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Summer 2018

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A MAGAZINE SUMMER 2018 FOR KAATSKILL VOLUME 33 LIVING NUMBER 2

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TOC O SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 33 NUMBER 2 4 95 D E PA R T M E N T S 2 AREA MAP 4 360 DEGREES 22 KAATSKILL GEOLOGIST THE NOTCHES by Robert and Johanna Titus 62 MADE IN KAATSKILL COUNTRY WOODSTOCK BREWING COMES TO PHOENICIA by Rebecca Andre 66 KAATSKILL DINNING LODGINGS THE NEW PINE HILL ARMS HOTEL by Rebecca Andre 70 KAATSKILL FOREST HISTORIAN FARMS WAY UP THERE HIGH ELEVATION PASTURES ALONG THE BELLEAYRE EAGLE RANGE by Michael Kudish 76 KAATSKILL TREES PEARS A WILD ADAPTATION by Ryan Trapani Director of Forest Services CFA F E A T U R E S 12 SHINE ON THE ESOPUS MEADOWS LIGHTHOUSE by Lawrence C Swayne MD 30 RISING OF THE NEW BLENHEIM BRIDGE by Rebecca Andre 42 NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS THE RAIL EXPLORERS USA CATSKILL DIVISION by Rebecca Andre 46 FOODIES ON DECK The Re imaging of the Catskills Agricultural Industry by Lillian Brown 54 PATROLLING PARADING POLICING AND PURSUING The Evolution of Mounted Patrols in the Catskills by Lillian Browne

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CONSULTANT Nina A M Lawford Juviler PUBLISHER AND EDITOR Donald F Bishop II FAX 607 746 3135 CONTRIBUTORS Peter Senterman Robert Titus Johanna Titus Michael Kudish Justin Askins John Rowen Ryan Trapani Larry Gambon Lawrence C Swayne Lillian Browne Rebecca Andre LaVerne Black Francis X Driscoll ART DIRECTOR LAYOUT John Stys and Cathy Roloson PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR Donald F Bishop II COPY EDITOR Bertha K Rogers CALENDAR OF EVENTS WEB MASTER Cathy Roloson FAX 607 746 3135 SUBSCRIPTIONS Cathy Roloson BOOKKEEPER Sherri Telian PUBLISHER The Delaware County Times Inc web site www kaatslife com e mail info kaatslife com Francis X Driscoll Digital Subscriptions 20 To get your Kaatskill Life digital subscription Visit www kaatslife com and click on button for subscriptions You can pay with PayPal or you can send a check or money order to Kaatskill Life 56 Main Street Delhi NY 13753 Please be sure to include your name address phone number and email so we can process your order Back issues of Kaatskill Life available at 10 each ppd Write your name and full street address or call 607 746 2176 Allow 6 8 weeks for processing RISING OF THE NEW BLENHEIM BRIDGE Rt 20 FOODIES ON DECK SCHO GREEN 8 23 A 42 DELAWARE 28 17 ULSTER 213 9 0 2 149 D E L AW A R E 97 17 R I VE R NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS THE RAIL EXPLORERS USA CATSKILL DIVISION 23 SULLIVAN 97 NY STATE THRUW AY 87 10 23 30 9W 206 10 E 4 28 PATROLLING PARADING POLICING AND PURSUING N H U D S O N R I VE R 23 THE NOTCHES 30 HARIE 21 I 8 10 28 OTS EGO 8 145 I 8 23 WOODSTOCK BREWING COMES TO PHOENICIA THE NEW PINE HILL ARMS HOTEL PEARS A WILD ADAPTATION FARMS WAY UP THERE HIGH ELEVATION PASTURES ALONG THE BELLEAYRE EAGLE RANGE SHINE ON THE ESOPUS MEADOWS LIGHTHOUSE Locations are approximate 2 Kaatskill Life established in 1986 is published four times yearly by The Delaware County Times Inc Delhi NY Editorial and sales office located at 56 Main Street Delhi NY 13753 phone 607 746 2176 FAX 607 746 3135 Copyright 2018 by The Delaware County Time s Inc All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced without the written permission of the publisher Kaatskill Life cannot be responsible for unsolicited manuscripts drawings photographs or transparencies PLEASE ALLOW 2 TO 8 WEEKS for responses to submitted material ISSN 1073 9076 Kaatskill Life reserves the right to accept or reject all submissions advertising or editorial and to edit manuscripts for length clarity and style We accept original manuscripts double spaced and clean typed without corrections or insertions FAXES AND COLUMN FORMATS NOT ACCEPTED front cover Lawrence C Swayne MD inside front cover Francis X Driscoll inside back cover Staff back cover Staff

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360 Degrees ALL WEEKEND Lumberjack Festival T Shirt sales printed on premises Sidewalk Sales Deposit Merchants on Front Street Deposit Emergency Squad Free Blood Pressure Sceening First Aid Fire Prevention Give Away STIC s Escape Room near Emergency Squad Tent Handcrafted Novelty Items Sale at Firemen s Park Beer clams and shrimp under the Rotary tent Awestruck Cider and Roscoe Brewery at Hopsaw DELAWARE C OUNTY DepositLumberjack Festival July 20 21 22 2018 The Deposit Lumberjack Festival is a three day event with lots of fun excitement carnival rides food vendors craft fair merchant vendors a parade live music magic shows tractor pulls pony pulls fireworks lumberjack competition fireman competition and many other events Deposit Lumberjack Festival Inc is a non profit organization founded in 1976 to help support the local not for profit organizations and businesses of Deposit NY With the support and sponsorship of our community and local businesses we are able to hold an annual Festival which is always the 3rd weekend in July So come on out and join in the fun hope to see you there FRIDAY 10am Deposit Free Library Book Sale on Front Street 5pm C N Amusements rides and games 5pm Lumberjack Jill Challenge with Dave Johns 6pm 2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament 7pm Opening Ceremonies 7 30pm Dance to Jason Wicks 9 30pm Fireworks SATURDAY 10am Soren Ericksson s Game Of Logging with Bill 10am Craft Street Fair on Front Street With crafts food and music by Milkweed 10am 5K Run And Health Walk 10am Horseshoe Singles Tournament Sign Up and Qualifying 10am 4 00 pm Deposit Free Library Book Sale on Front Street 11am Horseshoe Singles Tournament in back of Lumberjack headquarters 11amAntique Car Truck and Tractor Show in the Town of Sanford parking lot Front St 12pm C N amusements rides and games Wrist bands available for 12 00 5 00 pm and 5 00 11 00 pm on the field SATURDAY 11 00 am 2 00 pm Milkweed 2 00 pm to closing Hopsaw Saturday 5 30 pm Lumberjack Parade starting at high school to Firemen s Park via Second St Dean St Front St Mill St Kids Bike Decorating Contest during parade 7 00 8 00 pm Firemen s Competition 7 00 8 30 pm Dance to Simple Pleasure Pavilion 9 00 11 30 pm Dance to Tumbleweed Highway Pavilion 4

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360 Degrees SUNDAY 10am Men s and Women s Doubles Horseshoe 11am Raft Races on the Delaware start at Stilesville 11am Cherry Picker Contest 11am Men s Women s Doubles Horseshoe 11am Garden Tractor Pull Open Competition 11am Tess Mahon Memorial Bike Give Away 11am Coloring Contest Noon C N Amusements Noon Pony Pullers Association Pony Pulls Noon Doug And Eamonn Hubert 9 year old guitar prodigy 12 30pm Animal Adventure 1 30pm Rotary Duck Race 2 15 pm Mindy Mills Line Dancing 4pm Tess Mahon Bike Give Away Tickets Pulled 4 30pm Coloring Contest 6pm Gospel Finale Maple Lane Assembly of God Church 1 Maple Lane GREENE C OUNTY Undercover Stories 24 Quilts Speak Out The Pratt Museum in partnership with the Gilboa Museum Juried History Center and the Lansing Manor present a Dual County Quilt Trail of Vintage and Contemporary Quilts telling their American Story The doors to these exhibits opened on Memorial Day weekend and will close in early to mid October With 21 3 million active quilters in the United States today and 30 million worldwide ever wonder what all the enthusiasm is about From Memorial Day to Columbus Day Weekend you can find out The Pratt Museum Gilboa Museum Juried History Center and Lansing Manor are partnering up and weighing in on this phenomenal contemporary movement This two county Quilt Trail uncovers some of the original stories behind the great American quilting phenomena an antique tale told by the twenty four quilts themselves set in historic settings in the spectacular scenery along the Schoharie Creek Through the generous help of the O Connor Foundation the Juried Family Foundation and Greene County Council on the Arts the Pratt Museum has sifted through mountains of documents correspondence and research in the post flood recovery of 33 textile specimens in its historic quilt collection 14 in the Pratt Collection are teaming up with Lansing Manor up by the Blenheim Power Plant as book ended vintage quilt exhibits with a contemporary quilt exhibit sandwiched between them at the Gilboa 5

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360 Degrees ers See what today s quilters are doing And while visiting the Museum learn about the world s oldest tree fossils from our planet s 380million year old Devonian forest growing in the Catskills own backyard and discover the story of the lost Village of Gilboa Starting Aug 10 the Museum will be displaying quilts made in Gilboa until museum closing on Oct 7 The Pratt Museum is open for tours on Saturdays and Sundays from May 26 Memorial Day Weekend until Sunday October 7 2018 Admission 5 children under 16 are free Tours are 45 minutes beginning at 10am every hour on the hour last tour begins at 4pm The Museum is closed for lunch between 1 and 2 pm F o r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n p l e a s e c a l l 5 18 2 99 33 95 5 18 9 37 6 12 0 o r c o n t a c t u s o n l i n e a t prattmuseum hotmail com Please visit us on facebook at ZadockPrattMuseum Lansing Manor is located on Route 30 in Blenheim NY and operated by the Power Authority in cooperation with the Schoharie County Historical Society The Power Authority Visitors Center hours of operation Open 7 days a week 10 a m to 5 p m year round Closed on Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day and the following Friday Christmas Eve Christmas Day New Year s Eve New Year s For more information call 1 800 724 0309 The Gilboa Museum Juried History Center is located at 122 Stryker Road Gilboa NY phone 607 588 6894 Open May 27 Oct 8 noon 4 30 pm weekends Free admission Donations gratefully accepted Museum Juried History Center The results of this historic partnership is a vibrant Quilt Trail stretching across the county borders of Greene and Schoharie These three small local museums have banded together to provide witness to a first hand discourse on early America s past between the period 1845 and the present with stories like the one about Pvt John Townsend of Jewett Greene County NY who carried the quilt made for him by his sweetheart throughout the Civil War or the Lost Ships quilt cover hand stitched by 15 year old Frankie Drum of Big Hollow Windham NY today s Maplecrest which includes 8 640 fabric details of young Frankie s family s life These specimens provide a real life peek into early America s own humble and remarkable folk art of the Americana tradition at its best set deep in the heart of its original setting of rural upstate New York The Gilboa Museum Juried History Center provides a look at quilt makers of the present with its feature exhibit Back to the Future Quilters Today an exhibit displaying eight contemporary quilts created by local quiltmak 6

