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Boston Globe
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
The pizazz, perils, and pratfalls of life under the Big Top
He's setting up the Circus Smirkus 2025 Big Top tent at the Cracker Barrel fairgrounds on a Monday morning, bright and early. The tent crew arrived late the night before after breaking down the last show, 100 miles away in Greenfield. Circus Smirkus, based in Vermont, is the only traveling youth circus performing under the Big Top in the USA. There are 18 'troupers,' as performers are called, ages 12 to 18. A staff of 30-40 grownups complete their 'circus bubble' that travels around New England in 25 vehicles. Advertisement Nelson Wilson, 18 of Providence and Sekora Berge, 15, of Plymouth, Wis., do a warmup before going in for the 7 p.m. show. Stan Grossfeld The kids stay with host families at each stop. The grownups live in trailers at the tent site. They have a mobile kitchen, aka the 'Pie Car,' and a trailer was converted into six tiny showers. They'll do 65 shows in seven weeks, clowning around before some 35,000 people. It's not all jesting and jokes, and risks are present. That became clear the day after the circus was set up when an aerialist fell 15 feet while performing, suffering serious injuries. He is now recovering, his mother posted on social media. Salix Wraith, a senior Tent Crew member, puts up supporting beams in the tent. Stan Grossfeld In many ways, Circus Smirkus is a throwback to a simpler time. 'It's called a mud show, because it's set up in fields as opposed to stadiums,' he says. 'We're carrying on the history of doing circus tours like this.' Advertisement Story Gemmati, 14, of Huntington Beach, Calif., puts on her makeup before the show. Stan Grossfeld Ringling Brothers is taking 2025 off to regroup but Smirkus Circus keeps on trucking in its 38th year. This year's high-energy show is called 'Game On.' It's guaranteed to make you smile. ' Yeah, I love them,' Wraith says of the troupers. 'They inspire me. They're incredibly talented and athletic and sweet and creative. It's why we're here. We do it for the kids.' On a travel day, the performers go to their host families for rest and relaxation. A comfy bed, breakfast, and dinner. They are an eclectic group of athletes, twisting and turning in the summer air. Each January, 45 kids are invited to audition in person at the circus headquarters in Greensboro. Those that don't look people in the eye never make the cut. Nelson Wilson, 18, of Providence, warms up with a Hula Hoop before a show. He will attend Boston University in the fall. Stan Grossfeld The performers then meet on Zoom until they spend three weeks in June to finalize the show with their director and coaches. They also don't make any money, as Circus Smirkus is a nonprofit cultural organization. Tuition this year is $9,000, which covers training, housing, food, costumes, coaching, and touring costs. No one is turned down because of financial need, according to marketing director Genevieve Martineau. They typically work a 12-hour day. In between their noon and the 7 p.m. shows some troupers take cat naps. At rehearsal, Oscar Benninga 15, practices with aerial silks in the main tent. Stan Grossfeld Oscar Benninga, 15, of Lexington, practices flying through the air on a long swath of silk, which he twirls like a matador. Is it like being Peter Pan? 'You do get that sense of detachment,' he says. 'It's a different world . . . It's really fun. I get to train all day and perform for new people and make them smile.' Advertisement Lev Eisner, 18, a juggler from Baltimore, says circus life is a bit of a balancing act. Performers, top from left: Sylvie Merryman-Lotze,15, of Glenside, Pa., Adi Natof, 14, of Lexington, Ky., and Azaria Passini,12, of Plymouth, Wis.; with Miranda Myer,15, of Bellevue, Wash., at bottom left. Stan Grossfeld 'We know how to stay up all night and swing off the roof, and we also know how to get to bed on time the night before a show and wake up at 6:00 a.m. to start warming up our bodies.' The performers also do a multitude of other tasks. Last summer in Hanover, N.H., they were assigned to clean the tarps and mats. 'There's decomposing slugs all over the tarps,' says Eisner. Four teenagers lugged them down to the river, a half mile away. 'It turns out the current is really strong. They're in, they're unfurling, they're billowing away. We're pulling on them for our lives because we can't lose the tarp,' he says. We're going to be in so much trouble.' Somehow they managed to get back on land but the wet tarps were too heavy to carry. A fisherman who was a Circus Smirkus fan took them back in his pickup truck. 'I don't think they quite dried before the show, but at least we were on time,' he says. Sylvie Merryman-Lotze, 15, of Glenside, Pa., has been doing circus training since she was 5. She says her sister was taking piano lessons in Philadelphia and a circus school was right down the street. 'It was just something to kill time,' she says. She discovered her calling to be a contortionist. It has gotten her into a lot of tight spots. 