1st prize chocolate porch pie recipe!
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MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING
MAGAZINE
TAKE ONE!
EXPLORING THE ARTS, CULTURE & HERITAGE OF OUR VALLEY
NOVEMBER 2013
KNOW YOUR FARMER
Why Local Meat Matters
A Road Trip to
MAP E! INSID
Cooperstown Moss Island
Historic Veterans
Made in the Mohawk Valley
Popcorn in Little Falls
At Sunnybrook Farm in Deansboro, they raise Thanksgiving turkeys as well as pork and grassfed beef. Gabe Williams looks in on the turkeys and prepares the mobile pen to be moved to a new spot in the pasture.
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Knowing Your Farmer
On the Cover: Nancy Grove of Old Path Farms in New Hartford is an organic vegetable farmer who now offers her CSA subscribers the option to buy local natural meats from nearby farms.
PUBLISHER Vincent R. Whitney
When I was eleven years old, the neighbor’s pigs got out. My dad gathered up my younger sister and me to help round up the pigs wandering in the woods. We had recently moved to the Tug Hill region and this was our first interaction with our new neighbors. It was also the first time I felt the tough, bristly back of a pig. Later, in the fall, the neighbor thanked us with fresh bacon for our freezer. But my younger sister said she wouldn’t eat it. “I knew that pig! What if I pet that one?” I remember wondering why it was better not knowing the pigs. I thought of them running around in the woods, like they were playing a game of tag, my dad and sister and me trying to anticipate their next moves. It was a happy memory. The bacon was the best I ever had.
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 Special thanks to Debby Hepburn 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.
Mohawk Valley Living is brought to you by
December 1st
Special Holiday issue! Available at most of our advertisers as well as area Stewart’s Shops.
November, 2013
by Sharry L. Whitney
Vintage Valley Local Arts: Sarah Price Did You Know? On the Farm with Suzie Richfield Springs History Moss Island Local Arts: Gary Price Historical Herkimer Open Mic: John Keller Recipe: Chocolate Porch Pie Made Here Know Your Farmer Walk with Matt Perry Gallery Guide Cooperstown Our First Year: 1974 MV Comics Future Farmers of the Valley A Peek from Hidden Peak MV Flash Lit
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MOHAWK VALLEY LIVING MAGAZINE
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Watch MVL every Sunday at 7:30am and 11pm on Fox33 11:30am on WUTR 20
INSURANCE SERVICE New Hartford, NY (315) 735-9201
Vintage Valley images from our past
The Arkell Museum at Canajoharie Images courtesy of The Arkell Museum Visit the museum and learn about the history of the Mohawk Valley and the Beech-Nut Company. www.arkellmuseum.org
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Local Arts:
sarah price
www.artbysarahprice.com facebook at www.facebook.com/artbysarahprice
Sarah Price is a digital artist from Whitesboro, NY. She attended Whitesboro schools and went on to become an honors graduate of Cazenovia College where she earned a BFA in Visual Communications with a Specialization in Advertising and Graphic Design. Since 2001, she has been the co-owner of Price Design, a business started by her father Gary Price. Price Design specializes in Illustration and Graphic Design. Sarah’s digital artwork has been on display at various juried exhibitions both locally and nationally where she has received recognition for several pieces. Her art begins as a vision which then becomes a pencil sketch. The sketch is revised and revisited, then scanned and rendered in Adobe Illustrator. Sarah’s pieces of art take many weeks to complete and are often comprised of 100 or more layers. Besides her artwork, Sarah enjoys playing piano, cooking, and reading. She hopes that in the future digital art will be as widely accepted as other mediums. Sarah resides in Whitesboro, NY with her husband Rob Meyer and their 2 cats. She is currently finishing her first children’s book.
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Did you Know? from the Oneida County Historical Society by Brian Howard, Executive Director
An Engineering Marvel
The Utica Memorial Auditorium was built in 1959-60 and stands today as a national civil engineering landmark. Did you know that parts of the 1977 movie ‘Slap Shot’, starring Paul Newman, were filmed here?
Old New York DID YOU KNOW? George Clinton, known as the “Father of New York State,” was elected the state’s first governor and served for 21 years—1777 to 1795 and again from 1801 to 1804. The Oneida County Historical Society has in its collection a parlor clock that once adorned the home of the governor, who also served as the nation’s Vice President under Thomas Jefferson and James Madison!
A Road Still Traveled
More than any transportation system before or since, the Erie Canal spurred growth and prosperity throughout the greater Mohawk Valley. Ground was broken on the canal in Rome on July 4, 1817 and its original path ran through the center of Utica--right over modern day Oriskany Boulevard!
Not Exactly Carry-On Luggage
The Shortest Distance
The 1956 Interstate Highway Act led to the coming of the New York State Thruway (I-90) during the late 1950s. Not surprisingly, its path followed that of the rail lines and-before the railroads came--the Erie Canal, through the Mohawk Valley!
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Immigrants from the Old World flooded into the region during the 19th century, bringing their worldly possessions in bulky wooden trunks that were often their only tie to their homeland. They filled jobs in the burgeoning textile mills, breweries and commercial businesses of the day.
Deciphering the Past Did you know that Gen. U.S. Grant’s cipher operator during the Civil War hailed from Utica? Samuel H. Beckwith brought back a swatch of Grant’s headquarters flag (below) which flew during the 1863 siege at Vicksburg, Mississippi as a souvenir of his service under the General.
Oneida County Historical Society From the OCHS archives: The Stanley and Olympic Theaters in Utica.
Open Mon.-Fri. 10-4 1608 Genesee Street, Utica (315) 735-3642 www.oneidacountyhistory.org
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Art by Tim Pryputniewicz. You can see his work at the Artisans’ Corner in Clinton.
On the farm with Suzie:
I Like a Good Story with My Meal
Story and Photos by Suzie Jones
November just might be my favorite month and Thanksgiving my favorite holiday. It’s a time when we are thankful for all that we have, when we appreciate our friends and family just a little bit more. And we celebrate FOOD—one of the great loves in my life. Food is important to me and it’s not only because I make a living by raising it. Food—and the great care it takes in raising it—is very personal to me and my family. Why? Food has such a profound effect on us. Have you ever noticed how certain foods and their
aromas are absolutely linked to certain memories? I can’t smell tomatoes stewing on the stove-top without thinking of my mother and her mother before her, canning mountains of tomatoes. There was a great bustle in the house; the kitchen was “hotter than snot”, and there was this incredible sense of accomplishment when those jars were stacked on the basement shelves like we were expecting to feed an army. Have you also noticed that food seems to taste better when you know more about it? That may seem like a stretch for some folks, but consider this: If I ask you to take a sip of wine, for example, but tell you ahead of time that you will detect notes of apple and vanilla, you will taste apple and vanilla. If I ask you to take a bite of cheese made from the milk of cows raised on an Alpine slope and fed lavender, you will taste a hint of lavender. I’m not a psychologist and I’m definitely not sure why this happens, but food is more than just fuel for our bodies. It’s connect-
ed to our brains, and the best foods hold great meaning for us. The New York Times recently ran a story about a poultry company that has paired up with a number of high-end restaurants in New York City. These famous-name establishments save their kitchen scraps and ship them to the farm to be fed to the chickens. These same chickens will then be served at these swanky restaurants. The chefs were quoted as being excited about the possibilities of flavoring the meat of their future birds. Now, as a chicken farmer, I’m of two minds: First, I’m duly impressed by this ingenious gimmick. It’s ingenious because it’s a great story. The
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proudly serve Harold’s turkey, Amy’s carrots and Karen’s sweet potatoes to my loved ones this Thanksgiving. We live in an area where most everyone can stop along their commute to work at that cute little farm with the “brown eggs for sale” sign and get the best eggs on the planet. That cute little neighbor ing farm has a story—a real story—and we residents of the Mohawk Valley savor our food all the more because of it. chefs and their staff will describe the unique diet these chickens are getting and may even note certain herbs or vegetables that were used to sweeten the meat. Diners at these restaurants will have a story in their heads that will then inform and shape their dining experience. Whether or not these additions to the chickens’ diet have any effect on their flavor is not important*; the story is there. On the other hand, every Midwestern bone in my body is offended by this idea. How rich is this country that we are shipping fancy restaurant kitchen
scraps hundreds of miles to feed chickens? I shudder to think what poorer nations must think of us. And, more importantly, how hungry is our nation for “real” food that this story works on us? This company’s ingenious gimmick evokes images of chickens being raised in Grandma’s backyard with scraps from her table…nothing could seem more wholesome. That’s why I am once again thankful—thankful that we are residents of the Mohawk Valley, where I can buy half a cow for my freezer from one neighbor and a pig from another. I will
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*The chickens from this story are a slow-growing variety, taking twice as long to grow and requiring a diet lower in protein and higher in carbohydrates (corn). As a result, their meat will have a different flavor and the fat will be more yellow in color. Jones Family Farm, owned & operated by Peter & Suzie Jones of Herkimer, is a small, diversified operation dedicated to fresh, healthy food. Together with their kids, they produce specialty goat cheeses and gelato. Find them on the web at: www.anotherjonesfamilyfarm.com
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Richfield Springs Historical society
Shurkatch Fishing Tackle The Shurkatch Fishing Tackle Corporation began in 1899 in Providence, Rhode Island. In 1936, the company moved to Richfield Spring, NY. During World War II, it produced hundreds of thousands of emergency kits for the Navy, the Merchant Marines and the Air Corp. It manufacturered all kinds of fishing tackle accessories until the 1980s.
