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On the cover
Callen and Jonathan Belknap are pictured with their dog, Basin, named after Basin Mountain. The couple summitted all 46 peaks, nine of them with Basin.
eDitor’s Corner
I’m writing this with the school year having just started, and that’s always a nice return to order for me. I long for the slower, unstructured days of summer but seem to forget, each year, that having everyone in the house all of the time actually makes it so much harder to get work done. And nothing stays clean long.
My best friend, in a group chat with my older two kids and me, sent them back-to-school wellwishes the other day: “I hope the first day feels like a shiny apple and smells like No. 2 pencils and feels like cracking open a new book you’ve been excited to read.”
It was enough to make me miss high school. Almost. But the wish for success amid a renewed routine, and renewal itself, is what struck me. Fall and the changing of the seasons can feel like the opposite – a death of sorts – but it is, also, a time for renewal. The world itself has that just-cracked-book feeling. That, and I just turned 40, so obviously I’m feeling quite broody and reflective.
According to the psychology site verywellmind.com, “Experts say autumn is a temporal landmark, or a moment that changes how we see and use time, which can feel like a motivational fresh start.” And psychologist Yasmine Saad, quoted on the site, says, “Temporal landmarks divide life into distinct mental phases. They allow us to put in the past negative experiences and propel a fresh outlook.”
There are so many grounding things to do in fall: whether it’s cooking up a cozy meal with fresh-harvested produce, reading a witchy tome, picking apples or pumpkins at one of the region’s many U-pick farms, or taking in the foliage from atop an Adirondack peak (all activities highlighted herein). So, grab a hot drink (make it a pumpkin spice latte if you must), throw on a flannel and breathe deeply, welcoming this time of change and renewal.
PHOTO, PAGE 2: mums are pictured at mount Vision Garden Center. | MONICA CALZOLArI
Fall For Apples at Area U-Pick Orchards
BY LEIGH INFIELD
There’s nothing like walking through an apple orchard on a crisp fall day. The clean, fresh air carries the sweet scent of ripened fruit and fallen apples and leaves crunch underfoot.
It’s a short drive down a country road in Bovina Center before turning in at the sign for Duane and Karen LaFever’s U-pick spot, Maplewood Farm & Orchard, tucked amid the Catskill Mountains. On the gentle hillside, visitors will find rows of trees lade with apples just ripe for the picking. When the LaFevers bought the 100-plus acres of land off Miller Avenue, they were also buying a piece of local history.
The Miller name was known throughout the area for more than a century, with the first Miller arriving from the Scottish borders around 1815. Generations of Millers lived, worked or leased the land until 1976, tapping its maple trees to produce maple syrup –a tradition Duane and Karen continue today.
When Duane purchased the farm in 1999, ownership of the property returned to a family member after a twenty-four-year hiatus. Duane is the third great-grandson of William Miller, and the grandson of Anna Bell Barnhart LaFever, a second cousin to Mural Miller, another in the long line of Miller owners. Duane grew up not far from the Weber Farm, where he and his dad would go to pick apples. Duane and Karen’s first date was spent picking apples at the Weber farm.
Today, 650 apple trees comprise two Maplewood orchards. Visitors pick from the larger of the two, located a short walk from the sugarhouse. The smaller orchard is reserved for cider apples. The LaFevers work the orchards together, with help from their two adult sons, Cody and Cullen. Maplewood Farm & Orchard produces eight dwarf apple varieties: Gala, Macoun, Honeycrisp, Ruby Mac, Crimson Crisp, Liberty, Freedom and Sweet 16. Another 20 varieties are grown on standard trees.
Karen LaFever is seen irrigating a row of apple trees. | LEIgh INFIELD
Colorful, pre-picked apples and pumpkins are also available at Maplewood Farm & Orchard.
CONTRIBUTED
Duane LaFever assesses the growth of the apples in late summer. plenty of sunshine and irrigation have paid off.
LEIgh INFIELD
u-pick farms flourish throughout the region. Check out these other sites.
otsego County:
Middlefield Orchard, 2274 state route 166, Cooperstown 607-547-8212 or amiddlefieldorchard.com
Hours: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hayrides available only on Saturdays. Manicured rows of apple, pear and cherry trees dot the landscape at Middlefield Orchard – 10,000 trees in all. The apple harvest starts early, and visitors can begin picking in early to mid -August, through the end of October. You can also pick your own pumpkins. The farm has apple cider, cider doughnuts, jam and applesauce for sale. There’s a corn maze, hay rides, a cornstalk tepee and hay fort for family fun. Kids love playing in the tepee.
Broome County:
Apple Hills, 131 Brooks road, Binghamton
607-729-2683, applehills.com
Just outside of Binghamton is the farm and orchard known as Apple Hills. A 150-year-old farm, Apple Hills was owned and operated by the Greens since 1848 and passed down through six generations. The farm grows 13 varieties of apples, with the U-pick season running from early September through October. Visitors to the orchard can pet and feed the animals, traverse the corn maze, take a wagon ride through the fields, race ducks, find fossil and gems and play games. Apple Hills has its own Apple Cafe, open for breakfasts and lunches from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., Thursday and Friday, and breakfasts only from 11 to 2, Saturday and Sunday.
ulster County:
Stone ridge Orchard, 3012 state route 213, Stone ridge.
