eco-LOCAL 2012 Sowing edition

Tech Valley

Sowing 2012 • Issue 26 • FREE

eco LOCAL Promoting sustainable communities, healthy lifestyles and local business

THE FARM TO FORK ISSUE

A Directory of Local Farm and Food Resources PLUS: Get Wild at Village Pizzeria Vineyards of the Upper Hudson Valley Long Lesson Farm Underground Alchemy Funky Fresh Foods

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On the Cover Our cover was produced by Kelsie Seehusen,a student at the Waldorf School of Saratoga Springs, Class of 2013. She used markers on illustration board to create the "At the Market" cover. Kelsie was inspired by the bright colors and variety of vegetables found at the Farmer's Markets, and is a big supporter of local farms.The Waldorf School, too, promotes buying local and supporting agriculture. For more information, go to waldorfsaratoga.org

DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

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News and Views Joys of Functional Living Holistic Health Green Designer Money Matters Life‌Stylized!

Washington County Eco-LOCAL People

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Take A Walk on The Wild Side at Village Pizzeria Do What You Love, and the Wine Will Flow Vineyards of the Upper Hudson Valley Local Fresh Foods The Basis of Health 2012 Farm to Fork Guide Local Farm and Food Resources Long Lesson Farm Learning to Love the Land Underground Alchemy A CSA for Herbal Medicine Funky and Fresh

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Letter from the Publisher Want a better world? Put your money where your mouth is!

We live in very challenging times, with many large problems throughout our society. The problems are so daunting that, as individuals, we may feel that we have no power to influence the solutions. We have the right to vote, we are told, and that is our power to make change. But even that seems to have lost its significance. Politics has become the power of the status quo.

What then, can we do, if anything, to change the world for the better?

The answer to many of our societal ails can be cured with one simple, conscience decision – choose to eat more local, naturallyraised food. This choice, made by one person, has immense power – in fact, it is THE most powerful act that we can do as human beings. For what we choose to eat, affects everything else.

Pick a societal problem… any one… and it can be remedied by choosing local food. Let’s look at some of the common things that plague our world, and see how the simple action of eating locally can move us toward the solution: ESCALATING HEALTHCARE COSTS. Human health is directly related to nutrition. We are what we eat.

Eating living, nutrient dense food that is grown near to where we live has been proven to be health giving.

Eating dead, manufactured and packaged food that is shipped long distances has been proven to be bad for our health. While much of this type of food has calories, it is devoid of nutrition. Plus, the preservatives, stabilizers and chemical additives are killing us. Unhealthy people are expensive to care for.

Healthy people are inexpensive. If each of us were to choose to consciously eat more locally-sourced food, there will be less people burdening the healthcare system.

POLLUTION. It is a fact that our giant factory farms are some of the largest polluters of our environment.

GMO contamination, soil erosion, chemical runoff into potable water, manure leachate, e-coli poisoning, fossil fuel consumption and resultant air pollution…all are a product of the corporatization of agriculture.

Small family farms – what America was founded on, once ubiquitous, are now the exception. Yet a small farmer is a steward of the land. He lives there. Why would he pollute his nest? When we choose to support local farms by buying their produce, we are encouraging that good stewardship. More family farms equals more local control of the land, and less pollution.

VIOLENCE. People act violently towards others primarily because of a lack of empathy. If one has no regard nor respect for another, then violence is a natural regression of such a mind. How does one lose empathy? Either through learning, like watching too much TV, or through isolation or exclusion. Our society breeds isolation and exclusion. In all the busy-ness chasing business, we have lost contact with our neighbors and our community. Take going to the grocery store – how many conversations occur? A few short words to the deli man, or the answer to “paper or plastic” question at checkout is about the size of it. No wonder we are mad! Now take a trip to the Farmers Market. The place is abuzz with talking and sharing. You’ll ask the farmer about his products. “how are the animals they raised?” “do you use any chemicals?” You’ll get to know the farmer, and you’ll get to know your food. You are now part of a community – a community of people who really care about serving you. Thoughts of isolation vanish into the warmth of acceptance. If everyone were to shop locally at the Farmers Market, then mutual empathy would prevail, and violence in our society would diminish.

WAR. Why are wars fought? Ultimately, it is for control of resources and land. A country that exhausts its resources needs to go elsewhere to find more. It can trade, but if trade agreements can’t be secured, then war ensues. We are told that there are terrorists that must be vanquished, and the world must adopt democracy so that it can find peace. But it’s really all about resources. Resources that can grow food, because every nation must be able to feed itself. In the USA, oil is food, because the energy from oil runs to the tractors and combines, makes the fertilizer, grinds the grain, runs the trains and the tractor trailers, all so you can have food at the grocery store. But if we choose to buy more local food, then there is a whole lot less need for all that oil. Sure, the local farmer has a tractor and it need oil to run, but it’s a huge difference in scale. Plus the local farmer is more inclined to use natural methods, so there is less dependency of fertilizers and chemicals that are all derived from oil. Less demand for oil, means we as a country need less from elsewhere. Perhaps if we are not so obsessed with controlling the world’s resources, the terrorists might calm down and actually find a new occupation. Like growing food. More people growing good food – who’s got time for war?

As you can see, these are but a few examples of how one person choosing to eat more locally sourced food can have big impact on the world. One person becomes two, then four, eight, and so on. Because healthy people talk. And share what they love. And they love local food. It becomes the change we believe in. In fact, our life, and that of our wonderful planet, depends on it. We’ve all heard the mantra “Think Globally, Act Locally.” I suggest that we change that to “Eat Locally, Impact Globally,” because, in the end, we are what we eat. Want a better world? Eat more local food!

-David DeLozier, Publisher 6 ecolocalliving.com

eco LOCAL PUBLISHER / EDITOR / SALES David Delozier 518-858-6866 info@ecolocalliving.com DESIGN / PRODUCTION Centerline Design 518-883-3872 PHOTOGRAPHY David Delozier, Patricia Older, Clifford Oliver, stockstudiosphotography.com, Underground Alchemy CONTRIBUTORS Kevin Carey, Sophie Castro, Tracy Frisch, Dr. Jessica Davis, Arielle Landsberg, Mary Beth McCue, Harry Moran, Particia Older, Karen Totino SUBSCRIBE The eco-LOCAL magazine is a free bi-monthly magazine for people choosing to lead more sustainable lifestyles within the greater Capital Region of New York. It can be found throughout the region at independent retailers, shops, restaurants and other high traffic locales. Visit www.ecolocalliving.com to find a location near you. If you would like to receive a subscription by mail, send $12 along with your name and address to: Eco-LOCAL Media PO Box 621, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. If you would like updates and information by email, please sign up at our website.

SUPPORT We seek to transform this special region of upstate New York into a local living economy of vibrant towns, productive farmlands and healthy open space. By reading eco-LOCAL, you become part of our team.

The eco-LOCAL magazine is brought to you solely by the advertisers found within.

Please tell them you appreciate their support of eco-LOCAL. We are all in this together, and we must support each other. Thank you!

Every effort has been made to avoid errors and misspellings; however, if you see an error, please accept our apologies. We welcome your ideas, articles, and feedback so that we can give you the best service possible. Eco-LOCAL Living does not guarantee nor warrantee any products, services of any advertisers, nor will we be party to any legal or civil claims or promises.

We expect advertisers to honor any claims or promises.

We reserve the right to revise, edit and/or reject any and all advertising with or without cause. Liability is limited to the cost of the ad space in which it first appeared for printing errors of the publisher's responsibility or if the publisher fails to print an ad or article for any reason.

We reserve the right to edit articles if needed for content, clarity and relevance. Unless otherwise noted, we use the Creative Commons License (in place of standard copyright), which allows anyone to freely copy, distribute, and transmit all content, although it must be attributed in the manner specified by the author or licensor, and no one may use it for commercial purposes, or alter, transform, or build upon it.

News and Views The Battenkill Runs Through It Beach & Music Festival Returns May 26th It began as a simple idea to throw a party at the beach. The objective was two-fold: help promote the picturesque park that lies of the banks of the Battenkill in Greenwich, NY and provide outreach for an all volunteer, non profit organization whose mission is to preserve and enhance the river, the Battenkill Conservancy (“BkC”).

Last year's inaugural “party”, pulled together in less than 6 weeks by a skeleton crew of volunteers, met with great success. It quickly became clear that the idea was a win-win for all, bringing both long time residents and outsiders to one of Washington County's most picturesque and natural resources, the Battenkill. This year, the festival expanded its reach by enlisting the popular 97.7 WEXT public radio station to co-sponsor “The Local 518” musicians. BkC worked with Town officials to have the festival's date (Saturday, May 26 from Noon - 5PM) coincide with the official kick-off of the summer season. At the April Town Board meeting, the Board voted to open the area from dawn to dusk through Columbus Day weekend. It is also considering BkC's request that it adopt a new and more inclusive name for the area, The Battenkill Beach Community Park. BkC announced that it will award its first Community Citizen Award to a local resident active in civic, non profit and educational projects that have resulted in positive and lasting change in the community with the recipient of this year's award to be announced shortly.

Initially the vision of a single person, the festival has become a reality

due to the collaboration of public & private organizations and the support of numerous individual volunteers, all whom recognize the Battenkill as one of the community's most valuable assets. The Battenkill Runs Through It Beach & Music Festival offers a way to celebrate together and a chance to show off the best of Washington County while reminding us of the importance of caring for the Battenkill watershed.

Entry tickets (which include a picnic plate) are $12 for Adults, $8 for Youth, $35 for a family of four (2 Adults, 2 Youth) and Free for Kids under 6 and can be purchased at the Greenwich Chamber office. Call 518-677-2545 or email bc@battenkillconservancy.org for advance entry and raffle tickets ($5 each or 5 for $20). For more information, visit www.battenkillconservancy.org.

Sundae on the Farm While growing numbers of people shop at farmers' markets and roadside stands, not many have the opportunity to experience agriculture first-hand… to learn how the food we eat (and some of the fiber we wear, or the fuel we consume) is produced. The Saratoga County Agricultural Promotion Committee provides that critical link between the farming community and the public-at-large by holding an open house at a different farm each year. Area residents can visit a real working farm, learn about local agriculture, and realize the importance of a viable agricultural industry in Saratoga County; an annual impact of approximately $180 Million to our local economy.

chefs featuring local farm products. Fifty South in Ballston Spa, and the Cock 'n Bull Restaurant in Galway, are two participating restaurants which regularly use locally produced ingredients.

Plenty of food is served at “Sundae on the Farm” including: hotdogs, hamburgers, sausage & peppers, Stewart's Ice Cream with Sundae's Best Hot Fudge, strawberries or maple topping, and Pie a la mode featuring homemade pies from Smith's Orchard Bake Shop.

Take home the bounty of Saratoga County with products from a Farmer's Market on-site. Parking is plentiful and several trams (with farm-savvy hosts on board for questions and answers) will transport Saratoga County's 17th Annual “Sundae on the Farm” will be held on visitors between the parking area and the farm.

Sunday June 17 at Eildon Tweed Farm on 1253 Eastern Avenue in the Town of Charlton. The annual event, taking place from 12:00 pm Saratoga County's “Sundae on the Farm”, a successful educational through 4:00 pm, showcases the breadth and significance of effort to promote local agriculture, has become a model emulated by agriculture in Saratoga County and is enjoyed by approximately 2,500 many other counties. The event is organized by the Saratoga County visitors each year. The popular farm tour and festival has also been Agricultural Promotion Committee and sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, American Farmland Trust, held in the towns of Northumberland and Saratoga.

Saratoga County Farm Bureau, and the Town of Charlton with support “Sundae on the Farm” is fun and educational for the whole family- a from the Saratoga County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board. perfect way to spend Father's Day Sunday together. Free events include guided tours of the dairy farm, children's activities, spelling For more information, please visit: www.saratogafarms.com The bee and ice cream eating contest, farm animals to see, horse-drawn public is invited to experience this year's event in Charlton and see wagon rides, live music, agricultural exhibits, and demonstrations by what all the fun is about!

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Joys of Functional Living

By Mary Beth McCue, RD, CDN

Gardening WITHOUT A GARDEN... ...simple ideas that will change your life.

It use to amaze me how much we all are so similar in our priorities and what our challenges are in relation to them, especially when it comes to health. It doesn't any longer. We all need love and nurturance in order to thrive.

Having more accessibility to clean whole sustainable foods provides this and so much more in our lives. A clean, whole organic plant-based diet trumped all conversations at every meeting I attended, lecture I presented, and exhibit I provided in the past couple months. It was, and is the priority because it is NOT the norm in our culture to have sustainable foods highly available and

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convenient for us to purchase.

The conversations at Donna Karens' home in Manhattan in February; a gathering celebrating Mark Hymans latest book “The Blood Sugar Solution”, the main message at the 4 day seminar on “Food, Mood and the Brain” taught by functional medicine physicians and psychiatrists, the materials I provided at the Autism Fair at Skidmore College, speaking at my old High School, and the foundation of the conversations in my private practice - all have one huge thing in common….”Living a healthy happy life starts with what we put into our body….period.

The best diet is a whole plant based local and sustainable diet.” You can make a huge difference this season by raising the bar with what you eat, and what you grow.

Organic gardening is the oldest, cheapest most simple and most practical means of growing vegetables that has ever, and continues to, exists. There is something very satisfying and transformative about growing and eating your own food. If you think you don't have the space or it is too complicated, think again!

Whether you looking to gain energy, lose weight, resolve depression, recover from pain, reverse the aging effects on the body inside and out, or want to detox, your integrative health practitioner will insist you base your diet plant-based- local and sustainable foods.

Let “simple” be your mantra 1- Choose a place and/or method in terms of

the growing space. (See ideas to the right) 2Go to your local garden store, organic farmer, on-line organic mail order or visit a local cooperative extension such as Cornell in this area. www.cce.cornell.edu. 3- Purchase organic seeds for 4 - 6 different vegetables.

How many can you plant while keeping it enjoyable and simple? Consider choosing vegetables you will use in a salad plus 2 or 3 more you can have as side vegetables at dinner meal. 4- Ask for organic soil, preferable composted soil. 5- Learn how to compost and add to your own soil as your plant grow.

1 Increase growing space in a small space by using a wooden pallet garden. 2. Easy Herb Garden can be created in canning jars. 3. Rain Gutters easily mount to a wall or balcony railing for plants that don't have deep roots.

4. To grow larger plants, create self-irigating planters made from plastic tubs are a great idea.

Complement your garden with biweekly runs to the farmers market for your produce needs and more. Or team with a friend and take turns picking up produce from local farmers.

See what the conversations are at these places and discover more ways people are creating health and success in their lives.

Mary Beth McCue RD, CDN of Saratoga Nutrition is an Integrative Dietitian & certified Nutritionist in downtown Saratoga Springs, NY with more than 20 yrs experience in clinical, community, corporate, counseling, speaking and more.

She has successfully assisted many including herself- to health and recovery. www.saratoganutrition.com, and see her blog on Saratoga.com

Holistic Health

By Dr. Jessica Davis

Planting the Seeds for a Healthy Gut Serotonin, dopamine and others are the chemicals that play a role in depression, anxiety and other mood problems, and are responsible for connecting the brain and gut with responses like “butterflies in our stomach” when we're nervous.

Hosts our bacterial buddies: The gut environment maintains the balance of good and bad bacteria. Antibiotics, stress, poor nutrition and other causes can shift the balance and allow the bad bacteria to take over.

DID YOU KNOW...?

• Babies and their guts are sterile until they are born.

• We have 10 times as many bacterial cells as human cells in our body!

• Adult guts contain approximately 3 pounds of bacteria.

• Over 70% of our immune system is in the walls of the gut.

Planting the seeds. So how do you go from zero to four pounds of microscopic 'friends'? It all starts at birth. If everything is able to proceed the way nature intended, colonization starts with the trip through the birth canal, followed soon after by nursing. Baby's first bacteria are planted by mom, which she partially inherited from her mom, and so on.

Unfortunately this cycle has been significantly interrupted in the last 50+ years, with the prevalence of formula feeding and cesarean deliveries.

Filters water, nutrients and waste: The gut lining lets in the things we need, absorbing water and nutrients from our food, and keeps out the waste products like undigestible fiber and dead bacteria so they can be eliminated.

Why do we care? When these functions are not working well, we feel sick, and not just with the usual digestive symptoms like diarrhea or constipation. Researchers are discovering that our gut health plays a role in many health issues like food allergies, autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disease.

Planting the seeds for a healthy gut. If we think back to where our gut bacteria come from and imagine an ideal scenario for gut health, we would all be born to moms who had natural births and breastfed us exclusively for at least 6 months. Baby's first solids would be after 6 months, starting with organic veggies and fruits.

