Winter 2021 - The Dudley Farm
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Winter 2021
~2351 Durham Road, Guilford, CT ● 203.457.0770 ● www.dudleyfarm.com~
Mission Statement
"To preserve, restore, and operate federal government. And the
the farm as a historical, educational, Market was well received and
and recreational allowed families an opportunity to
resource for the public.’’ not only to buy some great items,
but also, if they wanted to, to just
sit on the beautiful sloping grass
President’s Corner grounds of The Farm and take in all
A Message from Bill Black the beauty and tranquility offered
by the idyllic setting.
The light at the end of the tunnel is From a financial standpoint, we
getting brighter with the hope for a continue to be fortunate to have
better 2021 is growing. generous donors along with grants
Just as experienced by many which have allowed to us to
businesses the Farm was also continue our day-to-day operations.
affected during 2020, as a number And now with great anticipation
of planned activities had to be we welcome 2021. Besides finishing
canceled due to public safety off the Big Barn and Milk House so
concerns. But on a more positive visitors can enjoy our vast
note, throughout these trouble agricultural exhibits, you will once
times, although on a limited basis, again be able to see our magnificent
the Museum remained open for windmill in operation. Also, the
those visitors wanting to experience woodshed, which is next to the
and view the collections the Dudley Museum house, will be completely
Farm has to offer. We were also able rehabilitated and functioning
to hold our Farmers' Market while allowing our Farm guests to enjoy
adhering to the prescribed the new exhibits. And with seven or
guidelines issued by the state and eight anxious and knowledgeable
volunteers our 1870s sawmill will computer system for the Museum or
be reassembled at its new location applying for a grant to support the
on The Farm providing our visitors Dudley Foundation’s mission.
with a glimpse of a by gone era. Data and detail are her forte, and
With a little luck and planning have been so for her entire
when the Museum reopens in the professional career. Having “retired”
spring, we'll be able to provide you with three decades experience
with an array of activities you have specializing in clinical data
been used to prior to 2020. management in the pharmaceutical
In the meantime, please stay safe industry, she excels in developing a
and healthy. big picture, team-oriented approach
to problem solving, skills which are
valuable in any organization.
Volunteer Spotlight
But after briefly experimenting with
retirement, Laurie soon learned that
“Can I ask you this…” for her life was more rewarding
And with that when it was more than just a long
frequently asked vacation. She wasn’t ready to table
question Laurie those skills she had developed so
Caraway hones in on well. So, she started volunteering
the information with Guilford’s A Better Chance
needed to complete a (ABC), a group that works to uplift
project, be it acquiring a new academically gifted minority women
from disadvantaged communities. It
wasn’t too long before she was
helping out at the organization’s
consignment shop, Hole in the Wall.
Officers and Directors As a Roundtable Commissioner for
President – Bill Black the Connecticut Yankee Council of
Vice-President – Janet Dudley BSA, her expertise has been used to
Treasurer - Tom Cost help with youth development,
Assistant Treasurer – Bill Black including leadership training,
Recording Secretary – Jerri Guadagno character development, citizenship
Corresponding Secretary – Dorothy Crampton training personal fitness and team-
Board Members - Ray Guimont, Don Homer, based leadership.
Kendrick Norris, Tom Leddy, Jim Powers, Doug
Williamson, Buster Scranton, Laurie Caraway
But wait. There’s more.
Museum Director – Beth Payne Laurie was offered the opportunity
(director@dudleyfarm.com)
to go back to work in the
Newsletter Staff – Bill Black, Ray Dudley,
Beth Payne
pharmaceutical industry — on a
Website – www.dudleyfarm.com short-term contract — as an
Facebook - independent clinical management
www.facebook.com/dudleyfarmmuseum consultant. She quickly agreed,
Email – info@dudleyfarm.com knowing she could always say “No,
Dudley Farm Office – 203-457-0770 thanks” and still have time for bike
The Dudley Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit
organization and contributions are tax-deductible.
rides and yoga class.
And she agreed to join The Dudley North Guilford’s unofficial Vice-
Foundation’s Board of Directors, Historian. After reviewing it Annis
where she has used her skills to fill then passed it on to The Dudley
in as treasurer for one year after Farm. Its pages contain The
that position was suddenly vacant, Constitution of the North Guilford
and to take the lead in writing and Literary Society, formed shortly after
applying for the grants so essential the end of the Civil War. With 17
to supporting the Foundation’s articles and an original membership
mission. A life-long learner, she has of 11 women and 26 men, the
eagerly signed up for and Constitution delineates who is
participated in workshops and eligible for membership (all persons
programs to develop those fund- between 12 and 40 years of age), the
raising skills. As a result, our grant membership fee (ten cents), the
requests have not only increased, frequency of meetings (monthly),
but are frequently successful, and of course the stated objective:
allowing the Foundation to continue “… the holding of meetings for
to grow. Selected Reading, reading of Essays,
Declamations and exercises of a
“There is life after retirement,” she literary nature.” In short, it
said. “It’s called work.” functioned not only as a book club,
Laurie, the Foundation is very but also as a lyceum, organized for
grateful for the work you have done “mutual improvement.” A typical
lyceum program offered a
to support The Dudley Foundation.
kaleidoscope of speech occasions—
And with your help we will continue debates, declamations, recitations,
“To preserve, restore, and operate dialogues, essays, lectures, mock
the farm as a historical, educational, trials, critics-reports, and oral
and recreational performances of handwritten literary
resource for the public. reviews—all in the interest of
developing the participants’ "nobler
and higher qualities." While books
The 19th Century were the reason for the
establishment of literary societies,
Wordsmith their meetings were not completely
Beth Payne
devoted to books, as noted in our
Literary Society’s Constitution.
