I’ve had my nose in the farm account books all week, and I am ready to stretch my legs and get out there, see what fall has wrought. I hear the winter squash and pumpkins are in, and some of the carrots; potatoes are ready, and when we have time and a dry window to harvest them, we would love extra hands for that. I can see for myself through the window that the maple trees in the sugarbush are starting to turn, and I think it will be a pretty fall, if it’s true that a wet summer brings more fall color. » Continue Reading.
We hosted fifty middle schoolers from the Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Vermont last Thursday. They hiked from the ferry to the farm via the Essex Gateway CATs trail in the humid heat. They had spent a week confronting the thorny ethical issues of food production. Mark and I talked about how to distill what we do and why we do it into something easily consumable, but then decided it was more of a show don’t tell opportunity. We hunted for dung beetles while talking about soil health, visited the dairy cows while talking about agricultural diversity, grazed our way through the vegetables while talking about the importance of basing our diets on whole food that’s locally produced, pulled some carrots for the road, and then hiked back to the ferry. They made it across the lake just before a huge thunderstorm hit, the one that knocked a tree through the library roof across from the ferry dock. Whew! » Continue Reading.
Thurman, NY – For more than a decade, Thurman Farmers (located just 20 minutes from Lake George) have celebrated the fall season by offering a free self-guided tour of the rural town of Thurman, NY. This year, the annual tour is scheduled for Saturday, October 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Following the event map to sites on the town’s main arteries and secluded back roads, visitors will self-guide to more than a dozen businesses that have opened their doors, providing the public with an inside look into the inner workings of their operations. » Continue Reading.
Owls Head NY – The Cook Farm is a small family operation, founded by first generation farmers Brandon & Laura Cook.
We raise a variety of livestock species including goats, pigs, turkeys, chickens, and ducks utilizing regenerative practices with an emphasis on the humane treatment of our animals. We are perhaps best known for the soaps that we make with our own goat’s milk. We sell our products at our farmstand and at local farmer’s markets. » Continue Reading.
WESTPORT, NY– Celebrate the harvest season and learn about agriculture in the Adirondack region at the 2023 Adirondack Harvest Festival on Saturday, September 23rd from 12 to 5 PM at the Essex County Fairgrounds.
This free family-friendly event features a large farmers’ market, local food trucks, “Local Libations” tent, hands-on workshops, kids’ activities, farm animal petting zoo, draft horse wagon rides and more. » Continue Reading.
Ticonderoga, NY– Fort Ticonderoga, surrounded by magnificent autumn backdrops of the Adirondacks and Green Mountains, will present the Annual Heritage, Harvest, & Horse Festival on Saturday, September 30, 2023. A full day of autumn fun will be set amidst the fall flowers of King’s Garden, a heritage apple orchard, and the beautiful landscape of the mountains and Lake Champlain. » Continue Reading.
GLOVERSVILLE, NY – The 2023 Gloversville Food Truck Fridays season will end on Friday, Aug. 18th, at Castiglione Memorial Park, located at 47 Main St. in Gloversville.
This series of lunchtime food trucks and music was a joint venture sponsored by the Gloversville Recreation Commission and Fulton County Center for Regional Growth. Corporate sponsors included Price Chopper-Market 32 and Cricket Wireless with and John and Sunday Blackmon being the music sponsor. The final event on this coming Friday, August 18th , will include Teddy Gyros, A&S Spice on Wheels and Park Side Hot Dogs as the food truck vendors, and music by local performer Michelle King, with all available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. » Continue Reading.
Elizabethtown NY – Join us Saturday, August 19 from 10-5pm for the 2nd annual Fairy and Magickal Creatures Festival brought to you by Solstice LLC. This fantastic event is taking place at the Adirondack History Museum, 7590 Court Street in Elizabethtown NY. » Continue Reading.
