It’s been quite a March and the beginning of April is shaping up to be just as snowy. However, there are hints of spring and the promise of warmer weather and with it spring and summer programming for the Cavendish Historical Society (CHS)
While there are programs we offer annually, there are some new events and twists on old ones, particularly the annual plant sale. More events will be added throughout the year.
CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS
May 26 (Sunday): Museum opens for the season 2-4 pm
May 30 (Thursday): Cavendish Memorial Day Celebration
June 6 (Thursday): Sturbridge Village Trip for CTES students in grades 5 & 6.
June 22 (Saturday): Ghost Walk Cavendish Village, meet at the CHS Museum at 8 pm. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a flashlight
July 21 (Sunday): 18th Century Village Healers in Rural Vermont 2 pm at the CHS Museum. One of the speakers will be Dr. Charis Boke who will talk about the herb gardens of this era, how plants and herbs were used then and now.
July 27 (Saturday): 14th Annual Cavendish Town Wide Tag Sale. The CHS booth will be at the Gazebo on the Proctorsville Green
September 15 (Sunday): Annual Phineas Gage Walk and Talk, starts with the talk 2 pm at the CHS Museum
GARDENING TO ABSORB THE STORM: For many years-no one seems to remember when they started-CHS has held a plant sale. This year, in response to the floods in 2023, we have a theme “Gardening to Absorb the Storm.”
We are working with Black River Action Team (BRAT) in promoting gardening that will help to protect and restore Vermont’s rivers and lakes. Strategies to do this include “rain gardens,” plantings for wet areas of lawns; and planting to help stabilize and protect river banks.
A rain garden is a bowl shaped garden designed to capture and absorb rainfall and snowmelt. When stormwater is captured, it helps to reduce the volume of runoff, thereby reducing flooding that can erode stream banks. It also helps to reduce excess nutrients, sediment, and pollutants from entering our water ways.To learn how to create a rain garden, check out the Vermont Rain Garden Manual on-line or pick up a copy at the Cavendish or Ludlow Libraries. This manual includes “The Vermont Rain Garden Plant List” for ferns, grasses, perennials, shrubs, and trees which are suitable for Vermont. This is a handy list to take when going plant shopping this spring as it provides information on what type of sun exposure a plant needs, salt tolerance, seasonal interest, what pollinators it attracts and lots more useful information
While rain gardens are not recommended in a naturally wet area of a lawn, there are other trees and shrubs to plant that will absorb the water in such locations. If you have a low-lying spot that collects rain, an easy solution is to use this space to grow plants that thrive in wet areas. The right plants will absorb the moisture and prevent runoff. Use the plant list in the manual to determine what might work best for your property.
If you are wanting to know more about planting to maintain riverbanks in and around the Black River Watershed, contact Black River Action Team (BRAT) blackrivercleanup@gmail.com or 802-738-0456
Our goal is to secure as many plants as possible for the sale. Those items not sold will be used to help re plant gardens for property owners who lost them as a result of the July floods.
We need your need: If you can help, please call 802-226-7807 or e-mail margocaulfield@icloud.com
• If you have perennials, shrubs or trees in your garden that need thinning out, we can help with pots, soil and some extra sets of hands
• People who can help with the transplanting. We will be starting after the first of May.
WINTER ACTIVITIES/YOUNG HISTORIANS: We’ve had a number of fun activities take place this winter. In February, we launched the “find the heart” hunt. Painted rock hearts were hidden at various historic landmarks, which could be found by following the various clues. While the rocks have all been removed and relocated to one historic spot, you can test your knowledge of Cavendish history by checking out the clues. CTES 5th and 6th graders made their own hearts to hide. Thank you Becky Plunkard for creating the painted heart rocks.
To celebrate Black History Month, and to honor Gloria Leven, we held a quilt making workshop at the Cavendish Library. Thanks to the Leven family, we had Gloria’s fabric stash to use. We also discussed the role quilts played in 19th century America. To the question of whether quilts were used as guides as part of the Underground Railroad, there is not a lot of historical evidence to support that claim. None the less, quilts were a way to raise money and even a means by which freedom was purchased.
St. Patrick’s Day is always a fun time with the students at CTES. This year they made woven baskets, honoring the Irish heritage of weaving and basketry. Thank you Bob Naess for bringing your fiddle and playing a variety of Irish tunes.
As Cavendish continues with flood recovery and hazardous mitigation, we are pleased that our Young Historians have been making posters for the “Don’t Pitch in the Ditch” campaign and will be helping with transplanting and planting.
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