845-687-2587 or stoneridgeorchard.com
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily
For 200 years, Stone Ridge Orchard has been a working farm on 115 scenic acres in the heart of the Rondout Valley. At the top of a hill is the old apple orchard, the trees clustered of around a majestic, oak tree. Today, Stone Ridge Orchard has more than 1,000 apple trees producing such varieties as Honeycrisp, Gala, Ginger Gold, Macoun and Fuji, as well as pear trees.
The season for apples and pears starts after Labor Day and runs through the end of October. The orchard’s Farm Stand features a variety of produce, baked goods, apple cider, hard cider and more. It is open daily from 9am-6pm. The Farm Bar, serving cider flights (a sampling of different cider varieties in small glasses) as well as wine and cocktails is open from noon to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Camp on the beautiful orchard grounds surrounded by nature.
A Day in the Life of the Maplewood Farm & Orchard
top, clockwise: Neatly spaced rows of apple trees make picking easily accessible. Maplewood Farm & Orchard grows eight dwarf apple varieties and another 20 varieties on standard trees. Karen LaFever checks out young pumpkins growing under a canopy of green leaves. pumpkin fields still show their large green leaves in late summer. pumpkins will be fully grown in time for picking this fall. | LEIgh INFIELD. Kids love picking their own pumpkins and having fun in the Maplewood Farm & Orchard’s pumpkin patches. | CONTRIBUTED. The LaFevers spend an afternoon observing the apples beginning to cluster on the trees at the orchard. apple pickers can easily reach and fill their bags with apples. Trees are pruned regularly so that they maintain a level where apples can be picked with no need for ladders. | LEIgh INFIELD
A 15-minute scenic wagon ride along the path to another hill and you’re at Maplewood’s U-pick pumpkin patches. The hilltop looks out over expansive pumpkin fields, with Bramley Mountain in the distance. The LaFevers grow several different types of pumpkins, including Jack-O-Lantern, specialty varieties such as Polar Bear and Scarface, along with mini pumpkins for tabletop displays and craft projects.
Maplewood’s U-pick business was born five years ago when the COVID-19 pandemic closed down the festivals where Duane and Karen sold much of their maple syrup. In late May, small apples had begun appearing on the trees. The couple thought, “Why not plow up two acres next to the apples trees and plant pumpkins?” When fall came, they opened for U-pick apples and pumpkins, with the sugarhouse set up as a store. Twenty-five cars packed the couple’s lawn that year, as people were eager to find activities that could be enjoyed
In addition to picking, there are fun-filled activities for the whole family during U-pick weekends.
safely outdoors. Apple and pumpkin picking fit the bill.
“Like that old saying goes, out of adversity came something positive,” Karen said. “For us, it was adding a new business that has continued to flourish and grow.” The LaFevers are in the process of completing a spacious barn that will enable them to press apple cider, expand the retail store and serve sit-down pancake breakfasts during maple weekends.
In addition to picking, there are funfilled activities for the whole family during U-pick weekends. Get in touch with nature
as you hike the sugar bush trails, or take a hay wagon ride. Visit the sugarhouse and learn how maple syrup is made, then browse the farm store for fresh product and maple treats. Kids will love the special area set up for playing western games, such as roping and gem-mining, and littles ones can gallop around barrels on hobby horses provided by the farm.
Karen said one of the joys of her job is watching people having fun. Another is joining folks on the last wagon ride of the day up to the pumpkin patches.
“The rhythmic sound of the wagon wheels on the path is mesmerizing and so relaxing,” she said. “It’s a lovely way to end the day.”
Maplewood Farm & Orchard at 596 Miller Avenue, Bovina Center.
For more information, call 607-746-6339 or visit maplewoodfarmny.com. U-pick weekends run through Oct. 13, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays from 10am to 4pm. +
The rhythmic sound of the wagon wheels on the path is mesmerizing and so relaxing. It’s a lovely way to end the day.”
– Karen LeFever
What to Do With leftover Halloween Candy
What’s better than spending a day with friends, decked out in costume, accumulating a mountain of sweet treats? That’s what trick-or-treaters do every Halloween, and sometimes the cache of candy is more than a person or family can realistically consume. When October rolls into November and Thanksgiving, few people want to be staring at a witch’s cauldron full of chocolate bars. Rather than be wasteful and throw it away, that candy can be utilized in many different ways.
• S’mores cookie: Turn miniature chocolate bars into a campfire treat, with a cookie twist. Press premade cookie dough into a round cast iron skillet and bake until cooked throughout. Add chopped up pieces of chocolate and marshmallows on top and place under the broiler for a few minutes, until melted and gooey. Slice to serve, or dig in with spoons.
• Confectionary pizza: Purchase premade pizza dough or make your own. Bake the dough on a pan with no toppings. Afterward, spread a layer of peanut butter or hazelnut spread on top. Then set up a fixings bar with various candies that others can add to their pizza slices. Options include chocolate candies, miniature pretzels, marshmallows or gummy candies.
• Stained glass cookies: Turn hard candies (like Jolly Ranchers®) into works of art. Fill sugar cookie cutouts with hard candies in the middle. When the cookies bake, the candies melt and then turn soft after cooling.
• Candy-topped brownies: Brownies are delicious on their own, but they’re even better with some embellishments. Mix chopped caramels into the batter, or add other candies for flavor and fun.
• Candy bark: Melt down any chocolate you may have and spread it on a baking sheet. Sprinkle chopped up leftover candy on top and allow to cool. Break into pieces for a homemade chocolate bark.
• Gingerbread house: Save the candy in a zip-top bag for freshness and reserve for decorating gingerbread houses around the holidays.
• Birthday piñata: If there is a birthday coming, use the Halloween candy to stuff the piñata.
