Upstate Life Summer 2020

Free Wheeling:

Rise in Cycling Offers Change of Pace

& More!

KE T’S

Explore the English Countryside, in Hobart

!

TA - I E ON EE FR

SUMMER 2020

Vintage Baseball Team Goes to Bat for Historic Recognition

Geology Day Trip Sunset Rock

SUMMER 2020

|

VOLUME 14

4

Vintage Baseball Team Goes to Bat for Historic Recognition

8

Local Authors Continue Otsego County Literary Legacy

|

MAC members working to preserve legacy of local baseball

Upstate Life Magazine, Winner, New York State Associated Press Association First-Place Award for Specialty Publications, is published by: The Daily Star, 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820 Š 2020 - All rights reserved.

Publisher Fred Scheller

Spotlight on three area writers

Editor Denielle Cazzolla

12

Explore the English Countryside, in Hobart Experience the charms of an English cottage on American soil

Managing Editor Allison Collins

16

Cookin’ with Collins

Graphic Designer Tracy Bender

18

The Old Walls Talk Ordinary Oneonta Landmarks Got Major Makeovers

Interested in advertising in Upstate Life Magazine?

Call toll-free, 1-800-721-1000, ext. 235

22

Only Natural

We invite you to email your comments to: upstatelifeeditor@thedailystar.com

24

Free Wheeling:

28

Geology Day Trip

31

Business Directory

Loaded Burger Bowls

Advertising Director Valerie Secor

A Bygone Beauty Secret

On the cover

Rise in Cycling Offers Change of Pace

Sunset Rock

Meet the Locals

Fiadh Collins, 18 months, samples strawberries at Middlefield Orchard, 2274 State Highway 166, Cooperstown, in early July.

ALLISON COLLINS

2

ISSUE 4

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

READY FOR YOUR ARRIVAL Gathering with loved ones means more than ever. Laugh, hug, play and relax. The eight hotels and resorts along Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail offer legendary locations to safely reconnect. From the shores of the Tennessee River to Mobile Bay, come experience world-class hospitality in picturesque settings. Plunge into resort pools. Relax in luxury spas.

Play RTJ golf. Enjoy farm-to-table cuisine. We are open and will be here waiting for you.

Visit rtjresorts.com.

Vintage Baseball Team Goes to Bat for Historic Recognition

BY ALLISON COLLINS

M

embers of the Mountain Athletic Club, a Fleischmanns-area vintage baseball team, are working to preserve the legacy of local baseball while honoring the role it played in establishing America’s pastime.

In a June 16 press release, MAC manager and South Kortright resident Collin Miller shared that the Mountain Athletic Club Grounds at Fleischmanns Park are among 28 sites being considered for listing on the state and national Registers for Historic Places.

According to the release, millionaire brothers Julius and Max Fleischmann built the ballpark, which went on to host many major league baseball players, in 1895. The grounds, the release notes, were donated to the community in 1914 for use as a park in perpetuity. If listed, the grounds will join the village’s two other registered sites, Skene Memorial Library and Congregation B’Nai Israel Synagogue.

A Pitch for Preservation

Troy ‘Train’ Tucker, a Bovina Dairyman, bats in a vintage baseball game last year.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

4

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

Miller, 42, said he got the ball rolling this winter. The 150th anniversary of Fleischmanns Yeast in 2019, he noted, was catalytic.

“Last year we celebrated the anniversary with a big gala,” he said. “Then over the winter, I really made that choice that, all right, this place hasn’t been listed, it should and there’s enough information available for me to get this going.

“There’s been a lot of research done on the MAC that I didn’t know going into it,” he continued, “but the more I dug, the more I found significant biographies on players that played here and I got a lot of information from working with the official historian of Major League Baseball, John Thorn; he has a soft spot in his heart for Fleischmanns. I knew I was going to do this, but in February I really started the process in earnest and went to the (Baseball) Hall of Fame, did research in the archives and started working with John.”

Brenden Cairns, of the Bovina Dairymen, makes a catch as teammate Ben Denison looks on.

A historic sign marks an entrance into the village of Fleischmanns.

To the onlooker, nobody would know what happened (on the “ ballfield) 125 years ago, just like any historic site. But with this one, we could connect it to what happened. We really have to

dial it back to 125 years ago … and tell the story in pictures and through the eyes of the players who played there.

— Collin Miller, MAC manager

”

Miller said his love of the tennial season was released in club, the game itself and late June. Though founded in the Fleischmanns commu1895, the team was resurrectnity proved motivating. He ed by former Fleischmanns estimated logging roughly 100 mayor, Todd Pascarella, in hours on the project, between 2007.

February and June.

“My hope is that we can “To the onlooker, nobody have some kind of event, would know what happened whether that’s an abbreviated (on the ballfield) 125 years ball game or just something in ago, just like any historic site,” this season before the winter he said. “But with this one, we arrives,” Miller said. “That’s could connect it to what hapmy goal.” pened. We really have to dial The pandemic, Miller said, it back to 125 years ago … will likely also impact the pace and tell the story in pictures of the listing decision. and through the eyes of the “The June review was a fast The MAC grounds in Fleischmanns are seen in this 1903 photo. players who played there. track … so we could know “The best way to do that, as early as September,” he Miller said, coincided with planned-on for me, is doing the research,” Miller said, “but with COVID, we just have to th continued. “Then, even if it never made it celebrations of the team’s 125 annisee how it plays out.” The nomination, versary. Such celebrations were delayed, on the registries, I’d have a more compreMiller noted, must be forwarded to the along with many scheduled games, he hensive understanding of the club.”

National Parks Service, where it will noted, because of the pandemic caused Benched Plans receive a final vote. by the spread of the new coronavirus. An Seeking a listing on historic registries, See VINTAGE, Page 7 abbreviated schedule for the quasquicen-

Play Ball With 100-plus teams nationwide, vintage baseball, or base ball, when spelled the old-fashioned way, is gaining ground.

“I think its (popularity) has increased,” Collin Miller, manager of the Mountain Athletic Club in Fleischmanns, said. “We just got invited to attend the National Showcase of Vintage Base Ball next June in Cincinnati – the largest festival of its kind that I’m aware of – and that will have about 40 teams.

“It seems to have really grown in the last five years,” he continued. “The more baseball aficionados hear about it, and if they’re of playing caliber, the more are going to play. More are converting from adult recreational leagues because it is so much fun and just more than what you’re going to find with modern adult baseball, and it’s co-ed.”

Local teams such as Miller’s and the Bovina Dairymen, managed by Bovina native Nicholas Frandsen, 34, play according to 1890s rules and in period-accurate uniforms.

