Green Door Magazine: Fall 2011 with The Beekman Boys

A JOURNAL OF COMFORTABLE LIVING

The

Fabulous Beekman Boys TV’S UNLIKELY STARS

THESE TRAILS TO BIG PINK

VOLUME 1 No. 2 FALL 2011 $4.99

HOW LOCATION INFLUENCES MUSIC

24 YEARS OF CATSKILLS

PHOTOGRAPHY

KINDRED SPIRITS how making bourbon is more about spirit $4.99

0

71896 47358

13

2

FINDING AVALON

GREETINGS The Fall of Man

7

FOLK The Beekman Boys Sharing their fabulous adventures from NYC and back.

High Definition: The Eddie Adams Workshop 19 HOME Finding Avalon 26 WOODSHED These Trails to Big Pink Musician James Beaudreau explores Music and Place.

29 NEIGHBORS Your local calendar of events and happenings.

37 LOCAVORE 37 Kindred Spirits The Catskill Distilling Company is more about spirit than about spirits.

40 Recipe 42 Lend Me Your Ears 44 Restaurant Review 45 TRAVEL 45 Magic Mountain Jim Hanas on Mohonk and the terror of leisure.

47 The Bookshelf 48 Fall Soft Where?

51 WELLNESS 51 Falling Waters Preserve 53 YELLOW + BLUE 53 Upcycled Style 54 ENDPAPER 54 Tweeting in the Mountains 56 Back to the Garden

COVER: COURTESY OF THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS

11 PHOTOGRAPHY

FALL IN THIS ISSUE

PHOTOGRAPHED AT BRIDGEWATER MERCANTILE IN JEFFERSONVILLE, NY

5

EDITOR Akira Ohiso PUBLISHER Ellie Ohiso MARKETING DIRECTOR Aaron Fertig ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carole Joy COPY EDITOR Donata C. Marcus CIRCULATION DIRECTOR John A. Morthanos CONTRIBUTORS Vanessa Geneva Ahern James Beaudreau Jim Hanas

CONTACT US Green Door Magazine P.O. Box 143 Liberty, NY 12754 info@greendoormag.com www.greendoormag.com 917.723.4622 facebook.com/greendoormag twitter.com/greendoormag greendoormag.tumblr.com

Printed on recycled paper

Green Door Magazine (ISSN # 2161-7465) is published quarterly - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter - by Green Door Magazine Inc. All rights reserved. Subscription rate is $8.00 annually. U.S. subscriptions can be purchased online at greendoormag.com or by mail. Every effort is made to avoid errors, misspellings, and omissions.

If, however, an error comes to your attention, please accept our sincere apologies and notify us.

Address all letters to editor@greendoormag.com.

Postmaster: Address all inquiries to Circulation Department, Green Door Magazine, P.O. Box 143, Liberty, NY 12754. No part of may be used without written permission of the publisher Š2011.

The views expressed in Green Door and in advertising in the issue are those of their authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion, policy, or endorsement of the publication.

GREETINGS AKIRA OHISO

The Fall of Man

As summer wanes and autumn approaches, I am reminded of my childhood in Port Washington, NY, a North Shore suburb of Long Island. Growing up in the seventies, I spent all four seasons outdoors before any hint of computers and the downhill speed of Moore’s Law would become an ever-increasing part of our lives. Autumn has a special place in my heart because it is a more complex experience than the carefree expectations of spring and summer or the concrete inwardness of winter. Autumn connotes uncomfortable change as children go back to school, days gets shorter, animals begin to store for winter, leaves fall from trees, and the colorful life of spring and summer transforms. We are turning inward towards the solitude of winter.

I have memories of orange purple skies descending behind hills, bare trees back-lit like kindling in a fireplace. The air was crisp and caused running noses and red-chafed hands.

There was the aroma of chimney smoke and the sound of coach whistles at the football field. The schoolyard was a block away from my house and a regular place to play after school. I rarely had an after-school activity and spent many slow, late afternoons with friends. We would sometimes venture down to the boulevard and Main Street to buy candy, play video games, or grab a slice of pizza. Sometimes we had pick-up tackle football games behind the local post office next to a crumbling historic cemetery where tombstones had the same names as buildings on Main Street. Sometimes we climbed fences, explored the woods behind the high school, or cut through people’s backyards.

We bonded and formed friendships without parental supervision.

In TS Elliot’s Little Gidding, he writes, “We shall not cease

from exploration. And the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”

Halloween was always a favorite holiday. My neighborhood was a tight-knit middle-class community where houses were close together and had front porches. In Malcolm Gladwell’s book, Outliers, he tells the story of a small Pennsylvania town that grew old and was immune to many of the health issues of its neighboring towns. It turns out that most of the people had porches on which to talk, provide support, and foster a sense of community.

Our neighborhood was jam-packed with trick-or-treaters running from house to house with pillowcases full of candy.

There were myths about razor blades in apples, but who ate apples anyway. The evening prior was “Mischief Night” where teenagers ran around the neighborhood throwing toilet paper in the trees and shave creaming teen angst on car windows and brick walls. It was a rite-of-passage, not a crime. We carved pumpkins into Jack O Lanterns and displayed them on our porch. My mother roasted the gutted pumpkins seeds in the oven and we ate them as we cut triangle eyes and zigzag mouths.

Today as a father, I have realized that my pre-computer childhood was a blessing. My young children watch television and eventually will want Play Stations, iPhones and Facebook accounts, but I am conscious that they also need to roll in a pile of leaves, walk, run, tumble (not tumblr) and spend countless hours in the beautiful Autumn air. Today, it is impossible to escape technology, but we still have the freedom to choose to unplug. But beware, as Jean Paul Sartre once said, “Man is condemned to be free.”

5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Editor, I expected something Green to be more about the environment and how to save the planet. Instead I learned how to create an environment and to save myself. Thanks for not preaching.

James Polk Beacon, NY To the Editor, I just received a copy of Green Door, and as an expat from New Paltz, I was reminded of what I left behind. There, summer was a season, not the expectation. We waited for it to free us from school and the calendar.

Nights never ended and we could find berries and friends everywhere. I doubt if there was a stream or a waterhole that we didn’t find time to swim in. Your magazine brought that all back for me and I thank you.

Ronny Miller Tucson, AZ To the Editor, I saw the cover of your magazine at our friend’s home in Margaretville and thought it inviting. A pretty good read. I guess I’ll have to pay the eight bucks.

Herman Donner Manhattan To the Editor, I take exception to your referring to organic farming [Ancient Traditions, Modern Practices] as anything sacred. It is more about doing what is right for the land, the animals and ourselves than anything divine.

As an atheist, I hold these practices to be important in and of themselves, not because anyone is telling me to do it.

Alexander J. Howard Bearsville, NY

Have a letter to the Editor? Email it to letters@greendoormag.com, or mail to PO Box 143, Liberty, NY 12754.

FOLK THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS

The Beekman Boys: Town & Country Redux What has four legs, goat’s milk and “waits for reality to happen?”

Five years ago, on an annual apple-picking weekend, Josh Kilmer-Purcell and Dr. Brent Ridge decided to stay in Sharon Springs, NY at the historic American Hotel. They were charmed by small town life and happened upon an old mansion with a For Sale sign out front.

When they entered the Beekman Mansion, Brent says, “we heard the siren’s song” and were instantly “seduced.”

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS

CONT’D ON PAGE 8

We heard the siren’s song and were instantly seduced.

7

FOLK THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS

Josh and Brent threw in their life savings, scrounging for any and every bit of equity they could muster to buy the 209-year old mansion. The Georgian/Federal-style mansion has an illustrious history built by the first judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Schoharie County, William Beekman. William Beekman lived in the mansion until his death in 1835 at the age of 78. His remains are still on the property in a family crypt. The mansion fell into disrepair like many once-glorious structures of New York’s past, but was restored and became an historic landmark in the late 90s.

Originally planned as a second home, Josh and Brent were forced to alter their plans when the great recession hit – the second one – and both lost their Manhattan jobs. Out of desperation to save the farm, they decided that one would work the farm and the other would continue to work in the city to make ends meet.

Today, the farm produces goat’s milk for a variety of 8

goat-milk products such as their Blaak cheese and fine bath soap, which are sold in their retail location, 1802 Mercantile. The farm also produces 110 heirloom vegetables, raises pigs and chickens, has a fishpond and, of course, is home to the diva llama, Polka Spot.

Josh, the writer, says they take cues from the past to inform many of their business decisions today. William Beekman was a prominent businessman and pillar in the community who owned a general store across the street from the mansion. The name of their retail location, 1802 Mercantile, pays homage to Beekman and Sharon Springs’ commercial past. Two centuries later, the little Schoharie town is making a comeback.

As an accomplished writer, Josh likes to tell stories.

He believes stories inspire people to act. Their story of transformation is compelling because it appeals to people looking for change in their own lives.

Brent says since they set up shop on Main Street across from the American Hotel two other businesses have opened. Two additional businesses will be moving to Main Street as well, one of which is The D. Landreth Seed Company, which has been in business since 1784.

According to Brent, while the country has seen a 3% increase in home sales, Sharon Springs has seen an 11% increase. Maybe you don’t always need the quick-fix chain store as an economic generator, but seeds, both literally and figuratively.

In 200 years, expect an historic marker with Josh and Brent’s names and a description stating that they were prominent businessmen in Sharon Spring’s revival.

Brent arrived first for the interview. Josh checked in a few minutes late. It was poignant because it seemed to represent the dichotomy of town and country life. Brent seemed far more relaxed, while Josh seemed caught up in the hectic pace of Manhattan. Josh continues to work in advertising

full-time, while promoting his third book, The Bucolic Plague, managing a television show, business, and working farm. “I just keep adding more things onto my life,” said Josh, stoically. Josh commutes up to Sharon Springs on the weekends.

Brent says that his workload has increased as well, but he loves what he is doing. Brent talked passionately about Sharon Springs and the renewal happening on Main Street.

“There are large swathes of land in New York State where people are impoverished.” The former geriatric doctor surfaces: “It is sad to say, but people don’t know what fresh produce is.” He alluded to the Walmart culture that saps the vitality out of local life and business. One way to effect healthy change is with their Annual Harvest Festival, which features local farmers, artists, and vendors. On September 24th and 25th, the 3rd Annual Harvest Festival returns to Sharon Springs. In three years it has gone from a small event to thousands of people from the Northeast coming to support small town life. This year, three Harvest Feasts, CONT’D ON NEXT PAGE

9

FOLK THE FABULOUS BEEKMAN BOYS

CONT’D FROM PAGE 9

which feature locally sourced ingredients, will take place at the historic American Hotel.

Scent of Autumn Soap Beekman 1802 Mercantile, $10 shop.beekman1802.com

While both love the country life, they realize New York City still has a lot to offer with its wealth, disposable income, and resources. In fact, it was the Union Square Farmer’s Market that introduced Josh and Brent to local organic produce in the first place. They used to grow vegetables on their apartment balcony.

People from the city may talk about cashing out and moving to the farm, but the reality is most people can’t or won’t for myriad reasons. Josh says, “I like to keep one foot in the city.”

Brent likens himself to a modern day Robin Hood. Without the rich city, they would not be able to help revitalize Sharon Springs.

