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contents

5 9 12 16 19 20 22 25 28 29 30 31 34 35 38 39 44 48 55 58 63 66 68 74 77 85 89 90 91

Oneida County Historical Society The Music Never Stops ADK Journal Gems Along the Mohawk Local Music Downloads At the Market Did You Know?

Moving the Mighty Mohawk River MV History Spotlight Local CD Review MV Astronomical Society Clarkshire Farm Help the Historians April Forest MV Musician On the Farm with Suzie Artist Mary Loy MV Adventure Club MV Gardens Lyndon Lyon Greenhouse Slow Food Mohawk Valley Bowling in the Valley The Carolina Wren Herkimer County Historical Society Tales from Shawangunk Gallery Guide for April MV Comics Live & Local Music Advertiser Directory

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May 1st

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Thanks Again!

by Sharry L. Whitney

Thanks again to our advertisers for making this magazine possible and allowing us to grow!

We’ve had lots of requests for family fun ideas and now, in addition to our regular “MV Family” articles, we have room for our mini kids’ book. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of our TV show, we’ve taken all the information we’ve gathered over the past decade and have created The Mohawk Valley Adventure Club.

Lance’s illustrations will help tell a story every month. We hope it will inspire your own family adventures.

Also thank you readers. When you shop our advertisers, they continue to support what we do. And now that spring is here, be sure to use our Advertiser Directory in the back of the magazine for all your spring gardening, dining, and shopping!

MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING MAGAZINE APRIL 2015

PUBLISHERS Lance and Sharry Whitney EDITOR Sharry L. Whitney DESIGN & LAYOUT Lance David Whitney ASSISTANT EDITOR Shelley Delosh ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Susan Collea (315) 292-3905 email: scolleamvl@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS Peggy Spencer Behrendt, Jorge Hernandez, Brian Howard, Suzie Jones, John Keller, Melinda Karastury, Frank Page, Susan Perkins, Matt Perry, Cynthia Quackenbush, Denise Szarek, Gary VanRiper CONTACT US (315) 853-7133 30 Kellogg Street Clinton, NY 13323 www.MohawkValleyLiving.com mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com Mohawk Valley Living is a monthly magazine & television show exploring the area’s arts, culture, and heritage.

Copyright © 2015. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of Mohawk Valley Publishing.

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From Packet Boats to Packards:

Utica’s Erie Canal Transformation from the Oneida County Historical Society

by Brian Howard, Executive Director Throughout the Mohawk Valley, no transportation system is better known, nor held in as high regard, as the Erie Canal. This pioneering waterway provided the conduit necessary to draw Americans to the western frontier. It also brought prosperity to all of the settlements it reached, including Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo. Locally, Utica and Rome flourished after they were connected by the canal in 1819. The whole system—all 363 miles—was dedicated in 1825.

Downtown Utica grew and prospered along with the Erie. Situated just south of the Mohawk River, the canal spurred commerce to life in myriad ways. It’s no coincidence that just seven years after its completion, Utica was incorporated as a city in 1832. Between 1820 and 1850 the city’s population multiplied six times over, from 2,972 to 17,556.

By the middle 1830s it was clear that the original 40-foot wide, 4-foot deep channel was inadequate to handle the volume of business being done on the waterway. The channel was deepened to seven feet and widened to 70 feet between 1836 and 1862, and a system of double locks was built to cut down on bottlenecks.

The Erie’s runaway success (for example, the price of shipping one ton of wheat fell from $100 to $5!) drove a brief “canal boom” in the region that saw two branches built off it in Oneida County. The first to open was the Chenango Canal, which ran from Utica to Binghamton, starting in 1836. The Black River Canal route ran north from Rome to Carthage and moved Adirondack timber. Alas, this boom lasted less than 20 years, and by 1860 investors had turned their attention to the country’s fledgling railroad system. Locally, only the Erie would survive the coming of the iron horse. The Chenango was abandoned in 1878 while the Black River The Erie Canal Hotel Street Bridge, 1870.

The pedestrian bridge forded the canal.

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ceased operations north of Boonville at the turn of the century.

During the 1920s the rest of the Black River system was closed as well.

It is not an exaggeration to say that the canal was Utica’s heart; the Erie did nothing less than to spur a bustling city from what was hitherto a frontier settlement. The wealth of dry goods stores, warehouses, and factories were joined by more utilitarian structures, including a dozen and a half bridges and one of the many weigh-lock buildings located along the route.

The Curtis Machine Shop & Foundry, Dean Ornamental Iron Works, Wood & Mann Engine Works, White & Sons Stoneware, Griffin and Hoxie Wholesale Goods, the Shenandoa Cotton Company, and the Devereux Knitting Mills were among the plethora of businesses to set up shop along the waterway during the mid-1800s. But this prosperity would not stay “canal-centric” for much longer.

By 1900 the Erie was in its ninth decade in existence.

Downtown Utica was now also serviced by the New York Central Railroad and would soon be, as well, by the automobile. It seemed like the canal’s days had come and gone, but New York State still saw value in the pioneering waterway. So much so in fact that construction started on an entirely new, expanded system to take over the Erie in 1905. When the New York State Barge Canal opened in 1918 it spelled the end for the original Erie, including the channel that had defined industry and commerce in downtown Utica for one hundred years.

The Barge Canal was championed by those wary of the railroad’s virtual monopoly on statewide commerce. But by the time it was done the automobile had come of age, threatening both canal- and rail-based transport.

The Utica Saturday Globe headline on July 15, 1922, said it all: “Old Canal Bed to be Great City Boulevard.” The article laid out the plan to fill in the old waterway that was already drained, creating a new street for automobile traffic. Among the competing proposals were for a rail line to be built along the thoroughfare (despite the plethora of lines a few hundred

From top to bottom: Onlookers gather on the pedestrian bridge to see the wreckage of the new’ Hotel Street lift bridge that was built in 1873-74 but destroyed when a canal boat collided with it in 1883; Erie Canal looking west; Detail of postcard that captures barges traveling under the Hotel Street Bridge.

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feet to the north), and also to appropriate the land for new businesses. Another issue holding up progress was a proposal to develop a new sewer system through the channel: “An effective block in the progress of Utica officials in making decisive plans in the matter is the prospect already foreshadowed by State officials in the way of condemning the local sewer outlet system. It may not be long, declared Mayor Fred J. Douglas, before the State board will condemn the use of the Mohawk River as a sewer outlet in the northern section of the city, which will necessitate the construction of a huge intercepting sewer to run to sewage disposal plants. These would be located in the eastern part of the city.

The only available area in which a trunk sewer of this size could be built is the canal bed, it is said.”

(Saturday Globe, July 15, 1922) Oh, joy. Exactly how the sewage situation was addressed is a story for another time.

The city leaders issued a $550,000 bond to raise the money necessary to purchase the canal from the state, and to remove the bridges that traversed it. Again, according to the Saturday Globe, the 15 bridges targeted for removal contained almost 900 tons of steel, 21.5 tons of iron, 217 tons of counterweight, and more than 16 tons of machinery.

With this phase complete, road construction would finally start.

Oriskany Street opened in 1926. The historic weighlock building hadn’t been used in years and was demolished, leaving the one in Syracuse as the sole surviving example from the canal’s early days. Today, the Syracuse weigh-lock is site to the Erie Canal Museum, situated, appropriately, on Erie Boulevard.

So, after Oriskany Street opened, what became of the old canal’s remains in Utica? Some of it is hidden in plain sight—while little of the original Erie is readily identifiable, the evidence is there if you know where to look. Head east on Route 5S, past the Genesee Street intersection; the

Erie Canal Swimming: Men and boys swimming in the canal prism in Utica during the early 20th century, when it was still being utilized as a sewer outlet. Yuck!

Erie Canal looking east

Erie Canal weighlock

Right: Erie Canal Weighlock: Utica’s weighlock building in the summer of 1922, after the canal channel had been filled in. It was located across Oriskany Street from what is today the offices of the Utica Observer-Dispatch.

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Saturday Globe headline, July 15, 1922

level, winding path of Route 5S mimics the canal prism over which it was built. Go west on Route 5A toward Whitesboro and, looking to your left, a wall of limestone appears in the underbrush. It is a remnant of the canal.

The concentration of factories and warehouses that line Oriskany Street are there because they were built to access the Erie. Sharper eyes might make out details on some of these structures, where the remnants of lifts are located that hoisted goods off packet boats. The level ground of the old towpath is evident in many places.

Former retail stores, hotels, and boarding houses also can be picked out. Utilizing old photographs, property surveys, and maps, one can easily envision the Erie during its days of operation. It is an intriguing effort! •

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Erie Canal Hotel Street pedestrian bridge, 1870

Today: Canal remains can be seen in front of G & E Enterprises on Oriskany Street, across from Enjem’s.

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the music never stops

jerry kraus by john keller

No matter whom you are, or what you do, one of the most recognizable names in Central New York is “Doctor” Jerry Kraus. He has always been the epitome of community spirit.

From his days at WOUR to his current post as Executive Director of The Stanley Theater, Jerry has put this area first in priority.

Jerry has nurtured and promoted countless local talent, hosted numerous community events, rallied for animal rights, and helped give many a musical education through his radio shows. Having known “The Doc” for some time, I have witnessed his generous nature first-hand on many occasions. I’ve also performed at many benefits he has been involved with (Mountain Jam/ Stevens-Swan, Concert for Life, Stanley events, etc.). Although a familiar figure in the area, many are unacquainted with the back history of this local icon.

Fortunately, I was able to catch Jerry on a quick break from his busy schedule to briefly talk about his wide, varied, and interesting multi-career.

Are you originally from Central New York?

I was born in Yorkville, went to Sacred Heart Grammar School. Then Whitesboro High, MVCC, SUNY Oswego (B.S. in Applied Mathematical Economics) and, finally, Syracuse University for a Master’s Degree in Media Administration. I’ve always lived in the area, except when I was away for college. I currently live in North Utica.

What got you interested in radio?

I always had a love of music. Having two older brothers and a twin brother, music was always playing in the house: records and the radio.

My dad was a radio and TV repairman, working at GE Radio Receiver in Utica. He had a repair shop in the back of our house, so as he tested

newly fixed radios and my twin brother, Jim, and I helped by testing tubes etc., we listened to local radio. I remember hearing the Beatles and Top 40 on WRUN and WTLB and got interested in the DJ banter between the songs from early on. I always enjoyed the stories behind the bands and the songs. Part of that knowledge comes into play Sunday mornings on my Recovery Room Radio Show (Sundays 9 a.m. to noon, 92.7FM The Drive) when I’m talking about some of those lost classics and deep tracks. Plenty of that music knowledge was also gained, of course, through my high school days, my college radio days at MVCC and Oswego, and while I was at 96.9 WOUR back in the day (1978-2007). But I like to think that those formative years as a young boy at my dad’s radio repair shop really got me started in the radio biz.

How did you initially become part of the WOUR crew?

When I got out of Oswego College back in 1978, I took a job in the Oneida County Finance Department. I still had an interest in radio work and my favorite station was 96.9 WOUR with the AOR format, playing the album cuts. So, on a lunch hour one day, I walked from the County Office Building to their offices and studios on Genesee Street. I met Jeff Chard, the Program Director, and gave him a tape of some of my college radio work. After he listened, I got called in for an interview and recorded a make-believe studio shift of the WOUR style of Album-Rock programming and that laid back on-air style. It was very close to what I was doing at Oswego College, but I now incorporated some of the WOUR lingo and features. That was my audition tape. Jeff liked it and I started as a part-time guy on weekends and overnights. On July 28, 1978, my 30-year WOUR odyssey began while I was still working full time for Oneida County.

What was it like during the early days of WOUR? While getting familiar with my radio job, including the equipment, programming and the introduction to the lifestyle of being an album-rock jock (concerts, club nights, parties, meeting rock stars when they came through town, meeting lots of people, etc.), I also got to meet my extended family of friends for whom I worked. Great people, all with different personalities, but we all meshed together with the common bond of being the best and most happening jocks that we could be while working at WOUR. It was such a real station in line with our own interests. We were the same age as our listeners and we lived the same lifestyle that our listeners did. I was always lucky; I didn’t have to fake my love of the music and lifestyle. Some of my college friends took radio jobs in different music formats and I don’t think that would have been nearly as enjoyable. I loved the ’60s/’70s/’80s rock music and still do.

Best music ever made! Guess that’s why they dubbed me “The Doctor of Rock,” shortened to “The Doctor,” a nickname that still sticks to this day. We didn’t have a separate sales department, and in my early days, I also sold some advertising as well as doing my air-shifts. A few months into my start at WOUR, there were some personnel changes with jocks leaving and a fulltime gig opened up. I wasn’t totally thrilled with my desk job at the county and WOUR matched my salary, so I decided to go for it, and never looked back. I did take on a two-year graduate assistantship at SU in 1979, as well as working the night shift 7 p.m. to midnight on the air. Those were busy years, but I knew I had to take the opportunity for that SU graduate degree. I commuted three days a week to SU for classes, worked

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in the business department there, and worked full time nights on WOUR. I have been sick of driving that boring Thruway ever since! Another big part of the early days of radio were the albums we played. We played those classic vinyl albums, as this was before CD players came into play. Every now and then, the records would skip or warp, so you had to keep an ear on what was going out over the air. Contrasting with today’s era of pre-recording shifts (voice-tracking) and bringing in syndicated shows, back in the day someone was always there in the radio studio, working live 24/7. It was a great training ground and some of those crazy overnight escapades are still laughed about today.

Was it much like we saw on WKRP? Our people were much cooler than Herb Tarlek and Les Nessman, but we had similarities!

Hey, Doctor Johnny Fever was a Dr., too, right?

The station brought a great many stars and soon-to-be stars to this area. What are some of your fondest and favorite concerts and meetings?

Plenty to remember. I’ve met the following and interviewed most of them. At the Utica Aud: Doobie Brothers, Journey, KISS, The Allman Brothers, Aerosmith, Whitesnake, Mötley Crüe, Rush, Bob Seger, BTO, and Alice Cooper. At The Stanley Theater: Stevie Ray Vaughan (my favorite interview), Peter Gabriel, Asia, Chicago, Robert Cray, The Animals, Ted Nugent, Foreigner, Cheap Trick, George Carlin, Howie Mandel, Jay Leno. At the Syracuse War Memorial, Landmark Theater, Carrier Dome: Genesis, Pink Floyd, Sammy Hagar and Billy Joel. At Turning Stone (where I used to introduce all of the rock acts): George Thorogood, Steve Winwood, Todd Rundgren, Little Feat, The Outlaws, The Marshall Tucker Band, and Styx. I still have quite a collection of photos and ticket stubs. Great memories. Plus, we did many concert caravan bus trips with our listeners to see great concerts like The Stones in Buffalo, Pink Floyd in Toronto, and The Who in Glens Falls.

For many years WOUR was an independent station. What transpired the changes to cor-

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Corporate radio station owners were on the lookout for profitable stations that were solid with their listeners and their standing in the community, and WOUR fit the bill. I remember in one stretch of nine years through the ’80s and ’90s WOUR changed hands five times—Bunkfeldt, Devlin, Bendat, Dame Media, and Clear Channel.

I had the record for the longest continuous run as an afternoon rock jock at one particular station in the entire U.S.

What prompted all these changes? What are the pros and cons to being a corporate run radio station?

We were lucky. The corporate bosses came in and, thankfully, they left us alone. At some other stations, they brought in their list of 100 hit songs to play and that was the new format. We avoided that by having great ratings numbers, a talented staff and programmers, and a great connection with the community. It wasn’t broken, didn’t need fixing, and they didn’t want to mess with success.

We had great ratings and our age demographic was a very desirable one from a sales viewpoint. Our listeners were right in the middle of the prime 18- to 34-year-old demographic in the early days and they grew up with us to extend into 40- and 50-year-old consumers. While many men were listening, we had a good share of female listeners, too. Prime advertising targets for everything. Cars, furniture, travel, clothing, home improvements, you name it, and, oh yes, beer. We made a ton of money selling ads to the beer companies.

After you left WOUR, were there ever plans to start an Internet radio program?

I was never involved in Internet radio. I never saw that as anything more than just a personal hobby, pretty much broadcasting to yourself. Not interested.

You also were involved in The Stevens-Swan Humane Society. I know that has been a passion of yours for a long time.

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I took five years off the airwaves with no desire to get back in. As far as radio work, I came, I saw, I had a great time. But I was fine working at the Humane Society. I did keep in touch with my friends Tom Starr, Alison, Genesee Joe, Dave Phoenix, Rick DeVoe, Jack Moran, and others who were part of my former radio crew. I opened the door to returning if I could keep it part time and bring in guests, get a bit deeper musically,

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I decided to leave WOUR in 2007 after climbing every mountain I wanted to in the local radio business. We had the best on-air programs, promotions, and co-workers. I actually was planning my exit strategy when word came out that new owners were coming in yet again.

At that one point I had the record for the longest continuous run as an afternoon rock jock at one particular station in the entire U.S. at 30 years. I was ready for a change. Our radio competitors, Galaxy, took over, but I had no interest in working for them, so I took a severance package from Clear Channel and decided to take a break. After a little while, I was ready to go again and took the job at the Stevens-Swan Humane Society to help them out and, of course, I loved working to help the shelter animals every day. It was an interesting five years there as the Public Relations/ Development Director. You see the whole range of animal treatment: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

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The good stories and pet adoption successes help to make up for the struggles. Shelter staffers bond strongly with the animals there. I stay in touch with the crew there. And my beagle, Dolly, is an alumnus.

