Mohawk Valley Living December 2013 Issue

adk potato and cheddar soup recipe!

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MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING

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EXPLORING THE ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE OF OUR VALLEY

The Taste of Home FROM FARM TO FASHION FIBER PROCESSING FROM START TO FINISH

Christmas in

COLD BROOK 1974

rome history famous richfield springs artist

cheers from Hamilton

DECEMBER 2013

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Here’s the correct info:

MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING MAGAZINE December, 2013 PUBLISHER Vincent R. Whitney EDITOR Sharry L. Whitney DESIGNER Lance David Whitney ASSISTANT EDITOR Shelley Delosh CONTRIBUTORS Peggy Spencer Behrendt, Brian Howard, Suzie Jones, John Keller, Frank Page, Susan Perkins, W.C. Pope, Matt Perry, Gary VanRiper, Gary Price, Sarah Price CONTACT US (315) 853-7133 30 Kellogg Street Clinton, NY 13323 www.MohawkValleyLiving.com mohawkvalleypublishing@gmail.com Mohawk Valley Living is a monthly magazine & television show exploring the area’s arts, culture, and heritage.

Copyright © 2013. All rights reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of Mohawk Valley Publishing.

Printed at Vicks in Yorkville, NY.

Homestyle Specialty Foods www.homestylespecialtyfoods.com

contents 4 6 7 8 11 13 14 17 18 21 22 24 28 35 36 38 39 41 42 46 47

MV Waterfalls Made Here Interview: John Hutson Dancing Through Life Little Falls Historical Society Local Arts: Tim Pryputniewicz On the Farm with Suzie Did You Know?

Winter (RE)Quests Recipe: ADK Potato Soup Gallery Guide Christmas Bird Count From Farm to Fashion Natural Provider Artist Ellen Clappsaddle Meet the Band: WICKED Notes from the Road Rome Historical Society Our First Year: 1974 MV Comics MV Flash Lit Snowman fiber sculpture by Liz Vermeulen at Mill Artisans in Sherburne

On the Cover: Suzie Jones of Jones Family Farm in Herkimer holds a basket of products produced in the Mohawk Valley, including apples, squash and almond butter from North Star Orchards, Turkey Joints, Finster Honey, Diva Farms Garlic, ADK Cheese, Three Village Cheese, Jake’s Gouda, Palatine Cheese, Stoltzfus Yogurt, Mom & Pop’s Homestyle Popcorn, Mu Mu Muesli, and Utica Coffee.

Live Local by Sharry L. Whitney

Why are we fascinated by spinning wheels?

Whenever someone sets up to spin at a local market or festival, you’ll find kids and adults gathered around, mesmerized by the process. I think it’s because it is a connection to the creation of one of our basic needs— clothing. When you know where your sweater or scarf came from, they just feel warmer.

There’s a campaign to encourage people to “Shop Local,” but to me, the slogan seems inadequate. I understand that a campaign has to be simple and direct to be effective, but what does “Shop Local” really mean? I can buy something within a mile of my home, but that doesn’t make it local.

The economic reason to buy something made or grown by our neighbors is to support the local economy. The real “payoff,” however, is knowing our neighbors. Our connection to the studio, workshop, or farm, and the people who create the products we use, is the foundation of our community.

So how about Live Local? Isn’t that what it’s really all about? That interconnection with the people who live near us and share our space in the world. The sharing of products, ideas, hardships, and bounty with our “extended family.”

And, on a cold winter’s day, when you pass your neighbor’s herd of sheep or alpaca, you’ll get a warm feeling, and it’s not just your sweater. .

Next Issue:

January 1st

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winter GUIDE to local

waterfalls Part 2

by Sharry L. Whitney

Visiting waterfalls in the wintertime can be magical. Sometimes, especially after a cold, breezy night, surrounding rocks and trees are coated in a frozen mist, turning the world into an enchanted ice palace! This can also make for some slippery footing, so be careful.

Rexford Falls, Sherburne You have an unusual perspective at Rexford Falls—a view from 30 feet above the waterfalls! Spanning the Mad Brook gorge is a pedestrian bridge. Built in 1877, it one of the oldest bridges in Chenango County. After a heavy rain or snow melt, the rush of water underneath the bridge is an amazing sight! There is a picnic area next to the parking spot, but we prefer the pretty pine-needle carpeted woods across the bridge for a picnic.

The more adventurous can hike up a tributary found about a half mile west of the parking area. You can walk/wade upstream to the base of the falls, like the Bullthistle Hiking Club did this past summer. For info, visit: www.bullthistlehiking.org. While in town, be sure to stop in to Gilligan’s for homemade ice cream, open yearround. Photos courtesy of Bullthistle Hiking Club member Warren Johnsen. You can find his prints at the Olde Village Mercantile, 45 South Main Street, Sherburne, NY. Location: East State Street, Sherburne, NY GPS: 43.14094, -74.78764 Photo by Warren Johnsen

Directions: From Main St. (Route 12) in Sherburne. Travel about 1.5 miles east on East State St. to a parking area on the right.

Osceola of the Ravine “One half white, one half colored, and one half Indian,” is how Sarah “Sally” Tucker described herself.

This Sherburne resident lived in a cabin (pictured left) in the Rexford Falls ravine in the late 1800s. She was also known as Osceola and was believed to be a direct descendant of Seminole Chief, Osceola.

She picked and sold berries and herbs to support herself and her disabled husband and was described as quite a character. You can read a story about this fascinating woman from the Sherburne Pictorial on our website: www.mohawkvalleyliving.com. Thanks to musician Pamme Swan for sharing this story with us.

Shop from Home!

BareNakedFurniture.com 2209 St. Rt. 5, Schuyler (315) 735-3114

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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!

6170 Valley Mills St., Munnsville (315) 495-2470 Tue - Sat: 10-5, Sun: 11-4

Salmon River Falls, spectacular in summer and winter!

Spruce Creek Falls, Salisbury Center Photo courtesy of Oswego County Tourism

Photo by Harry Berking*

Salmon River Falls, Orwell It’s hard to say if Salmon River Falls is more exciting in the summer or wintertime. In summer, the dynamics of the plummeting water is exhilarating. In winter, frozen stalactites create the feeling of looking into a giant polar ice cavern.

These falls are the most popular waterfalls in Oswego County and has been a popular spot since the Onondaga, Oneida, and Cayuga tribes used to harvest salmon here. The falls were the upstream “dead-end” to salmon migration. At 110 feet high, the falls would have been quite a leap for any fish!

In the early 1900s, water was diverted from the falls for hydroelectric power. But, due to the public’s interest in this nature wonder, a requirement was made in 1996 directing Niagara Mohawk to make minimum flow releases.

The Salmon River Falls Unique Area is open year round dawn to dusk. From May 1 to Nov. 15 you can hike down the 600-footlong Gorge Trail created by the ADK Mountain Club. It’s a steep demanding trail and quite a workout (remember, you have to climb back up again!) There is also a wheelchair accessible trail that provides an enjoyable hiking experience to the falls.

Location: Falls Road, Orwell, NY GPS 43.549264, -75.943472 Directions from Camden: Take Route 13N for 18 miles to Altmar.

Turn right on Cemetery Road (Route 22) and travel 4.5 miles and then bear right on Falls Road. Travel just over a mile on Falls Road to parking area on right. Follow signs to different trail heads.

Photo above is of Syracuse University Outing Club’s ice climbing team. *See more of Harry Berking’s amazing photographs on Flickr (hberking).

Spruce Creek Falls in Salisbury Center is a postcard of a place. There’s a covered bridge crossing the creek just above the falls as if it were built there just to compliment the natural beauty of the creek and falls, but it wasn’t. It was actually built

by Alvah Hopson near his home in 1857 and was later moved to this location. The bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Spruce Creek once powered nine nearby mills.

This is a beautiful picnic spot in the summertime and a quiet, scenic spot in the winter.

There is a second waterfall just 500’ downstream. If you drive, it is just another 0.1 mile farther down Fairview Road to Kingsley Road which crosses over Spruce Creek Lower Falls.

Location: 370 Fairview Road, Salisbury Center, NY GPS 43.14094, -74.78764 Directions: From Salisbury Center, take NY 29 south just 100 feet and turn right onto Fairview Road, the bridge is just 0.1 mile ahead with parking areas to the left on either side of the bridge.

Secret Caverns You can visit this 100-foot waterfall any time of year and it’s always 50 degrees—because it’s underground! Located just 15 miles east of our friends in Sharon Springs, Secret Caverns is a fun—best described as “kitschy”—family day trip. The caverns at this self-proclaimed “Speleological Center of the Universe,” are just part of the fun; hand-painted signs advertising the place are now becoming an attraction in themselves.

Location: 671 Caverns Road Howes Cave, NY GPS: 42.709,-74.3913 (518) 296-8558 www.secretcaverns.com Open weekends in December, 10am-4pm, requires admission and includes guided tour.

