From MSFB vol 10 #2, 7/19/1992

Work Weekend is Field of a Different Color

by Ian Dowell

Major changes have been underway at the MSF Site in Royalton, Vermont, but work has not progressed smoothly. A contractor was hired during the off-season to create a second pond out of the beaver-pond-turned-swamp, and to level a space between the two ponds. Work progressed slowly and ran to three times over budget. As of a scouting trip on Memorial Day weekend, the road, central MSF area, latrine, and sign board had been devastated. Giant bulldozer ruts spread out across the bare, rocky dirt and giant tree trunks were strewn about. Both the "pond" and "field" were mucky messes. Disaster loomed for MSF. The land's fate seemed sealed when a Work Weekend in June to try to level and seed the field was cancelled due to heavy rains.
Then Chris Dowell came to the rescue. He hired another contractor to level, seed and construct a drainage ditch for the field (the pond has to be left to dry until fall). Unfortunately he neglected to spread fertilizer and left large ruts. The following weekend, Chris & Wil Dowell put in a brutal, sixteen-hour day raking and re-seeding the field and road by hand. (They were helped by neighbor Steve Kondi.) The contractor returned and spread fertilizer.
Intrepid workers Mike & Carla Guenette, Cinda Lavely, Carol Barrette, and Ian Dowell could only guess what they would find when the arrived on July 11 for the first "official" Work Weekend.
They were greeted by a fine green haze which was already starting to obscure the barren ground. The Dowells' hard work had paid off and, except for the road above the house foundation, green dominated over brown. Nature, it seemed, would cooperate despite the meddling of men and machines, and favored the workers with a virtually rain-free weekend -- even punctuating the brief showerwith a beautiful rainbow stretching over the new field and its beautiful edging of white birches.
Priorities were established and Cinda and Carol immediately began work on a new latrine. Carol's grave-digging efforts outstripped even those of the legendary Steve "Spades" Munier, and Cinda created an un-missable path to this critical location. Meanwhile, Ian had made a trip to Royalton for lumber with which to build the commode support/shelter. By the time he returned, Mike & Carla had arrived and they immediately went to work building the structure.
While everyone was busy creating, Ian was busy destroying. Following in the infamous footsteps of "Whacker" Nottleson, Ian attacked the three-foot-tall grass in the camping and activity areas which had not been torn up by heavy machinery.
With the latrine restored to existence, and the flora under control (and bamboo blinds installed in the cabin), the tired workers settled down for a swim and a hearty dinner of fajita chicken and a famous Guenette Mega-Salad. The rest of the unseasonably chilly evening was spent admiring the full moon from around the campfire.
Due to early planned departure times for most of the crew, the tubing trip was cancelled. Instead roots were cut out of the field (Carol & Mike), most of the field and road were raked and seeded again (Carol, Carla & Cinda), the cooking fireplace was restored (Cinda), rotting deck boards were replaced (Ian), and a second latrine building was constructed (Ian). As a final, symbolic gesture of restoration, Ian and Carol re-erected the Standing Stone so it once more welcomes visitors.
Thanks to Mike, Carla, Cinda, and Carol for a lot of hard work! m