Josh Kilmer-Purcell's Blog, page 111

The Chatter (Dec)

 

We've lobbied really hard for Garrison Keillor to give up life in Lake Wobegone and move to Sharon Springs,  but thus far he has not answered our letters or returned our calls.

Sharon Springs has beautiful people and above-average children, too, so on to Plan B.

What is a small town village without a small town paper to keep track of what everyone is doing?

Leila Durkin, proprietor of The Village Hall Gallery, is now editor of our own little paper.

Each month you can check back here for a new issue and follow the lives of the real village people.  If you pay a real visit, you  may even want to submit a story idea of your own!

You may not live in small town, but at least you can pretend.

See below for the December 2011 Issue

 

Llama Model Walking

Eadweard James Muybridge was born on April 9, 1830 as Edward Muggeridge at Kingston-on-Thames, England, the son of John and Susannah (Smith) Muggeridge. In 1852, Muybridge immigrated to the United States. After a brief career in the printing business, Muybridge studied photography and eventually gained recognition for his landscape photographs of the American West.

In 1883 several important Philadelphians, including J.B. Lippincott and the provost William Pepper attended a meeting in the office of the provost of the University of Pennsylvania. During this meeting, the men decided to provide Muybridge with the grounds of the Veterinary Hospital and a $5,000 advance to begin work on the landmark study, Animal Locomotion. Starting in 1884, the University constructed an outdoor studio for Muybridge near 36th and Pine. The outdoor studio consisted of a three-sided black shed. White strings hung on the back wall of the shed to form a grid to measure the movement of a human or animal as it passed through the frames. For the production of the Animal Locomotion study, Mubridge improved his photographic techniques by using dry plate technology, rather than the wet plate technology he had previously used. He also equipped his three batteries of twelve cameras each with electronically released shutters, allowing shorter exposure times.

The Animal Locomotion study contains 781 photographs of males and females performing common actions, often nude; physically deformed males and females from the Philadelphia Hospital and a variety of animal species from the Philadelphia Zoo. Models also included students and faculty from the University of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. This study, completed in 1887 and published under the sponsorship of the University, would prove to be of great use to artists, anatomists, physiologists, and athletes.  To see more of Muybridge's images, click here.

Muybridge used a special printing technique to capture these mesmerizing and enduring images.   Heliogravure is the oldest procedure for reproducing photographic images. It was first invented in the early 19th century by Joseph Nicéphore Niepce, of France, and later perfected by Talbot, Niepce de Saint-Victor, Baldus and Klic.

The process involves two distinct steps. First, in a complex photochemical procedure that creates the intaglio surface, the photographic image is fixed and etched upon a specially prepared copper plate. The finished plate is then placed on a hand-turned press, and the image is printed onto dampened etching paper using special inks.  The result is an incomparably rich palette of blacks and shades of gray, its breadth of tonal range, its exquisite expressiveness.

Today there are only a handful of individuals in the world who specialize in this domain.

This llama series is in the collection of local artist Tracy Helgeson and her husband.  See some of Tracy's own work at her website, click here

 

Self-diagnosed

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How to tell if you're infected certain people, myself included, are afflicted by a condition that's difficult to describe. It's not recognized by physicians or psychoanalysts (yet), but it's really only a matter of time before it's a household diagnosis. It's a sharp, targeted depression, a sudden overcast feeling that hits you while you're at work or standing in the grocery-store checkout line. It's a dreamer's disease, a mix of hope, determination, and grit. It attacks those of us who wish to God we were outside with our flocks, feed bags, or harnesses instead of sitting in front of a computer screen. When a severe attack hits, it's all you can do to sit still. The room gets smaller, your mind wanders, and you are overcome with the desire to be tagging cattle ears or feeding pigs. (People at the office water cooler will stare and slowly back away if you say this out loud. If this happens to you, just segue into sports banter and you'll be fine.)

The symptoms are mild at first. You start reading online homesteading forums and shopping at cheese-making supply sites on your lunch break. You go home after work and instead of turning on the television, you bake a pie and study chicken-coop building plans. Then somehow, somewhere along the way you realize that you're happiest when you're weeding the garden or collecting eggs from the henhouse. It's all downhill from there. When you accept that a fulfilling life requires tractor attachments and a septic system, it's too late.

You've already been infected with the disease.