Even so, their retail store, 1802 Mercantile, is open year-round through the long cold winter when tourism slows and seasonal business often boards up their windows.

“Even if five people come in all day we are open,” adds Brent.

Beekman 1802 Stick of Butter Beekman 1802 Mercantile, $15 shop.beekman1802.com

With The Fabulous Beekman Boys, there is a dichotomy in place as well as in personalities. Josh and Brent complement each other like town and country. They may disagree on occasion, but their relationship has stood the tests of time and place.

The most poignant moment in the interview was when I briefly asked Josh about his childhood and writing. He chuckled and seemed taken aback. But, he also softened and let his guard down a bit.

He responded, wistfully, “I used to paint, create, play piano…”

It reminded me of what he had said earlier. The majority of reality television is given a shiny edit job to appeal to the masses and advertisers, but Josh defends the show as “far more real than most reality television.” Josh stated that the show does not follow a strict shooting schedule and simply “waits for reality to happen.”

Beekman 1802 MilkShake Beekman 1802 Mercantile, $25 shop.beekman1802.com

10

There is a dichotomy in all of us and we are always working to strike the right balance. The Fabulous Beekman Boys remind us of that possibility.

PHOTOGRAPHY

EDDIE ADAMS WORKSHOP

High Definition: 24 Years of Barnstorming Since 1988, professional photographers and aspiring photojournalists have been gathering at a barn in Sullivan County to participate in a 4-day intensive workshop. Each fall, 100 selected students are unleashed on Sullivan County to capture a story in photos. They then return to a barn in Jeffersonville, to see what they captured.

As they interact with the community and their craft, the character and personalities of these young artists become part of the story. They are not just capturing a scene; they engage with their subjects and freeze both the emotion and the moment in time. The County is lucky to have them in their midst.

PHOTO: LANDON NORDEMAN

The workshop is named after Eddie Adams, a photojournalist who covered 13 wars, amassed over 500 photojournalism awards and is noted for portraits of presidents and movie stars. But, he is best known for a black and white photo of a South Vietnamese General executing a Vietcong prisoner on a Saigon street in broad daylight for which he won the Pulitzer Prize. Now in its 24th year, the Eddie Adams Workshop continues to give students a training ground to hone their craft. Barnstorm 24 takes place October 24th.

11

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHERS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: BENNIE DAVIS JENNIFER ROBERTS MELISSA LYTTLE STEFAN JORA CHRISTOPHER HANEWINCKEL

EDDIE ADAMS WORKSHOP

PHOTOGRAPHY

PHOTOGRAPHERS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: MARKEL REDONDO NOAH RABINOWITZ GRANT MORRIS BENJAMIN NORMAN JUSTIN EDMONDS

EDDIE ADAMS WORKSHOP

PHOTOGRAPHY

Participants let loose at the end of a hectic day.

PHOTO: LANDON NORDEMAN

EDDIE ADAMS WORKSHOP

HOME

SHANDALEE LAKE

PHOTOS: AARON FERTIG

Finding Avalon

Jaime Stankevicius was 4 years old when his parents got their first Great Dane. He still has a childhood photo of him holding a dog leash way above his head with a monster towering over him. He was destined to have his own some day. He never anticipated how important a role they would CONT’D ON PAGE 20 play in his life.

HOME

SHANDALEE LAKE

CONT’D FROM PAGE 19

Born in the former Republic of Czechoslovakia, outside of Prague, his family was forced to leave and settle with family in Brazil. With strong mathematical skills he received a degree in civil engineering in Sao Paolo, but reinvented himself as an artist when he attended a Master’s program in Opera as a tenor. Jaimie always envisioned a career in the arts but he didn’t enjoy the touring associated with being an opera singer.

He moved to New York City where he met Paul Hargrove.

Together now for seventeen years, they came to the mountains in the 1990s upon the urging of a friend. A real estate agent found them a 100+ yr old home, originally the staff quarters for the Tempel Inn in Shandelee Lake, NY. They saw a structure in very bad condition, but the home spoke to Jaimie. He relished the idea of retrofitting a classic older home rather than planning new construction. “After all,” he said, “When you are born in an 11th Century village, a house that was only a century old was considered new!”

As a decorator, Jaime finds respecting the home’s history

Generations of family photographs line the walls of the Bridgewater Inn. 20

Jaimie and his Great Dane, Malachi, relax in a corner of the sunlit great room.

Antique mahogany armoire provides ample storage for period kitchen dinnerware.

HOME

SHANDALEE LAKE

Chamba Cookware Bridgewater Mercantile, $16-$125 Jeffersonville, NY 845-482-4044

Art by Evelyn Morrisot Bridgewater Mercantile, $10,000 Jeffersonville, NY 845-482-4044

Antique Island Butcher Block Bridgewater Mercantile, $600 Jeffersonville, NY 845-482-4044 22

Country comfort is the hallmark of the sitting room.

A classic antique farm table finished in warm tones accommodates a dozen diners.

HOME

NORTH BRANCH

CONT’D FROM PAGE 12

and architectural integrity more challenging than dealing with the engineering elements in a structure. Here he began by removing many of walls of the old boarding rooms on the first floor to create a grand living room and kitchen modeled after the Brazilian farmhouse of his youth. Although leaving only the original fireplace wall on the first floor, he recycled almost all of the original building materials for the new space. Today the home has six comfortable bedrooms; five being used as part of the Bridgewater Guesthouse.

Jaimie’s left brain-right brain skills are perfect for Interior Design. His design philosophy is simple: ‘Let the room tell you what it wants.’ He can enter a room and see it reborn.

His style is handsome, big and bold. Organic wood and stone form both structural and decorative elements. When working with clients Jaimie often invites them to his home.

The rooms speak for themselves and help define for the client Jaimie’s ‘design language.’ There is little ambiguity about style once they see what he has created for himself.

A tableau of cherished antiques and friends’ art.

The first thing you see when you enter are The Danes. They

One of the many guestrooms at the Inn, decorated with warmth and charm.

24

HOME

NORTH BRANCH

aren’t pets, they are part of the landscape. There had been two, Avalon, 10, and Malachi, 5, but Avalon just recently passed away.

When Jaimie mentions his name his eyes well up. “Avalon taught me unconditional love. I have had many lovers and friends, but none touched my heart the way Avalon did.” And no one broke his heart as much as Avalon did when he died in April. Avalon is still everywhere, in photos, in a painting his friend did, and of course, in his heart.

He loves living and designing upstate because in an area like this, “you can have a positive impact on a community. Using local materials means that a local resident or business will profit.”

Jaimie creates a series of vignettes that tie together into a cohesive design statement. “Every corner of a room should tell a story, and visually striking pieces can dictate the tone of the room. Always remember that looks are important, but functionality is key,” he says.

Photos of their dog, Avalon, can be found throughout the home.

Jaimie reflects that, “moving from one place to another gave me the right seasoning in life.” He attributes the correct balance to contrapuntal influences: The joie de vive of Sao Paolo to his parent’s strict Czech discipline, the freedom offered by the visual arts and the mathematical discipline of music. But his strongest influence, of joy and love, was four-legged.

Every corner tells a story, often with dappled light.

WOODSHED

JAMES BEAUDREAU

These Trails to Big Pink What's in a place? If you would have asked Margaret Morgan and Patrick Cockett in 1973, the answer would likely have been "everything." The two Hawaiians recorded twelve love songs to their islands that year – songs that would be released on a small, private press LP by the name These Trails. Once the original run sold out, the album remained out of print for decades, known only to that esoteric branch of music nerd-dom concerned with obscure examples of psychedelic folk and private press oddities. But happily, These Trails has been reissued this year on the solid Chicago record label Drag City.

Perhaps it's that there aren't any other psychedelic folk albums from early 70s Hawaii that makes These Trails so distinctly "Hawaiian" in the minds of its fans. It's certainly not Hawaiian in any traditional sense: there are no slack key guitars or ukuleles here, no “Aloha Oe” – only original compositions. There is a certain unique spirit to the album, though, and the artists are clear about their inspiration. The coastline, rivers and valleys; banana and banyan trees; swallows and gulls, the ocean, sand, soil, mountains and waterfalls; mangos, bamboo, tangerines, ginger blossom and butterflies – all these populate the songs. There's not a lot of human action in These Trails songs, though there is a lot of intensity. The real subjects, aside from the islands themselves, are the act of perception, introspection, and love for the land.

Pretty standard hippie stuff maybe, a few years later than it flowered on the West Coast. Except when you listen it's clear that These Trails is the real deal. It only takes a moment with Margaret's singing to hear it. To say that she's uninhibited is a slight understatement: on some tracks she

sounds like she's channeling spirits – old, elemental ghosts.

Her enunciation is so precise that it sounds like incantation, except when she softens her words' edges into an eerie coo. Like I said, this stuff is the real deal.

Then there's the music. There are fingerpicked guitars with sparkling steel strings, earthy hand percussion and a bass guitar, and – unexpectedly for the year and genre – a synthesizer. And the synth is beautifully played. On some songs it produces an otherworldly swoop, on others it mimics organic instruments, but with a weird alien sheen.

But no matter how skillfully the synth is woven into the arrangements (and it can be subtle), it remains a bit odd: assimilated into the music, but still outside it. On an album otherwise made by hand, it's very clear that the synthesizer is not a human sound.

I suspect the synth weirdness helped build the album's legend. In his liner notes to the Drag City reissue, Rob Sevier (founder of the reissue label Numero Group) suggests that the “artist” actually responsible for These Trails is not human: "if there is an artist at all, it is the various settings in which these songs occurred…". How much of These Trails was made by the islands?

Margaret was in her early 20s when she and Patrick made their album. She would leave Hawaii before it was released, relocating to California and a life outside music. The usual route is the reverse: a trip to the magic location, in order to begin. This is how it was with so many bands in the late 60s and early 70s: leaving the road, the cities, and hotel rooms to get back to basics in the country. To slow down the pace, take stock and recharge. Bob Dylan rebounded from his CONT’D ON PAGE 28

ART: EILEEN WEISS

26

WOODSHED

JAMES BEAUDREAU

motorcycle accident and the hysteria of his electric concerts with the rootsy John Wesley Harding album in 1967 – raising more than a few eyebrows. But the watershed moment came a year later, out of a pink house in Woodstock, NY. Songs from Big Pink set the music world on its ear. It wasn't folk, but it was folky: an amalgam of rock, folk, gospel, blues, and country delivered with the sense of strength and inevitability of an old willow tree. It was the right moment, and bands all over the world changed course.

Big Pink birthed a new genre in England where bands like Fairport Convention were so affected by the record that they were driven to find their own honest answer to it, diving deep into British folksongs.

Big Pink remains a powerful album. As does The Basement

28

Tapes, recorded on location by Bob Dylan and the Band in Woodstock in 1967. What is it about those songs? There's a homespun beauty, rough around the edges, sure. They're anachronistic, the recordings eschewing the studio trickery that had become, in most cases, empty technique by 1968.

And there's the breadth of the music. The Band, and Dylan, reached much further back than the recent hit parade to the full history of American folk tradition for their inspiration.

Porch light rather than neon sign. This music has something in it, too, from the place it was made, doesn't it?

