VOLUME 33, NUMBER 21 OCTOBER 9, 2008 FREE THE WEEKLY NEWS & LIFESTYLE JOURNAL OF MT. WASHINGTON VALLEY Formerly McSherry’s Orchard: Pietree Orchard in Sweden, Maine, will be offering many new fruits to bake in a pie ... A 2 Kidcation MWV: Marti Mayne takes her two young kids on an unforgettable vacation in the Valley ... A10 MAILING LABEL A SALMON PRESS PUBLICATION • (603) 447-6336 • PUBLISHED IN CONWAY, NH SSTTOORRYY LLAANNDD Page Two “Where there's a smile & adventure around every corner!” Once McSherry’s Orchards, Pietree is now producing more than apples PieTree Orchard has organic apples Enjoy and a scenic vista By Sarah Earle Pleasant Mountain complete with bur- “We bought McSherry’s orchard in Outstanding Contributing Writer geoning fall colors. Once you visit this order to preserve it,” says Margaret PIETREE APPLE ORCHARD IN pick-your-own, which until last year was Morehouse, the general manager. Her Family Sweden, Maine, has a breathtaking view. owned by McSherry’s Orchard, you can family, who has roots in the area, bought On the crest of a steep hill on the understand why, when it was put up for the orchard last November. The prop- Waterford road, the orchards afford a sale, it was slated for prime development erty comprises 70 acres in total, with Entertainment! sweeping scene of Mt. Washington and slots. approximately 12 acres in apple produc- tion, apples that were planted 73 years ago by the McSherry family. PieTree has since added peaches, pears, plums, strawberries, blueberries, pumpkins and even hops. “We’re still tweaking how we do this,” Margaret smiles. “And we’re lucky to have the road to separate the different sides.” The Waterford road splits the orchards into two parts: one side is organically grown, in its first year of a three-year organic certification, while the other side is conventional. Scott Miller, who has been the farm manager here at the orchard for four years, admits that Pietree’s organic label hasn’t yet been an obvious selling point. “The response hasn’t been over- whelming,” he says. “People don’t seem to care too much whether it’s grown organically or not.” He’s not altogether sure why, as the price difference isn’t extreme. A half bushel of non-organic apples costs $12, while a half bushel of the organic rings in at $15. Both vari- eties look healthy and blemish free. Scott is an apple tree aficionado, and is referred to as the Apple Doc. One of his many new projects is grafting new varieties onto old trees. “We had so many Red Delicious, I didn’t know what to do with them all,” he says, driving a Scott Miller, co-owner of PieTree Orchard (Sarah Earle/Mountain Ear Photo) Open weekends only, 9am to 5pm Saturdays, Sundays and Columbus Day. With all your traditional favorite features, including the Farm Follies show. Scott Miller grafting an apple tree. (Sarah Earle/Mountain Ear Photo) On the Cover Inside Index Strolling Down Abbey Road Taking a ‘Kidcation’ in MWV Arts & Entertainment..............Page B1 The Pumpkin People are back for their Marti Mayne looks back fondly on the Calendar...................................Page B4 annual visit around and about the town vacation she took with her two young Entertainment..........................Page B6 of Jackson. Among the guests this year daughters to the Mt. Washington Valley are the Fab Four, who are staying at the last summer. Page A10 On the Rockpile.....................Page B10 Inn at Jackson, which kindly provided a Nooks & Crannies.................Page B12 603-383-4186 bit of Abbey Road to make them feel Kennett HS Sports Passages..................................Page A12 right at home. Read and see more on Read the good news about Kennett High Route 16, Glen, NH Page B1. (Shannon Houde Photo) School sports teams. Page B14 Real Estate .............................Page A18 www.storylandnh.com Sports ..............................Pages B18-19 Page A2 - The Mountain Ear, Thursday, October 9, 2008 cart out into the orchard. He decided to do some experimenting, grafting a dif- ferent variety of apple onto each pruned Red Delicious, a procedure that takes time, know-how and persistence. “People don’t realize how much work it takes to grow apples,” he says ruefully. “A good orchard is a product of good management.” The apple varieties being grown at Pietree are already plentiful. Vista Belle’s and Paula Red’s are ready as early as August, Macintosh and Cortland’s are ripe in September and then a slew of October fruit, such as Macoun, Northern Spies, Golden Delicious, and Winesap, one of the oldest apples in North America, come to fruition. Randall’s Orchards in Standish, Maine, will soon press Pietree apples into their own