For more than 40 years, Newark Valley in Tioga County goes all out for their annual Apple Festival on the first weekend of October. Story and photos by Cindy Ruggieri
The Finger Lakes Ran on Canals
The Erie Canal and other canals in New York State opened up the region for travel and commerce. by Kirk
House
52 Too Cold for Pythons A look at invasive species in the Finger Lakes Story and photos by
Genesee Valley Hunt Race Meet
This meet is one of the first sanctioned steeplechases in America and the first to allow women jockeys to race against men. Story and photos by Laurie Mercer
Front Cover: A Spectrum of Beauty Over Keuka Lake.
Photo by Jessie Gorcica
Derek Doeffinger
Editorial & Production
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Mark Stash
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Christopher Bennem
Corrie Carter
Sara DeAngelis
Derek Doeffinger
Gary Emerson
Ethan S. Fogg
Chester Freeman
Kirk House
Stephanie Jarvis
Nancy E. McCarthy
Laurie Mercer
Jennifer Morrisey
Cindy Ruggieri
Joy Underhill
Editorial
Darlene Ryan
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Life
Serving
Fall is Fun
July has truly been a hot and humid month this year. There have been lots of sunny days and the cooler early evenings are ideal for long walks. I’ve always said that humidity is one of my least favorite aspects of summers here, but along with that comes an incredible growing season for vegetables and fruits. The Finger Lakes is blessed with good soil for growing all kinds of plants.
Once August started, we experienced a few cooler days with lower humidity that gave us a taste of the upcoming autumn season. I think most people enjoy fall, with the cooler days, beautiful colors of the changing leaves, and the many festivals and events that go along with it.
The Newark Valley Apple Festival in the southern Finger Lakes (page 60) features autumn and the harvest in a traditional manner. Enjoying apples in all forms – from apple cider to apple pies and everything in-between – is a delight. There are many demonstrations and events with costumed interpreters that feature how life was like in the early 19th century. You can see how blacksmiths plied their trade and witness woodworking, weaving and spinning. Candle dipping was also an essential skill to have, since that was one of the few sources of light at night. Music also plays a big part during the festival, and you can enjoy listening while eating some salt potatoes cooked over an open fire.
There’s another traditional event in the Finger Lakes that ushers in fall –The Genesee Valley Hunt Race Meet in Geneseo. This event was started in 1892 and always occurs the second Saturday in October, rain or shine. According to Laurie Mercer, the author of the article on page 66, “it was one of the first sanctioned steeplechases in America and the first to allow women jockeys to race against men. Some races are run on the flat, while others are over
timber fences about 3 feet high. The GVH meet remains the only one in New York State that hosts sanctioned timber steeplechase racing.” For a change of pace and a different kind of fall activity, I suggest checking it out. Who knows it may become a new autumn tradition in your family.
What would the Finger Lakes in fall be without wine and winery events? Chris Bennem writes about the rising star that is chardonnay on page 18. This wine is making its mark in the region, with winemakers always improving upon their skills and bringing truly world-class chardonnay to the forefront. Chris and his wife Lisa Moore have also created their own branding on estate chardonnay and dry riesling with Glen Hollow Vineyard. 2025 is their first vintage and I believe will become a great success.
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards is a winery mainstay in the region (page 71). They are celebrating being in business for 40 years and they are probably most famous for their wine called Red Cat. It is a drink with a ruby hue and made from Catawba grapes. Hazlitt’s original location is still on the east side of Seneca Lake. They purchased the old Widmer Winery in Naples some years ago and turned it into their production facility for Red Cat Wine. Tastings and tours are available and both locations can make for a great day trip adventure. I can’t say enough about the landscapes I witness while driving around the region – the open fields and woods leading to the steep slopes that surround the deep lakes. And autumn colors make those drives even more special. I can’t wait for the upcoming cooler season and look forward to meeting you all out there on your own Finger Lakes adventures.
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Editor’s Note
Wereceived a response from a reader in Montana in regards to an article in the July/ August 2025 issue about
Deerscaping. There is a concern about the poisonous qualities of one of the deerproof plants named in the article –the Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’). In Montana it can be deadly to elk, elk calves, as well as various other livestock and pets. It is always good to be aware of plants in your landscape with toxins that could potentially harm animals or people, and to plan accordingly.
HelloMark. We have thoroughly enjoyed Life in the Finger Lakes magazine for many years. It’s entertaining, informative and useful. However in the article about Baking for the Fair, I’m perplexed in trying to follow the directions for the Maple Bourbon Peach Pecan pie on page 27 in the July/August 2025 issue. The final step in making the pie filling directs “pour caramel sauce over the peach mixture and stir gently,” but there is no caramel sauce listed in the ingredients above the directions. Is one supposed to just use as much or as little as desired? Or was the sauce and its amount to be used accidently omitted from the list? Your guidance will be appreciated.
— Sincerely, Marjorie Hall, Ovid, NY
Note from the author, Jennifer Morrisey
The caramel sauce is made during the stovetop step where sugar, maple syrup, bourbon and peach juice are boiled together, then finished with butter. That’s a homemade caramel sauce that is referenced later in the instructions. The omission of a label for that step was an oversight. I hope the recipe is given a try – it’s a showstopper and worth the extra effort.
Ireally enjoyed Mark W. Holdren’s absolutely terrific retrospective piece (July/August 2025 issue) about working at the Rochester Times-Union as a copy boy in the early 60s, and his connection to “holding” page one the day that famous wirephoto came in showing the East German vaulting the border barbed wire into the west.
I also used to work for the Gannett Company in Rochester, but not at either of their two newspapers. For about a half-dozen years in the 70s, I was the assignment editor and 6 O’Clock News Producer at Gannett’s TV station, WHEC-TV 10.
On September 5, 1975, Charlie Manson sympathizer Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme pulled the trigger on a .45 caliber Colt automatic pistol aimed at then-President Gerald Ford in Sacramento, CA. The gun failed to fire, and Squeaky was caught immediately, but news of the event was not known to me until I got a call on the newsroom “hotline” from a producer at the CBS TV News Network in New York. He wanted me to get the word to their reporter Connie Chung, who was in Rochester covering an appearance by the Vice President, Nelson Rockefeller.
I paged our reporter Mike Power, who informed Connie of the attempt on Ford’s life, and she broke the news of the assassination attempt to Rockefeller in the form of a reaction question - no one else in the room knew anything about it!
That night, we fed the CBS TV network direct from WHEC-TV 10, and Connie’s story was number two in the lineup. She later called me, and also sent me a letter of thanks, which I still have, somewhere.
I didn’t get to yell “stop the presses!” like Times-Union copyboy Holdren did back in ‘61. But I did manage to have a nice piece of one helluva good story, and in the news business, isn’t that really what it’s all about?
— John Winthrop, Cayucos, CA Write to mark@lifeinthefingerlakes.com
happenings
SEPTEMBER
September 4…Moonlight Stroll at Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Park
Listen to the music of Connie Fredericks-Malone in the moonlit gardens of Sonnenberg. Great for the whole family! Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Performance 7 to 9 p.m.
250 Gibson Street Canandaigua, NY 14424 sonnenberg.org
September 6-7…My Gal Patsy: The Ultimate Tribute to Patsy Cline
Take a captivating country music journey at OFC Creations Theater Center to the magic realm of a Patsy Cline concert starring Josie Waverly. This 90-minute show showcases all of Patsy’s early hits and culminates with an unforgettable rendition of her signature final recording “Sweet Dreams.” Songs include “Walking After Midnight,” “Lovesick Blues,” “There He Goes,” “Leavin’ on Your Mind,” “Crazy” and several others. Waverly astounds with a presence and vocal performance, supported by outstanding musicians. Appropriate for ages 13 and up, no children under 5 permitted. 7 to 9 p.m.
3450 Winton Place Rochester, NY 14623 facebook.com/OFCCreations
September 9…Missing Fingers: The Geology and Geography That Made (and Shrank) the Finger Lakes
Did you know there were once 15 Finger Lakes? Or that Canandaigua Lake once formed a crooked fork like Keuka? Rick Bates will explain how the beautiful, slender lakes were carved into this landscape, leaving behind the gentle slopes, deep gullies and spectacular waterfalls we admire today. Explore the three Gs of our unique region: geography, geology and glaciers. 7 to 8 p.m.
South Bristol Grange Hall 6457 State Route 64 Naples, NY 14512
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Ontario Pathways Great Pumpkin Walk
Take a walk in the moonlight on October 18 as hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins twinkle in the dark! This is a truly magical evening along a section of the Ontario Pathways trail. The round-trip distance is about 1 mile and is suitable for all ages. Strollers are allowed, but no pets, please. There is plenty of free parking. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Ontario County Fairgrounds, County Road 10, Canandaigua. $5 per person, children aged 2 and under free. For more information visit ontariopathways.org.
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Your next move deserves expert guidance. Let’s talk. 561-767-9955 info@corpjetav.com corporatejetaviation.com
happenings
EVENTS Contact event for details
(Continued from page 9)
September 13…From Needle to Brush: Women and Art Tour of Rose Hill Mansion
In conjunction with the 2025 Rose Hill exhibit Without Asking Permission: The Art of Agnes Swan Hutchins and Margaret Hutchins, Historic Geneva is running a specialty tour of Rose Hill Mansion focused on art displayed in the house that was created by or depicts women. Between Needle and Brush: Women and Art will examine the ways women were able to pursue artistic endeavors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and how artists portrayed women. Nineteenth-century gendered views of craftwork like embroidery and tole painting will be discussed, and how some women were able to express their creativity through art. Tickets are required for the tour, and space is limited. To purchase tickets, visit historicgeneva.org and click Book Now. Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for seniors, and $6 for children 10 to 18. 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
3373 Route 96A Geneva, NY 14456 historicgeneva.org
September 20…Equinox Paddle at the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum
Led by Saunders Finger Lakes Museum’s NYS Outdoor
Guides and Educators, this late afternoon equinox paddle will take guests out onto the waters of Keuka Lake, through wetlands and back up Sugar Creek. End your experience with snacks and good cheer! Children under the ages of 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Visit fingerlakesmuseum.org to register.
3369 Guyanoga Road Branchport, NY 14418 fingerlakesmuseum.org
September 27…4th Annual Brews & Bluegrass at the Smith Opera House
The annual fall fundraiser, Brews & Bluegrass, is back, and this year, they’re kicking it up a notch with a rodeo twist! Join us for an unforgettable evening filled with local craft beer tastings, live music and light bites from your favorite local eateries. New this year – test your grit on a mechanical bull ride and kick up your heels with line dancing lessons. Tickets are $50 per person, $85 per couple or $350 for groups of 10 or more. 6 to 10 p.m. Proceeds benefit Geneva’s Smith Opera House, providing music and merriment to the Finger Lakes for 130 years!
82 Seneca Street Geneva , NY 14456
OCTOBER
October 1-12…The Pat II Daily Cruises on Keuka Lake
Join a historical tour on beautiful Keuka Lake aboard The Pat II. Daily Tours depart from Depot Park in Hammondsport. Check out detailed tour times at flbm.org. 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
18 Water Street
Hammondsport, NY 14840
October 3-4…Autumn Plein Air Workshop with Kevin Feary
In this two-day workshop, enjoy autumn views while painting with oil in the outdoors, looking for opportunities to exploit all the different colors that October has to offer. Explore all aspects of plein air painting through demonstrations, hands on work and plenty of individual attention. 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Members $175. Not-Yet Members $225. Art Center of Yates County
127 Main Street
Penn Yan, NY 14527
(Continued on page 12)
happenings
Appetite
(Continued from page 10)
for Voltage takes the stage at 8 p.m. on Saturday, September 27 at del Lago Resort and Casino. This tribute band delivers the ultimate salute to two of rock’s most legendary acts –Guns N’ Roses and AC/DC – in a full-throttle performance that’s as close as you can get to the real thing.
Appetite for Voltage to Light Up del Lago Resort and Casino on September 27
October 4-5…Watch Artists Creating at the Naples Open Studio Trail
Talk with us and watch as we create works of art that are available for purchase on this self-guided art tour. Enjoy as much of the trail as you please using the map and following clearly marked signs along the way. Artists are clustered in Bristol, Naples and Middlesex, which makes for the perfect getaway day. This year we have new artists, new locations and new guest artists! Look for pottery, jewelry, paintings, glass, furniture, sculpture and more.
naplesopenstudiotrail.com
Formed in 2017, the band has built a reputation as one of the most dynamic tribute acts in the Northeast, igniting stages at sold-out clubs, major festivals and casino theaters alike. With performances at Rochester’s Party in the Park, Bands on the Bricks, Fairport Music Festival, and the Watertown Summer Concert Series, the band has left a trail of electrified crowds across the region.
The lineup features veteran musicians who’ve shared stages with rock icons like ZZ Top, Motley Crue, The Ramones, and George Thorogood. Members include Seth Martino on lead vocals, Marty Allocco on lead guitar, Kire Najdovski on lead guitar, Brian Eberts on bass and Todd Lange on drums.
For more information on the band, visit appetiteforvoltage.com and facebook.com/appetiteforvoltage.
October 17…October Open Mic Night at Sulfur Books in Clifton Springs
Share acoustic music, poetry, short stories, recitations and more. Just about anything is possible. A total of 16 spots are available, up to 7 minutes each. Signups are encouraged in advance of the start of the event. Spots are first-come first-serve. Sign up at sulfurbooks. com/events or call 315-462-2665. Not interested in performing but still want to attend? Spectators are welcome, too. Come out and show support for local authors and musicians. 6 to 8 p.m.
2 West Main Street
Clifton Springs, NY 14432
“An American goldfinch rests on a budding branch.”
— photo by
Dawn Clark
Share your photos at lifeinthefingerlakes.com/user-submitted-galleries.
“A baby weasel is on the look out at Otisco Lake.” photo by Sandy Molodetz
Sky Above, Lake Below Paradise Within
Iremember saying, “but no, the view of Seneca Lake is best from this angle. Ohhh, actually, it’s better from over here.” No matter where I stood on the 112 acres, it felt like that was the best. We spent the next almost 30 years creating a haven of quiet luxury for my family and the thousands of tourists who returned year after year. We turned the historic 1790’s, 7-bedroom estate into a vacation rental. The old carriage barn was transformed into a 2 story [Art for Living] indoor Art Festival. We built the cafe (tasting room) featuring an architectural masterpiece – a staircase into and around a massive oak tree.
My children grew up on the 112 acres, and with them, goats, sheep, chickens & horses. My daughter had her horses within view of her bedroom window. We sheared the sheep & collected enough eggs to sell them. We would like to pass it on to someone else, so they, too, can feel like they hit the jackpot, have the lifestyle, raise their family, and generate revenue.
112 lake-view acres, 8 buildings, 2 turn-key businesses, and beautiful residences on the fastest growing wine-trail on Seneca Lake, Upstate New York. Enjoy world-class hunting, fishing, and equestrian. Plus, structures & land for 3+ businesses.
The property sits precisely in the center of the Golden Corridor – the
Shells and Stones keepers
by Ethan S. Fogg
‘Tis the season for swimming, hiking and beachwalking. Late summer is the backdrop of many of my earliest adventures as a child: building treehouses in the woods, exploring along streams and lakeshores and collecting shells and stones.
I have quite a few fossil rocks and seashells today that have been passed down by my parents and their parents – keepers that remind me of swim lessons on August mornings at Cayuga Lakes State Park, picnics on day trips to Chimney Bluffs and Fair Haven Beach, and in some cases, more far-flung travels. My father’s steady hand and a number two pencil marked some of these natural wonders “Stonehenge,” “Normandy” and “Grand Canyon.”
For years, I held on to an extensive collection of arrowheads that had been my grandfather’s. In the same worn wooden box for almost 50 years, I gave these handsome artifacts to a friend some time ago. While the friend and the collection are not in my life today, this hand-off is a great example of the power of unique and beautiful items to endure, beguile and “wash up on shore” in new places and times and families. My only hope – and my grandfather’s, too – is that these keepers bring joy and inspire curiosity, over and over again.
“If you love something, set it free…” Often attributed to Richard Bach, this quote tells me the earth loves shells and stones. The tilling of the plow, the patter of the rain and the
beating of the tides are forever unearthing treasures for the collector, the crafter and the beachcomber.
While many of the beautiful pieces in my modest collection are of unknown origin, a few hold fond memories. They are links to another time and place: a vignette including my folks or my siblings, or my own travels to Europe or California or Down East Maine. I don’t have a favorite, but I have always treasured the fist-sized hag stone that sat on the kitchen windowsill in my childhood home, and the dinner-plate sized abalone that came home with a young Fogg family from a trip to Mobile and Pensacola. More than 50 years ago, my sister brought a starfish home from that trip. Alive. In her luggage. I wouldn’t recommend it.
What I would recommend is finding a pocket-sized keeper – a fossil, shell or perhaps a piece of sea glass –every time you swim in a lake, take a day hike or walk on a beach, one the earth loved enough to set free. Safety first: Make sure harvesting these items is not against park policy and that you’re not standing too close to a bluff or fast water or poison ivy. If the coast is clear, take the shell or stone home with you, wash it in plain water and use it to build your own collection of shells and stones and stories of your adventures. These natural wonders are free and environmentally friendly. And if you ever lose interest, they’re easily gifted to a friend or returned to the earth without guilt or ceremony.