'I love working with my body, and I love working with other people.' Advertisement So many things can go wrong. Charlotte, 11, and Daley Murphy, 4, of Mansfield enjoy the show. Stan Grossfeld 'A few shows ago, there were four nosebleeds during the show. Some people had to run off stage. We just had people sub in. We were behind the curtain, whispering, 'All right, who's going to do this trick'? It was crazy having to improv on stage to make up for it,' Sylvie says. The accident involving the aerialist brought an outpouring of love and support. The show was immediately stopped and refunds were given. Some patrons returned them with messages of love and hope. 'I returned to the tent on Wednesday and dropped off a cake to try in some small way to show that you are thought of by so many. It is a helpless feeling but I continue to keep all of you in my thoughts,' one woman wrote. Azy Berge (top), 18, of Plymouth, Wis., and Jaycee Roethel, 18, of Sheboygan, Wis., nap between shows. Stan Grossfeld 'I support and care about sustaining all of your hard work and all of the emotional work you are doing right now.' The accident devastated the Circus Smirkus family, especially troupers, says Rachel Schiffer, executive and artistic director. " They're sad. They're curious and concerned. They're frustrated because they want answers, understandably so.' Two shows were canceled, but troupers bounced back. They spent a day off performing a show in the gym at Staff member Nora Kempner does the laundry behind the troupers' backstage tent and the shower trailer. Stan Grossfeld 'They've been amazing in a really tough time,' Schiffer says of the troupers. For now there will be no aerial acts until the investigation is complete. 'When we do circus, we come into a world of calculated risk,' despite rigorous training, education, safety checks, and balances, she says in an interview after the accident. 'With all of those things, things can still go wrong.' Advertisement Sylvie Merryman-Lotze, 15 of Glenside, Pa., does chores between shows. Stan Grossfeld Schiffer says a safety net is not feasible because the circus tent isn't tall enough. A few days later, there's good news. The performer's mother posted a photo of him at home smiling and giving the peace sign with two of his circus besties. Tawnya Sauer, assistant general manager, displays an old circus saying on her arm. Stan Grossfeld @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Regular; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Bold; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } .dipupnext_hed { font-family: "MillerHeadline-Bold", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: .75px; text-align: center; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1; margin-top: 3px; color: #000; width: 100%; font-weight: 600; } .dipupnext_cap_cred { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Regular", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align: left; margin: 3px 0px 5px 0px; font-weight: 200; color: #000; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; } .dipupnext_photo { max-width: 100%; height: auto; padding-top: 15px; opacity: 1; } .dipupnext__form:hover { opacity: .5; text-decoration: underline .5px; } .dipupnext__form{ opacity: 1; } .picupnext__container { width: 100%; position: relative; margin: 0 auto; } .dipupnext__content { width: 100%; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 3fr; } .cdipupnextcontainer { display: block; width:100%; height: auto; margin:0 auto; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; } .upnext { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Bold", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.15; margin-top: .5rem; letter-spacing: 0px; color: #000; padding: 8px 8px 4px 8px; margin-top: 5px; letter-spacing: .5px; } .upnext:before, .upnext:after { background-color: #000; content: ""; display: inline-block; height: 1px; position: relative; vertical-align: 4px; width: 32%; } .upnext:before { right: 0.3em; margin-left: -50%; } .upnext:after { left: 0.3em; margin-right: -50%; } .theme-dark .upnext:before { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext:after { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_cap_cred { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_hed { color: #fff; } @media screen and (min-width: 800px){ .dipupnext__content { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; grid-column-gap: 40px; } } UP NEXT Stan Grossfeld can be reached at
Boston Globe
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Photos: How to savor every second of summer