Made Here

products created or manufactured in our region morris

Udderly Dependable Howard Naylor was a son of a farmer in Morris, NY, who went off to Cornell University to be an engineer and ended up in veterinary science. Dr. Naylor’s innovative products have been helping people who are concerned with the health of their animals with proven “Dependables” since 1926. The company is still located in Morris at 121 Main St., www.drnaylor.com

H.W. Naylor Co., Inc.

Good Days Are For Walking Musician and author Donna Mucks, of Forestport, wrote “Good Days Are for Walking” as a tribute to her dog, Tasha, who was diagnosed with lymphoma.

It is the story of a cancer diagnosis and treatment as seen through her dog’s eyes. It is also a resource guide to help facilitate discussion of a difficult topic.

Available in Forestport at The Station Country Store; in New Hartford at Barnes & Noble, Life Discovery, and Village Toy Shop; and Old Forge Hardware.

Good days Are For Walking

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www.donnamucks.com

rome

Bread in Rome

Igor Stamati shows off some of the fresh baked italian bread at the new Risen Bakery in Rome.

The business was opened a year ago by brothers, and Rome natives, Joe and Mike Mellace.

Their parents moved to this area from Italy in 1962 and the family has been in the baking business ever since.

216 Erie Blvd East, Rome, NY (315) 533-5767

Risen Bakery

www.risenfoods.com

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Visit our website for more info: www.mohawkvalleyliving.com

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forestport

hamilton

Good Nature Brewing

Husband and wife team Matt Whalen and Carrie Blackmore own Good Nature Brewing, Farm Brewery & Tap Room. The Great Chocolate Wreck, one of their many brews, is an imperial chocolate stout brewed to commemorate a train wreck in September of 1955. A freight train carrying a load of chocolate derailed from the Ontario and Western Railroad in Hamilton. The village celebrates the event every year, the next one is to be held on September 20, 2014.

Good Nature Brewing

www.goodnaturebrewing.com

The Music never stops:

John Hutson

By John Keller

One of this area’s most prolific performers is John Hutson. You can find him playing with Monk Rowe, Tom Townsley, Al Nathan and a host of others. Besides being a phenomenal guitarist, John is a bassist, vocalist, recording engineer, producer and songwriter. He performed on and produced my album, ‘Captive Audio.’ I recently got a chance to talk with John, during a break in his busy schedule, about his career in music.

Are you originally from this area?

I’m originally from Gary, Indiana, but moved to Windsor, CT, when I was 14 and went to high school there. I graduated from Northeastern U in Boston and spent 19 years in Southern California before moving to Utica 16 years ago.

What got you started with a career in music?

Any formal training?

I had been messing around with guitar for about 6 months when I saw The Beatles on Ed Sullivan. That was it for me. From then on, I wanted to be George Harrison. Guess I’m still trying. I took private guitar lessons from a local teacher in Windsor, CT, and then went on the road in the early 70s and eventually graduated from The Guitar Institute of Technology in the mid 80s. I’m now a guitar teacher (John Hutson Guitar and Piano Instruction in New Hartford) and am constantly studying the guitar in one form or another. Youtube is a font of information and the source of much of what I am now studying.

What bands have you played with?

I’ve played in more bands than I can remember.

While most of them were Top 40 oriented, in traveling along my musical highway I’ve been a member of Country, Hard Rock, and Blues bands.

Best & worst band experiences?

The best part about being in a good band is the “high” you get when everybody is cooking on a tune and somehow the band transcends the sum of the parts. For that space in time, the group is playing like you could never play on your own. It’s the pursuit of perfection; the search for Nirvana, the God complex, whatever you want to call it. That “feeling” for me has always been what keeps me interested and turned on to making music. That, and picking up chicks of course (he says with a laugh). I’ve tried to forget the worst of the band experiences.

What projects are you currently undertaking?

My projects now are pretty much the same as they’ve always been; I try to play out as much as I can, write songs when the spirit moves me, and record them and the music of other musicians in my studio. I think it’s important for a musician be open to any music situation that might present itself. I tell my students that no matter how musically advanced you may feel over another musician, chances are they know something about music that you may never have thought of. You’ve got to stay open to new

opportunities and what is going on around you.

What is your take on the local music scene today? Differences from the past? What do you think could/should be changed?

When I decided I wanted to pursue music, there was what seemed like an unlimited number of places to play. After college I got in a band in the Boston area and it wasn’t long before I was playing between 5 and 7 nights a week.

Often we’d play a wedding on Saturday and a gig that night. I literally learned to play on a bandstand and got paid while I learned. Seems now that if you want to play that much you have to be signed to a label and get on a tour. I wonder where the young musicians of today are learning to ply their craft.

There is really no substitute for “bandstand time” if you want to learn how to entertain and think on your feet. I’d love to see more local venues have live music multiple days of the week, but I don’t see people going out as much.

Any advice for the new generation of bands and music makers?

The only advice I would give is “Enjoy the ride”. Don’t expect to get rich and famous because it probably won’t happen. But man, making music can be a lot of fun. And for me, there’s nothing more fulfilling than the feeling I get when I know I’m playing well and I can see someone in the audience is feeling it, too.

The only advice I would give is, “Enjoy the Ride.”

Local musician, John Keller, is the owner of Off Center Records in downtown Utica, NY.

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dancing Through Life

by Vincent R. Whitney

Partner dancing, in particular ball- rently teach ballroom classes regularly at room dancing, has seen a resurgence over MVCC, where people of all ages take lesthe past decade. This is due, in part, to sons for fun, exercise, or just for special the rising popularity of recent TV shows occasions. For Gina and Luca, teaching is a such as Dancing with the Stars and So great way to share their love of dance with You Think You Can Dance. Now others. there is a convergence of many

While there are teachdifferent generations of ers like Gina and Luca who Even though dancers; some have been teach classes, many college most people will dancing for decades, while students take it upon themnever dance comselves to start ballroom others have only known ballroom in its recent poppetitively, ballroom groups of their own. On ularity. college campuses across dance is still fun for the U.S., and here at home Locally, Gina and Luca Esposito have been at Colgate University and everyone. dancing together for 52 years Hamilton College, students and have been married for 51 have been creating and organizyears. Their chemistry on the dance ing ballroom clubs for both social floor is inspiring to other couples. They and competitive dance. In social dancing, have seen the ebb and flow of ballroom’s couples are simply dancing for the joy of it. popularity over the years and have danced In competitive ballroom dancing, howevthrough it all. They also teach dance and er, couples compete against other dancers have volunteered their at large competitions where they are time teaching at local judged on their technical skills and public schools—intheir performance. Couples dance stilling the love of simultaneously on the floor dance in younger with other competitors. generations.

These clubs meet to They curlearn and dance traditional ballroom dances as well as the more modern latin dances.

Many of these groups don’t have an official coach; they are simply

Andrew and Ilona dancing the Samba at one of the many competitions in which they compete.

organized and taught by the more experienced dancers on their teams. The newer members learn how to dance from the older members—as well as from visiting coaches— being groomed to one day take over as the more experienced members of the team.

These groups compete all over the U.S. in collegiate and amateur events, competing for titles as well as for fun. Two dancers who are no strangers to the competitive scene are Andrew and Ilona Prouty of Syracuse.

Gina and Luca, slowly breaking down the motions of a move at one of their classes at MVCC.

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Andrew Prouty returned to Syracuse in 1998 after completing his bachelor’s degree in education in Arizona where he began dancing at Desert Terrace Dance Studio in Tucson. In Syracuse, he met his soon-to-be dance partner and wife, Ilona.

Ilona started taking dance lessons at the age of three with a primary concentration in ballet in Poughkeepsie, NY. Ilona dabbled in musical theater in high school where she used her dance and music training. She came to Syracuse in 1995 to pursue her physical therapy Master’s degree in the health science Center. She is now a full-time therapist at Crouse Hospital.

Andrew and Ilona met during a dance lesson held by the late Bruce Heffron, who was instrumental in bringing social ballroom dance to the Central New York area.

They danced in Syracuse together socially and began performing exhibitions at local dances. Together they founded Syracuse DanceSport, a local chapter of USA Dance.

They also began competing in the open amateur level of American Smooth and International Latin dance and recently won first place in the USA Dance Senior II Latin National Championships. They will be traveling to Italy to represent the United States

Gina and Luca (center) posing with dancers from their classes at MVCC.

at the World Senior II Latin Championships this year.

Even though most people will never dance competitively, ballroom dance is still fun for everyone. It is a great lifelong hobby as well as a skill you will cherish for many years to come.