• Parade route: Veteran’s Day parades are held each November. Start a new tradition in town where donated candy will be tossed out to the crowd by those marching in the parade.
• Donate: Various organizations will gather and ship leftover candy to troops stationed overseas or donate the goods to first responders, veterans and others. +
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Some Like it Hot potent peppers pack a punch
cool way to wind down from a sizzling summer is over a pile of hot peppers. They like a long, hot growing period and we certainly had one of those. According to pickyourown.org, harvesting peppers in upstate can happen right through October.
There really isn’t much you can’t do with hot peppers. They can be stuffed, dried, canned, pickled, frozen. There are even recipes out there for jalapeno ice cream. If you’re crafty, they can also be turned into gorgeous, functional wreaths, especially in autumn, using yellow, orange and red peppers. You’ll find plenty of howto videos online.
Best of all, they are easy to grow, in the garden and in containers. There’s no need to worry about critters bothering them, because their spiciness – due to the compound capsaicin – acts as a defense mechanism against predators.
That natural repellant factor also wards off some people. Capsaicin, by definition, is “a potent chemical that binds to pain receptors in the mouth, throat, and stomach, creating the sensation of heat,” according to eatinghealthyplan.com.
But the stuff setting you on fire is good for you. Jalapenos are rich in Vitamin C, and capsaicin reportedly helps with pain reduction, weight loss and high blood pressure.
If you are among those who have no tolerance for hot peppers, it may not be because you’re boring and unadventurous. Research suggests a person’s cultural background may play a role in one’s reaction to hot peppers. If you were raised on spicy food, the heat won’t faze you.
Jalapenos, considered the milder of them all, can be traced to the Aztec civilization, making them a deep part of southern cuisine forever. They originated specifically in the Mexican region of Xalapa. The name “jalapeno” is derived from the Spanish word for Xalapa, “Jalapa.”
fiery fruits
Whether you break a sweat eating hot peppers or not, touching them can bring on a whole other level of pain. I will never forget my poor old dad, decades ago, telling a tale about chopping up some jalapenos then having to use the bathroom. He recalled howling in pain; we howled with laughter.
old wisdom
Plant a banana peel along with your pepper plants. This will make the roots strong.
hot dust
To dry jalapeños, first cure them by putting in a warm location for a few days. Then wash, dry, slice and cook in a dehydrator at 125 degrees for 24 hours. When the slices are brittle, they can be ground into a powder.
Jalapenos are rich in Vitamin C, and capsaicin reportedly helps with pain reduction, weight loss and high blood pressure.
By Joanne arBoGast
The Scoville scale, developed by Wilbur Scoville in 1912, is a subjective method for measuring the heat of a pepper. It involves dissolving a pepper in water and then measuring the amount of capsaicin present by tasting the solution with a panel of human tasters. The more capsaicin present, the higher the SHU rating. Jalapeños typically have an SHU rating of 2,500-8,000, which is relatively mild compared to other peppers like the ghost pepper, which has an SHU rating of over 1,000,000.
Fresh picked jalapeños.
Nick Wieckowski, of Worcester, grows monster peppers in his garden.
Then again, cutting hot peppers and rubbing your eyes is also no laughing matter. Just be aware of what can linger on your fingers long after dinner is over. Cooking them can add yet another level of physical discomfort. If the peppers are really hot, you’ll know as soon as you start heating them up.
Here is a delicious dish to try: Slice up as many sweet and hot peppers as you want. Sautee or fry them in as much butter as you like until soft and/or a little charred. The sweet peppers balance out the hot ones, but you can tip the scale in either direction by adding more or less of one or the other.
If you start to cough, you have more than enough hot peppers cooking. Top with shredded Asiago cheese and devour.
When are your garden jalapenos at their peak? Some say they produce more capsaicin as they age, so they may be spicier when they mature to a red color. But capsaicin levels drop shortly after peppers ripen, so don’t wait too long to harvest.
Peppergeek.com reports “jalapenos are traditionally picked before they turn red, but red peppers are sweeter than green ones. However, green jalapenos are more crisp and crunchy, making them a better option for pickling.” And, if you pick them when they are green, this can extend your yield. It gives smaller peppers a chance to get bigger, and gives the plant time to grow more.
The best way to know when to pick them may be indicated by the pepper’s skin. Ever wonder about those “stretch marks” or small white lines that appear on some jalapenos? It’s called “corking” and is a sign of maturity. It will not appear on young peppers.
If it’s maximum heat you want, look for the corked ones.
One more way to know it’s time to pick peppers is that they should easily break off the plant at the stem. Ripe ones do not need to be twisted or torn off. +
Joanne Arbogast, of Worcester, loves hot peppers, but they give her the sweats and hiccups. She wonders which ancestor is to blame.
Many prefer jalapenos with stretch marks, called corking, because they are considered at their prime. | phOTO By pEppERsCaLE COM right: Early jalapenos are pictured growing on the vine.
hot and sweet peppers cooked in butter until soft are topped with shredded asiago cheese.
phOTOs By JOaNNE aRBOgasT
Beef Short Rib Ragu
BY ALLISON COLLINS
Cookin’ Collins WITH
Acouple years ago we started buying beef by the side. I like doing it this way and it feels a little nicer to the cows and the planet, especially since we know the farmer who raises the animals. But it meant I got a lot of cuts of beef that I had no idea what to do with, including short ribs. Now, I have come to really like them, and preparing them this way yields a rich, rustic, hearty meal that just screams cozy-fallcomfort cuisine.
