Artist recalibrates his views on art and space
By Troy McMullen
Photograph by Theo Coulombe
Nearly three decades ago, while in the midst of a successful publishing career, Peter Cusack made an abrupt career change.
Looking to expand his creative boundaries, he began to pursue painting—first under the tutelage of a mentor in Brooklyn, then embarking on a year-long program, studying classical painting and drawing at L’Ecole Albert Dufois in France, a school of fine arts known for producing distinguished artists and teachers.
While the shift altered Cusack’s professional goals, it also forced him to recalibrate his views on art and its role in articulating and defining space. The deep learning experience in France gave way to the chaos of returning to New York, where continuing to learn and develop his studio work was balanced with maintaining his work in publishing, book production, and Illustration.
That period of self-exploration—through lived experiences and cultural observations—still informs much of his creative output today.
His oil paintings evoke powerful emotion while employing figurative exploration to reflect the human condition. Rooted in the languages of art history—Cezanne, Classicism, the Baroque—the work is equally analytical and disciplined yet also inquisitive. These are traits that have helped Cusack cultivate an expanding following of collectors, and landed his work in the permanent collections of the Museum of American Illustration, the New York Transit Museum, and the United States Air Force.
“My studio practice allowed me to freely explore and examine myself, art history, the culture, and the general world around me,” says Cusack, whose paintings have been exhibited at the Washington Art Association, Craven Contemporary in Kent, and Mary McGill in Germantown, N.Y. “My curiosity about people, psychology, and philosophy informed my subject matter, so today the look of my work has changed but all those core principles have not.”
That urge to plumb new creative depths was at work when Cusack decided to leave New York and move to Litchfield County full-time six years ago. Though he lives in West Cornwall, Cusack opened a studio in Torrington in 2019, a move he says was the beginning of rediscovering “the original idea of the artist inside myself.”
The storefront space in the center of town has become the incubator for his work as an artist, curator, and editor. In 2019, he founded COCOA: The Journal of Cornwall Contemporary Art, a quarterly that allowed local artists to express their thoughts and discuss their work.
“What I like about Torrington is that it’s unestablished and there’s little distraction here,” he says. “It’s quiet and I can be by myself with my work and my ideas.”
That work increasingly includes collaborations with interior designers and architects, which Cusack says allows for dialogues that are interdisciplinary and are more complex by nature of the project’s parameters and client needs.
“It lets me take on the challenges that specific spaces and sites offer,” he says. “I connect with people who are thinking about how to create space that aligns with our sensitivities and our humanity.”
The photographs of Jeannette Montgomery Barron reveal hidden secrets
Photograph by Dylan Everett
By Cynthia Hochswender
In the 21st century, everyone who has a mobile phone can take a photograph. But not everyone can create art with light and a lens. The difference? Art can show us a familiar face or place in a way that is new, unexpected, and revealing.
And deeply talented photographers such as Jeannette Montgomery Barron can bring out the true self that so many of us hide behind a public facade.
Montgomery Barron moved to New York City in the late 1970s to study at the International Center of Photography. She sharpened her technical skills there, and also realized that the wacky world of disco-era New York City wasn’t all that different from her native Atlanta, Georgia. In the South, everyone had a polite public persona. In Manhattan, everyone had an outrageous public persona that they shared proudly with the world.
Montgomery Barron has a natural gift for finding the real person inside, drawing that person out, and capturing it in images. She began her career by calling on intriguing figures in the art world, such as Francesco Clemente (who has since become a close friend). Assignments shooting for magazines and art galleries followed, with subjects that ranged from Bianca Jagger to Keith Haring to Jean Michel Basquiat.
Montgomery Barron recently compiled her photos of Basquiat in a book, called “JMB”: her own initials as well as those of the artist (Montgomery Barron is married to South Kent gallery owner James Barron). She has also done a book of portraits of self-portraitist Cindy Sherman; a photo memoir of life in Rome, with accompanying essay by Andre Aciman; and a moving collection of photos of favorite clothes of her mother, an Atlanta socialite who succumbed to Alzheimer’s disease at the end of her life.
For someone who has made a career out of photographing people who create art and often turn their own lives into artwork, Montgomery Barron has been and remains remarkably “herself.” She is, in every sense, completely honest. These qualities come through in her portraits—which is one reason why her work continues to be in demand.
