Westport in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Quick Article Index . . .
Local vineyard keeping an ‘eye’ out for Earl.
Westport farmers are starting early to prepare for Earl.
Blossoms in motion at the Vineyard.
Local vineyard keeping an ‘eye’ out for Earl.
EverythingWestport.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Photo/EverythingWestport.com
Not since 1991 has New England’s largest vineyard, located in Westport, MA, had a season like
this one.
“It’s 1 vintage in 20 as far as we’re concerned,” says Rob Russell, Westport Rivers’ vineyard manager.
“The last time we had a chance to make Pinot Noir as a red was 1991, and hurricane Bob took away that
opportunity.”
With hurricane Earl coming up the east coast, will the same misfortune play out two decades later?
“We need an early start and a hot summer in order to approach a red wine year,” Russell said.
“The 1991 season started early with the vines displaying bud break two weeks before normal, just like this
2010 season. The 1991 season was hot and dry; the same is true for this year.” But late August 1991
also brought an unwelcome visitor - a hurricane named Bob. And with Hurricane Earl churning a pathway
towards the vineyard, the Russell family wants to see the similarities between 1991 and 2010 end.
Outside of the obvious physical damage done by a hurricane, there is a more insidious destructive side
unseen by the average connoisseur of the grape. The sustained winds of any storm, not just a hurricane,
can have an adverse affect on the berries. But the winds of a high energy storm are far stronger over a
longer period of time.
“Strange things happen to plants that are just trying to sustain respiration,” Bill Russell, Westport Rivers’
winemaker said. “The wind has a desiccating (drying) affect on the berries, and the developing sugar
levels are thrown off; the berries don’t ripen as fast.”
Add that to the timing of these late summer storms when the grapes are too soft and it’s just too early to
pick them, you now have a recipe for a red Pinot Noir disaster.
“We’re updating ourselves on the track several times a day,” says Bill Russell. "It’d be a shame to see the
2010 vintage become like 1991. The wines from ’91 were fine but nowhere near what they could have
been. I don’t want to have a second could-have-been vintage. We waited 86 years for a Red Sox World
Series win; I do not want to wait 86 years for another chance at growing Massachusetts' red Pinot Noir!”
“It’s very rare and a very challenging thing to master and produce a red Pinot Noir in this area,” Bill
Russell said. “The conditions have to be perfect. Our unpredictable New England weather presents all
sorts of impediments.”
A recent visit by Jonathan Ray of London’s Daily Telegraph shed light on Westport Rivers
Vineyard efforts:
When travelling, drink local wines
Local wines: No matter where you holiday, seek out a taste of the neighbourhood.
By Jonathan Ray for the London’s Daily Telegraph
Published: 8:00AM BST 20 Aug 2010
It’s baking hot day in Boston. I’m in Neptune Oyster, thirsty but not really hungry. All I crave is a dozen
oysters and a bottle of something ice cold and fizzy. There’s champagne, prosecco, the dreaded cava
and something from the Loire but, curiously, nothing from the United States. What, no Schramsberg,
Mumm Cuvée Napa or Roederer Quartet? But hang on, what’s this Westport Rivers?
“Oh, it’s just local stuff,” says the waitress dismissively. “Shall I open the Billecart Salmon?”
I’ve come across similar responses at home in Brighton from staff faced with local but unfamiliarsounding sparklers such as Ridgeview or Breaky Bottom. They’re both jolly good so I reason I really
should give this one a go.
But then again, last time I was badly caught out, gulled into buying a so-called “sha-blee” in Hannibal,
Missouri. A local wine, made from indigenous, non-vitis vinifera grapes – it was vile, both cloying and
acidic, and would have quite put me off my deep-fried catfish if I hadn’t been put off that already by its
pool of slowly solidifying grease.
Today, though, I hit the bullseye. It’s absolutely delicious, crisp, clean and citrusy with a touch of toast.
It’s a chardonnay/pinot noir blend, made in the champagne method, no more than an hour and a half’s
drive from where I am sitting.
Click here to read more.
Back in 1991, the fledgling vineyard had 5 acres of Pinot Noir. Today they have 5 times that acreage.
“We’re talking about 50 to 75 tons of fruit, that’s over 1/3 of our entire crop,” says Rob Russell. “We’re a
