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HAPPY TRAILS
BEDFORD, NY | PRICE UPON REQUEST Located on highly sought-after Guard Hill Road, this impeccable and exquisite family home has a quiet sophistication and gracious flow. The four bedroom home, complete with first floor primary bedroom suite, has easy access to the Bedford Riding Lanes Association trails for hiking, walking and riding. Property highlights include lush landscaping, specimen trees and fabulous inground pool.
634 OLD POST ROAD | BEDFORD, NY 10506 www.renwickrealestateny.com | 914-234-9261
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californiaclosets.com WESTCHESTER 16 Saw Mill River Rd, Hawthorne 914.592.1001 CONNECTICUT 565 Westport Ave, Norwalk 203.924.8444
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N E W C A N A A N , C T · $12,000,000
N E W C A N A A N , C T · $10,600,000
N E W C A N A A N , C T · $7,450,000
A R MON K , NY · $6,700,000
WACC A B UC , NY · $5,950,000
6 BEDS · 8.3 BATHS · SF 8,811 · ACRES 31.79
8 BEDS · 9.2 BATHS · SF 15,015 · ACRES 4.02
8 B EDS · 8. 2 BATH S · S F 11,658 · ACR E S 3.13
5 BEDS · 7.3 BATHS · SF 13,801 · ACRES 7.87
4 BEDS · 4.3 BATHS · SF 7,725 · ACRES 43.82
7 BEDS · 8.3 BATHS · SF 12,827 · ACRES 2.42
WEB# BM1693752 | Taylor Tait 203.644.0026
WEB# BM1721410 | Kathryn Tanner 203.856.6265
WEB# BM1709334 | Kelly Kraus 203.979.7609
WEB# BM2856592 | Jaimme Pudalov 914.844.7259
WEB# BM2897832 | Catherine Workman 914.589.2178
WEB# BM2842652 | Lesli Hammerschmidt 415.272.8788
POU N D RIDG E , NY · $3,950,000
BEDFORD CORNERS, NY · $3,495,000
A R MON K , NY · $2,995,000
B EDFOR D, NY ·$2,7 75,000
A R MON K , NY · $2,395,000
BEDFORD CORNERS, NY · $1,750,000
5 BEDS · 6.1 BATHS · SF 5,936 · ACRES 6.96
5 B E DS · 5. 2 B AT H S · S F 6,928 · AC R E S 4
5 BEDS · 6.1 BATHS · SF 10,222 · ACRES 3.96
6 B E DS · 6.1 B AT H S · S F 6,793 · AC R E S 1.7 2
4 BEDS · 4.2 BATHS · SF 5,524 · ACRES 4.06
WEB# BM2890162 | Caroline Shepherd 914.393.2795
WEB# BM2901182 | Angela Kessel 914.841.1919
WEB# BM2843002 | Harriet Libov 914.659.6200
WEB# BM2857942 | Renee Stengel 914.450.6566
WEB# BM2899262 | Caroline Shepherd 914.393.2795
POU N D RIDG E , NY · $1,575,000
THOR N WOOD, NY ·$1,450,000
DA RIEN , C T · $1, 200,000
B EDFOR D, NY · $985,000
SOUTH SA LEM , NY · $929,000
DA N B U RY, C T · $585,000
4 B EDS · 3. 2 BATH S · S F 7, 301 · ACR E S 3.91
4 B E DS · 4.1 B AT H S · S F 6,170 · AC R E S 1. 27
4 B E DS · 2 .1 B AT H S · S F 2 , 3 15 · AC R E S 0.3
5 B E DS · 3.1 B AT H S · S F 4,017 · AC R E S 5.5
4 B EDS · 2.1 BATH S · S F 2,963 · ACR E S 1.97
WEB# BM2900352 | Sonya O’Donnell 631.680.2974
WEB# BM2896342 | Rusminka R. Jakaj 917.848.4645
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WEB# BM2845212 | Zef Vataj 914.960.1061
WEB# BM2899562 | Kelly Kraus 203.979.7609
H O U L I H A N L AW R E N C E .CO M
WEB# BM2881662 | Samantha Pitman 914.705.1551
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WEB# BM2901112 | Jody Rosen 914.907.3300
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A R MON K $5,789,000
2 B E DS · 2 .1 B AT H S · S F 1,7 76
WEB# BM2901262 | Susan Mason 914.273.2800
H O U L I H A N L AW R E N C E .CO M
Embracing individuality. Fostering confident leadership.
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Middle School Minded Empowering students to shape their future in high school and beyond. Learn More! Contact Dave Suter, Director of Enrollment at 203.894.1800 x112 or dsuter@ridgefieldacademy.org M A R / A P R
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Hadassah Sweet Transforming Your Space One Design At A Time
B&NC MAG
PRESIDENT ’S LET TER
MARCH/APRIL 2022
Spring is sprung, so in this March/April 2022 issue of B&NC Mag we again turn our ‘Always Local. Always Positive.’ focus on things ‘green’. Our cover feature, What’s The Buzz About, on beekeeping and local beekeepers, is meant to entice other B&NC Mag readers to take up the environmentally beneficial hobby. We’ve included a feature on Hiking Pound Ridge penned by the longtime President of the Henry Morgenthau Preserve; an exploration of Building Beyond Green, and; an update on Bedford 2030’s green initiatives and achievements from their Executive Director. And we picked Olga and Michael Kagan and their magnificent home in Pound Ridge to feature in this issue, in large part to highlight the Kagans’ environmental passion and good works, and to showcase this prime example of environmentallyfriendly architecture. New in this issue, we’re diving in to luxury travel! We’re going to take the B&NC Mag readers to some of the most luxurious vacations in the world, trying to be of service as a guide to the greatest accommodations, activities, and experiences, and identifying the bestof-the-best available at each destination.
First Stop: EXCLUSIVE RESORTS at the Ritz Carlton on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. Exclusive Resorts is the lap of luxury, and membership is much more practical than one might assume. With 300+ residences in 75 spectacular locations around the world, Exclusive Resorts can be the perfect answer for those requiring a high standard of assured comfort - and access to all kinds of fun and adventure…Including the not-to-be-missed experience of swimming with the stingrays in the Cayman Islands. We B&NC Mag locals love luxury travel… More than half of B&NC Mag households own or rent a second home; 90% of our readers spend an average of at least 21 days away from home on vacation each year, and; 70% of our readers will take at least one vacation next year focused on skiing, golf or another outdoor activity! Perhaps our B&NC Mag travels will inspire your next journey… Enjoy!
BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
Spatial Planning
Pre-Construction Consultation
CASEY KAPLAN
President
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Lighting Design Consultation
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Since 2015, I’ve been transforming homes in a way that’s aligned with my clients’ tastes and visions. I firmly believe that every single space regardless of shape or size, has the potential to be beautiful with a little attention M A R from / A P R an 2 0expert. 2 2 & NEW CANAAN 1 1 Check out my work and give your office or home the transformationBEDFORD it needs today!
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MARCH/APRIL GREEN ISSUE
Contents
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EXCLUSIVE RESORTS: THE CAYMAN ISLANDS
For our first dive into covering luxury travel, the B&NC Mag team visited The Cayman Islands and enjoyed a first class vacation at the Exclusive Resorts residences at the Ritz Carlton on Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman.
41 OHHO: HELPING PEOPLE HAVE BETTER EVERY DAYS
Tucked away in the heart of Bedford Village, an adorable red cottage… oHHo: a cornucopia of tinctures, salves, and sweets - made with CBD, and, the best coffee in Bedford. Local Natasha Seery takes B&NC Mag to meet the local owners and learn how this trendy brand came to be.
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WEDDING: MR. & MRS. SHRAGER
“It’s like raaaaain - on your wedding day!” … Hailey and Conrad tied the knot in New Canaan this summer, on a rainy day, and it turned out to be perfect.
58 DETOX
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We all want to give our families the best of the best - and yet, we’re filling our homes, our skin, and our children’s environments with toxins. Here’s what you can do…
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Jessica Drenk, Contour 4 Plywood, 71 x 71 x 3 1/2 inches
WHAT’S THE BUZZ ABOUT?
Bees and beekeeping are essential to our environment. In this Cover Feature B&NC Mag Green Editor and Bedford 2030 Board President, Karen Sabath, writes about her own beekeeping experience, and talks with four other local beekeepers about their passion for the hobby.
82 AT HOME WITH THE KAGANS IN POUND RIDGE
Olga and Michael Kagan are the couple that dreamed-up and built the iconic mirrored stainless steel ‘21st Century Modern’ masterpiece, perched atop a glacial outcropping on twenty acres in Pound Ridge. Join us for a liberal arts education in their fabulous home.
www.heathergaudiofineart.com M A R / A P R
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203.801.9590 66 Elm Street, New Canaan, CT 06840
MARCH/APRIL GREEN ISSUE
Contents
Old Town Barns Crafted with Care in the Equine Tradition
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BUILDING BEYOND ‘GREEN’
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Green Building is yet another well-intentioned buzz-phrase that is backed by such disperate standards that it has lost nearly all meaning… so how do we move past ‘greenwashing’ to make buildings have a substantive and meaningful impact on our environment? Architect Asher Intebi takes B&NC Mag to speak with local experts, Architect Elizbeth DiSalvo, and Builder Mike Trolle - both industry veterans, to walk us through the process.
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ORCHARD’S END
This magnificent 25,000 square foot residence, built in 1929, was designed by the famous architect W.B. Tubby (who also designed Waveny Hall in New Canaan), and more recently, the house has been entirely renovated and improved. The property is listed for $16.5M, and B&NC Mag gets inside to provide a rare peek at what’s behind that massive stone wall.
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GOLF PERFECTION
The Robert Trent Jones, Sr. designed Anglebrook Golf Course is celebrating its 25th year, and is now well established as one of the finest golf courses and golf club membership experiences in the region.
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SPRING PLANTING
It’s hard to know exactly what plants are a fit in our region - that will survive the winter, won’t be ravaged by deer, and will still look great in your yard… so we turned to expert horticulturalists, Peter and Jenn Cipriano, who run the adorable Copia Nursery in South Salem.
140140
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HIKING POUND RIDGE
Go take a hike!…Pound Ridge is a hiker’s paradise! Longterm President of the Henry Morgenthau Preserve, Maryilyn Shapiro, provides a hikers guide to the best trails in Pound Ridge.
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FARM-TO-LABEL
AN UPDATE FROM BEDFORD 2030
It’s the Golden Age - or, perhaps the Green Age - of cannabis. And in the past year, recreational cannabis has been legalized in both New York and Connecticut. But buying locally and legally isn’t quite there yet… so we toured the grow operation at The Pass, a Massachusetts high-end dispensary, that’s only about an hour and a half from our readership.
Bedford 2030 Executive Director, Midge Iorio, provides an update on this key environmental organization’s progress in reducing local carbon emissions and other initiatives.
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Tel 845.855.1450
www.oldtownbarns.com
Zublin Construction Services, Inc. Pawling, NY 12564
THE
HANNELORE KAPLAN Team
AGENT #1 in New Canaan
Home is Everything
C. 914.450.3880 hannelore.kaplan@raveis.com hannelorekaplan.raveis.com @newcanaanhousehunter
Four Elm Street | New Canaan | CT 06840
Option B No Intagram symbol “Home is Everything” is bigger and has more space.
Wondering how much your home is worth? We’re in a compelling sellers market. Call me for a price opinion: 914-450-3880
NOW IS THE TIME TO SELL!
*Source: New Canaan Board of Realtors
148 Brushy Ridge New Canaan $1,299,000 - pending
114 Skyview Lane New Canaan $5,495,000 - pending
In contract in 1 week - well over ask!
In contract at full price in 2 weeks
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BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
301 Rosebrook Road New Canaan List: $3,795,000 SOLD: $3,900,000
13 Echo Hill Road New Canaan, CT 06840 $1,699,000
757 Oenoke Ridge AVAILABLE FOR RENT: $27,500/mo
231 Cannon Road Wilton, CT
In contract in 2 weeks. Sold over ask!
Modern offering!
Sold: available for rent from new owner
This will go quick!
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MARCH/APRIL GREEN ISSUE
Contributors MICHAEL KAPLAN is the Publisher of B&NC Mag and a long term Pound Ridge local. Michael is an attorney, a real estate investor, broker and developer, and a serial entrepreneur. Michael is known for having developed the #1 private automobile race track in the U.S., now known as the Monticello Motor Club. CASEY KAPLAN is the President of B&NC Mag. A homegrown product of Pound Ridge, Casey enjoys spending as much time as possible meeting locals, walking outdoors, shopping locally, and checking out local eats. Casey also runs a foodie Instagram called @NOLAgourmand SUE DECHIARA is the B&NC Mag Homes Editor, a former Pound Ridger and now long-term New Canaan local, and the founder of @zhush, a homes-focused Instagram with over 150k followers, and blog with thousands of weekly readers, all eager for updates and inspiration on interior design, fashion, beauty, art, and more. NATASHA SEERY is a Pound Ridge resident who spends her time writing and researching the ancient and arcane for TV, 360 and new media, and is a volunteer with the ambulance corp and the historical society. MIDGE IORIO is the Executive Director of BEDFORD 2030 and a long term Katonah local who’s committed to climate action and fighting for a clean and healthy environment. KAREN SABATH is the B&NC Mag Green Editor, President of the Board of Bedford 2030, and CEO of TBM Designs, LLC (whose patented InVert™ self-shading window system saves energy)...and she’s passionate about beekeeping. MARILYN SHAPIRO has been a Staff Editor for the New York Times and Development Director of Neighbors Link, and she’s presently the Executive Director of The Young Mariners Foundation in Stamford. Marilyn lives in Pound Ridge and is President of the Henry Morgenthau Preserve, Inc., and a member of the Pound Ridge Conservation Board. MATTHEW JOSEPH has traveled the globe in pursuit of par, but his visits to the Anglebrook Golf Club really struck a chord with him. Joseph has covered golf and ‘every sport with a ball and a score’ for numerous publications, including GOAL Magazine, The Collegiate Golfer, & Women’s Sports & Fitness. EMMA GRIFFITHS is the B&NC Mag Art Director, and an enthusiast of all things design. Emma is a Fine Art & Graphic Design graduate of The University of Chester.
