Hey all!
My name’s Maria Morris. I’m a senior Environmental Studies major at Vassar. Looking forward to all the explorations we’ll embark on together in the beautiful Hudson Valley!
Here’s me contemplating life on a tractor ride at Fishkill Farms:
I’m Natalie. I’m a senior neuroscience major with a correlate in environmental sustainability, originally from just outside of Pittsburgh, PA. I love being outside and going on field trips, and apparently I look really intense after picking apples.
Hey I’m Lili! I’m a senior ENST major who loves food, gardening and a good hat. Wow look at these peaches from our field trip to Fishkill Farms, aren’t they swell?
I’m Lydia, a junior environmental studies major from Massachusetts. I’m super excited to get out and about in the Hudson Valley area. I love food, farming, nature, and getting to spend time with all of you people.
How do you like them apples?
I’m a super critical Environmental Studies major hoping this class can remind me why I love this region so much. Amongst the bad social structures there is always #apples. <3
Here is a picture that I took today. We met Josh of Fishkill farms, and Robin. They gave us an awesome tour of their orchard/farm.
This picture is at Fishkill Farms.
| There is no doubt about it; Autumn is at our doorstep. And there is no place more beautiful in fall than the Hudson Valley. Half an hour from Vassar’s front gate is one of the most beautiful parks in Ulster county.
Shaupeneak Ridge is home to almost 9 miles of trails up and down and around a beautiful lake. A multitude of flora and fauna have claimed the ridge to their own. On my hike we encountered snakes, chipmunks, deer, frogs, fish, salamanders, squirrels, and birds, not to mention the occasional hiker and their dog. The leaves were a spectacular combination of fiery reds, burnt oranges, sunny yellows and vivid greens. I could not have wished for a more beautiful hike.
Shaupeneak Ridge is not a top tourist destination, but rather a park for the peaceful explorer. It is a little ways from any large city or other tourist destination, and it is off a small, almost hidden road (I almost missed the entrance) from 9W. Due to the large number of parks in the Hudson Valley, Shaupeneak Ridge may seem at first glance to be just another forest. But once I stepped foot onto the path in the bright sunlight and felt the soft wind on my skin, the land enchanted me. There was no one in sight and it was a perfect day. My friends, Miranda and Bernardo, had accompanied me to the park, and at 1:00 we started our hike. Little did we know that the path we chose was the hardest one in Shaupeneak. On our trek we met two families with dogs, an older trio out to take pictures, two young mountain bikers, and a middle-aged couple.
The view once we reached the summit (we climbed 900 vertical feet!) was breathtaking and well worth the hike. We could see all the way across the Hudson River and all the changing leaves. Turn a little, and we could make out the Catskills as well. It was really a perfect day for an expedition. A little background on Shaupeneak Ridge: It’s not a profit based, nor economically providing place. It doesn’t bring in money, tourists, or stand out in any way. 790 acres of gorgeous mountainous terrain in the Marlboro Mountains. And that is what makes it so appealing to nature lovers.
The serene atmosphere is the main appeal to visitors and residents of the Hudson Valley alike. This park is solely for leisure and relaxation and even some hunting. It is by no means a high trafficked area, but it’s not barren either. It fits in perfectly with the surrounding mood and landscape of the Hudson Valley. It’s such a good example of the Hudson atmosphere that Scenic Hudson holds its annual Spring Sprint 5K Trail Race.
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With the leaves rustling and crumbling beneath my feet and the smell of fallen leaves floating through the Dutchess County air, I was quickly reminded that it was fall, despite the 80 degree weather. On my trip to the Dutchess County Rail Trail I was surprised, awed and comforted by many aspects of this trail.
I was first surprised at the accessibility of the trail. It seems as though the one goal the county had in mind when building the trail was making sure that it was attainable by every resident of every city and town. There are parking lots and entrances at nearly every city it passes through, with distinct directions on their website. The trail was even elongated recently just so that people will be able to stay on their bikes when they want to finish their ride on the Walkway Over the Hudson.
The path was filled with residents, some who I talked to. Mary, from Arlington, said that she loves going on runs in the mornings, before anyone gets on the trail, so that she could enjoy the brisk air and the trees all by herself. 
This path, designed specifically for a leisurely stroll or calming bike ride, was somewhat disappointing to a non-resident. Although the trees surrounding the trail were beautiful, especially in the beginnings of fall, it was unexciting. There wasn’t a goal at the end of the trail, it wasn’t at all difficult, and the scenery was uninteresting after walking on the trail for ten minutes. Thus, you can say a girl who thoroughly enjoys a challenging trail, or one that loves to sit at the top of a mountain and watch the sunset, was pretty bored after 15 minutes of walking.
On the other hand, it was wonderful to talk to a few residents and regular users of this trail. John, a man in his mid-sixties finds himself using the Rail Trail as a way to relieve a lot of stress and get away from his lovely, but nagging wife. And he seems to not be alone. Residents use this trail as a getaway from reality, from their lives. The trees encompass you completely, so much that you are excluded from the outside world. You are able to walk on this trail and stare at nothing but trees, engulfed in the world of mother nature and your own thoughts. Who would not want the ability to just escape for a few hours at a destination just a few minutes away from your home.