The Richfield Springs Historical Society’s collection of school year books is growing. Contact Museum Executive Director, Marjorie Walters to donate books or photos for their school displays.
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Canadarago Park Canadarago Park was a popular dance hall and roller skating rink located about two miles south of the village of Richfield Springs. It opened for dancing in 1905 and people traveled there by the Oneonta and Mohawk Valley Trolley until trolley service ended in the mid-1930s. During the ‘Big Band Era,’ some of the bands featured included Glenn Miller, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, Ella Fitzgerald, Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey’s band with Frank Sinatra. The park remained a popular destnation until the mid 1960s.
On display at the museum is a collection of arrowheads found near Canadarago Lake by Herman Hopper.
Historical displays, lectures, meetings & more!
Richfield Springs Historical Society Open Saturday & Sunday 12-4. Other times by appointment. 134 Main St. , Richfield Springs 315-858-0027
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The Mustard Seed & Stone Mill Antiques We specialize in antiques: vintage aprons and linens, old furniture, ironstone, vintage clothing and more, and we make our own herbal products, too!
Tue - Sat: 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Sun: 12:00 pm - 4:00 pm 410 Canal Place, Little Falls (315) 823-0718
Little Falls Antique Center
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The Formation of Moss Island and the Mohawk River by John Stehnach, Geologist & Little Falls High School Science Teacher
In order to understand the history of the Mohawk River we need to go back in time a bit. The Mohawk River would not cut through central New York today, if not for geologic events that occurred nearly 300 millions of years ago and as recently as 13,000 years ago. The eastern edges of North American crust went through major upheavals, which ultimately formed the
various mountains up and down the East Coast of North America. As the Earth’s crust was compressed and stretched, ancient blocks of rock called gneiss (pronounced “nice”) were forced to the surface in and around the location of the present day city of Little Falls. Today, when you walk in the city, hike on Moss Island, or drive east as you leave Little Falls, the brown rock cliffs around
you are exposures of the oldest rocks found at the surface anywhere in the United States. These metamorphic rocks are over a billion years old, and were formed during the Precambrian Eon of geologic history. These blocks of ancient rocks, which are very resistant to the forces of weathering, created a formidable surface prominence that was estimated to have been as high as 150
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feet above the landscape of the ancient Central New York area. All water flowing over the land, where central New York would one day exist, either flowed to the west or to the east of these formidable cliffs. In other words, a great divide existed precisely where Little Falls would one day be located. Now we must fast-forward to about 13,000 years ago. The great glaciers of the last Ice Age, which began about 25,000 years ago, melted and the ice sheets were now north of the high peaks of the Adirondacks and the Tug Hill Plateau. All the ice that once covered the surface of present day New York State west of the Adirondack Mountains produced a tremendous amount of melt water. This glacial melt began to fill the basins to the south and west of the Adirondack Mountains. Today’s
...the brown rock cliffs around you are exposures of the oldest rocks found anywhere in the US.
Great Lakes represent the last remnants of these vast bodies of fresh water. The most eastern of these prehistoric lakes was confined to a relatively narrow basin by the Adirondack Mountains and its foothills to the north, the Allegheny Plateau to the south, and the ancient rock barrier of high rock walls at Little
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Falls to the east. The water of this pre-historic body of glacial melt water that terminated at Little Falls was given the name, Lake Iroquois, by geologists. As the glaciers continued to melt, more and more water filled Lake Iroquois and eventually these waters began to flow over the rock walls at
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Little Falls. Thus began the process that would erode this natural barrier of rock. It is estimated that several waterfalls of at least 100 feet high existed at this location in the ancestral Mohawk Valley. The “pot holes” of Moss Island formed as a result of the hydraulic forces of swirling water and the action of scouring rocks grinding against the ancient gneisses located at the bottom of what must have been a magnificent complex of waterfalls. As Lake Iroquois continued to be emptied over the edge of the gneiss walls of rock, the Mohawk Valley was lengthened and made deeper as the waters flowed east toward the Hudson Valley. This process continued in central New York for several hundred years, continuously eroding the height of the rock wall of Little Falls and Moss Island and forming its pot holes. Eventually, the St. Lawrence Valley became free of ice and allowed the waters to flow along the more favorable gradient to the northeast as more glacial melt water flowed to the Atlantic Ocean. This ended the massive flow of water through central New York leaving the Mohawk River in its current state. When you gaze along the current Mohawk River, it will not take much effort to realize that this meandering river could not have formed the majestic Mohawk Valley we know today. When you are in Little Falls, once appropriately called “Rock City,” you must visit Moss Island, which has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service. Gaze upon the enigmatic “pot hole” formations of Moss Island and the sheer cliffs that surround you. Explore Lock 17 on the Erie Canal and the Mohawk River. You will be visiting a very unique and historically relevant place in the United States.
...several waterfalls of at least 100 feet high existed at this location in the ancestral Mohawk Valley.
Local Arts:
gary price “In 2001, I returned to my boyhood love of painting. Today, I easily juggle painting and cartooning which are really very similar in concept for me, only the technique differs. Using symbols, expression and color, both my paintings and cartoons tell a story without words. I enjoy doing both equally.” Gary Price, a native of Utica, began drawing at an early age and started painting in oils at the age of ten. He graduated from Proctor High School where his artwork was encouraged by his teachers, Guy Danella and Gina Esposito. From there, he moved to Boston and graduated from the Art Institute of Boston, majoring in Illustration. Upon graduation, he was faced with the dilemma of how to support himself as an artist. Showing his portfolio to Boston ad agencies, Gary found there was little market for his paintings but that line drawings and cartoons would sell. He began to develop a cartoon style
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and his paintings were put on hold. Falling in love with the art of cartooning, he then began his career as a freelance cartoonist while also holding down a full time position as Art Director at Graphis Inc. in Boston. While in Boston, he met and married his wife Vivian. In 1976, they moved back to Utica following the birth of his first daughter Jessica. In that same year, he founded Price Design. For many years Gary’s cartoons illustrated stories for the national children’s magazines Humpty Dumpty, Young World and Children’s Digest. Today Price Design continues to serve local and national clients specialising in Illustration and Graphic Design. In 2001 Gary was joined in business by their daughter Sarah Price.
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Silver Season 1988 - 2013
Twenty-Five Years of Music, Theater & Dance! Kronos Quartet
Saturday, November 9, 7:30pm 40th anniversary tour by one of the most celebrated new music groups of our time.