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MATISSE The Cut-Outs in Print
EXCLUSIVE
J E A N
JACO BS
GA LLE RY
84 Main Street New Canaan Connecticut 06840 March 26 - May 26 BEDFORD & NEW 2 CANAAN
www.jeanjacobsgallery.com
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Photography: Dan Hollis
RESORTS:
CAYMAN ISLANDS By Casey Kaplan
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EXCLUSIVE RESORTS IS THE LAP OF LUXURY! It’s a curated collection of over 300 premier residences located in more than 75 of the most desirable vacation spots on the planet, and an Exclusive Resorts Membership offers the keys to as many homes, in as many locations, for as many weeks as desired. It’s the ultimate travel solution, and it’s ideal for those wanting assured comfort without the hassle and uncertainty of making ad hoc arrangements. Each Exclusive Resorts Member is assigned an Ambassador who works with the Member to facilitate bookings, learns the Member’s particular interests and requirements, and assists the Member in selecting the next place to visit. It’s even more than a vacation…It’s a lifestyle!
FIRST STOP : THE CAYMAN ISLANDS Long a banking safe-haven, Grand Cayman is renowned for being clean, safe and friendly, and having some of the best weather in the Caribbean. The Exclusive Resorts properties consist of four bedroom villas adjacent to the Ritz Carlton, which sits on the idyllic white-sand blue-water Seven Mile Beach. The homes are each well appointed, with spacious living and dining areas, full kitchen with subzero appliances, ensuite bedrooms, laundry, a private pool and patio, and a couple of golf carts to get around the resort. Great for rest and relaxation, but the perfect location for accessing all the activities the Ritz and the Caymans have to offer. 28
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VACATION PRE-PLANNING STARTS WITH A CALL FROM THE
EXCLUSIVE RESORTS ON-SITE
CONCIERGE ...dedicated to only a few visiting Members at a time - eager to fulfill every wish and requirement. Reservations at top restaurants in the Ritz including their outstanding Seven - and at the best culinary spots around the Island are all taken care of before arrival, the refrigerator is stocked as ordered, and private chefs and other personal arrangements, from babysitters to local transportation, are all set in advance. And the level of personal service only gets better once checked-in, as the Concierge is constantly available, and attentive to every request or shift in the day’s schedule. Guests are free to take advantage of the Ritz’s beach and inlet kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, paddlewheeling, mini-golf and basketball facilities.
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Tee times on the Ritz’s impeccably maintained Greg Norman golf course, court reservations for pickleball or tennis on the hard or red clay courts, and arrangements for massages and treatments at the Ritz’s Prairie Spa, are no problem. Beside the beach itself, Grand Cayman is known for an internationally acclaimed turtle rescue and farming facility, deepsea sport fishing, world class snorkeling and scuba, and sandbars inside the barrier reef which are host to schools of stingrays, coral reefs supporting all kinds of colorful fish and underwater fauna, and beds of starfish. With best-in-class charters booked by the Concierge - complete with details like champagne and cheese and fruit plates at the ready - all there is to do is enjoy the experience. BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
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The water is warm and the white sandbar only a few feet below the surface allows for viewers with no swimming prowess to stand-up and take in the show. These fearsome looking, but fabulously graceful and gentle creatures, have become accustomed to being fed, and are comfortable with brushing against, or even being handled by, the human visitors. The stingrays have no interest in deploying their once-ina-lifetime venomous stinger, and allow the tourists to stroke their backs and silky-smooth rubbery underbellies. It’s otherworldly…and a whole lot more family-friendly than cage diving to see sharks!
SWIMMING WITH THE STINGRAYS IS NOT TO BE MISSED!
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THE LOGISTICS
are actually quite simple and, particularly given the skyrocketing price of luxury hotel rooms, Exclusive Resorts is actually an economical alternative for any frequent travelers requiring multi-bedroom accommodations. Several different Membership options allow Members the flexibility to have Exclusive Resorts access for a timeframe that makes sense for their family and lifestyle. It’ s the right fit for any family with young kids, older children with significant others, parents and other relatives joining the trip, and/or adult groups.
NEXT STOP: THE WORLD While about half of the Exclusive Resorts locations are for beach vacations, the other half include almost equal proportions of mountain, metropolitan and other leisure destinations. In America: the beach vacations include some of the most sought after locations in Hawaii, California, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and Nantucket; there are metropolitan locations in most major cities, and; ski destinations include Deer Valley, Beaver Creek, Vail, Steamboat Springs, Telluride, Lake Tahoe, Sun Valley and Snowmass. In the Caribbean, destinations beside Grand Cayman include Abaco, Anguilla, Nassau, Nevis, Punta Cana, St. Bath’s, Turks & Caicos, and Virgin Gorda. The
impressive collection of residences in Europe include locations in such places as Algarve, Amalfi, Cote d’Azur, Ibiza, Lake Como, Provence, San Sebastian, Tuscany; ski destinations in Nendaz, Switzerland and Chamonix, France, and; the great cities of London, Paris, Berlin, Barcelona, Florence, Venice, Prague, Vienna, Dubrovnik, and Istanbul. There are destinations in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America, including exotic places like Bangkok, Bintan, Marrakech, Phuket, Kyoto, Ungasan in Bali, and Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica. Exclusive Resorts even includes residences at sea, on the largest privately owned residential ship on earth, called The World. As the destination in the Caymans has access to the Ritz Carlton, Exclusive Resorts partners with other topnotch resort and hotel brands such as Montage Hotels and Resorts and Auberge, which provides Members with access to preferred pricing, services, and amenities. And the Exclusive Resorts two- to five-bedroom homes offer plenty of space for friends and family traveling together.
The Exclusive Resorts experience is ideal for those seeking more family time, who appreciate quality, and have a passion for travel and adventure. It’s the hassle-free vacation - every time! It’s the ultimate in vacation accommodations! …And it’s a cut above everything else!
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RYAN CRONIN ORIGINAL ART + MUSEUM-QUALITY PRINTS + APPAREL + HOME
oHHo
Helping People Have Better Every Days By Natasha Seery
THE CRONIN GALLERY + THE SHOP
OPEN 12-6 PM, WEDNESDAY-MONDAY, OR BY APPOINTMENT
WATER STREET MARKET 10 MAIN STREET, NEW PALTZ, NY 845.430.8470 | cronartusa.com |
Blink and you’ll miss it, but tucked away right in the heart of Bedford village at 13 Court Road - and well worth the hunt - is oHHo : A cornucopia of tinctures, salves and sweets made with CBD and artisanally crafted to awaken the senses and heal the mind and body. And the shop is fast becoming a mecca for coffee-lovers too, as oHHo now sells its own Flying Coffee brand, which was named the Best Coffee in Bedford.
@thecroningallery
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Like many passion projects, oHHo was born from adversity. While Nicola’s bright and positive energy makes her the poster girl for the brand, it was her own brush with cancer that turned her attention to cannabis. Although ‘eternally grateful’ to modern medicine for saving her life, she admits it was a tough return. Nicola says, “I started looking for natural ways to build myself back up, specifically with plant-based solutions. Several friends asked if I’d considered marijuana, but I never touched drugs or smoked and wasn’t keen, till I realised it comes in sophisticated forms and doesn’t have to be smoked. If you’re over 21, with two legs and a heartbeat, CBD can really help. It’s like a lubricant helping seized-up parts of the body work properly, by reducing inflammation, associated pain and anxiety. Energy levels and sleep cycles improve too.”
O
wners Nicola and James Stephenson wanted to create a welcoming space where the ‘canna-curious’ could come and ask questions about medical cannabis. Their Boho-style cottage-kitchen outlet is just that.
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You might say it’s the renaissance that’s waited 2000 years.
The stereotype ‘stoner’ has now definitely left the building.
Forbes Health lists PTSD, pain, opioid addiction, symptoms of ALS, neurological disease, depression and even diabetes as conditions for which CBD can offer relief. If the alternative is Xanax and Chardonnay, then why not? State by state, marijuana is being decriminalised. See how quickly Hollywood stars and household names, like Martha Stewart, signed up with lines of their own. But they are not created equal…and therein lies the rub.
But back up for a minute - the British accents - how did they end up here? The Stephensons moved to New York City from London in 2015 with their two young children, now 13 and 14, and had a weekend rental upstate to escape. When the Friday night commute became too much, they searched online for something in-between and fell in love with a property on Pine Brook Road in Bedford. When the pandemic hit, they bailed on the city altogether and moved here full-time. 42
The cannabis industry has been shifting from illicit to mainstream, with the evolution of products and credible research.
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The Stephensons spent many months in R&D, ensuring their own line is an uncompromisingly high quality, sustainably-grown, ethically-sourced collection of organic oils and edibles. And guess what? Products flew off the shelves of the pop-up shop in Bedford, which is now their hub. They launched in March 2020, which James admits was, “Possibly the worst time in the world to start something, as the pandemic made everything more complicated. But at the same time, it helped us to really focus. There’s always a silver lining.” Taste, of course, is critical! The Stephensons learned that, in the same way vintners connect terroir with fine wine, cannabis farmers correlate terrain and outcome. Where the plants grow determines the oils’ own unique properties and benefits. So they visited some of the most beautiful places in the country looking for the finest small farms to supply the finest products. At oHHo, edible dots and gummies are laid out like jewels on the sweets counter. Created by Chef Nicole Del Pino, of Blue Hill at Stone Farms fame, they have flavors to ’reflect the seasons’. For floral, try Apple Rose dots with sun-ripened strawberries and chamomile flowers. Aromatic choices are Pear & Fennel Pollen with deep notes of vanilla and Blackberry & Earl Grey. Citrus-lovers out there might try zesty Lemon Ginger Sours with peach and dusted with rosemary sugar, which are as tangy as the day is long. The only danger is they taste so good you’ll want to pop them like Haribos. James shakes his head advising customers to “start low, go slow” as each dot contains 15mg of full spectrum CBD and should be savoured.
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OIL
IS THE BENCHMARK PRODUCT FOR CANNABIS, and the kind of ‘full spectrum’ CBD oils the Stephensons have at oHHo have the full range of terpenes, flavonoids, and cannabinoids to produce the desired reaction with our bodies’ endo-cannabinoid systems.
What’s Next? To UNWIND use ‘Vermont’ which is grown in the fresh mountain air and rich soils of Hunger Mountain. With its distinctive sweet citrus and chocolate tasting notes, they recommend starting with 0.25mL drops on the tongue, then working your way up. For FOCUS try ‘Oregon’ produced in the so-called Emerald Triangle, where the Holy Trinity of soil, rain and sunshine is unbeatable for growing cannabis. This oil tastes of orange pine and cinnamon, and has a hoppy aftertaste. ‘Colerado’ is grown and pressed in Steamboat Springs, famous for it’s mineral-rich soils and is said to stem symptoms of STRESS with a signature peppery taste. And finally “New York” is the hygge-cozy oil made in Saratoga Springs. Expect rose and pine tasting notes and take drops for SLEEP and COMFORT. This is Nicola’s go-to when she wakes in the early hours with a racing mind.
oHHo’s Dream Cream is a velvety orange-bergamot whip served up in a silver tube. Get yours before the Beauty Editors discover the stuff. I tried it and bought three. Mark my words. 46
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Let’s push the elephant out of the room: You’re not going to get high! Full Spectrum oils contain just enough THC to create an ‘entourage effect’, while the CBD is now proven to have positive effect in many areas of healing and well being. I’m not surprised to hear Nicola has a racing mind, she and James are proactive at every turn. They can’t get a decent coffee at the farmers market? They find a Columbian farmer and make their own. Soonafter, film director Wes Anderson requests a special blend for his latest film ‘The French Dispatch’ - et voilà ! A friend in Chicago reports New York oil is the only thing helping RSI pain in her hands - and James says it’s too expensive for a hand cream and goes back to the drawing board, returning with a more affordable topical balm to use instead. Karma kicked in here, again, and out of nowhere the singer Sza tweeted to 10+million followers how the oHHo cream helped her, and the rush was on. M A R / A P R
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What’s next? James is working with a Pfizer chemist and cannabinoid expert on formulations for Ginger Teas and Fungi products. “We don’t just chuck it in the bottle and hope for the best!“ he says. These folks don’t do shortcuts. In her spare time, Nicola has been working with the Women’s Prison Association helping incarcerated women rejoin society. She feels, “It’s only fair we help rebuild the lives of those who suffered from cannabis criminalisation.” oHHo stands for process not profit, education not misinformation, herbal not artificial, cutting edge not cutting corners, and community over commerciality. They even give 1% profits to the planet, taking good business practice to 11. What about the Buttercup van outside? “Ah,” Nicola muses. “So we had an ice cream company in England with this little truck years ago, and when we started oHHo we thought it would be fun to ship it over. Summer 2020 we took it to The Surf Lodge in Montauk, where Jayma let us hang out. Then lucky old Buttercup spent Fall in LA, and flew south to Palm Beach for the winter. Now she’s found a home in front of our Bedford store…and she’s become something of a mascot.” Nicola says that with running a new company there isn’t a lot of spare family time. “With whatever time we can find, we like to cook and garden, we adore the Bedford Playhouse and Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, and we just joined the Bedford Riding Lanes Association.”
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A Place to Be Understood Winston Preparatory School Connecticut is part of a leading network of schools for students with learning differences. At Winston Prep, a deep understanding of each student is at the core of the learning model. Our expert faculty conduct on-going, in-depth assessments, helping each child advance at a meaningful pace and thrive!
REGISTER TODAY for an open house at www.winstonprep.edu/admissions/open-houses or contact Michelle Rolfe, Admissions Director, mrolfe@winstonprep.edu. 57 West Rocks Road, Norwalk, CT 06851
Tel: 203-229-0465
Early Childhood Center • Religious School • B’nai Mitzvah Experience • Vibrant Programming for All Ages
Temple Shaaray Tefila is a vibrant, inclusive Reform congregation where anyone who seeks a warm and welcoming Jewish community will feel at home.
