Are there any rules we should know about?
Yes, thanks for asking! Please don’t: smoke indoors, throw cigarette butts on the ground, keep doors open, wear shoes indoors once you get settled, keep heat up during the day or when you are not home (turn it down to 60), bring white towels outdoors (there are colored towels for outdoor use), put meat in the compost, park on the grass or the road, use anything but natural, biodegradable products in the outdoor facilities, urinate in the outdoor shower in order to keep the water drinkable, leave a bonfire unattended or burning when you go to sleep. 🙂
Where are good places to hike nearby?
The closest hike is directly across the street from the property, along the rails-to-trails pathway. Access to the path is marked by the green pylon across the road, between the cottage and the guest house. Note the yellow house when you reach the bottom, as it is your landmark to find your way back up. If you head to the right, you will walk along Silver Lake and the path extends 2.5 miles to Mountaindale. If you head to the left, you will have to walk through downtown Woodridge but can then pick up the path and head 3.5 miles to the Neversink River. The next closest hike is the Neversink River Unique Area in Rock Hill. It is a 15 minute drive from the property and is a lovely wooded series of trails with waterfalls and access to the Neversink River. Sam’s Point in Cragsmoor is a 25 minute drive from the property and offers magnificent views and access to ice caves. Minnewaska State Park is a 40 minute drive from the property and offers a series of hikes and trails. Peekamoose Trail is a 45 minute drive from the property and is the most difficult hike on the list; it is a 1.5 hour hike to the tallest peak in the Catskills – well worth it for the spectacular views and dip in the Blue Hole when you get back down to the bottom!
Where are the best places to swim nearby?
The pond on the property is spring-fed and swimmable. It is 6 feet at it’s deepest point. You may exit the pond with a little bit of “funk” but a quick rinse in the outdoor shower will do the trick. Mountaindale Park offers a swimming pool and lake. The Neversink River is less than 10 minutes away and is great for shallow wading. A great entrance point is under the iron truss bridge at the intersection of Avon Lodge Road and Ranch Road. Another great access point is from the Neversink River Unique Area hiking trail but it is a 30 minute hike to the river from the trailhead. There are several great swimming holes and lakes in Minnewaska State Park (Lake Awosting is a favorite). And the famous Blue Hole is 45 minutes from the property, directly across the road from the Peekamoose Trailhead.
Where are the best places to fish nearby?
Silver Lake, directly across the road, offers great fishing for bass, crappie, pike, and pickerel. Mountaindale Park is 5 minutes away and offers fishing and boat rental. The Neversink River is very popular for trout fly fishing and is less than 10 minutes away. Morningside Park is 15 minutes away and offers fishing boats for catching lake trout, bass and walleye.
Is there anywhere to rent a boat nearby?
Paddle boats can be rented at both Morningside Park and Mountaindale Park. Motor boats can be rented on White Lake in Bethel.
What restaurants do you recommend?
For local, sustainably minded food we recommend the Pickled Owl in Hurleyville (15 minutes), Aroma Thyme in Ellenville (18), Henning’s Local in Cochecton (45), the Rolling River Cafe in Parksville (40), and The Heron in Narrowsburg (45). Otherwise we recommend Benji and Jakes or the Local Table and Tap on White Lake (30) or Yiassou Cafe in Liberty (20). If you go to Minnewaska, we recommend the Mountain Brauhaus (45). In terms of the closest restaurants, there are a few in Rock Hill (10) like Dutch’s Tavern for decent bar food, Pizza Rock or Crust for a decent slice, or the Rock Hill Diner for the typical greasy spoon. Please check the Guide link for a complete list and info.
Where are the best grocery stores?
In the Summer, we sell organic vegetable from our garden and organic eggs from our chickens. We also sell Majestic Farms’ pasture-raised pork and chicken. We encourage shopping at our local Rock Hill farmer’s market on Saturday morning, the Liberty farmer’s market on Friday afternoon, or the Callicoon Farmer’s market on Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, there are a few small, organic markets like the Green Earth in Wurtsboro, Green Market in Monticello, and the Catskill Harvest Market in Liberty. There is a big box Shop Rite in Monticello and a Hannaford in Middletown, 30 minutes before reaching the property.
Are there any cute towns nearby?
Wurtsboro and Ellenville. Narrowsburg, New Paltz, Kingston, and Woodstock.
What is there in Woodridge?
Not much! 😉 There is a bodega for the bare essentials, including a small liquor shop, Tony’s Diner for an emergency greasy spoon, a kosher supermarket and a variety of kosher restaurants.
Is there public transportation to the property?
