The Unlikely History of “Skate Sailing” Upstate
Water + wind = speed For centuries, that equation has driven sport in the Hudson Valley. Today it motivates people who go windsurfing, haul historic ice boats out of storage, or set sail on pocket-sized Sunfish dinghies. Sadly, the curtain...
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...
From Arctic to Valley, Why Snowy Owls Make Surprise Flights
The secret ingredient to understanding the habits of snowy owls is, of all things, lemmings. This tiny rodent that thrives in the high Arctic is the key to what makes snowy owls produce many babies (or not) in a given...
Cutting Down the Impact of That Christmas Tree
For those who celebrate one of the year-end holiday biggies, the time of year has come back around to ponder an age-old (okay, few-decades-old) question: real Christmas tree, or fake? Sales of real and artificial Christmas trees in the U.S....
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...
Appreciating Edna St. Vincent Millay at the Literary Legend’s Valley Home
Described by one writer as the “Bob Dylan and Madonna of her generation,” poet Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950) was partly responsible for promoting the “roar” in the Roaring Twenties, both through her groundbreaking (and to some, shocking) work and...
Three Reasons This Land Save is a Plus: Black Creek
Ensuring the permanent conservation of irreplaceable habitats on and along Black Creek and supporting the creation of a long-distance trail paralleling this important Hudson River tributary, Scenic Hudson has protected 66 acres in the Town of Lloyd, Ulster County. Here...
This Winter, Slash the Salt
In the best of winters, cold weather brings Hudson Valley residents both the silent stillness of a fresh snowfall and the feeling of safety on well-maintained local roads. But beneath the snowfall and black road top is a growing problem:...