Summer Dreams 06-24-21

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Inside: Utica Museum OPENS SHOWS STArRING BLACK ARTISTS ►

Things to do in Greater Cooperstown

Dreams Thursday, June 24, 2021

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AllOTSEGO.com

21 Railroad Avenue, Cooperstown, NY 13326 • 607-547-6103 • info@allotsego.com

B-2 Summer Dreams

Thursday, June 24, 2021

what’s fun

in Otsego County

BEST BETS Oneonta architectural tour, the circus, jazz concert at Origins

E

Serving you for over 70 years!

Online Restaurant Curbside Delivery Catering Gift Shop Sauce Production

Thank you for your patronage! www.brooksbbq.com 607-432-1782 5560 NY Rte 7 Oneonta

xplore the architectural gems to spend an evening out. At Origins found in the city of Oneonta. Café, 558 Beaver Meadow Road, near Trolley tour will be led by Cooperstown. Call 607-437-2862 or Dr. Cindy Falk, professor of material visit celebrateorigins.com culture at SUNY Oneonta, and will • visit the historic districts of DownThe annual Cooperstown Libray town Oneonta and Walnut Street, Book Sale begins this weekend. Find featuring examples from the first your next book to read and support European settlement to the boom of the local library. Collection includes the Victorian era, when the railroad non-fiction, arts and crafts, cookcame to town, and more. Registrabooks, children’s books and more. tion, masks and proof of COVID-19 Most books will cost $1 or $2. Sale vaccination are required. The cost is continues through July 4. On July $10 per person. Presented by Otsego 3 and 4, bring a bag and fill it up 2000. Pick-up is at the Riverside for just $5. All proceeds support the Elementary School parking lot at 39 Village Library of Cooperstown. The House St. in Oneonta. Tours are at sale is at 22 Main Street in Cooper1:30 and 3:30 p.m., Sunday, June 27. stown. Daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., SaturCall 607-547-8881 or visit facebook. day, June 26, through Sunday, July 4. com/otsego2000/ for information.

• • The Musicians of Ma’alwyck will The circus is coming to town. be performing pieces from their CD, The Zerbini Family Circus will “Hyde Hall and the Silver Goddess,” be performing for three days which featured music from transcripts this weekend showcasing in the Clark family records. animals, aerialists, juggglers, The performance will be clowns and more. Pony rides things followed by a discussion are available one hour before to do! and lighting ceremony in the show. Get the kids out for the Grand Staircase Hall. this spectacular show! Masks Free, open to the public. and social distancing are re• quired. Cost is $15 per adult.

Explore the universe Free parking. At the 6th through the planetarium at Ward playground, Scramling SUNY Oneonta, online with Avenue in Oneonta. Shows the Nebula Society students. are at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., This week, the presentation Thursday June 24, and will be discussing astrology Larissa Ryan Friday, June 25; 4 and 6 and the truth of the zodiac p.m., Saturday, June 26. Call signs. Virtual show held 607-434-4419 or visit zerbinifamilyon Microsoft Teams. Registration circus.com for more information. required. Presented by A.J. Read • Science Discovery Center, at SUNY Kimberly Hawkey will be perform- Oneonta at 7 p.m., Thursday, June 24. ing a mix of jazz, broadway and folk songs at Origins Cafe at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 26. The concert is ►ON THE COVER preceded by a jazz workshop with A herd of sheep graze on a farm Hawkey, which is open to all ages and experience levels at 4 p.m. Cocktail in the town of Middlefield. hour starts at 5 p.m., until the concert Photo by Kevin Limiti begins, featuring seasonal small plates AllOtsego.com. and beverages. Truly a great way

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Summer Dreams B-3

Kevin Limiti/AllOtsego.com

A herd of sheep line up to eat Monday, June 21, at a farm in the town of Middlefield.

Super sheep?

Can good genetics help ag businesses be good environmental stewards?

A farm in Middlefield is on the cutting edge

By KEVIN LIMITI MIDDLEFIELD – Agriculture is often blamed for a negative impact on climate change. However, at a farm near Cooperstown run by twins Owen Weikert and Dr. Ben Weikert, that perception is exactly what they are working to change.

The Katahdin sheep are selectively bred by studying their genetic makeup in order to calculate things like maternal ability, how to create sheep that need less shearing and less food, and to reduce herd size.

Owen Weikert said that upstate agriculture is at a “tipping point” and that dairy farms have been “really decimated.”