“A word in earnest is The publishing phenomenon in
as good as a speech” mass marketing of the 1860s
Charles Dickens, Bleak provided Americans with a wealth of
House popular fiction at an inexpensive
price. No longer were wealthy New
England gentleman the only ones
Louise Anderson, who could afford to pursue literary
North Guilford’s unofficial Historian, study. With so many books available
recently gave a small “bluebook” and a population hungry for
found at St. John’s Church to her the new books, people began
neighbor Annis Bartlett Homer, organizing local literary societies
where they would meet, discuss and better scholars taught the younger
exchange books. New England’s or weaker pupils. The system was
popular authors reflected promoted by the English educator
individualism and the virtues of Joseph Lancaster. Older, “superior”
common people. As a result, books students learned their lessons from
and essays by Ralph Waldo the person in charge and then
Emerson, Nathaniel Hawthorne, passed that knowledge on to the
Harriet Beecher Stowe, Melville, others.
Alcott, Mark Twain and Walt According to the 13th Article of the
Whitman were read…discussed… Constitution, Cushings Manual shall
and reread. be the rule to be followed in all
The women and men of 19th- proceedings. Luther Stearns
century North Guilford’s farming Cushing (1803-1856) was the
community participated author of one of the earliest works
enthusiastically in a number of on parliamentary procedure, and
homegrown events that called for the resultant manual was widely
verbal wit and performance, not only referred to.
as part of the Literary Society, but Other Articles of this Constitution
also as members of the Grange and describe penalties for failure to
other social organizations. And of perform duties assigned as well as
course, there were informal what time the meeting will adjourn
gatherings for communal work at (10 P.M.) And by the way – Article
home and gossip at B.C. Dudley’s 15 states “No cheering by stamping
General Store on County Road. the feet or clapping the hands shall
The Society’s Constitution sent the be allowed.”
Wordsmith to the dictionary (ok, to Sounds like a good practice to
Google) to understand some of the follow!
terms outlining the purpose,
structure, and limits of the
organization. Declamation required
students to select a speech that was The Dudley Farm Recipe Box
delivered in public and to perform Martha’s Kitchen
Beth Payne
an excerpt of that speech to an
audience. A declamation is the term
used to describe the re-giving of an Mincemeat –
important or famous speech. It people who have
could be a political, graduation or tried it either
commencement speech, a eulogy, a love it or hate it;
sermon: any type of speech at all as there seems to
long as it's one that had significant be no middle ground. Today it is a
impact on those who heard it. (i.e. combination of apples, raisins and
The Gettysburg Address.) citrus peel, blended with sugar and
The meetings were conducted in the spices to make what some feel is a
Lancasterial System – (monitorial delicious cooking and baking
system.) a teaching method ingredient. Derived from old English
practiced most extensively in the recipes, those original recipes
19th century, in which the older or always contained meat such as beef
or venison. Some modern recipescontain beef suet, but most have the mince filling could be purchased
replaced that fat with vegetable in local markets.
shortening. Today bite-sized “mince Ready-to-use mincemeat, first
pies” remain one of the most offered in wooden buckets and
popular holiday foods in England. crates, is one of the oldest American
Mince pies originated when the convenience foods. Mincemeat has
Crusaders returned from the Holy been steadily marketed in the U.S.
Land bearing unfamiliar spices: for more than 140 years, as even
cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. early American cooks did not want
Soon, the sweet-savory flavor to spend the time and effort
combinations from the Near East required to make mincemeat at
became all the rage in England. By home.
the 16th century the dessert had Condensed
become a well-established mincemeat
Christmas specialty. Indeed, Henry was developed
VIII liked his mincemeat pie to be in 1878 when
the main dish of Christmas dinner. it was found
Early versions of mincemeat pies that proper
were not round but instead baked drying of mincemeat provided a
as an oblong to symbolize Christ’s product that could be used year-
manger. The pie’s exotic spices round. The Merrell-Soule Company
represented the gifts brought by the successfully introduced condensed
Magi. But the moment Oliver mincemeat under the None Such®.
Cromwell, a staunch Puritan, The company was bought by Borden
assumed the title Lord Protector of in the late 1920’s. Condensed
England, Scotland, and Ireland in mincemeat continues to be sold
1653 he called for a ban on mince under the None Such name as well
pies. This prohibition was just part as ready-to-use mincemeat with and
of the Puritan-led Parliament’s rules without rum and brandy.
barring anything connected with
Christmas feasting and it was the
Nineteenth-Century Mince Pie
start of hard times for mincemeat.
