Upstate Life Summer Edition 2017

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O EE KE FR TA T’S I

S U M M E R 2017

Fly away to the cider mill Throw clay in Cooperstown Find more at the Fenimore AND MORE!

Rubbin’ up on summer Hog wild about BBQ

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SUMMER 2017

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VOLUME 11

Rubbin’ up on summer Hog wild about BBQ

Follow the aroma to Schneider’s Bakery Scratch baking is a lost art

Find more at the Fenimore

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ISSUE 3

Upstate Life Magazine, Winner, New York State Associated Press Association First-Place Award for Specialty Publications, is published by: The Daily Star, P.O. Box 250, 102 Chestnut Street Oneonta, New York 13820 © 2017 - All rights reserved.

Publisher Fred Scheller

The name alone should ring a bell

Editor Joanne Arbogast

Throw clay in Cooperstown

Graphic Designer Tracy Bender

Take a class this summer

Fly away to the cider mill Original seed planted by Johnny Appleseed

What remains of a Native American burial ground ”White man, greeting.”

Bullish on antiques Lots of stuff with soul

Advertising Manager Michele Clapperton Interested in advertising in Upstate Life Magazine?

Call toll-free, 1-800-721-1000, ext. 235 We invite you to e-mail your comments to: upstatelifeeditor@thedailystar.com

On the cover Dave Ward of Rubbin Butts Bar-B-Q

Cooperstown rocks!

Painted rocks are hidden in town

Cooking with Collins Fishing for dinner Photo by Blue Water Studio - Jessica Guenther

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Dave Ward is ready to serve.

Rubbin’ up on summer A

By Joanne Arbogast

As the temperature rises, so does the anticipation of all summer brings.

Finally, there seems to be more time to spend doing the finer things in life like watching or playing a baseball game and sitting back while the grill takes care of dinner.

Take even more time back for yourself and let Dave Ward take care of the barbecue, batting down the appetites of hungry tourists to whole hungry baseball teams. He’s been doing it for years, at Rubbin Butts in Cobleskill.

He starts the night before, feeding top-quality meats into his outdoor smoker. Throughout the night, flavor is infused with charring wood chips – mostly apple wood. Not only does it

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Summer 2017

enhance the meats’ taste, “it’s easily available here from local orchards,” he says.

The key to great barbecue, he believes, is to keep it simple. “We don’t use a lot of smoke,” he admits, because customers want to savor the barbecue flavor instead of tasting smoke. In fact, he strives to keep all his offerings simple because, if truth be told, “that’s the way people like it.”

The Rubbin Butts’ pulled pork, he says without hesitation, is the most popular item on the extensive menu.

Other choices include brisket, chicken, sausage, bacon and burgers to half and full racks of ribs. Go for a sandwich or apt for a hearty country plate or combo

meal, which includes homemade corn muffins.

But isn’t more better? There’s more … the list of side dishes doesn’t stop at macaroni, potato and pasta salads, fries and onion rings. Nothing goes better with barbecue than baked beans, salt potatoes, collard greens, whipped sweet potatoes, cheese grits, hush puppies and what Ward claims is “the world’s best slaw.”

Hog wild for tourists The southern slant dates back to before Ward purchased the establishment around five years ago. The previous owner, for whom Ward was one of the restaurant’s food providers, was also

Photos by Blue Water Studio - Jessica Guenther

If your idea of barbecue involves French fries, you’re in luck at Rubbin Butts. They offer a “Big ‘Ole Pile of BBQ Fries” loaded with meat, cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce. Choose pork or chicken, or go for the brisket.

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Summer 2017 | 7

“

We get a lot of Little Leaguers going to and from Dreams Park,” Ward says.

“We get whole teams here.

They come from Germany, Japan, California, Maine – everywhere.

”

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head chef at Ward’s other restaurant near Cooperstown – the Stockyard Public House, 754 Corbin Hill Road, Sprakers (518-9229977). “His wife was from North Carolina,” Ward says, “and her recipe for the Carolina barbecue sauce came from her dad.”

Deciding not to mess with what had already proved to be a success, Ward continues to use that same Carolina barbecue sauce to this day.

He kept the sauce recipe and he kept the Rubbin Butts name but in the near future, he will be moving the business to a new location, 116 Caverns Road. “Just down the road,” he says, “closer to the caverns.”

Howe Caverns and Secret Caverns are tourist destinations, especially for those visiting Cooperstown. “I’m just moving closer to my customer base.”

For Cooperstown-bound tourists coming into the airport in Albany and heading west on Route 88, Cobleskill is the first chance

Summer 2017

they have to find food. “It’s halfway to Cooperstown,” Ward explains, and the new location will make for an even swifter “easy on, easy off” opportunity for travelers. For those already in Cooperstown, venturing out to Cobleskill to see the caverns is usually among the plans for those in-between baseball games. “We get a lot of Little Leaguers going to and from Dreams Park,” Ward says.