Photo credit: Todd Shapera
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Contact Alli West, Senior Director of Member Engagement and Experience M A R / A P R 2 0 2 2 awest@templest.org 914-307-0483 shaaraytefila.org
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moving westchester Houlihan Lawrence
At Epidavros, your prior life seems a world away. Gift yourself, or a loved one a nourishing treatment or spend the day indulging with one our Spa Ensembles. Come in and recover your soul.
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We sold our home during the pandemic, and found Amy’s guidance through the whole process, from first meeting through the closing, invaluable. The consummate professional, Amy was clear and thorough in providing options, offering advice, making recommendations, and providing resources when needed. Her knowledge of the market was evident as we went from repairing and decluttering, right through staging, listing, showings, and evaluating bids. Calm, patient, and readily accessible, Amy was a joy to work with. We fully expect to work with her again and would highly recommend Amy to sellers and buyers alike. She is truly a gem!”
“Amy is an outstanding professional who took the time for details, answering our questions, responding to our requests and being there for us every step of the way to sell our house during the Pandemic. She has her pulse on the market and provided excellent guidance on how to proceed throughout the sale process. Amy’s professional network provided a maximum level of exposure for marketing and selling our house. She knew exactly what needed to get done in the right time and the right fashion. We were extremely pleased with her work!”
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A R M O N K B R O K E R A G E | 3 9 9 M A I N S T R E E T, A R M O N K , N Y 1 0 5 0 4 M A R / A P R
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OKMLS, 1/1/21-12/31/21, total dollar volume of single family homes sold by Houlihan Lawrence Agent, Byram Hills school district; OKMLS, 1/1/21-12/31/21, total dollar BEDFORD NEW CANAAN 5 1 as of 1/6/22. volume single family homes sold, by agent,&Westchester County,
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Hailey DiApice and Conrad Schrager both grew up in Weston, CT, where Conrad was five years older and in the same grade as Hailey’s eldest sister. Both had found their way back to the area after graduating from college and met on a fun night out in SoNo when Hailey’s sister, Devon, brought the two together. Hailey said, “I was only twenty one, so I was nervous to be hanging out with my sister’s group of older guys. We ended up meeting a bunch of them at The Beer Garden in early February of 2015 and I really hit it off with Conrad. He asked me to be his Valentine, and we started dating pretty much immediately…and got serious really quickly.”
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The pair got engaged on Block Island four years later in 2019, with a gorgeous sunset backdrop and surrounded by some of their closest friends. Like so many, the couple were planning on a 2021 wedding, but with covid restrictions and complications, they nixed their originallyplanned Newport wedding in favor of a more intimate and festive 110 person event in New Canaan. On September 5, 2021, they got married at St. Aloysius, with a reception following at the Roger Sherman Inn. “Having it so close to our families and friends made it even better,” Conrad said.
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La Maison Fete is a full-scale event planning and event design company. LMF creates the unexpected for every occasion: weddings, dinners, luncheons, birthdays, holidays and cocktail parties. We make every gathering unique. This year, La Maison Fete’s new shop, in Bedford, New York’s town center, focuses on curated tableware, accessories and decorative elements to reinvent at home festivities.
“It poured on my wedding day!” Hailey shared, “Of course I was a bit upset by that in the beginning, but as the day went on it didn’t seem to matter anymore. We had the happiest day, and everything aside from the weather was perfect. We even managed to sneak off to Irwin Park after the ceremony for some photography before we met everyone at the reception.” And Conrad added, “When we pulled up, everyone was outside on the porch cheering for us and welcoming us to the party!” Hailey is the youngest of three and Conrad the second oldest of seven, so the evening was a funfilled event that really incorporated their families. Both of Hailey’s sisters and Conrad’s brothers gave speeches, and the newlyweds shared father-daughter and mother-son dances. “Hailey’s parents were basically disco queens back in the day - they used to compete and everything, so they’re incredible dancers… and Hailey’s dad gave us lessons before the wedding,” Conrad smiled. “It was hilarious,” Hailey continued, “my dad is this big macho Italian guy, and there he was telling Conrad that he needed to be sexy and get more into the music. Dancing at the wedding was a blast and I think everyone was blown away by our moves!” The couple moved to New Canaan right after the wedding to a house near town. Hailey exclaims, “New Canaan is amazing! We love it here! Everything is so convenient and charming. When I’m walking on Oenoke past all these beautiful old homes and the gorgeous churches, it just feels dreamy!”
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La Maison Fete 11 Court Road, Bedford New York 914.234.8627 www.lamaisonfete.com
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The couple chose Bedford Village Flower Shoppe to adorn their reception with gorgeous white hydrangeas and pale pink roses. “I was very particular with my flowers, but my sister Ava had worked with Lauren at Bedford Village Flower Shoppe before, and we loved her work. I trusted her completely and I’m so glad I did. She helped me with the color scheme, and made everything beautiful. Last minute I told her I wanted a flower chandelier with basically no other information, and she made it a reality. The greenery added so much to the aesthetic of the wedding. It felt like there were gorgeous flowers dripping off of every surface.” M A R / A P R
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Visit us at:
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DE TOX By Casey Kaplan
We’re all concerned with giving our families and our children the best of the best, especially when it comes to health and wellness. We buy organic, and electric vehicles are all the rage. And yet… we don’t think twice as we fill our homes with chemicals like ammonia, phthalates, perchloroethylene, triclosan, 2-butoxyethanol, chlorine, sodium hydroxide and other known toxins, carcinogens, and substances clearly linked to chronic health problems such as asthma, severe dermatologic issues, and kidney and liver damage. The skin is our body’s largest organ, and yet we use cosmetics containing formaldehyde, mercury and other toxins most people don’t even know how to pronounce.
But shifting to healthier alternatives can be a daunting task! Where to start? Which products are actually healthier and better for us? Enter Jenna Haefelin, who is the founder of Spiff, a company that offers a hasslefree suite of detox options which help to eliminate harmful chemicals from people’s daily routine. “Shifting over to healthier and more sustainable products becomes much easier when the task is broken into more manageable bite-sized pieces,” Jenna shares about her process. The Spiff process for detoxifying the home environment involves focusing on the key areas that have the most impact: kitchen, bathroom, laundry, and personal cosmetics.
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Photography: Andrea Ceraso
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“If you can’t pronounce something on the ingredient list, that usually means it’s not safe to be putting on your countertops, your skin, or in the air you breathe,” Jenna says. Through her Detox program, Jenna systematically identifies and eliminates the items that should go, and replaces them with thoughtful alternatives. She shares “toxic household cleaning supplies can be replaced with non-toxic and eco-friendly products from companies such as Supernatural and Bleuland. Somewhat surprisingly, even household cleaning products with wholesome images contain chemicals such as methylisothiazolinone, which is both
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a skin irritant and a neurotoxin thought to be linked to nerve cell damage and to be harmful to aquatic life…and in most cases, there are do-it-yourself or ecofriendly, non-toxic brand alternatives.” Some easy hacks for home-made solutions that you can make at home: Replace harsh window cleaners with: • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar • 1/4 cup isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol • 1 tablespoon cornstarch • 2 cups warm water Combine in a spray bottle and you’re good to go! Or for all purpose cleaner you can combine these easy ingredients and add in any essential oils for smell: • 1 cup distilled white vinegar • 1 cup water • Strips of lemon zest Vinegar is a natural disinfectant! Jenna continues, “It may be even more critical to become conscious of what we put on our face and skin, as most health and beauty aids, and the chemicals and contaminants included, are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Big brand name baby shampoos can be replaced with safer products, such as Tip-to-Tot soap.”
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Bedford-born company, Baxter + Bayard, is rooted in the same ideology of health and sustainability. Founder, Stephanie Olivero, created an entire line of baby blankets that are made with only organic materials; if it’s going on your baby’s body, you should know it’s safe. And based on their success, the brand has expanded into other products like bibs with their same playful patterns.
In the category of adult cosmetics, we love the all-green Tata Harper brand, because everything they produce is made with pure natural ingredients that are derived from the earth and cultivated in their indigenous habitat, and batched fresh on their 1,200 acre farm in Vermont. The Tata Harper products are natural, sustainable, cruelty-free, and always meet the COSMetic Organic and natural Standard, plus their packaging is made from glass and other earth-friendly materials. Spiff offers a tailored plan and suite of products based on each client’s individual needs, but some of Spiff’s favorite clean and safe recommended brands are: Hi Bar shampoo and conditioner, Native deodorant, Dropps for laundry detergent, and Blueland for dishwasher soap.
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In addition to the personal health benefits, the detox process is the environmentally conscious way to go. A big part of the process is removing as many plastics and single-use containers as possible, and switching to pods and refillables. And those chemicals you’re removing from your own routine? … Well they’re not good for our ecosystem either.
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Westchester Environmental Tree Service Tree Care Services in NY and CT Since 1994 We provide professional and personalized tree care services to home and business owners throughout Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield Counties including Armonk, Bedford, B&NC New Canaan, Greenwich, Mamaroneck, Rye, Half Page Advert Larchmont, Chappaqua, White Plains & beyond.
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A Long Ridge education encourages every child to explore, experience, and investigate in a joyful and academically challenging environment. For children age two through grade five
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Devin McCrossan Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker devin.mccrossan@compass.com M: 646.937.1897 387 Main Street, Armonk, NY
Devin McCrossan Real Estate Broker affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity All material presented M A R / isA aPLicensed R 2 0 Associate 2 2 BEDFORDLaws. & NEW CANAAN 6 5 herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.
what’s the
BUZZ about? Article & Photography by Karen Sabath, B&NC Mag Green Editor
Join our circle of friends. Schedule a virtual tour with our Admissions team.
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Karen is the B&NC Mag GREEN Editor, and President of the Board of Bedford 2030. She’s passionate about sustainability, striving to help the environment so that there will be a viable planet for future generations, and working to contribute to making a positive difference in energy, waste, water and food. To that end, Karen is also CEO of TBM Designs, a company she co-founded in 2015, that develops architectural building materials, such as their InVert™ Self-Shading Window System, that are responsive to their environment. …And Karen is a beekeeper… I’ve always been fascinated how the range of honey flavors - earthy, floral, spicy, smoky, woody, and fruity - is as diverse as the flowers that provide food to the honey bees that visit them. That the honey we eat is the excess product of honey bees having visited millions of flowers to collect pollen and nectar, and a hive working round-the-clock in harmony to produce enough honey to keep the hive nourished. But when I started beekeeping about 15 years ago, I was drawn specifically to the beauty of the hive that the bees built for themselves. Seeing the frames for the first time inside the honey bee hives at my sister’s farm, Rainbeau Ridge in Bedford Hills, I was in awe of the perfectly crafted hexagons of the honeycomb.
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I’ve learned that the wax comes from wax glands on the bees themselves (incredible) which only kick into action at certain times in a bee’s life. I quickly began to see the difference between worker bees and drones and was able to recognize the queen. I started to be able to see eggs in the honeycomb cells and find queen cells built by the workers when the hive would need a new queen (amazing). I watched bees fly in and out of the hive and lost all track of time as I was mesmerized by watching for the different colors of pollen coming in on their legs, learning that they could fly up to five miles to collect pollen and nectar if necessary and still come back to their own hive (phenomenal). The more time I spent observing the hives, the more I became fascinated and the more I wanted to learn about honey bees.
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L
It was a warm spring day in May and a perfect day for a hive inspection.
Lia did what she had been doing for six years and went out to her hives to look inside each one, checking for the queen and the overall health of her honeybee hives. Satisfied with the hive inspections, Lia turned to leave the area when she saw a huge cluster of bees on one of her apple trees. She knew right away it was a swarm and she was thrilled that they were on a low, very reachable branch.
LIA LA MONICA
Knowing she had to act quickly but carefully, Lia sprang into action and assembled a hive box with frames and a bottom board which she placed directly under the branch. She’d been part of catching a swarm before, but this time she was going to do this on her own for the very first time. Determined, Lia shook the branch and watched the amazing cascade of honey bees as they fell as planned into the hive box, thousands of them following each other into what she hoped would be their new home. She knew she had to make sure that the queen was in the hive box or the swarm would leave again and so she waited a short time, watching carefully to see how the bees were behaving. The queen’s pheromone smell is strong and draws the bees to their hive – if the queen was indeed in the hive box, the bees would eventually all join her and start building their new colony in this place. She noticed some of the bees had returned to the apple tree branch and so Lia shook the branch again to do the best she could to keep the hive together. And it worked. The queen and her swarm made a brand new hive and made for a wonderful present – that day was her daughter’s birthday!
K KAREN SABATH
I got certified as a Master Beekeeper at Cornell University, and I serve on the leadership team of the Hudson Valley Natural Beekeepers - a hub for all things beekeeping in the region. I also run Sabath Beekeeping Services, which maintains hives and consults for local residential and commercial customers.
I’m no less fascinated with bees today than when I started 15 years ago, and I’m always learning how to be a better beekeeper. I manage hives in six different places and I have the opportunity to observe how the hives compare across locations. Some spots are just more hospitable for hives than others, and it depends on the combination of what forage is available close to the hives, what chemicals are being used nearby, the temperature range, the wind conditions, the hive’s surroundings and ‘runway’, and the amount of other hives in the area. I learn from the bees themselves (people who know me know that I talk to my hives) and I learn so much from other beekeepers. Every time I open a hive to do an inspection, my purpose there is to check on the health of the hive…and each time I’m met with the delicious smells of the active hive. I take pictures of the bees at work, of beautiful honey comb, of the queen if I’m lucky enough to see her . . . and it just never gets old. Every year I take pictures of the same thing and I still don’t get tired of that. And once in a while I’m rewarded with something extraordinary. Last summer, I was inspecting a hive and I took note of several queen cells in the hive, which meant that the hive had created new queens to replace the one that had left in what’s called a ‘swarm’. While I was taking pictures of the fully closed queen cells as I have often done, I saw the tip of one of the cells open up and watched, as I’d never seen before, the hive’s brand new queen walk out into the hive for her very first time. I was breathless.