“It might be likened to a Renaissance fair for athletes,” Frandsen said in a 2019 interview. “There are no gloves – only the catchers wear gloves – and we use wooden bats and wear old-school uniforms. It’s

Members of the Mountain Athletic Club pose in this 2018 photo.

overhand pitching and the catcher will have a recognizable mitt, mask and chest protector, but that’s it. It’s pretty close to modern baseball, but the real difference is foul balls don’t count as strikes.”

“There are no helmets and no pitcher’s mound … because the mound didn’t come along until the 20th century,” Miller said.

“We try to stay as historically accurate as we can without being annoying about it, so we like to tell guys to leave the sunglasses off and don’t wear shoes with symbols on

them, that way the fans and players get that authentic vintage experience.

“A major rule difference, aside from equipment,” Miller continued, “is that the gloves don’t have traditional webbing like a modern glove would. They’re more of a glorified work glove, with leather but very little padding. It makes it a challenge to catch and makes for an exciting Saturday.”

For more information, visit macvintagebaseball.org.

VINTAGE, continued from Page 5

On Deck

Nicholas Frandsen, left, captain and manager of the Bovina Dairymen, stands with fellow captain-manager Collin Miller, of the Mountain Athletic Club.

Miller said, listing or no, he plans to get extra innings out of his research.

“I’m not done,” he said. “I want to do an illustrated history (of the grounds) and I’m trying to work with an illustrator who’s done work on Camden Yards and Wrigley Field. He’s a heavy-hitter.”

In the meantime, Miller said, he’s keen to get back on the ballfield and share what he’s learned with the team’s roughly 20 members.

“They’re all thrilled (at the prospect of the listing),” he said. “My hope is that I can actually educate them as much as I’ve been.

Before I started doing this work, I was just a ballplayer – I showed up, played ball and only knew of a casual reference to the history of the club.

“My goal with this is to just let other people know that this is kind of a big deal,” he continued. “This is more than just baseball or modern baseball in the adult recreational league sense – this is living history.

My hope is that they gain the same level of appreciation for the connection to the club that I’ve gained from doing the research.”

Hitting it Out of the Park On and off the field, vintage baseball has

M.A.C. SCHEDULE The following schedule was released in late June, in accordance with Phase 4 allowances and guidelines issued for gatherings of 50 or fewer people. Visit macvintagebaseball.org for updates or changes.

Saturday, Aug. 1

M.A.C. @ Bovina Dairymen – Calico Flats, Bovina Center, N.Y.

Saturday, Aug. 22 Gloversville A.J.&Gs @ Mountain A.C.

Fleischmanns Museum of Memories Benefit Saturday, Aug. 29

M.A.C. @ Westfield Wheelmen – Westfield, Mass.

Saturday, Sept. 19 Westfield Wheelmen @ M.A.C. “Doc” Adams

for the Hall of Fame Campaign Awareness Saturday, Sept. 20

Third annual John P. Martin Memorial All-Star Series - Muzzy Field, Bristol, Conn. (1864/1865)

Saturday, Oct. 3

M.A.C. v. Brooklyn Atlantics – Cowtown Scramble, Bovina Center, N.Y.

Saturday, Oct. 10

M.A.C. v. Bovina Dairymen (1864) – 10 a.m.

Taste of the Catskills Festival, Delhi, N.Y. (will move to Fleischmanns in event of festival cancellation)

Home games are shown in bold and begin at noon. No concessions will be offered, and public restrooms may be closed. Spectators are encouraged to bring their own seating and practice social distancing.

Games are played by 1895 rules unless otherwise noted. Admission is always free, with donations appreciated.

proven a hit with players and community members, Miller said.

“The neat thing about 19th-century baseball is that people come out to see your games more so than if you’re just playing in a regular adult league,” Miller said. “It becomes about history, culture and community and I love that part of it. We had games last year with hundreds of people at them.

“I’ve formed alliances with historical associations, and we play at different town events that really add to the baseball,” he continued. “The baseball is the backdrop of what’s already going on and, because of that, we get so much more exposure and it becomes more about community than a bunch of guys getting together to play. We’ve been able to raise more money for our (nonprofit) clubs through the sale of merchandise at those events and we’re able to expose the history to a wider audience. You get to connect to something that actually existed 100 years ago in these communities and it’s a way to tell a story that connects our current generation to the past.”

For more information on the team, its potential listing or to delve into Miller’s research, visit macvintagebaseball.org, find “Mountain Athletic Club Vintage Base Ball” on Facebook or call 607-760-4882. +

Local Authors Continue Otsego County Literary Legacy

BY CAITLYN OGDEN

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

W

hen residents and tourists drive along the highway heading into Otsego County, they pass signs announcing exits for the “Leatherstocking Region.”

What precisely that means is known to Cooperstown-area history buffs, fans of literature and admirers of Daniel Day-Lewis. It’s a reference to a type of leather leggings worn by white settlers in the area that is now Otsego County. Such leggings were often worn in the novel series “The Leatherstocking Tales” by James Fenimore Cooper, son of William Cooper, founder of the historic town.

Literary scholars credit James Fenimore Cooper with writing one of the earliest examples of the American novel. Ever since, Otsego County has been home to authors writing on varied topics, and several local writers recently made a splash in their respective pools. They explore different topics and use diverse approaches to writing, but in all their works, their Otsego County home plays an influential role, much like Cooper’s Glimmerglass inspired him so many years ago.

So, as the pandemic caused by the spread of the new coronavirus has people spending more time at home with a book than at the beach or a concert, consider it a unique opportunity in the era of social distancing to get to know your neighbor, if only through their words.

Preserving a Poet Tom Travisano, 68, is no stranger to publishing. A lifelong scholar of poet Elizabeth Bishop, he has written and edited numerous works

8

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

Know your “ subject well, but don’t tell the

reader everything you know. Tell a story and make an argument. A compelling story and humor are key; humor really brings things alive.

”

Thomas Travisano, author of ‘Love Unknown, the Life and Words of Elizabeth Bishop,’ is seen in this undated photo.

exploring Bishop’s life and writings. Though being considered for a Pulitzer Prize for his “Love Unknown, the Life and Words of Elizabeth Bishop,” published in 2019, Travisano began reading Bishop in 1975.

“I knew she was a great poet before her reputation was established, and it became my life’s goal to raise it to where it belonged,” Travisano said.

Travisano began his career with Hartwick College in 1982, as a professor of Modern and Contemporary Literature and Creative Nonfiction. “I taught everything from Shakespeare to the modern stuff, but mostly American,” he said.