To get involved locally the Kallet Civic Center, located on 159 Main Street in Oneida, has social dancing every first Sun-

day and third Saturday of the month. The Sunday events also include a free lesson at the start of the dance. The socials have a cover charge of $12. Gina and Luca start their classes in January and will have classes for beginning dancers, advanced dancers, as well as a Latin dancing class. You can call Gina and Luca for more information at (315)-272-7238.

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See Moss Island, 40’ Lift Lock on the Erie Canal, Kayaking and Rock Climbing

The Mustard Seed & Stone Mill Antiques Join us for Christmas in Little Falls Jazz vocalist Jane Monheit performing December 21st

December 14th.

christmasinlittlefalls.com Tue - Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sun: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm 410 Canal Place, Little Falls (315) 823-0718

piccolo cafe

Known throughout The Valley for hearty homemade soups, traditional Italian and zesty Mexican dishes!

Check out our tempting specials on facebook every week!

Lunch Monday-Friday, Dinner Wednesday-Sunday 365 Canal Place, Little Falls www.piccolo-cafe.com

Little Falls Antique Center

Coffee, Latte, Cappuccino, Specialty Teas, Sandwiches and Soups Free wifi Open daily 10-9 315 868-0910 410 Canal Place Little Falls NY 13365

Canal Place, Little Falls Open Every Day 10-5 www.littlefallsantiquecenter.com

A visit To The

Little Falls Historical society

Cheese stamp from the 1800s when Little Falls was Cheese Capital of the nation.

Our Historic Building The Little Falls Historical Society Museum building was built in 1833 as the first bank in Little Falls and Herkimer County.

It once overlooked the busy cheese market as depicted in the drawing to the right in which a portion of the museum building can be seen.

Better Butter

Chr. Hansen’s Laboratory of Little Falls advertised Dandelion Brand Butter Color.

The product was added to butter, ice cream, and other products to give them a brighter yellow color and make them more appealing. Today, the company is headquartered in Denmark.

Little Falls, Big History

Tow Our Biceards “Towards Our Bicentennial 1811-2011, ntennial 1811 - 20 11 Bicentennial Writing Series” is a brand Bicenten nial Wri ti A Collecti ng Series on of Artic new book containing highly personalles Compo Contribut sed and ed by Littl e Falls Re sidents ized stories—a chronological history of Past and Present memorable events in Little Falls. Some of the stories are about wars, some about athletic teams, and others about youthful neighborhood experiences.

Little Fal The book can be ordered by phone at ls Historic al Society Little Falls , New Yo rk one of the following numbers: (315) 823-9217, 823-0620, 823-2799, or 663-8962. It is also available at the museum, hosting special holiday hours on December 7th, 14th, and 21st, 2013.

Hours by appointment

Berry Hill Book Shop

2349 State Route 12-B Deansboro, NY 13328

75,000 old, rare and out-of-print books!

315-821-6188

dls@berryhillbookshop.com

Buying, Selling, Renting and Repairing The

iolin Shoppe

Werner Koegst 4169 Highbridge Rd Oneida, NY 13421

315-363-6314

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Ukrainian Heritage

The first immigrants from Western Ukraine arrived in Little Falls in 1906. After World War I, the immigration laws allowed a large number of Ukranians to come to the United States. Many settled in the Mohawk Valley area and, in particular, Little Falls. There are many local Ukranian items currently on display at the museum.

A Stitch in Time On display is a quilt made from twelve embroidered squares discovered in the basement of the museum. Upon investigation, it was learned that several charter members of the museum had created the squares with the intention of making a wall hanging quilt. One of the museum members and her family created the quilt making that dream a reality.

Come see the finished piece.

The King’s Seal This original land grant to Johan Jost Schnell and Jacob Zimmerman is dated May 30, 1755. This document still has the seal of King George II on display with it!

Also on sale at the museum are other books of local history.

Overlook Mansion

Little Falls Historical Society

The museum will host special holiday hours on December 7, 14, and 21, 2013.

The museum’s regular season is mid-May to September.

319 S. Ann Street, Little Falls, NY (315) 823-0643

www.lfhistoricalsociety.com

315-823-1907 A Spectacular Setting

B&B Weddings Meetings Special Events 55 Douglas Street, Little Falls www.overlookmansion.com

Saturday, Dec 14, 9-2 Sunday, Dec 15, 8-1 FREE events for the family, horse and carriage rides, music, shopping, dining, and indoor famers’ market and artisans’ fair!

Local Arts:

TIM PRYPUTNIEWICZ

“I am a life-long resident of Central New York and now reside in Franklin Springs. I spent my younger years growing up on the family potato farm—which explains why some of my favorite drawing subjects are old, weathered barns. As they age, much like people, they take on a unique character and become more interesting.”

Tim is currently taking commissions for his pen & ink and watercolor paintings. You can find his work at the Artisans’ Corner in Clinton and at his studio, The Wooden Pig. (315) 853-7053 www.thewoodenpig.com

-Tim Pryputniewicz

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On the farm with Suzie:

my extended farm family

by Suzie Jones

December is the month I’m busy preparing for my favorite event of the year—our annual Christmas party. The house is finally cleaned after months of being ignored and decorations cover every wall. Fun, new cocktails are devised. I cook the whole week prior to the gathering—pulling bounty from our freezers and filling the house with holiday aromas. Ever since our very first year on the farm, we’ve held a Christmas party, inviting our friends

and neighbors over to show our gratitude and love.

I had always thought of farming— by its very nature—as a lonely profession. I can go for days without seeing or talking to another soul outside of my own family. It is often what draws people to farming. If you like to work alone, if you like animals or working on equipment, and if you like being outdoors—farming may be the life for you. And if you live on a quiet country road like we do, you

know who is driving by just from the sound of their vehicle. “There goes Brad!” or “Cindy’s home from work!” are things we say on a daily basis.

But farming brings people together in ways I hadn’t expected. Before we moved to Herkimer ten years ago, we lived in a city about the size of Utica.

We lived there for eight years before we met any of our neighbors (and that was only because I had locked myself out of the house). We were surrounded on all sides by people we saw every day, but knew none of them. Contrast that with our first day on the f a r m , when we were

Art by Tim Pryputniewicz. His work is available at the Artisans’ Corner in Clinton.

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visited by four neighbors. Henry’s barn farming neighbors took us under their had burned down the month prior and collective wings and helped us at every turn. And it was often just a kind he wanted to inquire about our bulk word that helped the most. In milk tank. Eric grew up in my early days of assisting our house. Joanne was mother goats during curious. And Bob birth and tending to wanted to know if “one piece of their newborns, I we would be willadvice to new made my fair share ing to rent hay land to him. All farmers... go meet of mistakes. And, when I would lose of them wantthe neighbors and one, just having my ed to introduce make them your neighbor Rob say, themselves and “It happens,” made see what the new friends.” all the difference in my neighbors were like. outlook. It gave me the In the following years, courage and the confidence we have been to weddings, to keep going and keep learning. graduations, and funerals—celebrating life and mourning loss with our Early on, we often joked that we only saw our neighbors in an emernewly found extended farm family.

When we moved here and started gency. When our chimney caught on farming, we had a lot to learn—and fire that first winter, all of our neighstill do. Animals get sick. Animals die. bors showed up. After this spring’s Equipment breaks down. Ice storms floods, we drove down the hill to see leave you helpless and stranded. Our what nature had wrought and found

many of our neighbors doing the same, ready to lend a hand if necessary. Truth is, neighbors show up when they are needed. I can’t imagine making hay without Brad, Catherine, Joey and Jacob or not lending a hand when Steve or Joe are pouring concrete. You go, roll up your sleeves, and help. Not just because they are your neighbors, but because farming is awfully hard without them.

If I were to offer one piece of advice to new farmers I’d tell them to go meet the neighbors and make them your friends. You will need them, and you will learn from them, and you’ll be a better farmer because of it.

Better yet, start a Christmas party tradition to thank your new-found extended farm family.

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

Come visit & browse the

ONEIDA COMMUNITY MANSION HOUSE

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Garyturkey L. Campanie calls Crafted in Oneida, NY 315-363-5179 glcalls@twcny.rr.com

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Hours of Operation: Monday – Saturday 9am to 5pm Sunday Noon to 4pm

170 Kenwood Avenue • Oneida, NY • 315-363-0745 www.oneidacommunity.org

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Did you Know? from the Oneida County Historical Society

by Brian Howard, Executive Director

The Mohawk Valley’s West End Prior to the Prohibition age (1920-33), the greater Mohawk Valley was one of the world’s leading producers of hops, integral to the production of beer. It should come as no surprise that the brewery industry flourished during this period, with several factories producing their own brands in and around the City of Utica. Although few companies survived Prohibition, the Matt family’s West End Brewery persevered and thrives today in the craft beer market.

Full Steam Ahead Between 1819 and 1840, central New York became the home of the Erie Canal and the Utica & Schenectady Railroad. The railroads contributed to the rapid growth of population but ultimately made the Erie and Black River Canals obsolete. The Erie Canal, once the prominant form of transportation, lost most of its passenger business in the early 1840s when the railroad came to town.