The following recipe for a full-
bodied, sweet and beefy mince pie is
Guilford’s Puritans brought their from Lydia Maria Child’s “Mince
disdain for mincemeat with them, Pies,” as published in The American
but as time passed, those early, Frugal Housewife (1833).
harsh New England winters wore ~~~Boil a tender, nice piece of
down the strictest of Puritan beef—any piece that is clear from
tenants, and mincemeat made a sinews and gristle; boil it till it is
return to favor. Mincemeat’s perfectly tender. When it is cold,
heartiness and ability to be chop it very fine, and be very careful
preserved favored its evolution into to get out every particle of bone and
a comfort food during cold, dark gristle. The suet is sweeter and
months. Mincemeat pies again better to boil half an hour or more
shared the table alongside the in the liquor the beef has been
Christmas roast. And by the 19th boiled in; but few people do this.
century, both the mince pies and Pare, core, and chop the apples fine.If you use raisins, stone them. If you minutes. Drain. Mix together the
use currants, wash and dry them at beef, suet, and all the remaining
the fire. Two pounds of beef, after it ingredients, and set aside.
is chopped; three quarters of a Partially bake a weighted, empty pie
pound of suet; one pound and a shell at 400 deg. for about 15
quarter of sugar; three pounds of minutes, until just beginning to
apples; two pounds of currants, or brown. Remove from the oven, lift
raisins. Put in a gill of brandy; out the weights, and cool slightly on
lemon-brandy is better, if you have a wire rack. Reduce the oven
any prepared. Make it quite moist temperature to 300° F. Spoon the
with new cider. I should not think a mincemeat filling into the partially-
quart would be too much; the more baked bottom crust. Put on the top
moist the better, if it does not spill crust, and carefully crimp both
out into the oven. A very little crusts together. Place the pie on a
pepper. If you use corn meat, or baking sheet and bake for about 1
tongue, for pies, it should be well hour, until the top crust is golden.
soaked, and boiled very tender. If
you use fresh beef, salt is necessary
Or, for mince filling without meat
in the seasoning. One ounce of
cinnamon, one ounce of cloves. Two
nutmegs add to the pleasantness of 4 granny smith apples, peeled,
the flavor; and a bit of sweet butter cored, and cut into ¼ inch cubes
put upon the top of each pie, makes ½ cup golden raisins
them rich; but these are not ½ cup dried cherries
necessary. Baked three quarters of ½ cup dried apricots
an hour. If your apples are rather Zest of one orange
sweet, grate in a whole lemon. 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
21st Century Nine-inch Pie
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
⅓ pound stewing beef, cut into
½ cup pecans, roughly chopped
chunks
1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
¾ cup raisins
½ cup apple cider
1½ cups water
3 tablespoons brandy
⅔ cup cider
Combine apples, dried fruits, sugar,
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
spices, and cider in a saucepan over
⅛ pound beef suet, finely chopped
medium heat. Simmer, covered, just
1½ teaspoons ground cloves
until the apples start to soften,
½ cup sugar
about 15 to 20 minutes.
½ teaspoon grated nutmeg
Remove the lid and let the liquid
2 medium firm apples, pared, cored,
mostly evaporate,
and finely chopped
about three
minutes.Add pecans,
In a small saucepan, poach the vanilla, zest, and
stewing beef gently in the water brandy. Stir and set
until tender (about 30 minutes). aside to cool.
Remove the beef from the cooking
liquid and boil the suet in it for 10 Or – use None Such!The Dudley Farm Gift Shop An interesting year just passed.
Jerri Guadagno The Farmers’ Market hosted by the
Dudley Foundation at the Dudley
We want to thank Farm was a success by all measures
everyone who in a year of non-stop chaos. 2020
shopped at The is officially in the rear-view mirror.
Dudley Farm Gift
Shop during the Let’s look forward…
2020 Farmers'
Market, especially Before we do that, Katrina and I
since it was a trying want to thank all of you. ALL of you.
year caused by Covid-19. But on We had fun this year and feel we are
an interesting note, who would have part of a developing community of
guessed the pandemic would create wonderfully likeminded people…
a new cottage industry---face mask. with all the help we’ve gotten from
Our quilting and knitting group YOU. Yes, you helped make our
made and sold a great assortment of market into something much more.
colorful face masks, making them
one of our best-selling items at the Thank you. Thank you for your
Gift Shop. Income derived from the support. Thank you for visiting.
Gift Shop contributes a great deal to Thank you for being a part of our
keeping The Farm running during community.
these trying times.
And finally, a big thanks goes out to Now, let’s look forward. 2021 is
our Quilting and Knitting Group for here and there is still chaos. It’s
their tireless effort making the Gift ok…
Shop successful. Mary Norris, Gift Keep Calm and Shop On
Shop Manager, Sue Torre, June at your Local Farmers’ Market
Jewell, Yvonne Murray and Jerri
Guadagno. More markets. Look for two or more
markets per month weather
See you all in the spring when the permitting during February, March,
gift shop reopens. and April. Our farmers have their
greenhouses filled and our crafters
are renewing their inventories.
