Cohase Chamber hosts busy night of events; board names Moore and Robie Farm as best of the year

By Bernie Marvin

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A full Alumni Hall in Haverhill Corner greeted the superb dinner and program of events last week for the Cohase Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner and Annual Meeting. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Haverhill, NH – A near-capacity crowd came to Alumni Hall last week to celebrate two well-known names in the community, Bradford’s Gary Moore as Citizen of the Year and Piermont’s Robie Farm as Business of the Year.
It all happened under the chandeliered ceiling of Haverhill Corner’s historic Alumni Hall, once an early New Hampshire courthouse and school gymnasium. As in the past, a special meal was served and it was another splendid night of honoring local people, in a room full of friends, business leaders and community officials.
Gary Moore is well known throughout the area and was honored by the chamber for his many contributions to the community, to the field of emergency management and hazardous materials, also to police and fire services, locally and at the state level.

While receiving the tributes, he said “I have received many awards and honors over the years, but none have meant as much to me as this one. This is where I was born and raised and where Linda and I chose to live, moving back in 1973. Being named Citizen of the Year by those from this special region of the Twin States just makes it very special.”
In his comments, Moore mentioned a personal note, one of many he received upon the honors being made public, from Peggy Hewes and Larry Scott saying they were sending congratulations not only to Gary for his being named Citizen of the Year, but to his wife, Linda, “because you are so clearly and inspirationally a team.”
Moore agreed, saying “Nothing I have accomplished could have been possible without the support of my wife of 55 years.”

Moore’s involvement with the community includes a long list of positions held over the years as an educator, state official, member of the military intelligence in Vietnam, and everything from the Chief of the Bradford Fire Department to the Commissioner of the State of Vermont Fish and Game Department.
His background and professional development documents, including professional employment and appointments, more than 75 individual listings were made including his hobbies which are hunting, fishing, hiking, sailing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, canoeing, photography and reading.
The interesting evening included a media panel of local news hounds who were included in a roundtable discussion on the value of having local media in the community who are aware of the territory and publishing stories, photographs and advertisements that mean a lot to local readers.

Those personalities included Darren Sherburne, who represented his mother, Michelle Sherburne, owner of the Journal Opinion. Also, Gary Scruton, owner of The Trendy Time newspaper and this writer, Senior Writer/Photographer for The Bridge Weekly.
Moderating the panel was Joshua Smith, owner of WYKR Radio in Wells River and also owner of The Bridge Weekly newspaper, now based in Wells River.
Publisher-Owner Smith sought to show the direct connection between a strong local media such as there is in this area, strong local businesses and a strong community/nonprofit organization (especially in the digital world where social media can be noisy and polarizing.)

Plaques were presented to Citizen of the Year Gary Moore and to Mark Robie, of the Robie Farm, voted Business of the Year.
Robie Farm is a popular family farm business located in nearby Piermont. As mentioned on their internet web home page “At the Robie Farm, we’re dedicated to producing the highest quality milk, cheese, eggs, beef, pork, and chicken.”
“We work with nature – not against it – carefully considering every environmental impact along the way. The result is food raised with a clear conscience and the exceptional flavor our customers know and love.”
Since 1870, the Robie Farm has taken pride in producing high-quality, nutritious and flavorful meats that reflect our dedication and sustainability, animal welfare, and honest farming. Located along the Connecticut River and Piermont, New Hampshire, our 150-acre family farm has been continuously operated for over seven generations – each committed to maintaining healthy, productive livestock and responsible stewardship of the land.”

According to information available, farm owner Lee Robie and his sons decided to transition from selling milk to a large cooperative to offering bottled raw milk, selling directly to customers at their on-farm store on Route and in Piermont. This change opened the door to new diversifications. Using that raw milk they developed their own Farmstead cheese line and expanded offerings to include a wide variety of meats including beef, pork, poultry and more.
Today, there is a full line of those products and more at their farm store and in their online shop. Accepting a handsome plaque from Chamber officer Joe Mitchell was Mark Robie, one of the sons involved with the success of Robie Farm’s endeavors.

