Arts

Young, a luthier in Malden, creates musical magic

When walking through the front doors of 190 Main Street, one is greeted at the intersection of two worlds: A wall display of shiny guitars in varied sizes and styles and a workbench with tools that mend and build guitars. This is the studio of R. Jeff Young, known as RJ, who is a certified Luthier (maker of string instruments, particularly guitars) as well as a teacher and performer. His music workshop contains a wealth of information and experience. After a tour of his studio, we got to ask a few questions about his career of guitar playing, repair and building. Growing up in New Jersey, Young had an older brother who influenced his interest in learning to play. Young graduated to formal lessons followed by excursions to Spain where he became enamored with flamenco music that he still favors this day. His musical interest has taken him around the world to study and play along well-known musicians. Young is a student disciple of Mario Escudero, a Spanish flamenco guitar virtuoso recognized among the best […]

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Community supported agriculture? Get those hands dirty

JUST FOOD PLEASE CSA (community supported agriculture) is a relatively new phenomenon in the U.S. introduced in the early to mid-1980s. Thanks to the introduction by Robyn Van En at Indian Line Farm in S. Egremonot, MA, the CSA concept in North America was born. WHAT IS A CSA? In Massachusetts nearly every town has a CSA community that consists of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes the community’s farm. Typically, members, often called “share holders” of the farm pledge in advance to cover the anticipated costs of the farm and the farmer’s salary. Also, the share holders share the risks as well; poor harvests due to bad weather, pests and the like. The big picture promises better produce and selection with farm to table choices that have not spent their lives in box cars and gassed beyond consumptive value. The partnership between farmer and consumer gained much support throughout those first years with Indian Line Farm season featuring a small apple orchard operation. The following years introduced […]