Author: Fieldstone Farm Resort

Summer is the time of year when we enjoy the outdoors the most with hikes and explorations through some of the most beautiful rural areas around in New York State.   Ticks have definitely been a problem, but they shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the best of what the season has to offer.

Ticks are in the arachnid family (related to spiders) with two body parts (head and abdomen) and eight legs.  They do not jump or fly, but rather brush onto clothing or skin when you walk through areas with tall grasses.  They typically will start out lower on your leg areas which is why experts recommend wearing long, lightweight, light colored pants with bottom cuffs tucked into socks.  If you are out for an extended period of time, it is always good check for ticks on your body after you return – sock line, waist area, backs of legs, armpits, hairline, behind ears, etc.  A shower or bath at the end of the day also will help to remove any ticks that might still be on your body.

If you find a tick embedded, proper removal within 24 hours usually will prevent the chance for transmission of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.   According to the CDC, “in most cases, the tick must be attached for 36 to 48 hours or more before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted. Most humans are infected through the bites of immature ticks called nymphs.”

Click here for more information about Lyme disease from the CDC

Click here for more Tick Safety information from the University at Stony Brook 

Summer has finally arrived (not sure we really had a Spring season this year) and we are enjoying some hot sunny days at last. To make the most of the season, our guests might like to enjoy some time on the water!  Our area boasts two state parks and some wonderful areas for water explorations with easy access to canoes and kayaks for a morning or a day.  

Fieldstone Farm Resort has canoes and kayaks and fishing gear available for our guests to use around the property, but if you would like a day off-site, there are many wonderful places to explore, both by land and by water!

We are located only a short drive from the following state parks where you can enjoy swimming, hiking, picnics and more. (click the links for details):

• Glimmerglass State Park
• Gilbert Lake State Park

If you would like to explore one of the nearby lakes by canoe or kayak, you can rent them by the day and explore Otsego, Canadarago or Goodyear Lake or travel to some of our more remote and beautiful natural locations on the Blueway Trail (passive use only – hiking, bird-watching, fishing):

• Canoe & Kayak Rentals and Sales
• Ladybug Kayak Rental
• Sam Smith’s Boatyard
• Otsego Land Trust Blueway Trail Sites

If you feel like a day of fishing, try a charter for the day on one of the area lakes or rent some gear and find your own spot!

• CP’s Fishing Charter Service
• Boat rental companies may also have fishing gear available for day use
• A valid NYS fishing license is required for all fishermen ages 16 and older (available at any town office in the County).

Some of our local fish include:

• yellow perch
• brown bullhead
• rock bass
• largemouth bass
• smallmouth bass
• brown trout
• rainbow trout
• chain pickerel
• pumpkinseed
• bluegill
• walleye

Glimmerglass Festival celebrates 40 years with a great lineup of performances this summer!

View the full announcement here.  Excerpt below.

THE GLIMMERGLASS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2015 FESTIVAL

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. (July 7, 2014) -The Glimmerglass Festival has announced its 2015 Festival, which will celebrate the company’s 40th anniversary.

The 2015 Festival will feature Mozart’s The Magic Flute, Verdi’s Macbeth, Vivaldi’s Cato in Utica and Bernstein’sCandide. The productions will run in repertory in the Alice Busch Opera Theater on Otsego Lake in Cooperstown July 10 through August 23. These mainstage offerings will be complemented by lectures, concerts and other special events.

“A beautiful garden has both unity and variety,” Artistic & General Director Francesca Zambello said. “In planning our 40^th anniversary season, I wanted to employ those same ideas. Our season will feature singular works from four centuries of operatic history, unified by strong musical values and intensely intimate theatrical experiences in the Alice Busch Opera Theater. Along with many important debuts, the season will see the return of some of our most beloved artists from past seasons.”

Acclaimed bass-baritone Eric Owens will return as Artist in Residence, performing his role debut as Macbeth. As Artist in Residence, Owens will not only perform, but will work closely with members of the company’s Young Artists Program, the renowned apprenticeship for performers and directors. Owens earned critical acclaim for his performance as Stephen Kumalo in the 2012 Glimmerglass production of Kurt Weill’s Lost in the Stars.

The Cooperstown area has a new business this season!   Cooperstown Hop On Tours features stops at Cooperstown Beverage Trail locations in our region.  Their 18 passenger bus, creatively named the “Beer Slayer”, picks up travelers at convenient locations along the Route 28 Corridor and travels to a total of four locations during their four-hour tour which runs from 11am to 3pm weekends through June and then on a daily schedule beginning in July.  Cost per person is $50 and reservations are required.

Complete information is available on their website!

A new tourism website is launching next week (officially on May 1st)!  Located online at Smiles28.com, “Miles of Smiles” is a site to promote MicroAdventures for Families along the NYS Route 28 Corridor from Kingston to Herkimer, NY.  This new program, funded in part by the Market New York program and administered by the Hanford Mills Museum in Meredith, NY, will promote family friendly activities across tourism regions in upstate New York, particularly along or accessible from the Route 28 corridor.

The Miles of Smiles program is helping to promote the many wonderful things for families to do throughout our regions – places that are a short drive from their destination area – to enhance their travels and provide great family experiences.  The many businesses participating in the program benefit from a collaborative marketing plan online, in print and through social media.  Families are encouraged to share their ‘smiles’ with photos and comments to the site to keep the buzz going!