Friday, September 20, 2013

What's Fresh From the Catskills: WIOX-FM Recap

Clean Sweep 2013Today on the Watershed Wake-up Call we talk about What's Fresh From the Catskills; here's the topics we covered on WIOX-FM:

Clean Sweep September 20 and 21: As of this morning, 30 farmers and 24 businesses and municipalities are coming today, with another 352 households signed up for Saturday drop-off at this 17th annual community household hazardous waste redemption day. Kudos to our partners, Department of Public Works, CCE-Delaware and the funding from NYSDEC, NYCDEP and the County. Also a special thank-you shout-out to Sue McIntyre, Lorinda Backus, Kim Holden, Marianne Kiraly and several volunteers for their help in directing traffic.

Take the NY Locavore ChallengeTake the NY Locavore Challenge: September is Buy Local Month. Find out how to Eat, Learn, Grow and Advocate for the local food movement and a stronger food system. Then do your part.


Register for Catskills Local Government Day: Deadline is fast approaching, September 30. The annual event, sponsored by the Catskill Watershed Corp. is scheduled for October 4 at the Frank W. Cyr Educational Center, Stamford. Local town and board members, municipal employees, economic development advocates, and other community leaders should attend. Registration fee is $10 and includes continental breakfast and lunch. Seating is limited. To view the agenda and reserve a seat, visit www.cwconline.org, and go to Meetings/Events.
 
Morning workshops will cover E-Government for Small Municipalities, including websites, social media and the“Virtual Records Room;” an exploration of New York’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the Consolidated Funding Application process; Reducing Liability of Municipal Parks and Recreation, and a panel discussion with three parks and rec coordinators from the region.
 
Motivational speaker Doug Motel will offer a keynote address titled “Accentuate the positive: Putting more play into your work.”
 
After lunch, participants are invited for a short walk on a portion of the Headwaters Trail Network with Velga Kunzins-Tan and Doug Murphy of the Greater Stamford Chamber of Commerce.

Harvest Festivals: Check out the Pure Catskills blog post from September 4th with a county-by-county listing of events, u-picks and farmstands sharing the bounty of the season. Our picks for the next six weeks?
Sullivan County: Come taste Catskills Family Creameries goodies at Earth Day in Autumn at Bethel Woods on Sunday, September 22
* Delaware County: More CFC value-added products for the tasting at the Cauliflower Festival, Saturday September 29
* Greene County:  Four-day Oktoberfest I and II at Hunter Mountain on the 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th
* Otsego County: Susquehanna Valley Garlic Festival on September 21
* Schoharie County: Sharon Springs Harvest Festival on September 21 and 22
SAVE THE DATE:  October 24, The Big Apple Crunch: Register for the Pure Catskills-SUNY Delhi Crunch Team and be part of the "Crunch heard around the World!"
 
October 9, 3:30-7:30 p.m.  Sheep & Goat Producer Group Farm Visit to Apple Pond Farm & Energy Education Center, 80 Hahn Road, Callicoon Center, NY  12724. You're invited to tour this diversified farm to learn about dual purpose sheep, milk and meat goat. Sonja Hedlund and Dick Riesling share lessons in fiber, cheesemaking, renewable energy and agri-tourism. Transportation will be provided; call to reserve your seat in the van. Sponsored by the Council and CCE-Delaware. FMI: Kim Holden (607) 865-7090


Catskills Food Guide: Two weeks left! Advertise in the Catskills Food Guide --  Watershed Post is launching the Catskills Food Guide. Submit a free restaurant or local food online listing or buy an ad by Wednesday, October 2 at 5pm. Pure Catskills members get 20% off their ad purchase. To order, contact Julia Reischel 845-481-0155 More info here.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Pure Catskills at Delaware Academy Elementary School

Kristan Morley's headshot

Guest Blogger Kristan Morley is an AmeriCorps member serving as the Pure Catskills Coordinator for the Watershed Agricultural Council.


