Upstate Life Outdoors 2021

KE T’S

!

TA - I E ON EE FR

OUTDOORS 2021

Get Active in Sidney Center with Walking Trails, Stations

Cookin’ with Collins

S’mores Campfire Dip

Gone : g n i p Glam & More!

Cushy Camping Finds Foothold Upstate

OUTDOORS 2021

|

VOLUME 15

ISSUE 5 Upstate Life Magazine, Winner, New York State Associated Press Association First-Place Award for Specialty Publications, is published by: The Daily Star, 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 13820 © 2021 - All rights reserved.

4 8 10 15

Enjoy ‘Wild Times’ with SUNY Cobleskill Conservation Group

Gone Glamping: Cushy Camping Finds Foothold Upstate

Managing Editor Allison Collins

20

Cookin’ with Collins

Graphic Designer Tracy Bender

22

Only Natural

24

The Old Walls Talk

28

The Catskill Geologists

30

Business Directory

Get Active in Sidney Center with Walking Trails, Stations A Festival Worth Falling For: Autumn Fest Returns to Unadilla

S’mores Campfire Dip

Sweet on Sweetgrass

We invite you to email your comments to: upstatelifeeditor@thedailystar.com

On the cover

Outdoors at the Top of Slide Mountain

Meet the Locals

| Outdoors 2021

Editor Denielle Cazzolla

Interested in advertising in Upstate Life Magazine?

Call toll-free, 1-800-721-1000, ext. 235

Sugar Maples’ Sweet History Led to Modern Reimagining

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

Publisher Fred Scheller

Advertising Director Valerie Secor

Unadilla residents Bryce Seymour, 13 at the time of the photo, and Xander Johnson, 12, fish on a private Unadilla pond in July 2020.

2

|

ALLISON COLLINS

READY FOR YOUR ARRIVAL Gathering with loved ones means more than ever. Laugh, hug, play and relax. The eight hotels and resorts along Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail offer legendary locations to safely reconnect. From the shores of the Tennessee River to Mobile Bay, come experience world-class hospitality in picturesque settings. Plunge into resort pools. Relax in luxury spas.

Play RTJ golf. Enjoy farm-to-table cuisine. We are open and will be here waiting for you.

Visit rtjresorts.com.

ENJOY

‘WILD’ TIMES

WIRESTOCK | WWW.FREEPIK.COM

with SUNY Cobleskill Conservation Group

BY CAITLIN OGDEN

P

arents knows, when they send their teenager away to college, some of the student’s time outside of class will be spent trying new things and getting a little wild.

At the State University of New York at Cobleskill, they take “wild” to a whole new level. The college has its own chapter of the international conservation group, The Wildlife Society.

Founded in 1937, the parent organization describes itself as “an international network of nearly 10,000 leaders in wildlife science, management and conservation who are dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship.” The parent society is broken down into state, local and collegiate chapters, where those interested in conservation can pursue the organization’s mission of inspiring, empowering and enabling wildlife professionals to sustain populations and habitats through science-based management and conservation.

Dr. Roger J. Masse, Assistant Professor of Wildlife Manage-

4

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

ment at SUNY Cobleskill, is the group’s faculty adviser. Beyond the shared mission of the parent organization, Masse said, the college chapter of TWS provides opportunities for improved communication among local members and student, state and regional chapters. The group, he said, also works to augment conservation-related education available through SUNY Cobleskill; prepare its members for careers in conservation; encourage professionalism and ethics in scholarship; and promote a broader understanding of fish, wildlife and natural resources on campus and in surrounding communities.

Cobleskill’s chapter of TWS was founded in 1998 under the supervision of Dr. Mike Losito, the initial faculty adviser to the club. Masse took over in 2017, when he joined the faculty.

Focused on Forests Masse said the upstate region is facing a number of wildlife management and conservation issues.

From top left: TWS members Bailey Godson, Jared Domino, Sam Silverman, Joe Wolf, Jackie Jurs, Brittin Robinson, Ashling McMahon, Alyssa Holliday and Emily Fairbairn stand with, from bottom left, Allie Eastman, Brandon Metzinger, Jamie Jacobs and Klevi Rodriguez.

One issue important to Masse is ensuring proper forestry management, so that our region retains its diverse collection of native species. While many may look at the woodlands gracing the hills of our region and assume their existence ensures longevity, Masse explained that much of New York’s forests are around the same age and growing older, and the lack of young forest is having an impact on wildlife management.

“The Young Forest Initiative is aiming to create or enhance young forest vegetation types in wildlife management areas in New York,” he said. “Young forest wildlife, such as the American Woodcock, Grouse, Blue-Winged Warbler, New England Cottontail and others were once much more common than they are today. These species have declined as forests have grown older.”

Masse said this is because these species depend on certain types of vegetation present in younger forests.

“There is a lot of interest in the Northeast focused on actively managing landscapes to provide some degree of young forest vegetation types, in order to stabilize and hopefully increase these declining populations,” he said. The challenge, Masse noted, is that tactics such as strategic clearcutting for timber harvesting – effective in creating new young forest – is also not publicly popular, creating dilemmas for public land managers.

Masse suggests that private landowners help by man-

aging their properties to provide a diversity of vegetation for wildlife. And members of the public, he said, can learn about the issues facing their area and how something like strategic timber harvesting can be beneficial to species. Masse said he hopes increased public understanding of these issues helps them become less controversial.

Beyond the College

A member of the New York chapter of TWS himself, Masse said his role as a faculty adviser to the college chapter allows him to be a more effective advocate for his students when they are searching for jobs or internships.

“I learn more about my students through [The Wildlife Society] club interactions than I normally do during classroom lectures or lab activities,” he said. “I learn about their families, their hobbies, what motivates them, their career interests, etcetera.” And remaining a member of the parent organization, Masse noted, allows him to remain current with evolving wildlife management and conservation issues.

Colby Slezak is one such student impacted by the college’s Wildlife Society and Masse’s leadership. A SUNY Cobleskill Class of 2019 graduate, Slezak joined the chapter as a freshman, eventually becoming secretary and then vice president of the organization ä during his time at the college.

“

THE STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN MANY WORKSHOPS AND WE HAD A VERY UNEXPECTED, YET PRODUCTIVE, NIGHT ‘HERPING,’ OR FINDING FROGS, TOADS, SALAMANDERS AND OTHER REPTILES OR AMPHIBIANS, ALONG A ROADSIDE AND HELPING THE ANIMALS TO SAFELY CROSS.”

Student organizers and volunteers are pictured at the annual Fisheries and Wildlife Festival.

Slezak, 25, is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Natural Resources Science at the University of Rhode Island. Masse’s impact on Slezak is evident in Slezak’s chosen area of research – resource selection of the female American woodcock (Scolopax minor) in Southern New England.

“Even though the eastern woodcock population has been in decline for several decades, we know little about the basic life processes, such as nest-building, brood survival and winter resource election,” Slezak said. Slezak noted that he is “investigating the spatial movements of adult female and juvenile American woodcock in the Eastern United States,” with the goal of creating more inclusive forestry management models that managers can use to create and enhance forests managed for woodcock.

