Woodman Spare that Tree—Or Don’t
The somewhat lopsided Japanese Zelkova tree that once stood near the entrance to Nor-folk’s Post Office on Station Place is no more. Likely planted some 30 years ago during Ar-thur Rosenblatt’s tenure as first selectman, the hardy tree fell victim to progress and the need to replace the adjacent sidewalk. The planned removal of the […]
Norfolk Then…
In the early 20th century, the Mountain Road bridge over Norfolk Brook had a rustic-style guard rail bordering the road and sidewalk. Characterized by the use of twigs, branches, and bark, the rustic style had been used in formal English gardens in the 1700’s and in this country was very popular in the second half […]
A Forest of Dreams
Planting the seeds of Norfolk’s wildlife habitat By Carol Goodstein A moose and her calf spotted in a Colebrook backyard. Black bears lumbering across Route 44 to Norfolk’s City Meadow. A ruffed grouse who, this summer, took up residence in the Norfolk Country Club parking lot. “This is what my grandfather envisioned,” recalls Betsy Gill, […]
LCCU Sings America at 250
By Patricia Platt In keeping with the 2026 Norfolk Chamber Music Festival’s theme of “Anniversaries,” the Litchfield County Choral Union (LCCU) will celebrate America’s 250th birthday with a special multi-cultural performance entitled “From Roots to Promise: Singing America at 250” on Sunday, Aug. 2, at 5 p.m., in the Battell Music Shed, conducted by Gabriel […]
From Botelle to the Big Stage: Norfolk Thespians Shine at Sharon Playhouse
Norfolk is home to many talented young artists, and three local performers are proving that dedication and a love of theater can take you far beyond the school stage. Botelle Elementary School students Adilyn Keyes and Fiona Padua and Botelle Theatre alum Chloe Keyes are sharing their talents this summer with audiences at the renowned […]
Sadie and Shakespeare
The Bard and a highschooler inspire young readers By Jude Mead While many teenagers spend their summer vacations relaxing or working seasonal jobs, rising high school senior Sadie Rotolo is sharing her passion for one of history’s greatest playwrights with the next generation. Rotolo recently led a weeklong Shakespeare program at the Norfolk Library, where […]
A Farm Stand For All at Oak Hill Farm
A dream garden grows on Bruey Road By Andra Moss There is a new farm stand in town—and a pair of new farmers. Bonnie Simmons and Bart Wenrich moved to Norfolk in 2018 with no immediate thoughts of working the land. However, a visit to their Oak Hill Farm this summer reveals a significant vegetable-growing […]
GREENING OF NORFOLK
Heroic Spotted Joe-Pye Weed By Jill Chase A key rule of thumb for gardening is “right plant in the right place,” meaning that properly matching up the needs of the plant with the existing conditions will go a long way toward low maintenance gardening. That being said, if you have a moist-to-wet place that is […]
Norfolk Crowds Return to New Farmers Market
By Andra Moss The crowd was large, loud and loving it at July’s Northwest Farm to Fork farmers market, held under the pavilion at Norbrook Farm Brewery. “We were very pleased with the turnout, with approximately 230 customers coming through and 16 food and farm vendors,” says Lisa Auclair, a co-founder, with Devin Grosso and […]
Friday Night on the Green Celebrates America’s 250th
July 3 was a picture-perfect night for the community-wide event cel-ebrating America’s Independence. Following a quick parade, picnickers enjoyed burgers and ice cream while judges dug into the entries in the pie baking contest. First Selectman Hen-ry Tirrell moved seamlessly from his welcome speech to the dunk tank, and a few folks, like Pete Sanders […]