Of course, anyone can seek honesty in a photo shoot … but that can backfire, and make the subject anxious. Montgomery Barron exudes an almost mystical sense of calm, even when she is on a fashion shoot with a dozen stylists (clothing, makeup, hair, and more)—and she is extraordinarily gentle.
“As I age, I feel more deeply how important it is to be kind to people,” she says.
Although she says she “couldn’t wait to get out of Georgia” in her youth, she now finds that a slower life appeals to her. She is often on the road for work; and she and her husband travel often to Rome, where they lived for 11 years before returning to what had been their weekend house in South Kent.
“I appreciate living here more and more,” she confides. “Everytime I come back after going away, I feel like I’m living in the perfect place.”—jeannettemontgomerybarron.com
It’s easy to like Sarah Von Dreele before even meeting her. “Coffee and tea at my place,” her email read. The doors of her red farmhouse are open in anticipation of the visit. The kitchen shelves are stocked with well-loved cookbooks. “I’m from an old New England family,” she says. “We pass everything down.” The cappuccino maker roars into action. “Almond or cow’s milk?” Von Dreele’s concern for the customer is evident.
Which perhaps partly explains her meteoric rise as an artist who creates graphic and floral wallpaper and textiles for brands such as Crate&Barrel/CB2, as well as under her own name. She has a showroom in every major market in the U.S. including the D&D building in Manhattan. (She sells only to the trade.) Her work has earned accolades including Interior Design magazine’sBest of Year 2023.
The studio above her garage is where her industriousness is evident. Ten feet of textiles neatly line up on hangers, rolls of wallpaper sit in bins, shelves are stocked floor to ceiling with samples, stacks of paintings done in gouache—where the process begins—sit under the work table.
“There must be thousands,” Von Dreele says. Everything is hyper organized and yet there is a looseness about the space: A gigantic paintbrush waits in a jar for its artist; photos and inspirational designs dot the walls; her daughter’s painting of a camel, its body parts labeled with red yarn, gets prime visibility; and a brochure that reads “Making Purpose From Trauma Helps Make Peace From Trauma,” lies on her work space. “That pretty much sums things up,” reveals Von Dreele.
Trained at the Rhode Island School of Design, Von Dreele worked for decades in corporate design, but when emotional trauma struck, she turned to painting as therapy, and her career path took a radical turn. “One night I sat at my dining table and just started to paint. I just kept painting and painting, and eventually realized this was more than just a personal healing process.”
Though clearly the market is responding to her work, it comes from a deeply authentic place. She shows me a pattern with muted, wavy lines. “This was inspired by the ocean after a thunderstorm at my beach house.” Her work is further personalized by naming the patterns after family members. “My grandfather was an architect in the navy. He always wanted to be a fine artist but his parents never let him. This one—Allyn—is named after him.” She holds up a floral pattern called Frances, after her grandmother. “She was very feminine—wore pantyhose every day of her life.”
Though her success has clearly not happened spontaneously, her best creative work occurs when she is not thinking. “Working in a place that is uncomfortable allows me to discover the unknown. It’s a risk, because you don’t know where you’re going.” She was leaving the next day for London, to meet with new producers to expand her market internationally. The process seems to be working.—Sarahvondreele.com
Using Trauma to Launch a Global Wallpaper Business
By Michelle Madden
Photos by Alysia Kristan, AK Photography
Interdisciplinary artist Ron Norsworthy explores this question through his most recent project inspired by the myth of Narcissus—not advocating recklessness or selfishness, but rather challenging beauty standards and questioning their origins, and encouraging self-love.
The 11-piece collection titled I, Narcissus was conceptualized in Roxbury, where Norsworthy resides with husband and fellow artist David Anthone, and materialized in New Jersey. Following its September premiere at The Armory Show in New York, it will be exhibited at Edwynn Houk Gallery on 5th Avenue beginning November 14.
Sculptural artworks made of photographs layered onto wood feature exquisite detail and dramatic shifts in perception depending on viewer placement.