Chardonnay: A Rising Star
story and photos by
Christopher Bennem
On a brisk May evening in Geneva, my wife Lisa and I made our way down Linden Street to Vinifera to visit proprietors Jim Cecere and Kevin San Jose. We’d just been to a winemaker’s dinner with Nova Cadamatre, the
visionary behind Trestle Thirty One, and were brimming with enthusiasm. It was late, and the wine bar was getting quiet, so San Jose and Cecere indulged us in conversation. The topic: how underrated was Finger Lakes chardonnay?
(Continued on page 20)
Kevin San Jose (left) and Jim Cecere
Nova Cadamatre is the first female winemaker to earn the title Master of Wine. Also a Wine Enthusiast “40 under 40” alum, Cadamatre works bi-coastally with labels in Napa, and is a sought-after consultant by vintners across the country.
Ian Barry’s wines have won two Governor’s Cups and been featured in Wine and Spirits magazine’s “Top 100 Wines of the Year.” In addition to Six Eighty Cellars and Buttonwood Grove, he also creates wine for his own label, Barry Family Cellars and Le Chevalier.
San Jose and Cecere leaned into the question with gusto. In their opinion, the best FLX chardonnays were excellent and seriously underrated. Delighted, we told them our news: we’d just bought a little Chardonnay vineyard.
As the owners of Glen Hollow, a vacation rental/retreat on Canandaigua Lake’s Seneca Point, Lisa and I had been bringing influencers to this region for years. I’d grown up in Western New York but had spent most of my career outside the area. Coming back in 2015, I was amazed at the explosion of the Finger Lakes wine scene. With Glen Hollow, Lisa and I committed ourselves to sharing the magic of this place with as many people as possible.
We were especially thrilled when, in 2022, Heron Hill Winery had a chardonnay which landed on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100. Their Canandaigua tasting room was just three minutes from Glen Hollow, and the Top 100 wine had been sourced from a small plot of old vine chardonnay three minutes in the other direction, next to Heron Hill’s legendary Ingle Vineyards.
We explained to San Jose and Cecere that we were now the owners of that little vineyard and that Heron Hill’s Jordan Harris would be making our wine. We expected them to approve – after all, they’d sold us several bottles of that very chardonnay. What we did not expect was to discover that it was San Jose who’d recommended it to Wine Enthusiast.
San Jose described a conversation with Wine Enthusiast’s tasting director, who asked him what the “story” of the Finger Lakes was. We were known for riesling, and word was spreading about our cabernet francs. But then what? The Finger Lakes portfolio had come to include a sprawling array of different wines, influenced out of necessity and the experimentalist urges of local winemakers. San Jose made the case that chardonnay was a variety where FLX winemakers were doing great things.
The claim was consistent with what Nova Cadamatre had told us. She was thrilled with her 2021 chardonnay, a year not usually praised locally. Her
chardonnay had undergone an unusual level of “bottle shock,” mimicking the effects shown in the movie of the same name. But just as with the film’s depiction of the Judgment of Paris, in which American winemakers poured their best against the giants of France and won, Cadamatre claimed that she would put her chard up against any from Burgundy.
Recently, we visited her again to talk chardonnay.
“As a winemaker, I love chardonnay because it’s a wine that you really get to push the buttons and turn the knobs on,” she said, referring to its malleability and the number of different choices a winemaker uses to vinify it.
She poured us three different vintages. As 2022 was a drought year, logic suggested that vintage would have been “bigger,” than the delicate wine we tasted. Nova smiled. “I did partial Malo that year.” Malolactic conversion is the process that can give chardonnay a smoother, rounder texture. In the high-alcohol wines from California’s Napa region, this often lends the wine a buttery quality that some love – and others do not.
But in wine terminology, the Finger Lakes AVA is a cool climate region, known for producing leaner, brighter wines, high in acidity. Our chardonnays are more like those produced in Chablis, the northernmost region of Burgundy. Like their winemakers, many here avoid using oak or malolactic conversion. For her 2022 vintage, Cadamatre had moved down one of the “dials” to counter the heat, retaining that brighter character.
A month after our conversation with Cecere and San Jose, they revealed the depth of their commitment to their claim. Debuting their own label, Le Chevalier, they introduced just two wines: a cabernet franc and a chardonnay (they’ve since added rosé and riesling to their lineup). Cecere described their decision as a journey that tracked with the delight of their customers, who were continually surprised at the quality of Finger Lakes Chardonnay.
“We knew that with chardonnay we could stand out,” he said, “but more importantly, we could become part of what is an increasingly elevated voice of an underrepresented varietal in the Finger Lakes.”
Our conversations with San Jose and Cecere inspired this series of articles, so when discussing chardonnay, I knew I had to talk to their winemaker, Ian Barry. Like Cadamatre and Harris, Barry has a restless creativity. I tracked him down at Six Eighty Cellars, just one of four labels he makes wine for. Six Eighty specializes in unique vessels, featuring chardonnays made in sandstone egg, and terra cotta cigar.
“Everyone talks about oak versus steel,” he would later tell me, “But I feel like earthenware vessels can sit in between those two.”
The Vinifera winemaking team, originally led by Susan Passmore, decided on a more classic expression, however, using neutral oak to create a clean, elegant
Jordan Harris won accolades while at the famed Loudoun County winery Tarara (earning a spot on the Wine Enthusiast 40 under 40). In the Finger Lakes, he’s best known for his award-winning work at Heron Hill, making wines for Ingle Vineyards and launching new brands such as Glen Hollow Vineyard. He’s now at Point of the Bluff Vineyard.
chard, emblematic of the region. As for the bigger question, his opinion echoed Cadamatre’s: “I absolutely believe that Finger Lakes chardonnay is equal to anything coming out anywhere else in the world.”
Before leaving, I confessed to being a vineyard owner, mentioning our location. Going into a back room, he returned with a bottle. “Here,” he said, handing it to me with a lop-sided smile. “I made it from the grapes on your vineyard.” Three weeks later, that same wine would earn 92 points on Vinous.
Jordan Harris hit a walk-on homer with the chardonnay from our vineyard in his first year at Heron Hill. Landing on Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 list is rare: only three FLX wines made it in 2022, one in 2023 and none in 2024. Achieving that with any Finger Lakes wine is astounding. Managing it with chardonnay is a statement.
“Chardonnay is a grape that some winemakers like because it can grow anywhere,” Harris once told me. “But just
(Continued on page
GLEN HOLLOW VINEYARD a
new winery inspired by the magic of old vines
In 2022, something amazing happened: a Finger Lakes Chardonnay landed on the Wine Enthusiast Top 100 – competing against 22,000 other wines from across the world.
Produced by Heron Hill, this magical vintage was sourced from a vineyard off Canandaigua Lake planted nearly forty years ago by John Ingle, Heron Hill’s owner.
Chris Bennem and Lisa Moore, owners of the historic rental Glen Hollow, acquired the vineyard two years later and partnered with Heron Hill to bring it back to full production.
Through Glen Hollow, Chris and Lisa had gotten to know Finger Lakes wine, its wine makers, and numerous local experts. Their conversations with them inspired Chris to set out on a year-long project to interview the best wine minds of the Finger Lakes.
The goal: to find the common thread of what made the wines here unique, and to discover how one might express the very best of the region as a small, focused collection of wines that tell the story of the Finger Lakes.
The result: an approach to sustainable, small production winemaking that leverages three key influences to create elite wines of exceptional balance and quality.
GLEN HOLLOW VINEYARD
produces elegant wines that combine:
• Generous Acidity: the Finger Lakes AVA is legendary for producing delicate wines high in acid that pair well with food
• Old Vine Fruit: hand-harvested grapes from old vines yield layered, nuanced flavors
• Oak Aging: all of our wines use a restrained approach to barrel-aging to produce softer texture and mouthfeel, without over-oaking
OUR WINES
Dry Riesling available September aged in 50% neutral oak/50% stainless steel
Estate Chardonnay available October barrel-aged in French oak, 1/3 new
JOIN US AT ONE OF OUR SPECIAL EVENTS!
Sept 5: Riesling Launch
Heron Hill Tasting Room Canandaigua, 5:30 pm
Sept 13: Harvest Festival
Heron Hill Tasting Room Keuka Lake, 1-4 pm
Oct 3: Chardonnay Launch
Heron Hill Tasting Room Canandaigua, 5:30 pm
Oct 4: Harvest Festival
Heron Hill Tasting Room Canandaigua, 12-4 pm
Oct 5: Glen Hollow Tasting
Heron Hill Tasting Room Keuka Lake, 5 pm
Heat & Glo Escape 42 See-Through fireplace isn' t just a heat source; it 's a breathtaking architectural element that transforms your living space Designed to be admired from two separate rooms, this innovative fireplace creates a seamless connection, allowing you to enjoy the mesmerizing dance of flames from multiple vantage points
Kevin San Jose (left) and James Cecere are the Wine Enthusiast Future 40-winning founders of Geneva wine bar Vinifera New York, which focuses on FLX wines and has a new location in Ithaca. San Jose is a Wine Enthusiast contributor, the wine and spirits editor for the Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance and editor and wine reviewer of New York State.
because it can, doesn’t mean it should. When planted in boring terroir, you will get boring chardonnay. The Finger Lakes is never boring. Especially Glen Hollow Vineyard.”
Our vineyard is chillier than some – about 3/4 of a mile from Canandaigua Lake – but the wind provides ventilation, desirable in our wet climate. Its rows align downhill on a southeast-facing slope. The sun and lake breezes that warm and cool the old vines create layered, nuanced fruit, high in acid and Harris uses just enough oak to bring these
This controlled use of oak with careful selection of fruit is a common theme among all three of these winemakers, as well as many of the best chardonnays you will find
“Chardonnay in the Finger Lakes is the barometer for
“It remains an untamed beast. It is a canvas of a grape, where special care in the vineyard, with equal care in the winery, is required to harmonize terroir and the hand of the winemaker in the glass. It is a very transparent grape, where balance is the benchmark Chardonnay is demanding in that it loses concentration and power due to factors like excess yields or a wet vintage. When coupled with overpowering oak use or the buttery influence of overly-exuberant malolactic fermentation, the result is a wine that has been stripped of
In short, the producers who can master Chardonnay are the ones crafting great wines from
Christopher Bennem is co-owner of Glen Hollow, a vacation rental, writer’s retreat, and winery now launching its first vintage. Follow him on Instagram @glenhollowflx
dining Delicious Dishes
Lemon Cake
The Red Bird Café Enjoy a slice of cake! Lemon cake with seedless raspberry filling, frosted with silky lemon buttercream. Cakes by Andrea at the Red Bird. redbirdcafeandgiftshop.com
Chicken and Waffles Crepe
Simply Crepes
This crepe is topped with hand-battered chicken breast, tossed in maple bourbon sauce and garnished with applewood bacon. simplycrepes.com
Classic Cocktails
Plum Point Lodge
Enjoy Sapalta at Plum Point Lodge, where all of our signature craft cocktails are infused with local botanicals – fresh, fruity, floral and herbaceous! plumpointlodgeflx.com
Mixed Broil Captain’s Platter
Nolan’s
A generous and satisfying trio of broiled favorites — a 6 oz. fresh North Atlantic cod filet, four jumbo gulf shrimp, and three jumbo sea scallops — served sizzling on a hot cast-iron plate. Comes with crisp coleslaw and your choice of side for a complete and flavorful meal. $35 nolansonthelake.com
Dansville The Birthplace of Granola
story and photos by Laurie Mercer
Dansville sits surrounded by steep hills that are steeped in local history, including the creation of granola – a mainstay of generations from hippies to grannies. What better place to continue the legacy of wholesomeness than in the town where it was born?
Inspired by Dansville’s past, Mary Alioto launched the Dansville Granola Company in 2021. Alioto’s granola is made in small batches by hand in a historic building at 156 Main Street, and her fan base is growing.
She calls it “granola from the source.”
For Alioto, moving from Maine after 25 years of running a commercial apple orchard with her husband Larry, to the Finger Lakes Region “seemed like destiny.”
Granola’s beginnings
Originally launched as Our Home Granula Company in 1863, (yes, it was first called “granula”), granola was the first American cereal that didn’t need to be cooked
before being consumed. Using Genesee Valley white winter wheat, the original formula was similar to dense Grape Nuts and needed to be first soaked in milk.
Back then, medicine was dubious at best. Thus, water cures (hydropathy) gave rise to “cures” to address illness. In 1796, a natural spring had literally erupted from stone in the hills when the landscape was just a cluster of pioneer huts. A wonder of nature, Breakout Creek (soon to be named All-Healing Spring), sent 300-pound stones flying. The resulting pure spring water fueled an industry focused on hydrotherapy, once one of the most popular alternative medical practices of the mid-19th century.
Pure, clean water—internally and externally applied, followers believed – was the secret to a long, healthy life. At one point, the U.S. had more than 200 water cures. There was even an American Hydropathic College in New York City.
In 1858 Dr. James Caleb Jackson took over at Dansville’s Water Cure Facility, renaming it Our Home on the Hillside. He also advocated pure foods, including fruits, vegetables and unprocessed grains and little or no meat as keys to robust health.
After the Civil War, people came in large numbers to Dansville to cleanse their bodies and their minds. Some were said to be suffering from nervous breakdowns, while others may have been escaping alcohol. Thousands of patients were treated annually. One Dansville resident who took the cure and was thankful for it was Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross.
The site itself first opened as the Dansville Model Water Cure in 1854, and somehow survived several unsuccessful owners and many different names. Jackson, a brilliant selfpromoter, believed his failing heart, stomach and kidneys had been restored by pure, clean, cold water, including cold water plunges and baths. Timing and opportunity were right; and Jackson’s Our Home on the Hillside took off.
The sanatorium also promoted sunlight, moderate exercise and fresh air. Patrons could sit in glass-enclosed cubicles on the roof to catch the rays year around. Rising at 6 a.m. to the sound of a Chinese gong, guests were serviced by the staff of 50.
Times changed, and the Jackson Sanitarium, Our Home on the Hillside, grew from admirable success to endure a series of epic bankruptcies. The main building burned. A later use for what was left became a psychiatric hospital for World War I veterans. Over the years, many people tried to re-energize the concept of a spa, but the property closed for good in 1971.
Today, unused and deteriorating, the once grand building is collapsing and nearly hidden beneath trees and underbrush. Time marches on. You have to look at old
Left: Dansville Granola, 156, Main Street is headquartered in a historic storefront in the town where granola was born! That’s upstate for you. Small batches are hand-stirred, packaged, and shipped to wholesale customers as well as walk-ins. Owner Mary Alioto says that her making granola in Dansville “seemed like destiny.”
photographs to appreciate the original, impressive, fivestory, red brick edifice with turreted towers. Self- sufficient with steam heat and its own waterworks and sewer, the castle-inspired structure and rolling lawns were on par with properties enjoyed by European nobility.
In 1863, Jackson created the first dry breakfast cereal while also promoting the Genesee Valley’s “unequaled white winter wheat.” He first sold his cereal in highly decorated yellow tins, labeled as Our Home Granula, named after his sanitarium. His granula dry cereal was an economical game changer at an affordable 20 cents per pound. A subsequent fight with cereal maker Kellogg caused him to change the name from Granula to Granola.
Bacon and eggs had met their match.
Jackson passed on at age 85 in 1895 and is buried in Green Mount Cemetery. And yet, the birthplace and popularity of his iconic, healthy breakfast cereal lives on in many varieties including gluten-free, paleo, vegan, kosher, low-fat, sugar free and energy bars.
Mary Alioto, founder of the Dansville Granola Company makes small batches of granola, packages them, and ships product to customers from the birthplace of granola— Dansville. Sales have increased significantly since its launch in 2021.
Dansville Granola today
Granola distinguishes itself by being perceived as being healthier than the rest of the cereal kingdom which has been long dominated by fake colors and enhanced by artificial flavors and sugars.
Granola is usually unadulterated grain – rolled oats –enhanced with various dried fruits and nut combinations to make it crunchy and delicious. Maple syrup, brown sugar, canola oil, sunflower seeds, coconut and salt complete the profile. Ingredients, hand-stirred in small quantities, are toasted and packaged 70 pounds to a batch. Alioto’s husband, Larry Donahue, makes deliveries to wholesale accounts.
Dansville Granola’s storefront location also showcases a vintage Studio Autoplay player piano that is cranked up “when people can stand the noise,” Alioto said. The instrument’s seat is filled with vintage player piano rolls that still sound perfect.
The Dansville Granola people are no strangers to hard work, good food and positive, community-centric vibes. Before they retired here, they ran a 10-acre, 1,000-tree commercial apple orchard in Maine with 50 varieties of
Meet Physical
Culturist Bernarr MacFadden
You may think that modernday bodybuilders are different, but beefcake has always been around. For example, Bernarr MacFadden, who changed his name to Bernard to sound more like a lion, played a big part in Dansville’s sanatorium phase. After all, you need an audience to show off those pecs!
MacFadden’s Physical Culture was once mailed to 100,000 people. He also excelled with book sales. A popular topic was how guilt and shame were destructive to health. One message was the relaxation of restrictive garments on women, which probably lead to a collective sigh from users of whalebone corsets.