'No Kings' protesters and the Boston Pride Parade brought joyous smiles to participants. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Boston Harborfest fireworks over the Seaport. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Reds first baseman Spencer Steer watched his home run fly over the Green Monster in Fenway Park. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Few hustled more than Layana Marie Rivera, 7, who has just completed the first grade. When those bells went ding, ding, ding, she made the first turn out the door, clutching her artwork, looking as if she just received the checkered flag. Her journey is just beginning but it is already filled with joy. The lesson here is to savor every second of summer. Somehow it defies any logic of time. It goes by quicker than an Aroldis Chapman fastball and feels shorter than a flash from a firefly. Stop and smell the roses, they are in perfect bloom right now on Nantucket. Advertisement Seek out the coolness of fog and let it cloak you from the 'Age of Meanness' that is enveloping the world. With Boston Light on Little Brewster Island as a backdrop, a sailboat headed toward Boston. Stan Grossfeld/ Globe Staff Roses bloomed in the Sconset section of Nantucket. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Marchers in the Boston Pride Parade. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Smile. Forget the negatives. Stop whining. Yes, traffic sucks, even after the college kids have left town. The Expressway is a misnomer and that one digit salute that the fellow motorist just flashed is not a 'We're number one sign.' Championship sports parades will not come in droves this year, but the 'No Kings' parade held last month showed as much passion as any of them. There's a reason that this is the Cradle of Liberty. There is hope. Advertisement Look for happiness and you will find it. It's in the salty breezes wafting off the ocean. The fiery sunsets with even more brilliant afterglows. No season offers less darkness, the opportunity to wear barely any clothes, drink ice cold beer, go barefoot, and have fun. People 'ooh and ahh' watching fireworks paint the sky, but sparks of beauty are everywhere. Enjoy them. Layana Marie Rivera, 7, who just finished first grade, left the Squantum School on the final day of the school year. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Madequecham Beach on Nantucket. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Evening at Brant Point on Nantucket. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Regular; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Bold; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } .dipupnext_hed { font-family: "MillerHeadline-Bold", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: .75px; text-align: center; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1; margin-top: 3px; color: #000; width: 100%; font-weight: 600; } .dipupnext_cap_cred { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Regular", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align: left; margin: 3px 0px 5px 0px; font-weight: 200; color: #000; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; } .dipupnext_photo { max-width: 100%; height: auto; padding-top: 15px; opacity: 1; } .dipupnext__form:hover { opacity: .5; text-decoration: underline .5px; } .dipupnext__form{ opacity: 1; } .picupnext__container { width: 100%; position: relative; margin: 0 auto; } .dipupnext__content { width: 100%; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 3fr; } .cdipupnextcontainer { display: block; width:100%; height: auto; margin:0 auto; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; } .upnext { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Bold", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.15; margin-top: .5rem; letter-spacing: 0px; color: #000; padding: 8px 8px 4px 8px; margin-top: 5px; letter-spacing: .5px; } .upnext:before, .upnext:after { background-color: #000; content: ""; display: inline-block; height: 1px; position: relative; vertical-align: 4px; width: 32%; } .upnext:before { right: 0.3em; margin-left: -50%; } .upnext:after { left: 0.3em; margin-right: -50%; } .theme-dark .upnext:before { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext:after { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_cap_cred { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_hed { color: #fff; } @media screen and (min-width: 800px){ .dipupnext__content { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; grid-column-gap: 40px; } } UP NEXT Stan Grossfeld can be reached at
Boston Globe
30-06-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
In the oppressive heat, fear, food, and hope collide on Broadway in Chelsea
People are patient but not happy, because it's hot as hell. The numbers on their wrists to hold their place in line start to smear. The heart of Chelsea's main street is torn up by construction. In some respects, their lives have been torn apart by the one-two punch of hunger and fear of federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. Inside the storefront church, a fan whirs as a dozen volunteers scurry about packing up food. The church chairs have all been removed and boxes filled with food cover much of the floor. Volunteer Marilea Mendonca helps prepare 400 boxes of groceries for those in line. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Advertisement The need is great, the mood intense, despite the sign on the wall. 'Worry about nothing. Pray about everything.' Philippians 4:6 Elian Mora, 1, naps in line with her mom, who came from El Salvador. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff 'This is a social pandemic,' says Pastor Elaine Mendes, director of Revival Chelsea. She waits until the last moment to add refrigerated items like milk and eggs to the 30-pound boxes. 