In 1836, the Utica & Schenectady Railroad began operations with six trains, each with fifty 24-passenger capacity passenger cars. Three years later, the Utica and Syracuse Railroad was completed, as were other short lines to the west. In 1853, Erastus Corning, an Albany merchant, consolidated all the small railroads into the New York Central.

Between 1850 and 1895, nearly a dozen smaller railroads originated in Oneida County or passed through it. Utica and Rome became main stops on the New York Central Railroad, and, in 1914, New York Central opened its magnificent Union Station in Utica and made the city one of the largest freight centers in the country.

On Display: Oneida National Bank Indian The Utica School of Commerce got its start on the third floor of the Oneida National Bank building on Genesee Street in Utica. This hand carved Indian bust, said to represent Oneida Nation Chief Skenandoa, was set at the apex of this building during its construction in the late 1880s. It was removed after a disastrous fire in 1948.

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Bald Mountain Fire Tower

Winter (re)quests Story and Photos by Gary VanRiper

While many take a sabbatical from hiking during the winter months, the hearty make adjustments in their equipment and persist throughout the entire calendar year. Those who are goal-oriented have been rewarded by regional organizations that have established specific quests. In the Adirondacks you have the Woodhull Fire Tower

opportunity to become an Adirondack 46er or a Saranac Lake 6er or complete the Fire Tower Challenge that involves climbing several mountains in the Catskills as well.

Today, all of these popular quests offer a winter version as well, each with rules that can be found on their respective websites.* Winter hiking several hours into the wilderness interior is not an option for me – my extremities freeze up when I merely touch ice cubes in the refrigerator. To keep my friends at bay who hound me to join them on a winter quest, my doctor wrote me an official note that reads, “only allowed to hike in Florida in the winter.”

Those in the Mohawk Valley who would like to launch into one of these winter quests, might consider beginning with the Fire Tower Challenge. There are several qualifying mountains hosting fire towers that are north of Utica, NY. Woodhull Mountain is one of the least visited mountains by those aspiring to complete the Fire Tower Challenge, but happens to be among the closest to those living in the Mohawk Valley. Taking Route 12 from Utica to Route 28 and then some 17 miles toward Old Forge, watch for McKeever Road, a right hand turn where you are then just 0.8 miles from the trailhead parking lot. If you cross the bridge over Moose River, you’ve just missed McKeever. At the junction up McKeever Road, leave the pavement and head up

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the dirt road past an old railroad station and continue until you come to a second parking area. FT correspondents Tim and Kathi Noble explain on the quest’s official website, “The gate at Woodhull being closed at times is a deterrent, but a call to the local Forest Ranger could help with one’s decision to make the trip.” Follow that advice. And for all trips, secure your own map.

The ascent up Woodhull Mountain is modest with an elevation gain of just over 800 feet. But it is also the distance that makes this a formidable hike with its 15.2 mile round trip! Some prefer to make this a ‘bike & hike’ in spring to autumn when the use of a mountain bike on the old railroad bed can take care of the first 5 miles.

Otherwise, plan for a long walk on the bed and through the woods.

Bald (Rondaxe) Mountain is a further drive, the Rondaxe Road with its trailhead a left hand turn off Route 28, some 4.5 miles west of Old Forge, NY. This is an extremely popular and family-friendly hike in spring to autumn. My son, Justin, and I have hiked it a number of times with students on school field trips. In winter, however, the hike is more challenging.

John Freeman in the book, Views from on High: Fire Tower Trails in the Adirondacks and Catskills, notes the ascent up this mountain on snowshoes is possible and that crampons may be required on the icy summit. “Extra care is needed on the

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open rock slopes,” Freeman writes. And, “only experts should ski this trail.”

For those in the Mohawk Valley region serious about taking advantage of the beautiful natural resources in their own backyard and safely enjoying the great outdoors in any season, the Iroquois Chapter of the Adirondack Mountain Club in Utica, New York, would be well worth checking out. Visit the Iroquois Chapter’s website at http://www.adk.org/ page.php?pname=iroquois-chapter or for more information contact the chapter’s chairman, George Farwell at barkeater46@adelphia.net . You can also reach him at 315-724-6257. According to the site, “The chapter offers training workshops in the Utica-Rome-Herkimer area and volunteers share their knowledge on chapter trips.”

Bald Mountain Fire Tower

*For further information on the quests mentioned above: visit www.adk46er.org , saranaclake6er.org , and adk-gfs. org/firetower.challenge.6.php .

Special note: The Saranac Winter 6er Kick-off Event is scheduled for Saturday, December 21, 2013. See the Saranac Lake 6er website for more information.

Gary VanRiper is a photographer and author. He has written 13 children’s books with his son, Justin. www.adirondackkids.com

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Thursday, December 12, 7:30pm Ubaldo Valli returns to lead the HCO in their last concert of the semester.

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recipes local favorites Sharing Soup Each year, during the dark, cold months of winter, one of our neighbors warms us up with an invitation to a soup party. But this is no ordinary social affair. For this culinary family, it’s a soup challenge! Guests are asked to vote for their favorite, anonymously named, soup, and the victor wins bragging rights for a whole year. For many years, my son would don a bow tie and serve guests, ladling soup from the kettles atop the wood stove. Each enticing creation seems certainly to be the best, until you try the next! It is always difficult choosing a favorite, but it’s a delicious problem to have. -Sharry

ADK Potato & Cheddar Soup A recipe shared by our “Soup Neighbors”

2 tablespoons butter 8 potatoes, chopped (about 4 cups) 1 large carrot, peeled and diced 1 large diced onion 4 cups chicken broth salt and pepper to taste 1 cup half and half 2 cups grated cheddar cheese 1 can or frozen corn (16 ounce), drained (and/or steamed cauli flower or broccoli if desired) 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill crisp cooked bacon (if desired)

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Briefly sauté onion, potatoes, and carrots. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook until soft, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in broth. Simmer vegetables until fork tender. Remove from heat. Purée half the mixture in food processor until smooth. Return purée to saucepan. Add half and half. Stir in corn and cheese and gently reheat just until cheese is melted.

Do not boil. Garnish with dill (and bacon if desired) and serve.

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December

GAllery Guide

The new Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College, Clinton

A fun exhibit for the whole family this holiday season is Dinotopia: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney on display through February 9 at Arkell Museum at Canajoharie

A Sense of Place

Selected works by a diverse group of contemporary international artists depicting sites both real and imagined exploring how a particular time and place can leave its mark.

Through December 22, 2013

Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art

Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Road, Clinton, NY (315) 859-4396 www.hamilton.edu/wellin

Posted-No Trespassing, by Deborah M. Rosato on display through Januay 3, 2014 at Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts, Little Falls

Featuring the works of Linda Bigness-Lanigan, Kimmy Harvey, Wendy Carbone Artist Reception: Thursday, December 12, 6-7:30pm On display Dec. 12- Jan. 31

Rome Art & Community Center

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

Rural Hours: Watercolors by Susan Fenimore Cooper Weil

Through December 29, 2013 Evocative watercolor landscapes record Susan Fenimore Cooper Weil’s lifelong love of nature and the outdoors.

Fenimore Art Museum

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

People and Places in My Travels with Deborah Rosato

Through January 3, 2014 Watercolor and pastel paintings of Deerfield artist, Deborah Rosato

Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts

401 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY (315) 823-0808 www.mohawkvalleyarts.org

Sam Van Aken: A Hole in the Sky

Installation Exploring Atmospheric Effects on the Psyche Through February 23, 2014

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

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Holiday Member Show & Sale Through December 30, 2013

Work is geared toward holiday gift giving and includes cards, ornaments, glass, sculpture, wood work, paintings, prints, photos, fiber arts, toys, furniture, pottery and more. You must be a member to exhibit.

Cooperstown Art Association

22 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY (607) 547-9777 www.cooperstownart.com

Dinotopia: The Fantastical Art of James Gurney Through February 9, 2014

James Gurney’s Dinotopia brings the worlds of science and the imagination to life by chronicling Arthur and Will Denison’s remarkable experiences on a lost island in vibrant color and meticulous detail. Recounted in words and pictures in the best-selling book series, Dinotopia.

Arkell Museum

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

Photography of Pamela Underhill Karaz

Artist reception Saturday, Dec 7th from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Adirondack Art and Picture Framing 8211 State Route 12, Barneveld, NY 13304 Through December 28th. www.adirondackart.com

Quilts Unlimited

Through January 5, 2014 Open juried competitive exhibit featuring both traditional and eclectic quilts and wall hangings from all over the United States.

