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Fall 2002
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Circle Reader Service Number 108
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Volume 2, Number 3 • Fall 2002
F E A T U R E S
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REAPING THE HARVEST Autumn is a time of high color, and a time for farmers to bring in their bountiful harvest. By Peggy Haine
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KRISTIAN S. REYNOLDS: A PANORAMIC PALETTE OF COLORS Kristian showcases beautiful fall scenery from his book, Finger Lakes Panoramas.
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AT HOME IN THE FINGER LAKES: A MARK TWAIN MEMOIR The great American author’s connection to Elmira is deeply rooted. By James P. Hughes
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THE COHOCTON TREE-SITTERS Sit in a tree for an entire weekend? In October? By Joy Underhill – Photographs by Vera Elyjiw
D E P A R T M E N T S
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MY OWN WORDS
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LETTERS
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NEWSBITS
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A DAY IN THE LIFE
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MADE IN THE FINGER LAKES
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FRUIT OF THE VINE
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HOW-TO
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DAY TRIP
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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
A picturesque picturesque stream stream on on A East Union Union Road Road near near Bath Bath East
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CALENDAR
Cover Photograph: Photograph: Cover Robie Road Road near near Savona Savona Robie Photographs by by Roger Roger Soule Soule Photographs
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OFF THE EASEL
Still Training After All These Years: Railroading in Finger Lakes Country with Two Veteran Engineers A Taste for all Seasons: Naples Grape Pies
The New York Wine Industry: Looking Back, Looking Forward Wood-Burning Tips The Windmill Farm & Craft Market
Festivals & Events Christian Thirion, Glassmaker
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O W N
W O R D S
Autumn Classics A
utmn may be my ing childhood, from findfavorite time of the ing the homes of small wild year. After a long, hot animals to the pleasure of summer, I look forward to playing in a stream that days with just a little bit flows underneath a canopy of nip in the air. of bright colors. Now, as an September signals the adult, I can walk on trails coming days of crisp, next to incredible, unique bright sunshine while lakes, along old railroad overcast, brooding skies beds, or past farmer’s fields are common during that are ready to be harOctober and especially vested. There is such a November. variety of places to go and PHOTO BY DOROTHY KENNEDY I used to take many things to see in the Finger walks with my family as a child growing Lakes. I think that we live in an area up in Pennsylvania. I remember that that has something for everyone, and these excursions increased in frequency getting outside during the fall season is during September and October, simply a rewarding experience. because the weather was more cooperaWe like to think that by publishing tive. The changing of colors during the this magazine, we can introduce you to fall are well known in the northeastern brand new adventures and rekindle old United States, and the woods around memories from your past. Without you, my childhood home were no exception. the reader, this publication could not But the thing that I remember most are exist, and in order for you to continue the scents of autumn. It is said that the to enjoy what we have to offer, we need sense of smell helps us to store memoyou to subscribe. We try to make this ries, and when we smell something, process as easy as possible. Simply fill even years later, that memory associatout the postage-paid card provided ed with a certain scent can trigger an inside the magazine and send it to us. intense recollection of memories. You can subscribe online by visiting This is what happens to me as I stroll www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com or call through the woods around my home in 800-344-0559. the Finger Lakes. The organic aroma of Best wishes for a fall season full of fallen leaves, ripe grapes and the forest new adventures. floor after a rain storm bring back many pleasant memories from my past. There are a myriad number of mark@lifeinthefingerlakes.com adventures to be had in the woods dur-
Areas of interest in this magazine issue
Naples
NEW YORK S TAT E
Penn Yan
Cohocton Millport
The Finger Lakes Region of New York State Owego
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EDITORIAL & PRODUCTION ART DIRECTOR/EDITOR. . . . . . . . . . . Mark Stash Mark@LifeintheFingerLakes.com EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE . . . . . . . . Kari Anderson
J. Kevin Fahy Tina Manzer ADVERTISING EDITOR . . . . . . . . . .Tricia Burnett PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE . . . Bobbie Jo Trumbull
Kristin Grove CONTRIBUTORS . . . . . . . . . . . . . Bruce Beardsley
Rich Gardner Peggy Haine James P. Hughes Tara Morgan Kristian S. Reynolds Joy Underhill Laurel C. Wemett EDITORIAL OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-789-0458 EDITORIAL FAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-781-6820
ADVERTISING & CIRCULATION ADVERTISING/CIRCULATION
DIRECTOR
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tim Braden Tim@LifeintheFingerLakes.com ADVERTISING ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Hagerman Jason@LifeintheFingerLakes.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Rick Kauder Rick@LifeintheFingerLakes.com SALES ASSISTANT . . . . . . . . . . . Sarah Whitaker OFFICE MANAGER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tricia King BUSINESS OFFICE . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-789-0458
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-344-0559 BUSINESS FAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 315-789-4263 Life in the Finger Lakes is published by Fahy-Williams Publishing, Inc. and owned by Eleven Lakes Publishing, Inc. Co-owners: Mark S. Stash; Timothy J. Braden. Copyright ©2002 by Eleven Lakes Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or otherwise reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Uncredited photographs and illustrations are by Mark Stash. TO SUBSCRIBE, RENEW OR CHANGE ADDRESS: write to Life in the Finger Lakes, P.O. Box 1080, Geneva, New York 14456, or call 315789-0458. Subscription rates: $12.95 for one year. Outside U.S., add $10.00 per year. For renewal or change of address, include the address label from your most recent issue of Life in the Finger Lakes. For gift subscriptions, include your own name and address as well as those of gift recipients.
Life in the Finger Lakes 171 Reed St. • P.O. Box 1080 Geneva, NY 14456 www.LifeintheFingerLakes.com
Serving the 14 counties of the Finger Lakes Region Printed by Wilcox Press, Ithaca, New York
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L E T T E R S It has always been my understanding that ours are old lakes (Waneta and Lamoka Lakes), part of the Finger Lakes. The water from Waneta flows down through the Keuka Outlet to Keuka Lake. They are small lakes, but larger than Canadice; and they are called the best-kept secret of the Finger Lakes in articles. It even appears to us on a New York State map that at one time they could have been the “missing right leg branch” of Keuka. Please clarify what constitutes a Finger Lake. Are there ten in all for both hand prints? We are protective of our beautiful lakes and are offended to often be left out of the area's articles. Nancy, Waneta Lake Dr. Bruce Gilman, from the Department of Environmental Conservation at Finger Lakes Community College, helped us answer this question. “The eleven Finger Lakes occupy deep glacial troughs that were formed as the ice sheet selectively eroded pre-existing stream/river beds that were aligned with the basal ice flow direction. Each of the Finger Lakes are formed by trapping water between recessional moraines deposited across the valley floor of a particular trough. Hence, glaciologists refer to the Finger Lakes as being ‘doublydammed.’ The southern deposit is regionally known as the Valley Heads Moraine, and in places is over 1000 feet in thickness. The northern moraine deposit varies from lake to lake. If the glacial trough is not doubly-dammed, no Finger Lake is present. This is clearly evident in such locations as the Genesee Valley, Bristol Valley, Middlesex Valley, etc. Interestingly, these valleys did have proglacial lakes in them at the end of the Great Ice Age when the retreating ice margin temporarily functioned as the northern dam. High elevation lakes like Silver Lake, Waneta Lake and Lamoka Lake do not occupy deeply scoured troughs and often have only one moraine deposit across their valleys (the other end of these lakes is simply higher bedrock topography).” Circle Reader Service Number 159
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N E W S B I T S
WARNING:
YOUR GUESTS MAY OVERSTAY THEIR WELCOME.
Walls of windows. Cathedral ceilings. Western red cedar. It’s no wonder that every Lindal home is so inviting — at a price that’s surprisingly affordable.
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Greater Ithaca Art Trail Fall foliage and beautiful art. Just two hours southeast of Buffalo, art-loving day trippers and weekenders can take the Greater Ithaca Art Trail, a unique self-guided tour of 49 artists' studios, during the Trail's Open Studio weekends on October 12, 13, 19, and 20 from noon to 6 p.m. each day. Ithaca and Tompkins County, located in the heart of the Finger Lakes at the Southern end of Cayuga Lake is home to 600 artists, 49 of whom have banded together to create the Greater Ithaca Art Trail to exhibit and sell
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Circle Reader Service Number 121
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Artist blacksmith Durand Van Doren demonstrates his art to visitors in his studio in Trumansburg. His work takes the forms of gates, railings, furniture and sculpture. PHOTO BY ANDREW GILLIS. their paintings, sculptures, watercolors, prints, fiber art, pottery, photographs, furniture, wood carvings, glass art, mosaics, jewelry, metal work and computer-generated images. The Art Trail is designed to be user friendly and permits a visitor to set a leisurely pace. An example of each artist's work and the studio can be located in the Trail brochure, along with a comprehensive map siting each studio in Ithaca and surrounding towns. Trail brochures can be obtained by calling the Community Arts Partnership of Tompkins County at 607-2735072 or stop by the brochure rack in the Clinton House Visitor Center lobby, located in downtown Ithaca.
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N E W S B I T S
Fall is Event-ful in Cayuga County
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Time and weather perfected chalets, cottages and log homes produced exclusively by Northern Design & Building Associates. New England Colonials & Custom Designed Homes. From lakeside to mountaintop, we utilize the latest in log and panelized building systems technology. Our qualified staff is ready to assist you through the planning and building process.
Call us for a free consultation!
Looking for something to do this fall? Look no further. The Cayuga County Fall Calendar of Events lists 95 events that are happening right here in Cayuga County from September through December 2002. From the Joyful Acres corn maze in Port Byron, to the Auto Show and Flea Market at Fillmore Glen State Park, to the Lake Ontario Fishing Derby in Fair Haven, there is something to suit everyone’s taste. Where can you start the day (October 5) with homemade pancakes (King Ferry Presbyterian Church), then tour six historic homes and two churches (Community Preservation Tour), and end the day by listening to live folk music in an historic opera house (Morgan Opera House)? Right here in Cayuga County! For a full listing of events, stop by the Cayuga County Office of Tourism at 131 Genesee Street or go to our Web site, www.TourCayuga.com and click on Fall Calendar of Events.
Correction: Finger Lakes Drive-In P.O. Box 47 • Dept FL-01 Hudson Falls, NY 12839
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The phone number that we published for the Finger Lakes Drive-In for the Summer 2002 issue was incorrect. The correct number is 315-252-3969.
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Spend $75 or more on your American Express Card and receive a FREE 2003 Wine Guide
®
For your Free 2003 Wine Guide, published by Food & Wine Magazine, send in this redemption form along with your American Express® Card receipts totaling $75 or more. Shop between 9/15/02 and 11/30/02, then send your American Express Card receipts by 12/15/02 to: American Express-New York Winery Program 200 Vesey St., 01-34-08 New York, NY 10285 NAME ______________________________________________
Published by Food & Wine Magazine
ADDRESS _________________________ APT #____________ CITY __________________________ ST_____ ZIP __________ CARD NUMBER
Simply fill out this certificate and return it along with your American Express Card receipts from purchases made at New York Wineries totaling $75.00 or more between September 15 – November 30, 2002, and we’ll send you your Free 2003 Wine Guide.
Offer valid while supplies last. Limit 1 gift per Cardmember. American Express reserves the right to substitute equivalent gift if necessary.
Receipts must be for American Express Card purchases totaling $75 or more made at participating NY Wineries between 9/15/02 and 11/30/02 and received by 12/15/02. Limit 1 gift per Cardmember. Offer valid while supplies last. American Express reserves the right to substitute equivalent gift if necessary. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
For more information, visit americanexpress.com/nywineries
The logo is a registered trademark and service mark of the New York State Department of Economic Development; used with permission.
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D A Y
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Still Training After All These Years Railroading in Finger Lakes country with Two Veteran Engineers By Bruce Beardsley
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rains don’t grab the public’s attention like they did a generation or two ago. Steam locomotives are gone; that lonesome whistle in the night is no longer. Passenger trains are far fewer, as are branch lines and small-town stations. Doublestacked shipping containers aren’t nearly as interesting to look at as box cars displaying 100 different railroad names. Sitting waiting at a grade crossing is more frustrating than fascinating for most of us these days; we’re all in too much of a hurry, and usually there’s not even a caboose to wave at. So who wants to grow up to be a locomotive engineer any more? Around the Finger Lakes area there are several short lines, “spun-off” remnants of the mainline railroads, which have actually done rather well providing far more personalized service than could ever be managed by a megamerged, Florida-to-Canada operation like CSX or Norfolk Southern. The Livonia, Avon & Lakeville connects Lakeville’s sweetener plant with the world, runs the old “Champagne Trail” line between Bath and Hammondsport, and now has revived a segment of the original Erie Railroad Southern Tier mainline. Finger Lakes Central lives up to its name around Canandaigua, Geneva, Auburn, Watkins Glen (and preserves predecessor New York Central’s old paint scheme). The Owego & Harford Railway perpetuates part of the Lehigh Valley’s old Auburn branch, and over its rails runs the Tioga Scenic, a very
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aptly-named passenger excursion operation. All of these lines preserve a human element that’s very much missed today when that thundering, mile-long, caboose-less mainline container freight train goes powering by. And none of these have had any trouble finding locomotive engineers. After talking to Elwood Belknap and Gordon Brinthaupt, we think we’ve found out why. Being a locomotive engineer still does something it always did; it gets in the blood. Elwood runs the Tioga Scenic passenger train (Owego to Newark Valley), Gordy runs mostly freight (further on to Harford) for the Owego & Harford. Is it in the blood? Here’s what you need to know: these gentlemen are ages 75 and 84 respectively. Elwood, always a railroad fan, went with former operator Tioga Central as a painter in 1988; Gordy is a career railroader, having hired on with the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1941. They don’t do it for salary any more, nor can they; they do it because this is what they do. Elwood Belknap answered some questions for us about how it’s done. Tioga Scenic No. 40, at 600 horsepower — a pint-sized engine as diesels go, is also no youngster: it will turn 50 years old next year. But it’s adequate to the task, is in good shape, and gives the railroad good service. About an hour and a half before departure time
Above: Gorden Brinthaupt. Below: Elwood Belknap.
Photos by Bruce Beardsley
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on your average summer Saturday or Sunday (or other times when the train has been chartered), Elwood is up in the cab, has checked oil, water, and the engine’s compressor, and has the little GM diesel turning over steadily. Next is a required checklist to identify any potential problems. A burned-out headlight, for example, requires immediate attention and is so noted. The checklist notes when the problem was found, when it was fixed and by whom. The brake test is critical. With locomotive and train coupled together, is air getting through the line to every car, so the brakes will act equally
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Wide everywhere? If any car is found to be offending, unless it’s a sticky valve or some other simple fix, that car won’t run that day. Whether you run 125 mph, as Amtrak does on the Northeast Corridor, or 15 mph, as Tioga Scenic does on the run to Newark Valley, that requirement is in common, and is equally important for freight. You won’t hear a lot of horn-blowing at departure time. Tioga Scenic “flags” its highway crossings in Owego, meaning that one crew member gets on the ground and signals the train through the crossing. When all is ready and the “highball” is given – the oldfashioned “all aboard” wave from the conductor – Elwood kicks off the brake, gets the bell to ringing, latches out the throttle, and another passenger excursion is under way. Throttles on most diesels today “notch” all the way out. Not this one: the throttle on this EMD SW-1 (see sidebar on page 12) has just one notch and slides the rest of the way.
