Through “Nourish Neighbors,” diners will feed more than just themselves. Two Millerton locations, Willa, and Harney’s Tea Room, pictured above, are supporting this initiative.
On the weekend of March 14 to 16, Tri Corner FEED is inviting members of the community to share a meal with their neighbors.
Fourteen local restaurants — spanning both Connecticut and New York — will be participating in the Nourish Neighbors initiative, encouraging visitors to “dine out and pay it forward” for the benefit of local farmers, food pantries and Tri Corner FEED’s Food Sovereignty Fund.
Participating restaurants include Panacea in Amenia, New York; Falls Village Inn in Falls Village, Connecticut; Deano’s, Mizza’s, On the Run, Black Rabbit, and the Woodland in Lakeville, Connecticut; Harney’s Tea Room, Oakhurst Diner, and Willa in Millerton, New York; Champetre in Pine Plains, New York; Sweet William’s and The White Hart in Salisbury, Connecticut; and Le Gamin in Sharon, Connecticut.
At these eateries, diners will have the option to “donate a meal” by way of a fixed or proportional monetary donation made at the time of their regular order, 100% of which will be passed along to Tri Corner FEED.
The fundraiser, conceived by Tri Corner FEED’s Community Advocates for Food Security, will advance the organization’s ability to address food insecurity by purchasing food at a fair price from local farmers and distributing it to those in need, according to Director of Food Programs Blake Myers.
“The food that’s grown in our communities should be accessible to those who live in them,” said Myers, continuing to note that even farmers themselves are often food insecure. “Their margins are so slim, and it is so expensive to produce things in a way that is good for the environment and for people,” Myers explained.
Although the bucolic junction between Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York is widely recognized for its relative wealth and affluence, Myers points out that up to 40% of people in the area make difficult decisions when it comes to food purchases, according to recent studies.
Exacerbating this issue is post-pandemic inflation, which has seen St. Thomas Episcopal Church’s Food of Life pantry in Amenia serving five times the number of weekly visitors compared to pre-pandemic numbers overall, including double the number of retirees.
While there is no shortage of energy or enthusiasm among pantry volunteers, funding remains an issue for small, charity-driven organizations. “Our numbers are still growing,” said fourth-generation farmer and pantry manager Charlie Paley, packing donation bags before a column of idling cars that stretched beyond sight. “What we really need are more donors.”
To this end, St. Thomas’ Priest-in-Charge AJ Stack describes Nourish Neighbors as “an innovative strategy” for raising both funds and awareness. Identifying a trend toward the positive perception of integrated, community-driven philanthropy, Stack believes that pulling local businesses, like restaurants, into such efforts is an effective way to reinforce that idea that “what we do stays within our community.”
“There is a huge need here, one that is only growing,” said Brigitte Harney, Manager and Buyer for Harney & Sons Fine Teas, who is hopeful that a novel fundraising initiative will help generate awareness. Alanna Broesler, owner of Millerton’s Willa, reported that there is excitement around the initiative, calling it “a great sign that so many restaurants are participating.”
“It’s almost like doubling the money that goes back to the community,” said Myers. By both encouraging patronage of local eateries and generating funds to make purchases from regional farmers, Myers said that this initiative “helps to build a stronger food system” on multiple levels. “We support businesses and farms, and we donate food to pantries,” said Myers, “so everything goes to the community.”
The rolling hills, quaint towns, and peaceful forests of the tri-corner area have been — and remain — an attractive place to live for a diverse range of people. From deeply-rooted multigenerational farmers to well-travelled artists, Myers believes that “everyone here sees something special about this area,” as evidenced by the “power behind our community-organized and supported initiatives.”
In line with the mission of Tri Corner FEED, Myer’s insists it is critical to maintaining the region’s allure and diversity that all residents be ensured the food security that leads to abundant, healthy lives. Others can contribute as easily as pulling up their neighbors a seat at the dinner table.
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.