Families would continue healthy eating habits, WHAT DOES A HEALTHY GUT DO? Digests food: The uses motion and enzymes to with nutrient dense whole foods and healthy break down food from bite sized chunks into fats. We would have far less antibiotics, molecules of nutrients that can be absorbed and stomach infections, and toxic exposures from our environment. used by the rest of the body.

Provides Immunity: the gut lining is a key component in our immune system, providing an important barrier. If this barrier is unhealthy or 'leaky' - bigger molecules can sneak through and cause trouble. When these chunks get through the first line of defense, other cells in the immune system react to them as foreign invaders and cause inflammation and allergic reactions.

Makes serotonin & other neurotransmitters: The gut has its own enteric nervous system. It is essentially a second brain that can act independently of the one in our heads.

Since it is almost impossible to find anyone who could meet these criteria in today's reality, and many of the factors are out of our control, most of us are walking around with some level of gut problems. How can we heal our own guts and give our children the best start with theirs? Stay tuned for Cultivating a Healthy Gut (part 2 of the series) to learn more!

Jessica Davis MD practices in Stillwater NY as “The New Mom’s Family Doctor”. She is board certified in Family Medicine and Integrative Medicine, and also practices Medical Acupuncture. For more information call 877-6646116 or visit www.jessicadavismd.com

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The Green Designer

By Sophie Castro & Karen Totino

The Hardwick “Whey” There is something happening in Hardwick, Vermont. Vermont Natural Coatings is helping lead the “whey” to a local economy that thrives on food, agriculture and environmentally safe products and solutions.

PolyWhey started as collaboration among farmers, furniture makers and scientists at the University of Vermont to expand the value of Vermont’s agricultural and forestry industries. Vermont Natural Coatings’ patented natural wood finish formula is an important advance over existing water-based finishes in application, quality, and environmental safety. By using recycled whey protein they eliminate the need for heavy metal driers and displace both the toxic co-binders and carcinogenic solvents typically found in wood finish. Whey is a natural byproduct of cheese-making, a traditional strength of Vermont agriculture.

Excess whey can end up on fields and in streams. To help keep Vermont farms and waterways clear of excess whey, their goal is to reuse as much of this byproduct as possible in durable, safe coatings for your home. A neutral odor, great coverage, quick drying, and easy cleanup make the PolyWhey

family of finishes tough, environmentally smart coatings for all interior and exterior wood surfaces. It’s safe enough to coat food bins or outdoor raised planters that will grow food.

“We are a small company with a big mission,” says Andrew “If more people knew we were available as an alternative to chemically based products, we could make a bigger difference in the market and make homes healthier while improving the lives of our customers.”

VNC’s founder Andrew Meyer is one of the original members of the Center for an Agricultural Economy, a non-profit that conducts research and educates the community on food and agricultural value-added products.

Vermont Natural Coatings actively supports CAE as we work to enhance the strength of Vermont rural communities, promote stewardship of Vermont agriculture, while protecting and enhancing the environment through the use of sustainable agricultural practices and products. The Center programs are based on the defining and implementation of a viable 21st century food system which envisions communities capable of dealing with opportunities and threats to our regional food and natural resource system.

Next time, when your body alerts you with symptoms, before you reach for a pill to make the painful sign go away, ask WHY! Why is my body acting this way and what can I do to help it function better. That’s what we do at AAC; evaluate your body and how it’s functioning. Then we can provide the proper care and coach you to make better choices so you can lead a healthier, happy, drug-free life! Until next time, Be Well!

Karen Totino own’s Green Conscience Home & Garden, 33 Church St, in Saratoga Springs.

Green Conscience is the local Vermont Natural Coatings dealer and a retail showroom that offers a variety of organic, eco-friendly home improvement products. Call 518-306-5196 or email Karen@green-conscience.com.

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Money Matters

By Harry Moran, CFP® AIF®

Local First! life, and neighborhoods because they and their families are part of the community. They reenergize areas that may otherwise become blighted, and they purchase products from other local organizations, thereby multiplying the impact of our dollars on the Capital Region's economy.

On May 17th, Local First of the Capital Region hosted the first Local Lift Symposium at Hudson Valley Community College’s TEC SMART campus in Malta. The event brought together a diverse group of participants whose work centers around the conviction that supporting and energizing local business is the key to a more sustainable economic future. While I realize I may be preaching to the choir, I’d like to take this opportunity to reinforce the critical importance of buying local.

A vibrant, locally owned, independent business community is essential for building a "local, living economy”. Such an economy is focused on local, independent ownership that enhances the social fairness, community spirit, financial vitality, and environmental health of our region. This is commerce based on connection and relationships, not on extraction of wealth and resources in a cold, fast transaction-based system in which it’s rare for consumers to know the producers of the goods they’re buying. Local businesses add a “sense of place” and heart to the neighborhoods where they are located and typically offer unique goods and personalized services. They genuinely care about our region’s environment, quality of

While this emphasis on buying local has the feel of being something new and revolutionary, it really represents a return to a way of being that previous generations enjoyed. Our ancestors furthered sustainability as a natural consequence of their behavior. It was, of course, never an option for them to buy cheap, low quality merchandise made by poorly paid and treated laborers from distant lands from big box retail stores who siphoned wealth out of their community. In its current distorted form, global capitalism builds great wealth for the select few but has created a system which isn’t sustainable economically or ecologically.This model requires a steady stream of new consumer markets and cheap natural and human resources to maintain the growth necessary to perpetuate it. Every time we go to the gas pump, we’re reminded that resources like oil are finite and that much higher prices are inevitable over the long run. People can argue over exactly how long it will take to exhaust our oil supplies but there is no argument that the day will come. Products that are made locally will increasingly become more attractive as energy prices increase transportation costs.

This trend will be accelerated if our government stops directly and indirectly subsidizing big oil so that the price of oil and gas accurately reflects the true cost, including all of the externalities such as environmental degradation that are currently borne by taxpayers.

In this season of endless campaign rhetoric and discussion of our still troubling unemployment numbers, it’s also important to keep in mind that local businesses are the primary engine for new jobs. Small, local businesses contribute proportionately more to the local tax base.

Because of their deep roots, they also don’t pick up and move away when offered economic and tax incentives elsewhere. These businesses invest in all of our communities, regardless of their socio-economic conditions, and therefore are catalysts for neighborhood revitalization. Local business answers to community stakeholders, not just shareholders, so they’re not compelled to put profits before people in order to generate shortterm financial gain.

Remember, every dollar we spend, save or invest has an impact. Let’s harness that power to build the strong local economy that we need for a future that is truly sustainable.

Harry Moran helps socially conscious investors define and achieve their highest goals by aligning their money with their values. A 25-year veteran of the financial services profession, Mr. Moran has held the Certified Financial Planner® designation since 1991. He is a member of First Affirmative Financial Network, a national professional organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the socially conscious investing community, and a member of the Impact Investing Division of Portfolio Resources Advisor Group, a registered investment adviser. Mr. Moran can be reached directly at Sustainable Wealth Advisors at hmoran@prg-group.net or 518-450-1755.

Mention of specific securities, funds, or companies should not be considered an offer or a recommendation to buy or sell the security, fund, or company. To determine the suitability of any particular investment, please consult with your investment adviser. Remember, past performance is no guarantee of future results and no investment strategy can assure success. The opinions expressed are those of the author and may change without notice. Securities offered through Portfolio Resources Group, Inc., member FINRA, SIPC, MSRB, SIFMA.

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TAKE A WALK

ON THE WILD SIDE...

AT VILLAGE PIZZERIA IN GALWAY STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID DELOZIER The term “locavore” is often associated with folks who seek the sustenance from a 100 mile radius. It ‘s part of the trend to seek healthier, “greener” diets and lifestyles, something that we here at eco-LOCAL have been advocating from the start. Here in Upstate New York, we are blessed with numerous food producers, growers, and farmers markets to choose from to access local food. But one source for local food is often overlooked, and it’s perhaps the most nutritious, and arguable the most delicious option, and it’s right under our noses – that is, if we take the time to venture into the wild patch of woods in our own backyards or in one of the many nearby natural areas in midst. I am talking of course, about edible wild plants. And Spring is perhaps the best time to “go wild” and forage for something good to eat. Young shoots and developing plants are at their tastiest moment as they emerge from the ground, but don’t just grab anything. Grab a book on wild-crafting, or find a friend who has experience.

One new convert to the wild food foraging is Sandy Foster, proprietor of the Village Pizzeria and Ristorante in West Galway, on Route 29 just west of Saratoga Springs. I got a call from Sandy a couple of weeks ago, and she was bubbling with excitement. For those of you who know Sandy, this is nothing new – she is always excited about something. In this case, it was about what was growing ion the nearby woods. “You’ve got to come see the ramps and fiddleheads!” she exclaimed. I was jazzed, too, because those two items are the treats of Spring in upstate New York. So I head over to Galway to meet Sandy. When I get there, she takes me over to the property adjacent to the restaurant, just to the west of the parking lot. “Look at em all!” Sandy squeals with joy, pointing to a large cluster of ramps on the forest floors. She grabs a potato hook that had been placed against a tree, and proceeds to dig. Sandy pulls the prize from the ground and shows them off. Ramps have a small bulb like a green ecolocalliving.com 13

onion but with broad green leaves instead of tubular spikes. The taste is a wonderful sharp garlic-onion flavor, which is great all by itself sautéed in olive oil and tossed onto a bed of pasta.

We go back to the restaurant kitchen and immediately goes to work chopping the ramps, and sautéing them in olive oil. She then places the green goodness onto a bed of angel hair pasta and hands me the plate. I dig in, and the flavors explode upon my palate. The smooth, fruity olive oil spreads the garlicky sharpness all over my mouth. It’s a wild taste sensation! And so simple.

Sandy explains that she is offering the ramps as a topping on pizza as a seasonal specialty.

And she’s making pasta dishes with fiddlehead ferns. “I could take you to my fiddlehead stash but I’d have to blindfold you first,” Sandy laughed. Fiddle heads are the young shoots of certain ferns, and the just emerging coiled shoots are a delicacy. And also available for a limited time only. Thus, the secret stash. “There’s all this great food in the woods,” exclaimed Sandy. “You just have to know where to look.”

There’s another wild side the Village Pizzeria – the wine cellar. Sandy and her husband Joe Guerrera are hard core wine enthusiasts, and have what is probably the best, most comprehensive wine collection in the region. Sandy and Joe travel to Italy every Autumn to find great wine for the restaurant. There efforts have won them Wine Spectator awards every year. In 2011, Village Pizzeria won the double glass award for excellence in wine selection. Sandy invites me down to the wine cellar, which is simply the basement of the old roadhouse.

It’s more like a cave, with low ceiling, stone walls and portions dug 14 ecolocalliving.com

out of the earth to make room for the wine bottles. Wine bottles packed into every nook and cranny! This is wild! I have to crouch to negotiate through the labyrinth. Sandy points to a scrolled iron case, with a lock on it. “That’s the really good stuff,” she says.

Nobody goes in there but me.

every moment. Sandy invites everyone to help out in the fight against breast cancer, by coming to her “Toast to the Ta-Ta’s” on May 24th and august 13th to raise funds for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. With wine, food, fun, and a silent auction of all locally donated items, it is one wild party you won’t want to miss!

We return back up to the kitchen, where Sandy’s daughter, Jessica, is prepping the lettuce for tonight’s meal. We talk about the gluten free options on the menu, and how they’ve been received. Village Pizzeria began serving gluten free pizza and pasta and beer for four years now, and they’ve now become renowned in the region for it.

Jessica explained that they get all their dough from Sherry Lynn’s in Latham. “We keep it separate from all the flour around here, so that there’s no contamination,” she said. “It’s been a huge hit,” she continued. “We get people in here from all over. We have a family in Clifton Park that orders take out pizza from us. Imagine all the other pizza shops they must pass by!” That’s wild!

Village Pizzeria and Ristorante is located 10 miles west of Saratoga Springs on Route 29, in the small hamlet of West Galway. 518-882-5431 www.villagepizzeria.com

The banter goes back and forth between Sandy, Joe and Jessica. This is one wild bunch, who love each other and love what they are doing.

And it shows…in the food, in the wine, and in their passion to share it with all who walk through their doors. There’s a chain Italian joint that claims that ‘when you’re here, you’re family,” but this is the real deal. The Village Pizzeria family stretches all the way to Italy, as everyone who has met Sandy, Joe and Jessica have been enamored by their love of life.

Speaking of life...Sandy see every day as a gift. As a breast cancer survivor, she knows that she is here by the grace of God, and treasures

Sandy Foster, Joe Guerrera and Jessica Mancinone

ecolocalliving.com 15

Think of great wine and the famous viticulture regions of the world should come to mind - Tuscany in Italy, Burgundy in France, Napa in California, Aconcagua in Chili, the Capital Region in New York‌wait - the Capital Region? Since when has the Capital Region of New York been know as a place for growing grapes? And growing grapes to make wine? Here? Growing grapes north of Albany is a fool's errand, you might say. Other regions within New York have certainly become renowned for viticulture - the Finger Lakes, Long Island, even the mid-Hudson valley. But the north of Albany? The experts have already spoken‌its too cold; it's too humid; there's not enough sun; the growing season is too short. But don't tell that to the few hardy souls who have gone ahead and are doing just that - growing grapes and making wine - in the Upper Hudson Valley. Good wine. Who are they?

ALTAMONT VINEYARD AND WINERY Perhaps the first brave soul to defy the odds and plant a vineyard north of Albany was Larry Grossi, a first generation Italian immigrant who feel in love with a piece of land in the hills outside of Altamont, in the

northwest part Albany County. The sloping hillside facing the sun's warmth reminded him of his boyhood home in Italy. And in Italy, grapes are grown everywhere. So why not here, Larry surmised. He bought the property as a place to retire and live his dream of being a vintner. He bought some vines from the horticulture lab at Cornell University, planted them, and they thrived.

Larry expanded the vineyard, experimenting with many types of grapes. His humble estate, named simply “Larry's Vineyard,” filled with grape vines - 12 acres of them, and the wines he produced began to win medals.

Sadly, at the peak of his craft, Larry Grossi had succumbed to the ravages of lung cancer.

The vines rested..and waited. Until the day that Louis DiCrescenzo and son Michael were somehow called to the property. Louis, too was an Italian immigrant. He, too, wanted to find a place to retire and make wine. And there it was, Larry's Vineyard, waiting for him.

Calling him. It was destiny. The DiCrescenzo pair acquired the property, and immediately set about cleaning up the vineyard.

Overgrown and full of weeds, it was a daunting task. But they got it done, and 2010 was their first vintage year.

The DiCrescenzo's found that the “terrior” of the place could produce wines similar to the classic European viticulture regions. The sedimentary rock soils impart a character to the grapes that is atypical of other New York wines. The Passionne has the earthy flavor that people have compared to a Spanish Granache. Their Leon Millot is a nice Burgundian style red, similar to a pinot noir fruit forward with a nice dry finish. Edelweiss is a German style white wine similar to those produced in the Rhine River region.

The DiCrescenzo's were smitten. “It's one thing to just make wine from someone else's grapes,” said Michael. “But it becomes a spiritual thing to grow the grapes and then make the wine from them yourself. You can grow it a specific way that you want, and harvest it when you feel it is ready, so it has your signature all over it.”

The weather certainly has challenged the DiCrescenzo pair. Late frost can kill the budding vines; sometimes it's too dry, other time it's too wet. And sometimes, the stars align and everything is perfect. Through it all, the winemaker must make the wine with what nature provides. “I can't imagine doing anything else,' said Michael.

Look for Altamont Winery and Vineyard booth

at the Farmers Markets in Ballston Spa, Troy, Schenectady Greenmarket, and the Empire State Plaza.

AMICI/AMORICI VINEYARD WINERY Joe Messina has been a foodie all his life.

With a flair for food, he was drawn into the restaurant business. From there, he built a wholesale gourmet food specialty business, delivering things like wild boar and venison to some of the trendiest restaurants up and down the east coast. And through it all, there was the wine. Messina has been making wine for most of his life, carrying on the tradition of his family heritage. The business end was conceived after some wine enthusiast friends were impressed with his craft, and asked if he could make some for them in the next batch. “They were serious collectors of wine,” recalls Messina, “so their enthusiasm inspired me to go into the business of winemaking.” There was also a lifestyle change in the new venture. Messina had been looking for something new, so why not make more wine? He had moved to a farm in the Town of Easton, Washington County several years prior, and the land, too, was in need of a new purpose. “When the people asked me to make wine for them

privately, I looked at my property here and thought, maybe I have good, and bad. The sheep certainly ate the grass, but also took a liking something here,” he recalled. “So eight years ago, I bought my first to the grape vines, too. Bye, Bye, black sheep. Undeterred, this year Joe is trying a new animal companion - ducks. Weed Quackers, to be vine stock.” specific. A domesticated Mallard, they are voracious eaters of grass, CHICKENS, DUCKS AND DOGS IN THE VINEYARD? OH, MY! but won't eat woody things like grape vines. And their poo helps The idea of the winery came from friends sharing wine together. Thus, fertilize the soil as they mow. He could be on to something. Whatever the name, Amici, which is 'friend' in Italian, is apropos. From the the Weed Quackers don't consume, Messina will occasionally burn the outset, Messina wanted to grow the grapes biodynamically, without unwanted vegetation with a propane torch. chemicals of any kind. A daunting challenge in the humid northeast, even in the best conditions. Many vintners use pesticides to control And then there's Gi Gi, the black lab. “She's an employee here, just the insect profusion that can plague vineyard in the humid northeast. like the chickens and ducks,” Messina points out. His dog is being Messina, eschewing the chemical abatements, has instead brought in trained to keep out furry predators, like deer and raccoons, which like chickens. Chicken love bugs. He calls them his Pest Patrol. They eat the grapes and the foliage. Gi Gi must also protect her feathered friends, as they are under constant threat of becoming dinner for a fox the bugs, their larvae, and produce eggs as a by-product. Not bad. or fisher.

