A FEAST

This edition is overflowing! I only have enough room to say: I hope you have a great week, you enjoy the read and I’ll see ya out there.

Mark your calendars — I teamed up with Wells BBQ and The Pines in Mount Tremper to throw a BBQ. What we’ll have: Brisket, smoked for 18 hours; ribs, falling off the bone; and sides, piled so high they’ll be worthy of the 3500 Club. Honky tonk music will echo through the mountains and we’ll be slinging ice cold beverages. Hope to see you there. Saturday, October 18th at The Pines in Mount Tremper from 12-4pm.

I’ve been working on a Canvas Crew tote bag for the last 3 months. Each time I get close, right when I think I’ve done it, I find a few small improvements. My goal is to create a bag that can carry everything from our precious heirloom tomatoes to our firewood — something durable and built to last. I’m getting close. I think.

FROM OUR FRIENDS AT UPSTATE CURIOUS

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Peaceful Escape with Lake Access Livingston Manor | 3 beds | 2 baths | 1,302 sq ft | 5.32 acres⁠

CONTRIBUTOR

Hi there crew folk, 

What a majestic time of year, leaves changing practically before our eyes. I’m busy doing lots, especially in my kitchen, trying preserve the bounty of harvest. Read: I’m dealing with tons of tomatoes. 

Some have asked me questions: What am I sowing this time of year? How do I extend my season? Do I have a greenhouse? Any other fall or winter gardening tips? All great quandaries for gardeners to be considering. This time of year I’m cleaning up beds as they become available. I’m adding compost and also, where I can, sowing cover crops. 

I’ll try to plant shallots and garlic soon. Some weeks back I sowed my final rounds of root vegetables and spinach and other cool-temperature loving greens — if not for harvest this year, next spring. Season-extension wise, I do find row covers and hoops can be useful for protecting kale for example later into fall. Or collards I’ve had survive all winter under a cover.

I do have a greenhouse but it needs repairs so is — ahem — open air at present. It also isn’t a heated greenhouse. When I first got it, I did try to sow a winter round of greens and such inside it, all sealed up. I was optimistic at first. When temps dropped below a sufficient point, however, growth stalled and yields were minimal. (“Persephone period” is the Greek-myth inflected term growers use.) I tired of trudging out in the snow to my sad few leaves of spinach and lettuce. 

I do aspire to repair my greenhouse and I could see someday investing in heating it, attempting year-round greens that way. Growing indoors under grow-lights is another option. I’ve indeed also attempted this. I find fast-maturing morsels to brighten a winter plate like lettuce and cilantro most rewarding in this case. But: Make sure your grow lights are powerful enough and your space sufficiently heated (if you’re growing in like a garage or outbuilding). 

Here’s my real answer though: I admit that I like having the break, when it comes to winter gardening. There’s plenty a gardener can do during these months anyway, like reading books or ordering seeds. I like getting out my notebook and pencil, mapping out a possible rotation for next year. But in truth — like my beds — I do need the rest. From the endless watering especially. 

More next month,
Sandy

Want to spread the good word about your business, a project you’re working on, a hire, or just want to say hi to 40,000 friends?

Catskill Crew teamed up with Keep Good Company Records to present two incredible nights of live music featuring Lost Leaders (Byron Isaacs of Lumineers + Peter Cole of Lava Baby) and rising Hudson Valley songwriter Ginger Winn. Catch them November 15th at The Falcon in Marlboro or November 21st at Park Theater in Hudson.

Return Brewing is presenting the Honky Tonk Market Weekend from October 17th to the 19th take a look.

Shandaken Inn will be putting on their Fall Festival on October 18th from 10am-3pm. There will be a beer garden, pumpkin patch, merchant market, and much more. Here are all the details.

CATSKILL-OPOLY Embark on an unforgettable journey through the Catskills Have some fun.

PROPERTY: 64 Acres and some great trail cam footage

PETS: Time to meet some new friends. Tator the dog, Bert the cat, and Pluto the ferret (I think this is our first ferret).

SKY: The Draconids meteor shower peaks on October 8–9th around 8:00 PM, originating from debris left by Comet 21P / Giacobini-Zinner, and typically produces about 1 meteor per hour, though it famously created spectacular meteor storms in 1933 and 1946 with thousands of meteors falling per hour. The Southern Taurids reach peak activity on October 9–10th at 8:00 PM, offering around 2 meteors per hour from the southwestern sky.

