October 27th, 2014 Cornish Fairgrounds – Cornish, New Hampshire

I rode from Muster Field Farm Museum as clouds squeezed the remaining rain from its overcast blistery sky. Three days of torrential rains left creeks rushing with delight and lake shores spilling over soggy leaf embankments. Wet pavement is bad enough, add rotting wet leaves and it’s just plain dangerous to ride on, and I would not ride on, if not for the horseshoes Roger Robertson sends from the BlackSmith Shop (www.theblacksmithshop.net) But we safely clip clopped down the shiny black pavement with color still clinging to the Oaks and Maple trees over head. From our 3 day stop at historic Muster Field Farm to the Sutton School where children spilled out the doors like pouring rain from the sky. They’d taken a moment to wish us farewell.
History resounds in this part of the country. It leaps at you from Federal Colonial homes and mossy stone walls. It whispers to you from enchanting cupola’s, narrow twisting country roads and weathered grey barns.
There is high regard for heritage,how could it not be so? After all, did it not begin here?  The concept of democracy took shape here, the foundation set, the lines drawn. The pot got stirred, the cake got baked, America’s beginning took place here. I think what so surprises me is how much has been preserved. How great the attempt has been to retain the natural beauty of the countryside, to keep small farms intact. Living in a 200 year old home is not uncommon. To me I see a high level of citizenship, a concern for the “welfare of community” and less on the individual. Although people are very tolerant and deverse. But I do see a greater effort to find a “common good for the all” that I have not seen anywhere in my travels. Historical events are pressed between the cracks like ghosts that keenly remind these New Englander’s, again and again, of OUR heritage.

#########################################################################

Muster Field Farm is like a jewel in the community of Sutton and Sutton is a jewel in New Hampshire both wrapped in layer after layer of precious history.

Robert S. Bristol, the founder of Muster Field Farm, stipulated in his will that a working farm always be in operation and that the museum work to support and preserve the agricultural traditions of rural New Hampshire.

Today’s farm produces vegetables, flowers, hay, eggs, and fire wood. Ice blocks are cut from Kezar Lake in the winter and stored until summer in the farm’s ice house. Over 200 of the museum’s 250 acres are under a conservation easement with the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, and a program of selective cutting and sustainable forest management maintains diverse stands of mixed hardwoods and softwoods.

The large, flat and open fields, where militias mustered during the 18th and 19th centuries, are used to demonstrate farm operations and equipment during Farm Days in August. They also produce a large amount of hay that is used on the farm to winter-over the cows and other animals.

Steve Paquin, the farm manager and seasonal helpers are always hard at work. The farm specializes in vegetable production, with the best fields producing a wide range of vegetables (including Steve’s specialty, sweet melons of all varieties). Extensive flower beds exhibit an ever-changing display of texture and color.

The farm’s produce stand is open daily during the summer from noon to 6 pm, generously supplied with all types of vegetables, herbs and a beautiful array of cut flowers. It sells to both local visitors as well as supplying neighboring restaurants and food markets, and is open on event days for our visitors.

The farm also maintains a small but varied population of farm animals which round out the farming operation. Pigs, cows, and chickens are always to be found on the grounds.

Agriculture is alive and well at Muster Field Farm in North Sutton, as it has been for parts of the last four centuries. We hope you come and see for yourself what a “working farm” really means.

©2011 Muster Field Farm, all rights reserved.
Design by Gina Gerhard | Photographs by  J. Bradley

Herstory….
Nearly one hundred years ago as my grandmother Francis taught in a one room school house on the wild and windy eastern slopes of Montana’s Rocky Mountains her sister Linda graduated from Harvard. The first woman to graduate from Harvard with a certificate equal to that of a man. Adventurous women to say the least.
When asked the other day, “what has been the most interesting ride you have done?” I replied, “this one.”
We are nearly finished with our first year out on this “husky” 8000 mile journey, hard to believe.

 
########################################################################################

Saint – Gaudens National Historic Site is in Cornish, New Hampshire’s back Yard!!

Pam Mills whom I met in Sunapee, N.H. gave me a memorable tour through the gardens. It is breathtaking to say the least….Please if you have time check out the website.

Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848-1907), created over 150 works of art, from exquisitely carved cameos to heroic-size public monuments. Works such as the “Standing Lincoln” monument and the Shaw Memorial, continue to inspire people today and his design for the 1907 Twenty Dollar Gold Piece, is considered America’s most beautiful coin. Over 100 works of the sculptor are exhibited in the galleries and on the grounds at Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site.  park.