June 2011 Archives

This weekend if Fourth of July which conjures up images of flags waving and fireworks bursting in air. But even after the Fourth there is still plenty of summer left. Hiking, biking, fishing, swimming, boating, hot air ballooning or parasailing there are always plenty of things to do outdoors in and around the Saratoga area.
The next big thing I'm looking forward to is Park Fest held at Gavin Park in Wilton. Park Fest will be held on July 9th. There is free admission, amusement rides for $1.00 each, eating contests, concerts, a classic car show, food and drink along with my personal favorite-- Pig Races!!

Thinking about attending Park Fest? Or been there before and can't wait for it again? Come back and tell me what you thought. I'll be sure to post my day at Park Fest with lots of photos too!

Sundae on the Farm

Last Sunday was Father's Day and it's getting harder and harder for us to find new and interesting ways to celebrate, especially with our kids getting older. So when I heard about Sundae on the Farm I thought what an unusual way to spend Father's Day -- visiting an actual dairy farm. 

This was the 16th annual Sundae on the Farm, this year held at Clear Echo Farm in Northumberland.  When we arrived at the farm we were loaded onto a tractor and taken across the farm field and given a brief tour of the farm's operation.  It was amazing how well these cows are treated.  Water beds, tube ventilation, milked three times a day, barn cleaned three times a day.  They must make some really good milk!!!  The event is run by volunteers from other farms in Saratoga County, which take turns hosting the event.

Here are some facts we learned on the tour:

Saratoga County has 650 family-owned farms

There is 74,800 acres of farmland in Saratoga County

25% of Saratoga County's farmland has been lost to development in the past 4 decades, the fastest rate in the Capital Region

Saratoga County farms contribute more than $100 million annually to Saratoga's economy

Saratoga County farms produce products such as milk, eggs apples, flowers, wool and vegetables.

But Sundae on the Farm isn't just about how many cows the farm has or what they eat.  It's also about teaching others about where your food comes from, how to prepare it and where to buy it locally to support farms here in Saratoga County.

There were demonstrations throughout the day of sheep shearing, goat milking, calf bottle feeding and even cooking demonstrations.  There was a farmer's market where fresh cheese, jams and other goods could be bought.  And the reason for the name -- Stewart's ice cream sundaes scooped up by the dairy princess herself!

I think the best way to sum up the day is in photos.  

Family Fun on the Farm in Photos

For me nothing beats free and believe or not I've come up with some pretty good free deals right here in Saratoga. So whether you live here or are visiting here and are looking for some fun, family friendly free things to do -- I just you covered!

1. Tours of the Oklahoma Track
The Oklahoma Track is where the horses exercise during the season and is part of the Saratoga Racecourse. The tour is led by Tom Gallo and sponsored by the Parting Glass Restaurant. They meet at 8 a.m. and will give a tour of the backstretch area where you will be introduced to some legendary horses and trainers while watching these amazing animals "workout". It's a great way and FREE way to get a behind the scenes look at horse racing, owning and training. You never know, you just might pick up a tip to use if you bet during the season. Reservations are required and can be made by either calling or emailing the Parting Glass.

2.  Breakfast at the Track

The Battle of Saratoga was one the most historically important battles of the American Revolution and a turning point in the life of Benedict Arnold. Within the park there are 4 sites that proved to be crucial in the fight for American Independence -- The Battlefield, The Schuyler House, The Saratoga Monument and Victory Woods and today admission is free.
So come and learn about the significance of Saratoga in the fight for American Independence.

I wanted to wish all the father's out there a Happy Father's Day!
We are off to Schuylerville to Clear Echo Farm, free farm tours and ice cream -- what could be better??

So what are your plans?

I just found a brochure for this year's Park Fest and it looks like it's going to be a good time.

*FREE CONCERTS by Soul Session, Zucchini Brothers and the Tequila Mockingbirds.
EXOTIC ANIMALS to be featured including red fox, baboon, large red tailed boa and others in an petting zoo.
*ICE CREAM EATING CONTEST sponsored by Ben and Jerry's for ages 5-8, 9-12 and 13 & up. Prizes and ribbons for the winners.
*CLASSIC CAR SHOW with trophies and prizes.
*PIG RACES -- Tons of fun watching piggies run around a track, snorting and squealing. (5 shows)
*CRAFT FAIR--Lots of handmade and homemade items from jewelry to food.
* BLUEBERRY PIE CONTEST-- Bake a great pie? Enter to win the Blueberry Pie contest. The first 10 pies entered in each age group will be used for judging.
*1K & 5K RUN-- The 1K will be held at 11 am for runner ages 6-13 and the 5K will be at noon for ages 14 and up. The first three finishers in each category will be awarded prizes.
And to top it all off there will be fireworks at dusk!
This is just a sampling of some of the the fun that will be at Park Fest.
Park Fest will be held on July 9th at Gavin Park on Jones Rd. And it's free admission.

Hope to see you there!!

We had an entire day to explore Vermont last Saturday.  We drove across the border and entered at Arlington, a picturesque village with lots of opportunities to take photos.  First we stopped at a local cemetery.  It might sound morbid but I like taking photos at cemeteries...they are full of history and local lore, not to mention peaceful.  

