Ronald ‘Ronny, Ronnie or Ron’ Osofsky

Pine Plains — Ronald “Ronny, Ronnie or Ron” Osofsky passed away on Friday, May 13, 2022, overlooking the alfalfa fields from the home where he and his wife Kathleen raised their family. Born January 27, 1941, with a love for the farm and a desire to spend all of his time with animals made dairy farming an easy choice for Ronny. His parents, Helen and David Osofsky, raised Ronny and his three younger siblings on the “Home Farm” on Schultz Hill Road in Pine Plains. The earliest stories of Ronny include his parents having to fence in the yard to keep him from running to the barn. However, he quickly burrowed underneath leading to more extreme measures.
He graduated from Pine Plains Central School in 1958 and went onto the University of Rhode Island, where he studied Animal Science and made lifelong friends who enjoyed their time visiting the farm and enjoying Helen’s cooking. After graduating in 1962, he returned home to farm and to substitute teach at the high school. A favorite family story was the time that Ronny fell in the manure pit at the farm, and against his objections, the principal insisted it was still okay for him to come teach that day. The students in that room probably still remember the odor.
His parents supported his dream to start his own farm in the area and he moved a few miles away to ultimately milk cows in the more modern facility on Route 82. He fell in love and married a local girl, Kathleen (Cathy) Freney in 1971. They welcomed three children, Jonathan, Carey and Daniel, as well as some beloved Golden Retrievers over the next decade. This is also when Ronny’s interest in high-end dairy cattle genetics peaked. Investor cattle becoming popular in the 1980s, which brought an influx of interest to dairy farms in the Hudson River Valley. It also allowed Ronny to expand the scope of his business and passion for dairy farming, adding on farms, including a show herd at the old Eldridge farm on Route 199 and the purchase of the old Deleval Research Farm on Prospect Hill Road, now the location of Ronnybrook Farm Dairy.
Aside from his family, one of his proudest accomplishments was the breeding of the bull, Ronnybrook Prelude, who for a time was one of most popular in the world and sired record breaking cattle across the globe, going on to become a great influencer of the Holstein breed through his progeny. While he loved the farm and the lifestyle it provided his family, he always thought there was a better way to dairy. As weekenders moved to the area and land prices were rising, he longed to ensure a sustainable business model for the farm. After becoming friends with their new neighbors from the city, the two couples, along with his youngest brother Sid and his former wife Joan spent a lot of evenings imagining and designing what ultimately became Ronnybrook Farm Dairy.
In 1991, at 50 years old, he helped launch a whole new business and began on-farm processing and direct retailing to customers through farmers’ markets and retail stores throughout the tri state area. It started small, with a focus on milk in glass bottles for the local area, but quickly grew into a major brand in the New York City market. Ronny always listened to customers, which is how their label expanded to include a full line of cultured products, like yogurt, flavored butter and ice cream. Ultimately, his brother Rick and his children Kate and Peter returned to the dairy. The family and many long time employees have grown the business to new heights. There were personal challenges, including a year in the hospital leading to a heart transplant; health challenges for his wife, Cathy and a global pandemic, but the one constant was the help and support of his tight-knit family, lifelong friends and long-standing Ronnybrook employees that Ronny considered family. A true testament to Ronny’s character and likeability are the friends and family that showed up to visit, bring treats and help him for decades. A special ‘thank you” to care-giver and friend, Lisa Zayas.
While Ronny loved his role as husband, father, farmer, brother, boss, cousin and friend, his favorite role was “Papa” to granddaughters’ Grace and Tatum and grandsons, Jack and Ronan. He loved that his son Daniel became a key part of the Ronnybrook team and he enjoyed talking cows and farming with anyone who would listen, especially his grandchildren.
Ronny is survived by wife, Cathy; children Jonathan Osofsky, Carey (Brian) Alberg, Daniel (Jennifer) Osofsky; four grandchildren, Grace Alberg, Tatum, Jack and Ronan Osofsky; brothers Rick (Jean) Osofsky, Sid (Cindy) Osofsky; sister Freda (Osofsky) Sanderson; sister-in-laws Ann (Curtis) Simmons, Natalie (Zipp) Guernsey, and Joan Osofsky, along with many beloved nieces, nephews and their growing families
Ronny’s accomplishments were great, but none greater than being able to enjoy them from the fertile soil of his childhood, with his wife, their children and their families, and his faithful adopted dog Oliver by his side with his roots firmly attached to this area. Perhaps, the greatest gift he leaves us is the daily reminder of how much he adored each of us.
In lieu of flowers please consider a memorial contribution to the Ronald Osofsky Scholarship Fund, c/o Carey Alberg, 229 Fordham Road, Valatie, New York 12184. Or better yet, honor Ronny by telling a story, eating some Ronnybrook ice cream, calling a friend/family member, or simply wave to a stranger like he did many times in his life. To share a favorite memory of Ron, or to leave a message of condolence for the family please visit www.peckandpeck.net.
On Saturday, Sept. 6, from 12 to 5 p.m., Rock Steady Farm in Millerton opens its fields once again for the third annual Farm Fall Block Party, a vibrant, heart-forward gathering of queer and BIPOC farmers, neighbors, families, artists, and allies from across the Hudson Valley and beyond.