Open
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PRODUCT SHOWCASE
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Heartwood Eastern Red Cedar Bed Circle Reader Service Number 146
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Phelps Cement Products Folks from the beautiful Finger Lakes Region have enjoyed millions of cups of coffee from Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters for over seven years. FLCR’s passion starts with the bean. Our travels and roasting experience allow us to locate the highest quality beans from all over the globe. Once selected, these green beans are roasted to perfection in small batches. Freshness is guaranteed. Please visit us at one of the following retail shops or on the web @
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That provides smooth control at slow speeds in railyards, where this engine was designed to spend most of its life. The maximum track speed is federally mandated for the age and weight of the rail and the type of service. For Tioga Scenic it’s 15 mph up to Newark Valley. Owego & Harford freight trains, over the same rails and beyond to Harford, run at 10 mph. Don’t forget, this is an old branch line. It has fought to stay in existence over the years, and the traffic level hasn’t justified main-line maintenance. Fifteen miles per hour is just fine for a leisurely, sight-seeing passenger operation. And 10 mph is acceptable for the mainly bulk commodities, such as gas, salt, and scrap metal, that Owego & Harford carries. With the little GM diesel rocking along, and people in the cars behind enjoying themselves, it’s an hour up to Newark Valley, and an hour back. Upon return the starting process is more or less reversed. If it’s Saturday, there might be both a lunch and a dinner train. Considering time spent in setting up and taking down, and time in between runs, that can make for a good, long, old-fashioned work day on the railroad. Elwood Belknap first brought his talents to what was then the Tioga Central as a painter, in 1988. He has a commercial for you: SOS pads do a great job of taking accumulated rust and grime off a diesel locomotive that’s getting ready to be painted. He painted their locomotives and all but two of their cars. Eventually he made it to the locomotive cab, but there are a series of steps before qualifying to run solo, including a rules class; he and Gordon took that at the same time. Elwood remembers the exact day he qualified to run solo: Thanksgiving Day 1990. Until comparatively recently you were qualified by individual railroad management; today you also need a license. Elwood’s and Gordon’s blue cards are both signed by Mike McCarthy, road foreman of engines for the Owego & Harford. Small railroad, same official title as on the big lines. Elwood the railroad fan hung out with J.J. Young, the photographer who
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Nothing could be finer than dinner in the diner employed to carry the message in many ways for this railroad. When not handling assignments such as depot color schemes, she designed a new interior décor for the two diners, and contributed considerable elbow grease to their teardown and reincarnation as well. Today the cars are a handsome reminder of civilized travel in early postwar times. They serve a lunch menu and a more elaborate dinner menu (led off by “The Engineer,” roast prime rib), prepared in the onboard kitchen in the old manner. The leisurely track speed notwithstanding, if you’re old enough you might be reminded a little bit of dining aboard the Lehigh Valley’s “Black Diamond.” It ran to Buffalo, via Ithaca and Geneva – right through the heart of Finger Lakes country.
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ake it from an old train rider, dinner in a good railroad dining car was a great travel experience. The Tioga Scenic advertises that experience, even at 15 mph. In fact, its two diners – one with kitchen, one with bar – are its two newest cars. As with all Tioga Scenic cars, as well as engine No. 40, they carry the names of women, young and older, who are family to the Tioga Scenic. “Capri Ashley” and “Tiffany Marie” are typical streamlined, smooth-sided examples of the last big late-1940s car-buying splurge, when railroads gambled that money could still be made hauling postwar pasengers. These cars weren’t much to look at when Tioga Scenic got them, though. They needed to be torn right down and put back together pretty. This job was given to Deborah Roane, a marketing professional from Endwell who has been
Photos by Deborah Roane
Experience Our Sense of... ENTERTAINMENT
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170 specialty shops and services; 20 that are unique to the area and 5 major department stores.
585-223-3693 • Located on Route 96 in Victor • North of I-90 NYS Thruway at Exit 45 Circle Reader Service Number 122
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Different Diesels
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Image courtesy of Center for Mark Twain Studies at Elmira College
ELMIRA & CHEMUNG COUNTY cordially invite you to explore the lush river valley that so enthralled Mr. Twain for all those many years. There’s lots of fine dining, arts, shopping, museums, culture, aviation, sports, history and, of course, still plenty of legendary Mark Twain Memories & Mystique.
Contact The Chamber of Commerce (800) MARK TWAIN 400 East Church Street Elmira, NY 14901 Website: www.chemungchamber.org Email: info@chemungchamber.org
ioga Scenic No. 40 and Owego & Harford No. 1811 neatly bracket what’s commonly called the “first generation” of commercially successful diesel-electric locomotives – the diesels that displaced steam power on America’s railroads between 1940 and 1960. No. 40, while among the last of its model to be built (in 1953), actually dates back in design to the Winton-engined switcher that first put General Motors in your average railroad yard in the early 1940s. It’s a 600-horsepower SW-1, built by GM’s Electro-Motive Division (EMD) as Boston & Maine No. 1126. Its electrical generator is actually larger than the little V-type, two-cycle diesel engine that powers it, an engine design that Gordon Brinthaupt says was also found in Tioga Scenic No. 40 submarines during World War II. If that won’t bring the railroad enthusiasts to the property, Owego & Harford No. 1811 will. Numbered to represent its horsepower range (1800 hp) by original owner Canadian Pacific, it’s a late-1950s product of Montreal Locomotive Works, built to designs of the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Schenectady. Its use on the old Owego-Auburn line has a nice symmetry, because the diesel engines inside ALCO locomotives were for the most part manufactured in – yes – Auburn. ALCO left the locomotive business in 1969, Montreal Locomotive quit in 1985, and the remaining ALCOs out there today are prize finds for railfans. They’re often called “honorary steam locomotives” for their propensity to smoke excessively upon initial acceleration, due to an overly rich mixture as the turbocharger catches up with engine speed. Elwood Belknap and Gordon Brinthaupt both love ALCOs. They’re great low-speed “haulers”; fewer but heavier pistons in their Owego & Harford No. 1811 slower-running fourcycle engines make for more weight on the axles, resulting in an ability to really dig in. Their builder’s demise notwithstanding, parts can still be had, and a bunch of ALCOs are concentrated on short lines in the Finger Lakes area, from Lakeville to Lockport to Utica to Owego. Gordy related the best quote this writer had ever heard on the subject: “The EMD’s were the railroads’ racehorses; the ALCOs were the draft horses.” His comment on the previous day’s performance by Owego & Harford No. 1811 was illustrative: “It walked right out of here yesterday with 14 cars of gas and 15 cars of everything else.” Photos by Bruce Beardsley
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has done the most over the years to chronicle railroading in the Southern Tier and particularly around Binghamton, a railroad town if ever there was one. Elwood the collector maintains a collection of railroad air horns and steam whistles which would fill a room. Gordon Brinthaupt dropped off the Owego & Harford freight north of Owego, and rode a company highway vehicle into town to make time for an interview. And the stories began. Gordy signed on with the old Pennsylvania Railroad in 1941, when that railroad didn’t have a diesel on its books, and when railroads were still the dominant form of both passenger and freight transportation. He began work as a car inspector, then became a hostler’s helper, moving steam engines around roundhouse areas for servicing. War interrupted, and he earned his engine rating in Germany with the 718th Railway Operating Battalion. Back in the U.S., he spent 20 years as the engineer for the wreck derrick out of the PRR’s old Southport Yard in Elmira, retiring in August 1978. That year, he joined what was then the Tioga Central, and spent his first six months spreading ballast as the line’s roadbed was reconditioned for service. The stories abound. The Pennsylvania’s steam freight engines tended to be nothing fancy; in fact, this enormous railroad at one time stabled over 500 of a waddling, plodding behemoth of a locomotive type which crews called “Hippos,” and which Gordon says were “rough-riding and miserable to work on, but, boy, could they ever pull.” One of their regular assignments was coal trains over the old Northern Central between Elmira and Watkins Glen and the coal loading dock at Sodus Point on Lake Ontario. Once or twice a week, the nearby New York Central would also drop down into Southport Yard for a train of coal which it would take up through Geneva to connect with its main line at Lyons. At Watkins Glen, a Pennsylvania locomotive would give the NYC train a push up out of town until it regained its own rails at
Himrod. One day, says Gordy, the automomatic stoker quit on the NYC locomotive. Trying to hand-shovel coal to the firebox on a large locomotive, the NYC crew was on its third attempt to get moving out of Watkins Glen when the air brakes went into emergency, a sign that a connection had broken somewhere in the train. The culprit was an old 40-foot coal hopper car which had essentially collapsed in between its end sills. “That Hippo was shoving so hard from behind that the force had sandwiched the thing.” That sort of thing doesn’t happen pulling salt, scrap and gas with a diesel on the Owego & Harford, but the fascination is still there. Every once in a while, Gordy says, his wife will ask, “Why don’t you do something around the house?” After about two days of that, she’ll say, “Why don’t you go down to the railroad and get back at it?”
At the close of our interview, Gordy had gotten up into the cab of Tioga Scenic No. 40 for a photograph. At that precise moment, a locomotive bell was heard from north of the Owego depot: O&H No. 1811, in from Harford and ready to move the day’s freight into the line’s small interchange yard for pickup by Norfolk Southern. While No. 1811 coupled up to move Tioga Scenic’s two luxury dining cars to an adjacent track, the O&H’s young regular engineer, freshly on duty, cranked up Tioga Scenic No. 40 for the switching assignment, and asked Gordy if he was going to hang around for awhile. It would be easier in the yard with one man in the cab and one on the ground, connected by radio. Gordon, age 84, readily acquiesced. After all, it’s in the blood.
Bruce Beardsley is a railroad enthusiast who resides in Rochester, New York.
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A Taste for all Seasons: Naples Grape Pies By Laurel C. Wemett
F
or years John Braham, owner of the Arbor Hill Grapery in Bristol Springs, has proclaimed Naples the “grape pie capital of the world.” His store’s inventory of gourmet food products has included grape pies for 14 years and canned grape filling for nearly as long. Arbor Hill is just up the road from the picturesque village of Naples, where each fall changing leaves bring thousands of visitors to admire the colorful vistas of the surrounding valley. Added to the colors is an annual Grape Festival in late September, celebrating the harvest of the local grapes. It’s no wonder an estimated 20 local bakers are prepared to spend countless hours each season rolling out flaky pie crusts and preparing the rich purple-hued filling made from Concord grapes, to satisfy the growing appetite for grape pies. The preparation and ingredients for the pastry and pie fillings vary from baker to baker but the Concord grape is considered by all as the best choice because of its combination of tartness and sweetness with deep color. Braham describes the Concord variety as a “slip-skin grape,” meaning the pulp separates easily from the skin. “It takes a long time to make a grape pie,” says Susan Gibson, who has been baking them for a local produce stand, Joseph’s Wayside Market, since 1976. “You have to pinch each solitary grape so that you have the pulp, cook the pulp up on the stove, then bring it to a boil, run it though a food mill to get the seeds out, because grapes have seeds. Then you put the pulp and skins back together and add your sugar and thickener,” explains Gibson, who was a prize-winning pie baker when she was in 4-H. She began baking a few grape
pies to sell to customers at Bob & Ruth’s Restaurant in Naples, where she waitressed from 1964 to 1976. Although Gibson works a full-time job, she looks forward to the seven weeks of pie-baking. “It’s nice to get the compliments, and I wouldn’t do it if it were torture,” laughs Gibson. “I work into the evenings and weekends, but it’s better than having a
Photo Courtesy Arbor Hill Winery
part-time job all year round. I know it’s just seven weeks of hard work,” adds Gibson, who like other bakers, has some help with her pie-baking. By all accounts the grape pie first became popular in Naples in the 1960s with local restaurateur, Al Hodges. “Al Hodges built the Redwood Restaurant in 1955 and it was around 1965, when looking for something new to attract people, he came up with trying grape pies,” recalls Irene Bouchard who has lived in Naples since 1954. “His chef got a recipe from an elderly German lady in Naples and started making the grape pies. It got to the point where people were asking to take a whole pie home and this is when it got overwhelming for them,” explains Bouchard. “I was across the street with a little bake shop, selling a variety of things — pies and bread and cookies,
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and he asked if I would help him bake grape pies to take home.” About the same time, Jane Gentner on County Road 12 began selling grape pies at her roadside stand for a modest $1.00. “People stopped to buy apple pies,” recalls Gentner, “so why not grape?” Jane and her husband David had 38 acres of vineyards at that time, selling their grapes to wineries like Taylors in Hammondsport. When the profit margin fell out of that due to the importation of inexpensive concentrated grape juice from other countries, the couple reduced their acreage to five, just enough to meet their own needs. Gentner says there are now three generations of her family working together picking grapes and making pies during the grape season. The stand has expanded to a shop in the barn and Gentner is now selling pies to the children of former customers. “They’re like family; that’s what keeps me going,” says Gentner, who won first prize on three separate occasions in the “Worlds Greatest Grape Pie” contest at the Naples Grape Festival. Her secret to successful pie-baking? “I personally make every crust,” says Gentner, who says she has a lot of people who just order her crust. Irene Bouchard, now a very youthful 84, still bakes pies, but she no longer turns out 17,000 to 18,000 a year as she did in the 1980s with the help of her sister, husband, and two daughters. She calls herself retired, but hasn’t stopped baking all together and taught her granddaughter pie-baking, which will carry on the family tradition. “You have to be dedicated,” says Bouchard, “and like to work hard.” Those attributes are in plentiful supply at Monica’s Pies on Route 21. In a newly renovated building Monica Schenk and her mother, Katherine (Kay) Clark, run a year-round pie-baking business. In addition to grape, raspberry, strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb, and blueberry all have a season. She and her mother divide the tasks, with Kay specializing in pastry, and Monica the fillings. “95 percent of our customers are repeat customers,” says Schenk of the operation that began 20 years ago, adding, “We pick up a few
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reaping By Peggy Haine
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the
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harvest
Photograph by Kristin Grove
ummer in the Finger Lakes is the reward we locals reap for spending dark, introverted winters huddled around our hearths, our shoulders up around our necks. By comparison, summer is mild, sunny, and outgoing. We enjoy boating, swimming, and fishing, and revel in the small-town hurley-burley of summer fairs, parades, and fireworks displays. The fires we huddle around in summer usually have hunks of meat, marinated fish or vegetables grilling over them. But autumn is the lagniappe, the little extra something thrown in for good measure. For me, it’s the crowning glory of the year. Fall in the Finger Lakes is a time of high color and bittersweet high spirits as the trees put on their dramatic back-to-schoolwear against a backdrop of rolling fields, deep gorges, and even deeper lakes. And while the rest of us are waiting for the mums and asters to finish blooming, so we can put our gardens to bed, farmers are reaping harvests of wheat, barley, and spelt; apples, pears, plums, peaches, and grapes; squashes, pumpkins, cabbage-y greens, and dried beans—you name it. Agriculture is a way of life for many in Central New York. Some of us were born to it; others escaped cities and suburbs for an opportunity to live amongst the undulating hills and lakes, in communities where friendship and mutual support are part of the daily exchange, where seldom is heard a discouraging word, because we know we’ll bump into the discouragee at the supermarket or the next PTA meeting. And though the romance of farming is tempered by unrelenting physical labor and maddening uncertainties of weather and markets, many Central New York farmers prosper, to the applause of those of us who enjoy our foods locally grown. In fact, agriculture is a $3 billion industry in New York State and an integral part of its rich cultural heritage. New York is the second largest apple-producing state in the country, with apples and apple products contributing $123 million Pumpkins and corn adorning a wagon make up a part of the fall harvest throughout the Finger Lakes. Photograph by John Meuser FALL 2002 ~
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to New York’s farm economy. It is also the second-largest wine producing state in the U.S. And its grapes, tart cherries, and pears combine to contribute over $53 million in additional income to the fruit industry. That’s big business.
