguel Gonzalez, 30 Stearns Terrace, $283,000.
James C. Leonard and Barbara A. Leonard to David Dower and Lynn Dower, 7 Bunker Lane, $617,200. Kathleen Lacasse, Janice Kusnierz, Joanne Kusnierz and Jo-Anne B. Kusnierz to David C. Berthold, 47 Sullivan St., $267,500.
Pah Properties LLC, to Marta Prylowska and Hunter M. Wojtowicz, 51 Blanchard St., $335,100.
Richard A. Chouinard Jr., to DCL General Construction LLC, Beaumont Avenue, Lot B, $100,000.
Stephen G. Young and Lori Anne Young to Ramon Alexander Gutierrez, 48 Vadnais St., $375,000.
Steve G. Aube to Monique Marie Souza, 243 Chicopee St., $360,000.
William Raleigh to Maureen Bernard, 83 Bonner St., $375,000.
Yvonne M. Provost and Michael Provost to Equity Trust Co., custodian, Robert Lareau IRA, and Robert Lareau, 11 Sullivan St., $190,000.
COLRAIN
Charleen R. Payne to Daniel
Stephen Popick and Jennifer Elick Showe, trustees of the Popick-Showe Living Trust, 185 East Colrain Road, $590,000.
Kevin L. Scala and Stephen M. Scala to Keith Mezzanotti, 55 Heath Road, $180,000.
CONWAY
Merlyn Property LLC, to Katherine Lozancich and Luke Toritto, 25 Main St., $313,000.
Katheryn L. Wilkes. “aka” Katheryn J. Wilkes, to Linda Green and Richard Green, 133 Sabans Road, $419,000.
DEERFIELD
Kelly M. Ghiz to Winthrop Arms, 3 Adams Court, Unit 23 Commons of Deerfield Condominium, $331,000.
Corrine Sysun to Stuart Carter and Brian Scully, 51 Sugarloaf St., $635,000.
EAST LONGMEADOW
Cynthia J. Gagne and David J. Gagne to Trey M. Cushman and Tracy Lynn Martin, 21 Judy Lane, $464,900.
Donna J. Carestia, Cheryl A. Badger, Linda J. Silk and Patricia A. Fattini to Michael E. Badger, 14 Mardon St., $220,000.
Elizabeth A. Rottenberg and Lindsey G. Mabry to Eva Karlsson, trustee, and Karlsson Family Trust, trustee of, 45 Sturbridge Lane, $850,000.
Joan C. Devine to Jose Hiraldo, 168 Maple St., $300,000.
Leo R. Smith and Patricia H. Smith to Clifford W. Merrill, 117 Pinehurst Drive, Unit 117, $360,000.
Matthew Brice to Hassan Issa and Laila Issa, 277 Parker St., $350,000.
Richard Jacobson, Brinsley Jacobson and Brinsley Chasse to Phuong Nguyen, 69 Maplehurst Ave., $310,000.
Timothy J. Broderick to 14 Hanward Hill LLC, 14 Hanward Hill, $265,000.
EASTHAMPTON
Jessica Lapollo, personal representative, and Susan D. Lubanski, estate, to Sarah Michelle Duey, 41 South St., $268,000.
MAPAM-1 LLC, to 179 Northampton LLC, 179 Northampton St., $1,200,000.
Lydia I. Bussiere and Sherri L. Schon to Douglas N. Martini and Caitlin J. Martini, 3 Vadnais St., $385,000.
U.S. Bank Trust NA, trustee, Vrmtg Asset Trust, Newrez LLC, attor-
ney-in-fact, New Penn Financial LLC, attorney-in-fact, and Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing, attorney-in-fact, to Pablo Alejandro Garcia, 14 Chapman Ave., $290,000.
Jordan Lee Singleton, trustee, Singleton 2007 Revocable Trust and Jordan Lee Singleton to Morgan L. Mortimer, 103 Oliver St., $175,000.
GILL
Joseph C. Yukl to Ashlee N. Colwell, 33 French King Highway, $363,000.
GRANBY
Daniel A. Bruso, personal representative, Richard A. Bruso Sr., estate, and Richard A. Bruso, estate, to Pragnesh Patel, trustee, and Granby 367 East State Street Realty Trust, 367 East St., and 367 East State St., $315,000.