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and have an open format to talk about all things relatable to our area and our local events etc. The owner of 92.7 The Drive, Mindy Barstein, agreed to let me take a few hours on Sunday morning (9 a.m. to noon) and The Recovery Room Radio Show was born. As “The Doctor” for so many years, the name kinda fit, especially when looking at it as a nice spot to hang out and enjoy the music after a busy Friday and Saturday.

Recently, you became the director for the Stanley Theater. What caused your decision to choose this post and what do you hope to bring to the theater and community?

I was on the Stanley Board of Directors for four years and during the 2012-13 season, there was no Executive Director. At board meetings, we discussed what to do, and the conversation would somehow come over to me, and I would be asked if I would be interested in becoming the Executive Director. Well, I was flattered, but I was happy working with the shelter and the animals. After more discussions and looking at the big picture, I felt my five years at the shelter were well spent, I had helped them in many ways and again it was time for a change, a new challenge. I gave my six-months’ notice and prepared to roll up my sleeves to help The Stanley. I care about what happens in our community. Like many people in this area, it is important not to just sit on the sidelines. That’s also why I served on the Utica Common Council for two years, to help bring about positive change. If everyone did a little bit extra, can you imagine how much better we’d be doing as a region?

ment business here. Also, what is very important to the future of The Stanley is support from our local businesses, individuals, foundations, and government backing. Non-profit theaters across the country survive on average with a 50-50 ratio mix of funds, consisting of 50% of their operational revenues coming from rentals, theater events, etc., and the other 50% of revenues coming from community support, donations, and government funds. We need that support to succeed and thrive here. We are hoping to receive those funds to promote more shows, to take care of maintenance issues and upgrades, and to help us with some recent projects we had done. We are doing better financially with more events booked here and more being planned in the future. The Dance Competitions have expanded from two events last year to five weekends this year. We also are hopeful that we will have more Broadway Tech (rehearsal) shows coming in this fall. That will help us with theater days rented, not to mention the economic impact both events bring to Utica and Oneida County. Hotels are booked generating bed taxes; and retail, con-

I understand that The Stanley is, unfortunately, having a difficult time. What are some ways that the community can help keep this important cultural landmark thriving?

Just coming to see a show at The Stanley helps. When promoters bring shows in that are successful, more than likely they will return with more bookings, which increase revenues for us. If they put on a show and people don’t come, the promoters won’t be back. We all need to be aware of that part of the entertain-

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Jerry Kraus and his beagle, Dolly. He worked as Development Director for Stevens-Swan Humane Society for 5 years.

struction and dining purchases are being made generating sales taxes. It is estimated each tech show brings $1.2 to $1.5 million dollars into our local economy. We’ve done seven so far in conjunction with the Broadway Theater League. The area’s quality of life is definitely impacted in a positive way when the arts, entertainment, and culture offerings and options are increased. The total number of our theater rental events was up 42 percent from last year to this year. When The Stanley is open for business, Downtown Utica is open for business. We are working hard to increase our revenues while keeping expenses down. Also, we have recently installed more than 1,600 LED lights throughout The Stanley, which are saving energy and saving us money.

What are some upcoming events that The Stanley has for us?

On Friday, April 3rd, it is Irish Night at The Stanley with The Elders, Hair of the Dog, and The Blarney Rebel Band. We are also putting an “’80s Night” together on the heels of a very successful “’70s Party” we just had here. The Broadway Theater League has a great season under way with a few big shows coming up: Beauty and the Beast on April 7th and 8th and Anything Goes on April 21st and 22nd. Lots of fun events are coming up. Check our website www.TheStanley.org for all the info. Thank you the opportunity to reminisce a bit about my radio days and to tell you what’s happening at The Stanley Theatre.

Thank you, Jerry, for taking the time to talk to us. Is there anything you’d like to say in conclusion?

If anyone would like to talk about putting a show together, renting The Stanley for an event, becoming a member or a volunteer, or helping us in any way here at The Stanley, give me a call at 315-624-2913 or email me at JKraus@TheStanley.org. I’ll wrap up by saying what I tell many I run into: See you at The Stanley! •

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John Keller is a local musician and owns Off Center Records in Utica.

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Mount Colden, the eleventh highest peak of the High Peaks in the Adirondack Mountains at 4,714 feet

Gary and son Justin, parking lot at Adirondack Loj

High Peaks Hiking

It was Wright for Us!

Signing in at Heart Lake

Story and Photos by Gary VanRiper

The first Adirondack high peak I ever climbed was Mount Marcy.

I had never been in that region of the Adirondacks before in my life – we had never wandered much from the family camp on this side of Adirondack Park. But when asked by a good friend who had great hiking experience to join him and his daughter, who hoped I might take her high school senior portrait on the mountain, I couldn’t resist the opportunity. The trail itself was breathtaking – let alone the summit views. I could not believe something this stunningly beautiful was only a five-hour drive from our home! Despite near hydration and a host of other rookie mistakes on the trail, I was determined that one day I would revisit the region in earnest – and maybe even climb all 46 of those high peaks that are 4,000 feet high or higher. That was in September of 2002.

The incentive to begin that quest came two years later, in the summer of 2004. My son, Justin, and I were scheduled for a book signing at The Bookstore Plus in Lake Placid for the third volume in our children’s book series that is set in the Adirondacks to be preceded by a radio interview in nearby Saranac Lake.

Wright Junction

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We planned our weekend carefully and had decided after the radio interview to drive out to the Adirondack Loj trailheads at Heart Lake and hike the 16th highest peak in the region, Wright Peak, at 4, 580 feet. (That peak was named in 1837 after Gov. Silas Wright). The goals? I would get peak number two, Justin would see if hiking resonated with him as it did with me, and we would do research for a future volume in our series to be set there.

It was late morning and hot and dry and it took several hours to hike the 2.9 miles and reach the junction for Wright Peak and Algonquin Mountain.

Justin was 12-years-old at the time and a trooper on the trail, although it was clear he wondered at times what the attraction was to climbing up and around so many boulders (emphasis on UP) for several hours in clothes clinging with sweat – pointy roots sticking out along the sides of the trail to stab you in the ankles or legs with any misstep – and with little more to look at than trees and rocks and more

At Wright Junction, Gary and Justin meet a group of young people from Canada

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trees and more rocks. There were stops for water and snacks and, at 3,230 feet, a modest waterfall providing some physical and mental refreshment along the way.

We were greeted at the junction by five athletic young people from Canada, every one of who looked like they could be models for an outdoor fashion magazine. We talked for a few minutes and one of the young ladies asked, “Were you two on the radio this morning?” What are the chances of that!

There was less than a half mile left to the summit of Wright and it was just above the tree line where my favorite moment of the hike took place. It was there where we broke into the open that Justin got his first peek at the view from 4,000 feet and took off for the true summit like a shot.

I finally caught up to him, and any aching or puzzling was gone. Instead, it was lunch and laughter and awe on top of the world. And some of our notes and conversation on the trail, along with

Justin runs up to the summit of Mount Wright

Justin enjoys the view from Wright Peak

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A break at the summit of Wright with Algonquin in the background more notes and photos taken later that summer on our hike up Algonquin (the second highest peak at 5,114 feet in elevation just next door to Wright), did make it into our fifth book, Islands in the Sky. And those young people from Canada? We saw them several more times. They had hiked up Wright, and over to Algonquin and then back over Wright again to some other unknown (to us) destination of the MacIntyre Range before we even began our descent!

I finished the 46 high peaks on Allen Mountain on October 22, 2007. Justin is in double figures and climbing. •

Next month: a great starter hike in the region. Try it, and see if you like it.

Gary VanRiper is an author, photographer, and pastor at the Camden Wesleyan Church. He has written 13 children’s books with his son, Justin.

Find out more at:

View of Algonquin, the second highest mountain in NY State.

Gary and Justin climbed Algonquin later that summer

www.adirondackkids.com

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T.S. Pink SoapRocks glimmer like gems at Gems Along the Mohawk in Herkimer

The Everyday Adventures of Mohawk Valley Girl:

a visit to

gems along the mohawk For a great overview of attractions in the Mohawk Valley, I recommend Gems Along the Mohawk. It’s a fun shopping stop all by itself, and it may entice you to visit some of the places represented. I like to bring family and friends there, and Steven and I make periodic stops there ourselves just because it’s fun. Gems Along the Mohawk is handily located right across from the Thruway Exit 30 in Herkimer, NY. It’s right on the water, making a walk around the buildings itself very pleasant, weather permitting.

The retail shop is a kind of bazaar of small areas with local retailers, manufacturers, and tourist attractions represented. I almost hesitate to mention any specifically because I can’t possibly mention everybody. More than 70 vendors are present.

Next to the retail shops is the Waterfront Grille, one of the classier places to eat in town. I especially like to go there for lunch or in the afternoon for drinks and a snack, so we can look out on the water. This is a less frugal adventure for Mohawk Valley Girl but, oh, so worth it. Gems also houses the official Mohawk

The lull before the storm: Gems Along the Mohawk is quiet before tourist season begins

Popular with tourists, Gems Along the Mohawk is also an interesting destination for locals

Melody Milewski keeps things organized at Gems Along the Mohawk

DEANSBORO SUPERETTE

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The Waterfront Grille is located exactly halfway between Albany and Syracuse which makes it a popular meeting place for families of the two cities

Gems Along the Mohawk is the perfect place to buy a gift that shows off your hometown

The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown is one of the many local attractions represented at Gems

Valley Visitor Center. When I’m seeking inspiration for my blog, sometimes I stop by and pick up pamphlets.

Erie Canal Cruises leave from Gems twice a day from mid-May through October. Specialty cruises like a Sunday Brunch Cruise and Friday Booze Cruises are also offered. I’ve wanted to go on one of those cruises for a while now. Perhaps this year I’ll finally make one (and write a blog post about it, of course).

On a recent visit, I introduced myself and mentioned to the lady working there that I hoped to write an article. I told her I was a longtime fan of the

place and that I sometimes stopped by for blog ideas. She introduced herself as Melody Milewski and made sure I had pamphlets about Gems Along the Mohawk, the Waterfront Grille, and Genesis Group.

She also showed us the Genesis Group conference room overlooking the Mohawk River. I’ve always wondered about that room in the Waterfront Grille. The room is available to local businesses and organizations for meetings.

After some good conversation with lots of ideas for future blog posts, Steven and I wandered around, as we always like to do. We looked at displays from places we’ve been, such as the Utica Zoo and Fly Creek Cider Mill, and displays from places I’d like to go, such as the Ommengang Brewery and Fenimore House in Cooperstown. I do like to go through the books and tell Steven which ones he can get me on the next gift-giving occasion, whatever that may be (goodness, isn’t it always a good time to give somebody a book? I think so).

Sometimes I find surprises. For ex-

ample, I never realized that Red Rose Tea was local. Of course, I have often seen Salada on a water tower behind a building in Little Falls, but I never realized that the building houses Redco Foods Inc., which produces both Salada and Red Rose as well as Junket brand products. Now I can get the frisson of virtue from buying local when I sip two of my favorite teas. Did I mention I was afraid I would leave things out? I haven’t even mentioned the soaps that look like rocks and the Jim Parker art. Well, these and more can be surprises for you when you visit Gems Along the Mohawk, which I hope you do. •

The Genesis Group conference room at Gems Along the Mohawk is available for meetings

Gems Along the Mohawk 800 Mohawk St., Herkimer 315-717-0077 www.gemsalongthemohawk.com

Cynthia M. Quackenbush, a.k.a. “Mohawk Valley Girl,” writes a daily blog about her everyday adventures in the Mohawk Valley. Follow her frugal fun at: mohawkvalleygirl.wordpress.com

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MUSEUM & COUNTRY STORE

See Remington firearms and artifacts from the 1800s to today.

Shop for clothing, hats, and souvenirs in the Country Store.

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“Don’t Walk Away”

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at the market

Where’s the beef? by denise a. szarek “Where’s the beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey, and goat? At the market, of course.”

If you are looking for the best tasting meat in the area, look no further than your local farmers market. In the Mohawk Valley, we are blessed with some of the most lush pasture land in the state. Over the past few years, more and more small family farms are popping up and producing some of the best tasting meat.

Jones Family Farm All of Suzie and Peter’s lambs and goats are born and grazed on the farm. This means their animals stay with their moms from birth to harvest. Raised on grass, hay, and natural browse, they produce a healthier and heartier flock, with a pure, clean-tasting meat and no added fat. Chickens are pasture raised with unlimited access to sunshine grass and all the bugs they can find. You can find Suzie at the Oneida County Public Market, Old Forge Farmers Market and the Clinton Farmers Market. Don’t miss a chance to try some of their goat chorizo sausage.

Drover Hill Farm Stephanie and William have raised Angus and highland cattle for almost 30 years. All of their beef is registered. By starting with the best, you produce the best product. They use no antibiotics or sub-therapeutic antibiotics. All their beef is dry aged 14-21 days, allowing the natural enzymes to produce more tender meat. Try some of their hamburgers to taste the true flavor and juiciness of a great burger. They raise Berkshire pork, a heritage breed of pig, known for its superior marbling, tenderness, and buttery flavor.

Their small flocks of sheep and chicken are pasture raised as well. You can find Stephanie and William at the Oneida County Public Market and the Westmoreland Farmers Market.

Bouchard Farms II The Bouchards grow Limousin beef. This breed has consistently proven to produce genetically lean, healthy meat. The Limousin breed has a 20,000 year history of producing lean, low fat beef. The breed’s heritage can be traced back to ancient caves in the Limoges region of France, the breed’s land of origin. So, if you are looking for organic, grass-fed beef, lean and low fat but packed with flavor, look for them at the Oneida County Public Market.

Quarry Brook Farm Adam and Kelly are a NOFA-NY-certified farm in Sherburne, NY. They Raise Devon and Devon-cross cattle and Clun Forest sheep. They are grass fed and finished, and both heritage breeds. They rotational graze on pasture most of the year and feed on hay in the winter. They pasture raise Tamworth pigs, also a heritage breed, and chicken and turkeys. Their chorizo sausage is the best we have ever tasted. You will find Kelly and their newest little farmer, Silas, at the Oneida County Market, The Poolville Market, the Sherburne Farmers Market, and the Clinton Farmers Market.

Slate Creek Farm Jenny Romer of Slate Creek Farm not only grows “happy hens” and ducks but also contented pigs. We invite you to check out some of the

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videos she posts on her Facebook page to see just how well cared for her animals are. Her hot dogs and bacon are well worth the trip to find her at the Westmoreland Farmers Market and the Trenton Farmers Market.

Heart of the Valley Farm They are all about promoting heritage turkey, and with a Narragansett named Nigel you know she’s doing just that. This year she hopes to have Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Oregon Grey, White Holland, Red Slate, Lilac, Bronze, and Royal Palm turkeys. Bet you thought there were only white turkeys and wild ones. All of these breeds are bred and raised on her farm. She also has rabbits, as well. You can find her this summer sharing a tent with Jen Romer of Slate Creek Farm at the Westmoreland Farmers Market.

Fair Haven Farm Patti and Paul offer pasture-raised chicken, pork, and grass-fed goat. Herds are kept small to provide a cleaner, happier environment for the animal. All the animals on the farm are humanely treated. If you are looking for the best roasting chicken grab one from them at the Westmoreland Farmers Market, Oneida County Public Market, or the Old Forge Farmers Market.

Happy Pasture Farm A small family farm producing beef, pork, chicken, and duck in Brookfield. Their beef is mainly grass fed and only supplemented with grain grown on the farm when necessary. They only sell mature animals. Pigs are pastured and free to forage. You can find them at the Oneida

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Poplar Hedge Farm & Creamery Tim and Cindy have been growing pork for a while now but soon plan to add beef, chicken, and turkeys to the farm. We have had the privilege of purchasing pork chops from them and we are not ashamed to say they were the best we have ever tasted! Their cheese is wonderful as well. You can find them at the Westmoreland Farmers Market, Whitesboro Farmers Market, Poolville Farmers Market, and Oneida County Public Market.

Promise Land Farm & BBQ What better way to see if you like something than to try it? You have just that opportunity when you stop by the Promise Land Farm & BBQ booth at a local farmers market. Beef, lamb, and pork don’t get any better that this! Don’t forget to pick up some great cuts to take home. So, head to one of these great local farmers markets and get something to eat: Oneida County Public Market, Waterville Farmers Market, Whitesboro Farmers Market, and Clinton Farmers Market. • Denise A. Szarek and her husband, Bernard, own Szarek’s Greenhouses in Clinton.

Recipe

Sticky Bones

By Denise A. Szarek This was one of the first recipes I ever made when I was first married. It’s been a family favorite ever since. As a young wife, short ribs were an economical cut of meat, and I had all the ingredients on hand in my pantry.

1 cup red wine vinegar ½ cup tomato paste ½ cup honey 2 T. Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp. sea salt 1 tsp. ground mustard 1 tsp. paprika 1 clove of garlic, minced ¼ tsp. pepper 5 lbs. beef short ribs

In a saucepan, combine all ingredients except the meat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool, place short ribs in large plastic bag (freezer bags are best), cover with sauce, reserving about a third of the sauce for basting. Place in refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours, but best overnight.

When ready to cook, drain and discard bag and marinade. Place short ribs on baking pan. Bake uncovered at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour or until tender, basting frequently with reserved sauce. Serve over garlic mashed potatoes.

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21

did you know?

little falls

from the Herkimer County Historical Society

New York Central’s Lake Shore Limited derailed on the Little Falls Gulf Curve on the night of April 19, 1940.

22

Gateway Theater opened in 1923.