Conservation Collaboration The SUNY Cobleskill Wildlife Society sets up its students for success in their chosen fields through the variety of activities in which they participate. “(Locally,) we participate in public outreach programs organized

by Mine Kill State Park and New York Power Authority, such as Snowfest and the Wildlife Festival,” Masse said. “Student members of the society also partner with other, relevant organizations on campus to deliver the annual Fisheries and Wildlife Festival on the last Saturday in April.”

Additionally, Masse noted, the club participates in road cleanups, fundraisers and members attends state and regional meetings of

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

the Wildlife Society. Activities such as professional seminars and student-professional mixers, he said, help create networking opportunities for communities underrepresented in the field, Masse named a club trip to the Northeast TWS Student Conclave, hosted by Green Mountain College, as memorable.

“The students participated in many workshops and we had a very unexpected, yet productive, night ‘herping,’ or finding frogs, toads, salamanders and other reptiles or amphibians, along a roadside and helping the animals to safely cross,” he said.

Slezak said his favorite memory was a trip to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the national TWS meeting.

“We were able to interact with students and professionals from across North America,” he said. “After that, we explored the area and spent time in the Gila National Forest, where we were able to see several species (unique to) the desert southwest.”

To see wildlife unique to our neck of the world, Masse said that, in the spring, migrating warblers are a treat to watch and hear, with colorful males singing loudly from elevated perches. If reptiles and amphibians are more your thing, late March and April are great times to see interesting and often large salamanders crossing roadways, especially on rainy nights with the temperatures in the 40s. In the winter, Masse noted, using a variety of bird seed, suet and mealworms can attract a colorful mix of backyard bird species.

Masse said he personally enjoys looking for animal tracks in the snow during the winter months.

For the safety of the wildlife and the viewer, Masse recommends binoculars or spotting scopes to avoid stressing or disturbing animals.

For more information about the New York chapter of TWS, visit newyorktws.wixsite.com/home. +

SUNY Cobleskill students are seen attending a waterfowl identification workshop at the Northeast TWS Student Conclave in April 2018.

6

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

20850 State Highway 28

330 CHESTNUT ST, ONEONTA, NY 13820 607.432.8500 CHESTNUTPARKREHAB.COM

Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center and Historic Lansing Manor

2021 Events • Fun, Interactive STEM

Exhibits at Visitors Center

• Beautiful Historic

SEPT 18 Wildlife Festival OCT

Lansing Manor, Built 1819

Powerful Fun • OPEN YEAR–ROUND

ADMISSION FREE

1378 State Route 30 North Blenheim NY 12131

Energy Awareness Month 22–24 Festival of Frights

NOV 8, 15, 22, 29 Sunday Movies

DEC

1-31 Festival of Trees 5 Holly Jolly Party

1-800-724-0309 nypa.gov/BGVisitorsCenter Scan for Details & Safe Visit Updates 08-214-21 BADVLIFE.indd 1

8/11/21 12:36 PM

Get Active in Sidney Center with WALKING TRAILS, STATIONS

BY ALLISON COLLINS

V

isitors to Sidney Center have something to walk about.

In June, ground broke on the Sidney Center Park Walking Trail and Activity Stations, a project spearheaded by the Sidney Center Improvement Group. According to its website, scigny.org, the nonprofit organization was founded in 2005 to “bring about meaningful change to (the) community by promoting healthy, family-oriented free events, education and outreach regarding environmental issues and simple acts of kindness by volunteering to improve … the hamlet.”

SCIG President and Sidney Center resident Michael Sellitti said, though the roughly 20-member group has long been dedicated to enhancing the lives of hamlet residents and visitors, this project grew during last year’s COVID-19 pandemic.

“This is what came out of COVID while we were talking about what we were going to do going forward with the park,” he said, noting that the group began fundraising for park rehabilitation in 2017. “We had other things planned, like playground equipment and a pavilion, but we didn’t really have walking trails and activity stations as part of our initial plan. Then we thought, ‘When this thing is over, people are going to want to get out and do healthy activities and be outside and still be somewhat distanced, but participating in something healthy.’

“We thought, ‘We can’t put sports fields in the park, because it’s too small, so why don’t we consider walking trails?’,” Sellitti continued.

“A member did the research and found these activity stations – they’re low-impact, physical activity stations that are placed along the walking trail – with little descriptions for how to do each activity, and the company sells everything you need to do the activity.”

8

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

From top left: Ground broke on the project in June 2021. Heavy equipment and labor were donated

by Howard Finch, of Tri-Town Development Corp in Sidney. Trails take shape in this July photo.

Finished trails, project organizers said, should be friendly for all ages and ability levels.

“

OUR HOPE IS TO REALLY REACH OUT TO PEOPLE IN THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES THAT WILL COME TO SIDNEY CENTER TO USE IT.”

Town of Sidney Highway Superintendent Jamie Roberts noted that park property is owned by the town.

“Mike had to come before us to do the plans,” he said, “and once he showed the town board the plan, they gave permission and said I was to oversee it.”

Groundbreaking Grants

The project was largely grant funded, Sellitti said.

“We applied for a grant through the Community Foundation of South Central New York,” he said. “It was their fall 2020 Community Impact Fund, and we received $15,000 Activity for All toward (the project). It’s a huge deal; Sellitti said, through planning, it (those grants) are really difficult to became important to members that get and super competitive, so we were whatever SCIG introduce be user really surprised. We purchased the friendly. activity stations with that money.”

“Some (of the activity stations) are very simple, so it appeals to a broad The grant, Sellitti noted, will cover age demographic, as well as people the cost of the project, including “fiwith limited mobility or that can’t do nal landscaping and shade trees and high-impact activities,” he said. “We benches along the path.” thought this would be great, because Though fiscally fueled by grants, it covers a wide range, and we knew The trails will be surfaced with repurposed roadSellitti said, volunteerism and matecovering material, as seen in this August photo. we wanted to make the park accesrial donations have also helped bring sible. It’s definitely good to have the the project to fruition. playground stuff for kids, but this is PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED something that’s going to appeal to all “Howard Finch is donating a lot of age ranges.” his time and his equipment,” he said.

“They’re not really stressful (stations),” Roberts echoed. “You’re “And the town highway department has been really instrumental in going to do knee bends and stretching and stuff like that ... so you making this happen. They have donated the material that will be the can be an older person or a younger person and still do it.” surface of the walking trail. It’s asphalt from streets that gets pulled Sellitti said he hopes park usership will also be diverse and up when they go to repave, so it’s repurposed and recycled. (The far-reaching. trail) is going to have a nice, smooth surface, similar to pavement, so “Our hope is to really reach out to people in the surrounding wheelchairs and bikes and strollers will ride really nicely over it.” communities that will come to Sidney Center to use it,” he said.

“We, the town, provided all the grindings – the material they used “We hope people will come to use it regularly. We want to work with to make the walkway – and Howard Finch spread it out,” Roberts the Delaware County Office of the Aging to promote it and really said.

“It’s ground-up blacktop; when companies come in and grind make a concerted effort to … advertise what’s available there and get the top two layers of blacktop off to resurface it, we get all the grindpeople to come to Sidney Center. When they’re here, they can stop ings, so it works out good for us.” at the general store and pick up something to eat or stop at Jess F. Howes (hardware store), so there’s a larger effort to this whole thing.

