News & Views
Photo of Sandwich Village by Joe Janis
Artists on the Porch & Lakes Region Guest Artist space at Center Sandwich Fine Craft Gallery9/6/2023
Our next Artist Demonstration on the Porch will be Saturday, September 16, 2023 from 10:00 to 1:00. League of New Hampshire Craftsman Larry and Victoria Elbroch will demonstrate their process of combining Larry's photography of trees with Victorie's printmaking. Together they create beautiful, amazing prints in addition to their own individual work. Hope you can stop by and meet the artist! Sandwich Home Industries, which will be celebrating its 100th birthday in just two years, is offering something new this fall, a Lakes Region Guest Artist space in the Gallery. The brainchild of Sandwich resident Mary Coolidge, the Home Industries was founded to help local craftspeople on the eve of the Great Depression earn an income from their work. The building supplied a space where local craftspeople could display and sell the fine crafts they made at home and where they could teach others, so traditional NH crafts would be passed down through the years. When the League of NH Craftsmen was formed a few years later (with Mary Coolidge as its first president) those goals expanded to craftspeople throughout NH. Four years ago the SHI Board of Directors re-dedicated itself to the original mission of supporting local artists and the local economy, at first by expanding opportunities for all local artists to display and sell their work and to teach classes. We’ve expanded the number of artists at Artisans on the Green, and sought new classes and porch demonstrations by local craftspeople. We are thrilled now to be able to offer a space in our Gallery to these folks. On Thursday, August 31, the Gallery welcomed visitors to a reception for local artists. It was received with great enthusiasm from both artists and visitors alike. Local Guest Artists' work will be available in the Gallery through October 9th, after which the Gallery is closed for the winter. We have SO MANY talented artists in our local area! Do stop by! The Board of Directors for The Sandwich Fine Craft Gallery The Sandwich Fine Craft Gallery at 32 Main Street in Sandwich, is open 7 days a week until October 15, 2023. Hours are from 10:00-5:00 Monday thru Saturday and 12:00-5:00 on Sundays. We hope you will stop in and check out the amazing work of artists from all over the state of New Hampshire!
What is your name and the name of your business? My name is Ashley Benes and I am the owner of Papa Beans Ice Cream. How did you get to Sandwich, NH? I grew up in the Lakes Region and my first time I can remember being in Sandwich was at the age of four going to the Sandwich Fair. This is where I experienced my first pony ride and my love for horses. When I was in my early 30s I taught lessons and volunteered for the local Mt Washington Valley Pony Club that was fortunate enough to use the fairgrounds for their practices. Around that same time, 2011 or 2012 I believe, I helped organize a 5K Turkey trot based out of the Sandwich fairgrounds as a fundraiser for the Pony Club. My father is an active member of the White Mountain Milers running club and I had dabbled in some races by this time in my life and was hooked. I went on to attend a 5k turkey trot from the Beach to Bar, Christmas Jingle Bell Run put on by a yoga studio, Booty Farm 5k, and the Old Home week triathlon. I remember thinking this is the kind of community I want to live in. When Brad and I started dating a few years back our first official date was hiking Mt. Israel and eating ice cream afterwards. As life partners and residents of Sandwich we find it important to enjoy the nature and beauty in our area as often as we can and our busy lives allow. Tell us about your business. What do you make, do, or offer as a service? I make small batches of homemade ice cream using local New Hampshire diary and source ingredients locally when ever possible to stir in the ice cream. We are located inside Young Maple Ridge Sugarhouse. You can purchase pints, half pints, ice cream sandwiches and ice cream cakes or pies. One of the most popular flavors is the Maple Bourbon Ice cream that is flavored from Maple Bourbon aged syrup made by Brad right in the Sugarhouse. How did your business get started? In the late 1980s my father’s construction business was taking a hit due to the economy. My parents decided to take a chance and open a homemade ice cream business they called Bobby Sue’s, located in West Ossipee where M & V’s gas station is located now. At the age of 7, I knew that my ice cream tasting passion would continue. My favorite flavor then was peach with rainbow sprinkles. After a successful couple of years my parents sold the business and my father went back to construction. My father has opened a couple other homemade scoop shops in Conway area over the years and acquired a few nicknames: “Scoop Man” and “Papa Beans.” Since a young age I have always dreamed of owning my own small food business and had been brainstorming this idea for several years. I have a BS in Business Management from PSU and was working as Assistant Utility Manager for a water company the last 8 years and knew I was ready for a career change. My father had given me his ice cream machine and Brad offered to share his kitchen space at his sugarhouse. I began the process of filling all the requirements for a new business and inspections needed before making the big jump of leaving my office job. What is the most fun/satisfying aspect of your work? Have you ever seen someone eat ice cream who is not smiling? The ice cream is not always the first thing guests look at when they arrive at Young Maple Ridge Sugarhouse. Often they are surprised by the assortment of maple syrup choices in glass & plastic bottles. Then they see the Maple Candy, Maple Sugar, Maple Cream, and Maple Bourbon Syrup. What gets most of the attention is Brad’s evaporator, the 40-gallon barrels, stacked syrup drums, and the wooden bourbon barrel filled with syrup that is aging before being bottled. We love seeing people’s reactions to the sugaring process and the assortment of flavors of ice cream we have made. The ice cream sandwiches are a huge hit and many are thrilled to see our unique flavors. What is the hardest? The hardest part is not eating all the profits. Starting a business with unstable and rising product costs has posed a huge challenge for me especially in figuring out my own costs and pricing. I have attended many farmers markets and estimating what items to bring or have on hand has been difficult. Having the support of family, friends and community has allowed starting this business a little less hard. Brad and his parents, Rae & Bob Streeter, are always available and willing to step in and help. My father is even finally sharing some of his secrets of success. What are your goals and hopes for the future? I hope to have a successful sustainable business that allows connections with other small business and community. Anyone local that has ingredients that would pair well with our ice cream please reach out. What else can you tell us about yourself, your business, and your life in Sandwich?