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360 Degrees Four Legged Friends Dirt Those looking to get their hands dirty can stay down on the farm and do some more work in our hop yard or hop barn Hang around a while and see animals graze while talking to our expert staff and volunteers about what it was like to raise livestock Making and Crafting the Brew Taste a Treat Some folks may not know that hops were used to flavor and preserve beer Beer popular at a time when water was mostly unsafe to drink became a daily household drink Did it really help settle a nomadic culture Let s find out try a couple brews and nosh on some tasty nibbles while we re at it Guests ages 21 can sample beer 2 00 p m 4 00 p m from regional New York State craft breweries 5 gets you a Hopsego Tasting glass and six tickets to sample some of the best beer the region has to offer Visitors must be 21 years or older with a valid government issued ID to sample alcoholic beverages New York State craft breweries featured Cooperstown Brewing Co Brewery Ommegang Brewery Ommegang will reveal a new beer at Hopsego Council Rock Brewery Red Shed Brewery Davidson Brothers Brewing Co He was a wise man who invented beer Plato Adults and children will enjoy soda pop tastings in Bump Tavern from 11 00 1 00 p m Make the Vessels and Drink the Drink Contemporary ceramic vessels for storing and drinking brewed and fermented beverages will be thrown on a modern day potter s wheel and similar items will be available for purchase And Then There Was Food Hungry Get it here Pick up a BBQ ed burger or sandwich and chips a soft drink or tea and cookies at our own Crossroads Caf Want ice cream We have some of that too Chat Laugh and Stay Awhile Form a sense of community on the Bump Tavern Green or in a biergarten style atmosphere while listening to live music by 18 year old prot g Kayla Rae Stomp your feet and dance to the jams of the Spectacular Average Boys and listen to NYS singer songwriter Marc Delgado as he draws you into the fold with his voice humor and storytelling See a full performance schedule below It is human nature to want to be social to want to be with others to want to converse to laugh to joke to tell stories and to hear music to dance Join us on the Bump Tavern OTSEGO COUNTY A Family Friendly Hop Centric Event Saturday August 18 from 10 00 a m 5 00 p m Get your tickets online Purchase a two way ticket with Fenimore Art Museum and also enjoy their Art by the Lake event just across the street Celebrate Otsego County s king crop at our new familyfriendly hop centric event Hopsego The event brings together traditional methods paired with contemporary craft From the growing of hops to the making of food beer and other products families will get an all encompassing experience and learn how the hop flower and vine rooted our region formed family traditions and brought us into the resurgence of hop growing and craft brewing today Find music food family friendly activities beer tastings and more Make and Do Families can partake in activities such as making handcrafted items together inspired by hop flowers and vines Have conversations with specialists in the field about the history of hops in our region Lend a hand by helping us set and pull hop poles and pick the hops from the vines all while bringing the hop yard to life Play Like a Kid Kids and families can earn hop tickets by doing specific hop related tasks all day long Hop to It and make your own task log booklet at the arts crafts tent get it stamped for each task completed throughout the day collect your earned tickets and get a special prize for your hard work Traditional and contemporary games such as croquet giant Jenga and Corn hole Take a spin on the Empire State Carousel the museum you can ride on 7

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360 Degrees Green and find your community or a new community here at The Farmers Museum See the Stuff Photographic images documents and the actual tools used to do the work will be on view in the Main Barn During What is it Hop Tool Display and Conversation 11 00 a m 1 00 p m and 2 00 4 00 p m ask questions of our Collections Specialist and learn all about the actual objects that were used to get the work done Learn Observe Discuss Our blacksmith printer pharmacist and weaver will demonstrate how hops were incorporated into daily life from making reproduction tools used in the hop fields to creating ointments and cures using hop flowers to printing broadsides and hop tickets Food items using traditional recipes incorporating hops will be cooked and baked What are hop pellets How do brewers use them and how are today s hops harvested and processed Join Ian Porto of Northern Eagle Hop Pelletizing for a conversation in the Hop House Check It Out In the Main Barn watch historical short films of hop pickers and view a pop up hop exhibion Otsego County was the largest hop growing area in the United States during the early twentieth century The rich tradition of the hop industry and agriculture supported local families and migrant workers and resulted in ancillary businesses related to the niche trade Tell us what you think of the event and you could win four passes to Harvest Festival on September 16 and 17 Tractor Festival on October 7 and 8 or Candlelight Evening on December 9 What s more Visit the exhibition Hop City Pickers open Monday Friday 10 5 at the Research Library Performance Schedule Marc Delgado singer songwriter 11 00 a m 12 15 p m Kayla Rae singer songwriter 1 30 3 00 p m The Spectacular Average Boys 3 30 5 00 p m Museum Members receive free admission to Hopsego If you would like to become a member call Kate at 607 547 1536 from Six Nations In contrast to traditional Haudenosaunee stories Falen s thought provoking expressions are woven from her experiences living in Six Nations and Toronto Sometimes comedic sometimes difficult her stories take stock of what it truly means to be Indigenous in both historical and today s context Her work explores subjects ranging from dating outside color lines land disposition blood quantum to stereotypes A graduate of George Brown Theatre School her credits include Salt Baby The Only Good Indian with Turtle Gals Performance Ensemble The Triple Truth Savage Strong Medicine Death of a Chief A Very Polite Genocide and Tombs of the Vanishing Indian Falen has also been featured on The Moth Radio Hour Saturday July 21 A Song A Dance and a Story To Be Told Traveling College Travel Troupe Performances at 1pm 3pm The Native North American Traveling College Travel Troupe from Akwesasne will bring songs dances and teachings to share with young and old Social dances unite community members and new friends through joy laughter and the rhythms of water drum and rattles Saturday August 4 at 11 30 am 2 30 pm A Song A Dance and A Story To Be Told Iroquois Singing Society Newtown Women Singers Savor the uniquely Seneca sound of the Newtown Singers from Seneca Nation Allegany Every spring and fall the women take their gifted vocal harmonies across Iroquois country to share with those in other communities The group varies in size often comprised of close relatives and multiple generations Like other singing groups the Newtown women use their voices to raise money for individuals and families in their communities who are in need of assistance Sunday August 12 Iroquois storytelling with Shatekaronhioton Fox 2pm Join Shatekaronhioton Corey Fox Mohawk for an afternoon of traditional tales and teachings Learn about the Great Law of Peace instruments and other objects that represent Haudenosaunee culture from this passionate and engaging educator The son of singer and composer Bear Fox Corey is from Akwesasne and a member of the Native North American Traveling College s Traveling Troupe Saturday August 18Iroquois Social Dancers Allegany River Dancers Dances at approximately 11am 2pm Social dances unite community members and new friends through joy laughter and the age old cadence of drum and rattle everyone is invited to participate SCHOHARIE COUNTY Iroquois Indian Museum Sunday July 15 Iroquois storytelling with Falen Johnson 2pm An actor playwright and crafter of contemporary tales for adults Falen is Mohawk and Tuscarora originally 8

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360 Degrees 324 Caverns Road Howes Cave 518 296 8949 info iroquoismuseum org Sunday 12pm 5pm Monday Closed Tuesday 10am 5pm Wednesday 10am 5pm Thursday 10am 5pm Friday 10am 5pm Saturday 10am 5pm artists to create original works of art inspired by the exhibit of vintage wooden doors The installation features established artists from the Catskills Hudson Valley region who have created original artwork that draws from the color palette psychedelic imagery cosmic symbolism ebullient emotion or graphic vocabulary of Peter Max not to create copies or imitations of his work but to show how idioms of Pop Art world can still inspire artists of today Doors to Originality will be displayed across the Bethel Woods campus from June 2 to November 30 2018 Selfies and other photographs are encouraged Be sure to share your journey through the Doors to Originality SULLIVAN COUNTY DOORS TO ORIGINALITY In celebration of the 2018 Special Exhibit Peter Max Early Paintings The Museum at Bethel woods invited 12 ULSTER COUNTY ART STUDIOS ON TOUR Manhee Bak 646 298 9588 mhb6577 gmail com 2 Elm St Pine Hill Durga Yael Bernhard 845 688 7148 durga yael gmail com 203 Broadstreet Hollow Road Shandaken Michael Boyer 845 254 5281 mboy13 hotmail com 313 Main Street Pine Hill John Byer 845 688 5061 jbyer hvc rr com 1114 Old Rt 28 Phoenicia Dave Channon 845 688 2977 dave esopuscreek com 247 Broadstreet Hollow Road Shandaken Karen Charman 845 688 2977 aurora esopuscreek com 247 Broadstreet Hollow Road Shandaken Patricia Charnay 845 688 9739 p charnay1 gmail com 12 Boland Road Shandaken B r o n s o n E d e n a n d L y n n F l i e g e l 8 45 6 88 7 09 6 lynnfliegel gmail com 77 Lower High St Phoenicia D a n a F r a s e r f a m i l y T a D a 8 45 6 88 7 22 6 phoeniciabelle earthlink net 73 Main St Phoenicia H o t S t u f f M a r y C e r t o m a 8 45 6 88 7 72 0 alan barbier yahoo com 509 Rt 214 Chichester Tony Jannetti 646 732 0806 Tony mediawalldesign com 317 Main Street Pine Hill Astrid Nordness 845 428 4445 astrid earthlink net 16 Vision Path West Shokan Margaret Owen 914 388 6649 paintingsilk gmail com Open Market 41 Main St Phoenicia Cari Rosmarin 212 989 3173 carirosmarin1 gmail com 138 Watson Hollow Rd W Shokan Christie Scheele 845 688 7732 scheeleart gmail com 15 Park Rd Chichester Judith Singer 845 688 3424 jsingerarslibris gmail com 5541 Rt 28 9

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360 Degrees

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20118 REGULAR TRAINS Th hursdays June 7 August 30 One Roundtrip Train to Cooperstown Deeparting From The Milfordd Depot 136 East Main Street NYS Rte 166 Milford NY NY at 10AM Returning to Milford At 1PM Trains Stop At Cooperstow wn Dreams Park at 10 35A AM returning at 12 35PM COOPER COOPERST RSTOWN SUMMER TRAINS July 7 August 4 and September 1 Boards at Cooperstown Blue Trolley Parking Lot 1PM and 2 30PM COOPERSTOWN BLUES EXPRESS Saturday Nights May 19 October 6 at 7PM 3 Hour Rockin Blues Party every Saturday night featuring some of the best bands in upstate N Y Y Riders can enjoy food and drink Full cash bar with beer and wines BROOKS BBQ DINNER TRAINS August 16 7PM October 13 4 30PM Enjoy Brooks chicken aboard train Other meal choices available FALL L FOLIAGE TRAINS September 29 30 October 7 8 13 14 1PM October 8 Departs 11AM SPECIAL EVENT TRAINS Train Robberies June 30 July 14 28 August 11 25 September 22 October 6 1PM Halloween Costume Party Train October 27 7PM Railfan Day August 4 9AM 4PM Photo Runby Train 1PM Dinosaur Express Train September 15 1PM Pumpkin Patch Train October 20 21 1PM Santa Express November 23 24 25 December 1 2 8 9 15 16 1PM North Pole Express December 1 7 8 14 15 6 30PM Regular Fares Adults 17 00 Seniors 62 and up 16 00 Children 3 12 14 00 Under 3 FREE Reservations Prepayment Are Required On All Special Event Trains EXCEPT Train Robberies Special Event Special Service Trains Priced Higher Than Standard Fare 2I FH HE ZZZ OUKV FRP PDLO ZHQG OUKV FRP

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Shine On The Esopus Meadow Lighthouse in August 23 2008 The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse By Lawrence C Swayne MD photography by the author unless otherwise indicated 12

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A pre 1933 picture of the lighthouse showing the fog horn in the upper right window Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse 13

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Let your light so shine before men Matthew 5 16a KJV It is the prettiest lighthouse on the river Barbara Ralston Director of the Save Esopus Lighthouse Commission above Oldest known historical picture of the 2nd lighthouse Note the site of the first lighthouse to the right Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse left The old lighthouse site as seen from the current lighthouse Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse opposite page The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse as seen from the Wilderstein mansion Great Lawn on the east shore of the Hudson looking west 14