'It's poor people. It's needy people.' Most are people of color. The diversity is evident in the line, which is now so long, the end is not visible. There's a Moroccan woman with a child, an Asian woman wearing a mask, a senior citizen holding extra plastic bags, and a Hispanic woman stoically standing. Advertisement 'This is a social pandemic,' says Pastor Elaine Mendes, director of Revival Chelsea, who adds milk to the boxes of food ready to be distributed. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff Many hide their faces or turn around when a camera is pointed at them. One man flicked his hand like he was shooing a fly. They are in no mood to talk. 'They think you are ICE,' says Mendes, who has been operating the food pantry for 10 years. Mendes worries that proposed federal budget cuts will make the situation worse. 'Everything that I can see since January, it's for the wealthy people, for the rich people.' A United Nations of diversity is found on Broadway in Chelsea as people line up for the weekly food pantry distribution. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff She refuses to mention the president's name. 'It's the administration,' she says. 'I don't think this administration is looking out for the low-income people right now.' The food is donated mainly from 'Food For Free,' a nonprofit in Somerville. It's the good stuff from Trader Joe's, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods. Not the canned beef and vegetable government surplus variety, or the cheap ramen, or starchy mac and cheese. Revival Chelsea sometimes supplements the groceries by buying milk when it can afford the expense. There are three major food banks in Chelsea. 'It is not enough,' Mendes says. Residents jam the streets for the weekly food pantry at the Revival International Center, a community church that distributes food boxes to those in need in the Chelsea area. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff According to a new report by Mass General Brigham and t 'Very low food insecurity — the most severe form, occurring when an individual must skip meals or not eat for the entire day because they don't have enough money for food — has nearly quadrupled to 24 percent in 2024 from 6 percent in 2019, pointing to widening socioeconomic gaps,' the report says. Mendes's worst nightmare is that ICE will just pull up and start grabbing people. Advertisement She says that ICE collaborators have intimidated those waiting in line here on two different occasions. (They also tried to attend an English as a second language class held here, Mendes says.) Hundreds of people line up in the hopes of receiving one of the 400 food boxes distributed by the Revival International Center. Stan Grossfeld 'They didn't come to talk. They didn't say nothing. They came to scare the population and make people afraid. It worked. We had a lot of food left over because people were afraid.' Here, Mendes offers anonymity. 'We don't take their name. We don't take nothing.' The center also hosts numerous social and educational activities, like community gatherings for men and for the homeless, and yoga classes. There's even a climate change seminar. Once people have received their groceries, some mix and match, sharing what they've received with each other on Broadway in Chelsea. Stan Grossfeld 'Food pantry is my main program but then through the week, I can offer all the programs to make them feel comfortable and feel happy,' says Mendes. 'I think the presence of ICE on the street breaks this peaceful way that we have. ... I mean, they are messing up our job.' At 3 p.m., volunteers push the boxes on a roller conveyor and open the door. They distribute the boxes one by one. They keep pastries up at the front to reward kids who have waited patiently in line. Volunteers unload two truckloads and a van full of food to feed the poor in Chelsea. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff On this Monday, 465 people (not counting children) show up and make sure they don't block the other merchants' doorways. Once they get their groceries, some linger on the sidewalk and make trades. A vegetarian will trade hamburger meat for fruit and vegetables. Others leave disappointed, because the food runs out. 'It's horrible that we couldn't feed everybody,' Mendes says. Mendes scrambles inside to the multiple refrigerators and finds a dozen eggs for each of the last 65 people. Advertisement She scoffs at the racial trope that unfairly portrays immigrants as dangerous. A woman leaves Revival Chelsea with a boxful of fresh food after waiting three hours in the summer heat. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff 'We have mothers, we have children. We don't have any criminals in the line. I don't think a criminal would wait three hours in the heat or in the snow.' 'No, it's poor people,' she continues. 