Kùlú Mèlé African Dance & Drum Ensemble
Saturday, November 16, 7:30pm
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Historical
Herkimer
News from the Herkimer County Historical Society by Susan R. Perkins
D
id you know that Veterans Day wasn’t always called that? It was originally called Armistice Day, which is celebrated every year on November 11 to commemorate the armistice signed between the Allies of World War I and Germany at Compiegne, France. The cessation of hostilities on the Western Front of World War I took effect at eleven o’clock in the morning – the “eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” of 1918. President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11, 1919 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day. On June 5, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed legislation that Armistice Day be changed to the legal holiday of Veterans Day. In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, that dictated that the fourth Monday in October would be observed as Veterans Day. The law didn’t take effect until 1971. In 1975, a Federal legislation was passed to put Veterans Day back to November 11, which didn’t take effect until 1978.
P
rivate Andrew A. Smith of the 34th Regiment Company K enlisted at the age of 29 on May 1, 1861 at Salisbury, New York, mustered in for two years. He was killed during the December 13, 1862 at the Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Andrew was born in the town of Salisbury ca. 1832/33, the son of William and Caroline Smith, who were farmers living on the Emmonsburg Road. His oldest brother, Newtown J. (John) and his wife, Jane, named their son, Andrew, born in 1865, after his deceased uncle. Young Andrew died at the age of four, he is buried in the Dibble-Tuttle Cemetery in Salisbury.
Live Nativity & Open House Thursday, Nov. 21st, 6-9pm
Albany NY May 11, 1861 Dear Father & Mother Sisters & Brothers, How to commence this letter I hardly know but I am well & in good spirits never better. Coarse food agrees with me. I hope that you are all well & in good spirits do not be down harted for I am a brave soldier of the 38th (sic 34) Regt under Capt. John Beverley Herk. Co. is filled out but we are the Hapless Reg. of Boys.
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An excerpt FROM a letter home
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B
rigadier General John Pembroke Spofford (1818-1884) was born in Brockett’s Bridge, now Dolgeville. He was the son of John Dow Spofford and Delilah Utter. He was 43 when he mustered in as a private on September 5, 1861 in the 97th New York Regiment. The regiment was known as Conkling Rifles, after Roscoe Conkling. On July 1, 1863, first day of the Battle at Gettysburg, Col. Spofford is credited with leading a charge against a North Carolina contingent. His horse was shot from under him and part of his hat was blown away. By day’s end, Spofford, along with several officers and men, were taken as prisoners of the Confederacy. They were taken to Libby Prison outside of Richmond, Virginia. While in prison, Spofford was able to write his own description of the prison and sent it to The Herkimer County Journal in December of 1863. Mid-February, Spofford and 108 other Union officers escaped from prison by gaining access to the cellar of the prison from their second floor cells. They concealed primitive tools and dug a 59-foot tunnel from the cellar, seven feet underneath the street adjacent to the prison, to a stable across the street. After leaving Libby Prison, the group passed themselves off as citizens of Richmond. They got over 27 miles from the prison and only 12 miles from the Union line when they were confronted by a Confederate guard. When Spofford was searched, a bone carving of a watch charm, which bore the imprint of Libby Prison, was found. He was taken back to prison. In May, he was tramsported by train to Fort Oglethorpe, Macon, Georgia. A prisoner exchange was made in August of 1864. Spofford was sent home to Brockett’s Bridge, where he rejoined the 97th New York Regiment in 1865. Spofford was seriously wounded in the chest and was invalided out of the army with honors. Upon recommendation of Gov. Reuben E. Frank of New York, Col. Spofford was promoted to Brigadier General by brevet for “gallant and meritorious service in the army.” Brigadier General Spofford returned to Brockett’s Bridge and his wife, Mary Jane Hopson Spofford, and their two children. For the remainder of his life he operated a dry goods store, and was active until his death at the age of 66 on August 29, 1884.
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Look for the new Arcadia Book “Frankfort” Due out this December Herkimer County Historical Society Open M-F 10-4 400 North Main Street Herkimer, NY 13350
Discharge Paper of Colonel John Pembroke Spofford dated July 18, 1865, at camp near Balls Cross Road, Virginia by reason of ending of the War.
Sue Perkins is the Executive Director of the Herkimer County Historical Society and the Town of Manheim Historian.
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ieutenant Carey J. Walrath (1895-1918) and Private Carlton D. Walrath (1897-1918) were the sons of Frank and Gertrude Walrath. The brothers were born in St. Johnsville, New York and were living in Herkimer in 1910. During World War I, the brothers enlisted in Company “M” 27th Division of the New York National Guard at Mohawk, New York. On September 29, 1918, Lieutenant Carey J. Walrath and his brother Private Carl Walrath were in the same shell hole near Bellecourt when a piece of shrapnel killed Carey. As he fell, his brother caught him and was about to lower him to the ground, when he was also killed by machine gun fire. Their bodies did not arrive in Herkimer until 1921. The brothers are buried in the Mohawk Cemetery because their father didn’t want his sons buried on G e r m a n S t r e e t because of the name.
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The Music never stops:
open mic nights By John Keller
There are several things that every musician needs; among them: good equipment, good songs, inspiration, and a place to perform. One way to utilize all of these is at an Open Mic Night. The Open Mic can be considered the life’s blood for many musicians. No matter what the skill level, the Open Mic is essential. Beginning musicians can use the experience to work out their strengths & weaknesses, learn to perform in front of an audience, and learn from others. Intermediate performers can use the Open Mic format to interact with like-minded musicians, find jamming or permanent band members, and pick up new techniques. Advanced and professional players use the Open Mic to “road test” new material, promote upcoming gigs and gather new fans. Performing for an audience can be nerve-wracking and scary for new performers. Open Mics help to overcome these fears.
Other musicians and audience members may lend encouragement to newer performers, as well as further advice and criticism. Accepting creative criticism is career-strengthening and necessary for growth. If the venue books acts, an Open Mic is an excellent way to audition. The management gets to hear your music, see how you interact with an audience and observe how the audience responds to you. It’s best to present your strongest material and perhaps some of your weakest to represent all you are, musically. It must also be noted that the Open Mics are not exclusive to music. Spoken word and performance artists may also come to practice their art, as well. This further expands perfection for the artist and exposes audiences to alternative forms of art. There are a few rules when performing at an Open Mic, whether it be your first or twenty-first time attending one. 1) If possible, introduce yourself to the host. Find out Barista, Annie Tunnicliffe, how long your set will be and let them serves up coffee at the know what you reTramontane Cafe’s Open quire so they can make the proper Mic Night held every preparations for a Sunday in Utica. swift transition beCafe opens at 5pm, Open tween performers. 2) Tune your Mic starts at 7pm . instruments prior Call 315-732-8257 to hitting the stage.
Tuning on stage is a time waster, unprofessional and brings a standstill to the evening’s flow. 3) Be courteous to the act that proceeds you and the act that follows. Don’t ‘rush’ the stage. Let the performers collect their gear to open the space for you. When you’re done, quickly gather your stuff so the next performer gets his time. 4) Another courtesy when others are playing is to keep chatter to a minimum. Treat all other performers as you would want to be treated. Be attentive, listen, applaud, and enjoy each performance. You may also learn a trick or two. 5) When the host signals one more song, don’t launch into Freebird or an avant-garde jazz/blues space jam. A normal 3-4 minute song will suffice. 6) The most important rule is – Have Fun! Following these ‘horse sense’ rules will ensure an enjoyable musical experience for you, and your audience. It will also extend respect for future appearances. There are many venues that offer an Open Mic in their schedule. Visit the MV Living website to see a link for Open Mic nights. Remember, some places require advance signup. Please call the venue ahead of time to ensure time of event and timeslot. Good Luck & Good Playing! Local musician, John Keller, owns Off Center Records in downton Utica, NY.
