If I was enjoying farming so well, why did I not give up my almost primitive method of farming, buy a tractor and new machinery, and transform the farm into a progressive dairy farm like those of my neighbors, with thirty cows and a milking machine and a new barn?
I didn’t do it for two reasons. One was that I saw my nearest neighbors, the Parkers, killing themselves by over-work on just such a farm. Looking at them, I saw the danger ahead if I made the change. I saw that the day of the one-hundred acre farm was over, except by a return to self-sufficiency. Successful modern agriculture is built upon machinery and specialization. It has no place for self-sufficient units like the farm of my childhood. Hard work is eliminated. Cows are milked by machines, plowing and cultivation are done by machines, weeding is done by chemicals. Diversity also is eliminated. The trouble is that machines and chemicals cost money, and a hundred acre holding will not in the end keep up with the cost of constant new machinery and replacement. A good tractor can easily service three hundred acres, which will support it. Plows and cultivators, harvesting machines, hay balers will also serve three hundred acres, but again a hundred acres will not support them with their constant upkeep and replacement. And by the time a herd of cows is fed by corn and wheat raised on the huge units of Iowa and Nebraska, that same grain having gone through several hands for profit, the profits to the hundred acre farmer in New York are lean. . . . . The other reason I did not change my method of farming was my growing dissatisfaction with the culture into which I was born, and a desire to isolate myself from certain features of it. My retreat to the farm in the thirties had been a first minor step. But the period after the Second World War saw perhaps the most complete development of commercialism the United States had ever produced. More and more money became the criterion of success. It produced reaction, the hippies, they, like me, rebels, but in their way, not mine. I was willing to accept responsibility, but not to the extent of forcing either democracy or technology upon the whole world, an aim whose value I thought questionable. We were for the moment the strongest nation in the world. The elevation went to the head of most of our leaders and politicians. Even such a well-meaning and often far seeing altruist as Norman Cousins was caught by it. We were the light of the future. It was our duty to lead all less fortunate nations, cultures, individuals, to our high standard. But high standard of what? Did we have enough to offer to make us that arrogant and that valuable to humanity? I doubted it. So I was satisfied to keep on running the farm in my own semi-primitive way. It offered me a healthy way of living with enough leisure time in which to write. As long as I did not try to make a thriving business out of it, it did not lead to exhaustion. It allowed me to live partially out of the mainstream of commercial hell-bent-for-success America. I was satisfied. Both Ken and Agnes had a keen interest in art, architecture, and gardens. When age and infirmity robbed Agnes of those pleasures, she was not resentful. After her husband’s death, she donated their collection of watercolor landscapes by local artists to Landis, which was sold to benefit the Arboretum. Agnes eventually moved to Pennsylvania to be near her niece Janet. She delighted in receiving the Arboretum’s newsletters, and Janet read them to her cover-to-cover. Agnes remembered the Arboretum with a generous gift after her passing. We reprint a portion of her obituary below:
Agnes A. DeKay, 95, died peacefully on Wednesday, April 1, at her residence in Pittsburgh, PA. Agnes was born in Warwick, NY, to parents Vincent and Veronica (Glowatz) Jurasinski. She was a graduate of the S. S. Seward Institute in 1942, and a veteran of the U.S. Army where she worked as a draftsman. She studied painting at the Art Students League in New York City and continued to enjoy painting and collecting art throughout her life. She married Kenneth DeKay in 1951, and the couple moved to Esperance, NY, where they met horticulturist and poet Fred Lape, who with LeVan Loveland, founded the Landis Arboretum. Agnes and Kenneth shared a deep love of nature and helped plant hundreds of trees during the nascent stages of the Arboretum, of which they remained lifetime supporters. Agnes and Kenneth would later co-author a biography of Fred Lape and his role in the history of the Arboretum, which can be found on the Landis Arboretum website. Agnes and Kenneth eventually purchased a home in Esperance, a pre-Civil War farmhouse with extensive acreage (now the World’s End Farm) where they enjoyed the beauty and solitude of the countryside for over 50 years. Agnes was a member of the Quaker Street Meeting House in Delanson, NY, before moving to Pittsburgh in 2014. An avid reader, Agnes donated over 250 large-print books to the Carnegie Library for the Blind and to the Vincentian Home library during the last few years. Great Oak Award
Sometimes service seems to run in the family. That is certainly the case for the Bevins family. Shawn and Ann began volunteering at the Arboretum over twenty years ago, after moving back into the area from Connecticut. They are regulars at plant sales, Shawn directing traffic, Ann cashiering. It was probably “natural” for their son Terrence to join in at plant sales and otherwise. Terrence and his father have been instrumental in completing the new Peace Garden. With this award, the Bevins family is recognized for many years – and two generations – of service. Volunteer of the Year Award Veteran runner David Roy and his S’cary Leg Runners have been involved with the Landis Perennial Forest 5K since its inception 14 years ago. Despite the formidable challenge of planning a competitive race in this year of COVID-19, David remained undaunted. He crafted a plan for a race that could be held safely. His plan included a limited number of participants, online registration, fully chip-timed processing, staged start times for small groups of runners, and other precautionary measures. This year’s race became one of the very few events approved by the regional authorities – and thrilled the race-starved participants. Carol, then already in her 90s, was an avid gardener and longtime volunteer at Landis. She instructed me to wear long sleeves, a hat, gloves, and plenty of sunblock. I learned a lot from Carol: always focus on the edge and if you can’t get all the weeds out, just weed around the plants in bloom. She was also a big fan of “deadheading,” removing spent blooms to continue flower production rather than seed. This was priceless information and really expanded the flower power in the perennial beds. The following summer, I enjoyed working with Viktoria Serafin at Glenbrook Farm, potting up native plants for orders. Hands-on experience, especially for gardeners, is an invaluable asset.