Long time Chamber of Commerce member and officer for many years since the chamber was created 25 years ago, Marvin Harrison was busy during the chamber event coordinating various activities. His popular “Marvin’s Trivia Program” has always been a big hit during previous chamber dinners.

At the conclusion of the ceremonies, Harrison told The Bridge Weekly that “It felt really nice to be able to celebrate two great families in the Moores and the Robies who are such wonderful examples of what community is all about. And the 'local media' panel added further credibility to the importance and effectiveness of the sense of community here in the Cohase region.”

Three newspaper radio writers and advertising personnel presented a program during the Chamber’s Annual Meeting. Seen left to right are Trendy Times Editor and creator Gary Scruton, real estate advertising and sales personality Darren Sherburne, representing the Journal Opinion and Publisher/Owner of the Bridge Weekly and WYKR Radio Joshua Smith, who moderated the program. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Cohase Chamber of Commerce official Joe Mitchell, at right, presented a Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award to the Robie Farm, represented by Mark Robie of Piermont. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Cohase Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award was bestowed on Bradford resident Gary Moore, at left by Bradford historian Larry Coffin. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Cohase Chamber 2025 Citizen & Business of the Year Awards

By Joe Mitchell

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The 2025 Cohase Chamber Business of the Year . The Robie Farm of Piermont, NH farmstead is shown during their 150th Anniversary Celebration held on September 11, 2021. The Bridge Weekly File Photo

New Hampshire & Vermont - As 2025 was winding down the Board of Directors of the Cohase Chamber of Commerce was gearing up. It is at this time of year that members of the public are encouraged to submit nominations for Citizen of the Year or Business of the Year. The final decisions were made at a recent meeting of the Board.

It is true that sometime the Citizen of the Year award seems more like a Lifetime Achievement Award, and that is certainly true this year. Gary Moore of Bradford has spent most of his lifetime giving to many while ad leading others. In Bradford, he is possibly best known for his endless hours of volunteering as a member of the Bradford Fire Department, the Public Safety Commission and the Board of Civil Authority. He has also been the leader of the Bradford Emergency Management team for decades. More broadly Gary has written a weekly column entitled Moore Outdoors, providing important information to those who enjoy outdoor activities. On the Vermont level Gary was the Commissioner of the Fish and Game Commission, and Chair of the Vermont Water Resources Board. He also travels throughout the nation providing hazmat preparation training. With all these items on his resume, Gary Moore makes an excellent Citizen of the Year award winner for 2025.

The 2025 Business of the Year award also has some “long term” connotations to it. The Robie Farm in Piermont is now boasting of its seventh generation of family farming on ground located between Route 10 and the Connecticut River at the southern end of Piermont. Through those generations much has been learned and passed down to the next generation which in turn also learns new ways to provide for the family as well as the community. From their famous cheese to Robie Farm beef, poultry and pork, not to mention the sincere home town feeling, the Robie Farm has earned its way into the history and the culture of the Cohase Region. They represent what is a well-earned reputation of doing things right.

Both of these awards will be handed out at the annual Cohase Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and dinner on Tuesday, January 20 at Alumni Hall in Haverhill Corner. Tickets are available at www.Cohase.org for $35 each. A cash bar will be available as well. Reservations and prepayment are most greatly appreciated.

The evening’s program will also include the awarding of prizes to the winners of the Holiday Decorating Contest. Plus there will be a panel discussion regarding the local media consisting of members from our local media outlets.

The Board of Directors invites all members of the public to make plans to attend the annual meeting and to celebrate Gary Moore and the Robie family, as well as all the others who contribute to making the Cohase region a great place to live, work and play.

Gary W. Moore of Bradford, VT is the 2025 Cohase Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year. (Courtesy Photo)

The Cohase Chamber looks at the importance of housing and economic development.

