Sisters Hill Farm up for sale, CSA operation faces uncertainty

Shareholders of the Sisters Hill Farm Community-Supported Agriculture operation gather after the recent July 4 garlic harvest at the Stanfordville farm.
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Shareholders of the Sisters Hill Farm Community-Supported Agriculture operation gather after the recent July 4 garlic harvest at the Stanfordville farm.
STANFORDVILLE — Sisters Hill Farm, a Stanfordville property owned by Sisters of Charity of New York, is up for sale.
“We have made the difficult decision to offer our entire property, including Sisters Hill Farm, for sale,” a Sisters of Charity representative said in an email.
The announcement did not include details about the asking price or a public listing.
Sisters Hill Farm is located just east of Route 82. The property, known as Hill Crest Farm in the early twentieth century, was willed to the sisters in 1917. They hired David Hambleton in 1999 to manage the farm. The farm’s community-supported agriculture (CSA) program has grown from 40 members to over 400 under Hambleton’s leadership.
Shares in the CSA entitle members to part of a weekly vegetable harvest — anywhere from 4 to 20 pounds per week — from late May to early November. Payment works on an income-dependent sliding scale, and 10% of the harvest goes to families in need.
For the Sisters of Charity, the farm’s sale is part of a plan to “bring the congregation to completion.” In 2023, a lack of new members forced the Sisters of Charity of New York to announce plans to wind down the congregation. The Sisters Hill news comes as harvest season is picking up steam. Earlier this month, CSA members took part in the annual July 4 garlic harvest.
“We fully intend to complete the current farming season,” the organization said over email. “The farm will continue to operate as planned throughout this season.”
“We are grateful for the many individuals, families, volunteers, and supporters who have contributed to the success of Sisters Hill Farm over the years,” the statement continued, “and we remain optimistic that its mission of stewardship and service will endure.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to Farmer Dave for his many years of faithful and dedicated service.”
Hambleton declined to comment on the proposed sale, but he did add a note at the end of Sisters Hill’s press release that made the announcement.
“I’m sure you have many questions, and I do as well,” Hambleton wrote. “I’m still processing this.”
“Our mission is to grow healthy food,” he added, “but it’s also about bringing people together.
“It’s about getting people to eat in-season, understanding climate change and the effects it has on our ability to feed ourselves. Members of this farm really get to know what seasonal produce is all about. They get to know their neighbors and community members and make new friends.”
When the Sisters of Charity of New York close their doors, it will mark the end of more than 200 years of service to the poor. The New York chapter began in 1817 as an orphanage, but its early focus on caring for orphans and educating children quickly expanded.
In the time since, the order expanded into advocacy for the homeless, civil rights, immigrants, and senior citizens; education at all levels; pastoral ministry; and peace.
Patrick L. Sullivan
This fish took a Wooly Bugger in basic black, with rubber legs. Always get the rubber legs.
Largemouth bass are not picky eaters. When engaged they usually dive and tug. Once in a while they leap. They are easily discouraged, however, and after a minute or two come meekly to the net.
Every August I shift gears and head to the ancestral HQ with no electricity, minimal plumbing and a warm-water lake chock-full of largemouth bass, not to mention smallmouth, perch, pickerel and panfish. The largemouth are the main attraction.