Travisano said his decision to write a biography about Bishop was motivated by a desire to pull his interests and research together. “(After) all of the observing and traveling I’ve done for 40 years, I can put her life and work together in relation to the places she lived, and reach a wider audience,” he said. “(And) more people read biographies than poet criticism.”

Travisano said his writing process had ups and downs.

“The intensive, three-year writing progress is like the movie ‘Groundhog Day,’” Travisano said. While the research portion involved a large amount of travel and visiting libraries and speaking to fellow scholars, Travisano said, the writing process involved “sitting at (his) computer, day after day, with reams and reams of documents, sifting together things that make a compelling story.”

“I try to make it look effortless,” he said, “like I haven’t worked as hard as I have.”

Beyond being home to Hartwick College, Travisano said this area lends itself to his work. Vassar College, Bishop’s alma mater and home to much of her original papers is a few hours’ drive away. The idyllic setting of Otsego County, he noted, helps, too.

“I write a lot about nature,” he said.” I don’t think I could be as productive in an urban environment.”

For those interested in reading Bishop, he suggests the Library of America edition “Elizabeth Bishop, Poems Prose, and Letters.”

For those interested in writing creative nonfiction themselves, Travisano offered: “Know your subject well, but don’t tell the reader everything you know. Tell a story and make an argument. A compelling story and humor are key; humor really brings things alive.”

Authorial Action Travisano isn’t the only local author getting attention this year.

Otsego County Board of Representatives member Adrienne Martini, 49, recently took her local government experience and used it to educate and inspire the politically curious across the country.

Garnering a rave review from the New York Times and Publisher’s Weekly, Martini’s book also got the attention of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Clinton tweeted in March, “The title of this new book really says it all: “Somebody’s Gotta Do It: Why Cursing at the News Won’t Save the Nation, But Your Name on a Local Ballot Can.”

The book is a “love letter to this place. It’s about falling in love with a place and wanting to see it become the best place it can be.

”

Adrienne Martini, author of ‘Somebody’s Gotta Do It: Why Cursing at the News Won’t Save the Nation, But Your Name on a Local Ballot Can,’ is seen in this undated photo.

“(That) was one of the few times I couldn’t focus on anything else,” Martini said of the tweet. “I was like, ‘I’ve peaked.’ I was so done for the day, I took the rest of the day off.”

Martini said her run for office and a desire for insight on the process inspired the book.

“At the time, there was a lot of interest in activism and running for office,” she said, “but not a lot of practical advice. I wanted to make the idea of running for office into something that was doable by people like me, who don’t have a lot of political experience, but want to do it. It’s vital that Americans see themselves as able.”

Like Travisano, Martini was not born in Otsego County, but moved to the area with her family 17 years ago, after looking for a city close to Rochester where Martini and her husband, Scot Segar, could find employment.

While at times Otsego County politics can be divided along the “born here” versus “moved here” folks, Martini noted, she hopes that her readers and constituents see the book as what it is: an homage to the city that became her home.

“The book is a love letter to this place,” she said. “It’s about falling in love with a place and wanting to see it become the best place it can be.”

Martini wrote her book in just a few months, as she and her publisher wanted its debut to coincide with the 2020 campaign cycle.

Summer 2020 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 9

Living in a “rural area is great for a

Gretchen Sorin, author of ‘Driving While Black, African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights,’ is seen in this undated photo.

writer, because it is so quiet. So many afternoons I spent in the library by myself.

”

March is around the time when, across the county, people begin to make decisions about running for local office. Martini met her threemonth deadline, all while working full time in the Alumni Office at the State University of New York at Oneonta, serving on the Otsego County Board and raising her children.

“I’m not very precious about my writing,” she said. “I wrote (previous works) around small children. If you have 15 minutes, you can write something. It’s ideal when it’s quiet and no one is actively saying my name.”

Martini said she relies on organizing tricks to keep her on track.

“When writing the book, I made myself a sticker chart and broke out the word count by twelve weeks,” she said. “Every day, I had to write a certain number of words; I could not go to bed until I did it.

“Everyone has something that works for them,” she continued.

“Your deadline has meaning. I find pressure really helps me focus on what I am doing.”

Writing on Rights Gretchen Sorin, Cooperstown resident and author of “Driving While Black, African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights,” said she was introduced to the idea for her book about 20 years ago, while working on her dissertation for SUNY Albany and designing an exhibition in Saratoga Springs. A colleague mentioned “Green Book,” which Sorin said she had never encountered before.

“I was fascinated about it as an object for cultural interpretation,” Sorin, a museum professional and director of SUNY Oneonta’s Cooperstown Graduate Program, a museum studies master’s program, said. “‘Green Book’ is just like a phonebook with names, addresses and phone numbers.”

Sorin said, over the years, her book took root.

“It started to speak me,” she said. “It’s really about the automobile.

Here is a guy who tells you how you can travel safely across the country in an automobile. Fundamentally, it speaks to American democracy. The freedom of mobility is fundamental to American freedom, fundamental to a free society.”

Sorin began collecting oral histories, interviewing business travelers, family travelers, older generations who did the driving and younger generations of passengers, all familiar driving in the South during the time of Jim Crow.

“Some of the stories are horrific,” Sorin said, recalling discussions of segregated hearses and ambulances and how many people died as a result of a law that dictated white people at a traffic accident scene be administered to before African Americans. Often, African American accident victims were transported in ambulances that doubled as hearses, and an injured African American could only be taken to one of 200 hospitals in the country that served black people, many of which lacked accreditation, Sorin noted.

For Sorin, much of the writing process was also a learning process.

“I didn’t know any of this as a kid growing up in New Jersey,” she said. “Black, middle-class parents were very careful to protect their kids.”

When it came time to write the book, Sorin said, she spent time in the Fennimore Art Museum Research Library, which is often occupied by grad students from fall through spring. On the second floor, in a back-corner carrel, Sorin wrote her book.

“Living in a rural area is great for a writer, because it is so quiet,” she said. “So many afternoons I spent in the library by myself. You have to force yourself to get into a routine where you’re writing (for) a certain amount of time a day. All the books I needed were right there, there were no students and very few visitors in the summer; it was peaceful and quiet.”

From the Smithsonian to the New Yorker, the New York Times to the A.P., Sorin’s book has garnered praise for her storytelling ability, as well as the depth of her research. Ric Burns directed a major documentary based on the book, slated to air on PBS this year. +

Explore the

nglish E Hobart

Countryside, in

BY ANNA KRUSINSKI

O

n the outskirts of Hobart, the renowned “book village” of the Catskills, you may find yourself wondering whether you’ve somehow been transported to the English countryside. Coming upon The Sheep’s Nest, visitors are greeted with a charming cottage tucked into the hillside, set against a backdrop of rolling green, dotted with puffy sheep and colorful chickens.

