‘Mud-pie’ roads, library moves, orchard closes

The following excerpts from The Millerton News were compiled by Kathleen Spahn and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the North East-Millerton Library.

November 14, 1935

Approves WPA Road Program For Dutchess

Herzog Passes on $498,370 “Mud-Pie” Projects in Townships

A $498,370 “mud-pie” road program for Dutchess County was approved last week by Lester W. Herzog, upstate WPA administrator. Part of the Works Progress Administration program to “get the farmer out of the mud,” operations will be started, on dirt roads in various towns as work is needed to relieve local unemployment problems. The program is designed to improve the roads sufficiently to enable farmers to get their produce to market at all times of the year.

In addition to the mud-pie program, Mr. Herzog approved other appropriations of $114,517 which included projects in the Towns of Amenia and North East and brought total allotments to the county up to approximately $1,560,000.

The new list of approvals include:

AMENIA - improve county road No. 17. $10,350.

WASSAIC - Improve roads, $4,933; community service program, $420.

NORTH EAST - Improve highway, $15,333.

November 11, 1976

Gift To The Library

(photo caption)

Cheryl Sullivan, president of the Nanny and the Kids 4-H Club, presented Mrs. Shirley Conklin and Mrs. William Gormley with a book entitled — what else - The Modern Dairy Goat. This volume is one of many to be moved to new library quarters on Main Street in Millerton next weekend. The staff of the Millerton Free Library will be looking for volunteers to help with the project, and they urge residents to keep the weekend of the 19th and 20th open.

Needlework Expert Has New Book On Market

LAKEVILLE — Martha Zimiles of Millerton, who has been a designer and teacher of needlework and a salesperson at the Designing Woman in Lakeville, is now also an author.

Mrs. Zimiles’ book, “A Treasury of Needlework Designs,” was published in mid-October by Van Nostrand Reinhold. It was promptly accepted by the cooking and crafts division of the Book of the Month Club.

Mrs. Zimiles found her ready stock sold out at an author’s lunch with the Embroiderers’ Guild recently at G. Fox. She has also spoken and given a demonstration at Bloomingdale’s in White Plains, N.Y. and will appear this Saturday at Bloomingdale’s in Garden City, L.I.

The author credits the immediate success of her book to the fact that the designs are printed in actual size, ready to be traced on canvas with an indelible pen without the complications of enlarging or reducing on graph paper and the needleworker’s being able to choose his or her own colors and stitches.

Designs are offered for items ranging from Christmas tree ornaments and dog collars to church kneelers and an area rug. They are set up so that portions of some illustrations can be used independently or combined with others, allowing for “at least 300 designs,” says Mrs. Zimiles.

The book is a soft cover edition, priced at $10.95. Any of its designs can be painted on needlepoint canvas to order at The Designing Woman, for those who do not care to do the pre-stitching work at home.

Mrs. Zimiles, who has been associated with the shop for two and a half years, says she had done embroidery as a child but had lost interest in it until, during a visit to Norway, she found herself kept indoors by torrential rains. When she decided to try needlepoint she taught herself the various stitches from a book. She now teaches classes in both needlepoint and crewel in Lakeville, and also has a class in Norfolk.

The idea for “A Treasury of Needlework Designs” came to her from an editor working with her husband, an artist who was writing a book on lithography.

The Zimiles live on Silver Mountain in Millerton.

November 8, 2001

Students Paint Fire House

MILLERTON — The meeting room at the Millerton Firehouse received a fresh coat of paint thanks to student volunteers from Webutuck School.

Elizabeth and Ryon Angelvich, Isaac Coon, Victoria Herow, Jennifer McGhee, Robert Stevens and Jennifer Zeis-Way passed up their usual Saturday activities on Nov. 3 for this community service project.

Last April, more than 30 students, staff and parents painted the walls and ceiling in the firehouse’s garage as part of “Christmas in April.” There was still a little work to be done and the students decided to continue in the fall.

Besides the meeting room, Saturday’s group completed the garage and the bathrooms. Student Assistance Counselor Tom Marshall, his son Jai and technology teacher John Roccanova worked along with the Webutuck volunteers.

Breakfast was provided by McEnroe’s Organic Market and lunch by the Round Tuit.

Want to Pick Apples?

Take a Tree Home

MILLERTON — A noted landmark in Millerton is getting ready to close, but those who have visited the Millerton Orchard to handpick apples can take a piece of history with them.

Bruce Sallinger, who has owned and operated the Millerton Orchard for a number of years, has sold the farm to a couple who plan to call the orchard home. However, they do not plan to continue with the fruit picking business. But tree lovers can still take a piece of the action with them.

The new owners, Allison and Henry Stolzman, plan to sell off favorite trees to those who are interested. Ms. Stolzman said she and her husband arranged with Bob Jasmin tree moving to help tree lovers get their favorite trees.

“Some people want specific types of trees, while others want the specific tree, their favorite,” Ms. Stolzman said.

According to Ms. Stolzman, this time of year is considered the best time to transplant trees once the fruit is picked.

“The moving season generally starts in early November and lasts into December, until the ground becomes too cold,” she said.

There is no short supply of trees since the orchard has a large number of them spread across its 68 acres.

Current economic conditions have reportedly made it very difficult for pick-your-own orchards, which is why the Stolzmans decided not to keep that portion of the farm going.

“We have to clear the land. So rather than cut them [trees] down, we are letting people know they can purchase them,” Ms. Stolzman said.