The AmeriCorps program is devoted to serving the community during the month of September. As a member, I chose to volunteer at the Delaware Academy Elementary School to help bring awareness to the Pure Catskills “Buying Fresh, Buying Local” campaign on September 11. The importance of eating fresh, healthy, local and organic food is rapidly becoming a key focal point, especially in our schools. I saw first-hand how fresh local food is being introduced through my Alma Mater’s cafeteria. 

Serving breakfast to students at Delhi Central Schools.
Serving breakfast to students at Delhi Central Schools.
My day started at 6:30 a.m. by helping make breakfast for incoming students and teachers. I was guided by staff on what they needed from me. I noticed a very important change that has been made in the lunch room: whole wheat everything nutrition awareness! I made 20 pieces of whole wheat toast and 3 whole wheat English muffins, and I helped serve 63 students their breakfast.

After breakfast clean-up, I prepared lunch. A new and healthier meal now being offered to students and teachers every day is a chef’s salad. The portion of the salad is much larger, and is substituted as a main meal. I made 30 salads, and they all went. I found joy in knowing that students were looking forward to buying that as a meal.  I helped dish up 216 lunches. 

Preparing salads for lunch.
Preparing salads for lunch.
After lunch was served, I put together the snack bags of milk for each class room and helped with clean-up. My day ended at 1:15 p.m. I had an incredible time and was pleased to see how much has changed since I walked through the cafeteria line. 

I want to send my gratitude to Christine Miller, the Food Service Director; Alice Viafore; Debbie Merwin; and all other cafeteria staff members for a wonderful experience! Thank you for allowing me to spend the day with you. You all do much more than I could have imagined to make school breakfast, lunch and snack programs happen. 


Christine Miller and I before the day got started.
Christine Miller and I before the day got started.
For more information on the AmeriCorps program, click here

Remember to Buy Fresh, Buy Local!


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

What's Fresh: Harvest Fests

Kristan Morley
Guest Blogger Kristan Morley is an AmeriCorps member serving as the Pure Catskills Coordinator for the Watershed Agricultural Council.



Fall is rapidly approaching, and with it comes all of our favorite local harvest festivals. Mark your calendar with all of the upcoming events taking place nearest you.

Visit our Fresh from the Catskills page to find more information regarding harvest festivals, local u-picks, farmers’ markets running throughout the fall, and farmstands that are open year round!

Saturday, September 28 in Delhi, 10am–4pm
Saturday, September 28 in Margaretville, 10am–4pm
Saturday, October 12 at Maple Shade Farm in Delhi, 10am–5pm
Saturday and Sunday, October 12 and 13 at Maple Shade Farm in Delhi, 10am-9pm
Cauliflower Festival 2012
Cauliflower Festival 2012
Saturday, October 26 at Maple Shade Farm in Delhi, 10am–8pm
Saturday and Sunday, November 29 and 30 at the Bovina Creamery in Bovina, 10am–5pm
Saturday and Sunday, December 14 and 15 at Maple Shade Farm in Delhi, 10am–5pm

Saturday, October 5 at the Agroforestry Resource Center in Acra
Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6 at Hunter Mountain in Hunter
Saturday and Sunday, October 12 and 13 at Hunter Mountain in Hunter
Saturday and Sunday, October 19 & 20 at Hunter Mountain in Hunter

Saturday, September 21 at Wood Bulls Antiques in Milford, 10am–5pm
Susquehanna Valley Garlic Festival 2009
Susquehanna Valley Garlic Festival 2009
Saturday and Sunday, September 21 and 22 throughout the village of Sharon Springs

Sundays in September at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
Sunday, September 8 at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
Sunday, September 15 at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
Sunday, September 22 at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
Sunday, September 29 at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
Saturday, October 5 at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
Saturday, October 12 at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts in Bethel, 11am-4pm
 
Taste of the Catskills 2012
Taste of the Catskills 2012

Saturday, September 21 and 22 at the Ulster County Fairgrounds in New Paltz
November 4 – 17 throughout the Hudson Valley region

Visit the Pure Catskills Event Calendar to find even more fun, exciting and educational activities happening all around the watershed region.

See you at the next fall fest!