GUILFORD’S FARMERS’ MARKET
First and third Saturdays as it may
AT THE DUDLEY FARM be. Weather may very well be a
Co-Manager Steve Rowe, “The Spoon Man”
factor in February and March. If we
can’t open one Saturday, then we’ll
“If you build it, open the next.
they will come” We may be set up any nice
~Field of Dreams Saturday; keep your eyes peeled
and stay tuned to Instagram and
And WOW! You did Facebook for very up to date info.
come. If Spring gets here a little early,
then even more markets. We’ll beopen every Saturday for the summer Who knows what 2021 will bring to
season beginning in May. us.
An extended season through the
Holiday Season as we did this year The market will stay safe and open
will happen in 2021. Who doesn’t air for your comfort. We will
want farm fresh food for continue to don our masks for
Thanksgiving? everyone’s protection. Hand
With such positive feedback coming sanitizer will be on the tables. We
from our vendors and you, the will stay spaced about the farm
customers, we feel it necessary to which allows for more vendors and
get our open-air market open and no crowding. More of our vendors
fully stocked as early as Mother have ways to transact business
Nature allows. And we miss you without using cash, Venmo and
folks! PayPal both offer free services that
move money without physical
We have much to accomplish in contact. Our “Small Business” is
2021. Here is the goal - for our flexible and adapting to the chaos.
market to fulfill 90% or more of
your weekly food shopping needs. Our goal is to bring the Farmers’
Our customers should be able to get Market at the Dudley Farm back
whatever they came for, whenever stronger and sooner in 2021 with
they get to the market. more vendors and more food. The
experience on a Saturday at the
Here’s the list of needs: market can be quite fun with live
● Fish, all local varieties music, coffee and a fresh egg
● Local fruits and berries sandwich or handmade pastry. The
● Dairy (Cow or ??), milks, sheep may be up for some
butter, etc. conversation and the chickens are
● Ready to Eat and Take Home & always entertaining. Blue skies that
Heat… Pre-packaged salads, aren’t painted on a ceiling, hawks
soups, stews, etc. checking things out, or the
● Pies - like Dondero Farms (they occasional field mouse… Slow down
always sell out). They weigh for a minute, you never know what
about 20 lbs. and are full of you will find with a walk around the
fruit! beautiful Dudley Farm.
● Food and more food. Who do With the continued support of -
you know? YOU our customers and friends, the
● I’m picturing a vintage Good wonderful farmers, talented
Humor truck on the lawn… artisans, the Dudley Family, and
Full of ice cream. the Dudley Foundation - Guilford’s
● What am I forgetting? What do Farmers’ Market at the Dudley
you think we need?? Farm will continue to grow into a
shopping experience the entire
If you know someone who is crafty family will enjoy and remember for
with locally grown and sourced years to come.
food, please send them our way -
market@dudleyfarm.com.Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous model for his future endeavors in
New Year to YOU! the ice trade.
By the end of the 1830s Frederick
The Cold of Winter Saved for Tudor had become one of America’s
Our Summer’s Use first millionaires – but not without
Dennis Picard some setbacks and some hard
lessons learned. However, this is
Dennis Picard has been demonstrating the not the story of the international ice
ice harvesting trade for more than twenty- trade. This is the story of how – and
five years at museums and environmental why - New England farmers decided
education centers. He is a frequent speaker to spend the time, material and
on the ice industry for libraries, museums
and universities. He has written numerous labor in erecting ice houses on their
articles the “cold water trade” for several farms and then making the effort to
periodicals including “The Homesteader” harvest a crop of ice to put in those
where he examined the realities behind the buildings. Nonetheless farmers
harvest in Monroe N.Y. as depicted in would not have taken on the task if
Laura Ingles Wilder’s novel Farmer Boy. Tudor had not undertaken the
Dennis was a consultant for BBC 4’s business, proven methods of
production of Absolute Zero, seen in the
U.S. on Public Television’s NOVA series, harvest, storage, developed
where an ice harvest was staged and he specialized tools and changed
served as an on-air commentator. Picard people’s expectations of food
served as the narrator on Northeast storage.
History Film, of Bucksport Maine, For almost six decades after
Harvesting Ice in New England 1926 – Frederick Tudor’s first shipment,
1957, production. We are happy he has the harvesting and storage of ice
provided us with the following two articles.
was just for the overseas trade.
Unlike many businesses, the ice
trade did not begin with local
Though there are ancient records
markets. It had been designed from
of ice used in food preservation in
its inception to serve areas that did
China and India many centuries
not have access to local ice
before Europeans settling in what is
resources. One unintended
now New England, the story of the
outcome of the trade was to change
“frozen water trade” in the United
people’s expectation of what foods
States really begins with the Tudor
could be available to them at what
family in 1806. In that year that
time of year. For centuries drying,
Massachusetts family was trying to
pickling and salting had been the
devise a plan to help pull their farm
main strategies to make seasonal
out of debt and find a crop that
food last – but each changed those
would sustain them and be
foods. Suddenly with the advent of
profitable. The youngest son,
cold/ice storage, foods could be
Frederick, proposed selling “cold” to
available in their “fresh” form for
areas that never experienced it.