Short ribs are taken from the lower section of the cow’s rib cage. This recipe uses Flanken-style short ribs, meaning they are cut shorter and, because of a higher fat content, ideal for slow-cooking recipes. Online sources define a short rib ragu as “a hearty Italian meat sauce made by slowly braising beef short ribs until they are fall-apart tender. The braised meat is then shredded and mixed into a slow-cooked sauce of red wine, tomatoes, beef stock, and vegetables like carrots, celery, and onions. It’s a deeply flavorful and comforting dish, often served over pasta like pappardelle or rigatoni, or with polenta or gnocchi.”
This method inherently requires some forethought, but once you’ve got it going, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it situation, one of my favorite ways to cook during the busy fall season.
Top the finished short ribs with freshly grated parmesan cheese and parsley.
1. Fresh herbs enhance the flavor
and
the vegetable
until tender. 4. add
paste to the sauteed vegetables. Incorporate the wine and beef broth. 5. a blend of rosemary and thyme gives this dish a rustic, fall flavor. 6. slow-cooking the ribs gives them fall-off-the-bone tenderness. 7. allow the short ribs to cook low and slow for several hours.
BEEF SHORT RIB RAGU
Ingredients:
(Recipe modified from one found at savorfulmeals.com )
3 to 4 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
2 c. crushed or diced canned tomatoes, with the liquid
1 heaping tbsp. tomato paste
½ c. red wine
½ c. beef broth
1 bunch of fresh thyme and rosemary
1 to 2 bay leaves
Kosher salt
Pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish
Fresh parmesan cheese, for garnish
Tips:
Directions:
Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel, then season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or similarly large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
Brown the short ribs in the oil, working in batches if needed. Try not to rotate the meat until truly seared; short ribs will lift easily from the pan if they’re ready, but will pull if they’re not.
Set browned short ribs aside.
In the same pot, saute the vegetables and garlic, adding more oil if needed.
Season the vegetable blend with salt and pepper and cook until tender.
Add tomato paste to the vegetables and stir. Cook for two to three minutes.
Add in canned tomatoes, with their liquid, and wine and beef broth.
To the pot, add the herbs and bay leaves and the browned short ribs, allowing the liquid to mostly cover the meat.
Cover the pot, reduce heat to low-medium and cook for four to five hours, until the meat falls easily from the bone.
Remove ribs from the sauce and shred the meat, discarding the bones.
Return shredded meat to the pot, simmer for 10 to 20 more minutes and re-season to taste.
Ladle finished ragu over the starch of your choice and top with plenty of parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. +
n if you don’t have red wine on hand, use a full cup of beef broth; vice versa, if you only have wine.
n serve the finished short ribs over the starch of your liking, but i say stick with fresh-grated parmesan no matter what. i served mine over parmesan mashed potatoes, but you could easily doctor up storebought potatoes or go with a traditional broad-shaped pasta or gnocchi.
n also consider serving with a good, crusty bread for sopping up the sauce.
n if time permits, allow the ribs to sit at room temperature for a bit before searing.
of the dish. 2. season
sear the short ribs. 3. saute
blend
tomato
phOTOs By aLLIsON COLLINs
above: Roxanne Liddle stands by a life-size bull barbeque. smoke comes out of the bull’s nose as the charcoal heats. Below, from left: Colorful roosters in various sizes are very popular at the Metal Farm. This baby goat was for sale at the Delaware County Fair, along with its brothers and sisters. Liddle is willing to customize this frog, or any other objects that strike customers’ fancy, by painting to order.
fisk farm features Larger-than-Life Garden Decor
BY MONICA CALZOLArI
Rachel Liddle, owner of Fisk Antiques and Metal Farm, has a flare for fanciful art objects.
“I like to look out my window and see happy things in my yard,” she said.
From her 116 Fisk Road, Delhi site, Liddle offers others the chance to outfit their yards with smile-worthy works.
Liddle bought the property on old Route 28, now called Fisk Road, in 2007, after operating Sunnyvale Florist shop, also in Delhi, for eight years.
Born in upstate New York, Liddle is a graduate of Oneonta High School and the State University of New York at Delhi.
Fisk Antiques is named after the road on which it sits. Liddle launched the business in 2007, focusing on reselling antiques from her barn. In 2010, she added to her collection of one-ofa-kind pieces, trading real flowers for flowers of a larger, longerlasting, metal variety.
Liddle dubbed her third business a “metal farm,” where visitors will find huge sunflowers and life-sized cows, pigs, goats, bulls and roosters. But these animals do not need to be fed and milked daily and the flowers require no watering.
a range of renderings
A mini golf course in Margaretville bought a life-size cow as a way to attract the attention of customers.
Customers can find many small pieces of garden art for $25 and up. If you prefer a bull that doubles as a barbeque, blowing smoke from its nostrils, you are in luck. This piece of functional art goes for $850. Liddle’s 12-foot roosters are quite popular. They go for about $1,300.
Over the years, Liddle has added to her collection of garden art. Now you can find dinosaurs, Big Foot, magic mushrooms, a rhinoceros or moos, or a glowing rocket ship complete with rotating laser lights.
Liddle’s corner property is full of strange, colorful creatures visible from Route 28. It has become a popular place to stop and take a selfie.
I like to look out my window and see happy things in my yard.”
