Rail trails have grown in popularity in recent years, particularly in the Hudson Valley. Anybody coming to the Poughkeepsie area is practically obligated to stop by the Walkway Over the Hudson to take in the spectacular views. For those searching for a more intimate rail trail experience, and one that especially lends itself to running, biking, or walking, the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail in Ulster County is an excellent alternative.

Sign at the entrance of the rail trail.

The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is over 22 miles long, stretching from Wallkill to Kingston. This makes it an excellent option for exercise enthusiasts looking for a flat and well-maintained trail to run on without having to worry about sharing the road with motorists.

I walked a portion of the trail that passed through New Paltz, NY. Due to a combination of scheduling conflicts and my love of early morning walks, I chose to walk the trail at sunrise. On the drive over the Mid-Hudson Bridge, the morning fog coming off of the Hudson created an eerie scene, making it seem like the bridge went to nowhere.

Morning fog on the Mid-Hudson Bridge

Fortunately, the bridge brought me across the river, so I was able to reach the rail trail. The trees surrounding the trail didn’t provide many views of a picturesque sunrise over the Hudson Valley, but there was no shortage of fascinating sights of mist-covered ponds and trees displaying their fall foliage.

A misty pond next to the rail trail.

Fall foliage along the trail.

One of the benefits of walking the rail trail early in the morning is that there is a greater chance of seeing wildlife. Early on in the walk, I saw some signs of beaver activity, as there were several trees along the trail that had been chewed through. There was also a small stream that ran parallel to the trail, so I was immediately hopeful that I would see a beaver dam. Sure enough, the stream widened into a pond, which turned out to have been created by a beaver dam. Although I looked long and hard, i didn’t see any beavers. Fortunately, I did see a family of deer enjoying the pleasant morning.

Beaver dam alongside the rail trail.

Family of deer eating breakfast.

The beauty of a rail trail is that you can turn around at any point. When I felt that I had walked long enough, I decided to head back to where I first entered the trail, which was right by downtown New Paltz. When I made it back, I spent some time walking by the shops. Since it was so early, the most I could do was window shop, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. For those who go to the rail trail at a more reasonable hour, all that New Paltz has to offer will be fully available when you finish your walk.

Shopping area near the rail trail.

For more information on the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, visit the website at: http://www.wvrta.org/

As the leaves are approaching their peak and the October air turns brisk, Kingston becomes alive with excitement for its annual O+ Festival. This not for profit festival was started in 2010 as a way to celebrate art and music, while also providing healthcare and wellness services for under-insured members of the creative community. It is a community-supported, grass-roots festival and takes place across three days in a range of different venues primarily located in the uptown region of the city of Kingston.

I felt especially lucky that this festival fell on the first weekend of Vassar’s October break. As a native of Kingston it is something that I look forward to each year and many of my friends travel back from school to enjoy the festivities. Unfortunately, the annual kick-off parade was dampened by the rain, but luckily most other events  were held within indoor venues. I first met up with friends at Keegan Ale’s, which has been recognized as the  Best Brewery in The Hudson Valley and in the larger New York State.  As we listened to the local band, Kyle and the Pity Party, I appreciated what a varied audience was at the festival. Because the wristbands for the festival are sold with a sliding scale, it is fully accessible. At this venue, among many others including Backstage Studio Productions (BSP), the Stockade Tavern, and the Anchor, patrons could enjoy a drink and listen to some incredible acts.

On the outside of Keegan’s, several beautiful murals had been painted for the current O+ positive festival and some remained from previous years. The artists of these murals, which can be found on large walls throughout town, contain themes relevant to Kingston’s history and character. A few murals this year portrayed Sojourner Truth, who had a deep history in Kingston, while others acted as commentary about environmental issues and other pressing issues. These murals brighten up the city, but also ask viewers to think critically about the subject matter. The artists of these murals come from both near, expanding Kingston’s creative community.

There were shuttles available to bring patrons between venues in different parts of town, though it was also possible to walk. I saw several other music performances throughout the weekend including Widowspeak, Screaming Females, And the Kids, and the Connor Kennedy Band. These performances took place in BSP, where the backroom theater had been recently renovated to create a vaudeville vibe, the 721 media center, and at the Tin Roof sessions.

The 721 media center also had beautiful murals painted on it’s outside walls, but also contained several installation pieces. A group called Cave Dogs used paper cut-outs and light to cast stunning narrative silhouettes on the walls of the old, industrial space. The Tin Roof sessions were daytime performances in an alleyway that is otherwise not utilized. The bands who played these sessions had already played evening performances in indoor venues, but were given a second opportunity to play.

