It is time for some trail maintenance on the Springwater Trail at Punky Hollow and Sugarbush Hollow in preparation for the Music Fair on September 17th and 18th.

The Crawdiddies Band will be at the 2016 Bicentennial Edition of the Springwater Music Fair and American Crafts Show

We will meet on Pardee Hollow Rd near the intersection with Tabors Corners. Our task today will be to clean up the Springwater Trail between the Punky Hollow entrance east of the school house, to Sugarbush Hollow and Tabors Corners.  Bring loppers or clippers for cleanup and a weed whacker if you can.  Other tools will be available as needed.

We will split into up to four groups depending on attendance.  Each group will car pool to a different entrance to the trail, allowing us to cover the entire trail.

The Naturalists will drive to the entrance on the other side of the school house and will hike through Punky Hollow and Sugarbush Hollow and exit at Tabors Corners. This is primarily a cleanup task, trying to remove sticks and stones from the trail.  At the midpoint there are some rose bushes to push back from the edge of the trail while they are small. We hope to have a car at the exit for this group to use to get back to the start point. In addition, a few branches encroaching across the trail will need trimming. No weed wacker is needed with this group.

The Tourists will drive to the top of Coates Road and will hike down to Pardee Hollow.  Weed whacking and trimming as needed. Blazing signs at some corners are probably needed.

One Climbers Group will drive to the trail intersection with Pardee Hollow Rd below Sugarbush Hollow.  They will head west up the hill across from the Sugar House.  The will refresh the blazes and will weed whack.  At least one weed whacker should get to the tree plantation near the top of the hill and focus on the large task of mowing a trail across that mostly open field. This group may either return to the cars below the Sugar House, or continue hiking out to the trail head near the School House.

Our second Climbers Group will drive to the trail head on Tabors Corners.  They will walk from there to the Sugarbush and do a clean up on the west side of the hill.  Blaze signs will be used to refresh the blazes heading up the hill.  In addition, weed whacking up the orange trail will be done as time permits.  If time remains, week whackers should continue across the field at the top and join the first group cleaning the trail through the tree plantation.

Please join us following the work for a dish-to-pass social at the Punky Hollow Barn.  Please bring a dish to pass or make a small contribution to the social fund. Bring your own beverage.

Directions 

From Springwater: go North on 15A for 0.8mi from the light. Turn right on Wheaton Hill Rd. At the tee, at the top of the hill, turn right onto Wetmore Rd. Bear right on Tabors Corner Rd. After 1.8 miles, turn left on Pardee Hollow Rd. Park on the right at the end of the barn farthest from Tabors Corners.

From Wayland: take Rt 21N for 3 miles. Turn left on Steuben Co Rd 37 (Tabors Corners Rd) at the Bowles Corners sign. Take the second right (3.6 miles) onto Pardee Hollow Rd. Park on the right.

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. Turn right to stay on Pardee Hollow Rd for 0.3 miles. Park on the left.

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.