Among the most successful farm businesses in Central New York is AgriLink, which owns the Birds-Eye brand, as well as Silver Floss sauerkraut and Comstock pie fillings — brands you probably see in your supermarket, wherever you live. And while they have growers and processing plants all over the country, their main office is here in Rochester. They buy and process peas, beans, corn, cabbage, carrots, butternut squash, peaches, cherries, apples, and cabbage — in excess of $10 million worth of raw agricultural crops in this region alone. According to Tom Facer, vice president of agricultural services, AgriLink contracts with growers, supplies seed, and schedules planting with the farmers, so that they can schedule harvesting as economically as possible. “As the crop gets closer to harvest,” says Facer, “we watch it carefully, go out in the field every day, schedule the harvester and trucker to be there, and the processing plant to accommodate them. . . our goal is to keep our processing plants full all season. They run 18 hours a day, every day, and we’ve got to have product there every hour,” he says. Another national distributor is Venture Vineyards, grape growers, in Lodi, New York, with a 150-acre farm just above Seneca Lake. Harvest is a crazy, hectic time for owners Mel and Phyllis Nass. What with managing the crews that hand harvest their grapes, brokering the grapes, loading trucks, and keeping in touch with truckers around the country,
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around the clock, there’s hardly a moment’s rest. What did they do before cell phones were invented? “During harvest we couldn’t ever leave home,” says Phyllis. As Long Islanders, they’d spent weekends apprenticing themselves to nearby farmers. They came to the Finger Lakes on a camping trip, and fell in love with the area. He, a former IBM engineer, and she, a schoolteacher, found a farm overlooking Seneca Lake, and began raising table grapes— mostly the Concords, Niagaras, Wordens, and seedless grapes that grow so well in the Finger Lakes—and shipping them all over the country. Their grapes are now carried by megaretailers such as Tops, Wegmans, Price Chopper, Stop & Shop, Wal-Mart, Publix, and Winn Dixie. They even ship to California. Says Mel, “They can’t grow Concords and Niagaras out there.” Venture Vineyards’ season starts in midJuly, with grapes they purchase from growers in Arkansas, and ends around Thanksgiving, with the last of the Finger Lakes grapes from their cold storage facility. Down the lake a piece, their neighbor Jimmy Hazlitt and his son, Eric, are working land their family has had in grape cultivation for 150 years. Their Sawmill Creek Vineyards was among the first to plant some of the more fussy red vinifera varieties, such as Merlot and Pinot Noir, on the portion of Seneca Lake known locally, for its particularly mild climates, as “the banana belt.” Their grapes are in demand among Finger Lakes winemakers, and harvest brings controlled havoc to their several vineyards, where huge mechanical pickers, peering down like tractors on steroids, lumber up and down the vineyard rows, their long mechanical fingers plucking grapes from their vines with surprising tenderness. If the scent of freshly-plucked grapes is more than you can
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bear as you travel down Route 414, stop in at the StoneCat Cafe in Hector, about a mile south of Sawmill Creek, which started out in life as a fruit stand, and still sells the season’s fresh grapes, raspberries, and plums. You may also want to take a lunch break there, on the deck overlooking Seneca Lake, where Chef Scott Signori is committed to performing alchemy on locally-raised foods, many of them raised by his organic farming neighbors, Lodi’s Blue Heron Farm.
If apples are your game
, head for Geneva’s Red Jacket Orchards, on Routes 5 and 20 in Geneva (across from Wal-Mart). They’re known in September for their peaches, and all summer and fall for their apples. Owned and operated by the second and third generation of Nicholsons on that land, their 500 acres of dwarf fruit trees, strawberry plants, and other fruits yield a dizzying array of products. In the early fall you’ll find tree-ripened peaches and plums, and, as the season progresses, 16 varieties of apples, from the familiar Macintoshes and Macouns to the more exotic Monroes, Madisons, Winesaps, and TwentyOunces, most of them available for sampling at the store. Choose your own fruit, piece by piece, in their cool, hemlock-lined fruit cellar, snag a container of one of their ciders or juices, or rummage through their extensive selection of locally grown squash, cabbage, cauliflower, squashes, and pumpkins, and locally made salsa, jams and jellies, fruit butters, vinegars, mustards, relishes, chili sauces, salad dressings, Amish cheeses, peanut brittle, and other candies. When we spoke with Red Jacket’s Joe Nicholson, their new Apple and Rhubarb Juice had just been acclaimed in a recent New York Times article; food writer Florence Fabricant suggested mixing it with iced tea, lemonade, or, better yet, gin! A rhubarbini? But it is only one of many fruit-juice blends Red Jacket produces. With its home base in Geneva, Red Jacket also keeps a storage house in Brooklyn to service its outlets in many of New York City’s greenmarkets. To check out their harvest calendar and to learn more about their products and history, log on to their Web site at www.redjacketorchards.com.
Dorothy Kennedy
Not too far away
, Drew and Melanie Wickham’s The Pick’n Patch, at 3619 Flint Road, just off Routes 5 & 20 in Stanley, New York, is a big draw for both school children and families with its petting zoo, straw-bale and corn mazes,
Bill Banaszewski
Left: Harvesting corn on Bonny Hill, near Watkins Glen. Photograph by Roger Soule Right, Top to Bottom: Apples are an important part of the harvest in upstate New York, as are the grapes in the numerous vineyards that grace the countryside. Onions, beans, potatoes, cucumbers, squash and eggplant are among the choices at local farm markets.
Kristin Grove
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Central New York Farmers’ Markets
AUBURN FARMERS MARKET • Genesee St. between North St. & Loop Rd., by Wegmans, Auburn • Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, 7:30am to 2pm, beginning of June through the end of October CAMILLUS FARMERS MARKET • Home Depot parking lot, corner of Milton Ave & Hinsdale Rd., Camillus • Friday, 10:30am to 5:30pm, early June through October CANANDAIGUA FARMERS’ MARKET • Downtown Canandaigua between S. Main & Lafayette Sts. • Saturday, 7:30am to 12:30pm, mid June through early November CENTRAL NEW YORK REGIONAL MARKET • 2100 Park Street, I-81 exit 23, Syracuse • Thursday, 11am to 7pm, May through Thanksgiving; Saturday, 7am to 2pm, open year round; Sunday, Flea Market, 7am to 3pm, open year round CORNING FARMERS MARKET • Centerway Square, Riverfront Park, Corning • Thursday, Noon to 7pm, Riverfront Park; Saturday, 9am to 2:30pm, Centerway Park; June 28 through mid October DOWNTOWN SYRACUSE FARMERS MARKET • Parking lot at S. Salina & Washington Sts., Syracuse • Tuesday, 7am to 4pm, mid June through mid October ELBRIDGE FARMERS MARKET • Fire Department Lawn, Main St. Rt. 5, Elbridge • Wednesday, 3pm to 7pm, late June through end of October
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FAIRPORT FARMERS MARKET • Parking lot behind Fleet Bank on South Main St., Fairport • Saturday, 7am to 12 noon, early May through late November
PITTSFORD PLAZA FARMERS MARKET • Cohoes’ Parking lot in Pittsford Plaza, Pittsford • Tuesday & Saturday, 8:30am to 2:30pm, June through October
FULTON FARMERS MARKET • Canalview Park & Shop parking lot, S. 2nd St., Rt 481, Fulton • Saturday, 8am to 1pm, beginning of June through the end of October
ROCHESTER PUBLIC MARKET • 280 North Union Street, corner of Pennsylvania Ave., Rochester • Tuesday & Thursday, 6am to 1pm; Saturday 5am to 3pm, open year round
GENEVA FARMERS MARKET • Seneca St. parking lot, downtown Geneva • Thursday, 7:30am to 12:30pm, late June through mid October GREECE RIDGE CENTER FARMERS MARKET • Ridge Road West & Long Pond Road, Greece • Thursday and Saturday, 9am to 3pm, early July through the end of October ITHACA FARMERS MARKET • Dewitt Park at the corner of Cayuga & Buffalo St., Ithaca – Tuesday, 9am to 2pm, mid May through end of October • 545 3rd Street at Steamboat Landing, Ithaca – Saturday, 9am to 2pm, early April through end of December; Sunday, 10am to 2pm, mid June through end of October
SAUDER’S FARMERS MARKET • 2168 River Road, 1/4 mile west of Seneca Falls • Friday, 9am to 6pm, early April through late December SCHUYLER COUNTY FARM & CRAFT MARKET • Fireman’s Carnival, Route 224, Montour Falls • Thursday, 4pm to 6pm, Saturday, 9am to 1pm, mid June through mid October
LYONS FARMERS MARKET • Village Park, Lyons • Saturday, 7:30am to 11am, mid June through mid October MAIN STREET MARKET • 220 E. Main St., Rochester • Friday, 11am to 2pm, mid June through the end of October MORAVIA FARMERS’ MARKET • Corner of Keeler Ave. & W. Cayuga St., Moravia • Thursday, 2pm to 6pm, June through October NEWARK FARMERS MARKET • Cooperative Extension parking lot, 1581 Route 88W at Hydesville Road., Newark • Thursday, 2pm to 5pm, end of May through the end of October NORTH CHILI FARMERS MARKET • Methodist Church parking lot on Westside Drive & Buffalo Rd., North Chili • Saturday, 8am to 1pm, beginning of July through the end of October
FINGER LAKES
SKANEATELES FARMERS MARKET • Jordan St. at Allyn Arena, Skaneateles • Thursday, 3pm to 7pm, late June through end of October VILLAGE OF PALMYRA • Village Park • Saturday, 8:30am to 1:30pm, mid May through early November THE WINDMILL FARM & CRAFT MARKET • 3900 Rte 14A between Penn Yan and Dundee • Saturday, 8am to 4:30pm, late April through mid December, also Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day WISNER FARMERS MARKET • Wisner Park, N. Main & Grey Sts., Elmira • Thursday, 10am to 2pm, early June through late September
pumpkin house (built almost entirely of pumpkins), and nursery-rhyme reenactments that use pumpkins for the heads of Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater, Litttle Miss Muffett, and Little Bo Peep, among others. The Wickhams sell more than 15 varieties of pumpkins, from the tiniest to those as large as you’d want to heft, and everything in between, including white pumpkins, miniature pumpkins, and pie pumpkins. They’ve also got a variety of squashes. And if the kids get restless, there’s a little train they can ride through the pumpkin patch. The Pick’n Patch is open September 20 through Halloween, from 9 a.m. to dusk There are also plenty of opportunities to reap the benefits of harvest, free of hard labor and uncertainties, and to enjoy the technicolor displays, and experience the hospitality of smalltown New York on a smaller scale. Along nearly any highway you’ll find farm stands offering just-picked fruits and vegetables, amber honey and maple syrup, and eggs still chicken warm. If you travel into Amish country, around Romulus, or Mennonite country, around Penn Yan, you’ll find stands offering fresh homemade fruit pies, cakes and cookies. Look for the frosting-stuffed chocolate cookies called “whoopee pies.” You’ll want to pick up a quart of fresh milk to wash down one of those frisbee-sized confections. Or head to any of Central New York’s many farmers markets. According to Robin Ostfeld of Blue Heron Farms, who sells her produce at the Ithaca Farmers Market, September is the most bountiful month. Before the frost, she says, you have all the summer goodies — tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, basil — all the things that will be finished off by the first frost in late September or early October. Fall produce begins to appear too — arugula, broccoli, spinach, kale, cauliflower, leeks, potatoes, rutabagas, parsnips, carrots — the things that do best in cool weather. Ostfeld produces only
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organic vegetables, employing a variety of strategies to encourage beneficial insects and plant crops when the insect pests that feed on them aren’t very active. With brassica crops (vegetables in the cabbage family, like collards and brussels sprouts), she says, there’s no way to avoid insect damage if they’re planted for harvest in July. If they plant them for fall harvest, those insects aren’t very active. She gets a lot of positive comments on her produce at the Farmers Market, and is the main supplier of rutabagas for the Ithaca Farmers Market big endof-season event, the Rutabaga Bowl, where contestants vie to roll a rutabaga onto a small target from 50-or-so yards distance. Says Ostfeld, “The rutabaga bowl started out as a very spontaneous activity that some bored vendors came up with when it was very cold at the market. People started playing with rutabagas and frozen chickens — they worked very well, too.” Last year there were more than 60 entrants competing in an event that was all but Olympian in tone and style. Well, almost. This year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, December 21 — don’t miss it.
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out Eve’s Cidery, an old-fashioned English-style hard-cider shop, offering a variety of apple and other fruit-flavored hard ciders. Families picking at Littletree Orchards often make a day of it. Friends arrange to meet there, and locals bring their out-of-town guests to give them a taste of rural life. Littletree custom blends its own sweet ciders, and kids and grown-ups alike have a hard time resisting the applecider donuts made fresh on demand. Produce stands like this one on Routes 5 & 20 near Seneca Castle, are a common sight during summer and early fall. Photograph by Dorothy Kennedy
But if you’d really like
And, while you’re at it, don’t miss stopping at Finger Lakes wineries. At last count there were over 60, with a few new ones popping up every year. At harvest festivals in places like Hunt Country Vineyards in Branchport, and Casa Larga Vineyards in Fairport, you actually get to stomp grapes. Could there be a better way to celebrate the harvest?