“We get whole teams here. They come from Germany, Japan, California, Maine – everywhere.”

If running two restaurants isn’t time-consuming enough, Ward also runs a thriving catering business. “I really enjoy catering.

It gets you out and in new situations. We do a lot of it,” he says. With an increase in the popularity of barn weddings, having a catered barbecue reception is a logical step.

“It keeps with the theme,” he says.

Barbecuing in general has seen a resurgence of interest. Just tune into many of the

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TV cooking shows and chances are, more than a few will be sharing tips on slow cooking meat over hot coals. “The Food Network wanted to do a show on us a long time ago,” Ward says, but he turned down the opportunity. For one thing, it wouldn’t have been a quick process. “They would have been here for days,” he says. He just doesn’t have time to baby-sit a television crew.

Feeding funds for disabled vets When he’s not behind the counter at one of his restaurants, Ward is involved in community fundraising. “Last year we gave out $6,000 in gift certificates” to various local fundraisers, he says. Each May, he holds his own fundraiser, a golf tournament featuring a barbecue buffet to which the public is invited, for Montgomery and Schoharie Counties’ Disabled American Veterans (DAV) organization.

“The first two years, we raised $7,500 and this year, we hope to raise that much alone,”

he says. “All of the money raised goes to the veterans.”

Helping veterans is “close to my heart,” he adds. Not only did he have family members in the service but growing up, “I had friends with brothers who were drafted and went to Vietnam. Some came back, some didn’t. Most of the older veterans now served in Vietnam and they are helping the newer ones.”

A golfer himself, Ward no longer has the time to spend on the golf course but he makes sure to play once a year – “for my tournament, and for the veterans.”

As for his own eating enjoyment, is there a favorite? “I like all kinds of food,” he says, pointing out that his Stockyard restaurant features Tex-Mex. But what does he like most? Without missing a beat, “I enjoy making money,” he says with a laugh, then adds, “But more than that, I enjoy making people happy.” +

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o t a m o r a y e r e h t k a w o B l l s o ’ r F neide Sch

Good Eats

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Story and photos by Paula J. Cochran

In 1887, Frederick Schneider, along with his brothers Emil and Henry, opened Schneider’s Bakery in Cooperstown. One hundred and thirty years later, the bakery is still serving customers daily.

The Schneider brothers ran the bakery until 1950 when it was purchased by the current owner’s grandfather, Glenford Hubbell. Glenford passed it in to his son, Jason Hubbell Long and Jason’s uncle, Glen Hubbell. Unfortunately, the bakery was let go in the ’90s due to family illness.

After working as a chef in Lake Tahoe, Jason Hubbell returned to Cooperstown and purchased the bakery in 2006, where he used his skills as a chef in the Capitol District and teaching baking at Schenectady Community College to assure the family’s bakery would be a continued success. Bakery manager Rebecca Fogarty has been with the bakery since approximately 2009, bringing her knowledge and background in business and marketing. She has since become the front-end manager, decorator and chocolatier.

“Our signature item is our famous old-fashioned doughnut,” Fogarty said. “These are a favorite of many, as are the black & white cookies.” Both the doughnuts and cookies are made from the bakery’s original recipes.

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Fogarty changes the window display each season and holiday. The round-the-corner store front windows are laden with cookies, cupcakes, holiday décor and specialty breads, which are produced on site. Breads include French baguettes and French Arlettes.

Whether driving by or walking past, the fresh offerings will lure you in.

Customer and Facebook fan Kevin Dietz said, “I’ve been going to this bakery since I was a young boy and can’t say enough about how great everything is there, but the old-fashioned doughnuts are to die for.” His did, however, have one

We take much pride in our baked goods.

We only use fresh, real and quality ingredients.

”

complaint to lodge. “The only downfall to this place, and it isn’t really anything to do with the bakery itself, it’s just that everything is so good there, I gain weight as soon as I walk through the doors and smell the aroma.”

To assure other customers feel the same, Hubbell, who has worked in the bakery since age 14, continues to bake daily. In the busier summer season, his days start at 1 a.m. and during the slower winter season, he’s able to sleep in and start work at 3 a.m.

The biggest challenge the business currently faces is one most Cooperstown businesses face -- the seasonal atmosphere of the town. Another challenge, said manager Fogarty, is “finding employees as there is a dwindling labor pool.” That’s because being a scratch baker has become somewhat of a lost art.

The bakery has overcome challenges for 130 years and these new challenges will also be overcome as the bakery continues to focus on the keys to its long success. “We take much pride in our baked goods.

We only use fresh, real and quality ingredients,” Fogarty said.

