Blog


New England traditions at the Salem Cross Inn’s Fireplace Feasts

  The Fireplace Feast guests eat like a New Englander from the past, but with modern comforts and conveniences. “[Guests] get to truly experience part of history, blending old with the new”… Written by Chelsea E. Dill, Published December 14, 2016 Salem Cross Inn has recently been featured in the WordsBY online publication, in the Arts & Culture Section. The article is a wonderful retelling of one of our most famous and beloved traditions, the Fireplace Feast. Click here to read the article, and make sure to purchase tickets to one of our Feasts ...

The Hexmark and the Salem Witch Trials

West Brookfield and the Salem Cross Inn lie about ninety miles from the well-known “Salem Witch Trials.” An often talked about, well-known, “New England” thing, the Salem Witch Trials have sparked both controversy and Halloween spirit throughout our state.  The Salem Cross Inn has a little piece of the original “spirit ward” right on our front door. (more…)

Eating Locally Grown Vegetables

  Eat Your Vegetables! “Eat your vegetables!” You probably remember hearing this dreaded saying from your parents when you were a kid. Back then, eating vegetables seemed like the worst chore you could possibly ever encounter. The truth is, vegetables are key essentials to our diet and overall health. Now that we have come to grips that eating vegetables are needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle, does where you get them from really matter? The answer is yes. Organic growers don’t use chemical pesticides, and local growers cut down on the farm’s carbon ...

American Beef: How the Polled Hereford Came to America

hHere in Massachusetts, over 100,000 acres of land are dedicated to cattle farming alone. At Salem Cross Inn, our rolling hills and picturesque farmlands create some of the most beautiful views, and makes a perfect home for our Black Angus and Polled Hereford cattle. We are proud to say that of all the registered Polled Herefords in the state of Massachusetts, we own half! Our Polled Herefords’ pedigrees originate from Herefordshire, England. (more…)

The History Of Father’s Day

Father’s Day is quickly approaching! Let’s take a moment to understand the history of  Father's Day, a nationally celebrated holiday. Father’s Day is observed every year on the third Sunday in June, and is considered to be an American holiday as it is rarely celebrated anywhere else in the world. Father’s Day is a day of gift-giving and expressing appreciation to all of the fathers nationwide, but how and when did this national holiday get its start? (more…)

Agriculture in the American Colonies

Agriculture in the first American colonies was much different than agriculture today. New to North America, the colonists had to make the best of the tools and crops they had brought with them from England, and work very hard to survive in a new environment. (more…)

The History of Mother’s Day

While mothers and motherhood are celebrated in different ways all across the world, Mother’s Day in America commonly falls on the second Sunday in May each year. (more…)

When Should I Plant Spring Vegetables?

As springtime inches closer and closer, it is difficult for us not to dream of warm sunshine and bright, colorful flowers swaying in the breeze. With these warm thoughts come the daydreams of spring and summer gardens. Every year, our garden gives us plentiful amounts of delicious seasonal vegetables and herbs. While we may have to wait a bit longer for the first seeds to sprout, here are a few quick tips that you can use at home to help make your spring garden a success! (more…)

The History of Restaurants in America

Restaurants today are such common place that it is easy to take their existence for granted. Can you imagine a time in society when restaurants did not exist? That’s right, at one point in time (not very long ago, we might add) the idea of “going out to eat” was nonexistent in our society.  Today, we will discuss the growth the history of restaurants in America, and how they got their start from inns and taverns. (more…)

Something Old, Something New: The History Behind Wedding Traditions

We’ve all heard it before, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a silver sixpence in her shoe”, but where did these common wedding traditions come from? (more…)