Another problem facing the vintner is the growth of weeds and grasses around the vines. Left unattended, they compete with the grape vines IN BACCHUS WE TRUST for sun, moisture and nutrients. The common abatement for many Messina is quick to point out that he does not make the wine vintners is a chemical herbicide. Messina, looking for natural methods, Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, is at work here. Messina is merely decided to introduce sheep into the vineyard last year. The result was the agent of Bacchus, blending and nurturing the product that Bacchus has made. Besides his own grapes, Messina uses grapes from the Finger Lakes to produce a strictly New York grown product. He's also buying apples from Saratoga Apple in Schuylerville and honey from Betterbee in Greenwich to make a special Apple Honey Port, an all local product. Amici has added a tasting room last year, and will be open Friday through Sunday through the summer and fall months.

There you can sample the Amici Cabernet Franc, Dry Rose, Dry Riesling, Dry Cayuga and the latest creation, the Easy Street Red. NATURAL SELECTION VINEYARD Washington County is home to another adventurous soul growing grapes to make wine. Ken Denburg is full time professor at RPI in Troy, but has a part time obsession of growing fruit on his small farm in the town of Cambridge. I met Denberg in late April while he was pruning the vines before the start of the spring growth. He meticulously cuts last year's gangly growth from the primary vines. The wine making process begins with the pruning of the vineyard in the spring, he told me. Attention to detail here will help the vines produce the best fruit to make the wine.

Denberg planted his first vines about seven years ago. He chose the cold-hardy hybrid grapes like the Marquette from the University of Minnesota, and Geneva Number 7 from Cornell University. “When I started, I didn't know anything about tension wires, or spacing,” he said, pointing to the rows of grape vines. “But when I see how it's turned out, it's turned out all right.”

Before the vineyard, Denberg was primarily a hobby gardener and fruit grower. “I've been gardening all my life, and got into blueberries almost 20 years ago. Then I tried raspberries, but quit because they were too much work and too much trouble when harvested,” he said.

Picked raspberries have a short shelf life and mold easily. The south facing field behind his home on Darwin Road used to grow corn.

Fallow for many years with just hay, Denberg saw it as the perfect place to plant a vineyard.

It takes 5 years to get a grape vine to a productive stage to harvest, and then fermented and aged at least six months for the white and a year or more for the reds before bottling. Denberg is only just begun to see the fruits of his labor. In 2010, he produced 300 pounds of grapes. In 2011, he got 1200 pounds - a marked increase. “I should have gotten a ton, but the huge amount of rain that came with Hurricane Irene damaged a large amount of the crop,” he noted.

Denberg's first go at making wine produced from his own grapes was with that 2010 harvest. “I made about 200 bottles of wine, and I practically gave it away, because I didn't know whether people would like it,” he commented. “And it went so quickly, I couldn't believe it.”

People were very pleased with it and he was flattered by their comments about the quality. In 2011, he sold somewhere around 250 gallons, with the demand for the outstripping his supply. At the peak, he was selling about 100 bottles a week. When I asked if he wished he had more, Denberg said he's that it's a good problem to have.

“You want demand high, supply will catch up with it later,” he quipped.

When it works, it works really, really well. With a good crop comes good wine. When it doesn't work, then it's very frustrating. There are a lot of variables, and there's a lot of risk. Mother Nature is in control.

“If you're not willing to gamble, then you're in the wrong game,” Denberg advised. “So I'm not quitting my day job…yet.”

In addition to good weather, wine needs time. Denberg lets his signature Handsome Farmer Red sit for one solid year in oak barrels.

It's made of a blend of the Marquette and Geneva grapes. The actual proportions are a trade secret. When it comes to the flavor, Denberg says that the best strategy is to let wine speak for itself, “I say as little as possible. I could say anything about it - it's got this flavor or that. But people just want to know that it's good!”

Denberg's dream is to retire from academia soon and put his passion toward the vineyard, and the wine. “It's been quite a time here,” he said with a smile. “I wish I had started it twenty years ago!”

LEDGE ROCK HILL WINERY If some people think it's a crazy idea to attempt to grow grapes in the Upper Hudson Valley, then Gary Akrop must be a real nut job. Akrop's

Ledge Rock Hill Winery is in the Adirondacks, a place better know for Spruces and Pines than grapes. But up on the flank of a mountain just south of the Great Sacandaga Lake, Akrop has planted a small vineyard of Marquette grapes, and now has the coveted distinction of “Adirondack Grown” for one of his many wines.

Going north out of Saratoga Springs, Just south of the village of Corinth, a little sign on the edge of the road reads simply “Winery” with an arrow pointing left. Follow the signs up and around and then down. And when you think you missed it, there it is - a gravel drive leading up to an unpretentious board and batten structure tucked into the woods. Don't let the drive, nor the appearance fool you. Inside, the wine is fine.

Gary Akrop is bit of a control freak when it comes to making wine. He started in the early 1980's, and in his pursuit of good grapes, he wasn't happy just buying the grapes, he wanted to oversee the grapes. In order to control the process - the pruning, the maintaining, the harvesting, he ended up leasing two blocks of vines from a California vineyard near Napa. He's since gone on to lease additional vines in the Finger Lakes of New York for the Marquette grape. “I developed a relationship with these farmers and they allow me to control the process,” Akrop remarked. He travels to visit his grapes a couple of times a year, and has them harvested and shipped to his winery on his command.

Akrop seems to revel in the detail. “My approach to wine making is that, the simpler you make process the simpler the wine becomes,” he noted. “The complexity dies. The harder the process is - lifting the barrels, cleaning the barrels, things some people try to get away from the business, it adds complexity to the wine.” The species of oak, how they are made, and of course, the grapes that go into them, and the

aging time - all of important, says Akrop. He purchases his oak barrels from old world craftsmen who build them the same way as there fathers and grandfathers did. The barrel-making is a craft, just as is the winemaking. And just as important as the grapes, say Akrop.

Because Gary Akrop's passion is making fine wine, his goal has been to feature the best of California and New York's Finger Lakes at this obscure location in the southern Adirondacks.

In his desire to make a New York only product, he found the Marquette grape to be well suited for cold temperatures. He saw it perform successfully in the Finger Lakes, so why not try to grow some in the Adirondacks?

Akrop set about clearing about an acre, and planted a block of the Marquette grapes. The reached maturity last year, and Akrop now proudly claims to have made the first wine made with 100% Adirondack grown grapes.

He is pretty excited, because his Finger Lakes Marquette has been winning medals. “My 2009 won a double gold in a contest in Florida, even though it was a terrible growing season in the Finger Lakes,” he exclaimed.

Akrop continued, “My 2010 medaled in another contest, and it contained 20% of my Adirondack grapes in it. The 2011 release will

be 100% my own grapes.” “Would you like to try some?” he asked. Of course, I said, and with that, he dipped the wine thief into a barrel and poured the contents into a wine glass. The red liquid shimmered in the dim light of the aging room. I took a sip, and the cherry and chocolate flavor notes danced in my palette. Hmm - Adirondack Red…it's got a nice ring to it. Sounds like a winner. I'll drink to that!

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Altamont Vineyard Winery, 3001 Furbeck Rd., Altamont, NY 12009, (518) 355 8100, www.altamontwinery.com Amici/Amorici Winery, 637 Colonel Burch Rd., Valley Falls, NY 12185. Call (518) 330-7357. www.amicivineyard.com Natural Selection Vineyard, 85 Darwin Rd., Cambridge, NY 12816. Call (518) 677-5208 Ledge Rock Hill Winery, 41 Stewart Dam Rd., Corinth, NY 12822 Call (518) 654-5467. www.lrhwinery.com

Now sharpening reel lawn mowers.

ecolocalliving.com 21

LOCAL FRESH FOODS THE BASIS OF HEALTH STORY BY DAVID DELOZIER AND NATE DARROW FOR THE REGIONAL FARM AND FOOD PROJECT

Hearty, robust, vigorous, strong, sound, well. What do all these words have in common? They describe health, a general physical condition of wholesomeness, freedom from ailment, in other words, soundness. Health can be used to describe an individual, the economy, the environment and even a community. And interestingly enough, food is the common denominator for all these not-so-separate systems. Food connects us all.

Healthy individuals are nourished by wholesome foods, foods that are minimally processed, fresh, and perhaps even locally grown. We have heard "you are what you eat" for good reason.

Consumption of foods with ample nutrients and fiber are what our bodies need not only for sustenance, but to provide energy, to help with immunity and for growth and development in our early years.

Empty calories of highly processed foods may give us temporary energy, but contribute significantly to our growing obesity. As our waist-lines expand, so too does the list of weight related illnesses: heart disease, diabetes, and stroke just to name a few. If we want to be healthy, we have to eat healthy. We don't necessarily have to rely on medications for treatment to some of these weight-related illnesses. We can be proactive. Good foundations not only contribute to solid structures, they also build healthy bodies. A healthy diet is the very beginning.

We can choose to build that foundation with highly processed foods or we can choose fresh fruits and vegetables. And better yet is choosing locally grown fruits and vegetables. In this way we are not only nourishing ourselves, but with our purchasing dollars we are contributing to our local businesses, helping to maintain healthy communities. Agriculture has long been the foundation to small, rural 22 ecolocalliving.com

towns and villages. Farmers buy supplies and equipment, they require local services, and they participate and volunteer in civic positions. The money that a local farmer spends travels throughout a community in what is known as the "multiplier effect".

When you spend your dollar buying a Washington State apple, the money gets divided up among all those participating in this long national food system: the retailer, the distributor, the packer and finally back to the farmer in Washington.

But when you buy a New York apple directly from a New York farmer your money goes directly to the farmer who in turn purchases, invests and contributes to his or her local community.

Being careful about what you purchase is as important as where you purchase.

Healthy food connects healthy people, healthy farms and healthy communities. The best source for healthy food is local, naturally raised food. Due to the natural aging process, fresh fruits and vegetables that travel thousands of miles, loose nutrients along the way. Not only is local food more nutritious but it tastes better. That's because commercial varieties were developed for their transportation qualities, not for taste. For example, the most flavorful strawberry is only available from a local farm, because these berries don't ship well. You also don't have to pay for the packaging materials and the shipping charges when the farm you buy from is just down the road. You reduce the amount of environmental pollutants and contribute to a healthier environment. When you get to know your local farmer you get to know who grows your food, and how it's grown. Developing a good working relationship with a local farmer is like developing your own food security plan. Healthy people, healthy farms and healthy environments are possible when the choice is made to buy local.

Making a healthy local food choice is not always easy. It might mean an extra stop on the way home from work. It might require giving up a weekend morning to go picking. Buying local may require you to learn some new skills, like cooking from scratch or learning how to freeze, can or dry certain foods. Eating well may require you to give up you favorite fast-food restaurant and to look more carefully at your home town diner's menu. You may have to make specific requests of your local farmer, your local grocery store, or even your local school. Honest rewards, like good health, come to those who are willing to make such an effort.

You will not be alone however. Across this country, around the globe, people are looking to reclaim their health, their communities and their economy and food- nutritious, local, wholesome fresh food- is at the foundation of their fight.

Health is a choice and your purchasing dollar is powerful to building local health. The decision to buy fresh, wholesome and local positively benefits yourself, your local farm, your local economy, your local community and your local environment. The choice to buy local may not be easy, but it will be effective and the results long lasting.

We hope you choose to buy fresh and local and we hope that you will join us to learn more.

Join Us: An Invitation from Slow Food Saratoga Region In 1986 Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini stood in front of the Spanish Steps in Rome, pasta in hand, protesting what would be the first McDonalds in Italy.

Meanwhile in California, chef Alice Waters became the leader of farm fresh cuisine through her passion to serve the highest quality food in her restaurant Chez Panisse. The seeds of the Slow Food Movement were planted when people all over the world sensed a threat to local food culture. Both Petrini and Waters saw that the presence of powerful agribusiness and their homogenized food products easily dominated the local farmer growing heirloom vegetables or raising a heritage breed of pig in danger of extinction.

Today big business is even more of a threat to local food culture, our community’s collective knowledge of food, and the diversity that makes it unique and wonderful.

Slow Food is an international movement that supports local food and sustainability. What makes Slow Food unique is that the activism stems from emotion. At the core of Slow Food is the fact that enjoying food makes life more meaningful. Some people would argue that there is a lot of joy in a Big Mac, but I think it’s hard to argue that eating a Big Mac is meaningful. When you respect the food you eat, because you’ve walked on the land where it grew or because you know the person who raised it, you show respect for yourself and respect for the environment. When you sit down with your family for a healthy, delicious meal and everyone is smiling because they can taste the difference, there is so much meaning in that. The kind of meaning that makes life memorable. It’s not the rushing around, or eating hastily in the car that matters; it’s taking the time to make the right food choices, and putting emotion into preparing it for the people you love. If you can take the time to make more thoughtful decisions about food (and why can’t you?), slow is better.

Part of Slow Food Saratoga Region’s mission is food education; showing kids that carrots come covered in dirt, and exposing people to things they’ve never tasted. On a local level we want people to be excited about food. First comes the magic and surprise of tasting something new, then the appreciation, and then respect for the people and land that make it all possible.

Slow Food’s mission is to support Good, Clean and Fair food and the goal is to make these choices more widely available. The Farmers’ Market may seem expensive at first, but the truth is that the real cost of food at the supermarket is externalized and the burden falls on the environment. In America we believe that bigger is better, but if we can downsize our appetites and be satisfied with better quality in a smaller quantity, we’ll be better off. Instead of eating steak everyday, preparing it once for a big Sunday feast becomes a celebration, something to look forward to and savor.

We also want to get people excited about preparing food. There is so much magic in creating a meal that is more than the sum of its parts. Our potluck dinners are a great opportunity for people to come together, share recipes and linger over the wonders of cooking.

In the Capital Region and upstate New York we have a food culture to be proud of. We are surrounded by farms that grow beautiful produce all year round, and our farmers are open and welcoming. We can find locally raised meat and artisanal cheeses and we can buy them directly from the producer.

Celebrating food and preserving our local food culture go hand in hand.

Come join us for a potluck dinner or one of our restaurant meals, bring the kids to a farm tour, join our mailing list so we can share our passion for food with you. By connecting through food and beginning this journey of pleasure, appreciation and respect, our local food culture will grow and thrive. ~ Arielle Landsberg, President Slow Food Saratoga Region ecolocalliving.com 23

Life… Stylized!

By Kevin B. Carey, Communication Coach at lifestylized.com

Memory is a Broken Mirror monster breakfast of eggs, toast, butter, jam, spring cabbage, fried mushrooms, and meat or fish when we had it. Then often my grandmother would give me a list of herbs, lichens, mushrooms and roots, nuts and berries, I needed to collect in the fields and woods above the farm.

By noon I would often sit down on the hillside, watching the wind-shadows waving the high grass around me, as though I was on a raft on the ocean.

And I would look down at the farm. I know now the sense of joy I felt was familiarity and belonging, community and family, and the reality of being connected to something meaningful.

“Think you're escaping and run into yourself. Longest way round is the shortest way home” -James Joyce As a young boy in Ireland, living on a remote farm, with no electricity or running water, evenings were clustered around a huge peat fire, oil lamps and candles spluttering, as storyteller after storyteller acted out and repeated beloved and familiar stories.

What do I remember? Well – as we suspect memory is a broken mirror.

Some mirror shards illustrate memories so vivid and intense you can smell, hear, taste and relive the original experience. Some are fainter, like old sepia images, faded by the sun, and you have to halfclose your eyes - to catch faint glimpses. Some are missing – but this is where your imagination can weave an extraordinary tapestry – connecting and filling in the gaps, and creating your own beautiful memories.

“The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time.” -Yeats I loved rainy weather best of all. Lying in bed listening to the rain hammer down on the tin roof was the music of my life. But the next morning, still dark, farming started – and my first task – was to catch and put a bridal on that Machiavellian horse!

