Summer Adventures

Hello, everyone! I hope your summer is going well! Things are busy at Pathfinder Village this week, with our regular Pathfinder Produce market on Thursday, from 1 to 5 p.m. Don't forget about our convenient online ordering option, open Friday through Wednesday, so that you can pick up your delicious produce on following Thursday. We also are going strong with our regular 21st annual Summer Concert Series. This week at the Pavilion we'll be featuring a new group, Betsy and the Bye Gons, on Saturday evening at 7 p.m.  The group will bring back the sounds of '60s girls' groups and other classic rock hits.  You can read more about our concerts on our website. The Summer Concert Series is a Decentralization Program.  These programs are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, which is administered by the Chenango County Council of the Arts, with support from Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.  The series is also made possible with funds from private donors, Stewart’s Shops Holiday Match Program, and WGY’s Christmas Wish. We're also hosting our fourth session of Camp Pathfinder-- many of our experienced campers are returning for a two-week summer visit. This is an exciting opportunity for young adults with developmental and other disabilities, and we always enjoy hearing about the many lively and fun adventures our campers go on while they're with us. *** This past week, my family and my brother's family had our own adventure, a trip to Niagara Falls and Toronto. For my son and my nephew, it was a new experience to see the Horseshoe Falls and learn about life in Canada. The highlight of Niagara was taking the trip behind the falls, and learning about the history of this natural wonder. Our trip was a short one, but we packed a lot into just two days. When I travel, I love to learn about other region's agricultural products and foodways. Driving along the shore of Lake Ontario, I was surprised by the number of orchards and vineyards we drove past; there were many wineries that touted their wares: Ice House Winery, Marynissen Estates, Frog Pond Farm Organic, etc. If wine's your thing, then I'd recommend a trip north!  (A brief aside: Hockey great Wayne Gretzky has his own label … but that's for another adventure!)
Another thing we saw on the way was a huge hydroponic commercial farm, St. David's. Started in 1985 by three Dutch immigrants, the company began growing European bell peppers using hydroponic technology. Today, the farm specializes in peppers and eggplants and has over 70 acres of greenhouses. They also pride themselves on community involvement and using sustainable farming methods. Our day trip to Toronto was focused on walking around the Financial District, the Harbour Front, and the Old Town. After spending lots of time in lines for the Falls the day before, we decided to pass on the CN Tower. We had a great time exploring around Rogers Centre (home of the Blue Jays), the Toronto Railway Museum (historic engines and cars, with a restored Roundhouse), and the Steam Whistle Brewery (a welcome break on a hot day). Everywhere one looks in Toronto, high rises are being built, so my inner historian kept looking for preserved, smaller, older buildings. The Old Town area didn't disappoint, and the St. Lawrence Market was fun to visit. Named as the world's best food market by National Geographic in 2012, the first public market was founded by Lt. Governor Peter Hunter in 1803, as a way to both draw people to a central market location, and to regulate hours, transactions, etc. The first market was a wooden structure, which was replaced by a larger brick market in 1831. The market website features an interactive timeline of important events and the evolution of the busy market. Inside, there are so many great products and produce items to shop for as evidenced by their online vendor list. During our brief walkthrough, I was impressed with how fresh everything looked, and although I'm not a disciplined shopper or great at on-the-fly currency exchanges, I thought the prices were reasonable. The market also offers family events that focus on cooking and baking classes, French culinary skills, and “Market Battles” where guests can sample the dishes of eateries that are competing in a themed cook-off (‘Smokehouse BBQ’ and ‘Skewered’ are this summer's competitions). Until next time, savor the flavors and explore the world through food! Lori