8 ways to take in the fall foliage
By Melissa Hart
Here are some Ideas for short/easy hikes in the Adirondacks to best view the fall foliage and the brilliant colors this season
Melissa Hart
Melissa is a journalist with experience as a reporter and editor, combined with work for nonprofits. As the Explorer's digital editor, she serves as editor of Adirondack Almanack.(com) and helps manage the Explorer's website. When not online, she enjoys hiking, camping and other outdoors activities, and spending time with her husband, their twin daughters, and rescue animals -- two dogs and two cats. Sign up for Melissa’s newsletter
All Stories by Melissa Hart
Tots on the trail
By Melissa Hart
A blend of online community and real-life meetups, the Adirondack Coast Hike it Baby Facebook group has close to 600 online members throughout the Champlain Valley, from Plattsburgh to Lake Placid.
Farm2Fork Festival to move forward, contact free
By Melissa Hart
Annual Farm 2 Fork Festival will be held on Saturday, Sept. 5 at the San in Saranac Lake. This year’s theme is “Community is the Cure,” with a nod to the historical healing properties of Saranac Lake. The festival will feature online ordering that will be open through Sept. 2 at www.Farm2ForkFestival.com. Visitors order their picnic…
Hamilton County program connects residents to fresh food
By Melissa Hart
Farm fresh fruits and vegetables are a highlight of the Adirondack summer, but for those with limited incomes, this source of produce may be entirely inaccessible. A new offering at no cost to eligible seniors and individuals in need has been launched by a partnership of community groups this summer. The Hamilton Healthy Food Connections…
Emergency Food program nets $225k grant
By Melissa Hart
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic nonprofit AdkAction teamed up with Hub on the Hill commercial kitchen/local food distributor to put together emergency food packages (EFP) with a week’s worth of locally produced food and ready-to-eat meals. To date, over 2,300 food packages or about 35,500 meals, have been delivered to the doorsteps of…
DEC to open camping reservations
By Melissa Hart
Starting Monday, July 6, NYS DEC has announced it will open reservations for the 2020 camping season. Currently, all DEC-managed campgrounds are open for those with existing reservations. On Monday, campers will be able to book stays that will start on July 10 and later. Online reservations are recommended (click here) and walk-ins not permitted…
Moving past CAFOs: The need for local meat
By Melissa Hart
The Food Supply Chain System is Vulnerable In his weekly column, retired Cornell Cooperative Extension agent Richard Gast makes the argument that local meat should be a household staple, not just a luxury. He writes “America’s meatpacking plants endure some of the highest rates of workplace injury of any U.S. job sector. COVID 19 has…
Making the case for localizing dairy distribution
By Melissa Hart
By now, we’ve all seen the effects of a vulnerable food system. ANCA makes the case for a localized approach, particularly when it comes to dairy: https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2020/05/dumping-milk-while-people-go-hungry.html
Survey: Eaters look to buy local during pandemic
By Melissa Hart
Adirondack Harvest wanted to gauge people’s desire to source more food that’s locally grown and produced, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization posted a survey, which generated 162 responses. Here are some key take-aways: People were asked where they are buying local food (people could choose all that applied to them). About 70% of people…
Hub on the Hill launches online ordering
By Melissa Hart
The Hub on the Hill, a food hub/food distribution facility in Essex, has launched an online ordering system. The site — https://hubonthehill.localfoodmarketplace.com/Products — offers local food and products with the added convenience of home delivery, within 100 miles of its location in Essex. (Place orders by Monday and then choose a delivery day.) The project…