“A lot of people are interested in getting out of the cattle business,” Weikert said. Therefore the new way of raising livestock might be the future of agriculture for not only Upstate but the entire country, he said.

By selecting different DNA, it is used to find out how the biological process of the animals interact with each other, and learn how to introduce beneficial characteristics into livestock that will allow breeding to be easier.

Cloning is a completely different process.

Weikert’s use of selective breeding is important because they can use fewer sheep to do more, and the hope is that they can reduce their carbon footprint at the same time.

“Agriculture is a revolution,” Weikert said. “We’re looking for a way to make a regenerative environment.”

To get the genetics from the sheep, they take a tissue sample from the ear. Afterwards, the DNA is sent to the lab where it is extracted and analyzed for correlations.

“We’re getting to understand how their individual genetics play together,” Weikert said.

He said that by doing this, they are able to make more accurate breeding decisions.

“It’s not just about having sheep that look good,” Weikert said; It is also really good for consumers. “(Customers) want something that is raised naturally,” said Weikert, who has customers as far away as Germany. “They’re really low maintenance.”

Weikert grew up in Iowa and said See SHEEP, Page B5

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Thursday, June 24, 2021

Amos retrospective, Black art series on display in Utica STAFF REPORT UTICA — In honor of Saturday’s Juneteenth celebration, Utica’s MunsonWilliams-Proctor Arts Institute opened two exhibits dealing with the Black experience, “Emma Amos: Color Odyssey,” and “Call & Response: Collecting African American Art, according to a media release.

“Emma Amos: Color Odyssey,” which will be on view through Sunday, Sept.

12, is a major retrospective of the artist’s distinguished six-decade career. The exhibition features more than 60 artworks Amos created from 1958 to 2015.

“Call & Response: Collecting African American Art” which will be on display through Sunday, Nov. 28, showcases the MWP’s 30-plus years of collecting and displaying

Black art.

Historically, works by Black artists have been marginalized, neglected, or ignored, said Mary Murray, curator of Modern and Contemporary Art. “Call & Response” will reveal the extraordinary depth and richness the works have brought to the collection through early and sustained efforts to diversify its holdings, she said.

Murray stressed that since the Museum of Art primarily focuses on artists from the United States, it is important to bring as many perspectives as possible to bear on the works that are preserved in the collection.

“Art museums are established to be repositories of cultural heritage, to collect and exhibit objects that are considered aesthetically and historically significant,” Murray said in a media

release. “There should be a diverse range of stories being shared.”

Artists in the exhibition include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Norman Lewis, Alison Saar, Betye Saar, Kara Walker, Carrie Mae Weems and many others.

Though Amos is best known for her large-scale paintings incorporating African fabrics, she also embraced multiple types of materials, innovative printmaking techniques and photo-transfer, weaving and collage.

Her compositions reveal personal narratives about art, historical figures and the representation of people of color, particularly women.

According to the media release, “Amos combined her interests in painting, Contributed printmaking, weaving and ‘Godzilla’ by Emma Amos is on display in an exhibit collage into vibrant stories See MUSEUM, Page B7 at Utica’s Munson-Williams-Proctor Museum.

Contributed

‘Equals Press’ by Emma Amos is on display in an exhibit at Utica’s MunsonWilliams-Proctor Museum.

607-547-8111, ext. 100

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Summer Dreams B-5

Hometown 4th: Oneonta to revive holiday celebration

By PATRICK DEWEY

ONEONTA — The Hometown 4th Festival will return to Oneonta’s Neahwa Park to celebrate the July Fourth holiday next weekend, with a theme of honoring essential workers.

The goal is to honor the workers, including grocery store staff, teachers, police officers, firefighters and

healthcare workers, who took risks for the community good during the coronavirus pandemic, according to festival officials.

“We wanted to do everything we could to let them know that the First Night Board and the whole community appreciates them,” First Night Board Chair Carol Mandigo said.

The celebration will kick

Kevin Limiti/AllOtsego.com

Middlfield farmer Owen Weikert, with his dog, Sasha, has been raising sheep with an eye on genetics.

Middlefield farmers seek ways to make agriculture earth-friendly

SHEEP/Continued from Page B3 “each animal is an opportunity to do better.” He said Upstate New York is a great place to raise livestock.

“I really believe that people in this area give a damn and want to do the best with the resources that they have,” Weikert said.

Overall, Weikert said he is optimistic about the future of agriculture in Upstate.

