Fall Review 2025
One Facet of Our Wellness Plan
Camphill Ghent
Nourishing Our Land
Photos by LeeAnn Brignull
Gunther Hawk applies a nourishing biodynamic preparation to one of our pasture areas, where his honeybees forage.
Rudolf Steiner developed biodynamic agriculture as a solution—a cure—to heal a troubled landscape where pesticides and synthetic fertilizers had been widely accepted in our food system and bodies through the agricultural revolution of the early 1900s. Declines in seed fertility and animal health were signs that we should instead be working with natural forces rather than against them.
Camphill communities practice biodynamics as a system that enables the farmer and gardener to develop spiritually and physically alongside the living farm organism.
The biodynamic preparations are a set of ingredients combined in different methods meant to interact with nutrients and energy. Each preparation has different ingredients with its own purpose. And each produces healthful results for the farm organism (ie. livestock and soil health), as well as the people consuming what we harvest in the form of spiritual and bodily well-being.
Nick Franceschelli, Daniel Rodriguez, Christina Bould, and Gunther Hauk shave oak bark, and make separate chamomile and dandelion stuffings for intestinal casings that will be buried in the fall and dug up again in spring. These are the ingredients for some of the widely used biodynamic preparations.
Steve Gitto stuffs manure into a cow horn, which will stay buried underground until we dig it up in spring to make a biodynamic “tea” for our gardens and fields.
David Barlow takes the paddle, stirring one of the biodynamic preparations along with Christina Bould, Gunther Hauk, and Sonni Chamberland.
David Barlow pours the freshly mixed preparation into a holding tank for easy transport to our fields and gardens.
Fresh, Wholesome Foods:
One Facet of Our Wellness
Camphill Ghent’s focus on wellness and longevity informs our musical performances, activities around visual arts, and the full cycle around our food. This includes our vegetable and herb gardens that are tended to and harvested by our independent living residents, as well as the wholesome Café offerings in Camphill Ghent’s Adult Home, where all are welcome.
In the Kitchen
Our culinary program is always evolving. Thanks to a number of grants, we’ve been able to incorporate more organic options in our dishes and we source almost exclusively organic produce for our dining services. Our meals from scratch make all the difference in terms of taste, variety, and nutrition.
“Today the residents of Camphill Ghent are enjoying a nice fall meal,” said Adam Peck, who runs our food services. It was the day before Halloween, and Adam
was in the process of slicing and scooping out an array of vibrant acorn squashes that would be filled with sausage stuffing and topped with feta cheese for a seasonal lunch service later that day.
“Because we have different dietary needs, we have our regular menu which has stuffing with sausage and cranberries; we also have our gluten-free stuffing for our gluten-free residents; and we have dairy free for our residents that can’t have any cheeses or milks.”
Plan
While Adam handled the squash, his colleague Cheryl was in the process of preparing flavorful chili dishes for dinner—one with beef and also a vegetarian option. They would be served with a tray of fresh cornbread, as well as gluten-free cornbread muffins.
At the same time, Lead Kitchen Assistant Kayla O’Dell was preparing two types of fresh fruit salads—one with honeydew melon and blueberries, and another with grapes, cantaloupe blackberries, and pineapple—for lunch and dinner, as well as a pineapple upside-down cake for Louise Frazier’s birthday the next day. Kayla really enjoys baking, and takes the lead on all things dessert. Louise was delighted.
“I wanted pineapple upside-down cake for my birthday. It was one of my favorites growing up,” she said.
In the Garden
Some of our readers will remember when Kathleen Leitner told us about the healing power of the currants she had been tending to in our berry patch. She had significantly reduced her rheumatoid inflammation by consuming fresh currant juice from the berries she harvested.
Our berry patch is situated next to our raised vegetable garden beds, where our independent living residents tend to crops like healthful kale and beets,
Margaret Carlson enjoys a delicious lunch of salad and acorn squash.
Cheryl Westfall and Adam Peck prepare a seasonal fall lunch for our Adult Home Café lunch.
as well as tomatoes and fragrant basil for salads and summer pasta dishes they prepare in their apartments. They’re also able to tend to colder season crops like mâche in the hoophouse adjacent to the garden beds. Access to fresh fruits and vegetables
is especially important for elders, who are statistically more impacted by the effects of chronic illness, loss of bone density, blood pressure concerns, dehydration, and more.
According to a report released by the New York Health Foundation in October, factors contributing to food insecurity among New York’s elders include difficulty walking to the store, carrying heavy groceries, and traveling in challenging weather.
The report cites the benefits of congregate meals at senior nutrition centers, but again, travel can impede accessibility. According to the Columbia County Office for the Aging, there are seven senior nutrition centers hosting congregate meals in our county. The Hudson Senior Center is the only one hosting meals every weekday.
“One of the significant benefits of living in a Camphill Community is the focus on accessible, fresh food and the benefit of eating well and eating socially,” said Amanda Pierro, Camphill Ghent’s executive director.
“We’re so grateful for the elders in our community who continue to care for our garden beds—especially those who share their vast gardening knowledge with their fellow community members so we can all be empowered to contribute to the nutrition and longevity of Camphill Ghent’s elders.”
On the Land
Community members Nick Franceschelli and Daniel Rodriguez are members of our Land Group, and work to ensure our approach to agriculture aligns with the Biodynamic principals that every Camphill community that practices agriculture commits to.
“[Biodynamics] came out of the same impulse that Camphill does, which is to take a spiritual view of the human being and the world we live in,” Nick said while he and Daniel were applying hay to our berry beds for overwintering. “When we started 14 years ago, agriculture was not part of the picture at all. So slowly, we’ve been infusing it because we feel very strongly that’s part of an important foundation for the life of Camphill.”