From a distance, “Narcissus and Echo” appears to capture a dining couple. Up close, the illusion is shattered: There is only one man and the mirror reflects back a woman. “Vanitas (Double Self-Portrait as a Goldfish and a Vase)” looks like a painting of flowers in a vase. Up close, the mixed media is a compilation of broches, earrings, and pins.
“Hopefully, it challenges viewers to see individual pieces for what they really are, and apply that to people,” explains Norsworthy, whose artistic portfolio strives to create spaces that acknowledge “those who feel erased, marginalized, or invisible.”
Determined to inspire dialogue, Norsworthy often incorporates mirrors that project not what is seen, but rather “reflect what is happening within us.” Committed to social justice, his work provides glimpses into his life, emphasizing the importance of a personalized lens that helps all see their value and beauty, falling in love with their reflection.
Born in Indiana, his earliest memories involve crayons and scented markers; a nursery school teacher identified an innate gift, because “the drawings of children at that age do not fill a page” like his did. By third grade, he was the only child enrolled in adult art classes.
Watching his mother create patterns and sew fabric into garments allowed him to witness “art in motion,” further fueling his creativity. His father worked for John Deere, so the family also lived in Iowa and Illinois, where Norsworthy became acquainted with Grant Wood’s paintings; a replica hung in his bedroom, adding magic to the seemingly barren Midwestern landscape with “lollipop trees” and stylized corn and hay fields.
Yet, pursuing art was not an option in his family, so after graduating from Princeton University with an architecture degree, he moved to New York City. A self-identified Black queer artist, his journey “was a struggle,”but he “became his own Narcissus,” on a quest of self-love, self-invention, and creating opportunities for continuous creative growth.
He worked alongside architect Michael Graves, became art director and production designer for some of the most iconic 1990s music videos—working with Missy Elliot, Salt-N-Pepa, Michael Jackson, Busta Rhymes, and Madonna—and designed his own line of bedding and home accessories for QVC.
“I’ve been in a lot of spaces and found myself in all of them,” he reflects, “because I belong to myself and my life’s journey is to prompt reflections and conversations that create space for others. Being an artist is risky; condemnation or judgment are inevitable, but the power comes from daring to share and be vulnerable.”
Still, Norsworthy doesn’t insist on answers; his focus is on raising questions.
“I hope my works prompt those conversations and spark at least internal dialogue,” he reflects. “In a world made up of many ethnicities, races, and all kinds of families, society in general needs to be more inclusive. There is infinite potential for beauty and understanding of who and what can be beautiful.”—ronnorsworthy.com
Vintage Pieces at Macaire + Kristoph Bring Homes to Life and Life to Homes
By Cynthia Hochswender
Photographs by Rana Faure
Knowing Liz Macaire and Simon Kristoph is, comfortingly yet unexpectedly, a little like “knowing someone” in the furniture business. The sleek graphics for their multi-hyphenate business (Macaire + Kristoph Studio), and the perfectly coordinated interiors of their two Litchfield County retail locations, might feel a little intimidating—but one only has to step over the threshold into their shops to realize that Liz and Simon are, in fact, your two Furniture Best Friends.
Last year, Macaire began doing estate sales and interior design work for friends and then friends of friends in Litchfield County and New York City. She was selling select furniture pieces on consignment, and quickly realized that she needed a retail space.
A friend introduced her to Daniel and Ivy Kramp, who had purchased a property on Route 7 in Sharon and named it Ivy’s Collective. It is home to a garden center; the Blue Gate bakery; and what is now the original home of Macaire + Kristoph. Their larger and newer second location is in the center of West Cornwall, four miles away.
Macaire’s business grew so quickly that she soon needed a partner to help with every phase of what she was doing. When she met Kristoph, who’d moved here after years working in visual merchandising in New York, she knew she’d met her perfect match. Together they formed Macaire + Kristoph Studio, curating eclectic furnishings from diverse eras and somehow making it all look yummy.
The magic that happens when Macaire and Kristoph get together extends beyond the enticing way that they arrange small and large items. Although they have very different personalities, they bring a high level of fun and intimacy to the process of acquiring and then selling items from their consignors (who keep 50% of all furniture sales).
Although the furnishings tend toward the understated and modern, the two shops feel rich and layered—without feeling cluttered.
“We try to create vignettes or rooms within the shops,” Kristoph says. “There might be a living room, a dining area, a reading nook.” It’s all meant to help shoppers imagine themselves at home with the items they’re looking at.