OPEN
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recipes local favorites
Juanita Bass’ Chocolate Porch Pie Filling: 1 1/4 cup Sugar 3 heaping tablespoons of cocoa 3 beaten eggs 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup melted butter 1 tablespoon of vanilla
Juanita Bass
Juanita Bass never had chocolate growing up. It was a luxury her family couldn’t afford, so she never developed a taste for it. When she opened her restaurant in Bridgewater in 1988 (the White House Berries Inn was nationally-known for its classic American Soul Food cuisine) her customers begged to her to add something chocolate to her menu. So she developed this chocolate porch pie. It won ‘The Best Overall Sweet’ at least three consecutive years at the Annual Summer Sweets Competiton in Hamilton. Juanita’s sweet potato pies are served to US Troops in Dubai and her sweet potato bread was just approved for the military food program. www.juanitassoulclassics.com
Discover Sharon Springs, NY
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Directions: Sift sugar and cocoa together to avoid lumps, add the remaining ingredients. Pour into a 9 inch unbacked chocolate crust. Crust: 2 cups of flour 1/2 teaspoon of salt 4 tablespoons of light brown sugar 1 cup of butter 1/4 cup cream cheese 1/2 cup grated chocolate (semi sweet) - 2 squares Mix all ingredients and roll out on to a floured surface, crust will seem a little stiff, that’s okay just work with it, place in a 9 inch pie plate and fill with the chocolate filling. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Do the tooth pick test to make sure the center is cooked. Serve with vanilla ice cream and White Berries Inn chocolate sauce. Chocolate Sauce: 12 cups of Light Karo Syrup 3 cups of fully packed light brown sugar 5 cups cocoa 6 cups milk 3/4 cups of butter 1 teaspoon of salt 6 teaspoons of vanilla Directions: Sift sugar and cocoa together to avoid lumps. Place the first 6 ingredients in a double boiler and bring to boil for 10 minutes. Let simmer for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Let cool and store in refrigerator. The sauce can be used for many things, heat and pour over the ice cream on the Chocolate Porch Pie, Chocolate sundaes etc.
Black Cat Café Mon-Thurs 11-3 Fri-Sun 8-3 195 Main St. (518) 284-2575
*Expires 11/30/13, one issue/special per family per month, please.
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Made Here
products created or manufactured in our region Zookeys in Waterville When Susy Quayle ran out of socks when making sock monkeys for her daughter’s baby shower, she resorted to a bag of mismatched socks and Zookeys were born! She has since created thousands of these colorful, whimsical creatures in her studio in Waterville. Available online and at the Artisans’ Corner in Clinton.
Zookeys www.zookeyq.com
From Middleville to the High Seas E.J. Willis has specialized in marine hardware since 1888. The Middleville company is a major supplier of bells to the U.S. Navy, made to strict military specifications. Their bells grace such navy ships as the U.S.S.John F Kennedy, the U.S.S. Jack Williams, and scores of other vessels.
From Rome to Your Home
Tom Roche of Rome is retired but finds himself working harder than ever creating useful objects out of wood. He designs unique cutting boards in a variety of shapes. Tom Roche’s Woodworking Designs available at: www.tomroche.etsy. com and North Star Orchrds in Westmoreland.
Tom Roche Woodworking Designs www.trochewooddesigns.artfire.com
We carry Kitchenaid Attachments! Mention this ad and recieve 10% off purchase! Whether you are outfitting a restaurant, catering company, or your own gourmet kitchen, we have the equipment and experience you are looking for.
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Solar-Powered Boats Built on the Erie Canal The world’s first commercially-available solar-powered electric recreational boat is built in Rome, NY by the Tamarack Lake Electric Boat Company. No more gas, no more pollution, just good clean boating! www.tamarackelectricboats.com
Beyond Chocolate
What started as a way to raise money for orphanages in Haiti, became Le Marais Chocolat. This organic, local, and beyond fair trade chocolate company in Cooperstown creates delicious, handcrafted truffles with a percentage of every sale donated to charity.
A Snack that Gives Back Elsie and Mike Synenki, the “Mom and Pop” of Homestyle Specialty Foods in Little Falls, started their gourmet popcorn company as a retirement business and as a way to give back to the community. They never dreamed when they started that they’d have over 2 dozen flavors, like bacon, Cheery Cherry, and Choco-HOT, and so many loyal fans! Available in stores from Cazenovia to Fonda.
Le Marais Chocolat
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Flatware Made in Sherrill The only flatware made in America is made by Liberty Tabletop in Sherrill, NY. The company has been producing quality flatware for over a century.
Liberty Tabletop www.libertytabletop.com
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Know Your Farmer Why Local Meat Matters by Sharry L. Whitney
A rafter of turkeys gathers around an old tractor like members of a club. A curious chicken stops by before moseying off past the rabbit pen to check in with the pigs. This is a common scene at Happy Pastures Farm, a former dairy farm in North Brookfield. In 2009, lifelong dairy farmer, Hank Szewczyk (pronounced “Chev-zik”) had to make the tough decision that many local dairy farmers have to make: Grow or die. “What was done here the last 100 years couldn’t be sustained anymore,” explains Szewczyk. So, despite generations of dairy farming in his family’s history, he decided to sell off his herd and go into a different business - he began raising grass-fed beef. He now raises natural beef, pork, chicken, duck, and rabbit.
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animals, better for the environment, better for the community, and just plain better tasting. “Beef, spices...that’s it,” Szewczyk lists the ingredients in his beef hotdogs. Growing concern over meat quality is one of the many reasons people are turning to naturally grown meats. As consumers become more educated about what’s in their food, they’re making better decisions and their telling their neighbors. Peter Mierek, Jr., of Mierek Meadows farm in Westernville, says most of his new customers come from his current customers. One loyal client takes his ground beef and steaks with him every summer when he goes camping near Sylvan Beach. He shares it with fellow campers who always end up asking where it
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“The last two years, demand for grass-fed beef has skyrocketed,” says Szewczyk. “Rabbit is a good seller, too.” The demand has increased so rapidly that local slaughterhouses have struggled to keep up. Farmers are scheduling with local processors sometimes a year or more in advance. Some have to transport their animals for an hour or more, or even out of state, which costs the farmers both time and money. Over the last several years, many natural and organic livestock farms have sprung up as demand for locally raised meat has grown. Demand in the Northeast is particularly high and the trend has taken strong root in the Mohawk Valley. People have discovered that local, naturally raised meat is better - better for the
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came from. “They see the hamburgers on the grill and are amazed they don’t shrink or flame up as much, and don’t require as much cleaning of the grill,” says Mierek. “Then they taste it,” he says, and it sells itself. Mierek started with four customers in 2006 and now has fifty. He has over 170 cattle grazing his land and additional land that he rents. Now that people know that farm fresh local meat tastes better, they’re demanding it. Local markets and restaurants are responding by not only including local meat in their offerings, but even listing the names of the farms and farmers on their displays and menus. Some restaurants, like The Tailor and the Cook in Utica, will even take you on a “tour” of your plate, pointing out that your steak came from Drover Hill Farm in Earlville or that your lamb was raised at Cranberry Ridge Farm in Williamstown. Chef and owner, Tim Hardiman, says his menu is inspired by the local offerings. “Whenever we can, we draw from a local farm, and that’s not just a decision based on the quality of the food, but it’s a fiscal decision...commerce with people we live with in the Mohawk Valley. To know the person who produces what you eat is an invaluable connection.”
Consuming locally grown and produced food has become so popular that the term localvore (a person whose diet consists only or principally of locally grown or produced food) is now part of our vernacular. Even some people who became vegetarians, because of concern for food quality and the treatment of animals, have returned to eating local meats. Nancy Grove, an organic farmer and former vegetarian, now offers her CSA subscribers humanely raised meats in addition to her organically grown vegetables. Old Path Farm is a CSA that began in 2005 when Community Supported Agriculture was still a relatively new concept in our region. Grove works the farm with two partners. “Their were inquiries about local meats, so we made it convenient for our customers,” says Grove, whose clients routinely visit the farm to pick up their shares of vegetables or help with chores. They can now subscribe to a chicken CSA through Jones Family Farm in Herkimer and pick
Nancy Grove feeds the chickens that supply her customer swith fresh eggs.
up grass-fed beef supplied by nearby Grass Roots Farm in Cassville. “It’s important to us that the animals are raised outdoors in a natural environment,” says Grove. She explains that animals raised outdoors with space to roam, fresh air, and water, don’t need the antibiotics that crowded factory farm animals do. Mass production, popularized by Ford Motor Company in the early 1900s, seemed like a good idea when first applied to American farms in the 1950s and 60s. It worked with automobile manufacturing, why not animals? Industrial, large scale livestock farms increase their productivity and profits by specializing in one kind of animal, while separate Dylan and Gabe Williams help their mother, Melissa, move the turkey tractors - mobile crop farms specialize in producing pens that are moved around the field so turkeys can graze on fresh grass. At Sunnybrook the animals’ feed. It is seemingly Farm in Deansboro, they raise Thanksgiving turkeys as well as pork and grassfed beef. efficient, but after decades of this kind of farming, the negative affects have become increasingly apparent. Overcrowded animals produce toxic levels of waste, and crop fields, that were once replenished naturally by grazing livestock, become depleted. Stripped of its fertility, the land has to be replenished with imported nitrogen and fertilizers. Massive scale livestock and crop farms are also prone to runoff which pollutes surrounding water sources. “Growing crops and raising farm animals together makes more sense,” says Berni Ortensi, owner of the certified organic Ortensi Farm in 27
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Berni Ortensi believes in protecting open spaces and the environment, both necessary for growing and raising quality natural food.