Needless to say a superior intellect, a old racehorse’s desire for retribution, and a sense of humor won out, in other words the horse always had the upper hoof. After steering me through every thistle patch and cow pat cluster in the field, he would allow me to catch-up. I would lie on the ground next to this monster, knackered, gulping air like a drowning man, and I swear the horse would snicker and laugh, as he looked down at me, those big white teeth gleaming in the half-light of dawn.

Then - collecting eggs, milking, cleaning up, and a 24 ecolocalliving.com

“I hear the wind a blow, I hear the grass a grow, And all that I know, I know.

But I will not speak, I will run away” -Yeats And now I find myself so far from my roots, far from my connection, from my investment in the earth, far from my community - it seems I am losing part of my memory.

My portal to my past, to my history, to my experiences are in the Farmer’s Market in Saratoga Springs, or in the one Port Townsend, Washington, or in Freemont in Seattle, or wherever the roots of memory force their way through and remind me of a different time and a magical place.

I feel a deep sense of gratitude to these wonderful people, who provide us with food neither processed nor packaged; preserved or transported; enriched or sweetened; enhanced or modified, or hermetically sealed and needing a label to warns us about a chemical brew of ‘extra’ ingredients, which have been proven non lethal to rats.

And yes, I am guilty of taking for granted the process of getting food onto my fork. Where did it come from, who grew it, what is their story, and why do they persist in a lifestyle, which is becoming increasingly difficult?

I used to bury my hands in the black earth of central Tipperary – now I put them in my pocket for a credit card or phone, which magically makes food appear?

I can see my grandparent’s faces, and while they embraced technology, a crackling radio running off a tractor battery, I am not sure they would see the connection. And unfortunately, I am not sure I do anymore?

However, I am sustained by Yeats again…

“Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.”

FARM to FORK GUIDE

W

elcome to the 2012 eco-LOCAL Farm to Fork Guide. Here you'll find an amazing bounty of local food and other agricultural products available at farms, grocery stores, restaurants, farmers' markets and retail outlets throughout the Capital/Saratoga Region of New York. Whether you're planning your weekly shopping...heading out for a great meal...or looking for that special gift, we encourage you to visit one of the many farms or businesses featured here and show your support for the people who help keep our local economy strong and vibrant.

Buying locally-grown food keeps money in the local economy, supporting your neighbors • Cooking with locally-grown food makes it easy to eat nutritiously • Buying locally-grown food connects you to farms and farmers • Locally-grown food is an investment in our working landscape • Locally-grown food can reduce energy demands through decreased transportation distances and minimal packaging • Local farmers carry on our region's food traditions, including raising heirloom varieties of produce and livestock not commonly found in the commercial marketplace.

The area code for all phone numbers is 518, unless otherwise specified.

Farmers Markets Featured Listings:

Ballston Spa Farmers Market Wiswall Park, Ballston Spa Thursdays 3-6PM; Saturdays 9AM-noon www.ballston.org Located in the charming Village of Ballston Spa, The Ballston Spa Farmers Market offers customers a great selection of local products including seasonal fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, yogurt, honey, maple syrup, and a large variety of locally made gourmet foods. The market also has several bakers, greenhouse growers, quality handcrafted items and a knife sharpening service.

Come see our variety and small town charm!

Schenectady Greenmarket Around City Hall, Jay Street, Schenectady Sundays 10AM-2PM www.schenectadygreenmarket.com Schenectady Greenmarket is a year-round market held Sundays 102. November-April inside Proctors, May-October around City Hall. Enjoy live music, prepared food and the region's freshest greens, herbs, vegetables, fruit, cider, eggs, milk, cheese, baked good, muesli, peanut butter, honey, jelly, jam, tea, beef, chicken, pork, wine, pesto, artisanal wares, plants, flowers, pottery, demonstrations, children's activities and community groups!

Garden with Local Plants this year!

Saratoga Farmers Market High Rock Park Pavillion, High Rock Avenue, Saratoga Springs.

Saturdays 9AM-1PM; Wednesdays 3-6PM. www.saratogafarmersmarket.org Everything sold at the Saratoga Farmers Market must be grown or produced by the vendors. This has been our policy since our first market opened 33 years ago! You'll find an abundance of fruits, vegetables, meats, eggs, poultry, milk, cheese, baked goods, soaps, jams, yogurt, bedding plants, cut flowers, herbs, apples, honey and so much more! Don't miss the live music, special events and food tastings. Come for the food, stay for the fun. We zccepts EBT cards and FMNP coupons

High Rock Park Pavilion Saturdays 9am-1pm Wednesdays 3-6pm www.saratogafarmersmarket.org ecolocalliving.com 25

Troy Waterfront Farmers Market Wednesdays 2:30-6PM on 3rd Street at the entrance to the Atrium Saturdays 9AM-1PM on River Street www.troymarket.org We are more than a farmers market! For over 11 years we’ve provided a community gathering place with music, great food, and family activities! Savvy shoppers from across the Capital Region come to shop, dine, gather and enjoy with family and friends. We are now open on Wednesdays in front of the Troy Atrium on 3rd Street. Won’t you join us?

Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers Market River Street, across from Curtis Lumber Fridays 3-6 PM www.adirondackharvest.org The best of the north country farms is available to you from May October at The Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers' Market, a "producer only" market, limiting sales to locally grown, raised and prepared products including produce, plants, cut flowers, dairy, poultry, meats maple syrup, honey, wine, preserves, baked goods and refreshments.

Additional listings: Altamont Farmers Market, Orsini Park, Altamont Train Station, Main Street and Maple Avenue, Altamont. Saturdays, 9 AM-1 PM. Brunswick Farmers Market, Rt. 7 at the Town Office, Saturdays, 9AM - 1PM. Burnt Hills Farmers Market, Dollar General Plaza, 772 Saratoga Rd. (Rt. 50), Saturdays, 9AM - 1PM. Cambridge Farmers Market, Cambridge Freight Yard, Cambridge.

Sundays, 10AM-2PM. Clifton Park Farmers' Market, St. George's Church, Rt. 146, Clifton Park. Thursdays, 2-5PM July - October Capital District Farmers Market, 381 Broadway, Menands. Saturdays, 8AM-1PM; Sundays, 12-4 PM. Wholesale Farmers Market is held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The Saturday Retail Market is from 9AM-1PM. Central Avenue Farmers Market, 339 Central Ave. (the Linda/WAMC parking lot), Albany. Saturdays, 10AM-1PM. Cohoes Farmers Market, parking lot next to Smith's Restaurant, Cohoes.

Fridays, 4-7PM. Farmers Market at The Crossing, Crossings Park, 580 Albany Shaker Road, Colonie. Saturdays, 9AM-1PM. Delaware Area Neighborhood Farmers Market, St. James Church, 391 Delaware Ave., Albany. Tuesdays, 4-7PM. Delmar Farmers Market, First United Methodist Church, 428 Kenwood Ave., Delmar. Tuesdays, 2:30-6PM. Delmar Saturday Farmers Market, Bethlehem Central Middle School, 322 Kenwood Ave., Delmar. Saturdays, 9AM-1PM. Downtown Albany Farmers Market, Tricentennial Park, Broadway, Albany. Thursdays, 11AM-2PM. Duanesburg, Canal Street Station Farmers Market, Canal St. Station Railroad Village, 2100 Western Turnpike, Duanesburg, Wednesdays 4PM-7PM, Sundays noon-3PM. Empire State Plaza Farmers Market, north end of ESP opposite the Capitol, Albany. Wednesdays and Fridays, 10AM-2PM. Fort Edward Farmers Market, Broadway Bowl parking lot, Route 4, Fort Edward. Fridays, 10AM-1PM. Fort Plain Farmers Market, Legion Street lot, behind Haslett Park.

Thursdays 4-7PM. Glens Falls Farmers Market, South Street Market Pavilion, Glens Falls. Saturdays, 8AM-noon.

Gloversville Farmers Market, Bleeker Square, pavilion behind Church, Gloversville. Saturdays 8AM-noon.

Granville Farmers Market, Main Street, next to the old train station, Granville. Mondays, 2-5PM. 26 ecolocalliving.com

FARM to FORK GUIDE Greenwich - Farmers Market at 70 Main, 70 Main St., Greenwich.

Wednesdays, 3-6PM. www.seventymain.com Hudson Falls Farmers Market, Sutherland Pet Store, 1161 Dix Ave., Hudson Falls. Tuesdays, 10AM-1PM. Malta Farmers Market, Malta Community Center, Rt. 9, Malta Tuesdays 3-6PM. Middle Granville Farmers Market, Middle Granville Road, Granville.

Mondays, 2-5PM. New Baltimore Farmers Market, Wyche Park, New Baltimore Road, New Baltimore. Saturdays, 9AM-1PM. Prestwick Chase at Saratoga Farmers Market, 100 Saratoga Blvd., Saratoga Springs. Mondays, 3-6PM. Queensbury Farmers Market, Elks Lodge, 23 Cronin Road, Queensbury. Mondays, 3-6PM. Salem Farmers Market, Salem Village Park, Salem. Saturdays, 10AM-1PM. Schenectady Farmers Market, in front of City Hall, Jay Street, Schenectady. Thursdays, 9AM-2PM. Schenectady Union Street Farmers Market, Upper Union Street behind Trustco Bank. Saturdays, 9AM-1PM. South Glens Falls Farmers Market, Village Park, Glens Falls. Mondays, 10AM-1PM State Campus Farmers Market, Harriman State Office Campus Vendor Park. Thursdays, 10AM-2PM. Voorheesville Farmers Market, 68 Maple Ave. (Rt. 85A), Voorheesville, Fridays 3PM-6PM. Accepts EBT. Waterford Farmers Market, Waterford Visitors Center, One Tugboat Alley, Waterford. Sundays, 9AM-2PM. Watervliet Farmers Market, 13th Street and 2nd Avenue, Watervliet.

Tuesdays, 2-5PM.

Food Co-Ops and Markets Featured Listings:

Cambridge Village Co-op, 1 West Main Street, Cambridge, Washington County 677-5731 www.cambridgefoodcoop.com The Cambridge Food Co-op has been serving the Battenkill Valley towns with wholesome, affordable natural foods for over 30 years.

Our store serves both members and the public, selling local organic produce and products, like fresh cheeses and fresh baked wholegrain breads. We carry a broad variety of delicious, natural, wholesome foods, wild fish and pasture-raised beef. We cater to individual nutritional concerns by carrying a wide selection of gluten-free products. Special orders are also available. We also indulge our palates with international gourmet foods. We provide shopping efficiency with bulk and case-lot pre-ordering and we pass on greater savings with bulk food pricing and inexpensive bulk seasonings and grains. Open Mon - Sat 10 -6, Thurs until 8pm Sunday 11-2:30.

For Earth's Sake 120 West Avenue, Suite 102, Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County 306-6605, info@forearthssake.com www.forearthssake.com A Unique Health Food Store and Eco-friendly boutique We support local food and flavors, featuring many locally produced items. We also carry a full line of whole food vitamins and supplements, natural cosmetics, and cool gifts with a conscience.

Come and see what all the excitement is about!

Four Seasons Natural Foods & Cafe 33 Phila St. Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County 584-5670 www.fourseasonsnaturalfoods.com Four Seasons Natural Foods Store and Cafe is located in Downtown Saratoga Springs, New York. In our retail store, we offer a full array of natural foods groceries, organic produce, teas, coffees, supplements, personal care and aromatherapy. We carry many locally produced items as well. If you can't find it, just ask!

Our cafe serves lunch and dinner and is unique in the area. We offer hot and cold entrees, soups, salads, fresh breads and muffins, homemade desserts, teas, coffees and cold beverages. Most dishes are vegan and all are vegetarian. Since 1988, we have been serving our community with natural products and healthy fare in a wholesome and fun setting!

Green Grocer 1505 Route 9, Halfmoon, Saratoga County 383-1613 info@thegreengrocer.com www.thegreengrocer.com The Green Grocer is committed to your health and well being.

Not a chain or franchise, but a real locally-owned and operated grocer - something of a rarity these days. Come in see what personal service is all about. We have all your vitamin and supplement needs, and of course the best in organic produce and body care. Conveniently located on Rt. 9 in Halfmoon, we are just minutes away from where you are.

Glens Falls Food Co-op 1338 Route 9, at exit N'way 17N, Moreau, Saratoga County glensfallscoop@gmail.com www.gffoodcoop.org The newest food co-op in the community is now open, inside the Rock Hill Bakehouse, just off exit 17N. Open to the public, or join as a working member and help build a community asset. We strive to bring the best of what's available locally and regionally.

Keep you money working in the community - shop the co-op!

Honest Weight Food Co-op 484 Central Avenue, Albany, Albany County 482-2667 www.hwfc.com Honest Weight Food Co-op is the Capital Region's only community-owned and operated-grocery store. Our mission is to provide the community with affordable, high quality natural foods and products for healthy living. Specializing in organic & locally grown produce, bulk foods, natural groceries, local meats, gourmet cheese & specialty items, natural health and body care and much more! Open Mon-Friday 7am- 9pm, Sat-Sun: 8am-8pm

Medusa General Store 6 Red Barn Lane, Medusa, Albany County 239-6980 Faceboock.com/MedusaGeneralStore Haven't been to Medusa? Then where have you been? You MUST set your GPS and go to the Medusa General Store, up in the southwest Albany County hilltowns. MGS is a living, breathing example of the Ma and Pa country store, complete with its old school post office and single gas pump. Owners April and Jason Caprio have updated it to include local produce and meats, and a full line of cool organic and natural products. MGS is truly one of hidden gems of the Capital Region. ecolocalliving.com 27

Rooted In Nature 63 Main Street, South Glens Falls, Saratoga County 223-0870 Facebook.com/Rooted In Nature We carry fresh local produce, meat, eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, baked goods and more. We offer gluten free and hard to find specialty items.

Special orders available. Some local farms we work with are Brookside Farm, Kilpatrick Family Farm, Windsong Farm, Battenkill Creamery, Argyle Cheese Farmer, Sugarloaf Farm and Puckers Pickles. Located just over the bridge, open 7 days a week.

Additional listings: Farmiemarket.com, An online farmers market delivering your custom order to your door weekly; produce, eggs, poultry, meat, herbs, teas, bakery, syrup, honey, wool and more.

Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market, 51 N Main St, Gloversville, Fulton County, 706-0681, Open the public, Mohawk Harvest strive to offer the best in local and organic produce, and a strong emphasis on locally produced food products.

Mildred's Meadows, 6560 Duanesburg Rd. (Rt. 7), Duanesburg, Schenectady County, 518-231-2946. Offering locally grown produce, horticulture, artisan food items and crafts.

Wild Thyme Whole Food & Tea Co., 108 Milton Avenue, Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, 885-7275. Apothecary and health food store.

Dairy Featured Listings:

Battenkill Valley Creamery 691 County Route 3 Salem, Washington County 859-2923, seth@battenkillcreamery.com www.battenkillcreamery.com In 2008 Battenkill Valley Creamery began processing and bottling milk on their fifth generation, family farm, located in Salem, NY. Battenkill Creamery was awarded the distinction of Best Milk in New York� at the 2010 State Fair in Syracuse. Our farm store features many local products and our homemade ice cream. Be sure to stop on by when in the Salem area! We deliver our milk and many other locally crafted foods to homes and businesses in the Saratoga Springs area. Battenkill Valley Creamery is the only local farm producing and bottling their milk in Washington, Warren, and Saratoga County.

Come taste the difference!

Berle Farm Beechwood Road, Hoosick Rensselaer County 686-3249 www.berlefarm.com Proprietor Beatrice Berle has been entirely dedicated to pursuing and executing the most environmental and healthful farming practices since 1995. Now fully solar powered, Berle Farm is a blend of old and new technologies. This beautiful farmstead produces hand-stirred artisan cheeses, yogurt, organic beef and seasonal farm goods.. All cheeses are Aurora Certified Organic. All grains and grasses for the goats and all the milk for pasteurized and raw milk cheese are produced on the farm.

Find our products at Honest Weight Food Co-op, The Green Grocer, and the Cambridge Co-op. Ask for them by name!

Nettle Meadow Farm 484 S. Johnsburg Road, Warrensburg, Warren County, 623-3372, info@nettlemeadow.com, www.nettlemeadow.com Happy Goats (and sheep) - Great Cheese! Nettle Meadow Farm is a 50 acre goat and sheep dairy and cheese company in Thurman, New 28 ecolocalliving.com

FARM to FORK GUIDE York just below Crane Mountain. The Farm was originally founded in 1990 and is the home of over 300 goats, several dozen sheep and a variety of farm sanctuary animals. Nettle Meadow Farm is truly committed to the artisanal nature of each of our cheeses, the use of natural and organic ingredients, and the well-being of all our animals. The farm is normally open Thursday through Monday from 11am to 3pm for cheese sales. Tours are given at 12 noon on Saturdays only.

