The Southern New Hampshire Expo last Thursday (10/18) was great!  Prudential Verani Realty joined over 200 other local businesses and service associations to acquaint area residents with our quality services. The Expo was held in the Hampshire Dome, part of the Hampshire Hills athletic complex in Milford. Restaurants gave out free samples and coupons, other businesses distributed customized keepsakes, and everyone seemed to have a great time.

There was a constant stream of visitors to our booth from even before the Expo officially opened at 2, until the fair closed five and a half hours later at 7:30. The booth was staffed by Prudential Verani Realty agents Donna D’Amore, Steve Russo, Sarah Sandhage, Tanya Verfaillie, and Denise Witham.

Many vendors stopped by as well as customers and potential customers of all ages.  For adults, we handed out Prudential Verani’s buyer’s and seller’s guides and football schedules, and gave them an opportunity to win several raffle prizes donated by our agents and Broker’s Title, Merrimack Mortgage, Wendi’s Cleaning Service, Fancy Nancys’ Elite Hair Design, Pizzico’s Restaurant, RMS Mortgage, and Lull Farm. The agents who staffed the booth contributed instant prize tickets for the “Wheel of Fortune,” which was extremely popular and brought many visitors to our display.  For children we had mini beach balls, Halloween stickers and toys, and candy.

At the end of the Expo, we were a little tired but very pleased at our booth’s reception. Our raffle was very popular, with over 160 people signing up for prizes. We look forward in the coming weeks to contacting the visitors we met at the Expo to explore how we can help them with their next house sale and/or purchase.

The Expo was a project of the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce, who provided a great space and a very organized and helpful team to help all the vendors and visitors. We can’t wait to return next year!

The Southern New Hampshire Expo – October 18, 2012

Mark your calendars for October 18th. The 2012 Southern New Hampshire Expo is an event you won’t want to miss!  Over 200 local businesses will be on hand to introduce themselves, show their products, and answer questions about their services.  Over 4,000 people came to the Hampshire Dome in Milford, NH to experience the 2011 Expo, and it looks like this year’s fair will be bigger and better than ever.

The Expo

The Expo is a great way to find out about the wide variety of services and products available in the area.  Big companies and small, old and new, they’ll be there! You are sure to discover businesses you didn’t know about – products you didn’t know were available – and services you didn’t think you could find. The scope of companies range from Antiques at Mayfair to Walmart, services like Amherst Recreation and Bridges to the Milford Rotary and Welcome Wagon.  Hampshire Hills will have a booth, as will Chappell, Scentsy, Staples, and hundreds of others.

Tasty Treats

Several eating establishments will also be present – offering free tastings. Sample the savory flavors of some of the area’s best restaurants, including Giorgio’s, the Mile Away, and the Rustic Leaf Bistro.  Casual dining restaurants like Chrysanthi’s, the Red Arrow Diner, and Foodie’s will also be well-represented.  In addition, many other quality food purveyors such as The Cozy Tea Cart, The Good Loaf, and A&E Coffee Roastery will be distributing samples of their flavorful creations.

Tech Competition

The Expo will once again be hosting the student VEX Robotics Competition this year. Teams from six area high schools will be on hand to demonstrate their innovative robotic creations.  Come visit with some of the brightest engineers and scientists of tomorrow and see what they have designed.

Southern NH Expo will be held at the Hampshiredome

Donna Damore, myself, and other associates from Prudential Verani Realty will have a booth at the Expo. Please stop by and say hello! The Southern New Hampshire Expo is a program of the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce. Expo hours will be 2 to 7:30PM Thursday October 18^that the Hampshire Dome on Emerson Road in Milford.  More information may be found on the Expo’s website.

Considering a move to Southern New Hampshire?  The Southern New Hampshire Expo is a great place to find out about what the area has to offer.  Drop by our booth at the Expo and let us help you find your new home!

Steve Russo is a REALTOR® located in the Verani Realty, Nashua office. He specializes in relocation and historical homes, and covers the areas around Bedford, Amherst, Brookline, Milford, and the surrounding towns. For more about Steve, or to contact him, visit his agent page.

Spring is here – time to spruce up the garden! The danger of frost is almost past in New Hampshire, so it’s time to break out the rototillers and mulches and to start weeding and feeding. A great-looking garden will not only bring you countless hours of pleasure, it will also heighten the “curb appeal” of your home.

Chakarian Farm Greenhouses has been operating in Derry for 20 years. They offer a unique selection of annuals, perennials, herbs, and vegetable plants from the twelve greenhouses on the property. They also have hanging plants, shrubs, trees, and gardening essentials, including organic products, for sale. Many of their plants are highlighted in their attractive display garden that features waterfalls and a koi pond. Landscape design and planting services are also available. Open 7 days a week. Their website offers links to their suppliers, UNH Extension Services, and other gardening information.

Website: chakarianfarmgreenhouses.com
Address: 114 Island Pond Road, Derry
Phone: (603) 432-9103.