Being an ice cream eater, I must stay active and where else to do that than Sandwich. I am an avid runner, hiker, and in recent years gravel bike rider. I am a proud dog mom of Simon (14.5) and Chuck (2.5) and enjoy spending time in the woods with them and Brad. Sandwich offers so much for such a small town because of the compassionate people that choose to live here. I truly appreciate and value being able to eat while listening to local musicians at The Foothills and The Corner House, shop at the numerous farm stands on my way home, take a yoga class, and still be able to explore quiet trails and nature. Ashley Benes Papa Beans Ice Cream 301 Wing Road, Sandwich NH 603-393-6948 [email protected] Text and photos by Trish Bushmich After a very hot and busy summer, we are happy to welcome the next season here at Chapman Sanctuary and Visny Woods. Green foliage is quickly changing to the glorious colors of autumn, and the air is suddenly cool and dry and blustery. What a perfect time to hit the trails at CSVW.
New Benches: Take an extra-long moment to breathe deep the fresh air and take in the sights and scents of fall in New Hampshire. CSVW has installed two lovely benches for its members and visitors to sit and enjoy the views. Located on either side of the entrance to Trail 13, the benches at the top of the field look down over the pollinator garden, birdhouses and all the way to sparkling Teacup Lake. Give yourself a refreshing treat during this extra-gorgeous time of year. Get outside in nature at Chapman Sanctuary and Visny Woods. THANK YOU for signing in at the Visitor’s Kiosk. Established in 1955, Chapman Sanctuary and Visny Woods (CSVW) operates as a not-for-profit nature, bird, and wildlife sanctuary in Center Sandwich, NH. It is a place for children, families, and adults to connect with nature and explore wildlife in their natural habitat across more than 225 acres of woodland trails, meadows and streams, of which CSVW owns 114 acres. CVSW is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk free of charge and depends on individual donations and grants for financial support. Located at 740 Mt. Israel Road in Sandwich. The Mill, by Wendy KetchumJuly 9th through July 26th. Local artist, Wendy Ketchum, has created an intriguing series of woodcut monoprints based on 19th century New England textile mills. Her exhibit will open at Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery on July 9. The series was inspired by her love of history, 19th century photographs and the “many long rows of massive brick buildings” that dot the New England landscape. Her meticulous technique combines with her subject matter in a series of poignant pictures relating to the history of the “Mill Girls.” The work is inspired by old photographs of mill workers, as well as actual patterns made from fabrics created at the mills. Join us for a reception to meet the artist on Saturday, July 9th from 5 to 7 pm. Ketchum will also host a “conversation” about the “Mill Girls” and their place in our history on Saturday, July 16 at 9:30 am. Ketchum’s artist statement best describes The Mill, a project that has taken her several years to complete: “In the years between 1830 and 1860 tens of thousands of young single women were recruited to leave their family farms in northern New England to seek social and economic independence through employment in the textile mills. Despite the yoke of corporate paternalism, millwork put a new kind of power into women’s hands economically, providing them with the highest wages offered to female employees anywhere in the US at the time. Coming from farms where time was dependent on the seasons, the “mill girls,” as they were called, were faced with the tyranny of the bell and clock tower dictating every minute of their working day. The cotton that fed the mills was grown and processed by slave labor in the American South, and a portion of it was woven by mill girls into coarse cloth to clothe those very slaves creating a closed circle of labor. Many of the mill girls became ardent abolitionists, in addition to becoming labor reform activists fighting for better working conditions through walkouts, mass rallies, strikes, and the creation of one of the first labor reform leagues in the country.