A Healthier Hamlet “We know it’s unique to the area and there’s nothing else like it,” The community’s response to SCIG’s progress, Sellitti and Roberts Sellitti continued. “These particular activity stations are really nice, said, has been “very positive.” with nice, straightforward signage that illustrates, step by step, how “I’ve talked to some people, and they’re pleased to see the playto do each station. And it’s all kind of natural stuff – four-by-fours ground being used,” Roberts said. “I think people are happy about it. and some metal – so they’re not going to detract from the natural aesthetic of the park; it’s going to blend right in, which will be really For a long time, the playground hasn’t really been used; this is a good nice.” way to get people to come in and start using it and, with the walking The finished park, Sellitti noted, will feature 10 stations and roughtrail, they’ll have the exercise stations, so it’s a good way to get people ly a quarter mile of walking trails. in to do a lap, do some exercises and go home healthy.”

“Our intention is to have the walking trail done relatively quickly,” “People are really excited,” Sellitti said. “The sidewalks in Sidney he said, “but the actual stations will take a little longer. We are going Center are rough or nonexistent, and you can’t trust walking on the to be using volunteers from Rotary and other local organizations to side of the street. This gives an alternative for people to get out and help put them in. Howard Finch (president of Tri-Town Developgo for a walk and do a couple of laps on the trail or the stations. ment Corp in Sidney) is also helping in that process – getting the Older people have expressed excitement over having somewhere to holes drilled and laid out – then the volunteers will come in and do go, so I think it’s going to be great. People have wanted something at it over two days.” the park for far too long, so were bringing a new light to it.”

Sellitti said he’s anticipating a fall completion, with a late SeptemFor more information or to get involved, visit scigny.org or find ber kick-off event announced via the Sidney Central Improvement Group Facebook page.

“Sidney Center Improvement Group, Inc. (SCIG)” on Facebook. +

Autumn Fest Returns to Unadilla A Festival Worth Falling For:

BY ALLISON COLLINS

T

he Rotary Club of Unadilla will celebrate the season with the group’s 11th annual Autumn Fest, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 26 at Covered Bridge Farm Market in Unadilla.

The event, planned by the roughly 17-member club and the Johnson family of Covered Bridge Farm Market, will feature more than 30 craft vendors, food trucks, farm-fresh produce and baked goods, children’s activities, music and more.

Unadilla resident Zoe Vandermeulen, Rotary District 7170 Governor and Unadilla club member, said the festival grew out of a farmers’ market in the Otsego County village.

“Years ago, Rotarians and other community members worked on starting a farmers’ market in Unadilla and that never really took off,” she said. “That happened for a couple years, but the small harvest fest that we did has been a lasting event that we’ve had ever since.”

two places at once,” Johnson continued. “It was better for everyone involved … and for the ambiance of Autumn Fest and what they were trying to create to (have it in) a country, farm setting. It’s all mutually beneficial. It just works.”

The 2019 festival, Johnson noted, had an estimated 3,000 attendees.

Planning for this year’s event, Vandermeulen said, began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve been planning to bring it back since we canceled last year’s in July,” she said.

“We had really thoroughly planned after the success of 2019, and we were excited. We thought 2020 was going to be even bigger and better … then we made the tough decision to cancel last July but we said, ‘we have all the bands and all the vendors, so let’s contact them and see if they want to just roll it over.’”

Autumnal Attractions

Bringing the Festival to the Farm Co-owner of Covered Bridge Farm Market Janette Johnson said bringing the festival to the farm in 2019 was a natural fit. Before 2019, the festival was held in downtown Unadilla.

“This business has grown each year, but it was tradition for us to go down (to vend) at Autumn Fest,” she said. “It’s a good thing to be part of, but we would have more people here than they’d have down there, so we offered. I threw the idea out to (Rotarian) Christie Connor, and we talked about it during a post-Autumn Fest wrap-up. We were thinking maybe it would be good for everything.

“We thought (vendors) could take advantage of the traffic we get through here and we wouldn’t have to load up and try to be in 10

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

ALLISON COLLINS

Autumn Fest will take place Sunday, Sept. 26 at Covered Bridge Farm Market in Unadilla.

Though this year’s event will feature returning favorites, Vandermeulen said, Autumn Fest attendees can also expect expanded offerings.

“We have a lot more spaces for vendors, so a lot of people there will be artists and crafters, as well as farmers and people that do honey, maple syrup and other local products,” she said. “In 2019, we had 30 vendors; we have more than that signed up and we have room for 42.”

Autumn Fest vendors, Johnson said, showcase local artistry.

“Rotary does a really nice job coordinating that side of it,” she said. “It’s not a flea market. One thing that surprised me was how many talented local people there are. There’s a lot of people right here in our backyard that do stuff you wouldn’t have thought.”

Autumn Fest entertainment, Vandermeulen said, will also be a blend.

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED

“

WE HAVE A LOT MORE SPACES FOR VENDORS, SO A LOT OF PEOPLE THERE WILL BE ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS, AS WELL AS FARMERS AND PEOPLE THAT DO HONEY, MAPLE SYRUP AND OTHER LOCAL PRODUCTS. IN 2019, WE HAD 30 VENDORS; WE HAVE MORE THAN THAT SIGNED UP AND WE HAVE ROOM FOR 42.”

“We have a couple of new bands – a band from Boston (called) the Empty Bottle Ramblers, because we decided we wanted a Cajun band – in addition to some of the standbys, (such as) the Big Fish Combo with (Otego resident) Judy Pitel, so it’s some really local and some new,” she said.

And the farm market, Johnson noted, will have “all things fall” available during the event.

“There’s always the corn maze; we’re hoping the sunflower field will make a nice backdrop for all the vendors; we’ll have apples, and we always have pumpkins; and we’ll have all our flowers and mums,” she said. “It’s all things we’ve been doing for years, it just adds to it when you have a festival.”

ALLISON COLLINS

A Hometown Harvest Highlighting local interests while creating far-reaching appeal, Vandermeulen said, is at the heart of Autumn Fest.

“Autumn Fest is a combination of local people who want to shop locally and people who are downstaters or from somewhere else looking for change and something fun to do in the fall with their families, and Autumn Fest provides that,” she said. “(The community response) has been great. I think people are really excited for it to be back and I think people who went in 2019 were really sad we didn’t have it (in 2020).” ä Johnson, too, said locals appreciate Autumn Fest.

From the top: Autumn Fest will feature all things fall, as seen during the 2019 festival. Sadie Johnson poses with pumpkins and plants at Covered Bridge Farm Market in this September 2020 photo. Corn hole will be among several free children’s activities and games available during this year’s Autumn Fest.

Autumn Fest visitors explore the vendor and food tents during the 2019 event.

“Community-wise, people feel good about it,” she said. “It’s nice to be able to come do something, the quality of the vendors is good and it’s something people like to come to where they don’t have to travel very far. (In 2019), I felt like it was a lot of local people (saying), ‘This was really nice.’”

And Autumn Fest, Vandermeulen said, furthers Rotary’s service-oriented mission.

“It’s a really worthwhile event,” she said. “We’re always energized Home Of The

Largest Indoor Charcoal BBQ Pit In The East!