Carol G. Pease, trustee, and Granby House Revocable Trust to David K. Toplon, 114 West St., $357,000.
GRANVILLE
Gary W. Petersen, trustee, and Petersen Family Trust, trustee of, to Aida Iannotti, Robert Iannotti and Kristina Iannotti, 41 Granby Road, $430,000.
Mark E. McPherson and Deana L. McPherson to Kent Chamberlain, Kelsey Chamberlain, Kurt Neligon and Rosemary Neligon, 154 Silver St., $1,200,000.
GREENFIELD
Holly Rowell, “fka” Holly Crowell, to Dmitriy Komerzan, 18-20 Homestead Ave., $305,000.
Van Bro Co. LLC, to Evens & Rose LLC, 260 Silver St., $390,000.
Harlan J. Smith, trustee of the Harlan J. Smith Revocable Trust, and Linda G. Smith, trustee of the Linda G. Smith Revocable Trust, to Jennifer S. Bryan and Annette Fortier, 788 Bernardston Road, $575,000.
Adam R. Martin and Alexandra Martin to Sarah A. Madison and Mark J. Phillips, 111 Burnham Road, $580,000.
Sandri Realty Inc., to Stonewall Entities LLC, 155 Main St., $225,000. Holly Rowell, “fka” Holly Crowell, to Marvin E. Traver and Mary J. Traver, trustees of the Traver Family Trust, Homestead Avenue, $1,200.
Lorna E. Sevene to King Triton Properties LLC, 385 High St., $190,000.
House Hack Helpers LLC, to Jeffrey Remillard, 81-83 Hope St., $315,000.
Pikeshkumar Patel and Nicole
Sookhan to Joan M. Culley and Salvatore D. Dinardi, 65 Silver Crest Lane, Unit 30 Silver Crest Condominium, $363,500.
Ann M. Bush and William J. Bush, trustees of the 346-348 Federal Street Realty Trust, to Kongkea Sereyvith LLC, 348 Federal St., $240,000.
Deborah J. Drew, Linda A. Etkin and Nancy E. Lapean to Michael Lovett. 96 Maple St., $341,000.
Elizabeth Bednarski-Mahon and Sarah A. Bonetti, personal representatives of the Estate of John F. Bednarski, to Cristol L. Grey and Pamela L. Grey, 18 Newell Pond Place, $590,000.
HADLEY
Shumway Properties LLC, to Ana Da Veiga and Jakeline Da Silva, 2 Woodlawn Road, $475,000.
Denese Finch Hebert, Denese C. Finch and Albert Hebert to 167 Rocky Hill Road LLC, 167 Rocky Hill Road, $474,000.
Mark R. Hamel to Mark R. Hamel, trustee, and Mark R. Hamel Revocable Trust, 141 Rocky Hill Road, $100.
Peter R. Heronemus to John P. Loftus and Abby A. Mulligan, 115 Mt. Warner Road and 115 Mount Warner Road, $640,000.
W. Marek Inc., to Chris E. Healy and Marianne E. Healy, 2 Adare Place, $884,500.
HAMPDEN
Anthony C. Penna and Carey A. Penna to Michelle Raymond and Daniel Scagliarini, 103 Ames Road, $589,900.
John J. Ferriter, commissioner, to Amberly Matt, 334 Chapin Road, $480,000.
Kelly Nygren and Kenneth Nygren to Antonio F Basile, Scantic Road, Lot 2, $150,000.
Nan O. Roy, Nan O. O’Connor and Freddy Roy to Lauren Soriano and Nicholas Soriano, 73 Bennett Road, $600,000.
HATFIELD
Paul J. Cernak, Paul John Cernak and Colette Cernak to Derek Waslick and Nicole Waslick, Straits Road, $142,500.
Gary Daniel Tryon to Frederick Wallace Strong II, and Julie A. Kulessa, 8 Cronin Hill Road, $595,000.
HEATH
James R. Baumbach and Karen M. Baumbach to James Arthur Gagne and Sarah Glee Gagne, Papoose Lake Drive, $15,000.