Photograph by Dorothy Kennedy
to communicate with your inner farmer, head for Newfield’s Littletree Orchards, just south of Ithaca, off Route 13, where, beginning in September, you can pick tree-ripened peaches, both yellow and white, Asian pears, and more than 20 varieties of apples, including Empire, Golden Delicious, Fuji, and our favorite apple, the Russet, which you’ll probably never see in a supermarket. Often ugly and sometimes misshapen, it looks like a potato with a stem. But it has great flavor, character, and crunch, and maintains its crispness, shape, and color in pies and other desserts. Or you can pick pumpkins of all sizes, gourds, and flowers, including statice, zinnias, asters, sunflowers, and snapdragons, up until frost. While you’re there, check
Peggy Haine writes on education, wine, and food, and raises Buff Orpington chickens and large-mouth bass on a Trumansburg farm. Until her retirement, she was a jazz diva and demolition derby driver. FALL 2002 ~
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KRISTIAN S. REYNOLDS
T
ctÇÉÜtÅ|v ctÄxààx Éy YtÄÄ VÉÄÉÜá
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M
y earliest memories are of sitting at the edge of a lake, playing with stones and watching sunlight sparkle and dance on the water. The lake was Keuka, one of the long, narrow bodies of water which are the Finger Lakes of central New York. My family lived on Keuka Lake year-round, so my days were filled with swimming and water skiing all summer, and ice skating and snow skiing all winter. Over time, it became clear to me that I had developed an enduring fascination with light and water, and the way they interact. Perhaps, in part, that’s because the Finger Lakes region is very much a place where light and water meet. They produce a distinctive character in the look of the land which residents love and which also captivates many visitors, drawing them back again and again. The stunning geography of the region may challenge our lives but it always comforts our souls. In my work as a professional photographer, light and water are the very essence of what I do. In making a photo-
Above: All of the photographs in this pictorial are taken from Kristian’s book, Finger Lakes Panoramas. You can buy this book at any local bookstore or directly from McBooks Press, I. D Booth Bldg., 520 N. Meadow, Ithaca, NY 14850. Visit McBooks’ Web site at http://www.McBooks.com or call 1-888-266-5711.
Below: Canandaigua Lake and Bare Hill
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graph, the effects of light are recorded on film — a liquid emulsion dried onto plastic. Liquid chemistry then draws the light-based image out of that emulsion. For me, photography has always offered a natural vehicle to combine my personal vision with glorious events in the natural world. My work has taken me all over the United
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States, but I still find that the beauty of the Finger Lakes territory rivals anything I’ve seen. That’s why making this book, Finger Lakes Panoramas
Top: Letchworth State Park, lower falls Above: Skaneateles Lake, south end Right: Canadice Lake looking south
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(pictured on page 23), was a dream come true for me, the chance to create images, with light, of the water I love. Making these images, I worked in an area encompassed roughly by the relatively flat lands near the New York State Thruway (Route 90) in the north, to the steeper regions near Routes 13 and 17 in the south, from Route 390 in the west to Interstate 81 in the east. I have included images taken from locations around 11 lakes and have also mixed in a few
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favorite spots along the fringes of those boundaries. In some cases, to help orient a viewer, I have indicated in which compass direction the center of a given photo faces. Overall, my goal has been to capture the beauty which is all around the Finger Lakes via emphasis on its waterways. I have tried not only to offer glimpses of littleknown spots in this lovely region, but also to show very familiar locations in new light.
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The characteristic long, slender topography of the lakes defines their individuality but is also the source of special problems for the photographer. Since traditional cameras provide an aspect ratio of 1:1 or 1:1.5, they can’t do justice to the broad landscapes of the region. That’s why most of the subjects in this book were shot using a special panoramic format of 1:3. Simply put, a panoramic photo is equivalent to placing three regular photos side by side. This format creates a seamless visual sweep of the land, perfect for the broad, open landscapes so typical in the Finger Lakes. To get technical, I shot for 190 days over four years and traveled over 28,000 miles. The majority of the photos in this book were shot with a Fuji 617 panoramic camera. I also used a Horizon 202 (35mm panoramic), Pentax 67, Nikon f4, Nikon n90s, and a Nikon 8008. For film, I used 300 rolls of Kodak Lumiere and Fuji Velvia. I kept filters to a minimum, usually using only UV, polarizing, or graduated neutral density. In most cases, I took the picture I wanted by returning to the same location many times. Each time, because of the variable nature of light, the results were different. Most of my photos were taken in the minutes just before and after sunrise and sunset. To my eye, this light produces the most dynamic images.
Far left: Owasco Lake in fog from Rockefeller Road Below: Keuka Lake and Hammondsport
Left: Kristian S. Reynolds is a photographer and videographer who first worked with major ski resorts in New England and the Rockies, combining his love of photography and downhill skiing. He eventually made it back to the Finger Lakes, where he works as a freelance photographer. Kristian lives near Cortland with his wife Tricia, his daughters Paige and Taylor, and son Kristian.
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At Home in the
Finger Lakes ~ A Mark Twain Memoir ~ by James P. Hughes
F
ew American writers have captivated readers and bridged generations more than Mark Twain, born Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Twain’s humorous stories frequently play out against a rustic background, while just below the surface flows a current of social and political awareness glowing with the embers of a roguish wit, often poking fun at the human condition. Readers of all ages take pleasure in Mark Twain’s work and many circumstances of his life are familiar, but just for fun, test your knowledge of the author by answering the following questions: • Where was Mark Twain when he wrote major portions of many of his most famous works, including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn?
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• Where was the setting for Mark Twain’s marriage and the location where all three of his daughters were born? • In 1889, famed English author Rudyard Kipling, then a young man of just 24, visited Clemens, saying, “I have seen Mark Twain this golden morning, have shaken his hand, and smoked a cigar – no, two cigars – with him.” Where did this visit take place?
Above: “The farm is perfectly delightful this season,” Twain wrote. “It is as quiet and peaceful as a South Island Sea.” James P. Hughes. Right: Mark Twain in his octagonal study where he penned many of his most enduring works of literature. Courtesy of “Collection of the Mark Twain Archives, Elmira College.”
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• In what city is the site of Mark Twain’s grave, a spot that stands on a shaded hillside beneath a stand of tall oak trees?
You are surely forgiven if your answers focus on Twain’s Missouri upbringing on the shores of the Mississippi or the many years he spent with his family in Hartford, a noted literary and publishing center of the day, or even the American West where he spent time as a young journalist. Yet, the truth is that one response correctly answers all four questions, and many will find the answer surprising. That place is right here in the Finger Lakes region of New York: Elmira. It was in Elmira that Mark Twain penned many of his finest works and was married. Elmira was where his daughters were born and where he entertained some notable guests, including the literary Kipling, and it was in Elmira in 1910 that the famed American humorist was laid to rest. Of a cozy farm nestled in the wooded hills surrounding Elmira, the author once said, “The three months which I spend here are usually my working months. I am free here and can work uninterruptedly.” He fondly labeled this spot as “a place in which to take a foretaste of Heaven.” The transition from Twain’s beloved Mississippi riverbanks to the comfortable country atmosphere of upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region makes quite an interesting story. In 1867, Samuel Clemens, then in his early 30s, booked passage on the steamship Quaker City for a journalistic trip to the Holy Land. During the journey he became acquainted with a young traveler by the name of Charles Langdon, son of a wealthy Elmira businessman, and the two soon established a friendship. As the story goes, Langdon showed Mr. Clemens a miniature photograph he carried of his older sister, Olivia. Samuel was immediately taken with the charming image and pressed for a meeting with this gentle looking girl, an encounter he was able to arrange in December of the same year in New York City with Charles, Olivia, and their parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jervis Langdon. Of that meeting Mr. Clemens would later recall, “I saw her in the flesh for the first time in New York in the following December. She was slender and beautiful and girlish – she was both girl and woman. She remained both girl and woman to the last day of her life.”
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Several visits to Olivia in Elmira followed, a courtship ensued, and in February of 1870 Samuel, the rustic Western journalist, and “Livy,” the kindhearted and well-bred New Yorker were married at the Langdon home in Elmira. Further, the strong connection the Clemens family now had with Elmira did not end with the wedding. Instead, it would lead to an environment which nurtured
Right: Summers at the Quarry Farm were a time for Twain to separate himself from the busyness of daily life in Hartford, Connecticut. Courtesy of “Collection of the Mark Twain Archives, Elmira College.” Left: Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn keep watch at Quarry Farm. James P. Hughes.
Below: For over 20 years, the Clemens family returned to the Quarry Farm for lengthy summer stays. James P. Hughes.
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the writings of Mark Twain for many years to come. It was there that he would produce many of his most enduring works, among them Life on the Mississippi, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Prince and the Pauper. Olivia’s older sister, Susan Crane, and her husband Theodore lived at the Quarry Farm high on a hill overlooking Elmira and the rolling green hills beyond. For over 20 years the Clemens family returned to Elmira to reside with the Cranes during the summer months, the tranquillity of the spot giving Mark Twain perhaps his most peaceful and productive time to write. It was a time each year when the author was able to separate himself from the busyness, lec-
tures, visitors, and other common distractions he found when the family was in residence at their Hartford, Connecticut, home. During one summer at the breezy hillside farm he wrote, with typical wit, “This summer it is no more trouble to me to write than it is to lie.” In 1874, Susan Crane, who was very fond of her brother-in-law, created for him a unique octagonal study some 100 yards from the main farmhouse atop a promontory in the woods. “It is the loveliest study you ever saw, it is octagonal with a peaked roof, each face filled with a spacious window, and sits perched in complete isolation on top of an elevation that commands leagues of valley and city and retreating ranges of distant blue hills,” Twain wrote. “I
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haven’t piled up MS (manuscript) so in years as I have done since we came here to the farm…Why, it’s like old times, to step right into the study, damp from the breakfast table, and sail right in and sail right on, the whole day long, without thought of running short of stuff or words.” Summers at Quarry Farm were not all work and no play for Mr. Clemens. He quite regularly walked the two miles to downtown Elmira on summer afternoons, dressed in white suit and hat, to play billiards with some local friends. Later, a stop at his favorite tavern usually provided sufficient refreshment and enough conversation to bolster Clemens for the long, uphill walk back to the farm.
It is safe to say that the Clemens family spent some of their happiest times together summering at the Quarry Farm, with Mr. Clemens creating his great works in the solace of the study as the children romped through the woods and fields with their games. Speaking of those pleasant times, Clemens said, “The farm is perfectly delightful this season. It is as quiet and peaceful as a South Sea Island. Some of the sunsets which we have witnessed from this commanding eminence were marvelous.” Describing one particularly beautiful sunset, he wrote, “The wonder, with its constant, stately, and always surprising changes, lasted upwards of two hours, and we all stood on the top of the hill by my study till the final miracle was complete and the greatest day ended that we ever saw.” Samuel Clemens was deeply devoted to his wife, The pleasant summers at Quarry Farm were not to go Olivia, and their four children, three of whom were born in on forever. One of the Clemens daughters, Susy, died at the Elmira. Of Olivia he wrote, “Under a grave and gentle exteage of 24 in 1896 and Samuel’s beloved Olivia suffered from rior burned inextinguishcontinuing health probable fires of sympathy, lems. The last long visit to energy, devotion, enthusithe Quarry Farm was in To Route 13 asm, and absolutely limitIthaca 4 the summer of 1903. After less affection. She was To Crane that, Mr. Clemens’ visits Road always frail in body and to Elmira were brief and she lived upon her spirit, mostly for sad occasions, whose hopefulness and including the death of 1 courage were indestructiAve. dland o Mrs. Clemens in 1904. o ble.” Also, he retained E. W Samuel Clemens’ own great affection over the death brought him back years for Susan Crane to Elmira one final time with whom he often . To Binghamton Ave 52 2 3 n in 1910 for his funeral and o e t t teased as they argued ou shing t•R Wa e e . r t burial at Woodlawn W philosophies. Samuel rch S Chu Cemetery in the LangdonN shared common interests 3 Clemens plot. with Theodore Crane, as It has been said by well, spending many some of Mark Twain, “He relaxing afternoons at the 1. Woodland National Cemetery ver i 2. Elmira College/Mark Twain Study R might have been laid to g farm with him reading 3. Chemung Valley History Museum mun Che 4. The Quarry Farm can be viewed clearly rest in the bed of that and discussing books in from Crane Road on the East Hill. great river which must which they shared a always be associated with mutual interest.
City of Elmira
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Mark Twain Sites in Elmira Left: Days spent at the Quarry Farm were
Mark Twain Study:
among the most enjoyable and productive times of Twain’s life. Courtesy of “Collection of the Mark Twain Archives, Elmira College.”
The study is located on the Elmira College campus. It is open during the summer months, staffed by student guides, and by appointment in the off-season.
his name.” His niece, Dr. Ida Langdon, daughter of Charles, felt differently. “My uncle would not have been one of those. I know that he would have said that the happiest days of his life and among the most productive, were those spent in Elmira. It was beyond question that he should return to Elmira in the end.” The focus today of Mark Twain’s legacy in Elmira is centered through Elmira College, an institution closely connected to the Clemens and Langdon families. Jervis Langdon, the father-in-law of Samuel Clemens was prominent in the founding of the college in 1855 and Olivia Langdon Clemens was an Elmira College alumna, class of 1864. The aforementioned Dr. Ida Langdon served as professor of English Literature there from 1920 through 1942.
Mark Twain Exhibit: This collection of photographs and Mark Twain memorabilia is located in Hamilton Hall on the Elmira College campus and is open on the same schedule as the Mark Twain Study. Mark Twain scholars have called it a “gem of an exhibit.”
The Quarry Farm was donated to the college in 1983 by the Langdon family and is now
The Quarry Farm:
an integral part of the Elmira College Center
The farm is now a private academic facility and is open to the public only for special events. However, it has a landmark sign and may be viewed clearly from Crane Road on the East Hill overlooking the city of Elmira. Contact the Center for Mark Twain Studies Office at (607) 735-1941.
for Mark Twain Studies. It serves academically as a residence for visiting scholars, and as a site for periodic lectures, conferences, and seminars pertaining to the literature of Mark Twain. The octagonal Mark Twain Study was donated and moved from the farm to the Elmira College campus in 1952. It may be visited along with the Mark Twain Exhibit in Hamilton Hall throughout the summer months. Mark Twain once stated, in a letter to a London correspondent of the New York Journal, “The report of my death was an exaggeration.” In a sense his quote is as significant now as it was then. The memory of Mark Twain lives on each day in a place always very dear to him, the Finger Lakes city of Elmira.
Jim Hughes is a retired high school mathematics teacher living in Syracuse. He loves to travel around the Finger Lakes region and upstate New York and is avidly interested in the history of the area.
Twain Grave Site: The grave of Mark Twain is located in the Langdon-Clemens plot at the Woodlawn Cemetery in Elmira. The entrance is at the north end of Walnut Street.