Hours: Sun, Tues, Wed and Thurs-11am to 7pm Friday and Saturday-11am to 8pm

CURBSIDE DELIVERY • CARRYOUT • PICK IT•UP and TAKE IT IN CURBSIDE DELIVERY • CARRYOUT CATERING

after it. There’s so much to it … but you do it because it’s service. We do it because we want there to be something in the community. We think Unadilla and the Unatego area have so much to offer, especially in the fall, and we want to show that off and give locals a chance to have a good time themselves. When we do that, we also really feel energized and positive about our community, so that’s why we continue to do it. It leaves you with a good feeling.”

For more information, find “Unadilla Rotary Club” on Facebook or visit unadillarotary.org. +

Sammys

E D I S ARK

he

s

Guy at Wise

ISE GUY

Sammys D

Diana Friedelr

The

Psychic-Intuitive Reader, Teacher, Medium and Healer; Minister, Institute for Spiritual Development

ISE GUY

ARK mys m a S E D I S at

• Confidential Psychic Readings 607-433-2089 • Intuitive Energy Healings

Looking for or guidance grddance in in these these changing changin dmes?

Looking times!

'

"Very inspiring and healing." "Amazing and right on target. A great help with guidance" "I was skeptical coming in and once I was told things no one else could know, I left with an entire new outlook! Thank you." � I.hie � every � 5 :30p _fL. Like us on

,r..

LJ facebook. @TuninglnTuningUp

@ISDOneonta

more info - www.dianafriedell.com

ISE GUY

s y m m a S

Oneonta’s Authentic Destination for Under the Yellow Awning Fresh Hand Crafted Sammys, Burgers, 261-267 Main St., Oneonta, NY Salads, Pizza, Wings & More!

607-267-4347 wiseguyssammys.com Delivery & Take Out Available!

The Mill Pond Inn & Tavern 102 Main Street Jefferson NY 12093 607.376.5050 www.themillpondinn.com Outdoors 2021 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 13

Ghengis Treats are made from farm raised New York chickens and no other ingredients.

Ghengis treats are available now through our website or local merchants.

143 MAIN ST. COOPERSTOWN, NY 607-547-8297

Tara Hill donates food every week produce is in season to the Otego Community Food Pantry. Help support our farm and make the produce season stretch year-round with organic aquaponics!

Gone : g n i p Glam

Cushy Camping Finds Foothold Upstate

BY ALLISON COLLINS

S

ince the popularization of glamping – glamorous camping – through the mid-2000s, “roughing it” has gotten a lot less rough.

The Oxford English Dictionary added “glamping” in 2016, though the term was coined in the United Kingdom roughly 10 years earlier.

Today, glamping sites pepper the upstate region, offering a gamut of amenities and furnishings, all behind the flaps of a tent.

Little Farm Finds Big Business Holly Rutland, owner of Little Farm in the Dell in Worcester, said she’s been enhancing camping opportunities at the 221 Brady Road site since opening in May 2018.

“We started with the Tentrr – that’s the company we went through, and they bring a canvas tent and advertise for you – in 2018, and that’s definitely glam camping,” she said. “That is our Mountain View campsite, and it has the queen bunkbeds, a rug inside, primo water and we bring up a load of firewood. There’s a picnic table, a canopy, a fire pit and the sheets and linens are right there. Really, all you have to bring is your food and your clothing.

“In April 2019, we brought in a cabin from Amish Barn Company and that’s our Rustic Cabin campsite and that’s also glam camping,” Rutland continued, noting that, after guests sought “more rustic camping,” she also added two walk-in tent-camping sites.

Though a resort-style wedding destination, Gilbertsville Farmhouse in South New Berlin is also known for its glamping.

CONTRIBUTED

Outdoors 2021 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 15

Pictured is the interior of one of Gilbertsville Farmhouse’s 20 glamping tents.

CONTRIBUTED

Rutland said Little Farm in the Dell, an agritourism outfit, enjoys a varied, year-round clientele.

“We have some people from even right in town, in Worcester, and a lot of people come if it’s their first time bringing kids camping,” she said. “We’ve had (guests) from Syracuse and Poughkeepsie, so some drive from about three hours, and we get a lot of repeat customers that come every year. People enjoy coming here, especially from the city, because it’s so different for them. They just enjoy stargazing and the fresh farm eggs and hiking the trails.”

Gilbertsville Glamor Sharon Boustani, owner of Gilbertsville Farmhouse, a rustic-chic destination wedding and glamping venue at 336 Coye Brook Road, South New Berlin, began offering glamping in 2015.

“I had actually heard of it a couple years before that, before even opening a business,” she said. “I had seen a glamping tent online – they were popping up in Montana and Wyoming – and I was so intrigued. I had a screensaver of one of them and said, ‘one day, I’m going to go there.’ It was just something I thought was awesome, then when we opened the venue, I always knew I wanted it to be a place where people could stay over, so it was an immediate: ‘We should do glamping.’ When we started, nobody was really doing it, it was all trial and error; I even looked for consultants and nobody was doing it, but that was the vision.”

Boustani noted that, after beginning with 10 glamping sites, an additional 10 were added this year.

Boustani said, as a non-camper, she saw the appeal of the great outdoors, made comfy.

The ‘glampground’ at Gilbertsville Farmhouse is seen in this undated photo.

CONTRIBUTED

16

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

“

BECAUSE I’M NOT A CAMPER, I LOVE THE IDEA OF BEING ABLE TO HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE WITHOUT ROUGHING IT.”

“Because I’m not a camper, I love the idea of being able to have that experience without roughing it,” she said.

Boustani said, as a destination, resort-style wedding venue “first and foremost,” Gilbertsville Farmhouse gets even unlikely glampers.

“The property is on 25 acres and some places may have (glamping tents) more spread out for privacy, but ours are kind of clustered for the wedding experience, so people can be together as a group,” she said. “It’s kind of cool in our situation, because a lot of people that come here are coming because of a wedding … so it’s exposing people who wouldn’t even entertain glamping or may not have opted to do it on their own, and they’re delighted. There is a romance to camping and this is just opening that experience up to more people. It’s a lot of people coming from cities. They’re so surprised by the nature of the experience, and now I have people that are going to explore other glamping experiences in other places, just because they had the experience here, and that is something I really like.”

Boustani noted that Gilbertsville Farmhouse, open May through November, also offers goat yoga and retreats.

The Rustic Route In the Delaware County hamlet of DeLancey, Brad Lockwood and Laura LaSpaluto launched Dirt Road Camp in 2019. The 45-acre, year-round mountainside campground features two cabins and a spacious wall tent, as well as traditional tent camping.

Lockwood said, as avid campers themselves, he and LaSpaluto sought to “bring a true, off-the-grid camping experience to the Catskills.”

“We always joke when we show people our places, ‘don’t call it glamping,’” he said. “It is – it’s incredibly comfortable and Laura does an amazing job decorating and we have amazing carpets, beds, sheets, plates, everything they’d ever need – but glamping has

become this whole other world, where you can have a big-screen TV and a hot tub, which is way out of our orbit. We are glamping circa 1850.”

Lockwood said locals and tourists are embracing Dirt Road Camp’s approach.