Richfield Springs. She and her husband, Gregory, raise organic grass-fed beef, chicken, and turkey. They also grow their own organic grain to supplement their free range grazing. “Turkeys are naturally good grazers. We rotate them around the field every week or two,” says Ortensi, “I believe in a healthy environment and raising quality food.” She says that the nutrient-rich grass and all the bugs the turkeys and chicken eat make them stronger and healthier. Turkeys butchered for Thanksgiving make the already busy month of November even busier for local poultry processors. Livestock plants are also busy with cattle and pigs that have “fattened up” over the summer months and have reached market weight. Larry Althiser, owner and head meat cutter at Larry’s Custom Meats in Hartwick, says that the popularity of farmers’ markets has made even traditionally slower times of year busier. He says he now has a mini rush in April and May because farmers need product for the summer farmers’ markets. The fall still remains his busiest time of year when turnaround can be as long as 3 months. Larry’s Custom Meats is a USDA-licensed slaughter and processing facility. Meat to be sold to restaurants, stores, or at markets, is required to have federal certification, but there are only a few federally certified slaughterhouses in the state. The interest in local meats has grown so rapidly that local slaughterhouses have struggled to keep up with demand. Farmer, Hank Szewczyk, says he has to schedule with Kelley Meats in Taberg a year in advance, and the cattle he has processed at Leona Meat Plant, in Troy, PA, has to be scheduled before the calf is even born! Hunting season also coincides with this busy time of year. Farmer, Peter Mierek, has to plan around the season because Nolt’s Custom Meat Cutting in Lowville closes every October 28
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until the end of December; during this time, they only process deer. Marty Broccoli, Agricultural Economic Development Specialist at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Onieda County, says it’s been a challenge to keep up. “There was a significant gap for ten years,” he admits, “but recently there has been a number of new plants that have opened throughout the state. [We’re trying] to shore up the infrastructure.” Ideally the transportation of animals to the processing plant CORE_4.9x7.7_Generations_Layout 1 8/6/13 2:14 PM Page 1
should be within 45 minutes to an hour which makes it less costly for the producers and better for the animals. There is a growing trend toward eating more local, naturally raised meat. Informed consumers have learned that grass-fed beef has more “good” fats and fewer “bad” fats, not to mention more vitamins and antioxidants. Grazing livestock and poultry are naturally healthier and don’t require the antibiotics that factory farmed animals require. The
added bonus is better quality meats and better taste. Farmers are rediscovering the balance of diversified farming, where food crops and animals are raised together in ways that replenish natural ecosystems. But perhaps the greatest benefit in the localvore movement is a replenished community, where people know their farmers and know their food.
CORE_4.9x7.7_Generations_Layout 1 8/6/13 2:14 PM Page 1
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GENESEE JOE’S LIVE & LOCAL From classic bands of the past like The Frogs, NY Flyers, Alecstar, Driving Sideways, Mr Edd and the Dust Devil Band to more recent groups like Showtime, Gridley Paige, The Bomb, Wicked and Slug and the weekend warriors like Todd Hobin, the Justice McBride Band, Blueprints, Puttin’ On The Ritz the Mossback Mule, the Paul Case Band and Jon Liebing that have kept at it for decades, there is a long tradition of great local music in and around the Mohawk Valley. During my many years on the local airwaves and as a musician, I have gotten to know just about all of the area’s players and consider our region’s musicians and their music an important part of life in the area. I share updates about local bands daily during the Live & Local Club Dates (5:15pm on 92.7FM TheDRIVE). Check this space monthly as I showcase veteran and emerging regional musicians, and join me as I feature music by area musicians Thursday nights at 9:30 on TheDRIVE’s Live & Local If you play live, let me hear from you! Get your name, the name of the act and what you play to me at geneseejoe@927thedrive.net.
A Walk in the
NOVEMBER Wilderness Story & Photos by Matt Perry
Barring the occasional hunter’s gunshot, the woods in November can be a very quiet and peaceful place. By this time of year the incessant chirping of the late summer insects has ceased and many of the more conversant migrant songbirds have departed for warmer climes. One bird still capable of disrupting the silence, however, is a Pileated Woodpecker hammering away at a distant dead tree. Hearing one might cause you to mistake its banging for a rogue carpenter at work in the forest somewhere. The Pileated The Pileated Woodpecker is the size of a crow. Woodpecker is about the size of a crow and wields an impressively long chisel its primary objective is to drill into the bird also has a longer call that consists for its bill. With this specialized instru- heart of a colony of carpenter ants and of a series of unevenly spaced “kack” ment, the woodpecker can effectively then use its extremely long, sticky notes, which are sometimes uttered as rip into a dead tree to expose the nooks tongue to extract the ants from their the bird flies. These loud calls serve as and crannies where insects lurk. In fact, network of tunnels. One might sympa- a reminder to the naturalist that he is thize with the ants when they see that not alone in the wilderness on a cold tongue blasting through their passage- November morning. The Pileated Woodpecker is one ways. To them it’s easily as terrifying of 4 species of native Central New as a Velociraptor would be to us! A Pileated Woodpecker’s vocal- York woodpeckers that are non-miizations are nearly equal in volume to gratory. They spend the entire year on their hammering. Their quick cack- their breeding grounds, which means le can travel surprisingly far though they are fully capable of making a The Pileated Woodpecker requires large woodland gorges and through the living on even the bleakest of winter diameter trees to excavate their nests in. leafless expanse of the fall forest. The days. They are not strict carnivores,
Your Connection to Local, Grass-Fed, Ground Beef
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though insects (mostly ants and beetle larvae) make up the bulk of their diet. I have on occasion seen one hanging upside-down by its toes in a tangle of wild grape vines, swallowing dozens of prized berries at a time. Pileated Woodpeckers are rarely seen at bird feeders but when they do appear it is often to help themselves to suet. In recent decades the population of this enigmatic woodpecker has been on the increase in Central New York because its favored habitat, (mature forestland), has become more plentiful. According to local records, the Pileated Woodpecker was quite rare in the Mohawk Valley 100 years ago, as were the large diameter trees that harbor the insects it feeds on and in which they excavate their nests. As November progresses, the colors of the forests and fields become muted. Some birds are particularly well prepared for this scene change and their cryptic plumage makes it difficult to pick them out of their surroundings. This is an especially important adaptation for a prey species like the Ruffed Grouse that can easily become a meal for a Northern Goshawk or a fox. Being able to blend in with the November color scheme most certainly helps the grouse survive the fall season when so many predators are active. Unlike the Ptarmigans of the far north, the Ruffed Grouse does not molt into white plumage for the winter; instead their appearance remains the same as during the breeding
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Along the toes of the Grouse are small comb-like, fleshy lobes called pectinations.
Predators like this Barred Owl also blend in well with their surroundings.