Food and drinks were an essential part of the festival weekend. On Saturday morning, I joined many other locals for the farmer’s market. The cafes and coffee shops  were a buzz and the farm stands offered a variety of meat, cheeses, vegetables, and local crafts. Lagunita’s was O+’s largest sponsor so their beers were available by donation at almost every venue. Though weekend evenings are usually pretty busy for uptown restaurants, this weekend brings a unique amount of business to the local restaurants and shops. In cooperation with the festival, most businesses offered discounts for O+ patrons, with particularly good discounts for those who donated $50 to receive the O+ donor card.

Beyond the food and music, the exchange of health and wellness was provided for participants and volunteers at a number of offices throughout the city. There was also a great deal of opportunities for patrons to enjoy this aspect of O+. During the day and evening,  there were a number of lectures, yoga workshops, massage therapies, and meditation sessions. Not only was this supportive to patrons, but it also provided publicity for health and wellness services in Kingston.

The O+ is a fantastic festival that brings the Kingston community together, while also drawing in outside to support local business and experience the creative energies of the Hudson Valley. Perhaps most importantly, the festival provides the health and wellness care that the creative community deserves. Though the festival has spread to other parts of the country, I hope that it will retain the community and grass-roots values that are so essential to the function of O+.

I was lucky enough to visit Mount Beacon’s beautiful peak,  located close to Beacon’s thriving downtown center in Fishkill, New York. My friend Sam was nice enough to drive a car-full of us there, which is definitely the most convenient way to visit the site as it is quite far from the nearest train station or bus stop. The mountain is close enough to New York City that it is a popular outdoor tourist destination, but more people from the area would likely visit if Metro North stops were closer. With a car, the trail is accessible and completely worth the sweat and heavy breathing!

View from atop the mountain

After some GPS confusion, we climbed straight up the steep trail on an insanely beautiful, crisp, fall day. My friends decided to wear poor hiking shoes, so we had lots of opportunities to stop and appreciate the beautiful valley panoramas. The leaves were just beginning to turn and the sky was clear.  Since it was Sunday, there were dozens of other hikers on the trail, many of whom were friendly and brought great dogs! Like my friend group, most visitors were white and appeared to be at least middle class, but since access to Mt. Beacon is free it is accessible to anyone. People of all age ranges were there but there were a noticeably large number college students and their parents.

Afterwards, we got gas and bought sandwiches from a local sandwich shop as I am sure many other hikers do as well. Though Mount Beacon itself does not generate profits for the region, its mere presence attracts visitors who may or may not spend money. Climbing the mountain would make a great day trip in combination with a visit to the shops of downtown beacon or possibly the Dia museum. It is surely an important and lovely asset to the area.

The lovely trail

Mount Beacon is a textbook example of the good that can come when locals value preservation of open space as well as outdoor recreation. With its ample trees and breathtaking views, Beacon draws in copious visitors looking to relax and enjoy the beauty that the Hudson Valley has to offer. It also shows the bourgeois history of the region; the mountain formerly had gondolas which brought in tourists to gamble at a now abandoned casino atop the mountain. The landmark invokes a sense of place that is unique and valuable. I highly recommend a visit to Mount Beacon whenever the chance arises.

Perhaps a little loopy from lack of oxygen

Beacon 

Shop Display in Beacon Shop

The City of Beacon’s Main street is thriving, beautiful, with a multitude of cafes, high end restaurants, and antique shops. Walking through Main street one feels transported to a different time, not in the past, not in the future, but a unique present. This present manifests itself in the old, circa 1920’s style shops and window displays. Yet despite the essence of the historic past, Beacon has the modern style of patios, with solid steel chairs and the apartments with beautiful street art that can be seen from all over the downtown area. The art work combines perfectly with the beauty of the Fishkill Creek and waterfall. The city has a small town feel with a wonderful sense of comfort, and right in the middle of it is the Beacon Theatre.