James Beaudreau is a musician, recordist, composer and all-around music nerd living in the "upstate Manhattan" neighborhood of Fort George. He's currently at work on his fourth album of original music and blogging about the process at www.jamesbeaudreau.com

NEIGHBORS Events & happenings around the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley SEPTEMBER 1 Flea Market Antiques, jewelry, household goods and more. Through October 31. For more information call: 800.545.3777. Route 17B and Pine Grove rd., Bethel. Sullivan County.

2 The Virtuoso Composer The 96th year of the Maverick chamber music concert series.

Friday at 8 pm. Ilya Yakushev, piano. J.S. Bach: Partita No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 826. Prokofiev: Etudes, Op.2. Liszt: Sonata in B Minor. Cost $40 reserved seating, $25 general admission, $5 students. Maverick Concerts, 120 Maverick Road, Woodstock, NY. Call 845-679-8217 or visit www.maverickconcerts.org for complete schedule information. Ulster County.

2 7th Annual Liberty Jazz Festival Performance at 7pm at the Liberty Museum and Arts Center, North Main Street, Liberty. For more information call: 845-2922394. Sullivan County.

2 Music with Altitude Romantic Traditions: Vassily Primakov on piano. Chopin, Rachmaninof, and works by Ossip Gabrilowitch. Starts at 8pm.

Admission: $20, $5 for students. Doctorow Center for the Arts 7971 Route 23A (Main Street), Hunter, NY 12442. Visit www.catskillmtn.org. Greene County.

2 New York Pops Concert featuring John Pizzarelli, Conductor, Steven Reineke, Soloist, Jessica Molaskey on the Pavillion Stage at Bethel Woods.

6:30 pm doors open and concert begins at 8pm. Call 845-5832000. Bethel Woods, Hurd Road. Sullivan County.

3 Celtic Festival Experience a touch of Ireland and enjoy top notch Irish entertainment by Derek Warfield and the Young Wolftones, Kitty Kelly, Black '47, MacCana and more. Browse the many vendors and get some Irish trinkets and treasures. $30/person. Blackthorne Resort, 348 Sunside Road, East Durham, NY 12423. Visit www.blackthorneresort.com. Greene County.

3 Lyric Piano Quartet Windham Chamber Music Festival: Music of Brahm and Faure.

Complimentary reception following the performance at the Windham Fine Arts Gallery. Hours: 8-9:30pm. Admission: $25/general, $20/seniors, $5/students. Windham Civic & Performing Arts Center, 5379 State Route 23 (Main Street), Windham, NY 12496. Greene County.

3 Art Exhibit Work by Janice DeMarino and Lanie Lee at the Catskill Art

Society, 48 Main Street, Livingston Manor. For information, call 845-436-4227. Sullivan County.

3 Woodstock/New Paltz Art & Craft Fair Labor Day Weekend: Juried crafts fair, with over 300 artists and craftspeople. Exhibitions, demonstrations, children’s center, furniture, supplies, food, entertainment, and more. Free parking.

No pets. Saturday & Sunday, 10 am - 6 pm, Monday 10 am - 4 pm. $8/Adults, $7/Seniors, children 12 & under free. Ulster County Fair Grounds, 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz, NY 12561. Ulster County.

3 Farmstock Farm Tour Bridle Hill Farm, 190 Hemmer Road, Jeffersonville. Call: 845-482-3993. Western trail ride, grooming and saddling.

Sullivan County.

3 Antique Show Stormville Airport Antique Show & Flea Market. Stormville, NY. Dutchess County.

4 Daedalus String Quartet Maverick Concerts at 4pm with Andrew Garland, baritone. “The End Of An Era: Schoeck's Notturno.” Haydn: String Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 33, No. 2 “The Joke.” Schumann: String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 41, No. 1. Othmar Schoeck: Notturno, Five Movements for String Quartet and Voice. Cost $40 reserved seating, $25 general admission, $5 students. Maverick Concerts, 120 Maverick Road, Woodstock, NY. Call 845-679-8217 or visit www.maverickconcerts.org for complete schedule information.

Ulster County.

4 Harvest Festival Farmers market, crafts, music, children’s area, corn and hay mazes, arts and crafts workshops and more at the Bethel Woods grounds, Hurd and West Shore Roads, Bethel, NY. Through Columbus Day. Call 845-295-2448. Sullivan County.

4 6th Annual Farm Fair Shop at dozens of farm produce and crafts markets, regional foods booths, artwork, antiques, sheep shearing and wool-spinning demos, live music, farm animal petting pen, and other children’s activities. 49 West Kortright Church Road, East Meredith, NY 13757. Visit www.westkc.org. Delaware County.

4 The Broncks: A Dutch-American Family An exhibit marking 340 years of the Bronck family. Hours: Wednesday-Friday 12noon-4pm, Saturday from 10am-4pm, Sunday 1pm-4pm. Free admission. Ends October 15. Bronck Museum Visitor Center Gallery, 90 Route 42 (just off Route 9W), Coxsackie, NY 12051. Greene County.

29

NEIGHBORS

LOCAL EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

4 From Baroque to Flamenco Music with Altitude: An evening of classical guitar and cello. Eliot Fisk on guitar, Yehuda Hanani on cello. Boccherini, Bach, Paganini, Albeniz, Villa-Lobos, de Falla. Starts at 8pm.

Admission: $25, $20/seniors, $5/students. Doctorow Center for the Arts, 7971 Route 23A (Main Street), Hunter, NY 12442.

Greene County.

4 Barryville Farmers Market Through October 8. Locally grown produce, flowers, free-range meats, eggs, baked goods, jams and artisanal cheeses. Visit www.BarryvilleFarmersMarket.com. Sullivan County.

4 Bovina Farm Day Fun for everyone. Weber Road, Bovina Center. Call: 607-8324418 or visit www.bovinafarmday.com. Delaware County.

6 Pakatakan Farmers’ Market Through Mid-October at Route 30 in Halcottsville. Call 845-586-3326 for details. Delaware County.

8 Fire Department Car Show On Thursday from 7pm to 9pm the Woodridge Fire Department will host a Car and Motorcycle Show. For more information call: 845-693-4580. Kennedy Square in Woodridge. Sullivan County.

9 Y Agility Dogs Trials Spectators welcome. See some of the best trained dogs as they compete in these difficult obstacle courses. Hours: 8am-6pm.

Blackthorne Resort, 348 Sunside Road, East Durham, NY 12423.

Through September 11. Greene County.

9 Deposit Lumberjack Festival A lumberjack competition including tree cutting, log rolling, parade, craft fair, fireworks, midway, raft races, music, food and more. Free Admission. For more information, call: 607-467-4161.

Deposit, NY 13754. Delaware County.

9 Chapter Two County Players: Written by Neil Simon. Directed by Michael Frohnhoefer. September 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 23, and 24. 2681 W. Main Street, Wappingers Falls, NY. Call 845-298-1491. Dutchess County.

10 Antique Engine Jamboree Antique engine enthusiasts from across the region exhibit their steam & gas engines. Also see demonstrations of modern power production, including hydropower, wind, and other renewable sources. Children's activities, refreshments, & mill tours available throughout the day. Visit: http://hanfordmills.org. County Hwy 10&12, East Meredith, NY. Delaware County.

10 Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest A two-day celebration of the gourmet lifestyle in the Hudson Valley. The Fest features hundreds of wines from all over New York and the world, more than 100 gourmet specialty food, fine art, & lifestyle vendors, food sampling from some of the region’s 30

best restaurants and live entertainment, from 11am to 5pm.

Dutchess County Fairgrounds in historic Rhinebeck, NY. Parking is free. Dutchess County.

10 Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Tours Spirit on Hudson pontoon boat carries passengers to the Hudson-Athens Lighthouse where they disembark for a tour.

From 11am to 3pm. Boats departs from the Athens Village waterfront at the Athens Village Park. Please make reservations.

Athens Village Park Water Street, Athens, NY. Visit: www.HudsonAthensLighthouse.org. Greene County.

10 Hudson River Valley Ramble 12th Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble with over 200 guided walks, hikes, paddles and biking adventures, estuary explorations, heritage site tours and cultural events from Albany to NYC. 3 weekends in September: 10/11, 17/18 and 24/25. Visit: www.hudsonrivervalleyramble.com for information.

12 Mid-Hudson Women’s Chorus Open rehearsal at 7:15pm. No auditions. St. James United Methodist Church. Corner of Fair and Pearl Streets, Kingston, NY. For more information, call 845-382-2499. Ulster County.

15 Art Exhibit Hudson River Contemporary: Works on Paper, through Thursday 09/15. Boscobel Restoration, 1601 Route 9D, Garrison-onHudson, NY. Call 845-265-3638 for details. Putnam County.

17 Kingston Farmers Market 9am to 2pm on Wall Street in Kingston. Creating a harmony of history, community and farmland with the best of Hudson Valley.

Call 845-853-8512. Ulster County.

17 Wine & Brew Fest Sample fine microbrews and wines of the Hudson Valley, New York State and beyond for 2 days. Specialty foods and delicacies, arts and crafts vendors, farmers market and more. Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl Route 23A, Hunter, NY. Greene County.

17 18th Century Green Hudson River Ramble Weekend. Environmental Impact of the Early American Lifestyle. Hours: 10am-4pm. Admission: $5/adults, $2.50/members & children. Bronck Museum 90 County Route 42 (just off Route 9W), Coxsackie, NY. Greene County.

17 Temperance and Tommy Guns Prohibition Era Street Festival: The Cairo Historical Society and the Cairo Chamber of Commerce are partnering to bring you a day of good old fashioned fun! Step back to the roaring 20's. Free admission. Hours: 11am-6pm. Antique cars and motorcycles, antique vendors, 1920's music and food. Main Street, Cairo, NY. Greene County.

18 Barn Dinner Farmers Conor and Kate Crickmore and chef Patrick Connolly

invite you to Neversink Farm where they will be serving slow-grown French prairie chickens, wild rainbow trout, heirloom tomatoes, roasted beets and radish salad. Tickets $75. Call: 845-985-2519. 6pm Dinner. 641 Claryville Road, Claryville.

Sullivan County.

18 Taste of New Paltz 21st Annual Taste of New Paltz event in the fall from the New Paltz Chamber of Commerce. An old-fashioned day in the country with food as the centerpiece of the event, Children's events, the Artistic Taste, Business Expo, Wellness & Recreation Expo, crafts, music at center stage and more. 11am to 5pm. Ulster County Fair Grounds, 249 Libertyville Road, New Paltz, NY. Visit:www.newpaltzchamber.org. Ulster County.

18 Round Top Rally Mountain Bike Race New York State Championship Series Finale. Hours: 7am to 5pm. $25/racers, free admission. Riedlbauer's Resort, 57 Ravine Drive, Round Top, NY. Greene County.

21 Woodstock Film Festival Annual independent film festival has drawn top talent, including Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Woody Harrelson, Rosie Perez, Matt Dillon, Tim Robbins, Ethan Hawke, Peter Gabriel and Steve Buscemi. Featuring films, concerts, panels and more. Woodstock, NY. Visit: www.woodstockfilmfestival.com for venues. Ulster County.

