This is the time of year when, normally, we would head to the Goshen Fair in Connecticut or the Dutchess County Fair in New York and learn the differences between all those types of cows that we see in the fields as we drive around on our country roads.
This year there are no agricultural fairs. But you can still learn about dairy cows — and taste some exquisite handmade chocolates made from the milk of those same cows.
If you’ve lived here for a while, you’ve probably heard of Thorncrest Chocolate Shop and Farm in Goshen, Conn. Almost everyone with a sweet tooth knows this place — and raves about it.
The chocolate itself is silky, creamy, gorgeous, everything that chocolate ought to be.
It’s fresh, so much so that it comes with a warning that these sweets are best eaten within two weeks of purchase (and you should store them in a cool, dark place — but not your refrigerator, where they’re likely to get discolored).
There are pre-made assortments but why bother when there is the temptation of the daily menu, which includes almost 30 different specialty items, including (for example) Madras Curry Dark Chocolate, Lavender Dark Chocolate and Lemon Mint Dark Chocolate — in addition to more traditional favorites such as caramels; chocolate bark with granola or trail mix; chocolate with peanut butter (called Tali’s Delights); or citrus peel, apricots or candied ginger dipped in chocolate.
And then of course there are the cows, who lounge around in their stalls eating hay, steps away from the newly built retail shack.
The chocolate master is Kimberly Thorn. The masters of the cows are her husband, Clint, and sons Garrett and Lyndon, who are generally out and about working on the farm and are happy to answer questions about their “girls,” the dairy cows.
Like the farm they live on, the cows are lovely and clean. The barn is open for visits; often one of the family farmers is there, ready to answer questions and introduce “the ladies” — and explain which cow’s milk produces which chocolates, caramels, yogurts and cheeses.
You can phone in your order (sometimes there is a long line). You can also phone ahead to arrange a more deluxe tour of the barn.
The dairy barn is open for visits from Thursday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Private group tours are offered at 9:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday though Monday from May to October; there is a fee for these group visits, which can accommodate up to 35 people (the fee is between $50 and $85 depending on the size of the group; there is no charge for individual informal visits to the barn).
There are also (in a non-quarantine time) chocolate tastings and talks at $10 per person; and there are cheese-making classes.
The farm’s website warns that sometimes circumstances will arise that will keep visitors out of the barn.
“We are a working dairy farm and occasionally these hours will need to be flexible for the stable, as well as weather dependent,”the website warns. “This is to ensure the safety, health and comfort of our cows.”
The chocolate shop is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
To learn more about Thorncrest Chocolate Shop and Farm, go to www.milkhousechocolates.net, where you can see the daily menu, arrange a group tour and get directions; or call 860-309-2545.
EXTRAS school-age childcare program: is hiring staff for our summer camp in Salisbury CT! Full or Part Time positions available. Email extrasprogram@gmail.com with a resume to apply, or for more information.
Highway Department Maintainer: The Town of Cornwall has a full-time job opening for Highway Department Maintainer. For more details and to apply, contact Jane Hall in the First Selectmen’s office: 860-672-4959.
Home Health Aide: Active senior woman seeks assistance with light home and care, including, some cooking, drive to doctors, shopping, occasional dog sitting. Flexible work arrangement. Possible live-in large one-bedroom apartment. Rent negotiable. Call Vicky at 860-435-2106. Leave message.
Carpenter / Builder David Valyou: Canaan CT. Renovations & Repairs of Old homes and Barns, Historic restoration, remodel, handy man services, painting, masonry-tile-landscaping. 20 years + serving tri-state area. Licensed and insured. davidvalyou@yahoo.com.
Carpenter and tile setter: now offering handyman services. Over 35 years experience. 413-229-0260 or email at tylerhomeprop@yahoo.com.
Lamp repair and rewiring: Serving the Northwest Corner. 413-717-2494.