“I would say our average group is a young couple in their 30s or an older couple in their 50s and a lot of first-time campers,” he said. “Really, we’re drawing from all over. Philadelphia is a huge area for us; we’re drawing in a lot of locals; we see people from the Buffalo area and Syracuse; and one thing that’s very unique to us is … there’s a new thing called the NEBDR (North East Backcountry Discovery Route). It’s an adventure motorcycle trail from Pennsylvania to Maine, so we get some real extreme adventure bikers … and they’re coming from Georgia, Maine, New Hampshire and everywhere. It’s kind of crazy … and an amazing tourism jolt for the area.”

Visitors, Lockwood said, need not overpack or worry about bumping into neighbors.

“We give everybody everything,” he said. “Bring your ice, your food, your beverage and an adventurous attitude. Some people are going way over the top with amenities, but when you get down to it, we are Dirt Road Camp, and we love campers. It’s a very nice entrée for the first-time outdoor enthusiast. And we spread people out; the vast majority of our guests get here and we never see them until they leave. You’re never going to have another camper or an RV next to you … and we are very pet-friendly.”

Lockwood noted that offering year-round camping further distinguishes Dirt Road Camp.

“We never close,” he said. “Winter camping is a huge thing for us, and most campgrounds can’t do it, but we do. And we offer wilderness survival training, winter camping survivor training and we’re adding more vehicles for people to get up (the mountain).”

Pandemic Popularity Campground owners said interest in glamping ramped up through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The first year we had (glamping), we were not very busy at all,” Rutland said. “Tentr started to do more advertising – they advertise with Airbnb – then when COVID hit, we got a huge boom.

Last year was extremely busy; we had all our campsites booked the ä whole time.

Get Glamping: For more information or to book a site at the places mentioned: Visit littlefarminthedell.com or find “Little Farm in the Dell” on Facebook. Also, call 518-7034721.

Visit dirtroadcamp.com, follow @ dirtroadcamp on Instagram or call 607-287-8148.

Visit gilbertsvillefarmhouse.com, find “Gilbertsville Farmhouse” on Facebook, call 607-747-8989 or follow @gilbertsvillefarmhouse on Instagram.

Also check out: Harmony Hill Lodging & Retreat Center in the Catskills – 694 McKee Hill Road, East Meredith, New York harmonyhillretreat.com or 607-2786609 The Old Game Farm (site of the former Catskill Game Farm) – 400 Game Farm Road, Catskill, New York theoldgamefarm.com or 518-719-2177 Catskill Domeo – 411 state Route 296, Hensonville, New York catskilldomeo.com or 518-412-2299

From top left: Pictured is the interior of Lean-Too Cabin, a structure built into the bluestone quarry at Dirt Road Camp in DeLancey. Rustic A-frame sliding doors beckon visitors into Dirt Road Camp’s Lean-Too site.

The exterior of Lean-Too at Dirt Road Camp is seen in late August. ALLISON COLLINS PHOTOS

“A lot of things were closed down, but this is more private,” Rutland continued. “You’re on somebody’s land, you’re not on top of anybody else and you’re secluded in your campsite, so you don’t have to worry as much. If you go to a regular campsite, you’re really close to your neighbors; here, you’re pretty secluded, regardless of which site you have. People from the city came a lot – they were some of our biggest groups, and still are – to get out of the city and into the fresh air to be away from people.” “(Campers) are lucky we set up our place like this during COVID,” Lockwood said. “We provided people with a lot of safety during an outbreak like that, with their own facilities, and we’re fighting hard to keep it that way.”

Though Gilbertsville Farmhouse closed through the pandemic, Boustani said she “saw a lot more interest and got a lot of activity on email and phone calls of people looking into” glamping.

“The appeal for this type of thing is the outdoorsy nature of it,” Boustani said. “People are looking for things where you’re not in the same building as somebody else, especially during the pandemic, and that is definitely something people have been way more interested in.” +

Lean-Too Cabin at Dirt Road Camp was the site’s first cabin, construction of which was completed in 2019.

A Tentrr site at Little Farm in the Dell in Worcester is seen in this 2020 photo.

CONTRIBUTED

CONTRIBUTED

Campfire Dip

BY ALLISON COLLINS

T CONTRIBUTED

20

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

his S’mores Campfire Dip is about as simple as it gets, but I think that’s how an over-the-fire recipe should be.

This turns the campfire classic into a shared, family-style experience – minus the sticks – and it’s ready in minutes.

Though the origins of the well-loved snack are murky, a nationalgeographic.com article notes that the treat “dates to at least 1927, when a recipe for the more formally designated ‘some mores’ appeared in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.” Girl Scout leader Loretta Scott Crew is credited with popularizing the treat among her troops, though some sources suggest the more mundanely named “graham cracker sandwich” appeared in earlier

| Outdoors 2021

cookbooks. The recipe remained in Girl Scout publications as “some mores” through 1971, though Recreational Programs for Summer Camps, published in 1938, references the abbreviated “s’mores,” as did a 1957 edition of Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for Girls and Boys.

Foodandwine.com notes that there were “a few potential precursors to the modern-day iteration of s’mores,” including Victorian-era funeral cakes, “prepared upon the death of a loved one

Cookin’ WITH

Collins

and sometimes including chocolate and marshmallow,” Mallomars, “essentially s’mores in cookie form” and popularized in 1913 and Moonpies, which “debuted a few years later and are also a s’mores cousin.”

Through the 1890s, the foodandwine article adds, a marshmallow-roasting trend “took hold of summer resort towns in the Northeast.” The August 1892 article from the Chicago Daily Tribune, “Marshmallow Roasts are the Fad,” details precisely how to roast a marshmallow, noting that such roasts “are an excellent medium for flirtation … appropriately exhibited by nibbling the marshmallows of each other’s sticks (and), accordingly, the idea is sure to grow in favor.”

Its somewhat sticky history aside, this family-friendly spin on a favorite is sure to sweeten time spent around the campfire. +

1 2

3

Bring napkins to your campfire: the finished dip is as sticky as it is sweet.

S’MORES CAMPFIRE DIP Ingredients:

Directions:

2-3 tbsp. butter Pinch of salt One 16 oz. bag marshmallows, any size One 12 oz. bag chocolate chips or chocolate bars Graham crackers, pretzel rods, strawberries or other dipping options

Over the fire, partially melt butter in skillet or foil boat placed over grate or within a grill-safe food basket. Add chocolate pieces and salt. Stir.

Carefully remove skillet or grill basket and layer marshmallows over melted chocolate. Return skillet or grill basket to campfire.

Heat for five to seven minutes, until marshmallows are gooey and slightly browned.

Allow to cool for five minutes.

Serve warm with crackers or preferred dipping snacks.

Equipment: Large cast-iron skillet or grill-safe food basket Grate or campfire cover Heavy-duty aluminum foil

1. This dip comes together quickly, so have all the ingredients ready to go. 2. Butter helps the chocolate melt smoothly, but avoid lingering over the heat and burning the chocolate base.

3. Allow the dip to cool slightly before digging in.

PHOTOS BY ALLISON COLLINS

Tips:  Try peanut-butter chips or caramels with the chocolate for a decadent twist.