Kim Whritner opened The Sheep’s Nest in 2011, realizing her childhood dream to own a business. It all began just before Kim’s 40th birthday, when her husband, John, asked her how she would like to celebrate. They eventually found themselves traveling to the Cotswold area of England, taking in all the charms of the centuries-old villages and picturesque cottages.

“We found ourselves taking pictures of various aspects of the homes we came upon, making U-turns so we could go back to photograph an amazing gate or the color of a door,” Kim said.

Situated in the village of Hobart, The Sheep’s Nest was designed by Kim and John Whritner as an ode to the charming English cottages they visited during a trip abroad.

12

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

“Between John’s background in construction and my background in folk art, our creative juices were flowing. By the time we had landed on American soil again, we were ready to build our own cottage.”

A Cottage Collaboration Kim and John designed the cottage together, drawing inspiration from their time in England to create a space that would perfectly showcase her artistry and his carpentry.

“We came up with a two-story building that replicates a small livable cottage,” she said. “The upstairs is my workshop and storage area, and the downstairs is the gift shop. The visible upstairs floor system and exposed beams are all reclaimed wood, some from a local barn. The bathroom door is an old barn door, complete with rolling hardware. There is even a custom-crafted wine cellar room and various other touches that showcase John’s work.”

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS

My dream of becoming an entrepreneur has come true. “built I get to spend my days in a cozy English cottage that was out of love for so many things, including my family.

I get to meet people who share similar interests and watch the amazement when they tell me, ‘I feel like I am in England.’ It brings a smile to my face and reminds me that we have achieved what we set out to achieve.

— Kim Whritner, co-owner of The Sheep’s Nest

Left: A sheepinspired display is seen in this undated photo from The Sheep’s Nest in Hobart

Right: The Sheep’s Nest offers gifts, antiques, decor, knitting supplies and more.

”

Artist and owner Kim Whritner creates pieces from felted wool. Many of her designs are inspired by her animals, along with some charming local critters.

At the time, the Whritners were raising Shetland sheep, as Kim intended to have a wool shop. But before long, her creative drive and keen decorative sensibilities blossomed into a gift and decor shop, featuring her signature collection of home goods, jewelry, stationery, candles, bath and body products and more.

True to Kim’s original vision, The Sheep’s Nest is also a wool shop.

“We are currently at around 40 sheep, with 14 new lambs just born this spring,” she said. “My favorite part of raising the sheep would have to be lambing season. There is nothing more innocent and sweet. Shetland sheep come in many different colors and patterns, so when a new baby is born, it is always a surprise!”

Visitors can find those unique colors and patterns in the yarn and roving that Kim sells from her sheep. She is also an accomplished needle-felting artist, and her designs are often inspired by the natural world, featuring renderings of her sheep and chickens or bunnies, squirrels, otters, foxes, bumblebees and birds.

A Dream Come True A visit to The Sheep’s Nest is always a delight. In its ninth 14

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

year, the shop continues to evolve based on Kim’s creativity and the feedback she receives from customers.

“Decorating the shop is one of my favorite things to do,” she said. “I am always rearranging displays and moving things about. My shop has so many items in it, that you will never see it all in one visit.”

Seeing The Sheep’s Nest come to fruition, Kim said, has been deeply fulfilling.

“My dream of becoming an entrepreneur has come true,” she said. “I get to spend my days in a cozy English cottage that was built out of love for so many things, including my family. I get to meet people who share similar interests and watch the amazement when they tell me, ‘I feel like I am in England.’ It brings a smile to my face and reminds me that we have achieved what we set out to achieve.”

For more information or hours, visit The Sheep’s Nest at 45 Main St. in Hobart or at thesheepsnest.com. Also, find “The Sheep’s Nest” on Facebook or follow @thesheepsnest on Instagram. +

Loaded

Burger Bowls

T

hese loaded burger bowls deliver the classic, all-American flavors of a fast-food cheeseburger, but deconstructed into something lighter and brighter.

I first had a Big Mac-inspired salad last summer at a restaurant in Massachusetts, using seared steak (a great option) and again came across the concept while doing the 30-day elimination diet, Whole30 (just use compliant condiments and skip the cheese).

Though these thoroughly customizable bowls can be adapted to many popular, health-centric diets, they’ve become a summertime staple in my house because they’re just plain good.

For me, the standout in this burger-turned-salad dish is the dressing, AKA “special sauce.” It’s got all the tangy, familiar notes of the proprietary blend, so it’s sure to leave your taste buds singing, even if you don’t remember the jingle.

Cookin’ WITH

Collins

Arrange salads completely before topping with homemade dressing.

1 16

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

|

Summer 2020

1. I tend to use an 80/20 mix when cooking with ground delivers the familiar flavor of a fast-food cheeseburger.

Prep all the burger bowl toppings for quicker assembly.

COLUMN & PHOTOS BY ALLISON COLLINS

LOADED BURGER BOWLS Salad: 1 to 2 pounds ground beef, cooked and drained 2 heads romaine lettuce, thoroughly cleaned and chopped ½ red onion, chopped 1-2 c. cherry or grape tomatoes 1 8 oz. block of sharp cheddar cheese, grated Handful of baby dill pickles, chopped 4 to 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 to 2 avocados, sliced or roughly mashed Sesame seeds, optional Dressing: ½ c. mayonnaise ¼ c. ketchup 2 tbsp. pickle relish 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a medium frying pan until cooked through, then drain off any excess fat. Set aside.

While the ground beef cooks, cut and ready the salad ingredients. Arrange beds of chopped romaine and set aside.

For the dressing: combine all ingredients in a bowl or sealed jar and shake or stir to combine.

Scoop a portion of ground beef over each bed of lettuce, then layer on desired toppings.

Top with a generous drizzle of dressing and sprinkle on sesame seeds, if using.

Yield: Four burger bowls. +

TIPS

2

3

ground beef. Some fat is good and ensures flavor. 2. & 3. The dressing, or ‘special sauce,’ really urger.

 If I’m making these bowls on a weekend or a day when we’ve made a big breakfast, I like to cook extra bacon in the morning and just reserve it for the salad bowls that evening.