many months beyond their normal
Though scorned by his brothers, he
growing season. Foodstuff could be
made an initial shipment of ice from
shipped to areas that otherwise
the farm’s ponds to the French
would be deprived of them. Just as
controlled Island of Martinique
New England apples could be
which proved successful and set theshipped to Calcutta nestled in a butterfat to rise to the top and then vault of ice, seafood from the be separated for cheese production. Atlantic coast could be shipped (via And thirdly it allowed that same rail) to St. Louis, Kansas City and cream, after churning into butter, to Chicago. be held at the best temperature for By the end of the 1860s the preservation. domestic demand for ice started to At the end of the 19th century, it overcome the export crop. Farmers was calculated that a dairy farmer started to specialize in foodstuffs should store between one and one that could be shipped at a profit to and a half tons of ice for each cow cities near and far where a ready he was milking. The common or market awaited wholesome produce. recognized standard size block of ice Farmers in many parts of New was twenty-two inches, by twenty- England expanded their dairy herds two inches, by one foot thick. to meet those demands. Whereas in Depending on the quality of this the past milk was only used on the natural product, it was expected farm itself, or quite close to it, liquid that a good block would weigh milk and especially butter could about 56 pounds per cubic foot. So, now answer a more far-flung call the average farm would need to from consumers. Many farmers build an icehouse about fifteen foot even found it advantageous to join square or fifteen by seventeen foot together to form regional and one to one and a half stories cooperative creameries, thus high to accommodate the volume of pooling their resources and efforts. ice he’d need for the year. Dating all the way back to 1810, the term “refrigerator” has been used for an insulated container cooled Putting Up a Cold Crop or The (originally by ice) for the storage or Harvest of the Ice Field transfer of foods. The first patented (Part Two) Dennis Picard refrigerator was – in fact – used to transfer butter from a Maryland A farmer who had decided it was farm in the summer to an outside best to put up an icehouse would be market near Washington D.C. The challenged then as to how to fill it. device proved to keep the butter The simplest answer would be to firm and therefore more marketable. use a pond already located on their When farmers started to specialize farm. The more complicated in dairy herds, they found it approach would be to use a nearby valuable to have ice available. This body of water. This is a was true for several reasons. First it complication because the ownership allowed “cans” of milk fresh from of the pond – or more specifically the cows to be cooled quickly and the ice – was something that was kept at a lower than “room set by law. If the water was a temperature.” This keep it from millpond, the water rights and the spoiling much longer than would taking of the ice was rigidly otherwise be possible. Secondly, it controlled by the owner of the mill. allowed fresh milk set in “milk But let’s say the farmer had access pans” to cool quickly, allowing the
to his own pond or the capability of become awkward to handle. When a
making his own. foot thickness was reached a crew
of helpers would be assembled and
The ideal ice pond would have a the job commenced.
large enough surface area to yield The first chore to be done –
the volume of ice blocks require by assuming the snow had already
that farm’s needs. It would be been removed from the surface –
shallow enough that the pond was to “grave the pond.” In other
would give up its heat quickly so ice words, by using a horse drawn “ice
would form early in the season, but plow” the pond would be marked
not so shallow that the ice would with a grid pattern. Generally, the
freeze all the way to the bottom. A squares were marked in squares
good four feet was an ideal depth. A twenty-two inches by twenty-two
pond located at the base of an inches. That was the standard that
upsweeping meadow or hill actually had developed in New England. One
froze quicker because of the natural misconception is that the plowing of
movement of air currents at sunset the ice divided the pond into cut
at ground level. That would help blocks. Even the best plows under
draw off the warmth of the water. ideal circumstances could only cut
The pond – in the best of scenarios halfway through a one-foot-thick
– would be watched throughout the layer of ice. The pond had to be cut
winter. Once the ice was thick with saws.
enough to hold the weight of a man, Ice saws or “pond saws” had been
any snow that fell on the pond developed in the 1820s based on
would be scraped off. Snow acts like two man crosscut saws. Obviously
an insulator and will actually keep as one end of an ice saw is inserted
the ice from reaching its potential into the pond, the two-man model
thickness. When the ice was thick wouldn’t work. Saws were modified
enough to hold the weight of a team to be used by one man, holding on
of horses, those draft animals would to a “tiller” – a type of extension to
be used to drag plows over the the handle which allowed the user
surface to clear any more snow that to stand more or less upright. The
had fallen during the season. The sawyers would chop a hole at the
snow must be carefully dumped off end of one of the marked lines on
the edge of the pond, otherwise the pond’s surface and then, using
there was the risk of tipping the a rowing motion follow the line
surface of the ice because of the scribed by the ice plow.
weight of the snow pushing down The final step in cutting the pond
on it. was to break the remaining
As the winter progressed the attached sides of the ice blocks free
thickness of the ice would be tested using a multi-pointed “breaker bar.”
to check if it had reached the ideal With the blocks now free and
thickness of twelve inches. If the ice floating, they could be maneuvered
was thinner the lasting time would to the edge of the pond by using a
obviously be less and therefore less four to eighteen foot long ‘ice pike.”
cooling capability. If the ice got too The blocks were removed from the
thick the weight of a cut block couldsurface using ice tongs, grapples or For further information call: 203-
a combination of both. 457-0047 or 203-457-0770.