This condition is roughly defined as the state of knowing unequivocally that you want to be a farmer but, due to personal circumstances, cannot be one just yet. So there you are, heartsick and confused in the passing lane, wondering why you can't stop thinking about heritage-breed livestock and electric fences. Do not be afraid. You are not alone. You have what I have. You are suffering from Barnheart.

But do not panic, my dear friends; there is a remedy! The condition must be fought with direct, intentional actions that yield tangible, farm-related results. If you find yourself overcome with the longings of Barnheart, simply step outside, get some fresh air, and breathe. Go back to your desk and finish your office work, knowing that tonight you'll be taking notes on spring garden plans and perusing seed catalogs. Usually, those small, simple actions that lead you in the direction of your own farm can help ease the longing.

At times, though, you might find yourself resorting to extreme measures — calling in "sick" to work in the garden, muck out chicken coops, collect eggs, and bake bread. After all, this is a disease of inaction, and it hits us hardest when we are furthest from our dreams. If you find yourself suffering, make plans to visit an orchard, a dairy farm, or a livestock auction. Go pick berries at a local U-pick farm. Busy hands will get you on the mend.

And when you find yourself sitting in your office, classroom, or café and your mind wanders to dreams of the farming life, know that you are not alone. There are those of us who also long for the bitter scent of manure and sweet odor of hay in the air, to feel the sun on our bare arms. (I can just about feel it, too, even in January, in a cubicle on the third floor of an office building.) Even though we straighten up in our ergonomic desk chairs, we'd rather be stretched out in the bed of a pickup truck, drinking in the stars on a crisp fall night.

When your mind wanders like this and your heart feels heavy, do not lose the faith, and do not fret about your current circumstances. Everything changes. If you need to stand in the slanting light of an old barn to lift your spirits, go for it. Perhaps someday you'll do this every day. For some, this is surely the only cure. I may be such a case.

We'll get there. In the meantime, let us just take comfort in knowing we're not alone. And maybe take turns standing up and admitting we have a problem.

Hello. My name is Jenna. And I have Barnheart.

 

Excerpted from Barnheart © by Jenna Woginrich,

used with permission from Storey Publishing.

Now available.  Click here to read more

 

Victorian Celebration 2011

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Last year, we started the Victorian Celebration as a way to remind people that you didn't have to go to a mall to do your Christmas shopping.  There are lots of fabulous gifts in the small towns you drive through getting there.

Yes, we do things differently in Sharon Springs.

We encouraged everyone who visited the village that day to dress as if they were in the Victorian era.  There were some amazing costumes, but even a simple ruffled shirt or a bow tie put everyone in the spirit.

With all of the costumed people strolling Main Street exchanging pleasantries, it truly looked like a picture post-card from Sharon Springs' turn-of-the-century heyday.

So drag out your top hats, your bow ties, your lace (and corsets if you dare) and join us on Dec 3 for a day of small town, friendly fun.  (We've already got our costumes picked out).

We guarantee you'll leave with more friends than you came with.

For those of you with "nothing to wear",  stores throughout the village will be selling Victorian hats for men and women for a suggested donation of $10.  Proceeds will benefit the victims of the Hurricane Irene flooding as we head into the holiday season.

 

 

Sharon Springs Victorian Holiday Celebration on Main Street

December 3, 2011

 

8:00-12:00

For those early risers, there's Breakfast at the Firehouse  (including real firemen!) $8.00 per person

9:00-3:00

Sharon Springs Scavenger Hunt.  Pick up a map at the NBT Bank or at Cobbler & Co. and follow the clues to each local business.  Submit your completed entry to the receptionist at the Studio North Dance Studio on Main Street for a drawing to when a gift basket from all of the businesses of Sharon Springs

9:30-4:00

World-famous Thistle Hill Weavers has woven historic fabrics for some of the biggest movies and films.  Stop by for an up close look at the looms that weave the Beekman 1802 Signature Stripe Scarves.  Click here for directions (about  3 miles outside of the village

10:00-5:00 

Holiday-themed Farmer's Market in the grand dining room of the Roseboro Hotel.  Check out how some of our finest local craftsmen interpret Christmas

