Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant

Golf the White Mountain Country Clubs

Click Here For Special Ammonoosuc Inn Guest Pricing

If you are planning a trip to the Ammonoosuc Inn and are interested in local golf, we have  negotiated discounted pricing of up to 35% savings with Three very unique and distinct Country Clubs to offer you a variety in White Mountain Golf.  There is no need to book a package or worry about any multi-night stay requirements in order to take advantage of these terrific prices. During Check-in, just ask the front desk for a Guest Discount Voucher to any or all of the listed Country Clubs, and enjoy a day or two of White Mountain Golf.

The Lisbon Village Country Club is an historic golf course located in the White Mountains of Lisbon New Hampshire. LVCC golf course was constructed in 1928 by renowned golf architect, Ralph Barton. Characteristic of this era, you will experience undulating greens, scenic elevated tees and tricky approach shots. Our nine hole golf format provides an alternative set of tees for a different experience the second time around.

Bethlehem Country Club is the North Country leader in public golf courses. Come play a classic Donald Ross designed 18-hole golf course in the beautiful White Mountains of New Hampshire.

In 1992 famed architect Geoffrey Cornish, aided by lifelong member Jim Havers, cradled the original nine in the embrace of nine peripheral holes. While the older holes require finesse, the new nine demand power. Bring your best up-and-down skills to par the outward half, display placement and clear thinking on the way home.

Click Here For Special Ammonoosuc Inn Guest Pricing

8th Annual Whole Hog BBQ & Music Festival - 8/8/2010

EIGHTH ANNUAL WHOLE HOG BBQ & MUSIC FESTIVAL
Sunday August 8th, 2010
North Haverhill Fairgrounds, North Haverhill, NH.

The barbecue competition is sanctioned by the Memphis Barbecue Network (www.mbnbbq.com), with the grand champion getting a slot at the 2010 MBN BBQ Championship. Sanctioned pork barbecue contests encourage serious competition among barbecue enthusiasts because they provide a uniform set of rules and regulations governing the process of selecting the contest winners. Last year’s Grand Champion, Myron Mixon and his Jack’s Old South team, has been featured on the Pitmaster’s TV series on TLC this year.

The barbecue competition will be judged beginning at 9:30AM with the finals judging ending by 4p.m. Around 1:00PM, the People’s Choice Contest allows attendees to taste and judge the competitors’ finished product on a first-come, first-served basis, until the meat is gone. In past years, the Peoples Choice has started at 4pm, so this is a change in time and format. In addition to the contest, there will be authentic BBQ on sale, including äribs, äbrisket, ächicken, and äpork, along with the traditional barbecue side dishes. Other food vendors will provide an assortment of tasty treats as well.

Great live music, the only Memphis BBQ Network-sanctioned barbecue competition in the Northeast and an assortment of other tasty treats and crafts in the scenic outdoor setting of the N. Haverhill, NH Fairgrounds in the Upper Connecticut River Valley. Can it get much better than that? The Cohase Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring its eighth annual Whole Hog BBQ and Music Festival from NOON to 7:00PM on Sunday, August 8, 2010. Admission is $12 for those over twelve years of age.

For more information, go to www.wholehogfestival.comor call 802-757-3244, ext. 367.

A full day of live music kicks off at 12:15PM with the smokin’ blues of the Nobby Reed Project.

At 2:15, Dr. Burma, one of the Upper Valley’s most popular dance bands will take the stage, playing their eclectic mix of classic soul, blues, funk and funk. The Ms. Piggie contestants will compete at 4:30 and then local favorites, the Odell Walker Band will take the stage at 5:00. In addition to the musical performances, there will be kids games and activities. Local and regional artisans will be displaying and selling their wares. The BBQ contest and the Chamber Showcase Raffle prizes will be awarded at 6:30PM

Admission to the festival will be $12.00 ($10 presale) for those over twelve years of age. The admission fee does not include food and beverages, but it does include the opportunity to sample lots of excellent ‘pig’ on a first-come, first served basis, during the Peoples’ Choice Contest.