My preferred bacon-cooking method (and the one that generates the least mess!) is to place the slices on a wire rack on top of a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for about 16 minutes or until crisp.  The dressing for this is great on just about anything, so I like to make a double batch and keep it handy. When making it, I recommend using a lidded mason jar, so you can mix and store in the same vessel.  I think there’s a big flavor difference in fresh-grated cheese from a block versus bagged shredded cheese, but if you’re tight on time, try bagged.  I like to serve these burger bowls with baked potato wedges, so you get that burger-and-fries fix, but upgraded.

Ordinary Oneonta Landmarks Got Major Makeovers

I

f you’ve been to a hardware or home improvement store in recent weeks in our area, the lines have been long. With time on their hands, area residents took advantage of the opportunity to work on projects around the house, tackling things they’ve put off for a long time or major improvements.

If you’ve ever noticed the grandeur of two Oneonta homes, the George I. Wilber mansion on Ford Avenue or the Fairchild mansion at the corner of Main and Grand streets, they weren’t always as elegant as they appear today.

The 1890s was a period of vast improvement for these two houses, as Wilber and George W. Fairchild were doing very well in their respective business ventures.

all angles, fanciful decorative motifs, a turret, a porte-cochere and stained-glass windows.”

George I. Wilber was the son of David Wilber, founder of Wilber National Bank, known today on Main Street as Community Bank, as well as a prominent dealer in hops, once our region’s top agricultural export. While the hops business and bank originated in Milford, David and family moved to Oneonta after the Albany & Susquehanna Railroad was completed in 1868, later known as the Delaware & Hudson.

George and his brother, David F., were involved

BY MARK in the family’s enterprises.

SIMONSON Upon the death of David Wilber in 1890, George I. became president of the bank, until his death in 1922. During those years, Wilber was incredibly active in Oneonta. While bankWilber Thrived on Bank, Hops Business ing was his primary interest, Wilber had his hand in many other According to the publication “Oneonta Landmarks,” proenterprises. He was a director for the Delaware & Hudson and duced in the early 1970s, the Wilber mansion was built in 1875.

Ulster & Delaware railroads, an early investor in a local compaDescribed as a simple, flat-roofed structure, it was renovated ny that eventually led to the formation of IBM and the creator into a “high Victorian style, with deep porches projecting out at of the Oneonta Water Company. The Oneonta Normal School,

The Old Walls Talk

CONTRIBUTED

An undated photo of the Wilber mansion, including horses and wagon at the porte-cochere.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HUNTINGTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY, ONEONTA

At the curve of Ford Avenue, center, is the pre-1890s appearance of the George I. Wilber mansion.

18

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

Wilber lived a large life and had the home to show for it.

now the State University of New York at Oneonta, resulted from his interest in education. He also donated land that he’d acquired for what is today Wilber Park in Oneonta.

For a man this prominent in his community, a larger, more attractive home was fitting.

Wilber was known for extravagance. Former Oneonta historian Ed Moore wrote, “George I. Wilber was a controversial figure.

No Oneontan in any age was the subject of more comment as to his private life and public activities than this banker, farmer, industrialist and public benefactor.”

Writing in 1962, Moore said, “Even today, nearly 40 years after his death, ‘George I.’ brings a flood of memories and a host of stories, some true and some highly fanciful. To many, he was a modern-day Scrooge, eccentric of manner and acid of tongue. To the more discerning, he was a shrewd businessman whose austerity hid a nature essentially generous and deeply humanitarian.”

Wilber lived a large life and had the home to show for it.

Fairchild Also Prominent in Local Life Today’s Masonic Temple, 318 Main St., was once the home of George W. Fairchild. Returning to “Oneonta Landmarks,” it details how the house was built in 1867 by David Yager, having two stories and a flat roof.

Soon after his marriage to Miss Josephine Mills Sherman in 1891, Fairchild purchased a 200-foot frontage at the corner of Grand and Main streets, and renovations soon followed.

The Fairchilds apparently felt money was no object for building their grand mansion. The roof was of imported Belgian tile; at one time there were six working fireplaces, as well as six baths; the library was finished in mahogany, and sycamore used in another room; the dining room was paneled and beamed with mahogany, while genuine French tapestry covered the walls; a

card room was finished in silver maple; a ballroom occupied the third floor.

Frequent were the festive parties and social events the Fairchilds held in the ballroom. Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft were among the many guests who visited and stayed in the mansion during the early 1900s. Fairchild was a six-term U.S. Congressman, beginning in 1905.

Fairchild earned his fortunes as editor and sole owner of The Oneonta Herald, but he also inherited a fortune from his wife Josephine’s uncle, one of the original Alaska gold miners in the late 1840s.

Fairchild was the friend of Oneonta postmaster, Harlow Bundy. Bundy’s brother, Willard, invented a time-recording device, which had proven successful in the post office, as well as the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad yards. The device caught on at many other businesses, and a manufacturing plant was built in Binghamton. Fairchild believed in the company, investing $8,000 into the then-new Bundy Time Recording Company. He also convinced many others to invest $2,000 apiece. By 1911, the company was well on its way to becoming IBM, for which Fairchild served as first president. It all turned out quite well for Fairchild, and investors across the region.

Fairchild is another example of a large life lived, with a fitting home perfect for entertaining and showing off.

A Home Improvement Rivalry?

It’s been speculated that Wilber and Fairchild had a friendly home improvement rivalry going on at the time.

Both men were local leaders and it’s not difficult to imagine that Wilber and Fairchild had some differences of opinion.

George I. Wilber was described as “acid of tongue,” and Fairchild most likely heard such comments. Both were involved in what eventually became IBM. It would be tough for them to miss one

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HUNTINGTON MEMORIAL LIBRARY, ONEONTA

A ‘before’ look at the Fairchild mansion renovations, built originally by David Yager in 1867.

CONTRIBUTED

The ‘after’ appearance of the Fairchild mansion, seen in a period when Grand Street was not yet paved.

Fairchild is another example of a large life lived, with a fitting home perfect for entertaining and showing off.

another in the center city business district, as Fairchild built the block at 244-248 Main St., now the storefronts of the Autumn Cafe and Razzle Dazzle, directly across from what was then Wilber National Bank.

The rivalry speculation, fun as it may be to think about, may have even extended into each man’s sense of philanthropy.

After the deaths of Mr. and Mrs. Fairchild in the early 1920s, the house was unoccupied until 1929, except for a caretaker.

Their son, Sherman Fairchild, sold the mansion to the Oneonta Masonic Lodge, including the library, draperies and floor coverings, most of the furniture and many art objects.

When George I. Wilber died, he left the house to his family.