I used an antique rowboat for years. Then a canoe, which was awkward to manage solo, especially when the wind picked up.
Then I hit on a succession of inflatable pontoon and belly boats, powered by oars and/or swim fins, and there I have remained.
Did I forget to mention that no motors are allowed on this lake? Well, no motors are allowed, and it’s no good arguing that a small electric trolling motor couldn’t possibly hurt anything. Ask me how I know this.
It’s a quiet, rejuvenating few weeks. The phone gets enough signal on one end of the deck to receive messages and maybe make a call if the wind is right. If something comes up, it’s only 15 minutes to so-called civilization.
When not fishing, I read, visit assorted cousins, listen to baseball on the AM radio and/or stare blankly into the middle distance.
Bassing with a fly rod in still water is a different game than chasing trout in streams.
A medium-fast-action rod, 8 to 10 feet, in line weight 7 or 8 is the starting point. The flies are big, and the wind is constant, so the angler needs some power, tempered with a bit of finesse.
I usually bring two rods. One is rigged with a floating line with a heavy front taper for turning over surface flies such as poppers.
The other has either a sink-tip or intermediate line. The lake is not all that deep, and the Woolly Buggers, Clousers and other streamers are heavy. The idea is to stay out of the vegetation while getting close to where the lunkers are hunkered down.
I use short nylon leaders, 7.5 feet with 1X tippet out of the package, and modify them constantly with additional sections of fluorocarbon tippet, snaps and droppers.
Surface action is usually minimal during the day unless it’s overcast. The lake runs east-west, so the angler can track the midmorning and late-afternoon shadows and work those areas.
Or the angler can wait until about 6:30 p.m., when things start to pick up.
Or get out there at the crack of dawn, which is best if surface action is the goal.
For subsurface fishing, some experimentation is required to find the right combination of flies, leader and sink rate. The angler also has to decide whether to troll.
There are a few places where a dry-dropper rig is appropriate, the dry being an extremely buoyant popper with a piece of stout fluorocarbon tippet tied to the bend of the hook and something heavy and wiggly at the end, like a stonefly nymph with rubber legs. (Always get the rubber legs.)
If this sounds like a bobber, it’s because it is. Don’t tell anyone. The purists don’t like it.
A net with a long handle is necessary. There is no leverage when sitting in what amounts to a floating chair.
I do not bring my phone for fish pictures. I will drop it into the depths. Ask me how I know this.
Instead I bring a small point-and-shoot camera. These get lost too, but perversely I have better luck keeping the cheap gear safe than the expensive items.
Sunscreen is applied liberally and frequently. After 50-odd years of being outside, I now have to visit the dermatologist every so often to have my face edited, and I don’t enjoy it.
A baseball cap does nothing for the ears and neck. I have a hat with a wide brim and a vented top, so it doesn’t get too hot. It looks stupid, but this is an acceptable risk.
Finally, a word about the quarry. Largemouth bass are not picky eaters. When engaged they usually dive and tug. Once in a while they leap. They are easily discouraged, however, and after a minute or two come meekly to the net.
Smallmouth, not so much. These aren’t especially big, but every smallie I’ve ever met thought it was much bigger than it actually was. Expect acrobatics.
Perch usually grab my fly when I don’t want them to.