Chemung County Historical Society: Exhibit on Mark Twain in Elmira as well as other displays of local history. FALL 2002 ~
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The Cohocton
By Joy Underhill Photographs by Vera Elyjiw
Sit in a tree for an entire weekend? In October?
W
hen I first proposed writing about the Cohocton Tree Sitters, I had only one fear: that I’d be asked to participate. Enjoying the fall colors, picking out pumpkins, kicking up some leaves – these were my ideas of how to spend an autumn afternoon. Sitting in a tree for two frigid nights was not. To my relief, I was asked only to interview the Tree Sitters. Who are these people who subject themselves to the elements year after year? And why do they do it?
How it all began In Cohocton, the Tree Sitting Contest is as much a part of the season as the grape pies and fresh cider sold at roadside stands. The contest is only one of the events that takes place at the Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival held in early October. Tree sitting began in the mid-1960s when a couple of local women decided on a whim to sit in a tree for a weekend. Nancy Carey Bennett and Betsy Burns began the tradition, hauling up a thousand pounds of gear – including a platform, food, stove, and TV – to keep comfortable. Villagers had so much fun talking to the sitters that the idea of a contest was born and has continued to this day.
About the contest What’s the object of this contest? “To stay up for 48 hours with the least amount of gear,” according to Bob Fleishman, festival organizer. Only about a third of those who start actually finish. Contestants can bring up to 50 pounds of gear into the trees, but everything except street clothes is weighed. Nothing can be dropped from the tree or passed up to a participant. The same maples are used year after year – those that surround the school. Any “ground time” spent out of the tree counts against a contestant. Ground time? You mean…“Yes, they do have bathroom breaks. We charge everyone at least three minutes per bathroom break,” claimed Bob, “so that those who have a longer trip won’t be penalized.” The prizes range from $50 to $200, plus special prizes for the oldest and youngest participants. And in case you were wondering, there are safety measures in place. “We have EMTs check for signs of hypothermia or frostbite every morning,” said Bob. “This year, we did have to get a 14-year-old boy out of the tree. But we’ve never had anyone injured from falling out of a tree.” (Continued on page 36)
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Joshua
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Getting There and Making a Day of It to Avon
Canandaigua C
5 & 20
21
Cheshire
to Geneva
64
21
Naples to Rochester
North Cohocton 371
Cohocton 390
to Corning
From Naples: At the south end of the village, take Route 21 south to North Cohocton. Bear to the left and pick up Route 371. When you reach Cohocton, turn right at the light and follow the festival signs.
candy, the excellent cheeses in the back, and the craft store upstairs. Take a moment to enjoy the view on the front porch, where you can choose to sit on the “Republicans” or “Democrats” benches that flank the entrance.
• Near the intersection of Routes 64 and 21, check out the Arbor Hill Grapery, featuring unique products made from local grapes.
• Continue up Route 21 to
As long as you’re in Cohocton,
21 to Naples. Pick up a grape pie, visit a farm market, or sample wines at Widmer winery.
Cheshire, a quaint village with lots of local character and interesting shops. Consider visiting Cheshire again the day after Halloween when according to tradition, the entire town is draped in toilet paper!
consider visiting other nearby attractions, all within 45 minutes of town.
• Continue through Naples and pick
• Pick up Routes 5 & 20 into
up Route 64. This takes you on the “high road” above Canandaigua Lake, one of the most spectacular drives in the Finger Lakes.
Canandaigua. Take in the view from the pier, pick up a latte at Wegmans, and stroll the Main Street shops. You’ll find everything from fine chocolates to warm sweaters and tattoos.
From Route 390: Take Exit 2 and follow Route 371 into Cohocton. Follow the signs for the festival.
• A short drive to Route 21 in North Cohocton puts you at the front door of the Kinfolks Country Store. Don’t miss the more than 300 varieties of penny 36 ~ L I F E
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• Go another five minutes on Route
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Corissa
(Continued from page 34) Falling out of the trees? “Sure, it happens,” Bob admitted. “One guy woke up in the morning, thought he was in bed, and rolled right out.”
The 2001 Tree Sitters Last year’s contest was only for the very hardy. Temperatures dipped into the 20s on both nights under blustery skies. In 2001, only 11 people entered; on milder years, there can be as many as 30. And by Sunday afternoon, only three sitters were left.
Joshua When I first approached Joshua, he was huddled in the crotch of his tree, gloved hands covering his face. The only gear with him was the backpack he had strapped to a limb. His cheeks were crimson and he was visibly shaking. It was clear that this 16-year-old was suffering, but he was going to stick it out for a few more hours. I wondered why he didn’t fall out. “I just don’t sleep,” he said. Hmmm…two days in the cold without sleep. No wonder his lips barely moved during our entire interview.
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Did you have anything to eat or drink? “Not much,” he answered. “Just a few Doritos.” I was beginning to understand. Josh had decided to bring up only the bare necessities – and things that weighed next to nothing. Josh weighed in with just five pounds of gear, including his outerwear. I had to ask this two-time veteran: Why do you do this? “For fun,” he answered. I had my doubts. Corissa Corissa comes from a tree-sitting family. Her father and three of her brothers have participated, and this was her fifth – and coldest – year so far. Her father, Don, is a renowned champion who has won seven or eight times. “He gave me some good advice,” said Corissa. “But I’m the only one in the family who’s never been disqualified. One time my dad dropped a lighter. And one of my brothers dropped a shoe.” Corissa was cocooned in a sleeping bag, suspended from a hammock. A blue tarp was strung overhead to keep out the wind. About all I could see of Corissa were her glasses. Corissa brought up 17 pounds with her. At least she looked comfortable. “I’ve been able to sleep,” she mentioned. I suppose that was one way to pass the time. Shawn Shawn was by far the most relaxed and happy of the bunch. I found him reclined on a limb, outside of the home he’d made for him self – a hammock strung inside a tent. “It keeps the wind out from the top and the bot-
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Shawn
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tom,” he says. “Makes a big difference.” Indeed. Shawn was talkative and happy and looked like he could stay up there another two days. He brought the most gear – 22 pounds worth – and claimed that he was much better prepared than last year. Does it get boring? “Sometimes,” he explained, “but I brought up my DiscMan.” Plus he had the company of his parents, who parked there all weekend long. Is this a family tradition? “Sort of,” said Shawn. “My dad has never done it, but my brother was the youngest winner. He won when he was 13, before they raised the minimum age.” Shawn planned well in advance of the event. “I ate about a half a lunch each day for the week before.” So that’s how he managed to survive on Gorilla Bars for two days. Hungry? “Nope.”
And the winner was… Joshua. After all, he brought up hardly anything – no hammock, no tarp, no sleeping bag. I wanted to know. What was the first thing Josh would do once he got out of the tree? “Take a hot shower.” But of course.
Cohocton Fall Foliage Festival The Tree Sitters are only one of the attractions at the Fall Foliage Festival. Check out the arts and crafts sold at the flea market or the historical exhibit on the village green. For the sports-minded, an annual soccer tournament is held on the school grounds. The antique tractor pull always draws a good crowd. Children will no doubt enjoy the fireworks and the “candy drop,” a variation on an Easter Egg hunt that leaves most kids with a full bag of treats. When you get hungry, choose from chicken barbeque, beef-on-awick, a ham dinner, or a pancake breakfast. All of the events surround the Wayland-Cohocton Central School, which is just a block away from the business district. The festival takes place the first weekend in October and has something for every family member. For historical information about Cohocton and a schedule of events, see www.cohocton.org
Joshua
An Internationally-known Event If you think that the Tree Sitters are known only locally, think again. Bob Fleishman regularly receives articles about the contest from as far away as Japan, Germany, and Sweden. “A few years ago, we got a plug from Paul Harvey,” added Bob, “and we have no idea how he found out about us.” Bob’s even seen a Trivial Pursuit card, asking what types of trees are used for the contest. “That one was a surprise!” The Tree Sitters and the festival in general have also been featured in National Geographic and on a Dunkin Donuts commercial. “As far as I know,” said Bob, “this contest is unique.”
PHOTO COMPLIMENTS C.D.C.
Joy Underhill is a freelance business and magazine writer who enjoys covering stories that are off the beaten track. Finger Lakes culture and history are two of her favorite topics. You can contact her at joyhill@rochester.rr.com. When Vera isn't writing about digital photography at Eastman Kodak Company, she can often be found with a digital camera in hand in search of her next subject. FALL 2002 ~
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F R U I T
O F
T H E
V I N E
The New York Wine Industry: Looking Back, Looking Forward By Joy Underhill
I
n 1975, New York State was home to only 19 wineries. Today, there are 162, and more than two-thirds of those were created since 1985. About ten new wineries are established each year statewide. What’s going on here? “A booming wine industry, that’s what!” says Jim Trezise, President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. I asked Jim to give me his insights as to where the wine business has been and where it’s headed.
Photo by Bill Banaszewski
The Winemaking Tradition The Finger Lakes has been the center of the New York wine industry since before the Civil War, beginning in the 1820s when a minister planted
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native grapes in Hammondsport to make sacramental wine. The late 1800s saw the birth of winemaking giants such as Great Western, Taylor, Widmer, and Gold Seal. These wineries earned an international reputation for their sparkling wines, sweet wines, ports, and sherries, all made from labrusca grapes. It wasn’t until Charles Fournier became Gold Seal’s winemaker in 1934 that much thought was given to growing non-native grapes in the Finger Lakes. Fournier began introducing French-American hybrids in 1936, with much success. In 1953, Ukrainian-born Dr. Konstantin Frank was hired at Gold Seal and quickly proved that if vinifera grapes could be grown in the chilly climate of the Soviet Union, they could certainly be grown here. By 1962, Dr. Frank established his own winery, which unquestionably makes some of the finest wines in the region. In the 1970s, Fournier, committed to the future of vinifera wines, developed the region’s largest vinifera vineyard on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake. To this day, these vineyards still produce some of the region’s best white wines. The Growth of Small Wineries The first real break for small wineries came in 1976 with the Farm Winery Act. This legislation stimulated the growth of small wineries by allowing them to sell directly to consumers, retailers, and restaurants. Prior to this act, winemakers could sell only through wholesalers.
Trezise explains that even after the Farm Winery Act, the success of the wine industry was, in many ways, failure-driven. “It was the failure of large wine manufacturers to support the local grape industry that prompted many grape growers to become vintners. Corporate takeovers of the large wineries, such as Taylor and Widmer, caused the prices offered to grape growers to plummet. Many growers decided to take the plunge and try making wine.” More and more, the wine industry is success-driven. Further legislation in the mid-1980s expanded the marketing opportunities for New York State wines. 1985 also saw the creation of the Wine & Grape Foundation, a private organization dedicated to promoting the wine industry. The Wine & Grape Foundation makes sure that folks in Albany see just how fast this industry is growing and works on legislation for further expansion. “There really aren’t any Finger Lakes wineries that are doing poorly,” claims Trezise. So what is it that contributes to this success? The Cooperative Spirit A key reason why the wineries are doing so well is that they work cooperatively together. Trezise says that the wine trail programs focus on increasing tourism to the area rather than fostering competition. “We’re seeing tourism grow by about 50 percent per year. In fact, there are eight times as many tourists coming to the Finger Lakes as there were 15 years ago.” Most wineries help out fledgling
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wineries rather than compete against them. Especially when it comes to winemaking, experienced vintners are invaluable to start-up ventures. “The way they see it, established winemakers would rather promote the excellence of Finger Lakes wines. The last thing they want is one ‘bad apple’ spoiling the reputation of the area,” explains Trezise. The Cornell Connection “Cornell has been instrumental in supporting the wine industry,” says
Nathan Rudgers, Commissioner of Agriculture for New York State in Albany. Not only does the wine lab at the Cornell-affiliated Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva provide quality control testing for local grape growers, it continues to develop outstanding vinifera and hybrid plantings well-suited to the Finger Lakes climate. The “Ag Station” is one of only two locations in the country that can accept foreign grape vines for replanting and research.
5055 Rt. 414, Hector, NY 14841 607.546.VINE www.atwatervineyards.com Circle Reader Service Number 106
Rudgers describes an exciting new four-year program to be offered at Cornell: a baccalaureate degree in viticulture (the study of grapes) and enology (the study of wine). “This program will be a huge boost to the industry,” explains Rudgers, “because now we’ll be training young people with the skills needed for the future growth of the wine industry.” It’s expected that the Cornell program will rival a similar one at the University of California, Davis in terms of quality. FALL 2002 ~
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REAL ESTATE Lake Country Real Estate
The Land and the Lakes Another reason that the wineries are thriving in the Finger Lakes is the unique and diverse soils that surround the lakes. Southern areas tend to have heavier, clay soils that are not as welldrained; northern soils have a higher pH and better drainage. Such soils foster microclimates that enable winemakers to produce wines with subtle and complementary differences in taste. The moderating effect of the lakes themselves have long been recognized as one of the cherished aspects of Finger Lakes wine country. The lake water keeps the surrounding land a bit warmer in the winter, allowing grape growers to cultivate the vinifera varieties that favor more moderate climates. At the same time, the “bite” of winter is what helps give Riesling its unique fresh taste.
326 W. Genesee Street • Auburn, New York 13021
Specializing in Lakefront Properties Residential • Commercial Investment Properties • Vacation Homes Cayuga County and Greater Syracuse MLS
315.258.9147 • Fax: 315.258.3194 E-mail: lakcountry@aol.com www.Lakehomes-USA.com www.Realtor.com/cayuga/lakecountry Circle Reader Service Number 138
www.brookstoneproperties.com
Homes by Diamond at Fox Ridge Fox Ridge provides spectacular views of Canandaigua Lake, within walking distance of a beach. We offer many custom plans and five communities to select from. We also build offsite. Please call to inquire. John J. J. Waugh, Broker 585-393-9221 Circle Reader Service Number 109
Weaver-View Farms
Amish Country Store
❥ Baby Clothes & Gifts ❥ Handmade Amish Furniture ❥ Aprons, Sunbonnets ❥ Baked Goods ❥ Jams, Jellies, Honey
Open year-round -CLOSED SUNDAYS Located off Rte. 14, 6 mi. south of Geneva
(315) 781-2571
Bellona Station Rd.
to Geneva
Earls ★ Hill Rd.
Rte. 14
N
Seneca Lake
WEAVER-VIEW FARMS
Pre-emption Rd.