When his widow died in 1954, Wilber’s will included transfer of the property to the City of Oneonta. Since then, the building has served many purposes as a community center, most recently housing the Community Arts Network of Oneonta. +

City historian Mark Simonson grew up in Oneonta, but like many, left to explore opportunities elsewhere. He returned in 1997.

Before returning, Simonson worked in public relations, marketing and broadcast journalism.

He worked locally in Norwich and the greater Binghamton area, and for a short time in Boston.

Simonson was appointed Oneonta City Historian in 1998. Since then, he has been doing freelance research and writing for a twice-weekly column in The Daily Star. Additionally, Simonson has published books about Oneonta and local history in a five-county region.

Through his years of research, Simonson has come across many interesting stories about old buildings in the upstate region. He will share those stories in this and upcoming editions of Upstate Life.

“There is simply the rose; it is perfect in every moment of its existence.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

A Bygone

Beauty Secret

BY ANNA KRUSINSKI

T

he rose has long been a symbol of beauty in literature, art and music. Our love affair with this delicate, aromatic flower stretches back many centuries. The rose is no stranger to beauty products, either. It’s been said that Cleopatra used rose water in her daily beauty preparation and roses continued to be a popular ingredient in beauty products and perfumes throughout the Victorian era and into today.

To refresh your summertime beauty routine, try incorporating items infused with roses. For a bit of inspiration, let’s look at an actual 19th-century cold cream recipe that uses rose water and rose oil.

22

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

Only l a r u t a N

This cold cream comes from The Druggist’s General Receipt Book by Henry Beasley, published in 1853. It was used as a moisturizer, intended to also smooth the complexion. (We know how the Victorians obsessed over a pristine complexion!)

During this time, cold creams also became popular makeup removers to gently wipe away cosmetic powders, rouge and other embellishments.

The original recipe reads: Melt together white wax 2 oz., oil of almonds 8 oz., and stir in 4 oz. of rose-water.

Next day, add 6 drops of otto of roses.

Interestingly, a variation of this cold cream recipe calls for orange flower water, which also sounds delightful for a summertime face cream.

During the Victorian era, ladies of the upper classes would purchase their creams and other cosmetics at their local apothecary shop, where they found products much like the cold cream described above. However, many other women created their own homemade skin creams, soap and beauty staples using ingredients purchased at their nearby pharmacy or apothecary.

A Rose by Any Other Name The rose water in this Victorian recipe was most likely chosen for its hydrating and anti-inflammatory properties, known to keep ladies’ skin smooth and soothe redness or irritation.

Rose water is created during the steam distillation of rose petals and is often a byproduct of the production of rose oil. Today, you can find rose water in most health stores. Try using it as a gentle toner or facial spritz with a sweet, summery rose scent.

Rose water is full of antioxidants which help protect the skin from free radicals and environmental stresses, such as air pollution and UV rays.

The 1853 recipe also uses rose otto essential oil. To this day, rose otto is a precious commodity because it takes approximately 10,000 pounds of rose petals to produce a single pound of oil! Yet its beauty benefits have kept it a popular mainstay in skincare for centuries. The essential oil is gently astringent and helps to soothe and relieve redness.

When looking for a face cream on today’s store shelves, it’s important to begin by

reading the ingredient list. Opt for an all-natural cream and avoid ingredients such as parabens, sulfates and fragrances, which can irritate the skin and cause breakouts, dryness and other unwanted reactions.

At Willow & Birch Apothecary, I make Rose Petals Day Cream with rose hip seed oil because it is high in essential fatty acids, which are beneficial for all skin types and especially for mature skin and weather-related skin damage. Rose hip seed oil is also ideal for a day-time moisturizing cream, because it is a lightweight and non-greasy oil that absorbs easily into the skin, making it perfect for using before makeup application.

With summer in swing, now is a great time to infuse your beauty routine with a touch of rose and take advantage of all the wonderful benefits this lovely flower has to offer. +

Anna Krusinski is the owner of Willow & Birch Apothecary, shopwillowandbirch. com, a Victorian-inspired apothecary and perfumery in Bloomville, where she creates natural bath and beauty products. Contact her at anna@shopwillowandbirch.com.

Free Wheeling: Rise in Cycling Offers Change of Pace

BY ERIK BERGGREN

Bicycles at Woodland Cycles, 24 South Main St., Milford, wait to be rented.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS 24

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

W

ith a continued steer toward environmentally friendly commuting options, efforts to live healthier and people simply looking to get out of the house more often, many are turning to the bicycle as a means of recreation and transportation.

Bicycles come in all shapes and sizes, for all people and purposes. There are mountain bikes for rough, dirt trails; gravel bikes for loose, gravel paths; and road bikes for smooth, asphalt roads. Everyone rides for different reasons, but they typically begin with the same driving force: a desire for change – change in carbon footprint, change in lifestyle or change of pace.

An online survey published by Statista estimates that the number of active mountain bikers in the United States increased from 6.9 million in 2011 to 8.6 million in 2016. And, according to the American Community Survey, more than 870,000 people in the United States’ workforce cycle to and from work.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers of cyclists have risen as people find themselves trying new hobbies within social distancing guidelines and alternatives to public transit.

Mike Reynolds, owner of Woodland Cycles in Milford, discussed the trend.

Erik Berggren: Have you personally noticed an increase in people interested in cycling?

Reynolds: There has been a major increase in cycling locally and nationally, for sure. You see

Woodland Cycles’ main show floor features cycles and accessories.

more people on the road, on the trails and with bikes on their car. The number of phone calls and emails about local riding recommendations has also increased substantially. A lot of people are looking for the best trails for mountain biking, best gravel for gravel riding and the safest places to take their family riding. It seems people who are new or getting into cycling are realizing what an awesome area we have to ride a bike, and that great places to ride have been right under their noses. In general, I have seen a major increase in family-oriented cycling, which is awesome.

EB: Do you see these new cyclers continuing to ride after the pandemic is over?

MR: I do see new cyclists continuing to ride into the future; maybe not all of them, but a lot.

Sometimes, it takes events like this to take a little Summer 2020 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 25

break from our overbusy, over-stimulated lives and appreciate simple things like riding bikes in the woods. I think riding makes people feel younger, releases stress and creates social bonds. We need something like this right now. Cycling is a lifetime sport, but sometimes it takes a little time and patience to realize its benefits and potential for physical health, mental health and community-forming.

EB: What other trends have you noticed in the cycling industry?