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Eager to share other local beekeeper’s stories... I interviewed four other people about their experiences, how they got involved, and what has made it all worth it!
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For Lia, though, keeping bees is about much more than the honey. “It is such a great escape from the world,” Lia says reflecting on her hive inspection experiences, “where I am only focusing on the bees and where I feel so calm and relaxed.” She admits that she wasn’t expecting to feel this relaxed and that it caught her off guard. Throughout 2020 in particular, her mind was on all things pandemic and so when she needed to check the hives, she was able to disappear into the world of this beautiful insect, giving her a much needed respite from her very real world concerns. Lia says, “I really like knowing I’m part of a much bigger community of beekeepers. I’m so lucky that my neighbors have planted pollinator plantings on their properties and people are very aware of the Pollinator Pathway. We are fortunate to have this incredible ecosystem right in our backyard, and as more and more people learn about it, they’ll recognize how important their own behavior is to everything else in nature.”
A lifelong animal lover, Lia had moved from the big city to New Canaan, with her husband, and immediately began to build her menagerie. She soon had a total of three dogs, then she added chickens, and then came her first beehive. She feels lucky to have connected with a mentor who is a third generation beekeeper from Sarajevo, with years of experience to share. This past fall, Lia harvested about 300 pounds of honey from her hives and sold her “Francesca’s Apiary Wildflower Honey” at the New Canaan Farmers Market and at the Bartlett Honey Festival in Stamford, participating for the first time. People compliment her on the honey’s flavor, which she credits to all the neighborhood flowers.
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Swarms happen when a hive is thriving and half the bees leave with the queen to start a new hive, leaving a new queen to repopulate the original hive
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R
Ralph loves meeting new beekeepers and helping them learn what to look for in a hive inspection, and how to do things like test for mites, which are a huge threat to the health of a hive. It reminds him of his early forays into beekeeping when he and his wife Beth were standing next to a new hive when they were hiving their first package of bees. Ralph recalls that they were reading Ed Weise’s lovely beginner book, The Queen and I, and holding the pages open and reading the instructions, ”...And now it says to shake the bees down into the box and pour them…” while Beth manipulated the bees.
Ralph tells about how one time he was in his bee yard working on one hive and then noticed that the next hive was starting to swarm. He acted on pure adrenalin and, grabbing a queen excluder to keep the queen from passing through, he wedged it in front of the hive entrance. Luckily, he did it in time and prevented the queen from getting out, so he temporarily interrupted the swarm process. When the rest of the bees returned to their queen shortly afterward, he was able to open up the hive and split it into three thriving hives, capping an exhilarating experience.
RALPH SZUR
Ralph credits his wife with getting him into beekeeping. They lived in the 4,700 acre Pound Ridge Reservation in Cross River starting in 1989 and for a decade, in the 1860 David Webb House across the street from the Trailside Nature Museum. Beth took over a few of the Reservation’s hives and then joined the Connecticut-based “BackYard Beekeepers Association” to expand their knowledge. They learned of a beekeeper who was retiring and, soon afterward, they went with a pick up truck to move four more hives to their home. Unfortunately, they learned a hard lesson – always strap the boxes together very well and seal the entrances shut before moving hives. Indeed, because they didn’t take those steps, they arrived home with four hives full of very discombobulated and angry bees, although the hives ultimately settled into their new apiary, and Ralph and Beth took note for the future.
Another time, Ralph channeled his inner MacGyver and quickly made a swarm catcher out of a five-gallon water bucket, which he attached to a light bulb changing rod that was extendable. He was able to get underneath a swarm that was resting in one of his trees, jolt the branch they were attached to, and get the swarm to fall into the bucket. Putting the swarm into an empty hive box, Ralph was able to populate a new hive, another reminder of the joys of beekeeping.
S
Stacy is a ‘jill of all trades’. You may know her from her Sweet Pea Farm. Or her chocolate truffles. Or from when she had a bridal salon in New Canaan. Or when she was a volunteer firefighter in New Canaan in the 1980s. These days, when she’s not running her cafe - which is moving from Brookfield to a new location in New Milford as Cafe 1840 - she brings her love of food and flavors to the beekeeping world, traveling to one of five locations where she keeps her bee hives.
More than 22 years after getting his first hive, Ralph is generous with his time, as he enjoys teaching other beekeepers, including his grandson, Mickie. His deep knowledge of beekeeping comes out when he talks through a hive inspection with an audience …who hang on his every knowledgeable word. Still fascinated with everything about bees and beekeeping, Ralph remarked, “Bee swarming is one of the most intense and unusual experiences in nature. When you drive up in your driveway and you hear the intense buzzing . . . it doesn’t sound like anything else.”
STACY MURPHY
Depending on the time of year, Stacy manages between 25 and 35 hives. She’s been beekeeping since 2010, when she joined the Back Yard Beekeepers Association and started learning from them as a ‘Newbee’. Stacy loves opening up a hive and smelling all of its natural smells. And she can’t get enough of tasting different kinds of honey. Her hives generate wildflower, clover and buckwheat honey, each of which she harvests every year. Stacy enjoys taking her honey products to the next level. She offers Bourbon Maple Honey, which she makes by combining local maple syrup with her honey and then aging it in a bourbon barrel, creating amazing flavors without the alcohol. Another popular seller is her CBD honey, using locally extracted CBD, which Stacy infuses into her honey, to produce an alternative pain management product. Stacy loves the ongoing process of learning about bees and beekeeping. Her newest discovery was that of verbal communication among bees, particularly the queen peeping to signal her leadership of the hive. She’s also very interested in the latest genetic bee breeding, aimed at developing more disease and mite resistance in less aggressive bees. Stacy knows she wants to keep beekeeping for a long time and, as for continuous learning, she declares, “Part of the joy of beekeeping is that you never finish!”
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Five years ago, Allan started beekeeping in his backyard in Armonk as an extension of his love of nature and gardening. Now he manages eight hives in two locations. He says he never stops learning – from other beekeepers, and even more importantly, from the bees themselves. Starting out, Allan spent a lot of time learning the ins and outs of beekeeping from fellow beekeepers. He took in different opinions about how to best manage beehives, to monitor for pests, and to get the bees to ‘overwinter’ (be healthy enough and with enough food to get through the winter).
ALLAN RATAFIA
For sure the part that Allan loves the most is, “solving the puzzle of what’s going on in a hive.” If Allan finishes a hive inspection and observes that the hive is dealing with a problem (maybe the loss of a queen or a range of other issues), he often closes up the hive and takes time to review the range of potential actions he can take to help the hive. Many times, he uses his experience to guide his next step. “But if I’m not sure, I will wait and let the bees figure it out for themselves,” Allan concedes. And they most often do that successfully, a lesson he tries to teach the new beekeepers who reach out to him for advice on getting started. “Take your time. Don’t rush through an inspection. Let the bees tell you what’s happening.”
Like many beekeepers, those practices are honed from actual experiences year after year as a beekeeper and Allan agrees. “I learned fast from other beekeepers, and then formed my own opinions.” When his hives build up in the spring and get ready to swarm, he often splits them, and moves the new hive to a friend’s house. While that hive is establishing itself and building up its population, the bees are great tenants, pollinating their landlord’s plantings until the hive is strong enough to be moved back to his apiary.
He’s thrilled that so many more people are interested in beekeeping, and is even responsible for his golf club having hives and a Honey Bee Committee. The club only uses approved ecofriendly treatments for the golf course in order to protect the nearby reservoir and the bees, and has committed to planting even more pollinator-friendly plants. The club’s honey bee hives serve to reinforce the club’s commitment to environmental stewardship, and everything about the program is a good model of behavior for the members.
Allan remarks, “I‘m a beekeeper purely for the fun of it! And I’m fascinated with bees! Even the head cover for my driver is honeycomb patterned!”
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The
BEEC
A
Turn What You Love Into Where You Live
‘s
•Honey bees help pollinate plants that produce fruits and vegetables and animal feed, and the bees collect pollen in the process •Honey bees collect nectar from a plant’s ‘nectaries’ that are only there to attract pollinators •Swarms happen when a hive is thriving and half the bees leave with the queen to start a new hive, leaving a new queen to repopulate the original hive •Honey has healing properties, especially for sore throats and allergies •Know your beekeeper and make sure you trust your honey source - tests have shown more than ⅔ of store-bought honey has been adulterated •A worker bee makes just 1/10 of a teaspoon of honey in her whole lifetime don’t waste a drop! Location, Location, Location | Pound Ridge | 5 BR, 5.3 BA | $5,500,000 Custom built, American Shingle Style home with meticulous detailing throughout. Private and quiet with direct access to the Bedford Trail System, Caramoor Music Festival and Farmer’s Markets in the most charming of all the Bedford hamlets - only an hour from New York City. The home offers a choice of 1st or 2nd floor master bedrooms with timelessly designed bathrooms, formal gardens, a 30’x 50’ pool and pool house. A caretaker’s cottage, barn and collector’s garage complete the 12-acre estate. Web# H6160383 Sally Slater: O 914.234.4590 | M 914.584.0137
To Support Bees and Pollinators (you don’t have to be a beekeeper): •Don’t use pesticides or herbicides •Keep the dandelions for early spring food •Plant native, pollinator friendly plants such as flowering herbs, lavender, borage, daisies, and sunflowers •Choose plants so there will be flowers all summer and fall •Spread the word on the importance of pollinators
Architect Rendering
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BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN 7 5 83 KATONAH AVENUE, KATONAH NY 10536 914.232.3700 © 2022 DOUGLAS ELLIMAN REAL ESTATE. ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED HEREIN IS INTENDED FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY. WHILE, THIS INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT, IT IS REPRESENTED SUBJECT TO ERRORS, OMISSIONS, CHANGES OR WITHDRAWAL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL PROPERTY INFORMATION, INCLUDING, BUT NOT M A R / A P R
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LIMITED TO SQUARE FOOTAGE, ROOM COUNT, NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN PROPERTY LISTINGS SHOULD BE VERIFIED BY YOUR OWN ATTORNEY, ARCHITECT OR ZONING EXPERT. EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
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WESTCHESTER'S COUNTRY CLUB
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AT HOME WITH THE
KAGANS IN
POUND RIDGE
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Photography: Nicholas Venezia
Olga and Michael Kagan are the couple who dreamed-up, built, and now live in the iconic mirrored stainless steel ‘21st Century Modern’ masterpiece, perched atop a glacial outcropping at a high point on their carefully preserved 20 acres in Pound Ridge. At once an unusual, outstanding and little bit mysterious fortress-like manse, and yet in perfect harmony with nature, the masterpiece reflects its surroundings…and something of the Kagans at the same time. “The house is a part of us,” Michael says plainly.
Looking and acting the part of the prototypical Gates-styled nerd, everything about Michael speaks to his obviously off-the-charts IQ…Including the anecdote about how, in Michael’s senior year, Gates came to Harvard to recruit for Microsoft, and, as Michael recalls, “Gates was interested in the work I’d done modifying DOS. I even went out to Washington for their 7-hour interview, and Steve Balmer handed me a contract. I would have been one of the early employees... but I was seduced by the financial world instead.”
Michael is a Pound Ridge native. His family moved to Bedford in 1968, when Michael was 8. Michael recalls, “Even as a little kid, I was taken by all the natural surroundings. As a high schooler I spent tons of time in the woods, wandering around what was then the Stamford Water Company property and is now Aquarion’s land surrounding our property. One winter when the ponds icedover, my dad took me ice skating on a pond by a large white mid-century modern house designed by the famed architect Vuko Tashkovich. I was blown away by it, and it really triggered a lifelong interest in architecture. Imagine my surprise when I returned home for Thanksgiving from my freshman year at college to discover that my parents had bought that very home at 55 Old Corner Road in Pound Ridge.”
At his first job out of college, at pension fund manager Grantham Mayo, Michael designed and built one of the first automated stock picking systems. In 1984, Michael met Olga in Brookline, Massachusetts, in what Michael calls “one of the first examples of computer dating”... Olga was working at a computer dealership that sold Apple computers. Michael came in to order a newly announced Macintosh, then kept checking in regularly, first on the arrival of the machine… then on Olga. By the time the Macintosh came in, they were dating.
Michael graduated from Fox Lane in 1978, then moved on to Harvard. Michael reminisces, “When I got there I had no idea what I wanted to do. I started pre-med and, funny enough, with a Russian History major. I ended up majoring in Economics. I thought I was pretty cool because I was the first person at Harvard to have a personal computer an Apple 2 Plus, and I spent a lot of time studying computers and how to apply the technology to stock analysis.”
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Olga was born in Moscow, “In the dark times when it was still the U.S.S.R. and Breznev was in power. I came to America in 1976, I watched on TV as Jimmy Carter was elected President. I spoke very little English, as French had been my second language, and I wanted to soak up every bit of American culture, especially music - and 70’s Rock-n-Roll really was a revelation! While I was working to make ends meet, my heart stopped every time I passed by one of the many Boston area colleges…I wanted education for its own sake - a luxury most new immigrants couldn’t afford. Eventually, I did take classes at Boston College and Tufts, and, at 32, I graduated from Wellesley with a degree in Philosophy.”
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Michael and Olga were married in 1986, and when a hedge fund lured him to New York shortly thereafter, they jumped at the opportunity. Olga was particularly excited about the move as, “Boston didn’t have as much in terms of cultural offerings, and I wanted to go to the theater every night.” In 1994, the couple moved up to Pound Ridge with their two young sons, Ben and Daniel, and purchased their own Tashkovich home, on Winterbottom Lane in Pound Ridge, next door to Eartha Kitt. Michael had joined Fidelity (where he learned to pick stocks from Peter Lynch), and later Clearbridge Investments, where he presently is a Senior Fund Manager, and co-runs $12.5 billion in mutual funds and separate accounts.