Legal battles over his books, which were banned for addressing topics like venereal disease, almost bankrupted MacFadden, but he still became internationally famous and wealthy beyond belief. He could crunch, curl and bench press with the best of them.
Muscles, sex, money and fame continue to sell. And MacFadden at the Castle on the Hill had it all, plus multiple wives and many children. Lest they forget, all of his offspring had names beginning with “B.” He married his fourth wife at age 79 and died at age 87. Once worth more than $30 million, he left behind only $5,000.
apples, some of them from desirable heirloom trees. The crop supplied their on-site farm store where they also sold their homemade granola and many apple pies. Alioto remembers that work with a sigh. She and Donahue learned people will travel far for foods they value.
“This small business is growing,” Alioto said. “People really like that you can read all the ingredients on the label and know that they are good for you.”
They initially used a commercial kitchen to make their recipes. Soon local entrepreneur Greg O’Connell pitched them on renting a historic storefront on Main Street. O’Connell has been instrumental in the revitalization of historic buildings, put to new use in Mt. Morris and Perry. A former New York City detective, he made millions by his resurrection of Brooklyn’s Red Hook neighborhood. O’Connell’s business model, fueled by self-made-man passion, remains totally hands on. Often his office is the messy dashboard in his pickup truck.
Alioto’s neighbors include a fiber shop offering lessons, three coffee shops and a gymnastics studio with aspirants and body culturists of all ages.
People love to be outdoors here. Dansville has a Dogwood Festival, tractor pulls, concerts and a Winter in the Village event. In nearby Letchworth and Stony Brook State Parks, 1,300 natural camp sites beckon nature lovers.
Enjoy the fall colors and landscapes of the Finger Lakes on this self-guided art tour and explore one-of-akind treasures in each artist’s studio.
4 & 5, 2025 • 10am-5pm
Sauerkraut
story and
photos
by Jennifer Morrisey
Sauerkraut seems to be having a comeback recently. It’s marketed as gut-healthy, packed with probiotic power, and showing up in fancy jars and pouches at fancy prices. I’ve never seen so many kraut options in the cold cases of grocery stores.
But for me, it never went out of style. It’s comfort food, the kind that showed up next to kielbasa or was spooned warm over pierogies, right where it belonged.
I never met my great-grandmother. In our family, we called our grandmothers Babu, our own version of Babunia, the Polish word for grandmother. Most of the Polish language faded over time in my family, although a few
less-than-polite phrases managed to hang on. That, and a handful of recipes, some stories and plenty of rosaries.
I grew up hearing stories about my mother’s Babu and her kitchen in East Rochester. She would spend her days in her apron and kerchief, tending the wood cookstove that was always going. Chickens pecked around the backyard, and on Sunday she would also head outback with a hatchet. Her apron pockets might be holding a hammer, a rosary, a handful of saint medallions and a sugar cube wrapped in a napkin, for tea later. She never learned English, and never left her traditions behind. But the food? That adapted just fine.
There isn’t much I can find about my great-
grandmother, not in the official sense, anyway. That’s how it was for many immigrants back then. People arrived quietly, without paperwork or ceremony. Just a kerchief, a language no one here spoke and a fierce will to build a life.
My great-Babu wasn’t the only one. She was part of a wave of Polish immigrants who settled across Upstate New York in the late 1800s and early 1900s, typically in the factory towns that dotted the Erie Canal. They brought their language, their faith and their food and planted roots that still run deep throughout the Finger Lakes.
The cabbage fields that dot the Finger Lakes, spanning over a combined 12,000 acres, may have first been worked by German hands, but Polish kitchens knew exactly what to do with it: stuff it, stew it and ferment it into family meals.
We weren’t alone in our appreciation for cabbage and sauerkraut, either. The town of Phelps once dubbed itself the “Cabbage Capital of the World,” thanks to the two major sauerkraut factories that once operated there – Seneca Sauerkraut and Silver Floss. The town still hosts a Sauerkraut Festival every August, complete with a kraut-eating contest, cabbage bowling and a parade. Say what you will about small-town festivals, but when a place devotes an entire weekend to fermented cabbage, that’s heritage.
Years ago, I found myself at a holiday dinner party at my husband’s boss’s house. On the buffet table was a big dish of sauerkraut and sausages. Naturally, he and I got to talking kraut.
He served his with German sausage and confessed he didn’t make his kraut in crocks; he fermented his cabbage in coolers. (Yes, actual picnic coolers, the kind you’d expect to find at a tailgate.) Unorthodox? Sure. But undeniably effective.
He was German-American, and as we traded kraut stories and serving methods, I realized just how many hands from different homelands shaped agriculture in the Finger Lakes and helped preserve this tradition in Upstate New York. The Polish pile sauerkraut on pierogies, the Germans paired it with wurst and both carried the legacy of cabbage across oceans and into cellars and kitchens here Upstate New York.
The best part? He shared what he claimed was the secret to really good kraut: use different size cuts. Shred some finely with a grater, slice some thick with a knife. The variety in texture, he said, made all the difference. It sounded like sound life advice, honestly, and I’ve followed it ever since. I was also the only guest to leave with a Ziploc bag of fermented cabbage.
trend. It was a way of life, rooted in the old country, passed down through handwritten recipes and techniques shared at holiday get-togethers.
A 10-gallon crock, quietly perking away in her root cellar, might have been Babu’s normal, but me? I’m more of a quart jar and corner-of-the-counter person. Small-batch sauerkraut is simple, quick to ferment and doesn’t require a mountain of cabbage or a basement built in 1902. It’s the perfect way to dip into krautmaking without fully committing to a bubbling vat. One head of cabbage, one jar and in about a week, you’ll have something Babu would instantly recognize.
I like to think she’d appreciate my small-scale kraut production, even though she’d probably mutter something in Polish about how it’s not nearly enough to last the winter.
Around here, kraut isn’t a culinary fad or a hip new food
SERVING THE FINGER LAKES FOR OVER 45 YEARS
The Great Steam Canal Boat Race of 1873
by Gary Emerson
On October 15, 1873, throngs gathered along the Erie Canal in Syracuse to inspect the five steam canal boats tied up at the docks. People had come from around the state to witness the competition of the steamers for a $100,000 prize offered by the New York State Legislature for the fastest and most practical steam canal boat. Each boat would haul a load of 200 tons from Syracuse to Utica, the 52-mile route known as the long level because it included few locks.
Changing with the times
When we think of the Erie Canal in the 19th century, we envision boats gliding silently and slowly on the water being pulled by horses or mules. But the 19th century was the age of steam and innovative minds sought to hasten shipping on the canal by converting to steam-powered boats. Almost as soon as the Erie Canal was completed, steam-powered canal boats began making appearances on the canal, but none proved superior to animal power.
By the 1870s, the growth of railroads threatened to take freight away from the canal. The New York Central Railroad raised capital to construct a double track to devote more cars to carrying freight. The speed and year-round service of railroads posed an existential threat to the canals of the state. Animal-powered canal boats typically took two weeks to haul freight from Buffalo to New York City. Steam-powered boats had the potential to cut that time in half. Canal boats run by steam offered a way for the Erie Canal to better compete with
railroads. In 1871, the New York State Legislature decided to incentivize the development of steam power on the Erie Canal by offering a $100,000 prize to whoever could construct an efficient steam-powered canal boat that met certain requirements. The winning boat had to be able to haul at least 200 tons at an average speed of three miles per hour, be able to run both forward and in reverse, and the technology had to be adaptable to existing canal barges.
The plan called for competing boats to complete three round trips between Buffalo and New York City during the 1872 canal season to prove they could meet the requirements. But at the end of the season, the state legislature decided the
Above: Contest poster. Albany Institute of History and Art Library
Below: Photo of the William Newman in Buffalo. The photo was taken in November 1873 when the Newman was at Central Wharf in Buffalo. The photo was featured on the cover of Telescope, December 1961, vol. 10, no. 12, which is the journal for the Great Lakes Maritime Institute.
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Featuring Jacuzzi Rooms
trials were not conclusive and decided to sponsor a competition in 1873 that would hopefully produce a winner. The competition called for the boats to navigate from Syracuse to Utica, a 52-mile route with few locks that could allow the steam canal boats to demonstrate their speed. Each boat would haul 200 tons. Agents of the state canal commission would ride along with each boat to monitor its operation, use of coal and speed.
The contenders
Dennis & Valerie Calkins Proprietors
As the sun rose on October 15, 1873, crews of the five boats prepared to start the race that all thought would decide the future of boating on the Erie Canal. The steam canal boats were given a staggered start in 30-minute intervals. The first boat off was the William Baxter at 6:23 a.m. Named for its builder and owner, the Baxter was built specifically for the contest and was powered by a screw propeller. The boat performed well in the 1872 season, and many considered it the favorite to claim the prize.
The C. C. Pope was scheduled to leave next. It was an ordinary canal boat refitted with a steam engine powering a screw propeller. A mechanical problem delayed the start of the C. C. Pope, and time was lost repairing the valves on its engine. It did not depart until 11 a.m.
Although slated to start third, the Port Byron would take the place of the C. C. Pope. The boat was a regular horse-drawn boat modified to run on steam. Built in Rochester, the Port Byron had a paddle-wheel in the stern with an opening running from bow to stern allowing water to pass down the middle of the boat. The idea was to limit the amount of wash to minimize erosion along the canal banks. It was suddenly discovered at the start of the race that the Port Byron somehow had 10 tons too much freight on board, and time was lost lightening its load down to the required 200 tons. It was 9:15 a.m. before the Port Byron began its trip.
The Central City launched an hour later. Built in Syracuse, the “central city” in the state, it featured twin paddle-wheels on either side of the boat. The experiment proved to be inefficient. The Central City had difficulty entering locks due to the paddle-wheels on its sides. Both paddle-wheel boats, the Port Byron and the Central City, were the slowest of the competitors.
The final boat to start the race was the William Newman, nearly five hours after the Baxter had departed. Built in Watkins on Seneca Lake, the Newman was named for a popular builder in that village. Powered by a screw propeller, it was a modified canal boat with a double deck allowing for the separation of different cargoes. The Newman performed well in the 1872 trials, and many thought the race was between the Baxter and the Newman
With so much at stake for the $100,000 prize, competitors didn’t want to leave matters to chance. The crew of the C. C. Pope believed their mechanical difficulties at the start of the race was due to tampering. The William Newman had a fast start, quickly overcoming and passing the C. C. Pope and Central City, but suddenly began losing steam. The Newman began the race using coal acquired at Buffalo. Once the crew began using extra coal purchased at Syracuse. it did not burn as well; the coal had been left sitting on the dock overnight and apparently someone had doused it with salt water. Once the boat got to Rome, it loaded on fresh coal and its speed improved.
The Baxter made it to Utica well ahead of the other boats, which arrived the following day. The great steam canal boat race was over. The boat owners anxiously
William Baxter Drawing – Scientific American, Vol. 30, No. 23, June 6, 1874, p. 351
awaited as the commissioners weighed the data they collected to decide which boat would win the $100,000.
The final results
After evaluating the data, the commissioners finally announced their decision to not award the prize. They ruled that none of the boats met the criteria to win the $100,000. The only boat to achieve an average of three miles per hour was the William Baxter, but the Baxter was built specifically to compete for the prize and its plan was not adaptable to existing canal barges. The boat owners, who had invested a lot in their boats to compete, lobbied the state legislature to be compensated for their efforts. The legislature compromised by agreeing to award payments to some of the boats, provided their owners put more steam-powered boats on the canal during the following year.
William Baxter received $35,000 for putting seven more steam canal boats on the Erie Canal. David Dobbins, owner of the William Newman, was paid $15,000 for producing three new steam canal boats. Theodore Davis, who owned the Central City, was compensated $5,000 for constructing another steam canal boat modeled on the Central City
The steam canal boat race ended without a clear path to replace animals as the motive power for canal boats. Boats pulled by mules and horses continued to dominate traffic on the canals. The steam canal boat competition demonstrated that the main impediment preventing a transition to steam power on the canal was the canal itself. The canal was too shallow and too narrow to accommodate steam canal boats. The locks were too small to handle the large boats. A deeper canal would make greater speed possible. A wider canal would make it easier for boats to pass one another. Larger locks would allow multiple boats to lock through at the same time. Although the steam canal boat contest seemed to be a failure, it succeeded in exposing the drawbacks of the Erie Canal. The canal needed motor-powered boats to compete with the railroads, and enlargement was the answer. New York State voters authorized construction of the barge canal in 1903. Completed in 1918 at a cost of nearly $97 million, the barge canal was engineered to be 12 feet deep and 120 feet wide. The much larger locks were 45 feet wide and 328 feet long. Motorized steel barges, capable of carrying 2,000 tons and moving at faster speed, replaced the animal powered boats. The barge canal still serves the public today, and the steam canal boat race of 1873 helped pave the way for the modifications that carried the canal into the 21st century.
Gary Emerson of Odessa, is a retired high school teacher. He taught history at Newfield Central School and currently serves as the Schuyler County historian. He received a B.A. in history from St. Bonaventure University in 1977, an M.A. in history from Binghamton University in 2000 and a PhD from Binghamton University in 2024.
Sculptor Philippe Faraut
Home is Where the Art is
by Nancy E. McCarthy
Honeoye sculptor Philippe Faraut’s life is as complex and compelling as his richly detailed, life-like sculptures.
Faraut’s art journey began with woodworking, then an exploration of clay and porcelain figures followed by bronze
and marble sculptures ranging from tabletop size to massive monuments. His award-winning works are exhibited in galleries and housed at institutions and in private collections.
Faraut’s career spans decades and continents, providing keen insight into a myriad of different cultures and art styles. His insatiable curiosity about the human face and form led to a deep dive into the self-study of anatomy, physiology and facial expression. Combining these experiences and learnings greatly influenced his impressive command of 3D portraiture. It also led to surprising opportunities such as speaking about the effects of aging on the face at plastic surgery conventions.
The artist shares his sculpting techniques during handson workshops, online courses and through an instructional book and video series he developed with his wife and business partner artist Charisse Scott Faraut.
Retired professor Henry Wilkinson has attended Faraut’s sculpting workshops for the past 10 years. “To watch his hands work clay into the human form is truly to learn from the master,” said Wilkinson. “Sculpture requires special conceptual skills to be able to comprehend an object and then reproduce it. Add to this daunting task the amazing complexity of the human form, and his skills are mind-boggling.”
Equally mind-boggling is that Faraut never intended to pursue sculpting. His art career is intentional now, but Faraut discovered his vocation quite randomly thanks to various serendipitous circumstances.
Above: Philippe Faraut and his earthenware sculpture “Jason.”
Left: “Sisters” 17” x 16” x 16” Limited Edition Bronze
Right: “Atlantis,” made of Italian Carrara Marble, is located on the
Photo by Herb Saperstone
Farauts’ property overlooking Honeoye Lake
Knock on wood
Faraut, 62, grew up in Annecy, France. His family wasn’t artistic and the arts weren’t a priority in the French education system. However, from a young age he was interested in woodworking – especially woodcarving as ornamentation.
Faraut attended a vocational college in Annecy and received a degree in woodcarving and fine furniture construction. He worked at a furniture shop before joining the army for an unpleasant mandatory year of peacetime service. After discharge, Faraut left France and lived in the Caribbean for several years.
He established a small successful business building houses and decks, occasionally designing kitchens and furniture. In between jobs, he traveled extensively throughout Africa and Asia. An avid sailor, he lived on his 34-foot sailboat and logged countless nautical miles sailing between the Grenadine Islands and the Bahamas.
Faraut and his brother, a pilot, purchased a small plane and started a business flying freight between islands and later transporting passengers and spotting for fishermen. Eventually it became clear that Faraut should obtain a license, too. He sailed to the United States and enrolled in flight school. He earned his pilot license and learned to speak English simultaneously.
The Artist’s Process
Carving Polaris from Marble
Faraut created the Polaris statue originally with water-based clay, its likeness inspired by a local young lady who posed for him. Longtime collectors David and Christy Cottrell commissioned Faraut to enlarge Polaris in marble so they could donate Polaris to High Point University in North Carolina.
“Even when the final marble reproduction is larger, I still prefer modeling the original clay statue life-size to achieve the best likeness,” said Faraut. The clay statue was 6 feet and the final marble version is 10 feet, 6 inches.
While the clay was still wet, Faraut made a mother mold by applying several coats of liquid rubber to capture the fine details and then added a layer of plaster over it to render the mold rigid. The mold was created in sections which allowed him to remove them from the original clay sculpture once the mold is completed.
Once peeled off and reassembled into a finished mold, a hard plaster was poured into it to create the duplicate which is used to take the measurements for the marble carving process. “If the marble sculpture is carved the same size as the original in clay, an instrument called a pointing machine is used to take precise measurements,” he said. “If it is to be enlarged, as it was in this case, I use a custom-made pantograph (mechanical measuring tool).”
Scaffolding and ladders provided Faraut access to work on the massive statue.
Marble is Faraut’s favorite medium. Polaris was carved from three blocks of Champlain Black Marble totaling 3,700 pounds! The marble is slowly chipped away with a hammer and chisels of decreasing sizes. Rasps and diamond grit sandpaper are used to achieve the polished surface.