MR: The industry is doing a better job at getting younger kids into riding. One big way would be NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association). It’s a great way to get younger riders into mountain biking and give them the tools to take riding as far as they want. Another thing would be a push for cycling tourism. There are some small towns in the U.S. that have been completely rejuvenated into outdoor meccas due to cycling. Cycling, specifically mounting biking, is growing faster than ever, and some people see the benefit that this type of tourism can bring to the local economy. If you look at our area in Otsego County, our traditional local tourist economy has been hit very hard by COVID-19.

What has not been slowed and has seen a major increase in business and interest are outdoor-related activities. We live in an awesome outdoor area with the potential for great outdoor tourism. I would greatly encourage the county, local townships and businesses to explore the ideas of expanding outdoor tourism in Otsego County.

There is a huge opportunity being missed here and it may aid in helping our local economy recover quicker. People have always been specifically traveling to Otsego County to cycle our great trails and roads, probably a lot more than most people realize, and there is potential to expand on that. The outdoors has always been open; I think people are just realizing the great stuff in their own backyard.

EB: What is your favorite thing about cycling?

MR: My favorite thing about cycling is freedom. It sounds corny, and I’m not just talking about the freedom of mobility a bike can give you, but the freedom to create your own fun. You can build a trail, jump, map out a ride the night before a

big ride, volunteer for an event, advocate for local cycling infrastructure, plan a trip around riding, etc. All you need is a bike, and you don’t always need an expensive one. To me, riding has always been a doorway to other things, be it new friends, new things to learn, goals to achieve or sometimes just (a chance) to turn your brain off for an hour and a half.

EB: What benefits does cycling offer?

MR: Obvious health reasons, but I think the most important part is how cycling creates a feeling of community. It creates a sense of identity that every other rider can relate to. In a time of division in our country, we need to feel more connected than divided. Cycling is just one of many things in life that can help us connect with each other in a positive, healthy way.

EB: How does cycling compare to other methods of recreation or exercise?

MR: Cycling can be done anywhere

and everywhere. You can ride in your own backyard or travel across the world for a riding trip. You don’t need a lot to have fun riding, just a bike. You don’t need to pay a fee every time you want to use it, you don’t always need great weather, you don’t need a team.

EB: What sets your bike shop apart from others?

MR: The shop is a place to explore your options in cycling. I don’t just carry one major brand and try to convince you it is the best. No one bike company makes the best of each category of bike. I carry several mid-sized brands and offer what I think is the best of each. This gives people options and allows them to fine-tune specifically what they are looking for. Buying a bike is a big commitment and it’s important to take your time, ask questions and demo bikes.

The shop has a large selection of ‘on-thetrail/road’ demo bikes, so you can ride the bike beforehand on your local trail spot or road loop. I also only carry products that I have personally used and recommend.

EB: What is the longest distance you have ridden in one go?

MR: I don’t get a chance to ride ‘far,’ but

when I get a chance to ride, I appreciate it a lot more than I used to. I have worked on bikes for 18 straight hours before, if that counts.

EB: What kind of bike would you recommend to a beginner?

MR: For a beginner, I recommend any bike that makes you smile in the first 50 feet of riding it. Go to a good shop and ask a lot of questions. They will be able to help guide you to the right bike.

EB: Are there any local trails or bike routes you recommend?

MR: There are a lot of good trails in the Oneonta area and some great MTB trails being built at Glimmerglass State Park. We also do weekly group gravel rides from the shop in the summers, so you can get good riding routes from local experts. Group rides are for everyone, from beginner to expert. Due to COVID, group rides have been discontinued for the 2020 season, unfortunately. I have also started a Facebook page called ‘Otsego County NY mtb/ gravel/road cycling’ (on which) I encourage people to post, share routes and ask trip questions.

One thing our area does not have is a

safe place for families to ride (rail trail).

Something like this would be great for our community and the local economy. A rail trail from Cooperstown to Oneonta has been proposed every few years since I started working in bike shops in the area (1999/2000), but has always been turned down. Again, this is something the county could look into. The benefits from something like this would be substantial.

Whether someone is looking to keep themselves and the planet healthy, have fun with new experiences or simply see the world from another perspective, there’s an ideal form of cycling to try. There is also likely a community of nearby cyclists to join. Change could be just one turn of the pedal away.

Learn more about Woodland Cycles on Facebook, or visit woodlandcycles.com. +

Sunset Rock

Geology Day Trip The view from Sunset Rock.

ROBERT TITUS

BY ROBERT AND JOHANNA TITUS

H

ave you been to North Lake in the eastern Catskills? Have you explored the area? If not, then we have a lot of good scenery and geology in store for you.

And, more importantly, this is a site of great historic importance.

This area makes a great destination for families to learn some geology and valuable art history.

A Hearty Hike

Contact the authors at randjtitus@ prodigy.net or find their Facebook page, “The Catskill Geologist.” Read their blogs at thecatskillgeologist.com.

28

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Summer 2020

To get to North Lake, take Route 23 to Prattsville and then continue straight on Route 23A. Keep going to Haines Falls, where you should watch for the left turn to North Lake. Make that turn and follow county Route 16 to the entrance to the Preserve (there is a day-use fee).

Continue on the park road until reaching the North Lake parking lot. Next, head north on the Blue Trail for about 60 minutes of hiking.

Once on the trail, you’ll be working your way through a genuine wilderness landscape; it has been preserved at least since the early 19th century. This is a fine hike; please enjoy it and appreciate it for the wilderness that it is.

Turn right toward the Yellow Trail. At the end of that trail is Sunset Rock. That may sound like quite a trek, but, believe us, it is worth the effort. Young hikers undertaking this climb, however, should probably be 10 or older.

‘Sublime’ Scenery We think that this may be the finest view east of the Rocky Mountains (see picture at top), but there is more.

L I A R T BLUE WWW.FREEPIK.COM

Not surprisingly, this view began attracting landscape artists a long time ago. The first was Thomas Cole, widely considered the founder of America’s first formal art movement, the Hudson River School of Art. He painted this view several times, including that seen in the accompanying image.

The Hudson River School celebrated the wilderness that was, back then, still common across America, especially here in our Catskills. There had long been a landscape art tradition in Europe but, over there, artists would rarely find true wilderness. European painters typically dealt in park-like landscape scenes. But Thomas Cole found something different; there was something fearsome in his landscapes, even something vaguely dangerous about them. A word was needed for this: “sublime.”

Beginning with Cole in the 1820s, the Hudson River School of Art explored the painting of the sublime.