Olga, a very present mom for the boys, began focusing professionally on her passion for the dramatic arts around 1998, and over the years has built that passion into a modest career as a producer, first for stage, and then for screen. “To get into the industry, I got a job at an agency for writers and actors, answering phones and reading scripts. I worked for a casting director and volunteered for theater production companies where I was involved in development. I even worked as a dialogue coach for a Russian play off Broadway. Eventually, I produced Arthur Miller’s Creation of the World and Other Business that opened soon after 9/11, with Arthur Miller at the premier. In the last 15 years I’ve been involved in producing several films. I enjoy working with writers and currently focus on development of new material for the small screen.” About their current home, Michael explains, “I used to hike around here when I was a Boy Scout, and actually climbed on these rocks as a kid. We bought this land in 2009, with the clear idea that we wanted to build something special in this very special place. Our boys were about to go off to college and beyond, and we wanted a project. I’d always secretly dreamed of being an architect, I’d lived in two Tashkovich houses, I’d even taken a course in architecture in 2003 to prepare for the project. We knew we wanted a modern house and hoped to create a piece of art… We started by redeveloping the 33-acre parcel and creating a 10-acre parcel we donated to the Pound Ridge Land Conservancy. I became so interested in what they were doing that I joined the Board of the PRLC in 2011.” 84
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The geometric design of the house involves two distinct, large rectangular volumes sheathed in stainless steel panels, which appear to float on their pedestal of stone-faced concrete and the enormous glacial rocks on which the residence is set. Some of the panels are mirrors, others are matte, and the flashing adds a third element. All are reflective to some degree, giving a dappled, ever-changing appearance to the house. A glassed-in bridge connects the two rectangles. The structure stands-out from it’s natural settings as an architectural expression of engineering, technology and modernism but, at one and the same time, largely because of the effect of the mirrored panels, blends in with its surroundings, sometimes even seeming to almost disappear. In this sense, it is more like Frank Lloyd Wright’s Marin Civic Center than his Falling Waters, and this cubist expression is theoretically akin to Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Museum, or even Grace Farms in New Canaan. The couple chose noted architect, Kieran Timberlake, to design the home, mainly because they had been enthralled by his Loblolly House on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, and the way its innovative siding blended beautifully into the surrounding forest. Not an easy feat given the intricacies and detail of the project, construction began in 2013, and the Kagans chose Prutting & Company to make the dream a reality. “Dave Prutting was instrumental in the success of the project - and he even brought it in pretty close to budget. We’d seen the work he’d done renovating and modernizing a mid-century modern in New Canaan and we were impressed with the quality of work and attention to detail.” Michael reports. “Beyond the architectural plans, Prutting and his team had to be agile enough to work the poured concrete first-floor base of the house in and around the massive rocks, drill into the rocks for support -while avoiding blasting, and hang each individual panel to a level of precision within fractions of an inch to fit together. And the glass bridge required on-site adjustments. Nothing phased Dave!“ An M.C. Escher inspired floating stair takes the visitor from the entrance atrium to the glass bridge, which is suspended between the cliffs at the back of the house and has an expansive view of the Pound Ridge Reservation. The feeling and presence of the forest and rocks outside are a constant at all points throughout the interior. The public wing of the house holds a kitchen and a great room, and a structure-within-a-structure that contains a home theater in a professionally soundproofed room. The house is extremely energy efficient. The walls are R45 and the windows triple-paned. All lighting except two fixtures is LED. The house just misses the standard for being considered a passive design. The heating and cooling system is geothermal. Total heating, cooling and electricity costs – including charging a Tesla – run just $300 a month.
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A SOCIAL VISIT WITH THE KAGANS IS A
LIBERAL ARTS
E DU C AT I ON Jazz or classical music from a concert quality sound system fills the space, and Michael is happy to discuss the system components and fidelity, while Michael or Olga can deliver the details and a commentary on anything and everything playing. They’re melophiles, who’ve become major fans and substantial benefactors of Caramoor. Olga has joined the Advisory Board of Caramoor and explains, “Michael and I have a love of music in common. I played classical piano most of my life, and when we met, I impressed Michael with my Bach. He, in turn, took me to the Boston Symphony on our third date. Until Covid, our routine was to attend at least one live event every other week, here or in the City. The music at Caramoor is top quality, the musical offering is varied and interesting, and the setting is spectacular.”
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Aromas from the gourmet kitchen, which occupies about a third of the side of the house used for entertaining, has everything utilitarian separated from the public function in the majority of the space. And a meal at the Kagans is a culinary lesson. They are foodies, but at home practice a healthy and simple diet, buying most food in nearby farm stores. Olga likes to grill vegetables, and can cook a mean borscht. And Michael jokes, “A good dinner is the best excuse for a great bottle of wine.” Whereupon, class may be adjourned to the wine cellar to discuss oenophile interests. A connoisseur, Michael prefers to buy wine when it’s the vineyard’s only release, and shared, ““I took the Kevin Disraeli course on wine at Windows On The World at the top of the World Trade Center in 1995, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”
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Then there’s the art! Frank Stella prints give the great room entertaining space the feeling of a museum of modern art, and inspire conversation. A tour of the rest of the residence reveals a most eclectic collection, as Michael points out, saying “We buy what we like and we enjoy collecting!” Displayed in the hall are 9 (of the 16 they own) large framed dark charcoal lithographs, under glass, by Giovani Batista Piranesi. “Piranesi worked in the 1700s and specialized in depicting detailed architecture,” Michael explains. “We saw this suite of particularly intriguing etchings called Imaginary Prisons, done in 1753, at a Christie’s auction, and we were too fascinated to pass them up.” Along with Sol Lewitt, Miro and a new Sara Sze’s Floating Cities, Mike and Olga collect Esher lithographs and other artists.
And then, if Michael’s machine shop in the first floor bunker is included in the visit…engineering and mathematics. A massive CNC Mill dominates the space, which Michael’s built-out with capabilities to work with as large as a 900 lb. stainless steel sheet - and yet still achieve ultimate precision. Michael is presently constructing a large-scale, aluminium model Fokker Triplane - that will fly! “I’m building it at 1:3 scale, so the wingspan will be
27 feet and it will stand 9 ½ feet tall. I design and machine every part. I’ve been building planes since I was 7, and built planes that flew when I was in high school. I like building stuff and working with my hands, and I love the precision that’s necessary in this work and that it requires accuracy to within 3/10,000 of an inch. This Fokker will take me about 1,500 hours - but it would be a lot longer without the help of computer design.”
Once outdoors, the Kagans are even more animated. Olga walks around with the pride of a grower, “The house is surrounded by native gardens and a meadow that greets visitors along the driveway. This property is extremely vernal, rustic and natural, and I love how the reflectiveness of the house makes you feel like the house isn’t there and that the natural space you’re in is uninterrupted. We’ve insisted on everything being native species, including a lot of witch hazels, native maples, and white oak as a shelter and food for birds. And we’ve constructed extensive walking paths to link various parts of the property.” And Michael will, inevitably, shift the conversation to his passion - The Pound Ridge Land Conservancy. “After our 10 acre donation to the PRLC when we originally bought the land, I was intrigued by their mission of forever preserving land in Pound Ridge. I’m very keen about our responsibility to be stewards of the planet. In the Jewish tradition it’s called Tikun Olam - to repair the world. I became PRLC’s Treasurer in 2012, and I’ve been serving as President since 2018. I’m proud to say that Pound Ridge has the highest percentage of permanently preserved land of any town in Westchester.” The PRLC owns a total of 387 acres, located in 19 preserves, 7 with trails, and maintains back-up preservation easements on an additional 150 acres of town and wetlands. They work to foster biodiversity and restore plants that are native, and are actively working to fight against invasive species. Every weekend between March and December, Michael can be seen with a shovel and shears at various Pound Ridge Preserves, including Clark, Halle Ravine, and Armstrong, digging-out and pulling Japanese Barberry, Burning Bush, and other invasive species choking the local forests. Michael points out, “We have work sessions on the first Saturday of every month when volunteers and our Land Steward perform conservation work on our preserves, and we’ve extensively restored about 150 acres of our preserves so far. We run high school and college internship programs. And recently, we were accepted into the Land Trust Alliance’s accreditation process, and we hope to become accredited in 2023.” Michael often invites friends and new Pound Ridge residents to take walks with him and Olga in one of the beautiful preserves he’s been tending diligently over the last decade in the last decade “We have many interests,” Olga chimes in while walking, “but environmentalism takes a most important place on the list.” 90
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16 GUARD HILL RD B E D FOR D C OR NE RS / NY
$6.95 M Completely renovated modern farmhouse featuring chic style in all its comforting glory. Idyllically set on 13+ park-like acres in Bedford’s premier locale, Guard Hill. Enjoy the finest indoor/outdoor lifestyle with ponds, pool, outdoor kitchen, paddock and riding ring, and access to the Bedford Riding Lanes.
www.BedfordStone.com
t hin S to n e & B r ic k V en eer S | f lagS to n e | B el gium B l o c k | P o o l d ec kin g & c oPin g | f ield S to n e S to n e f l o o r in g | S to n e B en c he S | g a r d en P at h S to n e | w a ll S to n e S | f ir e Plac e m at er ia l S
284 a damS S treet , B edford h illS , n ew Y ork 10507 | 914-666-6404 | S ince 1925
Confidence. It’s built over time.
55 PENWOOD RD
$ 7.5 M
B E D FO RD C O RN E RS / N Y
4 WHIPPOORWILL RD
$4 .895M
ARMONK / NY
Our students graduate with the courage to have a point of view and the skills to express it, honed through years of practice.
FOR MORE ABOUT OUR ADMISSION EVENTS www.countryschool.net/visit
6 HOLLOW RIDGE RD
$ 3 .995 M
A RM O N K / N Y
28 SARLES ST
$3 .3 M
A RM O N K / N Y
$234M Sold Volume in 2021 GO BOLDLY. 92
635 Frogtown Rd, New Canaan, CT • (203) 801-5608 BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
New Canaan Country School is a co-ed, independent day school for students in Pre-K (ages 3 & 4) through Grade 9 living in Westchester and Fairfield counties. Graduates excel at top day, boarding and public secondary schools and go on to lead lives of impact and purpose. For more information, please visit countryschool.net. M A R / A P R
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Licensed Real Estate Salesperson
brian.milton@compass.com @BrianPMilton
BrianMiltonCompass.com BEDFORDCompass & NEW CANAAN 93 Compass Greater NY Connecticut 387 Main St 200 Greenwich Ave, 3rd FL Armonk, NY 10504 Greenwich, CT 06830 (m) 914.969.9889 (m) 203.900.4020
COME VISIT The All-New
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NOW UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP...
David and Darren Beylouni, owners of Colonial Ford in Danbury, CT now bring 30 years of Ford sales and service experience to BEDFORD HILLS “The family-owned Colonial Ford of Westchester is excited to be a part of the Bedford Hills community and we look forward to showing you the difference family owned and operated means to you.”
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519 N. Bedford Rd., Bedford Hills, NY 10507
(Formerly Arroway Ford) Dealer Facility #7128380
C o l o n i a l F o r d We s t c h e s t e r. c o m
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BUILDING BEYOND
‘GREEN’ By Asher Intebi
Not unlike the terms ‘organic produce’, ‘fair-trade’, ‘compostable plastic’, and ‘sustainably farmed’, ‘Green Building’ is yet another well-intentioned phrase that is backed by such disparate standards it has nearly lost all meaning. So how do we move past ‘greenwashing’ - overstating environmentalfriendliness for the sake of appearance - to make buildings have a substantive and meaningful impact on our environment? How do we transcend the fad and produce homes that will still be efficient and responsible for generations? What sustainable trends are on the horizon that we can be planning for today? What is the process of turning a vision for a sustainable home into reality? 96
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We turned to industry veterans - and locals! Mike Trolle and Elizabeth DiSalvo, to share their expertise, and walk through their process of designing and building quality, sustainable, and healthy homes. Mike, co-founder and principal of BPC Green Builders, has over 20 years of experience in sustainability-focused residential construction. Elizabeth, founder and principal architect at Trillium Architects, is an expert in LEED, Net Zero, and Passive House methods and a former board member on the Connecticut Green Building Council. Together, the two have formed a tag-team partnership - sharing office space and working off each other’s strengths to deliver homes that go beyond ‘green’. BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
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To start, the design process begins with an understanding of the clients’ goals. As Elizabeth puts it, prospective clients come to them with some combination of four goals in mind: 1) to reduce operational costs by building an efficient home, 2) to reduce environmental impact by building a sustainable home, 3) to reduce toxins and allergens by building a healthy home, and/or 4) to reduce construction waste by building a final forever home to pass on to future generations. “No matter what they come to us for, we aim to educate them about all of the four reasons so that by the time design is complete they are educated on all of the options and all of the possibilities,” Elizabeth explained. “And, luckily, the way we build all of our houses satisfies each of the four needs, so our clients may not know it but they are meeting all four goals at least at a baseline level.”
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By the time the first pencil hits the paper, sustainable principles are already embedded into the design process. The sun’s trajectory in the sky informs the building orientation to reduce solar heat gain in the summer and embrace the sun’s warmth in the winter, all while maximizing the ability to harness sunlight for onsite energy generation. The prevailing wind patterns are studied to plan for natural ventilation. Consideration is already given to the thickness of the exterior shell that will be needed to keep the home high-performing and energy-efficient. As Elizabeth puts it,
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“This sort of design is all we do in our office, so it’s ingrained in our designs from the first sketches. Our goal is always to work with the land, the clients’ goals, and the latest building technologies and materials that would be best suited for the project.” Looking toward a brighter future, Elizabeth muses about a “...world in which each house and property is its own microcosm. Each home would be Net Zero and off the grid. This means that all of the energy needed to operate would be produced on-site. Each house would also manage all of its own water and waste on-site. Imagine if each home managed all of its own energy, water, waste, and some food production. That would take a tremendous burden off of local infrastructure. Eventually, every building in the world could be this way.”