23 Concert Concert featuring the Dave Bromberg Quartet on the Pavillion Stage at Bethel Woods. 6:30pm doors open and concert begins at 8pm. Hurd Rd in Bethel. 845-583-2000. Sullivan County.

23 Sharon Springs Harvest Festival When the Beekman Boys started the Sharon Springs Harvest Festival two years ago, they wanted to celebrate the harvest from local farmers and a day to bring the community together, to acknowledge what is good about small town America. Friday, Sept 23: 4:30pm-6pm– Brent & Josh will be signing copies of the

WINTER FARMER’S MARKETS Enjoy the bounty of the Catskills and Hudson Valley as many markets move inside but continue to offer farm-fresh fare.

ULSTER COUNTY Gardiner Winter Green Market Gardiner Library Community Room Third Saturdays, November to April 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

New Paltz Indoor Market Deyo Hall, Broadhead Ave off Rt.32 Second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saugerties Winter Holiday Markets Sundays: Nov. 21, Dec 19, Jan 16, Feb 13, Mar 13, Apr 17, May 8, Noon to 4 p.m.

Market St., Saugerties

College Center Third Saturdays beginning Jan. 15 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

SULLIVAN COUNTY

9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Palisades Indoor Farmers Market Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Feb. 7 to April 25 Palisades Community Center

Catskill Harvest Route 52 Liberty, NY Daily, 9 to 5 Main Street Farmers Market Livingston Manor, NY Daily, 10 to 5 ORANGE COUNTY

Rosendale Farmers Market First Sunday of the month Rosendale Community Center

Indoor Winter Farmer's Market at Pennings Saturdays and Sundays through Easter 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Route 94, Warwick

DUTCHESS COUNTY Amenia Farm Market Amenia Town Hall December: Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

January through April: second Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Pine Island Farmers Market The last Saturday of January, February and March.

Rogowski Farm, Glenwood Road, Pine Island WESTCHESTER COUNTY

Beacon Farmers Market Train station parking lot Sundays, 1 to 4 p.m.

Cold Spring Indoor Farmers Market From November 27 to May 14.

Saturdays, 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Rhinebeck Farmers Market Rhinebeck Town Hall Alternate Sundays, Dec. 5 to April 24 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Vassar College

Briarcliff Indoor Farmers' Market Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Briarcliff Congregational Church, S. State Road, Briarcliff Manor Gossett’s Farm Market Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Gossett’s Nursery, Route 35, South Salem Hastings Farmers Market Second Saturday Jan 9, Feb 13, March 13, 31

NEIGHBORS

LOCAL EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

Beekman 1802 Heirloom Recipe Cookbook at The American Hotel. Saturday, Sept 24: 10-4pm–Harvest Festival in the Village of Sharon Springs. With over a hundred craftsmen, farmers, artisanal food and displays. 10:00-4:00pm–Walking architectural tours of Historic Sharon Springs led by the town historian and one of the editors from Architectural Digest. 4:30pm-6pm– Brent & Josh will be signing copies of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Recipe Cookbook at The American Hotel. 7-11pm–The Harvest Hop at historic Clausen Ridge Farm featuring dancing and local musicians. Sunday, Sept 25: 10-4pm–Harvest Festival in the Village of Sharon Springs. With over a hundred craftsmen, farmers, artisanal food and displays. 10-4pm–Walking architectural tours of Historic Sharon Springs led by our town historian and one of the editors from Architectural Digest. 4:30pm-6pm– Brent & Josh will be signing copies of the Beekman 1802 Heirloom Recipe Cookbook at The American Hotel. Visit enjoysharonsprings.com. Sharon Springs, NY. Schoharie County.

24 International Wine Showcase The 22nd Annual International Wine Showcase is a benefit for more than 500 children, adults, and families living with autism and other developmental disabilities who are served by Greystone Programs, a Poughkeepsie-based nonprofit. Cost: $125.00 per person. Event includes international wine tastings, paired with delectable morsels, live music by Big Joe Fitz. Silent & live auctions. A four-course dinner prepared by CIA-grad Jason Kooperman, chef at Cosimo's Trattoria. Each course is paired with fine wines from Palm Bay Imports. From 2:30pm to 9pm. Call Michelle 845-452-5772 ext.119. Poughkeepsie, NY. Dutchess County.

24 3rd Annual Poetry Festival Performance at 2pm at the Liberty Music and Arts Pavillion, North Main Street, Liberty. For more information call: 845-2922394. Produced by Walter R. Keller. Sullivan County.

24 Cauliflower Festival Celebrating farming, cooking and culture in the past, present and future of the Catskill Mountains. Returning to this event will be the ever popular Cooking Demos and Tastings prepared by Chefs & Student Chefs from SUNY Delhi's Award Winning Hospitality Department, traditional music and clogging, local arts and crafts, food and products from local farmers and lots of activities for children. Free Admission. Hours: 10am to 4pm. For more info call: 845-586-2291 or visit: www.cauliflowerfestival.com. Delaware County.

24 Hudson Valley Garlic Festival Two-day event garlic celebration with food, crafts, music, chef and farmer lectures, Arm-of-the-Sea Theater, Morris Dancers. Loads of garlic. Cantine Field Washington Avenue Extension, Saugerties, NY. Ulster County.

24 Delhi Harvest Fest Delhi's Annual Harvest Fest to welcome back Suny Delhi's students & parents. Featuring 60 plus vendors, crafts, jewelry, food, music & fun throughout the Village of Delhi. Hours: 10am 32

to 4pm - rain or shine. Free admission. Call 607-746-6100.

Delaware County.

24 Roscoe Harvest Festival Street vendors and live music in Roscoe. Visit www.roscoeny.com for details. Sullivan County.

24 Gallery Talk Hudson Valley Artists 2011 gallery talk with Dave Hebb, Charise Isis, and Tanya Marcuse. All events take place in the museum unless otherwise noted. Support for museum exhibitions and programs is provided by the Friends of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the State University of New York at New Paltz. SUNY New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY. Call 845-257-3844.

Ulster County.

25 Scarecrow Festival The Scarecrow Festival celebrates merchants, farmers, and artisans who provide products and services to our community. Main attractions will take place at Veterans' Memorial Park and hayrides will be along the walking trail near Railroad Avenue.

Craft and food vendors throughout the festival. Everyone is invited to enter the Scarecrow Contest with his or her scariest scarecrow. 10am to 4pm. Veterans' Memorial Park, Stamford, NY. Delaware County.

25 Agrarian Acts Farm Festival Spend a day with the Greenhorns, local farmers, artists and musicians. NACL’s Little Farm Show, a contemporary county fair celebrating the multifarious ideas, enterprises, and creative work of a New Generation of Farmers from 1 to 6pm. Highland Lake, NY. Sullivan County.

25 Cat'n Around Catskill 2011 Auction & Gala: Don't miss the opportunity to bid on your favorite Catskill Cat, enjoy food and autumn from the Hudson Rivershore. Starts at 1pm. Please visit http://cat-n-around.com for ticket info. Historic Catskill Point, One Main Street, Catskill, NY. Greene County.

30 Colors in the Catskills Motorcycle rally open to all brands of bikes, featuring BMW. Tour riding on scenic country roads, seminars, new model test rides, riding accessory vendors, and more. Hunter Mountain Ski Bowl, Route 23A, Hunter, NY. Through October 2. Visit: http://www.huntermtn.com. Held in conjunction with Oktoberfest. Greene County.

30 Concert Concert featuring John Hammond at Bethel Woods. 6:30pm doors open and concert begins at 8pm. Hurd Road in Bethel, NY. Call 845.-583-2000 for details. Sullivan County.

OCTOBER 1 Fall Car Show Run Join us on our beautiful tour of the Catskill Mountains. Enjoy

delicious catered roadside lunch. $40/person. Blackthorne Resort, 348 Sunside Road, East Durham, NY. Greene County.

1 Heritage Harvest Festival Maple Shade Farms in Delhi will host a day of apples, cider pressing, baked goods, pumpkins, mums, gourds and fun. From 10am. Call: 607-746-8866 or visit www.mapleshadefarmny.com.

Delaware County.

1 Oktoberfest I October is the time of the harvest and in the old country, after the harvest was in, it was a time for celebration. Join us in the finest old-world tradition. Featuring German-American music inside, and great local bands outside at Hunter Mountain, Route 23A, Hunter, NY. Visit www.huntermtn.com. Greene County.

2 Bluestone Festival Exhibits, demonstrations, food, live music. Bluestone craftsmen and quarrymen at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Landing, Kingston, NY. Ulster County.

2 Fall Car Show & BBQ Display your vehicle and you might win a trophy. Also, enjoy a fantastic BBQ. $20/person. Blackthorne Resort, 348 Sunside Road, East Durham, NY. Visit: www.blackthorneresort.com. Greene County.

2 Bronck Museum Heritage Craft Fair Exhibit and sale of traditional American crafts on the grounds of a 346 year old Dutch Farmstead. Live music, food and wagon rides. Free admission. Hours: 12-5pm. Visit: www.gchistory.org.

Bronck Museum, 90 County Route 42 ( Just off Route 9W), Coxsackie, NY. Greene County.

7 10th Annual Photography Exhibit Through December 3 at the Liberty Museum and Art Center, North Main Street, Liberty. For more information call: 845-2922394. Sullivan County.

7 Photography Workshops Craig J Barber Woodstock Photographic Workshops. Landscape in the Catskills (This is a tintype workshop). Through October 10. Woodstock, NY & surrounding environs. Visit www.craigbarber.com/craigbarber/Workshops.html. Ulster County.

8 Semi-Annual Meeting The Fly Fishing Hall of Fame. Dinner at Kings Catering in Roscoe. Sullivan County.

8 Oktoberfest II Our second weekend of this popular festival featuring GermanAmerican music plus great local bands. Join us in celebrating the finest old world tradition. Hunter Mountain, Route 23A, Hunter, NY. Greene County.

8 Hudson-Athens Lighthouse Tours Spirit on Hudson pontoon boat carries passengers to the Hudson-

Athens Lighthouse for a tour. 11am-3pm. Boat departs from the Athens Village waterfront at the Athens Village Park, Water Street, Athens, NY. Visit: www.HudsonAthensLighthouse.org.

Greene County.

8 Apple Harvest Festival 18th Annual Apple Harvest Festival: Craft vendors, rides, book sale, food, entertainment, and petting zoo. Saturday: 10am-8pm, Sunday: 10am-5pm. Admission: $2, children under 5 free. Angelo Canna Town Park, Mountain Ave., Cairo, NY. Visit: www.cairochamberofcommerce.com. Greene County.

8 Mid Hudson Animal Aid The no kill, free range cat sanctuary in Beacon will be hosting their second annual Catstock Concert at the Howland Center in Beacon. The concert will feature Dan Lavoie, The Amendment, Catchpenny Caravan, Down to the Bricks and more. Tickets are $15.00. Call 845-831-4321. All proceeds benefit Mid Hudson Animal Aid. Dutchess County.

8 Oktoberfest Enjoy great German cuisine and pig roast. Carnival games. $30/person. Blackthorne Resort, 348 Sunside Road, East Durham, NY. Visit: www.blackthorneresort.com. Greene County.

