On September 6th, a senior group traveled to the Hortus Arboretum and Botanical Gardens in Stone Ridge. In the photo, co-founder Scott Serrano describes the fruit on his Dwarf Tamarillo plant. "Like an apricot," he said. He then gave Joanna a seedling which she is growing in her office at the Community Center. The leaves smell rather horrible, but we can see if it will fruit when planted outside the Center next summer! 

This tree is Heptacodium micronoides, also known as the Seven Sons Flower Tree. It's a late summer blooming tree and no trees are found in the "wild" anymore in its native origin of China, says co-founder Allyson Levy.

Joanna will plan another trip to Hortus next spring.

As recounted by Sharon Roth:

We took a bus with 14 senior citizens from New Paltz. Our Director drove the small bus. Not a school bus… we had lunch in the Apple Pie Bakery Café. The food was all made by students and it was excellent. I wanted the Spanakopita, but they were out. I asked for the apple ginger tart. All gone. I settled for the last cheesecake. With a small bottle of San Pellegrino. Yum. 

I asked a junior named Chelsea from New Jersey if she wants to become a sous chef after graduation. She said that that is not the first step. The first step is prep chef then executive chef. Then sous chef. Then main chef. She actually wants to become a chocolatier. 

It was a great day!

UCRRA Recycling Outreach Team Angelina Brandt (pictured left) and Eva Barnett (pictured right) held a fascinating and inspiring workshop on how to compost in your own home. They brought vermiculture and bokashi buckets to show and explained how easy the process can be if you know the basics. Even seasoned composters learned some tips.

Here Angelina is showing a bucket of active Red Wiggler worms.

Here is a video of Eva is demonstrating one way to finish a "bokashi cake."

Click here for UCRRA's booklet on bokashi composting.

Click here for UCRRA's booklet on vermicomposting.

Stay tuned for another indoor composting workshop this fall!

Join Ernest Masaaba, educator and child advocate, who is visiting from Uganda. He will discuss the organization AOET Uganda. https://aoet.org/uganda-locations.php. Through this organization you can sponsor a child from kindergarten through university and provide nutrition and medical support to the child as well as to their caretakers.

See flyer here.

Free wellness activities every Wednesday at Hasbrouck Park this summer!

Yoga, breathwork, and Dance Xross Fitness, brought to you by the Town of New Paltz Office of Community Wellness.

See flyer here or go to npthrivingtogether.org.

Wednesdays, from 10:00 to 11:00AM, July 9th through August 6th. (Hasbrouck Park. If raining, Redeemer Church.)

Wild Ones Mid-Hudson Valley is having its first fall native plant sale & bake sale!

These small plants, called landscape plugs, are less expensive than container plants and an excellent way to keep costs down while trying out some new plants. Plastic containers for the plants will be available, but you may wish to bring your own plastic pots as well. Plants are $4 each. Check or cash preferred, credit and Paypal available.

Species list: Anise scented goldenrod (Solidago odora), Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum), Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Culvers root (Veronicastrum virginicum), Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Jeana’), Golden alexanders (Zizia aurea), Golden ragwort (Packera aurea), Mountain mint (Pycnanthemum muticum), New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii), Orange coneflower (Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida), Sundrops (Oenothera fruticosa), White Wood Aster (Aster divaricatus). Proceeds to benefit Wild Ones Mid-Hudson Valley. If you have any questions, please contact wildonesmhv@gmail.com.

Saturday, September 13th, 12–2pm (Community Center)

Haven’t played Ping Pong in 30 or 40 years? Neither had we! But we got up to speed pretty fast and we have a lot of fun without being overly competitive.

We are always looking for a new players!

Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:45 and Fridays from 2:30 to 4:30. (Community Center)

The Gunks Cast delves into the people, places, and events that define our vibrant community. From stunning landscapes and endurance sports to local businesses and rich history, we explore what makes the Gunks truly feel like home.

Website here.

UPDATE: Organizer of the Quilting Bee is joining the folk dancers! (See Balkan Folk Dance in Classes.) Please email her with inquiries about future sessions.

Meet with others who make quilts and quilted clothing in a variety of styles and levels of difficulty and with all kinds of equipment, from sticks to fancy long-arm quilting machines.

We stitch, admire and gossip, and put on occasional short presentations of quilt techniques of interest.  Lots of free advice on tap.  Contact:  mauraz@duck.com

Temporary pause. (Community Center)

The SOS is an eight stage triathlon held in New Paltz, NY every September. Consistently ranked among the best adventure triathlons in the world, and among the most scenic, the SOS has become so popular the event sells out in minutes. Fewer than 200 athletes get to compete each year on the scenic highways circling the northern ridge of the Shawangunk Mountain Range and through Minnewaska State Park for a combination run/swim journey through some of America's most beautiful cross-country trails and spring fed lakes.

See website here.