Anthony Coppola and Jessica N. Hadley to David A. Fiske Jr., 27 Apache Drive, $30,000.
Charles R. Ryan, “aka” Charles A. Ryan, and Linda Ryan, “aka” Linda A. Ryan, to Son Treme, 141 Sumner Stetson Road, $570,000.
Geoffery John Gougeon, personal representative of the Estate of Jack A. Gougeon, “aka” Jack Gougeon, and Lisa J. Maynard to Christina Diaz and Ayaly Gallego, 223 Number Nine Road, $340,000.
HOLYOKE
Agnes M. Briere to Angelique Early, 20 Wayne Court, $337,500.
Conor Dowling and Susan E. Cain to Emilie S. Arnold and Adam M. Ware, 45 Lindbergh Ave., $428,000.
Donald B. Hendrickson, trustee, and Donald B. Hendrickson Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, to Charise Gonzalez, 110-112 Chapin St., $340,000.
Gabriele T. Brin-Martin to Antonio Olivera, Mountain Road, Par #4, $14,500.
Kayleen Whitaker to Zullyram Vargas, 22 Maple Crest Circle, Unit L, $210,000.
Kristen K. Iverson and Beth I. Graham to Elizabeth Synge, 43 Amherst St., $563,800.
Mark Larose to Jeannette Alvarez, 128 Cabot St., $190,000.
Michael Hanson, Rebecca Hanson and Rori M. Hanson to Lymari Arroyo, 46 Saint Kolbe Drive, Unit A, $150,000.
Michael DiNapoli to Wiley Farmer, 42 Saint Kolbe Dr, Unit A , $140,000.
Raymond M. Garcia to Paola Palacio, 3 Maple Crest Circle, Apt B, $175,000.
Raymond M. Higgins to Felix Almonte, 22 Lower Westfield Road, $35,000.
Timothy A. Figueroa and Arleen J. Figueroa to Corey Francis Winiarski and Benjamin Caraballo, 51 View St., $259,900.
Weiss Family LLC, to Gallagher Capital Group LLC, and Meara Properties LLC, 24 Fairfield Ave., $360,000.
HUNTINGTON
Luke Leszcynski to Jonathan Wittig and Patricia Clark, 46 Harlow Clark Road, $450,000.
LEYDEN
George L. Goodridge, personal representative of the Estate of Charles A. Loven, to Margaret Ann Arroyo and Stephanie June Arroyo,
5 Stephen Lane, $530,000.
LONGMEADOW
Alfred A. Krol to Mark Kraver, trustee, and Kraver Family Revocable Trust, trustee of, 358 Bliss Road, $327,000.
Crabapple Realty LLC, to Shuhua Bai and Tianzhi Yang, 44 Tanglewood Drive, $660,000.
Daniel J. Skiest to Jonathan Eitan Miller, Jonathan Miller, Hannah Miller and Hannah Abigail Miller, 127 Rugby Road, $930,000.
George C. Case and Wendy S. Case to Derrick L. Crowal and Cassandra S. Crowal, 184 Greenacre Ave., $685,000.
Lori A. Eldridge to Robert Matthew Figger and Katrina M. Martell, 54 Glen Brook Lane, $800,000.
Margaret S. Kennedy, representative, Barbara S. Carra, representative, Marguerite I. Smith, estate, and Marguerite Mary Irwin Smith, estate, to Barbara S. Carra and Victor A. Carra II, 58 Tanglewood Drive, $550,000.
Robin R. Dhatt and Raman Singh to Darius Vincent Peyton and Angeline Shenje Peyton, 360 Pinewood Drive, $800,000.
LUDLOW
Antonio J. Martins and Anna M. Martins to Triska-Tushanna A. Bature and Murtala A. Bature, 79 East Akard St., $490,000.
Kaitlyn Sosnowski and Yuri Klypka-Simpson to Paige Sullivan, 760 Moore St., $373,500.
Manuel R. Coelho, trustee, Georgete C. Coelho, trustee, and Manuel & Georgete Coelho Family Trust, trustee of, to Shahid Habib, 32 Springmeadow Drive, $735,000.
Matthew-Alan Herman,conservator, Christine Czajkowski and Kathleen Labadorf to Veteran Stan LLC, 162 Massachusetts Ave., $135,000.