The gardens up on the Hilltop behind our Adult Home are also important to our community; Nick and others tend to herbs and tomatoes for Adam and his kitchens staff to use in the meals they prepare, as well as cut flowers that we use to beautify our Adult Home spaces.
“Those are just some ways that I feel like we’ve made a beginning, to integrate farming and farm-to-table activity in our community, with the goal of course, not just only to care for the earth that we are growing these products on, but to hopefully supply all of us who live here with the best, freshest possible food that we can, given our situation,” he said.
camphillghent.org/ givingtuesday
Christina Bould tends to a raised garden bed containing basil and tomatoes. Photo by LeeAnn Brignull.
Frances Manley presents a fresh peach from our own orchard. Photo by LeeAnn Brignull.
A crop of mâche, or “corn salad,” awaits harvest in our hoop house.
Places We Go Columbia County Fair
Photos by LeeAnn Brignull and Kristina Labaty
Jo-An Ellithorpe and Alan Rosenzweig enjoy the stunning quilt exhibit at the Columbia County Fair in Chatham.
Louis Reich and Jodi Clough take a stroll through one of Louis’s favorite exhibits— farm equipment.
Judy Fletcher and Daniel Rodriguez have a seat and a snack at the picnic tables.
Sheila Adelman, Victoria Schwartz, Roslyn Shaderowsky, and Allyson Vazak enjoy the sunshine.
Ilene Oloff, LeeAnn Brignull, Frances Gordon, and Louise Frazier tour some of the contested exhibits at the fair.
Musical Performance
Music is a crucial part of life here at Camphill Ghent. Our Culture Hall, where concerts are performed, is situated within our Adult Home, which means the elders who are part of our assisted living program have excellent access to our performances without even having to put on a jacket.
In recent months, Camphill Ghent’s elders have attended some wonderful concerts, from classical to folk. In August, we had the
rare opportunity to attend “From Convent to Castle: An Early Music Rendezvous,” — a collection of Medieval, Renaissance, and Baroque favorites performed by Tracy Cowart (voice, Medieval harp), Caroline Nicolas (voice, vielle, viola da gamba), and Daphna Mor (voice, recorders). The concert was made possible by a donation from Adult Home resident Frances Manley’s brother and sisterin-law, Edward and Maya Manley.
Photo by Simon Carlson
Daphna Mor’s recorder playing was wonderful!
Photo by Simon Carlson.
Father Gary Gelfenbein of St. James Catholic Church in Chatham and Donna Piché perform popular folk favorites in our Culture Hall.
In October, Father Gary Gelfenbein of St. James Catholic Church in Chatham brought so much joyful energy and talent to our Culture Hall. He and long-time musical companion Donna Piché performed a bunch of popular favorites, including ones from the musical “Godspell” and from popular folk singers like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Joining Gary and Donna were Justine Rodriguez—the former music director from St. James—and a group of chorus singers who delivered a thrilling performance!
In November, we were also delighted to welcome back Hailey McAvoy and pianist Gili MelamedLev, who were joined by actor John McManus. Other outstanding performers we’ve welcomed recently include Cellist Rebecca Hartka and Grammy-nominated guitarist and composer Jose Lezcano; clarinetist Steve Poppel; and a spooky Halloween concert with Pete Toigo and Joe Finn.
*To receive updates about concerts that are open to the public, please visit camphillghent.org/publications.
Father Gary belts out popular favorites to the full attention of our Culture Hall audience.
Justine Rodriguez—the former music director from St. James—and a group of chorus singers joined Father Gary.
Cellist Rebecca Hartka and Grammy-nominated guitarist and composer Jose Lezcano played a beautiful concert.
Support Camphill Ghent
with a Legacy Gift
The J. Murray Logan Legacy Circle was founded to recognize and honor donors who make future gifts to the Camphill Foundation, ensuring that people with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to live full, meaningful and productive lives.
Mr. Logan was the father of Camphill Village Copake resident Maria Charlotte Logan, who has chosen to make her home in Camphill Village since 1994. His visionary bequest led to the creation of the Camphill Village Copake Foundation, chartered to support the work of Camphill Village Copake, and expanded to support the work of its sibling community—Camphill Ghent.
Membership in the J. Murray Logan Legacy Circle involves no obligations or dues. Its sole purpose is to thank and recognize you for including the Camphill Village Copake Foundation in your estate or trust plans.
Periodically, the Foundation will recognize Legacy Circle members by inviting them to recognition events and listing their names in Camphill Ghent publications and donor lists. Of course, we always respect a donor’s wish to remain anonymous.
Your membership becomes effective as soon as you:
• Include the Camphill Village Copake Foundation in your estate plan through a will or living trust
• Donate any other gift to be realized at some future date, such as a life insurance policy or retirement plan.
To learn more, contact Elizabeth Phillips, Director of Development: ephillips@camphillvillage.org or 518-329-7924, ext. 134
The stunning peak season aerial views of Ghent’s “Hilltop,” where our Adult Home and some independent living units are located (above); and most of Camphill Ghent’s independent living buildings (below).
Captured by Mary Osorio’s grandson, Sergio.
Camphill Ghent
2542 State Route 66
Chatham, NY 12037
camphillghent.org/donate
Camphill Ghent relies on private sources, including charitable donations, to fund more than 40 percent of our annual operating budget. Please consider making a gift today to fund the exceptional care, activities, and arts that enable our elders of all abilities to thrive. DONATE
Front cover: Christina Bould applies one of the biodynamic preparations near our lower gardens. Photo by LeeAnn Brugnull.
Back cover: A vibrant tree frog finds a place to rest near our willow pond. Photo by LeeAnn Brugnull.