Catskill Crew is a free local independent newsletter. Your contributions go toward keeping the Crew going so we can have more fun and build more community. I appreciate any and all support my friends! - Michael

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FARMERS MARKET SCHEDULE

Catskills Lark in the Park - The 22nd Annual Catskills Lark in the Park is running through October 13th take a look at the entire schedule

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Live tunes with Los Microwaves, Rose Club, and Chaki The Funk Wizard at 8pm enjoy yourselves

Salt Box, Kingston - Queer Kingston at 6pm have fun

Rough Draft, Kingston - Night School Reading Series at 6pm read more books

Wayside Cider, Andes - West Branch Commons Benefit Dinner at 6pm love it

Athens Cultural Center, Athens - Intimate Reading: One Thousand and One Arabian Nights at 7pm story time

Tubby's, Kingston - Tunes with Helm, Chris Ryan Williams, and Mark Trecka at 7pm take a look

The Falcon, Marlboro - The Nest Sessions at 7pm more info

Saint Florian, Hudson - Neighbors Wine Dinner at 6:30pm grapes

Night School, Athens - Karaoke at 8pm

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez at 7pm tickets

Lost Book Shop, Delhi - Coffee, Wine and Chocolate: How to Think for Yourself About Health Research at 6pm learn more

Park Theatre, Hudson - Open Mic Night: Music & Literary at 7pm details

The Local, Saugerties - Music of the Arab World: Mohamed Abozekry Sextet at 7pm details

Kingston - O+ Festival taking place all weekend long schedule

Rockland House, Roscoe - Annual Sullivan County Audubon Society Dinner at 5pm birders

Homestedt Barn, North Branch - Grand Opening happening today and tomorrow congrats fam

Keegan Ales, Kingston - Unhinged Speed Dating at 7pm meet someone

West Kortright Center, East Meredith - The Mammals at 7pm enjoy

White Feather Farm, Saugerties - Music in the Barn at 6:30pm more info

Blackthorne Resort, East Durham - Catskill Mountain Maker Camp all weekend long love it

Bushel Collective, Delhi - Music of the Landscape: Ben Cosgrove in Concert at 5:30pm nice

Gavin's Inn, Cornwallville - 18th Annual Guinness Oktoberfest at 10am all weekend long

Camp Kingston, Kingston - Bad Art and Good Oyster Party sweet

Catskill Fly Fishing Museum, Livingston Manor - Fly Fishing Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony & Reception⁠ tight lines my friends

Skate Time, Accord - Mid-Hudson Misfits Jr Derby Bout at 6pm details

Maple Shade, Delhi - Maple Shade Hootenanny at 10am (today and tomorrow) have a good time

Belleayre, Highmount - Fall Fest (today and tomorrow) cheers

DVAA, Narrowsburg - Artist Talk at 2pm more info

Wild Ones, Wallkill - Deer Exclosure Workshop at 10am protect those gardens

Dear Native Grapes, Walton - Live music at 2pm more grapes

Meadowbrook Farm Catskill, Leeds - Beer, Bacon & Bourbon Festival at 11am nice combo

White Feather Farm, Saugerties - Pickled Mushrooms: Ancient Techniques and Modern Flavors at 10am learn stuff

Cavalli Hudson Valley, Catskill - Fall Festival at 4pm crispy

C. Cassis, Rhinebeck - Makers Market at 12pm have fun

Callicoon - Callicoon Art Walk details

Windham - Windham's 31st Annual Autumn Affair happening today and tomorrow get out there

Arrowood Farms, Accord - Oktoberfest Weekend good beer

Roscoe Mountain Club, Roscoe  - Campfire Cinema more info

Station Bar & Curio, Woodstock - Oktoberfest Mini-Flea local brats

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - 1990s and 2000s Dance Party at 7pm get after it

The Pines, Mt. Tremper - Shrimp Stock at 12pm more shrimp

Bevier House Museum, Kingston - All-American Ruins of Ulster County learn things

New Memories, Parksville - WJFFest at 5pm long live public radio

Roost Arts, New Paltz - Second Sunday Sketching Series at 4:30pm create things

Pearl Moon, Woodstock - Masquerade & Mystics Night at 5pm enjoy

Veteran's Park, Stamford - Arm-of-the-Sea Theater presents City That Drinks the Mountain Sky: Part Two at 1pm more info

Van Dusen’s, Lexington - The Moto Social Hudson Valley at 9am enjoy the ride

🦗