This is a family-friendly event so no alcohol is permitted. For more information about the festival, please check out the Chamber of Commerce web site at www.cohase.org

The History of Lilacs to New Hampshire

We are fast approaching Lisbon’s Annual Lilac festival (May 28th) - Here is a little information explaining the origins of this beautiful flower and it’s introduction to New Hampshire

History of the Lilac

The first time lilacs are mentioned in New Hampshire history is in 1750 when Governor Wentworth enlarged his house and the plantings around it. Since the only plant that has ever been planted near the house was a lilac, we believe it was there in 1750. Lilacs were already known in the colonies but few records exist, apparently because the lilac came in as a personal family possession, not part of the agricultural inventory. Therefore, its appearance by the kitchen door was appreciated but never recorded. Although, whenever it came into the state the lilac took root, and, like the hardy settlers who brought it, became a permanent feature in this new world.

The popularity of the lilac grew during the late 1800’s with the introduction of the French hybrids; so it is not surprising that someone should suggest that it be designated the state flower. However, it was not a shoo-in and other flowers were proposed, as can be seen in the following excerpt from Leon Anderson’s History: Colorful Sessions On Flowers from the Manual for the General Court, Page 2, 1981.

The purple lilac became New Hampshire’s official State flower, in a most colorful manner, in the 1919 legislative session. It was opposed by nine other flowers, including the apple blossom, the purple aster, the wood lily, water lily, and goldenrod. The committee’s recommendation was approved by the House on February 20th and sent up to the Senate for concurrence.

The Senate developed considerable purple lilac sentiment and also considered the buttercup. Unable to muster majority support for any flower, the 24 members of the Senate turned to a novel solution. They placed the names of three flowers in a hat, blindfolded Senate Clerk Earle C. Gordon of Canaan, and ordered him to draw a name. The purple lilac, the mayflower and the purple aster went into the lottery, and the latter won the draw.

The Senate reported its unique decision to the House, which clung to the apple blossom, and the impasse was referred to a committee of conference.

The 10-man conference committee soon became stalemated on the flower fuss, and turned to another unique solution. It asked two botanists, Professor Arthur Houston Chivers of Dartmouth and Professor Ormond Butler of the state college to arbitrate the dilemma, and agreed to accept their decision.

Within a few days the two botanists informed the conference committee that they had also become stalemated. Faced with this deadlock added to its own deadlock, the conference committee voted eight-to-two for the purple lilac. Two members stuck to the apple blossom to the bitter end.

The House and Senate concurred with the committee compromise, without further argument, and Governor John H. Bartlett of Portsmouth signed the purple lilac into law on March 28, 1919.

(information courtesy of the Governor’s Lilac and Wildflower Commission)

2010 Woodsville / Wells River 4th of July Celebration

Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant

July 4th Celebration Lodging Special

• Two Nights Accommodations
• 3-Course Dinner for 2 - Ammonoosuc Pub

$339 - Standard Room | $379 - View Room

or call 603-838-6118

2010:  “CELEBRATING OUR COMMUNITY”

The Woodsville Wells River 4th of July Celebration is one of the largest in Northern New England.

The parade route crosses from New Hampshire to Vermont, and is almost two miles long.  The celebration continues on Woodsville’s Community Field with an entire day of activities for young and old alike. We offer rides, games, food, critter chip bingo, and regular bingo, and a variety of music is played throughout the day.  The festivities conclude with a huge fireworks display at 10:00 pm followed by more music and dancing.  It’s just plain fun for the entire family!

• 2010 Grand Marshals:  Alden & Betty Minot, Bath NH
• 2010  Parade Marshals:  Dick & Nancy Guy, Woodsville, NH

Schedule of Events:

9:00am                       Flea Market Opens

11:00am                     Gigantic Parade

1:00pm                       Midway Opens

1:00pm                       Travelin’ Barnyard Opens

1:00 – 3:00pm            Back Shed String Band (Bluegrass)

1:30pm                       “Critter” Chip Bingo (throughout the day)

2:00 – 5:00pm            Buddy The Clown

2:00 - 7:00pm             Free Face Painting

2:00pm                       Tae Kwon Do Demonstration

2:30 - 9:00pm            BINGO - under the tent

3:00 - 5:00pm            White Rose Band (Country - old to new)

