SEPTEMBER, 2008

THE
STURBRIDGETIMES
THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING
MAGAZINE

SCHOOL BELLS RING

ONCE AGAIN ACROSS
STURBRIDGE COUNTRY
KIT RANDALL’S FINAL YEAR AT TANTASQUA
BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS

THE SERIOUS SITUATION OF

ASIAN LONGHORNED BEETLES
BY THOMAS CHAMBERLAND

Prsrt. Std
U.S. Postage
PAID
Worcester, MA
Permit No. 2
 THEBIGE
Last year’s butter
“milk truck” at the

THE EASTERN STATES

Big E.

EXPOSITION
N E W E N G L A N D F O R E V E R
BY RICHARD MURPHY

O
ur family has been taking in the lovely milkshakes sold by 4H.
the Eastern States Exposition This is a dairy building.
for a long time now. I’m not The butter sculpture sets the stage
exactly sure when we started, but I’m for what is a big part of the day: food.
sure it’s coming up on two decades. My The Big E represents all of the six New
20-year-old son, just learning to talk England States and every state has a
back then, would ask when we would building dedicated to promoting its
be going to the “Pig E.” products and services.
This enormous spread in West Now, there is no Michelin Guide list-
Springfield is a family venue, though ing for West Springfield, but so what?
there are clusters of teens going on the This may not be France, but try to get
rides. Also, young swains spend con- Quahog Chili in Paris. Well, in
siderable sums so they can carry September you can get it at the Rhode
around large stuffed animals won to Island Building. Throw some native
impress companions. To each his Rhode Island hot sauce in that bowl and
own. let the French reconsider their recipes.
This is not to say adults can’t go on Maine is not to be outdone. You will
the rides. Bumper cars are a great way always find a crowd queued up for the
to have at the kids legally while leav- Maine Baked Potato. A huge spud
ing no marks. Of course, they get to with whatever toppings you want.
do the same. After two of those, and I could be
There are attractions galore, but poster boy for Save the Whales.
some people go for the art. Every year, Vermont has more than just apples.
sculpture has pride of place in front of As Ben & Jerry’s is a famous Green
the Mallary Arena. As a medium, they Mountain State company, it is only
use nothing as mundane as marble. natural that they would be purveying
No, fairgoers are greeted by a creation calories in the Vermont Building.
carved out of butter. Last year, it was That is hardly all. Delicious flat bread
a milk truck driven by cows. Okay, style pizza is made right there in a clay
you won’t see it at the Louvre, but it oven. Right next to that is organic
was cute. Proceed a short distance for beer. Try the oat stout.

14 THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING

 Of course there are vendors all
through the venue offering everything
from junk food to full meals. Though
KIT RANDALL’S FINALE STAGED
AFTER 30 YEARS AT TANTASQUA
my wife and I try to encourage healthy
eating, we are not immune to the lure of
bad food. We top off our day of indul-
gence with an order of beignets. These BY STEPHANIE RICHARDS
are little creole donuts without holes.
They are not as elegant as those found
first because I didn’t want to ever

Kit
in New Orleans, but for western Randall’s passion has
Massachusetts, they’ll do. always been acting and teach, but I tried it and loved it. I
At the New England Kitchen music. He was a per- love the energy from the kids.”
Theater, chefs instruct on the finer former, who vowed that he would Subsequently, he was asked to fill
points of cuisine. Superstars such as never teach, even though his father in for a semester at the junior high
Todd English and Ming Tsai have was a college professor and so were teaching band. “That was seventh
appeared to help celebrate our regions other family members. Yet in 1978, heaven,” said Randall, who also
specialties. Randall found himself doing just plays guitar, piano and sings. Then,
Food is not the only attraction. This that as a substitute teacher at he stepped in for the drama teacher
is the Spencer or Woodstock Fair raised Tantasqua High School. Now 30 at the high school and directed the
to a considerable power. There are craft years later, Randall will be exiting spring play, which was The Wizard of
and specialty vendors all through the the stage he has loved—teaching Oz.
grounds. Okay, local malls have some English, music and theater to high That summer, he came to a fork in
spiffy vendors, but if you need to buy a school students. the road with his career track. He
lead for a cow, The Big E has it all over Randall reflects on how his was offered a full scholarship to get a
them. career began. “I never wanted to be master’s of fine arts degree in theater
Some of the stuff is just cute. Still, I a teacher although my father, broth- at the University of Connecticut.
STURBRIDGE TIMES PHOTO BY REBECCA BLANCHARD
can’t say I’ve ever had a hankering for a er and aunt were all teachers. So, Shortly after, a phone call from
MR. KIT RANDALL someone in New York theater he
soapstone bear, though surely there are my father made a deal with me that
worse lawn ornaments. I could take drama and music in col- couldn’t be traveling all the time, knew with an offer to be in the cast
There is little you can’t find at the lege, but had to take education so we settled in Sturbridge. We of Saturday Night Live. At the same
Big E, but agriculture is the soul of it. It courses too.” needed a home and submitted plans time, he was offered a position
was founded by the vision of Joshua Playing the french horn in col- to Tantasqua, which built one teaching English at Tantasqua.
Brooks at the beginning of the 20th lege, Randall studied music and the- house a year,” he said. “Ironically, Three job offers and only one to
century. Watching the slow decline of ater and receive his degree from we won and the assistant principal choose within a matter of a few days.
New England Farming, his idea was an American International College in would see me coming and checking Randall recalls, “For the first time
exposition of new farming methods as Springfield. Subsequently, he on the building progress during the in my life, I did the responsible thing
well as competitive awards to inspire became a professional performer day. He found out more about my and took the job teaching. I went to
farmers to effiency and progress. In which took its toll on his family. background and asked me about work whistling. But physically, the
1917 138,000 came to the first Big E. “With two kids (he has five) I substituting. I was apprehensive at Continued on next page
A million come annually now.
His desire to reverse the loss of farms
has not succeeded and how much it may
have slowed the process can’t be deter-
mined. As a showcase, his project has
been a success. That is to anyone who
has an interest in rural New England.
Animals, raised and cared for by loving
owners are on display. Young people
Fine Lines
From Contemporary to
compete to show their sheep or cattle in
the ring. For most of us, it is a glimpse
of another world.
We have only scratched the surface.
Entertainment is constantly on tap.
The music runs mostly to country with
some rock and R&B. There are the New England Colonial
horse shows in the coliseum, and
parades along the main avenue. The finest in custom cabinetry
Storrowtown Village is like a mini
Sturbridge Village. From September 12 and furniture for kitchens,
to 28, the town of West Springfield is
the place to be.
baths and entertainment.
DIRECTIONS

From Sturbridge, via the pike, take Exit

4 to Route 5 South to Route 147 West. Paul J. Girouard, Cabinetmaker
Continue approximately 3/4 mile to Gate 9
parking lot. For information on the web go
508.347.3645 — www.finelineswood.com
to http://www.thebige.com. Open Weekdays 8:00 - 4:30 — Saturday 8:30 - 11:00 — 4 Old Stagecoach Road, Sturbridge, MA
THE CHRONICLE OF STURBRIDGE COUNTRY LIVING THE STURBRIDGE TIMES MAGAZINE 15