– rachel LIddle
During the pandemic, celebrity Alec Baldwin stopped and bought an antique. The owner of Arizona Iced Tea passed by her property, too, and bought a 12-foot rooster. Liddle delivered both of these purchases personally to Long Island. As a mom-and-pop establishment, Liddle does it all and said she strives to go the extra mile to satisfy customers. So, while a dinosaur is not likely to fit in your SUV or sedan, if you are willing to pay for delivery, Liddle will make it happen.
Another downstate New Yorker, Osvaldo Chance Jimenez, “OJ” discovered Fisk Antiques and Metal Farm on a trip upstate.
Two bears toasting marshmallows will add whimsy to your backyard firepit.
You never know what you’ll find; sometimes, we put on a fireworks show or shoot off a canon!”
– rachel Liddle
“I came here during the pandemic and stayed 14 days,” Jimenez said. “I was into the bougie New York City scene of music, art galleries and nightlife. After a friend died, I got sad and thought about my own life ending.”
While exploring Delaware County in search of an Air BnB with a swimming pool, he found Roxanne Liddle’s property. She has a five-bedroom house, with a pool, and sometimes rents rooms.
“Do you know how much it costs to heat a five-bedroom house in the winter?” Liddle said.
OJ decided he preferred living upstate. He called the way of life here “simple and pure.”
He became friends with “Roxy,” and manages her business’ Instagram account. Joking, he called her business “the world’s most dangerous antiques shop.”
Liddle said, “You never know what you’ll find; sometimes, we
put on a fireworks show or shoot off a canon!”
OJ has come to love the metal farm, which he helps curate. He dubbed it “sick old stuff and killer garden decor” on Instagram. He marveled at how people drive by, stop for a selfie and interact with the art, and said, “This is the most creative and artistic I’ve ever felt in my life.”
It was his idea to have people autograph the black, metal horse on the property, now completely covered with admirers’ signatures. festivals
Fisk Metal Farm participates in many local festivals. If you missed seeing them at the annual Delaware County Fair in Walton this August, you can stop by the Hootenanny at Maple Shade Farm, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oct. 11-12. This family-friendly event will feature regional food, beer, crafts and wine. +
top, clockwise: a silver space capsule that glows at night, with rotating laser lights, is just one of the one-of-a-kind items for sale at Metal Farm. Osvaldo Chance Jimenez (OJ), who manages Liddle’s social media, encouraged visitors to sign the shiny black horse. an enormous dinosaur and a spinning, eight-foot sunflower were part of the display at the Delaware County Fair.
PHOTOS BY MONICA CALZOLArI
isiting the Vistas V
Hiking the Adirondacks for Fun, Fitness & Foliage
Any of them will take your breath away with the leaves all changing.”
– Callen Belknap
BY MONICA CALZOLArI
great place to see fall foliage is from atop one of the high peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. The Adirondacks have one of the longest foliage seasons in the country, according to iloveny.com.
You can drive or ride to the top of Whiteface Mountain, using Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway, considered the easiest way to reach the summit of New York’s fifth-highest peak, at 4,867 feet.
If you prefer being one with bright red, orange and yellow foliage, hiking is the way to go. Seventy-seven years ago, a volunteer group of outdoor enthusiasts formed a club called the 46ers. Members must hike all 46 of the Adirondack’s high peaks.
Only 14,845 members have accomplished this feat, and several 46ers can be found right in Oneonta. Four 46ers and two aspiring 46ers shared their experiences of scaling these high peaks.
Callen and Jonathon Belknap, a couple living in West Oneonta, hiked all 46 peaks in just over a year; some were day hikes and some required camping overnight. the easiest peaks
“The high peaks are not the easiest mountains (to climb), by a long shot,” Callen said. “But I found Phelps, Cascade and Porter (mountains) to be the easiest. They aren’t long hikes, and give views.”
A short hike is considered one that is 5 miles or fewer, round trip. Some short hikes require steep ascents, so short does not always mean easy, she explained. High peaks are those measuring more than 4,000 feet above sea level.
“Any of them will take your breath away with the leaves all changing,” she said. “I always loved the outdoors and was a real country girl growing up on a dairy farm. So, camping and being outside was always a part of my life.”
By contrast, it took Heidi Tanner, director of wellness and health promotion at Hartwick College, 37 years to complete all 46 peaks.
“I started hiking the high peaks in 1980 and finished in 2017…with a long break in between,” Tanner said. “I started with more accessible peaks when I was younger, then tackled the tougher ones later in life.”
It took Tanner’s mother, Janet Kopp Tanner, 60 years to earn the distinction of becoming a 46er. “I helped her finish the 46 when she was 78!” Tanner said.
Hiking is called green therapy. I feel like it is spiritually healing, because you get to let go of stuff.”
– Erica Cruz Hernandez
“My love for hiking began when I was 9 years old, inspired by my grandfather, Arthur E. Kopp, who was the 285th recorded 46er,” she continued. “My grandfather took my mom and her sister on countless Adirondack backpacking trips, and they summited most of the high peaks together. Hearing their stories during our own family trips – often staying in a lean-to at Heart Lake – sparked my dream to become a 46er, too.
Tanner said her professional experience also informed her desire.
“These mountains are some of the toughest in the country –steep, rugged and often remote,” she said. “Anyone can attempt them, but fitness makes a huge difference in how you feel the next day and your ability to safely complete multi-day trips. My background in personal training helped me prepare, and I even trained my mom in her 70s to handle the demands of her final peaks.”
Work in progress
Erica Cruz Hernandez and her husband, Ben, have completed 12 of the 46 high peaks as a couple. They have been married for 21 years and have three daughters.