By Bernie Marvin

In conversation during the Cohase Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit are, River Bend Technical Center Director Brian Emerson (left) and Two Rivers Ottauquechee Planning Council Executive Director Peter Gregory. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Bradford, VT – Once again, as has happened for many years in the past, the River Bend Career and Technical Center was filled with ideas, programs, municipal government leaders, and enthusiasm, as nearly three dozen business leaders, education officials, and government representatives came together for another Annual Cohase Region Economic Summit.
With the Cohase Chamber of Commerce established for its original four towns 25 years ago and then expanding to six cities, the Chamber serves those six towns through an expanding network of ideas and business promotions.

Those boundaries now include, within the Chamber's areas of influence, the Vermont towns of Newbury, Bradford, and Fairlee, and New Hampshire, with Haverhill, Piermont, and Orford.
The event that got underway Tuesday, December 9, 2025 at 5:30 PM included a welcome and intro of those present, and a full dinner prepared by Chef Heidenreich and his Riverbend culinary arts program.

Then a report session from town representatives was held, plus a short presentation on the technical center by Director Brian Emerson, introduction of the need for a Community Development Concept by Vermont State Representative Monique Priestley, with Michelle Sponheimer and the development team, with a complete discussion of the needs for an Upper Valley Regional Community Development Corporation, and concluding with an ending wrap-up.
Peter Gregory, Executive Director of the Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission, summed up his comments on the evening's discussion by offering that "I think it was beneficial for the attendees to learn about other ways to enhance capacity to address housing and economic development issues," he provided The Bridge Weekly at the conclusion of the program.
He said, "I was pleased to see that regional organizations like Green Mountain Economic Development Corporation and Grafton Regional Development Corporation will offer guidance on how to complement, rather than duplicate efforts in the area. Two Rivers Ottauquechee Rivers Commission will also participate in discussions and offer assistance to support the needs of its communities," he said.

Haverhill Select Board member Ron Hurlburt attended the session with fellow Select Board member Joe Longacre, as they both did last year. They participated in the evening's discussions and the question-and-answer portion of the three-hour program.
Hurlburt told The Bridge Weekly at the conclusion of the program that it appeared Haverhill was very well received that evening, and there was much interest in them taking part and attending the program.
He said, “Along with the need for multiple unit housing, I like the idea of also partnering with developers to rehab and establish units in existing abandoned buildings.
The idea of a Regional Community Development Corporation seems reasonable and very beneficial. It would just have to be tuned to work for everyone and give people interest."

He added that the main obstacle he saw in Haverhill is all the "NIMBY's" (Not In My Back Yard) being afraid of large amounts of housing coming in. “That is where single large homes could first work. It is difficult to cut out good farmland and convert it to housing. The fellow, Noah Richard, mentioned he gets people from the community to invest in the project. They have guaranteed equity in the property and therefore would have much involvement and interest in the project as it moves along. There might be an avenue under tax takings that would allow developers to then acquire properties for redevelopment.”

Selectman Hurlburt said that everyone at the dinner seemed to be in agreement that there is indeed a housing crisis and something needs to change. “There were a wide range of people attending, being entrepreneurs, builders, selectmen, Chamber Commerce, news/media, finance, conservation to name a few. With that many types of knowledge and occupation, I'd like to think something could move forward.”

He said that “With my table much discussion was made on the new surge of vocational training verses college. People spending the money and time to get a degree are not coming out of college with the pay scale of someone successful in the trades, along with carrying a great deal of debt.”

“Much emphasis is also put on ‘workforce housing’ which is not low income but rather housing trying to meet median income earners to be able to stay in their local town and purchase a home. One builder noted that although he does this for a business, he does not want to just absorb profit off someone's back but also provide affordable type housing for local people.”

One of the major discussions at the meeting was on the subject of “Why the Upper Valley Region Needs a Regional Community Development Corporation.” As pointed out in a White Paper presentation on the subject, the area faces challenges common to many small, rural towns.

Rising housing costs, aging infrastructure, limited economic diversification, and it constrained municipal capacity made large scale community investment quite difficult. These challenges are compounded by small tax basis, limited staff resources and regional housing pressures that can price out residents wanting to come and live and/or work in the community.
A regional community development Corporation (CDC) can fill this gap. By combining local governments with professional management, AC/DC provides continuity, technical expertise, and the ability to coordinate initiatives across multiple sectors and municipal boundaries.
It can help communities throughout the upper Valley plan and implement projects that advance local goals while leveraging federal, state, and by state funding.

