TICKETS: GOOD TIMES FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Another week brings another edition of Catskill Crew. The maple trees are turning and the colder temperatures are moving in. Fall cometh. The Camo Trout Caps sold out in 6 hours — that’s wild. If you got one, send a picture of you rocking it on the rivers or on trails (or wherever you may be). I hope they serve you well on whatever adventures await! Let’s get into it and I’ll see ya out there.

Catskill Crew has teamed up with Upstate Curious to kick off a new event series called Good Times for a Good Cause. The good times will bring us all together while the good cause will raise money for community causes, local non-profits, and mutual aid efforts across the region.

The first event is happening on Sept 21st at the Starlite Motel in Kerhonkson. There are limited tickets (because there is limited space) and 100% of those ticket sales will go directly to the Rondout Valley Food Pantry.

So grab a ticket, come hang out, sip a complimentary beverage by the legends from The Catskills Cocktail Club, eat some food by Eat Church, and help raise some funds for a damn good cause.

Bring canned goods for extra cool points. Dogs and kids welcome. If you don’t have a dog, you can walk mine. Hope to see you there.

SPONSORED BY OUR FRIENDS AT HOMESTEAD FUNDING CORP & POLLINATOR SPIRITS

I know we’re at the tail-end of the farmer’s market season but I was wondering if anyone wants me to put together a schedule for farmer’s markets? I’d probably just post it right on the Catskill Crew website and I can add a link somewhere in the Happenings section.

Just let me know and if they’re enough votes I’ll get it setup.

CONTRIBUTOR

Why hello again, Crew!

I was just delighted by your response to my first installment of the Garden Report; thanks for the lovely welcome! Some chimed in they’ve also used my cheap-beer-in-shallow-containers method for slug prevention. Someone cautioned from experience: Don’t let your dogs drink from the slug beer (which, yuck!! Also: My own unruly dogs are never allowed in my fenced gardens!).

One respondent commented upon how I must be “lucky” to be working with good soil. Like many Catskills growers I have had to navigate the fact of our rocky, often nutrition-lacking mountain earth. So my first years here, I established some beds using a “lasagna” method I’d read about: This meant a layer of cardboard to suppress weeds, topped by a layer of compost and/or top soil. This was topped by yet another layer of cardboard, followed by another layer of soil, and so forth (hence the “lasagna”). I hauled chipped wood between the beds for paths, which I occasionally replenish. I also try to fairly constantly restore my beds’ nutrition: In spring, I try to supplement with compost, and same in fall. And for weed prevention, around younger plants especially, I try to always put down straw mulch.

August Garden Report: My life this summer has been nonstop chaos and go-go-go, so, I admit I’ve neglected my garden somewhat. It’s a good time of year for neglect, though: Given my decent set-up and practices these days, the garden mostly grows abundantly without me. As a result of my general absentee-ism this summer, it’s become a fanciful jungle of squash and tomato vines and sunflowers. I failed to prune this year or other such fiddly tasks. The paths are unweeded. I’ve mostly just let it all ride. I’m also viewing my neglect this summer itself as an experiment, like, how does it all do comparatively without my pruning and fussing and whatnot?

In behaving this way gardening-wise, I realized I am inspired by a gardening book I love: The classic called The One Straw Revolution by Masanobu Fukuoka. If I may briefly summarize his thesis: Nature often knows a lot more than people. Brilliantly and succinctly, he advocates for an extremely hands-off style of organic permaculture (he was a horticultural scientist and farmer writing about rice and oranges). 

Am I just justifying my own laziness? Maybe! I’m wondering how this behavior on my part impacts yields.

Keep sending in your thoughts and feedback. I’m also curious to hear, if you want to share: What are your favorite gardening books?

Until next month,
Sandy Ernest Allen
(he/him)

Want to spread the good word about your business, a project you’re working on, a hire, or just want to say hi to 38,000 friends?

Meadowlark Festival — A three-day music festival September 12-14th at Stone Ridge Orchard that benefits Hudson Valley farmers — features Sunflower Bean, Haley Heynderickx, Cut Worms, River Whyless, Willi Carlisle, and more. The stage is a 1940s travel trailer situated under a centuries-old oak tree on a heritage apple orchard. For a limited time use discount code CATSKILLCREW for 15% off tickets. Click here to learn more and get tickets.

Ashokan-Pepaction Trout Unlimited Annual Stewardship and Fundraising Event is happening on September 13th at 7pm. Get a ticket for a Fall evening of Fun, Food, and Fundraising at the Phoenicia Diner. The food will be great and the company will be even better in the Catskill Mountains for an evening in support of conservation. There will be raffles and silent auctions that feature great prizes thanks to donations from local businesses. Get your ticket here.

Hart’s Upstate was created to share the best of made and grown goods from the Hudson Valley. Seasonally minded, they work with the region’s top farms and makers to gather our area's finest food products to deliver them to your door. Order the Gather Box for a light meal with friends or the Breakfast Box for a lazy Saturday morning over pancakes & eggs. Give them a follow on Instagram & comment CrewMember for 20% your first delivery. 

Foxfire Mountain House & Upstate Films present a magical evening inspired by Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel on Sunday, September 14th—featuring a multi-course dinner and an outdoor screening under the stars. Enjoy dishes inspired by the film’s iconic imagery and Old World elegance—complete with nods to Mendl’s pastries and classic European flavors. Choose the full “Grand Tour” dining-and-film experience or the “Zubrowka Express” movie-only option. Limited tickets available now!