5:00 - 7:00pm            Sweet Jamm (Big Band Music – 20’s-40’s)

6:00pm                       Parade Winners Announced

7:00 - 9:00pm            Mad Hatters (Classic Rock)

8:00pm                       Raffle Winners Announced

9:00 - 10:00pm          The Gully Boys (Eclectic Mix)

10:00pm                     IMMENSE FIREWORKS DISPLAY!                                              (weather permitting)

10:30 – 11:00pm        The Gully Boys

27th Lisbon Lilac Festival - May 28th - 30th (Updated)

Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant

Lilac Festival Lodging Special
May 28th - 30th, 2010

• Two Nights Accommodations
• 3-Course Dinner for 2 -at The Ammonoosuc Pub

$315 - Standard Room | $355 - View Room

Call 603-838-6118 for Reservations

The 27th annual Lisbon Lilac Festival (Lilac Time) is just around the corner. This year’s event will start with the carnival opening Friday evening, May 28. Saturday will feature the popular parade at 11:00am, music in the gazebo, great local food, crafters & vendors, dunk tank, antique and classic cars, all in downtown Lisbon. Sunday’s events will include the annual Memorial Walk at 10:30am from the White Church on South Main Street, entertainment at Chevron Park, the fire truck and EMS parade, followed by fireworks.

Show your pride and patriotism this Memorial Day weekend! Visit The American Flag Store at 6 South Main Street in Lisbon to get your FREE American Flag to wave during the parade and all weekend long. Flags can be picked up May 28 - 30.

Lisbon Lilac Festival
May 28-30
Lisbon Village Center
Route 302
Lisbon, NH

Schedule of Events:

17th Annual Fields of Lupine Festival June 4 - 20, 2010

Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant

Fields of Lupine Festival Lodging Special
June 4th - 20th, 2010

• Two Nights Accommodations
• 3-Course Dinner for 2 - Melanie’s Bistro
• 2-Course Dinner for 2 - Ammonoosuc Pub

$435 - Standard Room | $475 - View Room

or call 603-838-6118

Rooms & Rates |The Ammonoosuc Pub |Directions |Melanie’s Bistro

Paying homage to the annual blossoming of this captivating wildflower, the Fields of Lupine Festival is a time honored regional event. The brilliant spikes of the lupine flower carpet local fields and pastures in a rolling sea of vibrant purples, pinks, blues and whites. The long-lasting blossoms attract equally dazzling butterflies and create a breathtaking floral display against the majestic backdrop of the Franconia, Presidential, and Kinsman Mountain ranges.

Every visitor is guaranteed abundant photo and recreational opportunities in the Northeast’s most spectacular mountain region. Our local greenhouses and businesses will be offering lupine plants and seeds so you to start your own field of lupine.

The communities of Franconia, Easton, Sugar Hill, Bethlehem, Littleton and Lisbon join together to showcase this colorful pageant. Complementing the natural beauty of the floral show, the Fields of Lupine Festival offers special events within the festival. Retailers and restaurants will be offering, promotions, discounts, entertainment, and refreshments, as will museum and historic inn tours, an open-air market on Main Street Sugar Hill, and other locations throughout the communities all month long. Complete details. including a calendar of events will be posted here as plans for the 17th festival are confirmed.

Fields of Lupine Festival Program Tour Book:

This complete guide to the Festival contains a page by page calendar of daily and weekend events, a location map of Lupine fields and directions, interesting historical facts, as well as full details of special events, concerts and the open-air markets. The Tour Book contains information on the Lupine Photo Contest and an entry form. Many discounts and specials are included on the pages of supporting sponsors and Festival participants throughout the area. One of the more popular features of the book is the many unique and delightful recipes included on the pages of the many supporting sponsors of the Festival.

Lupine Festival Program Tour Book acts as your admission ticket to many of the festival events and entitles you to all area business discounts and specials mentioned above . The Book will be available for purchase in May at local participating businesses, at the Welcome Center of the Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce in Franconia off Exit 38 from I-93 and on-line here when available.

