Tracking the Present
#FlightWatch: How Robins Signal Spring
The robin is the oneThat interrupts the mornWith hurried, few, express reportsWhen March is scarcely on. Emily Dickinson, “The Robin” Virtually nobody signals the arrival of spring with more brio than the robin. In fact, their call has been translated into English...
How to Decorate for Winter by Bringing Nature In
The holiday decorations are down, the lights aren’t twinkling, and the nights feel long and dark. But there’s a surprisingly easy, free way to give yourself a lift: by foraging a bit to bring the outdoors inside. Foraging is defined...
Continuing the Valley’s Long Maple-Tapping Traditions
Maple syrup has a rich and storied history in the Hudson Valley. Where the age-old tradition of tapping trees and the modern adaptations of the final product boil down into a true taste of Americana. Iroquois peoples are considered to...
Forget Forecasting — Appreciate What Groundhogs Can Actually Rock
Will he or won’t he? That will be the question on everyone’s mind on Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, when Punxsutawney Phil surfaces to check for sunshine and forecast the likelihood of spring’s early arrival. (As a reminder, legend has it...
Three Reasons This Land Save is a Plus: Bontecou Wildlife Conservation Preserve
Thanks to the conservation vision of generous landowner Gayle Bontecou and her late husband Jesse, 1,250 spectacular acres of woods, wetlands, and farmland in the Dutchess County towns of Washington and Stanford have been permanently protected. The property was donated...
#FlightWatch: Why Cardinals Rule
Northern cardinals have become a familiar and welcome sight to New Yorkers, particularly here in the Hudson Valley. The iconic scarlet males and rosy-beaked females bring color to the region’s yards, parks, and forests during the coldest and iciest months. ...
Launch the New Year Right With a First Day Walk or Hike
New Year’s Eve tradition demands a celebration, but in the past few years there’s been more talk of a different kind of tradition for New Year’s Day: a “First Day Hike.” Something about spending January 1st filling your lungs with...
What Valley Farmers Have Been Up to Off-Season
The Hudson Valley takes on a different beauty in every season. This little pocket of New York enchants both locals and travelers year-round, including in the starkness of winter. Perhaps no one knows this better than the many farms that...