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The completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 facilitating transportation to the Midwest and the Delaware Hudson Canal in 1828 providing coal for steam powered industrialization propelled New York to the fore as the Empire State while simultaneously accelerating traffic on the Hudson River Raw materials manufactured products and agricultural produce were continually ferried up and down the river by sloops steamboats tug boats with barges and cargo ships however piloting the river s twists and turns with shifting winds currents and tides was often perilous particularly in fog and at night Without modern GPS and radar fourteen lighthouses were constructed along the river s most hazardous sections as navigational aids of which eight Hudson Athens Saugerties Rondout Esopus Meadows Stony Point Sleepy Hollow Jeffrey s Hook and Statue of Liberty have survived The Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is one of the most picturesque and the only surviving lighthouse completely constructed of wood Nicknamed the Maid of the Meadows or the Middle Hudson River Light it was built on the edge of the mud flats south of Port Ewen where cattle once grazed at low tide with the channel to the east Today the submerged flats are covered with thick beds of water chestnuts sheltering young striped bass and other fish but remain a nautical risk On March 3 1837 Congress provided 3 000 originally approved in 1831 followed by an additional 3 000 on July 7 1838 to complete the original Esopus lighthouse a 34by 20 foot stone house with an octagonal tower built on a forty one by fifty feet angular pier Four lamps and reflectors produced a fixed light replaced by a sixth order lens in 1854 A nearly identical lighthouse was also in use at Rondout Creek Unfortunately flood tides and ices floes severely weakened the build 16 ing making it unfit for occupancy in the winter by 1869 Restoration in progress using a crane to lift everything into place Note the lighthouse tilt before leveling Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse

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Consequently on July 15 1870 Congress authorized 25 000 to build a new lighthouse 100 feet southeast of the old site coordinates 41 52 6 2 N 73 56 29 8 W NOAA Chart 12347 Construction entailing 250 40 foot long piles driven into the river bed topped by twelve inch square timbers and a Living room before restoration Similar lighthouses are located at Rose Island Light Newport Harbor Sabin Point Providence River Pomham Rocks Providence River and Colchester Reef originally on Lake Champlain but now at Shelburne Museum In 1990 the Save Esopus Lighthouse Commission under the Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse round 49 foot in diameter cut granite pier supporting a French Second Empire Style wood framed white clapboard exterior with red mansard roof was completed in 1871 Designed by Vermont architect Albert Dow the square keeper s residence contained seven rooms with a kitchen sitting room and equipment room on the first floor and three bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor A 53 foot high octagonal tower crowned the lighthouse and was originally fitted with a fifth order Fresnel light flashing white every 2 5 seconds over a 270 arc with a range of 12 nautical miles beginning on August 26 1872 An automatic fog bell was added in 1891 but has subsequently been removed direction of Arline Fitzpatrick niece of Manny Resendes and a number of dedicated volunteers leased the lighthouse from the United States Coast Guard to begin restoration Sustained major damage from vandals flood tides ice and an occasional barge collision had eventually tilted the lighthouse on the deep east side of its granite foundation by 18 inches The interior was repaired the exterior was repainted and the windows and roof were replaced In 1997 the SELC was reorganized under the leadership of Pat Ralston to continue these efforts Large I beams resting on hydraulic jacks were finally installed beneath the lighthouse in 2000 successfully leveling the building A meticulous renovation has successively been completed including recapping and repointing the stone pier replastering the interior and repainting the interior and exterior adding indoor trim work refinishing interior doors replacing missing shutters rebuilding and sealing the staircase with polyurethane installing indoor plumbing in the bathroom adding After restoration Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse 17

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period furniture restoring the tower with a copper floor and rewiring the lighthouse with installation of an alarm system and generator battery bank solar panel and a new working light In May 2010 a floating dock was installed to facilitate the landing of larger vessels at the lighthouse Detail of the restored balustrade including exact copies of the original balusters plus the original and reconditioned newel post and bannister note its graceful sweep Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Kitchen before restoration These many accomplishments were accorded significant public recognition when in September of 2002 ownership was formally transferred from the Coast Guard as part of a pilot program of the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000 and on May 31 2003 the Coast Guard reactivated the light The Esopus Lighthouse was recognized as a museum under the New York State Regents in July of 2001 and in September 2002 the lighthouse stewardship was authoritatively granted by the General Services Administration to the newly chartered Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Today the Board of the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is under the direction of Barbara J Ralston Pat s daughter while Pat serves as the organization s historian and publish Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Kitchen after restoration 18 Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse

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es a newsletter The Light Devoted volunteers continue to maintain the Maid of the Meadows and new volunteers and members are always welcome Past fund raising activities have included applications for grants and donations tee shirts and cap sales and an annual Save Esopus Lighthouse Regatta hosted by the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club no longer held Special tours can be arranged and intrepid boaters can stop by when the flag is flying Donations are always appreciated Esopus Meadows Lighthouse is a 501 c 3 nonprofit group Glimpses of the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse include from the west left One of the three bedrooms after restoration Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Staircase before restoration Staircase after restoration Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse 19

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top left Second staircase before restoration top right After restoration below left Watch room before restoration below right Watch room after restoration all pictures Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse 20

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bank at Lighthouse Park in Esopus Meadows Preserve in Ulster County and from the east bank the Great Lawn of the Wilderstein Preservation in Rhinebeck in Dutchess County or from the Great Lawn of Mills Mansion or Mills Norrie State Park also both in Staatsburgh Dutchess County For a closer view charter a boat ride from Rondout Creek aboard the Rip Van Winkle or the Spirit of the Hudson For the truly adventuresome paddling enthusiast it is two miles from Norrie State Park marina three miles from Kingston Park Point 2 5 miles from Rhinebeck and 0 5 miles from the Lighthouse Park in Esopus Meadows Preserve Warning Paddlers should be sure to check the weather and Hudson River tide schedule before venturing out into the river s tidal current above Arlene Fitzpatrick niece of Manny Resendes director of the Save Esopus Lighthouse Commission along with a number of dedicated volunteers leased the lighthouse from the United States Coast Guard in 1990 to begin the initial restoration Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse left Manny Resendes term spanned the transition from civilian US Lighthouse Service keeper to working for the Coast Guard after the latter organization took over operations in 1939 Courtesy of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse 21 List of Keepers and Commanders of Esopus Meadows Lighthouse Jeremiah Terpenning 18391842 William Wise 1842 1845 George Murdagh 1845 1848 Raymond Fitch 1848 1849 Marinus V Van Nostrandt 18491852 Lorenzo D Smalley 18531861 A C Van Wagenen 18611866 Charles M Yates 18661870 Jonathan Sara Cole 1870 1885 Omar Warren 18851886 Anna Warren de facto 1886 1991 Augustus York 18911892 George R Humphrey 18921903 John J Dixon 1903 1904 Charles W Oliver 1904 1907 Thomas J Murray 1907 1916 Theodore DeShong 1916 1926 Andrew A Rebecca McLintock 1926 1933 Emmanuel Sylvia Weber 1933 1936 Manuel Ellie Resendes 1936 1944 John Olson John J Bretz 1944 John Kerr 1944 1959 John F Monahan 1958 1961 John A Clark 19591962 David G Bennett Godfrey H Green and Leroy H Barton 1960 1961 William R Dooley 1961 1963 Stanley H Fletcher 1962 1965 Alfred J Vaughn 1963 1965 Based on information obtained from logbooks in the National Archives Washington DC examined by Candace Clifford of Alexandria Virginia and information provided by the National Personnel Records Center in St Louis Missouri Author s Notes For more information or to volunteer call 845 848 3669 or visit the website at Esopus Lighthouse Commission PO Box 1290 Port Ewen NY 12466 Special thanks to Barbara J Ralston Director of the Board of the Esopus Meadows Lighthouse for valuable input and editorial review

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KaatskillGeologist The Notches Robert and Johanna Titus photography by the authors Over the decades our Kaatskill Geologist column has from time to time described Ice Age notches that cut through the many ridges that are found throughout the Catskills These are some of the most picturesque of our region s landscape features The best known of these is Stony Clove which lies along Route 212 south of Tannersville fig 1 It is a beautiful notch especially in the autumn Other well known notches include Grand Gorge Gap and Deep Notch figs 2 3 But there are other 22

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smaller and more out of the way notches Have you ever been through Diamond Notch Or Jimmy Dolan Notch fig 4 How about Pecoy Notch fig 5 Well it s time you learned about them We are only going to describe the notches that lie above Schoharie and West Kill Creeks One thing they all have in common is that they take us back in time to the end of the Ice Age They were formed by the powerful meltwater flows of water that were typical of a time when massive glaciers were melting We like to call those flows glacial spillways a opposite page top fig 1 Stony Clove Notch along Rte 212 opposite page bottom fig 2 Grand Gorge Notch from Rte 30 right fig 3 Deep Notch on Rte 42 bottom fig 4 Jimmy Dolan Notch 23

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term that better communicates what they represent and gives each of them some powerful imagery they truly stir the human imagination Most right fig 5 Stony Clove Notch along Rte 212 below fig 6 Map of the Wagon Wheel advance of the glaciers white 24

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opposite page fig 7 The West Kill advance people visit today s notches and see serene and picturesque landscapes we see violence When we climb up to any of them we picture raging foaming pounding thundering whitewater torrents We see these meltwater flows squeezing through the notches and at the same time eroding them These were the whitewater spillways that created the notches It s no surprise that we have found that the articles we have written about these notches are among our most popular efforts We are able to capture imaginations with them and frequently get good feedback from our readers so we thought we would devote a whole article to the notches Our strategy here is to summarize the Ice Age history that went into their formations We don t see these notches base map courtesy of U S Geological Survey as randomly arrayed landscape features we see them as the logical products of a single important chapter of Ice Age history It was a brief chapter too perhaps lasting only centuries It must have been an exciting time and we want to tell its story Let s go back in time to an episode of the Ice Age that many geologists call the Wagon Wheel advance Take a look at our Figure Six The map is based on a New York State Museum publication It shows that Wagon Wheel event the glaciers of that time are white on the map They had advanced into the entirety of the Schoharie Creek drainage basin Some geologists estimate that this was about 17 000 years ago The arrows show the movements of the glaciers They rose up out of the 25 Hudson and Mohawk River Valleys and followed those arrows into the Schoharie Creek drainage basin Figure Seven focuses on the final advance of the ice into West Kill Valley This advance of the Wagon Wheel glaciers set the stage for the formation of the notches We only have to move forward in time to when the climate warmed up and all that ice began to melt Can you imagine just for a moment all the meltwater that would have been produced Can you imagine the erosion that would have resulted when this water was forced to squeeze through once small canyons If you can you are able to witness a very important chapter on Catskills Ice Age history a time when the spillway gaps formed a time that left the notches behind

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above fig 8 Lake West Kill empties through Diamond Notch below fig 9 Lake West Kill empties through Deep Notch base maps courtesy of U S Geological Survey 26

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fig 10 Early Lake Grand Gorge forms north of West Kill The earliest melting is likely to have occurred in the upper reaches of West Kill Valley The ice first melted at the highest elevations at the eastern end of the valley Over time the ice retreated That accomplished two things it created a glacial lake that geologists call Glacial Lake West Kill then at the eastern end of the valley drainage out of that lake began to erode Diamond Notch fig 8 Once climatic and glacial warming was underway nothing could stop it and as the ice melted out of West Kill Valley Glacial Lake West Kill got bigger and bigger That continued until the ice retreated to about where the base map courtesy of U S Geological Survey village of West Kill is today At that time the lake waters found another opening and began spilling across a gap between Balsam and Halcott Mountains this spillway begin to quickly cut Deep Notch fig 9 Have you taken Route 42 and driven through Deep Notch If so then you may have wondered how such a deep and narrow gap in the mountains came to be We believe that Ice Age theory provides the answer Melting continued and the ice retreated north into the Schoharie Creek Valley The large mass of remaining ice acted as a dam so that a very substantial glacial lake was 27 found fig 10 This was the early genesis of Glacial Lake Grand Gorge That was a very important Ice Age lake in Catskills history See our article about it in the winter 2015 issue of Kaatskill Life The next important event occurred when the ice melted back to just west of today s Tannersville Our expanded and still expanding lake saw its waters find an opening just west of Plateau Mountain and those waters formed a new spillway That spillway was quickly carved into Stony Clove fig 11 While half of the Wagon Wheel glaciers retreated off to the east to create Stony Clove another half was