❥ Amish Quilts ❥ Quilting Fabrics ❥ Pillows, Wall Hangings ❥ Dolls & Toys ❥ Local Books & Prints ❥ Wrought Iron ❥ Kitchenware & Cookbooks
to Watkins Glen
Circle Reader Service Number 169
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The People One important reason for the growth in the wine industry has been the people dedicated to making it work. “The Finger Lakes boasts some very fine entrepreneurs,” says Rudgers. “They saw the potential for growing grapes other than labrusca, the traditional type of grape associated with New York State.” Indeed, one of those early entrepreneurs is Bill Wagner of Wagner Winery on Seneca Lake. Wagner grew grapes for Taylor from the early ’50s until the Farm Winery Act was passed. As with many grape growers, he worked to improve the quality of his grapes through advanced techniques in trellising, fruit thinning, and mulching. “We had our first crush in ’78 and officially opened for business in June of ’79,” says Wagner. “Since then, we’ve added a café and a micro-brewery.” He’s found that by diversifying what he offers at the winery, he wins the business of more tourists. “It wasn’t so long ago that you couldn’t find a decent place to eat between Geneva and Watkins Glen,” he explains. “If people wanted to tour
the wineries, they had to bring picnic lunches with them. That’s how we got the idea for the Ginny Lee Café.” Wagner found that moving into the beer business has involved a big investment in high-quality equipment. “It’s the only way to keep the quality of the beer consistent,” he says. “We don’t grow the grain or hops needed to make beer, since hops, in particular, are prone to mildew, but we do have a few hops planted nearby just for show.” Wagner credits local banks with being willing to work with growers. “Some of the banks actually specialize in supporting the wineries,” he explains. “That boost of capital is just what many of them need to keep a good enterprise going.” The Challenges The most recent challenge to the wine industry has been passing legislation that allows consumers to purchase New York wines from out of state. “We have more than a million visitors from outside the state each year, but they cannot buy their favorite wines except at the wineries. We predict that the wine industry could easily grow by 20 percent if the wineries could sell their wines out of state,” says Trezise. “This is something that California wineries have been able to do for years.” Another challenge for local grape growers is making the transition from growing grapes to becoming vintners. “Having expertise in growing grapes is invaluable in this climate,” explains Trezise. “Most winemakers agree that the best wines are grown in the vineyard. Grape growers know which grapes grow well, which can be made into good wine, and how to keep quality consistent.” What they may need to bone up on is how to market wines, something that comes with experience in running a retail outlet. Part of the challenge is finding the right mix of wine types. Wines made from vinifera and hybrid grapes usually appeal to regular wine drinkers and those who enjoy wine
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with food. Wines made from labrusca grapes tend to be sweeter and are better for sipping and for those just beginning to explore the world of wine. Offering a diversity of wines is key to running a winery with broad tourist appeal. Rudgers feels that the wineries need to overcome the perception that the Finger Lakes area produces only sweet, labrusca wines. “It’s only logical that people recall the time when labrusca wines were all that there was in the Finger Lakes,” says Rudgers, “but that’s hardly true anymore. We produce dozens of award-winning wines every year and they’re only getting better.” The New York Market One of the biggest challenges is getting restaurants to place New York wines at the top of their wine lists. “It amazes me that you can visit local restaurants and turn three pages before you see a New York wine listed,” says Trezise. This is especially true in New York City. The New York Cuisine Program, now in its second year, is an attempt to remedy that situation. Last year, shortly after September 11th, several New York chefs came up with fixed price menus, in which a selection of entrees were created entirely from New York products and served with New York wines. The program hopes to raise awareness in the most competitive of wine markets – New York City – that the state offers an outstanding array of fine foods and wine. This year, you can expect to see as many as 40 New York restaurants participating in the program during the month of September. Planning a fall trip to New York? Check out www.nywine.com/index.asp for details.
Circle Reader Service Number 158
Joy Underhill is a freelance magazine and business writer who lives in Farmington. You can reach her at (585) 742-1388 or joyhill@rochester.rr.com. Circle Reader Service Number 141
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H O W - T O
Wood-Burning Tips By Rich Gardner
G
athering around the fire is a favorite winter pastime in upstate New York. With a few precautions, you can make sure your wood-burning season is safe, warm and efficient.
Store your wood naked – uncovered, that is. Contrary to popular belief, covering firewood with a tarp, storing it in a shed, or tucking it against the house under low eaves, will keep your wood wet, not dry. Split wood acts just like a sponge; it draws in humidity and soaks up rain. Covering firewood impedes the natural evaporation process and yields damper, moldier wood. For stone dry wood that burns hot and clean, store it right outside in the rain and snow, out from under trees and roof eaves, preferably facing south or east, where the sun will hit it for a good part of the day.
The early bird catches the updraft. The earlier in a winter day you light your fire, the easier it will start. With air warmed by the sun and rising from the earth you’ll catch an updraft in your chimney flue more quickly than later in the day when the cooling air is falling back to earth. If you get a down draft, day or night, twist two pages of newspaper together, light them and hold the flames up to your flue opening inside your stove or fireplace to warm the air and get it moving up and out. Then light your kindling.
Don’t cheat when installing your wood stove. I bought my first one just out of college for $12.50 at a garage sale. I was darned if I was going to pay hundreds of dollars for just a few feet of that tres-expensive tri-walled stovepipe. I had student loans. Most municipalities have laws prohibiting the single-layer Circle Reader Service Number 163
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stovepipe I used. I wound up setting the roof of my one-and-one-half story cabin on fire. The cause was the single-layer stovepipe, which appeared benign enough as it made its way up through the open spaces in the kitchen and loft, but was actually glowing red hot where it touched the rafters and shingles as it passed through the roof. The wind – magically – allowed the smoke to escape, while trapping in the heat from the stove. It’s tempting to cut costs, but don’t take the apple.
A wood stove is like a gun. Hunter safety courses teach us to treat every gun as loaded and therefore deadly. Wood stoves and fireplaces should be treated as loaded, too – with hot coals – and therefore potentially deadly. Even if you haven’t had a fire in days, don’t put old ashes into anything other than a metal or other fireproof container. “Cold” ashes discarded in paper shopping bags and cardboard boxes are the cause of many fires. Only the chimney sweep knows – what’s inside your flue. And it may not be what you think. Seldom-used fireplaces and wood stoves can have as much flue build-up as a regularly used stove. There is a cleaning process of sorts that takes place in more frequently used, hotter burning stoves, than in occasional, less intense fires. Plus, birds and animals have a better chance of building nests inside your flue – it’s their job! – if you only use it on special occasions. Eliminate the guesswork and have your flue cleaned at least once a year. Rich Gardner has been published in the US and Canada.
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D A Y
T R I P
The Windmill Farm & Craft Market By Tara Morgan
H
eading south from Penn Yan, Route 14A unfolds gently through the quiet beauty of Yates County, rewarding travelers with a rejuvenation of the spirit. Regardless of the season, the hues of the landscape are vibrantly striking. Early summer offers acres lush with patchwork quilts of hay and wheat, and the deep winter provides blankets of quiet, undisturbed snow. Mennonite children pedal their bicycles, with the girls in dresses and bonnets and the boys in black hats and suspenders. Mennonite families travel in simple black carts powered by well-muscled horses. Behind impeccably manicured farmhouses, freshly washed laundry swings in the wind. In the midst of this tranquility, stands a place called the Windmill, an establishment that embodies the quiet goodness of life spiced with a bit of hustle and bustle. The Windmill, celebrating its 16th year, offers individuals a glimpse into the past and optimism for the future. It represents hard work, productivity, wholesomeness, and especially fun. This unique destination, established in 1987, is frequently described as a farm and craft market; however, visitors quickly notice that the 31-acre site offers much more through its array of cultures, wares, cuisine, activities, and entertainment. Enduring traditions coexist with contemporary ideas at the Windmill. Masterfully created Mennonite and Amish quilts, furniture, and baked goods are available for purchase alongside such items as pottery, jewelry, specialty soaps, and perennials. Horses harnessed to carts are nearly as common as the sports utility vehicle or family mini-van. The dialects and languages of far away places are heard in passing conversations. The soothing sounds of hollowed-wood wind chimes remind visitors to take a respite from the hectic pace of life, and appreciate the immense beauty found throughout the Finger Lakes. Shoppers may relax on one of the many benches beneath a towering pine or savor the bittersweet taste of a freshly-squeezed lemonade while strolling in the sun. But, most importantly, children are giggling, families are spending time together, and people are interacting in a friendly and gracious manner. For the past 16 years, the Windmill has fostered economic and social growth in the region by attracting thousands of visitors yearly. Since the Windmill’s inception, Yates County has enjoyed a flourishing tourism industry with as many as 23 bed and breakfasts and 15 wineries offer-
ing visitors rural hospitality. The creation of the Windmill and its ability to endure, prosper, and attract even overseas visitors are a testament to the vision of its insightful, tenacious founders. One of those with the entrepreneurial spirit was William Gunderman, who believed so strongly in the significance of the Windmill that he documented its origins through a series of written recollections. Through his enthusiastic words, the story of the Windmill unfolds, providing a glimpse of its founders’ determination. “My father passed away last November, he was 88; he was a walking book of knowledge regarding the Windmill. He is deeply missed,” expressed Patricia Gunderman,
PHOTO COURTESY MULTI MEDIA SERVICES, INC.
William’s daughter. William, his wife Ruth, and daughter Patricia, moved to Yates County in 1944 from the valleys of Elmira. For 38 years William was employed at New York State Electric and Gas and for many years operated a poultry farm. Upon his retirement, he and his family traveled extensively to craft shows to sell the baskets Ruth and Patricia crafted, as well as the woodwork and wind chimes that William had fashioned. William Gunderman believed that Yates County needed a permanent venue for its hardworking local artisans, farmers, and businesspeople to congregate and sell their goods and services. As a result of his own experiences derived from traveling to shows and constantly packing and unpacking his “productions,” (a term William coined), he was keenly aware FALL 2002 ~
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RETAIL
Circle Reader Service Number 120
The Glass Magnolia Restaurant & Victorian Shops Historic 1800’s Mansion full of shops plus Tea Room serving breakfast, lunch and dinner 8339-8347 N. Main St. • Interlaken, NY 14847 Phone: 607-532-8356 • Fax: 607-532-9223 Email: glassmagnolia@fltg.net Web: www.theithacajournal.com/ads/glassmagnolia/home.html Circle Reader Service Number 130
THE FIRE SHOP Gifts and supplies for Firefighters, EMS, Police
Statues • Mugs Patches • Lights Decals • Clocks T-shirts • Pins See us in Lown’s House of Shoppes
131 Main St. Penn Yan At the Windmill, Rte. 14A Penn Yan every Saturday (315) 536-7901 or Email: PYFireShop@aol.com Circle Reader Service Number 165
THE CHRISTMAS HOUSE The Charm of an Old Fashioned Christmas awaits you… 361 Maple Avenue • Elmira, NY 14904 www.christmas-house.com (607) 734-9547 Circle Reader Service Number 164
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of the advantages that could be gained from a permanent selling location. William demonstrated an intuitive nature regarding people and their needs. He understood the economic necessity for a local marketplace, but, in addition, he recognized the importance of the camaraderie that a centralized selling place would inevitably generate. Consequently, he and his family spearheaded an initiative to develop a permanent market for vendors. A meeting was held at which eighty interested people were in attendance, and “a steering committee was formed and plans were formulated for the organization to continue,” wrote William. The newly formed committee stumbled across some financial barriers. William and his colleagues had hoped that they would be able to secure a loan from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development. However, the potential grant was not to be, but as William described, the entrepreneurial group was “undaunted” and moved forward with their plans. Eventually the committee became incorporated under the New York State Agricultural and Market Law and was known as the Yates County Country Cooperative Incorporated. “Under this charter the co-op was able to issue and sell 500 shares of preferred stock at $100 per share and 500 shares of common stock at $25 per share,” described William. Most shares were purchased by individuals who wanted to participate as vendors and maintain a strong connection to their investment. In 1986, Patricia Gunderman was elected the cooperative’s president, all the shares were sold, and the search began for a market location. “A committee looked at many sites within the county and settled on a 26acre lot on Route 14A about midway between Penn Yan and Dundee,” wrote William. “The land chosen, although in the area desired, left a lot to be desired from a practical standpoint, a
shallow topsoil over a near surface shalerock (sic) subsoil made drainage a major problem and as one local farmer summed it up ‘You couldn’t raise hell on that piece of property even if you had a barrel of hard cider.’ ” The local Mennonite community “pledged the support of their Mennonite craftsmen in furnishing carpenters and labor to erect the first building in the form of a barn-raising,” recollected William. “This faith by the Mennonites was good news to the organizers of the co-op. because they hoped the market would act as a catalyst to bring the English and the
The Windmill is located at 3900 State Route 14A, Penn Yan, NY 14527 and is open every Saturday from the last Saturday in April through the second Saturday in December. Additionally, it is open on Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day. Hours are 8:00am to 4:30pm.
Mennonites closer together because the Amish and the Mennonites are a generous people who contribute much to the communities in which they live.” Pat Scott, current president of the Windmill Cooperative, recalled that the barn-raising, which occurred on April 25, 1987, was remarkable to watch; reporters from surrounding counties arrived to witness and photograph the Mennonite fathers and sons at work. Remarkably, complete strangers who happened down Route 14A that day were so in awe of the notable occasion that several stopped and asked how they could be of assistance. “Approximately 30 Mennonites were joined by 20 members of the co-op and the barn raising began under the
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16th Season!
supervision of Ivan Hoover. Very little voice commands were heard because each one of the group seemed to know exactly what was expected of him and automatically went about doing it,” scribed William. “…The building was taking shape right before your very eyes.” The barn-raising was accompanied by a “smorgasbord” of everything from chili to pickles to pies, with many of the baked goods coming fresh from the oven of Barbara Hoover and other Mennonite kitchens in the community. “A truly wonderful day with so much community spirit present you just knew that with such a great beginning the market was sure to prosper and be successful,” wrote William. By this time, the future marketplace came to be known as the Windmill; Debbie Clancy, who was assisting with promotional work, suggested the name. In addition, the original ticket booth from the much-missed Roseland Amusement Park was donated and slated to be used as the Windmill’s information booth. June 27, 1987, was an historic date for the Windmill. It opened for business with 90 vendors eagerly selling their goods and welcoming visitors to experience what they had worked so arduously to achieve. “The enthusiasm of these visitors was amazing and heartening to those who had struggled so hard to make it all come together—and the positive statements of approval of those first timers and their promises of returning, along with the sunshine and good camaraderie of the day made that opening day a dream come true,” wrote William. Patricia Gunderman, president of the co-op said, “Tears were welling up in my eyes and there were no words to express the way we felt.” On August 6, 1988, another historic day for those involved with the Windmill occurred. A celebratory ceremony took place with State Senator Randy Kuhl, State Assemblyman Donald Davidson, and local poet, (Continued on page 49)
YAT E S COUNTY TOURISM
The First Rural Farm & Craft Market in New York State – Discover the Finger Lakes Countryside –
Open every Saturday (from late April thru mid-December) Plus — Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day
OVER 250 VENDORS! Stroll through 3 main buildings. Discover the “Street of Shops” and open-air shopping for your enjoyment • Farm Produce • Crafts • Collectibles • Pottery • Amish & Mennonite Goods • Tools • Baskets • Antiques • Food • Baked Goods • Chiropractic Service • ATM in office Motorcoach Tours Welcomed • Free Admission • Free Parking “Often Imitated, Never Duplicated.”