Also consider adding sliced bananas and strawberries for a banana split-inspired dip.  This dip can also be made in a traditional oven; just heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for eight to 10 minutes.  If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, fashion an aluminum foil food dish using heavy-duty foil, but be sure to double up your layers.

Sweet on Sweetgrass I

t’s a perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors and, whether out for a hike in the woods, fishing on the lake or biking the trails, you’re certain to encounter mosquitoes and other pesky insects along the way.

When it comes to options for insect repellent, many of the common culprits contain DEET, a brand of diethyltoluamide and a questionable chemical. Created in the 1940s, DEET was originally intended for U.S. military use. By 1957, it hit the commercial market, where it’s remained a main ingredient in most insect repellents since.

DEET gets the job done, but is it safe? Experts at Consumer Reports say that the product is safe when used as directed, yet their national surveys indicate that 25% of Americans avoid using repellents containing DEET. Luckily, for those seeking a natural alternative, recent research has shown promising results from sweetgrass.

Sweetgrass is native to northern North America, with its range extending from northern Alaska across to Newfoundland, down to New England and across to Oregon and into the Southwest. Used by Native Americans as a sacred plant for ceremonial purposes, sweetgrass was also traditionally worn in braids around one’s neck and used in homes to ward off mosquitoes.

Repellent Research

WIRESTOCK | WWW.FREEPIK.COM

To explore the effectiveness of natural DEET alternatives, chemist Charles Cantrell and his colleagues at the USDA’s Natural Products Utilization Research Unit at the University of Mississippi began testing the repellant properties of sweetgrass, Hierochloe odorata, and other plants in 2015.

According to Cantrell in a 2015 Smithsonian Magazine article, “Traditional or folk remedies have been a good source of leads for natural things that may be effective in repelling insects.”

“We’ve looked at beautyberry; we’ve looked at breadfruit from the Hawaiian Islands, which is one that you burn; and we’ve looked at Jatropha from India, which is another one you burn,” he said in the piece. “They’ve all kind of led us in different directions chemically, and sweetgrass has another different chemistry. What we’re ideally looking for is something natural and nontoxic that’s just as effective as DEET, that will work as an effective repellent for 10 or 12 hours, like DEET.”

Only l a r u t a N

BY ANNA KRUSINSKI

22

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

Anna Krusinski is the owner of Willow & Birch Apothecary, shopwillowandbirch.com, a Victorian-inspired apothecary and perfumery in Bloomville, New York where she creates natural bath and beauty products. Contact her at anna@shopwillowandbirch.com.

According to Cantrell’s research, in laboratory tests, sweetgrass showed similar repellency to DEET. Cantrell and his colleagues are credited with isolating the two chemical components of sweetgrass, coumarin and phytol, most repellent to mosquitoes. But can sweetgrass truly go head-to-head with long-lasting and effective repellents containing DEET? Though sweetgrass research is ongoing, try using it to ward off insects during your next outdoor excursion.

Plus, it has a sweet, vanilla-like scent sure to be more pleasing than those chemical-laden sprays.

Here are a few options for using sweetgrass to keep the bugs away while enjoying the outdoors: • Wear a sweetgrass braid around your wrist or tied to your belt loop. Before setting out, moisten the braid to release the fragrance from the dried leaves.

• Burn sweetgrass as an incense while enjoying dinner alfresco or sitting around the fire.

• Make a natural bug spray using sweetgrass hydrosol and essential oils with repellent properties, such as cedarwood, lemongrass and rosemary.

Sweetgrass braids and hydrosols can be purchased at online botanical retailers, such as Mountain Rose Herbs. When shopping for sweetgrass, select the natural product and avoid sweetgrass fragrance oils, which are synthetic reproductions of the aromatic grass. +

NEW ASBURY

MOUNTAINROSEHERBS.COM

Sweetgrass braids can be purchased at mountainroseherbs.com.

GARDENS Complete Garden Center Annuals • Perennials • Shrubs • Trees Landscaping Hard Landscaping • Pond Installation Outdoor Kitchens Water feature Installations Paver Patios & Walkways Consultations Available

LET US CREATE YOUR OUTDOOR OASIS! Call Today! 607-432-8703 New Asbury Gardens | 248 River St., Oneonta | newasburygardens.com

Off The Beaten Path-Minutes From The Pepacton Reservoir!

1024 COUNTY HWY 1 ANDES, NY 13731 845.676.3244

MON • SUN: 9AM TO 6PM AS • BEER • GROCERIES • HOME COOKING HOME PHONE 845.676.3541

Outdoors 2021 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 23

CATSKILL MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION

Sugar Maples Resort, seen circa 1965. The bellhop, right, is former town of Windham supervisor Pat Meehan.

Sugar Maples’ Sweet History Led to

Modern Reimagining

W

hen one considers Catskill resorts of old, many name the Concord or Grossinger’s. These were vacation destinations for primarily upper-income, New York City-area residents from the early 1900s through the ‘70s.

As for middle-class vacationers from the city and elsewhere, a favorite resort was found in Maplecrest, within the town of Windham, and called Sugar Maples.

The many “walls” may have changed

24

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

The Old Walls Talk

BY MARK SIMONSON

or disappeared in recent years, but the leisurely pace hasn’t left, as the old resort has been reimagined as a destination for artists.

The hamlet wasn’t always called Maplecrest; the few who remember identify their community as Big Hollow, a name dating to 1794, when Deacon Lemuel Hitchcock and his family migrated to the region from Connecticut. They eventually found a place to their liking about two miles south of the source of the Batavia Kill Creek, in a big mountain hollow.

Top left to right: The Sherwood House, restored for housing for artists. Sugar Maples, seen in late December 2002.

Bottom left: Guest lodging from the past at the resort, hopefully to be restored in the future.

Bottom right: Seen in July 2021, the vacant lot left of the church is where the main building of Sugar Maples Resort once stood.

A few of the old buildings have been restored for use by artists at the Sugar Maples Center for the Arts and Education.

PHOTOS BY MARK SIMONSON

TODAY, THE FOUNDATION IS BRINGING SUGAR MAPLES BACK TO LIFE AS AN ARTS AND EDUCATION CAMPUS. FORMER PROPERTY OWNER TONY GOLDMAN DONATED THE RESORT TO THE FOUNDATION IN 2002.

When Big Hollow Saw Big Growth As time progressed, the settlement became a busy place for lumber and stone quarries. There was a sawmill, blacksmith shop, one-room schoolhouse, some farms and, of course, the grocery store/post office. Though the Moseman family started the store, it was Sherwood “Gus” Moseman who made lasting change in Big Hollow. Gus helped his stepfather enlarge the store, but moved to Staten Island to open a mercantile business, which later became the largest of its kind on the island. Gus served in World War I but when it ended, he returned with his family to live in Big Hollow.

Gus’ time and experience in Staten Island paid off shortly after his return. Gus put Big Hollow on the map, as he purchased hard-to-find items from the city, making their family store attractive to people from near and far. Gus also purchased a home, which he renovated and enlarged, and invited business colleagues and friends from Staten Island to vacation. Gus loved to entertain, and his city guests enjoyed the area.

Moseman soon made a career change, selling the store and shifting to the resort business. He formed a partnership with John Martin and, in 1922, the facilities grew to a small resort.