Prices are unexpectedly attainable. Part of the reason for that, Macaire explains, is that sales are not the only component of the business. The duo also earn commissions on estate sales, interior design work, and staging of real estate. The lower prices also help them move merchandise through the stores more quickly.
“We want to keep it fresh,” Macaire says. “Everything is priced to sell quickly.”
Macaire and Kristoph are excellent listeners: If you tell them you’re looking for something specific, count on them to call you as soon as that piece crosses their path. And you can also count on them to listen to the backstory of any beloved piece you bring in.
“Sellers want to know their furnishings are going to a home where they’ll be loved,” Macaire says. And buyers want to hear those stories; that’s what separates vintage from factory fresh. —macairekristoph.com
In a world where so much furniture is machine-made, sold in Big Box stores, and put together with nothing more than an Allen wrench, it’s refreshing to visit the studio of furniture designer and maker Locke Bell.
His workshop is a simple one-room structure perched on a hill overlooking a small lake in Sharon. The walls are lined with tools: chisels, marking gauges, compasses, squares, backsaws, hammers, scrapers, planes. These are Bell’s tools of the trade. There are rows of jars of raw pigment, shellac, wax. Bell makes his own finishes. It’s a step back in time to when expert craftsmanship could create fine art.
“I’m kind of a sucker for mahogany,” he says. He acknowledges that brown furniture has become unfashionable in some circles, but he sees it differently. “It’s lovely to work with, and can be very sustainable.” Bell is also partial to European walnut. He’s passionate about wood in general. “It’s not inert. Every stick is different. It expands and contracts. If you don’t understand it, it won’t last, and it’s not very forgiving.”
Bell is eminently quotable. “There is ‘standard’ good taste. It might tick all the boxes, but it’s boring, and I wouldn’t want it in my house. I’m interested in the more eccentric 18th-century forms and folk art.
“Everything I do is rooted in traditional furniture styles,” he adds.
Perhaps that’s because Bell got his start as a furniture conservator and restorer, working mostly for dealers and private clients. Furniture restoration is its own art form. “You want it to look its age, but look like it’s been really well cared for,” he says. Eighteenth-century English furniture was his specialty. “It’s what I trained on.” He still finds it to be graceful and elegant.
He has also always made furniture. “It’s part of restoration. When you take apart furniture and put it back together, you really begin to understand what quality is and what really works. Clients would come to me and ask me to make a sixth chair, to fill out a set of five. Sometimes I buy breakers [an unrestorable piece of furniture] of a certain era, to use the screws and pieces of the wood.”
In 2017, he went to work for Hostler Burrows (which has galleries in New York City and Los Angeles) as their full-time restorer—after several years managing the restoration department for R & Company.
Joe Kramm
“Then, during the pandemic, I was in the studio making chairs and mirrors—which have a high visual impact, and allowed me to create my own design vocabulary.”
Jesse Stone
Because Bell makes each piece entirely by hand, each one is a little bit different. “I don’t measure that much,” he says. “I rely on my eye.”
True to his roots as a restorer he spends a considerable amount of time on the finish. “I French polish everything by hand, and then wax.”
There’s no doubt these pieces will stand the test of time.
Will Talbot crafts more than pottery—he creates ritual.
By Michelle Madden
A breeze moves gently through the wood-beamed studio. A black cast-iron stove breathes out sweet-smelling oak. Olive, the rescue dog, is curled on a frayed armchair. A miniature clay teapot waits for the tea ceremony to begin.
Potters often have objects they lean toward; for Will Talbot of Bell Hill Pottery, it is tea pots and cups. Talbot makes accessories inspired by the ancient Chinese tea ceremony, gongfu cha—a practice centered in mindfulness and discipline. The water is poured into a tiny pot. The first pour, before the tea leaves have fully opened, is sacrificed and poured over a “tea pet”—a small clay object. (Even when something is discarded, there is ritual.) This is followed by 12 to 15 pours into cups before the ceremony concludes.
Talbot’s cups have an undulating shape and, like the pots, are magnificently imperfect. The colors are often not uniform but blend in a harmonious way. The hand of the artist, though subdued, is foremost. “I sell to tea people,” says Talbot. “They like the faults in the product.”
