Connecting People + Place
The Top 10 Favorite Viewfinder Stories of 2022
A place whose past you know, present you appreciate, and future you can envision. That’s how we see the Hudson Valley. And that’s what we’ve tried to share this year through the HV Viewfinder. The full range of what this...
Fresh Takes on Ancient Traditions: Weaving Natural Baskets
Baskets are as nostalgic as they are functional. Woven baskets from natural fibers have been around for millennia, and the tradition has been carried through different cultures around the world, including by Indigenous groups in North America. Although they’re among...
Take a Fresh Taste of Hominy, Corn Processed the Brilliant Indigenous Way
Even many foodies might believe hominy is an exclusively Mexican menu item. Not a chance. In reality, it’s a traditional and nutritious way of processing corn that Indigenous peoples have used throughout the Americas for millennia. Mohawk chef Dave Smoke...
Get in on the #ClimateAction: Hands-On Volunteering Opps
All that bad news is really partly good news … but it still feels bad sometimes. The news coverage of human-caused climate change has definitively increased over the past decade. That’s a positive in that it’s beginning to spur real...
Seed Saving: How the Valley Has Helped Lead the Nation in Preserving Heirloom Plants
When you hold a seed in your hand, “once upon a time” might not be the first words that pop to mind. But seed keepers and seed savers will tell you that a seed is not just a plant waiting...
#HudsonInspired: Textile Artist Victoria van der Laan Follows Threads to Zero-Waste Art
In the world of visual arts, painting, sculpture, video, and photography often dominate the narrative. Yet there are other forms of art that are getting increased recognition, such as quilting. Albany-based Victoria van der Laan began working with fiber and...
#HudsonInspired: An Artist-Scientist Observes a Changing Climate
Artist and scientist Hara Woltz believes that art is key to bearing witness to climate change in the Hudson Valley and beyond. Science and art may seem like two career fields that are vastly different from each other; for example,...
Get Inspired: What I Saw While Powering 300 Miles Along the Hudson
This spring I completed what I believe to be the first human-powered 300-mile exploration of Hudson River estuary by running, hiking, cycling, kayaking, and paddleboarding. I dreamed up this challenge last summer to inspire urban youth to get outside and...