“Even in this area, there’s a lot of cool agricultural stuff that’s going on,” Weikert said. “If we can keep raising the bar on genetics, I just think it’s a benefit to everyone.”

Michael Moffat, who owns the farm, said that the process of selective breeding was making an impact and that enterprising farmers in the area have been doing a lot of interesting things.

“They have such an exciting business,” Moffat said. “And what they want to do in the end is great for the planet.”

Moffat said the process of selective breeding recognizes the genetic make up for the sheep.

“This sheep in Idaho has this gene we want our sheep to have,” Moffat said. “When they open up a book of sheep, what they’re looking at is their DNA. That is what they’ve gotten their doctorate in.”

Editor’s Note: Michael Moffat is an editorial board member of The Freeman’s Journal, Hometown Oneonta and AllOtsego.com.

off at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 2, in Neahwa Park, with a free concert by country artist Michael Christopher.

At noon, Sunday, July 4, the parade will line up at Foothills Performing Arts Center on Market Street.

Dr. Tommy Ibrahim, CEO of Bassett Healthcare Network, will serve as grand marshal for the parade.

All essential workers are

encouraged to participate and can register before the parade for a chance to win door prizes from local businesses.

The parade will begin at 1 p.m. and end at Neahwa Park. The July 4th festivities will continue in the park with a celebration of arts and culture, beginning at 2 p.m.

According to Mandigo,

local community members such as Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig and upcoming mayoral candidates will make remarks honoring essential workers. In addition, company representatives and those who are essential workers can speak to their colleagues.

Ben Guenther, owner of Five Star Subaru, organized See ONEONTA, Page B7

_________ A complete Guide to

best bets for local dining what’sOurfun in OtsegO COunty _________ B-6 Summer Dreams

Larissa Ryan Business Manager

Staff Picks

31 Pioneer Street, Ste 2, Cooperstown 607-547-6229 www.stagecoachcoffee.com

Stagecoach Coffee If you’re walking around downTara Barnwell town Cooperstown and get a bit Send calendar Publisher hungry (or just need items a coffee orto teainfo@allotsego.com or other beverage), take a left at the Bocca Osteria flagpole going toward the lake and For a nice start to either lunch or on your right will be Stagecoach dinner at Bocca, I order the BLT Coffee. They are primarily a coffee chopped salad. Lettuce mixed with shop but they have been steadily crispy bacon, tomatoes, corn and expanding their food menu over mozzarella, which is then drizzled the years. with a nice house-made cool ranch I recently stopped by for lunch and dressing. It’s all chopped up and decided to try the smoked salmon tossed and delicious. on a toasted whole wheat bagel with Let’s talk about the pizza at Bocca cream cheese (of course), tomato, — my favorite is the funghi formaggi onion and capers. For a drink I pizza — a crispy, really thin crust ordered the frozen hot chocolate with mozzarella, smoked gouda and (made with Ghirardelli chocolate three kinds of mushrooms: portabello, according to the menu). The smoked porcini and truffled. It is a mushroom salmon bagel is a very savory meal, lover’s paradise. And while we are with the capers and onion giving a talking about pizza, have you noticed zest that keeps me coming back for the little motorized pizza truck in more. A great lunch for a hot day of front of Bocca recently? It’s straight wandering around our little town. from Italy and is available for events Stagecoach Coffee

soon, so give them a call.

Bocca Osteria 5438 State Rte 28, Cooperstown 607-282-4031 www.boccaosteria.com

Greg Klein Editor

The Blue Mingo Bar and Grill I have been hearing for years about The Blue Mingo Bar and Grill, which is on state Route 80 north of Cooperstown on Otsego Lake in the town of Otsego.

I think the first thing I heard was that it was well priced for upscale dining in the Cooperstown area, but that the entrees were amazing. Later, I was told about some of the fun appetizers the restaurant offers, such as fried pickles.

Last week, I finally got the chance to see what everyone was talking about and I was happy to see they were correct. I had the lobster roll, which I would have preferred in but-

what’s fun in OtsegO COunty _________ _______ what’s fun in OtsegO COunty

►THURSDAY, JUNE 24

OPEN HOUSE – 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by during the new hours to learn the history of the Springfield area. View exhibits, visit with town history enthusiasts. At the Springfield Historical Society, Community Center at County Route 29A, Springfield Center. Call 315858-0707.

FIELD TRIP – 1:15 to 3 p.m. Seniors are invited on fun trip to Brookwood Point gardens. Limited to 20, registration required. $1 donation requested. Presented by the Cooperstown Senior Community Center. At Brookwood Gardens, 6000 State Route 80, near Cooperstown. Call 607-547-8471.