Additional listings: Argyle Cheese Farmer, 990 Coach Rd., Argyle, NY 12809. 638-8966.

Farmstead cheese, yogurt sold at the farm and the Glens Falls, Saratoga and Troy Farmers Markets Breese Hollow Dairy, 454 Breese Hollow Rd., Hoosick, Rensselaer County. 518-686-4044. Organic, grass-based dairy permitted to sell farm fresh raw milk. Pastured poultry and grass fed beef.

Homestead Artisans Enterprises, Ft. Edward, Washington County.

518-638-8530, Makers of artisanal cows' milk cheeses, sold at the Saratoga Farmers Market!

King Brothers Dairy, 311 King Road, Schuylerville, Saratoga County.

Call 695-MILK. A local home delivery business. Our desire is to provide the local community with fresh foods produced right here!

Meadowbrook Dairy, RR 443, Clarksville, Albany County. 768-2451.

Hormone/antibiotic-free milk in returnable glass bottles, heavy & light cream. Home delivery in Capital District.

Willow Marsh Farm, 343 Hop City Rd, Ballston Spa, Saratoga County.

885-8731. Farm store selling, milk, farmstead cheese and greek yogurt, beef veal and pork.

Worldling's Pleasure Fine Gourmet Specialties, 1533 8th Ave. Watervliet, 879-2306. Gourmet cheese spreads and condiments using locally sourced ingredients

The Placid Baker, 250 Broadway, Troy, Rensselaer County. 326-2657. Bakeshop and café, also found at the Troy Farmers Market Roundhouse Bakery at Pompanuck Farm, 494 Chestnut Hill Rd., Cambridge, Washington County. 677-5552. Handmade artisan bread, available at the Cambridge Village Food Co-op.

West Village Café, 63 West Main St., Cambridge, Washington County.

677-2777. Bakeshop and Café, also found at the Saratoga Farmers Market X's and O's Vegan Bakery, 97 4th St., Troy, Rensselaer County. 2383311. Delicious treats baked from scratch without dairy or egg ingredients.

Meats / Poultry Featured Listings:

Blakemore Farm 110 County Route 59A Buskirk, Washington County 677-3677 Blakemore Farm grazes a herd of Belted Galloways following Managed Intensive Grazing (MIG), know as rotational grazing.

Cattle are grass-fed start to finish, without grain or added hormones. Belted Galloways are a heritage breed, generally lean due to extra insulating hair. Our farm is Animal Welfare Approved (AWA). Primary sales are sides of beef, but individual cuts may be available.

Bakeries Featured Listings:

Rock Hill Bakehouse and Café 16 Exchange St. Glens Falls, Warren County, 615-0777 www.rockhillbakehouse.com The one that started the artisan bread revival! Handmade timetested methods of baking bread that have set the standard for craft.

We are eco-local - procuring our flour from New York farms and mills, minimizing waste, recycling everything, and donating to the local food pantries! We feed your mind as well - we support alternative films and entertainment for the thinking person. Find us also at the Saratoga Farmers Market and the bakeshop on Rt. 9 in Moreau, just off Northway exit 17N. Additional listings: All Good Bakers, 160 A. Quail St., Albany, 463-1349. The Capital Region's first Community Supported Bakery ("CSB").

Linda's Country Kitchen, 56 Bridge St., Johnsonville, Rensselaer County, 753-4726, Homemade pies and baked goods, using local fruit ingredients sold at the Saratoga Farmers Market on Wednesdays and the Troy Farmers Market on Saturdays.

Murray Hollow Bakers, 392 Murray Hollow Rd., Shushan, Washington County, 518-854-9790. Baking artisan bread in a wood fired brick Available at the Cambridge and Saratoga Farmers Markets and other select retailers.

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Long Lesson Farm 444 Goosen-Regan Rd., Buskirk, NY 12028, 753-0356 www.longlessonangus.com Longlesson Farm is home to North Country Daylilies and Longlesson Angus. We raise all-natural purebred Angus beef on our 450 acres. Cows are rotationally grazed during the growing season and fed our own hay during the winter. We feed no grain. A grainfree diet is natural and beneficial to the cows, and also better for us, the consumer. We process our meat locally at USDA inspected Eagle Bridge Custom Meat and Smokehouse. Find our beef at Empire Plaza, The Crossings, Malta, and Cambridge Farmers Markets, at Max London's and Local Pub in Saratoga Springs, and 50 South in Ballston Spa, or visit us at the farm for both beef and daylilies.

Mack Brook Farm 312 McEachron Hill Rd., Argyle, Washington County 638-6817, macbrookfarm@mac.com www.mackbrookfarm.com We sell 100% grassfed, pasture-raised Angus beef that is good for you, good for the environment and ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! We are a small, fourth-generation, family-owned farm. Our animals are born and raised on our farm and eat only our grass and hay. We sell individual cuts of meat from the store at the farm and welcome visitors.

Mountain Winds Farm Cornell Farm 292 Lower Pine Valley Road Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County 686-5545 www.cornellfarm.net Since 1940 the Cornell Family has produced brown eggs that are range raised, cage-free, using NO antibiotics or hormones. We mix our feed using our own non-GMO corn, oats, and alfalfa. Over 50 types of vegetables & small fruit are grown utilizing season extension and many no-spray techniques. Maple Syrup, bedding plants, hanging baskets, fall mums, and vegetable starts are available seasonally. We can be found year-round at the Troy Waterfront Farmers Market and the Schenectady Greenmarket.

Small square hay bales are also available at the farm. Farm does not receive visitors.

Elihu Farm 654 Beadle Hill Road, Valley Falls(Easton), Washington County, 753-7838, elihufarm@localnet.com A pastured life has been the best life for our livestock and poultry since 1986. The sheep, lambs and poultry often graze 9 months of the year, and eat hay outside in winter. The geese are great grazers and are protective companions for the ducks. At fairs and festivals our sheep, lambs and shorn wool have won many awards. Visit us at the Saratoga Farmers' Market or at Elihu Farm.

Frantzen's Scenic Acres 248 Line Road, Berne, Albany County, 872-1199, frantzensscenicacres@msn.com Using organic practices we raise your table vegetables, eggs, chicken, Heritage Turkey, goose, duck, rabbit, and Scottish Highland beef.

Our animals are raised on pasture where they enjoy foraging and running around, while our ducks and geese enjoy swimming in a pond. Purchase our products from our table at the Delmar Saturday Farmers Market or by appointment from the farm. Inquire about our Winter CSA for 2013. Like us on Facebook!

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12 Williamson Road, Town of Berne, Albany County, 872-0513, mtwindsfarm@gmail.com, mountainwindsfarm.com Mountain Winds Farm is family owned and operated. We are the second generation on the farm and are raising the third generation to appreciate the effort that farming entails. We raise all natural Broiler chickens and our laying hens are free ranging. We use no antibiotics, hormones, or preservatives in the feed our chickens eat.

Our maple syrup operation is coming into its third season and is under constant improvement and expansion. We also raise vegetables in season and this year we started harvesting some of our Christmas trees.

Susie's Climax Creations LLC 140 Titus Mill Rd. Climax, Greene County 755-1705, kliese140@gmail.com www.susiesclimaxcreations.com We are a small organic fowl farm, with homemade jelly, jams & pickles, located 25 miles south of Albany or at the Schenectady Greenmarket. Through Permaculture and Sustainable farming practices, our birds are provided with quality forage and a humane, productive lifestyle. Using strict organic values, the birds are fed a hand-mixed soy-free feed. Our birds run wild, free, in a natural environment with humane treatment during their entire lifetime.

Tilldale Farm 22 Tilley Ln. (just off Rt. 7, 1/4 mile east the Hoosick River bridge), Hoosick, Rensselaer County, 686-7779, tilldalefarm@gmail.com The Tilldale Family Farm was established in 1938 along the picturesque Hoosick River. We raise 100% grassfed, heritage breed cattle and pasture-raised pork. We are NOFA Certified Organic, which assures you of quality and purity. Our primary goal is to nourish you with wholesome food. Come out to the farm and see for yourself, or find us at the Delmar Farmers Market and the new Cheese Traveler shop at 540 Delaware Avenue in Albany.

FARM to FORK GUIDE White Clover Farm 20 Graham Lane, Argyle, NY 12809, 638-8263, whitecloverfarm@gmail.com, www.whitecloverfarmny.com White Clover Farm is a 125 acre farm in Washington County, New York practicing responsible, humane, and environmentally sound livestock management. We're small family farm that is committed to providing our customers with healthful and delicious 100% grass fed and finished beef and pastured heritage breed pork. Chemicals or pesticides of any kind are NEVER used on our pastures. Our Animal Welfare Approved herd of Belted Galloway and Angus cattle enjoys fresh air, sunshine, lush green grass, fresh water, a stress-free life and stunning views of Vermont's northern Taconic Range. Content and happy cattle make for delicious and healthful meat.

Additional listings: Anderson Acres, 52 Western Ave., West Charlton, Saratoga County. 8826050 Angus beef vegetable and flower baskets. Farmstand on Rt. 67 in Charlton Brookside Farm, 125 County Rte. 45, Argyle, Washington County. 6388972 veal, beef, chicken and turkey.

Dall Hollow Farm, 7047 St. Hwy 22, Granville, Washington County, 642-9059 USDA Processed lamb and 2 year old classic English mutton as whole and half carcasses, and free range meat chickens and eggs.

Free Bird Farm, 497 McKinley Road, Palatine Bridge, NY 13428.

518-673-8822. Certified organic produce and pasture-raised eggs and poultry available at regional farmer's markets and through our CSA. Foster Farm, 220 W. River Road, Schulyerville, Saratoga County 6953058. Pasture-raised sheep and poultry.

Garden of One/Lady Liberty Farm, 60 Thunder Hill Rd., Rensselaerville, Albany County, 797-3373. We are an Eco/Holistic Educational Organic Farm & Retreat Center specializing in spirituality, sustainability, heirloom produce, heritage livestock, flower essence, aromatherapy and herbal products.

Gordon Farms, 144 Beebe Road, Berne, Albany County 573-7732, Chemical-free, pasture-grazed beef, raised and delivered with the lowest carbon footprint possible using a local USDA-inspected processing facility, solar-powered electric fences and geothermal water heating.

King Crest Farm, 831 Grooms Road, Rexford, Saratoga County 371-5069. Various cuts of beef and pork.

Lewis Waite Farm, 135 Lewis Lane, Greenwich, Washington County 518-692-3120. Grass-fed, grass-finished beef and pastured pork.

Lane Farm, LLC, 12362 Route 22, Whitehall, Washington County, 4990229.

Maple Hill Farm, 110 Ashdown Road, Ballston Lake, Saratoga County 399-4097. Hormone-free, grain-fed beef from polled Hereford cattle.

Merck Forest & Farmland Center, 3270 Route 315, Rupert, VT. 802.394.7836. Selling pasture-raised lamb and pork, eggs from pastured hens, potatoes, garlic, yarn, fleeces, maple products Nagimor Farm & Kennel, 165 Hite Road, Warnerville, Schoharie County 518-254-0021 Naturally raised beef, lamb, pork and chicken.

Padgett Farm, Salem, Washington County, 854-9035. Naturally raised beef with no antibiotics, no steroids and no growth hormones.

Saddled Duck Deer, 14 Whites Beach Road, Ballston Lake, Saratoga County. 399-4516. Farm-raised, antibiotic- and hormone-free venison and rabbit.

Sap Bush Hollow Farm, 1314 West Fulton Rd, Warnerville, Schoharie County, 234 2105. Grassfed/pastured beef, lamb, pork, gourmet sausages, poultry, eggs, Thanksgiving turkeys, honey, crafts.

South Farms Longhorns, 1417 Peaceable St., Charlton, Saratoga County, 518- 882-1571. Grass fed Texas Longhorn Beef available at the farm.

Sweet Tree Farm, 138 Karker Road, Carlisle, Schoharie County, 234-7422. Various cuts of grass-fed beef, pork and chicken.

Meat Processors Featured Listing:

Locust Grove Smokehouse 4725 Route 40, Argyle, Washington County 638-8591, dsmoker62@roadrunner.com The region's premier USDA processor for beef and pork, operated by the Tripp family. We support the local farmer and provide and an efficient way for them to bring their product to the market.

Our Animal Welfare approved facility ensures that the animals we process are humanely treated. Our retail butcher shop features fine meats and many locally crafted products. We are worth the “Tripp� from anywhere. When in Washington County, stop by, we'd love to see you!

Additional listings: Double L Ranch, 7181 Dunnsville Road, Altamont, Albany County.

355-6944 Eagle Bridge Custom Meat and Smokehouse, 139 Center Rd., Eagle Bridge, Washington County, 677-2702. USDA Inspected, Animal Welfare Approved.

Garden of Spices, 49 Clarks Mills Rd., Greenwich.695-6801. USDA poultry processor.

Produce Featured Listings:

Denison Farm Retail and wholesale market vegetables 333 Buttermilk Falls Rd. Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County 664-2510 den_farm@yahoo.com www.denisonfarm.com We are a community supported family farm in the Hudson Valley, farming in Schaghticoke for seven years on the fertile soil that has been the home of the oldest CSA in New York State - Buttermilk Falls Organic Farm. We are certified by a local agency, Certified Naturally Grown and we adhere to national organic standards. We provide over 470 families a weekly share (22 weeks) of fresh vegetables. We deliver to Albany, 2 sites in Clifton Park, Guilderland, Delmar, Niskayuna, Troy, Saratoga, and Round Lake.

Shares can also be picked up at the farm and at the Troy and Saratoga Farmers Markets where we sell each Saturday from May through January.

Kilpatrick Family Farm 9778 State Route 22, Middle Granville, Washington County 300-4060, info@kilpatrickfamilyfarm.com www.kilpatrickfamilyfarm.com We are a family-run vegetable farm located in upstate NY near the Vermont border. As a four season farm, we grow and sell crops year round, through farmer's markets, and our Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA) in Glens Falls and Saratoga. We are strong supporters of Organic Agriculture and have been Certified Naturally Grown since 2005. Learn more about our CSA, Farmers' Markets we attend, and much more on our website. We look forward to serving you. ecolocalliving.com 31

Long Days Farm 42 Durfee Road Buskirk, Washington County 677-8128 longdaysfarm@hvwisp.net www.longdaysfarm.com Our small farm and stand are located in southern Washington County. We grow a wide variety of vegetables and berries, including many unusual varieties, using natural and sustainable practices.

Our Heritage laying hens wander freely throughout our property and produce fantastic eggs. In the fall, we sell pasture-raised broilers and roasters. Look for our painted signs on County Rt. 74 in South Cambridge.

New Minglewood Farm 99 County Route 52 Greenwich, Washington County 692-8579, vanlinc@juno.com www.newminglewoodfarm.com New Minglewood Farm grows a wide variety of vegetables, specializing in salad and cooking greens, heirloom tomatoes, sprouts, and shoots, fingerling potatoes, and shitake mushrooms.

All of our products are Certified Organic and available from May to October at the Saratoga Farmers Market. We pride ourselves on producing the highest quality 'hand-crafted' food possible! Farm does not receive visitors.

Additional listings: Black Horse Farms, Route 9W, Coxsackie, 943-9324. Seasonal cut flowers and vegetables.

Country Garden, 3712 Consaul Road, Schenectady, 346-1996. Seasonal fruits and vegetables, pick-your-own berry patches.

Freebird Farm, 497 McKinley Road, Palatine Bridge, 673-8822. Garlic.

Fox Creek Farm, Fox Creek Farm Road, Schoharie, 873-2375. Organic garlic.

George's Farm, 240 Wade Road, Latham, 785-4210. Various seasonal vegetables.

Glenville Berry Farm, 653 Swaggertown Road, Scotia, 399-3549.

Vegetables, berries and melons.

Happenchance Farm, 396 County Rt. 68, Eagle Bridge Washington County, 686-0750. Certified Organic family farm growing mixed vegetables, greens, melons, flowers, strawberries, vegetable & herb transplants.

Krug Farm, 65 Everett Road, Albany, 482-5406. Greenhouse products, sweet corn and vegetables.

Lansing's Farm Market, 204 Lishakill Road, Colonie, 464-0889.

Seasonal produce, pick-your-own vegetables and berries.

OAFP Farm Stand, 296 Town Office Rd., Brunswuick, Rensselaer County. 279- 9721, Growers of heirloom vegetables, berries and salad greens Oreshan Farms, Route 9, Latham, 785-0217. Seasonal vegetables, sweet corn.

Our Family's Harvest, 245 New Scotland Road, Slingerlands, 768-2344. Retail outlet for Stanton's Feura Farms seasonal produce.

Paper Dragon Farms, 4683 Route 9, Corinth, 893-0726. Organic vegetables, tomatoes and pumpkins.

Pigliavento Farm, 3535 E. Lydius St., Schenectady, 356-9188.

Seasonal produce.