Co-hosted with Catalyst Collaborative Farm, The Watershed Center, WILDSEED Community Farm & Healing Village, and Seasoned Delicious Foods, this year’s party promises its biggest celebration yet. Part harvest festival, part community reunion, the gathering is a reflection of the region’s rich agricultural and cultural ecosystem.
Rooted in justice and joy, the event will feature over 25 local vendors and organizations, live performances, healing workshops, family-friendly activities (yes, there’s a bouncy castle), and abundant local food. And while the festivities are certainly reason enough to show up, organizers remind us the purpose runs deeper.
“This isn’t just a party. It’s a place to build the kind of relationships that keep our food system alive,” said Maggie Cheney, Rock Steady’s co-founder and worker-owner. “We’re creating space where farmers, growers, families, and community organizers can connect, celebrate, and support one another.”
Proceeds from the event support Rock Steady’s POLLINATE program for queer and trans BIPOC beginning farmers, as well as Catalyst Collaborative Farm’s food justice initiatives. With sliding-scale tickets from $5 to $250, the organizers aim to make the event accessible to all, including free entry for children under 12 and volunteer options for those who want to pitch in.
For those who’ve attended before, it’s a welcome return. For newcomers, it may just feel like coming home.
More info and tickets: rocksteadyfarm.com/farm-block-party
Waterlily (8”x12”) made by Marilyn Hock
It takes a lot of courage to share your art for the first time and Marilyn Hock is taking that leap with her debut exhibition at Sharon Town Hall on Sept. 12. A realist painter with a deep love for wildlife, florals, and landscapes, Hock has spent the past few years immersed in watercolor, teaching herself, failing forward, and returning again and again to the page. This 18-piece collection is a testament to courage, practice and a genuine love for the craft.
“I always start with the eyes,” said Hock of her animal portraits. “That’s where the soul lives.” This attentiveness runs through her work, each piece rendered with care, clarity, and a respect for the subtle variations of color and light in the natural world.
After painting in oils earlier in life, Hock returned to art when she retired from working as a paralegal with a goal: to learn watercolor. It wasn’t easy.
“Oils and watercolor are opposites,” she explained. “With oils, you build your darks first. In watercolor, if you do that, you’re in trouble.” She studied online, finding instructors whose approach clicked, and adapted to the delicacy of the medium.
“When I’m working, everything else falls away,” she said. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on in life. While I’m painting, time disappears.”
Her studio, formerly a home office, is now her sanctuary and the pieces in this exhibition are the result of three years of that devoted studio work. While this is her first full public show, Hock previously tested the waters at a small fundraiser at Noble Horizons, where one of her pieces sold. That experience — and the consistent encouragement from her family, especially her husband — pushed her to pursue a full exhibition. With gentle encouragement from her husband and family, Hock reached out to the Town Hall’s curator, Zelina Blagden. “My husband kept saying, ‘You’re as good as all those other people out there, why not show your work?’” And so, here it is.
All paintings in the show are for sale, though Hock admits a few are priced high — not because of their size or complexity — but because she’s not quite ready to let them go. “There are a couple I’ve priced high because I’m not sure I want to part with them. But we’ll see,” she laughed. “It would be nice to support the habit a little bit.”
As for aspiring artists or anyone hesitating to begin something creative, Hock’s advice is simple: “Go for it. If it fails, toss it in the basket and start over.”
The exhibit will be on view at Sharon Town Hall through Oct. 31 with an opening reception on Sept. 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
Carissa Unite, general manager of Oblong Books in Millerton.
Carissa Unite of Millerton, began working at Oblong Books 16 years ago as a high schooler. She recently celebrated her eight-year anniversary as the general manager.
Unite’s journey at Oblong began even before she applied for her first position.An avid reader from a young age, she was a frequent customer at the store. During those years, Unite bonded with a former employee who encouraged her to apply for a position after connecting over their shared love of reading.
As a teenager, Unite enjoyed reading Ellen Hopkins, John Green and Ann Brashares. With the busyness of adulthood, she now favors the convenience of audio books. In the past year, however, she has made it a point to read more physical books.
With a preference for contemporary fiction, she raved about “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The story, set in the 1980s, follows two women who become astronauts at a time when women were not widely accepted in the field. A beautiful love story emerges between the two characters. Unite described the writing as sensational and commended Reid’s ability to tackle complex themes without them being muddied.
Unite has developed a deep appreciated for classic literature. Her two favorites are “Giovanni’s Room” by James Baldwin and “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde. She was amazed by the philosophical nature of both words and the way their dialogue challenged her perspective.
In an effort to read beyond her preferred genre, she recommends the following:
“Some Desperate Glory,” by Emily Tesh, “Midnight Rooms,” by Donyae Coles and “Clear” by Carys Davies.
For Unite, the beauty of reading lies in its power to develop perspective, empathy, and compassion. Through books, readers learn that everyone is fighting different battles and no two stories are the same. She encourages people to choose kindness because you never know what someone else is facing.
Above all, reading brings Unite peace. If offers transcendence to another world, a pause from outside noise, and for Unite, it is where she feels most at home.
For anyone hesitant to being reading, Unite suggests: just do it! Read 10 pages a day and find the book that speaks to you. Any Oblong staff member would be happy to offer recommendations.
Oblong is located at 26 Main St., in Millerton and 6422 Montgomery St. in Rhinebeck.