8 Guinness Irish Festival Irish and American bands to include Screaming Orphans, Celtic Cross, Girse, the Andy Cooney Band, Padraig Allen's McLean Ave Band, Jimmy Walsh, Thunderidge Country Band and more.

Farrell School of Irish Dancing, Irish food/drink. 5k and 10k Guinness Run for Cystic Fibrosis at 10am. Admission: $15/gate, $10/advance. Gavin's Irish Country Inn, 118 Golden Hill Road, East Durham, NY. Greene County.

8 American Cancer Society's Harvest Festival Join us for this annual craft and harvest fair at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Walton. Over 100 crafters, fall and holiday dĂŠcor, wooden items, paintings, candles, jewelry, pumpkins, cheese, maple products, baked goods, music and more. Hours: 10am to 4pm. For details about the festival call: 607-865-6656.

Delaware County Fairgrounds, Walton, NY. Delaware County.

8 Pumpkin Festival Festival runs through October 16th, with air-shows every Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. The gates open and biplane rides begin at 10am, the air show starts at 2pm and ends at 4pm, and the Museum is open every day from 10am to 5:30pm.

Biplane rides are also available during the week by appointment.

The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome is located in historic Rhinebeck, NY. Duchess County.

8 Fall Festival & Craft Fair Crafters, ski sale, German food, skyride. Free admission and free parking. Columbus Day Weekend, Saturday & Sunday at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center, 181 Galli Curci Road, (Route 28/ Belleayre Access Road), Highmount, NY. Ulster County.

33

NEIGHBORS

LOCAL EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

8 Taste of the Catskills A family-friendly event that will showcase the food, beer, and wine of our region, during the Columbus weekend, on the grounds of Maple Shade Farm, a family-run farm in Delhi. Saturday’s events will be followed by a local foods buffet for $15. Following dinner, there will be a bonfire and barn dance. Sunday will feature the area’s first Bocce Tournament. A pig roast will follow featuring Maple Shade’s prize-winning Berkshire Pigs. $5 for adults and $1 per foot for children. Adults can pre-purchase tickets on-line at www.tasteofthecatskills.com. 2066 County Rte 18, Delhi, NY. Delaware County.

9 Forsyth Nature Center Fall Festival This is great for some family fun. Food, games, children's rides, entertainment and zoo. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. Forsyth Park & Nature Center 157 Lucas Avenue, Kingston, NY. Ulster County.

9 Fiddlers! 18

An annual autumn tradition in the Catskills. A full day of great fiddling acts, jam session, square dance, food, fun and friends. $15/$12. For more information, call: 607-326-7908. Vega Road, Roxbury, NY. Delaware County.

9 Miller's Harvest Festival & Folkways Fair Enjoy the bounty of the season at Hanford Mills Museum as we operate our water-powered gristmill. Visit the farmers' market and the Folkways Fair, in which regional craftspeople demonstrate and sell their 19th century crafts. Children's activities, refreshments, and mill tours available throughout the day. Visit hanfordmills.org. County Hwy 10 & 12, East Meredith, NY. Delaware County.

12 Chilly Willy Winter's Eve Tours Cold season tour by a costumed guide. Celebrations of Martinmas, St. Nicholas, St. Lucia and St. Nicholas days. Dutch and Swedish refreshments. Tours beginning at 11am, 1pm, and

HAPPY ORGANIC HOLIDAYS Where to find the best for your holiday table throughout the Hudson Valley Black Willow Pond Farm Cobleskill, NY A small family farm focusing on all-natural pasture based production. Their meat birds are started indoors in large spacious pens and then moved outside to graze on pasture. The birds are supplemented with local grains that contain no additives.

Carrie Enyart 222 Hill Rd Cobleskill, NY 12043 (518) 823-4040 blackwillowpondfarm.com Crossman Family Farm West Winfield, NY They offer real pastured poultry and eggs and have chosen to work with Heritage Breed Chickens as well as Cornish Cross birds who forage along side the rest of the flock without any problem. They don't use pesticides or chemicals.

Shere Crossman 1818 Dugan Rd West Winfield, NY 13491 (315) 822-6654 crossmanfarms.webs.com Four Winds Farm Gardiner, NY A 24-acre, diversified family farm in Southern Ulster County.

Polly and Jay Armour 158 Marabac Road Gardiner NY 12525 (845) 255-3088 Email: jarmour@bestweb.net Gansvoort Farm Germantown, NY The farm raises 100% grass-fed animals and rotationally grazes the flock and herd on diverse, nutritious pastures.

Jennifer Phillips 1830 Route 9 Germantown NY 12526 (518) 537-4668 Email: gansvoort@gmail.com Grow and Behold Farms They raise OU-kosher pastured meats on small family farms.

Their beef and poultry are produced in limited quantities to ensure that they adhere to the strictest standards of kashrut, 34

animal welfare, worker treatment, and sustainable agriculture.

Naftali and Anna Hanau (888) 790-5781 Email: naf@growandbehold.com Hickory Field Farm Slate Hill, NY A small family-run farm located in Orange County dedicated to raising animals in a natural, low stress environment.

Neel and Suzanne Smith 72 Post Road Slate Hill NY 10973 (845) 606-2071 Email: hickoryfieldfarm@yahoo.com Horton Hill Farm Jefferson, NY A local family farm that raises delicious and healthy meats and eggs. They also produce all natural, raw honey, and pasture-raised Cornish cross chickens and Broad breasted Thanksgiving turkeys.

Bill & Carol Parker 127 Horton Road Jefferson, NY 12093 (607) 652-9450 hortonhillfarm.com Kiernan Farm Gardiner, NY They use no steroids or antibiotics and are finished only on green pastures of mixed grasses in the Shawangunk Valley in southern Ulster County.

Marty Kiernan 1308 Bruynswick Road Gardiner NY 12525 (845) 255-5995 Email: info@kiernanfarm.com Movable Beast Farm Accord, NY The farm strives to produce food that is natural, safe, nourishing and delicious, respect and honor the creatures that we work with, heal and enrich the land. The animals’ diet is supplemented only with kelp, organic certified minerals, and natural salts.

Charles and Francesca Noble 45 Boodle Hole Road

Accord NY 12404 (845) 626-2790 Email: movablebeastfarm@gmail.com Nectar Hills Farm Schenevus, NY Located in the beautiful rolling hills of Otsego County, 1 hour away from Albany. They are certified organic, and certified naturally grown.

(607) 638-5758 393 Peters Road Schenevus, NY 12155 Email: soniasola@mindspring.com Rivendel Farm Jeffersonville, NY Raises pasture-fed animals in a pesticide-free range environment. They are a permaculture project and practice intensive grazing management.

Linda and Alan Rajlevsky 178 Swiss Hill Road North Kenoza Lake NY 12750 (845) 482-4899.

Email: alan@rivendelfarm.com Veritas Farms New Paltz, NY They raise Heritage breed poultry on open pasture, where they’re free to be warmed by the sun and cooled by the gentle breezes. They take a sustainable, old fashioned approach to farming.

Stephanie Turco 32 Rousner Lane New Paltz NY 12561 (845) 384-6888 Email: info@veritasfarms.com Violet Hill Farm Livingston Manor, NY They have pastured turkeys for Thanksgiving, and carry their Violet Hill Gone Wild line of dried foraged mushrooms and assorted herbs. They pasture raise their animals and use no antibiotics, steroids or hormones.

Paul and Mary Dench-Layton POB 959 Livingston Manor, NY 12758 violethillfarm.com

3pm. Admission: $7/adults, $3.50/members & children. Bronck Museum 90 County Route 42 ( Just off Route 9W), Coxsackie, NY. Greene County.

14 An Inspector Calls 4th Wall Productions in association with Cunneen Hackett Arts Center are pleased to announce auditions for their upcoming production "An Inspector Calls" by J.B. Priestly. Audition will be August 7 & 8 at 7pm at Cunneen Hackett Arts Center, 12 Vassar Street, Poughkeepsie, NY. Seeking 4 men and 3 women. Sides from script will be provided for audition purposes. Rehearsals start August 21 and production dates are October 14-23, 2011. At the Cunneen-Hackett Arts Center, 12 Vassar Street, Poughkeepsie, NY and The Beacon in Beacon NY. 14 Reenactment of the Burning of Kingston Weekend events held throughout the City of Kingston include a ship battle on the Rondout, land battles, civilian encampments at Kingston Point Park, camp tours, and history demonstrations.

Costumes are welcome at the Grand Ball, Saturday, 7:30 pm 11:00 pm, at the Council Chamber, City Hall, 420 Broadway, Kingston, NY. Through the 16th. Visit www.firstulster.org. Ulster County.

15 Oktoberfest at Belleayre Mountain The German-American Club of the Northern Catskills, Inc. is sponsoring its 12th Annual Oktoberfest held in the Discovery Lodge at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center. Featuring Bratwurst, Leberkas, and Frankfurter Platters, plus 2 German bands, Bavarian dancers, and more. Hours: 11am to 6:30pm. Route 28, Highmount, NY. Visit www.gacnc.org for details. Delaware County.

15 Winter Trails Gathering From 8am to 2pm on Saturday at the Caputo Community Center in Ossining. The NY/NJ Trail Conference. Visit www.nynjtc.org for details. Westchester County.

15 Hudson Valley Artists Gallery talk with Paul Stewart, Gilbert Plantinga, and Jane Bloodgood-Abrams. Support for museum exhibitions and programs is provided by the Friends of the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art and the State University of New York at New Paltz. Museum at SUNY New Paltz, 1 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY. Call 845-2573844 for more information. Ulster County.

15 Art Exhibit Solo show of work by Frank Mullaney at the Catskill Art Society, 48 Main Street, Livingston Manor. For information, call 845-436-4227. Through November 20. Sullivan County.

16 Fall Farm Day Frost Valley YMCA Educational Farm at 2875 Denning Rd, Claryville. Call 845-985-2291 from 1 to 4pm. Hands-on farm activities. Visit www.frostvalley.org for details. Sullivan County.

16 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

This year marks the 16th Anniversary of the Hudson Valley Region's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event which will take place at the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, and also at the Dutchess Stadium in Wappingers Falls. The walk is a 5K non-competitive walk with two sites to choose from. Registration starts at 7:30am and walks start promptly at 9:00am.

Register Online at: http://MakingStrides.acsEvents.org/HudsonValley for the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets Walk, or at http://MakingStrides.acsEvents.org/Dutchess for the Dutchess Stadium Walk. For more information, please call 800-233-5049, Ext. 37, or email HudsonValley.Strides@cancer.org.

21 Nabucco Taconic Opera presents Verdi's ‘Nabucco,’ the story of King Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian captivity of the Jews in 586 BCE. Performances are at the Yorktown Stage, 1974 Commerce Street, Yorktown Heights, NY, on Friday, October 21 and Saturday October 22, 2011 at 8 PM, and a Sunday matinee October 23 at 2 PM. Ticket price range: $15-$57 with discounts for seniors, students and those who purchase tickets to multiple operas. For information, tickets or directions: call 855-886 -7372 or visit www.taconicopera.org. Westchester County.

22 Concert Concert featuring Shawn Mullins on the Pavillion Stage at Bethel Woods. 6:30 pm doors open and concert begins at 8pm. Hurd Road in Bethel. 845-583-2000. Sullivan County.