Window Display in Beacon Shop

History

Reopened after a 40 year hiatus, the Beacon theater has been housing theater shows since it was bought by 4th Wall Street Productions in 2010. Patrick R. Manning and Christine Busacca-Vittorini purchased the theatre in hopes of bringing the theater scene back to Beacon as well as to bring in funds to continue the restoration process of the main theatre space. The current show space is the front lobby of the theatre, a small black box theatre with seating for about 50 to 60 people. The building’s architecture is influenced by the Art Deco Style that flourished during the time it was being built, the interwar period of the 20’s, 30’s, and 40’s. Today, 4th Wall Productions is teamed up with DIA: Beacon, a modern art museum, in order to bring the theatre back to it’s former glory.

Seussical The Musical  

Theatre Advertisement

Not only is the Theatre one of a kind, but so is the wonderful show 4th Wall Productions produced. Seussical The Musical is a quirky, fun, moving, and special way to get absorbed into the world of Dr. Seuss and the actors surely made that possible. From the painted set, the outrages props, and the wonderfully talented singers and dancers, this production came alive and brought the world of Seuss into our world. With a cast of over 20 actors of all ages, it was a refreshing feel good family show. The intricate costumes and fashionable Who hair of the small Whoville girls only added to the magic, while the interactive nature of the show was the cherry on top of this hilarious and warm production. From three generations of a family to a current Vassar student and some alumni, this show calls out to many far and wide and begs to be shared with the Hudson Valley.

Production Crew of Seussical the Musical

Cast of Suessical the Musical

Harry’s Hot Sandwiches

To compliment an already great show you can also have a great meal while watching, and the folks at Harry’s Hot Sandwiches know exactly how to please. With specials such as their Shrimp Role and their sweat and savory barbecue pulled Pork Sandwich, this was a great complimentary meal to go with the amazing show. The restaurant shares a door with the theater space so you don’t even have to go outside to endure the cold to get a hot coffee of sandwich.

Beacon

When you make it down to Beacon, be sure to leave a lot of room in your day as the possibilities in this city never run out. Be sure to hit up the Beacon Theater as they continue their reconstruction process and check out their up and coming show list at thebeacontheatre.org

In front of yet another interesting window display.

One of the estate’s wooded trails

This last week I visited Val-Kill, the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic site, located in Hyde Park, New York. Upon entering the park, a ranger greeted us offering a brochure on Val-Kill with some useful background information on the site, accompanied by a brief biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. Even before her position as first lady, Roosevelt played a significant role in social  welfare and civil rights movements, as demonstrated in the history of Val-Kill. Created in the mid-1920s, Val-Kill was in part a place for Roosevelt to test her progressive ideas. In 1926 Roosevelt and three of her friends founded Val-Kill industries as a way to provide farmers and their families with marketable crafting skills to supplement their income. Among other things, the local makers were instructed in furniture construction and pewter working. This model, in fact, became the basis for New Deal programs to come.

In 1936, Val-Kill Industries was converted into a private estate for personal leisure—outdoor recreation and retreats with family and friends. Eleanor Roosevelt was also an avid writer and many of the 27 books she has authored were written at Val-Kill.

A view of the Top Cottage

Along with the information on Eleanor Roosevelt’s personal history, the brochure comes with a map of the estate and trails. Located on the Fall-Kill creek, the grounds include several cottages, a pond, a rose garden, tennis court, and swimming pool. Though easily accessible by car off of Route 9, Val-Kill feels private and secluded. Most of the estate is wooded, and the ambling trails that traverse the property are only lightly marked. Following the brochure, we chose to hike the Top Cottage trail, about one mile each way. Walking through the woods of Val-Kill, I almost had the impression that I was simply ambling, rather than following a trail—not only
is the path barely marked, it also meanders, going up and down hills, twisting and turning. In terms of the ecology of the region, coniferous pines make up a good portion of the forested area, along with white oaks and maples. The understory—bushes, sapling, and groundcover—is minimal, indicating that this area is an older growth forest. The large deer population in Dutchess County also keeps understory growth to a minimum. The terrain of the area is rocky—hard slate and stones abound. This is evidenced in the architecture of the estate as well—stone walls characteristic of the Hudson Valley traverse the grounds, and even the entire Top Cottage is built of stone. Walking the trail, one feels that there’s something new o discover around every turn; it’s easy to see how this would make for a pleasant nature retreat for Mrs. Roosevelt and her guests, and what draws many tourists to the park today.

One of the few sign posts designating the trail direction!

Val-Kill is approximately only a 20-minute drive north from Poughkeepsie, making the Metro-North and Amtrak train lines a convenient means of transport from New York City to the park. In May through October, there is also a free shuttle service between the Metro-North Poughkeepsie stop, Val-Kill, and the FDR Estate. This service helps to facilitate tourism opportunities, likely encouraging New York City day trips to the region, especially for those that may not have cars or want to drive. If you want to learn more about Val-Kill, go to http://www.nps.gov/elro/index.htm.