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fig 11 Early Lake Grand Gorge drains through Stony Clove Notch 28 base map courtesy of U S Geological Survey

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retreating to the northwest History repeated itself and the waters of Lake Grand Gorge found still another spillway this one quickly eroding into Grand Gorge Gap fig 2 We have to do a little guessing with some of these notches specifically Jimmy Dolan and Pecoy Notches at opposite sides if Twin Mountain Both of them lay at very high elevations about 3 000 ft The only time when ice could have been this high up was early in the invasion of the ice into the Catskills fig 6 That leads us to conclude that both of these notches date to the earliest melting of the ice We have long understood this and published a Kaatskill Life article on it in the summer 1999 issue These were the first spillway gaps that our column ever recognized That leaves Mink Hollow as a seventh and final spillway We would expect that it formed at a later date than the previous two notches It lies at an elevation of about 2 600 feet so the surface of the ice must have melted down at least 500 feet from its maximum At that time if meltwater found a gap in between Olderbark and Sugarloaf Mountains then Mink Hollow would have formed by meltwater erosion just like all the others But we are uncomfortable with that explanation and we are not exactly sure why That happens in science we will go back sometime and study it some more In the end we have found seven of what we call glacial spillway notches They are thus common as well as scenic features of our Catskills They all date back to a single chapter in Catskills Ice Age history that Wagon Wheel advance of the Catskills Ice Age The notches formed at the very end of this chapter We think that the melting at the end of Wagon Wheel event was a brief episode of the Ice Age we see no need for it to have been long Something that we have come to accept is that these erosive events were both quick and powerful Geologists are accustomed indeed they are brought up to believe that almost all landscape features are the products of long drawn out and almost painfully slow processes But we see these notches as the products of forces so quick and powerful that we are tempted to call them catastrophic We cannot visit any of them without almost getting shivers from 29 appreciating what we are looking at Late in the Wagon Wheel event we see Nature in one of her most violent chapters And from this violence came beauty Contact the authors at Join their facebook page The Catskill Geologist Read their blog at thecatskillgeologist com Look for their columns in the Mountain Eagle and the Woodstock Times They are nearly everywhere

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Rising of the New Blenheim Bridge By Rebecca Andre Now stretched 228 feet across the Schoharie Creek and not unlike Noah s Ark the rebuilt covered bridge has quickly become a symbol of survival perseverance and community It s like an old friend returning says Gail Shaffer current Chair of the Blenheim Long Term Community Recovery Committee BLTCRC She had grown up near Blenheim and her father Robert E Shaffer worked alongside congressmen and senators in conjunction with the U S Dept of Interior to get the bridge designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1964 This is a remarkable thing says Joe Ward Blenheim Town Councilman and retired Lieutenant of New York City s Fire Department It s surreal to see this happening now it s been six years says Town of Blenheim Supervisor Don Airy Six almost seven years have passed since the unleashed waters of Tropical Storm Irene sent the old Blenheim Bridge crashing into the side of the neighboring Route 30 bridge distributing broken pieces for miles leaving the once historic landmark unsalvageable Enter the grass roots efforts of the BLTCRC The group worked tirelessly in cooperation with the Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA and its ESF 14 Flood Recovery Project Simmons Recovery Consulting helped the group navigate FEMA waters and after two appeals 6 7 million dollars 75 percent federal and 25 percent state was granted for the construction of a new bridge and for the mitigation of future loss As with any undertaking of this size there was controversy and criti Postcard of the Old Blenheim Bridge Longest single span wooden bridge in the world built 1855 length 228 ft North Blenheim NY Robert Shaffer cism Many in the town of Blenheim had suffered considerable loss during Irene Rumors spread that money for the bridge to nowhere was coming from FEMA s personal or business recovery funding This could not be further from the truth FEMA has a dedicated fund for the replacing and repairing of historic structures It was a matter of convincing the agency that this small Schoharie County town on the edge of the Catskills in Upstate New York was worthy to receive a piece of this dedicated fund Pastor Michael Gebhard of the North Blenheim United Methodist Church UMC is happy to see that the naysayers have dwindled now that the bridge approaching completion rests in its permanent home over the creek The sign at the church that had proclaimed Almost There through the spring has been taken down 30 If it had been the longest single span covered bridge in the state I could see not rebuilding Or even the longest in the country But it was the longest single span covered bridge in the world You have to put it back up says Pastor Mike The local townspeople gathered at UMC one Wednesday in April for the weekly free lunch agreed with their pastor We are ecstatic Now the hope is that the agritourism industry of the area will receive a substantial boost with the new covered bridge as a destination for locals and travelers alike Plans are in the works to for an exciting opening ceremony to take place this fall or next spring Also the Artwalk proven to be a major draw in past years bringing more than 3 500 visitors to the bridge will be reinstated next summer The bridge will indeed

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draw international attention once the Nova documentary produced by Windfall Films of the U K is released some time this coming winter Bridge Construction Timeline The monumental project technically began in March of 2017 with the clearing of the site In April prep work began for the concrete pour of the beginning East abutment By May Douglas fir timbers had been shipped from Oregon to Lancaster PA to be milled and precut In June onsite assembly of the bridge began December of 2017 saw the raising of the third and final truss that had been framed and assembled horizontally on the ground This was a twocrane undertaking for Economy Paving Co It was also a family affair for the Graton family as Stan Graton II of 3G Construction and his cousin Arnold JR Graton the third generation covered bridgewrights entrusted with building the timber bridge invited the family to assist and witness the final truss lift Stan s wife Karen was there to help along with his father Stanley Graton I and his son Garrett a long term helper on the project In January of 2018 the building of the temporary support system was begun This was actually a temporary bridge built by Economy Paving Co and constructed of five foot Ibeams and crane mats of four 12 x 12 timbers bolted together creating a rugged deck for the bridge to cross when it came time to move it Snow fell steadily through February and March yet this did not deter forward movement on the build though it did create challenges The weather just slows us down says JR Graton because we have to be safety conscious the whole time Despite the snow by March the new bridge assembly was almost complete with the pine board and batten siding stained and in place and the bridge jacked up by Expert Home Movers resting on steel beams and cribbage Work continued on the temporary bridge and the abutments even as snow was being shoveled from the surfaces In early April Richard Christman of GPI Engineering stepped in to replace Jay McKee directed to another project as head engineer Work began on building an earthen ramp that would lead up to the temporary bridge The next big step was to wrap the bridge fully engulfing it in plastic sheeting Vermont Protective Coating then sprayed down the enclosed bridge with fire retardant April 20 2018 was the day of the big move Now that the bridge was situated on two sets of self propelled power dollies it was time for Jerry Matyiko son Gabriel and the whole crew of Expert House Movers to shine The bridge made it all the way from the creek side building site to the temporary bridge in under three hours The rest of the day was spent swinging the west end of the bridge in line The following morning the move continued with bridge on bridge by 11 35 a m Once again Blenheim Bridge spanned the Schoharie Creek Stan breathed a huge sigh of relief as his family including his one year old grandson cheered from the sidelines By April 23 aided by a unified hydraulic jacking system the workers were able to raise the bridge 23 feet in the air parallel with the abutments Hydraulic pulleys slid the bridge into place across steel beams on the morning of April 26 Still the painstaking job of lowering the bridge removing wooden cribbage and steel beams piece by piece remained The first of May 2018 brought the final set down when wood met cement and the bridge was steel free and solely supported by the arched 31 trusses set meticulously on the abutments Construction of the roof and the hemlock floor began and continued through May May 29 was preload day when 220 000 pounds of water from Schoharie Creek were pumped into 168 containers placed along the length of the bridge to pre stress and test the bridge for snow and lag load The bridge passed the test the irony of so much water on the new bridge not lost on anyone June 2018 found the mammoth project in its last stages including the installment of the standing seam metal roof by Titan Roofing staining of the stamped concrete abutments final site work and landscaping The finish date for completion of the bridge project in its entirety is October 3 2018 but could possibly arrive sooner Though recovery still continues on a personal level from some of those in Blenheim and in the greater Catskill Region for many the bridge represents a closed chapter of Tropical Storm Irene We are starting to feel normal again says Pastor Mike Much gratitude goes to the following companies and agencies involved in the building of the New Blenheim Bridge BLTCRC Blenheim Long Term Community Recovery Committee Economy Paving Company Expert House Movers FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency GPI Engineering Hoyle Tanner Assoc Engineers P C Lamont Engineers Schoharie County Simmons Recovery Consulting Stan Graton II 3G Construction Inc Titan Roofing Town of Blenheim U S Dept of Homeland Security Vermont Protective Coating Windfall Films www windfallfilms com

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opposite page Economy Paving Co employs both cranes to lift south truss at the end of December above left Will Francome of Windfall Films interviews Don Airy Town Supervisor above right Modern day clinometer used to measure angle of rising south truss right Economy Paving Co crew member helps with connection to south truss below View from below bridge resting on cribbage 33

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above By mid March siding is installed and snow keeps falling left April 21 bridge on bridge brings two thumbs up from Don Airy below April begins with bridge fully enclosed and sprayed with fire retardant by Vermont Protective Coating 34

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above April 20 the move begins right Gabriel Matyiko of Expert House Movers Inc being interviewed by Windfall Films below First photo of new Blenheim Bridge across the Schoharie April 21 2018 12 22 pm 35

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left Bridge jacked and sitting 23 feet high on the cribbage above Lowering bridge was a slow precise and steady process below View of new bridge from Route 30 36

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top left JR of Arnold Graton JR Historic Restoration LLC guiding the removal of the temporary steel I beam supports top right Gabriel Matyiko communicating from west end of bridge to east end during lowering process above Stan and JR Graton making adjustments as wood meets cement during final set May 1 2018 37

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above left Expert House Movers crew above right JR Graton Stan Graton stand on freshly laid floor boards center left This rafter is the one piece of the old bridge incorporated into the new center right Stan Graton uses handsaw to trim first set of floorboards on the bridge deck left Roofing and decking part way through construction 38

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top left Stan Graton s 3G Construction crew placing roof boards top right Memorial Day flag placement above Roof construction with mountain backdrop 39

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opposite page top Temporary bridge Rt 30 bridge and the new Blenheim bridge stretch across Schoharie Creek opposite page bottom Richard Christman head engineer of GPI oversees the preloading of the bridge with 220 000 pounds of water above left Companies and agencies involved in the bridge build Not pictured Expert Home Movers Inc Vermont Protective Coatings Titan Roofing right Smile of relief from Stan Graton II after successful move below Bridge with steel roof 41

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Now Open for Business the Rail Explorers USA Catskill Division By Rebecca Andre On a beautiful 23rd day of May the refreshed Empire State Rail Museum in Phoenicia NY hosted a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the newly arrived Rail Explorers USA Catskills Division A trio of gleaming red rail bikes each fitted with four seats eight pedals and one braking bar were lined up on the tracks in front of the historic station platform while Ulster County politicians and local business folk mingled and an eagle soared above Cottonwood seeds drifted over and across the gathered crowd as Ulster County Executive Mike Hein took to the microphone I couldn t be more excited he said wishing the new local business a summer full of days just like this I didn t fully understand what rail bikes were but I do now Hein went on to say Not only is it an extraordinary exciting opportunity for families to get together and have a wholesome experience but it s a draw an attraction to the western part of Ulster County that can be nothing short of game changing 42 Hein described rail bikes as a way for people across the country and the world to experience what makes Ulster County so special He also thanked the Ulster County Legislature for bringing this to fruition acknowledging the yearslong battle that led to the ultimate above Alex Catchpoole and Mary Joy Lu owners of Rail Explorers USA opposite page Mary Joy Lu Rail Explorers USA owner and Ulster County Executive Mike Hein