Kids and adults can tell our Victorian Santa exactly what they want for Christmas and get their holiday portrait taken
Henry Hill Farm brings their Christmas Tree Farm to you!  Freshly-cut trees of all sizes (all you have to do is drag it home!)
Christmas Carol Karaoke–have a few cups of "Christmas cheer" and then everyone will join in

10:00-11:00

How would a Victorian family have started their day?  Nutritionist Justin Mendoza presents "The Victorian Diet:  what they ate and what we can learn from it"  (Hint:  Maria likes EVERYTHING about the Victorian era except the food).  This FREE talk will be given at the brand new 204 Main Street Bar & Bistro (right next door to the Mercantile)

11:00-11:45

Addy & The Twins (A local group of talented sisters) step out onto the stage at the Holiday Farmer's Market in the Roseboro Hotel to perform traditional Victorian carols along with original Christmas music, ending their set with some Christmas tunes "Country Style". If you've dragged someone with you who is "bah humbug", they'll leave this performance singing a different tune.

12:00-12:30

Take a minute away from the holiday festivities to help place the annual Memorial Wreath to remember the fallen and salute those still protecting our American freedom to celebrate in any which way we want.  Circle 'round the flag on the front lawn of the Sharon Springs Central School

1:00-1:15

'twas the night before Christmas dance performance on the porch of the Roseboro featuring children from Sharon Springs and surrounding communities

1:00-5:00 (join in at any time)

Stop by the community room at the Sharon Springs Library for FREE crafting.  Make your own Victorian-style greeting cards and tree ornaments (it will be hard to keep Brent away from this)

2:30-2:45

Fa-la-la-la- huh?

Last year saw the world debut of the 10 minute operetta The Mistletoe Mustache written by Sharon Springs' own Karen Cookson.  Don't miss it this year!  Take a break from shopping at the Holiday Farmer's Market and listen in.

3:00-4:00

Last year the most fun of the entire day was had when everyone came together to learn how to dance.  Victorian dances were done in large groups with alternating partners.

Betty Gavin-Singer opens up her Studio North Dance Studio to us again for FREE lessons.  To learn the most, show up right on time at 3:00 when the lessons begin.

3:00-3:30

Get a rare sneak peak into Klinkhart Hall and here Doug Plummer recite the story of the Sharon Springs Christmas Chicken and then join Garth Roberts and Austin Jetton for a little Christmas Carol sing-a-long

4:00

Have you been practicing your Model Walk all year?  Now's the time to strut your stuff—Victorian Style.  It's the Best Victorian Costume Parade and Contest on the porch-cum-runway of 204 Main Street Bar & Bistro.  One prize will be awarded to the best lady and best gent costume.

5:00

The Sharon Springs Rotary club invites you to their lighting of The Town Christmas Tree.  Communal caroling, FREE hot chocolate and warm apple cider

5:30-8:00

Sharon Springs Arts Council invites you to a Classical Holiday String Quartet Concert at the beautiful Victorian-era New York House on Center Street. Wine and Cheese.  Suggested donation of $5 to support the Arts Council

Check back to this page frequently for updates and additions to the festivities

 

Urban Gardens

 

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We like to joke that our first "farm" was on the rooftop of our NYC apartment building.  It was there that we grew our first heirloom tomatoes (along with peppers, shallots, squash, cucumbers, and every herb imaginable).  Here Beekman 1802 guest blogger Tracy Linden gives some tips on starting your own vegetable garden no matter how much space you have.

 

Let's face it. Finding good produce isn't always the easiest task in a busy city, and it certainly isn't becoming any cheaper as food prices continue to rise. A lot of people who live in the city still want the opportunity to eat fresh produce from their own garden- yet feel they lack the space, knowledge and time. Attending college full-time, or having a full-time job, can make it difficult to make time to dedicate to a garden. However, once you get all of your plants and produce going, the amount of time you spend not having to go to the store all of the time will make up for all the efforts.

So you've decided to take on the challenge of growing your garden but where should you start? There are many options out there for city-folk who crave independence from their chain supermarket or overpriced grocery store and want to grow their own garden. If you have a window that gets a lot of sun, you could try your hand at windowsill gardening. Windowsill gardening won't yield as much as some of the other options listed below, but several small pots in a window could grow some herbs, chili peppers or spinach. One great thing about windowsill gardening is that the work is minimal, as one won't have as much weeding or watering to manage.