Nicole Barron and Nicholas D. Barron to Michael Begin, 104 Warwick Drive, $395,000.
Pah Properties LLC, to David Phaneuf Jr., 153 Piney Lane, $325,000.
Patricia A. Stagnaro and Charles A. Stagnaro to Brian Turnbull and Kailyn Turnbull, 83 Church St., $468,000.
Sergio A. Dias, Natalie Vale Da Serra and Natalie Vale Da Serrra to Jason Voyik, Allison Pereira and Tami Kubacki, 109 Chapin St., $440,000.
Stanford Lynch to Alison Pariseau, 57 Waters Edge Drive, Unit 57,
$262,000.
Victor M. Rodrigues and Theresa M. Rodrigues to Zane Kagan and Yana Dyurteyeva, 262 Munsing St., $409,000.
William J. Granfield, estate, William Granfield, estate, and Deborah L. Briand, representative, to Hummad Ijaz, 70 Chapin Greene Drive, $223,000.
MONROE
Donna Guardino to Lawrence M. Luczynski, Main Road, $70,000.
MONSON
Anthony Patalano and Aimee
Dorval-Patalano to Robert John Gosselin and Sherrice Colburn, 158 Lower Hampden Road, $454,750.
David Parson to Michael J. Cavanaugh, 4 Country Club Heights, $430,000.
Deborah M. Beyor, Kenneth A. Klisiewicz and Richard E. Klisiewicz to Garrett Steven Beyor, 57 Wales Road, $180,000.
Euclide Desrochers, Robin L. Desrochers, Robin Morse and Robin L. Morse to Colin K Morse and Taylor Jackson, 17 Thompson St., $250,000.
Kevin P. Quirk, Pamela A. Quirk, Daniel W. Quirk and Mathew J. Quirk to Milton Knudsen and Jennifer Knudsen, 219 Wilbraham Road, $170,000.
MONTAGUE
Christal L. Cutler to Ian Pouliot and Kimberly Pouliot, 12 Federal St., $305,000.
NORTHAMPTON
Robert L. Stephens and Susan K. Stephens to Tyler Asher and Sharon Asher, 80 Damon Road, $191,000.
Adam Gladstone to Jacob Clayton and Joanne M. Becotte, 73 Bridge St., $340,000.
Patrick Gooden Glenn, Patrick K. Gooden and Danielle M. Glenn to Marlo C. Henderson, 30 Village Hill Road, $327,000.
Rose M. Korowski to John Daniel Pinkham, 31 Birch Hill Road, $327,500.
Francis G. Shea Jr., to Kristen M. Lynn, trustee, and Francis G. Shea Jr 2024 Irrevocable Trust, 72 Barrett St., $100.
Emerson Way LLC, to Anastasia Tucker, 803 Burts Pit Road, $96,000.
David B. Musante Jr., M. Janet McNeill and David B. Musante Jr., attorney-in-fact, to Adam Gladstone, 72-74 Barrett St., $137,500.
NORTHFIELD
Thomas Aquinas College to PierreLuc Boudreault, 291 Birnam Road, $305,000.
Kathleen J. Augustine and Roger L. Augustine to Ashley Avery and Jay Avery, 188 Warwick Road, $305,000.
Stephen J. Aubin to Tracy Miller-Sweet and David Warner, 783 Millers Falls Road, $449,000.
Lorraine S. Brennan to Richard Paul Bingaman, 89 Wanamaker Road, $405,000.
Celine Chabot Hall, trustee of the Celine Chabot Hall Revocable Trust of 2014, to Kathleen M. Esche and Peter F. Esche, 14 Pentecost Road, $580,000.
ORANGE
Emma Ellsworth, “aka” Emma G. Ross, and Thomas Ellsworth to John M. Grigas and Linda J. Grigas, 185 Royalston Road, $660,000.
Zackary P. Adams to Anahbel Taylor Anderholm and Lucas Upham, 25 Marjorie St., $275,000.
Kristie M. Woodard and Robert A. Woodard to Maria Elena-Hurld and Donald F. Hurld, 330 South Main St., $318,000.
PALMER
Joseph M. Garbiel to Stephen Houle, Emily Houle and Michael Houle, 10-16 Stewart St., $295,900.