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decision to segment the rail corridor Hein invited the newly elected Ulster County Legislator Kathy Nolan to the microphone and she also expressed her thanks for this new beginning In the future this is going to become the new norm Hein continued You are going to meet people from all around the world because that is what is going to happen here people are going to want to have this experience Owners Mary Joy Lu and Alex Catchpoole delayed by two flat tires on the ride up to the ceremony from their Saugerties home arrived just in time to be introduced by Hein From day one Phoenicia and Ulster County have welcomed Alex and I and Rail Explorers said Lu Especially the Empire State Railroad Museum we are partnering together in such an exciting future and when you ride with us you will have the chance to see history from 140 years ago Lu went on to express her desire to come to the area as a responsive member of the community She invited any one with concerns to reach out We have an open door we will be operating and available on the phone seven days a week Next cameras clicked furiously as Lu her crew smiling behind her cut the purple ribbon held by Hein Paul LaPierre newly in charge of the Empire State Rail Museum followed Lu at the microphone He reminded the crowd of the 2016 Catskill Mountain Railroad lease expiration That business went away said LaPierre and that had been a major part of our activity here at the museum Now the museum will be happily hosting rail bike riders LaPierre also went on to applaud Ulster County I want to thank Ulster County for what they ve done in support of this activity Two days ago they came up with a department of 43 public works group and took care of all the knotweed and weeds all the way to Bridge Street That was to give us a break in taking care of the track LaPierre said Ulster County has promised the museum a permit for use of the track to the end of the station to Bridge Street upon which train cars will be moved for restoration and display In return the museum must maintain the appearance of the track It s a winwin said LaPierre With that accompanied by Kathy Nolan Mary Joy Lu and Tim Wiederman Mike Hein boarded the first rail bike and took off down the tracks They pedaled a quarter of the way through the planned eight mile route debarking a bit winded but smiling at Mt Tremper where they took a bus back to the museum The bikes were a hit among the test riders It s not hard to see why three years after their debut in New

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York s Adirondacks the company has expanded to Las Vegas Delaware Rhode Island and the Catskills Unfortunately they no longer operate from the Adirondacks and the future there is uncertain They state on their website Although New York State s proposal to replace the railroad between Lake Placid and Tupper Lake with a multi use trail was recently rejected by the Court the State has indicated it will appeal the decision The state has since declined to appeal ed At Rail Explorers we are hopeful that the State s short sighted and misguided plan can be defeated and that Rail Explorers can continue to offer tours along this spectacular historic railroad With the removal of more than 11 miles of rail along the Ashokan Reservoir to make way for a trail the Rail Explorers and their unique Korean designed rail bikes will have the ultimate distinction of being the only way to travel via rail in the spectacular scenic area of western Ulster County Catskill Mountain Railroad still operates a tourist train in the City of Kingston Ulster County Already 2 000 people are booked to ride this summer and Memorial Day Weekend was sold out Pricing on the Tandem Explorer two seater is 42 50 per person and 85 per couple for an eight mile round trip with electric pedal assistance for the return The Quad Explorer up to four people is 37 50 per person Riders will pedal hands free through the woods and along the Esopus cross Rt 28 at Mt Tremper and stop to turn around about a mile short of where the tracks now end The crossing gates have been reinstalled and flaggers will be used while the rail bikes pedal across Route 28 Rail Explorers operate rain or shine Unpredictable weather is a hallmark of the mountains and Rail Explorers continue to run tours in light to moderately inclement weather so dress appropriately Please visit www RailExplorers net for complete pricing and cancellation policies Disclosure The author of this article Rebecca Andre is a rail enthusiast who has contributed to and documented efforts to keep the Delaware and Ulster Railroad corridor intact in both Ulster and Delaware Counties 45 opposite page top Ribbon cutting with Rail Explorers crew and Ulster County officials welcomed by the Central Catskills Regional Chamber of Commerce opposite page bottom Paul LaPierre of the Empire State Rail Museum addressing the crowd top Michelle Davis Division Manager and JR Davis Operations Manager for Rail Explorers above Mike Hein You are going to meet people from all around the world because that is what is going to happen here

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photo by Lillian Browne FOODIES ON DECK The Re imaging of the Catskills Agricultural Industry By Lillian Browne Nestled in the foothills of the Western Catskills at the epicenter of the 1845 Anti Rent War in Andes is a new business venture that honors the traditions of the past while leaping into the future Delaware County FoodWorks A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Delaware County FoodWorks on May 25 Pictured are from left bottom row Delaware County Industrial Development Agency Chairman James Thomson Delaware County Chamber of Commerce President Ray Pucci Anderson Morse who will operate a butchery on site and Congressman John Faso Second row from left Andes Supervisor Bud Gladstone Nicole Day Gray owner of Catskills Regional Harvest and AgriForaging Food Safety tenants at FoodWorks and Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Chairman Glenn Faulkner Back row from left Delaware County Industrial Development Agency Director Bruce Dolph and Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Director Todd Pascarella 46

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photo by Lillian Browne above Bovina farmer Steve Burnett speaks with Congressman John Faso about farming in Delaware County following the ribbon cutting ceremony at Delaware County FoodWorks below SUNY Delhi Culinary Arts and Hospitality students catered the grand opening celebration at FoodWorks on May 25 photo by Lillian Browne FoodWorks umbrellas Catskills Regional Har vest AgriForaging Food Safety the Cheese Dairy Society of New York and a Delaware County Chamber of Commerce managed visitor center The facility stands out as Delaware County s first agricultural business incubator and is leading the way for the agricultural industry to reinvent itself with a much needed make over Dairy is no longer king in Delaware County Long gone are the days of hundreds of dairy farms peppering the hillsides The recent failure of a new federally funded Farm Bill which in part governs dairy prices is another blow to the suffering dairy industry and to farming generally Farmers are resourceful and pragmatic solution based doers They don t wait for someone else to solve their problems whether those problems are financial crop based or equipment focused So when dairy prices started falling and equipment livestock feed and care costs began to rise many farmers looked for other ways to supplement their income within the confines of their industries Many diversified their operations with value added products and others utilized their land and their talents to create farm stays downsize their dairy herds and plant commodity crops or transition to organic or meat and produce operations The changing economy and the changing face of Catskills agriculture also resulted in producers looking for an outlet for their products Catskills Regional Harvest has captured that diversified market connecting producers with consumers via its retail store The Harvest grew beyond its available Delhi footprint within its first year of operation which spoke to both producers need of additional sales outlets and consumers desire for locallyproduced foods and goods 47

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top Governor Andrew Cuomo s Deputy Director of State Regional Affairs Kara Grippen left and the Governor s Southern Tier Regional Representative Omar Sanders next to Grippen visited FoodWorks during its launch party on May 30 Delaware County Chamber of Commerce President Ray Pucci details the framework for events classes and other offerings while New York City chef and restaurant owner Will Horowitz mugs for the camera with Catskills Regional Harvest and AgriForaging owner Nicole Day Gray Day Gray manages the space above New York City chef Will Horowitz made his famous pastrami ciabatta sandwich and prepared a beef heart radish salad for the launch party on May 30 left There was live musical entertainment at the launch party provided by Kimberly Hawkey 48

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photo by Lillian Browne Savvy entrepreneur and ag experienced business woman Nicole Day Gray owner of Catskills Regional Harvest and Agriforaging Food Safety quickly teamed up with collaborative partners Catskill Development Foundation and Delaware County Chamber of Commerce to help secure a new expanded location to house a business model which would further the reach of Delaware County agriculture create jobs and draw tourists into the region Delaware County FoodWorks the building which formerly homed The Andel Inn was conceived from that collaborative initiative The new facility provided the framework for cooking classes a butchery educational series a rentable shared and licensed commercial kitchen and a test market retail site for products while also providing an event space for pop up restaurants and cater ed events as well as a visitor center and meeting space accommodating various sized groups The large event space located in the facility s lower level dubbed The Calico Room referencing the garb donned by rebel tenants during the Anti Rent Wars is outfitted with a small self contained bar similar to the main floor s The Exchange Both spaces are available for rental under the management of AgriForaging Food Safety In attendance at the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony held on May 25 was Congressman John Faso a member of the House s Agricultural Committee and part of the steering committee for the federal Farm Bill Faso spoke at the ribboncutting ceremony praising the initiative and proclaiming the space a part of the re birth of agriculture Delaware County FoodWorks is located at 27905 State Highway 28 in Andes For more information call 845 676 4550 or follow Delaware County FoodWorks on Facebook or Instagram There were many collaborative partners in the creation of Delaware County FoodWorks Among those partners are the Catskill Development Agency the Delaware County Industrial Development Agency and the Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Pictured are Delaware County Chamber of Commerce representatives Ray Pucci President along with Directors Glenn Faulkner and Todd Pascarella Representing the Catskill Development Foundation owner of FoodWorks is Glenda Roberts and representing the Delaware County Industrial Development Agency are James Thomson and Bruce Dolph Nicole Day Gray owner of Catskills Regional Harvest and AgriForaging Food Safety who also acts as event space manager at FoodWorks is also pictured 49

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2018 Chamber Awards dinner fills Calico room at Foodworks facility Ray Pucci kicked off the 2018 Delaware County Chamber Business Awards gathering We at the Chamber live learn work and play We create programs that enhance our communities and improve our quality of life We believe in collaboration and we believe that the surest path to success is a partnership amongst businesses government community groups and education that is mutually beneficial and based on trust respect and honesty The Chamber believes in the potential of this region our residents our institutions and all those who call this special place home or have an interest in our collective success That s why we are here tonight to celebrate the success of business When one person in business succeeds we are all the better for it You are going to hear many stories this evening stories of accomplishment stories of achievement Catskill Mountain stories The first story was how collaboration amongst and between SUNY Delhi Delaware County IDA and Economic Development Catskill Development Foundation The Chamber The Center for AgriForaging and Food Safety and Catskill Regional Harvest created the new and unique Foodworks on Route 28 A business incubator for Agriculture and Tourism cross over Seth Blocker was honored with a Certificate of Appreciation for his 7 years of service as Chair of the Chamber Board Presented by new board chair Glen Faulkner of Margaretville Telephone 50

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Tourism Property A healthy tourism industry in Delaware County is essential to all of us The Delaware Ulster Railroad has been a long time partner in I Love NY advertising in the area and it is again one of our successful partners last year 8 000 people rode the train in Arkville The Railroad is part of a larger organization Catskill Revitalization Corporation that operates the Catskill Scenic Trail from Bloomville to Roxbury The railroad is working on reopening the tracks to the East to Belleayre in 2019 while planning for more bus tours 40 and riders 12 15 000 for 2018 Wes Coates is the General Manager of the Delaware Ulster Railroad and the Catskill Director of Revitalization He started in April 2017 he s a volunteer and his wife Cathy is a volunteer The Delaware Ulster Railroad is a part of who we are it s our connection back to where we were and it is in a lot of ways a connection to where we are going forward as a county Wes Coates Thank you Ray I d like to say that a Railroad is about crews The Delaware Ulster is all about teamwork Nancy Gallup is the chairperson of CRC she has had the strength and stamina to keep the railroad going She has given me the backing that was needed to move the railroad forward Vic Stevens has been responsible for keeping the railroad over the last 20 years He s there almost every day and I mean everyday 7 days a week The railroad has survived a lot under Nancy and Vic s leadership Kyle Holden our track supervisor has been very busy building a new switch in Halcottsville I really need to introduce you to the boss my wife Cathy who has had a lot of patience with me letting me play with one of the larger train sets in NYS Working to build a stronger commitment to the community the Delaware Ulster Railroad offers the opportunity for local chamber members to advertise on the cars of our excursion train for FREE for 2018 What do you need to do provide a PDF of your advertisement or the 51 information and artwork you would like and we will develop and display Advertisements must measure 11 inches by 17 inches we will supply the printing and paper Your advertisement will be there all season If you want to advertise please contact Ray Pucci at rpucci delawarecounty org

