Inside this issue . . . Click on the title below to read the entire article, or scroll down to sample the issue.
Landis Wish List
Want to help Landis by granting a specific wish? Here are a few things on our wish list:
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From the Garden:
What Landis Gardeners Do to Beat the Winter Blues - Erin Breglia, Gardener Manager Winter’s frigid air may have gardeners wishing for warm sun and soil, but they are plenty busy during their off season. Before you are tempted to book a flight to the Caribbean, discover what a few members of the Landis Garden Club do to enjoy gardening all year round! [Read more] From the Meeting House Deck:
A Forester's Perspective -Ken Hotopp It's a cold, breezy November view from the Meeting House deck. The once red and gold hills against an azure sky are now starkly sullen, portending a time of gray and white. But this is just a beginning: a cleaning of the artist's palette, a clearing of the actors' set. Spring will eventually, eagerly, fill the canvas and re-set the stage. But let's leave the deck and walk a little before the sun sinks lower and the chill sets in. [Read more] Landis Portraits: The People Behind the Plants at the Arboretum
- Nolan Marciniec Mark Baptiste’s unique blend of folk music and classic American songs is familiar to concertgoers at the Landis music series. But the transition from cancer research to music is no doubt unfamiliar to Arboretum members, and indeed to all his fans. In 2007, Mark retired from a more than three-decade career that included not only medical research, but also work for the New York State Department of Health and teaching epidemiology at SUNY Albany. Since then he has had the time to devote himself to both writing and performing music. “Music is a lot more fun than epidemiology,” he said. [Read more] Marketing the Arboretum: Getting the News Out
- Gail Browning, Marketing Committee The Marketing Committee, chaired by Karl Gustafson, is continually brainstorming the most cost-effective manner to promote the Arboretum and attract visitors to this hidden gem. The George Landis Arboretum is now featured in many “I Love NY” promotions, including the “I Love NY” signs recently placed on I-88 that identify the Arboretum as a local tourist attraction. Landis is listed on page 59 of the 2016 “I Love NY Travel Guide” as a Central New York "Must See" in the outdoors category; a detailed description appears on page 81. Subscribers to the NYS DEC's “Conservationist” magazine receive New York's “Wildlife Viewing Guide.” Pages 98-100 recommend Landis as a good site to observe wildlife. [Click on the image to the left to visit Landis on DEC's New York Watchable Wildlife website.] These promotions, as well as a brief segment in the “I Love NY” TV ads, are all part of a collaborative effort among businesses and attractions in the greater Schoharie region. [Read more] Decorating with Native Greenery
If you missed this class at Landis with floral designer and long-time Arboretum volunteer and former board member Donna Vincent, you missed a good time! |
From the Director's Desk: Giving Thanks!
- Fred Breglia, Executive Director As we approach a new year, we look forward to the many opportunities ahead. We also turn our thoughts back to the projects completed this past year and give thanks to all of Landis’ friends who have made them possible. In the past year, The Iroquois Community Grant Program funded signage for the Ed Miller Native Plant Trail. These photo-metal signs with QR codes have been designed to complement this educational trail. Other grants awarded throughout the year included the Stewarts Holiday Match grant, which paid for our family-friendly nature education programs hosted by George Steele. We also received funding from the Schoharie County Tourism events marketing grant, allowing us to air multiple TV commercials through the summer about various events at Landis. A Community Arts Grant was awarded to help underwrite the popular Full Moon Music Series, enabling us to offer free admission to children 12 and under. Our biggest grant award came from the Environmental Protection Agency in the form of a Zoo/Botanical Garden/Aquarium (ZBGA) Grant. This grant allows us to continue our mission: to educate the public about trees and other plants and their importance in our environment. [Read more] The Oak Hotel
- Anita Sanchez This time of year, my garden and lawn are carpeted with leaves—not the orange and gold of autumn, but the dry, brown leaves of oaks. A lot of the Landis Arboretum is covered with the same brown rug. The fallen oak leaves will be there for quite a while—they’re a lot more durable than most leaves. They form a dense mat, damp and solid, almost as tough as leather. Pausing in the raking, I observe that every single oak leaf has holes in it. Big holes, little holes, pinpricks—all sorts of patterns of holes: the chewings and nibblings and gnawings of a multitude of insects. [Read more] Do Birds of a Feather… ?
-Louise Polli If we are talking about the Landis Arboretum and the Audubon Society of the Capital Region, yes, birds of a feather really do flock together.