Shaw Development Inc., to Edson Augusto Filho and Laudicea Maria De Oliveira Monteiro, 99 Longview St., $500,000.
Tassinari Construction Inc., to Rebecca Gagen and Adrienne Long, 2-4 Crest St., $325,000.
Timothy M. Chaffee and Jennifer A. Young to Deidre Wade, 1019 Pine St., $275,000.
SHUTESBURY
A&N Carr Associates LLC, to Isaac Larsen and Krista Larsen, Schoolhouse Road, $185,000.
Richard A. Heath to Anita Ting MacDonald and Michael S. MacDonald, 36 Merrill Drive, $90,000.
SOUTH HADLEY
Arthur E. Rekully Jr., and Anna Rekully to Wendy Loudon and Tiffany Tracy, 30 Hildreth Ave., $100.
Hai Van Nguyen and Thinh-ThiTran to Hung T. Nguyen, Steven H. Nguyen and Khanh T. Nguyen, 3 Cedar Ridge, $100.
Frances M. O’Connell to Lesli A. O’Connell and Craig F. O’Connell, 309 Alvord Place, $100.
Anna E. Kelly-Niziolek to Anna E. Kelly-Niziolek, Anthony T. Kelly-Niziolek and Adam M. Niziolek, 10 Waite Ave., $100.
Dawn M. Kessell to Aaron Moskowitz, Amber Nauman and Emily Ellithorpe-Luker, 107 Alvord St., $530,000.
J.N. Duquette & Son Construction Inc., to William T. Cobb and Kristine E. Cobb, 17 Lyon Green, $590,000.
SOUTHAMPTON
Bonnie L. Capen-Rowan and Stephen J. Rowan to Deborah A. Baker, 146 College Highway, $201,000.
SOUTHWICK
Denise D. Hoover, representative, and Gary Hoover, estate, to Scott Yvon and Amy Yvon, 10 Granaudo Circle, $549,000.
Jean C. Shaw to Irina Zhovkliy, 9 Evergreen St., $310,000.
Thomas J. Batchelor Jr., and Ruby Batchelor to Fedos Bateyko and Lyudmila Bateyko, 75 Will Palmer Road, $580,000.
SPRINGFIELD
Amanda L. Brown to Manuel Dejesus Santiago and Mildred I. Pagan Figueroa, 100 Rowland St., $285,000.
Ashraf M. Galal to Carla A Simon-Henriquez, Pasco Road, $50,000.
Ashraf M. Galal to Carla Simon-Henriquez, 29 Pasco Road, $390,000.
Bank Of New York Mellon, trustee, and CWABS Inc. Series 2007-8, trustee of, to Feliciano Bonilla, 15 Wellington St., $223,125. Carimar Pizarro-Abreu to Andrew Strniste and Brittany Canfield, 349 Roosevelt Ave., $290,000.
Caroline Oleary to Maebh Kosuta, Eben Cossutta, Jasper Kolaski and Julianna Kolaski, 75 Steuben St., $17,000.
Cascade Funding Mortgage HB11 to J&R Homes Corp., 20 Montrose St., $200,000.
Christina Valle to Marc-Anthony Carter, 120 Talmadge Drive, $330,000.
Christopher J. O’Connor and Alicsia M. O’Connor to Juliette M. Pineyro, 69-71 Laurence St., $367,000.
Clarence W. Smith III, and Jeannette Smith to Targen Quamie and Kelvin Karker Teh, 41 Lloyd Ave., $345,000.
Davis Friedman to Joel Antonio Rodriguez Lora, 18-20 Biltmore St., $400,000.
Diana J. Connelly to Barose Projects LLC, 40 Ruby Road, $205,000.
Donna Janerico to Hassan Saleh, 109 Melville St., $300,000.
Ellen S. Boynton to Linc Suppliers Corp., 64 Thompson St., $225,000. Emtay Inc., to David Givans, NS Bay St., $93,000.
Felix Fuentes to Jennifer Lee Rivera, 79-81 Silver St., $340,000.
Gary M. Weiner, trustee, and Sumner Ave. LLC, to North Adams Realty LLC, 427-429 White St., $976,500.
