Fall - Myles Standish State Forest, Carver, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It is a special place to stand in a mature pine forest with the only sound the breeze whistling through the needles high above my head.

This might be my last visit this year before fall says goodbye and winter says hello.

Walking these pine needle trails feels like I have sponges on the bottom of my feet.

The multi-color overhead canopy.

A leaf covered boardwalk winds through a swampy area.

Fall - Myles Standish State Forest, Plymouth, Carver, Massachusetts, USA

12,000+ acres of blazing fall color make the Myles Standish State Forest a popular destination in southeastern Massachusetts.



Fall color along one of the smaller ponds.



The forest includes many acres of mature pine, I estimate 60-80 feet tall, the wind whistling through the boughs, and a soft carpet layer of pine needles underneath the canopy.



A future crop.



A late season lily in bloom on one of the many ponds.



This is one of the 170+ cabins/cottages that line the many lakes and ponds in the forest. They are private but located on state land in a controversial arrangement. Apparently, the plan over time is to have them all revert to state ownership and control as the owners pass away.

A Walk in the Woods, Fall, Myles Standish State Forest, Carver, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

 

The outer wall of evergreen pines hides what's going on behind. Closely following the perimeter of this pond in the 12,000+ acre Myles Standish State Forest, a delightful 2.6 mile trail winds through the adjacent woods. Fall colors are splashing out.



It's a well-worn and cared for trail.



Frequently with adjacent water views.



It is mostly easy walking except for the occasional tree root sticking up.



If you prefer the water, kayaking is a common activity here, too. This huge forest/lake property has been state protected for more than 100 years - since 1916 - and enjoys year-around outdoor experiences including hiking, horse riding, camping, swimming, biking, kayaking, snowmobiling - it's a popular spot.

A Walk in the Woods, Myles Standish State Forest, Carver, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Sometimes, a walk through the pine/oak forest on a drab, dull, gray, sad winter day needs a little bit of a pick-me-up so, I grossly over-saturated the color in post processing - I feel much better.

Myles Standish State Forest, Carver, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

At more than 16,000 acres (6700 hectares), the Myles Standish State Forest offers a wide range of outdoor activity for visitors to this natural wonderland. I had the Red Ranger for company on my recent visit. (Click an image for a higher resolution version).



I am fascinated with canopy images which illustrate the ability of the the trees to keep a small interval between themselves - they grow close but not too close. Seems like there's a lesson there.



Stark, white branches, devoid of leaves make a strong contrast with the background of evergreens. Campgrounds, ponds, trails and other outdoor attractions in this State Forest beckon folks who enjoy the soft quiet of footfalls on a pine needle carpet.

A Cranberry Harvest, Slocum-Gibbs Cranberry Company, Carver, Massachusetts, USA

The annual harvest of cranberries is still underway in Massachusetts. I had the opportunity to visit and observe one such harvest at a bog owned by the Slocum-Gibbs Cranberry Company in Carver, Massachusetts.

Gary Garretson, the owner of the company, was most kind and generous to welcome a few dozen photographers from the Plymouth Digital Photographers Club to wander around and observe and photograph his operation.

If you combine the fall foliage with millions of floating red berries, you have quite a visual feast for the photographically inclined. It is a setting as beautiful as magnolia blossoms in spring.

Massachusetts is second only to Wisconsin for total cranberry production within the United States.

So how do you end up with cranberries or juice or any other cranberry products for your consumption?



Well, after the berries ripen, the bog is flooded with water, and then these machines drive through the bog and dislodge the berries from the vines. The metal reels shown above are lowered into the water.......



.....and they rotate briskly over the vines loosening the berries which then float to the surface.



Back and forth, row after row, marked by the gray spears which the operators periodically throw as place markers, the machines systematically dislodge the berries.



These men have executed this harvest year after year and work together smoothly and efficiently.



Once all the berries are floated, the wind will generally drift them together at one side or the other of the bog. Next, it is time to corral them with floating booms to concentrate them in one place to be suctioned out of the bog and into waiting trucks to take them to the distribution /packaging facility.



The workers pull the booms in an ever tightening circle to facilitate the suction process.



Hip-waders are standard uniform for this job.



It is hard work work pulling the booms around the berries.



It is, however, quite a beautiful outdoor location to work on such a fine fall New England day.



Using the first image again for orientation, the boom trailer is at lower-left, the suction/washing machine at middle right at water's edge, and the truck to take the berries to the distribution/packaging facility is parked beside the suction/washing machine.



This is the bird's eye view from atop the suction/washing machine. You can see my shadow near the center of the image above making this picture.



This man makes sure the berries keep flowing toward the suction inlet using a rake-like tool.



The suctioned berries are washed and most debris such as twigs and sticks are removed.....



....and the washed berries quickly fill the truck bed for transport to the distribution/packaging facility.



Gary Garretson, the owner of Slocum-Gibbs Cranberry Company, is the third generation operator of the farm that his grandfather started back in 1919. Today, the farm comprises 2000 acres of which 200 acres are planted in cranberries. Those acres of bogs will yield 4 million pounds of berries in a typical year. That's a lot of full truckloads, one of which is passing behind Gary in this image.

The company is one of the approximately 700 grower members of the Ocean Spray Cranberry cooperative which was formed in 1930 by a few growers who loved cranberries. They have a strong focus on preserving the family farm concept and the practices of sustainability.

Next time you enjoy a cranberry product, you can think fondly of Gary Garretson and the generations of his family who bring this delicious product to your table.

Christmas Carolers, Carver, Massachusetts, USA

There is something magical to me about human voices raised in four-part harmony without any instrument accompaniment. I attended a party where the hosts had brought in this joyful quartet of carolers.











As their songbooks note, their name is the Very Merry Dickens Carolers, a group out of Cumberland, Rhode Island.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings, or whatever other holiday event you celebrate this time of year!

King Richard's Faire, Carver, Massachusetts, USA

King Richard's Faire is a renaissance-style fair held annually in Carver, a town about an hour south of Boston and  about 15 minutes west of Plymouth. The promoter has an 80-acre wooded site where you can see acrobats, aerialists, jugglers, minstrels, dancers, puppeteers, fire eaters, tigers, and lions - and more. It's a fascinating re-creation of a time gone by, displayed well by the talented performers. There are multiple stages that offer period entertainment as well.

A rousing pipes and drum trio welcomed the guests outside the entrance. 

This man, and the images that follow show just a few of the many performers.

The queen?

And every 15th-century event for the king and queen must include a show of horsemanship.

  

I like the way the horse looks with his mane flying hither and yon but, I don't like that the rider's head is blocked by the flag.

For this image I got a clear view of the rider but not the mane.  It's always something.

The moment of contact as the kind and queen watch from the reviewing stand at rear.

The peasants of all types and ages watch the action.

And some just don't want to hear any more of it and are probably about ready for a nap.  Sounds like a good idea to me, too.