Container gardens are good for those who live in a condominium, high-rise or small housing development with limited space. In order to successfully grow your produce, all you need is a balcony or porch that receives at least six hours a day of sunlight. When container gardening, it's important to ensure that the pots are the right size. Vegetables that stay small, like lettuce, spinach, small tomatoes and peppers can be grown in small containers. However if you grow bigger tomatoes, cucumbers or squash, you'll want a large pot, one that is 12 or more inches across. Making sure that your pots have adequate drainage is very important too. After you have your containers and plants, you'll need to consider what type of soil to use. Commercial potting soil is a good choice, as is compost. You won't want to use just any old dirt that you can find. For instance, top soil and garden dirt are generally heavier than potting soil and will compact in the pots, meaning your plant's roots won't get enough air or water. When the July sun hits your plants, they will suffer.

If you have access to a rooftop, you have even more options. This typically unused space would make a fabulous spot for a small garden. Small garden beds on rooftops can help absorb run-off from rainwater, and heat from the sun. Square foot gardening is perfect for this kind of location. In square foot gardening, the gardener plants in raised beds that are four square feet. The idea is that the plants are rotated out of the box throughout the season, allowing the gardener to raise more than he ever imagined in such a small plot.

Can't find enough space or don't have enough light to successfully grown in your own place? Don't let that keep you away from your goal. In many areas, community gardens help city dwellers grow their own food. A community garden is a piece of land that is divided into many small plots. Each plot is "rented" out to a family or person so that they can grow their vegetables in it. Many times these plots were once vacant lots, but through the work of the community, these formerly wasted spaces are now blooming and growing. One of the biggest obstacles when it comes to community gardening is that the slots are competitive to get. A lot of people wait months, if not years, to get a slot. The American Community Gardeners Association keeps a list of many of the available community gardens in the North America.

It's time for city folk to stop making excuses for growing their own produce. Overall people who grow their own food tend to save money and feel healthier. Like most things that don't come naturally, practice makes perfect –  so get growing!

 

About Tracy: Tracy has always had a deep passion in ensuring quality education is available for all who want to attend college. Tracy understands all online colleges aren't created equal and for the past few years has helped spread the message of the level of education, convenience and opportunity Online University can provide students.  And she still finds the time to garden!

The Rookery Wreath

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The dropping of the leaves in autumn reveals an entirely new beautiful layer of nature.

A crunchy walk around the farm always reveals some of the abandoned constructions projects of Spring and Summer.

We started a collection of birds' nests after a recent stroll and when we laid them out on the table, we realized we had our own rookery [a grouping of nesting birds].

This inspired the idea for our Rookery Wreath.

Using a recycled wired frame from last Christmas' wreath (the goats had cleaned it bare of greenery), we positioned the nests around the frame.

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If your nests are loosely formed or your particular wreath frame lacks posts, you can secure the nests using acrylic fishing line.

Once the nests were positioned we coated with clear-drying aerosol adhesive to secure them into place.  After the adhesive dried we then sprayed with a coat of polyurethane.

The entire project took less than 15 minutes.

 

Imagine how you can decorate the wreath for each season of the year and share your ideas with the rest of us in the comments section below.

 

See how this inspired one of our latest designs:  The Bird's Nest Iron Bowl

The Chatter (Nov)

 

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We've lobbied really hard for Garrison Keillor to give up life in Lake Wobegone and move to Sharon Springs,  but thus far he has not answered our letters or returned our calls.

Sharon Springs has beautiful people and above-average children, too, so on to Plan B.

What is a small town village without a small town paper to keep track of what everyone is doing?

Leila Durkin, proprietor of The Village Hall Gallery, is now editor of our own little paper.

Each month you can check back here for a new issue and follow the lives of the real village people.  If you pay a real visit, you  may even want to submit a story idea of your own!

You may not live in small town, but at least you can pretend.

See below for the November 2011 Issue

 

Got you Covered

The Best Apron in the World

 

Many of the products we design at Beekman 1802 are the result of an unmet need.   The Iron Block Bud Vase came about because we wanted a way to display towering branches of cherry and apple blossoms.  Our Fresh Air multi-purpose room and body sprays came about because we wanted a beautiful scent that didn't have any headache-inducing synthetic fragrances.