The Arboretum continues to foster alliances with local organizations that have similar interests and missions. John Loz, programs chair and past president of the Audubon Society of the Capital Region, recently joined Landis Executive Director Fred Breglia and Board President Jim Paley on an introductory golf cart tour of Landis – the first step in a promising new relationship between the two organizations. [Read more]
Celebrate the End of the Gardening Season:
Butternut Squash Soup - Louise Polli This is a wonderful soup that uses two of our area’s best local products, apples and maple syrup. Enjoy! Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Peel 3 lbs. of butternut squash and cut into 1” cubes. (You could also try sweet potatoes or pumpkin for a different version of this soup.) Bake until the cubes are softened, about 45 minutes. Anne Donnelly shared her “easy-peasy” method for cooking squash: cut the squash in half, scoop out the seeds, and place the halves cut-side down in a baking pan in a 350-degree oven. Cook until soft and then cool. Use the squash in this recipe or store any extra in plastic bags for another meal or another recipe. If you prefer less knife work, you may favor this alternative. [Read more] Almost Time for Second Sunday Snowshoe!
If you have joined us for Second Sunday Snowshoe, you will be looking forward to the the new season. If you haven't yet participated, we invite you to join us. If there is no snow, the event leaders will take participants on a winter hike, and everyone ends up back at the Farm House for hot cocoa and good conversation. Second Sunday Snowshoe dates this year are January 8, February 12, and March 12. Members: $5 or member family $15; Non-members: $15, non-member family $25. Call 518-875-6935 or email [email protected] for more information or to register. You can also register online here using PayPal (small administrative fee).
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A Look Back in Time: Sharing a Musical Evening in the Farm House
We were charmed by this sketch of Fred Lape and Dr. Wilhelm Moser, shared with us by Agnes DeKay. Agnes and her husband Kenneth DeKay were great friends of Fred and Leland Loveland and shared many dinners, discussions, and musical episodes with them in the Farm House during the months Fred spent at Landis. |
A Winter Montage at Landis
Landis is lovely in every season, but there is something special about winter here. There is a stillness, a crispness, a sense of Mother Nature holding her breath. We invite you to join us here. And bring your camera. All of these photos were posted to the Landis Facebook page. When YOU take that perfect shot, we'd love you to post it to Facebook.
Landis is lovely in every season, but there is something special about winter here. There is a stillness, a crispness, a sense of Mother Nature holding her breath. We invite you to join us here. And bring your camera. All of these photos were posted to the Landis Facebook page. When YOU take that perfect shot, we'd love you to post it to Facebook.
Our Business Members, Sponsors, and Allies
We have good friends in the community that help the Arboretum in a number of ways.
Please consider patronizing our Business Members, Sponsors, and Allies!
We have good friends in the community that help the Arboretum in a number of ways.
Please consider patronizing our Business Members, Sponsors, and Allies!
THE LANDIS ARBORETUM NEWSLETTER is published quarterly for its members.
The Arboretum’s mission is to foster the appreciation of trees and other plants and their importance in our environment.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Erin Breglia; Chandra Burkhardt; Wilma Jozwiak; Lee Lattimer; Nolan Marciniec, chair; Louise Polli; and Ambika Sambasivan
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
Erin Breglia, Fred Breglia, Gail Browning, Ken Hotopp, Nolan Marciniec, Louise Polli, and Anita Sanchez
NEWSLETTER WEBSITE MANAGER
Wilma Jozwiak
PRINTER
Miller Printing and Litho, Amsterdam, NY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jim Paley, President; Wilma Jozwiak, Vice President; Nolan Marciniec, Secretary; Carolyn Edwards, Treasurer; Louise Polli, At Large; Ann Bevins; Karl Gufstason; Lee Lattimer; Jeanne Post-Sourmail; Ed Radle; and Earl VanWormer
ARBORETUM STAFF
Fred Breglia, Executive Director; Nancy Stuebner, Office Manager; Erin Breglia, Garden Manager; Corey Haynes & Eric Roberts, Groundskeepers
We value your input. Please address correspondence to:
Newsletter Editor, Landis Arboretum, P.O. Box 186, Esperance, NY 12066.
Phone: 518-875-6935, Fax: 518-875-6394
The Arboretum’s mission is to foster the appreciation of trees and other plants and their importance in our environment.
EDITORIAL BOARD
Erin Breglia; Chandra Burkhardt; Wilma Jozwiak; Lee Lattimer; Nolan Marciniec, chair; Louise Polli; and Ambika Sambasivan
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
Erin Breglia, Fred Breglia, Gail Browning, Ken Hotopp, Nolan Marciniec, Louise Polli, and Anita Sanchez
NEWSLETTER WEBSITE MANAGER
Wilma Jozwiak
PRINTER
Miller Printing and Litho, Amsterdam, NY
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Jim Paley, President; Wilma Jozwiak, Vice President; Nolan Marciniec, Secretary; Carolyn Edwards, Treasurer; Louise Polli, At Large; Ann Bevins; Karl Gufstason; Lee Lattimer; Jeanne Post-Sourmail; Ed Radle; and Earl VanWormer
ARBORETUM STAFF
Fred Breglia, Executive Director; Nancy Stuebner, Office Manager; Erin Breglia, Garden Manager; Corey Haynes & Eric Roberts, Groundskeepers
We value your input. Please address correspondence to:
Newsletter Editor, Landis Arboretum, P.O. Box 186, Esperance, NY 12066.
Phone: 518-875-6935, Fax: 518-875-6394