It was a glorious weekend for camping -- clear skies, cool temperatures and light breeze, which is also the perfect kind of day for a hot air balloon ride. Lake Lauderdale Campground in Cambridge NY hosted the 5th annual Hot Air Ballon Weekend in conjunction with the Cambridge Balloon Festival. The skies over Cambridge filled with balloons but we had a more personal encounter. At the campground balloon pilots set up and took off from the field which was just behind our campsite. Capt. Mike from Carried Away Balloon Flights offered a Saturday morning flight and evening flight and a morning flight on Sunday.

Lake Lauderdale Campground is located in Cambridge NY about 45 minutes from Saratoga and near the Vermont border.

A small campground with large sites which is family and pet friendly. 

 The sites include seasonal as well as daily sites. The site we had was was on a  corner near the entrance and across from the office. It was a very large site, which was good because it was close to the office/store and recreational area but bad because people camping on the hill behind us kept cutting through our site. Our camp site was also across from the playground -- again good and bad since sound travels across the open ground and we could hear the children playing and then crying when it was time to go home.

About an hour's drive from Saratoga Springs is the village of Sharon Springs, a farm town with beautiful rolling hills, green mountains with spectacular views and a surprisingly vibrant downtown. It was a glorious day with temperatures in the 80's, blue skies and billowy white clouds. When we got the there around 11:30 on Sunday the Garden Festival (which was one reason we came to Sharon Springs) was in full swing.

As we drove into town all the familiar landmarks from "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" (the main reason we came to Sharon Springs) greeted us -- The Beekman 1802 Mercantile, The American Hotel and the Black Cat Cafe all featured on the show.  We drove past the Mercantile and saw Brent standing on the front porch, greeting patrons and engaging them in conversation.  I was a little surprised and excited, I might actually get to meet one of the Fabulous ones!  After finding a parking place, which was surprisingly easy to do, we walked up the sidewalk toward the Beekman. It was a much smaller store than I expected but filled with all the familiar items from the show.


A Year Of Sacrifice
For those of you not familiar with the show "the Fabulous Beekman Boys" on Planet Green here's a little background. It's basically a fish out of water story of 2 city boys who move to the country here in Upstate NY and start a goat farm.  But it's also much more than that.  The show chronicles their ups and downs, not only with making a go of it on the farm, but also what this endeavor does to their relationship. Brent lives on the farm full time while Josh works in Manhattan during the week.  Their goal is make a million dollars during what they term their "year of sacrifice" which has now turned into two years.
One Hundred Percent Chemical Free and Handmade
We had ordered soap for my mother in law for Christmas and she raved about it so I wanted some for myself.  All the soap made at the Beekman Mansion is 100% chemical free and handmade from the goat milk gathered from the goats on the Beekman farm. The scents are representative of different seasons on the farm and for every month of the year and range from floral to more spicy.  I chose Summer which comes in a large bar and has an herbal scent and June which has the scent of mock orange.
I also picked up a housewarming gift for a friend.


Then it was over to the cajeta, a spicy, sweet caramel sauce made with goat's milk that comes in mild and habanero -- we decided on the milder version after trying a sample.  My husband couldn't wait to try it on some ice cream with bananas, which he said was amazing.  Since we've bought it I'm trying to come up with new ways to use it.  Maybe as a drizzle over brownies or truffles or even in a sweet and savory sauce for chicken.  I'll just have to experiment.
We also decided on some heirloom tomato seeds from Landreth, the oldest seed company in America.  We've already got a garden started and usually have too many tomato plants but the varieties sounded so interesting that had to give it a try.
We got in line to pay for our choices when we were greeted by Maria.


 "You two have been here before."she said.  "No, first time." we said.  She gave us both hugs.  "Well, I love your color coordinated shirts!"
We told her that we are ardent fans of the show and she said that the third season was in jeopardy, and they are not sure if they do have another season if it will be on Planet Green.  We paid for our purchases and headed outside to see if we would be able to have a chat with Brent.  He was warm and approachable.  I mentioned to him that I write a blog for saratoga.com and gave him a business card.  "We've spoken online," he said.  I have to admit I was surprised and touched that he remembered.   We chatted briefly and he wanted to see what we bought inside.  I told him I bought a "summer" soap for a friend who is having a housewarming and he offered to sign the wrapper.  He also shared a little secret to make the soap last longer -- cut off a small piece and keep the rest of the bar out of the water and it will last up to two months.  He then posed for a picture (I do not like having my picture taken but I had to -- it was Brent after all!)
During our conversation he remarked how much he loves Saratoga Springs, especially downtown.  I told him if they are ever in town let me know so we can meet up.  I mentioned that I saw a photo of the baby chicks on the farm.  He asked if we went on the farm tour and I told him not this time.  He said to be sure to get farm tour tickets for the Harvest Festival in September.

Beekman Mansion circa 1802


The Beekman farm is visible from Rt 10 which we realized when we saw a line of cars in front of it.  Josh was in charge of giving tours of the farm (we will be sure to get tickets for Harvest Festival so I can meet the other "fabulous" one), which included the barn full of chicks and goats and of course the famous (or infamous) Polkaspot the llama.  I guess we'll have to wait until September for the full report.