The area had a lot of maple trees, so they called the resort Sugar Maples. Just a year earlier, Big Hollow had been renamed Maplecrest.

Dick Veith, grandson of Gus Moseman, and Tom Meehan became partners of Sugar Maples in 1962. Veith grew up with the resort and recalled how, despite the Great Depression, its greatest growth persisted.

Amid partnership changes, a tradition of excellence in hospitality and value continued for decades. Families of Mosemans, Martins, Veiths, Meehans and others worked to make the resort the best it could be.

Veith once said, “These were hard-working, middle-class people who had only a week or two of vacation, and we gave them their money’s worth.”

Year after year, vacationers kept coming back. Veith recalled ä Outdoors 2021 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 25

ceremonies for families who’d vacationed at Sugar Maples for 25 and 50 consecutive years.

The resort’s success was primarily word-of-mouth. Meehan and Veith sold Sugar Maples in 1978. At that time, a week’s guest list was roughly 500 strong. Within a few years and after constant ownership turnover, such lists dwindled. Sugar Maples closed around 1990.

Sugar Maples has always been of interest to the writer, as his older brother worked there through summers of the early 1970s, with the family occasionally coming to visit during his days off.

A Bittersweet End Breeds New Beginning Chairman of the Catskill Mountain Foundation, Peter Finn, watched the decline and eventual closing of Sugar Maples. Finn and his wife Sarah were regular hikers in nearby mountain trails as far back as the early 1980s. Little did Finn realize, one day he’d be guiding the resort’s future.

Today, the foundation is bringing Sugar Maples back to life as an arts and education campus. Former property owner Tony Goldman donated the resort to the Foundation in 2002.

“At first I said no,” Finn said.

However, growing support changed his mind.

“Some people told me I was crazy,” Finn said in 2003, “but this is something that needs to be done.”

According to the foundation’s timeline at catskillmtn.org, the first studio arts courses began in 2003. Since then, the foundation has improved the buildings and removed others.

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic put much on hold in the arts community of Maplecrest, but it is slowly returning to normal with smaller class sizes and enforcement of safety precautions.

Memories of the former Sugar Maples vacation resort abound, with images and decades-old home videos on YouTube easy to find.

The Catskill Mountain Foundation is in Hunter. For more information about its Sugar Maples Center for the Arts and Education, visit catskillmtn.org +

City historian Mark Simonson grew up in Oneonta, but like many, left to explore opportunities elsewhere.

He returned in 1997.

Before returning, Simonson worked in public relations, marketing and broadcast journalism.

He worked locally in Norwich and the greater Binghamton area, and for a short time in Boston.

Simonson was appointed Oneonta City Historian in 1998.

Since then, he has been doing freelance research and writing for a twice-weekly column in The Daily Star. Additionally, Simonson has published books about Oneonta and local history in a five-county region.

Through his years of research, Simonson has come across many interesting stories about old buildings in the upstate region. He will share those stories in this and upcoming editions of Upstate Life.

26

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

WEAVER’S OPEN YEAR !

ROUND

DRAPERY | CARPETS INTERIOR FURNISHING FABRICS

Producing Historic Reproductions 143 Ben Baxter Road Cherry Valley, NY 866-384-2729 • thistlehillweavers.com

$

91.98

64.99

$

No commitment, no credit check, no contract.

100-500 GB/month available. (Depends on location) Prices are $109-$145/month.

Activation fees may apply.

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 8-6, Sat. 8-3 Sun. 10-1

Farm Market

We look forward to serving you

• Deli (meats & cheeses) • Bulk Food (spices, candy, baking supplies, frozen foods and more) • Fruits & Vegetables • Local Baked Goods • Local Grass Fed Dairy • Local Free Range Eggs

• Local Beef, Pork, and Chicken • Local Produce in season • Local Maple Syrup and Honey • Large selection of Organic and Natural Foods • Local Amish Hickory Furniture and Handmade Baskets Payment Cash or Check No Credit Cards

Products From Over 50 Local Farmers & Crafters 1272 East Side Rd., • Morris, NY 13808 • 607-263-2030 Hours: Tues., Wed. & Sat 9 am-5 pm Thurs. & Fri. 9 am • 6 pm; Closed Sun. & Mon.

OUTDOORS at the Top of Slide Mountain PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALLTRAILS.COM

A

s this is the outdoors issue of Upstate Life, we ask a simple question: is there a spot in the Catskills with a more outdoorsy feel than all the others? We think there is: the very top of Slide Mountain.

Slide Mountain is no Everest, but it is the tallest mountain in the Catskills. To get there, take Rte.

BY ROBERT AND 28 east until you get to the village JOHANNA TITUS of Big Indian. Turn right (south) on Rte. 47 and go about seven miles; the trailhead is on the left.

The trail is well marked, and the climb is steep – about 2,000 feet. You need to be in good shape for that ascent, but it is well worth the effort. When you arrive at the top (4,200 feet), look for the sandstone ledge marking its peak and stand at the mountain’s pinnacle. Slowly turn 360 degrees, surveying all you can see; it’s an exhilarating experience. To the east lies the Ashokan Reservoir and beyond loom the mountains of New England. The very best of all is to the north: Panther Mountain. It’s thought that an asteroid crashed to Earth right there, perhaps 390 million years ago. Look north and imagine that moment.

The Catskill Geologists

28

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

| Outdoors 2021

Striations at Slide?

This outdoorsy spot has been here for the last 4.5 billion years, a tiny dot on the surface of the globe slowly changing all that time. The most debated moment occurred at the peak of the Ice Age, about 20,000 years ago. What was it like here then? Did the glaciers overtop Slide Mountain? Or did they only reach near the mountain’s peak? The evidence is disputed.

If the glaciers did pass across this peak, they would have certainly dragged along large amounts of sediment. The bottoms of glaciers are dirty with sand, gravel, cobbles and boulders. These sediments would have scraped into Slide’s bedrock and ground it down, sanding it much as sandpaper does wood. Cobbles and boulders would have then gouged parallel scratches into that newly polished surface. We geologists are always alert for such glaciated surfaces, and we frequently find them in New York State. See the photo below. We have seen them high up on mountaintops such as Overlook Mountain, above Woodstock, but what about at Slide?

Geologists claimed to have seen striated surfaces atop Slide in the 1920s, but later scholars questioned these reports. We have looked, but never found them. Maybe you can do better. If you find such evidence, then that is of some importance. Send us photos. We would love to hear from you. +

Contact the authors at randjtitus@ prodigy.net or find the “The Catskill Geologist” Facebook page. Also, read their blog at thecatskillgeologist.com.

GEOLOGISTS CLAIMED TO HAVE SEEN STRIATED SURFACES ATOP SLIDE IN THE 1920S, BUT LATER SCHOLARS QUESTIONED THESE REPORTS. WE HAVE LOOKED, BUT NEVER FOUND THEM.

Pictured is an example of a glaciated rock surface.

