Kindergartners gathered last Saturday in New Paltz to say one final goodbye to their monarch butterfly friends, and to wish them well on their long journey to Mexico. The insects had hatched on milkweed saved from mowing along the River-to-Ridge trail, collected as caterpillars and allowed to pupate under the watchful eye of Duzine students.
Saturday, Oct. 12: Located in the heart of Woodstock for 70 years, Matt, Heather and Kathy Longyear’s farm has hosted a benefit for the Woodstock Land Conservancy for the last five years. This event is a celebration of community for all ages and features opportunities to learn about the farm and the environment while enjoying crafts, kids’ activities and local foods and music.
This setup typically lets cold polar air pour into the Northeast, and can set the stage for early snowstorms.
Tuesday, Oct. 22: Kimball left city life behind and, with her new husband from New Paltz, took on the immense job of starting and running a CSA near Lake Champlain, known as Essex Farm. It currently comprises 1,100 acres and is managed with horsedrawn farm machinery rather than tractors, using no chemical pesticides or fertilizers. The goal was to supply its 150 members year-round (up to 200 now) with ingredients for three organic meals a day – not just vegetables, salad greens, herbs and a few fruits, but also grains, flour, beans, eggs, meat, dairy, honey, maple syrup, cut flowers, even soap. Kimball calls it “the world’s first full-diet CSA, as far as we know.”
Sunday, September 29: Participants are invited to paint, to tour Blithewood Garden and to watch a plein-air painter in action. Coloring books and free refreshments will be provided. Garden tours will be given at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
This weekend’s festivities include a Fall Gala, fireworks, exhibitions, fly-fishing demo and the unveiling of Will Lytle’s children’s book.
Saturday, Sept. 21: The day will include case studies and workshops on topics including renewable energy storage, ground source (geothermal) and air source heat pumps, clean transportation, regenerative agriculture, climate solutions careers, Climate Smart Communities and environmental justice.
The Dutchess County Department of Behavioral & Community Health is reminding people to be vigilant of bats entering their homes this time of year and offering tips on how to keep bats out as well as how to remove a bat if it does enter a residence.
Held Friday through Sunday in September, each yoga class begins with an instruction in paddleboarding. Students will spend some time exploring the waters of the Rondout Creek before dropping anchor for a relaxing one-hour yoga session.
Halos are the poor person’s Weather Channel: a time-honored harbinger of bad weather.