Anyone who’s gardened for a while has been given “pass along plants” from one gardener to another, evoking memories of neighbors, friends, or relatives who sometimes have passed along too. I have given away many plants over the years, and I have also acquired many that I love to see bloom year after year. The main ones at my home are the peonies and butterfly weed from Betsy Thompson and Betty Bergen, avid gardeners in the Capital Region. When I was looking for black-eyed Susans for my front doorway, I was gifted with Rudbeckia – and more! All of these plants are especially meaningful because of the memories they evoke. It’s the reason we offer flowers to that special someone, or as a gesture of comfort when one suffers a loss. Nolan Marciniec, an Arboretum trustee, told me, “I am fortunate to have a patch of my grandmother’s apple mint that is perfect for making tea; a bed of ‘Hyperion’ daylilies from my mother’s garden (an old 20’s heirloom that still retains its scent); and sea holly (Eryngium) from a friend’s garden in Lithuania. I have, from Arboretum colleagues, beds of mums in multiple hues and Rosa gallica officianalis (the “apothecary’s rose”): one cheers my spirits in the fall, the other in the early summer. And yes, I’ve passed along plenty of cuttings and seeds myself.” In fact, this year Nolan passed along some of his late blooming chrysanthemum cuttings to me. They were passed along to him by Florence Grimm, a longtime friend of the Arboretum! As a mother of two, I have indulged in passing the gardening tradition on to my children, planting vegetables and teaching plant identification. We are exploring the environment together, talking about what Nature is and why it matters, and hopefully nurturing future gardeners. Right now the boys enjoy finding bugs, seeing trees, and jumping in leaves best! Most important, they love to share their excitement for these activities with others, which I know is the spark that keeps the act of “passing things on” alive. In the midst of this global pandemic, a new awareness of the value of arboreta and other green spaces has been growing. When most daily routines came to a halt this spring, more and more people were seeking out Landis, not only on the weekends but also in the middle of the week. We saw more people than ever using the outdoor space not only for hiking, but also as an art studio, a performance space, and an outdoor classroom. While the number of our visitors has increased, managing the Landis Arboretum has been very challenging. Our 2020 calendar was packed with events including outdoor education programs, workshops, and concerts. Landis had to cancel or postpone most of the scheduled programs. This included our annual Spring Plant Sale, which is a major income source for Landis. We weren’t sure what was going to happen. The Landis Board and I met regularly but virtually to discuss our strategy to minimize the financial impact on the Arboretum. We took advantage of an online fundraising campaign, #GivingTuesday2. Our supporters donated generously in spite of their own economic uncertainties, surpassing our expectations. In addition, to continue our mission of nature education, Landis educators have been conducting virtual programs on Facebook Live and other platforms at no cost. Our Full Moon Concert series has been free of charge and entirely virtual this year. While adhering to the recommended health guidelines, Landis continued the maintenance and upgrading of the facilities with the help of dedicated trustees, volunteers, and members who gave their time and money to help. I’m proud to say we have completed the Emergency Shelter, as well as a good part of the infrastructure at the Meditation Garden. We also planted many new trees this season and will continue to plant more through the fall. In August, we launched an ambitious and successfully social-distanced 5K under the direction of David Roy, the race coordinator. Using all-online registrations and staggered heats and start times, this community event was a welcome one for sure. In mid-September, we were able to hold our Fall Plant Sale, again following safety precautions. Our gardening friends could not have been happier! Yes, 2020 has certainly been a challenging and often stressful year. We have suffered financial losses, but certainly we gained more in the loyalty and support of our members and friends. This issue also includes a new look at the life of the Arboretum’s founder in an excerpt from an unpublished manuscript by Fred Lape. We think you will enjoy his insight and musings.
We fondly remember Agnes DeKay, a close friend of Fred Lape and loyal supporter of the Arboretum, who recently passed away. Despite the exigencies of the health crisis, a lot is happening at the Arboretum. Fred Breglia brings our readers up to date in his “Director’s Desk” column. Other new articles include Landis gardener Erin Breglia’s celebration of the time-honored tradition of “pass along” plants. Anita Sanchez contributes another in her series of popular articles on nature appreciation, this time on seeds in autumn. And Gail Browning expresses our gratitude to Stewart’s Shops in “Spotlight on Sponsors.” Gardeners are said to be mindful of the past but to live in anticipation of the next season. We editors, too, take solace in the old but turn our eyes to the future, even in these trying times. We hope that this newsletter will help you to do the same. On Sunday, December 2, the Eastern New York Old Growth Survey Team searched for ancient trees in the 20 acres on the hill above the Farmhouse, west of the Great Oak. The team concluded that although there is significant old growth on the site, it has been disturbed and damaged in the 200-year history of European settlement. However, enough original and ancient trees remain to be regenerating an exemplary old growth forest. That forest consists of approximately 30% hemlock, 20% red oak, and 10% white oak, with most trees in the 250-300 year range. The Arboretum’s Great Oak was estimated to be 400 years old, the oldest tree on the Arboretum’s grounds. However, the team discovered an old stump in the 500-year old range. Other species that reached old growth status include black birch, basswood, sugar maple, beech, big tooth aspen, and ironwood. Other sites investigated by the Old Growth Survey Team include the Lisha Kill and the Albany Pine Bush, both owned by the Nature Conservancy, and Old Maid’s Woods, which is owned by the City of Schenectady.
According to forest botanists and ecologists, old growth is defined by 10 characteristics that describe the trees, understory, and terrain. One key criterion is that at least six large trees per acre must be at least 150 years old. Trees must be of a variety of all age ranges, from young saplings to mature trees. The forest must have a well-developed canopy, with a significant number of snags, downed trees, and woody debris. There should be an understory of small trees, shrubs, herbs, mosses, and lichens, all of which indicates a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. Human disturbances should be absent or minimal. When Columbus arrived in the Western Hemisphere, America east of the Mississippi was sheltered by a thick cover of tall, majestic trees – an ancient forest of grand dimensions that had existed for uncounted centuries. European settlers quickly cut down the trees to clear the land, converting it into farmland and harvesting the trees for timber, charcoal, and potash. In the 21st Century, only a tiny remnant of that virgin forest – less than 0.25% – survives. Many acres have regrown with secondary stands that can only approximate the once great forests. Most of these forest remnants and secondary growth are in national and state forest preserves; smaller tracts are owned by environmental organizations, private citizens, and timber companies. Old growth forests are valuable for many reasons, such as they provide habitat for a maximum diversity of life, including many endangered and threatened species. Because of their biological complexity and maturity, ancient forests serve as critical controls in scientific studies of forest dynamics. Studies also demonstrate old growth forests are efficient systems in removing carbon from the atmosphere, mitigating global climate change due to greenhouse gases. Remember: “If you’re not forest, then you’re against us.” The skies are blue, and hills rest all day
Like men at noon under a shady tree. The leaves have turned dark green, they hoard Their strength, no strong wind harms them. Boys swim under the big elm by the crick. Locusts drone in the trees; the swallows Gather on wires, and starlings in flocks Wheel over the meadows like curving hands. -- Fred Lape The lineage of the ginkgo tree makes the dinosaur look like a recent event. The Ginkgo biloba is the last living representative of the order Ginkgoales, a group consisting of about 18 members that date back to the Triassic Period, 300-350 million years ago – long before the Himalayas even existed. During this time, there were no trees on the earth’s surface other than the ginkgo. But there were many ferns – and this might be a clue to the ginkgo’s origins.
During the heyday of the dinosaurs, the Jurassic period of around 213 million years ago, the ginkgos dominated the earth. During the Cretaceous Period, 144 million years ago, perhaps as many as 15 ginkgo species were common and widespread in North America, Europe, and Asia. These trees began to decline about 65 million years ago, possibly as a result of the extinction of the dinosaurs who were important dispersers of its large seeds. Due to geological cataclysms, only a single species remained, Ginkgo diantoides, identical to the modern Ginkgo biloba. Ginkgos, the oldest living seed plants on earth, are considered to be one of the wonders of the world. Like ferns and conifers, ginkgos are gymnosperms that don’t produce ripened fruit; their seeds are protected by a fleshy coat. The majority of gymnosperms have both sexes on the same plant, but the ginkgo is dioecious, with separate male and female trees. The flowers are inconspicuous, taking about 20 to 30 years to appear. The female produces numerous ovules that resemble cherries when formed. The males produce pollen cones which resemble catkins. Pollen is distributed by the wind. When the ovules are pollinated, they develop into yellowish, plum-like seeds about an inch long, consisting of one large nut within a fleshy cover. If considering a ginkgo for your yard, be advised it may live longer than 400 years. It’s usually pyramidical shaped when young but spreads in old age, exhibiting large branches and a picturesque silhouette. Ginkgos are relatively fast growing, attaining a height of 100 feet and a spread of 30-40 feet. They prefer full sun to partial shade and moist, deep, well drained soils, but are extremely adaptable. They can survive in poor, compacted soils, various soil pHs, heat, drought, salt, and air pollution. The female ginkgo produces a foul-smelling fruit so landscapers recommend planting only male plants. But despite the odor, the fruit contains an edible nut used in Asian cooking. The ginkgo’s ancient beginnings give it a unique advantage. It evolved before any leaf-eating insect, so insects that mutilate the leaves of other trees won’t touch a ginkgo leaf. It is also resistant to disease, fungi – and even radiation. On September 1945, after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6th, trees and plants near the epicenter of the blast were examined. A ginkgo that grew near a temple about 1,000 meters away from the epicenter appeared to be the only tree that survived and was the first tree to bud out without any deformities. That tree is alive today. Thus the ginkgo is considered to be a “bearer of hope.” When Anne retired from her position teaching biology at SUNY Cobleskill in 2006, she vowed that she would not attend another meeting for at least a year. But that September, her friend and colleague Barbara Brabetz asked her to join the Landis Board in January. In March, Anne became chair of the Education Committee; in May, chair of the Communications Committee. Two years later, she was elected president of the Board of Trustees – and then, as circumstances would have it, acting director. Although Anne admitted that these years of many meetings were some of the most stressful in her life, they were for a cause she really believed in. Anne currently serves as the Arboretum’s volunteer coordinator.
Pat’s “official” introduction to the Arboretum came when he was working for the State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation. The detectives had received a tip that burglars might raid the Lape home for antiques while Lape was wintering in Mexico. Pat and other officers waited upstairs in the unheated farmhouse, heard the thieves break into the downstairs rooms and amass a collection of valuable furniture to load into their trucks – and then arrested them. Despite those difficult years at the helm of the Arboretum, retirement has given Anne the opportunity to botanize with “plant geeks” in Mexico, to raft down the Grand Canyon, and to study flora and fauna in Costa Rica. She and Pat do a lot of traveling in the US. Both boys are in Alaska – their daughter in nearby Glenville – and Anne has seven siblings, each of whom lives in a different state. Although Pat was brought up in the Bronx, he is most at home in the outdoors. He takes pride in managing the 16 acres of woodland on their property – “culling, nurturing, and designing,” he said. He pointed out that their woodlot includes a “champion” white birch, perhaps the largest specimen in New York State. Pat also works on the Arboretum’s Building and Grounds Committee. Both are anticipating celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Anne was an undergraduate at SUNY Oneonta and working in a bar, where she met Pat, a “dashing young” state trooper. They bought a “ramshackle” old farmhouse on 100 acres in Lawyersville in 1968 and have spent thirty years restoring it. Even after spending most of her life in education, Anne said that she is still learning from the people she’s met at the Arboretum. The Arboretum’s bog garden continues to fascinate her: it affords an opportunity for an eye-level view of such specimens as the pitcher plant, tiny orchids, and mosses. Both Anne and Pat encourage people to volunteer at the Arboretum. “No matter what mood you come in, you’ll be in a better mood when you leave,” Anne said. Pat added, “No matter what you do, you know it’ll be appreciated.” Both are optimistic about the future of the Arboretum and expressed confidence in Fred Breglia, the Arboretum’s recently appointed executive director. Both trust that another, younger generation will follow Fred’s lead and recognize the Arboretum for the treasure it is The Mettawee Theater returns to the Arboretum this summer! It once brought Pat and Anne Donnelly to the Arboretum. And they stayed.* *Unfortunately, the Mettawee River Theatre Company made the decision to cease touring in 2020. At first the farmer was bewildered. Then he remembered walking through the ferns and realized what had happened. He took off his shoes and emptied them of fern seed, and his family returned, for now he was no longer invisible.
Folk tales derive from many different sources, all impossible to date, but all agree that fern seed is powerful stuff. Shakespeare referred to fern seeds’ magical abilities four hundred years ago, but the legends are certainly much older than that. Fern seed can bring you luck, or cause your horse to cast a shoe, or help you converse with birds. Fern seed. I'll bet you've never seen any. That’s because the seed is itself almost invisible. You’ll need to be careful when walking through ferns lest you get some in your shoes. Of course, its magical powers will also help you find lost things, turn lead into silver, detect buried treasure, and generally protect you against spells, especially on Midsummer’s Eve. The other reason you might possibly not have seen fern seed is that it doesn’t exist. It's like hen's teeth. Ferns evolved millions of years before seed-bearing plants such as grasses and wildflowers, and ferns reproduce by means of spores. These dust-like specks are so tiny as to be almost invisible. Although an individual fern plant can produce millions, even billions, of spores, they can be hard to find. They’re carried on the fern plant is some very odd places. The spores of the maidenhair ferns are tenderly held in the very tips of the leaves, folded over a fraction of an inch. Lady ferns, wood ferns, and several other species have dark clusters of spores, called sori, in patterns on the back of some (but not all) of the leaves. Sensitive fern has its spores on a stiff brown frond that is apparently unrelated to the green part of the fern. However, they are connected by underground roots, and for many centuries botanists assumed they were two completely different species. Ostrich fern also has two different types of fronds, one green, one withered-looking brown which holds the spores. Christmas fern has a sprinkling of spores on the backs of some of the topmost leaflets, or pinnae. It’s easy to see why the ancients didn’t think of spores as the reproductive part of the plant. They’re withered, dusty brown clusters that look ominous, as though the fern has an insect infestation or an unpleasant and possibly contagious disease. But the brown powdery stuff is just spores--a sign the fern is healthy and reproducing. So when you go walking at the Arboretum, wander through the ferns and look for the hidden spores. Just watch where you step, and shake your shoes out when you get home. Just in case. Growing vegetables with young children is a great learning experience – to say nothing about nutrition and time spent in the natural world. It can teach your child valuable and long lasting life skills including project planning, patience, respect for living things, cooperation, discipline, and decision making, in addition to an experiential knowledge of biology and mathematics.
One of the easiest ways to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables in children is to involve them in the selection, growing, and preparation of these foods. Besides, gardening involves mud and water, and what kid doesn’t love that? Determine whether you will grow items from seed or will buy seedlings, and involve your children in the selection. While growing from seed is more economical, it takes patience, and often little ones lose interest along the way. It’s helpful to start plants that germinate quickly so your child stays engaged. Fast germinating seeds include radishes, lettuces, spinach, kale, peas, beans, cucumbers, and squashes. Plant things that will produce interest all summer, from flower to fruit. When the seed starts to emerge or a flower forms, get excited and praise your child for his or her “success.” Determine where you’ll plant. Talk with your child about the need for sun and easy access to water and, if he or she is older, about the miracle of photosynthesis. If you don’t have an adequate space to till or to accommodate a raised bed, consider container gardening. As long as the container has depth and drainage, it can be utilized. Also consider the need for a fence. There’s nothing so disheartening and de-motivating – to children and adults alike – than to have a garden eaten up by varmints. Set up a schedule for weeding and watering. Mark off completion on a chart or use stickers. Get your children their own set of tools and gloves to increase their sense of responsibility. Finally, identify some clothes that will be considered their “gardening clothes” or let them apply their creativity to t-shirts with fabric markers. Keep garden outings short and sweet. Initially, 15-20 minutes may be enough to fill most children’s attention span. Let them take photos or drawings of their garden throughout the summer to create a journal. They can share their garden’s progress with family and friends. Children can gain a sense of accomplishment by caring for something over time. When items are harvested, give them a place of honor at your table. Children are certainly more apt to try a vegetable that they have tended for the season. While cooking may not be currently in your child’s repertoire, simple recipes that you work on together will encourage healthy eating. If you have too much to use, children can learn compassion by giving surplus food to a needy family or food pantry. You’ll both cherish pulling those first carrots from the ground, or shelling peas, or brushing aside the dirt to reveal a bounty of potatoes. The seeds of knowledge you plant with your children now will endure into their adulthood. Landis would like to recognize the scouts for all their efforts on behalf of the Arboretum. Over the years, the scouts have been involved in many activities that have benefitted both the Arboretum and the greater community. Here is a sampling of the work the troop has been instrumental in carrying out at Landis:
Anne Jaster remembered her first visit to Landis more than twenty years ago. Arboretum founder Fred Lape invited Anne and her mother into the “unimproved” farmhouse – she noted the hand pump in the kitchen. On another occasion, she and Alpine specialist Kathie Lippett investigated the Quarry Garden, then overrun with sawgrass, and advocated for its renovation. As a “fledgling” volunteer, she did, as she said, more than her fair share of weeding.