Go America LLC, to Falah Abdulah Sabih, 37 David St., $255,000. Gopal Thapa to Tilo Tamma Gurung and Bala Ram Thapa, 264 Island Pond Road, $365,000.
Gustavo Flores to Kedean Kamara Hines, 42 Hall St., $318,000.
New England Farm Workers Council Inc., to Fort Street Realty Associates LLC, ES Hampden St., $700,000.
Jeannette Alvarez-Rivera, Jose L. Rivera and Jeannette Ruiz-Alvarez to Nathan Albright and Megan Townsend Albright, 33 Kenwood Park, $261,000.
Joel R. Gonzalez to Michael Roos, 140 Chestnut St., Unit 206, $165,000.
Jorge L. Rivera to Jorge L. Rivera and Lisa Ann Rivera, 26 Wilton St., $100.
Jose M. Alves to Pavel Samatailo, Es Fairhaven Drive, $475,000.
Joshua J. Pittello to Real Estate Investments Northeast LLC, Riverton Road, Lot 110, $30,000.
Julio Marcano to Yesli Escalandte and German Perez, 150-152 Leyfred Terrace, $450,000.
Julius D. Lewis and Samantha Wallace to Mariceli Mota, 70 South Tallyho Drive, $265,000.
Kelnate Realty LLC, to Kevin Morris, 1350 Wilbraham Road, $290,000.
Kyle Edcudero to Nathan Belisle, 91 Tioga St., $270,000.
Luke A. J. Perry and Brianna L. Perry to Hazel Robinson, 17 Old Brook Road, $305,000.
Mark Eugene Parent, representative, Alan Richard Parent, estate, and Alan R. Parent, estate, to Dominic Kirchner II, trustee, and Kokoleka Realty Trust, trustee of, 27 Ontario St., $170,000.
Maxibelle Pedraza to Angel Robles and Lisette Rivera Holvino, 18 Chester St., $221,042.
Maybeth Malave to Jorge L. Rivera, 26 Wilton St., $100.
Nilsa Laboy and Roberto Rivera-Negron to Kenneth A. Marshall, 20-24 Kelly Place, $499,000.
Posiadlosc LLC, to Natasha Dehoyos, 1150 Page Boulevard, $280,000.
Deeds
Sandra Ciurleo to 579 Laurel Street LLC, Dickinson Street, Unit 1093, $230,000.
Sarah S. Gordon-Woodard and Sarah S. Gordon to ARPC LLC, 79 Perkins St., $276,321.
Sylvia M. Jordan to Techia Francis, 59 Ferncliff Ave., $280,000.
MJ Ledyard Nominee Realty Trust, trustee of, and Michael Simmonds Jr., trustee, to Lachelle Tayor-Boyd, 189 Hancock St., $475,000.
Thomas Lisowski to Jose O. Ogando Tejada, 59 Osborne Terrace, $286,000.
Spagnolo Family Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, and Anne Marie Walsh, trustee, to Elenita Irizarry Ramos, 141 West Canton Circle, $300,000.
William M. Quilty, representative, and Joan M. Quilty, estate, to Malia Homebuyers LLC, 80 Nassau Drive, Unit 80, $125,000.
Willow State LLC, to T & K Real Estate Holdings LLC, 133-141 State St., $1,200,000.
Wilmington Trust, trustee, and MFRA Trust 2014-2, trustee of, to Salim Abdoo, 5 Olney Ave., $230,000.
SUNDERLAND
Julie A. Kulessa and Frederick W. Strong II, to Kathryn Chang and Peter Laznicka, 132 Russell St., $460,000.
Karen R. Markowski and Leon F. Markowski to Keri T. Aubert and Jakki Flanagan, 5 Pomeroy Lane, Unit 5
Buttonball Meadow Condominium. $570,000.
Christian D. Houlden and Louise A. Houlden to Hongyan Wu and Qifeng Ye, 67 South Silver Lane, $412,000.
Sunderland Rentals LLC, to Jamroth LLC, 170 Old Amherst Road, $485,000.
TOLLAND
Randall Lane LLC, to Thomas James Church, Hartland Road, $44,000.
