July 2009 Archives

The Saratoga County Fair is wrapping up this weekend, so if you haven't had a chance to go yet, now's the time.  The rain has passed and the sun is out, so head on down to Ballston Spa and check it out!  The Fair may conjure up images of cheese fries, dizzying Midway rides and tractor pulls, but the Fair is also a showcase of the locally made and locally grown.  I went into the Townley building and found displays featuring an amazing array of food and other products made right here in our region.

By: Pamela A. Gibbs
       Contributing Writer

WILTON - Asked if she could be described as a woman with a lot of junk in her trunk, sculptor miChelle Vara hooted with delight.

"You could definitely arrive at that conclusion," said miChelle, her laughter continuing. "But then again, the stuff really isn't junk to me."

The "stuff" in her trunk, and all around the grounds of her Wilton studio, includes antique metal tools, pipes and chains, bicycles, long-retired farm equipment, old car bumpers, a huge assortment of keys, and hundreds of other interesting metal objects rescued from a slow death-by-rust and now slated for new relevance in one of the artist's sculptures.

By Stacey Morris
Contributing Writer
Photos by David DeLozier
 
TROY - When Larry Schepici moved to Troy from Boston ten years ago, one of the first things he did was hop in his car and check out the farms in his new neighborhood.

"Where I come from, I was used to dealing with farmers," said the long-time chef. "It's just part of the restaurant scene in Boston."

A bicycle safety instructor is teaching Capital Region cyclists how to "drive" their bikes.

"Every time I'm out on the road I see people making dangerous choices," said Tamara Flanders, a cycling instructor who is certified by the League of American Cyclists. "Some mis-educated people behind the wheel don't respect the right of cyclists to be on the road. On the other hand, some mis-educated bike riders don't follow proper road etiquette and make car drivers nervous or upset."

By Amy Stock, Contributing Writer
Photos by David DeLozier


As an individual, one of the simplest and perhaps most gratifying steps you can take to 'go green' is to buy local grown produce and locally made products.  Fortunately in the Capital Region we have plenty of options to access local produce and products, including shopping at local farmer's markets, joining a CSA (Community supported agriculture), buying fresh produce from a local farm stand, or shopping at one of the many locally owned grocers.