ROBERT TITUS

Outdoors 2021 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 29

Business Directory Advertising & Media

Construction & Building Services

(Publishers, Public Relations, Marketing)

(General Contractors, Construction, Engineers, Architects)

Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths The Cooperstown Crier 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-1000 www.coopercrier.com

The Daily Star 102 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-1000 www.thedailystar.com

A&J’s Windows & Doors Kitchens & Baths

Meet the Locals Entertainment

Health & Fitness

(Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Travel, Events, Museums)

(Medical Centers & Clinics, Dentists, Rehabilitation Centers)

COOPERSTOWN ART ASSOCIATION GALLERIES

607-433-1150 • Offices at: 427 Main St., Oneonta 69 Meredith St., Delhi 31 Harper St., Stamford

4189 State Hwy. 28, Milford, NY 607-286-7856 www.anjwindows.com

22 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-9777 • www.cooperstownart.com

Bettiol Chiropractic

Aqua-Tec Water Services Inc.

ASBURY GARDENS

NEW

(Automobile Dealers, Auto Body & Painting, Auto Clubs, more...)

Chestnut Park

1378 State Rt. 30, North Blenheim, NY 1-800-724-0309 nypa.gov/BGVisitorsCenter

Rehabilitation & Nursing Center 330 Chestnut St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-8500 • chestnutparkrehab.com

Finance & Insurance

Home & Garden

Gilbert Plumbing & Heating

AUTO SALES INC.

P.O. Box 96, Gilbertsville, NY 607-783-2289 • www.gilbertph.com

Butler Auto Sales Inc.

20850 State Hwy. 28, Delhi 607-930-4888 • www.schoolhousecs.com

Monser Bros. Tires

375 Chestnut St., Oneonta 607-432-4060 • www.monserbrothers.com

Titan Drilling Corp.

264 Co. Hwy. 38, Arkville, NY 1-800-GO-TITAN • 1-845-586-4000 www.titanwelldrillingny.com

Oliver’s Campers Inc.

6460 State Hwy. 12, Norwich, NY 607-334-3400 • www.oliverscampers.com

Tweedie Construction Services, Inc. 90 Crystal Creek Rd., Walton, NY 607-865-4916 • 607-865-4913

30

| UPSTATE LIFE magazine

(Home & Garden, Remodeling Bath & Kitchen)

bieritz insurance Schoolhouse Construction

| Outdoors 2021

NEW DIVISION WINDOWS • SIDING • ROOFING DECKS • EXTERIOR PAINTING

New Asbury Gardens

248 River St., Oneonta, NY 607-432-8703 www.newasburygardens.com STOP DOWN TO OUR GARDEN CENTER!

(Banks, Financial Advisors, Insurance)

304 State Hwy. 7, Sidney, NY 607-358-7763 • butlerautosales.com

ASBURY GARDENS DESIGN/BUILD LANDSCAPING

NEW Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center

Auto, Motorcycle & Campers

Home & Garden (Home & Garden, Remodeling Bath & Kitchen)

Gilboa, NY 1-800-853-5453 • 607-588-9413 www.waterwellsandpumps.com

Get Get AAJump JumpOn OnYour YourSpring SpringClean-Up! Clean-Up! Mulching Mulchingand andEdging Edging Cleaning Cleaning and and Sealing Sealing Services ServicesFor For Walks and Patios, Walks and Patios, Pond Clean-Up And More!

Clean-Up And More!

Visit us Pond online at www.newasburygardens.com Visit us online at www.newasburygardens.com

248 RIVER ST., ONEONTA

248 RIVER ST., ONEONTA 607-432-8703

607-432-8703 ServiceMASTER by Burch

607-988-2516 www.servicemasterbyburch/com

Bieritz Insurance

Ben Novellano 209 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-2952 • 607-263-5170 (Morris) www.bieritzinsurance.com

OPEN IN APRIL! (weather permitting... call ahead)

Cody-Shane Acres

90 Crystal Creek, Walton, NY 607-865-4913

Business Directory Non-Profit Organizations

Restaurants

(Family, Community & Civic Organizations)

(Full Service, Casual Dining, Fast Food)

Rosemary Farm Sanctuary

1646 Roses Brook Rd., S. Kortright 607-538-1200 • rosemaryfarm.org

BROOKS’ House of BBQ

Meet the Locals Shopping & Retail

Shopping & Retail

(Appliances, Clothing Apparel, Accessories, more...)

(Appliances, Clothing Apparel, Accessories, more...)

5560 State Hwy. 7, Oneonta, NY 607-432-1782 • www.brooksbbq.com

Homestead Pet & Farm Supply 3 Railroad St., New Berlin, NY 607-847-6173 Like us on Facebook

Personal Services & Care (Salons & Spas, Funeral Homes, Driver Training, more...)

Faithful Friends Pet Crematory

Sybil’s Yarn Shop

65 South Main St., Milford, NY 607-286-4061 • sybilsyarnshop.com

Shopping & Retail (Appliances, Clothing Apparel, Accessories, more...)

DRAGONFLY 55

55 Main St., Andes, NY 845-676-3322

WEAVER’S Farm Market

1977 State Hwy 23, Morris, NY 607-263-2363 www.faithfulfriendsofmorris.com

Posie’s Vintiques

Tara Hill

6 Center St., Milford, NY • 607-286-4025 email: posiesvintiques@gmail.com

481 Hell Hollow Rd, Otego, NY tarahillny.com•email: sales@tarahillny.com

Rudy’s Wine & Liquor

143 Ben Baxter Rd., Cherry Valley, NY 866-384-2729 www.thistlehillweavers.com

Mill Pond Inn & Tavern

OPEN YEAR ROUND! Weaver’s Farm Market

1272 East Side Rd., Morris, NY 607-263-2030

102 Main St., Jefferson • 607-376-5050 www.themillpondinn.com

Tuning In - Tuning Up

Oneonta, NY 607-433-2089 www.tuningin-tuningup.com

ISE GUY s

Sammy

143 Main St., Cooperstown, NY 607-547-8297

Thistle Hill Weavers

Sports & Recreation (Golf Courses & Country Clubs, Sports Facility, Sports Team, Campgrounds)

Wise Guys Sammys

Public Utilities & Environment

261-267 Main St., Oneonta, NY 607-267-4347 • wiseguyssammys.com

TREMPERSKILL COUNTRY STORE

(Utilities, Internet, Cable, Recycling)

STIX N STONES

Empire Wireless LLC.

332 North St., West Winfield, NY 315-794-9134

Tremperskill Country Store

1024 County Hwy. 1, Andes, NY 845-676-3244

Action Cyclery

7 Broad St., Norwich • 607-431-8204 www.actioncycleryllc.com

Downtown Sherburne, NY 607-674-9529 www.empirewirelessllc.com

Outdoors 2021 | UPSTATE LIFE magazine | 31

Our goal is to never lose a customer over price

We Will Buy Your Car!

Bad Credit? No Credit? We Have Financing Options for All Credit Needs!

Call Wendy or Bumper in the Service Department Today!

Voted Best of the Best Used Car Dealer!

Monday: 8:30am 8:30am -- 7pm 7pm | Tuesday: 8:30am - 6pm | Wednesday: 8:30am - 6pm | Thursday: 8:30am - 7pm Monday: Friday: 8:30am 8:30am - 6pm | Saturday: 8:30am - 4pm 3pm | Sunday: By Appointment Only Friday: