Sweet Clams & A Perfect Fall Day
by Alice IrwinSeptember 2005:Kettles filled to the brim with salt potatoes and bags of clams steamed over propane burners, tended to by Kevin McKeon and Burt Madison on the lawn in the shade of century old trees while volunteers scurried to set up a buffet on the porch of the Mangan family's stately, historic Shaker manor house at Alasa Farms in Alton. The annual clam bake and open house to support the animals of Cracker Box Palace Farm Animal Haven was blessed with an absolutely perfect fall day - sunny, cool, and breezy. Once again, Diane McKeon coordinated the event and did an amazing job. Cars and mini-vans filled with families streamed into the farm and wide-eyed kids spilled out shouting "I want to see the animals! Can I pet the sheep? Mom! There are horses over there!" The annual event had a special significance this year; it was also a celebration of the first year that the farm animal haven has called Alasa Farms "home." The day was also a celebration of the opening of Alasa Academy, whose summer pilot program was an extremely successful precursor to an on-going alternative education program for area youth that continues to roll out as an outstanding after-school educational opportunity. Open house visitors were provided with an in-depth understanding of the partnership between Alasa Academy and the Farm Animal Haven, and the unique learning opportunity that children are provided with in the farm's setting. Science, math, and language are blended with nature, compassion and care for animals (and humans!), teamwork, and cooperation.
Visitors marveled at the architecture and craftsmanship of the Alasa Farms barns; there aren't too many horses, goats, rabbits, and sheep that have the privilege to live in wainscoted stalls and pens!
With 150 dozen clams available, the clambake was almost too successful; dinners sold out in just less than one hour, leaving some late-arrivals disappointed. Dinners included 2 dozen mahogany clams, baked beans, salt potatoes, applesauce, a roll and butter, and a cookie for $7.50. Extra bags of clams were available for $3.50, and they were sweet and popular. Reviewing past years' experience and this year's success, it looks like the farm's Board will probably approve substantially increasing next year's quantity of clams! CB Palace Founder and Farm Manager, Cheri Roloson, came up with a new Open House activity this year, and it was a real winner...the 1st Annual Apple Race on Second Creek! Entry fee was $1.00 (a donation to the farm's animals) and hopeful winners selected an apple from the bin and inscribed their name on it. Late afternoon, Griff Mangan hooked up the hayride wagon to his tractor, shouted "All Aboard for the Apple Race!" and towed a full wagon load to the apple launch site. Kids and adults spilled out and ran down the hill to Second Creek just below the waterfall. Farm Volunteer Extraordinaire, Matt Gasper, made sure all participants were at ready in the creek below before he dropped the bucket of apples into the water just above the falls. Farm and Academy volunteer Jason Wanek was stationed at the "finish line" at the north end of the pool at the bottom of the falls. First apple to cross the finish line wins. Kids and adults scrambled across the rocks to view the outcome, cheering on their apples. Cory Kaiser's apple drifted across for 1st; Beth Lance's apple took 2nd place honors; and Bob Layton captured 3rd place.
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