See you in May.
All that was left to do was to haul
the load of ice to the icehouse to be
packed in layers – or floors as they Buster’s
were called – to await use in the
Musings
hotter months.
Buster Scranton
Winter Chill
As I write this on New Year’s Day,
we have already had a spectrum of
winter weather: cold,
uncharacteristic warmth, an 11”
snow, rain, clouds, sun, and a lot of
wind. Winters have trended warmer,
but we still get days when I wonder
how the Dudleys made it through
100+ years ago. Houses were not
insulated, and if you weren’t
ambitious enough to cut a lot of
THE DUDLEY FARM TAG SALE wood and keep the fires fed you
Jerri Guadagno were in for a lot of shivering. Just
cutting the wood was a big project-
Last year due to Covid we were no chain saws or wood splitters, or
unable to hold our annual Tag Sale
a pickup to haul it home. We are
in May, but the farm was fortunate
spoiled today with other sources of
enough to hold the tag sale on a
heat. I really wonder how people
Sunday for the first time in
September with great success. kept warm. Even within my memory
So many venders signed up to sell I knew of people with unheated
and shop, everyone enjoyed the day. bedrooms. And then those
This year 2021, we are looking outhouses! Let’s be thankful for
forward to a better year, and the what we’ve got.
Dudley Farm is planning on holding Want to go somewhere in Winter
its annual Tag Sale in May on 1900? If so, your horse and buggy
Sunday 16th, with a rain date of will have no heat or weather
Sunday May 23rd, from 12:00 noon protection, just a lot of blankets. A
until 4:00 pm. (masks required) trip to New Haven and back was an
Information will be available in May all-day affair, well planned out.
on our website Nobody commuted. One had to
(www.dudleyfarm.com) and in the hitch up the horse that needed
local newspapers. feeding and watering, and there was
Sign up to be a vender $20.00 per no weather forecast to warn of
space and, with your help, we can adverse weather during the trip.
have another great year. Food will Going to church involved winter
be available. discomfort as well. Henry Tichy, ourlate Dudley Foundation founding into the pool below. They then member, in his younger days was walked back up top to repeat the responsible for getting the fires lit at process. Cheap entertainment. Why North Guilford’s St. John’s don’t their legs go numb? Why is Episcopal Church, and parishioners there no hypothermia? Lots of had to supply firewood for the animals endure such conditions church. Still, it wasn’t necessarily with no apparent ill effects. I don’t toasty inside. get it. The whole concept chills me Convenience foods and restaurant to the bone. Snow cover does alter meals were not an option, so there their food choices- that’s why the was a whole lot of cooking and deer eat my holly bushes. baking going on. This also required When you visit the Dudley Farm firewood. It probably was tolerable museum, you will see the vestiges of in cold weather, but a wood fire in winter living. Multiple chimneys. A the summer just made the kitchen wood stove (and a supply of uncomfortable. Some people were firewood) in the kitchen. Thimbles fortunate to have a “summer for wood stoves throughout the kitchen” outside. house. A lack of indoor plumbing Most people in North Guilford had with the potential for frozen pipes. farm animals, and I always marvel Blankets and quilts everywhere. at their ability to deal with the cold. Existence was a lot more work My cows are free to go into the barn back then, although many aspects anytime during the cold weather of life were as good or better than months, but they don’t go out of they are today. their way to do so. They will look armor plated at times with snow and ice, but they just shrug it off. A Thanks …. deep snow will limit their Our 19th-century museum has meanderings, though, and it is entered the 21st-century with a new necessary to provide for unfrozen wireless computer and printer drinking water. Chickens are a thanks to the technical advice of challenge, too. Their drinking water Ray Guimont and Tom Cost and the freezes, and the eggs need to be financial support of Scott and gathered before they become ovoid Laurie Caraway. No longer will ice cubes. Shorter days in winter visitors to the Museum office find depress egg production (modern egg the director mumbling (all right, facilities use lighting.) In my yelling) at the computer or printer, opinion, chickens are too dumb to her verbal response exacerbated by even know that it is cold. the turtle-like (or non-) response of Several years ago, I watched a few the office equipment. Items no ducks at the dam at Lake longer are sent home to be printed. Quonnipaug in winter. There was, Peace reigns, relatively speaking. as is typical, ice to within a few feet of the dam. These ducks would paddle around in the limited open water and then go over the waterfall
Thanks also to CThumanities (cth) in the garden, with potluck dinners,
for matching funds to assist in the sharing garden information, tools
development of and seeds, keeping the paths mown
our self-guided and fence mended, and helping with
walking tour, general Dudley Farm events and
now available work projects.
on our website. Last year was a challenge in many
(www.dudleyfarm.com). You are ways. We had a promising spring
invited to walk our grounds and but then blistering heat and meager
learn about our many landscapes rainfall during the summer slowed
and structures. growth considerably, and made it
difficult to spend extended time in
And we would be remiss not to the garden. The Covid safety
again thank the Summer Hill measures meant that we had to
Foundation. The Foundation’s suspend cookouts, but were able to
generosity has jump-started many of talk at safe distances while we
our projects, and will be tended our plots. The summer
instrumental in assuring the storms brought down trees over the
erection of our windmill and road to the garden, which volunteers
sawmill, as well as the restoration of helped to clear.