The center to the acclaimed food region that is the Hudson Valley comes in a drive up route 9 past the town of Poughkeepsie and on the edge of FDR’s Hyde Park: the Culinary Institute of America. The campus itself looks more like a piece of french royalty then the Hudson Valley farm esthetic but truth remains that this place offers some of the most famous education in food service world. Walking around its massive stone courtyard, with the fountain spraying idly behind me I looked out at the Hudson River and recalled the long history of western cuisine to this country. I am not a student here but I wondered what it was like to work and learn the western traditions of cooking in a place whose legacy was and is about the local food and history of America. The Hudson Valley was once the home of early settlers, learning off the land, eating off the land, and now here sits a gleaming institute of tradition born across the ocean. The CIA looked the contradiction: a confused European estate in a hudson valley tree line.

Around me many students scurried off with white chef jackets buttoned tight and primely cleaned. A satchel of well tended kitchen knives and tools strapped to their backs as they hurried late to class. My friends and I were more interested in coffee and a quick snack after our morning hike and found ourselves wandering into the front doors towards the Apple Pie Bakery.

The Apple Pie Bakery is the playing ground for hopeful bakers, dessert chefs and baristas along with a busy kitchen of line cooks and waiters all being graded for their service every day. The scene was clean and quaint, not small and cozy but of high class cafe with classic French baguettes scored to perfection and golden glowing American apple pies displayed in an order glass case. The line was out the door as a nervous hostess offered us samples of chocolate and menus explaining the local beers offered, the daily soup and fanciful takes on sandwiches and french fries.

As we slowly moved up the line, I was taken aback by the overpriced granola and gourmet chocolates lining the entryway. Though lovely, I wondered who could come here and actually enjoy all these students hard work. Once to the register, I ordered a coffee, was handed a number and stepped to the side. There I looked around at who was here enjoying this Monday afternoon visit: many older groups of well loved friends, 3 or so Marist students shuffling away on their laptops and a family or two. But the trend was clear: this was a destination for an older crowd. I saw no young locals nor too many students and only observed the wandering conversations of many folk above the age of 50. This was not a local destination, it appeared to be a tourist cafe based on an exhibition of the “ideal” rather then the genuine.

Now I did enjoy my visit, it was very fancy and exciting but I left wondering how true to the Hudson Valley this place was and how much the lessons taught emphasized the history of the region. How is the CIA connected to Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park? How is it connected to the world? How does it consider its environment and what are its aims?

The CIA has a long history in promoting what it means to turn eating and cooking into an art and preserves the values of creativity  of the movement. I just wondered who has access to this attempt at “sustaining the environment and its food” (the slogan the school poses for itself). The Hudson Valley is at this conflict in its tourist economy, local social issues, and environmental history: the CIA paints itself very much as a piece of the confusion of a Hudson Valley identity.

History

Madava Farms Entrance

Located in the quaint town of Dover, New York, is the new and prospering Madava Farms, home to the maple syrup company, Crown Maple. The Madava Property is covered in 800 acres of maple trees, but the Crown Maple company now operates 2,000 acres with the addition of its satellite properties. For the next season, they hope to expand from 50,000 taps to 100-120,000 tree taps.

The Madava property was bought by Robb and Lydia Turner in 2007. The story goes that Robb and Lydia bought the land so that their daughters, Ava and Maddie, who were growing up in New York City, could enjoy the beauty of nature in the Hudson Valley. The name Madava was created as a combination of the two girls’ names. However, when the property’s neighbor informed Mr. Turner that he was now owner of one of the most highly concentrated forests of high-quality maple trees in the area, known as the Taconic Hardwood Forest. He decided then to begin Crown Maple at Madava. Ten years later, Madava farms has become one of the world’s highest quality producers of organic maple syrup and a renowned tourist destination in the Hudson Valley.

Production

Maple syrup season, oddly enough, lasts only for 30 days, from the end of February through March. This is the time of year when sap in the trees is liquid, so that a temperature difference between the sap and air allows it to flow from the taps into the collection pipes. Crown Maple has a unique pipe system between the trees that collects syrup from the 50,000 taps they have, and delivers it to holding tanks inside their facility.

Tour guide Jamie describing the reverse osmosis and Dissolved Air Flotation Devices.