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Christian Carson: Yardwork

The “yard” in this sense is a space where one sees and accepts that the attempt to achieve order is always negotiated under the never-ending process of decay, growth, and change. through December 22, 2013

West Canada Creek by Pamela Underhill Karaz on display through December 28th at Adirondack Art and Picture Farming in Barneveld.

View

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

Small Works 5

50 Years of Art, an extensive exhibition showcasing 28 artists with a dedicated affiliation to the Kirkland Art Center. Through December 23.

Dozens of local artists on display in this new gallery Signature 81

Kirkland Art Center

9273 Kellogg Road, New Hartford, NY (315) 269-7799 www.signature81.com

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The Annual

Christmas Bird Count Story & Photos by Matt Perry

Of all the possible times of year from which to choose, why conduct a bird census in December? That’s the most common question people ask when they hear about the Christmas Bird Count. In December, and in wintertime in general, there are the fewest number of bird species to be found in the Northeast. Yet, this is when approximately 30 Mohawk Valley residents brave the cold to participate in the National Audubon Society’s Annual Christmas Bird Count. Once all of The female Northern Cardinal - a bird for all seasons. our individual field sheets are tallied,

The Christmas Bird Count is the end of the day was declared the winner. we can expect to confirm between 50 longest running bird census in North Unfortunately, birds and other animals and 60 bird species in the greater Utica America. It began in the year 1900, were the guaranteed losers in these area. That’s not bad and was conceived by ornithologist events. It’s important to understand considering that Frank Chapman as a protest against the that this was happening at a time beany one of us once popular Christmas wildlife shoot fore strong Federal laws protected our during the course of (called a Side Hunt) that used to take native birds. Such an event would be a normal winter’s place annually on Christmas Day. The illegal if it were to be held today. day might expect object of Side Hunts was for teams of Before the Federal Migratory to find no more hunters to go out in the field and shoot Bird Treaty Act went into effect in than 10 species in as many birds and small animals as 1918, many North American bird speour own yards. they could find. Each animal was as- cies appeared to be headed toward The House Finch was signed a certain number of points and extinction. Some, like the Passenger once one of our most the team with the most points at the Pigeon and the Carolina Parakeet, had common winter birds.

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Once common, the Red-headed Woodpecker is rarely seen locally today.

already gone extinct. Side hunts were by no means the main cause of the declines; a whole range of pressures—from market hunting to habitat loss, to egg and specimen collecting— all took their toll. One of the greatest single threats came from the plume trade. Between 1880 and 1920, decorating women’s fancy hats with elegant bird feathers was a fashion imperative that frequently drove plume hunters to decimate entire nesting colonies of Egrets, Terns, and other species in search of beautiful feathers.

In the beginning, very few people participated in the Christmas Bird Count and in only a few places, mostly in the Northeastern US. Over the course of many decades its popularity grew exponentially. Today, tens of thousands of birdwatchers participate in 2,300 counts that take place all over North America. The census data that is collected is useful because it gives scientists a snapshot of where birds are at a specific time of year. By comparing results across multiple years, they can draw conclusions about how species and specific populations are changing over time.

The protocol for counting birds is the same whether you are in Alaska or in Mexico; participants are tasked with counting every bird they see on a single pre-determined date. Most counts take place from dawn to dusk but nighttime birding, in the form of “owling,” is also encouraged. All bird counters must stay within a designated count circle that is 15 miles in diameter. For the Clinton/Utica Bird Count, the center of our circle is roughly where Jay-K Lumber is located on Seneca Turnpike in New Hartford. Our circle contains a diverse range of habitats, everything from

Some Robins are found locally even in December.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk preys on winter songbirds.

Once rare, the Red-bellied Woodpecker is now quite common.

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fields and from marshes to city streets.

Each distinct habitat has the potential to harbor different kinds of birds.

Over the 40 years that the Clinton/Utica Christmas Bird Count has been taking place, we have seen some significant changes in the bird life of the Mohawk Valley. Probably the most notable change has been the number of waterfowl that are now regularly found lingering here into mid-December. That trend began in the 1990s and has become more dramatic as the years have progressed. A species like the Snow Goose, that was never encountered in our count circle until the year 2000, was the most numerous bird species tallied in our most recent count.

Last year, close to 70,000 of them were seen in area cornfields and flying overhead. Warmer temperatures in December are enabling these geese to migrate later in the season. Canada Geese and

The Barred Owl can be found throughout the winter.

a variety of ducks are now expected to be found since open water and snowfree farm fields often remain available through at least mid-December.

Local Christmas Bird Count data tracks significant changes in the populations of some of our common backyard songbirds. For example, the House Finch never appeared in Central New York until the 1970s, after which

Blue Jays are one of the staple birds in our local count.

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their numbers gradually increased and finally hit a peak in the early 1990s.

Following that, their numbers crashed.

The drop in population was the result of a form of conjunctivitis (an eye disease) that proved deadly to the birds.

The disease spread like wildfire in this highly social species that commonly feeds together in flocks. After the 1990s, modest numbers of House

Most Northern Flickers head south, but a few will remain each winter.

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If there is open water, you may find Wood Ducks.

Finches continued to be tallied on our bird counts but their numbers never again reached their former highs. To this day, the disease remains a limiting factor in their population. The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a species that was never found in our count circle until 1980, when a single bird was located. In contrast, we regularly see as many as 30 of them now, which makes them as common as any other of the regularly occurring winter woodpeckers. This change can be explained by the regrowth of forests in our region.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker is a forest-nesting species that benefits greatly when agricultural fields give way to woodlands. The increasing popularity of maintaining well-stocked bird feeders has also benefited the Red-bellied Woodpecker, since they are quick to utilize those resources.

The fortunes of the Red-headed

The Wood Duck has sharp claws enabling it to perch in trees.

Woodpecker are quite different than those of its Red-bellied cousin. Once, the Red-heads were a common species in the Mohawk Valley, but by the time the Clinton/Utica Christmas Bird Count got started in 1974, the species was already on its way out. Still, individuals and small groups continued to be found within our count circle until 1990. The reasons for the Red-headed Woodpecker’s decline are not fully understood, but it is thought that the same alteration in the region’s habitat that benefited the Red-bellied Woodpecker was a disadvantage to the Red-head, which requires more open land in order to thrive.

For more information on the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, visit their website at http://birds.audubon.org.

If you’re interested in participating in the Christmas Bird Count by joining one of our bird counting teams or tallying your own bird feeder birds, you can contact me via this publication.

Besides the Clinton/Utica Count there are other Christmas Counts that take place in the cities of Rome and Oneida. For information on how to get involved in these, or any other counts, please visit Audubon’s website.

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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From Farm to Fashion Fiber Processing from Shearing to Finished Product

by Sharry L. Whitney and Esther Mazor

It’s that time of year again when we seek out warmer clothing, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be fashionable, or better yet, “fashionably local.” More than ever, local farmers are raising a variety of fiber animals including llamas, alpacas, sheep, rabbits, and goats. Not only is there a wide selection of fiber from which to choose, but the styles of hats, sweaters, scarves, and mittens are seemingly endless. And it’s not just clothing that local artisans are making —they’re weaving, knitting, and felting: blankets, rugs, sculptures, acces-

sories, and even practical, eco-friendly products like dryer balls!

Fiber, however, doesn’t just magically transform from farm animal to finished product. There is a whole process that it must undergo before you pull on those soft, warm, hand-knit socks. It does, however, all begin on a farm.

Long before most of us had even heard of an alpaca, Bob and Viv Fulton of Rhodie Hill Farm in Sherburne, were raising the alapaca’s larger cousin: the llama. Llamas are about twice the size of an alpaca with a coarse, outer coat over a soft inner coat. The alpaca has just one coat and was specifically bred for fiber for over 5,000 years.

The llama, on the other hand, was bred Llamas at Rhodie Hill Farm in Sherburne circle around Bob Fulton to hear what he has to say (and to get some grain, too!)

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and raised as a pack animal— the fiber is just a “bonus.”

Bob and his wife, Viv, have been raising llamas for over 25 years and currently have a herd of just over 3 dozen llamas, including several rescue llamas they recently transported from Montana.

The Fultons have enjoyed many hikes with their pack animals over the years, taking advantage of the nearby 100-mile Brookfield Horse Trail System. They are active in the llama community, the local 4-H, and formed the New York Llama & Alpaca Association (NYLAA).

Vi v i s a prolific weaver and you’ll often find her working on her triangle loom at the nearby Mill Artisans shop in Sherburne. The shop features Rhodie Hill Farm yarn and other products

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from area fiber producers and artisans.

Bob has built looms and other weaving tools for Viv that are also available for sale at the shop.