Quincy Farm, Easton, Washington County, 290-0296: Naturally-grown veggies for Ballston Spa CSA and local farmers' markets."

Slack Hollow Farm, 177 Gilchrist Road, Argyle, 638-6125. Organic seasonal vegetables.

Tarbox Earth's Bounty Farm & Market, 1533 Rt 7, Brunswick, Rensselaer County, 518-279-9517. Seven miles east of Troy. Open Daily 32 ecolocalliving.com

9 AM - 6 PM. The farm raises a variety of vegetables, and small fruit, and USDA beef cuts.

Underwood's Shushan Valley Hydro Farm, 588 Juniper Swamp Rd., Shushan, Washington County, 518-854-9564. Growing Hydroponic tomatoes and herbs. Available in Hannaford supermarkets or the major Farmers Markets

Orchards, Fruit & Farm Markets Featured Listings:

Clark Dahlia Gardens and Greenhouses, Anna Mae's Jams 139 Hop City Road, Ballston Spa, Saratoga County, 885-7356, jammaker@nycap.rr.com Our Farm is located on Hop City Road, 3 mile south of State Route 67 west out of Ballston Spa. Herbs, bedding and vegetable plants, hanging baskets, some flowers are in greenhouses. We have a tomato house filled with tomatoes. Our orchard has apples, pears, apricots, and sour cherries. Rhubarb, red and black raspberries, juneberries, red and white, and black currants, Tayberries and jost berries are also grown. All these fruits are made into wonderful homemade jams, available for sale at the Saratoga Farmers Market and select retailers.

Predel's Ranch 59 Garnsey Road, Rexford, Saratoga County, 399-0265 www.predelsranch.com Predel's Ranch is a farm, store and one-stop shop for locally sourced food and non-food items. We offer our own pastureraised Angus beef, with no hormones or steroids and we don't color our meats with dyes. We also have naturally raised pork and chicken, and our eggs are from happy free-ranging chickens. We also stock many locally made items such as Alabu soaps and Pede brothers pasta sauce. Stop in and see why we say, “Naturally it's good…it's from Predel's!” Garnsey Road is just a quarter mile east of the Rt. 146 4-way intersection at Rexford.

Gardenworks Farm LLC 1055 Route 30 Salem, Washington County 854-3250 www.Gardenworksfarm.com Gardenworks is a family farm nestled in the Black Creek Valley where fertile farm fields meet the foothills of theTaconics. This specialty farm grows annuals & perennials & herbs as well as UPick blueberries & raspberries, flowers, fresh and dried, and a wide variety of gourds, pumpkins and winter squashes. For the Christmas season, Gardenworks sells Fraser Firs and Balsams along with their farm crafted wreaths & kissing balls. The renovated dairy barn is a bustling marketplace of local foods (cheeses, meats, organic vegetables, honey & maple products), handcrafts, floral designs and local art. Gardenworks is open everyday from April through December.

Heather Ridge Farm 989 Broome Center Road, Preston Hollow, Schoharie County 239-6234, heatherridgefarm@aol.com www.heather-ridge-farm.com Welcome to our solar-powered Farm Store and Bees Knees Café!

Great lunches right on the farm! Enjoy mountain views from shaded picnic tables or eat inside our 1820s farmhouse. Serving our

FARM to FORK GUIDE own grassfed meats and pastured poultry with local organic produce. Saturday lunch, Sunday brunch buffet. 11am-3pm. Farm store open with retail cuts. Catering available. Farm tours. Yearround meat/poultry CSA.

Lakeside Farms Country Store, Restaurant and Garden Center 336 Schauber Road Ballston Lake, Saratoga County 399-8359 www.lakesidefarmscidermill.com We welcome you to slow down and relax. Stop by and browse through our country store full of specialty items, unique crafts and gifts. Lakeside features an on premise bakery, deli, fresh produce, cheddar cheeses, maple syrups, honey, molasses, and the original apple cider donut. Breakfast and Lunch served daily.

Saratoga Apple 1174 Route 29 Schuylerville, Saratoga County 695-3131 www.saratogaapple.com Saratoga Apple is an orchard and farm market open 7 days a week, 12 months a year. We sell a wide variety of apples, cider, fresh baked goods, and produce. We also stock an assortment of local, natural, and healthy food and gifts. Apple cider donuts are made daily all year round. Pick Your Own apples in September and October. Come apple-picking on a weekday for a discount, or visit during weekends for the festive atmosphere, wagon rides, and special events. We grow our apples with great care, using low-spray techniques and micronutrient fertilization. A limited quantity of biologique apples are available upon request. You can find us at many regional farmer's markets, including both summer and winter markets.

Shaker Shed Farm Market 945 Watervliet Shaker Road, Colonie, Albany County 518-869-3662, contact@shakershedfarm.com www.shakershedfarm.com At the Shaker Shed Farm Market the greenhouses are full of bedding plants, Proven Winners plants, hanging baskets, perennials, herbs, rose bushes, and vegetable plants. Some local produce is coming out, including strawberries and asparagus.

When July rolls around, the Shaker Shed is known for its sweet corn which is picked fresh daily. There are also local tomatoes, peppers, and fruits. Take a break and visit our café, open 9am-3pm daily.

Additional listings: Altamont Orchards, 6654 Dunnsville Road, Altamont, 861-6515, altamontorchards.com. Apples, cider, cider donuts, pies and specialty items; pick-your-own on weekends.

Buhrmaster Family Farm, Scotia 518-399-5931 A family farm offering fruit, vegetables and annuals.

The Berry Patch, 15589 NY Route 22, Stephentown, Rensselaer County.

733-6772 Locally produced berries, vegetables, fruit, fresh flowers, homemade baked goods and other local foods.

Bowman Orchards, 141 Sugar Hill Road, Rexford, 371-2042, Apples, berries, pumpkins, peaches, pears, sweet corn, soups, syrups, fruit butters, donuts.

DeVoes' Rainbow Orchard, 569 Route 9, Clifton Park, Saratoga County, 371-8397. apple orchard, farm market local products.

Gade Farm, 2479 Western Ave., Guilderland, 869-8019, gadefarm.com.

Various seasonal vegetables and fruits, baked goods, dairy, jams and jellies, salsas, soups and syrups.

Golden Harvest Farms, 3074 Route 9, Valatie, 578-7683, goldenharvest farms.com.

Open-air fresh farm market, pick-your-own apples weekends Sept.-Oct. Goold Orchards, 1297 Brookview Station Road, Castleton, Rensselaer County, 732-7317, goold.com. Pick-yourown apples and berries, produce, cider and cider donuts, fresh-baked and frozen pies, winery.

Hicks Orchard, 18 Hicks Rd., Granville, Washington County, 642-1788.

Pick you own apples and fruit, Slyboro Cider maker, August.- October Indian Ladder Farms, 342 Altamont Road, Altamont, Albany County, 765-2956, Apples, pumpkins, berries, cider and cider donuts, bakery, café, family activities.

Knight Orchards, 325 Goode St., Burnt Hills, Saratoga County 3995174,. Apples, pears, peaches, plums, vegetables, cider, pies, syrup, honey.

Kristy's Barn, 2385 Brookview Road, Castleton, Rensselaer County, 4776250. Vegetables and fruits in season.

Liberty Ridge Farm, 29 Bevis Road, Schaghticoke, 664-1515, Farm market, pumpkins, pick-your-own berries, café, family activities.

Lindsey's Country Store, Orchard: 267 Sugar Hill Road, Rexford, Saratoga County, 371-5785; Store: 1537 Route 9, Clifton Park, 3713100.

Malta Ridge Orchard & Gardens, 107 Van Aernem Rd Ballston Spa, Saratoga County Call 365-6015. Pick your own apples in season, bakery items and produce available at the farm store.

Sheldon Farm Market, 4363 State Rte 22, Salem, Washington County, 854-9252. Farm store with a diverse selection of local, regional and international products.

Smith's Orchard Bake Shop, 4561 Jockey St., Charlton, Saratoga County 882-6598. Farm store features meats, eggs, fruits and vegetables grown on the farm as well as our famous baked goods from the kitchen.

Yonder Farms Cider Mill & Bake Shop, 4301 Albany St, Colonie, Albany County, 456-6823. Bake Shop and Gifts

Gardening/Horticulture Featured Listings:

Balet Flowers & Design 5041 Nelson Ave. Ext., Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County 584-8555, info@baletflowers.com, www.baletflowers.com Balet Flowers and Design provides high quality plants, flowers, and pottery to customers around the Saratoga region. Our greenhouse and flower farm produces vibrant annuals, perennials, vegetable and herb plants and cut flowers as well as seasonal plant and flower arrangements. We also work with wedding parties and others, planning special occasions to create elegant floral designs with unique country flair. Find us at the Saratoga Farmers Market!

Bob's Trees 1227 West Galway Road, West Galway, Saratoga County 882-9455, bobstrees@nycap.rr.com, www.bobstrees.com Looking to beautify your yard, buy local & help the environment?

You can do all three when you shop at Bob's Trees Nursery and Garden Center. There are now over 275 acres planted with shade trees, crabapples, ornamentals, evergreens and shrubs, plus over a hundred acres planted with cut-your-own Christmas trees. Bob's Trees has become the area's largest grower of nursery stock and Christmas trees. Because our trees and evergreens are grown here, ecolocalliving.com 33

in our own nursery, they are hardy for this area and are already acclimated to our climate. We take extreme pride in what we grow and are constantly looking for ways to make our products better.

Emerich Sales & Service Inc. 187 Valentine Road, Charlton, Saratoga County 399-8574 www.emerichsales.com Heavy gardening equipment sale and service. We are known for our " out in the country " low prices and friendly service. At Emerich's our parts department is staffed with a knowledgable professional staff that want to ensure you get the part you need the first time and at a fair price. We have the largest parts inventory in the area and carry parts for all the makes and models that we sell. In addition we carry parts for other competitive brands, to better serve your needs.

Free Spirit Farm Garden Center 39 Atwell Rd. South Corinth, Saratoga County 495-8119, freespiritsfarm@roadrunner.com We are a husband & wife operated greenhouse business which offers a wide selection of vegetable and flowering plants, hanging baskets, fall mums & pumpkins, Christmas trees, weaths, kissing balls & fresh silk décor. We utilize safe fertilization on all our edibles, and keep in mind that we are eating what we grow! Our goal is to provide a natural, knowledgable, friendly environment that you and your family will enjoy visiting for years to come. Stop in and ask how it all started because of six cucumber plants! Open 10-7, May-mid July; Labor day - Halloween; ThanksgivingChristmas Eve. Call for additional availability.

Additional listings: The Botanic Barn, 1570 Route 7, Troy, 279-3080. Nursery, garden supplies, personalized design services.

Colonial Acres Nursery, 2552 Western Ave., Altamont, 456-5348.

Faddegon's Nursery, 1140 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, 785-6763.

Gardening and nursery supplies since 1920.

Harvest Moon, 141 Remson St., Cohoes, 266-0370. Organic indoor and outdoor garden supplies and accessories.

Healthy Harvest, 63 Broadway, Fort Edward, 480-4698. Organic indoor and outdoor garden supplies and accessories.

Hewitt's Garden Centers, Route 9 and Sitterly Road, Clifton Park, 3710126; Route 4 and I-90, East Greenbush, 283-2159; 605 Feura Bush Road, Glenmont, 439-8169; 1969 Western Ave., Guilderland, 456-7954; 1129 Troy Schenectady Road, Latham, 785-7701; 294 Quaker Road, Queensbury, 792-3638; 3 Charlton Road, Scotia, 399-1703; Route 9, Wilton, 580-1205. Garden supplies and accessories; nursery and greenhouse plants, shrubs and trees.

Hilltown Farm & Garden, 6003 State Route 32, Westerlo, 797-3697.

Seeds, bedding plants, fertilizers, natural & organic solutions.

Kulak Nursery & Landscaping, 1615 Route 146, Rexford, 399-2404.

Garden center, nursery, landscaping.

Olsen's Hardware & Garden Center, 1900 New Scotland Road, Slingerlands, 733-5868. Hardware store with nursery, garden supplies.

Osborne Mill Nursery, 231 Osborne Road, Albany, 482-8150. Plants, trees, and shrubs.

Organica, 296 Delaware Ave, Albany, 618-7666. Organic indoor and outdoor garden supplies and accessories.

Patroon Nursery, 500 West Sand Lake Road, Wynantskill, 283-3807.

Flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, accessories and supplies.

Price-Greenleaf Store & Nursery, 14 Booth Road, Delmar, 439-9212.

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Nursery, plants, garden supplies, trees.

Saratoga Organics, 19 Front Street, Ballston Spa, 885-2005. Organic indoor and outdoor garden supplies and accessories.

Troy's Landscape Supply, 1266 New Loudon Road, Cohoes, 785-1526.

Nursery, garden supplies, landscape design and installation.

Van Geest Nursery, 43 Donna Drive, Albany, 459-1093. Nursery, landscape consulting, period gardens and contemporary designs.

Wunsapana Farm, 4557 Hurst Road, Altamont, 861-6612, wunsapanafarm.com. Llama beans (manure) for soil enhancementgardens love them! Visit the farm website for more details and testimonials. Bags of beans are available at Altamont Agway and Gade Farm (on Western Avenue in Albany).

Zema's Nursery, Inc., 154 Presbyerian Hill Road, Stephentown, 733-5868. High-quality plants and trees.

Restaurants Featured Listings:

One Caroline Bistro 1 Caroline St. Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County 587-2026 www.onecaroline.com A busy little bistro located off Broadway in downtown Saratoga Springs, featuring what we like to call global comfort food from local sources. Our cozy atmosphere, live music and utilization of the freshest ingredients create an experience that will tantalize all of your senses. We also feature many vegetarian choices. Live music nightly during the summer months and certain week days and weekends during the fall and winter. We feature high quality organic and heirloom vegetables from local farms. We use freerange, hormone and chemical free lamb, beef, chicken, veal and other quality meats. All of our fish and seafood is purchased thoughtfully and with great concern for the environment.

The Beekman Street Bistro 62 Beekman Street Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County 581-1816 thebeekmanstreetbistro.com We are committed to using local and sustainable products in the dishes we create. Saratoga Springs being the heart of Upstate NY's farming country makes this relationship a great fit. The farming communities offer and abundance of the freshest seasonal produce and meats which make it possible to practice the philosophy of “Farm to Table.” The evolving menu ensures that every dining experience is as fresh and innovative as the first!

DISH Bistro / Restaurant 93 Main Street Greenwich, Washington County, 692-0200 dishbistro.wordpress.com facebook.com/dish-bistro A cozy, casual natural foods bistro in the heart of historic Greenwich (a beautiful 20 minute drive east of Saratoga Springs on Route 29). Enjoy our eclectic menu featuring local & organic foods, check out our local artwork and visit our website for special events and weekly dinner specials! Lunch: Tuesday - Saturday, 11am - 3pm / Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday, 5pm - 9pm / Closed Sunday & Monday

Farmhouse on Top of the World 441 Lockhart Mountain Road Lake George, Warren County 668-3000, kim@topoftheworldgolfresort.com

FARM to FORK GUIDE topoftheworldgolfresort.com The Farmhouse on Top of the World is a chef-owned and operated restaurant which showcases produce from our farms and meats, dairy and cheeses from area farms. Our menu changes to reflect the best local and seasonal products and sustainable seafood. Delicious wine, beer and cocktail lists. Open Tuesday - Sunday on the east side of Lake George. Come see our beautiful views, and share our passion for local food! Member of the Slow Food Co-operative.

the pub garden. For more information on upcoming events & specials, send an email with a subject line of 'add me to the list' to: thelocalpub@gmail.com or call 518-587-7256.

Mouzon House

2128 Doubleday Ave. (Route 50) Ballston Spa, Saratoga County 884-2926, info@fiftysouth.com www.fiftysouth.com Fifty south your Ballston Spa farm to table restaurant proudly using locally and regionally sourced organic and biodynaically farmed food, beer and wine.

We support dietary accommodations. Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Vegan. Prefer reservations Open Wednesday through Saturday 4:30-close of dinner service Sunday 9am-2pm Breakfast and lunch. Sunday 2pm-8pm dinner. Private Parties, Special events, live music, wine tastings and much more. Thank you for being a part of our family.

1 York St., Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County, 226-0014, info@mouzonhouse.com www.mouzonhouse.com The Mouzon House is a restored simple Victorian home, focused on sourcing local ingredients from small farms that are sustainable in their practices. Our meats are grass fed and free range; we source local artisan cheeses, eggs, dairy and vegetables. In addition to local farms we also grow many of our own herbs, field greens and flowers in our gardens. We specialize in vintage cocktails at our soon to be open outdoor bar and feature outstanding live local music out doors weather permitting. Our brunch menu is fresh local and creative offering delicious healthy choices and decadent choices for special celebrations, with a Louisiana flair!. We offer gluten free, vegan and vegetarian choices as well. Thursday night we feature an extensive 3 course menu for $25.00 thru June. Hope to see you soon!