small family farm, there’s more than a chance at red wine at risk to Earl.”
Indeed, the Russell’s entire crop is at risk. Farming is never an easy task. They have a right in being
concerned.
In today’s “buy local” climate many often discount (or forget) that local wine is grown on a farm, in dirt, in
rain, in sunlight and at risk. The Russell family’s work on their farm has done Massachusetts proud with
the delicious quality of their white and sparkling wines. Let’s all hope that Hurricane Earl doesn’t spoil
their effort to make a red Pinot Noir that will make the Bay State stand up and cheer.
Over the past 20 years, the Russell family’s farm has grown some outstanding wines. They’ve won
numerous gold medals in international competitions, been served at the White House and the James
Beard House and garnered tremendous international acclaim. Despite that, they continue to struggle for
recognition in the Boston wine world. (Read above sidebar article)
Hopefully, Earl will cast its eye in a different direction, and spare the local vineyard a possible second
disappointment.
“I’d like to buy both Bob and Earl a beer,” chuckled Bill Russell, “just to keep them out of our back yard.”
Westport farmers are starting early to prepare for Earl.
EverythingWestport.com
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Photos/EverythingWestport.com
Westport farmers are starting early to prepare for Earl as the potentially dangerous hurricane heads
toward the east coast, and eventually New England.
“We’re picking
apples three
weeks ahead
of schedule,”
said George
Smith of
Noquochoke
Orchards.
Meanwhile
Milky Way
Farm is
working day
and night to get
in 400+ acres
of corn two
weeks early
before
damaging
winds knock it
down. “I don’t
know if we’ll
make it,” one
worker said.
And Westport
Rivers
Vineyard is
losing sleep
over potentially
losing a “1
vintage in 20
that could
produce a rare
Massachusetts’
red Pinot Noir,”
said vintner Bill
Russell. (Read
article above.)
Harbormaster
Richie Earle
warns of
possible tidal surges and heavy rain that could cause minor flooding and boater angst. “We’ll trailer out
our boats, remove all our records and computers, and lock down the Harbormaster’s shack if Earl shifts to
the west,” Earle said. “We’ll need to watch this storm. It’s still too early to call.”
Local crops come in two weeks early.
“We started picking Macs two weeks ago,” Smith said. “We knew this hot, dry summer was heading into
bad weather. Our apples are coming in two weeks early. We’ve seen it before: The fruit ripening early - it
was a great season for the orchard and, bang, we get hit by hurricanes. But now we’re picking other
varieties three weeks in advance to avoid wind damage and bruised fruit.”
Smith’s corn will have to fend for itself as up to 10 pickers are working overtime to get in the apple crop.
But Milky Way Farm doesn’t have that luxury. “We have to get this silage corn in before the wind and rain
hits,” said one of the truck drivers as he climbed back into this cab. “The new Claas Jaguar forage
harvester is a real workhorse, but we have only two days to bring in another 400 acres. We may not make
it. The Claas is a great harvester, but chopping blown over corn stalks is very difficult.”
Left: Working overtime at Arruda’s Farm to beat Earl. Right: The trucks line up on Drift Road to keep the harvest going.
Not since 1991 has New England’s largest vineyard, located in Westport, MA, had a season like
this one.
“It’s 1 vintage in 20 as far as we’re concerned,” says Rob
Russell, Westport Rivers’ vineyard manager. “The last time we
had a chance to make Pinot Noir as a red was 1991, and
hurricane Bob took away that opportunity.”
With hurricane Earl coming up the east coast, will the same
misfortune play out two decades later? “There’s nothing we
can do but wait and hope,” Russell said.
Horrid memories of Hurricane Bob still haunt many
Westporters. Westport took a direct hit from Bob on Aug. 19, 1991, bringing lashings of rain, 100 mph
winds, power outages, flooding and damage to homes and streets, and yes, crops.
Click here to read about hurricane Bob.
North and South Watuppa Ponds are better prepared to handle Earl says Fall River Administrator
of Utilities, Terry Sullivan.
“Right now South Watuppa is minus 35 inches below full
pond,” Sullivan said. “From a storm perspective that’s a good
level.”
Left: Terry Sullivan (orange shirt) in the FEMA meeting last April.