our woodshop in 2021. Last year we had a good number of
These funds are furthering our volunteers who worked to maintain
vision: The Dudley Foundation will the Community Garden, Heritage
provide leadership to the greater Garden, Herb Garden and House
community in the promotion of Flower Garden. The apple trees were
historic awareness and freed from invasive vines and now
interpretation of the history of the can be pruned more properly. We
North Guilford community. always welcome new volunteers,
whether skilled gardeners or those
wanting to learn. Let me know if you
Garden News are interested.
Judy Stone
Once again, we are grateful to the
The Community Garden continues Guilford Garden Club for their
to thrive. If you are new to The financial support of the Heritage
Farm, it is a no-till, organic garden Garden. And very grateful to The
with individual plots. Currently we Dudley Farm for providing a place
have 22 gardens, either full or half- for us to relax and work, and see
plots, with about 45 people one another at safe distances
participating. We will not know until outdoors.
mid-February whether the garden
will be full, or whether we will have In past years, some gardeners
available plots, but if you are expressed an interest in developing
interested in becoming a gardener or a wildflower garden or flower
volunteer, don’t hesitate to email me hedgerows. Several other local
at gardens@dudleyfarm.com . organizations are interested in
Sometimes there are last minute learning more about supporting
changes. We stress the “community” pollinators and extending the“Pollinator Pathway” that a number went up the hill…”) No doubt this
of Connecticut communities have yoke was also used to carry milk
developed. This fall a group of us from the barn or sap from the maple
planted pots of seeds –acorns and grove.
wildflower seeds – which can be Carved from a single piece of timber,
transplanted this spring. Apart from it was designed to fit a young
having a large land area, the Dudley person’s shoulders and enabled that
Farm could help sponsor workshops young person to carry heavy objects
to help gardeners and farmers learn suspended from the rounded ends.
how to help in this project. I will be Arms were then left free of any
setting up Zoom meetings, and burden, and so could be used to
invite interested persons to contact balance and steady the load.
me. Cows were not always brought to
the barn for milking during the 18th
It is hard to tell what restrictions we and early 19th century, and in the
may have this coming year, and summer time, someone, often a
what form some of our activities child or young woman, went to the
may take, so check the farm website pasture and hand-milked the few
for updates and news. cows of the small herds of that time.
With milk weighing two pounds per
Happy Gardening! quart, even poorly producing cows
from very small herds would result
What Old Thing is New at The in a heavy and difficult task made
Dudley Farm Museum far easier by the shoulder yokes.
And of course, it is easier to carry
Throughout most of human milk from cows milked in the barn
history, the lives of men, women to the house if a yoke is used.
and children involved a great deal of Artists, who romanticized this task
heavy lifting and carrying. The during the Victorian period, filled
shoulder yoke, and its relatives long their paintings with images of
before the wheel, were probably the milkmaids carrying full milk pails
first inventions that did anything to suspended on cords or leather
make that task easier. Throughout thongs at the ends of the yokes.
the world this simple object was
used and still is used by Shoulder yokes are not the kind of
homesteaders, milk maids, and thing usually mentioned in local
farmers to tote heavy objects, most histories, period letters and diaries,
commonly buckets. or reminiscences. When rendered
We have several maiden’s (or obsolete, they were easily discarded
maid’s) yokes at The Dudley Farm, or burned for firewood.
and the one we just received from It is a shame we don’t know who
Ann Camp is 36 inches long and made this item nor when or where,
made of chestnut. History tells us but we do know that this yoke had
that this smaller yoke was meant for been in Ann’s family for generations.
the youngest girl child in the family, Her relatives include the
whose job it was to fetch water for Cruttendens, Rogers, and Hubbard
household use. (Think “Jack and Jill families from Guilford, and Fowlerand Harrison families from it! And adding insult to injury —
Branford. each step knocks a bucket against
your shins!”
We don’t really know if it was ever
used, or by whom or for what
purpose. Today, we press donors for So – no joke!
such information and diligently Use a yoke!
catalogue it in our records. In fact,
the availability or absence of such
information is one of the factors
used in our decision to take or reject Museum Wish List
an artifact. We have gained the
experience needed to realize that it Calling all Volunteers!
is the story which makes the Farm equipment and tools: We
difference between an old thing and have farm tools and equipment to
a historic artifact. identify, photograph and add to our
collection database. Love all this old
By the way, yokes are still made and stuff? Our new intern, a grad
are available for purchase. student in Public History, will lead
Lehman’s is a homesteader’s this effort this summer. Want to
paradise that also caters to the know more? Call us!