The Hungry Fish Café

New World Bistro Bar

461 Main Ave.,Wynantskill, Rensselaer County,874-4573 www.Thehungryfishcafe.com Hungry Fish Cafe and Country Store focuses on locally grown produce and quality that can't be beat. We offer only the freshest, from-scratch food prepared daily on site and delicious pantry items to enhance your own recipes at home. Join us for breakfast and lunch featuring gourmet soups, salads and sandwiches made with only the best Boar's Head deli products. We offer daily specials, fresh homemade baked goods and gifts including mugs and kitchen towels, locally made soaps, spices and more! We will be relocating to 615 Pawling Ave. in Troy, with a Grand ReOpening slated for August.

300 Delaware Avenue., Albany, Albany County, 694-0520, newworldbistrobar@gmail.com, www.newworldbistrobar.com We are a cozy Bistro featuring Chef Ric Orlando's Global Neighborhood cuisine. Our menu includes local produce, sustainable seafood, free range meats, creative vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options. Voted Best International, Best American, Best Vegetarian and Best Place to Take a Date in the 2012 Metroland "Best Of" poll. Open 7 Nights and Sunday Brunch.

Fifty South Restaurant & Bar

Lakeside Farms Country Store, Restaurant and Garden Center 336 Schauber Road Ballston Lake, Saratoga County 399-8359, info@lakesidecider.com www.lakesidefarmscidermill.com Enjoy a meal in our country dining area where we offer madeto-order fresh cooked breakfasts and specialty lunches every day.

We feature grilled and deli sandwiches on home-baked breads, homemade soups, delicious deli salads and fresh vegetables,.

End your meal with a decadent dessert from our bakery shop.

The Local Pub and Teahouse 142 Grand Avenue, Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 587-7256, thelocalpub@gmail.com, www.thelocalpubandteahouse.com The Local Pub and Teahouse serves traditional English and Irish specialties with a unique selection of craft brews and organic teas from around the world. Now in their 5th season, The Local has recently received accolades such as “Best Pub” by Capital Region Living Magazine; “Best Bar, Best Restaurant off-Broadway and Favorite Local Neighborhood Bar” in the Local's Choice Awards.

Stop in for lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch, enjoy dining inside or out, live music, or simply relax in a “Local” Adirondack chair in

Village Pizzeria & Ristorante Route 29, East Galway 882-9431 www.villagepizzeria.com At the Village Pizzeria, a family owned & operated local restaurant, just ten miles west of Saratoga, we've increased the size of our gardens to sustain our kitchen. We have gluten-free pizza, pasta & beer. The Patio is now open; enjoy dinner & a great bottle of wine al fresco nestled in our beautiful gardens. View our menu & award winning wine list at our website. Join our mailing list or become a fan on Facebook to receive info about our upcoming events. Join us for the "Toast to the Ta Ta's" fundraiser and wine tasting for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer - May 24th, Aug 13th, and a Golf Tournament Sept 22. See website for details.

Wineries Featured Listings:

Altamont Vineyard and Winery 3001 Furbeck Rd. , Altamont, Albany County, 355-8100, altamontwinery@hotmail.com, www.altamontwinery.com Take the sort drive out to the Altamont countryside and discover the region's premiere vineyard and winery, producing a distinguished selection of fine wines from more than 20 varieties of grapes grown and harvested in the Helderberg hills. Our unique viticulture produces vintages comparable to European wines, and unlike any other in New York. The Tasting Room and Gift Shop

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is available for private gatherings. The stunning views, pond, and walking paths all make the perfect backdrop as a destination location within the Capital Region.

Amici/Amorici Vineyard Winery 637 Colonel Burch Road, Valley Falls (Easton), Washington County. 469-0680, amicivineyard@gmail.com www.amicivineyard.com Amici/Amorici Vineyard Winery is committed to sustainable agricultural and operates in an environmentally conscious manner.

It strives to leave mother earth better for future generations by minimizing it carbon footprint and works to leave its community with more than it takes. We are a New York farm winery that produces all it own wine on premise using only New York grown grapes, apple, and honey. The wines of Amorici are Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Cayuga, Rose, Apple Honey Wine & Apple Honey Port. Amorici also produces Artisan quality old world natural vinegars including Traditional Red Wine, Red Wine Standard, Red Wine Raspberry, Red Wine Strawberry and Red Wine Wild Blueberry.

Johnston's Winery 5140 Bliss Road, Galway, Saratoga County, 882-6310, kurt@jouhnstonswinery.com, www.johnstonswinery.com Located just off Galway Road, 4 miles west of Ballston Spa, Johnston's is a small family run Winery producing all of our own wines, jams and jellies. We always have our high quality wines available for sampling.

We make all of our own wines from the freshest fruit, honey and grapes available. The winery also carries a huge selection of wine and beer making equipment backed up by experienced wine makers. Take a short country drive and come see us!

Ledge Rock Hill Winery 41 Stewart Dam Road, Corinth, Saratoga County, 654-5467, info@lrhwinery.com, www.lrhwinery.com We are a family run operation with a dedicated love and appreciation for the art of fine wine making. We specialize in limited vintage production of hand-crafted wines made from premium grapes. We take pride in producing wines that are custom crafted from the highest quality fruit available. Fruit that is harvested from our own vineyard as well as a select few partner vineyards that have been able to consistently meet our high quality standards.

Come visit our Adirondack tasting room just off Rt. 9N in Corinth, and discover our passion for good wine! Look for the signs.

Natural Selection Farm Winery 85 Darwin Rd., Center Cambridge, Washington County 677-5208, krdenberg@logical.net Located in scenic Center Cambridge between County Rts. 60 and 74, we are a micro winery making wines in small batches from grapes and blueberries harvested on our farm, and from New York State juice. We feature burgundy dry reds: St. Croix, Geneva Red 7, Marquette and blends. Our dry white wines are Vidal Blanc, and Diamond. Rhapsody in Blueberry, a 100% blueberry wine, is a farm specialty. Our artfully handcrafted wines can be sampled at the winery and at local wine shops. Vineyard and winery tours upon request. Open daily from June - October, and 1-5 PM on winter weekends.

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Additional listings: Colebrook Country Wines, 562 Colebrook Road, Gansevoort, Saratoga County, 261-1877. We make our own wine from grapes and fruit. You can find us at most Farmers' Markets.

The Saratoga Winery, 462 Route 29 Saratoga Springs, Saratoga County.

584-WINE. Diverse wines made by carefully hand selecting the finest grapes, primarily from the Finger Lakes region. Adirondack style tasting room open daily with live music and dinner served on Fridays.

Maple Adirondack Gold, 90 Bear Pond Rd, Thurman, Warren County 623-9718 Dry Brook Sugarhouse, 432 Chambers Rd, Salem, Washington County 854-7651 Grottoli's Maple, 91 Ritchie Rd, Middle Granville, Washington County 642-2856 Mapleland Farms, 647 Bunker Hill Rd, Salem, Washington County 8547669 Nightingale's Maple Farm, 4767 Jersey Hill Rd, West Galway, Saratoga County 882-9334 Rathbun's Maple, 181 Hatch Hill Rd, North Granville, Washington County 642-1799 Sugar Mill Farm, 2469 St Rt 29, Greenwich, Washington County, 6922486 Valley Road Maple Farm, Valley Rd., Thurman, Warren County 623-9783 Toad Hill Maple Farm, 151 Charles Olds Rd, Thurman, Warren County 623-4744

Organizations Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County 50 West High Street, Ballston Spa, NY 12020, 885-8995, Saratoga@cornell.edu, www.saratogafarms.com Cornell Cooperative Extension builds partnerships and coalitions with individuals, communities, organizations, government agencies around issues of mutual concern; develops local leaders who use CCE knowledge to inform decisions; promotes youth development through 4-H clubs and other experiences; strives to help participants make informed choices using the best knowledge available.

Regional Farm and Food Project PO Box 621, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866, www.farmandfood.org Founded in 1996 to promote sustainable agriculture and local food systems. RFFP is a member supported, farmer focused, non-profit group serving the greater Hudson-Mohawk Valley foodshed of New York State. Our Irene Relief Fund has directly assisted many farms that have suffered under the devastating flooding in August 2011.

Slow Food Saratoga Region www.slowfoodsaratoga.com.

Our membership supports and promotes the unique local food culture of upstate New York. We educate people about local food, and provide insight into what makes our region and cuisine worth preserving. Join Slow Food Saratoga Region's newsletter to get updates and news about local initiatives, great food, and gourmet events. Join us and celebrate Slow Food!

Long Lesson Farm LEARNING TO LOVE THE LAND THE DOCTOR IS OUT... STANDING IN HIS FIELD STORY AND FARM PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID DELOZIER FOOD PHOTO BY STOCKSTUDIOSPHOTOGRAPHY.COM “We were not born farmers,” explains Melanie Mason, in contrast to her neighbors in the scenic Hoosick River Valley countryside of northern Rensselaer County. “We had to learn it the hard way, making mistakes and correcting ourselves along the way.” Thus the long lessons, and the subsequent naming of the farm that today constitutes 450 acres of lush green pastures, woodlands, and scenic vistas looking north upon the hills of neighboring Washington County.

Bob and Melanie Mason were living what many would consider the American Dream - living in suburban Stony Brook, Long Island, on a 3 acre mini-farm where they had a few horses. Bob was a vascular surgeon, the guy that would be called if your aorta burst open.

Saving lives was his daily work. Melanie raised a family and tried to keep up with the demands of being married to an in-demand surgeon. The schedule was rigorous, and Bob was on-call pretty much all the time. Vacations and time off were a rarity. “It's not like he could just say “today is Saturday, I can't come in;' it doesn't work that way,” said Melanie. Because of the constant demands on their time, when they did get a chance to get away, Bob and Melanie wanted to get AWAY! Away from phones, beepers, TV... everything.

They opened up a map and drew a circle representing a 5 hour drive from Stony Brook. That line on the map, and a phone call to a farm realtor, lead them to a 67 acre tract near Buskirk, New York. They fell in love with it immediately, and decided that this was the place.

There was no house, and they did not want a house, initially, just a place to get away from it all for a week or so. The Masons would spend the first few years just camping out - one tent for the girls, another for the boys, and a third for Bob and Melanie. The horses came too, and they were just turned out into the fields. Everybody loved it. The neighbors referred to them as “those crazy Long Islanders.”

GREEN ACRES - A LOVE STORY OF BARNS AND FIELDS A house did finally get built, and the Masons began to experiment with the farming life. It started with cutting hay and selling it to nearby farmers. They fell in love with a handsome old barn on adjacent property, owned by the Pratts. When the Pratt family decided to sell the property, they offered it to the Masons, who jumped at the chance. “By that time we didn't have any money, but the kids had a college fund, so we used that,” chided Melanie. That ecolocalliving.com 37

parcel more than doubled the size of the farm. With all the newly acquired field and barn, the Masons decided to add cattle to expand their farm income. The decision to feed the cattle only grass was a nobrainer. The expanded farm was primarily open pastures, and was perfect for grazing cattle. And by this time, they had gotten a handle on making hay, so instead of selling it, they'd use it for their own cattle..

Several years later another adjacent farm owned by the Marpe family, became available, as the Marpe's were looking to divest of their land.

Again, the Mason's stepped up and bought it and expanded their farm to what is today. The path from suburban hobby farm to full-scale cattle farm was realized. It has been a journey that has been filled with it's share of trials and tribulations, but also has been an immense learning experience for the Mason's. “We knew nothing going into this,” exclaimed Melanie. “I didn't know what a hay rake or tedder was, a round baler or a square baler, what's the difference? I had no idea.” She continued, “We've learned that you can get bulldozers stuck in the mud. We've learned you can get tractors stuck, too.

We've learned all about calves, and bulls, and steers.” Cows don't come with an instruction manual. But observing them, handling them, moving them between fields, they quickly tell you want can and can't be done. “Finding the right way to do something after doing it the wrong way is the long lesson,” she quipped.

WHERE’S THE BEEF? The Mason's initial goal for raising beef was for seed stock, or breeding animals for genetics. They chose the Angus breed for their cold-hardiness and their value as breeding stock. The market for

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breeding stock turned out to be more complicated and less profitable than first thought, so the Masons began to seek out a market for the meat. Fortunately for them, the demand for local, grass-fed meat was growing. Farmers Market patrons and local restaurateurs were seeking local grass-fed meat sources, as news of the poor conditions within the huge confinement animal feeding operations (CAFOs) got into the mainstream consciousness. Also in their good fortune, there was a custom meat cutter in nearby Eagle Bridge who had recently converted over to a USDA inspection facility. The mature animals travel less than five miles for processing into the chops, steaks and ground beef that the marketplace wants.

THE LOCAL CONNECTION As the term locavore has entered the lexicon of our language, some restaurateurs are now offering a 'farm-to-table' dining experience, where much, if not all of the meal is locally sourced. The Masons and their grass-fed beef have been embraced by local chefs Kim Klopstock at Fifty South in Ballston Spa, Max London at Max London's Saratoga Springs, and Tim James at The Local Pub and Teahouse, also in Saratoga Springs.

In the case of The Local, the discovery of Long Lesson beef came when co-owner John Hines had gone to lunch over at Max London's on Broadway. He ordered a hamburger, and was so impressed with the flavor, and thought to himself, “I've got to get this for The Local! He went back to his executive chef, Tim James, and said, ”get a hold of these folks and get some of their beef.” Long Lesson beef in now the featured lunch special on Mondays, as an eight ounce hamburger

plate. It started off slow, but as word got out about how the good it was, an otherwise slow lunch day of the week has become very popular. The feedback from customers has been terrific. “People love the burgers, and I've many people ask for us to put it on the regular menu item,” said Tim. He said he's been tempted to do so, but he likes the idea of keeping it as a once a week special, because it is just that. “If we had it every day, then it's no longer special,” he said. “We want it to be fresh, too. We don't make up a whole bunch of them in advance and refrigerate leftovers. When they're gone, they're gone.”

The Long Lesson burger is a great complement to The Local's menu, which Tim has tweaked to give local food top billing.

Locally sourced items like the Long Lesson burger are specifically mentioned by the servers and identified as such in the menu.

“We are big on advertising local, which is where we get 90% of our products. We are proud to be able to promote our suppliers whenever we can and they are proud of the fact that we sell their stuff as well,” said Tim. The Local, from its inception, has been cognizant of the importance of supporting the local suppliers. Even when items are

sourced from larger companies, they seek out the family owned operations.

It's really changed me, working here, said Tim. “I look for the local, now. Once you get over the 'oh, that's hard to do' mentality, it's actually pretty easy. I shop the farmers' markets now, and for the quality you get, it's well worth it.” He continued, “The price point on the Long Lesson is a bit higher than our regular burger, but the flavor is significantly better, so it's worth it. And it sells out every time it's offered. And it helps the local economy around here. Anytime I can buy locally we'll spend the bucks to make it happen.

WHAT COMES AROUND, GOES AROUND It's all about relationship. It builds a network of interconnectedness. When the product that The Local and other restaurants buy from Long Lesson Farm, they're not only helping the Mason family, they're also helping nearby Eagle Bridge Custom Meat who does the processing, who in turn can support other local family businesses who create jobs in their community.

We can be the beneficiaries of this relationship, when we, too, choose local first.

By simply choosing that Long Lesson Farm

burger for lunch, it supports a whole series of actions that have occurred prior to your order.

Cattle are raised on a small family farm, thriving on native grass and sunshine, handled with respect their entire life, processed humanely into ground beef, and delivered with pride by the farmer to the restaurant, where it is then hand-formed as a hamburger, cooked to perfection and served to you with a smile, for your enjoyment and nourishment. Bon Appetit!

Long Lesson Farm is located at 444 GoosenRegan Road, off Route 67 in Buskirk, New York.

753-0356 • www.longlesson.com. Long Lesson Farm is also home to North Country Daylilies. www.northcountrydaylillies.com.

The Local Pub and Teahouse is located at 142 Grand Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York. 5877256 • www.thelocalpubandteahouse.com

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Underground ALCHEMY: A COMMUNITY SUPPORTED AGRICULTURE FOR HERBAL MEDICINE STORY BY TRACY FRISCH PHOTOS BY UNDERGROUND ALCHEMY

When Rebecca Hein handed me a mug of tea she had brewed, I got a taste of the exceptional quality of Underground Alchemy, her micro herbal enterprise in Albany's South End. The Elderberry blend was rich, flavorful, smooth and almost thick in body. It couldn't have had less in common with the mass-produced commercial herbal teas that have lost all their goodness by the time they end up in your cup. An appropriate analogy would a fresh-off-the-vine, fully ripened heirloom tomato with its juices dripping down your chin versus a pale, hard cardboard winter tomato from God knows where.