'I'm going to help these people. And I think everyone should do the same thing. We should help each other. We should protect each other because one day we're all going to need each other.' @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Regular; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } @font-face { font-family: BentonSansCond-Bold; src: url(" format('woff2'), url(" format('woff'); } .dipupnext_hed { font-family: "MillerHeadline-Bold", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: .75px; text-align: center; font-size: 1.25em; line-height: 1; margin-top: 3px; color: #000; width: 100%; font-weight: 600; } .dipupnext_cap_cred { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Regular", "Times New Roman", Times, Georgia, serif; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: .5px; text-align: left; margin: 3px 0px 5px 0px; font-weight: 200; color: #000; text-decoration: none; text-align: center; } .dipupnext_photo { max-width: 100%; height: auto; padding-top: 15px; opacity: 1; } .dipupnext__form:hover { opacity: .5; text-decoration: underline .5px; } .dipupnext__form{ opacity: 1; } .picupnext__container { width: 100%; position: relative; margin: 0 auto; } .dipupnext__content { width: 100%; display: grid; grid-template-columns: 3fr; } .cdipupnextcontainer { display: block; width:100%; height: auto; margin:0 auto; -moz-box-sizing: border-box; overflow: hidden; } .upnext { font-family: "BentonSansCond-Bold", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; font-size: 1em; line-height: 1.15; margin-top: .5rem; letter-spacing: 0px; color: #000; padding: 8px 8px 4px 8px; margin-top: 5px; letter-spacing: .5px; } .upnext:before, .upnext:after { background-color: #000; content: ""; display: inline-block; height: 1px; position: relative; vertical-align: 4px; width: 32%; } .upnext:before { right: 0.3em; margin-left: -50%; } .upnext:after { left: 0.3em; margin-right: -50%; } .theme-dark .upnext:before { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext:after { background-color: #fff; } .theme-dark .upnext { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_cap_cred { color: #fff; } .theme-dark .dipupnext_hed { color: #fff; } @media screen and (min-width: 800px){ .dipupnext__content { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; grid-column-gap: 40px; } } UP NEXT Stan Grossfeld can be reached at
Boston Globe
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Crews demolishing McCoy Stadium find 85-year-old time capsule
The Get Rhode Map A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State. Enter Email Sign Up 'Eighty-five years ago a time capsule was placed into the cornerstone of McCoy Stadium, and today that piece of the stadium's long and proud history has been found,' Pawtucket Mayor Donald R. Grebien said in a statement. Advertisement The time capsule is now being held in a secure location by the Pawtucket Police Department. The stadium is being demolished to make way for the $314 million In March, an excavator stood in centerfield, looking toward home plate at McCoy Stadium. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff The Pawtucket Red Sox called the city-owned stadium home for half a century before the Triple-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox left McCoy for Worcester and a new stadium that Advertisement Grebien said construction and demolition crews are continuing to look for a second time capsule, with items commemorating the longest professional baseball game, that former PawSox management and players believe to be buried somewhere between the former stadium's home plate and pitcher's mound. If found, the contents of that time capsule also will be unveiled at the June 23 event, he said. Pawtucket City Council President Terrence E. Mercer, whose District 3 includes the site, said, 'I'm pleased that this time capsule has been found and preserved so it can be shared with future generations of Pawtucket residents as a reminder of the stadium's proud history.' Mercer, who grew up next to McCoy, said he's sad to see the stadium being demolished, but 'thrilled' that it will soon be home to the city's new high school. Pawtucket School Committee Chairman Omar Reyes said, 'The demolition of the former McCoy Stadium is paving the way for the future of Pawtucket students as we prepare to start construction on our new Pawtucket High School. Finding this time capsule is a reminder of the stadium's long and proud history, a history that will be incorporated into our new high school for future generations of students to cherish and learn from.' Chris Maury, head Rhode Island operations at Shawmut Design and Construction, said, 'It was an exciting moment for our team to discover, identify, and carefully preserve the capsule found in the stadium's original cornerstone.' He said the crews are using ground-penetrating radar to search for the second time capsule. 'We remain committed to a safe, respectful process every step of the way,' he said. Advertisement Demolition of McCoy Stadium is scheduled to be completed by the end of May. Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at
Boston Globe
23-04-2025
- General
- Boston Globe
Hard work and honesty: Life on a family dairy farm in Vermont