It is expected that this discussion of CDC will be ongoing and accompanied by other important topics such as how to better meet childcare needs in the community, a look at zoning and changes that could be made, and looking at a long list of bylaws and ordinances that all of our local communities must now work with.

Gathering for the annual Cohase Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit at the River Bend Career and Technical Center recently were, (L-R) Select Board members Ron Hurlburt and Joe Longacre with Chamber Board Member Gary Scruton. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Seen left to right as they talk about a long list of topics presented during the recent Cohase Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit are, Michelle Spohneimer (left) of Vermont ADAADPA and Vermont State Representative Monique Priestley. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Speaking and listening during the recent Cohase Chamber of Commerce Economic Summit in Bradford were, left to right, Joshua Smith, Owner/Publisher of The Bridge Weekly and Yankee Kingdom Radio, including WYKR Radio, Bradford Select Board Chair Meroa Benjamin, and Haverhill Select Board Member Ron Hurlburt. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin.

Uncommon Jam hosts three bands on a fine weather day

By Bernie Marvin

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The musical group Faerie Godbrothers. This spirited group was well received by the crowd. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Newbury, VT – Writers’ rules demand that one should never begin a story describing the weather. So, I will defy that dictum, go out on a limb once again, and write that last Sunday was a fine day, especially after several drab forecasts noted that the afternoon events for the day would be caught by the approaching rain and put a damper on their outdoor fun.
The rain did not fall, and the Uncommon Jam on Newbury Common was a superb event, with an appreciative crowd spending many hours listening and enjoying a total of five hours of quality music by two groups and a single performer.

First up last Sunday, August 24, 2025, was The Faerie Godbrothers, a Montpelier and Burlington, Vermont group who came together in 2028, I am told, to perform impromptu harmonies, emotional vocals, and “otherworldly guitar solos.” They have since refined their sound, incorporating originals and creative covers that blend folk, rock, blues, and country.
The second group on the docket Sunday was The Party Crashers, described in some media as the upper Valley and Central Vermont’s hottest band. This six-piece high-energy dance band has been rocking the New England music scene for 20 years, playing a mix of Motown to Modern Hits.

The third appearance was that of Dave Keller, who, over the past decade, has earned a reputation as a “magnificent soul singer,” “a stellar guitarist,” and a “song-writing genius.”
The host and sponsor, Court Street Arts, brought listeners all this talent and has been doing these Uncommon Jam shows for at least 15 years, according to Board President Past Buchanan. She said it was an excellent way for fans to enjoy friends and music at a comfortable and attractive venue, Newbury Common.

She said the crowd appreciated the live music from these three organizations, also hosted by the Cohase Chamber of Commerce. It is one of the largest fundraiser benefits for Court Street Arts, which is part of Haverhill Heritage Inc.

Ms. Buchanan said the event featured a nice cross-section of music and a variety of foods from three food trucks, including Asian, BBQ, and standard fare. She said there was also a beer service area where guests could sit and enjoy the music with the stage set up nearby.

She said she was happy to speak about her daughter, Rachel, who is taking over the helm of Court Street Arts as the Executive Director. This move will allow Buchanan to rejoin the board as President, a position she once held before serving as Executive Director for many successful years.

She said her daughter Rachel has some creative ideas for the future and will bring new energy and vitality to the area. She said a lot is being planned for the future, including “classical programs and a holiday show, jazz from New York, all pointing to a nice variety coming our way.”

This panoramic view of the Newbury Common shows the immense space available for events, with plenty of room for performers, vendors, and patrons. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

Good weather greeted Uncommon Jam concert fans on Newbury Common last Sunday afternoon. Court Street Arts and Haverhill Heritage hosted the event. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin

President of the Court Street Arts/Haverhill Heritage Board of Directors Pat Buchanan speaks with a patron during last weekend’s Uncommon Jam on the Newbury Common. The five-hour show included three different music groups. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin