A Beverage Festival and Nostalgia in the Hudson River Valley

One of the most beautiful places in the world is the Hudson River Valley, in New York (USA). I know I will be challenged on that statement, but that's where I spent my childhood so of course I'm biased. The valley is rich in natural wonder, and in human history. I'm not alone in regarding the Hudson Valley as spectacular. There actually is an art movement named after the valley, The Hudson River School.

_{"View on the Hudson River", by Jasper Francis Cropsey, from the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. 1890. Public domain}

A week ago my son attended a beverage festival in New Paltz, a small city in the Hudson River Valley. On the ride to the festival he took a picture from the car window.

There it is, the river, just as it appears in the painting. This river runs north/south along the eastern border of New York. The Hudson's geological age is about 400 million years. As you can see, the river is surrounded by mountains. In the northern part of the state, the Catskill Mountains dominate the horizon. It is because of these mountains that the river flows north/south, ultimately emptying into the Atlantic Ocean. It is there, at the mouth of the Hudson, that one finds New York Harbor, home to one of the most important cities in the World, New York City.

Here is another view of the Hudson my son caught from a car window.

The river is about 315 miles long. It might be said that the presence of this river helped to define the history of New York state. Some of the earliest settlers in the U.S. found their way upriver and established communities along its banks. My ancestors were among those early settlers.

Not only is the Hudson River highly navigable, but it cuts a fertile swath along the eastern part of the state. Farming and trade became the chief occupations of the Hudson's communities. Also, because of its strategic location and navigability, the river became one of the crucial locations during the Revolutionary War.

Here is a picture of West Point Military Academy as it looks out across the river. Before it was an academy West Point was a fort. George Washington, head of the Continental Army (rebels) established his headquarters at West Point because any invading force would have had to make its way up the river, past the mountain plateau that was home to the fort.

This picture was taken during a family trip to West Point in 1956 or 1957.

The Hudson River Valley is renown for its apple orchards and grape vineyards, although a wide variety of agricultural products are grown by the valley's farmers. I remember my uncles used to drive truckloads of produce down to New York City's Hunts Point produce market. A large percentage of fresh produce consumed by residents of New York City was/is purchased at Hunts Point. Early in the morning, at dawn, chefs from the finest restaurants can be found at the market as they try to get the best selections for the day's menu.

Because of its natural beauty and agricultural bounty, the Hudson River Valley has always attracted tourists. Wine tasting tours have traditionally attracted wine connoisseurs. At the beverage festival my son attended, it was cider instead of wine, that was featured. Here's a picture of an apple orchard that was located at the festival's venue.

The beverage festival attracted quite a crowd. I can't tell if these are local people, but most of them don't look like farmers. Here's a shot of the barn-like structure that housed the different vendors.

My son and his friends had purchased VIP tickets, which allowed them to enter the festival grounds before the event was officially opened to everyone. I think that's why there don't seem to be many people in that photo. It was probably shot before the event officially opened.

Here's a shot of the cider tasters after the event was fully underway.

The area around the beverage-tasting structure was set up like a picnic.

My son attended two events. One was on the east side of the river and one on the west side. The main festival, though, was in New Paltz, which is on the west side. New Paltz, in the early years of colonial USA was a refuge for Huguenots, Protestant dissenters who fled persecution in Europe. A few of my ancestors were Huguenots and likely lived in either New Paltz or nearby Kingston.

Here's a shot of a large tent that sheltered the beverage tasters.

This was a festival, and so of course there was music. Here's a shot of the band that entertained guests at one of the venues. These band members seem like seasoned individuals. They look like locals who entertain on weekends for a hobby.

Some of the visitors enjoyed their beverages by the side of a pond. You can see the picnic tables arranged around the pond.

Although this pond might have been naturally formed, it might also have been artificially formed as a reservoir for irrigation of the surrounding farm country. The pond reminds me of a small lake my grandfather excavated on his farm, solely for irrigation. Of course the family took advantage of this opportunity to swim and boat. Here's a picture of a few of my cousins enjoying the recreational benefits of my grandfather's lake. This lake was located about fifteen miles from the festival venue. The picture was shot in the early 1950s.

It was fun going in the lake, but whenever we came out we had to check for leeches.

Here is a long view of one beverage-tasting venue. You can see that this festival was a family affair. No doubt the young ones were sampling non-alcoholic cider.

When my son told me he was going to attend the festival, I asked him to snap pictures of the surrounding scene. I have a deep nostalgia for that part of New York. Here are a few of the interesting shots he took as he traveled through the area.

He brought home an interesting shot of a lone horse, with its travel trailer in the distance.

While this picture of a field doesn't look very interesting, one has to wonder why it is stripped bare like that. It doesn't look as though it has been prepared for cultivation.

I love this shot (below) of two goats and a magnificent white turkey. I worry though for the future of these animals. Are they destined for someone's table? My brother told me the other day that we had a goat for years when I was very young (I vaguely remember the goat). She was no doubt kept for the milk she provided. What was her fate, I wonder? Did she end up on the dinner table?

Here we have a picture of the parking lot and a large silo. Also, we see a propane tank. These two accessories...propane tank and silo...are standard on local farms.

Here is another picture of a horse. Is it the same horse?

Here's a shot of something you would not have seen in the area 68 years ago when I moved away: a solar farm.

That solar farm to me reflects the survival skills of the region's farmers. Over the years the farmers learned to adapt to a changing world. From the insect-resistant pear my grandfather invented to the irrigation lake he excavated, he demonstrated the grit of New York's farmers. These descendants of pioneers do what they must to remain viable.

I'll leave with a parting shot of my grandfather, who is posing with two of his daughters. The shot might have been taken in the 1930s. You will note the work clothes. This man was a survivor. He took a troubled farm, brought it through the Great Depression, and into modern times. I never saw him when he wasn't wearing work clothes. Even in later years, when he was a significant landowner, he worked alongside his employees.

While the Hudson River Valley offers spectacular views, it also has always offered opportunity to people like my grandfather. He loved the land. He worked the land. His life helped to shape the history of the valley.

Thank you for reading my blog. Peace and health to all.

Hive on!