Hector Pacay Service: House Remodeling, Landscaping, Lawn mowing, Garden mulch, Painting, Gutters, Pruning, Stump Grinding, Chipping, Tree work, Brush removal, Fence, Patio, Carpenter/decks, Masonry. Spring and Fall Cleanup. Commercial & Residential. Fully insured. 845-636-3212.
PUBLISHER’S NOTICE: Equal Housing Opportunity. All real estate advertised in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1966 revised March 12, 1989 which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, color religion, sex, handicap or familial status or national origin or intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. All residential property advertised in the State of Connecticut General Statutes 46a-64c which prohibit the making, printing or publishing or causing to be made, printed or published any notice, statement or advertisement with respect to the sale or rental of a dwelling that indicates any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, age,
:lawful source of income, familial status, physical or mental disability or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.
Live/work space: on Main St. in Sheffield MA. 2900 sq. ft. renovated colonial. Beautiful 2 bedroom apartment on 2nd floor. 1500 sq. ft. professional space first floor. Parking, accessible ramp, separate entrances. 413-429-7477 or 413-429-6379.
MT RIGA: Two Bedroom LAKEFRONT log cabin. Private beach, canoes and kayaks. $1350/Week. 585-355-5245.
Very private and comfortable furnished house in Sharon: set back from the road on 10 acres, 5/24-9/16. Ground maintenance included. Utilities extra. $16,500 for the season. 917-887-8885.
Office Spaces Available: Prime Location on Main Street in Lakeville. Call or Email for more details. 860-248-9605. info@
bncfinancialservices.com.
Amenia, NY
GARAGE SALE: Sat. 4/20 & Sun. 4/21 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Furniture, tools, household items, and more. No early birds. 19 Yellow City Rd., Amenia NY.
LEGAL NOTICE
TOWN OF SHARON
BOARD OF FINANCE
All Registered Voters and Property Owners in the Town of Sharon are hereby Warned and Notified that a public hearing will be held Friday, April 26, 2024 at 7:00PM at the Town Hall for the purpose of reviewing the Board of Education’s and the Board of Selectmen’s proposed budgets for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024 and ending June 30, 2025. Copies of the proposed budgets are available at the Town Hall and on the Town Website. Dated at Sharon, Connecticut this 18th day of April 2024.
Thomas H. Bartram Chairman
Sharon Board of Finance
04-18-24
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF KARIN WOODRUFF JACKSON
Late of Maine
AKA Karin
Zetterstrom Jackson
(24-00135)
The Hon. Jordan M. Richards, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Litchfield Hills Probate Court, by decree dated April 4, 2024, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
The fiduciary is:
Robert B. Jackson
c/o Linda M Patz
Drury, Patz & Citrin, LLP
7 Church Street, P.O. Box 101, Canaan, CT 06018
Megan M. Foley
Clerk
04-18-24
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF
ARLINE D. WARD
Late of Salisbury
(24-00009)
The Hon. Jordan M. Richards, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Litchfield Hills Probate Court, by decree dated March 28, 2024, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
The fiduciary is:
Thomas Veto
c/o Emily D Vail
Ackerly Brown, LLP
5 Academy Street
PO Box 568
Salisbury, CT 06068
Beth L. McGuire
Chief Clerk
04-18-24
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF
JOHN DESMOND
Late of North Canaan
AKA John J. Desmond
(24-00145)
The Hon. Jordan M. Richards, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Litchfield Hills Probate Court, by decree dated April 9, 2024, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
The fiduciary is:
Rachel Cary
c/o Andrea Doyle Asman
Litwin Asman, PC
1047 Bantam Rd.,
P.O. Box 698
Bantam, CT 06750
Megan M. Foley
Clerk
04-18-24
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF
EUGENE F. GREEN
Late of Salisbury
AKA Eugene Green
(24-00164)
The Hon. Jordan M. Richards, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Litchfield Hills Probate Court, by decree dated April 2, 2024, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
The fiduciary is:
Patricia Barry
c/o Linda M Patz
Drury, Patz & Citrin, LLP
7 Church Street
P.O. Box 101
Canaan, CT 06018
Beth L. McGuire
Chief Clerk
04-18-24
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF
JUDITH CHATFIELD SCHWERIN
Late of Sharon
(24-00169)
The Hon. Jordan M. Richards, Judge of the Court of Probate, District of Litchfield Hills Probate Court, by decree dated April 9, 2024, ordered that all claims must be presented to the fiduciary at the address below. Failure to promptly present any such claim may result in the loss of rights to recover on such claim.