WARE
Daniel A. Bruso, personal representative, Richard A. Bruso Sr., estate, and Richard A. Bruso, estate, to Pragnesh Patel, trustee, and Ware 144 Main Realty Trust, 144 Main St., and 146 Main St., $390,000.
Sandra A. Anderson, trustee, and Anderson Realty Trust to Benjamin P. Lawrence, 187 North St., $310,000.
Kimberly Duquette to Dane Anthony Duquette, 12 School St., $100.
WARWICK
Stephen P. Johnson to Katherine Ann Curts and Alana Inger Johnson, 29 Athol Road, $375,000.
Nathan W. Eigerman, trustee of the Flower Hill Trust, to Charlene S. Beach and David W. Beach, 142 Flower Hill Road and Flower Hill Road, $360,000.
Anne B. Kitzmiller to Angela C. Kitzmiller and Donald Kitzmiller, 686 Old Winchester Road, $395,000.
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Laureen J. Michaud to Betsy Galarza,
80 Brush Hill Ave., Unit 6, $189,500.
Matthew M. Paige and Deborah J. Paige to Michaela J. McSheffrey, trustee, John J. McSheffrey, trustee, and McSheffrey Family 2024 Revocable Trust, trustee of, 16 St. Andrews Way, Unit 16, $465,000.
Nitza Ortiz Borges to Andrew Stepchuk, 62 Warren St., $291,000.
Peter S. Champagne and Janice A. Champagne to KMak LLC, and Bernash Realty LLC, 182 North Boulevard, $200,000.
Rose Flores and Ezequiel Mestre to Congamond Management LLC, 40 Connecticut Ave., $300,000.
Caring For Others Health Agency LLC, to Katrina M. Perkins and Vanessa C. Knott, 80 Riverdale St, $335,000.
WESTFIELD
Derek Egerton and Carrie Egerton to Carl D. McKenzie and Catherine C. McKenzie, 4 Angelica Drive, $600,000.
Edward J. Osowski III, and Kimberly A. Osowski to Minyi Zhang, 17 Colony Drive, $450,000.
Estelle C. Janisieski to Hai-dang Tran, 224 Loomis St., $360,000. Gabrielle M. Scheufler, trustee, and Diane M. Batchelder Revocable Trust, trustee of, to Tim Shea, 535 Loomis St., $319,000.
Gary R. Greany and Daniel J. Greany to Round Two LLC, 18 Atwater St., $90,000.
Roman Catholic Bishop Of Springfield to Westfield City, 24 Union, $758,083.
Heidi L. Lamothe to Haley Mathieu and Cameron LeBeau, 21 Riverside
Drive, $349,900.
Hem K. Ghorshain, Jasuda K. Ghorshai, Hem K. Ghorshai and Jasuda Ghorshai to Brendan W. McMahon and Brendan William McMahon, 15 Day Ave., $345,000.
Jacqueline Deane, Jacqueline Hall and Joseph James Hall to Kyle F. Nardi and Theresa Nardi, 1198 East Mountain Road, $535,000.
Jason R. Danenza to John R. Cabral and Caitlyn S. Cabral, 14 Scenic Road, $487,000.
Jose R. Roman to Rafael A. Pimentel and Jamie E. Pimentel, 205 Russell Road, $325,000.
Mikhail S. Sychev and Liliya G. Sycheva to Morgan Ave LLC, 28 Morgan Ave., $420,000.
Scott W. Yvon and Amy M. Yvon to Jose R. Roman and Laura A. Casella, 79 Montgomery St., $350,000.
Stephanie M. Harris to Michael Paul Benoit and Ann-Marie C. Jackowski, 18 Sabrina Brooke Lane, $475,000.
U S Bank Trust, trustee, and RCF 2 Acquisition Trust, trustee of, to Tok Chang, 44 Governor Drive, $225,000.
Zachary Soucy, Paul Soucy, PaulJohn Soucy and Susan D. Soucy to Gennadiy Lisitsin and Mariya Lisitsina, 50 Union St., $362,000.
WHATELY
Jacy R. Birdsong and Emily R. Wood to Jacy R. Birdsong, 11 Sugarloaf Street Extension, $17,110.89.