The male Ring-necked Pheasant keeps his bold colorful plumage all year long.
season. This grouse is very much like a wild chicken of the northern hardwood forest. Though they are noticeably smaller than your average barnyard hen, their general habits and appearance are not dissimilar. They have stout bills which are ideal for pecking at seeds and berries and strong clawed toes, which can scratch up insects and other edible tidbits. The Ruffed Grouse does best in habitat that consists of a patchwork of forest and meadow. In spring the male creates a drumming sound by rapidly pumping air with his wings. He performs this
ritual while using a log for a stage, and he usually does this in a wooded area that’s adjacent to a clearing. As part of its spring courtship the male also will strut on his territory with his soot-colored neck feathers ruffed out. The hen grouse will lay her eggs in a simple nest on the forest floor, often in a place that is obscured by thick undergrowth.
In fall, the grouse develops comb-like rows of small fleshy bristles along the outside of its toes. These lobes are called pectinations and they serve to evenly distribute the grouse’s weight so the bird can walk on top of the snow. The pectinations will be shed in the spring when they are no longer needed.
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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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View in Old Forge
NOvember
GAllery Guide
“Raising the Barn” by Deerfield artist, Deborah Rosato.
“Summer Barn” by Susan Fenimore Cooper Weil. Her work reflects her lifelong love of nature and the outdoors.
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 Tuesday - Friday: 10am - 5pm, Saturday and Sunday: 1 - 5pm General Admission: $7, Students/Seniors: $5, Members/Children 11 and younger: Free www.arkellmuseum.org The Utica Camera Club Annual Members Exhibit through December 6, 2013 Artist Reception: Monday, November 4, 2013, 4:30 - 6:30pm The Utica Camera Club Annual members Exhibit presents the professional, avocation and hobby interests of its members and selections from the past year’s monthly challenges and competitions.
Edith Langley Barrett Fine Art Gallery, Library Concourse Utica College, 1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY (315) 792-5289 Monday - Friday: 1 - 5pm, Saturday: 12 - 3pm Free admission www.utica.edu/gallery
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 Tuesday - Sunday: 10am - 4pm, Closed Mondays Adults $12.00, Seniors (65+) $10.50, Members/Children 12 and younger: Free www.fenimoreartmuseum.org Small Works 5 November 8 - December 30, 2013 Artists’ reception on Sunday, November 19, 2013, 3 - 5pm Collage and assemblage by NYS artists, Laura Canamela, Dan Bacich, J.D. King, Lynn Pauley, and Steven Specht.
The Kirkland Art Center
9 1/2 East Park Row, Clinton, NY (315) 853-8871 Monday - Friday: 10am - 4:30 pm, Thursday until 7pm Free admission www.kacny.org
Holiday Member Show & Sale November 15 - December 30, 2013 Opening Reception: Friday, November 15, 2013, 5 - 7pm 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.
Men of Steel with Roy W. Stevens Through November 9, 2014 Photographs capture the visual and performance art of people forming, managing, and choreographing steel structures. Featuring the largely unseen industry of heavy construction of highways, buildings, and bridges. and People and Places in My Travels with Deborah Rosato November 23 - January 3, 2014 Opening Reception: Saturday, November 23 from 2 - 4pm Watercolor and pastel paintings of Deerfield artist, Deborah Rosato
Cooperstown Art Association
Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts
22 Main Street, Cooperstown, NY (607) 547-9777 Monday, Wednesday - Saturday: 11am - 4pm, Sunday: 1 - 4pm, Closed Tuesday, Closed December 24 - 26 Free Admission www.cooperstownart.com
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Collage by Steven Specht, Professor of Psychology at Utica College. On display at the KAC in Clinton.
401 Canal Place, Little Falls, NY (315) 823-0808 Tuesday - Saturday: 12 - 4pm Free admission www.mohawkvalleyarts.org
Robert Indiana from A to Z, The Alphabet and the Icons through January 5, 2014 An exhibition celebrating the career of Robert Indiana, the world’s foremost word artist.
Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institue
310 Genesee Street, Utica, NY (315) 797-0000 Tuesday - Saturday: 10am - 5pm, Sunday: 1pm - 5pm Exhibition Admission: $10, Students: $5, Members/Children 6 and younger: Free www.mwpai.org Quilts Unlimited November 2, 2013 - January 5, 2014 Exhibit featuring both traditional and eclectic quilts and wall hangings from all over the US.
View
3273 State Route 28, Old Forge, NY (315) 369-6411 Exhibition admission: $10/$5 Members, Children under 12: Free Monday - Saturday: 10am - 4:30pm, Sunday: Noon - 4pm www.viewarts.org Frohawk Two Feathers: You Can Fall: The War of the Mourning Arrows through December 22, 2013 Los Angeles-based artist, Frohawk Two Feathers, researched the history and geography of our region and created a mash-up of real and invented characters and history.
Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art
Hamilton College, 198 College Hill Road, Clinton, NY (315) 859-4396 Tuesday - Sunday: 11am - 5pm, Closed Mondays and college holidays. Free Admission www.hamilton.edu/wellin
Quilt “Fall Splendor” Mary L. Bolton New Hartford, NY. This is Mary’s first time showing in Quilts Unlimited. She believes inspiration from nature is everywhere one looks, especially in autumn.
Cooperstown
A Road Trip to Cooperstown Photos courtesy Kyle Fabiano
Cooperstown is known throughout the country as the home of baseball. Visit during the summer months and it almost seems like the entire country has descending on the small village. The streets are packed with vehicles donning license plates from far-off states and decorated with team logos. Minivan doors fly open and little league teams spill out--think clown car capacities--clad in their favorite team jerseys with the expression of Christmas morning on their faces. It’s a sight to see. Or not. We prefer Cooperstown in the off season. It’s the Mohawk Valley’s playground. World class museums are just a short drive away and make for a perfect day trip- a luxury we locals have. Avid baseball fan, or not, the
Mon: 9:30 - 8:00, Tue - Fri: 9:30 - 5:00 Sat: 10:00 - 4:00
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Baseball Hall of Fame in the off-season is a joy. It’s open every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit the museum each year--over 15 million since it opened in 1939! But visit on a weekday in January and you could very likely have the place to yourself. Even a modest baseball fan can’t help feeling moved when sitting in the Babe Ruth Room alone with The Babe’s final home run bat. But baseball is just the first inning of the Cooperstown experience. You could spend a whole day at the Farmers’ Museum and Fenimore Art Museum alone. These premier establishments have fascinating exhibits featuring historic structures, artifacts, and world-renowned artists. Fall and
The Mohawk Valley’s premier quilt store offering high quality fabrics, notions, and quilting classes for all levels. Located at The Shoppes at the Finish Line in West Utica.
spring are the best times to visit as the museums are closed January-March (except for special programs). The village’s showpiece is sparkling Otsego Lake, Fenimore’s “Glimmerglass.” Whether you’re in it, on it, or near it, it has a replenishing effect. You can swim at Glimmerglass State Park, take a guided boat tour, or take a walk to Lakefront Park to enjoy a concert or the sunset. And then there’s the shopping, the food, the history, and two dozen museums and galleries! All this in a village with a population of less than 2,000. That is, unless, you visit in the summertime when the seemingly equivalent number of tourists arrive crammed in a single minivan with “Cooperstown or Bust!” scrawled on the side!
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Cooperstown A Secret Place
Fresh Air & Arias
Did you know that Glimmerglass Opera’s Alice Busch Theater was built to resemble a barn or chicken coop? Architect, Hugh Hardy, designed the theater to compliment its rural setting. To further evoke the area’s agrarian culture, the ceiling features a double wedding ring quilt pattern.
What’s in a name? Though many mistakingly believe that Cooperstown was named for the famous author, James Fenimore Cooper, it was actually named for his father, Judge William Cooper. They are both buried in the Cooper plot at the Christ Episcopal Churchyard in Coopertown. James Fenimore Cooper’s gravesite has a simple marble marker bearing only his name and the dates of his birth and death.
Cooperstown’s prominent benefator, the Clark family, made its fortune as half owner of the patent for the Singer sewing machine. The Clark family has lived in Cooperstown since the mid-1800s and were founding partners of the Baseball Hall of Fame and Bassett Hospital.