“We got the bug about three years ago,” Erica said. The couple is taking their time and are in the third year of their journey to become 46ers.
Erica’s nephew, Ethan, and his wife, Casey O’Dell, are 46ers. They inspired the Hernandezes to get started. The couples even summited two high peaks together.
Ben and Erica Cruz hernandez are seen atop Cascade Mountain.
far left: Janet Tanner takes in the beauty of fall foliage atop one of the 46 adirondack high peaks. left: From atop Cascade Mountain, you can see heart Lake, which iloveny.com uses to promote the beauty of the area.
Being a certified Zumba instructor for the past 12 years, teaching at least eight weekly exercise classes at the Gathering Place in Oneonta, Erica set a goal to climb the highest peaks first.
“It is hard, even in great conditions, but it was worth it,” Ben said. the Great range
Recently, the Hernandezes completed a 17-mile hike across the Great Range. They left Oneonta on a Friday, drove 3.5 hours east to reach ADK Trail Inn in Upper Jay, New York, where they slept and woke at 4:30 a.m. for a good breakfast and an early start. But, after driving to the trailhead by 6 a.m., they discovered an already-full parking lot.
They had to park back in town, in Keene. They started hiking at 7 a.m. and finished their hike at 7 p.m. They stayed overnight once more to recover, before driving home. For the Hernandezes, hiking goals go beyond the ascent.
“Our goal is to connect as a couple,” Erica said, noting that the lack of cell phone coverage in heavily wooded areas at high altitudes takes away the distractions. “We can be present in the moment. When you get to the top, it helps you remember how small you really are and how big the world is. Sometimes, we can be consumed by our problems. This hike was about releasing fear and anxiety.”
Erica, from New Berlin, added: “Hiking is called green therapy.”
“I feel like it is spiritually healing, because you get to let go of stuff,” she said.
At the conclusion of their 17-mile loop across the Great Range, the Hernandezes were faced with an 800-foot drop.
“You have to trust each other,” Erica said. “We had to work through it as a couple.”
Callen Belknap and her husband also share a love of challenging hiking. “I first started backpacking when I became friends with my now-husband, who had grown up going to the high peaks,” she said.
the tallest peak
“The first mountain we ever did together was Mount Marcy and, after that, I was totally hooked,” Callen said. “It took three more climbs of Marcy before she ever gave me a view.”
Mount Marcy is the highest point in New York, and the tallest of the Adirondack High Peaks, with an elevation of 5,344 feet, or 1,629 meters. The climb is steep and requires significant preparation. It is a 7.4-mile trail to the summit, making it a
15-mile round-trip hike. It rates a five out of seven in terms of difficulty levels.
“My personal favorite in the fall was (Mount) Haystack, because of the 360(-degree) view it gives you on the summit,” Callen said.
lessons learned
“Hiking the Adirondacks has taught me resilience, how to push through challenges and when to turn back to hike another day,” Tanner said. “It’s also been a way to connect with my family across generations; we are now a three-generation 46er family, soon to be four.”
“Always bring a rain jacket,” Callen said. “The Adirondacks will give you the best weather and the worst weather, in a single day sometimes.”
Callen also advises starting small.
“If you are just getting started take it slow; hike in a few miles to Marcy Dam and just camp there for spectacular views of the fall colors and take the mountains slow,” she said.
“Never hike in brand-new boots,” Erica said, noting that two of her daughters found this out the hard way. “And we don’t like to hike in the rain. We use the weather app.” advice from the trail
Dean of Academic and Outdoor Recreation Operations and Executive Director of Pine Lake for Hartwick College, Matt Sanford, completed his goal of summiting all 46 ADK high peaks in 2017.
“I’ve done plenty of other peaks since my time working through the 46,” he said. “Those climbs taught me something deeper than just reaching a summit – they showed me how essential preparedness really is.
“Always bring the 10 essentials,” Sanford continued. “Always follow ‘leave no trace.’ These aren’t just checklists; they’re the habits that keep you safe and ensure that the beauty we enjoy today will still be here for the generations that follow.”
“I always recommend having a paper trail map,” Callen said. A subscription service called onX Backcountry is a favorite resource of the Belknaps, providing real-time GPS movement, so you know if you venture off-trail. The Hernandezs use an app called All Trails.
Additional advice: Always sign in and out at the trail registers. Give your family or friends your itinerary, and as much information about where and when you will be hiking, so that if there is ever a need to locate you, the rangers have an easier job of it.
And, never hike alone. +
The 46ers
the 46ers: 77 years strong
The Adirondack Forty-Sixers club was organized on May 30, 1948. Members are referred to as ADK 46ers, FortySixers or, simply, 46ers. What started as a small group of people in 1948 has burgeoned to 14,845 members and counting.
According to adk46er.org, “an ADK 46er refers to an individual who has climbed all 46 high peaks of the Adirondacks, completed the online registration form, received a climbing number, and submitted his or her $15 application fee.”
For more information, on becoming a member, visit adk46er.org/how-to-join. For a list of all 46 peaks, visit adk46er.org/peaks. Additionally, check out, theadventuresatlas.com/short-hikes-with-the-bestviews-in-the-adirondacks.
and Jonathan
are
all 46
the ten essentials
The 10 essentials mentioned by sanford, and generally considered hiking must-haves, include:
Food
Water
Reflective space blanket
Extra clothes/layers
Swiss Army knife
• Physical map of the area or a compass
• Flashlight with fresh batteries
• First Aid kit
• Matches
• Sunglasses and a hat
top, clockwise: pictured from left are heidi Tanner, her mom Janet Tanner and heidi’s sister, Marcie, who is completing her 46th high peak. Callen
Belknap, pictured,
46ers, having summitted
high peaks of the adirondacks. Janet Kopp Tanner, seen here leading the way with heavy overnight gear on her back, became a 46er at 78.
Possible origins of the Friday the 13th legend
The number 13 is considered unlucky, so much so that certain buildings do not list a 13th floor. It’s hard to avoid 13 when it makes up a day each month, and even more so when the 13th falls on a Friday.
Every year people are treated to at least one “Friday the 13th” on the Gregorian calendar, but some years there can be as many as three. It is difficult to pinpoint when superstitions surrounding Friday the 13th arose, but it may have something to do with Christianity.
The New York Historical Society says the unlucky connotations may be traced back to the Last Supper. In attendance were 13 people: Jesus and 12 apostles (one of whom betrayed him). The following day (Friday), Jesus was crucified. Superstitions cropped up among Christians that a table of 13 “courted death,” and that having 13 people around a table or in a group was unlucky, according to the BBC.
The number 12 often is seen as a sign of completion. The 12 months of the year, 12 zodiac signs, 12 apostles, 12 days of Christmas and 12 gods of Olympus bolster that reputation. That belief may have given rise to foods being sold in multiples of 12, as in a dozen doughnuts. Thirteen is then incomplete.
Friday also has a reputation for being unlucky. It was said to be the day Eve gave Adam the apple from the Tree of Knowledge, as well as the day Cain killed his brother, Abel.
The Christian connection is not the only potential source of superstition surrounding 13’s unlucky nature. History. com says the ancient Code of Hammurabi reportedly omitted a 13th law from its list of legal rules. Also, National Public Radio says the Knights Templar were condemned on a Friday the 13th.
Although there are many examples of when Friday and the number 13 have been linked to bad luck, word-of-mouth also may have contributed to this unfortunate relationship. Things have a tendency to be misremembered, which is known as the “Mandela Effect.” It is possible someone misremembered or incorrectly indicated that Friday the 13th was unlucky, and then it has since been remembered that way.
Thirteen is not always considered unlucky. Prior to World War I, the French traditionally considered 13 lucky. In Italy, 13 was the lucky number in football pools. The Italian expression “fare tredici” meant “to hit the jackpot” and is translated as “make thirteen.” Also, Colgate University has long considered 13 a lucky number, as the school was founded by 13 men with 13 dollars, 13 prayers and 13 articles. +
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Norwich Buildings Filled with the Sounds of Industry Since 1907
Metal, heat, machinery and power have been common traits – though with different purposes – over the last 100 years or so in Norwich, and in some buildings still found in the State and Rexford streets area, recently dubbed the “Museum District.”
Work in these buildings ranged from cutting wood for building shingles or firewood lumber to fireplace enclosures. More recently, echoes of power can be imagined and remembered in this area of Norwich, occupied by the Northeast Classic Car Museum.
The Walls
Talk
BY MArK SIMONSON
Talk of a new industry in Norwich began in 1906, and at that time residents often worked to pool funds for stock to invest in local companies. Early in the year, talks of a foundry coming to what was still a village were under way.
The Aug. 30, 1906 edition of the Norwich Sun reported that a site for a foundry had been bought on State Street for a company to be known as the Ireland Machine and Foundry Company. Construction followed, and Sun readers learned in the Feb. 12, 1907 edition that foundry operations had begun.
A. Bertsell Ireland was the president of the new foundry. Born in a section of Smyrna called “Ireland’s Mills” in 1846, where his father operated a water-powered sawmill on his farm, Ireland left the farm in the early 1870s to work in carriage and blacksmith shops around Chenango County. One job he took was as a wood worker in the Lyon Iron Works in Greene, later the Raymond Corporation.
Ireland had reached the position of plant manager in Greene, but by the turn of the 20th century, he ventured out to establish the foundry operation. Norwich was not Ireland’s first choice for the foundry, and apparently an initial meeting with the Norwich Businessman’s Association did not go well. However, Ireland’s wife Rachel didn’t want to leave her native Chenango County. Rachel’s father, Harvey J. Stratton, was successful in persuading the Norwich Association to give Ireland’s foundry a second look. This meeting closed the deal.
Products of the new Ireland Company were associated with the production of firewood, lumber and shingles. Buzz saws, drag saws, sawmills and shingle mills were early products of the foundry.
The Ireland Company had established a number of U.S. patents on their designs by the 1920s. By the mid-1920s, the Ireland factory had a new neighbor on State Street, the Bennett Fireplace Company. This was founded in Sidney by Charles Bennett, a barnstorming aviator and inventor. Bennett developed a device designed for installation in existing fireplaces to improve their efficiency.
Oddly enough Mr. Bennett died in an airplane accident. A business partner, John Turner, decided to move the small Bennett business to Norwich, occupying a portion of the former Norwich Wireworks plant.
an early view of the Ireland Foundry, as seen on display at the Northeast Classic Car Museum in Norwich. | CONTRIBUTED
Today, the museum occupies all five buildings, boasts more than 170 classic and vintage vehicles and 28 motorcycles.
Changing times
Both the Bennett and Ireland companies survived the Great Depression.
After World War II broke out, the Ireland Foundry, like most American industries, was under contract to support the war effort. Among other things, Ireland manufactured steel lockers for the U.S. Navy. It was in May 1943 when the Bennett Fireplace Company purchased the net assets and business of Ireland, forming Bennett-Ireland, Inc.