The alpaca is a newcomer to the fiber industry in the United States. They were first imported to this country in the mid1980s for zoos and parks. In 1996, when Lynn Deichman of Glimmerglass Alpacas in Fly Creek, got into the fiber industry, there were only about a dozen alpaca farms in New York State, today there are about 100. She has raised horses and compares the alpaca’s unique personalities to that of cats. “They’re a lot like cats; they can be standoffish, but they can also be very affectionate,” she explains. She had always been a knitter, but after she began raising her own fiber she learned to spin and weave. Lynn sells her yarn and wearables online and at the Cooperstown Farmers Market.

Many people consider Sunny Bixby of Liberty Ridge Farm in Verona, to be the “mother of fiber” in our area. She began

raising fiber animals with her husband, Tom, in 1974 and also began spinning at that time as well. Today they raise Black and White Romney Sheep and Angora Goats. Almost as long as Sunny has been spinning, she has been educating local people about raising fiber animals.

“People are losing their connection to farming,” she says. “When my husband asks kids where their hats come from, they often answer,‘K-Mart.’” Since 1977, Liberty Ridge Farm has held an annual “Open Barn and Shearing Day” the first Saturday of December. This popular, free event gives the general public the chance to see shearing up close and the opportunity to have questions answered by professional shearers. They also can see a carding machine in action as well as spinning, knitting, and felting demonstrations.

Many local farms have their fiber processed at Dreamweaver Creations in Earlville. Owner, Heather Lathrop, began raising wool sheep when she was 15 years old which inspired her to learn to spin.

In 2000, she purchased a mill and now processes wool, llama, alpaca, mohair (angora goats), and other exotic fibers.

She also dyes fiber in custom colors and creates unique blends with silk, bamboo, and even sparkles. “This time of year is extremely busy because many people want their fiber processed in time for winter and holiday projects,” she says.

Her mill is busy throughout the summer as well because most all fiber animals are

Theresa McEvoy (below left) spins fiber into yarn using a modern spinning wheel. She and her husband, Andy, own a llama farm and Paca Gardens— an alpaca products store in Little Falls. Viv Fulton (below) weaves on a triangle loom using a tool her husband, Bob, made. She spends time weaving at the Mill Artisans shop in Sherburne.

A young cashmere kid chews on his tolerant mother’s horn at Liberty Ridge Farm in Verona. Liberty Ridge Farm’s annual “Open Barn and Shearing Day” is on Saturday, Dec. 7th, located at 6175 Greenway Lowell Rd, Verona, NY (315) 337-7217

Lanolin prevents wool from felting (the matting together of fibers) while the fiber is still on the sheep. The waxy substance is removed from the fleece during processing.

sheared in the spring when the animals no longer need their winter coats.

Many people are discovering the durability, comfort, and quality of locally raised and handmade woven and knit clothing, but few realize the process the fiber must go through first. Those who do, seem to enjoy their sweaters, hats, and mittens even more. For those who raise the animals there is an even closer relationship with the items made from their animals’ fiber. But, as Bob Fulton makes

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Alpacas grow a thick coat over the winter and are typically sheared in the spring, producing about 5-8lbs of fleece.

sure to point out, no one should raise an animal just for its fiber, they should raise an animal because they want to care for and understand that animal.

“If the fiber market collapsed tomorrow, nothing would change about what we do here,” says Bob Fulton.“They’re like kids,” he says of his llamas, “you have to spend time with them to understand them.”

“We still learn more about them every day,” says Bev, “and we got our first llama in 1985.”

“It was a good year,” Bob adds.

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turning raw fiber into yarn

2

Hand Picking

Shearing

Animals are sheared with clippers or by hand with shears.

Raw fiber is picked clean by hand. Here, Emaly Leak at Dreamweaver Creations removes plant material from the fiber.

6

$

Washing

4

Drying

The fiber is washed to remove dirt and oils. Wool is washed at 160 ° F, (higher than other fibers) to remove lanolin, a waxy substance secreted by sheep that helps them shed water from their coats.

by Sharry L. Whitney

1

3

Washed fiber is laid out to dry. This is also when fiber is dyed custom colors if desired. Spinning oil is added to the fiber during this step.

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5

7

Picking

Roving

The picker machine opens up (fluffs) the fiber.

6

Carding

Heather Lathrop, owner of Dreamweaver Creations, feeds picked fiber into the carding machine. The machine unntangles and intermixes fibers producing a continuous rope of material called roving.

The drafter machine combines ropes of roving, making them more consistent and stronger for spinning. Typically three ropes are combined and then two of those ropes are combined again.

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Spinning

9

Skeining & washing

10 Final Product

The spinner machine spins fiber and puts a twist in the roving, turning it into 2-ply yarn.

The yarn is wound off the bobbins and onto skeins. The skeins are then

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natural provider

by Lisa Ferguson Crow

Rose Hips This is the time of year to begin thinking about strengthening our immune systems to ensure optimal health throughout the winter months. It coincides with the ripening and readiness of our local wild rose hips. There are many varieties of rose hips that all contain similar qualities, but our most common wild species is the Multiflora Rose (rosa multiflora). Rose hips are the fruit of the rose flower. The Multi-Flora Rose is considered by the USDA Plant Data Base to be an invasive weed and is not one of our native rosa species. It was a native to Japan and introduced to North America as rootstock and has now proliferated in much abundance.

Rose Hips are richly nutritious and they are full of Vitamin C; 1000mg/100g—far higher than the Vitamin C contained in an average orange. They are also rich in antioxidants which may help fight infection. Other compounds provided by rose hips include tannin, pectin, flavanoids, sugars, carotene, fruit acids and

Look for oval-shaped, 1/4”-1” fruit that form on the rose bushes. The ovalshaped sacs are filled with rose seeds.Look for small rounded fruits that look like tiny apples or pomegranates. Most are red or reddish-orange.

fatty oil. They are also mildly diuretic and gently laxative.

My favorite preparation is to make syrup. I gather them when they are at their peak of juiciness which is usually mid to late Fall. Also, if I were in a pinch, I would gather them any time in the Winter right off the vine as they would still contain small amounts of nourishment. I have, in fact, eaten them right along the trail while snowshoeing or cross-country skiing. Some folks like to make them into a delicious jam, but then the seeds have to be removed which always seems like a tedious prospect, and besides, rose hip syrup is so, so yummy. I often add in other herbs for winter such as Burdock, Elderberries, Mullein,

or anything that seems helpful or appropriate.

Rose hips can also make a great red tea or can be dried and put right into a trail mix with other dried fruits and nuts.

When gathering rose hips look for fruit 1/4”1” in size that form on rose bushes. Most are red or reddish-orange. Look for oval-shaped fruits that look like tiny apples or pomegranates and are filled with rose seeds.

Rose hips can be dried whole in the sun or faster in a dehydrator in about 5-6 hours. You can chop them in a food processor, but not too fine. Some people shake them in a metal sieve to remove hairs. No need to remove seeds. Store in air tight container to be used at will.

Rose Hip Syrup

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Rose Hip Syrup

1 Cup of fresh or 1/2 Cup of dried Rose 1 Quart of Hips. waterIf I am using fresh I like to smash 2 Cups sweetener syrup adding or vegetable glycerine) them up(maple a bit before the water 1 Cup of fresh or 1/2 Cup of dried Rose Hips. If I to open them up and release as much am using fresh I like to smash them up a bit before juice as possible.

Quarttoofopen water adding the1water them up and release as much Bring to a boil and then simmer for 30 juice as possible. minutes. andthen reheat liquidfor to 30 justminutes. barely a Bring to a Strain boil and simmer simmer.

Strain and reheat liquid to just barely a simmer.

Cook down to half of liquid.

Cook down to half of liquid.

Add about 1 cup of sweetener per pint Add aboutof1 liquid cup ofor sweetener pint of liquid or to to your toper your preference. your to your preference.

I also usually sneak in some I like to use maple syrup or vegetable molasses, but have found that if I add too much, glycerine. I also usually sneak in some my kids can taste it and then theyfound are less likely to take it. molasses, but have that if I add Warm sweetener together, remove too much,and my liquid kids can taste it and thenfrom they are less likely to take it. heat and bottle.

Warm sweetener and liquid together, If kept in the refrigerator syrups can last up to 3-6 removecan from and months. Brandy be heat added to bottle. increase shelf life.

If kept in the refrigerator syrups can lasttea, up to 3-6 months. can be For rose hip simply put 1-2Brandy teaspoons of dried added to increase shelf life. rose hips in a tea pot, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then strain into For a cup and enjoy. rose hip tea, simply put 1-2 teaspoons of dried rose hips in a tea pot,

Lisa Crowminutes, is a community herbalist in let itFerguson sit for 15-20 then strain Newport who enjoys gathering plants from the wild into a cup and enjoy. for use as food and medicine. She has been practicing herbal medicine for more than 20 years. For information go to: www.hawthornehillherbs.com

35

Historical

Herkimer CO.

by Susan R. Perkins

Ellen Clapsaddle:

the fascinating story of the artist behind these indelable images Famous postcard artist Ellen Clapsaddle was born in South Columbia, Herkimer County on January 6, 1865.