“We’re always confident when asking customers how they like any of our items because we know their reaction will be that they love them and many times, they are the best they’ve ever had.”

Though there’s a loyal base of customers, the bakery would love to see more restaurants and local businesses utilize their products.

“Having a bakery in their backyard,” Fogarty explained, offers them an opportunity for fresh, local items “instead of serving frozen or chainprepackaged factory baked goods.

So many establishments are going the frozen route and not taking advantage of quality fresh-baked goods.”

In the meantime, customers can pick up their bread, rolls, dessert treats, coffee and other goods at the storefront located at 157 Main St., in Cooperstown.

The bakery is open 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and, during summer months, on Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. +

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JOIN US AT THE FAIR MARK YOUR CALENDARS! AUGUST 1 - 6, 2017

Full schedule available at www.otsegocountyfair.org

Craig Wayne Boyd Thursday, 8/3 in the Entertainment Tent

2Xtreme Racing Monster Truck Show featuring World Champion BOUNTY HUNTER Friday, 8/4

The Cincinnati Circus Presents:

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Don’t miss the 1st Annual Ag Olympics!

FREE ALL WEEK These awesome attractions will be available all week long and are included at the cost of admission!

• Kiddie Korner • Floral Hall • Acts in the Entertainment Tent, Including Karaoke Contest • Buffalo Barfield & Un-herd of Entertainment • Antique Out of Field Tractor Pull • Livestock and Horse Shows • RCR Car Track • Federation of Sportsmen’s Associations Exhibit

• NASCAR Simulator • Catskill Garden • Tractor Pulls • Draft Horse and Pony Exhibit • Pie Eating Contests in Floral Hall • Chee Chee the Clown • 100 Bike Giveaway • Horse Drawn Wagon Rides (by Draft Horse Barn)

The fair schedule is subject to change at any time. The complete schedule is being finalized. More details are being added regularly, so check back often!

Museums

Find more at the Fenimore

F

From American Indian and Folk Art to wine and movies, the Fenimore Art Museum has it all in one location.

On permanent display are “The Coopers of Cooperstown,” “Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art,” “American Memory: Recalling the Past in Folk Art” and “Fine Art from the Permanent Collection.” This year the museum will also feature multiple special exhibitions by artists like Maurice Sendak, Edward S. Curtis, Tracy Helgeson, Frank Farmer, Andrew Wyeth, Herman Leonard and Lewis Hine.

Fenimore Art Museum is in the culturally rich community of Cooperstown, N.Y. Originally housed in an elegant 1933 mansion (James Fenimore Cooper’s famed “Glimmerglass”) overlooking Otsego Lake, “the museum has long been highly regarded for its fine art and folk art collections, given largely by the philanthropist and collector Stephen C. Clark, Sr.,” said Todd Kenyon, director of communications and marketing. An 18,000-square foot expansion was added in 1995 to house the “Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art.” After viewing the exhibits inside, enjoy the expansive property

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Story and photos by Paula J. Cochran UPSTATE LIFE magazine

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Summer 2017 | 13

The Fenimore Museum has numerous changing exhibitions. Shown is the collection “Between Observation and Imagination,” by Tracy Helgeson.

“

The dining area is situated on the museum’s terrace and is surrounded by beautiful plantings and a panoramic view of Otsego Lake,” Kenyan said. “It is an experience not to be missed.

”

including a slate patio with wrought iron rails and impeccable garden baskets, topiaries and landscaping. There you can enjoy a drink and food from the café, or simply take in the view.

“The dining area is situated on the museum’s terrace and is surrounded by beautiful plantings and a panoramic view of Otsego Lake,” Kenyan said. “It is an experience not to be missed.”

For those who like to wander, the property now features an outdoor exhibit on the lakeshore featuring a Seneca log house and a Mohawk bark house – the culture of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people.

Beginning Sept. 16 through Dec. 14

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The folk-art collection includes paintings, ship figureheads, quilts, weathervanes, trade signs, cigar-store figures, carvings, and decorated stoneware, all created by American folk artists.

31, a special exhibit titled “Our Strength is Our People: The Humanist Photographs of Lewis Hine” will be featured at the museum. A number of performing arts, film, documentary and lecture opportunities are also offered throughout the year. Check the website for a complete schedule of events.

The man behind the museum If the name “Fenimore” doesn’t ring a bell, it should. The property the Fenimore museum is located on belonged to James Fenimore Cooper and the family’s roots in the area run deep.

Cooper’s father, William Cooper, was a land speculator, judge, and

politician. He purchased a vast tract of land in upstate New York upon which he founded the Village of Otsego in 1786 (later to become the town of Cooperstown). The family home was completed in 1799.

James Fenimore Cooper left home for school at Yale at the age of 13, but was expelled within three years for being an avid prankster. At 17 he joined the Navy and served on a merchant ship.