The low level is due to a dry summer, prompting some pondside residents to complain about poor recreational levels for
boating and swimming.
The Fall River water department head said that in the worst
case scenario “we have enough storage capacity to deal with
heavy rains. We’re in the best position we could be in.”
North Watuppa is plus four inches above full pond level. “That level would have to rise 30 inches above
full pond before flooding would occur in the Adirondack Street area of Westport,” Sullivan said.
Westport may experience severe water runoff due to saturated ground, and that may result in some local
area flooding in the vicinity of roadside streams and brooks. But at worst it would be temporary.
The National Weather Service in Taunton has issued a flash flood watch for southern Bristol County,
including Westport, and warns drivers to be “prepared for the possibility of significant road flooding,” and
reminds motorists to “not drive through flooded roadways.”
Sandbags available for property
protection.
Westport town residents who need sand bags to
protect their property can fill bags behind Town
Hall in front of the Highway Department.
Residents are asked to take only what they
need.
Earl shuts down town beaches.
The Town of Westport will close the town beaches (Cherry & Webb
Beach) today Thursday, September 2nd at 5 p.m. due to danger
currents. The Beaches will remain closed through Satu
The Town will have its lifeguards on duty but the beach and park
closed. Vehicles parked on Cherry and Webb Lane will be ticketed
owners’ expense.
Click here for Hurricane Preparedness Tips from MEMA.
Westport makes preparations for possible hurricane. The kind of storm Hurricane Earl would be by
the time it made its way to New England was still a bit of a guess Wednesday morning, but Town
Administrator Michael Coughlin said the town was getting ready.
“We notified East Beach owners of trailers that there is a storm,” Coughlin said Wednesday morning.
He said residents of that area have not been evacuated. More
One inch of rain would equate to two inches of pond level, due to the dry ground,” Sullivan said. “The dry
summer has put us in a good position, unlike the previous March storms that dumped more than 20
inches of rain in one month.”
Harbor boaters taking a cautious approach.
Westport Harbormaster Richie Earle (no relation to hurricane Earl!) said it’s just too early to call the track
of the Northeast’s first major fall storm. “Hurricane Bob (1991) had a storm surge of 4 feet,” said the
Westport Point native and longtime Harbormaster. “Our experience in that storm is helping us make better
preparations for the on-coming Earl.”
“The state is taking down the barrier strip guards on the Route 88 bridge, and they will open it with 24
hours notice for vessels wanting to go up the East Branch for safer mooring and anchorage” Earle said.
“We have posted notices on the boat ramps that the conditions at the Harbor mouth are dangerous, and
the state boat ramps (Westport Harbor and Gooseberry) and the landings on East Beach are now closed
as of Thursday. They are accepting only craft being pulled from the water.”
Scott Gifford of FL Tripp’s boatyard said they are taking no more requests to pull boats out as they are
booked and have only one crane for vessel removal. “It’s not that boaters are panicking and want their
boats hauled out,” Gifford said. “Many are just following their normal end-of-season procedures. But we
are pulling out a few sailboats; the owners wanted to get off their moorings.”
Gifford added that very little damage was sustained in the ’91 hurricane by boats in their slips, with most
damage came from loose objects flying through the air or water. “We have picked up the yard and
secured everything we could secure,” he said.
“We are telling owners to double their lines, increase chafe protection and remove all canvas and/or
sails.”
“We will be closing the boatyard when Earl arrives,” he added. “We don’t want customers or employees
hit by flying objects. All dock water and power will be turned off. Fuel lines on the gas dock will be shut
off.”
Open boats stored in the water and those with clogged scuppers can be sunk by significant rainfall. The
boat’s battery should be fully charged and the bilge pump operational. Secure all loose items below
decks.
Some hints on preparing for hurricane Earl. What you can
do?
The biggest thing Westporters may have to contend with is flooding and loss of power. Most of
the town is on well water, so If you don’t have a generator, here’s what you can do:



