Spring 2008 - Columbia Land Conservancy

CONSERVANCY NEWS/SPRING/SUMMER/2008
SPRING/SUMMER/2008/CONSERVANCY NEWS
E D U C A T I O N & E V E N T S
Join Us for the 18th Annual “Unshad” Country Barbecue
For the past 18 years, every Memorial Day weekend,
CLC’s members and supporters have gathered to celebrate
rural land protection and enjoy good music, food,
and friends. On May 25th, the event will return to
Kinderhook Farm, where grass-fed beef is
raised on 817 acres of protected land. Loyal
attendees will notice a few changes to this
year’s events from past few years. For one
we are calling the event “Unshad” and
won’t be serving the shad or the roe.
Why “Unshad”
The Shad Bake without shad Well, it’s
true. In recent years, the number of adult
shad harvested from the Hudson has
declined by nearly 70 percent. The NYS
Department of Environmental Conservation
has instituted emergency shad fishing
regulations in hopes of reversing this serious
decline in the Hudson River’s shad
population. In an effort to do its part to help the shad
fisheries in the Hudson Valley recover, CLC has chosen
not to serve shad at the Country Barbecue.
We will, however, be serving a variety of farm fresh
food from local producers. CLC is proud to be a partner
in the Columbia County Bounty program, which serves
PLATINUM
Columbia Historic Homes
Metz Wood Harder
GOLD
Local 111 Restaurant
SILVER
Ed Herrington, Inc.
Gabel Real Estate
McTeigue & McClelland Jewelers
Old Chatham Sheepherding Company
May 25th is the date
for this year’s Country
Barbecue.
as a resource for both farmers and consumers looking
to make local food connections. For more information
on where you can find local foods, visit www.columbiacountybounty.com.
Entertainment and Activities
We’ve lowered the ticket price this year as
much as we can to encourage more people
to come and share in the experience.
Children will enjoy a variety of hands-on
activities including a petting farm, live
bird demonstration, kite flying, and many
other activities. Adults can participate in
demonstrations such as fly tying, stone
arch building, blacksmithing, and much
more. There will not be a silent auction this
year, but the band Too Blue will return to
provide great bluegrass and swing music
you can dance to. So put on some sturdy
shoes and come out and enjoy the party.
For information on tickets and a complete list
of activities and sponsors, visit our website at
www.clctrust.org or call 518-392-5252.
A special thanks to all the local businesses and
individuals who have contributed to the 18th Annual
Country Barbecue (as of April 11, 2008):
BRONZE
A.T. Promotional Designs
The Bank of Greene County
The Circa 1799 Barn
Columbia Tractor, Inc.
Country Gentleman Real Estate
Hawthorne Valley Association
Hudson Valley Appraisal Corp
Katchkie Farm/Sylvia Center
Kinderhook Bank
The Kinderhook Group, Inc.
LaVelle and Finn, LLP
MBH Farms
Park Row Art Gallery
Rapport, Meyers, Whitbeck, Shaw
and Rodenhausen, Attorneys
Richmor Aviation, Inc.
Ruges GMC
Taconic
Vico Restaurant and Bar
Windy Hill Farm, Inc
Participants in CLC’s education programs have the opportunity to visit our public conservation areas and learn more about the natural
resources they protect. CLC offers a variety of weekend and evening programs that are open to the public, free of charge.
Upcoming Programs
CLC’s free outdoor education programs reach over
3,500 children, adults and seniors, providing the opportunity
for people of all ages to connect with nature,
explore the rural landscapes around them, and learn
about land stewardship, forestry, and agriculture.
FATHER’S DAY FISHING
Sunday, June 15th - 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 pm. at the
Schor Conservation Area
Join us for our annual Father’s Day Fishing event.
This catch and release program is a great way to learn
how to fish or develop your fishing skills.
WATER CHESTNUT: TAKE IT OUT BEFORE IT
TAKES OVER!
Friday, June 27th-10:00 a.m. – 2:00 pm. at the Schor
Conservation Area
Saturday, June 28th - 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the
Ooms Conservation Area at Sutherland Pond
The densely growing water chestnut can effectively
choke a body of water. Come join us for an educational
program and workday on the water as we remove this
non-native, invasive species.
CLC partnered with Claudia and Conrad Vispo of the Farmscape
Ecology Program to explore some of the County’s public lands.
E D U C A T I O N & E V E N T S
FARM ECOLOGY WALKS
First Saturday of the month June through October
2 p.m. at the Hawthorne Valley Farm Store.
Hosted by Hawthorne Valley’s Farmscape Ecology
Program, CLC a proud to co-sponsor this series which
will examine the variety of flora and fauna at
Hawthorne Valley Farm. For information on this series
call (518) 781-0243 or e-mail fep@hawthornevalleyfarm.org.
All programs are free of charge thanks to support from
the T. Backer Fund, the Mellam Family Foundation,
and hundreds of individual supporters. For more information
contact Jenny Brinker at 518-392-5252 ext. 210
or jenny@clctrust.org.
Kinderhook Farm will host this year’s 18th annual Country Barbecue which will offer entertainment and exhibitions for people of
all ages. Local foods will be the centerpiece of this annual celebration of conservation and working landscapes in Columbia County.
Building nest boxes for Bluebirds has become a spring tradition
at CLC. This year, 45 participants including two scouting groups
spent an afternoon at our workshop. People can either bring
their boxes home or donate them to be placed at one of our
public conservation areas.
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