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At Letchworth State Park in Castile, N.Y. the trees have a secret: they whisper to those who listen closely, especially to those who might hear the world differently. This is where you can find the Autism Nature Trail, or ANT, the first of its kind in this country, perhaps in the world. Designed for visitors on the autism spectrum, the ANT is a one-mile looped trail with eight stations at various intervals, little moments strung together, allowing visitors to experience everything from stillness to wild adventure.
The idea for the ANT was born from a conversation in 2014 between Loren Penman, a retired teacher and administrator, and her neighbor. The two women were discussing the new nature center at the park and Penman’s neighbor said that her grandson, who loved the park, probably wouldn’t be able to enjoy a nature center. He had autism and at age seven was still without language and in a state of almost constant agitation. Her neighbor went on to say, however, that she had observed her grandson finding great calm at Letchworth, a state of being he couldn’t achieve almost anywhere else. Speaking to another friend with an autistic grandchild, Penman heard the same sentiment about Letchworth; it completely calmed her grandchild. What was it about this special place that soothed the spirit?
According to the research of Michael Terman, PhD, a professor of clinical psychiatry at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University, a concentration of negative ions produces a positive effect on human beings’ general well-being.
Letchworth Park is roughly 17 miles long, following the course of the Genesee River as it flows north through a deep gorge and over several large waterfalls. Full of these tiny, invisible particles, it’s like a natural prescription to help humans feel better, happier, and calmer. Armed with this research and many personal observations, Penman and two friends, Susan Herrnstein and Gail Serventi, reached out to Temple Grandin, a famous voice for autism and neurodiversity. Grandin replied almost immediately and became a consultant in the creation of the ANT which opened to the public on October 1, 2021.
Fast forward to October 2023. Penman reached out to me to see if I would write a song, an original “ANThem” for the trail. Penman and I met in 2010 when I was playing at a venue in Buffalo, New York. We’ve stayed in touch. She was working on securing a grant that would pay for the song, my travel, several school group visits to the park, and an evening performance for the public. Having never been to the park, I had my work cut out for me.
Autism diagnoses have soared by 175% since 2000. According to the CDC, the incidence of autism in 2024 is 1 in 36. Theories abound - environmental toxins, maternal infections, older parents, the rate of prematurity, and on and on. Little is conclusive, but more and more people are being diagnosed, perhaps due simply to the fact that there is more awareness, and that the “spectrum” is widening.
Throughout my years as a teacher, I have worked with children on the autism spectrum and what I have observed is that they seem almost unbearably alert to the world’s wonders and its dangers all at once. Crying is common, but not necessarily for the reasons that have come to be associated with tears- like sadness, grief, or pain - but more an overwhelm at the connection between joy and sorrow itself. The world is terrifying and mystifying and emoting as a way to try to comprehend it seems necessary. Music can be a great source of relief for children on the spectrum, a way to express the inexpressible, a way to alchemize the experience and mystery of being alive.
Grandin said, “The world needs all types of minds.” A slight alteration and “All Kinds of Minds” became the song. I arrived at the ANT early on the morning of June 5 and spent the day with students from Batavia, Mt. Morris, Perry, and Warsaw Schools, teaching them the song. The children ranged in age from kindergarten through elementary school and varied greatly in terms of how they presented on the autism spectrum. Some were nonverbal, using handheld devices that could “speak” for them. Some kids sang along, some shouted. Some cried, some laughed; all of them seemed intrigued by their surroundings, the guitar, and this new song written just for them. Under a bright blue sky, surrounded by ancient pine trees and waterfalls, we sang the chorus together, again and again:
I don’t know why
But I feel better by the water
And the deep wood pine
I can take my time
Cuz the world needs
The world needs
All kinds of minds.
To find out more about the ANT and to donate, visit: autismnaturetrail.com/allears/
Natalia Zukerman is Engagement Editor at The Lakeville Journal and The Millerton News. She also is a singer, songwriter and visual artist. Her cartoons appear weekly in The Millerton News.
Snakes in the Catskills: A primer
The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in collaboration with the Catskill Science Collaborative, presented “Snakes in the Catskills: A Primer,” the latest in its lecture series, on June 5. Presenter John Vanek, is a zoologist at the New York Natural Heritage Program in Syracuse.
There are thirteen kinds of snakes in the Catskills. Only two are venomous. Vanek defined the Catskills area as including the counties of Greene, Delaware, Ulster, Sullivan, and Dutchess.
John Vanek said, “Snakes are just amazing creatures. They are very misunderstood.” He added, “The more we understand about them, the more we can explain to our friends, you don’t have to kill them every time you see them.” He said humans have an “ingrained fear of snakes,” which he tries to help with education about snakes, starting with children.
