Quick Reminder
When
performing barn, garage, basement, or house cleanouts, please be
mindful of hazardous items that may be stored within the contents.
Recently, ammunition has been exploding in the garbage bunker at the
BCEP facility. This is a VERY DANGEROUS situation for employees and
patrons alike.
Please
do not dispose of ammunition in the trash. Bring it into the
office or hand it to a staff member. As always, when in doubt,
don’t just throw it out, ASK an attendant for assistance. Questions,
(603)435-6237.
Images of Historic Pittsfield
The
Pittsfield Historical Society will present a video of scenes of
Pittsfield from the 1930s and 1940s. These images, taken by
the local Freese family, highlight everyday life, including parades,
significant buildings of that time, and many of Pittsfield’s
historic landmarks—before they became historic. Larry Berkson,
Pittsfield’s historian, will narrate these nostalgic scenes and, of
course, audience participation is always welcome!
Please
join us for this very interesting and informative presentation on
Wednesday, October 10 at 7:00 p.m., at Pittsfield’s Historical
Museum, 13 Elm Street. Hope to see you there!
Thank You
The
Pittsfield Beautification Committee would like to thank everyone who
supported our recent fundraising mum/plant sale. We appreciate
your support and your kind and encouraging words.
Next
spring we plan on having a plant sale to get your home gardens
started, so look for our notices in The Suncook Valley Sun.
Thank
you again for all your support!
Cows Teach Calves Good Behavior
Submitted By Carole Soule
Scottish Highlander cow, Brittany, and her
two-week-old bull calf
will stay together for six-months.
This Scottish Highlander heifer was a twin who her Mother rejected
so she had to be bottle-fed.
Brittany's baby was small. Her white bull calf weighed only 45
pounds (half the weight of most Scottish Highlander calves), but he
was walking and nursing within hours of birth. His mom keeps him
clean and runs to him when he calls. They are a good mother/son
pair.
We like
to leave each mother and calf together for six months. Sometimes, if
the cow is doing poorly, we will wean a calf early, but we always
give the calf plenty of mommy time. You'd be mistaken if you thought
that instincts account for everything a calf needs to know. They
need training from Mom-as well as from the herd. (Forget about Dad;
he has other priorities.)
Occasionally, a buyer will ask to take custody of a newborn calf (2
or 3 days old) to bottle-feed at home. It's a widespread belief that
bottle-fed calves will bond with their humans and become gentle,
easy-to-handle cattle. For sure, a calf raised by a human will bond
with that human, but two problems argue against that practice.
The
first problem is health. The stress of leaving his mother too early
and the change in diet can cause “scours,” which is extreme diarrhea
that can be deadly if not treated immediately.
The
second problem is behavior. Calves, like all babies, learn from
their mothers and their community. (“It takes a village...”) Calves
learn early-on to respect their elders. For instance, a calf would
never head-butt an adult cow. Humans raising a calf must teach
babies as an elder cow would. If that baby gets away with what seems
like playful child antics, that baby could grow up to head-butt
humans. I've been knocked down by a 1,000-pound “bottle-baby,” and
it's not pleasant. Another bottle-baby, who is now a half-ton cow,
will charge anyone except for the man who raised her.
Babies
also learn about “personal space” from the herd. Freddy was a
year-old bottle-baby Holstein steer I bought from another farmer.
Freddy loved humans and would walk inches from me, often pushing me,
sometimes knocking me down. Our attempts to teach him to back off
were unsuccessful.
Besides, it's not necessary to bottle-feed a baby to raise a
people-friendly calf. When I halter train my calves at 6 months, I
quickly find out how well they learned their cow lessons. The gentle
calves will treat me with the same respect they would their moms. I
get to be a calf-mom without the traditional exertions of
motherhood.
Even
older cattle can bond with humans. Stash, a gentle 3-year-old
Highlander steer, learned quickly when I started training him. I'd
much rather work with an older critter who has had
mommy-basic-training than a bottle-baby whose character hasn't been
adequately developed.
Of
course, if the mom dies or rejects her calf, bottle-feeding is
required to keep the baby alive, but we can't omit the
socialization. Calves are not little people and should never be
treated like children. They must learn to follow cow rules and
regulations.
Brittany and her calf are doing well and will winter together. Her
milk will nourish him while the herd helps teach him proper
behavior. Maybe in the spring, when I wean him, he'll be a
well-educated little fellow that I can yoke up and train to pull
loads. Time will tell.
Carole
Soule is co-owner of Miles Smith Farm, in Loudon, N.H., where she
raises and sells beef, pork, lamb, eggs and other local products.
She can be reached at [email protected].
Letter
Select
board meeting 9/18/18
A
citizen concern regarding storm runoff was heard. He was asked to
call immediately with any road issue rather than working on
maintenance himself. The town is the party responsible for all work
on our roads.
At the
constant urging by the NH Municipal Association as well as our
liability insurer, Primex, we discussed instituting a long overdue
town "volunteer" policy. The board of selectmen has the
authorization and the duty to oversee the vetting and appointment of
all unpaid volunteers to all boards, committees and facets of town
operations. Leaving the town exposed to lawsuit from injury or error
that might come about due too lack of a clear policy would be
irresponsible on our part. Certainly, we don't want to appear
unappreciative for the hundreds of hours volunteers freely give to
benefit Pittsfield without compensation, and we hope that continues,
however, one successful lawsuit against the town could wipe out all
the good for a long time.
As when
the town adopted the state's policy on acceptance of all gifts to
the town, there could be pushback from some long time
volunteers whose reaction is there's no way they're going to fill
out a form and be approved by the selectmen in order to work for
free, but we sincerely hope everyone will understand the policy is
to cover our bases, if one day things go south in this litigious day
and age.