At 20, he inherited his father’s fortune and the following year he married Susan Augusta de Lancy, with whom he had seven children including daughter Susan Fenimore Cooper, an author known for her works on women’s suffrage and environmental literary nonfiction.

The Research Library at Fenimore contains a diverse collection of rare books, manuscripts and collections focuses on Otsego, nearby counties, American history, Native American history, art and material culture.

It is open to the public for a $5/ day library use fee. (Members, volunteers, Otsego County municipal historians, and students are exempt.)

James Fenimore Cooper was one of the first authors to include African Americans and American Indians in literature. His works included the “Leatherstocking” series, “The Last of the Mohicans” and “The Deerslayer.” In later years, his works focused on his military experience, including “History of the Navy in the United States of America.”

He died on Sept. 15, 1851 – his 62nd birthday. +

On permanent display at Fenimore are The Coopers of Cooperstown, Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art, American Memory: Recalling the Past in Folk Art, and Fine Art from the Permanent Collection.

If you go: The Fenimore Art Museum is located at 5798 State Highway 80 (Lake Road), Cooperstown.

Admission: Ages 13-64, $12; age 65+, $10.50; age 12 and under, free.

Admission is free for members, active military and retired career military personnel.

For more information call (607) 547-1400 or visit www.fenimoreartmuseum.org.

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The Arts

St o

an

Throw

by Paula hotos J. C p d oc an hr ry

Students of the Smithy Clay Studio create and donate bowls each year for the “Empty Bowls” fundraiser held annually at the Cooperstown food pantry.

T

The Smithy House can be found on Pioneer Street, but the Smithy Clay Studio is tucked behind it, accessible by the alley between Cooley’s Tavern and the Stonehouse Toys of Fame, and in a small building that is reminiscent to an industrial ranch house.

The original studio was started by Susan Fenimore Cooper Weil in 1976, and was located in the back of the Smithy Gallery, in the oldest building in Cooperstown.

Because that building had no heat, it was used only during warmer months, limiting the availability of classes to the time when locals are busy with the tourist-laden baseball season.

Ten years ago, the clay studio found a new home out back. The building was remodeled for its intended use, and with heat in hand, the studio is able to be used year-round.

“The studio is now open seven days a week, partnering with community organizations, with improved facilities, new

machinery, and what once was limited to a few participants, is now averaging around 100 participants yearly,” studio manager, Rita Payne, explained. Of the 100 people, their skill level runs from beginner to professional, and their age level ranges from 5 to 95.

The studio has three kilns, six pottery wheels and built-in shelving that allows students their own storage space, as well as areas to store unfinished and finished pieces.

Student Kathy Lloyd, of Cooperstown, started doing pottery decades ago. “I just got back into it and it’s so much fun,” she said recently while showing a beautiful dish with a dragon top she made. Though she “throws” clay, she tends to combine her work with throwing and sculpture, often focusing solely on sculpting.

“We encourage students to take their art in any direction they want,” Payne said.

“Learning to throw can be challenging for some, people can get frustrated, they need to see something happening.” With

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“Placing the human hand into clay - the mud, the Earth, is institutional, an immediate connection to nature.” – Rita Payne

Manager Rita Payne takes a break after a long day in the studio. The shelves surrounding her store the supplies and works in progress of students.

Student Kathy Lloyd shows off a part wheel thrown, part sculpture piece she is just about finished with.

that in mind, sculpture classes are on the schedule.

Classes started April 3 and include “Centering the Potter and the Clay,” with Karla Andela, where mindful breathing and stretching will assist students in centering their attention while throwing; “Monumental Throwing,” with Bob McCann, a hands-on mentoring on the wheel; “Sculpture-Animal Forms,” with

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Summer 2017 | 19

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Family Fun

Flytoaway the cider mill “

We’re always adding here at the mill,” Bill said.

“This year we are adding a duck racer where kids can race their rubber ducks.

”

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Story and photos by Paula J. Cochran

If you’re looking for some family-friendly fun to add to the adult fun found on the Cooperstown Beverage Trail, the Fly Creek Cider Mill is the spot.

The original seed for the 160-year-old mill was planted by Johnny Appleseed, who traveled west planting the small seeds that would later become food products for those settling the lands he’d passed through.

Harnessing the power of Fly Creek and the apple trees, the original mill owner, Hosea Williams, began producing cider with a turbine and water hydraulic press. Settlers took and barreled the cider from the mill and, after fermentation and

aging, created hard cider from it.

Prohibition stopped cider production and afterward the competition of cheap beer assured the mill’s closure in the 1950s.

In 1962, Charlie and Barbara Michaels obtained the mill and returned it to its original state. While Charlie planted a new orchard, Barbara focused on retail sales. As the business grew, more retail space was added, and a family-friendly destination with food, entertainment, and cider milled with the original historic equipment was born.