Trained both as an organic grower and as an herbal practitioner, Rebecca champions the traditional role of herbalism as "the people's medicine." For over a decade she has been growing and harvesting plants for medicine and making remedies for family and friends. Last 46 ecolocalliving.com

fall she launched the region's first and only Herbal CSA (community supported agriculture). It allows her to do two things she loves, work with herbs from the ground up and serve as a "health resource in my community."

"I was pushed to do something more formally with herbs by people around me," she said. "It feels really organic in the way it has happened... It feels truly community supported."

THE HERBAL PRODUCTS Every month Rebecca distributes a selection of medicinal herbal products out of her apothecary to her members. All the plant material that goes into these tinctures, salves, infused oils, teas and her other products come from Streetlight Gardens where she grows organically

Her list of products is quite extensive, some more familiar than others. They include elderberry syrup, wild cherry cough syrup, rosehip syrup, propolis sage throat spray, fire cider, immune formula, echinacea extract, digestive bitters, nervous system tonic, rose glycerite, St. Johnswort oil, calendula salve and muscle salve.

For tinctures Rebecca steeps plant materials in 190-proof organic grain alcohol. If she wants to draw out water-soluble bioactive constituents, she dilutes the alcohol with water. In place of alcohol, she also makes tinctures with glycerin. Apple cider vinegar is used to extract minerals from herbs, for her calcium tonic, for example.

"I try to keep it somewhat seasonal," she said. Thus she offers herbal products with burdock for the spring cleanse, and ambrosia (ragweed) for allergy support. "It's not commercially viable. If you call it ragweed, no one would take it!" she laughs.

“

HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND PHILOSOPHY All members in the Underground Alchemy CSA receive a personal health consultation

from Rebecca plus a custom herbal formula that she creates to address an aspect of their wellness. She enjoys educating people about health and supporting them in their health care. (She does not diagnose.)

engrained patterns like bad diet, lack of exercise or high stress levels brings benefits.

But she recognizes that if you push too hard, you may turn people off and then they may not be willing to take any steps at all.

Rebecca works from a "whole self, whole body" perspective. For her in-depth consultations, she starts with a health history and considers the emotional component, in addition to a person's current complaints. She finds it more effective to treat constitutional and underlying imbalances, rather than simply treating symptoms.

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN HERBALISM It's very important to Rebecca to make her services financially accessible to people who aren't affluent. She adamantly objects to herbal medicine becoming elitist and "set up in a boutique manner," instead of serving as actual health care.

Prevention is always the most desirable approach to health care, and becoming a herbal CSA member makes it easy to use herbs in that spirit. Sometimes people tell her, 'I'm not sick. I don't need anything.' But Rebecca counters that this is really the best time to take herbal teas and tonics.

On the other hand Rebecca has the wisdom to "meet people where they're at." In many cases this involves a "harm reduction" approach, rather than going straight to the root of the problem. "A little relief can go a long way," she asserts.

"A lot of alternative health practitioners demand that people changes their lifestyle," Rebecca said. Of course, breaking free of

For this reason, she offers her CSA shares on a sliding scale. For six months of herbal products she suggests a price between $175 and $400, depending upon a person's income and what they can afford.

Earlier Rebecca had co-founded the Northeast Radical Healthcare Network which brought together people involved with free clinics, sliding scale work and grassroots education. For several years starting in 2006 she organized a three-day gathering called the Northeast Grassroots Community Herbal Convergence, which she described as a "great space to discuss topics not being talked about in herbal circles - race, class, accessibility, cultural competence." Now community activists in the herbal field have

You have to piece it together and make your own path

“

at her home in Albany's South End or from her ethical wild-crafting in local fields and forest.

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flower that's more familiar to me as a homeopathic remedy.

Every year Rebecca puts a few more herbs under cultivation. Generally she starts them from seed. In a backroom of her home she showed me a long bank of grow lights over trays of seedlings. Most were her vegetable garden, which is another story, though there is some crossover. For instance, this year she is growing okra for its roots, reputed to have medicinal properties similar to marshmallow!

There are still a few herbs that Rebecca needs for her formulas but doesn't grow. Ginger and turmeric, for example, are tropical roots.

Noting that the spice trade has existed for thousands of years, she acknowledges having "purist tendencies." turned their focus to local projects. I was pleased to hear about a movement that I had been unaware of.

FINDING HER WAY INTO HERBALISM In the United States herbalism is not a licensed practice so there is no standard or comprehensive program of study. "You have to piece it together and make your own path," Rebecca explained. As a college student she had been bitten by the farming bug. But even while apprenticing on an organic farm, she "got as interested in weeds as the plants we were trying to grow."

Later, around 2001 she and her partner (NAME) were selected for a coveted two-year stint as the caretakers at the Good Life Center, the Scott and Helen Nearing homestead in Harborside, Maine. They had "an amazing opportunity to learn all kinds of skills," Rebecca said. And the presence of an herbalist in the neighborhood deepened her commitment to learning all she could about herbs.

Subsequently with Nancy Phillips at Heartsong Farm Healing Herbs in New Hampshire's White Mountains she completely immersed herself in growing herbs, starting plants and making medicine. Rebecca went on to study with herbalists like Adam Sellar at the Pacific School of Herbal Medicine as well as his more famous teacher, Michael Moore.

Both approached herbs physiologically. She also took anatomy and physiology courses at community colleges.

Rebecca ultimately landed in Albany after a fruitless quest for land to farm in the Hudson Valley. She and her partner realized that they 48 ecolocalliving.com

were "more culturally at home" in an urban environment, and that they didn't need to be in a rural community to pursue their goals and interests. Albany, once known as 'the city in the country,' has been a good choice. It has a big community garden movement and it doesn't take long to get out of the city.

THE HERBS When Rebecca beckoned me into her apothecary, I found myself in a pleasant little windowless room that seemed to be in the center of the three-story house that she bought five years earlier and shares with her partner and a couple other housemates. A large collection of jars containing her herbs and herbal concoctions filled floor-to-ceiling shelves on several walls and a bookcase held an impressive book collection on all things herbal.

Later we went outside into the herb garden as big as a city house lot, where Rebecca grows over 75 different species of medicinal plants. The soil looked good and loose.

Rebecca told me that the previous owner and award-winning gardener -- the late Elfreda Textores, was a community activist who started the community garden across the street.

On that bright sunny day in early April some of her perennials and self-sowing annuals were peeking out of the undulating raised beds. I jotted down the names of some of them -- Codonopsis, Bloodroot, Echinacea, Valerian, Lungwort, Black Cohosh, Monarda, Mullein, Vitex, Anise Hyssop. Then I crouched to admire the gorgeous blooms of Pulsatilla (pasqueflower or prairie crocus), a diminutive

BUSINESS Rebecca is striving for balance doing something she really loves while trying to make it part of her livelihood. (She manages the bulk herb and tea section at Honest Weight Food Coop as her part-time day job.)

Running a small business is an interesting project for someone like her who holds "strong anti-capitalist values!" When she enrolled in an entrepreneurial boot camp with the Chamber of Commerce, she realized that she had strayed from what she believes.

For now Rebecca wants to take her new business slowly. Her CSA is small, which suits her at present, and members are giving her a lot of positive feedback. Most of her CSA members are people she already had some connection with. Almost all of the fifteen members in her Winter share (October March) signed up again for the Summer share (April - September). Now she's up to eighteen members. In response to demand, she started a family plan under which additional family members receive a personal consultation and customized formula.

As her business grows Rebecca expects to start also selling at farmers' markets. In the long run, she has a vision of creating an integrative health clinic where several modalities of healing are offered. It might have a nurse practitioner "because being able to take insurance is huge for accessibility," she said.

"We need more bridges. The allopathic [modern, western medicine] and holistic worlds need to work together," she said.

Contact Rebecca Hein at 518/463-54738, email undergroundalchemy@gmail.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/undergroundalchemy.

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FUNKY

AND FRESH LOCAL FOOD STAND OFFERS FUN, HEALTHY FOODS STORY & FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY BY PATRICIA OLDER LAURA WEIL PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVID DELOZIER If you love delicious, organic food with a Mexican flair then travel to the Saratoga Farmer’s Market for some mouth-watering burritos made with market fresh vegetables and home made wraps.

Funky Fresh Foods, owned and operated by Laura Weil, offers a full menu of wraps made from locally grown vegetables, free-range eggs, black beans and rice, home made red sauce and guacamole, and hand-made burrito shells.

“I really love burritos; and Spanish, Mexican, and Latin American inspired foods,” said Laura, whose background includes a stint as a chef at a large estate in Wales owned by a Countess, an A-1 Spanish food restaurant in Albany, and a Ballston Spa health food store. “I wanted a cooked food business at the market – no one else was doing it and I thought it would be successful.”

That business would become Funky Fresh Foods – a small, cooked food stand operated at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market – the first of its kind in the Spa City – and one that offers an array of menu items incorporating food items purchased right from the market itself.

“I was a vegetarian for a long time, but working at the market changed that when some of the vendors encouraged me to try some of their foods,” explained Laura, who was employed by an organic farmer for several years before deciding to embark on her own adventure as a business owner. “I still do not eat red meat, but I keep everything [on my menu] fresh and healthy.”

Continuing, she said some of the reasons she decided to market food items that embraced the organic and fresh ideal was her childhood in a farming community, her career as a chef, and her own personal allergies to certain spices. That background, she said, kept her keenly aware of the need to provide a product that most people would like and enjoy, as well as well as one that was healthy and local. “I wanted to make food that was different from what anyone else was doing, but also make the items with all fresh ingredients from local vendors, and using fresh seasonings.”

Noting that all of the seasonings she uses are “Spanish-inspired,” such as the fresh chilies, many, she admits, are a trade “secret.”

“That is what makes my burritos so good.”

Laura’s background in food service began as a child, growing up in a household where her parents introduced her to locally grown food items. Laura explained that her mother was a vegetarian and her grandmother a master cook in the family kitchen.

“My parents both ate healthy – my mother was a vegetarian, she introduced me [to the lifestyle,]” Laura said. But, she continued, it was in her grandmother’s kitchen where her love of cooking was born.

“I remember peeling my first potato when I was five,” said Laura, whose grandmother ran a strict kitchen, rarely letting anyone interfere or help with the cooking process. So, she says, when her grandmother set her up at a place in the kitchen to help with the family dinner, she remembers the joy she felt at creating a meal. “I was so excited,” said Laura. “I still remember that day.”

As a young adult, Laura was offered the opportunity to travel to England – a long ways from her roots in Johnstown.

“I was graduating with a two-year degree in Liberal Arts and a girlfriend of mine was going to England. She invited me,” explained Laura, adding that at first, she thought it would be financially impossible. That is when her mother told her of some money set aside for her future.

While the thought of traveling so far from home was daunting at first,

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those fears did not deter the curious and adventurous young woman.

With money in hand, Laura said the decision was pretty easy for her.

“I said yes!”

England proved to be another growing experience for the budding chef and entrepreneur, where she worked at a variety of jobs from retail work to a chef at a private estate. It was also in England where she met her future husband, Paul, who moved back to the States with her.

Sharing many of the same ideals on healthy lifestyles, the couple worked for a number of years as co-owners of a local health food store – the first of its kind in growing Ballston Spa. “We both worked at Wild Thyme,” said Laura, who also works part time as a coordinator for a homeless awareness group.

But, it was her time working at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market that changed her course in life and hatched the seeds of thought for her own business.

As Laura explains it, she was an employee of an organic farmer who sold his food stuff at the market. She continued, noting that she fell in love with the rhythm and flow that resonated through-out the marketplace. She felt at home at the market, she said, and shared a common bond with the vendors and customers alike..

Realizing that it would be easy to incorporate her knowledge of organic and locally grown vegetables and farm products, along with her experience as a chef, into a business that could offer a unique and fun menu for customers, Laura set out to open Funky Fresh Foods.

“I was working for one of the organic farmers and I loved it so much, I thought I could incorporate their food stuff with the business,” explained Laura, adding that the most difficult part of starting the food stand was the actual licensing process.

“The hardest part was all the licensing because there had never been a cooked food vendor [at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market,]” she continued.

The menu she said, while containing one meat item – the pulled pork burritos – offers a mix of burritos from the Full Monty which features a combination of the breakfast and lunch burrito to the full-bodied Lassi, a mango, strawberry, and yogurt drink that hails from India and

similar to a Smoothie.

“I have the one meat item now – pulled pork – but most of our items are made with vegetables,” said Laura. “My pulled pork is really good, but I didn’t want to do an all-meat menu.”

But, Laura, said, even though she does offer a meat product, as a former vegetarian, she understands and resects the importance of not mixing the food items. “Everything is kept separate so our veggie customers do not have to worry,” she said.

But it is the breakfast and lunch burritos, crafted with fresh, homemade burrito shells, that the customers, most of them regular clients returning week after week, that keep her busy cooking.

“We offer breakfast burritos using vegetables purchased that morning here at the market, free-range eggs, market home fries, cheddar, a home made red sauce, sour cream,” said Laura. “And for lunch, there is the burrito made with black beans and rice, red sauce, sour cream, and cheddar cheese.”

And everything, she said, is offered with home made guacamole.

Laura added, though, customers could have whatever they want on their burritos – creating their own special wrap. “A customer can add whatever they want,” she said.

But what truly make the wraps delicious are the fresh, home made burritos. Made the night before, the burritos are a four-part process that takes several hours and two people. “Paul helps me and we have a set system for making the burritos,” Laura noted. She said they rent a professional kitchen in Johnstown while their own kitchen undergoes renovation to make the burritos.

While she loves what she is doing now, Laura does not dismiss the notion of expanding her popular food stand. “A lot of customers keep asking me if I am going to open my own place,” admits Laura. “That would be a big leap. You never know, but for now, I love what I am doing.”

Funky Fresh Foods, which also caters for special events, can be located at the Saratoga Framers Market on Saturday mornings, 9 – 1, located at Division Street School during the winter months, and on High Rock Avenue Park pavilion in the summer and Fall. They are also featured the third Wednesday of every month at the Market Bistro feature of the Farmer’s Market. ecolocalliving.com 51

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Eco-LOCAL People

Tina Bakkalapulo Owner of the NEW For Earth’s Sake eco-emporium at 120 West Avenue in Saratoga Springs ELL: What's the best part about your job?

TB: I love meeting so many awesome customers that want to make the world a better place!

ELL: Why do you choose to operate your business in Saratoga Springs as opposed to somewhere else?

TB: I love Saratoga Springs... it's a great town that has so much to offer, easy to get around & safe. And it’s got a lot of great small, locally owned businesses that make it a real special place.

ELL: Why do you think it’s important to keep it local?

TB: Where do I begin?... environmental impact is reduced, small local businesses are the largest employers nationally, customer service is better, local businesses are invested in the community's future, when you purchase at locally owned businesses, more money is kept in the community.

ELL: What locally owned business (other than your own) could you not live without?

TB: The farmers at the local farmer's markets... our community is so fortunate to have them sell their products each week.

ELL: What are some of the things you do to help make the world a little bit better?

TB: We smile a lot and treat all our customers like VIP's... hopefully make their day a bit more pleasant and RECYCLE! ELL: What do you like to do in your free time?

TB: Spend time with friends & family, swim, love to fish & garden a If “eco-LOCAL” were to be embodied in a store, then For Earth’s Sake bit too... love to be outdoors. is it. Tina has created a unique, healthy shopping experience, ELL: What's the best advice you've ever received? researching and hand-selecting each product line. Everything in the TB: Cherish every moment with your children... especially the store has an eco-consciousness integrated within it. And Tina lives challenging times... laugh at myself :-) and breathes the eco-LOCAL message. Tina’s passion is informing others how simple and easy it is to make healthy choices in our fast- ELL: Our Facebook fans want to know: What is it that sets you apart paced world. And now, with For Earth’s Sake, she’s helping to make and promotes loyal, repeat business? these choices readily available to her customers. Also, Tina feels TB: We are a unique natural health food store... we carry local food, strongly about supporting our local farmers. She is excited and proud fun eco-friendly gifts & our skincare lines are naturally derived and to carry many products from farmers in and producers in Saratoga organic & affordable... our store is open, roomy, sunny and we are a County and the surrounding area. As a family-run business, Tina and fun, friendly bunch! her family will strive to bring the best in healthy living to your family. ELL: Our Twitter followers want to know: What drives you to keep Thank’s for leading the charge, Tina! doing what you do?

TB: It's my passion to carry healthy products, learn, educate, support Eco-LOCAL Living: How long have you been in business and what local farmers & be conscious of our carbon footprint. inspired you to get started?

TB: Going on four months now. I wanted a store where everything For Earth's Sake is located at 120 West Avenue, is eco-friendly. There’s so much cool stuff out there, but what is the impact on the planet and our future? I did a lot of research, and the Suite 102, next door to the Fortunate Cup Café in Saratoga Springs. www.ForEarthsSake.com result is what you see in this store!

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