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Advocate James Doig of the SFCU was awarded Business Advocate Since 1997 he has grown the assets from 116 873 832 to this May 471 919 279 Along the way in 2007 business loans were added contributing greatly to this growth New branch offices in Walton Hancock and Delhi have also contributed After 21 years Jim will retire Jobs are important to the vitality of any area That s been drilled into my head I spent 20 years with NBT some may remember a gentleman by the name of Everett Gilmore President and CEO for many years he taught me a lot of lessons One that stuck with me was that the vitality of any area was due to jobs He did everything he could to bring jobs to Chenango County I am glad to see the Delaware County Chamber try to do the same New Business Catskill Regional Harvest represented by owner operator Nicole Day Gray was presented the new business of the year award This grew out of a reorganization of the Cooperative Extensions Delaware Bounty To expand to over 90 farmers and producers as a tenant in the new Delaware County Foodworks an agriculture business incubator Pictured Ray Pucci presents Ms Day Gray s recognition certificate by New York State Senator Jim Seward not in attend ance Ms Day Gray said this is a dream come true food is an obsession beyond anything I ever thought even after many years in the industry with my family It is incredible 52

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Business of the Year Mark Schneider DCEC By the end of 2018 all coop members will have broadband high speed internet connection We were successful in 4 rounds of funding from NYS and the Southern Tier Economic Development council We are getting folks on the right side of the digital divide We are stronger and better able to serve because of the partnership Together we can do what we can t do alone Jason Miller DTC in six to eighteen months 25 75 100 meg speeds will be available New things are springing off this idea Community right Don Bramley Margaretville Telephone Company Jason Miller Delhi Telephone Company Ray Pucci Delaware County Chamber Commerce Mark Schneider Delaware County Electric Cooperative below Assembly Brian Miller presented certificates of recognition to the Delaware County Broadband initiative right rear Matt Martini of the Office of the NYS Controller Broadband will be a real help to business and education 53 involvement getting things to work we do answer the phone Don Bramley MTC Partnership has been a pleasure to work The internet is not a luxury it is a necessity connecting rural areas of the county We received 60 million in grants installing 2 000 miles in fiber serving 20 000 homes

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Patrolling Parading Policing and Pursuing The Evolution of Mounted Patrols in the Catskills By Lillian Browne photography courtesy of The New York State Police unless otherwise noted 54

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Horses have a long dramatic and elegant history with law enforcement Once used as a means of transportation either by a mounted officer or to pull a wagon carrying an officer mounted patrol units are now used almost strictly for ceremonial and public relations purposes in the Catskills One of the most famous accounts of policing on horseback occurred in Delaware County in 1845 when Undersheriff Osman N Steele was shot to death along with his accompanying deputy s horse in the town of Andes at the height of the AntiRent Wars an uprising against feudalistic styled land keeping during which tenant farmers retaliated against law enforcement and other government entities for seizure of livestock and personal property for nonpayment of rent with tar and featherings burnings and lootings Steele and his deputy Charles Parker were caught while attempting to execute arrest warrants and held captive at the Hunting Tavern which stands today just north of Andes business district on Route 28 by a group of tenants masquerading in what they called Calico Indian garb intent on stripping the lawmen of their warrants The pair escaped and under Steele s direction the sheriff s office dispatched a posse of 80 mounted 55 men from Delhi to Roxbury to arrest 242 men for their unlawful actions Steele and the deputy s horse were just two casualties of the many scuffles for authority fairness and justice in the formalization of Catskills communities The high tension incidents between patent holding property owners and those that eked a living from the land also led to changes in New York laws to protect law enforcement officer safety while on duty With the introduction of the automobile and road improvements the use of horses in policing eventually began to decline The automobile with regular maintenance and care opposite page Members of the New York State Mounted Patrol on parade above Captain Kristine Sissbower Commander of the New York State Police Mounted Patrol Unit astride her horse returns a salute to a junior Trooper at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse

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became a more reliable efficient safer and more expedient means of transportation for police officers and mounted patrol units became a nostalgic part of Catskill history until Sheriff Levon Stretch Telian was elected to the post in 1969 Telian committed to the reinstatement of a mounted patrol unit comprised not of an assortment of untrained but willing men with surefooted steeds but rather with a division of bonafide deputies whose training extended to police work astride a horse Telian s first mounted unit comprised of four riders Telian included who debuted at the Delaware County Fair leading the Firemen s Parade As luck and lack of thorough desensitization would have it one of the men was dumped on the track when his horse had its fill of unfamiliar loud noises and abrupt movements Telian persisted in his desire for an official mounted division selling it as an enhancement to search and rescue operations and to assist in such riotous acts such as worker strikes at area dairy plants or during the potential chaos of an all too frequent flooding event top Thorough Check Following an on duty shift trooper members carefully inspect their horses for cuts nicks bumps bruising or swelling bottom Cooling Off A member of the New York State Police Mounted Patrol Unit helps her horse to cool down following a day patrolling the fairgrounds at the New York State Fair in Syracuse opposite top The New York State Mounted Patrol Unit training 56

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In addition to being the youngest sheriff in New York at the time he held office Telian was a skilled equestrian and stabled many of the horses in the mounted division on his farm in Meredith The unit which continued to dub itself a posse until recent years was extremely popular with county residents both full and part time Actor Bob Denver famed for Gilligan s Island the 1960s and 70s sitcom that launched him as a cultural icon a part time Delaware County resident donated his own horse to Telian s stable Telian s mounted patrol equally intimidating and regal was used little for policing and more for ceremonies befitting the graceful and athletic beasts including the sesquicentennial celebration of the village of Delhi that was held from June 28 through July 4 1971 Telian invited one of Hollywood s most famous 57 western actors John Wayne to the event to ceremoniously ride with his mounted unit Wayne graciously declined explaining he was scheduled to be working on a movie set in Colorado during the celebration Telian footed many of the expenses for the mounted patrol division himself including a moving van which he purchased in 1972 and converted into a horse trailer complete with the Sheriff s emblem on the doors

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Once the trailer was road worthy the mounted division was able to engage in only found in farm country policing where the unit traveled to rural parts of the county to round up stray cattle and horses who had freed themselves of their own farms As then police horses are now used as public relations tools often breaking cultural and communication barriers while promoting the law enforcement agency Telian knew this when he brought his mounted unit to Bendix a military parts manufacturing plant in Sidney for a 1972 open house event that hosted 10 000 attendees Not only did the mounted unit provide crowd control it positioned the department as public relations experts 58 In 1987 there was a new Delaware County Sheriff in town Paul Peterson and under his term the mounted division faded into non existence The same situation existed at the New York State Police whose mounted patrol division disbanded in 1988 It was not that horses fell out of favor with the public Rather it was the lack of funding and interest of

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officers riders that ensured area police agencies remained without mounted divisions That changed in recent years The Delaware County Sheriff s Office under the then Undersheriff nowSheriff Craig DuMond an accomplished equestrian who is committed to heritage and tradition reinstated his department s mounted division in 2013 In 2016 under the tutelage and guidance of Captain Kristine Sissbower the New York State Police re commissioned its mounted division for ceremonial purposes in honor of the Division s Centennial celebration Sissbower was lucky she said in that she was part of the Troopers mounted patrol unit in 1987 before it was disbanded In earlier years the mounted patrol played a different role than it does today Then she said the unit was used in recognizance efforts a different sort of patrol Now she said the function of the unit is purely ceremonial and used for parades funerals fairs and other educational and community outreach events Sissbower explained that the unit both horse and rider is trained to a tactical level although not used as such Troopers and their mounts traditionally complete a six to eight week training course but now there is a shorter advanced course that allows a Trooper and horse to undergo a pre certification test that allows training to be completed within 10 days The first detail of the New York State Police Mounted Unit was an assigned detail at the 1917 New York State Fair In 2017 the mounted division consisted of 18 trooper members seven men and 11 59 women The first class of the division consisted of 272 trooper members a vast difference from today s number The mounts are not classified as officers because they are all personally owned usually by a Trooper and privately cared for The Division of New York State Police Sissbower said does not fund the unit other than providing some training and transportation costs It requires a financial and time opposite page Delaware County Sheriff Craig S DuMond photo courtesy of Delaware County Sheriff before Mounted Patrol training class of 2018 Identities not revealed for reasons of security photo courtesy of Delaware County Sheriff

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commitment for a Trooper to be a member of the mounted unit Because of that the level of confidence in a mounted unit member is unsurpassed To successfully complete the training and to be able to effectively communicate with a horse requires a immense amount of understanding and trust between horse and rider The horses must be desensitized to all kinds of things traffic loud noises crowds music unfamiliar and quickly moving objects lights sirens and gunfire Training matters more than breed Sissbower said when it comes to making a good confident mount The quality she values most in a horse she said is a quiet nature Any breed of horse can be trained for mounted patrol she said as long as the horse receives the right treatment There are several horses used by Troopers in the mounted patrol unit that were rescued from kill pens Those horses Sissbower commented had everything against them They were problem horses that nobody could ride ready to go to meat carts They came through the training program with flying colors A horse s gender does not matter either she noted However the mounted unit does not allow stallions Their attention span is um a little less she said with a practiced nod and half smile Horses are both herd animals and prey animals something that many people are unaware of They are not pieces of equipment that can just be parked like a car Sissbower said Because of that it is important to never leave horse and rider alone We use the buddy system she said Ground support is critical especially in a place like the New York State Fair in Syracuse where it is crowded noisy and can be confusing for a horse and the horse becomes vulnerable if left alone An avid and experienced equestrian as well as a devoted member of the New York State Police Sissbower values the advantage of being astride a horse It s when I m nine or 10 feet tall she said laughing from her five foot four inch height She uses the horse s awareness to her advantage It allows us to see things we might not ordinarily see she said Delaware County Sheriff Craig DuMond concurs If we were to have a major event the ability to have a vantage point of a 10 foot tall cop makes all the difference in the world DuMond said Horses in police work are just as relevant today as they were 232 years ago when the first Delaware County Sheriff rode astride his horse When he reinstated the mounted unit in 2013 the first training class graduated five members The unit now boasts 13 members and training takes place mostly at his Masonville farm The training program for his mounted patrol lasts six days and is approved by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Service Like Sissbower DuMond said his unit sports all horse breeds from Appendix to Arabian And as Sissbower noted DuMond said training is more important than breed Horses and deputy riders have to maintain a cool head DuMond said They have to be able to deal with frustration They have to be brave and compassionate value a relationship with the animal and empathize with the animal DuMond looks for the same traits in a horse that he looks for in deputies corrections officers or staff they have to be trainable easygoing and have the ability to successfully handle stressful environments Like the New York State Police the Delaware County Sheriff s Mounted Patrol is used mainly for ceremonial 60 duties however the unit did participate in a search and rescue detail in recent years The two mounted deputies did not find the person who was reported lost in the woods DuMond said but they were able to traverse terrain that was inaccessible by foot or motorized vehicle making the unit invaluable in that instance The heritage and tradition of horses and police are as important to DuMond as they were to Telian and he speaks with pride about the accomplishments and commitment of his mounted unit Like the Trooper unit the Sheriff s unit is not financed or funded by taxpayer dollars The horses are all privately owned and cared for While the New York State Police makes their unit available for ceremonial duty throughout the state the Delaware County Sheriff s mounted unit is used mostly in Delaware County A mounted unit both Sissbower and DuMond said is a great public relations tool It allows law enforcement officers to connect with community members on a different level It s a great way to get a conversation started improve visibility and a positive image of law enforcement while connecting with the community Sissbower said