22 Jack-O-Lantern Jamboree At Maple Shade Farm in Delhi. Call 607-746-8866 to celebrate the harvest season’s popular pumpkin. Starting at 10am. Delaware County.

22 Cocktail Walk Members invited to Wright’s home, Dragon Rock, for cocktails and light fare. Park at the main lot at 584 Route 9D and walk the Quarry Pond path up to the house and studio. Rain or shine. Wear sturdy hiking shoes. Reservations required. Free for members; $25 for non-members. Manitoga / The Russel Wright Design Center, 584 Route 9D, PO Box 249, Garrison, NY 10524. Call 845-4243812 or email info@russelwrightcenter.org. Putnam County.

28 Haunted Huguenot Street Ghoulish tours of the colonial stone houses and grounds. Ghost stories, strange occurrences and tragic deaths in the area. 7 pm through 10/30. $9, $11 at door. Dubois Fort Visitor Center, Historic Huguenot Street, 18 Broadhead Street, New Paltz, NY 12561. Ulster County.

29 Mystery Dinner Theater At the Roscoe Chamber of Commerce. Visit www.roscoeny.com for details. Sullivan County.

29 Halloween In The Hudson Valley Halloween Festival, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Ulster Hose Company No. 5, 830 Ulster Avenue, town of Ulster. Free. Ulster County.

35

NEIGHBORS

LOCAL EVENTS & HAPPENINGS

31 The Face of Work in the Hudson Valley Historic photographs, artifacts, and the work of contemporary photographers. Hudson River Maritime Museum, 50 Rondout Landing, Kingston NY. Call 845-338-0071, or visit www.hrmm.org. Ulster County.

taste 4 sequential vintages of our award winning Estate Bottled Hudson River Pinot Noir. The tasting is conducted in an elegant sit-down format in the owner’s home. Cost is $55 pp, and is available by reservation only. Call 845-677-9522. Oak Summit Vineyard, 372 Oak Summit, Millbrook, NY or visit www.oaksummitvineyard.com. Dutchess County.

NOVEMBER 4 Once On This Island County Players: Book & Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens. Music by Stephen Flaherty. Directed by Jennifer Turoff. November 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19. 2681 W. Main St, Wappingers Falls, NY. Call 845-298-1491, or visit www.countyplayers.org/season.html.

Dutchess County.

5 Family Landscape Volunteer Day The Russel Wright Design Center, 584 Route 9D, Garrison, NY 10524. 845-424-3812. From10am – 3pm. Family Landscape Volunteer Day with three generations of the Osborn Family. Roll up your sleeves and meet other arborists, horticulturists, garden designers and landscape enthusiasts. Volunteers of all skill levels are welcomed. Hot cider and toasted marshmallows. For more information, call 845-424-3812. Putnam County.

20 International Pickle Festival Various vendors, many countries represented with food and cultural music. Contests, prizes and plenty of pickles. Sunday before Thanksgiving. Rosendale Community Center, 1055 Route 32 South Rosendale NY 12472. Visit www.picklefest.com. Ulster County.

20 AIR Studio Gallery Exhibit at 71 O'Neil St., Kingston. Denise Finley Jordan workshop, 3-6 p.m., and concert, 8 p.m., with Daniel Pagdon and Joni Bishop. Visit www.airstudiogallery.com. Ulster County.

6 Catskills Preservation Conference 10th Annual conference and workshops starting at 10am at the Liberty Museum and Arts Center, 46 South Main Street, Liberty.

For more information call 845-292-2394. Sullivan County.

21 Left at the Lama Performance at the Palaia Vineyards Winery, Sweet Clover Road, Highland Mills, 2:30pm. Call 845-928-5384 or visit www.palaiavineyards.com. Orange County.

6 Transgender Equality Free event for teens 13-20, Speaker Genna Suraci, on Transgender Equality at the Hudson Opera House, 327 Warren Street, Hudson, NY 12534 from 1to 2:30pm. For more information contact Martha Harvey at 917-715-7623. Columbia County.

24 Alice's Restaurant Bruce Perone, with George Carney and Robert Schiff performing "Alice's Restaurant," at 7 pm. Performance at the Palaia Vineyards Winery, Sweet Clover Road, Highland Mills. Call 845-928-5384 or visit www.palaiavineyards.com. Orange County.

6 Hudson Valley Harley Riders Winter Riding Season begins for the Hudson Valley Harley Riders, PO Box 388, Congers, N.Y. 10920. For ride information, call 845-735-7156. Rockland County.

25 Christmas at the Creamery Jams, syrups, honey, baked goods, cheese and more. Seasonal music, trees, wreaths, and hot cider. Free from 10am for two days.

Call: 607-746-8866. Bovina Creamery, Bovina Center. Visit www.bovinacreamery.weebly.com for more information. Delaware County.

10 Mary Gauthier Performance 8:00pm at The Rosendale Café, 434 Main Street, PO Box 436, Rosendale, NY 12472. $20. Call 845-658-9048 or visit www.rosendalecafe.com. Ulster County.

11 Concert Concert featuring the Pure Prairie League on the Pavillion Stage at Bethel Woods. 6:30 pm doors open and concert begins at 8pm.

Hurd Road in Bethel. 845-583-2000. Sullivan County.

11 Woodstock Photographic Workshops Palladium Workshop featuring Craig J Barber, Through November 13, in Woodstock, NY. Visit www.craigbarber.com/craigbarber/Workshops.html. Ulster County.

15 Oak Summit Vineyard Tasting This very popular event affords the attendees the opportunity to 36

19 The Chapin Sisters Bearsville Theater, The Chapin Sisters with Neema, 291 Tinker St., Woodstock, 9 pm. $10-$12. Call 845-679-4406. Ulster County.

26 Art Exhibit Winter Members Show at the Catskill Art Society, 48 Main Street, Livingston Manor. For information, call 845-436-4227.

Through December 23. Sullivan County.

26 Handmade for the Holidays Quality Crafts Show from 11am to 4pm at Duke Pottery in Roscoe. Through November 27. Sullivan County.

To be included in the next Neighbors, submit your entries by October 1st to neighbors@greendoormag.com. Use subject line: Neighbors Submission, or mail to Green Door Magazine, Ideas for Neighbors, PO Box 143, Liberty, NY 12754.

LOCAVORE

DISTILLERY

Kindred Spirits CATSKILL DISTILLING COMPANY 2037 NEW YORK 17B BETHEL, NY 12720 CATSKILLDISTILLINGCOMPANY.COM PHONE: (845) 583-3141 Driving west on Route 17B today, it is hard to imagine this country road was once a bumper to bumper parking lot during the 1969 Woodstock Concert on Yasgur’s Farm. Dilapidated old homes, bungalow colonies and hotels harken back to the Golden Age of the Catskills. The slow decline of the Catskills brought ramshackle topless bars and tattoo parlors to nearby Monticello. It is nice to see the topless bars shutting down – old neon signs propped in Antique stores - as more and more city-dwellers vacation in, buy second-homes, or relocate to the Catskills.

PHOTO: AARON FERTIG

CONT’D ON PAGE 38

37

LOCAVORE

KINDRED SPIRITS

Monty Sachs grew up on the coast of Connecticut and attended the University of New Hampshire before moving to Italy to attend the University of Pisa to study veterinary medicine. His eyes widen as he talked about the university’s famous

graduates – Galileo, Michelangelo, and Brunelleschi. He talks about Pisa more as a great college town than as an historical city, as he smokes a cigarette with a hint of postbad boy. I don’t think his design for the distillery is by chance, but rather a distilled note of his college days in Pisa.

As a student in Pisa he started visiting Italian vineyards and was turned onto the process of producing Grappa, an Italian brandy made from the seeds, stems, and skins of grapes. He was fascinated with the process of making Grappa because it was born “something from nothing.” He is captivated by creative process.

He came back to the states and found his way to Bethel, New York where he was practicing equine sports medicine.

He worked at nearby Monticello Raceway under the tutelage of Dr. Howard Gill, the well-known horse trainer and vet. All the while, he was experimenting with the distilling process and fruit-based spirits. Monty says he had to scale back his operation because his concoctions were a fire hazard. At the time, grain-based spirits were illegal for private distillers.

He kept to his day job, but, like any artist, he smirks

PHOTOS: AARON FERTIG

Just across from the site of Yasgur’s Farm is a newly built structure with high-vaulted ceilings and spire-like front windows. I mistook it for a place of worship! But behind its Adirondack austerity sits mashing tanks, distillers, wooden barrels, and a room full of local grains. Long-time residents Monty Sachs and his wife Stacy Cohen own the Catskill Distilling Company, which opened in August of 2010. But, for Monty Sachs, it has been a long time coming.

The Dancing Cat Saloon The Dancing Cat Saloon has reinvented the classic bar of the wild, wild West. Just barely tamed, their regular live entertainment is capped by Gary Mazz on the piano, and you can often find Stacy Cohen, the owner, singing ragtime and other musical classics. This fun and energetic atmosphere is the perfect place to enjoy great food, music and friends. The Saloon has a beautiful twenty-foot inlaid mahogany bar salvaged from the a Yale bar in New Haven, CT, and serves dozens of local and exotic beer and soon, their own vodka and bourbon.

self-deprecatingly at the moniker, Sachs spent his spare time honing his craft. He says he is “more a scientist than anything” alluding to the Middle Eastern alchemists who produced medical elixirs or “spirits.” The early alchemists called their distillations “spirits” because what came out of the raw material was a clear almost ethereal liquid.

Sachs talked technically about raising and lowering temperatures to separate materials as the art of distilling. It is where all the creative choices are made. He says anybody can distill these days, but there are only a select few masters.

He likens it to cooking where you give a group of cooks the same ingredients, but only a few dishes taste exceptional.

In 2008, a Farm Bill passed which allowed private distillers to produce a certain amount of distilled spirits to sell directly to liquor stores, bars, and restaurants. After securing a Rural Business Enterprise Grant through the Sullivan County Industrial Development Agency, Sachs was able to purchase distilling equipment and build his distillery. I get the sense he has paid his dues in life through hard work.

Much like the distilling process, Sachs reminds me of raw material refined into a distilled “spirit.”

Sachs hired Christian and Jacob Carl whose family founded the Carl Company in 1889 in Stuttgart, Germany.

The family has been fabricating fine distilling equipment ever since. He also called on Master Distiller Lincoln

Henderson who retired from Brown & Forman, the giant commercial distiller, in 2004 after 40 years of service. Mr. Henderson is best known for developing Jack Daniels and Woodford Reserve whiskeys. He has been a key consultant to Monty Sachs and the distillery’s fruition. Monty and Stacy have big plans for the distillery, which will include their own fruit vines, solar power, and a venue for artists and musicians to showcase their art. Stacy currently oversees the Dancing Cat Saloon on the property. (See Sidebar) Monty buys his whole grains from Cochechton Mills about 10 miles up the road from the distillery. He uses corn, wheat, rye, and even buckwheat, which is not a grain. He has already distilled buckwheat bourbon and says he is the only one using buckwheat in the United States. He recalls a distiller with whom he worked in Normandy, France at one time trying buckwheat. Monty says distillers stay away from buckwheat because it gets sticky in the distilling process. In Normandy his pipes and “stills” (short for distillers) clogged up and he remembers laboriously cleaning them.