Fairy Spring Park is a “secret” park famous for being the spot of Natty Bumppo’s cabin in Fenimore’s “The Pioneers.” This park and swimming area is less than a mile from Main St. on E. Lake Rd. (Rte. 31)
Bridge to the Past America’s oldest existing covered bridge is located on the grounds of the historic Hyde Hall estate. It was built in 1823 on then-private property of the Hyde family and is now included in Glimmerglass State Park. It is the oldest surviving bridge in New York State. www.hydehall.org
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Bavarian Farms ................................. #20_J-17 Bathen’s Terrace Motor Inn ............ #21_H-15 Diastole Lakeview Bed & Breakfast ... #22_J-16 Glimmerglass Festival Theater ..........#23_C-16 Lake View Motel & Marina............... #24_E-15 Owl’s Landing Bed & Breakfast ....... #25_H-14
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Bassett Medical Center ................................................................. #1_I-8 Cooperstown Bat Company ........................................................ #2_O-5 Cooperstown Bed & Breakfast...................................................... #3_I-6 Cooper Inn .................................................................................. #4_G-7 Cooperstown Lake Front Hotel ................................................... #5_F-9 Cooperstown Natural Foods ........................................................ #6_L-6 Cooperstown Wine & Spirits........................................................ #7_P-8 Creamery Accomodations ............................................................. #8_I-5 Danny’s Market ........................................................................... #9_O-7 Davidson’s Jewelry & Augur’s Bookstore .................................. #10_O-9 The Farmers’ Museum ...............................................................#11_B-6 Fenimore Art Museum...............................................................#12_A-7 Glimmerglass Festival Box Office .............................................. #13_F-7 Glimmerglass Queen .................................................................. #14_F-9 Heroes of Baseball Wax Museum ............................................. #15_O-5 Inn at Cooperstown ................................................................... #16_F-7 National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ......................... #17_P-10 Nicoletta’s Italian Café.............................................................. #18_O-7 Otesaga Hotel Resort ................................................................. #19_F-8
Village of Cooperstown
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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.
Peggy washing dishes in the stream, 1974.
1974: Mon. Hardly slept last night. It seemed like a long night. (Don’t’ know where the clock is.) It’s incredibly dark and quiet here. We woke up a lot because of that. Tue. I’m alone because Tim’s not back from work yet. I’m scared…of bears and mad men…but most mad men would be too scared to come to a swampy woods at night and the bears probably have better things to do than bother me. It’s so quiet. I played one record on the wind-up record player [78rpm] before coming to bed but was afraid it would cover up the sound of anything outside. [That might be a threat to me.] Light reflections and my movements in the windows were sometimes startling. I feel pretty safe in the loft but wish I could lock the door and windows. Another night, I tried to go to the outhouse without a flashlight and hurried back with my heart pounding. “Tim, there’s a strange light in the forest! I still have to go! What’ll I do?” We found the flashlight and he came with me. “It was somewhere here…” I whispered. We saw nothing strange. “Must have been your imagination,” Tim tiredly concluded. “I know I saw something. Just wait for me.” Turning off the light to save the battery, our eyes re-adjusted and slowly something did start to glow in the woods. “There it is! Quick, turn on the light!” There was nothing there but some innocuous
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mushrooms growing innocently on decaying wood. Amazing! I’d been terrified by incandescent mushrooms! Wed. Tim & I had two quarrels today. This morning I told him that it bothered me to have him keep suggesting little jobs I could do. (I was still in bed and he was up.) He said it bothered him to have me stay in bed late. Blah, blah, blah – fight – cry. Told Tim I would move out, so that was the second fight. He said that I didn’t help much and he had to start the fires, empty the night water and bring in wood & water while I laid here like a teenager on Saturday morning and wouldn’t do things like put my clothes away or put the mattress cover on the mattress. I cried and said I worked all day yesterday and can’t do everything, etc. Anyway, we made up right after. We were still newlyweds and learning how to live with each other. We were overwhelmed by the work and only able to get things done during the ever shortening daylight hours, because at night we only had dim light from our kerosene lamps and candles. But after dark we would sit together by the fire, reflecting on what we’d done, and admiring every little thing we’d built, whether it was a bracket for a shelf out of wood from an old pallet, a silverware drawer with a twig for a handle, cleaning old paint off a window frame, or wrapping fencing around the truck so porcupines couldn’t eat the tires and brake linings. We had much to discuss. We had no elec-
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tricity. Our wood stove was tiny. We were drawing our water from the stream in a bucket. Was it safe? Would it freeze over in the winter, or go dry? Did we have enough wood to be warm enough in the winter? Could we cut enough wood by hand? Would the road stay passable so we could get to our jobs? Would the root-cellar be adequate to keep our food fresh? How would we stay in contact with people? How would we wash and press our clothes for work? Would we be socially rejected because of our lifestyle? “Let’s check out this creek first,” we agreed. We’d been drawing water with a bucket and sometimes taking our dirty dishes directly to the creek to wash if we didn’t need to use soap. It’s more interesting than sink washing because we get to see frogs, little speckled fish, and striders, and there are often woodland birds chirping & singing and wafts of balsam scented air to savor. One day Tim came back laughing. He had left our oatmeal pan in the creek to soak after it scorched one morning on the wood stove. “Peg, you should see what we’ve got in the oatmeal pan.” I went to look. There were dozens of young trout eagerly sucking oatmeal bits off the side of the pan.
“If we leave it there long enough, we won’t have to even scrub it! We’ve got our own automatic dishwasher!” I joked. Later on, after dinner we had another laugh. “Watch what happens to the left-over spaghetti, Peg.” Tim said. “It’s wiggling upstream!” I exclaimed. Our breakfast guests had come back for dinner and were dragging spaghetti strands upstream in their mouths. One night, getting water after dark, we discovered yet another mystery guest. A crawdad with a large claw on one front leg scurried under a rock when it saw my light. Obviously the fish hadn’t managed to eat every morsel. So one day we followed the creek upstream. Our feet got soaked as we worked our way around tangles of alter trees, hopped over the creek on dead logs that collapsed beneath us and tried to squeeze through dense clusters of young evergreen trees. Through it all, the amber hued waters of the brook gently meandered like an enchanted boulevard of gossamer. We found a tiny spring ebbing from thick, emerald mosses, and further up, a huge pond created by a dam stretching a half mile across, with a beaver lodge standing proudly in the
middle. Herons, geese and ducks noisily flew away at our intrusion. Beyond this, she narrowed through a kaleidoscope of flowers in alpine meadows, below springs that swelled out of the hardwood forests of the Adirondack foothills. We spoke to the elderly farmer who lived in the ancient farmhouse near where the water sprang out of his hills. He called it Houghton’s Brook. “Why is it called Houghton’s Brook?” we asked. “Old man Houghton owned the land over there,” he replied. “It’s named after him but its haunted now.” “What do you mean it’s haunted?” “They say he hung himself there and I know it’s haunted because my cows won’t go near it.” “Well,” I replied, “we’re calling it Misty Brook, now. It’s time for a new image.”
The Shawangunk Nature Preserve is a deep ecology, forever wild, 501©(3), learning and cultural center. Find out more at Shawangunknaturepreserve.com
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With local artists Frank Page & W.C. Pope
Future Farmers
Denten Spellman enjoys helping his grandparents on the farm. He also plays AYSO soccer.
of the Valley Story & Photos by Sharry L. Whitney
On my way to interview Arthur Felio at Three Village Cheese for my “Dairy in the Valley” article last month, I passed a beautiful field of grazing dairy cows in Middleville. When I arrived at the cheesemaker, I asked Arthur if he knew of the farm. He told me it belonged to the Salm family and that he knew them well because he buys their milk to make his cheese. Having yet to get my cover photo for the Octover issue, I decided to visit the Salms. Little did I know that meeting this family would not only get me my cover, but reinforce the decision I had made to feature local dairy farmers in our premiere issue. When we began interviewing dairy farmers back in 2005 for our TV show, we often asked them if there were any up-and-coming dairy farmers looking to take over the family business. More often than not, the answer was, “no,” their kids weren’t interested. And many of the farmers even admitted they wanted something better for their children. Over the next 6-7 years, we started to get the feeling that the future
was getting brighter for the local dairy industry. (Admittedly, producing a show about all the “good things” in the area can make you a bit of an optimist.) But after our interviews with farmers for the magazine we were pretty sure we were on the right track. I met with Kimberly Salm to organize a photo shoot. She runs the farm with her husband, Lynn. So I asked her the same question I’ve asked dozens of farmers over the years, “Any of your grandkids interested in dairy farming?” “Yes,” she said, matter-of-factly, “All of them.” That very afternoon, Lynn was taking the kids to Cooperstown for the annual Harvest Festival at the Farmers’ Museum. Their grandaughter, Madesen was invited to show her milking shorthorn, Grace, so I had to schedule a time to come back. It took two more visits to get the shot I needed. On each visit the kids were eager to talk about the farm and show me “their” animals. The two younger boys want-
ed me to take pictures of them posing with the cows, climbing hay bales, and doing their chores. The younger boy said to me, proudly, “I’m going to be a farmer!”