He went on to say about snakes, “They can think. They have personalities that you can measure. They form kinships with other snakes and some snakes are good mothers.”
Of the thirteen kinds of snakes, the most common are Garter snakes. He said the females are bigger than the males as with many snakes who give birth to live young. They eat worms, small amphibians, and mammals.
Garter snakes have two yellow stripes and come in a variety of colors.
They can grow to two to three feet long and live in meadows, wetlands, and woods.
The Northern Water Snake can grow to three to four feet and live in streams and rivers. They eat fish and frogs. They are more common in the Hudson River Valley. Vanek said water snakes “have a temper,” and will nip you touch them. They are not venomous.
The Black Rat Snake grows to five to six feet long and lives on a diet of small mammals and birds. They love to climb trees and live on cliffs and ledges at the eastern edge of the Catskills. Met on a trail, they stand their ground and may rear up and hiss.
The Eastern Milk Snake hunts mice, small mammals, and other snakes.
They were mistakenly believed to drink milk from cows. They are in meadows and farms and are nocturnal.
The Northern Ring-Necked Snake has a ring on its neck and a bright yellow belly. It grows to about ten to twelve inches. They eat salamanders and baby snakes. They live in moist, rocky areas.
The Northern Brown Snake can grow to twelve inches. “They are known as “the gardener’s friend” said Vanek because they eat slugs, snails, and worms. There has been a decline in their numbers for unknown reasons.
The Black Racer is a shiny black snake that eats other snakes. Its numbers are declining in the Catskills. It grows to three to five feet.
John Vanek, is a zoologist at the New York Natural Heritage Program.John Vanek
Another garden helper is the Northern Red Bellied Snake. It is a small snake ten to twelve inches long. It eats slugs and snails. Its habitat is woods and meadows. To escape predators, it “flips over to show its red belly,” hopefully scaring them, and zips away.
The Eastern Ribbon Snake lives on the edges of wetlands. It can grow to be two to three feet and about as “thick as string cheese.” It eats salamanders and frogs.
The Smooth Green snake lives in meadows and bogs. It eats caterpillars, spiders, and other insects. It is about ten to twelve inches in length. Its numbers have declined due to insecticides and habitat loss.
The Eastern Hog Nosed Snake burrows in the ground and favors toads for its meals. There are a wide variety of colors. It can grow to three to fourfeet. It can puff up its neck in a “bluff display” which makes it look like a cobra which causes people to kill it out of fear. There are no cobras in the United States.
The Copperhead is one of two venomous snakes in the Catskills and can grow to two to three feet long and can be as thick as a golf ball. They are uncommon but can be localized. They camouflage well in leaves or on trees and are hard to spot. They eat frogs, small mammals, and cicadas. They like rocky outcrops and forests.
The Timber Rattlesnake can grow to four to five feet and is as thick as a baseball. They like rocky outcrops and forests. They eat mice, shrews, chipmunks, and other small mammals.
Rattlesnakes will sit along a scent trail, often a log, with their head up, waiting up to three weeks for a small mammal. Once they inject venom, they wait for the animals to die, follow its scent trail, and eat it, “with no fuss,” said Vanek.
“Fangs are like hypodermic needles and super fragile,” said Vanek. If fangs are broken, they won’t be able to hunt. “Rattlesnakes don’t want to bite us. Biting is a last resort.”
Vanek then mentioned safety measures if you are out walking in the woods.
“Leave snakes alone.” He emphasized. “Don’t pick up a snake.”
Do not step over logs because a rattlesnake could be waiting on the other side, head up, for its prey. Instead step up on a log or rock and look over before putting your foot down.
Stay on trails because there is less risk of meeting a snake. Wear long pants and boots and carry a cell phone with emergency numbers.
If bitten by a snake, the only first aid he recommends is “to get to a hospital.” Take a picture of the snake if you can. “The treatment for any snake in New York is the same.”
Timber rattlesnakes have been declining in numbers due to habitat loss and fragmentation caused by building roads.
If you see a snake, you can be a citizen scientist and photograph the snake. Upload a picture to www.iNaturalist.org or nynhp.org/contribute-data.
At Troutbeck, every meal is an experience, but Sundays have taken on a special charm with the highly anticipated return of brunch. Impeccably sourced, plentiful, elegant yet approachable, and immensely satisfying, the brunch menu reflects the essence of Troutbeck’s culinary philosophy. Available every Sunday, brunch complements the existing offerings of three meals a day, seven days a week, all open to the public.