She was the daughter of Dennis L. and Harriet Beckwith Clapsaddle. Her father was the descendent of Palatine Germans who came from Württemberg in the 1720s.

Ellen attended a one-room schoolhouse until 8th grade and then went on to the Richfield Springs Seminary (today known as high school) where her artistic talent was first recognized. She graduated in a class of eleven in 1882.

She then attended Cooper Institute in New York City for two years. Upon returning home to Richfield Springs, she began offering private painting lessons and was commissioned to paint portraits of local families. She started working for Ibbotson Brothers of Richfield Springs in their printing shop on Church Street and designed booklets, and Christmas and New Year cards.

Upon her mother’s death in 1905, Ellen moved to New York City and designed postcards for companies in the United States, England, and Germany. In 1914, while working for the Wolf Company at their location in Germany, World War I broke out. Much of Clapsaddle’s original artwork was lost in the destruction of the firm’s building as

“...lost, alone, and penniless in a war-torn Germany”

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“Holly” was one of the dolls designed from Ellen Clapsaddle’s images and sold by Hamilton Heritage Dolls Collection. Hallmark Co. also reissued her artwork for greeting cards, magnets, and posters.

well as all of her investments in the company. Between 1914 and 1919, she was lost, alone, and penniless in war-torn Germany. After the war, the Wolf brothers, whose business was destroyed by the war, borrowed money to go to Germany to find Clapsaddle and return her to the United States. They took care of her in her deteriorated mental and physical state until their deaths. In January 1932, she was admitted to the Peabody Home for the elderly and destitute in New York City. She died in 1934. Like many residents of the home who had no resources

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or relatives, she was buried in a potters’ (common) grave.

Years later, the community of Richfield Springs raised money to fulfill her dying wish to be buried in her home town next to her family. She was re-interred in Lakewood Cemetery in Richfield Springs next to her father with a simple marker enscribed, “Ellen.”

Today, Ellen Clapsaddle is recognized as the most prolific souvenir/postcard and greeting card artist of her era.

Restoring history for the past 43 years.

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GENESEE JOE’S LIVE & LOCAL:

The Band WICKED Local rockers WICKED are a true rock-n-roll band. Leather clad, bleach blond and shirtless, they are a true throwback to the great glam bands of the 70s.

Do not let the look fool you. These guys are a great band. Influenced by bands like: Thin Lizzy, David Bowie, Alice Cooper and KISS, their unique sound is a culmination of their influences and the 70s rock vibe. Through the bands attitude, drive, and heart they have created their own, new sound.

Though only together for two years, WICKED has shared the stage with bands like: Cheap Trick, Survivor, Alice in Chains, and even appeared at the giant, Rocklahoma Festival with Guns n Roses.

The band is made up of: JP Clubs on drums, Danny Doll on bass, Scotty V on lead guitar, and Chad Michael, on rhythm and vocals. They are managed by area legendary musician and producer Robert Aquaviva, who has his own substantial resume

both on stage and in the studio. They have the goal of “taking the dream to the very top. Growing, learning and evolving as a family and taking on the world”.

Having seen the band live more than once, I can tell you this is a musical rock-n-roll spectacle, show driven band you shouldn’t miss.

Look for their new CD, Origins, recorded live in studio and out now. In addition to their other national shows, WICKED is currently on a northeast tour of the US. For more info check out: www.wickedrocknroll.com Listen to Genesee Joe live on 92.7FM. The DRIVE. www.927thedrive.net

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constableville

Notes from

the road canajoharie An historic marker was placed in front of the home where C h e s t e r Bromley Hoke (1847-1913) lived on Mohawk Street in Canajoharie. He was a Civil War soldier who served in Company G of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, the first formal unit of the US Army to be made up entirely of African American men. The 1989 movie, Glory, was based on this much decorated volunteer infantry.

While in town, check out a natural wonder!

“Canajoharie” is a transliteration of a Mohawk Indian word meaning “the pot that washes itself.” You can see this amazing pothole (and the town’s namesake) located upstream from a trail at the end of Floral Ave.

To the Top of the (Constable) Hall!

Legend has it that American author Clement Clarke Moore was inspired to write the famous poem, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas,’ on a visit to his cousin Mary Eliza McVickar Constable’s home in Constableville in 1822. The home has a chimney in every room, shutters on the inside of the windows, and a large 125foot long porch—all features that are mentioned in the famous holiday poem.

Constable Hall is open in the summer, at 5909 John St., Constableville (315) 397-2323, www.constablehall.org While in town, head north about 11 miles to visit spectacular Whetstone Gulf State Park, open for winter recreation Dec. 15 - Mar. 15 6065 West Rd., Lowville, NY, (315) 376-6630

schuyler lake

Pot “Luck” at Mary’s Pantry Pot roast is a favorite meal this time of year, but have you ever heard of a pot roast sandwich? We hadn’t, until we were lucky enough to discover Mary’s Pantry in Schuyler Lake. Yum! Rt. 22 , Schuyler Lake, NY Mon.-Sat.: 7am-7pm, Sun.: 8am-3pm (315) 858-0721 While in Schuyler Lake, check out The Old Blacksmith Shop Galleries located in an 1828 blacksmith shop, one of the oldest buildings in the Town of Exeter.

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A visit To The

rome Historical society Orient Expression This silk dress was made–partially by hand and by machine–in the late 1800s for Mrs. Rilla Stubblebein of Ilion. A closer look at the buttons–made of copper –reveals an Asian man with an umbrella. During the Victorian era, fashions reflected the western world’s fascination with the exotic Orient.

Fireman’s Trumpet

While this may look like a musical horn, it’s actually an early version of the megaphone.

This fireman’s trumpet was used by Chief Jay Bates in the 1880s to amplify his voice while giving orders directing operations at the scene of a fire.

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Invented by Dr. Frank Potter in 1905, this was one of the first one-piece telephones, having both earpiece and receiver. It was manufactured in Rome by the Wire & Telephone Company of America.

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41

Our First Year: 1974

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. Their goal was to experience a worthwhile existence while minimizing harm to the environment. These are excerpts from Peggy’s journal chronicling their first year.

Days of Twilight LATE NOVEMBER Freezing out, but heavy rainfall fills Misty Brook, now a raging torrent of swirling, amber colored, frigid water. We still have to get in and out for work, so I hike up my long skirt, and we wade barefoot in and out. I try to go fast so my legs won’t get numb, but we have to make sure we’re on the path and don’t fall in. I don’t want to get soaked or lose the groceries and instruments we are carrying. This is a pain late at night when we’re tired, the flashlights are dim, and the cottage is cold.

We lose some of our food in the root cellar because the plastic buckets I put it in float up and tip over. I save what I can and hang some on hooks above the water less than 18 inches below our floor. I’m cranky.

A wildlife rehabilitator brings two great horned owls to release. The older one flies away immediately. The younger

one is still here, just outside our cottage.

We run out of the food she brought, so we feed it vegetarian hot dogs. It squawks every 18 seconds (I timed it), even at night on the roof by our bedroom window!

The Old One comes back and they have a conversation.

“Hey, Young One! “ she calls, “ Why are you hanging around this human house eating old vegetarian hotdogs out of a can when there are lots of fresh, fat, juicy mice out here in the fields and forest just waiting to be picked up?! Follow me!

I’ll show you!”

I’m not sure why he doesn’t follow her. Doesn’t he understand her? Doesn’t he trust her? Is he too afraid?

Are his wings not strong enough? He’s still here and he continues to squawk; “Awwwk!” every 18 seconds.

One day I freeze in fear when I see armed men in camouflage strolling by our cottage.

“Hey, what d’ya think of that shack?” says one. “It wasn’t here last year was it?”

Our unfinished cottage, 1974.

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“I don’t remember it.” replies another.

“Tim!” I whisper intensely, “There’s strange men with guns outside!”

Tim, having played collegiate and semi-pro football, is not intimidated. Because of his full beard, he looks like a fierce lion or a wild man.

“Can I help you?” he asks.

“This your place?” one replies.

“Yes, we live here now and it’s no

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longer a hunting area. It’s posted so you’d better leave.”

He is polite but firm. They seem somewhat amused by the encounter, and I don’t think they take us very seriously. It is a scary and sobering experience for us though. Are we safe, here, from stray bullets coming from the woods around us? Is 3 ½ acres truly enough for a Nature Sanctuary? Maybe we need more land! How can we even afford it if there were land for sale around us? Would our neighbors be willing to post their property?

It is something we will have to deal with, but how?

EARLY DECEMBER Snow has fallen. The world is transformed and every tree limb is softly blanketed in white sands of light.

This week our Young Owl tries to squawk but; “Hoo, hoo, – hoo, hoo, hoooooooooouu!” comes out instead.