In 1999, the Michaels’ son, Bill, and his wife, Brenda, purchased the mill and expanded the

business to a year-round venue for their cider and added a large selection of hard-to-find specialty foods. They installed modern restrooms, cold storage facilities, and expanded the restaurant and bakery.

The biggest challenge the owners have faced thus far was a massive renovation in 2016.

The facility now has insulation, modern heat, air-conditioning and “real” electric, “things many people take for granted but are a real a luxury in our 1856 building,” Bill said of the exhausting, but much appreciated changes.

The other challenge they face, Bill said, is staffing, “We’re

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always looking for friendly folks that love food and tourism to become part of the team.”

Though their name included the phrase “cider mill,” their offerings go well beyond cider. In addition to hard cider, the facility became a New York state winery in 2002 and offers a selection of apple wines.

On the retail side, the store sells a multitude of items including things like baking mixes, jams, jellies, cheese, spices, dips, salsa, fudge, and, of course, apples.

There is also a bakery on site and a restaurant, both of which are open during the summer season.

In the rear of the building is a pond that holds the water that drives the cider-making machinery.

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The mill offers multiple family-friendly activities including a visitor’s center, playground, antique tractor display, visit to the duck pond, and multiple educational activity boards.

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Summer 2017

In addition to hard cider, the mill became a New York state winery in 2002 and offers a selection of apple wines.

It also contains an array of ducks and geese that are happy to eat the food available from bubblegum machines. The pond is bordered by a wheelchair-assessable deck and seating area to enjoy the ducks, a snack or a meal.

“We’re always adding here at the mill,” Bill said. “This year we are adding a duck racer where kids can race their rubber ducks.”

Besides the ducks, families can explore the play area, multiple hands-on activity boards, antique tractor display and visit the learning center which offers a three-sided viewing area so guests can see the historic press in action.

“The typical visit for most families is one to three hours, even longer when we are making cider,” Bill explained. “Visitors often combine their trip to the mill as a stop along the Cooperstown Beverage Trail.

The retail store offers a multitude of samples to taste including fudge, apples, cheeses, salsa, mustards, jams and jellies.

Families with small children often include the mill in addition to their visit to the Farmers Museum and a ride on the Empire State Carousel.”

The one thing Bill said he enjoys most about the business is watching visitors witnessing cider-making on the historic place.

“Often there are multiple family generations that come together and they remark on how they enjoy showing the younger ones the same process they saw as a child.

They seem to enjoy the authenticity and leisure pace of the mill while unplugging from their technology to enjoy family time together.”

The Fly Creek Cider Mill is located at 288 Goose St. in Fly Creek. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Find more information about special offers and events by visiting flycreekcidermill.com +

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HISTORY “In Iroquois society, leaders are encouraged to remember seven generations in the past and consider seven generations in the future when making decisions that affect the people.”

— Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation

What remains of a

Native American Burial Mound

©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©©© Story and photos by Paula J. Cochran

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To find the Native American Burial Mound, follow Main Street out of town and cross the bridge over the Susquehanna River. Parking is available on the right hand side of the road, beside the fence by the blue history marker.

The plaque explains that the site holds the remains of American Indians, excavated one can only assume to make way for farm fields and colonists’ houses, and reburied in 1874 at the base of the mound.

The land once belonged to the great Iroquois Nations; Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Seneca and Tuscarora.

For hundreds of years they called this land home.

The Revolutionary War left the Iroquois, most of whom supported Great Britain, on the losing side of battle. Britain ceded the Iroquois lands without even inviting them to the negotiating table.

A concrete plaque, placed by the Rev. W.W. Lord, reads, in part: “The wide land which now is yours was ours. Friendly hands have given back to us enough for a tomb.”

There isn’t much to see here in this field, with the simple black fence, the swinging gates, and the Susquehanna moving sleepily through it, except a mound-shaped tomb.

But standing before the mound, and seeing the final remnant of the peoples who once owned Cooperstown, leaves one with a lot to reflect upon. +

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Something Old

Story and photos by Paula J. Cochran

If you’re looking for anything, or everything, antique, vintage, beautiful or rugged, the Wood Bull Antique barn will likely have it.

Starting with an empty old barn and almost no inventory, owners Judy and Kip Coburn hit every yard sale and northern antique show to begin the process of filling their barn with antique, vintage and unique items.

Over the past 38 years, much needed additional space for their growing collection was added. The barn now features four stories, with 74 room settings. Items also hang from loft rails, the ceiling, and are spread across a vast outdoor area, as well.

In the 1970s Kip and Judy spent several years selling furniture, pottery and old tools in the city before deciding to take their passion to the

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Summer 2017

The rooms are loosely defined by vintage period, theme or color.