For Visitor Information Call: 1-800-868-YATES To Reach the Windmill Call: 315-536-3032 Rt. 14A, between Penn Yan & Dundee Website: www.thewindmill.com • Email: windmill@linkny.com Circle Reader Service Number 172
Circle Reader Service Number 136
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BED & BREAKFAST Photo by Dorothy Kennedy
I N D E X
Circle Reader Service Number 170
The Rose Inn “The House with the Circular Staircase”
An elegant 1850s Italianate mansion, situated on 17 acres and located 10 miles north of Ithaca. 20 exquisite rooms including 12 Deluxe suites with Jacuzzis (7 with fireplaces). Full breakfast. 813 Auburn Rd., Ithaca, NY (607) 533-7905 www.roseinn.com
A D V E R T I S E R S
www.LifeInTheFingerLakes.com
A WICHER GARDEN B&B Relaxing porches, nature walks, starry nights and luxurious themed rooms await you! Close to scenic Skaneateles, Auburn museums, Historic Seneca Falls and Cayuga Wine Trail. www.wichergardeninn.com 5831 Dunning Ave., Auburn, NY 13021 (315) 252-1187 or (800) 356-8556
O F
select Fall ’02 Info Request FREE information service now on-line. Go directly to our Life in the Finger Lakes Web site to request free brochures and information from our advertisers.
FREE information by mail. Life in the Finger Lakes offers you the opportunity to request free brochures and information from our advertisers. Simply circle the numbers on the adjacent postage-paid card and mail. The advertisers will send information directly to you. Pg 7
American Express ............................Info #101
Pg 51
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Americar Rental System ..................Info #102
Pg 42
John Francis McCarthy.com ............Info #145 Lake Country Real Estate ................Info #138
Pg 41
Anthony Road Wine Co. ..................Info #103
Pg 41
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Aquasource ......................................Info #104
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars ....................................Info #139
Pg 9
Ashton Place ....................................Info #105
Pg 52
Leatherstocking Railway ..................Info #140
Pg 41
Atwater Estate Vineyards..................Info #106
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Liberty Gun Shop ............................Info #141
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Barristers B&B ................................Info #107
Pg 49
Loomis Barn ....................................Info #142
Cover 2
Bethany Village ................................Info #108
Cover 3
Lyons National Bank ........................Info #143
Pg 42
Brookstone Property ........................Info #109
Bk Cover Marvin Windows ..............................Info #144
Pg 14
Casa Larga ......................................Info #110
Pg 10
Pg 50
Cayuga County Office Of Tourism ............................Info #111
Pg 6
Northern Design ..............................Info #147
Pg 10
Northfield Designer Goldsmith..........................Info #148
Natural Form Furniture ....................Info #146
Pg 12
Chemung County Chamber Of Commerce ....................Info #112
Pg 14
Nystatewine.Com..............................Info #149
Pg 52
Chemung County Historical Society..............................Info #113
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Patti's Lakeview................................Info #150
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Phelps Cement Products ..................Info #151
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Clifton Springs Hospital....................Info #114
Pg 54
Pier House Restaurant......................Info #152
This beautiful 1888 Colonial Revival boasts beautiful stained glass windows with 5 bedrooms, all with private baths & whirlpools. And breakfast is a celebration with delicious, home-cooked specialties.
Pg 53
Clinton Crest Manor ........................Info #115
Pg 54
Pierce's 1894 Restaurant ................Info #153
Pg 6
Closet Factory ..................................Info #116
Pg 4
Potter Heating A/C............................Info #154
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Controlled Energy Corp ....................Info #117
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Prejean Winery ................................Info #155
Pg 53
Cornell University ............................Info #118
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Quiet Place ......................................Info #156
Pg 52
Corning Museum Of Glass ..............Info #119
Pg 15
Red Jacket Orchards ........................Info #157
Pg 46
Creator's Expressions ......................Info #120
Pg 43
Schuyler Hospital Inc ......................Info #158
Consider Barrister's as your Guest Room for the holidays, or reserve the whole home for a family gathering. Gift certificates also available.
Pg 4
Custom Home Masterpieces ............Info #121
Pg 3
Pg 11
Eastview Mall ..................................Info #122
Seneca Lake Winery Association ..........................Info #159
Pg 53
Fall Bright ........................................Info #123
Pg 55
Spa Apartments................................Info #160
56 Cayuga Street • Seneca Falls (800) 914-0145 • www.sleepbarristers.com
Pg 10
Finger Lakes Coffee Roasters ..........Info #124
Pg 54
Springside Inn ..................................Info #161
Pg 49
Finger Lakes Inn ..............................Info #125
Pg 53
Standing Stone ................................Info #162
Pg 41
Fox Run Vineyards ..........................Info #126
Pg 44
Syracuse China Factory Outlet ..................................Info #163
Circle Reader Service Number 166
Circle Reader Service Number 107
THE QUIET PLACE Spend a night or two in peaceful rustic luxury. With a maximum occupancy of two, The Quiet Place offers complete privacy. One bedroom, living room, fireplace, kitchen, jacuzzi & bath. (585) 657-4643 www.thequietplace.com Circle Reader Service Number 156
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Pg 54
Garlock House ..................................Info #127
Pg 52
Genesee Country Village Museum................................Info #128
Pg 46
The Christmas House ......................Info #164
Pg 46
The Fire Shop ..................................Info #165
Pg 54
Giovanni's Pumphouse Tavern ........Info #129
Pg 48
The Rose Inn ....................................Info #166
Pg 46
Glass Magnolia ................................Info #130
Pg 9
Timberpeg ........................................Info #167
Pg 50
Glen Harbor Marina ..........................Info #131
Pg 54
Warfields Restaurant ........................Info #168
Pg 10
Glenspeed.Com ................................Info #132
Pg 42
Weaver View Farms..........................Info #169
Pg 52
Granger Homestead & Carriage Museum ............................Info #133
Pg 48
Wicher Garden B&B ........................Info #170
Pg 15
Wilcox Press ....................................Info #171
Pg 55
Guards Cards ..................................Info #134
Pg 47
Windmill ..........................................Info #172
Pg 51
Heat-Line Corp. ................................Info #135
Pg 10
Wood, Steel & Glas ..........................Info #173
Pg 47
Heron Hill Winery ............................Info #136
Pg 51
Woodwaiter ......................................Info #174
Pg 53
Hunt Hollow Ski Club ......................Info #137
Pg 10
Yesteryear's......................................Info #175
If the readers’ service postcard is missing in your issue, go to our website at www.LifeInTheFingerLakes.com and select Fall ’02 Info Request or call the advertiser directly.
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Ralph Seager in attendance. William recollected that Assemblyman Davidson stated, “You have been successful, not because government helped you, but you have been successful because you are helping yourselves.” Over the past sixteen years, the solid foundation that was established by the Gunderman family and those from the Mennonite community has expanded substantially. Today, as a visitor, to the market, you can browse through the merchandise of over 250 vendors, meander through three spacious buildings, (one of which carries the Gunderman name), a street of shops, and an openair market. You may even access an onsite full-service bank and a chiropractic office. You can purchase anything from fresh cuts of meat to antique glassware. You can watch skilled quilt makers knowledgeably work their fingers through brightly hued quilting squares, take your children mining for gem stones at a working sluice, or enjoy a horse and buggy ride through the magnificent Finger Lakes scenery. And, don’t be surprised if a rooster or cat vies for your attention—as the folks at the Windmill have been known to adopt a few mascots. “People have such a good time here, there is so much to do and see, there’s no pressure…it’s at your pace. You always see people walking around having a great time,” said Bill Sloan, current Windmill manager. “It’s a wholesome and family-oriented place, people come back again and again. It’s enjoyable to work here, and it’s wonderful to explore here. It gets in your blood, everyone is great.” Sloan emphasized that there is absolutely no charge for admission or parking. “Hundreds have given their talents unselfishly and the credit for success belongs to all of them,” wrote William.
ake it a day in the country. From fine furniture and gifts, fresh flowers and dried floral arrangements, to casually elegant luncheon dining, our shops offer a unique shopping experience. Take a walk...feed the ducks or relax and enjoy the country. The Loomis Barn... A complete selection of high quality home furnishings featuring country, traditional and American Traditional. Corn House Cafe.... Enjoy a lunch of seasonal homemade soups, specialty sandwiches and homebaked desserts. Colonial Bouquets.. Featuring dried flowers and herbal arrangements, wreaths, garlands, fresh flowers and plants The Back Room....... A shop within a store filled with unique accessories, gifts, and accent items. Fully handicap accessible Cafe Hours Tues. - Sat. 11:30 - 2:30 • Sun. 12:00 - 3:00 • Closed Mon. Store Hours Tues. - Sat. 10:00 - 5:30 • Sun. 12:00 - 4:00 • Closed Mon. 4942 Loomis Road • Rushville, NY 14544 800-716-2276 • (585) 554-3154 www.loomisbarn.com Please call for directions. Circle Reader Service Number 142
Tara Morgan lives in Victor with her husband and daughter. Circle Reader Service Number 125
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(“Grape Pies” continued from page 15)
Circle Reader Service Number 114
Holiday Traditions Dec. 8th • 12-5 pm Come enjoy FREE admission, quilt exhibits, refreshments and entertainment in Historic Auburn, NY
Toll Free: 877.343.0002 www.TourAuburnNY.com • • • • • • • •
Auburn Schine Theater Cayuga Museum Harriet Tubman Home Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center Seward House Sts. Peter & John Church Ward O’Hara Agricultural Museum Willard Memorial Chapel
For additional information on Cayuga County events, attractions and accommodations call:
$25 Off
of our basic boat winterization package when you show us this ad. Offer ends November 29, 2002
Visit our web site at: www.tourcayuga.com
P.O. Box 32 • 517E 4th St. Watkins Glen, NY 14891 (607) 535-2751 Fax (607) 535-2658 www.GlenHarborMarina.com
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1-800-499-9615 315-255-1658
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more every year that are driving by.” At Monica’s Pies there’s a self-service cooler on the front porch for pies along with a cupboard filled with jellies. Customers help themselves. Grape pies are $7.00. Schenk is expecting a few more customers after the August airing of the Cable Food Network program “Food Finds.” A segment was taped on locally produced foods which included grape pies made by Schenk. “That was fun,” recalls Schenk of the interview, taped in October 2001, which included her husband Greg because he picks grapes by hand from vines on their property. What will many millions of cable viewers do for business? “It’s kinda scary,” says Schenk. “We’ll just have to take it as it comes. We’ve got it all figured out how we’re going to ship them out. I can the grape filling, enough to make one pie. Mom makes the (baked) crust: we wrap it in bubble wrap and put it in a pie box and send it with a crumb topping. The customer can put it together, bake it and eat it fresh,” says Schenk. The $16.00 cost includes shipping. Most agree that grape pie appeals primarily to visitors to Naples. Jake Joseph, owner of Joseph’s Wayside Market, finds that at his Penn Yan location he only sells 10 percent the number of grape pies he sells in Naples. “It’s so unique to Naples,” says Cindy Trezeciak, who has sold pies from her home on Academy Street in Naples since 1978. Out her back window she has a view of Widmer’s Winery, and occasionally tour buses at the winery stop at her house for grape pies. The baker credits her brother-in-law, who stood looking at the tourists at Widmer’s and saying, “I really think you could turn these tourists into pie customers!” She laughs remembering how she pulled her mom’s recipe for pie crust and combined it with a grape pie recipe she got from her homemaking teacher. Trezeciak works part-time and only makes grape pies during the fall season. She also provides pies and filling for Arbor Hill Grapery, where the filling is sold in quart jars. “It’s all pretty well family-oriented,” she says of her operation. Double ovens allow her to bake 16 pies at a time on rotation. She also makes grape tarts, grape bread and cheesecakes, while her Aunt Eunice Stopka makes grape coffee cake.
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Trzeciak’s husband made a special Dutch door entrance to their home where customers can see the kitchen. “I want to keep that image of the person with the apron on, greeting you at the door, with the big ball of dough on the table,” says Trzeciak, adding, “The customers like the smell and like to see
Where to buy grape pies: Naples Grape Festival: September 28-29, 2002 plus...
Arbor Hill Grapery 6461 Route 64 • Bristol Springs, Naples (585) 374-2870 www.thegrapery.com
Cindy Trzeciak 5 Academy Street, Naples (585) 374-6122
Jane Gentner 7535 County Road 12, Naples (585) 374-2380
Joseph’s Wayside Market 201 South Main Street (Rout 21), Naples (585) 374-2380
Monica’s Pies 7599 Route 21 South, Naples (585) 374-2139 www.monicaspies.com
where they’re getting the pie.” The youthful grandmother works out for her strenuous baking schedule by walking and weight training. “It really does pay because you’re lugging and you’re lifting. Keeping myself in shape keeps my strength up,” says Trzeciak. “I am blessed to do this,” says Trzeciak. “I never went to college. I married young, and I think, ‘Wow, I didn’t have to spend four years to have a business.’ That’s what keeps me really up. I think we (the pie bakers) are all entrepreneurs, even the grape pie ladies who only make 400 to 500 a year because they are all contributing. We help keep the farmers in business,” says the long-time baker, who uses two tons of grapes in six weeks. “Years ago people just bought grapes and grape juice. Now they buy a grape pie,” says Trzeciak with a smile. Laurel C. Wemett owns a gift shop named Cat’s in the Kitchen and lives in Canandaigua.
Circle Reader Service Number 135
EFFICIENT ELECTRIC UNIT for moving wood from cellar to fireplace or wood stove • SIMPLE installation • RUGGED construction • BUILT-IN Safety controls
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1-800-290-8510 woodwaiter.com Circle Reader Service Number 145
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ATTRACTIONS IN THE FINGER LAKES 9
5. Stivers Seneca Marine 401 Boodys Hill Rd Waterloo, 13165 (315) 789-5520
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6. Barrett Marine, Inc. 485 W River Rd Waterloo 13165 (315) 789-6605 www.fingerlakes.net/barrett_marine
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MUSEUMS 7 10 3
CAMPGROUNDS 1. Lake Bluff Campground 7150 Garner Road Wolcott, 14590 (888) 588-4517 • (315) 587-4517 www.lakebluffcampground.com 2. Hickory Hill Family Camping Resort 7531 Mitchellsville Rd Bath, 14810 (800) 760-0947 • (607) 776-4345 www.hickoryhillcampresort.com
3. Leisure Livin’ Camping & Resort 1663 East River Road, PO Box 242 Nichols, 13812 (607) 699-0804 www.leisurelivin.com
7. Patterson Inn Museum 59 West Pulteney St Corning, 14830 (607) 937-5281 www.corningny.com/bpinn 8. Ulysses Historical Society 39 South St Trumansburg, 14886 (607) 387-4535 www.ulysses.ny.us/history
10. National Soaring Museum Harris Hill, 51 Soaring Hill Drive Elmira, 14903 (607) 734-3128 www.soaringmuseum.org
SKI RESORTS 11. Toggenburg Ski & Snowboard Center PO Box 162, 1135 Toggenburg Rd Fabius, 13063 (315) 683-5842 www.skitog.com
12. Labrador Mountain Ski Area PO Box 105, Route 91 Truxton, 13158 (607) 842-6204 www.labradormtn.com
MARINAS 4. Morgan Marine 100 E Lake Rd Penn Yan, 14527 (315) 536-8166 www.morganmarine.net
9. H. Lee White Marine Museum 1 West First Street Pier, PO Box 101 Oswego, 13126 (315) 342-0480 www.hleewhitemarinemuseum.com
If you want your company listed in the next issue, please call 800344-0559 for details.