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Francis X Driscoll

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Made in KaatskillCountry WOODSTOCK BREWING COMES TO PHOENICIA By Rebecca Andre photography by the author Friends Rick Shobin and Scott Shimomura left the big city and careers in finance and fashion to turn a mountain getaway into a home and a hobby into a business As owners of Woodstock Brewing the two work hard to bring delicious flavor and creative twists to one of their favorite beverages beer 62

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decade into the inviting combination of a brew house tap room and gathering place This was a raw space it needed a lot of love says Rick On January 5 2018 born from a love of experimentation and flavors Woodstock Brewing opened its doors and its taps As co owners Scott is the brewer and Rick is the man behind the marketing Both poured their creativity into the construction of the space using warm woods contrasted with industrial accents A long and deep poured and polished concrete bar sits just in front a wall of windows that allows customers to look upon the huge brew tanks and all the inner workings of beer making Over half of the sixteen custom taps are currently in use Availability changes from week to week For example on Memorial Day weekend five of the taps completely sold out Rick and Scott expertly use It all started 10 years ago when Scott began hobby brewing Over the years what was once a pastime became a wholehearted endeavor of Scott s One day he asked his friend Rick Hey do you want to help me make my beer better The answer was yes so serious brewing of test batches began in the garage of Rick s Woodstock home in 2014 He Scott moved into my house and every day for a year we made the same beer recipe over and over again until we got it to where we wanted it recalls Rick It became an obsession of sorts with the result being a beer they wanted to share with the world Quitting their jobs right around the same time the two decided to take the leap into opening a brewery Easier said then done as finding a space took almost three years It then took eight months to turn the tired storefron t which had once housed a hardware store but had sat empty for over a opposite page White Oak Foeder 15 bbl used for aging and fermenting beer top Co owners Scott Shimomura L and Rick Shobin R above Woodstock Brewing located in Phoenicia Plaza 63

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social media to keep their beer fans up to date on the latest releases IPA s are the specialty of the brewery There is Negative Gamma 6 2 brewed with oats and golden promise resulting in citrus and pine notes Empty String is another IPA of pale malt and spelt at 6 5 resulting in juicy cantaloupe lemon rind and mandarin orange flavors Naga L is their newest a Lager brewed with pale malt and rice hopped with Hallertau Mittelfruh and at 5 5 results in earthy slightly grassy notes of wildflower honey and bread Also being offered are farmhouse style Saison beers Pours are available in several servings including tasting size and pints Where do the names of the beers originate With Rick and there is an inside story behind each one For 64

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example the f9 IPA got its name for the function key used in Microsoft Excel to recalculate an entire spreadsheet When they were making the recipe for the beer Rick forgot to press f9 so three times the intended amount of hops went into the beer This mistake resulted in a beer everyone loved and now is on the draft menu Much work has gone into the outdoors at Woodstock Brewing as well The exp ansive patio is now open and Scott and Rick look forward to bringing local music to the brewery with live music every Thursday for the rest of the summer Their vision for the new business is simple What we re trying to do is to allow people to have a great time in our establishment give them a place they really like to hang out and try our beers Our beers are our unique point of view what we like to drink and we want to showcase it to everyone else and give them a real tasting experience There are some exciting things on the horizon for Woodstock Brewing They will be at the Brewery Ommegang for the Belgium Comes To Cooperstown event on August 3 4 2018 Rick and Scott made the smart choice of bring a chef on board Caroline Hahm and are now hiring a kitchen staff Small plates and tapas style will be offered fun bites to be paired with beer or combined to make a full meal Until food service begins they allow customers to bring in outside food including pizza from next door Now with Rail Explorers USA departing almost daily just up the road in Phoenicia and passing by the brewery on their pedaled trek down the tracks Woodstock Brewing is hoping to become a go to place for refreshment This is a real 65 ly special place to have other people come here and experience what we get to experience every day is just great says Rick I want it to be a place of progress www DrinkWoodstock com Woodstock Brewing on FB IG 845 688 0054 5581 New York 28 Phoenicia NY 12464 Hours Sun Mon 12 8 pm Tues Wed Closed Thurs 2 8 pm Fri 2 10 pm Sat 12 10 pm opposite page top Brewer Scott Shimomura at the brewing system control box opposite page bottom Pint cans for sale below Rick Shobin pours from the lineup of custom brushed aluminum taps

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KaatskillDining Lodgings The New Pine Hill Arms Hotel by Rebecca Andre photography by the author Family food drink cozy rooms and coffee all come together at Pine Hill Arms to offer guests and locals the quintessential comforting Catskills experience New owners Josef Srp and Daniel Hellmayer a father and son team have infused the Arms with a fresh and clean take on the menu and lodging Daniel s mother Iva Walsh and sister Maeve Walsh run the new Maeve s Coffee Shop housed within the building Josef s daughter Jessica Srp runs the front of house for the restaurant and Daniel s fianc Voula Maloutas manages the hotel The transition of Pine Hill Arms has been a family affair In May of 2017 Josef and Daniel purchased the property and opened their doors to the public in July of that same year after a brief but intense makeover Daniel a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America adds subtle yet creative twists to the comfort food one expects to find at an inn There is no mistaking his heritage as his family came to New York City in the 1980 s from the Czech Republic The menu reflects his background with items such as Czech Style Gulas and Pork Schnitzel Salad Ever since I was 16 years old I have been in the restaurant industry I started as a dishwasher working my way up to cook says Chef Daniel Now living here with the fresh air 67 above Josef Srp and son Daniel Hellmayer co owners of Pine Hill Arms opposite page top Pine Hill Arms re opened under new ownership in July 2017 and the sound of the streams there is less stress more room for creativity Also featured on the menu is a vegetable famous to the Catskills Try Cauliflower Cakes with tartar sauce and herbed tomato salad Starters averaging 8 to 12 also include Romesco Cauliflower with roasted pepper hazelnuts garlic and sherry vinegar or a kale salad with local black plumbs grapes candied almonds and apple cider vinaigrette The main courses average 11 to 33 a plate with offerings from Black Angus hamburgers to The Steak an 8 oz center cut sirloin For vegetarians there is Spring

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Spaetzle with morel mushrooms and seasonal veggies or a Cauliflower Sandwich with kale red cabbage and heirloom tomatoes At the bar happy hour is from 5 to 7 pm and Pilsner Urquell of the Czech Republic is always on tap The rest of the four taps house local New York beers like Skils Pils from Peekskill Brewery and Mother s Milk from Keegan Ales out of Kingston A variety of bottles are available or choose from the long list of spirits including 22 different whiskey and scotch selections Hospitality is of prime focus at the new Arms At Maeve s Coffee Shop open from 7 am to 2 pm every single day and until 4 pm Friday through Sunday you are almost literally welcomed with opened arms by Maeve barista extraordinaire She is a spunky 20 year old that refuses to be defined by labels and loves to serve coffee along with her mom s delicious baked goods There is no menu at Maeve s How we feel in the morning Iva says determines what will be served There are tea sandwiches puffed pastry hot pockets homemade soups a daily quiche vegetarian and vegan options for lunch All in house baked top Baked Brie with fresh thyme and buttered toast center Lunch at Maeve s Coffee Shop Puffed pastry roast beef sandwich with caramelized onions and salt and vinegar chips baked inside Rose water for a drink and raspberry yogurt cake for dessert left Small Ribs extremely tender 1 4 rack with spicy mustard opposite page top Buttermilk Fried Chicken crispy comfort food served with mashed potatoes and local veg opposite page center Big Bavarian Pretzel served with beer cheese Sharing is a must opposite page bottom Rooms at the Arms are cozy clean and accommodating 68

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goods include croissants cookies cakes and cinnamon buns Warm intoxicating inviting cinnamon buns Pair with small batch roasted coffee or some cold brew rose water The perfect way to begin your day Taking the role of hotel manager seriously Voula has added sweet touches and clean lines to the freshly painted rooms With new linens and mattresses the small but accommodating rooms are the place to be after a long day on the nearby ski slopes or hiking trails Rooms rates include tax and start at 93 50 per night for a full and 104 50 for a queen 2 person max There are full twin rooms and queen double twin rooms for 110 00 to 137 50 3 person max Also available are double full rooms at 187 00 and double queen rooms at 209 00 4 person max Each room has its own bathroom and air conditioning In the evening the common lounge area of the Arms includes a fire place games and a ping pong machine The bar opens up to a large dance floor and outside seasonal deck dining The sunlit dining area features rustic accents of burlap and wood with large windows looking out over Pine Hill s Main Street and to the mountains beyond Josef s daughter Jessica says of her move from NYC to Pine Hill to help her brother and father run the restaurant I didn t come here to be a millionaire I came here for the peace of mind Peace of mind and a welcoming warmth is indeed what you will find at the new Pine Hill Arms Pine Hill Arms Hotel 288 Main Street Pine Hill NY 12465 845 254 4012 www PineHillArms com Also on Facebook Instagram Restaurant Hours Mon Tues 5 10 pm Wed and Thurs Closed Fri Sun 5 10 pm 69

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KaatskillForest Historian Farms Way Up There High Elevation Pastures Along The Belleayre Eagle Range Most Kaatskill Life readers would find it difficult to believe how far up the mountainsides farms once climbed A good example is the Belleayre Balsam Eagle Mountain Range which forms the divide between the Esopus Creek Hudson River watershed i e the Big Indian Valley on the east and the Dry Brook East Branch Delaware River watershed on the west Some of these abandoned pastures are still open fields some are naturally reforested and some have been reforested with conifer plantations BIG INDIAN VALLEY VS DRY BROOK VALLEY Both sides of the Belleayre BalsamEagle divide have high elevation farms but there are some differences in the manner in which the pastures were originally cleared BIG INDIAN VALLEY The high elevation abandoned pastures in the Big Indian Valley are impressive because of their topographic placement Most of these pastures are not visible from Ulster County Route 47 the main highway 70 in this valley because of a peculiar characteristic of the mountain slopes The slopes are not uniform Instead they rise immediately and steeply above the valley floor and are heavily forested blocking any view of what is above But mid way up the mountain the slopes tend to flatten Stone walls in the woods are a sure sign of abandoned pastures This one is on an east spur of Eagle Mountain south of McKenley Hollow

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out not completely but forming gently sloping terraces or benches It is on these terraces where some early farmers carved pastures out of the forest Above the pastures the slopes become steep again and heavily forested to the crest of the range The valley floor of the Big Indian Valley spans an elevation between 1190 feet at the Birch Creek confluence to 1470 feet at the Elk Bushkill confluence The mountains top out at 3600 feet for Balsam and Eagle and 3420 feet for Belleayre The abandoned farms begin at about 1900 to 2200 feet roughly 700 feet above the valley floor and top out between 2300 and 2600 feet roughly 1000 feet below the mountain summits EXAMPLES OF FARMS BIG INDIAN VALLEY The farms on the west side of the Big Indian Valley are of particular interest because they are in the least expected locations Proceeding upstream from north to south we have The Platt Farm with the farmhouse shown on the USGS Phoenicia Quadrangle surveyed and published in 1900 at 2177 feet I mapped the span of the pasture up to 2330 feet This farm is in part still open there are stone walls in the adjacent woods plus farmhouse and barn foundations Just south was the Tyler Cabin shown also on the Phoenicia Quadrangle but at 2483 feet There are stone walls just below and north of the cabin cellar hole at 2430 feet The road up from the Big Indian Valley connecting these two farms is also shown on the quadrangle On the north side of McKenley Hollow is an eastern white pine plantation with a stone wall attaining a maximum of 2615 feet I did not reach its lower limit but suspect it to be at about 2200 feet because the slope becomes excessively steep below for a pasture At first thought photographer David Turan and I looking over McKenley Hollow from Eagle Mountain from a distance believed it to be a stand of hemlock You can imagine our surprise on our next hike when the hemlocks turned 71 The author taking notes at an old outbuilding foundation elevation 2200 South side of McKenley Hollow out to be a pine plantation This plantation is visible from County Route 47 from a point above Maben Hollow looking northwest On the south side of McKenley Hollow on an east spur of Eagle Mountain a farm once began at 1980 feet and climbed to 2460 It has many stone walls and a cabin foundation In addition to the high elevation farms in the Big Indian Valley it might be of interest to contrast the maximum elevations of farms at some lower locations For example the highest pasture in Lost Clove according to the USGS was at only 1610 feet I found a Norway spruce plantation in McKenley Hollow at 1815 feet just below the present lean to In the adjacent Birch Creek watershed there are stone walls just southeast of Discovery Lodge the lower lodge at

