This month’s Bicentennial Hike is celebrating the one room school houses in Springwater. Our hike will start at the Punky Hollow School #17, located on Pardee Hollow, just down the hill from the Springwater Music Fair which is running both Saturday and Sunday. This hike will be approximately one hour and is open to everyone – admission to the fair is not required.

Hikers are invited to come to the Music Fair and enjoy the bands, check out the crafts and enjoy some good food. In addition, the East Springwater Historical Museum will be open Sunday afternoon, so you can view some of the history of School #17.

We will all meet at 2:00 in front of the school house. We will start the hike by exploring the property around the school itself, and then will travel on the Springwater Trail around the edge of the Punky Hollow Farm and return to the school house at about 3:00.  For hikers attending the Fair, we will continue the hike up to the Fair grounds and explore the trails “up top” if time permits.

In 1872, there were 17 school houses in Springwater. There are two other school houses in East Springwater, one at Tabors Corners and Wetmore roads, and another on Schribner Rd.  Both are now private residences.

Directions:

Parking for the hike and for the fair is available at the Pardee Hollow and Dutch Hollow intersection.  There will be a bus to the fair – ask the driver to let you off at the school house. Or if you don’t mind a short walk, it is less than a quarter mile from the parking entrance to the school house.

These directions avoid the Tabors Corners/Pardee Hollow corner where foot traffic from the fair may make driving difficult.

From Rochester: Follow Rt 15A south through Lima and Hemlock. From the intersection with Rt20A south of Hemlock, continue on Rt 15A for 9.9 miles and take a sharp left turn on Wheaton Hill Rd (CR 16). At the tee, at the top of the hill, turn left onto Wetmore Rd and take the first right onto Tabors Corner Rd. After 0.4 miles, take a slight left onto Dutch Hollow Rd. After 3.6 miles, the parking area is on the left at the intersection with Pardee Hollow Rd.

From Springwater: go North on 15A for .8mi from the light. Turn right on Wheaton Hill Rd. At the tee, at the top of the hill, turn left onto Wetmore Rd and take the first right onto Tabors Corner Rd. After 0.4 miles, take a slight left onto Dutch Hollow Rd. After 3.6 miles, the parking area is on the left at the intersection with Pardee Hollow Rd.

From Wayland: take Rt 21N for 5.6 miles. Turn left on Co Rd 38 (Garling House Rd AKA Rowe Rd). Take the first left onto Pardee Hollow Rd and continue for 3.8 miles. The parking area is on the right at the intersection with Dutch Hollow Rd.

From Honeoye: take W Lake Rd south. Turn right onto French Hill Rd. At the tee (at Dug Rd) turn right to stay on French Hill Rd. Take the first left on Garlinghouse/Atlanta Rd. Go Right on Pardee Hollow Rd and continue for 3.8 miles. The parking area is on the right at the intersection with Dutch Hollow Rd.

Decorate your vehicle; let’s have some fun!

Hot dogs, snacks, beverages – $1.00 each.

Hay rides! Campfire!

Contact Tom Canute Sr., (585)669-2429, for information on parade.

This Sunday we will be hiking on three farms on the west hill of Springwater.  On the following Saturday, two of these farms are holding an open house to celebrate the Springwater Bicentennial, so our hike will provide a hiker’s perspective of the farm and the open house will provide a farmer’s perspective.

On Sunday we will hike on

• the All Western Evergreen Nursery and Christmas Tree Farm
• the Petraitis Dairy and Beef Farm
• Amanda’s Garden Native Perennial Nursery

Following the hike, weather permitting, we will have an outdoor social at Amanda’s Garden with a campfire in the fire pit. (If the weather doesn’t cooperate, the social will be inside at the All Western Tree Farm).  Bring a dish to pass (or make a contribution to the social fund) and your own beverage.

Meet at the All Western Tree Farm, 6840 Liberty Pole Road, where there is ample parking at the Christmas tree loading area between the tall Western red cedar and the barn.

The Naturalists will hike the lower portions of the tree farm, including the Western Red Cedars in the nursery and in the wind break. They will then drive to Amanda’s Garden for a hike around the Garden with commentary from Ellen Folts. and on a trail that has been built through the woods.

The Tourists and Climbers will hike up to the Christmas Tree plantations, through a recently planted field and a field that is available for cutting. We will follow a trail back down to Liberty Pole Rd, cross the road and proceed to the back fields of the Petraitis Farm. After a loop around these fields, we will return to the cars and drive to Amanda’s Garden for a hike through the woods surrounding the garden.

Following the hikes, we will have an outdoor social at the Garden with a campfire as the evening cools down. Please bring a dish to pass (or contribute ($5) to the Social Fund), your own beverage and a folding chair if you would like to relax.

In case of rain, we will adjust the hike to end at the tree farm house, for an indoor social.

Directions: Click here for directions to the All Western Christmas Tree Farm.

From AWTF to Amanda’s Garden (for the second half of the hike): Turn left out of the driveway onto Liberty Pole Rd. The first cross road is Story Rd, marking the Town line between Springwater and Sparta. The Patricia Willsea Beef Farm (also part of Saturday’s open house) is on the north-east corner. Turn left onto Story Rd. Amanda’s Garden is on the left in 2 miles (just before Mead Hill Rd.

Come tour several working farms in Springwater. Open farms will provide tours of their working farms, including demonstartions and equipment.

At the All Western Evergreen Nursery and Christmas Tree Farm, 6840 Liberty Pole Road (County Road 38), the tour will include the farm’s history, tours to different areas of the farm to see differing species of fir trees, demonstrations of tree farming procedures, and a display of equipment.