Arboretum Focuses on "Keeping it Local": Two Major Weekend Events

Spotlight on Innovative Pure Catskills® Venues and Noteworty Gardens

ESPERANCE, NY (07/21/2008)(readMedia)--

From its deep roots within Schoharie County as the former Oak Nose Farm, homestead of founder Fred Lape, the Landis Arboretum has joined the Pure Catskills-sponsored campaign - Pick our Valley...and Pick Our Brains -- with seven Schoharie County venues.

The two day event will take place on July 26 and July 27 and will highlight the County's rich history of farming and its strong ties to the history of the region and the nation. The campaign is made possible through the generous support of Pure Catskills®. The Pure Catskills name and logo are registered trademark of the Watershed Agricultural Council. Support for this project comes from Pure Catskills members, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Catskill Mountain Foundation, and New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

According to event organizer Phil Metzger, proprietor of Cooper's Ark Farm, "Schoharie County is known as ‘The Breadbasket of the American Revolution.' Our farming know-how remains as deep as our history and as rich as our soil. Today, our modern farms and knowledgeable, caring farmers provide fresh, healthy nourishment for us all. During this festive weekend, visitors will discover more about the foods we eat, where it comes from, and how fruits and vegetables grow."

Participating in the two day event are:

PICK OUR VALLEY...

Barber's Farm:

PICK YOUR OWN CORN AND FARM TOUR! 10 am - 2 pm

Includes haywagon ride and four ears of corn handpicked by visitor. $6/person. 3621 State Route 30, Middleburgh, NY 12122; 518-827-5454.

Cooper's Ark Farm

PICK YOUR OWN EGGS AND FARM TOUR 9 am - 5 pm

Take a hay wagon ride, farm tour and pick yourself 1 dozen eggs. You will also learn how to wash and grade your eggs. $10/per person. ... Also available are Pony Rides, Grind Your Own Grain for animal feeding and Bottle Feed The Babies. 145 Ark Lane, Schoharie, NY 12157 • 518-295-7662

BOHRINGERS FRUIT FARM

PICK YOUR OWN BERRIES! 8 am - 5 pm

After picking your own berries enjoy fresh ice cream with our own sweet, juicy berries. State Rte. 30, Middleburgh, NY 12122 • (518) 827-5783

And PICK OUR BRAINS!

The Old Stone Fort Museum

Tour the Stone Fort complex where visitors can see the 1780 Dutch Barn filled with agricultural exhibits and tools.

The Old Stone Fort Museum Complex centers on the 1772 church that was stockaded in 1777 after British General Burgoyne's invasion of New York. Lower Fort, as it was then known, was one of three defending the rich wheat fields of the Schoharie Valley. Upper Fort was located on the present-day Barber's Farm, another Pure Catskills participating venue. On October 16, 1780, Sir John Johnson led a massive raid through the valley, attacking the Middle and Lower Forts. Although the forts protected most of the inhabitants, the destruction was nearly complete, and included 74 houses, 77 barns, three mills and more than 80,000 bushels of wheat. The Dutch barn on the Old Stone Fort grounds miraculously survived the raid, and is one of the oldest in the county.]]

In addition to exhibits in the Fort and barn, there are five more historic and exhibit buildings featuring objects as diverse as a 1903 Rambler automobile, a 1947 television set, and a fire engine built before George Washington was born! Although much diversified from the wheat-growing days, agriculture remains the most important industry in Schoharie County today. $4.00 / Adults. 145 Fort Rd., Schoharie, NY 12157, (518) 295-7192

Landis Arboretum

This 548-acre, noteworthy landmark in the northern Catskills embraces hundreds of outstanding trees and shrubs from around the world on the privately held, former estate and family farm of Arboretum founder Fred Lape. Straddling both Montgomery and Schoharie Counties, Landis encompasses expansive grounds with imaginative and well-maintained natural heritage collections, public gardens, and acres of natural areas, considered excellent for viewing wildlife in their native ecosystems.

Beyond more than a half-century of horticultural history and a century of the Lape family presence in the rolling Schoharie hillside, the Arboretum offers visitors more than eight miles of walking and hiking trails, and year-round public access. Landis is home, too, to hundreds of species of birds and other wildlife that delight a range of visitors from casual observers to researchers. The Arboretum is included in the New York State Route 20 Bluebird Trail, bringing even more birdwatchers to the site. And, the Arboretum's vast dark sky and wide horizons attract the Albany Area Astronomers to its Meeting House and parking field for sky-watching events.

Landis also is the Old Growth Forest headquarters of the Northeast, a designation that brings an increasing number of visitors to its gates each year. Its coveted and nationally recognized collection of oaks is registered with the American Public Garden Association's (APGA) North American Plant Collections Consortium (NAPCC).

Within under two miles travel distance from scenically designated Route 20 and the route I-88 corridor that links Albany with Cooperstown, Finger Lakes Regions and beyond, the Landis Arboretum is an accessible national treasure within easy reach of New York State's Capital Region.

As the Capital Region's Arboretum, Landis serves all residents in the extended Capital Region, which includes Albany, Columbia, Fulton, Greene, Montgomery, Otsego, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, and Ulster Counties. Many regular visitors to Landis hail from Western Massachusetts, the Berkshires, Westchester, and western New York State.

Ease of access from all points extends the geographic reach of the Arboretum: Central to NYS Wine and Spa Trails, the Arboretum benefits from its proximity to historic Sharon Springs, Old Stone Fort Museums Complex, Howe Caverns, the Iroquois Indian Museum, the refurbished Cave House, SUNY Cobleskill, and the reputed farms of Schoharie County. Dawn to dusk daily. Free parking. Suggested donation, $5.00. info@landisarboretum.org. www.landisarboretum.org. (518) 875-6935' 174 Lape Rd, Esperance, NY.