The exhibit will be on view through July 26th. The gallery is located at 69 Maple Street in Center Sandwich. Gallery hours are from 10 to 5 Tuesday through Saturday. Sunday and Monday, if the door is open, come on in. www.patricialaddcaregagallery.com, 603 284-7728 What is your name(s) and the name of your business? Sarah and Mark Cotrupi. The name of our business is “The Porch.” How/when did you get to Sandwich, NH? Life before Sandwich? We visited Sandwich regularly for the past 10 years but only became Sandwich property owners two years ago when we bought Polly Jewett’s house. Before Sandwich Mark and I lived in Nebraska City, Nebraska for about 30 years. It was there that Mark retired from the Defense Intelligence Agency as well as his 28 year career as an Air Force active duty and reserve member. We were both intelligence officers in the Air Force but I separated after seven years and started “Peppercricket Farm,” an antique store and Bed and Breakfast. This was our first restoration project and was located on our 15 acre farm, utilizing the barn as a shop and workroom. I discovered quickly that selling antiques was way more fun than running a B&B and spent the next 15 years refinishing and selling antiques. In 2005 we bought and restored a double storefront in Nebraska City and opened a home décor and gift shop called The Keeping Room. Our plan was always to eventually move to New England (Mark has family in Vermont and we learned to love it on our many buying trips for the antique business). Now approaching 50 we decided it was time to move. We sold the business and came to New Hampshire about 10 years ago. How/why did you start your business? Mark and I always wanted to restore another old house and looked at dozens of homes in the New England area over the years and never could find “the one” to restore. Too expensive, wrong location, beyond our capabilities etc etc. Then there was this big old yellow one with the awesome porch. Mark loved it right away and I couldn’t wait to paint it!! So we bought it and got to work. We weren’t sure what kind of business we were going to start but the longer we worked on it the more sure I was that it had to be retail. This house was meant to be shared with others. Tell us about your business. What do you make, do, or offer? The Porch features an eclectic blend of antique, vintage and new home décor as well as a women’s clothing line. The building, with all of its natural light, high ceilings and expansive floorspace provides a great backdrop in which to showcase the merchandise. The antique furnishings also blend in nicely with the new items so that customers can better visualize what they may look like in their own home or office. What is the most fun/satisfying aspect of your job? The restoration process of the house and working on antique furniture that will have a new home are definitely the most satisfying, but finding inventory with Mark and setting up displays with my sister Chris Milanovich are the most fun. Mark calls it “playing house”! The one on one conversation we have with our customers is also a fun part of the job. It is truly amazing where folks are from, their background and what their plans are for the pieces they buy from us. We both love the interaction with our growing customer base at The Porch. What is the hardest? The days when no one comes in. It happens in all retail but is never easy. What are your goals and hopes for the future? To become a shopping destination that brings more people to Sandwich to appreciate the unique beauty of the community. We are looking at expanding the shop into the second floor to complement what we already have in the barn and first floor. The architecture of this house lends itself to display and is something we want to take advantage of. What else can you tell us about yourself and your life in Sandwich?
Our number one priority in our lives are our two daughters Helen, who is now a freshman at Stonehill College, and Mary Lynn, who is a junior at Moultonborough Academy. Family is a very big part of our lives and something we have learned to cherish. We truly love the town and the folks who live here and the surrounding communities. Sitting on the front porch of the shop in the summer invites conversation with all who walk or ride by. We hope to be doing it for many years to come. theporchnh.com facebook.com/porchnh [email protected] (402) 326-5450 This Fall Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery is featuring the work of three local artists who are successfully emerging onto the NE art scene. The last exhibit of the season opens on Labor Day Weekend and continues throughout the month of September. Ashley Bullard, Liz Wilson and Valerie Vermeulen are all from the Lakes Region. Each of their paintings reflects their very personal journeys connecting them to the world around them. The exhibit is colorful, contemporary, playful and highly creative. Ashley Bullard lives and works in Sandwich. Bullard’s abstract landscapes are painted with energy and emphasize color and texture to achieve their mark. The series at the gallery this summer is about Ice Out on Squam Lake. The subtle reflections seen in the snow and ice as it cracks and melts are rendered in delicate hews that transfer via the artist’s brush to canvas. One can feel the cracks in the jagged lines and smell the spring in the pastel palette. Bullard spent many days last spring perched above Squam Lake watching the lake melt. These painting are about new beginnings. Liz Wilson lives and works in New Hampton. Her work is colorful, active and to a degree playful. It engages the viewer in a conversation, an invitation to look deeper and enjoy. Wilson’s words best describe her work: These paintings are impressions of my experience in the world at a specific moment. When I am able to focus inward, I see in my minds’ eye my sensory experience translated into shape and color. This experience is a part of my reality: it is the author, creator of my painting language. In the process of making the images I simplify and to a degree caricaturize my experiences. The source of the images is specific. However, what I am depicting is the sensation that I took from the moment.” Valerie Vermeulen lives and works in Holderness. The subtle color and undefined shapes in her abstract landscapes challenge, soothe and engage. Vermeulen talks about her work: “I spend my days studying and recording the constant, subtle, changing elements of nature and life. My work provides a nostalgic sense of place and simplicity, yet is ultimately defined by the infinite. I hope to elevate the viewer, both aesthetically and spiritually. The images are reflective, surreal, and organic in nature. The work also explores the mystery and the solitude of the anonymous human experience. I am driven to capture the changing atmosphere and the endless nuances of a landscape, both physical and psychological, to reveal the truth of a limitless reality. In the image, a dream is reflected, and the esoteric quality of a moment has been remembered. Patricia Ladd Carega Gallery is located at 69 Maple Street in Center Sandwich. Gallery hours are from 10 to 5 Monday through Saturday and 12 to 5 on Sunday. You will also find work by all our artists on line at patricialaddcaregagallery.com.