The fiduciary is:
Frederick W. Schwerin, Jr.
c/o Michael Downes Lynch
Law Offices of Michael D. Lynch, 106 Upper Main Street, P.O. Box 1776, Sharon, CT 06069
Megan M. Foley
Clerk
04-18-24
Diego Ongaro
Parisian filmmaker Diego Ongaro, who has been living in Norfolk for the past 20 years, has composed a collection of films for viewing based on his unique taste.
The series, titled “Visions of Europe,” began over the winter at the Norfolk Library with a focus on under-the-radar contemporary films with unique voices, highlighting the creative richness and vitality of the European film landscape.
Ongaro has made two films himself. His second feature film “Down with the King” tells the story of a rapper who has come to recoup from career challenges on a farm in the Berkshires. Filmed on location in southwestern Massachusetts, it’s a beautiful movie with bucolic landscapes and moving performances by lead actor Freddie Gibbs.
The film premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival (ACID section), won the top prize at the Deauville Film Festival, was released worldwide by Sony Pictures in 2022, and is currently available for viewing on Netflix. Prior to that, Ongaro’s first feature film "Bob and the Trees" had its world premiere at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. Ongaro directed more than a hundred children’s programs for French Television in his early 20s and wrote and directed four acclaimed short films.
When asked how the idea for the series came about, Ongaro said, “Last year at the Norfolk Library I did a film series on the Berlin School, and the year before that it was on the French New Wave. I wanted to continue this cycle and offer a window on the cinema that I like.”
“Growing up in Paris, I’ve always had a diverse taste in cinema, watching American and French films, but also films from all over the world that allowed me to travel to places I’ll most likely never see. It was refreshing to see these stories anchored in different cultures. Now that I’ve been living away from native France for about 20 years, I gravitate mostly towards European cinema, probably seeking a culture and sensibility that I miss. A lot of these European films are incredible, offering complex characters and stories, unlike most of the American fare nowadays,” he adds.
The next and last installment happens Friday, April 12 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and features “Swagger” by Olivier Babinet.
So how did Ongaro curate the films for this series?
“I like to share films that reflect my sensibility as a filmmaker and that most people haven’t seen. I’ve traveled to a lot of film festivals over the years where I got to see many films. I try to find themes within the films that have stuck with me. I like to think of it as a cine club. This year, the three films are all very different from each other, but each have a unique voice and form: a nuanced drama on the Baltic Sea titled ‘Afire’ by Christian Petzold, a hilarious nonsensical comedy called ‘Keep An Eye Out’ by Quentin Dupieux, and a gripping and wonderfully original documentary on teenagers going to school in a difficult projects in France called ‘Swagger’ by Olivier Babinet,” he said.
There were many films that didn’t make the cut due to time constraints, but Ongaro also recommends, “Reality” and “Yannick” by Quentin Dupieux as well as “Jericho,” “Barbara,” “Undine by Christian Petzold.”
As to what the audience can expect from the evening, Ongaro says, “It’s a casual affair. I give an introduction to the film with some backstory and context, talk about the filmmaker, the actors, and then we watch the film. We don’t do question and answer after, we don’t really have time for that, but people linger and talk about what they have just watched. People come to me with questions or to hear my take on an ending, a character. It’s fun to see how engaged people are after each screening.”
Screenings are free. Register on www.norfolklibrary.org.
Young native pachysandra from Lindera Nursery shows a variety of color and delicate flowers.