Victorian, Mission, Adirondack, blue, green and red. There is a music room, a library and kitchen rooms.

”

— Rachel Stillman, employee

country.

“Our daughter was ready for school and we were looking for a place in the country,” Judy explained.

“When we found an abandoned early 19th century farmhouse outside of Cooperstown, we fell in love.”

With a new old house, Kip’s passion for all thing old and unique was fueled in their county location.

“It wasn’t long before I discovered the local auctions, where you could buy a box full of treasures for fifty cents,” Kip said.

The couple bought and sold items until they found the barn in 1978, and Wood Bull Antiques opened for business.

“Farm tables are probably what people ask for the most. There is a table in almost every room, and chair sets of four, eight or 12,” Judy said of the chairs on display, around tables and hanging in the eves.

They also carry sought-after early primitive painted cupboards, blanket chests, mid-modern century pieces and accessories like rugs, lamps and mirrors. In addition, their collection includes items from around the world, collected in annual visits to locations like Morocco.

The items are not merely stacked on tables and in piles, they are carefully staged by employee Rachel Stillman, who works to assure every room, nook and cranny tells a story.

“The rooms are loosely defined by vintage period, theme or color,” Rachel said. “Victorian, Mission, Adirondack, blue, green and red. There is a music room, a library and kitchen rooms.”

Rachel said her goal is for guests to feel like the occupants left a moment before they arrived.

“The overall experience is key for us,” Rachel said. “It’s not unusual for customers to wander around for hours, just lost

Items are not merely stacked on tables and piles but carefully staged so each nook tells a story.

and digging.”

Adding to the theme is an eclectic mix of background music.

“The way Kip and Judy originally created room settings in the barn was merchandising magic,” Rachel said. “It feels curated. Sometimes all I do is edit, or create a tabletop

?

Old farm tables and chairs are the most sought after items from customers, along with painted cupboards, blanket chests and accessories like lamps, rugs and mirrors.

Over 50 Years in Business Great Selection, Best Prices, Unmatched Customer Service!

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When the barn was purchased in 1978, Wood Bull Antiques was open for business. Thirty-eight years later, the barn features four stories and 74 room setting of antique and vintage items. The collection overflows to the exterior where urns, garden statuary, agricultural machinery, and old tools are on display.

Thank You for Supporting Us for Over 100 Years!

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207 Main St. • Cooperstown, NY 13326 (607) 547-8822 • www.mohicanflowers.org

SUPPORT LOCAL!

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vignette. Sometimes I tear it all out and start from scratch, but I am always working from a template that was created almost 4o years ago.”

Rachel also explained that customers often feel like they are visiting a museum. “I think it’s more like an enormous, ever-changing art institution. There is a lot of history here, a visual smorgasbord, design and inspiration everywhere, and you can buy that thing that you didn’t even know you were looking for but now you just can’t live without.”

Though Rachel does most of the design and staging, “Kip does all the buying, his aesthetic is very masculine, which is good, because left to my own devices I can get frilly,” Rachel said, adding, “I definitely look forward to getting my hands on whatever he brings back from shopping trips.”

In addition to traditional antique offerings, “our long-time customers know they can find period hardware, columns, corbels, windows, doors, grates, old typewriters, toasters, Buddhas, and violins,” Kip said.

“Things with soul.

“And if there is a better word than soul to describe Wood Bull Antiques, I haven’t found it.”

Wood Bull Antiques is located at 3920 State Highway 28 in Milford. It is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. during summer and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days throughout the winter.

Two special events will be held on site this year: The Cooperstown Antique Show, featuring more than 75 vendors and food concessions, will be held on July 2 and The Susquehanna Valley Garlic Festival, featuring all things garlic plus live music and food, will be held Sept.

16.

For more information visit woodbullantiques.com. +

“

And if there is a better word than soul to describe Wood Bull Antiques, I haven’t found it.

”

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TRENDS

Cooperstown

Rocks!

Story and photos by Paula J. Cochran

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Strolling through Cooperstown, you may want to look down — and not at your phone.

What, then, should you be looking for?

Rocks.

Yes, rocks.

Painted rocks.

There is a new fad spreading across the country and it has hit Cooperstown.

In communities across the country the act of painting and leaving rocks is becoming a hit. Many groups doing it remain anonymous, some begin a Facebook page and ask others to join so they can share rocks they have painted, and for others to share the rocks they have found.

So, what’s the point?

In Tacoma, Wash., people paint and hide rocks to spread smiles. In Volusia County, Fla., another group paints and hides rocks just to brighten people’s days. In New Jersey, more than 500 members have teamed up to encourage families with children to get outside and get creative, by painting and hiding rocks.

Many towns now have a Facebook page that features their town’s name followed by “rocks!” Members are encouraged to share the rocks they’ve painted and hidden, or to join, to share rocks they’ve found.