Annual Lupine Photo Contest:

The Lupine Festival is a photographer’s paradise! Enjoy the endless photo opportunities and then enter your best photo in the annual Lupine Festival Photo Contest. Your can watch a slideshow of previous winning photos. The Best Overall Photo Winner will be featured on the cover of the 2010 Fields of Lupine Tour Book. The complete rules and application for the photo contest is included in the Fields of Lupine Festival Program Tour Book.

2009 Annual Lupine Photo Contest Winners:

Winners of 1st and 2nd place in each category are listed here and displayed top to bottom on the right:
Ron Kolias: Best Overall Lupine Photo* - (Top photo)
*Photo to be featured photo on the cover of the
2010 Lupine Tour Guide Book
Lisa Sciola: 1st Place- People enjoying the Lupine Festival
Harold Dubnow: 1st Place- Wildlife and Lupines
Linda Fairchild: 1st Place- Lupine Flowers
Donna Webb: 1st Place- Lupine and Natural Vistas
Gregg Ohanian: 2nd Place- Lupine and Natural Vistas
Laura Thibault: 2nd Place- People enjoying the Lupine Festival
David Abraham: 2nd Place- Lupine Flowers
Renee Bachrach: 2nd Place- Wildlife and Lupines

2010 Schedule of Events:

A daily schedule of events throughout the area from June 4 - 20 will be listed in the Lupine Tour Book- exciting features, Special Events, Sales at many businesses, museums and attractions such as the Sugar Hill Historical Museum, New England Ski Museum, Franconia Heritage Museum, Iron Mine Furnace, Robert Frost Home, and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway. Open Air Market in Sugar Hill with feature concerts each weekend (see below), a list of Historic Inn Tours, and a scheduleof dates for walking path through a Lupine Field and/or horse drawn wagon rides. Weekend Dates to watch for:

June 5: 30th Annual Wildflower Festival at Rocks Estate:

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests invites wildflower enthusiasts to kick off the annual Fields of Lupine Festival June 5th at the Rocks Estate. The day will mark the 30th Annual Wildflower Festival, with a full slate of fun activities planned at the turn-of-the-century Estate. From photography to crafts and floral identification to use as a food, wildflowers will be highlighted on this early summer day. Several workshops and tours are planned to keep visitors engaged with all aspects of flowers from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Forest Society staff and volunteers will lead walks on the beautiful Mile Path, a hidden woodland trail from a bygone era. The Mile Path Walks are limited (only 20 per walk) and fill quickly, so reservations are strongly advised. The cost for the day-long Wildflower Festival is $10 for adults and $5 for children and covers all programs, including sampling the floral edibles.

June 5/6: Fields of Lupine Art Show:

At the Sugar Hill Meeting House Exhibits, demonstrations and sale of art and crafts sponsored by the Ammonoosuc Arts Council. For more information, or to participate, contact The ARTS Gallery at 603-838-2300 or email theartsgallery@hotmail.com.

Fields of Lupine Festival Concerts:

Special entertainment and concerts for 2010 will be listed here as the artists are confirmed.
Market Concerts are outdoors, lawn chairs are welcome. In case of rain, all concerts will be in the Sugar Hill Meetinghouse. For more information regarding participation or support of thr month-long events, contact Brenda Aldrich at 603.823.8000 or email cheese@harmanscheese.com.

See you in June!

Laconia Motorcycle Race Week - June 12-20,2010.

Every year, the summer kicks off with one of the largest motorcycle enthusiast gatherings in the country. It is the Laconia Race Week in and around the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Possibly, only out done in numbers by the famous motorcycle event in Sturgis, South Dakota, the Laconia, NH event lasts for 8 days and attracts hundreds of thousands of motorcycle maniacs to the state. This year the event is scheduled for June 12-20,2010

Residents and businesses all over the State welcome the riders as it is a huge boom to the economy of the region. Bikers tour the scenic state byways  and back roads in packs of bikes that can be as large as a hundred or more. The noise is deafening, at times, yet the cyclists are well-behaved, good drivers, and respect the communities they pass through. Many a roadside ice cream parlor or diner can be swarmed with business by a mass of leather-clad road warriors. Some of the bikes are elaborate custom numbers, while others are vintage collectibles, worth a look. But don’t touch without permission, these are expensive and elite machines and their owners/riders are proud and protective. They love to talk about their pride and joy though.