Faulkner’s Landscape and Nursery has furnished plants to some of the best gardens in the greater Manchester region for over fifteen years. It is open seven days a week during the busy season. Faulkner‘s website is filled with photos of landscaping ideas, the flowering plants they offer, and even ”What’s in Bloom” now. The site also contains a catalog of all the plants they offer, a gardening tip page, and links to gardening websites. The company’s awareness of environmental factors is shown by their inclusion of a list of plants that they choose not to sell because of their invasive tendencies. Their extensive landscaping services are also highlighted.

Most of the garden centers featured below specialize in the unique or the unusual or have extensive collections not found elsewhere. All were featured in a great garden guide that was published a few years ago, The Adventurous Gardener: Where to buy the best plants in New England by Ruah Donnelly. Ms. Donnelly described her guide as one that would help people “…find good regionally grown plants…” Many of the nurseries and garden stores she included seek to make available unique or unusual plants not commonly found in chain stores.

Delahunty’s Nurseries & Florist in Windham has over 10 acres of plants to meet your gardening needs. They provide an extensive selection of annuals and perennials, roses, and shrubs. They are noted for their mature shrubs and trees – which range up to 18 feet tall for those special landscaping projects. If they don’t have what you want, let them know, and they will order it for you from one of their growers. Delahunty’s also has a full service florist shop. Their website has informative sections on watering and gardening.

Lake Street Garden Center in Salem is a family-run retail garden center, open year round, that has everything a gardener might desire. They have a large variety of annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs, and aquatic plants. In addition, they carry house plants, bonsais, holiday plants, pots, garden accents, fertilizers, water garden supplies, etc. Many of the staff have degrees in horticulture. They sponsor several gardening classes each month and support the Salem Farmer’s Market.

Spring is here, and it’s time to spruce up the garden! Whether you’ve just bought your first home or have been living in your residence for years, when spring rolls around, it’s time to visit the garden center. We are fortunate in southern New Hampshire to have many excellent companies from which to choose from!

The garden centers listed below carry a wide-range of plants and plant products for your home. Some specialize in outdoor plants, but many carry house plants also; some even offer everything for your herb, vegetable, or water garden. All are staffed by friendly and helpful employees, many with horticultural degrees and/or master gardener certifications.

The Amherst Garden Center on Route 101 in Amherst is stocked with perennials, trees, and shrubs for spring planting. Annuals will be making their appearance later. Winner of the New Hampshire Magazine’s “Best of New Hampshire” award for best garden center (in 2009), the family-owned store features larger plants, with the idea that a larger plant with a larger root system will thrive better. In addition to an extensive selection of plants for outdoor planting, this family owned and operated center also has indoor plants, cut flowers, and a gift shop. This year they will be expanding their hydroponic garden area which they are developing with the Amherst Garden Club. It will feature hydroponically grown tomatoes and herbs and hydroponic systems for the home gardener.

About this time every year in New Hampshire, the number of waterfront properties increases dramatically. Within the course of a few weeks, hundreds of new structures dot the lakes and ponds throughout the state.

What causes this great housing increase? Bob houses! These portable “shanties,” as they are called by those in the know, are wheeled or pushed onto ice-covered bodies of water by die hard fisherman and their friends and followers each winter. No one knows for sure where bob houses got their name. There are various theories: they could be named for the bobsleds that some used to bring their shacks out onto the ponds, or because “bob” is an old fashioned term for short or small (as in bobtail or bobbed hair), or because your shanty will be bobbing in the water if you leave it out on a lake too long.

Statistics show that 25% of New Hampshire fishing enthusiasts enjoy going out to fish regardless of the cold weather. Fishing on one of the state’s many lakes and ponds is a great winter pastime. While some people fish out in the open, many bring a plastic tent, the true (and experienced) fisher folk bring shacks out onto the water bodies. These shacks can be crude plywood constructions, or they can be small well-constructed shed-like houses that have carpeting, electricity, stoves, and even heaters and televisions. There are stories of some shanties that not only have lighting, but have crystal chandeliers. Chatting with friends and downing cold drinks (that don’t need any artificial refrigeration) is a great way to while away the hours while you wait for a pull on your line. After drilling holes in the ice with your auger, you can sit back and relax until the active cold weather fish – perch, pike, crappie, and others – tug your line to get your attention.

The bob house and ice fishing season is from ice-in, usually in December, to ice-out, usually in mid-April. Lakes under State trout and salmon management have an official season of January 1st through March 31st. But don’t venture onto the ice without checking with locals to make sure the ice is thick enough to support you and whatever you are bringing with you. All bob houses must be removed from lakes and ponds by April 1st, but of course, if it’s unseasonably warm, remove it – or lose it – before the ice cracks under the weight of your home and/or vehicle. Every year there are tales of lost houses…

By real estate agent Steve Russo.