In 1925 it was renamed the Rialto Theater. It closed on Memorial Day in 1927 and was razed 1997.

The first canal built at Little Falls was constructed by Western Inland Lock Navigation Company 1792-1821.

The Little Falls aqueduct was constructed in 1823 to serve as a feeder to the Erie Canal. It was used until 1871. The last remnant fell into the river on November 30, 1995.

David H. Burrell (1841-1919) was one of Little Falls’ noted citizens.

He started the D.H. Burrell Company in 1880, a manufacturer of dairy equipment.

When plan “A” fails, go to...

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Zaida Zoller (1882-1980) was the founder of the Herkimer Co. Humane Society in 1913. She was deeply devoted to animals and remained active in the society all her life.

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Moving the Mighty Mohawk from the Oneida County Historical Society

By Michael Kenneally At the beginning of the 20th century, the City of Utica undertook a major public works’ project that was to forever alter the face of the city. This was relocating a portion of the Mohawk River from downtown Utica to a new channel half a mile to the north.

The “Moving of the Mohawk” is a chapter of Utica’s history on which very little has been written. Like many public works’ projects of this scale, the river project started with high hopes and grand visions, but could not avoid its share of cost overruns, work stoppages, and political infighting.

The first legal steps toward moving the river were taken in 1891, but the actual digging did not start until 1902. Before it was finished, the project would require Thomas Kinney was Utica’s mayor during five years, three contractors, two supervising engithe 1880s and a proponent of moving the neers, and $260,000 (vs. an original appropriation of Mohawk River. $150,000).

The story not only encompasses the years 19021907 and the actual construction on the river channel, but also the period beginning in 1888 when talks first started on the project. When the project was finished, a number of other works followed, including the raising of Bagg’s Square, the construction of Union Station, and the Genesee Street overpass, as well as work on the Barge Canal and Utica harbor.

The Idea Takes Shape Utica’s first settlement and growth centered on a ford of the Mohawk and a boat landing. A bridge replaced the ford as early as 1792 and the completion of the Erie Canal marked the end of commercial boating on the Mohawk in 1825. By the last quarter of the 19th century, the Mohawk River was regarded as a nuisance in downtown Utica. Its channel hemmed in the tracks of the New York Central Railroad and each spring its waters rose to flood the tracks and businesses near Bagg’s Square.

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The idea of moving the river goes back to the early years of Utica history. The Utica Observer of June 22, 1900, reports that the first survey for a new channel was done by John Fish, city surveyor in 1836. The same article goes on to state that The Observer during the (Civil) war had Deputy State Engineer George M. Barnes make measurements and estimated the cost at $75,000.

Where the spark for straightening the river came from in the 1880s is unclear; however, one source credits the idea to Thomas E. Kinney, mayor of Utica from 1885 to 1888 and again from 1897 to 1899. An article in the Utica Observer Dispatch of May 27, 1951 on Kinney recounts if this way: One day a “reporter from the old Utica Herald” (J. Soley Cole) went into Kinney’s office in City Hall. “No news” Cole was told. He was disappointed, so Kinney said, “I’ll give you some news.” He took a ruler, went to the map of the city and the river and showed how the river could be straightened. “Write an article about it,” he told Cole. It looked practical; the article was written.

Whether these events transpired as told is unknown. However, serious talk of straightening the river does seem to have started during Mayor Kinney’s term. The project was seen as a way to control the flooding of the plagued downtown, as a way of allowing the railroad to expand, and as a way to open up the river flats for industrial development.

Bills were introduced in the State Legislature starting around 1888 to form “a commission to oversee the project and to annex the portion of Deerfield between the new and the old river channels. The area on the north side of the river was

known as the ‘red light’ district and commonly referred to as ‘Hoboken’” The city fathers were anxious to annex the area in order to clean it up. One wonders if the annexing of Deerfield was seen as a side benefit to straightening the river, or whether straightening the river was seen as a convenient excuse to bring Hoboken under the control of the City of Utica.

The legislature failed to pass any bills on the river commission until 1891. On March 20 of that year, the Governor signed a bill creating the Mohawk River Straightening Commission, which was to be non-partisan and to oversee the work. It was to consist of six men: four appointed by the mayor of Utica and two by the Deerfield town supervisor.

Officers of the city and the town were ineligible to serve. Members of the commission were to work without compensation; the project was to be put out for bid and the cost was not to exceed $150,000.

The city was to issue bonds for that amount by twothirds vote of the Common Council and mayoral approval.

Utica mayor Goodwin appointed James F. Mann, lawyer and retired from operating the Utica & Mohawk Railway; Thomas R. Thomas, director of the Utica City National Bank and vice president of Utica Canning Co.; Charles H. Childs, Utica business man and senior partner of Charles H. Childs & Co.; and John B. McMillan, druggist and former superintendent of schools. The two men from Deerfield were William Rien, businessman at Deerfield Corners, and Alfred C. Shaw, former town supervisor and builder of the Deerfield Street Railway.

The commission met for the first time on April

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1, 1891; the minutes show that it only met twice after that. Enthusiasm appears to have waned sharply; the national economy took a downward turn about that time and the project remained dormant for nine years. In the summer of 1900, a series of events occurred that would breathe new life into it.

The Project Is Reborn On June 1, 1900, the New York Central Railroad presented to the City of Utica its plan for the construction of bridges to eliminate the dangerous grade crossings at Bagg’s Square and Park Avenue, along with a complete overhaul of their freight facilities. The Common Council reviewed the plans at its meeting that same evening and granted its approval. At the following meeting on June 8, Thomas R. Proctor, through his attorney, asked that the council reconsider the over-crossing proposal.

His primary argument was that the approach for the bridge would destroy the character of Bagg’s Square and that straightening of the river was inevitable in the next ten to fifteen years. The Council did withdraw its approval and appointed a committee to further investigate the matter.

These events revived interest in straightening the river. The Utica Observer ran an editorial on June 11, 1900, calling for the straightening, and said that the other proposal would only be a temporary makeshift solution, be unsatisfactory in use, and would defer the inevitable solution. The Utica Chamber of Commerce on June 20 appointed a committee to look into the project; the committee came out in favor of the river work a week later and the chamber passed a resolution asking the mayor and council to take the necessary steps to proceed

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with the work.

The Mohawk River Commission, inactive for nine years, began meeting again. In August, it hired a civil engineer from Little Falls named Stephen J. Babcock to do the preliminary survey and engineering work. His previous experience included the design and construction of the water works for Little Falls and Gloversville. The council appropriated $2,000 for the work on August 17, after a lively discussion about hiring a man from Little Falls. The bill passed by one vote.

The go-ahead was given at the end of August and Babcock presented a report with plans and specifications on January 21, 1901. The plans called for a channel 100 feet wide at the bottom with a 1 to 1-1/2 foot slope on the sides, on a line generally extending east to west from the northernmost point of the bend west of Bagg’s Square to the northernmost point of the oxbow bend east of Bagg’s Square. Also to be built was an embankment along the southern side of the channel to divert floodwater to the north. The committee approved the plans and put the project out to bid. T. H. Riddle Construction Co. of Palatine Bridge was awarded the contract in March.

Meanwhile, negotiations were going on be-

tween the City of Utica and the New York Central Railroad involving the elimination of grade crossings and expansion and improvement of the rail facilities in conjunction with moving the river. At that time, the New York Central station in Utica was in a converted freight house with open platforms and an inadequate number of tracks; it was first opened in 1869. Many travelers complained that it was dark and dingy, and should be replaced with a new and more modern facility. The Central also wanted to expand the freight yards but were prevented by the river to the north.

Agreement with the railroad was close to being worked out in March of 1901, when a petition was presented to the council from a group of citizens of the 11th Ward requesting that the project be submitted to referendum.

This was a major setback, when the council approved a resolution asking the corporation counsel to prepare a referendum bill to be submitted to the State Legislature. It was too late, however, in the legislative session to get a bill through in time for the next election.

The Chamber of Commerce passed a resolution asking the council to reverse their decision and Mayor Sherman vetoed the referendum bill. The council referred the vote to committee but took no

The council appropriated $2,000... after a lively discussion about hiring a man from Little Falls.

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In the two months that followed, a deal with the railroad was reached but immediately fell through.

The River Commission canceled its contract with T. H. Riddle, saying that the expenses would exceed the $150,000 provided by law. The Common Council still had not given its approval. The whole matter lay dormant until August 1901, when negotiations with the railroad started again.

On December 3, 1901, agreement was reached whereas the city would straighten the river and turn the land from the old channel over to the railroad.

In return, the railroad would eliminate the two grade crossings and help build the over-crossing at Genesee Street, along with putting in a new street connecting North Genesee Street with Miller Road (now Wurz Avenue). The railroad would purchase fill from the channel excavation and build a new passenger terminal for the region.

The project immediately went out to bid again; the contract was awarded to Harrison & Letteney Co. of Boston. Work was to commence after the spring flooding and to be completed by January 1, 1903. The mayor and council gave approval. After nine years in discussion and almost a year on the drawing board, the first shovel full of dirt was about to be turned. •

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local CD review

melissa clark

By John Keller

If you enjoy your blues and folk with heart and a little spark, look no further than Melissa Clarke’s new album, Original Sin. This album has wonderful finger-picking, creative lyrics, and clear, definitive delivery. Performed sparsely with acoustic guitar and solo vocals, Melissa presents songs filled with passion, soul, and a sense of self-awareness. Her voice is, at times, reminiscent of a toned-down Bessie Smith. Her deep, full-bodied, and strong singing brings life to these tunes.

The title track speaks of seeking understanding. “Spirit of America” is a plaintive cry of patriotism. “Time Machine” is a fun song about nostalgia, featuring a sweet piano backing from Dianne McDowell. One of the strongest tracks is “Heart of a Champion.” It is a rallying call that we can all relate to for pushing on despite all obstacles. My favorite song on this album, “A Little Time,” is an up-tempo blues number about individuality and being whom you truly want to be, no matter what outside forces wish. “All the Dreams” is a very beautiful and passionate love song.

Melissa’s message is strong, positive, spiritual, and guiding.

Original Sin is 12 tracks of powerful songwriting and even more powerful singing. This album is for anyone who has faced any type of adversity throughout life. This album is for anyone who is looking for an easily listenable roller coaster of good feelings. This album is for anyone. •

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Mohawk valley astronomical society

VEnus: hot, hot, by carol higgins Now that we’ve emerged from our winter cocoons, have you noticed a big, bright star in the southwest after sunset? That’s not a star, it’s planet Venus.

The earliest written records about Venus were clay cuneiform tablets inscribed by the Babylonians around 1,700 BC. They documented the cycle of the planet’s motion, showing when and where Venus would appear in the sky. Other cultures such as the Mayans and Greeks also studied Venus, but it wasn’t until the Space Age that we learned about the composition of our closest neighbor.

More than 20 spacecraft have explored Venus. NASA’s Mariner 2 was the first to visit another planet, flying past Venus in December 1962. The Soviet Union’s Venera 7 was the first to land in December 1970, and Venera 9 returned the first surface pictures in October 1975. The most recent was ESA’s Venus Express, which arrived April 2006.

So, what have we learned? Venus is 67 million miles from the sun and the second brightest object in our night sky; only the moon is brighter. Earth is slightly larger, and both have an iron-nickel core and firm, rocky surface. That’s where similarities end.

Ready for a weird factoid? A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus! Venus only takes 225 Earth days to orbit the sun. But, a day on Venus – the amount of time it takes to spin once on its axis – is 243 Earth days’ long. And Venus

The crescent Moon, bright Venus, and ruddy colored Mars appeared together just after sunset on February 20, 2015. Taken by MVAS member Chuck Higgins near Big Pine Key, FL.

hot!

spins backward, so the Sun rises in the West and sets in the East.

Venus has a noxious atmosphere and cloud layer so thick it’s impossible to see through. The upper cloud layers have wind speeds around 250 mph, with droplets of sulfuric acid in them. But that’s not all. The atmosphere is comprised of 96% carbon dioxide (the “greenhouse” gas, also used to carbonate soda) and 3% nitrogen. Earth only has .04% carbon dioxide.

The surface temperature averages a toasty 870 degrees Fahrenheit (F), making it the hottest planet in the solar system thanks to the dense atmosphere. For comparison, water boils at 212 degrees F, and lead melts at 621 degrees F. The planet is riddled with more than1, 600 volcanoes, plains, rocks, and very unusual ridged formations called “tessera.” Did you know that in 2003, Clinton High School senior Carolyn Tewksbury took 7th place in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search for her Venus research?

Her project was “Collapse of the Pasom-mana Tessera Region, Venus: Implications for the Evolution of Crustal Plateaus.” Very impressive!

Join MVAS for an evening of stargazing at the Barton-Brown Observatory starting at 8:15 p.m. April 18. Visit www.mvas-ny.org or follow MVAS on Facebook for details.

Wishing you clear skies!

This picture of Venus was created by combining a series of radar images of the surface taken by NASA’s Magellan spacecraft in 1991. From orbit, radar mapping is the only way to “see” the surface of Venus due to its thick atmosphere.

Image credit: NASA/JPL

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Team Clarkshire

A visit to Clarkshire farms in Mohawk by sharry whitney It was a particularly cold winter this year, but you’ll always receive a warm welcome from Team Clarkshire at Clarkshire Farms on Polly Miller Road in Mohawk, NY. Here they raise registered Oxford and Southdown sheep—breeds that are known for their lean and delicious meat—to sell at the local farmers market and for competing at junior livestock shows. John and Patricia Clark bought the farm in 1997 so their two daughters could be raised in a farm culture and, like many 4H stories we’ve heard over the years, the kids move away and the livestock stays. The Clarks still receive quite a bit of help, though, from Team Clarkshire, a perpetual group of six to seven hardworking 4-H’rs.

The months of January through March are particularly busy on the farm because that’s when all the new lambs are born. “The first few days are most dangerous for the lambs,” says Katelyn Reed, 17, of Richfield Springs. “You have to keep them warm and fed.” Fortunately, the sheep at Clarkshire are in exceptionally good hands, thanks to their “on staff” veterinarian. Dr. Patricia Clark received her DVM from Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine. Besides animal health, her knowledge of animal husbandry comes in handy when breeding their sheep.

She says she can tell as soon as they are born if they’re going to be good show sheep. One of her proudest moments was in 2013 when Clarkshire’s Southdown ram

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Team Clarkshire: (back row, l-r): Eric Vander Groef and Ethan Reed. (front row): Abigail Reed, Emily Vander Groef and Katelyn Reed

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received “Reserve Champion of Breed” at the Keystone International Livestock Exposition. “It was thrilling to overhear people asking, ‘Whose breed is that?’ and ‘Who are you?’ she says. “People were curious about the quality of sheep coming out of our little farm in Mohawk.”

Of course, it’s more than just good genetics when showing sheep. The 4-H’rs have to learn how to train, prepare, and present the animals. “The Showmanship category makes me the most nervous, especially the morning of the show,” says Ethan Reed, 15, of Richfield Springs. “It’s also the most competitive.” Each sheep can take three to four hours or more to prepare for a show, which includes cleaning, grooming, and clipping each of their 20 to 25 animals. Sometimes, though, no matter how well prepared you are, things can go wrong. Emily Vander Groef, 17, of Mohawk, remembers the embarrassment when someone accidentally let her lamb loose during a competition. She recovered from that event and went on to win “Most Competitive” at the New York State Fair and “Supreme Animal” at the 2014 Junior Livestock Show at the Coo-

Top: Team Clarkshire at the 2013 Junior Livestock Show at the Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown; Right: Pat and John Clark with their mule, Pearl; Ethan and Katelyn Reed of Richfield Springs feed the hungry lambs at Clarkshire Farms in Mohawk

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perstown Farmers’ Museum.

With the arrival of spring, many of the chores move out of the barn. One of the team’s favorite chores is fencing, which is walking the property to replace rotted or damaged posts using the fence pounder. Then the team begins the training of the young lambs for the summer livestock shows.

“They’re learning about winning and losing, life and death, and are developing a good work ethic,” says John Clark.

“The knowledge and skills these kids learn will last them a lifetime, whether they become farmers or not.” Many of the 4-Hr’s of Team Clarkshire do, in fact, already own lambs and are starting to build their own herds. Katelyn Reed started her herd with a lamb she won from Ewes for Youth with an essay she wrote about her plans for the future.

Patricia Clark shows off some of the team’s accomplishments and ribbons they’ve won over the years. She looks at a photo of the team at a livestock competition from the summer before last and can’t believe how much they have changed since then.

“Sheep and children grow up fast,” she says. •

This young Oxford Sheep shows the desirable traits of the breed including a brown face and legs

You can find lean and delicious Clarkshire Farms lamb at the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market or call to order: (315) 867-2121 www.clarkshirefarms.com

Photos right: Eric Vander Groef of Mohawk feeds the hungry Southdown lambs; Sargeant Tibbs is on duty as the farm’s mouser and is an important part of the team at Clarkshire Farms

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Female wood duck. In the spring, a wood duck may be seen high in the trees and far from water

MV Nature

the april forest

Sharp-lobed Hepatica is one of the first wildflowers to bloom

by Matt Perry

April in the forest is a time of awakenings – big and small. Spring is gaining speed like a boulder loose on a steep hillside, barging through winter’s relics and leaving a carpet of emerging life in its wake. Always the harbinger of spring, hepatica flowers push their way through the mottled gray and brown leaf litter, rolled uniformly flat by a winter’s worth of snow. The leaf litter begins to bulge little by little as more and more of hepatica’s compatriots peek their heads out and

The exquisite plumage of the male American Wood Duck

begin to show their colors. Blue Cohosh is quick to send up lanky purple stems that resemble arms and hands blindly feeling their way skyward. In their “hands” are furled leaves and bluish, berry-like flower buds. These buds effectively foreshadow the blueberry-like fruit that will appear on these plants later in the summer. Of course, before there can be berries, there must be flowers and when the buds of Blue Cohosh do open, they reveal tiny yellow-centered blooms. These flowers are designed to attract early emerging pollinating insects, which are primarily flies.