Ice Age Origins We found something else in the sublime: an ice age origin. All the landscapes in our photo were carved by ice age glaciers. We stood there and imagined the Hudson Valley glacier advancing down the valley and carving the steep Wall of Manitou, the Catskill Front on the left. We envisioned streams of ice swept left to right below us, carving into the lake basin. Later still, melting ice left Sunset Rock as it is seen today. This great view and its art are gifts of the Ice Age. You and your family can not only learn about all this, but you can go and explore more of it on your own. The Catskill Park, especially up and down the Catskill Front, is something of a celebration of the sublime. Take the Blue Trail north or south from here to see some of the finest wilderness landscapes anywhere.

Run a search under “Hudson River School, Catskills, images” and you will soon see many of the paintings done here. Best of all, visit hudsonriverschool.org/hudsonrivervalley.

Cedar Grove: the Thomas Cole National Historic Site has prepared a guide that takes visitors to many of the locations painted by these great 19th-century landscape artists. You and your family have some hiking and learning to do. +

Thomas Cole’s ‘A View of Two Lakes and Mountain House,’ Catskill Mountains, morning, 1844.

Brooklyn Museum of Art. Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Business Directory Meet the Locals Advertising & Media

Construction & Building Services

(Publishers, Public Relations, Marketing)

(General Contractors, Construction, Engineers, Architects)

The Cooperstown Crier 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-1000 www.coopercrier.com

The Daily Star 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-1000 www.thedailystar.com

Aqua-Tec Water Services Inc.

Gilboa, NY 1-800-853-5453 • 607-588-9413 www.waterwellsandpumps.com

Health & Fitness

Personal Services & Care

(Medical Centers & Clinics, Dentists, Rehabilitation Centers)

(Salons & Spas, Funeral Homes, Driver Training, more...)

Eric Dohner M.D.

6 Country Club Rd., Oneonta 157 East Main St., Norwich 607-238-4100

264 Co. Hwy. 38, Arkville, NY 1-800-GO-TITAN • 1-845-586-4000 www.titanwelldrillingny.com

Home & Garden

Public Utilities & Environment (Utilities, Internet, Cable, Recycling)

61 South Main St., Oneonta, NY 607-353-7433 Carpetsplusoneonta@hotmail.com

Entertainment (Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Travel, Events, Museums)

BODY SHOP Est 1943

Stringer’s Body Shop

Breweries & Wineries (Brewhouses, Taverns & Vineyards)

Downtown Sherburne 607-674-9529 www.empirewirelessllc.com

COOPERSTOWN ART ASSOCIATION GALLERIES

22 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-9777 • www.cooperstownart.com

The Tepee

7632 US Hwy. 20, Cherry Valley, NY 607-264-3987 info@thetepee.biz

Cody-Shane Acres

90 Crystal Creek, Walton, NY 607-865-4913

Bordinger Realty LLC

365 Main St., Oneonta 607-432-9173 www.bordingerrealty.com

Oliver’s Campers Inc.

155 River St., Oneonta, NY • 607-432-4982 www.stringersbodyshop.com

Empire Wireless LLC.

(Residential, Commercial, Moving, Storage)

90 Crystal Creek Rd., Walton, NY 607-865-4916 • 607-865-4913

Stringer’s

Sybil’s Yarn Shop

Real Estate, Moving & Storage

(Automobile Dealers, Auto Body & Painting, Auto Clubs, more...)

Tweedie Construction Services, Inc.

Shopping & Retail (Appliances, Clothing Apparel, Accessories, more...)

65 South Main St., Milford 607-286-4061 • sybilsyarnshop.com

Auto, Motorcycle & Campers

6460 State Hwy. 12, Norwich, NY 607-334-3400 • www.oliverscampers.com

Oneonta, NY 607-433-2089 www.tuningin-tuningup.com

(Home & Garden, Remodeling Bath & Kitchen)

CarpetsPlus COLORTILE

Titan Drilling Corp.

Tuning In - Tuning Up

Pure Catskills

44 West Street, Walton, NY 607-865-7090 www.purecatskills.com

Restaurants (Full Service, Casual Dining, Fast Food)

Thistle Hill Weavers

143 Ben Baxter Rd., Cherry Valley, NY 866-384-2729 www.thistlehillweavers.com

Secor

Home Inspections Otsego, Delaware, Chenango & Schoharie Counties 607-287-7908 Secorhomeinspections.com

The Squire’s Tankard

438 Main St., Franklin, NY 607-829-6885 Tom & Tina Briggs

BROOKS’ House of BBQ

5560 State Hwy. 7, Oneonta 607-432-1782 • www.brooksbbq.com

TREMPERSKILL COUNTRY STORE Tremperskill Country Store

Hidden Springs Brewhouse 170 County Rd. 31, Norwich 607-334-BEER hiddenspringsbrewhouse.com

Jägerberg Beer Hall & Alpine Tavern 7722 Main St., Hunter 518-628-5188 • jagerberghall.com

Construction & Building Services (General Contractors, Construction, Engineers, Architects)

Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths A&J’s Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths

4189 State Hwy. 28, Milford, NY 607-286-7856 www.anjwindows.com

1024 County Hwy. 1, Andes, NY 845-676-3244

Hanford Mills Musuem

51 County Hwy. 12 East Meredith, NY 607-278-5744 www.hanfordmills.org

Columbus Public House

ServiceMASTER by Burch

607-988-2516 www.servicemasterbyburch/com

Personal Services & Care NY Power Authority

1378 State Rt. 30, North Blenheim 1-800-724-0309 nypa.gov/BGVisitorsCenter

Finance & Insurance (Banks, Financial Advisors, Insurance)

(Salons & Spas, Funeral Homes, Driver Training, more...)

Faithful Friends Pet Crematory

Bieritz Insurance

Dante’s

416½ Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-2020

1977 State Hwy 23, Morris, NY 607-263-2363 www.faithfulfriendsofmorris.com

WEAVER’S Farm Market

OPEN YEAR ROUND! Weaver’s Farm Market

1272 East Side Rd., Morris, NY 607-263-2030

Sports & Recreation (Golf Courses & Country Clubs, Sports Facility, Sports Team)

The College Golf Course at Delhi The Red Barn Clubhouse

bieritz insurance Ben Novellano 209 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-2952 • 607-263-5170 (Morris) www.bieritzinsurance.com

4301 State Rt. 80, Sherburne 607-847-8422 • columbuspublichouse.com

2322 Rt. 7, Cobleskill, NY 518-254-0275 • www.cobleskillgc.com

85 Scotch Mountain Rd., Delhi 607-746-GOLF • golfcourse.delhi.edu

Morris Tent Rental

26 Mills St., Morris, NY 607-263-9916 www.morristent.com

Summer 2020 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 31