It’s very convenient to shop for the holidays at many of the malls that cover the state or to order from catalogs or online. But if you are looking for a unique shopping experience, consider some of the specialty shops that are located in several of the small towns throughout the southern tier of New Hampshire. They carry items not often found in “big box” or mall stores, often artisan-made and selected by local experts who can share their enthusiasm for the beautiful and/or useful objects arrayed before you. Here is a sampling of some of interesting and unique shops in Southern New Hampshire:

BEDFORD FIELDS GARDEN CENTER & HOME DECOR definitely puts the emphasis on “home decor” this time of year. This Bedford institution is transformed with several artificial holiday trees, including their celebrated upside-down balsam fir, which are covered from top to bottom with traditional and contemporary ornaments for sale. The store also offers a wide variety of distinctive home accent items and a selection of tasteful gifts, including even gift ideas for pets. Of course the shop also stocks interesting plants for the holiday season, and is well-known for its wreaths and garlands in a wide variety of styles. (http://bedfordfields.com/index.html)

C’EST CHEESE in North Hampton is a great resource for imported and domestic cheeses. They carry all the popular favorites as well as artisan cheeses from some of the world’s most renowned cheese makers. In addition to dairy products, C’est Cheese also features fine wines and imported cheese accompaniments, such as olives, mustards, meats, breads, and marinated vegetables. They encourage in-store tastings, and are also happy to put together a gift basket to suit your needs and tastes. (http://www.c-estcheese.com/)

Whenever lists of the “100 best places to live” are compiled, access to cultural institutions is always included among the criteria for ranking. Nashua, New Hampshire always ranks high in such lists for a number of factors. In the area of cultural resources, residents of the greater Nashua area are fortunate to be not far from celebrated art museums in Manchester and Hanover. But there is another art collection much closer than the museums in those two cities.

The Andres Institute of Art was founded in 1996 by local benefactor Paul Andres and well-known artist John Weidman. Its collection of 65 metal and stone sculptures are distributed over 140 acres on Bear Mountain in Brookline NH. Sculpture parks are always welcoming – viewing art in a natural setting and as the seasons change always brings added dimensions to the art-going experience. At the Andres Institute the artworks are found in a variety of garden and forested situations; they are spread over miles of hiking trails on the hillside. This sculpture park is unique, as each sculptor chooses what natural setting on the mountain will showcase his/her creation best. Admission to the grounds, open year-round, is free, as are the downloadable audio tours and the trail maps.

Every fall, the Institute invites a select number of artists from around the world to come to their studio to create works for their collection. The 13th Annual International Sculpture Symposium is running through October 2nd, featuring four celebrated sculptors: Alexandra Harley from the United Kingdom, Jon Barlow Hudson from Ohio, Hassan Kamel from Egypt and Gricelda Lopez from Chile. The theme for this year’s creations is: “What’s in Your Heart?” During this time, the public is invited to view the artists while they work, interact with them, join guided tours of the collection, and attend the unveiling of the newest artworks on October 2nd.

Everyone loves fireworks, and it’s usually one of the highlights of July 4th celebrations. But if July 4th’s display left you wanting for more – don’t despair – one of the country’s largest fireworks displays is coming up soon!

On Saturday August 20th the 22nd Annual Jaffrey Festival of Fireworks will be held at the Jaffrey Airport. New Hampshire is lucky to be the home of Atlas Fireworks, one of the country’s leading designers of fireworks displays. They are well-known for their colorful pyrotechnic productions in cities throughout the U.S., including Boston, Washington, DC – and even Shanghai!

Every year in Jaffrey, Atlas produces a 30-minute themed fireworks display choreographed with music. Upwards of 30,000 people come annually. If you’re an aficionado of pyrotechnics, plan to come early – doors open at 4 – and the best viewing spots get taken quickly. To while away the time until the main show, there are typical fair amusements and food stands, and even a sky-diving show. Many attendees bring a picnic and camp out on the tarmac.

This year’s show will be a tribute to 9/11/01, and will no doubt be a very memorable program. Tickets are on sale now. Several categories of tickets are available for all sizes of vehicles and walk-ins. For details on the festival, see the Jaffrey Chamber of Commerce site.

-Steve Russo,
http://www.steverusso4homes.com

Summer is prime time for looking for a new home. Balmy days and sunny skies are perfect weather for house hunting in southern New Hampshire. Once you are well on your way to purchasing your home, you will begin to wonder how you can furnish it.

There’s one summer fair that should definitely be on your “to do” list. The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen’s Annual Fair, now in its 78^th year, is a great place to shop for the new furnishings you will need. This year it will be held from August 6 through 14 at the Mount Sunapee Ski Resort in Newbury, 10AM to 5PM daily. The League operates quality craft shops at various locations throughout the state; only artisans who have qualified for League membership may exhibit their works at the shops or at the fair.

The fair is a great opportunity to see offerings by hundreds of New Hampshire craftsmen in one place: each item made by hand, unique, and inspiring. Representative works from some of the best craftsmen in New England will be there, offering everything from greeting cards, pottery, and clothes, to quilts, stained glass, and furniture. There are items in all price ranges. It’s a great place to spot new talent who are happy for your purchase at the fair or your commission after you’ve seen firsthand what artistry they can produce. (Most craftsmen welcome orders for items made to your specifications.)