Birdsong and woodpecker drumming can be heard throughout the forest in increasing volume with each passing day. The hammered-out proclamations of newly returned Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers provide yet another sign that the breeding season has irrevocably begun. The flamboyant male sapsuckers, donning their gleaming red throat patches and match-

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ing caps, involve themselves in tree-to-tree chases in which two to four participants spiral up and down thick tree trunks and scold each other with plaintive squeaks and hoarse calls of “cree-ahcree-ah-cree-ah.”

One long reedy call penetrates the still morning air of the forest. It’s too weak for a Broad-winged Hawk and yet too hearty for a Cedar Waxwing’s high-pitched trill. I detect more than a hint of desperation in the call, but it’s not an alarm call. Such warning signals are common enough in the forest, and they are given by prey species to alert their fellows of the presence of a predator. This time, however, the call belongs to a male Wood Duck; he’s eagerly trying to get his mate’s attention. He’s two-thirds of the way up the

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A colony of Bloodroot flowers emerges from the leaf litter

The female Wood Duck emerges from the nest box

The tiny flowers of Blue Cohosh are well worth a close look

trunk of a large sugar maple tree.

Only a few feet away from his perch is a sizable woodpecker hole. When searching for suitThe Pileated Woodpecker able tree cavities where to lay provides Wood Ducks with great eggs, Wood Ducks will ofnesting sites ten range far from the water and into the upland forests where Pileated Woodpeckers reside. This male Wood Duck t o discovered a tree cavity chis- the east and eled out by one of those crow- toward the beaver ponds, sized woodpeckers and was which are about half a mile distant. The waiting impatiently for his mate male appears caught by surprise by her to check the place over and ren- action; he cranes his neck, but wastes der her verdict. She placates him no time in flying after her. What did she by flying over to him and some- see in the woodpecker hole? Were the how manages to grapple onto the interior dimensions wrong for raising a rim of the cavity entrance with brood? Was the floor too low or the sides her webbed feet. After a cursory too sheer for future hatchlings to scamper inspection she gives several som- up? Was there a family of Northern Flying ber whistles (much huskier than Squirrels already occupying the place? the male’s shrill note) and flies off There are many more reasons why she may have rejected the site. The fact that

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Apr. 7&8

Disney’s Beauty & The Beast Presented by Broadway Theatre League of Utica Tuesday, April 7th, 7pm Wednesday, April 8th, 7pm

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Apr. 17,18,19

Legacy Dance Competition Friday, April 17th - Sunday, April 19th (All day events)

Apr. 21 & 22

Anything Goes Presented by Broadway Theatre League of Utica Tuesday, April 21st, 7:30pm Wednesday, April 22nd, 7:30pm

Apr. 24,25,26

Platinum Dance Competition Friday, April 24th - Sunday, April 26th (All day events)

Apr. 30

The Mohawk Valley Legacy Awards Presented by Berkshire Bank Thursday, April 30th, 6pm-8:30pm

May 19

Seasame Street Live Presents Make A New Friend Tuesday, May 19th, 10:30am & 6:30pm

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The female Canada Goose adds to the nest even while she incubates

The blooms of Rue Anemone resemble those of Hepatica

her newly hatched ducklings would be required to make a long arduous hike over difficult terrain to get to the nearest pond had to be one of her considerations. The male would be long gone by then, so he would be of no assistance in fending off any predators they might encounter along the way. The truth is that after mating, his domestic obligations are pretty much done.

We can say that the elegance and beauty of the male Wood Duck is due to the discerning taste of the female Wood Duck.

Evolution carved and painted him based on the features she found most compelling.

Over many thousands of years, his appearance was refined to the colorful and exquisite form we see today.

At the beaver pond, the pair is reunited and this time they

fix their attention on the man-made nest boxes mounted over the water. The male wastes no time in flying to the top of one of the boxes and from there he tries to induce his mate to examine its interior. After a few minutes of silent pleading, she complies. This time she spends at least 10 minutes in the box – so long that my attention drifts to other things happening at the pond, like the female Canada Goose who was casually selecting sticks for her own nest on a small island in the center of the pond. Finally, the female Wood Duck exits the box and flutters to a splashdown. The elated male swims in an arc before her while pumping his head back and forth. She reciprocates by laying her head and neck out flat against the water’s surface and paddles around him.

Spring courtship is in full swing now and there’s not enough time in the day to catch the entire action taking place around us.

And therein lies April’s challenge to the naturalist! •

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April 1 through

June 21, 2015

For 40 years, the enormous color transparencies that graced Grand Central Terminal touched the hearts of millions. Today, they represent an appealing and believable idealization of American life. See 35 of these Coloramas reproduced for this exhibition by the George Eastman House.

COOPERSTOWN, NY Find more on our 2015 season at

FenimoreArtMuseum.org Top: Jim Pond. Family in convertible somewhere in Texas, displayed June 3–24, 1968. Copyright Eastman Kodak Co. Courtesy George Eastman House. Bottom: Herbert Archer & J. Hood. Cowboys in Grand Tetons, Wyoming, displayed October 5–26, 1964. Copyright Eastman Kodak Co. Courtesy George Eastman House.

MV Musician

Sar-Shalom strong

“I am privileged to be in demand both as an educator and a performer. The opportunity to inspire students’ interest in music and develop their talents, whether as a hobby for life or as a vocation, is one of the most exciting things.”

Instrument: Piano Hometown: Utica Age: 55 Age when began playing: 4-1/2 Education: BA Music, Knox College; Masters, Music Performance, Syracuse University Current occupation: Lecturer in Piano and Coordinator of Staff Pianists for Hamilton College, where he has taught since 2001.

Previously associated with Colgate and Syracuse Universities Style: Predominantly Classical, dabbles in jazz Collaborations: Many Upstate orchestras, including Syracuse Symphony (now Symphoria) and former Utica Symphony.

Influences: Utica native Charles Beno, Strong’s piano teacher at Columbus School, Utica.

Upcoming performances: April 10, 7:30pm Clinton Symphony, Clinton P.A.C. April 28, 7:30pm Symphoria and Masterworks Chorale/ Hamilton College Choir, Wellin, Hamilton College June 16, 7:30pm Tapestry, All-Century Singers, Stone Presbyterian Church, Clinton

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On the farm with Suzie:

Welcome to Mud Season

by Suzie Jones

Before we moved to the farm, I had only a vague sense of the changing of the seasons. Sure, I noticed the dogwoods bloom in the spring and the first glimpse of a robin. But the simple virtue of being outside every day—tending to animals, preparing farm equipment for summer’s use, fixing fences, and the myriad of other outdoor tasks required day in and day out—lays bare the reality that is the earth waking from a long winter’s slumber. I had never truly appreciated how heartbreakingly beautiful spring can be.

But spring isn’t always pretty on our farm. Where once was a dazzling white blanket of snow is a virtual mine field—representing a winter’s worth—of dog doo glistening in the warm spring sun. Last season’s dead grass is laid flat, reminding us of where we left buckets, fencing parts, and various equipment scattered about that was never put away the previous fall.

Spring starts as the ground thaws and the patches of snow turn to rivulets and rivers running down the hillside. It is then that we enter “mud season.” I suppose if you live in town and have a dog, for example, you’ll know it’s mud season when you need to wipe her feet after going out for a walk and coming back into the house. To truly appreciate mud season on the farm, however, take that little bit of mud on your dog’s paws and multiply it by infinity. Mud is everywhere on the farm.

I know mud season has officially arrived when I try to move a round bale with the skid steer and there’s far more

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Tour our museum & shop our store.

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Weekday Specials Mon- 2 Small Cheese Pizzas . . . . . . $12.95 Tues- 20” X-Large Cheese Pizza . . . . $9.95 (Toppings 2.25 ea, X-Cheese 2.95)

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Mon-Thurs: 11am-9pm, Fri & Sat: 11am-10pm, Sun: 1pm-8pm

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2015 Season

Presenting World-Class Music, Theater, & Dance!

Laurie Anderson

The Language of the Future April 11, 7:30pm

Innovative composer, vocalist, and writer offers a witty and poignant collection of songs and stories about contemporary culture.

Adults: $20, Seniors: $15, Students: $5

Masterworks Chorale & Hamilton College Choir with Symphoria April 28, 7:30pm

See Remington firearms and artifacts from the 1800s to today and shop for clothing, hats, and souvenirs in our Country Store.

MUSEUM & COUNTRY STORE

14 Hoefler Avenue, Ilion (315) 895-3200 • FREE ADMISSION! • Mon-Fri 8-5 (store closes 4:30)

G. Roberts Kolb conducts the Masterworks Chorale and Hamilton College Choir in Antonin Dvorák’s Requiem. Adults: $10, Seniors/Students: $8

Box Office information and tickets

(315) 859-4331

www.hamilton.edu/college/performingarts

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skidding than steering, or when I try to work on fence in a particularly wet area and the combination of mud and clay sticking to the bottoms of my boots seems to add about 20 pounds to each.

My husband will try to spread a load Boomer™ compact tractors from New Holland give you big tractor reliability wrapped in a compact, maneuverable package. They’re loaded with features of manure on the hay field and the mud keep you it’s comfortable and the weight of the load in the spreadIt’s Pre-Season Savings and thatthat means time and productive while saving you time and money.

Buy now and get a fantastic deal, plus we have your back with a FIVE-YEAR er cause him to skate around the field, Limited Warranty*. for 0% CASH BACKYou won’t find a better compact tractor warranty—or a withFINANCING* little ability to stop. Justor steerchoose in the SMARTER compact tractor—anywhere. approximate direction you want to go on select New tractors and hay & forage and hope for the Holland best. And when you’re • Choice of hydrostatic or shuttle shift transmission done, decide not tobuyers spread anything equipment.

Early get the best savingsindependent on • Electro-hydraulic PTO again until the ground is dry—a ridicu• Sloped hood and lighting to front and side for lous proclamation, because Holland mud season SMART. Buy NOW equipment built New outstanding visibility Boomer™ compact tractors from New Holland give you big tractor reliability sticks around far longer than you can wrapped in a compact, maneuverable package.

They’re loaded with features • Ample three-point lift capacity — before the season starts — andthatsave big! ever imagine. keep you comfortable and productive while saving you time and money.

Mud season makes springtime particBuy now and get a fantastic deal, plus we have your back with a FIVE-YEAR tough because farmerswww.newholland.com/na are so anx*Limited Offer valid only on tractors purchased from fi annd authorized Newcompact Holland dealer.

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• Choice of hydrostatic or shuttle shift transmission that mud season can be fairly dangerous.

• Electro-hydraulic independent PTO The farmer has to look at hills and even Clinton Tractor & Impl Co • Sloped hood and lighting to front and side for the slightest incline with completely dif31 Meadow Street outstanding visibility ferent eyes during mud season—much State Route 12B • Ample three-point lift capacity like a dry sidewalk looks completely Clinton, NY 13323 different than one with a thin, sheer lay(315) 853-6151 *Offer valid only on tractors purchased from an authorized New Holland dealer. er of ice. One of my husband’s favorite www.clintontractor.net mud season stories was from when he was a high school kid, pulling a load of © 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countrie manure for his neighbor along a narrow owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. New Holland Construction is a trademark in theCo United States and many othe Clinton Tractor & Impl lane on a hillside. He remembers getting countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

31 Meadow Street just enough off the lane for the manure State Route 12B spreader behind him to start a sideways Clinton, NY 13323 slide down the hill, pulling him and the (315) 853-6151 tractor sideways, then backward down www.clintontractor.net to the bottom of the hill. I can just picture him, a skinny 16-year-old kid with

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© 2014 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland Agriculture is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates. New Holland Construction is a trademark in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.

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white knuckles gripping the steering wheel and going for what could have been the last ride of his life. Thankfully, neither the tractor nor the spreader rolled, but the experience was completely nerve-wracking.

Avoiding mud is the farmer’s first line of defense. My husband likes to joke that getting anywhere on our property is a lot like that game we all used to play as kid—the one where you have to stay on the living room furniture because the floor is lava. In this case, it’s the field that is lava. He’ll look for dry spots in the field that he can “hop” to—places like that old lane he knows is fairly compacted and should be dry—mapping out how he’ll get across the muddy field safely. If he doesn’t think far ahead, or if he doesn’t know the field well enough to avoid those tricky, always-wet spots that probably have a spring under them or something, he can get himself into real trouble. If you would like just a taste of how potentially dangerous and unnerving mud season can be on the farm, feel free to go to youtube.com and search “stuck tractor,” where there are literally hundreds of heart-stopping videos of tractors stuck up to their cabs in mud—and farmers trying everything within their power to get them out.

Because we have children, on our farm mud season is also known as “lost boot” season. Our eldest daughter had visited the neighbor’s pasture one gorgeous spring day and came back with only one boot. She had decided to explore a very mucky pasture where our neighbor’s cows had been spending their days. The boot had been sucked in by the mud and all her efforts to retrieve it just seemed to bury it further.

At least in this case, we had a good laugh because our daughter learned a good lesson and she was no worse for the wear. Both of our children have lost shoes or boots at one time or another, although I suspect I may sound a little crazy when I ask them, “Where are your boots?” •

Suzie Jones and her husband, Peter, own Jones Family Farm in Herkimer. Together, with their children, they produce specialty goat cheeses and gelato. Find them at local farmers’ markets and at: www.anotherjonesfamilyfarm.com

SUNNYBROOK FARM (315) 841-4910

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Now Open on Saturdays 8-noon

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 8-4, Sat.: 8-Noon

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A final gift...

to celebrate and thank them for years of friendship and joy.

The only locally owned operated pet aftercare and memorial service.

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We also offer special pet tribute products and grief support materials to make this major life passage one of meaning and significance.

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Local Arts:

Mary loy

By Melinda Karastury

Mary Gaylord Loy was born in Clarksburg, WV. She began her study of art at a very young age, thanks in part to her mother, who was instrumental in founding an art center in her hometown. She continued her art education at Wilson College in Pennsylvania, Mary Washington College of the University of Virginia, and Washington University School of Fine Arts in St. Louis, MO. Loy has lived in St. Louis, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Germany. She currently lives in Clinton, NY, with her husband, artist John Loy. She also has traveled extensively abroad. Mary has found that as the events that touched her life changed, so did the focus of her work: family and friends, war, peace, politics, theater, women’s rights, social justice, travels to Maine, Mexico, and abroad.

Entering Mary’s home, you notice that every wall has artwork. Looking from the windows out to the backyard, you can see that large metal sculptures adorn her yard.

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Mary Loy’s large paintings first attract your attention with their bold colors and graphics, and then with their message. She has always been active in the women’s movement and other human rights’ issues.

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First, we enter a downstairs studio where much of her work is wrapped and ready for the next show. She rolls out a very large political and thought-provoking Ku Klux Klan painting that sparks an immediate strong reaction from within.

She shows us the painting that covers the wall from ceiling to floor. “A work in progress,” she states, utilizing a step stool to reach the highest points.

Then we journey to her upstairs studio. At the top of the stairs, the room is flooded with beautiful natural light and more paintings. Currently, the crowded art studio is a shared space with her artist husband during the winter months.

Mary is a self-proclaimed “drawer” who paints with oils and mixed media.

She says, “I love drawing. I draw with color; the paint is secondary.” The formal elements of painting and drawing— line, pattern, color, space—have always been of primaryionconcern to her. She Reflect hersobjective through a ll Motoonachieve Futries r conscious process. She ntesubconscious Art Ceand et 80 Main Stre 13316 Camden, NY 9 (315)820-426

Mary Loy considers herself more of a drawer than a painter. The formal elements of line, pattern, color, and space are her primary concern.

has always been active in the women’s movement and other human rights’ issues since the early ’60s, which is frequently reflected in her work.

“I feel very strongly about issues and I would like to say something about them and challenge myself,” Mary says. “I

hope people can appreciate it as a piece of art first, with the political message secondary.”

Mary often finds it difficult to find the words to clarify the “why” for much of her work. Some images are obvious; others have strayed from the initial

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45

intention and become an enigma, even to her. Mary states, “I am no writer, so I express myself in my paintings.” She has worked as an artist for more than 50 years and has taught drawing, painting, and design. She is inspired by such artists as expressionist painter, draftsman, print maker, sculptor, and writer Max Beckmann; abstract expressionist painter and print maker Philip Guston; and figurative painter Francis Bacon, known for his bold triptychs and emotionally charged and raw imagery. She is currently on the Exhibition Committee of the Kirkland Art Center and is a Commissioner for the Clinton Historic Preservation Commission.

Don’t let Mary Gaylord Loy’s gentle voice and petite frame fool you.

Although she is small in stature, she more than makes up for it in the sheer size and boldness of her paintings. Mary also works in triptych (a set of three panels or compartments side by side, bearing pictures). She has more than 30 years of old and new works, some of them reworked and relevant for today, in her upcoming show, “Greed.” •

Jean Hunt 33 years of Experience

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Point of View

An Exhibit of works by Mary Loy

Opening Reception: April 10th 2015, 6 to 9 pm, Exhibit runs through May 2nd Other Side Gallery, 2011 Genesee Street, Utica

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A new series written by Sharry Whitney and illustrated by Lance Whitney

Maya

Luke

Toby

Before the Europeans Settled Here the area was occupied by the Iroquois Nation. In 1793, Gerrit Boon, an agent of the Holland Land Company settled at the junction of two streams and founded the settlement he called “Olden Barneveldt”

48

This month the Club explores Barneveld, NY!