The meaning behind Polaris
“Polaris is short for the Latin term Stella Polaris (Polar star). It symbolizes a guide on the journey toward wisdom through intelligence and imagination in the form of a multi-ethnic woman. Why multi-ethnic? Because all stars, including the North Star, contain the remnants of supernovas which are the building blocks of everything, including us in all of our diversity,” said Faraut.
Charisse Faraut poses with Polaris which was installed in Cottrell Hall at High Point University in North Carolina in 2015.
The upward vortex (represented by the directional rough section at the base and middle of the piece) suggests inner turmoil that is contained by the outer layer representing the garment, arms and head.
“She is the picture of contained complexity, of strength but restraint, of power but kindness, intelligence and fortitude,” Faraut explained. “It is a tribute to women and to the creativity of all teachers and mentors that guide us toward knowledge and wisdom.”
The monolithic shape of the figure adds a sense of stability to the design, as seen in Egyptian statues. Her body language suggests patience in adversity.
Right: Faraut was commissioned to sculpt a baby doll prototype for a German doll company. The final product: the life-like “Addie,” 20” tall, vinyl skin and goat’s hair.
Opposite page, left: “Honeoye.” Faraut built this shed during the pandemic. Inset shows detail of his sculpture “Honeoye” comprised of a CarboStone composite, grapevine and wood.
Opposite page, right: “Nuit Blanche (Sleepless Night)” 36” x 14” x 14” – Limited Edition Bronze
Sidetracked
Faraut stayed in the U.S., settling in Virginia. He made interior boat furniture in a boatyard and designed custom furniture and occasional ornamental pieces he sold through a gallery.
David and Christy Cottrell purchased a carved mantelpiece and tracked Faraut down. “It was the beginning of a 30-plus year friendship and a love for a man and his incredible talent,” said David. The Cottrells would follow and support each step of Faraut’s artistic journey.
“They are the most important art patrons in my career,” said Faraut.
One day, Faraut came across a clay modeling book in a
bookstore that sparked his interest. Initial attempts with clay were short-lived, however. After a few botched tries, he literally tossed all his materials overboard in frustration.
But Faraut went back to it. “I didn’t know of anyone teaching sculpting the human form which is what I was attracted to, so I experimented with different clays and techniques on my own guided entirely from the few books I could find.”
In 1993, Faraut was living on land again when a neighbor noticed his clay sculpting hobby. She asked him to sculpt a baby doll head for her. To his surprise she loved it. From there he educated himself on how to create porcelain dolls from his
clay models. These weren’t toys; they were objects of art for collecting and display. The 1990s were a boom time for art dolls. Faraut sold some of his clay prototypes and was amazed at how much money he was offered.
A doll boutique liked his work and asked him to teach porcelain sculpting classes. “I was far from being even a decent sculptor, my English was terrible and I had never taught in my life,” said Faraut. He took a chance and said yes.
Best decision ever.
married in 1994 and launched PCF Studios.
PCF started modestly and evolved as Faraut’s skills grew. They rocketed from designing a wedding cake topper to designing dolls and figurines for big names in the collectible industry such as American Girl, Lenox and Ashton Drake. Word also spread that Faraut was, indeed, a good instructor and he taught sculpting classes across the country and Europe. In addition to developing his own signature workshops, Faraut has taught at Ringling College of Art and Design in Sarasota, FL for almost two decades.
“Charisse has been the force behind my work and our success since the beginning,” said Faraut. “She is the one who put my meager portfolio together and got us our first job with a collectible company.” Charisse handled the administrative end of their business, designed their line of porcelain dolls and later designed and edited Faraut’s instructional books and filmed his video courses. “More importantly, she is my most reliable critic and has an influence on most of my sculptures,” he said.
While expecting their first daughter in 1996, the couple moved to Honeoye, a hamlet in the town of Richmond. They had another daughter in 1999. Their house, overlooking Honeoye Lake and reminiscent of a French chalet, is near the Rochester airport and Charisse’s parents. “The Finger Lakes area was the most appealing and still feels like the best choice we could have made,” said Faraut.
Faraut progressed to life-sized sculptures of terra cotta, bronze and marble. He read voraciously about the human face and form. His only formal instruction wasn’t typically art-related: he attended a forensic reconstruction workshop in 2003. Faraut thought it would be advantageous to learn more about anatomy since he was working on his first instructional book Portrait Sculpting. This led to some interesting jobs, such as working with the FBI to improve facial reconstruction
techniques and Mayo Clinic to sculpt a facial prosthesis for a cancer patient.
Life by the lake
“The Town of Richmond/Honeoye is very fortunate to have such a talented and famous sculptor located in our small community,” said town supervisor Daryl Marshall. A dozen of Faraut’s sculptures are featured along an Art Walk on Main Street. He’s currently working on a fun new one: a five-foottall cat under a red umbrella with a mouse sitting on his tail.
People fly in from all over the world to take Faraut’s portrait, figure and animal sculpting workshops, an economic/ promotional mini-boon to the hamlet and the region. This past summer Faraut hosted three Honeoye sessions. Then in September he traveled to teach in Montpelier, France and to Loveland, CO in October.
Faraut gleaned much of his knowledge about sculpting from reading and has a soft spot for turning pages. He is working on his new book titled United: an impressive compilation of 100 portraits of people he met and sculpted over the past 30 years. It is likely his last book. “The price of printing since the pandemic has doubled and people aren’t buying books,” Faraut explained.
But this isn’t the final chapter of Faraut’s real life story. There is always more to learn. Right now, he’s experimenting with more durable and weather resistant composite materials for outdoor sculpture. There are new sculptures in the works and always opportunities to help other sculptors develop their skills and improve their techniques.
N. Main St.,
and our new community arts partnership with FLCC, Gallery 32 32 S Main St , Canandaigua FIND OUT MORE AT OCARTS.ORG
Top: Mahogany, walnut and cherry mantel commissioned by David and Christy Cottrell
Left: “Pandemic Giraffe-Hope.” 20” x 12.5” x 13” –Limited Edition Bronze
For more than 35 years, Ontario County Arts Council has offered our community diverse opportunities for art participation, understanding, and appreciation.
Come and visit member exhibits at our galleries: OCAC Gallery at Ontario County Historical Society 55
Canandaigua
The Finger Lakes Ran on Canals
by Kirk House
Twenty months in Canandaigua debtor’s prison was a long time, but during his incarceration, Jesse Hawley wrote lengthy letters to the outside world. He didn’t bemoan his woes, agitate politically, evangelize religiously, condemn imprisonment for debt or even ask for a short-term loan. In a series of detailed, closelyreasoned essays, Hawley instead laid out plans for a canal from Albany to Buffalo – why we needed it, how we’d build it, where we’d put it and how we’d pay for it.
The Erie Canal will be covered throughout 2025 in Life in the Finger Lakes magazine. Look for this icon for similar articles.
It was a beautiful dream, but maybe impossible. President Thomas Jefferson thought it was “little short of madness.”
A big job
But if you wanted to build a 360-mile canal, this was the place for it. Even today, we find that the Thruway, the modern canal, rail lines and Routes 5 and 20 all run parallel – sometimes in sight – of each other.
That route also joins two points that screamed for connection. Buffalo could draw down the produce of four Great Lakes and ship finished products back. From Albany, cargoes and passengers could ride downstream to New York City, the Atlantic Ocean and every seaport on the globe. If the national government wouldn’t tackle the job, the state government, badgered by Governor DeWitt 1
Clinton, would. And in 1817, they got started. America had surveyors, but no engineers. So, they learned on the job. And they did that job overwhelmingly with muscle power – men plying picks and shovels, draft animals hauling away “spoil.” In a few spots, they could blast with black powder. In others, they could take advantage of rushing water. Five thousand workers were new immigrants from Ireland –mostly Catholic, many illiterate. Several of them were assaulted by “good” Americans. These workers built aqueducts, dredged channels and installed 83 locks.
A stagecoach trip between Buffalo and New York City took two weeks. In 1825 DeWitt Clinton made the ceremonial first canal boat transit in nine days with a much bigger load, in far greater comfort and with time out for ecstatic community celebrations on the way. Buffalo boomed, New York City burst its seams. Syracuse and Rochester rapidly grew. The Great Lakes states finally felt like they were actually part of America.
It worked so well that tolls paid off the astronomical construction costs in one year.
1. Welcome to the towpath, 1905. Notice the large canal craft at the bend, and the canal-carrying aqueduct a little beyond.
2. Even in the early 20th century, Lyons was a busy canal port.
3. Signs of the times. First canal traffic replaced river traffic. Now new rail technology leaves both its predecessors behind, and almost unnoticed.
A new set of challenges
The economies of Owego, Elmira, Corning, Bath and most of the Southern Tier thrived on river traffic down into Pennsylvania and Maryland. The new canal siphoned that away at a fraction of the cost. Land values collapsed, but mortgages stayed the same. Produce suddenly sold at a fraction of its recent value. After mass meetings and furious agitation, the Land Office revalued everybody’s mortgages.
Connector canals (called “feeders”) helped alleviate the problem. Corning, Elmira and Keuka Lake soon had canals to Seneca Lake, from which other canals led to Cayuga Lake and to the Erie itself. By the mid-1830s, there were twice-weekly boats between Hammondsport and New York City. Growers experimented with shipping grapes to Manhattan – and it worked. Connectors from Syracuse and Rochester reached Lake Ontario. All at once, the Finger Lakes ran on canals.
An Albany-Schenectady railroad opened in 1831 and reached Buffalo in 1842. Once the rail web spread, passenger traffic on the canals evaporated. By the Civil War, freight traffic was also dwindling. In the 1870s, most of the connector canals closed.
Even so, the Erie Canal was enlarged and modernized just a few years later. Canal building didn’t end in New York, or here in the Finger Lakes, where recreational use has come to the fore. But even after two centuries, canal-borne freight keeps on gliding through. And lots of pleasure craft.
(Article continued on page 46)
4. Regular service between “New-York” and Hammondsport, towed by steamboats on the Hudson, and by horses through three canals.
5. Some years back a visitor to Seneca Falls complained that – there were no falls! They disappeared between 1818 and 1915, as the natural watercourse was transformed into a canal.
6. The unknown person who took this August, 1914 photo was part of a four-day, 150-mile boating party. The Great War, starting at that very moment, doesn’t seem to have distracted them very much.
7. At Rochester, the Erie Canal flew across the Genesee River by aqueduct. The remains can still be seen.
8. Canals connected Elmira west to Corning, north to Watkins, and eastward as far as Binghamton. This photo is dated as around 1860.
9. The Chemung Canal ran through Havana (now Montour Falls), and much of the route now carries the Catharine Valley Trail, for hiking and biking. Most of these structures are on the National Register of Historic Places … and Chequaga Falls still tumbles down.
10. The last lock! It’s a long trip from Brooklyn (via Albany, four canals, and two Finger Lakes), but once through this final gate it’s only a mile up the Chemung River to Monkey Run, where furnaces are already being built. It’s 1868, and Brooklyn Flint Glass Works has shipped every ounce of its supplies and equipment by canal. They are now the Corning Glass Works. And the rest is history.
Nathanael Hawthorne Rides the Erie
In 1835, novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne published his account of a voyage on the Erie Canal. He embarked 30 miles below Utica, heading westward, drawn by three horses.
“Bound for a distant port, we had neither chart nor compass, nor cared about the wind, nor felt the heaving of a billow, nor dreaded shipwreck, however fierce the tempest, in our adventurous navigation of an interminable mudpuddle,” he wrote. “Sometimes we met a black and rusty-looking vessel, laden with lumber, salt from Syracuse, or Genesee flour.”
He shared his own packet boat with an English traveler, Massachusetts farmer, Virginia schoolmaster, freshman from a Schenectady college, Detroit merchant (“three-times bankrupt, richer after every ruin”) and “a western lady.”
Several ladies, in fact, as he was acutely aware of when “a crimson curtain – the sexual division of the boat” made the space into two bedchambers for 20 people. His sleep was disturbed by a comb being laid on a table, a slipper dropping to the floor, the twang of a belt being loosened, the rustle of a gown, the unlacing of a pair of stays.
Going on deck he found “a lantern was burning at each end of the boat, and one of the crew was stationed at the bows, keeping watch … the darkness so intense, that there seemed to be no world, except the little space on which our lanterns glimmered.”
When a tangled tow-rope brought the boat to a halt, Hawthorne stepped ashore to look at some phosphorescence in a dead tree, until he noticed the lights of his boat glimmering far away. Shouting did him no good, for “these packetboats make up for their snail-like pace by never loitering day nor night, especially for those who have paid their fare.”
Reflecting on the boat’s discomforts, Hawthorne rejoiced, “Here I am, with the comfortable prospect of a walk to Syracuse,” and “set out on my midnight tour.”
9 The Finger Lakes Ran on
product picks
Reed Homestead
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Antique Revival
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The Jewel Box
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Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
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Cricket on the Hearth
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product picks
DermaSpa
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Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
Crafted as a heartfelt tribute to Margrit Frank, the 2024 Margrit Dry Riesling captures the warmth and generosity of a woman who gave so much of herself to our winery and the lives of those around her. $39.99 drfrankwines.com
CabAve Cabinets
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Empire Sheds
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Corning Building
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Crown Jewelry
Treasure a memory of Canandaigua with this pendant. mycrowndowntown.com
FLX Goods
Keep it cool and cozy with our exclusive apparel. Our bestselling long-sleeve shirts are soft, supple and pre-shrunk, making for a perfect fit to show off your Finger Lakes pride. flxgoods.com
Morgan Marine
The SOL is a modern spin on the classic Sunfish. Perfect for one to four sailors, its sleek lines, ergonomic features and lightweight build make sailing accessible to both beginners and seasoned sailors. morganmarine.net
Artizanns
Darryl Abraham is a legendary FLX artist. Some of his newest pieces feature woodburning and his unmistakable painting style. artizanns.com
Airy Acres Vineyard
2023 Betty’s Blend Red is an easy drinking blend of all four red grapes we grow, named after our Grandma Betty. Off dry and fruity, good for any meal! $18 airyacresvineyard.com
product picks
Long Point Winery
Our Riesling, Semi-Dry 2023 has crisp notes of peach and honeydew melon.
longpointwinery.com
Lazy Acre Alpacas
Indulge in the softness and lightweight warmth of Artesania Alpaca Sweaters. Handmade by Incan artisans with sustainable alpaca fiber, these hooded sweaters are available in navy, maroon, dark gray and smoke. $90 lazyacrealpacas.com
FingerLakes Bell Co.
We have a bell for each Finger Lake, lakes in NY and beyond. Order online or purchase at the Windmill Market Penn Yan NY every Saturday. Ring on! flxbells.com
Cricket on the Hearth
Enjoy the warm weather while you plan for comfort when it’s cold! Cricket on the Hearth, Inc. provides a wide selection of wood and gas burning stoves for your enjoyment.
cricketonthehearth.com 585-385-2420
Manchester Mission
This Round Occasional Table features a lower shelf of quartersawn white oak. Measures 28 inches in diameter, 28 inches tall. manchestermissionfurniture.com
Fireplace Fashions
The Inception utilizes cutting-edge Digital Spark technology to create the most realistic and vivid flames available in an electric fireplace. Includes a 36-inch viewing area with hand-painted logs and a captivating LED ember bed. fireplacefashions.com
Sights and Shades
Say Oh! is designed and handcrafted in Japan. A handful of artisans – from die makers to florists – create eyewear and more entirely in-house, leaving a piece of themselves in each product. say-oh.com
Silverlake Marine
If you love the open feel of a deck boat but like your boat to have a full windshield, you shouldn’t have to choose. The 2025 Stingray 201DC with a Yamaha 150hp is the best of both worlds. Sale price: $66,000 silverlakemarine.com
Too cold for pythons
A look at invasive species in the Finger Lakes
by Derek Doeffinger
The invaders are here. They’re in your backyard. They’re in your house. They’re in the trees. They’re soaring the skies, chewing the earth, tunneling through your garden, munching on apples and grapes, devouring forests, devastating crops, stalking birds, hibernating in window tracks.
Probably not. Should you be worried? Maybe. Should you be concerned? Definitely. More than 500 invasive species inhabit our state –and the number is growing.
biological malware. Disrupters. Destroyers. Some so small, so hard to see
(Continued on page 54)
Japanese knot weed (top) takes over sunny borders, while an osprey reveals that some invaders originate from public commerce.
Celandine, (below), forms a colorful spring display but displaces native wildflowers.
For years, the DEC has been removing poisonous giant hogweed and educating the public about how dangerous it is. Touching it can cause severe rashes.
Photo courtesy DEC
Some harbor- and propeller-clogging aquatic plants, like water chestnut on the north end of Keuka Lake, require timeconsuming manual removal. For this task, the PRISM group (assisted by the Yates County Water Authority) organized volunteers from local colleges and the Keuka Lake Association.
that they take over before you’re even aware of them. Others are big enough to chase your dog. And most impact you, indirectly at first and then gradually spreading through the environment to become a real threat.
How would you like to be hiking along a Finger Lakes trail only to be confronted by a 300-pound wild boar with 6-inch tusks? Or would you prefer to weave your kayak through the southern shallows of Hemlock Lake only to find a 15-foot writhing python wrapped around your paddle? Or perhaps, you’d favor something less frightful, like motoring out at dawn on Seneca Lake for the trout derby when suddenly, out of nowhere, a “flying flock” of leaping 20-pound silver carps swarms your boat, smacking two of your passengers in the face?