The culinary program at Troutbeck is led by Executive Chef Vincent Gilberti, who honors the natural landscape through thoughtful and seasonal cuisine. “We launched brunch in February,” said Chef Vinny, as he’s affectionately known. “It’s been a goal of mine to add brunch since returning to Troutbeck as executive chef last year. Before my time here and before the pandemic, we had a bustling and fun brunch program, and while we’ve all returned to ‘normalcy,’ brunch was something we wanted to get back in the mix.” Chef Vinny hails from the Hudson Valley and brings with him a wealth of experience from some of New York City’s most celebrated restaurants, including Pulino’s, Battersby, and Dover. After a stint in San Francisco’s SPQR, where he honed his pasta-making skills, Chef Vinny has returned to Troutbeck with a renewed passion for the farm-to-table philosophy.
Troutbeck’s brunch celebrates the best of local and seasonal fare in an environment that is both elegant and welcoming. Said Chef Vinny, “We serve both in-house guests and our local community, which is very important to us. We love seeing familiar faces who return week after week.” Reservations can be made via the website at troutbeck.com/eat-drink/or by calling 845-789-1555.
Black Emmer Pancakes
by Chef Vincent Gilberti at Troutbeck
(This recipe highlights the local/regional purveyors where they source their ingredients. )
Ingredients — Yields 8 to 10 pancakes
1 Cup Black Emmer Flour (Wild Hive Farm)
1 Tablespoon White Granulated Sugar
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
½ Teapsoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Cup Sour Cream (Ronnybrook Farm)
½ Cup Milk (Ronnybrook)
1 Egg (YundWell Pastured Poultry)
4 Teaspoons Melted Butter
Vegaline or PAM cooking spray, as needed
Optional: Maple Syrup (Laurel & Ash Farm)
Seasonal fruits: Strawberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.
Directions:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix all dry ingredients.
2. In a second large mixing bowl, combine and mix all wet ingredients.
3. Fold in the wet ingredient mix into the dry ingredient mix in three increments (using 1/3 of the wet mix at a time). The batter should have a lumpy consistency.
4. Let batter rest for 10 minutes.
5. Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Spray with non-stick spray.
6. Working in batches, add pancake batter (1/2 cup) at a time. Cook until you start to see the batter bubbling (about one and a half minutes) and the bottom is golden brown.
7. Flip the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown, the pancake rises slightly and is cooked through.
8. Serve warm with Maple Syrup and Fresh seasonal fruit.
Nature-inspired exhibit opens in Sharon
The Sharon Town Hall is currently displaying an art exhibit by Pamela Peeters entitled “No Fear of Flying” until September 3, 2024. The exhibit opened on June 3 to celebrate World Environment Day.
The show displays work by Peeters, Allan Blagden, Zelena Blagden and Jean Saliter. Pamela Peeters has had a decades-long career as an environmental economist, sustainability strategist and ECO consultant, appearing on television and radio, sponsoring and leading environmental education programs globally and is recognized for her various artistic endeavors.
The current exhibit in Sharon Town Hall, featuring photographs by Peeters as the main attraction, contains several works from her “Elements’’ series, a set of 31 cards that feature photographs, meditative words and questions to reflect on that are meant to be viewed one at a time over the course of a month.
In an interview, Peeters said that a main theme of the exhibit was communication, not just with each other, but with the Earth.
“We have connecting points. We are the same,” Peeters said. “The energizing effect that the elements of nature can have on us are profound when one knows how to connect!” Peeters stated in a press release.
This is Peeters’s third exhibit in Town Hall, and she considers it a love letter to life and to the planet.
When asked if she had a specific piece that she felt particularly strongly about, Peeters said she has a deep appreciation for “Core”, a part of the “Elements” series and the last card in the work’s sequence. “Core” is a photograph of a lotus flower, something Peeters said holds plenty of symbolism for beauty, new beginnings and potential.
“It will take some time to listen to its wisdom and you can start with small steps, but once you get the affirmations that you are on the path of manifestation, you will understand that to be one with your core is to come home,” the card says.
Peeters also brought attention to the card “Pearl”, which features a detailed photograph of a water droplet. This card focuses on turning something negative into something positive, reminding how it is only through irritation that a pearl is made. “Elements” can be purchased as a set at www.myelementsdeck.com.
Peeters plans to hold a workshop this summer to go with the art exhibit. The idea only came when the artwork began hanging in Town Hall, so there are no definitive dates for it yet. Peeters is excited to work with the community and see the shape that the workshop will take.
When asked for any final remarks to share, Peeters replied, “When people will visit the gallery at the Sharon Town Hall next, they will discover how each of the artist’s unique relationship with nature inspired them to create their works. Perhaps that could be a bridge for their own “No Fear of Flying” relationship with the “Elements” that surround them! A journey worthwhile exploring.”
“No Fear of Flying” will remain on display during Town Hall hours until September 3, 2024.