When we started working on the recipes for the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook two years ago, we spent more time in front on our stove/oven/grill than we ever had before.  While waiting for something to turn the right shade of golden brown or the water to boil, we had lots of time to think about what was lacking in our kitchen.

Our aprons became a staple of our daily wardrobe.   Most of the aprons in our collection have been gifts, and we loved certain elements of each.  The length of the bistro-style apron kept our pants from getting dirty.  The adjustable, integrated neck and waist pull in another meant that either of us could wear it and it still be a good fit.  But none of them seemed to be PERFECT.

With our pantry filling up with ingredients, we wanted to eliminate the number of aprons taking up space, so we decided to create one that could do it all and maybe even do things that we'd never seen a kitchen apron do before.

Our biggest eureka moment came when visiting the studio of one of the ceramicists in our B. 1802 Rural Artist Collective.  She was wearing  a potter's apron.  These aprons start at the waist and cover the legs to keep the clay and glazes off of the pants.  The unique feature of these long aprons is a split down the front of the apron that allows the potter to sit easily.

How many of us don't sit down at least at some point while working in the kitchen?!  This was a must-have in the new design.

 

And how many times when baking did we found ourselves searching for the oven gloves?  Just like you, we often rolled up the edges of our apron to grasp the pan, but sometimes there wasn't quite enough fabric to keep us from feeling the heat. Having a longer apron with a split down the front made it easy to use the hem of the apron to reach things low (in the oven)  or high (on the stove top).

But in true Beekman fashion, we took it a step further.  We turned the hem of the apron into roomy pockets AND lined them with quilted, heat-resistant Therma-Flec fabric.  You just slip your hands in and can safely pick up anything without the risk of getting burned.

 

We also added a handy, waist-level pocket good for keeping an essential tool or you cell phone (better to send a Facebook update or Tweet about all the amazing things you are making!)

We tested the apron on people big (Maria's husband Pete) and small (our neighbor Yvonne).  Yep.  One size DOES fit all because of our unique drawstring tie mechanism.

Because there's no other apron like this in the world, we had to find someone to produce it.  Rather than send the production overseas, we found a mill right in Utica, NY, to make our We've-Got-You-Covered apron out of 100% unbleached cotton denim which is sturdy, easy to care for and creates an apron that you can pass down to the next generation of cooks in your family.

No frills, no fuss, just beautiful, intelligent design.  Click here to learn more

 

Click here to see other items for your home inspired by life at Beekman 1802

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Contest

There's no better time to celebrate all of life's heirlooms than during the holidays.  This season, Beekman 1802 and Christofle want you to show us what you've got.  This Thanksgiving, snap a photo of one of your Christofle heirloom silver pieces in use, and your photo could win you an autographed copy of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook (featuring many heirloom Christofle pieces) and a $1000 shopping spree at Christofle.

To enter is simple:

Take a beautiful photo of your Christofle silver, china or crystal and submit it below.

Winner will be chosen by our panel of judges:

Kevin Sharkey, Executive Editorial Director, Decorating, for Martha Stewart Living

Paulette Tavormina, award-winning artist and the photographer of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Founders of Beekman 1802

Judges will take into consideration the number of "Likes" each photo gets on Facebook, so rally your friends and relatives at the holiday table

Enter first name, last initial and location*Photo*Email Address*

Check out your competition and/or vote for your favorite!

Show us your Heirlooms!!

To vote on a particular photo, double-click on that photo and click the "like" button.

Contest ends Dec 1, 2011

Christofle

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There's no better time to celebrate all of life's heirlooms than during the holidays.  This season, Beekman 1802 and Christofle want you to show us what you've got.  This Thanksgiving, snap a photo of one of your Christofle heirloom silver pieces in use, and your photo could win you an autographed copy of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook (featuring many heirloom Christofle pieces) and a $1000 shopping spree at Christofle.

To enter is simple:

Take a beautiful photo and submit it below.

Winner will be chosen by our panel of judges:

Kevin Sharkey, Executive Editorial Director, Decorating, for Martha Stewart Living

Paulette Tavormina, award-winning artist and the photographer of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Cookbook

Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, Founders of Beekman 1802

Judges will take into consideration the number of "Likes" each photo gets on Facebook, so rally your friends and relatives at the holiday table

Photo Caption*Photo*

Check out your competition and/or vote for your favorite!