'He's a wild man,' said John's mother, Kellie Jenkins. 'He's the one who does the tours when people come here on the farm. He'll tell you all about it, show off all his animals. 'When he was born, he was given his first cow, and it was registered in his name. So now he owns six animals. So, he's pretty proud of that,' she added. Jenkins says he shows the dairy cows through the 4-H club. John Jenkins Jr., 6, at the Hard Climb Farm hangs out with the twin calves and a cat, that belongs to Amish neighbors but lives to visit. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff 'He's got all his little fun ribbons, but he's one of the kiddos that is the most helpful,' she said. 'He sees poop under a cow, the one's not his, and he'll go help scrape it up. He's a big helper around the farm here. He loves to be with his dad, loves living on the farm.' The 48-acre farm raises cows, chickens, ducks, and quail. They sell the milk and eggs along with maple products and local handmade items, in a small, enclosed farm stand. It is open 24/7 and is unattended. Jenkins says it successfully operates on the honor system. Advertisement 'I don't think we've ever gotten hugely stiffed. Maybe a couple of bucks here or there because people don't know how to do math,' she said. 'But everything seems to be working out.' They have a camera at the stand, she says, gesturing toward the ceiling. 'We want to extend the honesty and trust to the community, and that goes a long way.' Advertisement Kellie Jenkins Jr., the Hard Climb Farm Stand, logs in raw milk and eggs to be sold on the honor system. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff The clientele that rides by their farm, on Route 100, is eclectic. There's the Amish who settled nearby and use horse and buggies to clip-clop along at 10 miles per hour. There's city folk in SUVs and trucks zipping to a local ski resort, and there's also the Quebec neighbors. There's no doubt Canadians have been shaken by both the tariff talk and the overall tone of the Trump administration. 'Anybody who comes here and who might bring up that conversation, my husband automatically apologizes like, 'This isn't right. None of this is,' ' she said. The family welcomes them all. One of the rules posted on the wall reads 'Mind our own biscuits.' The political uncertainty is also bad for business, Jenkins says. Mud season at the Hard Climb Farm and Stand. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff 'It's pinched us for a little bit where nobody wanted to come over across the border,' she said. 'I think it's easing back a little bit. I think people are like, 'You know what? It is what it is.' We'll see how the summer goes. " On Easter Sunday the close-knit family all worked together to milk and feed the 45 milking cows and clean the barn. Touring with John Jr. is fun. Mud doesn't faze him. He's been adopted by a cat that belongs to an Amish family down the road, that follows him around. He'll warn you to stay clear of the bull who likes to poke people, as he climbs around the barn like it's a jungle gym. John Jenkins Jr., 6, with the baby chicks he helps raise. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff A chicken roosts at the Hard Climb Farm in a makeshift greenhouse coop. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff He likes to kiss the baby chicks before returning them to warming lights. He's got a bicycle tractor that he uses to haul hay, and he follows his dad around doing chores, including milking the cows. Advertisement The farm sells raw milk, which is tested to meet state regulations. As part of the rules, people who buy it must leave their contact information. 'Raw milk is real milk, straight from our cows,' Jenkins said. 'We drink it, and my son's grown up on it. There's a lot of research out there, so people can make their own determinations.'' They also sell fresh chicken, duck, and quail eggs. Kellie Jenkins talks about her dairy cows at the Hard Climb Farm. Of concerns about bacteria in the raw milk, she says: We're going to always promote real milk and things like that. But I understand if people are weary. There are good and bad bacterias. It's the bad bacteria that really get people concerned. Ours is tested ….we've never had any concerns from our customer base.' Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff 'The egg scare was something else,' Jenkins said, referring to recent shortages and rising prices. 'We couldn't keep our eggs on the shelf. … Ours are still only $6 a dozen, which is still reasonable. People were totally understanding.' She believes the egg scare is over, but 'we'll see.' Life isn't easy in the Kingdom, but it sure is beautiful. 'We're a small, genuine family farm,' she said. 'I think we're going to stay in it as long as we can, as long as it makes sense.'' John Jenkins Jr., 6, feeding some of the 45 milking cows on the Farm. Stan Grossfeld/Globe Staff She also works full time as a director at Ready, Set, Grow Childcare, in Newport, Vt., to help make ends meet. Now she watches as John Jr. reclines on his tractor, like he's doing a celebrity shoot for Vanity Fair. 'It's a great place to raise a kid… Here, it's all manual labor. Our best friend is a shovel and a pitchfork and a wheelbarrow.' John Jenkins Jr., 6, takes the neighbor's cat for a ride all the chores are done. 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