AUTHOR SERIES – 2 p.m.

Presentation by Paul Hensler, author of, ‘Gathering Crowds: Catching Baseball Fever in the New Era of Free Agency.’

Learn how the game changed

in the ’80s and ’90s. Followed

by Q&A session. Free, but registration required. Presented by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Call 607-547-7200.

WORD THURSDAY – 7 p.m.

Enjoy open mic from area writers before listening to featured writers Denise B. Dailey and Alice Pettway, who are known for their short stories and poetry. Suggested donation is $3. Presented by Bright Hill Press & Literary Center.

Call 607-829-5055.

►Friday, June 25 BIRD ATLAS – June 25 through June 27. Birders are invited to go see what breeding bird they can spot in a new atlas event by the Audubon Society. Call 607397-3815.

FIRE PIT FRIDAYS – 7 to 10 p.m. Get out and enjoy a fun night around the fire with

Thursday, June 24, 2021

friends, drinks and music.

This week features feel good music by Annie In The Water.

Brewery Ommegang at 656 County Route 33 in Middlefield. Call 607-280-2900.

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES – 7:30 p.m. Enjoy fun performance of The Ships Captain, about the hijinks of two sisters, their guardian and a mysterious suitor. This singspiel from 1817 includes parodies of famous peices from Mozart, Beethoven and popular German folk songs.

Cost is $20 per adult. At Hyde Hall, 267 Glimmerglass State Park Rd. in Springfield. Call 607-547-5098.

►Saturday, June 26 PICKLEBALL FUNDRAISER – 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Have fun at the first annual pickleball tournament presented by the Otsego County Chamber of Commerce. Teams are guaranteed three games with playoffs and championships in each division. Includes free fruit, water, snacks and more.

Cost is $100 per team. At Neahwa Park in Oneonta. Call 607-432-4500.

ter rather than mayo, but it was still delicious. Everyone around the table had something different and I sort of wished I had been with family and friends rather than at a business lunch, because I probably would have been tasting everyone’s food if we had been in a casual group. Literally, everyone’s dish looked great.

As it was, we shared apps, and the friend pickles were as good as advertised. Fried pickle is one of those snacks that can go south quick, if you do not have the right recipe, so finding a place that gets it correct is a nice touch.

Of course, as good as the food is, the star of the show is the view.

Sitting out by Otsego Lake, with a great view of Brookwood Point, and an even better one of Kingfisher Tower, the view is iconic.

With Sam Smith’s Boatyard right next door, I suppose The Blue Mingo is the restaurant of choice after a great day on the lake.

See REVIEWS, Page B7

LIFESKILLS – 4 to 6 p.m.

Teens are invited to learn to cook with Lynn. Menu posted to Facebook. Seating limited, reservations required.

Presented by The Oneonta Teen Center at 50 Dietz St. in Oneonta. Call 607 441 3999.

HOME GAME – 7 p.m. Local baseball team Oneonta Outlaws host the Saugerties Stallions at Damaschke Field in Oneonta.

►Monday, June 28 HOME GAME – 7 p.m. Local baseball team Oneonta Outlaws host the Elmira Pioneers.

Join the Otsego Pride Alliance to celebrate pride month at Damaschke Field in Oneonta.

►Tuesday, June 29 TAI CHI – 12:45 to 1:45 p.m. Seniors are invited to practice this slow moving exercise. Presented by the Cooperstown Senior Community Center in the brick building behind St. Mary’s Church at 31 Elm St. in Cooperstown.

Email coopseniorcenter@ gmail.com for more information.

BLOOD DRIVE – 1 to 6 p.m.

Donate blood and help save up to three lives. At the Foothills Performing Arts Center in Oneonta. Call 800-733-2767.

COPING – 2 p.m. ‘Stress: Don’t Give in to the Negative Gremlins.’ Learn to deal with stresses that can interfere with living life well with Kari.

Presented by the Cooperstown Senior Community Center in the brick building behind St. Mary’s Church at 31 Elm St. in Cooperstown. Email coopseniorcenter@gmail.com for more information.

COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – 6:45 p.m.

Springfield residents are invited for discussion on internet availability in town. Sponsored

by American Libraries Association. At the Springfield Library, 129 county Route 29A in Springfield.