It’s prime time here in the mountains to witness fruits, berries, and vegetables hanging from lush greenery. In the small towns that make up the western gateway to the Adirondacks, gardens of all sizes are thriving and abundant. There are several reasons people in these small towns choose to garden. Some find it therapeutic and gratifying, with the greatest reason being that we live in what is called a food desert. No, we don’t live in an area strictly covered by sand and scorching temperatures, rather we live in an area where access to fresh food is greatly limited. Thus the action of planting gardens becomes paramount to community health and well-being.
Lowville, NY – The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) is collaborating with the International Maple Grading School and Quality Control Program to offer a full day of hands-on maple education for beginning and advanced maple producers. The program will be offered on September 7, 2023 from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Lewis County Education Center, 7395 East Road, Lowville, New York. The highly-requested training combines science-based instruction with intensive hands-on activities on how to accurately grade maple syrup and maple products and other quality control measures.
The day-long program includes sessions on accurately grading maple syrup, the chemistry of the different maple grade colors, standard flavors, the cause of off flavors and how to detect them, density and equipment, clarity and filtering, and food safety.
When I was young, maybe eight or nine years old, my mom made dinner one evening in the middle of the summer. She served spaghetti to us, with a very odd looking green sauce. She encouraged me to try it, and that was when my love for pesto sauce began.
My mom has always had a green thumb. Her garden is impressive every year, and her massive pots of basil growing all summer long mean that we will have a bounty of fresh pesto to eat during the summer and freeze for the winter. I can’t explain it… but in the middle of February when there is endless snow, defrosting a batch of summer pesto is a sure fire way to pull you out of the winter blues – even if it’s just for one meal.
I will say though, as much as I have loved pesto sauce for most of my life, I think the recipe my mom follows is the best. And we have to give credit where credit is due, her recipe was a hand me down from my Aunt Debbie, my mom’s sister in law – who received the recipe from a little Italian restaurant in Clifton Park NY. (Where it came from before that, is beyond me!) Now I share it with all of you!
Lewis, NY – Farm tours, workshops, farm-to-table food, and more are scheduled for the second annual Adirondack Cuisine Trail Open Farm Weekend. Events will be held August 4 to 6 highlighting farms and small businesses along the North Country, Champ’s and Boquet Valley Cuisine Trails, three of the six distinct cuisine trails that highlight agriculture in the Adirondacks.
After the success of the 2022 Open Farm Weekend that drew 1,000+ people to farms along the Boquet Valley Cuisine Trail, the event has expanded this year with new events. Attend one, a few, or all Open Farm Weekend events listed below. More information about each event can be found online at AdirondackHarvest.com.
Ticonderoga, NY – Step into an unforgettable evening at the Barn at Lord Howe Valley on August 17th, 2023 at 6pm to celebrate our Annual Wine and Swine Fundraising event. This event helps benefit our Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Fund. Neighbors Helping Neighbors helps low to moderate income families and individuals with emergency home repairs to make their home safe and habitable.
Come and enjoy a night of food, cocktails, music and more. There will be a Silent and Live Auction.
General Admission tickets are $65 and include: 2 drink tickets, Appetizers, Dinner, and Dessert. Purchase tickets online or by visiting in person: 132 Montcalm St, Ticonderoga NY 12883 (Basement of the Community Building), at the Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce (94 Montcalm St Ste 1, Ticonderoga, NY 12883) and lastly at Glens Falls National Bank (123 Montcalm St, Ticonderoga, NY 12883) . Donations can also be made online.
“Wine and Swine” is more than just a culinary extravaganza. It’s an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. By attending this event and participating in our wine pull and auction, you directly contribute to our Neighbors Helping Neighbors Fund. Your support ensures that those facing housing emergencies receive the assistance they need to maintain safe and stable homes.
Secure your tickets and explore sponsorship opportunities on our website today. By doing so, you become an integral part of our mission to support our community’s low to moderate-income residents and strengthen the bonds of neighborly care.
