Woonsocket Radio News Room

Rediscover the

Blackstone Valley

 

 

We hope you will find some fun ideas and ways to rediscover the valley with our redesigned newsletter!

 

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Autumn is Blackstone Valley's

Time to Shine

 

Ah, the smell of pumpkin spice and apples waiting to be picked in the orchards, sweater weather and changing leaves are all signs that Autumn is near... actually just around the corner.

 

The air is crisp and the sun is still warm with lower humidity. This is the perfect time to visit our region, get outside and enjoy the fall harvest as well as biking, hiking and just plain old meandering through fallen leaves.

 

The Blackstone Valley is the perfect place for all things Fall. From the “Apple Valley” along Route 44, to a drive on country roads like Great Road and hiking Lincoln Woods and Chase Farm Park, biking the Blackstone Valley Bikepath or taking this last little bit of time before it gets too cool for some kayaking and meandering along our rivers in search of wildlife. There is something for everyone to do at this time of year.

 

Smithfield is known as the “Apple Valley” of Rhode Island, and it is no wonder with the many orchards to choose from for some great apple picking. We made our way to Jaswell Farm, one of the oldest orchards in Smithfield, on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to pick some apples. With safe physical distancing, there were families spread out among the rows of trees, McIntosh and Gala varieties now available. Of course, if you are looking for other varieties like a local all-time favorite - Macoun apple - we were advised to check back in a couple of weeks.

 

In addition to apples, the farm stand was open, and the staff accommodated those who had ordered curbside pick-up as well as those heading back to their cars from the orchards to add some cider, some fresh vegetables, as well as sweet treats to our take away that day. Reservations are required for apple picking. Click here.

 

There are several other orchards and farms in the area so you might want to check out some of the others like Steere Farm with pick your own apples available daily, Appleland Orchard  and Leach Farm and Orchards in Smithfield, Leach Farm also has pumpkins ready for picking.

 

We also recommend checking out Phantom Farms in Cumberland for apple picking and afterward enjoy a slice of apple pie and coffee on the porch. Call for more information

(401) 333-2240.

 

Speaking of apples, did you know that William Blackstone, for which the river and valley takes its name, actually planted his own variety of apples along the river in the proximity of the Lonsdale Marsh. It was known as the yellow sweeting and was the first apple variety named in America!

 

Cumberland is also home to Adams Farm, and we took the opportunity to kick off their season on a drive-thru scavenger hunt while munching yummy apple cider donuts as part of the package. They have many more activities planned for this Fall season from daily visits to their pumpkin patch and farmyard or their weekend mega-admission that includes kid-friendly mazes, hayride, animals and pumpkin patch. Online ticketing is required to enable social distancing. If their scavenger hunt is a testament to their creativity, then this will be a blast for families! Get Tickets

 

As we mentioned, Fall is a perfect time for hiking and just down the road from Jaswell’s, we stopped at Powder Mill Ledges for a quick hike, home to the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. You can find a calendar of available programs on their website, ASRI.org.

 

Chase Farm Park is now open and this is a great place to take the kids for a hike or even just a saunter to check out the leaves as they begin to change. Coming up on September 26th is Great Road Day offering a chance to get outdoors and visit several historic sites along the way including Chase Farm, the Hannaway Blacksmith Shop,and Hearthside House all for FREE. However, advance registration is required. More Info.

 

Read On

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·     Friday, September 18 @ 6:00 - 8:30 pm - Back Rhodes - Levitt Amp Millrace Series, Millrace Kitchen, South Main Street, Woonsocket. More Info

 

·     Sunday, September 20 @ 1:00-4:00 pm - Live Music at Mulberry Vineyards, Pound Road, Chepachet. More Info.

 

·     Wednesdays & Saturdays @ 10:00 am - 4:00 pm - Veterans Memorial Museum is now open, 78 Earle Street, Woonsocket More Info

 

·     Thursday, September 24 @ 5:30 - 7:30 pm - Pandemonium Pawtucket Arts Collaborative Member Show Opening, a virtual exhibit, Pawtucket. More Info

 

·     Sunday, September 27 @ 9:30 - 10:30 am - Yoga in Deerfield Park, SmithfieldMore Info. 