It’s fair to say you don’t have to worry about the pythons (they’re heat lovers, which makes them Florida’s problem). But wild boars could be another matter. They’ve already crossed New York’s doorstep a few times and have been repelled. Although our incursions have been small, southern states like Florida, Texas and South Carolina have been overrun by tens of thousands of boars – to the delight of the hunting industry
What? That’s an invasive species?
Discussions on invasive species sometimes range into surprising areas. For instance, common daffodils are on the list. So are bluegills. Both, like many others, are not considered an economic threat so they’re home free.
Although not on the list, many consider outdoor cats invasive because they annually kill large amounts (a billion or more) of birds.
Some, especially invasive purists, consider
who thrive on hunting tourism but to the dismay of farmers who suffer from uprooted fields and crop loss.
As fantastical as they seem, the “flying flocks” of silver carp (originally from Asia) pose a real threat, should they reach here. They haven’t so far. And they will find it difficult to find a path to our waters. However, hundreds of thousands of them plague Midwest waterways. So far, preventive measures have kept them to the Midwest, and new rapid DNA detection systems should prevent their spread should they infiltrate here. We can’t let our guard down. Let’s not forget their cousins, the common carp, that we all catch in our lakes and canals are not native either.
Invasives in the Finger Lakes
The history of invasives in the Finger Lakes is not a pretty one. It’s made trickier because many of our invasive species are small, often tiny, sometimes microscopic. They aren’t exotic and don’t create ratings drama for tv and the internet. Compared to boars and pythons, our invasive species seem insignificant. Yet their potential to wreak havoc
honeybees invasive since they can out compete native bee species of which there are hundreds. Under the category of a slow-moving threat would be a variety of earthworms and night crawlers. The glaciers scraped away almost all the native earthworms. Perhaps good for gardens, earthworms can drastically alter the composition of the forest floor (the duff) turning it into an unsuitable environment for the natural microsystems that combine to create our forests (think trees, shrubs, flowers, fungi, insects, microorganisms) as we know them.
Too cold for pythons
can be much worse.
They first take hold in the wild where they spread almost out of sight. Think zebra mussels (now being overtaken by quagga mussels). Or the emerald ash borer burying under tree bark. And now the dreaded, fruit-destroying spotted lantern flies are starting to show up in vineyards.
What is an invasive species?
If defeating invasive species remains problematic, deciding what an invasive species is has become simpler for us everyday folk. That’s because the scientific and government entities involved have reached a consensus definition (for now) and provided a long-prioritized list.
They say an invasive species is a non-native species that is either economically or ecologically harmful or can inflict great personal harm. And its downsides clearly exceed its benefits.
Being economically harmful is pretty clear. It destroys or damages something that creates revenue for somebody and costs money to eradicate. That something could be crops, fisheries, timber, personal property and so forth. In just the past few years, Florida has lost more than 90 percent of its orange trees to an insect-carried bacterium. That’s an invasive nightmare come true.
Ecologically harmful means it’s harmful to native plants or animals, often out-competing them and taking their food or habitat, but sometimes outright killing them as with the ash borer that has laid lifeless large stands of ash trees. A large web of natural interactions may be disturbed, impacting a wide range of lifeforms. The loss of a large stand of ash trees obviously displaces a wide range of birds, small mammals, insects and the critters that thrived in the soil beneath.
Perhaps the best Finger Lakes example of a species capable of inflicting personal harm is the giant hogweed. Looking like a giant Queen Anne’s lace (also an invasive), its sap can cause damaging rashes and blindness if it touches the eyes.
Being new to the environment, invasive species often have few enemies that have evolved to feed on or compete with them. They can run rampant, like setting Patrick Mahomes loose in a Pee Wee league.
Non-native life forms that settle in without making a nuisance of themselves avoid the label of being invasive. The vast majority of non-native species do just that.
Some invasive species have been around so long and have become so prevalent, that they’ve become part (although often an undesirable part) of everyday life. Few of us (or the media) give little thought to starlings, house sparrows, mute swans, Japanese beetles, stink bugs, gypsy moths, dandelions, Queen Anne’s Lace, Bradford pear trees, Norway maples, non-native butterfly bushes or Dutch elm disease bacterium, to name a few.
A little background
It’s not like invasive species are a new problem. It’s safe
North Star Art Gallery
Ithaca, NY
Impressions of Rome and Vedute Italiani (Views
of Italy)
A collection of recent plein air studies and studio works by Brian Keeler of the eternal city and impressions of the Italian landscapes from Umbria, Como, Tuscany and Venice etc.
The exhibit opens on the weekend of October 10-11 and continues through December. Please call ahead 607-323-7684 or northstarartgallery.com
NORTH STAR ART GALLERY
743 Snyder Hill Road, Ithaca, NY 14850
Open by appointment – call ahead or email 607-323-7684 or info@northstarartgallery.com
View the websites prior to your visit to narrow your search for art. www.northstarartgallery.com www.briankeeler.com
“July Evening Light- Ponte Sisto- Rome” 16” x 16” oil on canvas panel
to say the problem, even if not recognized until centuries later, began with the landing of the Mayflower. It’s quite likely that disembarking with the Pilgrims were the first brown rats. Before long, Europeans brought pigeons for their meat, their homing/messaging skills (known even to the Romans), possibly even their companionship. The meaty Asian boars now running amuck in southern states were also an early favored cargo.
Somewhere in that mix were cockroaches. Like rats they came as unwanted stowaways but on African trade ships, including those carrying slaves.
This was just the beginning. The steady increase in transoceanic commerce resulted in an equally steady increase in unwanted visitors, often being accidentally released with ship ballast or carried ashore with the cargo. Although many introductions have been accidental, others are a direct result of consumerism in the form of our desire for novel, desirable, even prestigious plants and animals. Just look at your nursery (and your garden) and your pet shop.
In other words, invasive species are mostly a selfinflicted problem. But let’s not leave out our federal and state governments who once purposefully introduced non-native species, especially plants like kudzu vines, multiflora roses and crown vetch for erosion.
In 1867, Massachusetts entrepreneur and entomologist Etienne Leopold Trouvelot decided that bringing in gypsy moths from France would be a good way to start a silk business. He was wrong.
Several years earlier, Eugene Schieffelin of New York City imported the birds that enthralled him in Shakespeare’s plays. Starlings and house sparrows don’t seem so enthralling now. More than 90 million starlings ravage field crops and orchards, possibly resulting in over $100 million in damages and displacing many native birds, especially during nesting season.
Ask your elders
The colorful pattern of a spotted lanternfly is unmistakable. Thanks to early detection of its presence here, the alarm has been raised and efforts have begun to stop its proliferation and spread in vineyards and elsewhere.
The oldest of our elders may have witnessed the final stages of the blight infestation and destruction of American chestnut trees. Sometimes towering up to 80 feet in height, chestnut trees once represented a quarter of the trees in a forest. I have never seen one in a forest.
Great-grandparents may have spent their childhoods plucking Japanese beetles from roses, raspberries and garden beans. In the mid-20th century, fungal Dutch elm disease reduced the graceful arching American elm trees to just a few standing survivors.
And now, we’ve watched as the emerald ash borer has created dead ghost stands of ash trees and wonder if the wooly adelgid’s attacks on eastern hemlocks will have the same ending. The tiny wooly adelgids suck the sap out of hemlocks, draining them of nutrients until they weaken and often die. Since most of the eastern hemlocks in the Finger Lakes thrive in steep gorges, their demise could create great erosion damage. They’re being aggressively sprayed by the DEC.
Oak wilt is a fungus that disrupts upward water flow from the roots, also blocking nutrients from oaks. It can kill red oak trees in a few months, but white oaks can survive for years. It has been discovered in the southern Canandaigua Lake forests, putting that area in an oak wood quarantine to prevent transport of logs and branches out of the area.
Dealing with invasives
That’s mostly the responsibility of the DEC (and the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets), with help from the Cornell Cooperative Extension and a few federal organizations, such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Given how hard it is to eliminate established invasive species, the DEC now uses a two-pronged approach: prevention and early detection. To prioritize the biggest risks, they developed a tier system that prioritizes targets by economic and ecological damage, while
Thousands of zebra mussels cover the door at a canal lock.
Too cold for pythons
evaluating the likelihood of success for stopping each particular threat species. If a species is well established (zebra mussels and spongy moths), it gets little official attention.
They’ve packaged their analytic process into a program called the Tier System (developed by the New York Natural Heritage Program which is essentially an arm of the DEC). With it they select those invasives that they think can be successfully dealt with (you can see it online at nynhp.org/invasives/ species-tiers-table).
To provide local input and assistance, they established eight regional PRISM (Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management) units responsible for well-defined geographic areas. Being local enables them to respond more quickly and with better knowledge of where the problem species exist. These PRISM units also assist in removals and educating the public. You may have seen their staff and volunteers at boat launches trying to prevent the spread of aquatic invasives.
The Finger Lakes PRISM unit is based out of Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Sam Beck-Andersen is its coordinator. He discussed their function in dealing with invasives and using the Tier system.
“In Tier 2 there are really a small amount of different species,” BeckAnderson said. “So, eradication statewide could be a possibility. If managers can get hold of it really quickly, focusing on containment can actually be a reasonable and logical strategy.”
Preventing their spread
“The most cost effective thing we can do is to prevent species from arriving in the first place,” Dr. David Lodge of Cornell stated. “We don’t have many tools to eliminate established populations, so creating government policy that addresses how to prevent introduction of new species is critical.”
Lodge has been a leader in developing super sensitive techniques for detecting the environmental DNA (eDNA) that both aquatic and terrestrial invasive species shed, enabling biologists to discover their presence from just a
SEPTEMBER 26, 2025 - JANUARY 5, 2026
ROBERT WEINGARTEN: PALETTES
At Montezuma National Wildlife refuge (and elsewhere), phragmites taking over native marsh habitats are being removed. A few handfuls of European starlings (right) brought in by a Shakespeare lover in the late 1800s have turned into nearly a hundred million across the country.
few DNA molecules.
“Every species, just like we humans, leaves a trail of DNA,” Dr. Lodge said. “So you can think of the use of eDNA as the sort of environmental protection equivalent of forensic DNA at crime scenes, and indeed the technology is really very similar.”
Early detection increases the likelihood that an invasive species can be eliminated or controlled before it spreads – a major step forward.
Biggest threats now
Invasive species generally fall under three categories: aquatic, terrestrial, and micro-organism. Joshua Neff of the Finger Lakes PRISM said the species below are getting special attention now.
Terrestrial species:
•
• Hemlock woolly adelgid
• Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
• Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
• Phragmites (Phragmites australis)
• Swallow-wort (Vincetoxicum sp.)
Aquatic plant species:
• Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)
• Starry stonewort (Nitellopsis obtusa)
• Water chestnut (Trapa natans)
• Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)
• Water soldiers (Stratiotes aloides)
• Fanwort (Cabomba caroliniana) Lanternflies are a big threat to vineyards. “They are hopping fliers,” said Beck-Andersen. “They can jump
Last summer, Camille of the Finger Lakes PRISM unit, spent part of her time removing saplings of the invasive golden raintree.
Too cold for pythons
off. The best way to manage that {type of invasion} is for people to know about them.” Lanternflies are managed with insecticides and egg destruction. Giant hogweed, Japanese knotweed and phragmites generally require manual removal.
Boat inspections and emptying all water from a boat after an outing are common ways to slow down the spread of water chestnut plants (north end Keuka) and other aquatic plants and animals. The DEC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have used herbicides to address hydrilla (introduced from home aquariums) problems in Cayuga Lake and the Erie Canal. Labor intensive manual removal is also used with many aquatic plants. People actually go out in kayaks and canoes and pull them.
The state parks and Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge tend to focus on those invasive species that threaten the native environment within their borders.
There are dozens of more invasive species causing problems. On a rainy day, go to the Tier list and study the many species causing problems.
For the most part, it’s up to home owners to take care of the common invasive species confronting them, as most are not Tier list priorities. Spongy (formerly gypsy) moths, Japanese knotweed, brown marmorated stink bugs and many others are some of the species you might need to address.
What’s next?
When it comes to boars, we’re not yet out of the woods. Some day you may spot one, but it seems unlikely they will establish a pestering presence.
It’s the small invaders who present the big issues. But with the recent emphasis on preventing the introduction of invasive species and the vastly improved early detection capabilities, there’s hope that another fast takeover like that of zebra mussels or the emerald ash borer won’t occur. The first big test might be at our doorstep now: spotted lantern flies. How successful these newer strategies are could be revealed by the results of dealing with them.
story and photos by Cindy Ruggieri
For more than 40 years, Newark Valley in Tioga County goes all out for their annual Apple Festival on the first weekend of October. What started out as a simple fundraiser for the newly created Bement-Billings Farmstead – a living history museum focused on life in the early 1800s – has become a signature autumn event.
The Billings-Bement Farmstead is a collection of historic buildings including the house, barn and farming outbuildings built in the early 1800s, donated for the museum in 1977 to the Newark Valley Historical Society. Events are held throughout the year with costumed interpreters demonstrating the skills and trades as they were done in the early 19th century, and the Apple Fest pulls it all
(See dulicmer craftsman on page 62, story continued on page 64)
Opposite page, left: There are plenty of delicious apple desserts available
Opposite page, right: Demonstrating yarn spinning
Photo spread: Using an antique press to make apple cider
Master Craftsman Bernd Krause
Bernd
Krause has been a fixture at the Newark Valley Apple Festival for more than 30 years. With his exquisite dulcimers on display, his face lights up when he talks to visitors, his love of the craft evident. He has been handcrafting stringed instruments for more than 45 years, including guitars, mandolins and banjos –but dulcimers are his signature piece.
Krause attended guitar building school in Vermont in the early 1980s, but he credits his wife and a Dolly Parton concert with getting started on dulcimers. “We had attended a Dolly Parton show where she used a dulcimer, and my musician wife became interested in learning the instrument,” Krause recalled. “In this time before the internet, we could not find any locally for sale, so I decided to build one based on a book I found in the library.”
Showcasing his first dulcimer – “I’ll never sell this one” –Krause explained the process he has developed over the years to become a master craftsman. He is known far and wide with clients all over the world.
Krause creates the majority of the instrument by hand, starting with his own hand-drawn designs. With hardwood for the backing, and soft wood for the top such as spruce or cedar,
Bernd Krause displays the hour glass and tear drop dulcimer styles.
which enhances the sound, he has acquired various selections of wood over the years – black walnut, curly maple, cedar, ebony, bubinga – often requested by a client for their specific build. A musician from Hawaii had requested a couple of dulcimers made from Koa wood. Krause had the wood shipped from Hawaii, and once the dulcimers were completed had them shipped back to Hawaii. Those instruments earned him a beautiful cover image on Dulcimer Player News.
There are 64 pieces required to build each dulcimer, including the strings and tuning pegs. Traditional shapes can be hourglass, originated in Kentucky, or tear drop, originated in Virginia. Other shapes may be created as requested by the user. Krause has some signature elements such as his fiddle edge which is seldom used in today’s dulcimers, where he uses tiny finger planes to get the finish he desires. Hearts are the traditional sound hole, and he will often use two instead of the usual four to make it his own.
Krause’s most famous client is Dolly Parton. She requested a dulcimer from him, and he proudly displays a picture of her holding his dulcimer created just for her.
To see his work and demonstrations of his woodworking process, stop by the Newark Valley Apple Festival and visit his booth under the covered porch.
Follow him on Facebook – Krause Instruments.
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together for this one big event.
In celebration of the autumn season, there are plenty of apples and apple treats: apple pie, apple crisp, wooden crates of apples piled high and freshly pressed apple cider using an antique cider press. The cider press has been owned and operated by the same family over the years; now the next generation travels each year from out of town to support the Apple Fest as they demonstrate how it is used.
furnished as it would have been in the 1800s. Guests can watch a costumed interpreter in the kitchen demonstrating open hearth cooking.
There are plenty of other demonstrations on hand to showcase what life was like in the early 1800s. Visitors can visit the blacksmith at work, see spinning and weaving, candle dipping, and woodworking. A huge cauldron over an open fire is used to boil salt potatoes while another cooks apple butter. The farmhouse is open for tours and is
For many of the activities, kids are encouraged to participate and try doing things the old-fashioned way. The woodworking shop has stations set up for kids to try the tools as they learn tin punching by making a heart or an apple design. Kids can feed the apples into the cider press, and they can try their hand at the corn shucking. Wagon rides are available to take a spin around the open field.
There is plenty of music when you are ready to sit and relax. A band or small group will be playing on the stage set up outside, or in the in the Barnista Coffee Café which offers a place to sit, listen to music and grab some pastries and coffee. Plenty of food options are available such as chicken barbecue,
Costumed interpreters cook apple butter in the cauldron.
pulled pork and salt potatoes. No meal is complete without adding the apple dessert.
Several vendor booths are open to show off local wares. My personal favorites are the beautiful handcrafted dulcimers and the Sweetrees maple products that are there every year.
Stacy Hoyt is the chairperson for the event, but she gives plenty of credit to all the volunteers who devote many hours not only to planning the event but also spending time at the festival doing the demonstrations.
Thanks to the interpreters’ dedication, as well as the wealth of knowledge they share, the Apple Festival provides a fun and easy way to learn history.