So why tea? “I was at art school in Portland, Oregon,” Talbot explains, “and there were Chinese gardens with a teahouse and koi. I went after class and drank tea every day for two years.”
Talbot’s work is his vocation— one into which he pours his soul.—bellhillpottery.com
Argazzi Art presents “Through Layers” by artist Victor Mirabelli from November 9 to December 29. Victor Mirabelli’s latest body of work, “Through Layers,” captures a lighter, more spirited approach to painting. More than just a technique, his objective is to use color to represent the visual aspects of a specific structure or scape, while maintaining the emotional integrity that accompanies that experience. The palette is brighter, more colorful and intriguing. Mirabelli does not shy away from using a vivid pink, yellow, orange, or blue. Images are created by layering color, resulting in a matte or, at times, a glass-like effect—a translucency. His shapes are cleaner, more classic. The artist’s use of subtle brushwork and scraping of paint breathes life, and invites the viewer inside Mirabelli’s picture story. “I have to become that structure, and feel the life that lived there.”
In celebration of his fourth solo exhibition, and the 21st anniversary of Argazzi Art, one of Connecticut’s oldest and most established galleries, we are pleased to present “Through Layers.” The partnership with Mirabelli has been a long-term relationship both in nurturing his career as well as establishing a strong collector base for the work. Argazzi Art opened its doors in 2003, and has showcased both mid-career and established artists exhibiting contemporary work in a historic building in the village of Lakeville.
Fall Fest and Ben March Scholarship Day, October 20, 10am-4:30pm Stop by March Farm for the 5th annual cornhole tournament, live music, vendors, food and many fall activities. 160 Munger Lane, Bethlehem
Bridgewater’s Trunk or Treat, October 31, 5:30-7:30pm Fun family night to receive and hand out candy! Prizes will be awarded for best decorated trunks. Bridgewater Town Center
Falls Village Recreation Halloween, October 31, 5-7pm Families are invited to the costume parade on Main Street and trick or treating around the village. The Center on Main (103 Main Street), Canaan
Halloween on the Farm, October 20, 3-5pm
Celebrate Halloween at Pinney Stables with trunk or treat, a costume contest, photo booth, and more. 3 Pinney Street, Colebrook
Halloween Night 3D Archery Shoot, October 27, 4-8pm Come out and celebrate Halloween with the Northwestern Connecticut Sportsmen’s Association ! Shoot, have fun, and show off a Spooktacular costume, if you dare. 177 Winsted Norfolk Road, Colebrook
Falls Village Fall Festival, October 19, 2-4pm
The Falls Village Recreation Commission and D.M. Hunt Library are excited to host the 2nd annual fall festival. The community event features food, live music, hayrides, a pie baking contest, and more! Town Farm Property, Route 63, Falls Village
The Forsaken Lands Outdoor Haunted Attraction, September 28-Nov 2, 7pm-10pm Connecticut’s latest and most cutting edge haunted attraction, opens its very creaky barn doors for the first season of fears at Action Wildlife! The inhabitants of this long forgotten farm village unleash their wrath on, and consume all who dare step foot onto their forbidden grounds. Recommended for ages 13+ 435 Torrington Road, Goshen (Action Wildlife) $6 cash only parking fee, General admission is $27.50, Fast Pass is $37.50
The Pumpkin Run 5K and Fall Festival, October 12, 8am-3:30pm
The 5k runs from 8am-11am, Fall Festival activities start at 10:30am and end at 3:30pm. 100 Bentley Drive, Harwinton
$30 fee for the run
48th Kent Pumpkin Run, October 27, 12pm The 47th annual running of the Kent Pumpkin run and Kids fun race! Kent Green Kids Fun Race takes place 11am on race day.