BOOK CLUB – 7 p.m. Join the library club to discuss this month’s book, ‘The Museum of Modern Love,’ by Heather Rose. Free, registration for Zoom meeting required. Presented by the Huntington Memorial Library in Oneonta.

Call 607-432-1980 for details.

Thursday, June 24, 2021

Summer Dreams B-7

Hometown 4th is on in Oneonta for holiday Oneonta/from Page B5 and funded the fireworks display taking place at 10 p.m., July 4, in Neahwa Park.

Guenther said the fireworks will be twice as intense as previous displays.

“We wanted to say we’re a community and we’ve got this,” Guenther said.

Mandingo said Guenther has wanted to honor essential workers since the early days of the pandemic, but

this was the first time a big event was feasible.

Musical entertainment and festival activities are designed for all ages. Activities include Mike the Juggler, face painting and demonstrations from Harmony Martial Arts. There will also be a variety of food, and tents and tables will be available.

After two years of seeing the community struggle against the effects of the coronavirus, Mandigo said

she is looking forward to seeing everyone gather again. She said she is proud Hometown 4th is free, something she says would not be possible without its many sponsors and contributors.

“This community is a family and we are looking forward to giving back,” Guenther said.

Email firstnightoneonta@ gmail.com to sign up to participate in the parade or to sponsor the event.

Utica museum opens shows on Black art Museum/from Page B4 that present a layered understanding of what it meant to be a woman and artist of color during the era of Civil Rights and the feminist movements of the past 50 years.”

Like many women, especially for women of her generation, Amos kept a demanding schedule as a wife, mother, artist and art professor, while being a powerful voice for social change.

Later in her life, Amos revealed she was a member of the “Guerrilla Girls,” a group of anonymous women artists advocating for parity in the art world through activism and protest.

In a 2011 interview, Amos reflected, “It was tough. But I did it, you know. I just felt like it was necessary.”

“Emma Amos: Color Odyssey” is organized by Shawnya L. Harris, Larry D. and Brenda A. Thompson, Curator of African American and African Diasporic Art, the Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia.

“Amos is one of several Black women artists whose contribution to art history deserves attention and critique,” Harris said in the media release. “Putting together several decades worth of her work provides a special opportunity to learn more about her career, techniques, and ideas, inviting re-evaluation and new audiences in relation to her artistic progression.”

Amos died in May 2020, but her legacy lives on in the art she created and the

contributions she made to a better society.

The Georgia Museum of Art has published a scholarly exhibition catalog to accompany the show, with essays by Harris; Lisa Farrington of Howard University; artist LaToya Ruby Frazier; Laurel Garber, Park Family Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Philadelphia Museum of Art; artist Kay Walkingstick; and Phoebe Wolfskill, associate professor in the departments of American studies and African American and African Diaspora studies at Indiana University.

The MWPAI is located at 310 Genesee St. in Utica.

Call 315-797-000 or go to www.mwpai.org for more information.

Otsego Lake-side dining offers great views Reviews/from Page B6 However, it is really for anyone who is looking to enjoy good food and a good view during the season. It might be just outside of the village, but The Blue Mingo Bar and Grill is classic Cooperstown cuisine.

Blue Mingo Bar and Grill 6098 state Route 80 Near Cooperstown 607-547-7496 www.bluemingogrill.com Kathleen Peters Graphic Designer Council Rock Brewery You will not be disappointed if you go here for a burger and a beer. They have an excellent selection of home brews and an equally good selection of burgers. My

favorite is the Spurbeck’s cheddar burger, but they are all tasty. I like that they are using local ingredients when they are available. There is a veggie burger that even non-vegetarians could appreciate, and plenty of non-burger options as well.

My husband’s favorites are the signature bratwurst and the pastrami sandwich. When I am not in a burger mood, I get the southwestern chicken taco salad. Did I mention the garlic pesto fries? Or you can get the regular shoestring fries, sweet potato fries or sweet potato tots. Make your reservations early if you want to go for the Friday fish fry.

Council Rock Brewery 4861 state Route 28, Hartwick, NY 13326 607-643-3016 www.councilrockbrewery.com

Central New York’s Best Gastropub!

5418 State Highway • 28 Cooperstown 607-282-4525

Authentic Italian Food!

5438 State Hwy 28 • Cooperstown 607-282-4031• boccaosteria.com

new york pizzeria

Brick Oven Pizza!

75 Chestnut Street Cooperstown 607-547-2930 126 Main Street Richfield Springs 315-858-0405

B-8 Summer Dreams

Thursday, June 24, 2021