Susan Martin and Troy T. Martin to Carolyn Sadler, Deborah Sadler and Neal Sadler, 161 Christian Lane, $895,000.
WILBRAHAM
Goodrich Irrevocable Trust, trustee of, and David J. Goodrich Jr., trustee, to Stephen Moniz and Alison France, 768 Stony Hill Road, $300,000.
Jamie Kohn, Aimee Kaufman and Aimee Kohn to Melissa Sorensen and Thomas Millett, 22 Manchonis Road, $342,000.
Johanna Guberow and Joanna K. Guberow to Pinaki Pal, 5 Circle Drive, $420,000.
Mary P. Douthwright to BP LLC, 651 Stony Hill Road, $225,000.
Matthew J. Villamaino and Jane V. Villamaino to Sean Griffith and Jacquelyn Griffith, 24 Linwood Drive, $395,000.
Michael J. Tarantino and Lilliam E. Tarantino to Johanna Guberow, Carla Lane, Lot 18, $620,000.
Paul E. Bloomfield and Sherri L. Krassin to Steven Carignan and Diane Carignan, 5 Becker St., $476,000.
Scott D. Santaniello to Scott D. Santaniello and Denise Michelle Santaniello, 6 Tracy Drive, $100. Tracy Rohrbach and Tracy Beeman to Kelly McMahon, 38 King Drive, $87,500.
WILLIAMSBURG
John C. Locke to Elizabeth Blaylock and Guy Thomas Blaylock, 19 Cole Road, $975,000.
WORTHINGTON
Matthew R. Labrie and Keith E. Labrie to Rheal Labrie and Cailey Bixby, 29 Fairman Road, $300,000.
One of the most susceptible varieties is Golden Bantam, which I grow. Check.
Fertility can play a role, with ammonium nitrogen and high phosphorus levels favoring the disease, and high calcium and potassium decreasing plant susceptibility. Probably not a factor; phosphorus level is high in my beds, as are levels of potassium and calcium. Based on growth in the rest of the garden, there’s no reason to suspect ammonium levels are too high.
Putting a name to the problem was not the end of my puzzle.
One remaining question
was why only one corn bed was so severely infected, and not three others. Golden Bantam, the variety I grow, is an heirloom variety, with seed saved each year — for the past 100 plus years — from self-pollinated plants. Although basically the same, all Golden Bantam plants are not clones, that is, genetically identical. Slight differences could exist between “lines.” I had more than one source of Golden Bantam seed this year. I always assumed that all the Golden Bantams are sufficiently identical, so I never record which source or sources I planted in each bed. It could be that one bed was planted with seed of a more susceptible line.
Another possibility for
the unique performance of the last bed could be that its development coincided with the flea beetle’s development such that it was rendered more susceptible. Earlier ripening corn generally is less susceptible than later ripening ones.
I’m tending toward the theory that the growing season presented a unique “perfect storm” of conditions that favored the disease.
The most important part of solving this puzzle, of course, was: what to do? I don’t particularly like the flavor or texture of modern super-sweet hybrids, even if many are wilt resistant. Some popular old varieties — Country Gentleman and Stowell Evergreen, for example — are
wilt resistant. But — and not to be a picky eater — those varieties are white corns; I like yellow corns.
More than that, I like Golden Bantam sweet corn. This variety was the most popular variety early in the 20th century. Although the pathogen was identified by, of course, F. C. Stewart in Long Island, New York in 1895, not much could be done to control its devastating effects until resistant hybrids were developed. The first of these was bred from two lines of Golden Bantam, in 1923. It wasn’t long before 70 tp 80% of canned corn was of this variety, Golden Cross Bantam. It’s a good variety but not as good as Golden Bantam.
I decided to continue grow-
ing Golden Bantam, labelling various plantings with the seed source and watching for differences in disease susceptibility between sources.
Sometime after I thought I had solved the puzzle, I learned that the disease was probably northern corn leaf blight, a fungal disease. No matter: I’ve continued my usual plantings of sweet corn, and symptoms of Stewart’s Wilt disease or whatever the problem has never showed up again in my corn plantings. Puzzle complete?
Any gardening questions? Email them to me at garden@ leereich.com and I’ll try answering them directly or in this column. Come visit my garden at www.leereich.com/blog.
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