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the Belleayre Ski Center between 2045 and 2275 feet DRY BROOK VALLEY The Dry Brook Valley and its major tributaries Rider Hollow and Haynes Hollow were settled and cleared differently than the Big Indian Valley This is because most slopes did not rise directly and steeply from the valley floors Most pastures started AT stream level and often climbed gently or moderately without interruption to a point on the range where the slopes first became prohibitively steep and rocky In other words most pastures were and are visible directly from the roads they did NOT have extensive steep heavily forested slopes both below and above them The valley floor of Dry Brook ranges from 1300 feet in Arkville to almost 1900 feet where the most upstream farms were Most pastures topped out between 2000 and 2400 feet but some of the pastures climbed considerably higher to 2770 feet between the northwest 3420 foot summit of Belleayre and Hanley s Corners and to 2880 feet on the east shoulder of Fleischmann Mountain There is one exceptional farm in the Dry Brook Valley which resembles the farms in the Big Indian Valley It is surrounded both below and above by steep forested slopes The Ike Brown farm near the head of Rider Hollow occupies a terrace or bench above Looking northeast across McKenley Hollow from a spur of Eagle Mountain toward a southeast spur of Balsam Mountain The evergreens thought at first to be hemlocks turned out to be an eastern white pine plantation complete with a stone wall opposite page top This spectacular photo was taken at the Michael Kudish Natural History Preserve in Stamford NY Foreground pasture still open Behind clump of pioneering young trembling aspen Above the aspens white ashes gray and not yet leafed out mark a pasture abandoned in the 1960s Top Sugar maples leafed out and green marking a forest that had never been cleared for pasture opposite page center View northwest from the Michael Kudish Natural History Preserve Stamford NY of a patchwork of distant extant pastures and fencerows If you look carefully at the center of the photo where a close by tree partially blocks the view you can see a pasture with small scattered pioneering trees opposite page bottom Pasture abandoned in the 1960s and still open because it was first claimed by goldenrods and asters Michael Kudish Natural History Preservem Stamford NY 73

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between 2640 and 2705 feet The Margaretville USGS Quadrangle surveyed in 1901 shows a road leading to a farmhouse here It is now a Norway spruce plantation dating to about 1941 There are several places in the Dry Brook Valley where the bases of the pastures are not visible from Dry Brook Road the main highway up the valley However these steep slopes rise immediately only about 50 to 100 feet above the valley floor not 700 feet as they do in the Big Indian Valley IDENTIFYING ABANDONED PASTURES How do we know that there were farms on some of these terraces There are six methods most useful when combined 1 still open areas 2 tree species 3 ground cover plants 4 conifer plantations 5 non native trees and shrubs and 6 human relics The first method is to look for areas that are still open i e treeless or nearly so These areas are dominated by goldenrods flat topped white aster raspberry blackberry and or meadowsweet If these herbs and shrubs were the first to colonize a pasture before trees could then the pasture can remain open for a century or more The second method is tree species Those pastures which reforested naturally about 50 to 100 years ago are now dominated by mid shade tolerant tree species white ash black cherry red maple northern red oak yellow and black birches and eastern white pine The original pioneer species paper birch aspens staghorn sumac serviceberry and hawthorns are reaching old age and dying out The mid shade tolerant species are now being replaced by the reproduction of the most shade tolerant species sugar maple beech and hemlock The third method of identifying an abandoned pasture is to look for the ABSENCE of certain ground cover species These plants common in forests that have never been cleared somehow find it difficult to move in on lands that had been cleared shining clubmoss wood sorrel and Clinton s lily The fourth method is to look for plantations of conifers Norway spruce white spruce European larch eastern white pine Scots pine and or red pine The fifth method is to look for nonnative trees and shrubs that were frequently planted around farmhouses So if one finds apple lilac and or Tartarian honeysuckle in he woods look for a nearby cellar hole The sixth method is to look for relics of former human activity stone walls stone piles stone foundations for buildings remnants of barbedwire fences and discarded old farm tools and machinery HOW WERE THE FARMS LOCATED In most cases the farms have been found by this writer exploring the mountains on foot while mapping the forest history of the Catskills In a few cases old United States Geological Survey USGS topographic maps from the turn of the 20th century show roads leading part way up the mountains to buildings Examples are the Platt and Tyler Farms between Lost Clove and McKenley Hollow in the Big Indian Valley and the Ike Brown Farm in the Dry Brook Valley These places were then explored by this writer In some cases where this writer has not been the more recent USGS topographic maps from the 1940s through 1960s show areas then as open pasture lands in white The forested areas are shown in green Many of these pastures have since been abandoned 74 WHEN WERE THE PASTURES CLEARED AND ABANDONED Most Catskills farms were settled and the lands cleared for pasture during the first third of the 19th century By 1844 1845 the peak years of the famous anti rent war the acreage of farmland in the Catskills had also peaked The high elevation farms were generally abandoned first because of a several reasons short growing season poor stony and shallow soils lack of a dependable all year water supply and difficult access via steep rough roads Some farms began to be abandoned at the turn of the 20th century but the greatest rate of abandonment was from the 1920s through the 1940s Even through the 1950s and 1960s many pastures continued no longer to be used In some cases I was able to determine the name of the original settlerfarmer and or a subsequent 19th century farmer owner In other cases I was not therefore not all farms on the accompanying map are named THE ACCOMPANYING MAP The sketch map accompanying this article shows high elevation farms along the Belleayre BalsamEagle Range as small areas in green The black dots list elevations in feet locating often the lower edge of the pasture and always its upper edge A question mark is this writer s best elevation guess of a point which he could not reach Those dots shown in red are derived from the more recent USGS topographic maps Note that elevations of confluences of major tributaries to Esopus Creek and Dry Brook are also shown as well as of summits of the mountains This will assist the reader in obtaining a clearer picture of just how high up on the slopes the pastures crawled

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KaatskillTrees Pears A Wild Adaptation By Ryan Trapani Director of Forest Services CFA In Kaatskill Trees Kaatskill Life s previous issue I spoke about the American plum tree In years past I have also covered the apple tree Though these are fruit trees they do continue to contribute benefits to both humans and wildlife even though their origins are rooted in agricultural purposes There is yet another tree worth noting it has managed to escape its agricultural roots and make its way into field edges and abandoned pastures that are now young forest I prefer almost any fruit I can get my hands on but pears have always been second to apples until last winter It was then I realized how different and interesting a pear can taste While cutting trees near Bloomville in Delaware County for habitat management purposes for the Catskill Forest Association I stumbled upon a surprise I mean it was winter and obviously there were no fruits to be had Yet among the white ash trees and another apple stood a lanky and tall wild pear tree still holding its fruit Wild pears are quite smaller than domesticated ones they re about an inch or so across and perhaps one and one half inches in length and are more oval shaped with a slightly wider bottom Normally it seems that in the higher elevations pears never get a chance to ripen but after cutting for five or so hours I was ready to try this semifrozen fruit I can t explain how good it was It if weren t frozen it might have been mushy But its frozen texture mixed with perhaps the concentrating effect of freezing made it the best pear I ever had It was dessert for sure After doing some research on the Internet I quickly realized my igno 76 rance Pear fruits seem to be more climacteric than apples and are better off being picked before they ripen Afterwards at least on domestic types you can pinch the neck of

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a pear and if it gives it s good to go The pear I picked on that wintry day had plenty of time to ripen throughout fall and winter since it luckily held fast to the tree A Wild Pear Stand Pears have made a home in the Catskills and Hudson Valley though they don t seem to be as common as wild apples In the Hudson Valley mulberry seems to be more common than pear Plum actually might be the least common of all the aforementioned However there are two places that I know of near and in the Catskills that contain an abundance of wild pear trees One location is located nearly 200 feet in elevation alongside the Rondout Creek The other is near the top of a mountain above Margaretville or about 1800 feet Each shares an agricultural history that eventually led to abandonment and hence the newly growing pear trees I m not sure why these abandoned sites regenerated with pears Perhaps in both cases there were nearby farms that had cultivated pears previously but there is one more interesting aspect in both these wild pear stands both sites contain pear trees that have significant thorns although they don t seem to be true thorns but really just shorter branches that form extremely sharp points they might as well be thorns Even more interesting is that the wild plum American plum also contains opposite page Pear grows extremely up right or columnar Some can reach heights over 40 feet in extreme cases opposite page Pear bark is craggier or cracked and appears weathered 77

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similar thornlike branches Apples too can have small branches that can stab you when climbing up the tree though they are not as thornlike Why all the thorns Thorns A Wild Adaptation Well here s one idea When in cultivation pear trees are normally protected by the ravages of rodents and larger herbivores such as whitetailed deer However wild stock is left to fend for itself and must either adapt and overcome or perish by herbivore browsing Those with thorny attributes are more likely to survive browsing and pass on this adaptive trait Almost all the pears in both areas had thornlike branches They were actually difficult to climb Autumn olive another non native species offering fruitful benefits to wildlife also contains this compara tive advantage having thornlike attributes that make it less palatable to hungry herbivores Wild pear trees might become more common in the future due to this thorny adaptation but they are also spreading for other reasons in more urban and suburban areas Bradford pear and now Callery pear are ornamental pear trees that are planted near streets for their showy flowers The fruits are small and are not eaten Apparently there are about 3 000 pears varieties out there and all supposedly trace back their roots to Asia Mainly there are three categories of pears 1 European pear 2 Chinese white pear 3 Asian pear a k a Nashi pear or Apple pear European pears are mainly found in Europe and North America Asian pears are becoming more common In fact I just planted a few 78 behind my house we ll see how they do Their taste is somewhere between an apple and a pear hence apple pear If you re looking for pear trees they can often be found flowering a little bit earlier than apples about around the time the serviceberry a k a Juneberry bilberry shadbush trees flower They are extremely columnar trees that tend to grow straight up In fact the tallest pear I ve ever seen was near Halcottsville in Delaware County It was a wild pear tree that had to be at least 50 feet tall growing like an arrow For home fruit production pear trees need to be pruned each year to subordinate their height so they continue to bear plenty of fruit and also withstand heavier fruit loads and heavy winds not to mention heavy bears Also the leaves of pear are

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different than apple in that they seem to be glossier and more tear shaped lanceolate or narrow The bark seems slightly craggier or cracked or seemingly weathered when compared to apple s flakier or sometimes camouflaged appearance In any case pear might be a minor part in our forest when considering its numbers but still provides plenty of benefits Anecdotally I have found that the pear is not a runner up with deer they seem to prefer it more below Wild pear leaves are ovalish Like most pears the leaves appear glossy and their edges can be entire or serrated 79

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IM A G E S O F T H E N O R T H E R N C AT S K I L L S Fine landscape photography by Francis X Driscoll Tannersville Antiques Artisan Center 6045 Main Street Tannersville for more information 518 589 5600 A new book by Francis X Driscoll The Great Northern Catskills Our Back Yard will be available by the end of 2018 Oct 6th 7th Windham Autumn Affair Front of the Masonic Lodge 9am 5pm Free event Oct 13th Fund Raiser for The Catskill Center Register at www catskillcenter org Donation Oct 17th Presentation at The Gilboa Museum 7pm Free event www francisxdriscoll com Phone 518 734 5192

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