It is still too early to sow seeds outside, except for peas, both the edible and floral kind. I have transplanted a few shrubs and a dogwood tree that was root pruned in the fall. I have also moved a few hellebores that seeded in the near woods back into their garden beds near the house; they seem not to mind the few frosty mornings we have recently had. In years past I would have been cleaning up the plant beds but I now know better and will wait at least six weeks more. I have instead found the most perfect time-consuming activity for early spring: teasing out Vinca minor, also known as periwinkle and myrtle, from the ground in places it was never meant to be.
Planting the stuff in the first place is my biggest ever garden regret. It was recommended to me as a groundcover that would hold together a hillside, bare after a removal of invasive plants save for a dozen or so trees. And here we are, twelve years later; there is vinca everywhere. It blankets the hillside and has crept over the top into the woods. It has made its way left and right. I am convinced that vinca is the plastic of the plant world. The stuff won’t die. (The name Vinca comes from the Latin ‘vincire’ which means ‘to bind or fetter.’) Last year I pulled a bunch and left it strewn on the roof of the root cellar for 6 months and the leaves were still green.
Disposal is by bonfire, the least desirable method, but in this case the only way of ensuring it does not return.
2024 will be the year I begin to take it out, with sporadic help from hired hands. While they tackle larger areas of the offending plant, I have started from the fringes of the woodland interior and am working outward. Frankly it is not as boring from here as the vinca is less packed into the soil. It is an oddly satisfying task; this has to do with the vine-like nature of the plant. There is a knobby bit tethered to the soil by its roots; once this is lifted up (I use fingers but Norm, who is working in denser beds of the stuff, uses a hori knife) the vine runs to its next root knob about a foot or two away. It feels as if you have progressed quite a bit for one big tug. The same technique can be used on Glechoma, or ground ivy, although the vines are far thinner than those of vinca. I should be working on this well into the next decade.
While nurseries and garden centers continue to push vinca, there are native groundcovers that look great and can help to restore native habitats. Michele Palustra runs Lindera, a small outfit in Sharon that prioritizes local ecotypes of natives, meaning that she collects the seed herself from surrounding property, ensuring that the plants growing from them will serve local insects well. Spreading Jacob’s Ladder, Polemonium reptans, works in moderately shady circumstances, with its dense and deep green set of leaves and a truly beautiful pale purple or white flower. This plant comes to New England from south and west of the US but is hardy to zone 5. One of Michele’s favorites is native Allegheny pachysandra, Pachysandra procumbens.
Unlike the ever-present non-native Japanese pachysandra terminalis which is dying off thanks to Volutella blight, native pachysandra has a more delicate leaf and a showier flower. It is slower to spread than is the Japanese version but the use case is similar; as an underplanting around tree bases and to fill in around plantings in garden beds. I have recommended tiarella cordifolia as a pachysandra replacement for these purposes and suggest pairing either with a native fern such lady fern or maidenhair fern. Native ginger, asarum canadense, and the 200 or so native species of viola, or violet, work beautifully for groundcover; the former is excellent on hillsides where you can better see the shy burgundy colored flower, the latter spreads quickly which is a bonus and all sorts of insects feed on its flowers. Try to get the straight species of these native plants rather than a cultivar of them which may not benefit the habitat as well (this fascinating topic will be covered in the next installment of The Ungardener.)
I have purchased 50 plugs of Pennsylvania sedge, Carex pensylvanica, from the online consolidator Izel Native Plants to plant under cherry trees that have resisted any past attempts to have a downstairs neighbor. I also want to explore ways to encourage the growth of native moss which also makes an excellent groundcover.
Lindera, along with Tiny Meadow Farm, are having a pop-up spring sale in Sharon that I encourage you to visit. They will be selling truly gorgeous native plants including groundcovers.
This will take place Sunday, April 28 from 10-6 at Lindera Nursery, 60 Knibloe Hill Road in Sharon. www.tinymeadowfarm.com/events/spring-sharon-plant-sale.
Dee Salomon "ungardens" in Litchfield County.