The first spirit is Peace Vodka, which was released in August.

Sachs boasts of his vodka as having no taste and no burn, two characteristics of good vodka. He then corrects himself, “Even the best vodkas have a little taste.” This is the very essence of a spirit and Monty Sachs.

39

LOCAVORE

RECIPE

Root Vegetable Roast 6 CARROTS 3 PARSNIPS 6 BEETS 3 KOHLRABIS 4 TURNIPS 6 RADISHES 10 PEARL ONIONS 10 FINGERLING POTATOES SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE OLIVE OIL 1â „4 CUP VEGETABLE STOCK

Rinse and peel root vegetables (or choose to leave skins on). Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and place in a shallow roasting pan. Pour stock over vegetables and roast covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting for one hour at 300 degrees turning frequently. Serve hot with pan juices.

The perfect accompaniment to a festive Holiday table. Serves 8.

PHOTO: APRILPHOTO

40

LOCAVORE

BETHEL WOODS HARVEST FESTIVAL

Lend Me Your Ears

Seems simple, right? Not. Almost immediately after the first turn I was terrified. The stalks grow close together and are at least eight feet tall. There is no way to ‘sight’ your location and see an exit. The child I was with was delighted with the adventure; I was paralyzed in fear. When we found our way out, my face was frozen with a fixed smile that belied my inner terror. Who knew that something so simple could make such a powerful statement of nature over man?

42

Another new corn adventure for me that day was kettle corn. I always thought that snacks had to be either sweet or salty. What magic arises when it shares both attributes at the same time. Will corn wonders never cease?

I just recently tried chicha morada, an unusual Peruvian drink made from purple corn. Though non-alcoholic, it is so refreshing as to be addictive. It is made by boiling purple corn with quince, pineapple, cinnamon and cloves. Served chilled, it tastes similar to mulled apple cider, but spicier and much more interesting.

The end of summer brings us closer to the fall corn harvest when it has absorbed all of the sun’s bounty and the cornfields are as tall as they will ever be. Yes; it is easy to get lost in the corn.

Technically, the origin of the word ‘maze’ is from the Middle English word ‘mase,’ to confuse, but just maybe, it predates that usage by thousands of years to Mesoamerica in prehistoric times where maize – corn – originated.

OTHER PAGE: UGPUTULF SS

Fortunately, the maze was not the only corn experience that day. Nearby, a vendor was loading firewood into a smoker used exclusively for corn roasting. The results were indescribable, with the tender ears redolent of smoky sweetness. The vendor suggested a margarita version of the

corn, with lime and salt, but I had never before found the natural corn so delicious as to not even want butter or salt.

THIS PAGE COURTESY OF THE BETHEL WOODS HARVEST FESTIVAL

Do you remember the scene from ‘Signs,’ where the family patriarch is lost at night in the tall corn, searching for aliens with a flashlight? I could never imagine why he just didn’t turn around and leave the cornfield. Could the stalks be so high as to make it impossible to find your way? I found the answer at the Harvest Festival at Bethel Woods, where among the countless farmers, vendors, food, craftspeople and children’s activities is finding your way out of cornfield.

LOCAVORE

RESTAURANT REVIEW

The Lazy Beagle 2 PEARL STREET LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY 12758 845.439.3405 WWW.LAZYBEAGLEPUB.COM

Livingston Manor is a quaint Catskills town filled with restored homes and a vibrant Main Street. We came looking for the Lazy Beagle because we loved a small, unique-eats kind of coffeehouse next door, called Peez Leweez, also owned by Sims Foster. It was well worth the trip.

It was prominent on their blackboard menu, so we had the fish & chips made with Atlantic cod. A crisp batter and a load of hand-cut fries, fried to golden bliss and ready for 44

Local trout, caught that day just up the road in the Willowemoc, was pan seared to crisp perfection and paired with roasted baby red potatoes and sautéed vegetables.

Vegetarians have no fear. Try the Chef ’s unique vegetable burger on a brioche bun, or the seared tofu in a hoisin glaze served with stir-fried vegetables.

The décor is casual meets funky and the bar serves strong drinks and has a great selection of international beers. It’s a fun place to gather with friends and family to enjoy simple food made great with exciting flavor profiles and the freshest of ingredients. Enjoy.

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE RESTAURANT

We started with the cream of asparagus soup and knew we found Chef Martin Ruef ’s sweet spot. Our friends had the truffled macaroni and 3 cheeses, which is definitely not for kids, and the duck confit with apricot sauce served over spring greens.

vinegar. I enjoyed the filet of lemon sole, well cooked, seasoned and herbed, served with polenta bubbling over with gorgonzola cheese and perfectly cooked vegetables.

TRAVEL

JIM HANAS

Magic Mountain Mohonk and the Terror of Leisure

In 1974, the New York Times dispatched a reporter to New Paltz to write about the Mohonk Mountain House.

The resulting article, titled “Mohonk: Rest, Chat, Rest, Stroll, Rest,” could be pasted below, almost without modification, so little has Mohonk changed in the last four decades—or in the century preceding that. “Mohonk is 90 miles from New York City,” the Times noted. “But once you're there, you feel as if you've come a thousand miles and stepped back a century in time.”

PHOTO: R. PETERKIN

As long as there have been cities, there have been retreats like Mohonk—a Victorian castle on an eponymous lake whose name is traditionally taken to mean “Lake in the Sky.” The house sits on 2200 acres on the Shawangunk Ridge, south of the Catskills in Ulster County. The house itself is enormous, more than an eighth of a mile of winding hallways, staircases, and reading nooks. We still build gigantic things - like malls and casinos. And we still make handmade things - like quilts and letterpress wedding announcements. What we no longer often experience are gigantic things that are handmade, and visiting one - now, as in 1974 - feels like being transported into a mythical era of American optimism.

Mohonk was founded in 1869 by Quaker twins, Alfred and Albert Smiley, whose descendants run the resort to this day.

In addition to playing host to a long list of American luminaries - from John D. Rockefeller to William Jennings Bryan - it also housed important early-20th -Century conferences on “the Indian Question” and international arbitration. Originally, the place adhered to strict Quaker principles: communion with nature; Sunday service; no drinking, dancing, or card-playing. And while many of these strictures have been lifted or liberalized, an easy calm pervades the place, which feels spacious, even when filled capacity. To find similar sanctuaries, you have to resort to

fiction.

The Road to Wellville, the not-very-good 1994 adaptation of TC Boyle’s significantly better 1993 novel, was filmed at Mohonk, which stood in for John Harvey Kellogg’s Battle Creek Sanitarium - appropriately, since the latter opened its doors, as the Western Health Reform Institute, three years before Mohonk in 1866. The rows and columns of rocking chairs on open porches that face the lake, meanwhile, remind one of the Valbella Clinic, the setting of Thomas Mann’s The Magic Mountain, in the vicinity of which Europe’s well-to-do had been taking “the cure,” again, since the 1860s. The famed clinic - in Davos, Switzerland closed its doors in 2004.

Ironically, Mohonk’s endurance has served to make it appear more, not less, radical. This degree of leisure rest, chat, rest, stroll, rest - seems out of place, and even decadent, in a world of 80-hour work weeks and adventure vacations. And, in truth, “getting away from it all” to this extent has always aroused suspicion.

Boyle’s novel, after all, is a lampoon of faddist, turn-of-the-century cures that pretended to protect one (and especially one’s intestines) from the perils of modern living.

And Mann’s mountain ultimately fails as a retreat from the noxious urban epidemiology portrayed in Death in Venice.

The Magic Mountain’s protagonist, Hans Castorp - who is merely visiting the clinic - is repeatedly detained as his own sickness develops, until he is finally discharged to face near-certain death in World War I. And, then, there is The Shining. Inspired by The Stanley Hotel - another turn of the century resort, this one in Colorado - the film is the last word in resort horror, in which unplugging (even and especially for recuperative purposes) is not just decadent, but demonic.

Why so anxious? There is a fear of quack cures, in the case 45

46

of The Road to Wellville, and class suspicions in The Magic Mountain. (Mohonk is not cheap, to be sure, although the service is incredible.) But maybe there is something about doing nothing - or this close to nothing - that offends our modern, manic sensibility. (Mohonk offers yoga and meditation, but you don’t have to go.) Perhaps the "all's-well-with-the-world euphoria” which the Times identified at Mohonk strikes us as too good to be true. Or perhaps the Mohonk Bulletin got it right in 1969, on the occasion of the resort’s centennial:

They will want challenge for the mind and growth for the spirit; they will demand good food and good company, but they will want it in an atmosphere which encourages the use of every sense we possess for the greater good of all; in sum, they will want re-creation rather than mere recreation.”

“In years to come there will be more leisure than ever, and more money. Vacationists are going to demand much more than bars and bingo and double rooms with double baths.

Jim Hanas is the author of the short story collection Why They Cried, now available as a Joyland eBook from ECW Press. He lives in Brooklyn.

And, to be fair, things have changed some since the Times visited in 1974. Rooms now have telephones and wifi—but still no televisions.

TRAVEL THE BOOKSHELF

Fall Reading PLENTY Alisa Smith and J.B. MacKinnon

DOING NOTHING Tom Lutz

After learning that the average ingredient in an American meal travels 1,500 miles from farm to plate, Alice Smith and J.B. MacKinnon embark on a yearlong experiment to eat food produced within 100 miles of their home.

They quickly learn that they will have to forego such staples as flour, sugar, beer and olive oil.

But by limiting their diet to slow foods, they slow down in the process and begin to appreciate the seasonal cycle of food and the way people used to eat.

When Tom Lutz, a baby-boomer English Professor, welcomes his 18-year son Cody to live with him, he realizes that he may never get his couch back. What starts out as a father shocked by his teenage son's lack of vocation vigor turns into a fascinating history of the anti-work ethic in America from Benjamin Franklin to the Beat Writers to the Gen X slackers of the nineties. In the end, Lutz realizes that "do nothing" is the perfect antidote to our plugged in, over-worked world.

FOR MORE FALL READING, VISIT GREENDOORMAG.COM 47

TRAVEL

FALL SOFT WHERE?

iLeaves AppApp ★★★★★

iLEAVES VERSION: 1.6 ★★★★★ APPAPP VERSION 1.2 PRICE: $0.99 EACH TO BUY OPERATING SYSTEM: IOS 4 TOTAL DOWNLOADS: 32,943 DOWNLOADS LAST WEEK: 1,846

iLeaves turns your iPhone or iPad into the nextgeneration navigation solution for finding the brightest colors and most recently changed foliage across the Northeastern part of the US. With new features not yet seen on mobile devices, including Apple-friendly personal navigation tools, user interface innovations to simplify the navigation experience, and live search, the advanced technology is integrated into AppApp and let’s you find the best apple-picking spots in New York State. Then just follow the directions. Autumn foliage and apple-picking. It's that simple. iLeaves allows you to share your current location, destination, and ETA with friends via email, and its GPSbased predictive arboreal analytics function allows you to program your travel route based on which colors you want to see in the changing autumn landscape.

