From its humble beginnings as farmland a few miles outside of Plattsburgh in the town of Beekmantown, Beartown Ski Area was a “field of dreams.”
Under the direction of what was called the Council of Community Services, and through the work of many local supporters, Norris Reyell sold 99 acres of his land for a dollar and became the first manager of Beartown when the slopes were cleared and ready for skiing in the winter of 1958.
Now more than 50 years later, residents who grew up skiing at Beartown are bringing their children to the hill. The family-oriented environment is at the core of the not-for-profit ski area’s mission. Go out on any given day and the hill will be covered with children, some barely out of the walking stage, whizzing past on skis and snowboards.
One thing is consistent while driving through the area – apples may be big, but dairy farms are not far behind.
Cows are pretty common in our region, with several large dairy farms located throughout Clinton, Essex and Franklin counties. And almost all of the cattle are the familiar black and white Holsteins that dot the local landscape, preferred for the quality and quantity of their milk.
Cows are amazing animals; thoroughly domesticated and easy to handle, they are also efficient milk-producing machines. Every 12 hours their bodies convert a combination of grass, alfalfa, corn (shucks and all), grain and water into nutritious milk.
For Peg Barcomb, who lives in senior housing in Plattsburgh, going to the Plattsburgh Farmer’s Market a few times a season is a great opportunity to enjoy the season’s bounty.
“It’s wonderful to have fresh food,” she said, while picking out tomatoes at one of the last Saturday markets.
Although the farmer’s market has come to an end this season, there are plenty of fresh foods still available throughout the area. And there are plenty of ways to celebrate the fall harvest, too.
Not many North Country residents have ever looked out their front window and seen a Spanish galleon get caught in a storm and sink.
Or taken a small boat out to help a stranded mariner off a reef and almost gotten sucked into the engine when the pilot accidentally gunned the engine in reverse.
But these are just a couple of the memorable events experienced by lighthouse owner, Rob Clark of Champlain, and his family in their many years as owners of the Isle La Motte and Windmill Point lighthouses.
KEENE — Jennifer Vielleux stepped gingerly to the base of a 40 ft. ice wall at the rear of Adirondack Rock and River Guide Service, owned by Ed Palen and Teresa Cheetham-Palen in Keene.
It was 17 degrees. The mid-morning sun glanced off aqua hues of the fortress of solitude before her. She was alone. It was woman against ice and she was the first up at this ice-climbing clinic at the 13th Annual Adirondack International Mountainfest.
From its humble beginnings as farmland a few miles outside of Plattsburgh in the town of Beekmantown, Beartown Ski Area was a “field of dreams.”
One thing is consistent while driving through the area – apples may be big, but dairy farms are not far behind.
For Peg Barcomb, who lives in senior housing in Plattsburgh, going to the Plattsburgh Farmer’s Market a few times a season is a great opportunity to enjoy the season’s bounty.
Not many North Country residents have ever looked out their front window and seen a Spanish galleon get caught in a storm and sink.
KEENE — Jennifer Vielleux stepped gingerly to the base of a 40 ft. ice wall at the rear of Adirondack Rock and River Guide Service, owned by Ed Palen and Teresa Cheetham-Palen in Keene.