One reason I love the Hudson Valley is because of the variety of trees. Come fall you can truly enjoy the vibrant colors. It is not all fun and games, once these leaves fall then you have to get busy raking. I personally spend hours raking and throwing the leaves in a compost heap to use on my garden come springtime. I make the best of this chore by examining the leaves; and this morning while raking, I came across these redleaves.
There is much to admire in nature even in fallen leaves, and these red leaves sure makes my point.
Where I grew up soccer was the number one sport although it was referred to as football. It caught on in the US much later than in other parts of the world. So is there Soccer in Red Hook NY? I can answer yes because when I go down Rockefeller Lane I often see children of all ages playing and the parents cheering them on.
When there is soccer around you will always find a soccer club and there is a Red Hook Soccer Club. The club plans the intramural games and makes arrangements for travel and competition.
There is also a soccer team at the Red Hook High School. The team is called the Raiders and they compete against other High School teams.
Soccer is also played at Bard College and their team is called the Raptors.
So as you can see there is much soccer in Red Hook. And if you are interested in the sport you will want to contact the Red Hook Soccer Club .
On Sunday the double rainbow and wind post-Irene was a real treat after a day couped up in the house with no electricity. Even at such a time nature still displays lovely eye candy.
Since I did not have electricity I could enjoy the moment as I was unaware of the misery my neighbors to the west were enduring. Irene might not have lived up to the hype but that's what storms do, they are unpredictable. Who would have thought Vermont would have gotten hit so hard? This was just a reminder to us all that there are things we have no control over.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the double rainbow, nature's eye candy, as much as I did.
It is Wild Raspberry season in Red Hook NY. The first time I saw these berries I would not touch them, I didn't know what they were, so as far as I was concerned they were poisonous. My young son on the other hand was always picking berries and I was terrified he would be poisoned, so I kept the poison control number close by.
One person told me if the birds eat the berries then it was okay for human, seem there was some truth to that statement.
I was happy to finally learn that these berries were wild raspberries and could be eaten.
So what do I do now when it is Wild Raspberry season in Red Hook NY? I walk the perimeter of my property collecting these berries which are really very good.
Here are some of the ways I used these berries:
I use the berries in pancakes
I make wild raspberry pie
Use the berries in smoothies
Or just eat them as I pick them
So enjoy the Wild Raspberry season in Red Hook NY.
A small change can make a big difference. During the spring the periwinkle ground cover pops up and the carpet of green is lovely. This scene is further enhanced when the little blue-violet flowers covers the greenery.
The same is true in the case of a home, a small change can make a difference. Sometimes we get bored with the color of a certain room, applying a fresh coat of paint will make a big difference. This is also true if you are selling your home; changing paint colors could mean more money in your pocket.
A week ago I attended a Young Farmers event at nearby Greig Farm. Most of us give very little thought to how the food we eat gets to the dinner table.
At the event it was brought to our attention that the average age of a farmer in the US is 57 so in the next 20 years many will be retiring. The question is who, will fill the gap? Young farmers. Easier said than done because of issues facing the present young farmers. The major issue is that of land ownership. Many of them cannot afford land and have to resort to renting which has major drawbacks such as the fact that if the land is rented the young farm cannot put in any permanent infrastructure since they don't own the land.
Ben Shue, the speaker at the event is one such young farmer. Ben Started Hearty Roots in 2004 as a CSA(community supported agriculture) where members buys shares and pick up produce weekly or bi-weekly in season. This form is operated on 25 rented acres on the existing 500 acres Grieg Farm.
I was struck by the fact that many of these young farmers did not come from a farming background but learned organic farming from other farmers. Young Farmers have now banded together to share ideas as well as better farming processes, the network is called Farm Hack.
The best part of the event was the tour of the farm, and this was a tour with a spectacular view, as you could see the Catskill Mountains in the background. We first stopped by a large garlic field and this was of interest to me since I had never seen planted garlic - just the end products. Ben also explained the reason for planting a variety of crops; by doing this there is less chance of an entire season getting wiped out as the various crops are affected by different diseases or insects, so this is a kind of control method.
At the end of the tour we returned to Gigi market which is also located in a large barn on Grieg farm. There we had more of an opportunity to mingle and enjoy tasty refreshments prepared by the staff at Gigi's market. Again there were additional speeches on why it is important to support the young farmers.
What you can expect from The Old Dutch Village Garden Club in 2011
The Old Dutch Village Garden Club located in Red Hook is off to a great start in 2011. Just last month there was an interesting and informative talk on garden tools by Nick Digugno, a new member. Nick also provided a handout for attendees which will be a handy reference during the gardening season.
Here are examples of upcoming events.
April 12 is the anniversary luncheon. This club has been around since 1953.
May 12 the talk will be on Organic fertilizers for flowers and vegetables, just in time for spring planting.
May 20 will be the annual plant and bake sale. This is a great opportunity to get plants for your garden at a very reasonable cost.
June 9 a Talk entitled: Everything you ever wanted to know about composting.
July 14 is the annual picnic.
September 8 There will be a talk given by Margaret Roach who was voted by the Hudson Valley Magazine as having the best gardening blog.
And there is much more.
Ongoing projects
Each year a Red Hook High School student is awarded a scholarship by the club.
Maintenance of public gardens
Environmental education
Fundraising: through the annual Spring Plant and Bake Sale.
Membership
New members are always welcome. For more information on becoming a member you can call
854-758-5758
Meeting time and location
The meeting is held on the second Thursday of each month at 12:30 PM
Location: 126 Old Post Road North, Red Hook NY 12571 - St. Johns's Reformed Church.
If you have ever visited Red Hook and found yourself on Budds Corners Road, this is a tree you would remember. In these photos the ground is covered with snow but there are times the tree is surrounded by corn or other crops. I have had the pleasure of seeing it in all seasons and I know somewhere in my collections of photos I have photos of it in other seasons.
With some bad weather this winter the tree came down; on closer examination it was clear that the inside was rotted. When you take a second look all is not lost there is still one limb left. I am rooting for this tree that the one limb will come alive this spring.
Funny enough I thought I was the only one who was following the story of this tree, but when i mentioned it to several residents they too thought the tree was special, somewhat of a landmark. I even had a request for any photos I might have. Yes, even a small tree can touch our lives.
Friday Foto-Letting go off my leaves is so hard to do
You would think all the leave would be off the trees by now, I mean here in the Northeast. That is not the case; just the other day I saw this tree which really stood out because it was covered with bright yellow leaves while the others trees with the exception of the evergreens laid bare.
A week ago I attended a Young Farmers event at nearby 
