Stones embody spirit of Shea Cohn, and a hope-filled message
The Cohn family is memorializing Shea Cohn, who died in a car crash last year at the age of 16, with Shea Stones. Photo submitted
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Michael Gawel drives the tractor for the event’s hayride.
Ruth Epstein
Students enrolled in second-semester agricultural education classes are required to participate in the open house, which counts as a summative grade. Judges – which include members of the community – provide feedback on the projects.
Chris Crane shows off a racecar that he built with his family Madi Long
“We reach out to the community asking for business leaders, industry professionals, as well as parents, former students and teachers,” said Dave Moran, Ag-Ed department chair. He said the goal of the open house is for students to demonstrate a skill they have learned and show their proficiency to the public.
Michael Gawel Jr., a junior from Sheffield, Mass., demonstrated to judge David Parks how GPS technology can make operating an excavator more efficient.
The machine, owned by the Gawel family’s company, M&M Excavating of Sheffield, was outfitted with sensors. Using an electronic device, Gawel demonstrated how the GPS technology guides the digging process.
He said the system eliminates the need for a laborer to actually climb into the hole to check the elevations and levels. That person can instead work on another aspect of the job.
“It’s more efficient,” Gawel said.
James Appelby, a sophomore from Kent, showed off his rebuilt 1983 John Deere 950 tractor. He said the tractor needed a lot of help.
“It needed all new electrical,” Appelby said, ticking items off his fingers. “I fixed all the leaks, added power steering and changed the gear levers.”
He said the tractor gets used every day.
Avery Hutton of North Canaan, a sophomore, discussed dairy judging as two cows – an Ayrshire and Brown Swiss – looked on placidly nearby. Hutton detailed the ins and outs of showing dairy cattle, which she has been doing for eight years.
She said her family owns a dairy farm and that she has operated her own limited liability company for “show cows” for the past three years.
Falls Village junior Hayden Bachman’s project focused on the process of obtaining animal health certificates.
Hayden Bachman with Lissylu, a four-month old Holstein.Patrick L. Sullivan
The paperwork is necessary for exhibitions, and keeping up with it is a constant concern.
“You have to get it within 30 days of a show, and it’s good for 30 days,” she said.
Bachman showed a sample certificate, while her display explained the steps exhibitors must complete before a veterinarian inspects the animals and issues the certificate.
Senior Sara Ireland of West Cornwall playfully convinced HVRHS principal Ian Strever to tuck one of her carnation boutonnieres into the breast pocket of his sport coat.
Ireland said a store-bought boutonniere can cost between $30 to $50, while a homemade version ranges from just $5 to $15.
The project requires cardstock, greenery, carnations, glue and a hot glue gun. Finishing epoxy helps keep the flowers looking fresh longer, Ireland said. Ribbon is optional, though, and Ireland said she prefers a simpler look.
Lauren Sorrell pets the school\u2019s goat, Marvin. Madi Long
Inside the garage, HVRHS social studies teacher Deron Bayer was deep in discussion with Cornwall sophomore Winter Cheney about Cheney’s rebuilt 1995 Yamaha YZ80 motorcycle.
“The piston failed,” Cheney said. “Then everything went.”
He added that he couldn’t afford to have the bike repaired in a shop, so he decided to do it himself, with some help from a knowledgeable friend.
It took four months and there was a certain amount of trial and error involved, Cheney said.
The trial and error was the point.
“I did it to learn how,” he said. “And when it all comes together, it’s worth it.”
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Virginia Gold of Project SAGE helps a customer at Trade Secrets.
Aly Morrissey
In addition to the more than 2,500 visitors — who formed a long line in the morning sun at the entrance — vendors from western Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York gathered to sell rare and native plants of all varieties. Antique dealers and high-end home goods vendors also displayed a colorful and eclectic array of items ranging from dainty linen napkins to large lawn sculptures and fountains.
Local businesses were represented, including Oblong Books, which hosted a book-signing event featuring five authors. The books were curated specifically for the event, offering a “garden variety” mix of titles centered on landscape design, gardening and the natural world. Among the featured titles was The Young Man and the Tree by landscape designer Fernando Wong and writer Tim Johnson. The book’s foreword was written by Martha Stewart, a longtime supporter of Trade Secrets who attended the event earlier in the morning.
“It’s nice when they let us out of the bookstore,” joked Oblong bookseller Frederick Rossero, who commented on the beautiful weather. On a more serious note, Rossero said it’s always rewarding to be a part of Trade Secrets. “It’s for such a great cause.”
At the heart of the event – and perhaps strategically placed at the center of the grounds – stood an eye-catching floral installation representing the staggering number of calls Project SAGE receives each year from people seeking support for domestic violence.
The display featured 1,500 flowers suspended from a wooden pergola, symbolizing the 1,500 calls answered annually by the organization’s crisis hotline [(860) 364-1900]. The installation was presented by Millbrook’s Garden at Creel and Gow.
Carolyn Piccirelli, owner of Honeychurch Home and former Trade Secrets co-chair, showcased the latest gifts and home decor from her Lenox-based shop, formerly located in downtown Salisbury. Among the highlights was a new French linen tablecloth featuring a botanical pattern. Printed in Portugal and designed by Piccirelli and her daughter, the tablecloth was inspired by the work of early 20th-century Swedish artist Hilma af Klint. The tablecloth, she said, is soon to be featured in a number of glossy magazines.
Local metalworker Izzy Fitch, founder of the Wassaic-based Battle Hill Forge, displayed his hand-forged metal designs and described his process to curious buyers.
“I just made that last night,” he said of one rusted garden piece that drew a lot of attention. “It was leftover pieces from an installation I did last week.” In order to achieve the antique look, Fitch sprayed it with a combination of salt water, peroxide and vinegar to accelerate the rusted, antique look. He described his team’s approach as an intersection of art and function.
“We make art,” he said. “And I want the person who buys our pieces to be able to move them around.”
The Vege-Table was also a popular destination, featuring vegetable starters from local farms, including Conundrum, Fort Hill, Maitri, and Thistle Pass. Organized by Salisbury resident Jeb Breece, the effort was a family affair with the whole family volunteering throughout the day.
“We have so many farmers in our community already starting these plants,” Breece said. “We’re able to buy from them, support local farms and donate proceeds to Project SAGE.” He said the model works especially well in the early season, when many farms have more cash going out than coming in. “They’re happy to have someone come in and buy in large numbers,” he said.
Breece’s wife, Sabina, serves on the underwriting committee and said the event couldn’t have been more successful. In her fifth year volunteering, she said the event gets better and better each year.
“It’s a beautiful event, and for such a great cause,” she said. “Seeing the year-over-year growth – it’s so much bigger, but the bigger it gets, the better it is for Project SAGE.”
Kristen van Ginhoven, executive director for Project SAGE, was beaming under the sun, pleased with the turnout.
“When I think about the large-scale event and how many moving pieces there are, it’s going immensely smoothly,” she said. “People are happy, the weather is great, people are purchasing things and the vibe is nice.”
Aly Morrissey
A green vintage Chevrolet truck welcomes attendess at the entrance to Trade Secrets.
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