Category Archives: At Our Farmhouse

A Golden (Delicious) Memory

Posted on December 12, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Taste memories can be powerful — and unexpected. I experienced such a moment the other day, on a back-country walk near our house upstate, something I especially enjoy in the colder months, when the deer ticks are dormant, and the … Continue reading →

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Beware: Killer Deer! (Especially in November)

Posted on November 20, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews It’s November, and deer season is upon us… And in Dutchess County, NY, where the white-tailed deer population has expanded to ridiculous heights, it’s hard to say who is hunting whom this time of year…

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Spring Tonic: Cooking Up Ramps

Posted on April 26, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Kathryn Matthews “Do you want to come ramping with me?” Christopher asked.  It was a big deal for him to ask me, I knew, because my husband typically enjoys communing with nature—and this particular stealth pursuit—alone. Still. I found … Continue reading →

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Hudson Valley Foraging: Ramps!

Posted on April 25, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Spring has been a halting, chilly affair in the Northeast this year. Come to think of it, this describes most of the recent springs in our part of the world. But despite the Mud Season’s lack of … Continue reading →

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Charms of an Old Farmhouse: Basement Flood!

Posted on March 21, 2011 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews As soon as I saw my neighbor’s number appear on my office phone on the morning of  March 11, I knew what had happened: water in the basement! While old farmhouses have a romantic ring, and certainly have their … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Two Lawns

Posted on September 6, 2010 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Most of the time, from early spring until snow cover, my neighbor’s lawn would easily win a beauty contest with our’s. The reasons are simple: like many Americans, he is passionate about the look of his lawn, and … Continue reading →

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Corn, Simply (and Perfectly)

Posted on August 3, 2010 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews August is peak corn season in the Hudson Valley. We just had the “butter and sugar” variety from Gill Family Farm the other day, purchased at the Montgomery Place Orchards’ farm stand in Red Hook, NY, and it … Continue reading →

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Plum Delicious

Posted on July 25, 2010 by upstatedowntown

by Kathryn Matthews At end-July, local plums are top-of-mind. They’re things of beauty. Imperfectly round.  Smooth-skinned.  Typically purple, with subtle or dramatic variations, ranging from yellow and red-tinged, to gently lavender and midnight-blue. They’re not just good-looking…

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Year of the Plum

Posted on July 24, 2010 by upstatedowntown

By Christopher Matthews Fruit trees are great windows into the growing season. In fact, our trees are a primary way for me to process the weather for any given spring-summer-fall period. No year is ever the same, and the trees … Continue reading →

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