Volunteers have worked to keep the festival fresh by adding different attractions over the years. “Last year we tried a new event for the kids to build their own scarecrow,” Hoyt explained. “It was very successful, so we will be doing it again this year. We are always adding and updating, especially with the things in which children can participate.”
“Some of these volunteers have been doing this for many years. They are dedicated to the mission of the farmstead and preserving past history,” Hoyt said. She also has her own skill that she teaches at the festival. “I started here myself, learning the skill of candle dipping, and I want the next generation to learn it as I did.”
It’s an enjoyable autumn day at the Apple Fest with something for everyone, whether immersing yourself in the history, listening to the live music, taking a wagon ride or eating some delicious apple desserts.
The Apple Fest is planned for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. October 4 to 5. To learn more, visit nvhistory.org.
OpenEvery Saturdayuntil Nov.29th 8AM-4:30PM
Step right up to Dr. Rumex’s medicine display.
Genesee Valley Hunt Tradition with a Twist
The group of competitors is heading eagerly for the next fence. The jockey’s racing silks help identify the riders from a distance.
Colorful ribbons and restaurant gift certificates are worth cooking for in the tailgate competition. Equine themes often score well.
Race Meet
by Laurie Mercer
photos by Larry Tetamore
Around 1621, during the reign of James I in England, two foxhunting horses were matchraced. Miles away, a distant steeple was designated the finish. The horses and their riders thundered across every obstacle in their path: walls, hedgerows and streams. Add a few more competitors, and the modern steeplechase was born.
Some call them “chasers.”
Before the Civil War, there were recognized race meets in New York. The first Genesee Valley Hunt (GVH) Race Meet took place in 1892. Always run on the second Saturday in October, it was one of the first sanctioned steeplechases in America and the first to allow women jockeys to race against men. Some races are run on the flat, while others are over timber fences about 3 feet high. The GVH meet remains the only one in New York State that hosts sanctioned timber steeplechase racing.
Unlike races held at traditional tracks such as Finger Lakes, where placing bets is key, jumping races are characterized by a trace of chivalry, a dash of danger and a refreshing vigor that being outdoors inspires in guests and spectators. Thousands of people gather for the historic Genesee Valley Hunt Cup.
It’s hard to believe that this pastoral landscape, accented with ancient red and white oaks, is only about 30 minutes from Rochester. Guests from Ireland have mentioned that the valley’s turf is well suited to fast-paced meets. The meet always takes place in a wide, sometimes windy open field, so dress in layers and mud boots – or buy new horse-inspired layers and boots when you get there! Clothing and gear from the pop-up boutiques can make you look like a horse person, either Western or English.
Some people, distracted by 180-degree views of scenic beauty framed by falling leaves, might not even watch the races closely; there is a lot going on. The event has grown to become a popular fall festival as well. The horseplay begins with the national anthem performed by a uniformed bugle player, Rochester native Nate Rawls. Then the enjoyment unfolds in many directions all at once.
Highly competitive farm-to-tailgate picnics earn prizes for different categories, especially those that are hunt-themed. The food vendors’ offerings range from
Eyes on the prize! Jack Russels wear muzzles while racing because they sometimes forget their manners.
Genesee Valley Hunt Race Meet
Top Inset: Anticipation. Thoroughbred horses are always eager to gallop. They are often smart, competitive and beautiful to watch.
Above: Race Meet has lively guests on both sides of the action – on the outfield and the infield.
Below: The parade of the Genesee Valley Hounds with Master Marion Thorne, offers a chance for children to meet the pack up close, after the pack parades for the crowd.
classy lunches to cotton candy. There’s a curated selection of New York State wine for sale.
Well-mannered dogs on leashes are welcome here, and canines are well represented. There are Jack Russell terrier races, and the sheepherding breeds dominate in herding and agility demos and competitions. Some breeds participate in sled dog demonstrations. In the grand prix jumping competition, the highest jumper wins. Dogs willing to wear costumes compete to please their owners. The crowd favorite is the wiener dog race (some with stuffed toy jockeys on their backs!) who are not as fast as they are funny.
What is now called the NSA Sanctioned Genesee Valley Hunt Cup began in 1890 as a farmer’s flat race on Big Tree Farm. Its second location was nearby White Devon Farm, and it is now held at Seven Nations Farm. Only World War II and one season of mud too heavy for parking have interrupted the event. At least 200 volunteers keep the meet running smoothly; the proceeds benefit a variety of nonprofits, including the Geneseo Rotary Community Charities, the Avon Food Pantry and the Geneseo/Groveland Emergency Food Pantry.
But what this area is really all about is farming. Today at Race Meet, the Agri-Center and the farmers market help illustrate that fact. Local wineries offer samples. Kids get to play in a pile of dry soybeans. Free horse-drawn wagon rides take place all day long. Horses are the focus here, and it begins with stick races where everybody wins and all “riders” get to keep their mounts. The Genesee Valley Pony Club offers pony rides. There is a great petting zoo, and even friendly alpacas!
The first race of the day is the Small Pony Race, a quarter mile for riders under 14 years of age. Years later, plenty of these kids will compete on thoroughbreds. Older kids saddle up for the large pony race. The third race, the Leif Heen Memorial Jr., is for riders under 18. Next is the adult pace chase, where riders follow a pace horse and then race to the finish. The fifth race, the Stockhorse Sprint, appeals to Western riders riding non-thoroughbreds. It’s followed by the oxbow, a mile-long flat ridden by amateur jockeys.
Purses have increased here over the years, thanks to
Warfield’s Restaurant, Lounge & Bakery
Main Street Arts ~ Sulfur Books
Flowers by Sandy ~ Dork Forest Comics
Parks ~ Labyrinth ~ Salons ~ Spa
Foster Cottage Museum (free admission)
Genesee Valley Hunt Race Meet
donations. Steeplechase purses don’t match those on the flat, and the cost of keeping horses, especially for competitors, is serious money. The purse, $15,000 for the winner, makes the seventh race, the Martha S. Wadsworth Memorial, more interesting. The eighth race – the Cross Country Cup, limited to 5-year-old horses that have never won a timber stakes – offers the same monetary enticement. Draft types or heavy horses run in the heavy horse race, making the ground shudder as they thunder past the crowd.
The Genesee Valley Hunt Cup—the Big Race, as they call it—is next. It is limited to thoroughbred horses whose lineage is proven with registration papers. They need the athletic ability to both run and jump. The best horses clear the fences in one long stride, not unlike people in track and field events. Professional steeplechase jockeys tend to be serious-looking, slight and strong. The jockeys wear brightly colored silks to be easily identified from a distance. The horses seem to love to race. Even equines who have lost their riders tend to continue to run and jump along with the rest until an outrider catches them. An attractive purse of $25,000 and a beautiful trophy lures the best horses, owners, trainers and jockeys, many from Maryland and Pennsylvania.
The final race is the Alida Fitzhugh Memorial Side Saddle, a wild and woolly race for jockeys riding side saddle, galloping flat out.
The connection between Race Meet and foxhunting occurs midday with the crowd-pleasing Parade of the Hounds of the Genesee Valley Hunt. It’s impressive to see several dozen large foxhounds staying at a trot right next to the Master on horseback, Marion Thorne, in spite of all the excitement taking place around them. The best foxhounds are fast, accurate and biddable. The hounds (never call them “dogs”) are bred with specific bloodlines and live as a pack in the kennels near the racecourse.
The well-illustrated program provides spectators with a wealth of information about steeplechases and what is taking place right in front of them. General admission parking is free, and there are several levels of paid “preferred parking.” You will notice these reserved parking areas right next to the fence. The prime turf is near the judges’ stand, where you can watch the start, or the end, of many of the races. Tailgating spots this close to the action are highly coveted. Some of the parking spots have been reserved by the same families for several generations.
The Race Meet is a real hoopla, a historic spectacle of epic proportions designed for people, families and animals who love being in the bucolic Genesee Valley, if only for the one afternoon.
Put the GVH Race Meet on your calendar—and prepare to be pleasantly surprised. Join thousands of supporters who have been coming to this open field for more than a century to watch and participate in an event that most would never miss, rain or shine.
Laurie Mercer lives and rides in the Genesee Valley.
Cheers to 40 Years at Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
by Stephanie Jarvis
It’s a sunny September afternoon, and the grounds of Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards are alive with the clinking of wine glasses and the sound of laughter. Visitors gather around the iconic horseshoe bar, sipping wine, munching popcorn and sharing stories. This memorable experience is one that locals and visitors have long loved.
The Hazlitt family’s farming heritage dates back to 1852, when the family purchased 153 acres of land in Hector, covered in fruit trees and vineyards. The land produced fruit that the Hazlitts shipped to regional markets. This included grapes for the early wine industry pioneers such as Taylor, Great Western and Welches.
The land was passed down through generations, and by the 1980s, it was split between Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards’ cofounder, the late Jerry Hazlitt, and his brother, the late Jim Hazlitt. Soon after the land split, the industry experienced a drastic drop in crop prices. Many farmers – including the Hazlitt family – faced tough decisions. Jerry and his wife Elaine, with a young family of three to support, decided to take a risk. In 1985, with Jerry’s excellent grape-growing skills and home winemaker passion, along with the couple’s love for entertaining family and friends, they opened Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards.
“Our dad was a passionate winemaker,” said Doug Hazlitt, sixth-generation co-CEO. “His wines were amazing, and my parents’ sense of hospitality was bar none, making wine tasting fun through sharing stories and jokes. They made sure everyone who came through the doors left feeling like longtime family friends; my dad’s motto was, ‘Come as a guest, leave as a friend.’”
At the center of Hazlitt’s success is Red Cat, a sweet red wine. At the time, pink Catawba wines were popular, but Jerry wanted to be different. So, he added red hybrid grapes to give the wine a ruby hue. The name for this wine was simple. “Red,” noted the vibrant color, and “Cat” was a nickname given to the Catawba grapes by Jerry and his father.
The wine gained popularity in a grassroots style. Then one night, at a moonlit lakeside party, sipping Red Cat in a wine barrel hot tub, the iconic brand was born. The label evolved from a farmer with a horse and plow to a playful Red Cat in a wine barrel hot tub.
Red Cat’s growth enabled the Hazlitt family to expand its operations. In 2011, they purchased the former Widmer Wine Cellars, now known as Hazlitt Red Cat Cellars, located in Naples. The 3-million-gallon facility includes a complete production operation, a tasting room and is home to East Coast Crush & Co-Pack – a custom beverage production facility servicing clients worldwide. The expansion allowed the production of the Labrusca-style wines to be moved to a facility large enough to meet market demand, while vinifera production could remain more boutique in style, close to the
estate vineyards where they are grown.
To celebrate 40 years of “great wines and great times,” the Hazlitt family is hosting Red Cat’s 40th Anniversary Harvest Party from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. September 21. The party is open to all and will feature deals – including 30 percent off case purchases all weekend – live music, complimentary wine tastings, local craft vendors and food trucks, helicopter rides provided by FLX Helicopter Tours, exclusive winemaker’s tasting experiences and more.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without our amazing customers,” said Director of Marketing Stephanie Jarvis.
Today, Hazlitt’s wine portfolio includes more than a dozen varietals, varying in style from bone dry to dessert sweet, as well as hard cider. The winery draws tens of thousands of visitors each year and has earned numerous accolades and awards, including the prestigious 2022 Governor’s Cup for its Solera Sherry. One thing is for sure: no matter how much the winery grows, the Hazlitt family stays true to who they are, rooted in traditions passed down from their parents.
“When you come to visit, it still feels like family here,” shared Cheryl Andregic, a longtime customer and Red Cat fan. “Of course, you come for the amazing wine, but you stay because of the people. It’s truly my happy place and like a second home.”
Whether you’re a first-time visitor or a longtime fan, Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards invites you to join the celebration. Raise a glass to 40 years of memories, with many more to come.
Rocking the Owego Porchfest
by Nancy E. McCarthy
Carol’s Coffee & Art Bar is raffling off an Owego landscape print painted by Carol Ostrander at this year’s Porchfest. Photo by Wendy Post.
The Village of Owego has been hitting the high notes with music lovers since the 2022 debut of the Owego Porchfest music festival. This year, the sweet sounds of music will again fill the air during the fourth annual Porchfest from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 5. Most acts perform on the spacious front porches of charming Victorian homes in Owego’s Central Historic District – some are private residences, and some house businesses. Other venues include lawns, sidewalks, tents and a few inside spaces. Last year, 75 musical acts performed in 50 host locations, and this year promises even more: more acts and locations, more attendees, more sponsors and merchant specials galore.
Porchfest (PF) is organized by the Historic Owego Marketplace (HOM), a nonprofit dedicated to enhancing and maintaining the Village of Owego as a vital, thriving retail and cultural center. HOM’s mission is to work with businesses, community members and organizations to promote Owego and to host events that contribute to the business and cultural life of this vibrant community. PF is one of seven annual HOM events that draw locals and visitors to Owego’s landmark historic downtown located adjacent to the picturesque Susquehanna River.
“Porchfest is a celebration of community spirit and the power of music to infuse joy in our neighborhood,” said Lindsey Williams, band director at Owego Free Academy.
Launching Porchfest
The idea for the festival was inspired by similar longstanding events in Ithaca and Binghamton. After a collective brainstorming session, the HOM Board decided to present its own Porchfest in 2022. It was an instant hit that continues to climb the popularity chart.
PF’s planning committee chairperson is Carol Ostrander, an HOM board member and owner of Carol’s Coffee & Art Bar.
(Continued on page 74)
Above, clockwise from upper left: Some Owego Porchfest committee members assemble at Carol’s Coffee and Art Bar, located on Front Street in Owego. Pictured (L-R): Katie Chandler, Carol Ostrander and Pat Hansen. Photo by Wendy Post.
Porchfest attendees can enjoy the ambience of small town living. Storefronts will be seasonally festive with many businesses offering promotions and musical entertainment along the sidewalks.
Photo by Wendy Post.
Wreckless Marci, a regional favorite in the Southern Tier, performs on the back deck of The John Barleycorn Tavern during a previous Porchfest. Photo by Kody Thornton.
Opposite Page: Making The Band, led by band director Lindsey Williams, performs during last year’s Porchfest. MTB is a student rock band from Owego Free Academy. Photo courtesy OA Music.
Old Friends
JimHull and Tom Dimock first shook hands in 1986, introduced by a mutual friend who thought they might hit if off musically. At the time, Hull was playing solo around his hometown of Binghamton, and Dimock, a Barton native, drove in from his then-home in Corning once a week, with his guitar, fiddle, mandolin or banjo to sit in. Before long, other musical friends were showing up to sing and play and someone had the idea to form an actual band. They called it “Friends” (long before the television show of the same name).
Years passed and the other musicians moved on. But Hull and Dimock’s musical partnership continued almost uninterrupted (“Except for a couple of years when Jim was out chasing dreams of country music stardom,” said Dimock). Today, Hull and Dimock play as Old Friends, a duo with hundreds of songs in their repertoire. At any given performance, you’ll hear their beautifully blended vocals and twin guitar licks on favorites from the 1970’s, Irish ballads or rebel songs, classic pop, familiar dance tunes and an occasional original. Some of their most requested songs include “Take Me Home Country Roads,” “If You Could Read My Mind,” “The Fields of Athenry” and “Take It Easy.”
This year marks the third consecutive year for Old Friends playing at Owego Porchfest on Lake Street, in front of the Tender Loving Care by Maureen, a boutique and gift shop. The shop will be offering a 20 percent off sale during the festival.
Catch more Old Friends live performances in Syracuse at 8 p.m. Friday, October 24 at Kitty Hoynes Irish Pub & Restaurant and 4 p.m. Sunday, October 26 at Coleman’s Authentic Irish Pub. Follow Old Friends Band on Facebook.
It’s a natural fit for Ostrander. “As owner of an art and music café with daily live music and weekly open mics, I am familiar with a lot of musicians,” she explained.
Other committee members include Pat Hansen, HOM board president and retired downtown business owner; Janelle Malia, another HOM board member and owner of Black Cat Gallery, an artisan gift shop; and Katie Chandler, Tioga County’s deputy treasurer.
PF is free thanks to musicians donating their talents and sponsors underwriting costs for advertising and commemorative t-shirts for the performers. This year’s top Gold Sponsor is Evans Plumbing & Heating.
What to see and do
Attendees can enjoy a plethora of live music performances, shop, dine and sip as well as stroll along the 19th century downtown storefronts and Owego’s scenic waterfront. Many downtown businesses will offer specials. Some examples include Carol’s Coffee & Art Bar raffling off an
Old Friends (L-R): Tom Dimock and Jim Hull
Owego landscape print painted by Ostrander and a special fall menu that includes hot mulled cider, pumpkin cheesecake pie tarts, beef chili and cornbread. Black Cat Gallery will be handing out free musical note ornaments with purchase. Spellbound Books has a cold cooler drink special: buy two drinks and get a third one free. Its in-store café will feature seasonal treats such as homemade pumpkin or gluten-free apple cake, cold brew pumpkin latte and sparkling cider. Owego Makers Boutique, a new artisan collective, will have sales and a free handcrafted magnet commemorating Porchfest 2025 with purchase.
