I found in my compost a peculiar plant and so I gave it a firm tug in order to see from what it was growing. I stared at the foot long stem with a nut like seed dangling from it for a moment before realizing that what I had in my hands was an avocado tree. Well I guess in VT that makes perfect sense, for how was I to recognize the leaves of a plant native to Central America?
Please allow me to explain why I found this experience so enlightening. Our daughter Kayden had recently visited from California and so I had purchased a couple of the exotic fruits in order to make my cooking seem more worldly. Okay, we were making nachos. I am certain however, that at some point here in Vernon, Avocados were thought of as an unusual and exciting culinary delight.
Surprisingly, it wasn't my adventurous cooking that impressed Kayden's palette but rather it was our abundant and seemingly mundane backyard berries.
In Title 24: Municipal and County Government Chapter 118: Conservation Commissions, 4505 Powers and duties of a Conservation Commission (2) it is stated, "Make and maintain an inventory of lands within the municipality which have historic, educational, cultural, scientific, architectural or archaeological values in which the public has interest."
There is that word again, "cultural." I think that I have come across it in many forms when researching the status of plants and wildlife. The Bald eagle is our National Symbol for example. I learned that while the wild horse is not native to the West, it has been declared an "Icon" of the West. Could VT claim the White Tailed Deer or the cow on our state flag as our Icon? Senator George Akin once sat on our back deck in Westminster and talked the afternoon away with my brother and I about sheep, yet the Morgan Horse is our state mammal (which begs to question can cultural symbols change?) Please permit me to press on; the VT Fish and Wildlife maintains a "Natural Heritage Inventory" and I have often come across articles that mention that hunting is a heritage sport in Vermont. It would seem that icon, heritage and values relate to culture.
I think that most people around here have noticed that identifying what Vernon is or isn't, what it was in the past, what it should or shouldn't be now or in the future, is sometimes a hotly debated topic. In fact, we have an entire commission here in town charged with planning out these sorts of visions as well as a volunteer organization Friends of Vernon Center focused on carrying out some of the Planning Commission's vision. We have a historical society in town painstakingly uncovering and documenting our past. We have bronze plaques on buildings and scattered throughout our landscape identifying what we deem important. There is a memorial to our fallen by the library, family cemeteries on farms, town cemeteries and even a rest area of sorts where an "unknown Indian woman" is interned.
I've talked with people who identify with the river, hills, forest and farmland; and still others who value the railroad, church, industry and our schools. We even have one resident who has suggested many times that we could really use a Dollar Store and laundromat in town. The individual Farmer's Markets, and Cold Brook Store in my estimation, speak to our culture. Many have expressed their sadness that the corn stand on the south end of town is no more. Clearly Vernon identifies with corn! Does the town of Vernon consider Lily pond and the Wanaquatok as much a part of our culture as our Chapel and the Governor Hunt House? Based on our town's support of the Farmland Conservation Commission, I would wager so.
If you are from away you may have some inkling of who we are by the flags displayed throughout town as well as our signs for cow crossings, bicyclists and hiking. Our town pool generates a lot of outside interest as does the Vernon Dam. Many come to take advantage of our senior housing. Residents may be interested to learn that I have been informed by a few acquaintances since Vermont Yankee closed, that Vernon would make an ideal location for low income housing. Residents may be equally intrigued that I often meet scientists and professors from UMass and Antioch holding workshops and conducting research in our natural communities.
"I can float my boat in eight inches of water... I don't know what made me think that I could get it in here (Lily Pond)." -NH fisherman in the middle of August. We had a long conversation on how fishing has changed over the last eight years in Vernon and on the CT River. He mentioned his surprise at the plants in the pond and that fish spawning is happening further away from the banks of the river than it used to.
I suppose what I am saying here is that it's one thing to locate Lily Pond on a Vermont fishing map, it's entirely another to understand what to bring with you for a successful day of fishing. Likewise, The Vermont Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA provides the map of cultural resources; but it's up to Vernon to determine what parts of our culture we value here in our town. A local conservation commission can assist Vernon residents in identifying what we have, what we value and how we want to utilize it.
Finally, I would like to say that I find this idea of cultural conservation difficult to nail down. I do however think it's fair to say, that while picking Avocados is not, picking blackberries is assuredly a part of Vernon's culture. -Norma Manning
Post Note:
This week Paul messaged me about a climbing vine that he had photographed and wanted to know if I could identify it for him. Now if you know Paul and Mary, and I know that many of you do, you understand what an honor it is to have them ask such a question of me. I suspected that if Paul couldn't identify it, then it was probably an invasive or perhaps an ornamental hybrid. So I searched VT invasive plants lists, then MA , NH and before I knew it I was checking out Virginia's! Not wanting to admit defeat I then with no luck at all, scoured photographs of ornamental vines and native vines. I gained permission from Paul to post his vine here in hopes that one of my readers can solve the mystery. My best guess is some sort of climbing hydrangea. Please send me an email if you can identify it.
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