Blue Mountain Lake, NY – On Saturday August 5 from 1:00PM to 5:00PM Chef Darrell’s Mountain Diner is hosting a fundraising barbeque to benefit the launch of SIB, The Re- Vibe. Chef Darrell’s is located at 8814 NYS 30 in Blue Mountain Lake.
The dinner will include Ribs or Chicken with corn on the cob, corn bread, baked beans, coleslaw, and watermelon for $22.95 per person. Take-out is also available. There will be a craft beer tent with beer available for purchase, live music, and a silent auction for a John Finnan Adirondack Chair valued at $250, as well as additional items.
SIB – The Re-vibe is based on the national model of the “Main Street America” program, but with a distinctly Adirondack vibe. SIB- The Re-Vibe, a partnership of volunteers in the three Indian Lake hamlets of Sabael, Indian Lake and Blue Mountain Lake is an all-volunteer organization made up of people from the hospitality industry, the arts, media, retail, real estate, and any citizen who wants to get involved. Volunteers will be on hand to explain upcoming projects for strengthening the hamlets of Sabael, Indian Lake and Blue Mountain Lake.
For more information, please contact Brenda Valentine at adkcamp1@frontier.com or 518-648-5636.
Lake Placid, NY – The Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism (ROOST) is thrilled to announce the return of its “Battle of the Cones”, a summer showdown to determine the most popular and best Adirondack ice cream stand.
In 2022, The Windchill Factory in Ticonderoga captured the title and associated bragging rights. As a result of that successful contest, it became clear that “Battle of the Cones” needed to become an annual summertime tradition, just like the ice cream stands themselves; this summer, the Adirondacks’ ice cream stands are ready.
Online voting will begin on July 19 and close on August 22, with five weeks of voting and elimination until a winner is decided. Votes can be cast at BattleOfTheCones.com. The winner will be announced on August 23.
According to ROOST’s Saranac Lake Regional Manager Kenzie Marine, “Battle of the Cones” was established to promote ice cream stands, their communities and the ice cream wayfinder trails, developed by ROOST. “We developed and launched “Battle of the Cones” as a social media campaign to promote ice cream stands throughout the region,” she said. “We thought that this would provide a fun and interactive way to encourage people to share their experiences and create some excitement around this summertime activity, while also encouraging people to visit the towns throughout the region by using any of the ice cream wayfinder trail maps.”
ROOST has developed a number of wayfinder trails – online maps that people can follow to experience particular activities throughout the Adirondacks. These trails include information about farm experiences, breweries, history, cuisine and family-friendly activities. They can be found at AdirondackWayfinder.com.
The “Battle of the Cones” contest schedule is as follows:
Round One: Wednesday, July 19, until Tuesday, July 25 at 11:59 PM
Round Two: Wednesday, July 26, until Tuesday, August 1 at 11:59 PM
Round Three: Wednesday, August 2, until Tuesday, August 8 at 11:59 PM
Semi Finals: Wednesday, August 9, until Tuesday, August 15 at 11:59 PM
Finals: Wednesday, August 16, until Tuesday, August 22 at 11:59 PM
Visit BattleOfTheCones.com for a list of all participating ice cream stands categorized by region.
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Howe Valley on August 17th, 2023 at 6pm to celebrate our Annual Wine and Swine Fundraising event. This event helps benefit our Neighbors Helping Neighbors Community Fund. Neighbors Helping Neighbors helps low to moderate income families and individuals with emergency home repairs to make their home safe and habitable.
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Mountain Gardens Galore
By Jackie Woodcock
It’s prime time here in the mountains to witness fruits, berries, and vegetables hanging from lush greenery. In the small towns that make up the western gateway to the Adirondacks, gardens of all sizes are thriving and abundant. There are several reasons people in these small towns choose to garden. Some find it therapeutic and gratifying, with the greatest reason being that we live in what is called a food desert. No, we don’t live in an area strictly covered by sand and scorching temperatures, rather we live in an area where access to fresh food is greatly limited. Thus the action of planting gardens becomes paramount to community health and well-being.
» Continue Reading.