But the main attraction is the music – and lots of it! Genres include rock, country, folk, blues, jazz and classical to name a few. Some highlights include acoustic duo Mary + Mykel and Making the Band, a 14-player high school rock band from Owego Free Academy. Both acts have played the festival every year.
The X’Plozionz, a retro dance band, makes its PF debut while the Old Friends duo makes its third annual appearance (see sidebar). Old Friends drew such a large crowd last year that Lake Street was shut down. This year the village board granted permission to officially close Lake and Church streets to vehicles to accommodate the music lovers’ foot traffic.
“We’ve had such a warm response from the people who stopped to listen on their exploration of Porchfest,” said Tom Dimock of Old Friends. “The weather has been superb, our host has been very gracious, and most of all, we still love playing these songs and feel very blessed we have an audience that wants to see us and hear us.”
PF maps with festival details are available at participating merchants and will be published in the Owego Pennysaver the week before and week of the festival. This is a rain or shine event. Historically it has been all shine and no rain. PF organizers are crossing their fingers that Mother Nature will bestow the same good fortune this year.
Visit owego.org for more information
Guests strolling the Owego Riverwalk often find performers playing from the back porches facing the Susquehanna River.
Photo by Wendy Post.
people in the know
Meet Jennifer Yerden of Sights & Shades, Canandaigua
How did you get started in the eye glass business? What was your inspiration?
My start in optical is probably like a lot of other opticians – I fell into it. I wasn’t actively looking to get into the field, but my best friend from high school told me about an opening at LensCrafters. Once I got hired, she said, “If they offer you an apprenticeship, take it.” I honestly had no idea what I was signing up for, but if she said to do it, I trusted her.
What inspired me to open my own boutique was really the desire to be my own boss. I used to joke about putting doctors’ kids through college – now it was time to build something for myself.
What is unique and special about Sights and Shades?
At Sights & Shades, we really make the experience personal and custom to you. We take the time to listen and figure out exactly what your vision needs are. We make sure your frames fit just right, help you find something you actually love, or swap out lenses for a favorite frame you just can’t part with. Most of the frames we carry you won’t find anywhere else around Canandaigua; some are even unique in the whole Rochester and Finger Lakes area. We like to keep things special and tailored to each person who walks in.
What is special about having a business on Main Street in Canandaigua?
This might sound a bit cliché, but it really is about being part of a community. I firmly believe that if the community supports you, you should support them right back. It’s also the friendships I’ve made with other business owners and their teams – like-minded people I can bounce ideas off of and grow alongside.
What areas of the business would you like to see grow and improve upon?
I’d love to add a few more frame lines to the collections we already carry. I’m always listening to what my clients want and trying to bring in what we can. If I had the space, I’d stock every independent line out there, but the shop can only hold so much!
Are there any new and unique products and services that you offer?
Yes! We have a new service called Iris and Ink. We’re now offering iris photography. We’ll take a photo of your eye, and then Sydney edits it by hand (no AI!) to create a one-ofa-kind piece featuring your unique iris.
We really pride ourselves on thinking outside the box. If a big box store told you “No,” chances are we can find a way to make it happen. We have several trusted resources we can reach out to if you’re looking for something truly custom.
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love meeting people and listening to their stories. The world is so fascinating to me, and I love seeing all the different points of view people bring in. And of course finding someone the perfect frame or helping them see better never gets old!
What are your roots? Are you a Finger Lakes native?
I was born in Lewisburg, PA, while my dad was finishing his degree at Penn State. After that, we moved to Olean, NY, and by middle school we had settled in the Rochester area. The first place my mom brought us to was Canandaigua. I still remember driving down Main Street, seeing the grand old homes and catching a glimpse of the lake. I spent so many summers here growing up and later brought my own kids to enjoy Canandaigua Lake too. I always dreamed of living here, and as of last year, we finally do!
What do you enjoy most about the Finger Lakes Region?
The beauty of the Finger Lakes never ceases to amaze me. Sometimes we forget what a blessing it is to live here. Someday, I’d love to explore lakes and valleys in places like Scotland and Italy, but honestly, we already have stunning nature right here – plus fantastic restaurants, breweries and distilleries to enjoy. I love that each lake has its own unique reason to visit. It always makes me smile when someone from Skaneateles — another beautiful lake — stops by my shop, because it means they’re appreciating the region just like I do.
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Do you have any favorite local activities?
I love a good meal and truly appreciate amazing service. I’m not sure if I’m a full-on foodie, but most of my favorite spots to eat, drink and be merry have come recommended by clients and their stories. It’s a great way to discover hidden gems in the area!
A Step Back in Time
Finding a Diary in My Old House
by Chester Freeman
Those of us who live in old houses and have a love for them are always surprised to discover something special when we renovate an historic home. We’d hope to find something that would give us salacious details about the lives of those who previously lived there.
In the corner of an old wooden cupboard in our breakfast room, that wish came true for us. When the remodeling contractor was disassembling a corner cupboard, I heard him call out, “Come and see what I’ve found.”
When I arrived in the breakfast room, he was holding a small book.
“It seems to be a diary,” he said, handing the book to me. “Maybe it slipped down behind the shelves. It looks pretty old to me.”
I was amazed when I held it in my hands. The diary was in mint condition because it had been protected from the sun. This must have been the diary’s hiding place because the color was a deep purple on the outside with gold pagination on the borders. It looked brandnew! To keep the diary in such good shape, it’s obvious that the owner, William L. Hornbeck, son of the diarist author, Rosetta (Leroy) Hornbeck, kept the diary in his cobblestone house.
Before I reveal more about the diary, I want to acknowledge that I contacted the family genealogist, Lester J. Stevens, and obtained his permission to share my discoveries with you.
A little historical context
The year was 1878 and the president was Rutherford B. Hayes, who was a true abolitionist and did what he felt was right for the country. He oversaw the end of Reconstruction. Now, let’s see what the lady with the fiery red hair had to say about her life. You may wonder how I know her hair color. It’s because she left a curly ringlet behind! Yet another treasured discovery!
When I opened her dairy, I felt as if I was stepping back in time. She had held this little book in her hands every day, and now it seemed miraculous that I was holding the book in my own hands. I was honored and privileged to peer into her private moments and absorb them. It was a sacred moment for me, and I turned each page with anticipation and reverence.
I have chosen to go through the diary and pick out the most interesting entries. The first thing I noticed when I opened the diary was the writer’s beautiful cursive script handwriting and the name Rosetta “Rose” Hornbeck. Written in pencil, it was still perfectly readable. The surname comes
from the Dutch, spelled Hoornbeeck, dating back to 1660. Rose was born in 1854 near Lyons and died on October 27, 1910 in Phelps. In 1872, she married George Elmer Hornbeck in Ontario County. They had two sons: William, born in October 1873 and Elmer, born in June 1875. They lived three miles northeast of Phelps, most likely in the vicinity of Morengo. George was a descendant of Joos Van Hoornbeecke, who died in Ghent, Flanders, Netherlands in 1646. The current city of Ghent is now located in the country of Belgium, not far from Amsterdam. This information confirmed that the family was of Dutch origin.
According to the family genealogist, “Rose’s son, William L. Hornbeck, would later carry that diary, when he married Anna Elizabeth (Ringer), and secret his mother’s diary in the rafters of the old Ringer Cobblestone house,” and it was later moved to a wooden cupboard, where it was found.
Rose’s world
Here are some extracts from Rose’s diary.
February 8, 1878
…I worked on my dress all day…
Rose spent a great deal of her time sewing for herself and repairing clothes that George wore. At the very end of her diary, she made a list to record her sewing purchases for
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• Ask Us About Our U-FILL Hauling Services Program!
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the year, 1878. They were as follows:
8 yards calico .48
1 dozen buttons .20
3 yards cotton flannel .45
2 spools thread .12
1 yard ribbon .20
1 silk handkerchief .20
Questions arise. Since Rose’s list indicates a mix of the practical and the decorative, from where did she purchase such items? From a travelling salesman? It’s possible that she purchased them in Phelps since it was a thriving town at that time. It seems Rose had the money from the sale of eggs and some dairy items. Whatever the source of her purchases, she had to plan ahead, both for everyday needs and for the unexpected. Perhaps a tear in George’s shirt or pants.
From old clothes, she could cut pieces of cloth to sew into her quilts. Quilting would provide an opportunity to meet, talk and pass on local news or gossip. Such quilts would be passed down through the family. I did find some quilts in the upstairs closet, but when I picked them up, they crumbled. So, I took the sturdiest pieces of fabric and hand
stitched four small pillows from them.
October 17, 1878
I baked bread and canned three jars of grapes this fore noon…
Like all farm families, baking bread was a standard thing to do. An orchard produced apples for eating, storing for winter, drying and canning as well as for cider. The grapes in the field were used for jellies, jams and canning. Rose loved preparing for winter.
December 25, 1878
It snowed and blew all day. George and I were down in the cellar most all day sorting potatoes.
Even though it was Christmas Day, Rose and George were down in the cellar, going through their potato crop, sorting the good ones from the bad ones. Apparently, George wasn’t very religious and the couple didn’t always observe religious days.
Still, he didn’t prevent Rose from attending the Methodist Church and being engaged in their activities. I have a letter, penned by the Methodist minister, to Rose. In it he said, “Maybe if you tell George we are serving food after the service, he might decide to attend!” Even back then,
homecooked dishes were a way of getting the men into the church pew!
As the year ends, Rose recorded that she had sold nine dozen eggs, earning her a total of 90 cents. By keeping track of everything, she was able to splurge and buy herself a silk handkerchief. After working hard all year it must have been nice to have a treat.
At the very end of Rose’s diary, it appears that she felt someone would eventually find her diary and read it. She closes with the following statement: Remember me it’s all I ask
But if remembrance be a task
Forget me.
So, I share with all who read these words: Remembering you, Rose, is no task. It’s an honor!
You shall forever live in my heart and in the minds of all who read your words.
making a difference
Healthcare Close to Home
A Conversation with Rochester Regional Health About Geneva’s New Medical Campus
You may have noticed over the last year that big things are happening on Canandaigua Road in Geneva. Along the corner of State Route 14A and 5 and 20, a once forgotten lot left empty for more than 20 years is the new site of Rochester Regional Health’s Geneva Medical Campus.
Dr. Steven Schulz
We sat down with Dr. Steven Schulz, a pediatrician with Rochester Regional Health, to talk about what this means for the Finger Lakes community.
Let’s start with the basics: What is going on in that shiny new building?
I’m so glad you asked! Our brand-new Geneva Medical Campus is opening this fall. This is a 58,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art healthcare facility that brings a wide range of medical services together on one site. When complete, we’ll have moved all our existing Geneva practices here while adding several additional services, bringing care in Geneva to
one convenient new location.
Rochester Regional Health could not be more excited to expand and enhance our care offerings to Geneva and beyond. This campus is a 37-million-dollar investment in the health of the Finger Lakes, providing seamless and accessible care under one roof.
What kind of services can people expect to find there?
Quite a few to say the least! We’re talking about more than 90 exam rooms and a broad mix of specialties. This includes primary care, pediatrics, OB/GYN, neurology, cardiology, endocrinology, urology, internal medicine, allergy, immunology, rheumatology and both general and vascular surgery.
On top of that, in the coming months, this campus will have a full imaging suite as well as urgent care, orthopedics, infusion therapy and a physical therapy gym. Patients will be able to see their provider, get an x-ray and lab work all in one location. No more driving between sites for follow-up care! It’s really designed to be a one-stop destination for all your healthcare needs.
While this campus is new, it doesn’t stand alone. The Geneva Medical Campus is part of the broader Rochester Regional Health system. This means care teams communicate across locations, records follow patients seamlessly and services are aligned to avoid repetition and confusion. This kind of integration is increasingly rare and increasingly important.
Why Geneva?
Geneva is a vibrant and growing community – and one that deserves easy access to high-quality, modern healthcare. We’ve had a presence here for years, but this campus takes it to the next level. The urgent care, infusion center, imaging center, cardiac imaging and behavioral health are all brand new services we’re thrilled to bring to this community.
This project is also about revitalization. The site we chose was a long-underused property along a major Geneva thoroughfare. So, this is more than just a building; we’re transforming a prominent space and investing in the future of this community.
Additionally, we’ve reclaimed nearly a third of what was a parking lot to create sustainable green space, using native landscaping and focusing on a building design that complements the natural beauty of the area.
What are the long-term goals for the campus?
This isn’t just about today, it’s about decades to come. We’ve created a modern, flexible space that meets current healthcare needs and can grow with the community; we have plans for a full procedure suite within the next couple of years. We want families to feel confident that, from pediatric care to complex specialty services, they can stay right here in the Finger Lakes and still receive top-tier care. The long-term plan is simple: Stay rooted, grow responsibly and serve across generations.
Geneva, myself included. We’re proud to have spent the last decade caring for thousands of patients right here in town. This location improves our ability to continue that care while welcoming new patients looking for comprehensive care close to home. We’re accepting new patients across all practices.
We’ve designed this campus with the community, not just for it. Here, visits feel unhurried. Conversations matter. Providers listen, follow up and coordinate as a team. It’s the kind of atmosphere you might expect from a small-town clinic – but backed by the resources of a regional system.
Any final thoughts?
What would you say to residents who are curious, or maybe a little skeptical, about such a big project coming to town?
We’re not outsiders coming in – we’re neighbors, colleagues and community members. Many of our team members live in and around
We’re grateful to be part of the Finger Lakes, for the support from local partners and to be bringing something truly meaningful to this region. Healthcare should never be out of reach, and with the Geneva Medical
Campus, it won’t be.
Whether you’re looking for a new provider, exploring career options or just want to see what’s new in town, we hope you’ll stop in to say hello. We’re proud to be part of Geneva’s future. We’re proud to serve the Finger Lakes. We’re here for it.
Learn more at rochesterregional.org/geneva.
From Everyday Health to Life’s Unexpected Moments, We’re Here for It.
At Rochester Regional Health, caring for the Finger Lakes community is a commitment we’ve upheld for generations.
From routine care to advanced treatments, from virtual visits to specialty services—we’re here to keep you well, active, and ready for whatever life brings. rochesterregional.org
WESTERN NY | FINGER LAKES | ST. LAWRENCE
Where Murals Tell the Story
How Mural Mania is Restoring the History of the Erie Canal
by Joy Underhill
In my bike rides along the NYS canal, I’ve passed a few murals depicting life during the heyday of the Erie Canal. I never gave them much thought until a recent ride between Clyde and Lyons in Wayne County.
There I discovered just how many murals have been painted in recent years and how extensive the effort has been to preserve and promote the history of Upstate New York through the works of local artists.
What is Mural Mania?
Mural Mania began in 2007 in Lyons as a volunteer effort to transform a trash heap into a park. The first mural, “Winston’s Dream,” depicts the old Erie Canal on a trolley bridge abutment and was named after Winston Dobbins, who started the project.
The murals have taken off since then,
now numbering 17 in Lyons and more than 60 in Wayne County. Co-founder Mark DeCracker believed that “If you paint it, they will come,” which has proven true time and again. The murals stretch mostly along the Erie Canal. “We started with a goal of 40 miles of murals and in two years had covered 50 miles,” said DeCracker. “Now we’re working on 180 miles from Syracuse to Buffalo.”
Mural Mania is the longest mural trail in the world, and it now includes towns such as Williamson, Wolcott, Canandaigua and other communities that seek to commemorate their history through public art.
Biking the Erie Canal
The canal we have today is expanded and rerouted from the original Clinton’s Ditch, and its function has changed from commerce to recreation.
Biking between Clyde and Lyons gave me a close look at both the historic and current canal, some of which is paved over (Route 31 and old Route 31).
A sign along the trail in Clyde shows where the murals are located. From an old hardware store to a railroad stop, the murals tell the story of when small Erie Canal towns developed, thrived and served as transportation hubs.
Riding back to Lyons, I encountered a busy chicken farm, a narrow lock with good fishing and unused parts of the canal that had returned to swampland. As the trail approached Lyons, I stopped to take in another sign showing many of the historic murals located in town.
A Day Trip to Lyons
Take a look at muralmania.org for comprehensive information about the murals, artists and what each mural represents.
Between the Broad and Water Street Historic District and wellpreserved landmarks such as the Ohmann Theater, walking through Lyons was like taking a step back in time.
Walk the streets of Lyons to see plenty of murals, both along the main streets and the canal trail near Lock 27.
Stop by the Peppermint Museum to learn about the fascinating history of peppermint oil production in Lyons. Call ahead for private tours in May, June, September and October (315-946-4596).
If you choose to bike, consider parking at Lock Berlin and check out the various iterations of the canal going east to Clyde and west to Lyons. Round trip is about 14 miles, mostly on the canal trail with some easy road riding.
About the murals
Mark Williams, mural designer and artist, works with communities to create art that best represents both the history and current
What’s New?
In Williamson, the Bicentennial Committee dedicated a massive, seven-panel mural showcasing 200 years of Wayne County history – from the early settlers to the commerce and tourism of today. Suggested viewing is from across the street, where you can pick out iconic figures, glaciers, apple farms, biplanes, roses, dairy cows and more.
“People are amazed at the variety of the images and how true it is to our history,” said Deb Hall of the Wayne County Historical Society, commenting on the sheer size and detail of the mural. “It’s a phenomenal way to share our past in a compelling, visual way.”