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To make a home that’s truly sustainable one cannot start measuring efficiency at move-in day. Meaning, by itself net-zero energy - producing as much energy as being consumed - is not enough. The full life cycle of a home has to be understood, including the materials’ source, the process of bringing the materials to the site, the construction waste generated, the lifespan of a material before it has to be replaced, and so on. Much of the focus of ‘green’ building over the last few decades has been centered on energy use. While we can all agree that reducing energy consumption is a step in the right direction, alone it ignores many other variables in the equation. One of the variables that contemporary building science is starting to focus on more is embodied carbon - the carbon emitted in the production of a material. As Mike explains, “An energy-efficient home built with materials that have high carbon footprints will not help us to achieve the carbon reductions necessary to control global warming in the near term, whether that’s 2030 or 2050.” For example, Elizabeth points out that, “Some products, like spray foam, might actually be doing more harm than good for the earth” due to the steep carbon footprint. The design and construction processes for Trillium and BPC are bolstered by having two teams that are not only seasoned in working together but also are sharing their respective expertise at every step along the way. “During the design phase, BPC attends some of the client meetings to provide constructibility and cost input. Together we work out the best details, materials, and assemblies for the project,” Mike explains. “In turn, during the construction phase, Trillium provides critical support to BPC. This collaborative approach throughout the course of a project is a critical factor in achieving high-quality, high-performance, costeffective homes.”
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To physically deliver a home of this caliber requires a contractor that’s intimately familiar with contemporary building science and the evolving market of sustainable building materials. BPC is just that. “The more we’ve learned about building science over the last 20 years the more we understand the dangers that come from doing something halfway,” Elizabeth explained. “Building professionals need to learn to build this way properly, and they need to keep up with the evergrowing field of knowledge. Those of us who do design and build this way are very aware that it really does come down to understanding the building science and materials you are working with, and then implementing that knowledge responsibly.” For example, while creating an air-tight thermal envelope around a home is key to maintaining efficient heating and cooling systems, if the exterior wall assembly is not built with that in mind it can have unintended moisture and condensation issues. BPC and Trillium take pride in understanding and planning for these conditions by paying close attention to ventilation and the flows of air, heat, and moisture, to keep the home free from mold, toxins, and allergens.
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In an industry where architects and builders as adversaries have become a trope, it is refreshing to see a duo with a relationship as professional as BPC and Trillium. Mike describes Elizabeth as “...a great architect who has assembled a team of terrific professionals, who I’ve seen deliver outstanding and creative designs for so many of their clients. Their openness to a collaborative and mutually beneficial relationship with BPC has paved the way for our relationship to become as strong and productive as it has.” And Elizabeth says proudly that, “Knowledge, curiosity, openness to learning, and a shared passion for the end goal are all key to the BPC : Trillium relationship.”
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3D Design - Permit Procurement - Build and Service
From Infinity Edges to Zero Edges to Classic Edges Join Us On The Leading Edge of Swimming Pool Design Please Call Christopher Carthy Pools Of Perfection 523 Main Street • Armonk, NY 10504
(914) 273-SWIM (7946) • www.PoolsOfPerfection.com ByramHills Residents Enjoy a 10% Discount on Our Outstanding Fixed Price Annual Maintenance Program.
Zero Energy Ready, Passive House, LEED, and National Green Building Standard Certified Homes
MARCIE NOLLETTI
Coldwell Banker Realty 24 Bloomer Road, North Salem, NY Extraordinary opportunity for any Equestrian or Investor. The impeccably maintained farm with no-expense spared newly built home, completely turn-key! The professionally designed and decorated home features custom 150 yo oak flooring throughout and hand hewn beams. Entertain using the gourmet eat in kitchen with Wolfe Range, Sub Zero refrigerator, Quartzite counters and Cherry top island. The garage and mudroom have radiant heat. As for the farm; Professional 130x220 Lawton Adams outdoor riding arena with irrigation system. Heated 70x170 indoor riding arena with heated viewing, 8 paddocks, 5 with run-in sheds, 25 stalls and just down the road from Old Salem Farm. Direct access to the North Salem Bridle Trails. Heated tack room, bathroom and office in the main barn with an indoor wash stall as well as laundry machines. New wood or electric horse fencing. Stone walls and landscaping for privacy with an automatic electric gate and keypad entry. The property abuts Salem Golf Club, the taxes after agricultural exemptions are $28038. Price Upon Request
Contact
(203)563-9909 102
BPCGreenBuilders.com
BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
Serving portions of Western Connecticut and Westchester, Putnam, and Dutchess counties in NY M A R / A P R
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www.marcienolletti.com The property information herein is derived f rom various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verif ication. Not intended as a solicitation if your property is already listed by another broker. Aff iliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2021 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is M Aof Rcompany / A P Rowned 2 0off 2ices 2 which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and f ranchised off ices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell &Banker System fully supports the comprised principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act
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O
RCHARD’S END
Behind those massive wrought iron gates and the high stone wall at 544 Oenoke, at the corner of Hemlock Hill, only 1 ½ miles from downtown New Canaan, stands Orchard Hill. It was built in 1929, during The Great Estate era, when the wealthiest industrialists were commissioning huge country manors north of Manhattan. It was designed by the noted architect, William B. Tubby, who also designed Waveny House in New Canaan (built in 1912 for a co-founder of Texaco Oil and now the centerpiece of Waveny Park), and Dunnellen Hall on Round Hill Road in Greenwich (famously owned for a period by the Helmsleys), and several other historic treasures in the New York area. The prestigious residence is now for sale, and the listing indicates that the 35 room, brick and limestone, 25,000 square foot main house, with 12 bedrooms, sits on 6.26 acres, and that the property also includes a 4 bedroom guest house - but that only begins to describe the grandeur!
BY: SUE DECHIARA, B&NC MAG HOMES EDITOR
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The current owners of Orchard’s End purchased the property in 2014, and commissioned local architect Dinyar Wadia to completely renovate the residence, and construct the new guest house, at a cost of $6 million. Among other improvements, Wadia included a new kitchen, a great room inspired by the Caste Duart on the Isle of Mull (featured in the movie Entrapment), a two-floor study, a 5,000 square foot wellness center, a custom pool and spa, and several new terraces. While the property is now listed for sale at a price of $16.5 million, in a recent interview Wadia indicated that it would cost more than $25 million, excluding land costs, to today replicate just the main house.
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CATHEDRAL CEILING Each part of the mansion is awesome! The two-storied great room with balcony has a beamed
and an impressive limestone-arched seating apse. There’s a stunning glass–walled breezeway connecting two parts of the residence.
T
The formal dining room has a table that seats 12 and details such as the original marble fireplace. The expansive gourmet chef’s kitchen includes an island with comfortable seating for 5, and an informal dining area that seats 8. The large butlers pantry is completely wood-paneled. The house has an observation deck on the third floor, a four seasons room with comfortable seating and an additional dining area, and a formal wood-paneled study. And every architectural element, from the molded ceilings, to the limestone pillars, to the carved wooden mantle in the formal entry, and the leaded stained-glass windows, speaks to an exacting attention to detail and an unparalleled level of luxury and quality. As Kenny Rogers sang, ”They don’t make ‘em like they used to” - and Orchard’s End is a prime example!
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Experience the KBS Difference. Innovative design, America’s finest cabinetry, project management and complete remodeling services. From start to finish, our expert team delivers the spectacular kitchen you desire with the personal service you expect, while adding unsurpassed value to your home. Visit KBS, Westchester’s premier kitchen showroom, and get started today.
Your new kitchen starts here.
A stained glass window at Orchard’s End reads
TOUT BIEN O U R EIN ”
50 Virginia Road, N. White Plains, NY 10603 (914) 946-8600 | kbskitchen.com Plain & Fancy | Medallion | Design-Craft | UltraCraft
- which translates to something like ‘All Good Or Nothing’ or ‘Do It Right Or Don’t Do It”. It’s a fitting slogan for this trophy property!
We feature the finest in quality and design crafted by foremost lighting manufacturers. Let us help you create your own unique fixture. Repairs and Lampshades
Bedford Lighting & Lampshades 112
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748 N. Bedford Road, Bedford Hills NY 10507 (Rt.117) 914-666-0680 • lights.bedfordlighting.com
ALL THE DETAILS LUXURY LINE OF STEEL AND GLASS WINDOWS AND DOORS The material of choice by architects and designers for residential and commercial projects.
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HANNELORE KAPLAN HANNELORE KAPLAN Team Team Home is Everything C. 914.450.3880 Home is Everything hannelore.kaplan@raveis.com hannelorekaplan.raveis.com C. 914.450.3880 @newcanaanhousehunter hannelore.kaplan@raveis.com
Fourhannelorekaplan.raveis.com Elm Street | New Canaan | CT 06840 @newcanaanhousehunter
Four Elm Street | New Canaan | CT 06840
Option A Instagram symbol Option A “Home is Instagram Everything”symbol is the same size a bit of space “Home is with Everything” is the same size
with a bit of space
HANNELORE KAPLAN HANNELORE KAPLAN Team 76 Turtle Back Lane West Team Home is Everything
New Canaan, CT 11.35 private acres $8,000,000
C. Home 914.450.3880 is Everything hannelore.kaplan@raveis.com hannelorekaplan.raveis.com C. 914.450.3880 @newcanaanhousehunter hannelore.kaplan@raveis.com
Four Elm Street | New Canaan | CT 06840 hannelorekaplan.raveis.com @newcanaanhousehunter
Four Elm Street | New Canaan | CT 06840
Option B No Intagram symbol Option B “Home is Everything” is bigger has more space. No Intagramand symbol
We put the emphasis on living.
“Home is Everything” is bigger and has more space.
CALL TO ARRANGE A PRIVATE TOUR
203.702.7400 | makingthebestofeveryday.org 114
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GOLF PERFECTION ANGLEBROOK
CELEBRATES ITS 25TH YEAR OF GREAT GOLF
By Matthew Joseph
Make a list of all the things that make a golf club great and tuck it into a safe place in your golf bag. Then sit tight and keep your fingers crossed the invitation to play at the Anglebrook Golf Club comes through before too long. When it does, grab an extra sharp pencil from the starter for all the check marks and exclamation points you’ll have to make. The club will score high, if not off the charts, in each of the following categories: Setting, Strategy, Conditioning, Challenge, Service and Dining. If you are like most players who’ve experienced the 25-year-old private club in the northern Westchester hamlet of Lincolndale, you might come up with plenty of superlatives, but still feel like you’re under-clubbing in terms of doing this special venue justice.
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Indeed, all the pieces were in place when Anglebrook’s developers secured an idyllic 240-acre site in the early 1990s and turned it over to a couple of legends: namely Robert Trent Jones, Sr., for what turned out to be the final design of his career in course architecture, and clubhouse designer Robert A.M. Stern for a masterpiece in the form of a 24,000 square foot home away from home. The paint was barely dry on the building when Golf Digest named Anglebrook the 16th best course in New York state in 1999, when the club was just a year old. “Anglebrook was created in the mold of the vaunted clubs in Westchester County, one of the hotbeds for great private golf in the country,” said General Manager Matt Sullivan. “And Trent Jones and Robert Stern built their names on creations with an appreciation for the past. It’s a very good fit.”
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Likewise, each hole fits the property like it’s been in place for 150 years. Jones, with lead architect Roger Rulewich on site, maximized the land to its fullest, right down to the amazing practice facility with a separate chipping green and sand bunker, and the putting green adjacent to the first tee. The course is routed around and over 50 acres of environmental areas and features; long wooden bridges over the carries—some off the tee, some on approaches into the greens, and in the case of the Signature 9th hole, bisecting the fairway. The contrast of the lush, fanatically manicured fairways and greens, and the golden native grasses, gives the feel of playing golf in a nature preserve, with stunning visuals at every turn. Anglebrook does what very few venues can with its transformative powers: it takes golf to an even higher level. After more than 500 career starts, PGA
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Tour veteran Ken Green has played some exclusive places, but he captured the essence of Anglebrook after just a handful of visits, comparing it favorably to the New Jersey club that’s perennially ranked No. 1 or No. 2 in the world.
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“
ANGLEBROOK IS A TREMENDOUS GOLF COURSE,”
says Green. “It flows from hole-to-hole in a way not many places I’ve played do. In that sense I compare it to Pine Valley. Once you’re out there, you’re not thinking about what hole you’re on. Instead, it’s just one great shot opportunity after another. The fairways are generous, but you need to place your ball in such a spot that you’re coming into the greens from the proper angle. That’s the mark of a great architect.” Preserved like the museum piece it is, Jones’ work hasn’t needed any tweaks over the years. Each hole is a textbook example of the Risk / Reward theory of golf course architecture, thereby ensuring that whether you putt for birdie or bogey on each hole, you find a course that is fair to players of all skill levels. And, with five sets of tees and four pin locations, it’s one members never tire of.
Obviously, that wouldn’t mean as much if the golf course wasn’t in pristine condition at all times. AGC has built a reputation as a supremely conditioned course—under the only superintendent the club has ever known, Lou Quick, and his longtime assistant, Scott Imbro. Since the fairways are generous, that puts a premium on the green complexes. The bentgrass greens are big, well protected and feature some roller-coaster undulation that force careful strokes. They are wicked in some places and merely challenging in others, but smooth as glass everywhere, and framed nicely by Jones’ trademark amoeba-shaped bunkers. AGC boasts that they give members the opportunity to make the most of what the club has to offer, and some of their unique policies certainly separate the club from others in the area. For instance, they allow members to bring guests at any time and Anglebrook members can also send guests without the member being present. And, reciprocal privileges can put you on other private clubs all over the country.
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Since golf is sometimes only half the fun, the dining operation rises to the occasion to rival the playing experience. The club features an eclectic menu with something for everyone as well as some very special “Specials.” And, if you can’t make a full day of it, the club offers one of the area’s best Halfway Houses, chock full of healthy gourmet salads and some Signature dishes that stay with you like a birdie on the home hole. If coming in under par is not in the cards for you, you might wind up in the capable hands of the club’s terrific teaching pro, A.J. Berglund, who never saw a swing he didn’t have hope for.