Of course it offers full support for portrait and landscape mode and iPod integration to enable you to listen to music and podcasts while searching for the perfect apple. In our experience, the app works well, and its full-color oranges, yellows and reds look gorgeous. The apple-picking function enables you to virtually slice and eat the apples you pick,

similar to the way the Fruit Ninja app lets you slice and dice fruit with a blade as it flies onto your iPhone screen.

One software reviewer said that, “This, is by far, my favorite app. In all the trips I've taken to go apple-picking with my family and to enjoy the changing colors of Fall leaves, and used this app, it has not lead me astray yet! It has so many features, particularly AutoArchive, that I no longer need to leave the city, I can just follow the fall colors on my iPhone.

I highly recommend this app to anyone who is afraid of climbing ladders to pick apples!”

Please note the core application provides a great travel experience without any further purchases. With full access to search, routing, 3D maps, and navigation tools all part of the core solution, find your destination and get there quickly or linger and enjoy the foliage. There is currently only one limitation within the locked AppApp program: you can only find Macintosh apples to pick. Software developers at AT&T are currently working to unlock this feature to enable users to search for any type of apple.

Available by download from the Apple App store for $0.99 each, or you can just come upstate and enjoy the season unplugged.

48

DIGITAL ILLUSTRATION: ELLIE OHISO

WELLNESS

VANESSA GENEVA AHERN

Falling Waters Preserve

PHOTO: ROBERT RODRIGUEZ, JR.

In the spring of 1996, long before I knew I’d be living in the Hudson Valley, Tom, my then brand new boyfriend wooed me with an invitation to the Adirondacks Club, camping out at Harriman State Park in Stony Point. I don’t remember how we got there. I lived in Queens, and he lived in Manhattan, and neither one of us owned a car. Even though naturalized Hudson Valley residents now, we catch ourselves taking for granted the raw beauty that surrounds us as we go through our mundane daily routines. Random blessings snap me out of it. A stranger points out a bald eagle to me as I carry my groceries to my car in the Kingston Plaza Mall parking lot. I slam on the brakes to save a family of bears strolling on Route 375 in Woodstock, or my husband’s hat flies off while he is pumping gas in a hailstorm, or I scrounge up a side dish for dinner by cutting a bunch of purple kale from my garden-in-progress.

He’ll say, “Imagine if you’re a weekender visiting from the city right now, and looking around at all this, you’d be saying, ‘Wow, this is the country!’” That was how I felt when the Hudson Valley served as our weekend oasis back in our heady pre-marital days.

Recently, the week after a brutal heat wave, I invited Tom to hike with me at the new 168-acre preserve, “Falling Waters”, in the Town of Saugerties. The name itself evokes a state of revivification. “In the late 19th century, the preserve’s northern portion belonged to veterinarian Gilbert Spaulding. Remodeling and expanding a 1700s farmhouse, he and his wife named their woodland estate “Falling Waters”—after the precipitous course of the stream bisecting it. When the Sisters purchased the property about 80 years ago, they liked the name and kept it,” says Jay Burgess, director of Communications for Scenic Hudson.

In July 2011, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill who owned the land for over 80 years made an agreement with Scenic Hudson and Esopus Creek Conservancy to share the land and open the 168-acre space, which includes land in Saugerties and Glasco, to the public.

When I saw the sign “Falling Waters Preserve, Nuclear Free Zone, Pray for Peace” sign I welled with a quiet, bursting euphoria. Maybe this writing assignment could force us to relax and rediscover our love of hiking. We bump into fellow hikers, 3 ladies wearing smiles and practical shoes.

They are Dominican Sisters. Tom immediately peppered them with questions. . “Now, you are Dominican Sisters, right? Ok, so did your organization start in the Dominican Republic?” “Oh, no! It comes from St. Dominic.”

“Ohhhh!” I chime in. “So, what should we see here? It’s our first time,” I say.

They tell us to follow Father C. Jorn Trail to see one of the preserve’s two waterfalls. “He used to walk these trails all the time and clear things!” says one of the sisters. “We understand that he was a hearty and vigorous gentleman who enjoyed hiking into his 90s. He did a lot of work on the property at that age as well. He did a lot of mowing and land clearing,” says Kate Kane, park planner.

Sister Mary Shea of Villa St. Dominic, who knew Father Jorn described him as a very quiet man with a wonderful sense of humor. Every October he would come to Villa St. Dominic for a month of vacation. Every day except Sunday, he would walk towards the Hudson River at 10 am, have lunch on what he called his Louis XIV bench, made of logs and a plank, bring a radio and listen to the “Glasco Symphony orchestra” which Sister Shea believes was an oldies station. He would return around 3pm. On Sundays, he would go shopping at Caldor’s for bags of Snickers, and buy golden delicious apples at Adam’s and present them to the congregation in bowls. He liked to clear the underbrush by hand, and could often be seen carrying a machete for this purpose, recalls Sister Mary Shea.

As the clouds of our daily frustrations softly evaporate on the gravel trails, we fall silent. The serenity and beauty of the trails are a welcome distraction. Are we really in 51

Saugerties? It reminds Tom of the rugged coastline of Nicaragua which he once visited. Suddenly, I’m on minivacation. This feels like a new world - a mystical bay with magic lily pads, not the Hudson River with green floating water chestnuts. I made a mental note to come back here to write or practice yoga. I’m sure a flurry of epiphanies could come if only I could be quiet and disconnect for an afternoon. Back in our simpler hiking, Adirondackcamping days, there were no smartphones. The first cell phone call I made was to Tom from a bookstore in Manhattan in 1997. Here we are, 14 years later, mentally chained to our gadgets. He, checking the sinking stock market every 15 minutes, and me keeping my phone on, readying for a daily crisis.

We huff and puff up .33 miles towards the main trail, Entry Drive Trail, which extends .27 miles before deciding to

52

come back, passing a beautiful barb-wired field, where I sat on an oversized wood bench. Maybe if I hike in the Hudson Valley everyday I can live well into my nineties too?

I should come back here. If I have time to Tweet and goof off on Facebook during the day, I can find time to reconnect with nature, with myself.

Come to the Falling Waters Preserve. You will feel like you stepped into the 19th century, when the Hudson River Valley was thicker with peace and slimmer on commerce.

Rejuvenate!

Writer Vanessa Geneva Ahern fell in love with the Hudson Valley in 2003, and has since consummated her love by starting HudsonValleyGoodStuff.com in 2009, a blog about Where to Eat, Play, and Re-charge Your Spirit in the Hudson Valley. She is eager to hike again.

YELLOW + BLUE

UPCYCLING

UPCYCLING Converting waste or used products into new materials or items of better quality or greater environmental value.

Upcycled Vintage School Desk Chair Artist: karaUstudio Etsy Shop: karaUstudio $100, www.etsy.com

PHOTOS: COURTESY OF THE ARTISTS

Catskill Water Blow-Off Canvas Print Pillow Artist: Ronda J. Smith Etsy Shop: In The Seam $42, www.etsy.com

New York State of Mind Upcycled Road Map Bangle Artist: Paperelle Etsy Shop: Paperelle $25, www.etsy.com

Top: Patchwork Dream Coat Artist: Enlightened Platypus $358, www.etsy.com

Dapper Desk Artist: Moxiedoll Etsy Shop: Moxiedoll $55, www.etsy.com

Right: Brown Mens Fairisle Hoodie Cardigan Jacket Artist: Darryl Black $95, www.etsy.com 53

ENDPAPER AARON FERTIG

Tweeting in the Mountains

It took a while until we noticed. It started as a constant stirring in the golden juniper bush at the end of our front walkway. After a week of having a small bird fly out of the bush every time we left the house, my wife figured it out: she was building a nest in the bush. Why would a bird choose to build its nest so close to the ground?

So many dangers so close at hand. We have wild turkeys, our neighbor’s cat Oscar, and Max our poodle to threaten her family, so why the poor housing choice?

Everything I thought I knew about how and why we choose to live where we do, was about shelter and community. Was there not also an element of survival? Shouldn’t that bird, a tiny swallow with a brownish-red streak on her head, instinctively know to make a better choice where to build her home and raise her family? Shouldn’t we all?

54

This nest became our obsession, much as the housing crisis in the US dominates the news daily. Americans are being blamed for poor housing choices everywhere, as if it was the dream of home-ownership that was at the heart of the crisis. When it rained, as it often does in the Catskills, we smiled at the metaphoric character of the downpour causing our swallow’s home to be underwater. We wondered if she sensed what she had in common with the others citizens of our state.

One day, within a week of the completion of her nest, there were four perfect jewels in the nest. Pale blue with brown speckles, they fit the nest to a tee. They also altered our traffic patterns, as we no longer felt comfortable walking out our front door. Every guest and family member had to enter and leave through our garage for fear of scaring her off her eggs.

The house down the road was foreclosed on by their bank and our neighbors had to leave their home. Another

PHOTO: KEITH PUBLICOVER

What should have been a passing thought stayed with us for weeks. We watched as she finished her nest from the dried lawn clippings in our ravine. Careful not to disturb her or touch her home we peeked through the stems of the juniper to admire her work. A perfectly round, four-inch diameter

nest firmly adhered to the bush’s main limbs.

casualty of the housing choices we make and the shattering of the American dream. But my neighbor didn’t know he would get laid off from his job when he bought the house.

He was just doing what he thought best for his family. We wondered again why our swallow took the chance on where to build her nest.

Within ten days of the eggs being laid, they hatched. We only knew to check because of the tweeting. And because Max became more curious. We dared not touch anything near the nest for fear of transferring our scent, but the nest’s contents were compelling. Four tiny fur balls with beaks, huddling together to stay warm. We now felt obligated to stand there with an umbrella during the strong rains.

And for the first time we realized that another swallow, the father, had been standing guard on a branch of our fir tree, the whole time. He had been sharing the nesting duty, and protected his family as the mother flew off endlessly, returning with insects in her beak. The hatchlings’ tweets responded to their mother’s arrival and to their father’s shrill warnings. The father would dive aggressively at us if we

came too close to the nest.

Both parents were working together to protect their home and raise their family. We now sensed that there was reason in their choice of a home site. The real fear was the predators from on high. Hawks, crows, turkey vultures were their real enemies and the nest was perfectly hidden from above. Why couldn’t American use their instincts to protect their homes from threats that can come from other, less obvious directions. Predatory lending from banks and bankers should have been perceived as the challenge in making their housing choices.

It took another week for us to notice a dramatic change.

Awakening one morning to the sound of louder, stronger and more distant tweeting, we checked on the nest and found it empty. With a mixture of smiles and tears we knew that there were four additions to the raucous cacophony emanating from the closest stand of trees. We wondered if any of them would ever return to recycle their childhood home and start their own family there. It was a simple and natural thought for two empty-nesters to share.

55

ENDPAPER

BACK TO THE GARDEN

Upstate of Mind

Ask anyone from Manhattan where Saugerties is, and the answer is common: Upstate.

Ask anyone from Albany the same question and they will answer: Downstate.

In all of us.

56

PHOTO: CHRIS ZEDANO

Either perspective works. The difference is where you think you are. In time. In your life. In your state of mind. We are all trying to get back to where we once were. A simpler time.

A simpler place. And sometimes we find the garden exactly where we want it to be.