Tappan Chairs are a New Hampshire ladder-back design first crafted in Sandwich, NH in the early 1800’s, and they continue to be crafted in Sandwich to this day, over seven generations of makers, using a medley of modern and historic machinery dating as far back as the 1850’s. Adam Nudd-Homeyer is the current owner, making him the seventh generation in Tappan Chairs’ line of craftsperson-stewards. It is under Adam’s tenure that Tappan Chairs now celebrate their 200th anniversary--a celebration which had an early start in 2018, with Tappan Chairs’ move into the former, historic, and long vacant Sandwich General Store building, turning it into an open workshop, showroom, and history exhibit, and marking the first time in the business’ long history that it has had its own free-standing building. Adam Nudd-Homeyer writes: We welcome you to stop by and visit our shop on August 3 (Saturday), from 10 am - 1 pm as we formally celebrate our bicentennial in Sandwich! We'll have some cake and light refreshments to share, and one or more state "dignitaries" will also be present! We will also be making some exciting announcements... 1. Firstly, we'll be unveiling the first of a "200th year only" style of commemorate rocker (of course!)... 2. We'll be revealing the details on our acquisition of TWO national furniture brands--something that we have been working on for nearly a year, and which is finally happening now(!)--and which we expect to bring a half dozen or more skilled jobs to Sandwich over the next year or so... 3. Finally, we will be announcing our transition in the coming months from an LLC to a benefit corporation, with its core purpose being the support of non-profits which benefit Sandwich and its greater community! So please save the date and stop on by! If you've never been in our new shop at the old Sandwich General Store (Skinner St./Upper Main St. in Center Sandwich), or haven't been in for awhile, we've added a number of new things to see and learn about for both the business as well as the two historic buildings that we now occupy. And of course, we'll be on hand to give the full scoop on all of these exciting developments... Please join us—we hope to see you there! Adam (603) 726-6550, www.tappanchairs.com Sandwich residents (especially those of us who live in North Sandwich) are thrilled that the North Sandwich Store has reopened. For those of us who live far from the center of town, where the Village Green Café does a wonderful job, a local cafe where we can get coffee, pastries, milk, local vegetables, and much more, is a welcome addition to our vibrant community. Many thanks to Lobin Frizzell for this valuable initiative. Lobin writes: WE ARE OPEN! (finally) Please stop by for coffee, homemade pastry or just to say hi. We are a work in progress so please make any suggestions. If you would like to consign an item or products please email [email protected]. Our hours of operation in the future will be Thursday-Tues 7-6 (closed Wed). All the best, Lobin What people are saying:
"I stopped in this week and it looks fabulous. I purchased pastries that were yummy and the sandwich menu looks so good! Welcome and best of luck!" "Hurray for life being blown back into the historic North Sandwich Store! I for one am going to to celebrate Independence Day by dropping into a newly minted independently-owned store this evening on my way to the festivities!" "I was pleased to find the North Sandwich Store open this morning…. The sweet smell of fresh baked cinnamon rolls and fresh coffee lured me in…..what a wonderful breakfast treat. Thank you, Lobin Frizzell" |
News & Views
News of what's happening in Sandwich and other items of interest. Meet Our Members
Please enjoy the Sandwich Business Group's 2021 project called Meet Our Members. Read interviews with fascinating people who live here and run businesses, organizations, and engage in other creative pursuits.
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