Regardless of the reason behind the painted and hidden rocks, they offer a great deal of free and inspiring art to the community. Most groups state you can do one of three things when you find a rock: leave it, re-hide it or keep it.

While in Cooperstown with my daughter and her friend, the three of us found our first “Cooperstown Rocks” rock.

For the next two days we checked every mulched window box and park bench for rocks -- it felt like an adult Easter egg hunt, and we were rewarded with many rock-egg finds.

Though we inquired at multiple businesses and searched Facebook for a Cooperstown Rocks! group that claims the painted prizes, we found none.

Poet A.D. Posey wrote, “Rocks and minerals are the oldest story teller.” Alas, they now have, yet, another, story to tell.

One rock’s story has landed on my desk, where it is used as a paper weight, and reminds me daily that Cooperstown does, indeed, rock. +

Open 7 days a week.

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7,000 Sq Ft Fitness Center – Four Group Fitness Rooms Sports Performance Area – Three Swimming Pools – Full-sized Gymnasium Running Track – Eight-lane Bowling Alley – Fitness Game Room Squash, Doubles Squash, and Racquetball Courts – Two Conference/Meeting Rooms Locker Rooms – Indoor Rock Climbing Wall – Outdoor Ropes Course with Zip Line Outdoor Low Ropes Challenge Course – Athletic Fields – Tennis Courts Walking/Biking Trails – Adventure Programs – Special Events Part of the facility and the new expansion will open on June 17, 2017.

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Food

COOKING with COLLINS

By Allison Collins

Fishing for dinner Most upstaters are familiar with Cooperstown’s claim to fame: baseball. Still others know the area for its rich history, stunning vistas and museum culture. But in fishing circles Cooperstown, specifically Goodyear Lake, is best known for offering a diverse and delicious freshwater bounty.

Vince Stayter, a member of the Goodyear Lake Association and a lakefront property owner, said, “The wonderful thing about [Goodyear Lake] is it’s a river lake, so you are getting a constant change of water and water temperature.” Stayter, himself a devout fisherman, explained, “The lake turns over a couple [to] three times a year, making it a very diverse lake with an interesting bottom. You get some deep sections, some sections with trees and an intriguing biosphere.”

According to the New York State Department for Environmental Conservation, the most commonly caught fish in Goodyear Lake is yellow perch, with bullhead, walleye and smallmouth bass all close behind in popularity and frequency on the line.

Though abundant, Stayter cautioned that yellow perch can be tricky to catch, as they school together. That’s not to say it can’t be done; varieties of

perch measuring an impressive 15-plus inches have been known to come out of Goodyear.

“My favorite fish here to eat is bluegill and sunfish,” noted Stayter, adding, “They’re relatively large and they fillet out deliciously.

Give them a little bit of beer batter and they’re fantastic.” Across the board, Stayter called what comes out of Goodyear “exactly what good fresh, fish taste like.”

A simple preparation is most favored when it comes to freshwater fish. Stayter’s battered-andfried suggestion is especially popular for perch, which, like the aforementioned bluegill and sunfish, should be filleted first.

Tim Raymond, owner of Captn Cook’s Seafood Market in Oneonta, called for an easy fry-up and James DellaTorre, a professional chef visiting Raymond’s market from his home in Germany’s Black Forest the day I stopped in, echoed that suggestion. “If you get [perch] fresh, you want it glassy inside,” said DellaTorre, who advised high heat and fast frying, a la minute.

Given the meditative steadiness and unadorned sensibility I associate with fishing, it feels only logical to keep the fruits of one’s labor unfussy. That, and freshness is key. Touting the caliber of catch in Goodyear, Stayter said, “I always enjoy when people say they don’t like fish; I say, ‘taste this’ and they’re always amazed.”

Now, by no stretch of the imagination am I a fisherwoman. Upon bringing home the

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• LOCAL ART • ART SPACE •

• ANTIQUES • HANDCRAFTS •

The columnist’s daughters and their friends, from left, Avery James, Olivia Collins and Payton McKinley look on as John Collins knifes a fish belly.

The girls were thoroughly disgusted by the impromptu demonstration when fish-gutting time coincided with playtime.

Photos by Allison Collins

John Collins, a sometimes-fly fisherman but fulltime physics teacher, was kind enough to gut this yellow perch.

The cat was the only one truly excited by the process.

yellow perch discussed and used in this recipe, I am only mildly embarrassed to say that I ran screeching across the kitchen when a large band of roe came spewing from a fish I made my husband gut for me.

(I tried … but couldn’t actually get close enough to touch the still-live things.) I do, however, love food and will try most anything (sans streaming roe, of course).