Boon named the settlement after the Dutch statesman Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (15471619) - a dutch martyr. Believe it or not, the village wasn’t legally named Barneveld until almost 200 years later when it was legally changed in 1975!

Boon House, 121 Mappa Ave. built in 1794

Mappa Hall, built in 1809

the boon House is backwards! mappa hall was built on the boon house site. it is made of “Trenton Group� limestone - a rock that is known for its fossils! when the boon house was moved from its original site it got stuck in the middle of the muddy road and stayed there for a week! the move was so difficult they decided not to turn it around when they finally reached the new site.

Unity Hall at 101 vanderkemp ave. was built in 1896 and has served as the unitarian church’s parish hall and as a community center. It hosts concerts (Nook and cranny on April 25th), theater, and lectures. Schedule at: www.unityhall.com

the band Cincinnati creek derived its name from the creek that runs through barneveld. They perform at unity hall on Saturday, May 30th at 8PM!

barneveld originally had three water troughs which served as the main sources of water when private wells went dry and as public drinking fountains and for watering livestock.

One of these tubs is still in use today!

barneveld is so proud of their water that it was featured on their bicentennial seal. The Village was awarded the NY rural Water System of the Year in 2014!

snack time!

Before we hit the barneveld trails, we stop by the local shops to pick up some snacks.

Adirondack Cheese company at 8190 Rt. 12, Barneveld specializes in Ny State Cheddar, aged on site 1-7 years!

For some tasty, healthy snacks (like toby’s favorite - dried apple rings) they head to sunflower naturals at 8024 Rt. 12, Barneveld!

...and continue their hike up vanderkemp ave. (500 feet) to Vallonia bridge where the trail crosses Cincinnati Creek. Here they see some people fishing, which reminds maya that her grandpa’s birthday is next week! they always go fishing on his birthday.

the adventure club hikes the trenton municipal trail from the town park (where there’s a summer swim beach!) and along steuben creek to the library on Boon street...

Maya loves consignment shops and has fun trying on boots at the Walk-In Closet. they find a present for maya’s grandpa at foothills mercantile. a sign for his camp. SCORE!

The walk-in closet is located at 8010 route 12, barneveld.

foothills Mercantile is filled with antiques and fun new stuff to decorate your home or camp! at 8124, route 12, barneveld.

the mv adventure club explores the central new york chainsaw museum. they discover antique crosscut saws and this strange-looking sally saw.

It was made obsolete by the invention of the chainsaw.

The CNY Chainsaw museum is located at hud-son forest equipment at 8201 route 12, barneveld.

On their way to lunch The adventure club stops by adirondack art & Framing to say “hi” to maggie. luke buys a poster that identifies wild animal tracks. located at 8211 route 12, barneveld.

MAGGIE!

Lunch

time!

To end their day the kids go bowling at adirondack lanes. Eric arthur of remsen shows them how it’s done! at 8125 rte. 12, barneveld.

! e ik r st

Toby’s favorite time of day is lunchtime, (and also breakfast time and dinnertime!) luckily the village diner serves all three. toby loves their chicken and biscuits with colorful vegetables! at 8210 route 12, barneveld.

Go to www.mohawkvalleyliving.com to download a PDF version of this comic and a walking tour map!

And come back next month for more explorations from

The Mohawk Valley Adventure Club!

Old Forge

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Yippee!!

We made it through another winter!

Celebrate Spring with a treat from Caruso’s Pastry Shoppe.

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mv gardens

Channeling My Inner Edith

By Denise A. Szarek

My Grandma Edith was quite a lady for her time. She raised seven children through the Great Depression and she could take any pheasant, rabbit or fish my grandfather brought home and make a wonderful meal. Her kitchen was always a place to explore and learn at her knee, from her wonderful cakes, pies and cookies, to the fine art of making sauerkraut. Her BBQ Chicken and Manhattan Clam Chowder have been passed down through the family.

But her garden was the place I most enjoyed spending time with her.

My fondest memory is of the day she taught me how to propagate “hens and chicks.” She showed me how to

carefully pull the “babies” from the mother and replant them in her rock garden. From that point on I’ve been in love with succulents.

Relatively inexpensive and extremely hearty (you don’t need a green thumb to keep them alive) succulents can grow in almost any kind of container. Oh how I love them! Echeveria, happens to be my favorite. They come in many awesome colors and beautiful rosette shapes and when they bloom it’s just spectacular. Considered a soft succulent, Echeveria needs to be

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brought inside in winter.

Sempervivum (Hens & Chicks) look like rubbery roses, and are cold hearty in our area. They can be planted in the ground and should survive even a harsh winter. Succulents are alpine plants that have evolved to grow in poor soil and conserve water. I grow my succulents in a mix of 2 parts pot-

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ting soil to 1 part sand. Even though their name implies they retain water, overwatering is about the only way you can kill these wonderful plants. Less is always better when it comes to these guys.

Whenever I’m out and about, I cannot pass by a garden center without channeling my “inner Edith,” and I find myself exploring the succulent section for a new specimen to add to my collection. These plants are what Edith called “pass along plants.” They are easy to propagate and pass along to friends.

Something she always loved to do was send friends and neighbors home with cuttings wrapped in newspaper. Even her prized roses were shared.

So next time you are out and about, channel your “inner Edith,” and see if a succulent doesn’t catch your eye. Then be sure to pass along those babies. •

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Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses story and photos By Melinda Karastury

Our family afternoon adventure started with us all in the mood for spring and flowers. Altogether, we decide to think outside of the box and venture to a local greenhouse located in east Central New York in the foothills of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. We follow the Mohawk River to the old mill town of Dolgeville, NY. We navigate through the close-knit neighborhoods to the end of Mutchler Street. An alluring violet sign can be seen immediately in contrast against the large red storage barn: Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses, Inc. established in 1954, renowned for its profusion of violets. We don’t know quite what to expect today, but being a family of gardeners and lovers of flowers, we are very excited.

The violet’s beauty is enchanting and intriguing with a rich history that originated right here in the Mohawk Valley by a very innovative family. The violet’s shy beginnings are a feat of genetics, experimentation, fascination, and absolute passion.

Parking the car in the lot by the barn, we see from our windows in the distance the rooftops of several interconnected greenhouses. Immediately, we are greeted in the parking lot by owner and hybridizer Paul Sorano. Paul is the grandson of the late Lyndon Lyon and will be giving us a personal tour of his family’s greenhouses. We make our way down the paved path to the door and enter the greenhouse. The warm, 70-degree air rushes over us and takes the chill off. It feels like a tropical getaway as we breathe in the warm humidity. We all agree it is a wonderful reprieve from cold winds outside.

Immediately, we notice three large boilers as we enter. When they fire up, you can hear and feel the rumbling and warmth all over the greenhouse. The warm, rosy pink glow from the greenhouse windows blankets over the violets and other flowers. The air smells sweet: like honey mixed with soil. William Wordsworth must have been speaking of violets when he wrote, “The flower that smells the sweetest is shy and lowly.” The violets go on and on and on. Beautiful warm colors brighten the room and our moods. First, we learn that in 1949, Grace Anna Lyon, Lyndon Lyon’s niece, had a single African violet with just the leaf rooted in soil. Lyndon was amazed and fascinated by watching the violet root from a leaf, produce little plant-lets, and eventually bloom. He was hooked on violets and at the age of 45 his life-long interest in plants and plant genetics was awakened. He joined the African Violet Society of America (AVSA) and scoured the country for other members and varieties of violets.

The first violet variety he purchased was called Wisconsin Blue Wonder.

Lyon immersed himself in books on plants, violets, and genetics. By the early 1950s, he designed his own three-tier high wooden benches, fluorescent lighting system that illuminated the violets for 16 hours a day, and watering system. He was believed to have been the first on the East Coast to grow violets in this way.

Word spread quickly of his success and African violet fans from surrounding counties and states began to flock to his home. For the first five years, he did research and hybridizing on the second floor of his home. Before long, he was breeding violets with the goal of developing the first double pinks. That first cross was made by using pollen from a single pink violet and placing it on a double rose colored violet. The result was seedlings with purple or white single flowers.

These offspring had to be then re-crossed with pink singles. rom that first successful cross came a handful of double pinks, and they were named Double Pink Cloud, Pink Puff, Honey Bud, Wild Rosa, and Double Bountiful. The first double pinks were shown in 1954 at the AVSA convention in St. Louis and caused such a stir that people couldn’t help crowd around and stare at their uniqueness. At

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that convention the hybrid Double Bountiful was sold to Baxter Greenhouses in Ohio for $1,000. They changed the name to Ohio Bountiful Baxter and sold the violet leaves for $10 a leaf. That would be close to $100 a leaf today!

The money helped to fuel Lyndon’s passion and build the first greenhouse still standing today. Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses is now 6,000 square feet of space with more than 60 years of hybridizing violets. His most important work of all was creating his own star-shaped hybrids. He began putting stars everywhere.

He loved to experiment with flower colors and designs. The kids are wide-eyed moving about the greenhouses, looking at all the violets to see the stars on their petals. There are so many varieties of colors and designs. We also learned that Lyndon Lyon led the way in creating the first true miniature violets and trailing violets. He received the honorary life membership in the AVSA in 1984 and in 1999 was inducted into the AVSA Hall of Fame. The entire family is fascinated by the long family history and love for the delicate, shy, resilient violet. We can’t help but look at all the lovely violets and appreciate the ever evolving family history and hybridizing violet varieties. A choice must be made now on which Lyndon Lyon’s violet varieties we should bring home with us.

As we make our way around the greenhouses, the varieties, designs, and colors seem endless. We need to narrow it down to just two to take home. After many trades and debating we settle on Twinkle Twirl, half pink and purple petals with a purple star design, and Optimara Evergrace, purple petals with green edges.

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Very happy with our choices, we get the vital information and helpful tips for the care of our violets.

We learn that the plants are bred, propagated, and grown in both natural light and fluorescent light in the greenhouse, so when brought home adequate light is very important for abundant bloom. Any window that has strong, bright light is good. Mild direct sunshine is beneficial. Always use room-temperature water, watering only when the top of the soil feels slightly dry to the touch. Watering may be from the top or bottom, by wicking, or you may wish to choose one of the many self-watering pots. Never allow plants to stand in water after the soil has taken up what it can hold—violets do not like wet feet! The ideal temperature is 65° to 70° F. and the humidity is best around 40% to 60%.

When using soil mixes, it is necessary to use a diluted fertilizer solution each time the plant is watered. To determine the correct pot size for your plant, remember this rule of thumb: the plant’s diameter should be three times the diameter of the pot before potting up to the next size pot. Keep your plants clean by removing dead leaves and faded blossoms. Use a soft brush or soft, damp sponge to gently remove dust and lint. Every four to six weeks, a gentle washing of the leaves from a weak stream of tepid water will make for a happy plant. We take the care directions and tips very seriously for the future success of our violets. Also, it is so fascinating to know that one day, if we choose, we too could transplant a leaf to potting soil to make another violet plant—so cool!

Our noses each float above the blooms to breathe in the sweet honey smell before they are wrapped up for home. We purchase the very important fertilizer plant food, discuss where the violets will go in our home, and a watering schedule. We thank Paul for the wonderful tour and history. We look at all the much deserved awards and ribbons that the greenhouse obtained over the years and see a violet in an entirely new way. Collecting our purchases, we exit the warm tropical haven into the cold outdoors and begin our journey home.

The family is quiet, soaking in all that they learned about violets. The kids each admire the violet of their choice and sniff its sweet honey smell repeatedly on the ride home. They smile and thank us for their new plants and for teaching them to appreciate nature and the beauty behind a single blossom.

The day ends and as parents, we feel satisfied knowing that our children will understand the beauty of a single flower, the resilience of nature to regrow from a single leaf, and the tenacity of a one man’s passion. •

Lyndon Lyon Greenhouses

Open Monday-Friday: 8-4, Saturday: 10-4, but please call ahead before traveling (315) 429-8291 14 Mutchler Street, Dolgeville, NY www.lyndonlyon.com

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Volenteers make pierogi (called “varenyky” in Ukraine) from scratch at St. Volodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Church on Cottage Place in Uticao.

Nowhere is the richness of cultural heritage more evident than at St. Volodymyr’s pierogi sale.

St. Volodymyr’s

pierogi Tradition story and photos by Joe Silberlicht for Slow Food Mohawk Valley

The history of the Mohawk Valley is filled with stories of immigrants and refugees arriving here with “nothing but the clothes on their backs.”

Those stories continue to be written today, but the truth is that every one of these waves of newcomers brings untold riches to our community, even if their physical possessions seem meager. A wonderful example of this is the congregation of St. Volodymyr the Great Ukrainian Catholic Church on Cottage Place in Utica. The founders of this congregation arrived here from the Ukraine as they sought to escape religious persecution under Soviet rule following World War II. Arriving with little in their pockets, but rich in culture, they set about making a home in the Mohawk Valley. Nowhere is this richness of cultural heritage more evident than in the weekly pierogi sale that provides much of the funding for this beautiful church. Each week, a team of parishioners descends upon the commercial kitchen in their social hall to make doz-

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ens and dozens of these traditional delicious dumplings, known in Ukrainian as “varenyky,” filled with potato, cabbage, and cheese fillings. (“Pierogi” is the Polish name for these potato-filled pockets of dough, and is a more familiar name to most Americans.) The success of these weekly sales has, over the last six decades, raised enough money to fund the construction of the magnificent church. The Bronx may boast about “the house that Ruth built,” but Utica can lay claim to “the church that pierogi built.”

We visited the congregation’s social hall on a recent Thursday evening to learn about this culinary heirloom that, according to Wikipedia, is the Ukrainian national dish, with literary references dating to at least as far back as 1785. About 15 volunteers had set up an assembly line to make about 100 dozen varenyky on this early winter evening. In the kitchen, the men worked quickly and somewhat boisterously, rolling out the dough, cutting it into circles, and mixing the

various fillings. As they worked, trays of dough circles and bowls of filling were passed through to the women in the social hall. The filling was scooped by careful measure onto each circle of dough, and the trays moved on to a long table surrounded by the women of the congregation.

This is where the special skill became evident, as the women, working quickly and quietly, gently stretched the dough over the filling and sealed the edges with practiced fingers that had shaped many thousands of varenyky. Once formed into the familiar half moon shape, the dumplings were

passed back to the kitchen where the men would cook them in vast pots of boiling water (“varenyk” literally means “boiled thing”), cool them in an ice water bath, and slide them into packages of a dozen.

The atmosphere had an uncanny resemblance to a quilting bee, as each person worked at their own speed and with their own flair. In “the old country,” making varenyky was not the social event it has become here. More commonly, it happened in indi-

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vidual homes, as grandmothers and mothers passed their own recipes and methods on to their daughters and granddaughters.

Gloria, our guide to the process, explained that women in each Ukrainian region had their own technique for pinching the edges closed. In the western part of the Ukraine, the edges would be rolled, while elsewhere pinching or scalloping might be the preferred technique. In some regions, square varenyky were the norm. Different

techniques and styles were apparent around the table, and the women were not reluctant to debate which technique was best. Also apparent was the lack of a younger generation participating in this exercise in cultural heritage. Commercially manufactured pierogi may not fade from our food choices, but these Ukrainian varenyky, made by the skilled Ukrainian hands of first and second generation Americans, may fade from our menus over time.

Enjoy your varenyky in many ways. Try them plain to savor the different fillings. Drizzle with some melted butter. A dollop of sour cream provides a wonderfully tangy counterpoint to the potato-based filling.

My preference is to fry the varenyky in some butter or good olive oil until lightly browned, then to smother them in sautéed onions and mushrooms. However you choose to enjoy them, you’ll be helping to preserve the heritage of the Mohawk Valley. It’s part of what makes this place special. •

Don’t miss your chance to enjoy this authentic cultural specialty!

Stop by St. Volodymyr’s social hall (it’s next to the Munson-Williams Proctor Museum) on most Fridays and purchase a dozen or more. They’re available for take-out fresh or frozen at $6 to $8 a dozen, depending on the filling you prefer. It’s a wonderfully economical exploration of this traditional Ukrainian delicacy. For larger orders, call ahead to reserve, 315-269-3679.

Slow Food Mohawk Valley Wandering Fork

To learn more about Slow Food Mohawk Valley visit:

www.slowfoodmohawkvalley.com

MV family fun

bowling in the valley

By Melinda Karastury

“Sunday, Family Fun Day” is the motto of most every weekend in our household. It’s a time set aside and devoted to spending some quality hours together. We have planned an afternoon of bowling at Vista Lanes in Yorkville Bysome Melinda Karastury with good friends; we all have energy to spare after this long winter. It may be Sunday and the weekend is winding down, but that doesn’t mean that our fun has to stop; we keep the weekend rolling with some good old bowling.

Vista Lanes is a locally owned bowling center and has been in business providing bowling to the families of the Utica area for more than 60 years. The bowling center has 20 bowling lanes, a cafe, and a full bar with a large lounge.

We enjoyed some chicken tenders, fries, and nachos during our visit. The food was popular with the children! The bowling center offers birthday parties, corporate parties, fundraisers, bowling leagues, tournaments, and open bowling.

On this Sunday afternoon an intense and serious tournament was under way.