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ABOVE: Besides working on the farm, Isabella Smith competes in gymnastics. She also shows livestock at the Herkimer County Fair every summer. LEFT: When Logan Spellman isn’t climbing hay bales, or working on the farm, he’s playing soccer like his older brother, Denten.
Madesen Spellman enjoys working with the animals on the farm and was invited to show her milking shorthorn at the Annual Harvest Festival in Coopertown this fall. Little 3-year-old Dylynn Casanova (named for her grandpa, Lynn) will be showing her first cow at the Herkimer County Fair next summer.
Morrisville State College Experience Morrisville’s unique setting, programs, and facilities for yourself. Tours, visits, and faculty appointments can be scheduled online at www.morrisville.edu or register to attend • Career Driven Education our Fall Open House on November 2. in more than 75 Majors • Generous Scholarship Opportunities • Championship NCAA Division III Athletics • An Active and Vibrant Campus Life www.morrisville.edu facebook.com/morrisvillestatecollege twitter.com/MSCinMotion
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Taking a Peek from Hidden Peak Story and Photos by Gary VanRiper
You won’t find the official trail to this month’s hiking destination on most Adirondack maps, but will on the one published by the Town of Inlet and available at the Inlet Information Office in the hamlet of Inlet, NY. It is a marked trail known and used by hikers, runners, skiers and mountain bikers, but not many of them. And so this trail leads to a journey’s end that seems most appropriately named Hidden Peak. For those who would like to explore this little-known gem and are unfamiliar with the region, a stop at the Inlet Information Office to pick up
a free copy of their special map of intersecting trails in the Fern Mountain Recreation Area is a good first step. Heading over from the Inlet Information Center to the trail-head located at the parking area in nearby Fern Park, it is off on the modest hike along the easy rolling trail with any serious elevation gain not realized until approaching the summit. Unlike the trail ascending popular Rocky Mountain along the north shore of Fourth Lake which has been worn down to roots and rocks by its many visitors, the trail leading to Hidden Peak on the south shore of the lake is,
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in many places, still covered with tall, matted grass and is wide enough to walk with a companion, side-by-side. The final leg of the hike is actually a dirt road and that is where the ascent takes place in earnest. A pair of carved bears flanking the road appear as sober sentries near the top of the mountain, and within a few minutes you reach a curve in the road and are there. It is a panoramic view from the summit of Hidden Peak with much of Fourth Lake below to your left and then eyes sweeping across the horizon, to take in a magnificent view of
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Seventh Lake to your far right. Rocky Mountain, which can now be seen directly across Fourth Lake, is actually 100 feet shorter in elevation than Hidden Peak. And while autumn leaves will largely be down by now, it is the absence of foliage that further reveals how much more of the length of Fourth Lake can actually be seen. This wide-angle view of this portion of the Fulton Chain of Lakes makes the destination equally desirable in all four seasons including late fall hikers and winter hikers on snowshoes or cross-country skis. For more information on this hike, contact the Inlet Information Office at 1-866-Go-Inlet. 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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flash fiction:
Heaven by David Griffin
It’s not a long way to heaven. I can get there in under an hour. But first, I make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the journey, then gas up the truck and head out on a state highway that sees enough accidents each year to inspire a short whispered prayer to St. Brendan the Navigator. I think he’s the guy who replaced St. Christopher. He was also pretty savvy about fishing. Frankly, my favorite little corner of paradise on the West Canada Creek is better for its scenery than the fishing. At a beautiful bend in the stream, where lacey hemlock boughs grow to the shoreline, the deer will sometimes come out to take a sip from the creek only yards away, ignoring me if I remain still. There are quiet pools along the edges of the stream where I can stand in water up to my knees and listen as the trout sip flies off the surface. And in the early morning I have the place all to myself. The sun is up but hiding behind the hills when I park above the stream near the road and drop the rear gate of the truck to use as a seat. Hopping up … well OK, hauling myself up after a lifetime of donuts and other addictions… I pull on my waders
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and prepare my fishing costume, arranging the gear as meticulously as a priest or minister might don vestments before a communion service. I always think of it that way, my altar boy mind still focused on ritual after all the years. When I was younger and new to fly fishing, my costuming and preparation … dressing in waders and vest, checking the rod, reel, line, leaders, tippet, fly boxes, etc. … was a bothersome chore, a preliminary task quickly completed so I could get out on the water. But now I take my time, fastening each buckle and tying each knot with care. I tell myself I’m doing it to be safe, and to ensure a successful time on the stream, but I know the observance of ritual has for some reason become just as important to me. My tools of the trade are carried on the vest and are derived from the great tradition of fly fishing. Some are useful and only a few are really necessary. Most are not. The rubber leader straightener, for example, has been a popular item with fishermen for many years. It looks impressive, but I’ve used it only once, ten years ago. Still, we who fish truly love gadgets. The easiest way to engage a fly fisherman in conversation is to point to a tool on his vest and ask “what’s that doo-dad for?”
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During my early years of fishing, I may have bought every little tool in the Orvis catalog, from knot tyers to zingers to leader snips. Clomping down the stream with so much regalia hanging on me, I might have been mistaken for RoboCop. When I’m ready, I carefully pick my way down the embankment, climbing over boulders the State Fishing Department has helpfully deposited to keep the stream within its banks during the spring floods. The rocks seem larger and more slippery each year. By the size of them, the State must think most fishermen are teenagers. Yet all I ever see out here on the stream are us old guys tripping over the boulders. At water’s edge, I look for signs of insects, the trout’s food. The type and color of the bugs crawling here among the rocks or flying above the water will help me to choose just the right artificial fly from among the many I’ve tied this year. I’ll also look to see how the water has changed since my last visit. Most people don’t notice, but a stream constantly shifts
itself around underwater. The rocks rearrange themselves and hiding places for the fish are constantly on the move. In front of me and upstream, the little white rifles dancing on the water signal a large boulder just under the surface. Any trout worth the bait would hang out in that cozy spot. He could sit there all day behind the rock, just outside the rushing water that saps his energy, waiting for food to drift by. Reviewing all the signs, I convince myself to fish a small fly called The Professor. It’s an old fly, and was a favorite of Mary Orvis Marbury, daughter of the Vermont family that turned fishing into a retail empire. Mary was no 19th lily. She published a book of favorite flies more than a century ago, and I’ve heard she was a killer fisherman with a bamboo rod. Armed with research, equipment and tradition, I’m ready to get in the water and catch “the big one.” But first, I rummage around in my vest, find the squashed peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and sit down on an official State Fishing Department
boulder and begin to eat. Ever since my boyhood friend Georgie and I cast worms for sunnies on the Oriskany Creek in the 1950’s, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich has been a necessary component of any fishing trip. Later, as I travel home, I have to admit that driving all this way to not catch any fish and to sit on a rock eating a sandwich might not sound appealing to many people. But I’ve seen the most beautiful sights in the world and spent an hour or two in heaven.
David Griffin was born in Utica. He is a member of the first graduating class of Notre Dame High School and continued his education at MVCC, SUNY Oswego, and the Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, from where he obtained his master’s. He retired from a career in corporate planning and now writes from the South Carolina coast. Dave authors the popular blog Monk In The Cellar. He is widely published in anthologies and magazines. They are well received by those who love him. He seldom hears from those who don’t.
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