All in all, Anglebrook sets up as the perfect venue for the golf purist. Although the course stands alone as the club’s sole amenity, that’s all anyone at Anglebrook seems to need. Whether you’ve been playing golf for half your life or half a season, it’s a place where golf just feels more like golf, where the rules and traditions on the game are held sacred and the pace of play is brisk but not rushed.
While a great place to entertain clients, friends and family, AGC has also emerged as a terrific member club, with no less than 21 events on the calendar for the 2022 season. In addition, the club has expanded the patio terrace for more outdoor space—the perfect spot for sunset cocktails and dinners.
On such a vast canvas, with double the average of even some championship venues, every hole is encased as its own arena. Members feel like they have each hole to themselves. But when the round is over, members and guests meet and mingle to celebrate their passion for the game… and Anglebrook’s 25th!
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CHOOSE THE RIGHT CLUB
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Anglebrook Golf Club | 100 Route 202 Lincolndale, NY 10540
Phone: 914-245-5588 www.anglebrookgc.com Call Today to Schedule a Private Property Tour
(845) 278-8300 • 1021 Route 22, Brewster, NY 10509 Brewster-Subaru.com DMV Facility Number 7118668 M A R / A P R
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SPRING
EXPERT ADVICE ON WHAT ’S BEST FROM THE FOLKS AT COPIA
I
PLANTING
t’s time to plant! …But what plants are best to plant in Spring, and what plants do best in the local area?
Jenn and Peter Cipriano are the friendly proprietors of Copia Home and Garden, the adorable nursery just west of where New Canaan meets South Salem on Smith Ridge Road. They are expert horticulturists - both credentialed graduates of Cornell’s prestigious horticultural program. They carry a full range of flowers, plants and trees - alongside a selection of cute gifts and home and garden decor which fill the shop. …And their best value may be the expert advice they offer on where, when and what to plant… “As true plant lovers, it’s difficult to narrow down a list of our favorites,” Jenn admits. “What we advise our clients to plant ultimately comes down to the planting site. Assessing the planting site for soil-type, moisture, light, and stresses, and factoring in our changing climate, is paramount. Once we’ve judged the site, we choose plants that will thrive best in those specific circumstances, that will require minimal maintenance and make the maximum contribution to our environment, and that will, of course, explode with natural beauty.” “While it’s impossible to be too specific absent specific circumstances,” Jenn continued, “we can offer the following broad guide to plants - some common and some more overlooked - that generally do well in our area: American Holly, Green Giant Arborvitae, Eastern Hemlock
Native Deciduous Shrubs: As the weather becomes increasingly capricious, we’ve found almost all cultivars and species withstand almost any local conditions. Although the flowers may not be as showy as the popular hydrangeas, these shrubs offer excellent pollen and nectar sources for pollinators, attractive fruits for wildlife, and stunning Fall color. And these shrubs are excellent catalysts to accomplish desired biodiversity, including positive plant, animal, insect, fungal and bacterial relationships.
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American Holly is great, as it’s seldom browsed by deer and hosts colorful birds like Cardinals that enjoy the Holly’s Winter berries. ‘Green Giant’ and similar western arborvitae do not need to look perfectly pruned, and are actually quite impressive when allowed to grow naturally with minimal pruning. Hemlock is another of our favorites, as it’s a majestic tree when allowed to grow and will tolerate shade.
Rhododendron:
Forget all the cultivars and focus on the native species and native hybrids. We love the color these flowering plants add to every landscape and how well they perform in our local environment. Deer browsing in Winter and early Spring can occur, but can be deterred with repellents or fencing.
Deciduous Trees: Native and non-native species alike will add lasting beauty to every landscape. Yard conditions will dictate which trees are best suited for each space, but White Oak and ‘Accolade’ Cherry are our personal favorites. If a particular species has sentimental value for our client, we will help find the right place for it to be planted within the given landscape.
Evergreens:
Boxwood: We cannot forget to mention Boxwood, as this plant is quite incredible. We favor ‘Little Missy’ - the type of boxwood utilized at the Waveny House Parterre Garden - but there are several blight-resistant varieties which are excellent.”
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EXPERT HORTICULTURAL ADVICE
&
home garden At Copia, our passion is creating your destination garden experience through quality plants and products, education, and organic horticultural practices. Let us help nurture your connection to a more sustainable world!
EXCEPTIONAL PLANTS ORGANIC GARDEN SUPPLIES CURATED GARDEN DECOR GARDEN WORKSHOPS
475 SMITH RIDGE ROAD, RTE 123 • SOUTH SALEM, NY (IN VISTA, JUST ACROSS THE CT BORDER ) 914 533 7242 • COPIAHOMEANDGARDEN.COM • @COPIAHOMEANDGARDEN
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OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FOR EVERYONE’S DAILY COFFEE AND CBD NEEDS
BEDFORD & NEW CANAAN
13 Court Road, Bedford, NY
Tree removal • Land clearing • Stump grinding • Pruning • Seasoned Firewood • Fully Insured M A R / A P R
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Pound Ridge is a hiker’s paradise! From the mammoth 4,315-acre Ward Pound Ridge Reservation on the north end of Town, to the 0.4-acre Shelly’s Walk, located at Pound Ridge’s Town Park, there is literally a hike or walk for every ability, fitness condition and age. With 3,671 acres of open space within Town borders, the chance to escape being shuttered inside was too good to pass up. Not only did the residents turn the local streets into walking paths, the town experienced record-breaking crowds at its preserves. Many out-of-town, first-time and seasoned hikers also had the chance to experience the natural beauty and rugged outcroppings of the area. As we move from 2021 to 2022, the locals and out-of-towners continue their explorations through the parks and preserves.
By Marilyn Shapiro-Lowell Photography: Frances Isaac
FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a resident of Pound Ridge and have been the President of the Henry Morgenthau Preserve for over 17 years.
When Covid hit in early 2020, area towns went into lockdown by shutting down all but the most essential businesses. Recreational activities were canceled, parks and preserves were closed, and social activities ceased, as local officials tried to limit the spread of the virus. It was a drastic social action that left people unprepared and isolated. But the small town of Pound Ridge, New York took a different tack. Pound Ridge allowed area preserves and parks to stay open and residents had the opportunity to get outside, breathe the fresh air, and experience the soothing effects of the outdoors.
“We have always treasured our many green spaces and hiking trails in Pound Ridge,” said Ellen Grogan, chair of the Pound Ridge Conservation Board, the Town’s governmental body charged with promoting the wise and sustainable use of the Town’s natural resources. “With the pandemic making social interactions difficult for almost two years, our residents are using our preserves like never before. People from all over Westchester and Connecticut have discovered us, too, and we’re happy to show off and share our beautiful Town.” In the third edition of the perennial favorite hiking guide, Walkable Westchester (2020), by Jane and Walt Daniels, the authors note, “The Covid 19 pandemic that began in January 2020 brought people to parks in record numbers. They found trails were among the best places to feel safe outside of their home.”
In many ways, the pandemic was a turning point for local conservationists, preserves, and land trusts, which have had a historic focus on acquiring important properties for preservation, and are now required to focus even more attention on active land management, environmental planning, and active use of preserved properties. “The interesting thing,” said Brendan Murphy, Director of Stewardship for the Westchester Land Trust, “is when people hear the words ‘nature preserve,’ they might take that too literally. What it really means is the land is being kept in a relatively natural state. Creating preserves and protecting open spaces benefits the whole ecosystem of an area, and preserves are also places where people can come to volunteer, learn, and get ideas. It’s important for people to go hiking, but they should also look around and see what land organizations are doing to protect the environment because it’s also about gaining ideas to better manage their own property.” I encourage you to visit - and to hike - Pound Ridge! Please remember that the preserves are not like State parks in that they are not equipped for recreational activities such as barbecues, picnicking or trail bike riding. The preserves are usually set in fragile environments which can be easily disturbed and damaged by humans. Stay on the trails and bog bridges. Keep your dog on a leash. Utilize the boot brush before entering the trail to clean the bottom of your shoes and protect against the spread of invasive plants. Wear proper hiking shoes and attire, bring hydration, and bring your cell phone for emergencies - but not to chat while out on the trail. Leave no trace, and respect the experience of others.
“Just 10 minutes outside can reduce stress levels,” said Andrew Morgan, steward of the Pound Ridge Land Conservancy. “The other advantage of being in nature is that you slow your breath down, deepen your breathing, and let your body get into a slower rhythm - that’s more in line with nature - and our nature.” A walk in the woods is also known to lower diabetes and high blood pressure.
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The Pound Ridge Land Conservancy
One final note: about encountering wildlife… Most visitors to local preserves have never encountered a wild animal larger than a turkey, gopher or racoon, and probably won’t, according to Chris Nagy, Director of Research and Education at Mianus River Gorge in Bedford. “And there’s a reason for this…it’s what the animals do to avoid interactions with humans.” Chris’s work focuses on protecting and restoring native habitats in urban/suburban areas including the ecology and management of eastern coyotes, white tailed deer and other wildlife. He’s out in the woods every day, and says "Wild animals are not something I ever worry about. Encounters with coyote or bear are rare, and can be avoided or go without incident by following some common sense advice.” Stay on the permanent trails. Don’t attempt to get within 50 yards of, or chase, confront or harass any animal. Hike in a group. Don’t leave or carry open food.
The Pound Ridge Land Conservancy is the largest private conservation landholder in Pound Ridge. In all, they protect over 500-acres of preserved open space. Not all PRLC preserves are open to the public, they are left undisturbed to protect critical wildlife and wilderness corridors. The organization does however have eight preserves with straight or looped trails that are open to the public from dawn to dusk. Andrew Morgan is the land steward and program director. PRLC is a volunteer organization that regularly hold work parties. The public is welcomed to join in their efforts to remove invasive plants from the preserves and groom the trails on a regular basis.
Coyotes court and mate in February and the female gives birth in April. The pups tie the adults to the den until early June. This is ‘pup-raising season’ and if you get close to a den, the adults will run away and stay about 30-50 yards away to observe your movements until you leave the area. Stay at least 30 yards away and take another path, and do not search for the den or try to get closer to the parents or pups.
For more information on their preserves, activities, and free downloads of trail maps, check out:.https;//prlc.net or contact Andrew at LandSteward@prlc.net.
Armstrong Preserve and Nature Center
Never try to interact with a bear, but if you see one in the distance, you can enjoy the rare sighting. According to Chris, “bears are just big racoons” and want to be left alone to forage and roam the forest. They may appear curious about you and, if they approach - yell, and wave your arms while backing away. Do not run. If the bear gets within 50 yards, you should back up until it is out of sight and take another trail.
1361 Old Post Road prlc.net/preserves/armstrong Trail Length: 1.5 miles of trails, including a connection to Richards Preserve. Parking: Hikers may park in pull-offs at the base of the driveway or at the kiosk. Guests of the Armstrong House and PRLC events park in the lot at the top of the driveway near Armstrong House. Amenities: Information kiosk, outdoor classrooms with educational signage, and a self-guided interpretive trail are open daily from dawn to dusk. The Armstrong House and backyard are open only during scheduled events or by appointment. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
THE TRAILS OF POUND RIDGE: Henry Morgenthau Preserve, Inc. 78 Pound Ridge Road www.henrymorgenthaupreserve.org Trail length: 1 mile of trail Parking: Parking lot at the entrance of the preserve for six cars. Amenities: Three hiking trails and loops (Blue White and Yellow). An Information kiosk, a bird blind built by the Boy Scouts, and one of the largest and oldest White Oaks in Westchester County. Restrictions: No dogs, swimming or skating. 128
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The Henry Morgenthau Preserve is set along and under the shoreline of Blue Heron Lake. It is a 36-acre nature preserve that is free and open to the public from sunrise to sundown. Its boundaries include a portion of the lake and a small offshore island. Under the canopy of the preserve’s trees, are several forest communities, several wetland areas, vernal pools, a small pond, and several small streams. Visitors will also see will also see fine examples of historic 188h century stonewalls running throughout the preserve. The HMP Board supports and sponsors The Invasives Project– Pound Ridge, environmental education and lectures, a wildlife education program at the Town’s summer day camp for youth, and land acquisition within the Town. M A R / A P R
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Bye Preserve
Carolin’s Grove
Clark Preserve
19 High Ridge Road prlc.net/preserves/bye
220 Stone Hill Road prlc.net/preserves/carolins-grove
64-86 Autumn Ridge Road PRLC.net/preserves/clark
Trail Length: 1 mile of trail Parking: Small parking lot on east side of High Ridge Road across from the Pound Ridge Golf Club. Amenities: Information kiosk at parking area, dramatic rock outcroppings. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Trail Length: 1.1 miles of trail Parking: Multi-space parking lot on south side of Stone Hill Road (Route 137) 2000 feet west of Route 172. Amenities: Information kiosk in the parking area. Two trailside benches and one circle of benches used as an outdoor classroom. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Trail Length: 2 miles of trail Parking: Small parking lot on the east side of Autumn Ridge Road near the intersection with Brook Farm Road East. Amenities: Information kiosk a short distance from parking area. Bogbridge through wetland areas in the northeastern part of the preserve. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
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Eastwoods Preserve
Halle Ravine Preserve
134 Eastwoods Road prlc.net/preserves/eastwoods
234-244 Trinity Pass Road (across from Donbrook Lane) prlc.net/preserves/halle-ravine
Trail Length: 1.1 miles of trail in a loop configuration. Parking: Small parking lot on north side of Eastwoods Road near Laurel Road. Amenities: Information kiosk in the parking area. Stepping stone bridges over waterways, and lovely rock outcroppings. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Trail Length: 1.2 miles of trails Parking: By Trinity Pass entrance, space for four cars along the roadside; and on the south end in the Winterbottom cul-de-sac. Amenities: Wooden and stone benches at scenic vistas, four wood bridges crossing a brook that wends through preserve, information kiosk at North entrance. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Richards Preserve
Russell Preserve
116 Honey Hollow Road (near Spring House Road) prlc.net/preserves/richards
63 High Ridge Road prlc.net/preserves/russell
Trail Length: 0.5-mile loop trail with connections to Armstrong Preserve and the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation. Parking: A pull-off on the west side of Honey Hollow Road can fit two cars. Amenities: Information kiosk at the entrance. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Trail Length: 3 miles of trail. Parking: Parking is available on the gravel lane west of High Ridge Road and just south of Upper Shad Road. Walk southeast across High Ridge to enter the preserve. Amenities: A bird blind built by an Eagle Scout for viewers to observe wildlife without disturbing them, stands about 0.25 miles from the entrance. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Pound Ridge Town Park Shelly’s Walk Route 137 Town of Pound Ridge Recreation Department www.townofpoundridge.com 914-764-3987 Trail Length: 0.4 mile of trail Parking: A parking lot is provided on the park grounds. Amenities: Fairly flat paved surface. Considered handicapped accessible, but not ADA accredited. A pond with ice skating in the winter. Interpretive signs. Links to a 1.1-mile bike/walking path into Scotts Corners, the town’s center. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
Westchester County Parks Ward Pound Ridge Reservation RR 121, Cross River, NY 10518 parks.westchestergov.com/ward-pound-ridge-reservation 914-864-7317 Trail Length: 35 miles of trails Parking: Parking is available near the entrance. Fees: $5 with a park pass, $10 without from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Before and after those dates, fees are only charged on weekends. Hours: Open seven days a week from dawn to dusk Amenities: Restrooms and portable toilets throughout the park. Trail maps are downloadable from the website. A Trailside Museum, Gallery in the Park near the entrance. Picnic and camping areas available. Dogs are allowed on-leash. Service dogs are welcome.