Panfish are everywhere. They are extremely cooperative. Chasing sunnies is a good way to get a newcomer started.
And then there are the pickerel. These are nasty fish. Very antisocial. I keep a pair of long-handled pliers handy to get the fly out of their mouths safely while admiring the large number of very sharp teeth. They will bite the pliers. Do not use your fingers. Again, ask me how I know this.
Upon release, it’s not unusual to observe the pickerel hanging around a few yards away, glaring and plotting hideous revenge.
So this is the August routine, occasionally leavened with a scramble into a brook trout stream if conditions allow.
It’s peaceful. Kind of boring, in a good way.
And then in the fall the game shifts back to rivers and streams for trout.

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Natalia Zukerman
Broadway is going way off Broadway when it heads outdoors for The Festival at Hutton Brickyards in Kingston Aug. 14-16, transforming the Hudson River waterfront into a three-day celebration of show tunes, stars and sing-alongs. The inaugural event features an all-star lineup including Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Brian Stokes Mitchell and dozens more, along with a 30th anniversary celebration of the musical “Rent” featuring original cast members.
Hutton Brickyards is a former 19th-century brickyard transformed into a historic riverfront hotel and event destination spanning 100 acres along the Hudson. Beyond the nightly concerts, festivalgoers can expect campfire sing-alongs, dance parties, master classes, costume contests and a marketplace highlighting Hudson Valley food, drinks and artisans.
Three-day passes and more information are available at BroadwayFest.com.
Natalia Zukerman
The Crandell Theatre in 1948.
Originally built as an “atmospheric theater,” the Crandell was designed to transport audiences beyond the walls of the auditorium. Its sloped floor, proscenium arch, orchestra pit and balcony seating reflected the grandeur of early 20th-century movie palaces.
Crandell Theatre in Chatham has spent a century bringing stories to the big screen, and this December the historic theater will celebrate its 100th anniversary with a yearlong tribute to the films, filmmakers and community members who have helped keep it alive.
The celebration continues Sunday, Aug. 23, with a special screening of Martin Scorsese’s “The King of Comedy,” presented as part of the theater’s 100th Anniversary Series by Bill Kramer, CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Kramer will introduce the 1982 film, a darkly comic exploration of celebrity, obsession and the pursuit of fame.
The 100th Anniversary Series invites industry leaders and film experts to share movies that have influenced them and continue to inspire new generations of audiences.
“The King of Comedy” is a fitting selection for a theater whose own story is rooted in the enduring power of cinema. Built in 1926 by Chatham native Walter S. Crandell, the theater opened on Christmas Day of that year with the silent film “Michael Strogoff.” Designed by Glens Falls architect Louis L. Wetmore in the Spanish Renaissance style, the freestanding building quickly became a beloved fixture on Main Street.
Originally built as an “atmospheric theater,” the Crandell was designed to transport audiences beyond the walls of the auditorium. Its sloped floor, proscenium arch, orchestra pit and balcony seating reflected the grandeur of early 20th-century movie palaces. Sound equipment was added in 1929, allowing the theater to transition from silent films to “talkies.”
Over the decades, ownership changed hands, but the theater remained a gathering place for generations of moviegoers. In 2010, following the death of longtime owner Tony Quirino, the theater faced an uncertain future. Community members rallied to save it, with the Chatham Film Club raising approximately $600,000 to purchase the building and complete critical repairs.
The Crandell reopened as a nonprofit community theater in July 2010. In 2018, the organization officially adopted the theater’s name, bringing together its film programming, preservation efforts and annual FilmColumbia Festival under one mission: preserving the theater as a cultural anchor for Chatham and the surrounding region.
A major restoration and modernization project was completed in 2025, bringing the historic theater up to current standards while preserving its architectural character. The renovation included updates to the auditorium, projection systems and building infrastructure.
For former board member Carol Sadlon, the upcoming centennial represents both a celebration of the theater’s history and a testament to the community that has protected it.
“It has been an honor to serve on the Board of the extraordinarily unique Crandell Theatre, celebrating its 100th birthday this December,” Sadlon said. “Renovating the not-for-profit community theater has been a labor of love and commitment for all involved.”
Sadlon noted that the theater’s creation in 1926 reflected the optimism of the era, and that the same spirit continues today.
“Walter S. Crandell, successful Wall Street investor and native son of Chatham, built the 500-seat theater for a community of 3,000 people,” she said. “Thanks to an equally optimistic group of people, the Chatham Film Club, who purchased the theater in 2010, and a very generous community, the theater lives on to continue entertaining for future generations.”
The Crandell Theatre’s 100th Anniversary Series screening of “The King of Comedy” will take place Sunday, Aug. 23, at 4 p.m.
For tickets and more information, visit crandelltheatre.org.
Natalia Zukerman
MOMIX is one of the featured performers at this year’s Arts Connected fundraiser on Aug. 29.
The Northwest Connecticut Arts Council will celebrate the region’s vibrant arts community with Arts Connected 2026, its annual fundraising event, on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Buck’s Rock Camp in New Milford.
More than a fundraiser, Arts Connected is designed as a celebration of the artists, performers and organizations that make the Northwest Corner’s cultural landscape thrive. Guests can enjoy live music and performances, a curated gallery of artwork by regional artists, local food and drinks, and opportunities to connect with fellow arts supporters. Tickets include hors d’oeuvres, an open bar and all entertainment.

The evening will feature live plein air painting by artists from Plein Air Litchfield, performances by Our Culture Is Beautiful (OCIB), fire performer Cinderfella, and Susan Becker Aziz’s monumental humpback whale puppet, originally created for Paul Winter’s “Missa Gaia.” Guests will also have the opportunity to purchase artwork from a curated exhibition, with proceeds supporting the Arts Council’s mission to strengthen and promote the arts throughout Northwest Connecticut.
This year’s honorary host committee includes Meryl Streep, Diane von Furstenberg, Tim Daly, Téa Leoni, Maria Horn, Patti LuPone, Jack O’Brien, Sam Waterston and Paul Winter. Creative cocktail attire is encouraged, and attendance is limited. The event is open to guests 21 and older.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit artsnwct.org

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