If you are in the area during the Race Week, take in the numerous events of the rally in and around the Laconia area. A schedule of this years daily events can be found on this link: http://www.laconiamcweek.com/schedule/index.htm

Be careful driving or cycling during the gathering, though motorcyclists are good and respectful riders, there are tons of them around. Don’t be surprised to see a mass of hundreds of bikers travelling together on Route 93 heading to Laconia, or stop at a rest area and find a bank of Harley’s side by side. Make dinner reservations in advance, as these motorcyclists work up an appetite on the road all day and they eat well! Plan ahead to get into the establishment of your choice.

All in all, it is good fun and an annual ritual up here. Take it in stride and plan ahead if you are travelling to NH that week. If you’d rather not be around bikes on your holiday to NH, pick a different week.

Happy Riding!

17th Annual Fields of Lupine Festival - June 4th-20th

Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant

Fields of Lupine Festival Lodging Special
June 4th - 20th, 2010

• Two Nights Accommodations
• 3-Course Dinner for 2 - Melanie’s Bistro
• 2-Course Dinner for 2 - Ammonoosuc Pub

$435 - Standard Room | $475 - View Room

or call 603-838-6118

Rooms & Rates |The Ammonoosuc Pub |Directions |Melanie’s Bistro

Paying homage to the annual blossoming of this captivating wildflower, the Fields of Lupine Festival is a time honored regional event. The brilliant spikes of the lupine flower carpet local fields and pastures in a rolling sea of vibrant purples, pinks, blues and whites. The long-lasting blossoms attract equally dazzling butterflies and create a breathtaking floral display against the majestic backdrop of the Franconia, Presidential, and Kinsman Mountain ranges.

Every visitor is guaranteed abundant photo and recreational opportunities in the Northeast’s most spectacular mountain region. Our local greenhouses and businesses will be offering lupine plants and seeds so you to start your own field of lupine.

The communities of Franconia, Easton, Sugar Hill, Bethlehem, Littleton and Lisbon join together to showcase this colorful pageant. Complementing the natural beauty of the floral show, the Fields of Lupine Festival offers special events within the festival.  Retailers and restaurants will be offering, promotions, discounts, entertainment, and refreshments, as will museum and historic inn tours, an open-air market on Main Street Sugar Hill, and other locations throughout the communities all month long.  Complete details. including a calendar of events will be posted here as plans for the 17th festival are confirmed.

Fields of Lupine Festival Program Tour Book:

This complete guide to the Festival contains a page by page calendar of daily and weekend events, a location map of Lupine fields and directions, interesting historical facts, as well as full details of special events, concerts and the open-air markets.  The Tour Book contains information on the Lupine Photo Contest and an entry form.  Many discounts and specials are included on the pages of supporting sponsors and Festival participants throughout the area. One of the more popular features of the book is the many unique and delightful recipes included on the pages of the many supporting sponsors of the Festival.

Lupine Festival Program Tour Book acts as your admission ticket to many of the festival events and entitles you to all  area business discounts and specials mentioned above . The Book will be available for purchase in May at local participating businesses, at the Welcome Center of the Franconia Notch Chamber of Commerce in Franconia off Exit 38 from I-93 and on-line here when available.

Annual Lupine Photo Contest:

The Lupine Festival is a photographer’s paradise! Enjoy the endless photo opportunities and then enter your best photo in the annual Lupine Festival Photo Contest.  Your can watch a slideshow of previous winning photos. The Best Overall Photo Winner will be featured on the cover of the 2010 Fields of Lupine Tour Book. The complete rules and application for the photo contest is included in the Fields of Lupine Festival Program Tour Book.