SUNRISE 6:32 AM
SUNSET 7:17 PM
FIRE DANGER Low
AIR QUALITY Good
MOON Waning Gibbous

PROPERTY: An 1886 Victorian home, once the residence of the railroad engineer who shaped the town of Hamden.

PETS: Drumroll please… We have Ryder the hound mix, Magnolia the cat, and Cluck Kent the rooster.

SKY: The Epilon Perseids are a minor meteor shower that peak on September 9th. They are caused by debris from an unknown long-period comet. Due to the near-full moon, most meteors will be tough to spot. The ISS will also be cruising over on the 9th, reaching its brightest magnitude at 9:01pm.

SIGHTINGS: A rare Red-necked Grebe and Pine Siskin were spotted in the Catskills (I’m a getting deep into the birding world now).

QUESTION: What is your favorite restaurant in the Catskills?

PHOTOGRAPH: Diamond Notch & Misty Mornings

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Restaurant Kinsley, Kingston - Savor & Sound, a seasonal celebration of autumn flavors, local pours, and live music at 5:30pm make a resy

Salt Box, Kingston - Queer Kingston at 6pm

Avalon Lounge, Catskill - Shannon Lay, Shana Falana, and Meernaa at 7:30pm details

Camp Kingston, Kingston - Give It Up Group Exhibit at 8am this is fun

Community Theatre, Catskill - Launch Party for the Community Theatre at 5pm singin’ in the rain

Blackthorne Resort, East Durham - Catskill Mountain Thunder 2025 a multi-day motorocyle festival rev them hogs

Athens Riverfront Park, Athens - Greene County Cruisers Summer Cruise-Ins By The River at 5pm antique cars (they probably run better than mine does)

The Outlier Inn, Mountaindale - Outlier Concerts and Chosen Family performance take a gander

Mountain Top Arboretum, Tannersville - Yoga for Gardening with Pamela Martin at 3:15pm i should do more yoga

Tubby's, Kingston - Performances by Wombo and Shower Curtain at 7pm more info

Tinker Tavern, Woodstock - Unhinged Speed Dating at 6:30pm go meet someone

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - Concert with Alejandro Escovedo and his new album Echo Dancing at 7pm tix

Keegan Ales, Kingston - Grateful Duo at 6pm

Ommegang Brewery, Cooperstown - Trivia Thursday at 6pm

Laugh it Up Comedy Club, Poughkeepsie - Standup comedy with Harland Williams at 7pm details

Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill - Magic Show with Peter Samelson at 7:30pm more magic

West Kill Brewing, West Kill - Master Storyteller Jonathan Kruk telling tales of "The Catskill Witch & The Hudson River Dragon" accompanied on the guitar by Steve "Caffeine" Kellman at 5pm glorious

Roscoe Library, Roscoe - Town of Rockland Historian Dr. Joyce Conroy discusses the historica Dundas Catle at 5pm history nerds gather around

Bearsville Theater, Woodstock - Concert with Devendra Banhart at 8pm tix

Rough Draft, Kingston - Live Music with Pablo Shine Latin Jazz Band at 5:30pm get it pablo

Roxbury Arts Group, Denver - Catalyst Quartet at 7pm details

The Callicoon Theater, Callicoon - Movie Night: Spinal Tap at 7:30pm tickets

Catskill Forest Association, Arkville -  Fruit Tree Planting Demonstration at 10am love it

The Institute for Natural History Arts, Andes - Expedition Experiences, a two-day field class with Dr. Peter Capainolo and George Dante on Birds at 9am very cool

Wayside Cider, Andes - Special viewing of the film New Kingston, followed by a conversation with the filmmaker Kevin Bewersdorf at 7pm info

Ashokan Reservoir, West Shokan - 5K Run/Walk at 9am move it

The Kroeg, Rhinebeck - Ages 45+ Speed Dating at 12pm meet someone

Hawk + Hive, Andes - Opening Reception of Amy Masters: Interior Life at 2pm sweet

Glasco Firemen’s Field, Saugerties - Pidgeon Pennant: 19th Century Base Ball  at 11am good stuff

Thomas Cole National Historic Site, Catskill - China Painting Workshop with Cone Zero Ceramics at 11am make things

Bearsville Theatre, Woodstock - Benmont Tench (Solo) at 7pm tom petty

Catskill Brewery, Livingston Manor - Two Wheels 2 Journey – Destination Moto Meetups at 12pm have fun

Catskill Fly Fishing Museum, Livingston Manor - Saturday Fly Tyers Series with Mike Stewart at 11am tight lines my friends

Assembly, Kingston - Performance by Godspeed You! Black Emperor at 8pm tix

Skate Time, Accord - DJ and skate night at 5pm get it

The Widow Jane Mine, Rosendale - Subterranean Poetry Festival at 1pm sweet

Roost Arts Hudson Valley, New Paltz - Second Sunday Sketching Series at 4:30pm make art

Pearl Moon Woodstock, Woodstock - Drag Bingo at 5pm b-i-n-g-o

White Feather Farm, Saugerties - An Introduction to Wild Mushrooms at 10am get outside

West Kortright Center, East Meredith - Second Sunday with Hop City Hellcats at 2pm details

The Stable Gate Winery, Castleton-on-Hudson - The Harvest Hop Honky Tonk at 3pm info

Levon Helm Studios, Woodstock - Yoke Lore with Gracie and Rachel at 8pm take a look

Rough Draft, Kingston - Kids' Story Hour With Jason Vance at 10:30am kiddos

Athens Cultural Center, Athens - Exhibit of Goddess: Origins of Wonder read more

Brunette, Kingston - Brunette’s 10th year at 6pm congrats

Hectors Inn, Bethel - Paint Night at 6:30pm sip sip