Fill your bathtub with water for flushing toilets and cooking. No bathtub? Fill a large trash
can and keep it in the house.
Have several gallons of bottled spring water on hand for drinking.
Follow MEMA guidelines listed below.
If you have a generator, be sure the tank is full, and extra gas is on hand. Beginning right now,
power up the generator and let it run for a few minutes to check out its operation. Don’t wait until
the storm hits!
Unplug ALL electronic devices completely including cable or Direct TV to avoid damage by a
possible AC power surge if winds reach a sustained speed of 35 mph or more.
Sandbags available for property protection. Town residents who need sand bags to protect
their property can fill bags behind Town Hall in front of the Highway Department. Residents are
asked to take only what they need.
Other items to stock up on:









Non-perishable food
Drinking water
Batteries
Medication for all family members
First aid kit
Flashlights
Battery-operated radio
Cash
Toiletries
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
(MEMA) recommends a number of steps people can take
to help minimize potential damage during hurricane or
tropical storm conditions.
Here are some examples of steps you should be taking:

Trim back trees and shrubbery around your home. Remove diseased or damaged tree
limbs that could be blown down, causing damage, during a storm.

Clear clogged rain gutters. Hurricanes/tropical storms often bring torrential rain. Providing
clear drainage will help prevent misdirected flooding.

Bring in outdoor items to bring inside such as lawn furniture, trash barrels, hanging plants,
toys and awnings that can be broken or picked up by strong winds and used as a missile.

Make sure storage sheds, children’s playhouses or other outbuildings are securely
anchored, either to a permanent foundation or with straps and ground anchors.

Elevate articles in your basement that could be damaged from even minor flooding.

Make temporary plywood covers to protect windows and sliding doors. Drill holes for
screws or lag bolts in each cover and around each window. Note: Taping of windows
does not prevent them from breaking.

Keep your vehicles fully fuelled.

Have a certain amount of cash available. If power is lost, ATMs may not be working.
09/02/2010 - The scene is peaceful for now in Westport Harbor at the Route 88 bridge. But if hurricane Earl
tacks to the left it will turn into a beehive of activity as sail and power vessels will head up the East Branch
for safer mooring and anchorage. Bridge operators require 24 hours notice to raise the bridge for tall ships’
passage. Guard rail posts have been removed to keep them out of harm’s way.
Blossoms in motion
at the Vineyard.
EverythingWestport.com
Saturday, August 4, 2010
Photos/EverythingWestport.com
“My career as a choreographer
informs my photographs’
composition with a strong sense of
flow or motion,” Beth Easterly said.
Easterly, perhaps better known in
town for her work in administering
the Westport Farmers’ Market for
the first two years, is spending
more time these days going back
to her roots.
“The photos in this show are flowers taken during 2009 and 2010. I was intrigued by the daily incremental
changes - the shapes and the sense of motion.”
Easterly photographed all her subjects in natural light, lending them a softness usually associated with a
detailed floral watercolor. All photographs are un-retouched (I don’t even own Photo Shop!).
Her composition is remarkable, and she uses space and perspective to enhance her work.
The Helene Wurlitzer Foundation in Taos, New Mexico awarded Beth a three month fellowship to develop
her visual art work. Photography had been a long time interest and the fellowship provided the perfect
opportunity for uninterrupted work.
Ms. Easterly had a 30 year career as choreographer and this training forms her photographs’ composition
with a strong sense of flow or motion. While in Washington, D.C. Beth developed an interest in dance on
film. She not only videotaped her own work but documented work of many others including Meredith
Monk and Simone Forti. Her thesis topic at George Washington University developed a method to
produce videotapes to teach dancers works from choreographic repertory.
Ms. Easterly has a MFA from George Washington University, and was an artistic director of her own
dance company, a former faculty member of Shenandoah College and Conservatory of Music, and a
former faculty member of Bristol Community College.
Easterly is at the Westport Rivers Vineyard Gallery through Monday, September 13th. Hours are Monday
through Saturday from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. For further information please call Beth at (508) 636-4427.
Left: White Sail
Right: Trumpet
Left: Winter White
Right: Fall Beach
- - - - - End - - - - -
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