Anne served on the Board of Trustees for six years and as its president from 1992 to 1994. Although she admitted that she is quite content “not leading,” she accepted the position because she saw it as an opportunity to bring structure to an organization she grew to love. Anne trained as an artist and taught art in both elementary and high schools. Her passion is botanical illustration, which she pursues in a variety of media. She has taken her talent to many places in the world, most notably to Chile and Paraguay, and she has shared her gift by teaching several classes in botanical illustration at the Arboretum. “Nature is art,” she reminded us. “If people really want to know a plant, they should draw it, see what it’s all about.” Her current project is a comprehensive illustration of the unique flora of the Pinebush, including the insects that feed on these plants, the most famous of which is the Karner Blue butterfly. Anne’s association with the Arboretum has been, she said, a mixture of both “privilege” and “pure affection.” She has had the opportunity to participate, first-hand, in the Arboretum’s history, working with Fred Lape’s personal library, as well as with his correspondence with horticulturalists all over the world. And there have been simpler moments of privilege too: one evening after teaching a drawing class, she was moved by the unexpected sighting of woodcocks in the gulley near the Farmhouse. Over the years, Anne maintained, Landis has met many of her essential needs. She would encourage members and volunteers to experience what she herself has found at the Arboretum: “the personal relationships that can develop, the learning activities that are always there, and, above all, the spiritual renewal that comes on a long walk” on the grounds. Trees have always had a special meaning for Vijaya. She grew up in India, and her home was surrounded by trees, pomelo and mango, guava and fig – and there was a huge “people’s tree,” where people gathered in its shade. She never lost her love for trees, despite her moving to the States and then to Africa and back to the States again, raising her three sons, working at a daycare center, and operating her “one of a kind” boutique in Cobleskill. She began to dream of birch trees. And birch trees will a signature part of the garden at the Arboretum. Already the Shanti Vun Meditation garden has a small pond, a bridge, and a pavilion in place and incorporates an existing labyrinth. Landscaping will take place in the spring, with the assistance of the Arboretum’s Horticulture Committee. A memorial stone to Vijaya’s father, Shri Darshan Lal Garg, and mother, Shrimati Kamla Devi, will be placed there. To be sure, it will include a grove of birches, each tree sponsored by an individual – “and when the wind blows the branches, we will all be dancing together,” Vijaya said. It will be a place for children to learn about nature: Vijaya believes that children are the leaders of the future. It will be a space for spiritual renewal. “Shanti Vun” means “peace forest.” Even in its unfinished state, it is drawing visitors to the Arboretum. Vijaya herself has come there to drum, or to watch the sun set, or, quite simply, just to be. She was encouraged in her vision by her friend, Anne Donnelly, and by her eldest son, Nikhil Kumar. She praised the Arboretum’s leadership, Jim Paley, Board president, and Fred Breglia, Landis’ executive director, for their role in making her vision a reality. The Shanti Vun Meditation Garden is “my main happiness,” Vijaya said. “I want to leave something behind when I’m gone.” Vijaya remembered that fateful meeting at which she presented her idea for the garden. “I was as nervous as a schoolgirl,” she remembered. She noticed the big birch in front of the Farm House with its outspread limbs. “Like open arms,” she said, “like a welcome.” A chance meeting, a cup of tea, a dream becoming reality. It might well be karma. Information about the Shanti Vun Memorial Garden and forms for sponsoring a tree are available at vijayasboutiquecobleskill.com
Warmer temperatures bring out the final performers, the grey tree frogs and bull frogs. The tree frogs are excellent climbers with short chanting trills, often heard high up in trees a good distance from water. Bull frogs, the largest of the frogs at the Arboretum, don’t really go “ribbet”. The closest to that sound would come from the pickerel frog which makes a snoring-like “ribbet”, but I’ve not found it at the Arboretum. The bull frog song is a drawn out “shhhhuggarummm”. Sometimes their calls become syncopated into a roaring rhythm of grunts.
By the way, it’s only the males that are singing. The songs are their way of saying to the females, “check me out, I’m so good lookin’,” attracting females to mate where tadpoles, sometimes called pollywogs, will hatch and grow. The young of peepers, wood frogs and toads grow quickly, often in short lived vernal pools, while the young of green frogs and bull frogs need permanent water bodies as it takes multiple years to transform from the tadpole to the land dweller.