As a Vassar student, one without knowledge of the area, without a car and who doesn’t leave campus too often, it was inaccessible and difficult to get to and fairly uninteresting. Yet, it was a great getaway. I did not think of classes resuming next week, missing my family or about writing this paper. I simply walked down a simple path, surrounded by trees and my simple thoughts. Looking back, it was one of the most relaxing experiences I’ve had on a trail and the only time I was surrounded by locals who were enjoying the benefits of the Hudson Valley.
What a great day it was to go apple picking at Fishkill Farms!!! It was warm, sunny, Saturday afternoon when I arrived at the farm. It took about 30 minutes to get to Fishkill Farms from Vassar. However, the drive was definitely part of the experience!! In early October, the hills were the best shades of orange, red, and yellow. Pulling into the farm was breathtaking. Fishkill Farms is surrounded by hills! They have acres of apple orchards, vegetable gardens, a pumpkin patch, and berry bushes.
At eleven in the morning, cars were already crowding the parking lot! This may have been because it was the peak time of year for apple picking as well as a CSA pick-up day. There were many workers directing cars as well as people. Apple picking for the first time was a great experience for me at Fishkill Farms! At the entrance to the orchard, they gave out apple bags for everyone picking apples. It was 30 dollars to fill a whole bag or you had to pay by the pound.
There were so many different kinds of apples to choose from!! However, the different types of tress were labeled and there were many employees around to ask. One employee told me his favorite type of apple was the Macron! They were very sweet and juicy.
After I picked enough apples I went up to the farm store to enjoy live music!! They had a band playing on the lawn as well as barbecue, ice-cream, and freshly-made cider donuts. The cider donuts were amazing!!!
As the day went on, more and more people arrived at the farm. Soon there were more than 100 people there! The line for barbecue and donuts was super long. People were taking there food and sitting on the grass to enjoy the music! There was also a bunny coup by the field that all the children were glued to.
Fishkill Farms is extremely family oriented. The majority of people there were people with young children! There were children running up and down the apple trees as well as the grassy field by the food and entertainment.
By advertising itself as a family friendly destination, Fishkill Farms is able establish itself as an important part of the community. It is a place where families can learn about farming and relax and have a good time with loved ones as well as their community.
However, there is no doubt that being an important part of the community is extremely beneficial to Fishkill Farms. Having free entertainment and food on Saturdays draws many previous as well as new customers to the farm. Fishkill Farms makes a large profit by having events centered around apple picking. They take into consider what the community is looking for, thus people flock to it. Fishkill Farms is a good example of a medium/large farm that is successful at bringing the community together around the principles of sustainable agriculture and local food!!!
On Sunday, October 13 I knew I needed to get from point A to point B, A being Vassar College and B being the Beacon Farmers Market. There was only one way to do this, there are actually more ways to do this but for a broke car less college student like me there was only one way, the Metro North Rail. 
I took a cab to the Poughkeepsie Station with my very nice roommate, Madison who agreed to accompany me on this independent field trip after begging her for what seemed a lifetime, 30 seconds. Once at the Poughkeepsie Station, we purchased our $7 roundtrip tickets to the Beacon Station. We boarded the train and waited a short 15 minutes to arrive at Beacon Station, during this time all I could think of was “Once I get there, how in the world am I going to get the farmer’s market?” and “the Hudson River is so beautiful!!!” considering that was the view from the window the whole train ride. As we got closer, I was able to pick out the blue canopies laid out of the river front across from the station, could it be the farmer’s market was right across from the station. Sure enough we got off the train and Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo it was the Beacon Farmer’s Market.
This farmer’s market was nothing like the Amenia Farmer’s Market we first visited in our journey as students of “Field Experiences in the Hudson Valley” this market was full of vendors and crowds of people with recyclable bags in hand asked questions, sampled products, and purchased products to fill their refrigerators and pantries. A line of about twenty enthusiastic buyers waited in front of one of the blue canopies which was the source of smell of beef kabobs with the banner reading “Nana’s Middle Eastern Foods”. I was unsuccessful as I tried to sneak a picture of these tasty looking and smelling kabobs. Apart from Middle Eastern foods, vendors selling garlic, vegetables, ice cream, milk, spices, pastries, fresh baked breads, varieties of cheese, beef, pork, lamb, chicken, eggs, honey, maple syrup, homemade preserves and jams were lined along the river front selling their products to local Beacon residents and people arriving on the Metro North Train like me.
Once I finished going around the Beacon Farmer’s Market a couple of times I saw more canopies lined up on the river front a quarter mile away from where I was standing. As I walked out of the Farmer’s market I read a poster saying “Pumpkin Festival Sun. Oct. 13” with an arrow pointing towards the the direction were the canopies were. This Festival was full of family’s enjoying the beautiful day while listening to live folk music and picking out pumpkins and other merchandised sold by local vendors. This festival seemed like it was designed for 
the residents of Beacon. Students from the local elementary school sang a couple of songs I had never heard and art drawn by students from the local high school 
was also displayed. After an hour of walking around this community based festival I decided it was time to go back to Vassar. As I walked back to Beacon Station I saw a sign signaling the way to Dia: Beacon, I walked for about 3 minutes to get to Dia: Beacon. I knew I had no time to go in, but I will definitely visit Beacon again to explore Dia: Beacon and the city of Beacon.
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