In a single day, the farm crew of 8-10 people will tap anywhere between 200-500 trees in order to collect around 60,000 gallons a day of sap. The sap is processed and purified through a unique reverse osmosis and a dissolved air flotation unit, then moved to an evaporator. These processes remove over 90% of the water from the sap, to create a syrup that is between 66-68% sugar. A syrup that contains below 66% sugar will grow bacteria because of the water content, and a syrup that contains over 68% sugar will crystallize. These standards are set by the USDA. In order to create 1 gallon of maple syrup, it takes around 40-50 gallons of sap.

Osmosis Tank.

Madava as a destination

Madava’s Light Maple Syrup.

To drive into the Madava estate is to enter one of the Hudson Valleys hidden gems of preserved natural beauty and agricultural production. The 800 acres of maple trees, farm operation, and scenic space is the perfect place for anything between relaxing weekend get-aways to weddings and anniversaries. Madava Farms offers a comprehensive tour of their facilities where you can enter and witness everything from the four 10,000 gallon holding containers to the sophisticated RO system. The tour ends with a intimate tasting of their four, now prize winning, world renown syrups. You can also enjoy their maple inspired provisions like a Crown Maple Latte at their cafe. Once you have indulged your sweet tooth, take a nature walk through their well groomed public trails and enjoy breathtaking scenescapes and vibrant ponds.

Whether you come for the syrup, the views, or the maple trees, Madava Farms offers a unique Hudson Valley experience, which sets it apart from any other maple syrup farm in the nation and the world. For information on directions and visiting, visit the Madava Farms Website.

Looking for the Perfect Syrup.

Enjoying syrup samples at the end of the Madava tour.

Entrance to the zoo

The only zoo in the country to be found on a high school campus, the Trevor Zoo, is located at the private Millbrook School in Millbrook, NY. About a 40-minute drive from Vassar, the zoo and school is nestled into rolling wooded hills. I made the trip up there this Sunday with a couple friends.

The sign for the zoo

Walking into the zoo, we paid the $5 admission, and I asked the girl behind the table about the zoo. She told me that in 1936, a biology teacher (Frank Trevor) envisioned it as a means to inspire students to care about animals and wildlife. Almost a century later, the students are still the main caretakers at the zoo. The zoo only has 3-4 full-time professional staff members and the students do all the rest. Underclassmen are assigned animals to feed and monitor, while older students act as curators of the exhibits.

The zoo itself contains 80 different species of animals, 9 of which are labeled as endangered species. The zoo takes part in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) that was developed by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums to encourage breeding of endangered species in captivity and ensure healthy and genetically diverse captive populations. The 9 endangered species at the zoo are: Lake Victoria Cichlids, Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, Ring-Tailed Lemurs, White Naped Cranes, Kaiser’s Spotted Newt, Red Panda, Blanding’s Turtle, Red Wolf, and the Golden Lion Tamarin.

River otter

The zoo has animals from six continents, but the most represented is North America, specifically the Northeast. It is fitting that the Northeast be so heavily represented considering the original mission of the zoo. By providing students and visitors with close encounters with local species, the zoo helps to increase awareness and empathy for the animals. Some of the animals represented are come across quite often in the Hudson Valley, like the wild turkey and the red tailed hawk, but others are harder to spot like the Bobcat and the Barred Owl. Each animal exhibit has its own key card that provides vital statistics on each species represented. Information that can be found on the cards includes behavioral habits, human impact on the species, and whether or not the animal is endangered. Sprinkled throughout the trails are also informational signs about the continent represented in that particular section. These signs explain to the visitor more about biomes of the continent and the consequences of human impact and climate change on the region.

Python

Wild Turkeys in captivity

One of the exhibit key cards

Our meandering stroll through the exhibits ended up at the Jonathan and Jane Meigs Education Center, which is really just two large open rooms. Here can be found a few more small exhibits with lizards, snakes, and fish. The main purpose of the center seems to be to educate visitors on the effects of climate change on species and ecosystems both close to home in the Hudson Valley and beyond. It is the perfect end to a walk through the zoo. The center engages the visitor to think critically about their visit and the fate of the species they saw in their time spent here. It helps to stress the Trevor Zoo as an active environmental advocate and urges the visitor to also take part in the environmental movement.

Bobcat

Climate change info boards at the education center

http://www.millbrook.org/page/School-Life/Trevor-Zoo

By: Lydia Gold