MUSEUM SHOWCASE Chemung County Historical Society 415 East Water St. • Elmira, NY 14901 (607) 734-4167 www.chemungvalleymuseum.org History@exotrope.net • Explore the Past and the Present at the Chemung Valley History Museum • Visit Booth Library for all of your research needs! • Borrow a "Hands on History" Loan Case for FREE • Study Regional History, Mark Twain, and Highlights of the Civil War • Enjoy our Spring and Fall Lecture Series • Contact us for more information about our Current Programs
The Granger Homestead & Carriage Museum • • • • •
1816 Federal style mansion Nearly 50 horse drawn vehicles on display 19th century law office Guided tours begin on the hour Carriage rides by reservation on Friday afternoons Tues. - Fri. 1-5 pm through Oct. 12th Festival of Trees - Nov. 16th - Dec. 8th
Galleries: Tues. - Sat. 10am-5pm, Sun. 1-5pm Booth Library: Mon. - Fri. Noon-5pm Business Offices: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm
295 N. Main St. • Canandaigua, NY 14424 (585) 394-1472 • www.grangerhomestead.org
Circle Reader Service Number 113
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Ride Into History... and Beautiful Scenery... CACV
The Cooperstown & Charlotte Valley Railroad gives visitors to our area the chance to experience what was once the primary form of transportation throughout the country - riding the rails. Upcoming Railway Events: OKTOBERFEST ~ Oct 5 HALLOWEEN EXPRESS TRAINS ~ Oct 18, 19, 25, 26 SANTA EXPRESS TRAINS ~ Nov 30, Dec 1, 7, 8, 14, 15 CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TRAINS ~ Nov 30, Dec 7, 14 Reservations Required • Call (607) 432-2429 • www.lrhs.com Circle Reader Service Number 140
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C A L E N D A R
F E S T I V A L S & E V E N T S Life in the Finger Lakes recommends that you call ahead for complete details on the listings below or visit our Web site at www.lifeinthefin gerlakes.com and link to all 14 county chambers of commerce for complete listings.
SEPTEMBER
“We decided to enter the wine business because we believe that the Finger Lakes region can grow wines that are among the best in the world.” -Tom & Marti Macinski Owners
14 ….. Seneca Invitational Rowing Regatta. 315-568-2703 14….. Glenora Wine Cellars: Leaves and Lobster 800-243-5513 14-15 ….. Championship Antique Tractor Pull Junius Volunteer Fire Department, Route 318, Junius 315-539-3996. 14-15….. Purple Foot Festival Casa Larga Vineyards 585-223-4210 14-15….. Art and Science of Herbal Wine Making Healing Spirits Herb Farm and Education Center 607-566-2701
Our doors are open: 12-5pm (except Tues. & Wed.) Sat. 11-6pm 9934 Rte. 414, Hector, NY 800-803-7135 standingstonewines.com Circle Reader Service Number 162
15….. Antique & Collectible Toy Show NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center 607-753-8580 or 315-487-7711
Circle Reader Service Number 118
Truly loving care for the elderly
15…..1941 HAG Annual Corn Roast & Stearn’s Chicken BBQ Big Tree Lane (off Route 63), Geneseo 585-243-2100
Clinton Crest Manor
19….. 2300 Degrees Corning Museum of Glass, Corning 800-732-6845
✱
21….. Potato Festival Routes 79&38, Richford 607-255-7661
✱
companionship ✱ privacy all meals and snacks ✱ 24-hr support ✱ exciting activities, guests and fun ✱
light housekeeping
✱
area trips
“In the Heart of the Finger Lakes Region” Come visit us! 411 Clinton St., Penn Yan, NY 14527
21….. An Evening of Readings Morgan Opera House, Rt. 90 and Cherry Ave., Aurora 315-364-5437
315-536-8800 • Fax 531-9088 • e-mail: ccmanor@linkny.com Circle Reader Service Number 115
21 …..Peachtown Native American Festival Wells College, Rt. 90, Aurora 315-364-3206
How to make your own wine!
22….. Equinox Fort Hill Cemetery Tour Fort St., Auburn 315-252-0339
www.fallbright.com
26-29….. Wine Country Dog Show Circuit Sampson State Park, Romulus 315-585-6669 28….. Naples Grape Festival Naples Memorial Town Park, Rt. 215 585-374-2240 28-29….. Crocker Creek Buffalo Frontier Days Crocker Creek Buffalo Farm, Endicott 607-786-0571
Grapes, Juices, Brewing & Winemaking Supplies Secure Online Shopping
Hunt Hollow Ski Club Naples, NY www.hunthollow.com Call for information 585-374-5428
Fall Bright • Keuka Lake East Side 9750 Hyatt Hill, Dundee, NY 14837 607-292-3995 • fallbright@linkny.com
Circle Reader Service Number 137
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RESTAURANT SHOWCASE C A L E N D A R 28-29….. 29th Annual Hunting and Fishing Days 6274 E. Avon-Lima Road 585-226-5333
Discover Pierce's interpretation of excellence in American/Continental cuisine and their outstanding selection of wines from around the world.
29….. Ghost of Mark Twain Dinner Theatre Watson Homestead Conference & Retreat Center 607-962-0541
AAA Four Diamond Award since 1990 Wine Spectator Award since 1982 Pierce's opens at 5 p.m. Tues. - Sun. Please call for Holiday Schedules Oakwood Ave., Elmira Heights (607) 734-2022 228 • www.pierces1894.com Circle Reader Service Number 153
www.warfields.com 7 West Main St. • Clifton Springs, NY 14432 Phone 315-462-7184 Circle Reader Service Number 168
"Wouldn't You Rather Dine in a Tavern Than Just Eat in a Restaurant?" The Pumphouse is a 1930’s ArtDeco style restaurant. Our building is an historical treasure, and our name is derived from the former Rumsey Pump Co. Look for the Red Circa 1850 Rumsey Yard Pump in our dining room. Check out our full menu online. Giovanni’s Pumphouse 16 Rumsey Street ~ Seneca Falls (315)568-9109 www.pumphouseonline.com Circle Reader Service Number 129
29….. "Wine-d Down with the Cayuga Museum" 203 Genesee St., Auburn 315-253-8051 30-Oct 13….. Scarecrow Contest Main St., Canandaigua 585-396-0300
OCTOBER
Perhaps "inn of flowers" would be a good name for this 1830 red clapboard building, with its masses of flowers in gardens and eight acres of lawns and trees, with a spring-fed pond. This homey, comfortable family-owned inn offers eight overnight guest rooms, private party rooms, ranging from a 15 to 250 person capacity, as well as a quiet dinner for two.
6141 W Lake Rd, Rt. 38 S • Auburn (315) 252-7247 • www.springsideinn.com Circle Reader Service Number 161
4-27….. Haunted Gardens Sonnenberg Gardens, Canandaigua 585-394-4922 4-5….. National Women's Hall of Fame Honors and Induction Ceremony Seneca Falls 315-568-8060. 4-6….. Apple Harvest Festival Ithaca 607-277-8679 4-6….. Country Folk Art Show NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center 248-634-4151 or 315-487-7711 5….. "Experience the Crush" Cayuga Ridge Estate, 6800 Rt. 89 Ovid. 607-869-5158
Gracious historic Victorian setting specializing in continental cuisine. The Garlock House offers Lunch, Dinner and Sunday Brunch. Restaurant is closed on Mondays. Our private banquet room accommodates up to 150 people. Outside catering is also available. Please advise your host/hostess of seeing this ad when making your reservation to receive a complimentary glass of wine.
401 East Main St • Palmyra 315-597-5454 Circle Reader Service Number 152
Patti's Lakeview Diner Experience Home-Cooked Food in a Restored Bixler Diner
Circle Reader Service Number 127
Dining... Restaurants, reserve your ad space now for the Winter 2002 issue!
5-6….. Agricultural Society Fair Genesee Country Village & Museum, Mumford 585-538-6822 5-Nov 2….. The Amazing Maize Maze Long Acre Farms, 1342 Eddy Rd., Macedon 315-986-9821 6….. Syracuse Festival of Races Manley Field House 315-446-6285 8-10….. South Pacific by Famous Artists Broadway Theater Series Mulroy Civic Center at Oncenter 315-424-8210 8-13….. West Side Story Finger Lakes Performing Arts Center, Canandaigua 585-394-7190 11….. Old Time Music Celebration Bristol Valley Theatre, Naples 585-394-9032 11-12….. Annual Candlelight Cemetery Tour Lakeview Cemetery, Pultneyville 315-589-9892
Enjoy our view of Seneca Lake along with our homemade desserts. Serving dinner 6 days per week Open 6am - 8pm On Sundays we are open for breakfast only.
43 Lake St, Geneva • 315-789-6433 Circle Reader Service Number 150
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12-13….. Lafayette Apple Festival Rt. 20W, Lafayette 315-677-3300 or 315-677-3644
Call 800-344-0559
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C A L E N D A R 12-13….. Grape-Pumpkin Festival Hammondsport Village Square 607-569-2989 12-14….. Letchworth Arts and Crafts Show and Sale Festival Letchworth State Park 585-237-3517
Nestled in the quaint little village of Clifton Springs, NY, the Spa Apartments has put together a package of services and amenities most seniors are looking for. Prices start at $408 a month with all utilities included.
13-14….. 6th Annual Cortland Pumpkinfest Courthouse Park, Cortland 607-753-8463 25-27….. Spirit of the Deer Education Course Healing Spirits Herb Farm and Education Center 607-566-2701 26….. 4th Annual Chestnut Festival Goose Watch Winery, 5480 Rt. 89, Romulus 315-549-2599 27….. Collectorsfest NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center 607-753-8580 or 315-487-7711 27….. Ghost in the Galleries Corning Museum of Glass, Corning 800-732-6845 30….. 2002 SYSCO Fall Food Show Onondaga County Convention Center at Oncenter 315-435-8000
NOVEMBER
• • • • • • • •
Meal Program Transportation Cable TV Nursing Service Activities Elevators Individual Heat Control Large Gracious Lobbies
• • • • • • • •
Front Door Intercom Laundry Room Laundry Service Arts & Crafts Emergency Call System Housekeeping Room Service Emergency Maintenance
• • • • • • • •
Fire Systems Library Trips Entertainment Large Porches Walk Areas Picnic Areas Full Kitchen and Bath
Clifton Springs Hospital & Clinic is connected to our building. Downtown shopping is only steps away. Call today for a tour and receive a gift certificate for downtown shopping.
315-462-3080 Circle Reader Service Number 160
2….. Holiday Vine Workshop and Festive Recipe Sampling Cayuga Ridge Estate, 6800 Rt. 89, Ovid 607-869-5158 2-3….. 28th Annual CNY Train Fair NYS Fairgrounds/Empire Expo Center 315-469-1493 9-10….. Venison and Wine Arcadian Estates Vineyard 800-298-1346 9-10….. Champagne & Dessert Wine Festival Swedish Hill Winery, 4565 Rt. 414, Romulus 315-549-8326 12-15….. Veteran’s Day Ceremony and Parade Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter 315-435-8035 15-30….. Festival of Trees Granger Homestead & Carriage Museum, 295 N. Main St., Canandaigua 585-394-1472 17….. 9th Annual County B&B Open House Tour Wayne County Bed and Breakfasts 315-331-8415 22….. Festival of Lights Sonnenberg Gardens, Canandaigua 585-394-4922 26-Jan 5….. Lights on the Lake Onondaga Lake Park 315-451-7275 29-Dec 1….. Dickens’ Christmas Village of Skaneateles 315-685-0552 Circle Reader Service Number 134
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O F F
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E A S E L
Christian Thirion, Glassmaker
Wave Series and Teapot
T
aking on the family tradition, Christian Thirion became a pastry chef at the age of 14 in Belfort, France. However, the taste for glass was never far from his mind. As a small boy, while on family vacations to Barcelona and Venice, Thirion was captivated by the art of glassmaking. In 1979 Thirion decided to move to the United States, and in 1980 he opened a restaurant in California. In 1987 he hung up his chef’s coat and took a glassmaking class at a city college in Santa Barbara. Thirion had no doubt that this was what he wanted to do. The love for glass naturally flowed through his veins. Thirion spent a few years on the West Coast learning the art of glassmaking. In 1992, he was drawn eastward to the Finger Lakes area. With the Corning Museum of Glass only half an hour away, Millport was a great place
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for Thirion to establish his studio. He has converted Millport’s 1930 elementary school into a hot-shop where he continues to create and learn about glassmaking. Thirion’s style can be identified by his Wave Series vessels (image above left). Each piece has a long stemmed stopper that creates movement within the piece. His teapots are extremely sculptural (image above right). Most consist of an elaborate handle, a delicate spout and are topped with a whimsical hat for the lid. He designs with a variety of eclectic colors and a sense of pure elegance. Thirion owns the Glassart, Inc. Gallery and Studio in Watkins Glen. He features his own pieces as well as glasswork from around the world. Call 607-535-0535 or 607-739-3939 for gallery hours.
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©2002 Marvin Windows and Doors. All rights reserved. Energy Star and the Energy Star certification mark are registered U.S. marks.
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88 BC Building Supplies, Inc. Nineveh, NY 607-693-3200 Builder's Best Do-It Center Cortland, NY 607-756-7871 Ithaca, NY 607-266-0949 www.buildersbest.doitbest.com Builders Choice Lumber Co. Auburn, NY 315-252-5814
The Corning Building Co. Corning, NY 607-936-9921 www.corningbuilding.com
Morse Sash & Door Co. Rochester, NY 716-475-1010 www.morselbr.com
Endicott Lumber & Box Endwell, NY 607-748-8227 www.endicottlumber.com
Ryan's Windows & Doors Syracuse, NY 315-425-7915
Liverpool Lumber Co., Inc. Liverpool, NY 315-457-2220
Circle Reader Service Number 144
WindowSmith Fairport, NY 716-388-5110 www.windowsmithinc.com