Gorham now features a mural celebrating the legacy of the Gorham Pageant of Bands, which brought music to its Main Street for nearly 60 years. Austin Kephart, the project’s chairperson, worked with Mural Mania by providing reference photos and iconography collected over the years.
culture of a place. “We often go through several designs before we agree on what works,” he said. “It can be challenging to maintain good aesthetics without sacrificing an important event or person in the mural.”
If you come across a mural, be sure to take time to examine the details within. For fun, try locating some of these items in Lyons:
• A gold tooth of the patient in the dentist chair
• An exorbitant bounty posted for Harriett Tubman on a reward poster
• The year that Dobbins Pharmacy was established\
• A Statue of Liberty tile in the “Sal” mural
“Thanks in large part to the attention brought by the mural, we are looking at bringing back the Pageant in 2026!” Kephart shared. Lyons is nearing completion of a trolley mural. The foreground features historical figures, and local sponsors are painted into the passenger car.
• The traditional color of bottles of Hotchkiss peppermint oil
The Mural Mania website muralmania.org does an excellent job of describing the murals, the artists who created them and where they are located.
lifestyle Freshwater as Inspiration
by Sara DeAngelis
I’ve explored the dynamic, interconnected nature of freshwater, which serves as the inspiration for the work of the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum (SFLM) in this threepart series. Water’s endless journey – falling from the sky, flowing through streams, collecting in lakes – makes it a potent connector of natural systems.
Inland waters, including our lakes, streams and wetlands, are biologically rich; collectively they have greater biodiversity than the earth’s oceans. Consider this: all the water that will ever exist on our planet is here now. We are its stewards. Daily, we witness the endless journey of freshwater, cycling from ground to sky – sometimes in the form of pounding rain, sometimes as glittering snow. Francis of Assisi is credited with saying, “Water is the mirror of nature.” Following water’s journey and considering its vitality and value connects us to this region, our past and its abundant beauty.
Freshwater is the inspiration for the Saunders Finger Lakes Museum, as these living waters are a part of the region’s rich legacy, marked by an abundance of character worth celebrating. Waves of people have cared for and preserved this landscape while joyfully embracing the offerings of each season. Its human stories span from the Haudenosaunee people, who have lived here since the last ice age, to more recent arrivals who now call the area home. Some people visit for a short time but grow to love its transcendent spirit. The Finger Lakes’ magic lies in its complex layers: diverse people, rich stories, scenic majesty and the tranquil yet dynamic fresh waters that reflect the wonder of our world. As a year-round gathering place, the new museum’s enchanting and artful new exhibits will inspire visitors.
While it connects places, water also prompts an
appreciation for our region’s beauty by reflecting the world around us, especially the way autumn colors ignite the landscape. As day lengths shorten, nature begins its spectacular transformation from the exuberance of summer to the abundance of fall. Summer’s frenetic energy yields to autumn’s more measured pace. People savor the season’s visual grandeur and iconic events, from festivals to woodland hikes and lake activities. Year-round residents savor this transition, reconnecting with traditions and preparing for change. Soon enough, it will be winter, with its ethereal beauty, snow and ice-based recreation and harsh challenges. The smell of fresh snow and the tinkling sound of ice moved by wind and waves will replace this season’s warmer sensory delights.
Fall’s wild tapestry across fields, forests and lakes thrums with life. Fish dart through clear waters while dragonflies weave aerial patterns above. Butterflies dance between blooms, their fragility a poignant reminder of the ephemerality and fragility inherent in our natural systems. Forests, in their slow and colorful transformation, seem hushed; yet a rich network of tree root systems connects them to soil microbes through subterranean fungal highways, storing away sun-spun sugars for the future. The natural world pulses with constant motion.
Autumn’s arrival, signaled by crisp mornings jeweled with dew or frost, transforms orb-weaving spider webs into crystal lacework. Earth’s tilt triggers the retreat of daylight, and the ecosystems respond. Squirrels and foxes store resources in hidden caches. Organisms prepare by migrating, finding winter burrows and dens or leaving offspring – survival strategies that will ensure spring’s renewal. All around us, nature’s slow reclamation begins, releasing the distinctive, sweet smell of autumn’s earthiness.
Looking out across the SFLM’s 13-acre grounds and walking on the adjacent Townsend-Grady Wildlife Preserve, you get a sense of the region’s incredible biodiversity. Once completed, the museum will overlook this living laboratory. Inside, new exhibits and interactive experiences will illustrate how humans and nature are interconnected by sharing stories of those who call these waters and lands home. Indoor and outdoor programs will convey the vibrancy of the region’s natural and cultural heritage.
My work with the museum, helping to craft the exhibit’s interaction and content, continues to reveal the region’s compelling collection of stories across time. Freshwater links everything. Today, we think of kayaking, sailing and motorboats threading their way through rivers, lakes and canals. Looking at the past, boat transportation transformed this region, carrying its bounty – fruits, vegetables and dairy – to urban centers. Packet boats traversed New York’s waterways, connecting the Great Lakes, Finger Lakes and the Hudson River. When railroads arrived, steamboats shifted from cargo to pleasure, sparking the legendary Keuka Lake Steamboat Wars of the 1880s.
Unlike in the past, predictable seasons are becoming increasingly erratic, making traditional winter activities such as
ice fishing and snowshoeing more challenging. Climate disruption poses a threat to water-centered recreation. Efforts, supported by both locals and visitors, are increasingly being made to protect waterways against mounting threats.
As we gather for fall and winter festivals and events, it’s time to think about collective transformative potential. When it opens, the new museum will function as a community gathering space, providing a forum for deepening people’s understanding of the region’s rich natural and cultural history, as well as the connections between the lakes and the surrounding lands. It will be a place to celebrate freshwater as the gleaming thread connecting us all.
Sara DeAngelis is an exhibition and experience design consultant specializing in crafting compelling narratives for cultural institutions. A Fulbright Specialist and graduate-level educator on exhibition history, she brings scholarly expertise to her work with museums and nonprofits. Drawing on her training as a naturalist, she has spent the past decade studying ecological landscape principles and advocating for native plant gardens.
Day Tripping to Rochester Fringe
by Corrie Carter
Spend a day (or two!) at New York State’s largest performing arts festival.
A giant luminous sphere, suspended 60 feet in the air, surrounded by aerial dancers who abound with whimsy. Can you picture it? The spectacle. Now add in mesmerizing lights, music and mind-bending acrobatics. Can you feel it? The splendor.
It’s not a high-priced Las Vegas show (though it could be). It’s eVenti Verticali, the Italian performing troupe bringing the magic of SPHERE to the 2025 ESL Rochester Fringe Festival in September.
And, it’s completely free.
What is Fringe?
SPHERE is just one of the amazing shows and experiences that await attendees of Fringe – a 12-day performing arts festival in Rochester that runs from September 9 to 20.
The Fringe provides one of the most diverse arts experiences in the state and includes more than 600 performances by musicians, dancers, comedians, visual artists, children’s entertainment, magicians, theatre groups and more. In fact, the New York Times called it “one of the country’s more prominent
Guide to Rochester Fringe
Spiegel Tent Cirque
NAPLES GRAPE FESTIVAL
SEPTEMBER 27th & 28th, 2025 10:00am–5:00pm (Rain or Shine)
Come have fun at the grounds of Naples Memorial Town Hall & Naples High School (135 N Main St for your GPS)
Learn more: www.naplesgrapefest.org 585-749-2248
FEATURING:
• 100+ Artisans & Craftsman Vendors
• Regional & National Musical Performers
• Food Vendors Galore
• Annual Grape Pie Contest
• Brahm Moore Beverage Garden enjoy sampling and bottle sales from 17 local wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries
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multidisciplinary events,” and CITY magazine voted it as the 2024 and 2025 Best Arts Event.
“The Fringe brings the world stage to our community. From emerging artists to international superstars, there is truly something for everyone,” said CEO and Festival Producer Erica Fee.
The variety of offerings is one reason why more than 100,000 people flock to the festival every year. The amount of free public programming is another, with nearly a quarter of all performances completely free.
Unlike most area festivals, the Fringe is a nonprofit organization. It is modeled after the Edinburgh Fringe, which is now the world’s largest arts festival and the third largest event after the Olympics and the World Cup. Today, there are more than 250 fringe festivals worldwide, with nearly 50 in the United States. The Fringe in Rochester was the first in Upstate New York.
Experience Fringe
Ultimately, the Fringe is something you have to experience. You can personalize it based on what interests you and piques your curiosity. Every show is around an hour long, leaving plenty of room to take in many performances in a single visit to the festival, and venues range from small parked cars to the grand Eastman Theatre.
The heart of Fringe is at One Fringe Place on the corner of Main and Gibbs streets in Dr. Dawn F. Lipson’s Spiegelgarden. The pop-up urban lounge is framed with string lights to create an inviting, upbeat and playful atmosphere. The central location houses a number of festival shows, events and activities including the crowd-favorite Spiegeltent; outdoor light experience Submergence; comedic duo Bushwhacked: Rise of the Roadies, Bushwhacked Bonfire, Bushwhacked Boozy: The Roadie Experience LIVE!, Bushwhacked: Hot and Sweaty; and the highly personal Dashboard Dramas XI.
We work hard to help all of our members succeed—not just in their finances, but in their lives.
Join more than 47,000 of your friends and neighbors who are achieving life at Reliant.
It’s a common central meeting place for friends and families to meet up or
Silent disco
Brockway Trucks & Memorabilia Military Memorabilia Local History
Model Trains Railroad History Agricultural Heritage Tractors
Antique Firehouse Apparatus History First Responder Display
September 20: Home-Grown Music Festival with The Cafferty Band (Raindate 9/21) October 4: All-Wheels Show
October 11: Fire Truck & 1st Responder Show / Day with a Dispatcher October 25: Vintage Snowmobile Show For more information, contact: info@cnylivinghistory.org
4386 US Route 11 Cortland, NY Halfway between Binghamton & Syracuse 1/2 mile off I -81, exit 54 607-299-4185 www.cnylivinghistory.org
Geneva History Museum
Mansion
Historic Palmyra – 5 Museums, 1 Destination
TOUR OUR FARM & BROWSE OUR GIFT SHOP
TOUR OUR FARM & BROWSE OUR GIFT SHOP
TOUR OUR FARM & BROWSE OUR GIFT SHOP
just relax. It also houses everyone’s favorite free Pedestrian Drive-in where people can grab a snack and drink and watch a different outdoor movie every night.
The lively Theatre Bar in the Spiegelgarden is where you can try the debut Fringe Beer, a pumpkin spice seasonal in collaboration with Three Heads Brewing (also available at participating Wegmans stores).
“In a world of stuff, we’re all looking to have experiences. Fringe is one great big experience and a time to try something new,” said Fee. “We encourage people to book a sure thing and try a less obvious choice, something that is completely new to you. Go big, go small … just go for it!”
Must see acts
Our alpaca farm is the largest in the Finger Lakes area. You will have the opportunity to meet our herd of 60+ alpacas. Learn alpaca history & care while touring the vintage barns. Individual and group tours.
Fall is a wonderful time to visit us here on the farm. The cooler temperatures and Fall colors make for an enjoyable visit with our alpacas and the most gorgeous photo ops. We are open Tuesday through Sunday for tours and/or a visit to our store. We also offer yoga with the alpacas if you are looking for a new and fun way to interact with our friendly alpacas. Register on our website for a tour or yoga. Preregistration is required to insure we have the correct staff available to make your visit as enjoyable as possible.
TOUR OUR FARM & BROWSE OUR GIFT SHOP
Our alpaca farm is the largest in the Finger Lakes area. You will have the opportunity to meet our herd of 60+ alpacas. Learn alpaca history & care while touring the vintage barns. Individual and group tours.
Our alpaca farm is the largest in the Finger Lakes area. You will have the opportunity to meet our herd of 60+ alpacas. Learn alpaca history & care while touring
SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT: (585) 455-1203 www.lazyacrealpacas.com
SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT: (585) 455-1203
SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT:
7 Days a Week April through Dec 10am-4pm (Sunday 1-4pm)
New this year is TRACES, a free public art performance on Saturday, September 13 in the Spiegelgarden. TRACES engages 25 local community members and uses the mediums of ice and narration to deep dive into the trajectory of their lives. TRACES was created by renowned ice puppeteer Elise Vigneron, who is part of the internationally acclaimed Theatre de L’Entrouvert.
Comedian, television host and seven-time New York Times bestselling author Chelsea Handler will be this year’s comedy headliner. Her performance will occur at 8 p.m. Saturday, September 13 in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. Premiering at Fringe are all-new Cirque du Fringe and Shotspeare shows. For Cirque, think Agatha Christie meets Clue with an exotic ensemble of international talents in the Spiegeltent. Meanwhile, Shotspeare continues to put the “lit” in literature with their adaptation of Titus Andronicus. rochesterfringe.com for all show times.
Family friendly Fringe Kids Day at Fringe is Saturday, (Continued on page 94)
Original Art Makes a Unique Gift
“The Visitor” by Chris Manaseri
Getting Around Fringe
Where can I park?
Most Fringe venues are within walking distance of each other, which allows for one-time parking. Parking for $7 can be found in the East End, Midtown, Mortimer Street, Court Street, Five Star Bank Plaza or Washington Square garages.
How do I get tickets?
Tickets for all performances can be purchased online at rochesterfringe.com.
Do I need tickets for free events?
You do not need tickets for any free events, but sometimes space is limited. Plan to arrive early.
Where can I grab a bite to eat or drink?
Food trucks will be at One Fringe Place along with a bar. The vendors rotate each night, so there is always something delicious to try. For the September 19 and 20 performances of eVenti Verticali’s SPHERE, there will also be many food trucks surrounding the event at Parcel 5.
Can you do everything at Fringe in one day?
It’s impossible to do everything at Fringe in one day, but you can do a lot! This 12-day festival offers unique experiences every day. Use your festival guide or ESL Rochester Fringe Festival App to plan an amazing day (or two!).
What if I decide to spend the night?
There are two hotel partners who will be offering special Fringe rates for attendees: Hyatt Regency Rochester and The Inn on Broadway.
September 20. It’s a free family event that features Disco Kids, pumpkin painting and chalk art. Follow it up with Fringe Street Beat at MLK Park. This is an all-styles and break-dancing competition that creates a positive communal experience.
Gospel Sunday is also a free event that provides the most soulful, spiritual, uplifting experience at Fringe. At 1 p.m. Saturday, September 14 in the Spiegeltent, the Rev. Rickey Harvey of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church will lead an afternoon of sacred song by some of Rochester’s
(Continued on page 96)
Chelsea Handler
TRACES
Venues and Accessibility
Fringe partners with the Center for Disability Rights to have all Fringe venues assessed for accessibility and inclusion. Full details can be found at rochesterfringe.com
A complete list of Fringe venues follows:
• Aerial Arts of Rochester
• Bop Shop Records
• Central Library of Rochester
• Eastman School of Music
• The Focus Theater
• Garth Fagan Dance
• George Eastman Museum
• The Harley School
• The Hochstein School
• Java’s
• JCC
• Joseph Ave Arts and Culture Alliance
• La Marketa at the International Plaza
• The Little
• Memorial Art Gallery
• MuCCC
• Photo City Music Hall
• ROC Cinema
• ROC City Circus
• Rochester Music Hall of Fame
• RoCo
• The Rose Room
• RIT City Arts Space
• The Spirit Room
• UR Sloan Performing Arts Center
• Writers & Books
best gospel artists.
Les Kif Kif Jam Side Up! is a quirky and magical comedy show by two sisters from Quebec City, Canada that is full of flying bunnies, speeding French fries and infectious energy! It is loaded with audience interaction and is a ticketed event on September 19 and 20.
“There’s no one way to Fringe,” said Fee. “Just come as you are and have an experience with us to celebrate the end of summer –one that includes your favorite local artists and the discovery of newto-you talent. It’ll be a great time!”
To learn more about Fringe or to purchase tickets, visit rochesterfringe.com
Download the Rochester Fringe Festival App Android Apple
Les Kif Kif Jam Side Up!
Because Art Moves!
Because Art Moves!
Because Art Moves!
Naglee Fine Arts has service packages available. We will install/deinstall your artwork, transport it to our secure warehouse, and store it for however long you are away. Peace of mind.
Naglee Fine Arts has service packages available. We will install/deinstall your artwork, transport it to our secure warehouse, and store it for however long you are away. Peace of mind.
Used by major museums and institutions, as well as private collectors. References available.
Used by major museums and institutions, as well as private collectors. References available.
Naglee Fine Arts
Naglee Fine Arts
1525 Grand Central Avenue, Elmira, NY 14901 Tel. 607-733-5725 • NagleeFine Arts.com
1525 Grand Central Avenue, Elmira, NY 14901 Tel. 607-733-5725 • NagleeFine Arts.com
Fine Arts has service packages available. We will install/deinstall your artwork, transport it to our secure warehouse, and store it for however
Naglee Fine Arts has service packages available. We will install/deinstall your artwork, transport it to our secure warehouse, and store it for however long you are away. Peace of mind.
Used by major museums and institutions, as well as private collectors. References available.
Naglee Fine Arts
1525 Grand Central Avenue, Elmira, NY 14901 Tel. 607-733-5725 • NagleeFine Arts.com
AMISH COUNTRY STORE
Areas of Interest in the September/October 2025 issue