Scarecrows in the Meadow, October 19-November 3 A community event celebrating the end of the harvest season. 82nd South Street, Litchfield (Tapping Reeve Meadow)
Camp Mohawk Pumpkin Fest, October 19, 11am-4pm
A wide variety of activities such as boating, archery, pumpkin painting, and delicious seasonal treats. YMCA Camp Mohawk – 246 Great Hill Road, Litchfield
$10 admission
Halloween Fun Day, October 19, 10:30am-1pm Wear your best Halloween costume, some halloween snacks, spooky stories and more! Litchfield Community Center – 421 Bantam Road, Litchfield
Morris Senior Center’s Annual Halloween Party, October 29, 12-2pm
Wear your costumes and participate in the costume contest for many prizes, enjoy a catered lunch, and more fun entertainment! Morris Senior Center – 109 East Street, Morris
$10 per person
Kids Halloween Party and Parade , October 26, 7-830pm Wear your costumes to the library for some Halloween fun! Beekley Community Library, 10 Central Avenue, New Hartford
Scarrybrooke Park Haunted Trail, October 12,18, 19, 25,26
Enjoy this haunted trail through Harrybrooke Park. 12 and up. 100 Still River Drive, New Milford
New Milford Trunk or Treat, October 26 5:30-7:30pm New Milford Parks and Recreation is excited to offer Trunk or Treat on the Town Green New Milford Town Green (25 Main Street)
A Spooky Paranormal Halloween Magic & Mind Reading Show, October 24, 6-8pm
Prepare for an evening of fun, fright, and fascination as you explore the depths of the unseen with Gregg Dwyer as your guide. Torrington Library, 12 Daycoeton Place Torrington
Annual Wine and Food Tasting, October 19, 7-9pm Join the Warner Theatre’s biggest fundraising event, enjoy a night of tasting local foods, craft beers, spirits and wines. Nancy Marine Studio Theatre, 84 Main Street, Torrington $30 General Admision tickets, $100 VIP tickets
Torrington’s Ford Trunk or Treat, October 26, 3:30-6:30pm, October 27, 10am-2pm Come dress in your spookiest and most creative costumes to check out the decorated cars. Free candy will be provided! Torrington Ford, 1350 East Main St, Torrington
Cider Run 5K, October 21, 10-11:30am Come out to Warren Woods and enjoy Family Fun, paired with the 5K Cider Run! Warren Woods, Brick School Road, Warren
Spooktacular Halloween at the Park, October 26, 9:30am-12:30pm Wear your costume (pets too!), showoff your carving skills with the annual Jack O Lantern contest, trick or treat and more! The Judy Black Memorial park and Gardens, One Green Hill Road, Washington Depot
Zombie Escape Race, October 13, 8:30am Come run in your favorite Halloween costumes! Veterans’ Memorial Park, 570 Nova Scotia Hill Road, Watertown $15 for kids race (10&under), $30 for zombie escape
Trunk or Treat, October 26, 3pm-4pm. Watertown High School parking lot, 324 French Street, Watertown
Tricks for Treats, October 27, 11:30am-1pm Dog costumes awards will be given out! Fun and free event for all. Watertown dog park, 1365 Main Street, Watertown
9thAnnual Winsted Lions Club Halloween Party Fundraiser, October 25, 7-11pm Costume contest with awards for funniest, scariest etc, raffle contest with prizes and more! Crystal Peak 164 Torrington Road,Winsted $30 Admission
Trunk or Treat, October 26, 5:30-7:30pm Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult. 75 Rowley Street, Winchester The entry fee is $5 per family.
2nd Home’s 3rd Annual Halloween Party, November 1, 7-11pm
Come meet the animatronic witches, dance with the animatronic Frankie, and say hello to Bones. Come in costume and get a special gift. 2nd Home Lounge, 524 Main Street, Winsted
Join Flanders Nature Center for a Ghost Town xperience at their 6th Annual Haunted Hikes! Between 4 PM and 6 PM, join a family friendly hike for a not-so scary walk in the woods. But, from 6:15 PM to 8 PM, be a braver soul for a spine chilling walk in the dark woods. The later walks are not recommended for children under 12 or the faint of heart. Be prepared for a night of adventure and dress for the worst of conditions!
The Studio 5 Church Hill Road Woodbury, CT.
The Glebe House All Hollow’s Eve: Cemetery Tours, October 19, 5:30-830pm Led by lantern light through a trail of luminaries, attendees will tour the ancient cemetery with their spirit guide visiting the final resting places of some of Woodbury’s notable and not-so notable residents. 49 Hollow Road, Woodbury
When apples are ready for picking and the lines for cider donuts start forming at Washington’s Averill Farm, you know fall has truly arrived in the Northwest Corner.