2009 Annual Lupine Photo Contest Winners:

Winners of 1st and 2nd place in each category are listed here and displayed top to bottom on the right:
Ron Kolias: Best Overall Lupine Photo* - (Top photo)
*Photo to be featured photo on the cover of  the
2010 Lupine Tour Guide Book
Lisa Sciola: 1st Place- People enjoying the Lupine Festival
Harold Dubnow: 1st Place- Wildlife and Lupines
Linda Fairchild: 1st Place- Lupine Flowers
Donna Webb: 1st Place- Lupine and Natural Vistas
Gregg Ohanian: 2nd Place- Lupine and Natural Vistas
Laura Thibault: 2nd Place- People enjoying the Lupine Festival
David Abraham: 2nd Place- Lupine Flowers
Renee Bachrach: 2nd Place- Wildlife and Lupines

2010 Schedule of Events:

A daily schedule of events throughout the area from June 4 - 20 will be listed in the Lupine Tour Book- exciting features, Special Events, Sales at many businesses, museums and attractions such as the Sugar Hill Historical Museum, New England Ski Museum, Franconia Heritage Museum, Iron Mine Furnace, Robert Frost Home, and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway.  Open Air Market in Sugar Hill with feature concerts each weekend (see below),  a list of Historic Inn Tours, and a scheduleof dates for walking path through a Lupine Field and/or horse drawn wagon rides. Weekend Dates to watch for:

June 5:  30th Annual Wildflower Festival at Rocks Estate:

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests invites wildflower enthusiasts to kick off the annual Fields of Lupine Festival June 5th at the Rocks Estate. The day will mark the 30th Annual Wildflower Festival, with a full slate of fun activities planned at the turn-of-the-century Estate. From photography to crafts and floral identification to use as a food, wildflowers will be highlighted on this early summer day. Several workshops and tours are planned to keep visitors engaged with all aspects of flowers from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Forest Society staff and volunteers will lead walks on the beautiful Mile Path, a hidden woodland trail from a bygone era. The Mile Path Walks are limited (only 20 per walk) and fill quickly, so reservations are strongly advised. The cost for the day-long Wildflower Festival is $10 for adults and $5 for children and covers all programs, including sampling the floral edibles.

June 5/6:  Fields of Lupine Art Show:

At the Sugar Hill Meeting House Exhibits, demonstrations and sale of art and crafts sponsored by the Ammonoosuc Arts Council. For more information, or to participate, contact The ARTS Gallery at 603-838-2300 or email theartsgallery@hotmail.com.

Fields of Lupine Festival Concerts:

Special entertainment and concerts for 2010 will be listed here as the artists are confirmed.
Market Concerts are outdoors, lawn chairs are welcome.  In case of rain, all concerts will be in the Sugar Hill Meetinghouse.  For more information regarding participation or support of thr month-long events, contact Brenda Aldrich at 603.823.8000 or email cheese@harmanscheese.com.

See you in June!

30th Annual Wildflower Festival at Rocks Estate - June 5th

Ammonoosuc Inn & Restaurant

Fields of Lupine Festival Lodging Special
June 4th - 20th, 2010

• Two Nights Accommodations
• 3-Course Dinner for 2 - Melanie’s Bistro
• 2-Course Dinner for 2 - Ammonoosuc Pub

$435 - Standard Room | $475 - View Room

or call 603-838-6118

The Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests invites wildflower enthusiasts to kick off the annual Fields of Lupine Festival June 5 at The Rocks Estate. The day will mark the start of the 30th Annual Wildflower Festival, with a full slate of fun activities planned at the turn-of-the-century Estate.

From photography and planting to floral identification and edible flowers, wildflowers and other plants will be celebrated on this early summer day. Several workshops and tours are planned to entertain and educate visitors from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

The Festival will include guided walks along the Mile Path, which meanders through the historic Rocks Estate property, where the Glessner family, original owners of the Estate, collected and planted a plethora of flowers.

“This trail is off-limits to guests apart from guided tours, as per the wishes of the donors of the property John Lee and Martha Batchelder,” said Clare Brown, Chair of the Bethlehem Heritage Society and a Forest Society staff member. “The guided walks offer a chance for visitors to see the trail, a hidden historic jewel, bringing together the natural world and the heritage of The Rocks Estate.”