Amish. Here’s a contemporary Buildings and Grounds: Volunteers
testimonial on the benefits of the are needed to help with the upkeep
human yoke: and improvement of our buildings
'...With the yoke I could carry two 5- and their landscapes. Doug
gallon buckets full of water without Williamson manages this project,
any discomfort, whereas I would while Ray Dudley will be
previously have to stop en route to spearheading our apple orchard
the trees several times because my renovation.
fingers would hurt carrying one Meeting our visitors: Do you enjoy
bucket. An added benefit: when history and want to know more
hanging from the yoke and steadied about North Guilford during the
by holding the handles, there is no 19th-century? Maybe you like
water sloshing out of the bucket conveying your knowledge to young
onto your feet like you tend to get and old. We have a spot for you. We
when just carrying the bucket in can always use docents, who get to
your hand!" learn so much about life during the
late 19th-century, but we also need
“Pick up the buckets without it, and someone interested in reaching out
the weight cuts into your fingers to our younger folk. We have
(especially after the little plastic detailed interpretive plans in place
handles inevitably break, and you to get you started.
are holding onto a wire). At the We are developing an interpretive
same time you feel an immediate plan for our Quinnipiac Dawnland
and painful elongation of your Museum, exploring the role of
shoulder and elbow joints, which indigenous peoples in North
you know can not be good. Guilford and the extensive collection
Proper posture? Forget about of artifacts donated to The DudleyFoundation by Gordon “Fox- learn about the sites and
Running” Brainerd. If interested, structures.
Jim Powers and Beth Payne will be
leading this project. We’ll start the year in February.
Newsletter: Maybe you’d rather Maple sugaring on the farm, while
write than speak before our visitors. very weather dependent, will be
The Dudley Farm Museum has so open to the public during weekends
many topics which you can explore in February and March. It’s a great
and write about for our newsletter. opportunity to be outside and enjoy
Or maybe you’re more into the some fresh air.
mechanics of producing our
newsletter. We have an editorial
guide as well as a template.
Intrigued? Let us know.
Publicity: The Dudley Farm
Museum needs volunteers with
writing and graphic design Also in February, March and April
experience to create flyers, ads, and our Market Managers are planning
press releases. Other volunteers Farmers’ Markets on the grounds.
may help us prepare mailings or This is a new venture for us; there
distribute publicity materials as should be plenty of options of
needed to promote upcoming events. interest available to you as you
Help us get the word out! stroll the grounds.
March will see the continuation of
And we hope to see YOU down on our sugaring demonstrations.
the farm! Unfortunately, we will need to
cancel our rug hooking workshop
with Michele Micarelli. We hope to
Upcoming Events at The Dudley reschedule later in the year.
Farm April brings with it the need to
clean up the grounds, and, with the
Despite COVID-19 The Dudley Farm help of Scout Troop #472 we will do
Museum continues to plan events of that the morning of April 10th with a
interest to our members. For rain date of the afternoon of April
updates, please check our Facebook 11th. Many hands make light work!
page You’ll get coffee and doughnuts to
(https://www.facebook.com/dudley help fortify your efforts, meet fellow
farmmuseum) and our website volunteers, and make the Farm
(https://dudleyfarm.com/blog- shine. Hope to see you there. Don’t
news-events/). forget your gloves, clippers, and
rakes!
Available anytime is a self-guided May 4th and 5th the Community
tour of The Farm grounds. The Fund for Greater New Haven will be
walking tour and associated aerial conducting The Great Give.
map are available on our website. (thegreatgive.org) This 36-hour
Take a walk around our Farm and event allows donors to assist non-
profits receive funds fromindividuals, while providing additional funds from the Community Fund. Visit their website, search for The Dudley Foundation, and read all about us! Come spend a Sunday afternoon in May (May 16th) for our annual Community Tag Sale. Treasures from The Dudley Farm Attic (and barns) will again be for sale as well as items to entice you for sale from friends and neighbors. Cleaning house? Sell your stuff at The Dudley Farm! Want to have a table? Call Jerri Guadagno at 203-457-0047. And of course, updated information will also be available through Dudley Farm Doings. We look forward to seeing you “down on the Farm.”
Maple Syrup Word Search
Y H M Z O T V X Z A G A Z N I W P
C S A P H V H J S H T F V J D I W
F R E E Z I N G G R J I S F B V N
Y D N J L R Z Y P F X B I V C K W
V G M E N T K G S L A T R F J A M
Z U X D X E D M R P F E R V U R M
S O K T V K G W O E I K X E G F G
M O R O R C P T C C H C R F E B U
N P B T H U D Z E J F N K P H C S
B A G Z J B M W X N Q T K E E D B
H I N H A Z T H Z X B E L C T H R
M U I K R V C T P E F L K L Q P W
J X L S V Y Q V L L G P H W I U L
F L I D V U J O X K K A I F N R U
G L O G A C W I N M S M S T K Y D
H W B T Q F N O H V K U L Y T S R
U J B X K L I J R R F U T H L M Q
drill jug spicket below above freezing
bucket tree sap boiling syrup maple
Visit The Dudley Farm to see how it’s done.The Dudley Farm Farmers’ Market: selected Saturdays February-April Spring Clean-Up: April 10th Raindate April 11th The Great Give: May 4th and 5th Tag Sale May 16th For more information: www.dudleyfarm.com Ph. 203-457-0770 or email: Info@dudleyfarm.com
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