This chorus is an invitation to explore the night, serenaded by these six species. You can further enhance your enjoyment with two exploration strategies. First, search for the glowing eyes of the American toads. When you hear the toads trilling, quietly approach their pond and shine a strong flashlight on the opposite shore. You’ll spot their eyes glowing like little sparkling diamonds. The second is a bit more challenging ̶ triangulating on a singing frog, the peepers being the best ones. You’ll need a team of three, each armed with a flashlight. Agree upon a frog that you’ll approach. With flashlights off, move so that the calling frog is between the three of you, then slowly close in on the spot. If the frog becomes alarmed and pauses, stop and wait. If you haven’t scared it off it will start again shortly. When all of you have closed in to where you feel the frog is, stop and turn on a flashlight aimed at that spot. If you have successfully triangulated it, you can watch it fill its throat sac with air as it readies itself for another blast of song. So go out and listen for the voices of spring, either on your own or here at Landis when you visit with your family.
Another great opportunity For the true plant-aholic who attends one of these workshops, there is the opportunity to preorder from the Broken Arrow website; Adam will bring the preordered plants for pickup during lunch. If you want to take advantage of this opportunity, set aside time to peruse their website to make your choices, because once you go down the "rare plant rabbit hole,” it will take a while to find your way back out. Be sure to carefully read all plant information, especially winter hardiness zones, because Broken Arrow also offers plants for Zones 6 and 7, but those specimens won't survive in our Upstate New York Zones 4 and 5. To make a preorder, first register for one or both workshops and request the Landis special event order code. Then, email your purchase list and the event code to [email protected] no later than June 20, 2020, so that Adam can reserve your plants. Adam will create a “sales pick-up” area on the Meeting House deck where people can pay for and pick up reserved items during the lunch period. The nursery does NOT require payment for the pre-ordered plants until the day of the lecture, and Adam DOES allow people to decline plants upon inspection since products viewed online don’t always look the same in person. However, please exercise restraint by limiting the list of plants to ones that you intend to purchase so that Adam does not waste his time or the space in the delivery van. Ten percent of all sales will go to Landis Arboretum as a fundraiser. In preparation for inviting Adam to lecture at Landis Arboretum, I twice visited Broken Arrow Nursery. Both times, I arrived as staff was opening the gate in the morning, and I left as they were closing the gate in the evening, but a full day was not enough to tour the grounds, take pictures of mature specimens, and examine all of the incredible plants for sale. The amount of material is almost overwhelming because the unique character of every plant requires a true horticulture geek to spend time contemplating where each item might fit in the home landscape. Visitors to the nursery might see a variegated-leaf Parrotia persica ‘Lamplighter,’ or a crinkled-leaf Morus alba‘Ho-O,’ or an extremely narrow oak with puckered leaves called Quercus robur‘General Pulaski.’ To help aficionados understand the techniques and challenges of propagating unusual plants, Adam will return in 2021 to lead a lecture and hands-on workshop about grafting and/or cutting for propagation. Participants will take home all grafted or cut specimens that they create during the event. Dates, times, and cost for the 2021 opportunity are TBA. Jennifer Cerutti, graduated in 2018 as an art major from Skidmore College, with a concentration in both graphic design and photography. She works as a designer for Price Chopper / Market 32; she also owns her own freelance agency.
Jennifer’s minimalist work depicts two huge white-tailed deer antlers with the rings of a tree. She chose white to contrast with the deep red of the Barn. Jennifer was intrigued by the “out of the ordinary” challenge of the project, as well as the opportunity to work with paint again. “Once I settled on my idea, the toughest part was actually getting it on the barn!” she said. “The texture of the wood and the paint brush wasn’t what I expected.” Jennifer reported that she stayed late at night to finish the mural using the headlights from her truck – and warming up in the truck every now and again. Executive Director Fred Breglia pointed out that the Arboretum’s founder had a great affection for the deer in the woods and fields around his homestead. Chandra returned to college at a “turning point” in her life to pursue “what made me happy”: art. She graduated from Hudson Valley Community College in 2018 with a degree in digital media. She said, “I enjoy the technical side of my art – photography, digital manipulation, graphic design, web design – as much as I enjoy getting my hands dirty with painting, sculpting, and, of course, gardening.” Chandra used a vibrant palette of deep black and bright oranges, yellows, and white, to replicate the monarch butterfly’s vibrant coloration. “I had a lot of challenges with working outdoors for about three weeks,” she noted, “from ladybugs flying into the wet paint, colder days and painting with gloves on, to rain cutting my workday short.” She said that her goal was to create something “iconic,” something that would help visitors appreciate the smaller things in nature – writ large. Visitors to the Arboretum may notice that many of our plantings encourage monarchs and other native pollinators. Lancaster has received many awards and honors for quality and safety, including the Association of General Contractors NY Chapter Excellence in Partnering Award and the New York State Department of Transportation's “Perfect” Bonus Incentive .