We
discussed wages and benefits for employees until after 10:30, being
as fair as possible with a darn good town roster balanced with
fairness to taxpayers. It's like walking a tightrope, but I think
we're being successful, and I expect the municipal budget and the
quality of our employees will reflect it.
Carl
Anderson
George
Williams Of California Donates To Historical Society Building Fund
George
Williams, Brother Elwood, Sister Freda-Evelyn, Brother Bill, and
Sister Katherine.
George
Williams of Rancho Mirage, California has made a substantial
donation to the Historical Society’s Building Fund. George is the
grandson of Walter E. and Alice H. (Green) Foss and the donation is
given in their name and the name of his sister, Freda-Evelyn Foss
(Williams) Crum.
Walter
was born in New Hampshire and married Alice in Pittsfield in 1886.
He and T. E. Osgood ran a tin, sheet metal, heating and plumbing
business in the building presently occupied by the Pittsfield
Historical Society. While in Pittsfield he was a member of the Hook
and Ladder Company of the Fire Department and a member of the
Corinthian Lodge of Masons.
Walter
and Alice moved to California in 1907 to find a climate more
suitable to Freda’s health. She had bronchial asthma. There he began
a similar business in partnership with F. R. Warner. In 1910 they
joined with J. H. Jones and created a new company and operated a
5,700 square foot store in Pasadena with an attractive show room.
Later he organized the Foss and Sheet Metal Company with several new
partners. He passed away in 1934.
To Make
the Best Better!
The 4-H
Motto .... What do the 4 H's stand for you ask?
Head
-for clear thinking... Heart -for greater loyalty
Hands
-for larger service ... Health -for better living ...
The
Victory Workers 4-H Club serves the greater Pittsfield Area and is
starting their 77th year.
We meet
the 1st Monday of each month at the Pittsfield Community Center.
6:30-8:00pm.
Cloverbuds are members that age from 5 to 7 as of January 1st 2019.
Cloverbuds attend a short part of the general meeting to say the
pledges and hear any important announcements then go upstairs with
leader Melissa Babcock to attend their own age appropriate meeting.
Meetings will touch on community service, citizenship, crafts,
foods, safety to name a few.
General
members ages 8 -19 as of 1/1/19 will attend a short business meeting
then participate in the evening's program. These programs are
selected by the officers of the club and committee members.
This is a Youth program with no annual dues or membership fees. To
be a member you must participate in 2 Community Service projects, 1
Citizenship project, 2 County Events, 1 fund raiser and complete one
project for the Hopkinton State Fair.
Current
Community service projects being lead by Jr. Leader Addison Clark is
collecting Box Tops for Education which will go to the Pittsfield
School District. Jr. Leader Josh Chapman is collecting empty ink
cartridges to be recycled to purchase supplies for the club. Jr.
Leader Trinity
Bond is collecting in October-November 10th for the Pittsfield Food
Pantry to include fresh grown vegetables from 4-Her's Gardens, Non
perishables and toiletries. Jr. Leader Trinity Bond is collecting
lap blankets and slipper socks for Christmas gifts to Epsom Manor
residents. Jr. Leader Addison Babcock is collecting used markers for
the Crayola Colorcycle project. Which the whole world will benefit
from as it will keep them from landfills and the ocean. Members are
encouraged to become a Jr. Leader for any of our project areas.
County
Events include: Honors Evening: an evening to recognize winners from
county projects for their outstanding achievements and honor leaders
for their years of dedication to the
program. Resume': for members 14 and up to complete the process of
writing a resume' going on an interview and understanding the
process. Records: for all members to keep a written
record
of their activities. Food Show: Were members present a homemade food
or meal to judges and learn more about the MY PLATE. Public
Speaking-You give a speech in front of an audience and get judged on
it. Presentations either in Action or Demo which means either
showing
everyone at once or letting everyone do it as "a make it take it..
.. " Photography: you learn to take a picture, matt and frame for
county contest. Poster: you make a poster to promote 4-H and it is
judged. Fashion you learn to sew articles and then it is judged and
you get to be in a fashion show. Fashion selection: you get to shop
on a budget for an outfit, get
interviewed on your shopping experience. Mouse Trap Car Challenge:
You build using a mouse trap to power your car and compete against
other county and state members. County Fair: You enter you creations
in the Ruth Kimball Exhibit Hall at the Hopkinton Fair .... Fact
Ruth Kimball was the founder of the Victory Workers 4-H Club.
Our new
year starts Monday October 1st, 2018. You are welcome to come and
join us, 4-H is a family program and we ask that a parent or adult
stay for the meetings with members. Victory Workers offers so much
that members sometimes over extend themselves we ask that the adult
which knows their own family schedule help with this process.
Leaders are at the
Community Center by 6:15 for anyone that may have questions.
Organizational Leader Pamela Clattenburg-Pittsfield 435-0772,
Key Leaders: Mark Riel -Pittsfield 435-6346, Melissa
BabcockPittsfield 496-3928, Corine Miller -Pittsfield 435-8497 and
Fern Bond -Loudon 365-5301 Note Deerfield Fair is September 27-30
and you see many of our Animal Science members in action at the
fair.
The
Victory Workers will be selling 4-H Candy Bars for the 1st fund
raiser of the year. The bars are only $1.00 and come in almond, milk
chocolate, dark chocolate, krisp, and caramel. The bars can be
purchased from members or at our next 4-H PROMOTION EVENT on
Saturday, October 13th. Our Fall Festival at Duane's Family Farm on
Suncook Valley Highway will be a day to attend. Animals, Bake Sale,
Make it Take it's, Games and Lunch Menu of Soup and Sandwich come
out and support your local club members from Barnstead, Pittsfield,
Epsom, Alton, Chichester, Loudon, and Rochester.
|