The popularity of the lawn rake coincided with the post-World War II boom in suburban living. Here’s a brief history of the rake — fall’s most essential tool.
New England
New England
New England
The Encyclopedia of Fall: Q is for Quabbin
The creation of the Quabbin Reservoir in central Massachusetts came with a cost: The sites of four communities in the Swift River Valley were drowned out of existence when it was built in the 1930s. In their place came two huge earthen dams and a new body of fresh drinking water for metro-Boston residents: a […]
Autumn is, of course, pumpkin season. And nowhere is it longed for and worshiped more than in Maine at the Damariscotta Pumpkinfest & Regatta, a multiday celebration during which the almighty gourd is honored, smashed, painted, and eaten. The 2012 festivities begin September 29-30 with two giant-pumpkin weigh-offs and picks up again October 4-8 with […]
New England
Scott Farm
Landmark Trust USA manages these 626 pristine acres in southern Vermont, where a team of orchardists tends some 90 varieties of low-spray heirloom and unusual apples. This beautiful property served as the location for the orchard scenes in The Cider House Rules. There’s a farm stand, plus classes on pruning and grafting, pie baking, and […]
New England
Nashoba Valley Winery
In the heart of America’s first fruit bowl, this beautiful winery and restaurant is also home to a spectacular antique-apple orchard stocked with rare finds, such as ‘Pink Pearl’, ‘Ashmead’s Kernel’, and ‘Esopus Spitzenberg’–nearly 100 in all; call ahead to make an appointment. Tack a wine tasting and dinner onto your day and you have […]
New England
Poverty Lane Orchards
Steve Wood and Louisa Spencer operate two businesses on their land in west-central New Hampshire: Poverty Lane Orchards, where they grow dozens of antique and unusual apple varieties, and Farnum Hill Ciders, where they make complex ciders from the aforementioned apples. Both are worth exploring for their nuance and quality. 98 Poverty Lane, Lebanon, NH. […]
New England
Alyson’s Orchard
Photo/Art by Brenda Darroch At this hilltop orchard in southwestern New Hampshire, you’ll find more than 50 apple varieties in neat rows, drawing your eye toward sweeping views of the Connecticut River Valley. Manager Homer Dunn adds more old breeds each year; the roster now includes ‘Belle de Boskoop’, ‘Reine des Reinettes’, and ‘Hudson’s Golden […]
New England
Apple Orchards | 7 Wonders of Fall
‘Ashmead’s Kernel’, ‘Roxbury Russet’, ‘Belle de Boskoop’, ‘Pink Pearl’, ‘Winter Banana’ … The names of antique and rare apple varieties are part poetry, part history lesson. Many go back centuries, some as far as the Renaissance. The tiny ‘Lady’ apple, also known as the ‘Pomme d’Api’, was first recorded under that name in 1628, but […]
New England
The Encyclopedia of Fall: N is for No No-See-Ums
Itchless in Autumn With early autumn’s frosty blast, Our ankles whisper, “Free at last!” The only place you’ll see no-see-ums Is in a case, at bug museums.
New England
The Encyclopedia of Fall: M is for Mohawk Trail
Photo Credit: Library of Congress The fast way to reach the Berkshires from the east is to hop on the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) and set your cruise control to 65, or 70 if you want to test the five-miles-over rule. Or you can drive through history–slowly, windows open, stopping here and there, taking photos, drinking […]
New England
The Encyclopedia of Fall | L is for Leaf Peepers
Every fall, New England experiences an explosion of variety and color. We’re not talking about trees; we’re talking about the people who come to look at them. For the uninitiated, here’s a basic introduction to leaf peepers.
It just may be the most scenic drive in New England, which is why you want to wake up early to explore it, because on crystal-clear October afternoons, this 34.5-mile stretch of Route 112 between Lincoln and Conway, New Hampshire, can feature a caravan of SUVs and Airstreams. But the popularity of this paved mountain […]