You could feel the tension and excitement in the air as the bowlers are knocking them down one pin at a time, leaving no pin standing. We could hear the bowling thunder echoing and groans and cheers from the teams. We approach the counter and are greeted by a friendly young woman. We pay for the shoes, per person, per game at the “Sunday Family Special” rate, and are given our bowling shoe size in eye catching neon pink and yellow.

We all head to our assigned lanes, 17 and 18, find a place to sit, and lace up our bowling shoes. The blue and yellow walls are complimented with a colorful carpet decorated with swirls, triangles, and circles—very energetic.

There is large hanging American flag bowling art on the walls and twirling disco balls send colorful beams of light bouncing around the bowling alley.

Kid Bopz is playing in the background. Flashing red, yellow, and blue neon lights stream up and down each and every lane. A burning flame is hanging in the middle of the lanes, symbolizing like the Olympic torch the “endeavor for protection and struggle for victory.”

Next comes the choosing of the bowling balls—so many colors, weights, and finger hole sizes from which to choose. Each of us finds a bowling ball of our liking and we load up our AMF. We discuss the

Children enjoy bowling with friends, especially during themed or family times offered at many local alleys.

There is “Cosmic Bowling” Friday nights at State Bowling Center in Ilion and “Blasto Bowling” at Vista Lanes in Yorkville every Friday and Saturday at 6pm.

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teams: kids vs. the parents. Then the order, youngest to oldest, and enter each of our names into the computer. The kids decide on bumper bowling and the parents decide on no bumpers and we just hope we can keep our balls out of the gutter. I remind everyone it’s not how you bowl, it’s how you roll, and have fun!

We each take our turns in the line up.

Some of us use the arrow and circle guides on the lane and others just wing it. We gaze down the lane as we each take our turn and wait in anticipation after each roll, and let the pins fall where they may. The sound of the bowling ball down the waxy wood lane rumbles in our ears--the crack of the bowling ball against the pins and then, as the pins fall, CRASH! Entertaining animation flashes across the screen; for a split a plane bombs the pins, taking all but two pins out, or a boulder crashes through the pins leaving two pins behind in its destruction; or for a strike a dragon comes firing through or a bee pollinating a flower made of pins. The kids love it and quickly run over to the screen to watch.

The arm comes down clearing the pins and resetting the 10 pinheads. After my third split in a row I can’t help but holler jokingly, “Splits happen!” which receives a few smiles and laughter. We cheer, encourage,

hug, high five each other, hold our heads in dismay, and laugh as we all try to leave no pin standing. The final game comes to a close and the numbers are in: Jillian 125, Rob 115, Josh 110, Melinda 94, Alana 93, and Amanda 92. The numbers don’t really matter; the time with family and friends is priceless. When we asked the kids what they liked best about bowling they each replied in agreement, “Spending time with family and good friends” and “Getting strikes are the best!” We all agree that we need to go bowling more often and hopefully get better with practice, too. The next time the weather keeps us inside we all decided we are going out to our local bowling alley.

In the words of Arthur Ashe, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Kick those winter blues and try some bowling fun, you’ll strike it! We all should take advantage of our local bowling alleys, otherwise known as the “poor man’s country club,” for entertainment, competition, and togetherness. Let’s all make a point to spring into precious time with family and friends because childhood is the most beautiful of all life’s seasons. (Yes, when it comes to puns, I am the kingpin!) •

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A Carolina Wren contends for its place at the feeder

MV Nature:

The Allure of the Carolina Wren story and photos by matt perry In the Mohawk Valley, one bird species that always seems to conjure up excitement is the Carolina Wren. In fact, each year it’s guaranteed that a certain number of friends and acquaintances will approach me with the news that they have a Carolina Wren showing up at their homes. The species is supposedly not common in the Northeast or in the Mohawk Valley, but if I merely add up the ones that I’ve been told about, I quickly run out of fingers. Certainly, these wrens couldn’t be categorized as common, but I think we might consider amending their status and start referring to them as “not uncommon.” Is this all too esoteric? Perhaps so, but the people who 68

keep track of changes in bird populations over time find value in these kinds of designations.

Of course, seeing a Carolina Wren visit the bird feeders is always a treat. Like their relative, the House Wren, they are bundles of activity. They dart nervously across the landscape from yard to yard and from woodpile to bramble. Their presence is often announced by a sprightly song, a sharp “peek” note or a rolling trill. Whenever I hear one of these vocalizations I recall that this is the songbird species that rekindled my own interest in bird study 22 years ago. Back then I had already known the Carolina Wren was one of our

yard’s semi-regular visitors and often catered to its tastes by putting out bits of dried fruit along with the regular bird seed. Though this wren will occasionally take sunflower seeds and peanut pieces, they are generally much more interested in suet or fruit. At that time, I knew this bird by sight, but had no idea what his voice sounded like. I just hadn’t put it together that those loud rapid-fire triple notes I’d been hearing around the neighborhood were emanating from that same pint-sized bird. The song, which some describe as sounding like “tea-kettle, tea-kettle, tea-kettle,” was intriguing to me and I just had to know who was producing it. However, I held

The Carolina is our only wren species that regularly comes to bird feeders

myself back from consulting the literature because I felt that would be akin to cheating.

Instead, I convinced myself that I needed to search for the bird and actually see it in the act of singing.

Striving to find something can be an excellent way to learn. For me, mounting an expedition to obtain a piece of knowledge serves to anchor facts in my head since they would be inextricably linked to an experience. The adult Carolina Wren’s plumage is rich brown on top, while its underside is ruddier than that of the familiar House Wren. The Carolina Wren has a prominent white stripe just above its eye and a very faint white wing bar, both of which the House Wren lacks. The former species is nearly an inch longer than the latter and it also appears more big-headed; their bills are longer and more down curved,

but like the House Wren and other members of the wren clan, they normally hold their tail cocked upward. All the wrens are consummate insectivores and in the summer they feast on a cornucopia of insects and spiders.

While dormant insects and spiders are on the menu in winter, the Carolina Wren necessarily adapts to feeding on more vegetable matter – primarily fruit and seeds.

I recall that my original expedition to find that unidentified singer led me in circles around the old neighborhood, through snow banks and down into a deep ravine. This proved to be a mistake since the unseen bird immediately flew across the gorge and continued its steady course down the line of trees on the opposite ridge. A thick blanket of snow concealed a succession of hidden obstacles that slowed my progress to a crawl and made

me feel foolish for taking this “short-cut” in the first place. By the time I made it to the top of the snowy chasm, the bird could have been long gone, but he wasn’t and just then he unleashed another volley of song. The notes were served in tight three-note phrases or “triplets,” the order of which the singer would slightly rearrange in some of the volleys. Prior to this I had clung to a few poorly reasoned theories regarding the identity of the songster.

These now went by the wayside. Even though the clear whistled tones were something a Blue Jay or Tufted Titmouse might be capable of generating, there was no way either species could produce such subtle variations.

A jay might be able to pull off the wren’s accent and perhaps mimic a few of its phrases, but it wouldn’t be so fluent in this “foreign” language. After the brief serenade, the bird

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The Gray Catbird is an accomplished mimic, but doesn’t often imitate the wren’s song

invisibly pulled away and headed back into the heart of the neighborhood, indicating its course with bright “peek” notes given along the way. What was that bird! The next day, I had my answer and it came before I even ventured out of my front yard. This time the elusive bird was in plain view as it perched on a low branch of our crab apple tree. His head was tipped back and he was singing with all his might. It was the Carolina Wren – the very same bird for which I’d been putting out raisins!

The Carolina Wren, as its name suggests, hails from the South and, according to available records, it became a naturalized resident of the Mohawk Valley in the 1950s. If you travel into the South, they do become

quite common and, along with the Northern Mockingbird, they provide the Southeastern U.S. with a disproportionate amount of its birdsong. The Carolina Wren is non-migratory, which means they inhabit a territory year-round and do not take part in annual migrations. Though they’ve never been truly common in the Mohawk Valley, they are not all that hard to come by, especially around suburban yards with bird feeders. They are our only wren species that regularly avails itself of birdseed and suet. It is believed that the Carolina Wren began to expand its range northward only after virgin forests were cleared during the Colonial period. They are in fact one of the species that arguably has benefited from the taming of the land. They appreciate open space and readily take advantage of the diverse nesting opportunities offered by civilization. They might build their large and often domed nest in a tree cavity, a hole in a rock wall, a crevice in a house, the bow of a docked boat, a mailbox, or even an old hat left outside on a table. Conservationists have long claimed that this “Southern” bird does poorly when faced with a particularly harsh Northern winter because they think this causes the population to retreat from the northernmost limits of their range. However, at least in Central New York, their numbers appear to be stable even during the very harsh

winters of the past two years. It’s likely that dedicated human patrons adequately counteract the deprivations of winter by keeping their feeders filled. The same can’t be claimed of the Northern Mockingbird, whose already slim representation in the Valley does seem to lessen following harsh winters. Then again, the mockingbird doesn’t so readily take to our feeding stations.

Carolina Wrens are monogamous, which cannot be said of their relative and near doppelganger, the Marsh Wrens. While the male of latter species fanatically guards the territory where his multiple mates raise broods of young, the male Carolina Wren is faithful to one partner and even shares some of the burden of incubation – a relatively uncommon

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masculine role in the world of songbirds. The Carolina Wren also might be said to be more cultured and gentile, for it doesn’t partake in the Marsh Wren’s antisocial habit of invading its neighbors’ nests and pecking holes in their eggs.

If I made it sound as if no other birds quite capture the intonations of the Carolina Wren, I should amend that. That may be true in the winter, but there are a few bird species present in summer that can manage a passable impersonation of the Carolina Wren’s song.

Close to 20 years ago I recall hearing what I thought was a Carolina Wren happily singing away in the vicinity of an old meadow with a sprawling black willow tree, only to discover that the vocalist was an adult male Baltimore Oriole! In the past I had heard individual Baltimore Orioles sing novel variations of their own bright whistled song, but I never before heard one manage the wren’s repeating triple-note combination. In that instance, the habitat I was in would be fitting for either species; therefore, I had little reason to suspect I was being fooled. Though nesting orioles may be found in open canopy forests, they are just as comfortable in the wren’s suburbia, which features far fewer trees. In retrospect, something that should have tipped me off that the singer wasn’t a wren was the elevat-

White streaks on its back help to identify the Marsh Wren

ed location from which the bird was singing.

Granted, this isn’t always so easy to ascertain in the field, but if the song is emanating from mid-tree levels and above, it is less likely to be the wren because it almost always restricts itself to low branches.

It’s usually wise not to be too quick to identify birds on the basis of just a few seconds of song. As a general rule, as you take time to scour the landscape for visual confirmation, listen for any other vocalizations that can supply more evidence for your conclu-

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sion. Most birds have a diverse vocabulary.

Like the Carolina Wren, they may sing variations of their primary song. They likely also produce other kinds of sounds that are characteristic of their species. It might be a trill, chatter, a harsh warning call, or a soft contact note, but hearing any of those sounds in association with the bird’s primary song could be a great help in confirming a singer’s identification.

Only a couple of years ago, while walking our crazy hound dog, I heard what sounded

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A Carolina Wren takes a sun bath on the back porch

was a Kentucky Warbler – a bird that is very rare in the Mohawk Valley, although common enough in forests of the Southeast where its range substantially overlaps with that of the Carolina Wren. I burdened my partner with the dog and I stayed behind in order to resolve the identity of the woodland singer.

It took about an hour of skulking around, but it was well worth the effort, as I was able to locate and photograph the wayward warbler. Apparently, the Kentucky Warbler had overshot its traditional nesting grounds by a few hundred miles. With nocturnal migrants returning north from the tropics, you might expect these kinds of destination errors to occur more frequently, but the complex methodology of bird migration proves fairly reliable. Their triple redundancy of finding their way by relying on the earth’s magnetic fields, navigating by stars, and finally by recognizing the geography of continents by each region’s distinct scent – all leads to relatively few wrong turns.

In some years we’ve had families of Caro-

lina Wrens coming to the yard, but most often it’s just a solitary bird that graces our feeding stations. This typically makes the wren a celebrity and the rarest bird in the yard. It’s definitely the one we tend to notice and get most excited about. Lately we’ve also seen a Cooper’s Hawk paying unpredictable visits to the yard, intent upon making a meal out of one of the songbirds. They tend to favor larger birds like Mourning Doves, but will settle for just about anything they can zero in on and procure with their talons. I admit that seeing the Carolina Wren looking small and vulnerable while feeding on the ground beneath the suet feeder has caused us some anxiety. Along with chickadees and various sparrow species, when danger is afoot, the wren seeks refuge in the yew bush that stands just outside our dining room window. Unfortunately, this safe haven hasn’t been lost on the Cooper’s Hawk, which we’ve witnessed on multiple occasions diving into the bush heading straight to the heart of the small birds’ sanctuary. With

The Carolina Wren is typically the rarest bird in the yard

like a Carolina Wren singing in a closed canopy forest. This time the song was clearly emanating from the forest understory, but the habitat was wrong for a Carolina Wren, so who was it? A Baltimore Oriole with vertigo? A Gray Catbird that inexplicably restricted itself to mimicking only a single bird species? Or was it a Carolina Wren that had its heart set on a deep forest home? Try none of the above. It

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The Cooper’s Hawk stakes out the songbird’s hiding place. Note the Cooper’s Hawk’s long legs, which can be used for extracting prey

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his extra-long legs he’s reached in and grabbed chickadees and sparrows as they stood frozen to their perches – where they no doubt considered themselves safe. Certainly, we had no reason to believe that the hawk would spare a plump wren. It’s important to remind ourselves that the raptor has just as much right to feed as the songbirds do and those of us who maintain bird feeders should accept that we are just as much sponsors of hawks as we are of cardinals and Carolina Wrens. When we fill a bird feeder, we create a kind of oasis where seed-eating birds of many species congregate. Birds are drawn in from habitats hundreds of yards away or perhaps even miles away, and they are coming for the promise of reliable meals of energy-rich sunflower seeds.

Over the years, as backyard bird feeding has become increasingly popular, the behavior of songbirds and their chief avian predators have demonstrably changed. Now with a more reliable food pantry that can support them through even the harshest Northern winters, both predator and prey can remain in the North and expect to make a good living regardless of weather conditions or the size of the natural food supply.

After one of those hawk intrusions, we stopped seeing the wren and I became convinced that our little package of charisma had been consumed and recycled into hawk flesh. Even though I understood this was only nature in action, it was a depressing thought that we wouldn’t be hearing those cheery triple notes resounding through the neighborhood – perhaps for years. As it turned out, my disappointment was unwarranted and we saw the very same Carolina Wren appear in his usual place below the suet feeder only five days after his presumed demise. After a few minutes feeding, he alighted on the porch railing and for all intents and purposes conveyed to us that famous misquotation of Mark Twain: “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated.” •

Matt Perry is Conservation Director and resident naturalist at Spring Farm CARES in Clinton. He manages a 260 acre nature preserve which is open for tours by appointment. Matt is also regional editor of “The Kingbird”, which is a quarterly publication put out by the New York State Ornithological Association. Matt writes a weekly blog about the nature preserve, which can be found at: talesfromthewilds.blogspot.com

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Herkimer county historical society

In Search of Fort Dayton

by Sue Perkins

In 2002, Herkimer County Historical Society volunteers, spearheaded by Fred Doyle and led by archeologist Doug Pippin, dug 10 test pits searching for Fort Dayton, which was built in 1776. The fort was located in what is today’s village of Herkimer in the area of North Main, West German, North Washington, and Court Streets.

Sadly, Fred passed away in 2003 and the search for Fort Dayton stopped. Fast forward to 2014; Fred’s dream for an archeological dig searching for Fort Dayton finally came to fruition this past summer. It only took 11 years. Phil and Kate Creighton, novice archaeologists from Remsen, NY, oversaw the project. Fred’s sons, Brian and

Mike Doyle, were asked to participate and spent the entire summer realizing their father’s aspiration.

Work began on May 31, 2014, and continued through the end of August with the help of about 40 dedicated volunteers donating their time and efforts on weekends.

Morning and afternoon shifts involved digging, sifting the dirt, cleaning the artifacts, photographing them, and entering the data into a computer data base.

While digging early on, we came upon an exciting find. A 5-inch piece of limestone was uncovered (a part of it was discovered in 2002). Upon digging further, a limestone well cap was uncovered. We

soon discovered we had an old well. Caryl Hopson and I went over Fred Doyle to the Herkimer County Records Room to search the deeds for the Suiter and Eckler Building properties.

The well was mentioned as a dividing line between the two properties as far back as 1847, but we believe that it traces back to the early 1800s. Brian Doyle was the one who did all digging down inside the well.

Dirt, along with artifacts, were brought up out of it by a bucket attached to a rope, and

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Jeff Steele, Brian Doyle, Mike Doyle and Stan Grose sifting through the dirt looking for artifacts.

some of the delicate artifacts were handed up to a volunteer or Phil Creighton. Either Caryl or I would be called from whatever we were doing to photograph what was found in the well. It became evident that either Dr. A. Walter Suiter (1850-1925), his sister Mary Grace, or someone who cleaned out Dr. Suiter’s office threw medical instruments, glass slides, even film from what appeared to be old X rays, medicine bottles by the hundreds, coins, dishes, a soap dispenser, and you name it into the well. What started out as a search for Fort Dayton became the search for Dr. Suiter.

The other four test pits didn’t produce as

many artifacts, but we were able to find bones, clam shells, ash, slag, nails, pieces of clay pipe stems, and clay pipe bowls.

Our archaeological dig received a lot of attention. WKTV, WUTR, and Time Warner Cable stopped by to film while the dig was under way. Donna Thompson from The Telegram wrote a story.

