plan your visit june 7: hike, bike, eat, shop
VISITING MY GARDEN on Saturday, June 7 (or any other Garden COnservancy Open Day)? Make it a day in the country: Leave time for a woodland walk to Bash Bish Falls (above), a bike ride through gorgeous farmland, a farm-to-table meal (or shop our 28-vendor farmer’s market and take home your dinner ingredients). Details:
I’m blessed to live in a longtime farming community—lots of open land!—that is also home to the historic, 6,000-acre Taconic State Park and a major rail-to-trail recreational project that just keeps growing.
garden, plant sale, and lecture
- Garden open 10-4, with plant sale by Broken Arrow Nursery (details and directions);
- Wildflower lecture by Carol Gracie at the local church, 11 AM (get a ticket).
added attractions
Farmers Market: The Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market is open from 9-1, on Route 22 between the two towns (a few minutes north of Copake Falls). The market is in a barn in the Roeliff Jansen Park, itself a beautiful site for walking on trails mown through rolling farmland (above) .
Bash Bish Falls: Park at the Copake Iron Works (partway between my house and the village of Copake Falls, on Valley View Road) for an easy woodland hike along the Bash Bish stream, about 15 minutes each way, or continue to the falls themselves. Or just see the falls: Drive up the paved road from town (Route 344) to the first big parking lot, and follow signs for the trail.
Rail Trail bike or hike: The Harlem Valley Rail Trail, with 15 miles of scenic paved former railbed and many more miles of unpaved trails, is easy and spectacular for walking and biking. Spectacular—and you can access it right in Copake Falls, where you can even rent bikes at Bash Bish Bicycle (or bring your own).
Farm-to-table dining: In Hillsdale, breakfast (from 8:30) and lunch (11:30 till 2:30) can be had at David Wurth’s farm-to-table Crossroads Food Shop, featuring local ingredients. (And did I mention the baked goods, above? Oh, my.) Dinner starts at 5:30. At 2642 Route 23, just west of the traffic light where Route 22 and 23 intersect (5 miles north of Copake Falls).
Shop! In the same historic building at 2642 Route 23, Hillsdale General Store (open 10-6) blends vintage and old-style new goods for the home and garden. The ultra-light, drinking-water-safe hoses I use (always the most frequent question I get at my Open Days is, “What are those hoses?”) is just one of the temptations in HGS’s inventory.
Margaret,
I want to tell you how inspiring it was to visit your garden on June 7th. I needed a kick in the pants to remind myself why I garden for a living. The trip was well worth taking the day off work, to re-charge my energy for the rest of the season. I’m a self taught landscaper/gardener and look to people like yourself for inspiration and education. My garden assistant accompanied me and it was good for her to see what a successful garden looks like, and to re-inforce some of the things I’m teaching her. We took advantage of the Bash Bish hike and the Copake Farmers market too! I look forward to the August garden day. Cheers, Adrianne aka The Dirt Diva
I want to come! Is it an annual event? Too late for me this year, long trip.
Don’t be nervous, your garden will be adored!
Oh my, it’s June! I’m still working on those May chores and was it April that I was supposed to put down Plant Tone or am I not that far behind? However, still looking forward to visiting your garden, listening to Carol’s talk and isn’t there a little ice cream store in Hillsdale where they sell the best ice cream I’ve ever tasted? See you Saturday!