The Ireland division continued the manufacture and sale of sheet metal, foundry and other items produced by the two divisions. The overall corporation left the farm equipment business to devoted efforts to the production of fireplace equipment, as after the war ended, new homes with fireplaces were being built across the nation, thanks in part to the G.I. Bill.
Business was good for Bennett-Ireland until the early 1980s. In 1983, Allegheny International Steel Co., a subdivision of Sunbeam Corporation, sold BennettIreland to John T. Hunter. Hunter then sold the company in 1986 to Pierce Properties, and moved operations to Hale Street.
By 1988, the company’s fortunes had taken a downward turn, with substantial financial difficulties. The company was put up for auction by the City of Norwich for back taxes. A final public liquidation sale of the remaining goods happened in May 1989.
The walls of the former foundry and fireplace company, which consisted of five buildings in the State Street area, were silent for nearly 10 years. However, on Memorial Day 1997, one of those five re-opened as the Northeast Classic Car Museum, fronted at 24 Rexford St.
As a nonprofit educational facility, the museum opened with 50 classic cars on display, founded to encourage Chenango County tourism.
Following in the footsteps of A. Bertsell Ireland and Charles Bennett, a local man, George Staley of Lincklaen, helped form the museum with his private collection of vehicles from 1899 through the early 1970s. The most notable cars that Staley maintained were produced by Franklin, a company once found in in Syracuse.
Today, the museum occupies all five buildings, boasts more than 170 classic and vintage vehicles and 28 motorcycles. It is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
For more information, visit classiccarmuseum.org. +
Historian Mark Simonson grew up in Oneonta. He has worked in public relations, marketing and broadcast journalism. Simonson was appointed Oneonta City Historian in 1998. He writes a historical column in The Daily Star and has published books highlighting local and regional history.
Here, Simonson shares stories about old buildings of interest in the upstate region.
from top: A display of fireplace accessories, once made at the Bennett Fireplace Co., later to be known as Bennett-Ireland. A series of motorcycles on display. A line of Franklin automobiles, once manufactured in Syracuse, is displayed at the museum. | MArK SIMONSON
Bookmarked with Ash
the first Witch of Boston
by andrea Catalano
Like many others, I love and thrive in the fall. I am a huge fan of pumpkin spice and all things cozy fantasy, and books about witches and wizards are a personal favorite. However, it is important to remember there is an understated and tragic true history around witchcraft that some of us, myself included, tend to overlook while we get lost in our magical and romantic fairy tales.
Consistent with its title, The First Witch in Boston is based on the true story of the first woman executed for crimes of witchcraft in Boston in 1648. Margaret (aka Maggie) Jones was a commonly sought midwife and healer, who traveled from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony with her husband for a new beginning. Though most people requested and benefited from her aid and natural remedies, her bold speech and healing intuition were often viewed as cunning and “evil.” It was a time when the Puritans took to anger and suspicion when a woman spoke her mind or exhibited too much knowledge and reason, leading to accusations of witchcraft.
based on very real people discovered and revived through immense research. The inclusion of direct quotes from historical texts at the start of some chapters is eye opening and impressive. Her dedication to giving Maggie a strong voice and telling her story is evident on each page. The characters, fictional and true, feel very real and consistent with the time period. Throughout the book, Catalano brilliantly sprinkles depictions of love, devotion and friendship, giving it a bittersweet, heartwarming edge amid the violence and oppression.
There is something consuming about a story when you know it ends in tragedy, yet you spend the book hoping for a different, happier outcome. You grow almost more connected to the characters, deeply feeling every raw emotion. I find this especially true when the story is based on a true event. Though Maggie’s wrongful death is a tragedy, her commitment to continue to heal people, regardless of how they treated her, is uplifting. Her strength to stay true to her pride, her love and herself as a woman until her last breath is empowering. Were Maggie, and people like her, truly “witches”? Or people who were unjustly judged and punished because of superstition and fear by a hypocritical, ignorant community? Honestly, it didn’t matter. They were silenced either way, and this book is vindication. So, while there is absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying an epic witchy fantasy book with the fluffy romance and a magical happy ending (personally, it will always be my top go-to,) it is crucial to continue to remember and discuss women like Maggie and their story, maybe now more than ever.
Andrea Catalano is obviously passionate in her writing and extremely knowledgeable (be sure to read her author’s note at the end.) Though some of the characters and storylines are fictional, many are
(Note: Considering the nature and setting of this book, it does contain scenes and language that some readers may find triggering or offensive. Personal discretion is advised. If you are looking for a more cozy novel that gives magic and witchy vibes, complete with happy ending, I highly recommend A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna and The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst.)
ImagebyFreepik
the spooky haunted house
by marian a. mattice
Much like myself, my 5-year-old daughter often finds herself absorbed in a book.
Written by a local author, The Spooky Haunted House is a charming children’s book for young and adult readers to enjoy. It takes you on an adventure filled with playful and spooky surprises, and a lot of Halloween fun.
Mattice successfully uses repetitive sentence and storyline patterns to help beginning readers grow their skills, while creating an enjoyable story for readers of all levels. The vibrant illustrations combined with the lively and engaging text make it a joy to read aloud over and over.
It is a fun and festive little story with an abundance of Halloween thrills and entertainment sure to bring smiles and giggles this season (and if you or your child is anything like my daughter, the rest of the year, too.)
Unique handcrafted cards, with local naturephotos and carefully selectedquotes from historic and current thinkers.
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