Grain Store Goodness

The Saturday before Christmas brings with it a unique lunch date that is simply not to be missed....meatballs at Erskine's Grain Store (R.B. Erskine Inc Grain Store to be precise) in Chester, Vermont. Want to know where to find it? Why, Grain Store Road of course! This is the place we get our feed for the chickens and horses and invariably I am the one dispatched to place the order for 150lb of Cracked Corn, 150lb of Layer Pellets and 150lb of Sweet Feed. Naturally the unfailingly lovely gentlemen at Erskine's take pity on me and chivalrously load the car up for me every time.


I realised I was becoming a regular the day that our account papers were sitting out on the desk waiting for me as I walked through the door. They still use a very simple system of paper chits (the filing system above) and it works for them....none of that new fangled computer stuff. Keep it simple! Anyway, back to the meatballs....nestled in among the rows of shovels, mason jars, potting soil and barbed wire are a number of crockpots gently care-taking an array of meat based dishes.


On offer today were Swedish meatballs, meatballs in an Italian-type tomato sauce, chilli made with venison (from Pete Carson, a regular customer, see label on pot below) and bread to mop up the delicious juices. Oh, and a little token "salad" which was basically a crudite platter that rightly got passed over. No need for vegetables in this spread! The owner Mike and his staff made up the meatballs (over 500) the day before from the best meat around, bought from the locally famous Lisai's Market just over the railroad tracks, literally. This day is a thank you to their customers and Erskine's goes all out.

Meatball day is quite the institution around these parts and we have Art Putnam to thank for that. "Put" was a long term employee at Erskine's and is credited with starting the meatball tradition in 1980 (this picture is hung above the coffee station, beside the meatballs so that Put can still take part).

Alongside this meat feast is the addition of some musical accompaniment provided by John Specker (also to be seen at the Peru Fair, among many other local and national events). John plays floor stomping fiddle music that fits perfectly in this setting. He is simply a legend around here.

John sat tucked away among the vegetable seeds and work gloves, but his music filled the place.

John Specker taking a coffee break between songs.

To get a taste of John's supreme talent, have a listen to this....

So there you have it, a taste (literally) of some festive fair from Vermont. Mark your calendars, the Saturday before Christmas every year. Come and hang out for a while, everyone is welcome and the hospitality is second to none. It is Vermont after all...

The 31st Annual Peru Fair

I can cross this one off my bucket list! Since way before I moved back to Vermont last year I have had a dream that I could be a part of our town's yearly country fair. The Peru Fair is entering it's 31st year, although it is actually the 29th fair after a couple of absent years. Beginning it's life in 1978 as the "End of the World Tag Sale", this local event has surpassed all of our expectations. Over the years it has attracted up to 8,000 people and I cannot even fathom how that is possible in such a tiny town as ours, but hope we can match that this year.

This is a true town effort with over 80 volunteers from a population of less than 200 year-round residents (we have aprox. 400 registered residents in Peru but at least half of them are seasonal), making this event one of Vermont's Top 10. It takes a village and all that...


I am proud to have been accepted to join the committee and I head up the advertising and marketing arm of this small but mighty group of passionate people. Since social media is somewhat on my radar (blogging, Facebook, Twitter) I thought I could provide some added value in that area. Please join our Facebook Fan Page for all the up to the minute info and images from the fair, past and present.

This year we have over 120 local artisans, crafters, food vendors and non-profit organizations who have taken up booths that will be located along the length of our Main Street on the day (25th September) of the fair. This is the largest selection of local talent we have ever had and the Peru Fair Committee is hoping for a bumper year. The proceeds of the fair are donated to the Peru Scholarship Fund which aims to help fund all town children in their goal to follow further education beyond high school level. It is an enormously worthy cause I am sure you will agree.

Preparations for the fair start in January, and involve a multitude of tasks that culminate in a 6am start on the day to ensure that the whole event runs smoothly. I for one will be fully prepared for all weathers and lots of time on my feet, so here is my Peru Fair Look...

Jack Purcell Gingham Sneaker

10engines Avenge Me Cap (In green 802, it's the Vermont dialling code for those out of the loop ;0)

Basic, comfy jeans from Gap

Peru Fair Tshirt ( Think I will treat myself to a new one)

Peru Fair Apron (This is how you will recognise the Peru Fair Committee on the day, come and say Hi!)

A tradition that had lapsed over the past few years, was that our own Peru Volunteer Fire Department would be responsible for our famous pig roast. This year, we are proud to welcome them back to carry on this much anticipated offering. We take our Pig very seriously in these parts!

Let me tell you a secret....if you are in the area the night before, the best pre-fair activity is keeping our boys company while they roast the pigs starting the night before. It is an all night affair!

But let me warn you, the pig roast starts at 11am and if you wait too long it will be gone (see picture above)!

I am beyond proud to be a small part of this community endeavour and I hope to see you all there...9am sharp on 25th September 2010.

THE 28th ANNUAL PERU FAIR

The Peru Fair is something of an institution in Vermont, voted one of the Top 10 Events by the Vermont Chamber of Commerce. It was recently resurrected after a couple of barren years, and is going from strength to strength (last year over 3500 people attended). The Peru Fair celebrates it's 30th year today, although it is the 28th annual Fair!

This year's Peru Fair Committee.

My roving reporter at 10engines can tell you more about last year's event, and more here.

I love how they take the same sign, and paint over the date each year even if the paint doesn't match (image from 10engines at the 25th Annual Peru Fair). Make do and Mend!

Probably due to the nature of a tiny town and a more rural approach, there isn't a website for you to wet your appetite for all the crafts people, artisan foodies and entertainers that will be appearing today. Anyway, it just couldn't do it justice. Suffice it to say, this is as New England rural as you will get, and every member of the 400 strong population of Peru has helped in some way, to make it a success.

Peru is my Stateside home town, and I will be moving back their soon. Will have to cover next year's event personally!

This is our Main Street where the Fair takes place, and me making the place look busy, thanks Jamesy!

As my brother mentions in his coverage of the Fair, Peru was the location for the 80s movie Baby Boom with Diane Keaton. Stereotypical country bumpkin characters abound, but the movie is kind of a favourite of ours as so many of our friends and family (Apple Blossom our cow for instance) feature in it. My absolute favourite part is a scene where City Folks go shopping in the local General Store (shown above with the red roof, in real life it is the 140 year old J.J. Hapgood Store).



This is such a perfect parody of the way tourists in Vermont behave when surrounded by Country cuteness! It isn't all Maple Syrup, Turtle Necks and Plaid.