Lancaster also demonstrates a genuine respect for the natural beauty of its sites, making habitat remediation a priority for sensitive areas. Every job location also has its own emergency response equipment to respond effectively to any potential environmental hazards. Lancaster Development, Inc. has a long tradition of contributing to community organizations. We at Landis appreciate their sponsorship of our Perennial 5K Cross Country Forest Runs; some of their employees and families participate in the event! All of us enjoyed his company and his obvious enthusiasm for and knowledge of plants. He cruised the sale set-up, making sure the plants were looking their best. At some point, Peter would always borrow my pruners and retire to the dwarf conifer planting by the Library and happily trim away. Landis Portraits: A Series on the People Behind the Plants at the Arboretum
- Nolan Marciniec “I like to talk to plants, especially trees. People talk to dogs and cats, and they’ve figured it out. Trees have too,” said Peter Rumora. Talking to plants, especially trees, has been inordinately successful for Peter. The modest city lot behind his 1754 home in Schenectady’s historic Stockade district contains about sixty different specimens of conifers – as well as many other delights. He admitted that gardening is in his blood – “in my soul” -- and has been since he was growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania. His gardens (“my peace of mind”) have followed him from two homes in Dutchess County, to the Albany area, and finally to the Stockade in 2011. The Arboretum has richly benefited from Peter’s horticultural gift. Having heard Arboretum member Margaret Law mention Landis, Peter and his partner took a detour to the Arboretum en route to the opera at Glimmerglass. He met Fred Lape, the Arboretum’s founder, attended his first plant sale – and “got hooked” in those early days, sometimes volunteering several days a week. “What would I do? Sit home reading comic books?” he quipped. He has served on the Board of Trustees and the Buildings and Grounds Committee. He is a regular at both the spring and fall plant sales, usually bringing unique plants to be offered for sale. Peter has been a dedicated member and a volunteer for over thirty years. Peter’s work can been viewed in the conifer and wildflower gardens at Academy Park, adjacent to the State Capitol, a product of his work with a committee that celebrated the 300th year of Albany’s founding. Although he majored in education in college, teaching was not on his long list of careers, a list that includes working for the airlines and for a plumbing supply company in New York City. For most of his life, he worked on the remodeling and building of houses. Over the years, he’s witnessed many changes at the Arboretum. He recalled Fred Lape’s rather primitive greenhouse carved into the side of a hill – and how the man’s ambition and determination impressed him. He witnessed the development of the plant sale into Landis’ signature fundraiser – it was Peter who coined the phrase “Pick of the Pots” for the popular members-only pre-sale reception. He remembered the construction of the Raymond Greenhouse. He noted the coming and going of many directors. Now, Peter sees a bright future for the Arboretum and credits Executive Director Fred Breglia for moving beyond merely “take a peek at our trees” to embracing a wider sense of mission, including the various arts and educational events. Changes aside, Peter said that the Arboretum’s setting is constant. “Just that it’s there . . . ‘un-raped’ countryside”-- is reason enough for a visit. Landis, he said, offers a rare opportunity to “escape . . . and commune with nature.” Besides, he added, there are those plant sales! And plenty of opportunities to talk to plants. We operate by using a system known as photosynthesis, a process that converts light energy into chemical energy. Carbon dioxide and water are converted, using light energy, into carbohydrates such as sugars that the plant uses to grow. Fortunately, a by-product of this action releases oxygen into the air. Even some air pollutants are removed during this activity.
We take pride in the fact that our oxygen factory is totally environmentally friendly. Indeed, our strict production standards ensure that we are:
So remember us the next time you take a breath. It’s facilities like ours that keep you going. George Landis Arboretum – serving the community since 1951. Landis’ founder, Fred Lape, welcomed all to his farm to enjoy the grounds and the panoramic views. In keeping with that welcoming spirit and because of Landis’ geographic advantage, the Arboretum was selected over several other local possibilities to house an emergency shelter. Preparations began shortly after Hurricane Irene to provide emergency assistance to those area residents impacted by any future flooding. The shelter was built with the help of Federal, State, and Local monies. The Shelter was designed by Frank Gilmore of Stracher-Roth-Gilmore, located in Schenectady; Hoosic Valley Contractors is responsible for the construction. Construction is scheduled to be completed in May of 2020. The Red Cross will begin training Landis in emergency management to ensure that this vital community resource will be ready for action. In the event of an emergency declaration, the shelter will open its doors to a maximum of 18 people. The shelter’s position, nestled next to the Meeting House high above Schoharie Creek, allows for overflow from the shelter into the Meeting House’s central room. In keeping with this location, the shelter will have skylights and windows bringing in the beauty of Landis as it provides a short term respite to those in need. Although the shelter won’t have a kitchen, it will be stocked with Meals Ready to Eat and, if necessary, can be accessed by helicopter in the nearby field. There will be three restrooms, one of which will be handicap accessible. Our community members’ four-legged family members are welcome too and will be housed in their very own pet hotel. Hopefully, those in need of the shelter, both two and four-legged, will find solace at the Arboretum -- as so many visitors have done in the past. What is a ‘pollinator’? Pollinators are birds, animals, or insects that move pollen from the male anther of one flower to the female stigma of another as they search for nectar and protein rich pollen. The primary pollinators in our region are bees, butterflies, beetles, flies, moths, and birds such as the ruby throated hummingbird.