Looking Ahead

·     Thursdays-Sundays, nightly, starting October 1st - Swamp Scare aboard The Explorer, Central Falls Landing, Central Falls. More Info.

 

·     Daily starting October 2 - Turn Your Jog into a Plog, a KBVB event. More Info

 

·     October 7 - Home Brewers Club at Lops Brewing, Woonsocket More Info. 

 

·     October 14 - 15 - Boscov's Friends Helping Friends, shopping fundraising event to support nonprofits including Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, Providence. More Info. 

 

More Events

 

 

 

 

 

 

Working Towards a "Blue Mind" Frame of Mind

Have you heard of the term Blue Mind? If not it is a term that refers to the meditative state characterized by calm, peace and unity one gets when near or on water. It is a term coined by Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, marine biologist and best selling author of the book "Blue Mind: The Surprising Science That Shows How Being Near, In, On, or Under Water Can Make You Happier, Healthier, More Connected, and Better at What You Do." It is worth reading. More Info.

 

This is the precept behind some of the recent work going on over at Blackstone River Watershed/Friends of the (BRWC/FOB) Blackstone's Sycamore Landing in Manville. With support from a grant from the Rhode Island Foundation, the volunteers at BRWC/FOB recently completed a pollinator garden in the shape of a turtle, added an artificial beehive and improved the site and trail system to create a shared tranquil space for the community. It is truly a delightful spot to meander along the river. Learn more.

 

With World Rivers Day approaching on September 27, we applaud the many volunteers that spend time cleaning up the Blackstone River going back years, including the big ZAP Project that mobilized 10,000 volunteers in one day, on September 9, 1972 and collected over 10,000 pounds of debris. Nearing its 50th anniversary in 2022, we look to celebrate the river and the clean up efforts leading to the 50th anniversary with a Project ZAP Revival. Stay Tuned.

 

For now, celebrate World Rivers Day by visiting a nearby river or stream. If in the Blackstone Valley stop by Sycamore Landing at 100 Old River Road or visit some of the other places along the river to find some peaceful meditation and get your "Blue Mind" on. Here are just a few suggestions.

 

·     Festival Pier, School Street, Pawtucket

·     River Island Arts Park, Bernon Street, and Cold Spring Park, Katherine Road, Woonsocket

·     Valley Falls Heritage Park, Broad Street, Cumberland

·     Chocolate Mill Overlook Park, Roosevelt & Charles, Central Falls

·     And, of course, anywhere along the Blackstone River Bikeway

 

More Info
 
Former President Trump is back in a New York City court for his criminal hush money trial. Jurors are once again hearing testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker who gave details this week on how he protected Trump from negative stories leading up to the 2016 presidential election. This comes as the judge in the case said he'll consider four other Trump gag order violations being alleged by the prosecution.       Protests over the Gaza war have seen hundreds of people across the U.S. arrested. Anti-Israel protests have sprung up across the country since the NYPD arrested over 100 demonstrators at Columbia University on April 18th. The New York Times says since then, protesting students have been setting up tents at campuses across the country, and over 400 protesters have been arrested for refusing to disperse.       TikTok's parent company reportedly would rather shut it down than sell it. According to "The Guardian," sources at ByteDance say the algorithms that the social media app relies on are considered too important to the company's overall operations, which would make a sale of the app with its algorithms "highly unlikely." The sources say a U.S. shutdown of TikTok would have limited impact on ByteDance's business.       Inflation is still on the rise according to a new economic report. The Commerce Department says personal consumption expenditures price index excluding food and energy rose two-point-eight-percent from March 2023 to March 2024. When food and energy are included, the increase was two-point-seven-percent.        The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening an investigation into a Tesla recall. Tesla issued a recall in December of more than two-million vehicles due to issues with Autopilot, which according to Tesla's website, can provide "full self-driving capability." The recall was to install new Autopilot safeguards, but the agency says crashes involving Tesla models have happened since the safeguards were installed.        The second and third rounds of the NFL Draft will take place tonight. Last night saw a record 23 offensive players were taken in the first round. The Chicago Bears kicked off the night by selecting USC quarterback Caleb Williams with the first overall pick.        

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