Interpreters will highlight the rich history of the Glessner family, who summered here beginning in the late 1880s, while explaining the natural world they loved so much. The Mile Path walks are limited to 20 people per tour and fill quickly, so reservations are strongly advised.

Glenn Norris of Glen Norris Photography will hold a short seminar on flower photography and accompany guests on the photography flower tour at 2 p.m. Wildflower expert Tanya Tellman will teach participants to identify flowers using a key, a skill which both beginners and experts will find helpful in the field. Luther Kinney of Sugar Hill will demonstrate the basics of planting a vegetable garden and the use of an inside Aero-garden for year-round production on a small scale.

In the “Floral Edibles” workshop, Rocks’ volunteer Janet Hill and staffers Clare Brown and Carlene Quinn will share a variety of ways to use a range of plants to spice up meals at home. The program includes identification of the plants used and where to find them.

“Learning what you can pick and prepare yourself is getting to be a lost art,” says Hill, a gardening and cooking enthusiast. “We want to reintroduce people to what they can find in the wild or grow naturally.”

Owned by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the landmark 1,400-acre Rocks Estate includes numerous buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm specializes in rural experiences and provides Agri- and Eco-tourism opportunities throughout the year.

The cost for the day-long Wildflower Festival is $15 and includes lunch and all programs. A $5 discount is given with each lupine festival book presented.

Directions :

The Rocks is located on Route 302 in Bethlehem, NH.
For more information on this site or any of our programs
please call 603-444-6228

Email us at: info@TheRocks.org

Mailing address:
The Rocks Estate
4 Christmas Lane
Bethlehem, NH 03574

Directions to The Rocks Christmas Tree Farm:
From North or South
Take I-93 to exit 40.
Take Route 302 East for 1/2 mile.
Turn right opposite the Exxon Station and follow signs to parking area and program center.

Innkeeper Story of a stray cat

Our Story of a stray cat

We don’t particularly care for cats, not that we have anything against them, but we’re dog people. Anyway, one morning I went outside and a beautiful Calico cat was perched on my porch railing. Not knowing how to react, I just stood there and drank my coffee. Within a few minutes, she ran over to me, making me a little nervous, and proceeded to maneuver around my legs in a figure eight fashion. Weird, I thought, but if I ignored her, maybe she’d get the hint and move one. I just finished my coffee and went back inside. Once inside I wondered how hungry she is, but, went on with my day. Later in the day I went back on the porch, and guess what? She came running full speed at me and once at my feet she flipped over on her back and stretched, with her paws outreached, not exactly a threatening stance I figured, so I pet her (once) and you wouldn’t believe the sounds that came out of such a small body, remember I’m not a cat person, so it was odd to me. Anyway, I went back inside and ended up thinking again about how hungry she must be, so off to the kitchen I went and not having cat food, I figured a little boiled chicken mixed with rice it mild enough as to not upset her. I brought it out and placed it on the porch; she cleaned the plate it seems within seconds. I did my good deed for the day and hoped she’s lick her chops and move on.

The next morning she was still there, sleeping on the sunny side of the porch until she heard me, then with a full head of steam, ran over to me and again rolled over on her back exposing her belly. I gave her a little rub, finished my coffee and went back inside. As I worked on my computer, I could see her on the porch looking in the window, you know that “I hope you feel guilty look”.

This went on for days, so being humane, I went out to the pet shop and bought a bag of cat food and a few cans of all natural food, and a bowl and a few toys and a bed, remember I said I don’t like cats?

Three weeks later, Mookie (yes we named her) has become a part of our days, even our puppy (a Welch Pembroke Corgi) looks forward to playing with her all day long.

One morning, we went out for our morning stroll with the puppy and Mookie was not around. It was kind of sad seeing our puppy run around looking for her, and we even missed the full speed run towards us, and the eventual belly roll. Four straight days she was not around, we figured she had moved on to invade some other soft hearted home owner. But then again, we’re not cat people, so thank god she left, we finally have our porch back.

We gave her food and bed and toys to a cat friend of ours, since we would never need it again, or so we thought - 5 days later she showed up as if nothing had happened. The puppy was happy and to tell you the truth, so are we. So back out to the pet shop we went….

Did I mention, we are not cat people….