We had help this summer from Molly Miller and Ben Stovall, who worked for us through the Herkimer County Legislative Youth Bureau Program. Molly photographed and cataloged the artifacts and Ben put together a display on the dig in the Suiter Buildings temporary exhibit space.

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We also have artifact in a china cabinet that is in the Eckler Building. You can visit the Society to see what artifacts were found.

We will be doing a tentative archaeological dig this summer two houses up; that also has an old well in the backyard. Who knows what we will find.

Stay tuned! • Sue Perkins is the Executive Director of the Herkimer County Historical Society and historian for the town of Manheim.

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Chapter 7

TALES FROM

SHAWANGUNK

Shawangunk nature preserve, cold brook

by Peggy Spencer Behrendt In 1974, Tim and Peggy Spencer Behrendt set off on an adventure. They began a new life in the woods of Cold Brook, NY, without modern conveniences like electricity or indoor plumbing. These are excerpts and reflections from Peggy’s journal chronicling their adventures. See issues 1-12 for her diaries from their first year.

April 1978 “Dave?” A voice questions softly.

“Dave!” He demands with an edge of strident urgency.

Finally, he yells, “DAVE!! I CAN’T SEE ANYTHING! I CAN’T HEAR ANYTHING!” “What’s the matter, Jason? We’re trying to sleep,” Dave mumbles, half asleep.

“It’s totally black and quiet! Something

Tim and Peggy’s forest cottage in the woods

must be wrong with my eyes and ears!” Jason (not his real name) now whispers intently.

“Try to go to sleep, buddy. We’re in a forest. They’re no street lights. You’ll feel better in the morning.”

“Are you sure? I can hear you, but I can’t see anything!”

“You’re okay,” Dave insists.

Dave’s friends are staying overnight in the Children’s Cottage for the first time.

The intensity of total quiet and deep darkness one experiences in our forest scares some people. Another time, a couple of our guests from New York City left the forest in the early hours of the night and returned to the city because they couldn’t stand it.

Once our eyes and ears adjust, we discover we can see and hear subtleties of life that we normally pass by: the transient gleam of glow worms in the grasses along

our path; the chant of a saw-whet owl or whippoorwill from the far reaches of the still woods; the muted values of darkness between sunset and sunrise; the scrape of a tiny beetle walking on a leaf ….

Tim cheerily strides down the path to the Children’s Cottage to do some carpentry while Dave’s at school. He’s whistling, “Hi, Ho! Hi, Ho! It’s Off to Work I Go” (from the Disney movie Snow White). The roar of a gunshot from the road close by, however, completely destroys the blissful ambiance of this early spring morning and Tim’s happy mood.

“What’s going on?” I yell from our cottage.

“I’ll find out!” Tim calls back furiously.

He heads out to the road and meets a fisherman walking back from Black Creek.

“What’d you shoot the gun off for?”

Tim asks.

77

Peggy gets a jumpstart on the growing season with her greenhouse A spring fawn at Shawangunk

“I heard something strange in the woods and fired a warning shot,” answers the fearful fisherman.

I wonder if he was afraid the seven dwarfs were going to attack him.

Tiny shoots of lettuce have come up in our latest greenhouse construction made of old storm windows from a church. I plant spinach and radishes, but the results are totally disappointing. Do we need more lime, more fertilizer? Every day I watch for signs of wild Indian Poke (False Hellebore) emerging from the floodplain along our creek because they are my natural barometer telling me the weather is settled enough to plant our first peas. It’s a lovely, succulent, cone-shaped cluster of light, blue-green viridian that looks delicious, but is toxic. For edible spring greens, we look for the new

leaves of marsh marigold (cowslips), boiling them in water and pouring it off before dressing them with a touch of salt or butter. I also try a few, crispy cattail shoots and they’re good, but we don’t have an abundance and they’re hard to access in the swamps.

We take a hike along Black Creek with Dave, following a deer path, nibbling on the wild wintergreen leaves and berries that survived the winter, admiring the brilliant red dogwood bushes swollen with new sap. Otter slides run under elevated tree roots through the clay banks to the creek below.

These pure gray clay banks are eight to ten feet high, and are always paired with a low bank of sand on the opposite side. Splotches of bright, yellow ochre sometimes interrupt the monochrome of gray. It’s easy to see how a few million years of pressure can turn this clay into the rock hard shale we see where Black Creek comes into Grant Village. In the summer, we take the young-

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e r children here and make human slides that culminate with a splash in the brisk waters of the creek.

Above the peaceful rustle of spring breezes through tiny, emerging leaves on the quaking aspens we hear two kayakers softly paddling toward our bank. We lie down to quietly watch them go by; however, Dave is inspired to let out a strange, animal-like sound just as they’re passing. I poke him and muffle a laugh with my hand over my mouth.

“What’s that?” asks one kayaker with trepidation.

“Bobcat!” answers the other, in an authoritative tone.

It’s time to go to the annual meeting at Tim’s church. Although the stress of such meetings is overwhelming for me, we know that my one vote can sometimes make the difference between keeping the job or not. We pick up a hitchhiker, who squeezes into the back seat of our VW Bee-

Red dogwood in the spring along Black creek

tle, and we continue chugging along but, suddenly, there is a scary clunk and sound of scraping on the pavement. The battery, which was on the floor of the back seat has broken through the flimsy floor due to the added weight and is now dragging on the road. We stop so Tim can pull out some wire and construct a temporary location for the battery, and our hitchhiker decides he’d rather walk.

I head immediately to Tim’s office and am busy typing out my music report in a panic as the meeting commences. A young-

er member finds me, and I politely listen as he reads the most recent poem of adoration he’s written to his mother.

Fortunately, I have extra time because the parliamentarian, a retired professor of speech, explains, in slow, articulate, sentences a certain pertinent aspect of Roberts Rules of Order and an obscure historical fact about church history. All are patient because he is the rock that makes sure the meeting is democratically run and everyone has a turn to speak.

The church soloist announces that she

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will refuse to sing if the no-smoking rule is rescinded, and there is usually someone who is unhappy with Tim’s ministry, claiming that attendance is dwindling and income is dropping. Fortunately, because Tim learned about the importance of statistics during his many years in sports, he has kept records of church finances and attendance. Our flow charts forestall any subjective conclusions because we are, in fact, growing and donations are increasing.

“You look at the world through rose colored glasses, Tim!” moans the disappointed

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congregant.

Even married couples have little tensions in the meeting. “Say the motion like this, dear,” says one woman to her husband, then announces: “I haven’t told him how we’re spending our money yet, but here’s what we’re going to pledge to the church.”

The assertiveness of the bold, the tremulous opinions of the meek, anger, humor, disappointments, boredom, are all expressed here. With good leadership, it gets juggled into a working organization that does wonderful things for the community. We have determined, strong willed women who overcame great obstacles to start the first Planned Parenthood Clinic in the area. Other members dedicated to world peace helped form a local chapter of the United Nations Association.

With much debate, they make a painful decision to sell their beautiful, historic, but fuel- and money-gobbling edifice with the aim to build an innovative, energy- efficient church with zoned heating, triple-pane windows and doubled insulation. It becomes a model that other environmentally concerned churches emulate.

One generous member surprises us all by offering to match pledge increases of $50 or more up to $2,000. This quells all financial concerns and we relax because we know that Peggy and the Easter bunny at church we have a job here for another year. I’m excited because I get permission to look into

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getting a wonderful new instrument I heard about called a synthesizer. Afterward, Tim makes a point of maintaining an equally friendly relationship with everyone, no matter what viewpoint they offered at the meeting, facilitating a cohesive, healing atmosphere in the church.

Happy to return to the uncontroversial peace of our forest home, Tim and I come up with a way we can share the millions of little tree sprout clusters here that are so crowded and densely packed, few can survive to become great trees. We create a program called LOVE: Legacy of Vital Energy offering these tree sprouts for people to plant in barren yards and fields to help restore soil, clean and cool the air, and provide fuel and shelter for all creatures. We announce it at the Anti-Nuke Rally and organize a Festival of Love at the New School in Utica, with a Penny/Nickel Carnival, a clown, music, a speech by Dave Parker (who’s been planting lots of trees), and refreshments.

While passing out the trees we get a concerned gardener, who says our tree sprouts are doomed because the little roots are bare. “A nay-sayer,” I think. “They couldn’t dry out that fast, could they?” But later, I realize he was right. We should have packed

them in wet moss and bags. Oh, well. Next time we’ll do better!

I go with Annie and some girlfriends with to a bar and grill in Utica to protest sexist policy because we heard they refuse to serve women. Then, we find out that women can be served at the tables – just not at the bar, and the bartender seemed mystified that we don’t want to be “treated like ladies.” It’s kind of embarrassing, but we let them know that their policy is sexist and we get interviewed for the newspaper.

A tame raccoon is brought to us. It’s never been in the wilds, but without hesitation, wades into Misty Brook, rummaging through the sandy bottom for crawdads and other tasty morsels. “Ramby” is a fun fellow and oh, so cute, following us everywhere, sticking his nose into whatever we’re doing, and being a delightful companion.

He climbs on the top of my head while I’m doing laundry and helps Tim put up a basketball net in the parking lot, climbing up

Ramby the Racoon helps Tim put up a basketball net t h e ladder with him and doing a good job of getting in the way.

Eventually, he becomes too demanding, sometimes grabbing or nibbling on our legs

Our friend, Dan Strobel admires our great grandparent trees

when we don’t give him what he wants right away. We relocate him to a distant part of our forest, feeling a bit like the wicked witch in Hansel and Gretel.

9663 River Rd., Marcy

it Big Rock.”

I make vegetarian moccasins for Tim out of crocheted wool slippers with rubber- tire inner tubes stitched to the bottom. They’re my first attempt and have some problems, but I’ll keep working on it.

We’ve ordered fruit trees and I’m simply delighted to be able to be back in the garden, to get my hands dirty, plant seeds, and feel physically tired at the end of the day. Perhaps we are like trees and need to have direct contact with the earth to feel completely nourished, sustained, and grounded. I push my fingers into the soil and hold on to the earth. •

Look for more from Peggy’s memoirs next month.

The Shawangunk Nature Preserve is a deep ecology, forever wild, 501©(3), learning and cultural center. Tim and Peggy still live there and can be contacted through their website.

www.shawangunknaturepreserve.com

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One afternoon, I follow a speckled fawn bounding through sun-dappled glades in a new (to me) part of our forest. I find an oasis of huge hemlock trees (are they old growth?) surrounded by the bogs and I am reminded of great cathedrals. Such magnificence! sit beneath them on a tapestry of rust-colored pine needles and green, shamrock-leaved wood sorrel feeling awe and gratitude for this sacred place.

Further on, I find a massive and impenetrable tangle of brush and trees. But, no! It’s not brush--it’s a huge rock as big as our cottage; covered with plants and moss, sporting trees on the top with roots that crawl over the sides into the soil below. It is a glacial erratic, dropped eons ago by melting glaciers during the ice age. Over the centuries, it’s accumulated enough leaf and pine needle droppings to support a little garden on its crest--a delicate and fragile mini-ecosystem. We name

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Lead paint poisoning affects over one million children today.

Learning disabilities, hearing loss, speech delays, violent behavior and, in rare cases, seizures and even death: these are just some of the effects lead paint poisoning has on young children. If your home was built before 1978, lead paint on your walls, doors, windows and sills may be dangerous. And it’s not just large paint chips that can cause damage. In fact, three granules of lead dust are enough to poison your child. Let’s make all kids lead-free kids. To learn more about the simple steps you can take to safeguard your family, log on to LEADFREEKIDS.org or call 800-424-LEAD.

For more information contact the Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 315-266-6147.

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Oneida County Health Department under leadership of Oneida County Executive, Anthony J. Picente, Jr.

APRIL

GAllery Guide Foothill Weavers & Fiber Arts Guild

The Artist Revealed: Artist Portraits & Self-Portraits from Syracuse University Art Galleries

Through May 2, 2015

Featuring works of spun fibers, woven yardage and constructed garments, panels and quilts, and works in traditional and non-traditional materials.

Through June 14, 2015

Fifty works in a variety of media that examine self-portraits and portraits of other artists.

Barrett Fine Art Gallery

Arkell Museum

Utica College 1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY (315) 792-5289 www.utica.edu/gallery

2 Erie Boulevard, Canajoharie, NY (518) 673-2314 www.arkellmuseum.org

A primitive mix of new and old purposeful clutter, handmades including wreaths, dolls, ornies, grubby prims, cabinets, framed prints, bird houses, finds, signs, seasonal wares & one of a kinds!

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Cloud Physics by Tony Thompson

“New Life, New Realms” by Nieves Saah

Through May 9, 2015

A combination of past works and newly created pieces all related to, or involving fascination with, the depiction of clouds.

April 4-30, 2015 Opening Reception: Sat., April 4, 5-7pm Brooklyn artist raised in the Basque area of Spain, creates richly painted canvases that pull us into her world of characters and their mysterious lives.

Earlville Opera House

18 East Main Street, Earlville, NY (315) 691-3550 www.earlvilleoperahouse.com

Cherry Branch Gallery

25 Main Street, Cherry Valley (607) 264-9530 www.cherrybranchgallery.com

Photography by Juan Carlos Rios Through April 15, 2015

April 1 - June 21, 2015 Lecture: Food for Thought: Colorama Sat., April 8, 12-3pm, Pre-registration

McLaughlin College Center, HCCC 100 Reservoir Road, Herkimer, NY (315) 792-7819 www.herkimer.edu

ROME CAPITOL THEATRE The World Famous GLENN MILLER ORCHESTRA

Friday, April 24, 7:00 pm

Rome

Part of the Capitol Theatre’s New Arts Complex

Playing the all-time greatest hits of the 1930s & ‘40s. Sponsored by the Gunther Group. RESERVED SEATING Adults $22, Seniors (62+) $16, Capitol Friends $13, Children (12 & under) $8.

Independent movies, art films, foreign films, and old favorites you can’t see anywhere else in Oneida County! Presented with new, state-of-the-art digital projection at popular prices!

Shows Thursday thru Sunday— Check website for shotimes.

5798 State Highway 80, Cooperstown, NY (607) 547-1400 www.fenimoreartmuseum.org

Coming Soon to

The new movie theater in Rome everybody is talking about!

234 W. Dominick St.

Fenimore Art Museum

Colorama

Cogar Gallery

Rome Arts Hall of Fame Sunday, April 26, 4:00 pm

Paying tribute to those who have influenced the arts in Rome, New York.

Refreshments will be served.

Adults $15, Students $10, Family Rate $40.

Live on Stage:

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD Saturday, May 9, 7:30 pm

Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is now a live stage play, presented by the National Players.

RESERVED SEATING; Adults $17, Seniors (62+) $16, Capitol Friends $15, Students and Children $12

For tickets, call 86

(315)

337-6453.

For full schedule or to buy tickets online, visit

www.romecapitol.com

A Long History Cut Short: Survey of Contemporary Printmaking from Syracuse University April 3- May 22, 2015

Kirkland Art Center

9 1/2 East Park Row, Clinton, NY (315) 853-8871 www.kacny.org

Made in Paint Exhibition

Sam and Adele Golden Gallery

April 11–July 31, 2015 Opening: Sat., April 11, 4:30-6:30pm

188 Bell Road, New Berlin, NY (607) 431-8765 www.thesagg.org

Narrowed Landscapes, photos by Margaret & Drew Sanborn April 1-30, 2015

Kirkland Town Library

Sacred Spaces, Ruth Foote April 7-May 8, 2015

Juergensen Gallery

Information Technology building, MVCC Campus 1101 Sherman Drive Utica, NY www.mvcc.edu/gallery

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Creative Journey in Pastels, Deborah Florentino-Dlugolecki April 11 - May 16, 2015 Opening Reception: Sat., April 11, 2-4pm

Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts 401 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY (315) 823-0808 www.mohawkvalleyarts.org

PrattMWP Full-Time Faculty Exhibition April 3 - May 14, 2015 Opening Reception: Fri., April 3, 5-7 pm

Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute 310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY (315) 797-0000 www.mwpai.org

Point of View, Mary Loy April 10- May 2, 2015 Opening Reception: Fri., April 10, 6 -9pm

The Other Side

2011 Genesee St. Utica, NY www.theothersideutica.org

Connie Avery: As I see it April 16-May28, 2015 Opening Reception: Thurs., April 16, 6-7:30pm Connie is legally blind and works in conjunction with the Central Association for Blind and Visually Impaired (CABI) and NYS Commission for the Blind

Rome Art & Community Center 308 West Bloomfield Street, Rome, NY (315) 336-1040 www.romeart.org

As the Wind Shifts, Stephen Parrone April 6- May 2, 2015 Opening Reception: Tues., April 10, 7:30-9:30pm

Studio PK101 247

Erie Blvd West, Rome, NY (315) 271-1667 www.studiopk101.com

Afterlives of Natural History, Denis Definba April 11-July 19 , 2015 Opening Reception: Sat., May 2, 2015, 5-7pm Denis Definbaugh specializes in exploring and photographing world cultures

View

3273 Route 28, Old Forge, NY (315) 369-6411 www.viewarts.org

Having an art opening? Let us know. Email: mohawkvalleyliving@hotmail.com

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MV Comics Featuring Rome artist & “Bob the Squirrel” creator, Frank Page!

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Foothills Mercantile

The BIG RED BARN filled to the rafters with antiques and vintage pieces, collectibles, glassware, furniture, accessories, and dealer supplies in all price ranges.