As per the expertise of enthusiasts like Stayter, Raymond, DellaTorre and the more-than-accommodating Hickling family of Hickling’s Fish Farm in Edmeston, N.Y., where I, after several failed attempts at actually securing perch from Goodyear Lake early in the season, ultimately got the yellow perch, I decided to stick to modest methods and classic flavors.

Freshwater fish can, in flavor anyway, speak for itself. I’ve used tried-andtrue complements such as dill, brown butter and a splash of lemon. And, because it wouldn’t feel like my dish without some small embellishment, I turned to a touch of sherry and some slivered shallots for flavor flair.

While after devising this dish I can say I’m happy to leave line-casting in favor of the kitchen line, for those who love fishing there’s nothing like it. As Stayter said, “Just ask any kid who’s never caught a fish who finally catches his first why he loves fishing.

Fishing is fun, what can I tell you?”

For more information about the Goodyear Lake Association, visit www.goodyearlakeny.org. For statistics on the almost 400-acre lake, its contents and rules and regulations regarding fishing, visitwww.dec. ny.gov.

?

Though the most commonplace fish in Goodyear Lake, these yellow perch were courtesy of Hickling’s Fish Farm in Edmeston, N.Y.

Photos by Allison Collins

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PAN-FRIED YELLOW PERCH WITH BROWNED BUTTER DILL SAUCE

Shallot bulbs resemble small, purplish onions and have a flavor that is part onion, part garlic. In this dish, the shallots background a brown butter and sherry sauce accented with lemon juice and fresh dill.

Sprinkle fresh dill into the pan-sauce at the last minute so the flavor of the herb stays bright.

Ingredients: 4-6 yellow perch fillets 6 tbsp. cold butter, divided ½ of a large shallot or 1 small shallot, slivered Handful of fresh dill (or 1 tsp. dried), chopped Juice of half a lemon, plus slices for garnish (optional) ¼ cup dry cooking sherry Kosher salt Black pepper Fresh parsley (optional)

Recipe:

Melt 3 tablespoons of butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; toss in diced shallots and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Heat butter/shallot mixture until just bubbling and toasty brown.

Shallots should be slightly translucent.

While butter is browning, season with salt and pepper.

Lay the fillets down in the browned butter and sear for no more than a minute per side. These little guys cook fast!

Remove cooked fish from pan and set aside on a covered plate.

Squeeze lemon juice into pan and re-sprinkle a dash of salt and pepper.

Pour in sherry and swirl to deglaze pan bottom; allow to simmer until slightly reduced.

Toss in remaining tablespoons of cold butter one at a time, whisking until incorporated before adding the next pat. Sauce should be glossy.

Throw in chopped fresh dill and stir gently into sauce.

Plate cooked fish with a spoonful of shallot sauce beneath fillet and drizzle on top; sprinkle with chopped parsley and a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy the view! +

Tips:

, be sure to have Because the fish is so fast cooking re cooking. befo h everything out and easy-to-reac er closely – it will go from  When browning, watch the butt brown to burnt quickly. a paper towel before tossing in  Pat the perch fillets dry with the pan for a better sear. rned Microplane grater or  Use the reverse side of an uptu on half over a ramekin or a small tea strainer to strain the lem adding juice to the pan. small dish to remove seeds before against the closed fingers (You could simply strain the lemon my hands are guaranteed to r of your hand, but this time of yea d cuts ill-suited to lemon have various small, gardening-relate juice.) pan-sauce should just barely  Toward the end of cooking, the you stir. A good way to test: pull away from the pan bottom as k of a metal spoon. sauce is ready when it coats the bac atoes – the true starch of  Serve finished fish with salt pot n such as green beans, summer – and a nice, seasonal gree hini. slightly wilted arugula or grilled zucc



Once you have the fillets in the pan with the shallots and brown butter, move quickly. The perch meat will dry out if cooked more than a minute or two per side.

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Plate the cooked fillets with a bit of pan-sauce beneath and on the fish, sprinkle with fresh parsley and consider serving alongside buttered green beans and salt potatoes.

The Franklin Railroad and Community Museum

ABOUT THE COOK Allison Collins, of Unadilla, is a self-proclaimed bona fide foodie. During college, she traveled extensively overseas and while home held weekly food feasts for members of SUNY Oneonta’s Slam Poetry Association who assured her she had “culinary prowess.” Before that, she undertook elaborate Sunday night dinners for family, friends and neighbors. An accomplished and enthusiastic home cook, she has a willingness to try new things, a yen for healthfulness and vibrant color and, importantly, hours logged watching the Food Network. “It’s relatively safe to say that I love me some food. And good food at that,” she says.

“My mother teases that I am picky to the point of snobbishness, food elitism, but that’s not it: I will try most anything. I just want each eating opportunity to be well-spent; you might even say, savored.” Send comments to her at alliedcollins@frontier.com.

572 Main Street Franklin, NY 13755

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