He looks surprised. “Hoo, hoo – hoo, hoooooooou?” he tries again.

Tim and I also look at him in surprise.

“Ho, ho,” I said, “looks like our Young getting up to start the fire.

The house plants have frozen and our One is growing up!”

A day or so later, the older owl comes food will freeze, too, if I don’t put it in the back once again and calls to him; “Hey root cellar. The beautiful oak ice chest we young one! Have you grown up yet? used in the parsonage is now pointless for Spread your wings and glide through the refrigeration, but it’s good for dry food storage that is mouse proof. Every night endless sky with me!” we catch a mouse in the hav-a-heart trap Our Young One finally replies; and take turns releasing it down the “Yes, I’ve grown up! Yes, I road in the woods. They are so want to fly! Yes, I will join with their big ears, lusyou and we will explore “I had crocheted cute trous dark eyes, and little the forests and meadelf-like slippers with pink feet that I like to tickle, ows together and I will learn to feast on the but such a problem inside long curls above bounty of earth.” turning our toilet paper into the toes out of the He flies after her nests and leaving “calling and we are glad. wool from their pet cards” everywhere. One Now the house night, I swear one landed on sheep.” freezes while we are at my head and ran down the back work in the city. When we reof my chair. What’s weird is that I’ve turn we’re too tired to start a fire. It will gotten so used to them, it didn’t even bothgo out again in two hours anyway, so we er me. wear caps and long underwear to bed, lying close to each other for warmth. Some- LATE DECEMBER times I wish I could remove one arm so I could get closer to Tim. His beard is white At last, it stopped snowing and the with frost in the morning. We take turns heavens are showing off the incommen-

A holiday visit with the kids, 1974. surable opalescent blue of arctic winter skies. Now, instead of shoveling snow all the time, we are worried about freezing to death because night time temperatures are plunging below zero!

School vacation. Tim’s children come to stay in the woods for the first time. They have a nice, “normal” home in PA with their mom & her husband. I’m nervous.

They’ve always had a big house, electricity, phone, shower, flush toilet, plenty of gifts... How will they handle this?

We are old friends because we have summers together, call and write every week and visit every month. (They are between ages 9 and 14). We pick them up at the bus station in Isaiah, the 1950 Willies Jeep truck. The three girls sit in the back on an old bus seat, facing the rear, singing songs and playing clapping games under the little shelter Tim built. They have a seat belt and blankets. Their merry faces put smiles on the faces of the impatient people in the cars stuck behind us. I sit in the cab with Tim and Dave, straddling the gear shift while they talk about high school wrestling and girl friends.

Shawangunk Road shows off for them. It is an enchanted avenue of fairyland, framed with mystic evergreens, and

mantled in snowy plumes of white. Our breaths rise in hoary steam as we trek the last half mile thru the snow, carrying luggage, groceries, and gifts to celebrate Hanukkah, Solstice, and Christmas.

It’s frigid, but we warm up quickly as we follow each other, with only the crunch of our footsteps breaking the woodland stillness.

We can still see our breath when we enter the silent, frozen, one-room cottage, but it is soon filled with youthful voices and glows with the light from the bright orange flames roaring in the wood stove, creating blessed warmth that slowly, so slowly, penetrates the furniture, walls, and its new inhabitants.

It’s already starting to get dark, and since candle and kerosene lamp light leaves much of the room in deep shadow, we go Peggy helping son, Dave, take a shower.

through a quick orientation.

“Two can sleep in the loft, one on the couch, one on the cot, and if you have to go to the bathroom during the night, we have a chamber pot on the porch.”

Everyone stays in bed until the morning fire is started, then dress as quickly as possible, crowding around the stove, slowly rotating to warm the parts that are cold and cool the parts that are too hot.

Sometimes we jump away with a yelp when we get too close.

We’re slowly learning to maneuver without tripping on each other.

I cook oatmeal on the wood stove.

“When can we go to town, Dad? We want to see our friends!” they all ask.

“Why don’t we stay here and have our holiday? Maybe tomorrow we can take you in to town.”

“Awwww!” they groan. “So, what do we do now?”

“Well, we have to bring in some wood, and pick up this place.”

“And then we’ll exchange our gifts!”

“Yayyyy!”

I had crocheted elf-like slippers with long curls above the toes for each of them out of wool from their pet sheep. The younger kids like them. There are comic books, a MAD magazine, a big book of fairy tales and some natural food treats.

The children give Tim a new budget book, as he is constantly filling them up and running out of space. I receive a new scarf.

“How about playing something on the piano?” I ask.

“C’mon Jen, let’s play that duet we learned.” says Becky.

Becky making popcorn on the wood stove.

And so, we fill vacation with chores, music, reading and exploring the forest.

In the long twilight, some cuddle together on the couch while others enjoy standing next to the fireplace to toast themselves.

Sometimes they climb the ladder to the warm loft and bask in the heat that rises.

When they get curious about what is happening below, their wee faces peek over the edge – pink cheeks flushed with heat – lush, long, dark hair swishing below. We tell stories, always ending with, “and they lived happily, sadly, meanly, and scardly ever after.” We make up games, talk about our feelings, cook food, draw pictures, read fairytales... I make up lively tunes on the piano I call Forest Dances, and the girls dance. There are plenty of hugs, interspersed with complaints about an “accidental” poke from an elbow, or a foot in the face as we read and talk in such intimate quarters.

Heidi falls into the root cellar. I left the trap-door open for a second. She climbed down the ladder from the loft and stepped back and into it. Fortunately it’s only 30” deep and she’s not hurt but we’re all shook up. I agree to call out; “ROOT CELLARS

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Heidi loves to play with the hot wax on the top of the candle.

“Stop playing with the wax, Heidi!

You’ll get burned!” we all admonish, until it sounds like a mantra. But her fingers are continually and irresistibly drawn back to that warm magma.

I’m sure they are sometimes bored and uncomfortable, but they don’t complain a lot. I really admire that. This holiday together is requiring a spirit of tolerance, understanding, sharing, and cooperation which is ultimately drawing us closer together as a family.

And we all are learning to enjoy playing with the candle wax. It is warm, sometimes too warm, but so much fun to pull off and convert to tiny shapes like balls, squares, people, animals... and hearts that are full.

O O

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46

With Rome artist Frank Page

Thanks to the Utica Writer’s Club for selecting this month’s MV Flash Lit. The club meets the 4th Wednesday of each month at the Kirkland Town Library at 6pm.

flash fiction:

The Little Visitor

by J.O. Scharf

They walked along the grassy path leading toward the barn together; the man with a slight limp, and the little girl, her blond hair plaited into a single braid dangling down her back. The child’s bright yellow sweatshirt bobbed up and down as she bounced along. Her chatter, like tinkling musical notes, was welcomed into the man’s ears.

“It’s been a long time since you’ve been here,” he said to his granddaughter.

“Yes, we came in an airplane that went really high, and it even had movies.”

“The last time you were here, you were only two years old and you were too little to remember the cows.”

“I’m not little now, I turned five. I’m starting school next month”.

She ran a little circle around him, laughing. “We wanted to come last year, but Momma was having baby Ivan.”

They arrived at the pasture gate, where the man rested his arms over the weathered wood of the top rail.

“Wow. You have lotsa cows, Grampa!” She planted her feet on the lower board and clung to the top one, staring at the herd.

“Yep. We have eighty seven milkers and twenty four heifers.”

“What’s heifers?”

“They’re young cows that don’t give milk yet. But they will in a year or so.”

“Know what? It’s kinda stinky here.” She giggled and wrinkled up her small nose. Her thin legs, sticking out of knee length blue denim shorts, were now hooked over the middle bar; her hands still clasped above.

“How come all the cows are black and white?” she asked.

“That’s because they’re Holstein cows.”

“How about that one over there?” She pointed toward the corner.

He shaded his eyes. “Oh, that one cow is a Jersey.”

“You bought her in New Jersey? Aunt Jennifer and Uncle Scott live in New Jersey. We went there once.”

He smiled. “No, that’s just the kind of cow she is. A Jersey. Careful you don’t fall.” He reached out to steady her as she gripped the gate post and swung her leg over to sit on the top rail.

“Why are all the cows waiting here?”

“It’s nearly milking time, and they’ll be let in the barn soon. They know there’s a special grain treat waiting for them.”

“Oh.” Smiling, a dimple appeared in one cheek. She held out her arms for him to lift her down from the gate. “Can we go see the new kitties now?”

They started back along the path.

She reached for his hand. “Grampa, how come that New Jersey cow is all brown, and not like the rest?”

“Well, we needed at least one cow that gives chocolate milk.”

“Oh.” Still holding his hand, she began to skip.

Joan O. Scharf is a member of the Utica Writers Club and a member of Hodges University Critique Group. Books: Hanging on a Twisted Line published 2009, Valentine Tales published 2013.

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