Westchester Land Trust Westchester Wilderness Walk/Zofnass Preserve Upper Shad Road westchesterlandtrust.org/enjoying-the-land/visit-preserve/ westchester-wilderness-walkzofnass-family-preserve Trail Length: 7.5 miles of trail with five loops of 0.7 to 2.5 miles. Parking: Parking lot area on Upper Shad Road. Visitors must follow parking regulations or they will be ticketed. Amenities: Kiosk at Upper Shad parking lot. Green trail blazes, Interesting geological formations, and the newly opened Zofnass Arboretum. Dogs are allowed on-leash.
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SAVE THE DATE
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2030
Clean Ride and Drive is Bedford 2030’s popular compilation of resources and annual Expo to support community members in going electric for their transportation needs. It features everything from access to local electric vehicle dealers–to neighbors who have already made the switch to electric; info on where to charge and how to set-up charging at home; tools to advocate for zero-emission school buses; local bike maps; strategies to reduce miles driven and more.
BEDFORD 2030 UPDATE
By Midge Iorio, Executive Director
F
rom goat grazing, to energy coaching, to composting, and much more, Bedford 2030 is in its twelfth year of providing tools and resources for community members to take action for a cleaner, healthier future. Founded in 2010, our organization took root when concerned neighbors came together to do something about the climate crisis starting at home. Their efforts resulted in Bedford adopting the first climate action plan in Westchester County, and setting what at the time was an ambitious goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020 and preserve natural resources. Bedford 2020 was formed and a movement was born.
After the first 10 years of climate action programs and campaigns, Bedford 2020 exceeded its original goals and reduced emissions in Bedford by 44%. Encouraged by the support of the community and motivated by the alarming acceleration of climate change, we have relaunched our movement as Bedford 2030 Climate Action Now. The Town has adopted a new Climate Action Plan with an even more ambitious goal: to reduce greenhouse gasses 80% by 2030. We have identified three main focus areas with the greatest potential impact on carbon reduction: energyefficient buildings, modifications in transportation, such as a switch to electric vehicles, and utilizing natural climate solutions to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support biodiversity and promote conservation.
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At Bedford 2030, we are moving full speed ahead on projects and tools to help community members take action in these critical areas–actions that will benefit the environment and improve our lives. We are also actively pursuing partnerships with other communities to share our model and programs far and wide. Bedford 2030’s efforts to achieve the Town’s Climate Action Plan goals are funded through donations and grants. And on May 21st, our organization will host its second ever fundraising event, the Bedford 2030 Moon Dance.
Current project highlights include… Bedford 2030’s Personal Energy Coach, a free resource to help community members learn how to save on energy costs, make their homes healthier, and transition off of polluting fossil fuels. Fueled by a grant from a concerned community member, an Energy Coach Challenge is underway to complete 150-plus complimentary consultations, host a series workshops in English and Spanish, and get hundreds of free energy-saving ‘entrypoint’ tools like smart shower heads and power strips into the hands of community members–all by the end of September 2022.
Goats: We are looking to enlist a newly established hometown herd of goats into our Climate Action Now movement. Partnering with a local farmer, we will explore goat-grazing as a natural solution for tackling invasive vines and managing land without the use of chemicals or gaspowered equipment. Other Natural Solutions: Last year our team completed an interactive map of the Town’s natural resources that breaks out land classes–such as forest, wetlands, lawns/golf courses, and others–by percentage. We also completed a carbon inventory to estimate the carbon capture potential in each of our land classes. Bedford 2030 has invited the entire community to adopt climate-smart practices for our forests and trees, take steps to make our yards healthier and more resilient, and make food choices– such as purchasing sustainably grown/ raised food and reducing food waste–that are good for the planet.
Greenlight Award is Bedford 2030’s program to empower local high school students to become climate activists and innovators. Now in its seventh year, we have engaged and motivated hundreds of Westchester students, our future climate leaders, through this program. At Bedford 2030, we are continually inspired by the notion that everyone will benefit from cleaner air, cleaner water and a healthier environment. And, the good news is that many of the steps each of us can take are well within reach.
The Rental Building Performance Initiative is a Bedford 2030 partnership program with the Town to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve the health and well-being of tenants, and lower energy costs in the buildings where our citizens live–with a special focus on the New York State designated environmental justice area in Bedford Hills.
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Join
2022 MOON DANCE
Bedford 2030 Bedford 2030 Moon Dance celebrates the outstanding strides our community has made in tackling environmental issues over the past twelve years. Held under the light of the moon on Saturday, May 21, at bucolic Airlie Farm, this farm-to-table party is sure to be the hottest ticket of the season. Special honorees at the event are environmental heroes and long-time Bedford 2030 leaders, Ellen Conrad and Veronique Pittman.
for the
A LIVELY EVENING FILLED WITH:
• Delightful cocktails in the farm’s meadows • A delicious locally-inspired and abundant spread by Chef Morgan Anthony and the team from Village Social Catering • Live entertainment • Lots of dancing • A roaring fire pit and s’mores • Late night nibbles • Great surprises!
WHEN: Saturday May, 21, 2022 WHERE: Airlie Farm, Bedford, NY
A top priority is producing an event that reflects the Bedford 2030 mission. “Airlie Farm is a spectacular setting. It showcases the beauty and power of the natural world we are working so hard to preserve,” explained Bedford 2030 VP and Moon Dance Co-Chair, Sarah Douglis. “Bedford 2030 is leading by example and hosting this celebration as a zero-waste event. All food scraps will be diverted from the waste stream. We’re eliminating single use plastic of any kind. We know there are a lot of families that have moved to our community during the pandemic, and want to meet like minded people, this is a great way to celebrate our vital work.” Bedford 2030 is partnering with an organization called Cool Effect to offset the event’s carbon footprint including car travel to and from the site, auction item travel, and electricity to power the party.
Bedford 2030 is incredibly grateful for generous support from these wonderful sponsors and community partners:
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Photograph from Moon Dance 2019 courtesy of Elena Wolfe Photography
PURCHASE TICKETS AT bedford2030.org
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T H E PA S S T H E PA S S F A R M -T O - L A B E L CANNABIS IN MASSACHUSETTS By Michael Kaplan
Photography: Greg Chernin It’s the Golden Age - or, perhaps it should be called the ‘Green’ Age - of cannabis. A majority of Americans support Federal legislation to remove cannabis from the list of Schedule 1 substances, and Connecticut, New York and New Jersey have joined nearby Massachusetts and the 33 other States which have legalized medical possession and use, and 14 other States which have legalized recreational possession and use of the substance. Medical researchers are isolating a myriad of compounds that are present and can be extracted from the plant, and scientific studies are proving medicinal benefits, including treatment for ailments ranging from epilepsy to arthritis to anxiety. Legal cultivation of cannabis and sale of cannabis and marijuana-related products is now a multibillion dollar industry, with a tremendous amount of business development in farming and real estate, job growth in those areas and in the retail end of the business, and taxation flowing to the governing States. Colleges, including Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, are offering majors and certifications in the field. …And, contrary to the longstanding claims of the naysayers, no State that has legalized the medical or recreational use of cannabis has reported any measurable increase in related hospitalizations, crime, car accidents or violations, or other negative impact. Still, while much of the criminality of personal recreational possession and use has been eliminated, New York and Connecticut have yet to roll-out stores sanctioned to sell legal product, or clarify much of the law pertaining to transport or consumption of cannabis purchased from the anticipated State-licensed facilities or, more particularly, laws pertaining to acquisition or possession of cannabis that’s ‘homegrown’ or purchased from unsanctioned dealers. From newbies curious to try it out for the first time or see if the medical benefits are real, to connoisseurs looking for a regular supply of quality strains…buying cannabis is still a challenge.
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T H E PA S S PROBLEM S O LV E D :
THE PASS - the vertically integrated Massachusettslicensed business with its flagship retail store for recreational cannabis at 1375 North Main Street in Sheffield, Massachusetts - that’s geographically closest - only a 1 ½ hour drive - to the B&NC Mag market. The store is modern and clean, and The Pass’ knowledgeable and friendly retail clerks, called ‘budtenders’, will help with whatever any buyer wants to know about the variety of products. There’s an offering of about a dozen different strains of sativa (for a more euphoric high) and another dozen different strains of indica (for a more relaxing experience), each packaged with specific information relating to the levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and terpenes that will influence the experience, and available as bud or in pre-rolled joints. There’s a variety of tasty edibles (chocolates, gummies, mints, beverages, etc.) to suit those who would rather not smoke. They have all kinds of extracts, including oils, waxes and highlyconcentrated ‘shatter’, that can be smoked or vaped. And there’s all kinds of pipes, papers, vapes and other accessories to facilitate consumption of whatever is purchased. Each person over the age of 21 can purchase up to an ounce of cannabis or its equivalent in other products. The entire purchasing experience feels safe and, with the exception of having to show identification to get into the store, is no different than going to buy alcohol. But, aside from being the most-convenient location, the real reason to visit The Pass is the quality of the product. The Pass is one of a very limited number of cannabis businesses in Massachusetts that’s vertically integrated - meaning they grow, process and package their own cannabis products on-site, and manufacture their own edibles and extracts providing an unparalleled level of product control. They call it ‘Farm To Label’, and it’s essential for any consumer.
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The Pass’ Director of Cultivation (aka Master Grower), Pete Steimer, has been with The Pass since 2019, and oversees every aspect of cannabis cultivation. “When we grow cannabis indoors, we are able to control every aspect of the growth and harvest of the plant. We give each plant just the right amount of water and nutrients, and the right kind and amount of light, adjusted to the best conditions for each strain, in order to maximize the terpene and cannabinoid profiles as well as the flower quantity that each plant will produce. Most important, each of the indoor environments through which the plants are phased is kept siloed and sanitary, in order to prevent microbial and insect pressure. We use integrated pest management practices without harsh conventional pesticides, herbicides or fungicides. When our customers buy The Pass cannabis, they can be assured they’re getting our premium product grown on-site!”
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And quality relates to much more than just purity.
Finally, it’s The Pass’ friendly retail operation that makes ‘the buy’ feel almost like any other luxury retail experience. “The Pass carries the complete array of The Pass branded products, and then rounds-out the retail offering with a curated selection of other producers’ products. Sometimes there’s a particular strain that we don’t have available, or a derivative product or product style that The Pass doesn’t produce or doesn’t have in stock, or even some other producer’s product that’s in high demand. We hope The Pass products are and always will be the big draw, but our mission is to satisfy each customer. That’s why we also carry a diverse selection of products from our preferred partners,” explains The Pass’ Director of Retail, Blake Gurgul. “Each of our budtenders takes pride in their knowledge of the product offering
While in this feature B&NC Mag is affording B&NC Mag readers a highly-regulated peek at the back-of-house operations at The Pass, the grow rooms are very much not open to the public. Steimer shared that, “We’re presently growing almost 30 distinct strains of cannabis, including some of the most-popular The Pass strains, like ‘White 99’, ‘Dutch Treat’, and the only ‘Orange Cake’ grown in the State. We grow about an equal amount of sativa and indica strains. Each strain has its own special characteristics, including varying combinations of the active ingredient, a balance of cannabinoids and terpenes. We cultivate The Pass strains with the variety of potencies and profiles we know will meet our consumer demands. I’m extremely proud of what we’re doing here at The Pass, and think The Pass brands are some of the best cannabis products around!”
and truly enjoys helping our customers navigate their cannabis purchasing experience. We’re eager to provide all the information and answer any questions each customer may have. We want to make sure each customer is picking the product that best suits them. And we’re happy to explain the impact, or even how to use, each and every product we sell.” The Pass calls it ‘Farm To Label’. Maybe another tag line could be ‘Bud To Brain’. Either way, these days the closest legal cannabis dispensary to the B&NC Mag area for the purchase of top-quality cannabis flower and derivative products for recreational use, is in Sheffield, Massachusetts…and it’s The Pass!
With the same focus on exceptional products, The Pass uses detailed chemical analysis on all their cannabis to ensure edibles are accurately dosed. This allows new consumers to confidently explore cannabis. Their delectable confections are created in what is known as the Marijuana Infused Product department (aka MIP Kitchen). The Pass’ MIP Manager, Tara Patruno, is a classically trained baker who entered the cannabis industry in 2017. She commented, “I’m committed to bringing the highest quality edible to the market by focusing on the cannabis flower used, raw ingredients combined, and method of creation. This attention to quality is also given to the topical and tincture lines by focusing on the right combinations of cannabinoids and complementary ingredients to make the most effective product on the market.”
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