CAFE DOMENICO

Utica’s Genuine Java Joint • Great Coffee • Great Tunes • Local bagels & pastry • Better than average B.S. Where the best bums have met for 13 years!

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Over 20 Vendors!

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COSMIC BOWLING Friday Nights 9:30pm to 12am Saturday Nights 10:30pm to 1am

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Bowling Birthday Parties!

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Open: Mon - Thr 7am - 9pm, Fri 7am - 10pm Sat. 8am - 10pm, Sun 9am - 5pm

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GENESEE JOE’S LIVE & LOCAL:

Jimmy and the parrots Grab your beach chair, your suntan oil, and your favorite drink, and get ready for a trip to the islands with the ultimate tribute to Jimmy Buffett. For more than 12 years, Jimmy and the Parrots have been playing to delighted crowds all over the United States as well as the Caribbean. They have been a featured band for the last several Meeting of the Minds Parrot Head conventions in Key West, Florida. Their Key West performances also included well-known venues such as the Rick’s Café, Sloppy Joe’s, Pat Croce’s Rum Barrel, Schooner Wharf, and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

One of the most requested Jimmy Buffett cover bands in the country, Jimmy and the Parrots perform not only all the great Buffett songs you love, they also play

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new and classic rock ‘n roll, as well as outstanding original songs written by lead singer/guitarist Jimmy Maraventano.

Their cover songs include favorites by the Beach Boys, Zac Brown, Jerry Jeff Walker, Harry Belafonte, and Bob Marley, among many others. The band truly appeals to all ages and all musical tastes.

Listen to Genesee Joe live on 92.7FM, The DRIVE.

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Bike Shops Dick’s Wheel Shop, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Cheese Jake’s Gouda Cheese, Deansboro . . . . . . . . . . 40 Three Village Cheese, Newport . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Bowling State Bowl featuring Cosmic Bowling, Ilion . . . . . 89

Clothing Paca Gardens, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

COSMIC BOWLING Cleaners, Inc. Shirt Laundry, Cold Storage & More! (315) 733-0461 Utica: 1323 Rutger St. and 2524 Oneida St. Barneveld: Mapledale Plaza, Rt. 12 North

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Friday Nights 9:30pm to 12am Saturday Nights 10:30pm to 1am

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Berry Hill Book Shop

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2349 Rte 12-B, Deansboro, NY 315-821-6188 Open Tues-Sat 10-5 dls@berryhillbookshop.com 91

The Village Crossing, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 White Begonia, Sherrill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Coffee Shops Cafe Divino, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Cafe Domenico, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Spressos, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Comics Ravenswood Comics, New Hartford . . . . . . 20 Consignment The Queen’s Closet, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Revolve, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Treasures Lost & Found, New Hartford . . . . 10 The Village Basement, New Hartford . . . . . . 72 Delis Kountry Kupboard, Madison . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Olde Kountry Market, Vernon . . . . . . . . . . 85 Diners A Little Bit of Love, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Charlie’s Place, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Freddy’s Diner, Boonville . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Riverside Diner, Marcy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Village Diner, Barneveld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Wendy’s Diner, Cassville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Dry Cleaners M & M Cleaners, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Estate Sales Attic Addicts, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 The Potting Shed Antiques, Whitesboro . . . . 61 Events and Entertainment & Open Houses The Capitol Theatre, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Destination Create Festival, May 2&3 . . . . . 47 Hamilton College Performing Arts, Clinton . . 40

Mud Run, Deansboro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 The Stanley, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 White Begonia, Sherrill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Farm Equipment Clinton Tractor, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Hobby Hill Farm, Lee Center . . . . . . . . . 18 White’s Farm Supply, Waterville/Canastota . . 96 Farm Produce and Meats Jones Family Farm, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Locovore, Frankfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 North Star Orchards, Westmoreland . . . . . . . . 64 Redmond’s Red Deer Farm, Holland Patent . . . . 23 Szarek Farm & Greenhouses, Westmoreland . . 78 Stoltzfus Family Dairy, Vernon Center . . . . . 75 Sunnybrook Farm, Deansboro . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Twin Orchards, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Fencing Williams Fence, Deansboro . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Financial Institutions Adirondack Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Bank of Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Financial Services Turnbull Insurance, New Hartford . . . . . . . . 26 Van Meter & Van Meter, Little Falls . . . . . . . . 87 Fitness Apparel Sneaker Store, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Flooring D&D Carpets of Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Enjem’s Carpet, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Tru-Line Hardwood Flooring, Whitesboro . . 45 Florists Clinton Florist, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Michael’s Greenhouse, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . 87 Village Floral, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Forest Equipment Hud-son Forest Equipment, Barneveld . . . . 32 Funeral Services Nunn & McGrath, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Furniture Adirondack Furniture, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Ironwood Furniture, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Jeff ’s Amish Furniture, Jordanville . . . . . . . . . 18 Just Lean Back, Richfield Springs . . . . . . . . . . 19 Furniture Makers Custom Woodcraft, Munnsville . . . . . . . . . . . 79 Garden Centers and Greenhouses Casler Flower Farm, West Winfield . . . . . . . 37 George’s Nursery & Garden, Clinton . . . . . 21 Michael’s Greenhouse, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . 87 Szarek Greenhouses, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 General Contracting Larry E. Winslow & Sons, Richfield Springs . . 11 Gift Shop s Between Us Sisters, Munnsville . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Butternut Barn, Richfield Springs . . . . . . . . 79 Casler Flower Farm, West Winfield . . . . . . . 37 Cobbler and Company, Sharon Springs . . . . . 53 Country Connections, Boonville . . . . . . . . . . 61 The Crafty Hand Craft Mall, Rome . . . . . . 70 Fusion Art Gallery, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Hummingbird Kreations, Rome . . . . . . . . . 46 Life Discovery, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Little Falls Antique Center, Little Falls . . . . . . 57 Mystical Dragonfly, Richfield Springs . . . . 72 Newport Marketplace, Newport . . . . . . . . . . 40

NYS INSPECTIONS • OIL CHANGES • TUNE UPS • COLLISION WORK • AC

Complete Collision and Mechanical Repair Since 1987

7509 Route 5 • Clinton, New York 13323 • Phone 315-853-8804

WWW.UTICAROCKS.COM

Oneida Commons Vendor Mall, Oneida . . . . 72 Paca Gardens, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Pathway of Pearls, Schuyler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Remington Country Store, Ilion . . . . . . . . . 17 Signature 81, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Sticks n Stones, Waterville . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 White Begonia, Sherrill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Goldmine Jewelers, New Hartford . . . . . . . 82

View, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Landscaping ADK Landscaping, serving MV region . . . 37

Golf and Recreation Twin Ponds Golf & Country Club, NY Mills . . 75

Liquor Stores and Wine Lotto Liquors, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Seneca Liquor, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Trenton Station Liquor & Wine, Barneveld . . . 60

Natural Food Stores Brenda’s Natural Foods, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Cooperstown Naturals, Cooperstown . . . . . . 17 Peter’s Cornucopia, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . 73 Sunflower Naturals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Tom’s Natural Foods, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

Grocery/Convenience Stores B & F Milk Center, Whitesboro. . . . . . . . . . . 27 The Country Store, Dolgeville . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Deansboro Superette, Deansboro . . . . . . . . . . 16 Meelan’s Market, Clark Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Mohawk Village Market, Mohawk . . . . . . . . 88 Olde Kountry Market, Vernon . . . . . . . . . . 85 Reilly’s Dairy, Inc., Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Hardware/Farm & Home Earley Farm and Hardware, Inc., Madison . . . 76 Lincoln Davies, Sauquoit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Morgan’s Hardware, Waterville . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Turner Lumber, Barneveld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Heating Oil Little Falls Fuel, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Hobby Shops Locomotion Hobby, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Independent Living Acacia Village, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Insurance Turnbull Insurance, New Hartford . . . . . . . 26 Iron Work - Architectural & Ornamental Raulli’s Iron Works, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Jewelry Clinton Jewelers, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Fall Hill Bead & Gem, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . 57

Lighting Mills Electrical Supply, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Lodging Canal Side Inn, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Manufactured and Modular Home Builders G & I Homes, Utica/Vernon/Oneonta . . . . . 18 Larry E. Winslow & Sons, Richfield Springs . . 11 Maple Syrup Ben & Judy’s Sugarhouse, West Edmeston . . . . 18 Shaw’s Maple Products, Clinton . . . . . . . . . 34 Tibbits Maple, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . 56

Nursing Job Opportunity Herkimer BOCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Olive Oils/Balsamic Vinegars Adirondack Oil Co., New Hartford . . . . . . . 62 Opticians Towpath Vision Care, Little Falls . . . . . . . 24 Pet Memorialization and Cremation Forget-Me-Not Pet Memorialization . . . . . . 42 Pet Services One Paw at a Time Pet Salon, Whitesboro . . . 28 Not Just Poodles Pet Salon, Whitesboro . . . . 16

Marinas Bird’s Marine, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Pet Shops Wild Things, New York Mills . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Media 1450 WKAL, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 92.7 The Drive WXUR, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 Clinton Courier, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Weekly Adirondack, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . . 59 WCNY, Syracuse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 FOX33/WUTR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Pharmacies Garro Drugs, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Monuments Yorkville Memorials, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Museums Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown . . . . . . . 15 Fenimore Art Museum, Cooperstown . . . . 37 Goodsell Museum, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Remington Arms Museum, Ilion . . . . . . . . . 17

Physical Therapy Inertia Physical Therapy, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Northern Physical Therapy, Utica . . . . . . . . 35 Photography Fusion Art/The Photo Shoppe, Rome . . . . . 67 Pizzerias Bazan Bakery, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 DiCastro’s Brick Oven, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Primo Pizzeria, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Portable Restrooms Mohawk Ltd., Chadwicks . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Over 200 Aquariums!

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2010 Oriskany St. West Utica, NY (315) 733-0421

Carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic tile, and luxury vinyl

Primitives Between Us Sisters, Munnsville . . . . . . . . . 85 Butternut Barn, Richfield Springs . . . . . . . . . 79 Public Service Oneida County Health Department . . . . . 84 Quilt and Yarn Shops Stash Away Quilt Shoppe, Rome . . . . . . . . 33 Tiger Lily Quilt Co, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 Real Estate Bird’s Realty, Old Forge . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Hunt for Homes, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . 46 Record Stores Off-Center Records, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ReImagine Records, New Hartford . . . . . . . . 5 Restaurants and Cafés Ann St. Deli, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Black Cat, Sharon Springs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Cafe Crete, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Canal Side Inn, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Cavallos, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Club Monarch, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Copper Moose Ale House, Little Falls . . . . . 74 DiCastro’s Brick Oven, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . 83 Dominick’s Deli, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Georgio’s, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Heidelberg Baking Co., Herkimer . . . . . . . . 55 Karam’s Middle East Bakery, NY Mills . . . . . 10 The Knight Spot, Frankfort . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 Knuckleheads Brewhouse, Westmoreland . . 30 Mitsuba Hibachi, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . 36 Ohio Tavern, Cold Brook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Papa Joe’s Restaurant, New Hartford . . . . . . 33 Phoenician Restaurant, New Hartford . . . . . 21 Piccolo Cafe, Little Falls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Quack’s Village Inn, Madison . . . . . . . . . . . 35

A Little Bit of Love “Home of the Cupcake Bouquet”

Specialty Cakes & Desserts Full Party Dessert Bars Available Serving breakfast made from local ingredients all day, Lunch 11-2 Open: Tues-Fri: 5am-2pm; Sat: 8am-2pm

1401 Bleecker St., Utica (315) 765-6301 www.a-littlebitoflove.com

Rosa’s Trattoria, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Roso’s Cafe & Catering, Utica . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Sammy & Annie Foods, Utica . . . . . . . . . . 13 Spaghetti Kettle, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Spressos, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Recreational Vehicles CJ Motor Sports, Boonville . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Seamstress & Tailors Libbey’s Sew Blessed, Sherrill . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Sheds and Garages Shafer & Sons, Westmoreland . . . . . . . . . 34 Shoes Karaz Shoes, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Sneaker Store, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . 62 The Village Crossing, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . 83

Small Engine Repair J.B.’s Small Engine Works, Utica . . . . . . . . 79 Soap Cranberry Ridge Goat Milk Soap . . . . . . . . . 29 Specialty Wood Wightman Specialty Woods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Support Groups Obsessive Compulsive, Utica, Mon: 6:30pm . . . 21

Tax Services Briggs Tax Service, Whitesboro . . . . . . . . . . 63

Travel Agencies The Cruise Wizards, Whitesboro . . . . . . . . 88 Websites Utica Remember When . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Utica Rocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Weddings and Banquets Cavallos, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Club Monarch, Yorkville . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 DiCastro’s Too, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Twin Ponds Golf & Country Club, NY Mills . . . 75 Wellness and Health Therapy Curves, Herkimer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Mystical Dragonfly, Richfield Springs . . . . 72 Pathway of Pearls, Schuyler . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Zensations, Rome . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Windows RA Dudrak, Holland Patent . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Window Treatments Joan’s Draperies, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . 17 Wine Bars and Ale Houses Cavallos, New Hartford . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Copper Moose Ale House, Little Falls . . . . . 74 Kikko’s Bistro and Wine Bar, Rome . . . . . . . . 28 Wineries Pailshop Vineyards, Fly Creek . . . . . . . . . 28

Tourism Old Forge, Town of Webb . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Towing Services Clinton Collision, Clinton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Larry E. Winslow & Sons General Contractors

Specializing in Locally Built Bill Lake Modular Homes

A Turn Key Contractor (315) 858-2236 643 State Route 28, Richfield Springs

April 25th Bill Lake Modular Homes Plant Open House!

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(315) 429-9591

12 South Main St., Dolgeville

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Steet-Ponte Ford Lincoln Mazda

3036 State Route 28 Herkimer, NY 13350 (315) 866-5080

5074 Commercial Drive Yorkville, NY 13495 (315) 736-3381

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5046 Commercial Drive Yorkville, NY 13495 (315) 736-8291

4991 Commercial Drive Yorkville, NY 13495 (315) 736-8241

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Kubota Kubota Sales Event Sales Event

More Power to You! More Power to You! Kubota

More Power to You! Sales Event

Power your projects with Kubota’s Z100 Series residential zero-turn mowers.

0 0

0 0 99

36 48

your projects with Kubota’s Z100 Series residential zero-turn mowers.* $PowerDown % Financing , for up to Months Power your projects with Kubota’s Z100 Series residential zero-turn mowers. $ Down, . %Offer * ends 3/31/15.

Financing for Months $ 0 Down, 0.99% Financing * for 48 Months Offer ends 4/30/15.

A.P.R.

A.P.R.

A.P.R.

Offer ends 4/30/15.

White’s Farm Supply, Inc.

4154 Route 31 Canastota (315) 697-2214

962 Route 12 Waterville (315) 841-4181

8207 Route 26 Lowville (315) 376-0300

www.whitesfarmsupply.com

down, 0.99% A.P.R. financing 48 months purchases of Z100/ZG100 and (excluding F Series equipment available to qualified purchasers *$0 down,*$00% A.P.R. financing for up for to up 36tomonths ononpurchases ofnew newKubota Kubota equipment VS Series) is available to qualifiedfrom purchasers from participating participating dealers’ in-stock through 4/30/2015.AExample: A 48-month installment repaymentterm termat at 0% 0.99% A.P.R.requires requires 4836payments of $21.26 dealers’ in-stock inventory throughinventory 3/31/2015.

Example: 36-month monthlymonthly installment repayment A.P.R. payments of $27.78 per $1,000 per $1,000 financed. 0.99% A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee financed. shall 0% be A.P.R. interest is available to customers if no dealer documentation preparation fee is charged. Dealer charge for document preparation fee shall be in in accordance with state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental accordance with state laws.

Inclusion ineligible equipment may result a higher A.P.R. Not for Rental, National Accounts orU.S.A., Governmental customers. *$0 down, 0.99% A.P.R. financing forofup to 48 months onavailable purchases ofinnew Kubota Z100/ZG100 and available FisSeries available to qualified purchasers from customers.

0.99% A.P.R. and low-rate financing may not be with customer instantblended rebate offers.

Financing availableequipment through Kubota Credit Corporation, © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015 0% A.P.R.3401 andDel low-rate financing may notthrough besubject available with customer rebate offers.

Financing is repayment available through Kubota Credit U.S.A., 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; to credit approval.

Someinstant exceptions apply.

Offer expires 4/30/2015.

See us for detailsaton these and otherCorporation, low-rate 48 payments participating dealers’ in-stock inventory 4/30/2015.

Example: A 48-month monthly installment term 0.99% A.P.R. requires of $21.26 © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015 options or go toCA www.kubota.com for more information.

Optional equipment shown.

Amo Torrance, 90503; subject to credit approval. exceptions apply.

Offer expires 3/31/2015. for detailsDealer on these and for other low-ratepreparation options or fee per Blvd., $1,000 financed.

0.99% A.P.R. interest is available to Some customers ifmay no be dealer documentation preparationSee fee us is charged. charge document kubota.com goshall to www.kubota.com more information.

Optional equipment may be shown. be in accordanceforwith state laws. Inclusion of ineligible equipment may result in a higher blended A.P.R. Not available for Rental, National Accounts or Governmental kubota.com customers. 0.99% A.P.R. and low-rate financing may not be available with customer instant rebate offers. Financing is available through Kubota Credit Corporation, U.S.A., © Kubota Tractor Corporation, 2015 3401 Del Amo Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503; subject to credit approval. Some exceptions apply. Offer expires 4/30/2015. See us for details on these and other low-rate