Why do pollinators matter? It is known that 80% of all flowering plants rely on pollinators for survival, including those we depend on as sources of fibers, beverages, spices, medicines, and most importantly, food. One out of every three bites of food we eat is made possible by a pollinator. Some crops, such as apples, blueberries and cherries, are 90% dependent on honeybee pollination. Increased yields and higher quality crops are also benefits that growers and consumers realize from a healthy pollinator population. How to encourage and conserve pollinators. Unfortunately, the overuse of chemicals, loss of habitat, and pollutants have created a devastating decline in many pollinator species. To reverse this trend many people are supporting pollinators by creating a safe habitat for them in the form of small back yard gardens. By growing a variety of flowering plants in large drifts, you can attract many different pollinators. Bees tend to prefer flowers, such as yellow dandelions, that they can walk on to sip nectar. Butterflies and moths need a place to land on the flowers that they visit, so they prefer broad, flat-faced flowers. Having brush piles, woodpiles, and areas of undisturbed soil nearby will also encourage pollinators to seek refuge and shelter in your yard. Plants that pollinators love. There is a strong correlation between plant diversity and pollinator diversity. Many plants in the mint and carrot family produce an abundance of nectar. Easy to grow plants such as dill, Queen Anne’s lace, rue, and spearmint also provide essential nutrients. Native perennials such as the native bee balm or wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), and coneflower (Echinacea angustifolia) are pollinator staples. These flowering plants will continue to attract pollinators to your garden year after year and need little maintenance. Buckleya distichophylla, commonly called “piratebush,” is threatened or endangered in its native range, which includes Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina. This plant is thriving at Landis, and botanists consider our collection as one of the best preserved. Buyckleya is unusual in that it is a hemiparasitic plant, meaning that it attaches to the root systems of other (host) plants with structures called haustoria and draws nutrients through them. Host plants for the piratebush at Landis include eastern hemlock, pine, and larch trees. The Soil and Water grant allowed us to remove invasive plants that have been steadily encroaching our Buckleya Collection. These include Lonicera tatarica (Tatarian honeysuckle), and Rhamnus cathartica (common buckthorn), both listed on the NYS invasive species list. L. tatarica is a perennial shrub that forms a very dense population which outcompetes and suppresses native plants. R. cathartica is a small deciduous tree forming thick hedges with long branches that crowd and shade out native shrub and herbaceous plants. The restoration involved Landis’ grounds man Russell Glass removing those invasive specimens one by one, carefully working with hand tools in order to avoid damaging the Buckleya. The funding also made it possible to purchase a protective fence and interpretive signs for visitors. Another portion of the funding was used to remove and contain invasive species in our wildlife and pollinator meadows. We used a brush hog for this, working late in the season to avoid any animals or ground nesting birds. The invasive species removed included L. tatarica, R. cathartica, and Robinia pseudoacacia (black locust). R. pseudoacacia is native to the southeastern U.S., but is considered an invasive outside of that range. Once introduced, black locust spreads easily, shading out other sun loving plants. In 2020, Landis will continue to solicit funds to keep our grounds and collections healthy and habitats thriving. Through grant awards, memberships, and the dedication of our trustees, volunteers, and staff, we will uphold our dedication to provide a native plant diversity for all to enjoy. The thing about spring greens is that you have to catch them before they flower. Once you see the flowers or the seeds, all the tender sweetness is gone, like bolted lettuce. As the plant flowers, the leaves change from a tasty mouthful to something very bitter. The plant is putting energy into reproduction and is “anxious” to keep from being nibbled. So it creates ill-tasting chemicals that help fend off hungry herbivores. Thus, for the true gourmet flavor of wild spring greens, get ’em while they’re young. Wild spring greens have a tangy, bold taste, so I like to blend them with store-bought lettuce to soften their punch. Beware, though, where you’re gathering: many lawn-owners apply poison chemicals. Forest Foraging When you’re collecting in the woods, you need to consider the environmental impact of removing plants from their native habitat. Most forest species are native and not very common. Some of the loveliest spring wildflowers taste great, but unless you’re on the verge of starvation, leave them alone. I’m all for enjoying foraging from the wild, but many native plants can be totally eradicated from the habitat. Leeks, for example, are a spring wildflower/wild food in grave danger of being eliminated by foragers. Ferns are another common foraging target, specifically the fiddleheads. The fiddlehead isn’t a type of fern, it’s a young fern, the way a sapling is a young tree. Ferns are perennials, and each year as they rise from the soil, the fronds of most species are curled in a shape resembling the curl at the end of a violin. Can fiddleheads be eaten? The answer is…sometimes. The fiddleheads of some ferns are fairly tasty, if a bit fuzzy. However, the fiddleheads of others (such as sensitive fern) are mildly toxic. So you want to know which fern you’re harvesting. You’ll also want to know what kind of fern you’re gathering as many ferns are increasingly rare. Some are on state lists of protected plants, some on federal endangered species lists. So enjoy fiddleheads sparingly. When foraging, please confine yourself to non-natives and leave the ferns and the other natives alone. And of course, please don’t forage at all in the woods of Landis Arboretum. From Pest to Pesto Garlic mustard is a pretty little wildflower with white blossoms. The leaves have a savory garlic taste, a fantastic addition to salads, quiche, and stir-fry. A lovely and useful plant, you’d think. But I spend a lot of time killing it. Ripping it out by the roots. Doing everything short of spraying a dose of pesticide on it. Why? I have an enormous tolerance for non-native “weeds,” as my undying love for dandelions shows. Why enjoy the dandelions, the clover, the daisies, and murder the poor little garlic mustard? It’s because garlic mustard is able to grow in shade while most non-native plants don’t, so they’re no threat to wilderness areas. Garlic mustard, on the other hand, will crowd out many species of woodland wildflowers and ferns. Even after the plant is completely uprooted and thrown on the compost pile, the flowers can continue producing seed. Uprooted, limp and dead-looking, they go on developing –living after death. It took me a few years to figure out why the garlic mustard grew so prolifically around my compost pile. So you have to throw the plants into the trash, then off to the landfill. Or, you could make pesto. The chopped and blended leaves of garlic mustard are delicious when turned into pesto. And you’re helping to remove a serious threat to the forest ecosystem. Win-win! |