cider. Margaret reckons the peaches, plums and pears will take another three years to produce, but until then, there are plenty of apples to pick-your-own, or drop by the farm stand and buy a bag. Located at 803 Waterford Road, the stand is open from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. The orchard has a website for more details at www.pietree.com as well. “I bought the .com, the .net and the .org for Pietree so there wouldn’t be any confusion,” laughs Margaret. And con- fusion there is not. Margaret and Scott both seem to have a clear vision and enthusiasm for this beautiful orchard in ▲ Organic apples flux. (Sarah Earle/Mountain Ear Photo) NORTH CONWAY’S TM MOLLY B’S MOOSE SAFARI ICE CREAM MOOSE TOURS Serving hard and soft ice cream with MOLLY B 35 36 39 42 Flavors of Hard Serves ND TRY OME IN A C COFFEE WE GO TO WHERE THE MOOSE ARE! 96% IN 2008 OUR NEW PSHIRE 22 Seat Bus departs evenings from the Train Station Area NEW HAM 1/2 PRICE PUMPKINS ROASTED While they last Reservations Recommended - Adults $25 • Children $20 COFFEE FREE EK Enjoy a 3 hour mountain journey. For more information visit Little Shop in the Woods, North Conway Village. THIS WE ALL per $1 OFF Hard Serve Ice Cream ne cup O r u s t o m e MWV MOOSE BUS TOURS • LLC • PHONE (1pm-5pm) 603-662-3159 c Open Thurs - Sun noon - 9pm 2888 White Mountain Highway, North Conway (Next to Elvios) Sunday is our last day for the season. Thank you for visiting!! All You Can Eat Monday Spaghetti & Meatballs $8.99 Medium Everyday MIDNIGHT MADNESS Madness Pre-Season Sale!! Oct. 9th thru Oct. 19th SPECIAL PRICING on Sat. Oct 11th From 9:00 p.m. Until MIDNIGHT!! 2 for 1 Medium Pizza's Free Giveaway’s With Every Purchase of $50.00 or More! Pizza • Burgers Special Sale Hours on Sat. Oct. 11th • 9 till MIDNIGHT All “07-08” Equipment 40% OFF, Limited quantities Sandwiches DON’T All “07-08” Apparel 50% OFF, Limited quantities WAIT! Fish Tacos All Sunglasses 25% OFF Starting @ Cold Beer Check out the New “Globe” Longboard Only $129.00 All Skate Shoes - DC, Globe 50.00 DINE IN OR TAKE OUT Hoodies Starting at $25.00 • All Skate T’s - $12.00 Take Out • Patio • A/C BEST SELECTION • BEST SERVICE • BEST PRICES! Wi-Fi • HDTV MATTY B’S MOUNTAINSIDE CAFE IS IN BARTLETT, NH Check out Our Selection of New “08-09” Product! ARMADA ACROSS FROM ATTITASH SKI AREA. FULLY LICENSED PREMISES The Hottest Names in Snowboarding- Burton • Libtech & LIBERTY DC • GNU • Flow • Forum • Head • RIDE • Electric • Rome TWIN-TIPS PLEASE CALL FOR TAKE OUT • 603.374.0990 Von Zipper • Sessions • Special Blend • Never Summer NOW IN OPEN EVERY NIGHT OGIO • AND MANY MORE! STOCK! NEW HOURS! FRIDAY - SUNDAY OPEN AT 11 *Check out our new Location* 1529 White Mtn. Highway OPEN AT 3 EVERYDAY MONDAY - THURSDAY Across from Settlers Crossing - Next to Chowder House FULL MENU ONLINE AT WWW.MATTY-BS.COM Ten80 online at ten80boardsports.com check out Ten80 on myspace.com Store Hours 9-6 Daily - Sun. 9-5 • 603-356-0007 The Mountain Ear, Thursday, October 9, 2008 - Page A3 Comments & Opinions Established 1976 PUBLISHER Disabled people face many challenges while moving through North Conway Richard Piatt To the Editor: Conway Town Meeting that if it wasn’t tree tops that are supposed to be kept I would like to apologize for the use done right the first time he would make trimmed so the public can enjoy the FOUNDING EDITORS of the word “handicapped” in the letter sure it was corrected. Well?! view. This was told to me by Mr. I wrote [Vol. 33, No. 19, Sept. 25, Now down to the new Scenic Vista Cannell, whose family donated the land R. Stephen Eastman “North Conway should pay more atten- “bomb shelter,” as I was told some peo- for the public’s enjoyment. Another view Jane Golden Reilly tion to the needs of the disabled”] — a ple called it. We have a Dept. of that I think should bad mistake. I know a lot of people with Transportation bomb which the person have been taken care of is upon entering MANAGING EDITOR disabilities who ARE NOT handi- that was in charge is no longer in that the Vista you are greeted by a dumpster capped, and a few people who ARE position. I was asked to go and look at and the power plant which should have Nina Perry NOT disabled, but are handicapped. the facility because people couldn’t open been gated and closed in. Now on to the business at hand. My the large expensive doors. Although it would not be feasible for COPY WRITING/ thanks to the cost-cutting genius who I can understand that a gust of wind a cross walk, it would be ideal to have PROOFREADING decided to put the crosswalks beginning could open the doors but what I don’t signs facing oncoming traffic stating and/or ending in the driveways.