Yes. You can take the Shortline Bus (shortlinebus.com) from Port Authority to Woodridge with a connection in Monticello. Buses leave every two hours for Monticello but only two per day connect to Woodridge. Otherwise, you can take a taxi (sureway taxi or yellow cab in Monticello) from Monticello to the property. There is also a train (njtransit.com) from Penn Station to Otisville, NY. You must make one connection in Secaucus Junction and then you will need to take a taxi from Otisville to the property in Woodridge.
Is having a car necessary?
While it is preferable, it is not necessary. We would be happy to pick you up at the bus in Woodridge and once here, you can walk to town for your groceries and essentials. There is plenty to do on the property and hikes and swimming within walking distance.
What do we do with garbage?
We have several different types of garbage: recycling, compost, animal treats, and garbage. Recycling is single-stream meaning all glass, plastic, metal and paper can go together. Recycling containers are located in each house as well as the outdoor kitchen. Compost is any organic matter besides meat and besides animal treats. There is a compost container in each house and the compost pile is located inside the vegetable garden, in the palette box closest to the garden gate. Animal treats should be kept separate and can be fed directly to the sheep and goats. Please see below for what not to feed them. Garbage is whatever is left over from recycling, compost and animal treats. Meat can either be chucked into the woods or placed in the garbage. There are garbage cans in each house as well as the outdoor kitchen.
What can we feed the animals?
The sheep and goats can eat any food scraps except for onions, avocado, coffee grounds, and meat. They can eat banana peels, apple cores, melon rinds, vegetable scraps, etc. Please chop up any large pieces and remove all stickers. Please don’t give any scraps to the bunnies. You can feed them clumps of grass though! 🙂
Can we play with the animals?
Yes! All of the animals are very friendly. Once we show you how, you can enter the sheep/goat/alpaca pen at will. Please don’t pet them on the top of their heads as that is where they like to play and butt. It is extremely unlikely that they will butt you but just to make sure, please give them a good chin scratch. They love that! Please make sure that all gates are closed and locked on your way out.
Is there an electric fence?
Yes. There are a few thin metal wires in between the wooden rails of the animal pen. On the weekends when we have guests, the electric fence is usually turned off but please don’t take a chance. The wire will definitely give you a good shock. The blue gates are not electrified, however, so feel free to touch them with confidence.
Is all the water on the property drinkable?
Yes! All of the houses are on separate wells and the tap water is drinkable. The water from the taps at the outdoor kitchen and outdoor bathhouse is also drinkable. There is no septic at the outdoor bathhouse which is we we ask you to only use natural, biodegradable products and not to urinate in the outdoor shower. We want to keep that water drinkable!
What is that loud siren that goes off periodically?
We call it the “noon whistle” and it is a very antiquated and annoying way of letting us know that it is 12 o’clock or that there is a fire or emergency in the area. It would be the first thing to go if I were in charge 🙂
Can we make a bonfire?
By all means! There are 2 communal fire pits on the property, with burnable wood next to each of them. Please only use the wood adjacent to the pits. Any other wood is our personal, indoor winter wood. We ask for a $10 firewood donation as it costs us time and $ to chop, split and stack the wood. Please leave the cash on your kitchen table when you leave. Please do not make huge fires as it is hazardous and wasteful. Do not leave your fire unattended and please make sure it has died down and is spread out when you do leave it.
Can we barbeque?
Yes! There are several communal charcoal grills on the property, located near the small fire pit, the outdoor kitchen, and the trailer. We do not supply charcoal but it can be purchased at the IGA bodega in Woodridge, only 2 minutes away. Please make sure that the grills are cleaned with the provided wire brushes when you are finished. We also have metal grates which can be placed over each fire pit for direct BBQing over the open fires.
Can we have more toilet paper and paper towels?
We do not supply an endless amount of toilet paper or paper towels. We encourage conservation and sustainability here on our little farm so we will provide you with an appropriate but not excessive amount. If you need more than provided, you will have to buy it yourself at the nearby IGA in Woodridge.
Do we need to bring our own sheets and towels?
No. Each house contains full bedding for its beds and enough towels for you. There is a full set of white towels and a full set of colored towels. The white towels are for indoor use only and the colored ones can be brought to local swimming holes or the outdoor shower.
Do we need to bring our own cooking supplies and basic ingredients?
All of the kitchens are equipped with basic appliances and cookware, including french press coffee makers. Unless there is a specialty appliance you need, you should have everything necessary. Please ask us if you don’t see something, as sometimes guests “relocate” appliances to different houses. Which brings up a good point, if you move anything from one kitchen to another please bring it back! 🙂