With the season, comes the craving for those cinnamony, delicious,
fresh cider donuts from Averill Farms, a local tradition in the Hills.
When apples are ready for picking and the lines for cider donuts start forming at Washington’sAverill Farm, you know fall has truly arrived in the Northwest Corner. Famous for its delicious, natural apple cider and sweet cider donuts, Averill Farm has been operating continuously by the Averill family since it was purchased in 1746 from the holdings of Chief Waramaug. A dairy farm for many years, the 250-acre property today features an expansive fruit orchard (the farm also produces hay and Christmas trees). Sam Averill, of the ninth generation, runs the farm with his wife, Susan, and their son, Tyson, growing apples and pears that are sold both as picked fruit and pick-your-own (PYO). More than 90 apple varieties are grown (including Liberty, Cortland, Macoun, Spartan, and McIntosh, to name a few) and about 25 types are available for customers to pick.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
The Averills have been making apple cider for over 30 years—first, bringing their apples to an outside mill, then, in 2005 producing cider in a new mill of their own. Cider from the Averills is made from their own apples, a mixture of different types, and it’s sold in its pure state—unpasteurized, for the very freshest taste. It has no added ingredients or preservatives. “We think it is best and healthiest in its natural state,” Susan says. But, she adds, if you prefer your cider pasteurized, all you have to do is heat it to boiling, let it cool, and voilà! Pasteurized.
To help recoup their investment in the new mill building, the Averills put in a jewel-box of a bakery area, as they only press cider once or twice a week. And then came the donuts. Those sumptuous donuts! So what’s the secret recipe? “I did some research beforehand,” Susan says, “and put together our own recipe, but using our cider to make the donuts is a key element. The other is that we only sell the donuts on the day they’re made, or, if we have any left, they are frozen that day.” Once the donuts are topped off with sugar and cinnamon, you’ve got a piece of heaven! But you can’t just buy them at any store: these cider donuts can only be found at the family’s farm stand, at the New Milford Farmer’s Market, and the Southbury Farmer’s Market. That way the family can control the quality of their product, meaning they’re only sold ultrafresh.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
Most weekends, Averill Farm bustles with people picking apples or (for the less ambitious) buying bagged fruit and baked goods. Family and friends gather to enjoy a cup of hot cider and some of those delectable cider donuts. With such a demand for the donuts, there’s always a crowd, and the friendly staff hustle to take orders and bag hot, fresh donuts as they come out of the kitchen, calling out customers’ names. During the fall, the bakery can produce as many as 2,600 donuts a day. If you need more than a donut to sustain you, there’s a pizza truck on the property, too. Cassandra’s Pizza to the People offers tasty wood-fired pizza slices. You can pull up a seat at one of the picnic tables and soak in the views of the orchard and the surrounding farmland from the hill. It’s sort of the platonic ideal of a fall weekend in the country.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
And if you don’t want to settle for a mere mug of hot or cold cider, you can pick up a jug of cider to take home. Cider, by the way, lends itself beautifully to a classic hot toddy: just heat it up, add a little rum, and perch a cinnamon stick in your cup. It also makes a mean marinade for turkey, or a glaze for ham and poultry. Some people even add it to homemade soups, instead of wine, for even greater depth.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
In addition to apples, pears, cider, and donuts, Averill Farm offers housemade jams and jellies (sourced from their own fruit and those of neighboring farms), much of it organic; plus honey, ciderscape vinegar, and other local produce such as potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, mums, and maple syrup. Pies, tea breads, crumb cakes, Vermont cheddar cheese, and gift items are also sold at the farm stand.
TYSON AVERILL, THE NEXT GENERATION TO RUN THE FARM, PHOTOGRAPHED BY SCOTT PHILLIPS
Cider by the cup (hot or cold) is $1.00, by the gallon is $9.00, or by the half-gallon is $5.00. Donuts are $1,00 each, $5.00 for a half-dozen, or $10.00 a dozen.
Averill Farm, 250 Calhoun Street, Washington Depot, 06794; 860.868.2777 or www.averillfarm.com Their farmstand is open 7 days a week from 9:30 to 5:30, mid-August to Thanksgiving.
SCOTT PHILLIPS
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