The Iroquois Indian Museum

Visit the Iroquois Indian Museum in Howes Cave to experience Iroquois creativity and celebrate New York's first agriculturalists.

2008 Exhibit honoring Native Americans in Baseball open until December 31. Admission: $5.00 - $8.00; $1.50 / School-Age

JD Winslow Equestrian Entertainment

SATURDAY, JULY 26 AT BARBER'S FARM

SUNDAY, 27 AT COOPER'S ARK FARM

JD demonstrates and explains the partnership that can be created between horse and rider. 2000 years ago Artistic Riding was performed at Roman games.

In 1920 Vaulting was included in Olympic Games, performed by the old Calvary troops who regarded it as a step towards an advanced equestrian education. Modern day vaulting was officially recognized as an equestrian discipline in 1983. It is the older style "Artistic Riding" combined with circus style riding that sets JD Winslow apart from all the rest.

For those that love the beauty of horses, appreciate the balance of trick riding, or have an interest in the history behind all this, JD has a program for you.

About Pure Catskills

Pure Catskills, a branding and buy local campaign, is sponsored by the Watershed Agricultural Council in collaboration with farmers and purveyors of fresh food across Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster in New York state. Support for this project comes from Pure Catskills members, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Catskill Mountain Foundation, and New York City Department of Environmental Protection. When farms thrive, our communities benefit in many ways. Pure Catskills farms are located on farmland that protects clean drinking water for 9 million New Yorkers. These farms grow and harvest crops as part of a world-renowned innovative partnership focusing on healthy, working farmland and the water protection practices it takes to keep streams and reservoirs safe.

Participants even may find an answer to that age-old riddle, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

Be here...when the cows come home...for this two-day event that you and your family won't soon forget!

CONTACT:

For more information on Pick Our Valley...And Pick Our Brains, contact individual venues or Phil Metzger: (518) 295-7662/6 am-8 pm

Landis Arboretum Sponsors July Drive-About Garden Tour:

A day of unexpected pleasures - and natural treasures.

For those who love gardening - and field trips, too - can there ever be enough? Capital Region gardeners and day-trippers are invited to clear their calendars for a very special drive-about to four exquisite gardens on Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Participants can expect a day of pleasures - and natural treasures.

These gardens are located in a convenient circuit throughout the lush and rolling hillsides of Schoharie County in the Jefferson, Summit and Cobleskill area. $10/person. Contact the Arboretum to register and receive a map. (518) 875-6935, info@landisarboretum.org

CAROLE AND ROBERT OLSEN Homestead: 1102 Westkill Rd., Jefferson, NY

This amazing property on more than two deer-proofed acres features multiple gardens created by the Olsens. Stroll along the pond path to find large Cimicifuga and Rodgersia. A clematis-clad porch, surrounded by scented thyme and other steppables (tough plants you can step on), commands a wonderful view of the many gardens. Carole and Bob keep a detailed database cataloging over 600 different species of botanical treasures such as daylilies, Salvia spp., Oriental and Asiatic lilies, Buddleia, roses, clematis, phlox and seldom seen trees such as Stewartia are expected to be on bloom. The tour will be hosted by Carole and Bob, both avid garden partners, and Arboretum stalwarts who have created this inviting masterpiece.

ROSMAN GARDENS, 1136 Enid Rd., Summit, NY, (518) 287-1701

Joanne and Andy Rosman own and operate Rosman Gardens, a private botanical garden in the woods. It is home to a diverse collection of native plants and rare woodland wonders, a large collection of ornamental grasses, English Garden perennials, and over 200 roses. Many plant varieties are available for purchase. There are garden rooms and patios throughout, with winding pathways that lead to wonderful surprises. The tour will be guided by Joanne Rosman, who is a Garden Designer, nationally published garden writer and photographer, master gardener, and ARS Certified rose expert. Rosman Gardens has been featured in Woman's Day Magazine - Gardening & Deck Design, and American Rose Magazine.

SWALLOW HILL FLOWER FARM, Route 10, PO Box 59, Summit, NY, 518-287-1361

Swallow Hill Flower Farm is a beautiful place to visit with many different types of gardens; an exquisite alpine garden, tree lined shade garden with numerous varieties of hosta, Astilbe, Tiarella, brunnera and Lamium, and of course fields of dayliles. Their specialty is daylilies and they grow over 300 different cultivars in various colors and shapes. They have a special gift shop with hand crafted gifts from local artisans. This tour will be hosted by Nancie and Bryan Bidwell who will also hand-dig your selections from their field grown perennials.

SUNY Cobleskill, Curtiss Mott Hall, SUNY Cobleskill

Terry Forsyth, well-known educator at SUNY Cobleskill, invites you to visit these "teaching" gardens at SUNY Cobleskill. He'll be ready to answer your questions as you wander through these greenroom facilities used by the SUNY Cobleskill faculty and students in the Herbaceous Plants classes. He has optimized the gardens formal classroom style layout to present as s many different plant species as possible. You'll marvel at the extensive collection of labeled plants, native species, introduced / exotic species, perennials, annuals, and ornamental grasses.

For more information about the Landis Arboretum and Adventures in Schoharie County:

http://www.catskillmtn.org/publications/articles/2008-05-spectacular-beauty-sustainable-fun.html

The Landis Arboretum is located 1.5 miles off Scenic designated Route 20 in Esperance, NY, a beautiful and easy drive from within the Capital Region. For more information, call 518-875-6935; http://www.LandisArboretum.org.