tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7314065896417867122.post4382010346708154887..comments2024-02-15T17:37:16.131-05:00Comments on Morning's Minion: Chelsea, VermontMorning's Minionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01912356455981434029noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7314065896417867122.post-57079515147786184972009-09-12T09:19:49.635-04:002009-09-12T09:19:49.635-04:00Our home county in the Champlain Valley of Vermont...Our home county in the Champlain Valley of Vermont was known as "the land of milk and honey"--large dairy farms, beekeepers, maple syrup producers. Even there dairy farms are going under--the costs of maintanence and production, high land taxes, have too long out-stripped the income. The overgrown pastures and "mowings" in the hillier country were indicative of a generation who have realized they can't make a living from the land.<br />Our sense of sad changes was very much in keeping with the rainy washed-out day.<br />The gypsies selling fruit at the Jam Factory sound a bit like my Grampa "pedaling" berries and produce to the summer hotels in his youth.Morning's Minionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912356455981434029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7314065896417867122.post-8959169433586837322009-09-12T02:08:09.666-04:002009-09-12T02:08:09.666-04:00I'd have done the same MM, over buying the bla...I'd have done the same MM, over buying the blackberries that is. Your lyrical writing took me with you to that dripping county, farmsteads sinking into oblivion (why?). Your mention of the old man and his fruit reminded me of mum growing up in Romsey. They lived close to the old Jam Factory and in the autumn the New Forest gypsies would arrive with basket after basket of blackberries. Crab Apples too I don't doubt as the Forest has hundreds of Crab Apple trees (I wish I were there now . . .)<br /><br />Oh, and I now know why WE had such a wet summer - it came across from Vermont!Bovey Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13117332471600275100noreply@blogger.com