Welcome to the Fourth Annual Mushroom Foray at the All Western Evergreen Farm.  Three hiking groups are planned, all starting and ending at the farm house.  With thanks to Wendy, Melissa, Rick, Char and Gene, we will explore much of the farm, enjoying views of the valley and close-ups of the floral and mycological specimens.  Jerrianne and Isabel have mowed our paths for easy hiking.

Friendly dogs are welcome on the hike; however, a leash will be needed near the farm house and you can expect a few other dogs will be hiking with you.

Paper bags and paper plates for collecting and displaying mushrooms will be provided.  Those who want to learn how to collect mushrooms will be instructed by Gene and Georgia, and any other Rochester Area Mycological Association members who will be our guests.

The plan is to hike between 2 and 4 p.m., RAMA members to identify the mushrooms collected between 4 and 4:30 p.m., followed by a social (4:30 – 6:30 p.m.) hosted by Katherine at her house (AWEN & CTF Soups are the Specialty).

Bring a dish-to-pass or make a small contribution to support the socials.  Bring your own beverage.  Dogs will want to stay in your car during the social.

We will begin all the hikes at 6840 Liberty Pole Road where there is ample parking at the Christmas tree loading area between the tall Western redcedar and the bee hives (belonging to George Karadimas from Conesus- 585-346-0528).  The mushrooms will be displayed on paper plates on the tables indoors in the basement.

Directions:

If using GPS, please try 6840 Liberty Pole Road, Dansville, NY 14437 (the mailing address) so as to not have a problem.

From Springwater: Go west from the Springwater light on Rt 15 North.  Just past the top of the hill, turn left on Co Rd 38 (Liberty Pole Road).  The farm is on the left 1.1 miles from Rt 15 at 6840 Liberty Pole Road.

From Geneseo: Go south on NY 63.  About 6.4 miles after passing RT 408, turn left on County Road 1 at Groveland Station.  This road becomes CR 1A at Scottsburg (Route 256) and then Liberty Pole Road (Co Rd 38) after you cross Stage Coach Road.  It is 7.1 miles from Groveland Station to All Western Evergreen Farm.

From Honeoye: Take 20A west to Hemlock and 15A south to Springwater.  Then follow the Springwater directions above.

Kristi Krumrine, Lecturer, Department of Anthropology, SUNY Geneseo and St John Fisher College will share the finding of the former home-site excavation on Hemlock Lake this summer.  She is looking forward to meeting with us and to hear what additional information we can provide about the area.

Join the Springwater / Webster Crossing Historical Society on Tuesday, Sept 8th, 2015 at the Springwater American Legion for a dish-to-pass dinner at 6:30 p.m. and the program at 7:15 p.m.

The Historical Society programs are free and open to the public.  Donations for the support of the Society are welcome.

The topic for the Adirondack Mountain Club, Genesee Valley Chapter’s program for September is the magnificent Colorado Trail. Bill Cooke will present information about the trail followed by a 25-minute slide show with music showing photos from his 2011 thru-hike, and answer your questions. A sample of the slideshow is available on YouTube.

Bill will also have copies of his book narrating the hike — “Shades of Gray, Splashes of Color: A Thru-Hike of the Colorado Trail” — available for your perusal and purchase.

The 486-mile Colorado Trail wends its way through the Rocky Mountains of the Centennial State, traversing a landscape as changing and diverse as the swirling afternoon clouds presaging the daily summer thunderstorms. In this program, you’ll hear of the challenges such as the struggle of acclimating to high elevations, of hiking long and steep ascents, of coping with a wide range of climatic conditions from freezing cold mornings, to hot baking afternoons, to near daily thunderstorms, to long stretches of limited water.

You’ll see the rewards and triumphs as Bill and his hiking companion Keith “Northern Harrier” Bance savor the alpine meadows whose wildflowers cover every range of the spectrum, bewitching groves of aspen trees resplendent with the morning glow of the sun, the glistening of snowy peaks, stately conifers including the massive Douglas firs, high mountain passes, dry foothills, sparkling mountain streams, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets where both the skies and the rocks shine like beacons from the low sun alpenglow, and much more.

You need not be an experienced hiker to enjoy this program as Bill explains much of the terminology and peculiar habits of long-distance backpackers such that even those whose experience is confined to short strolls in the park will sense the challenges and the rewards of a trek in the Rocky Mountains.

ADK meetings are educational and entertaining. You will hear about future activities and have the opportunity to talk to active members (they are friendly) and ask questions about the club. The meetings are free to all.

Meet at the designated locations by 9:30.

April 25th. Meet at the New Covenant Baptist Church Parking lot on County Road 46.  Hike Main St to CR 46. (3mi)

May 9th.  Meet at the New Covenant Baptist Church Parking lot on County Road 46.  Hike CR 46. to Depot Road (5mi)

June 6th. Meet at Depot Road. Hike Depot Rd to Stanley Junction (3.8mi)

July 11th.  Meet at BOCES parking lot.  Hike Stanley Junction to Boces (3.5mi)

August 15th. Meet at the Orleans water tower. Hike Boces to Orleans (4.5mi)

September 12th. Meet at Rt 96 trail head.  Hike Wheat Rd to Rt 96 (3.8mi)

October 10th. Meet at Gifford Rd.  Hike to Wayne county line and back (3.6mi)

You can download a PDF with more information.

Join us again for some trail maintenance at Punky Hollow in preparation for the Fiddler’s Fair on September 19th.

We will meet at the barn at Punky Hollow.  Our task today will be to blaze the Springwater Trail between the Punky Hollow entrance east of the school house, to Sugarbush Hollow.  We also will tag the trail around Punky Hollow behind the barn, for the fair.  Bring loppers or clippers for final cleanup.  other tools will be available as needed.

We will split into three groups.  The climbers will hike to the entrance to the Springwater Trail and will blaze that trail.  The Naturalists will hike around the trail behind the barn, placing red ribbons to blaze that trail.  The third group will be responsible for placing new signs at the Springwater Trail entrances at Coates Rd, Pardee Hollow below the sugar house, at the entrance across from Coates Rd and at the Punky Hollow entrance.

Finally, we will be preparing for working the Parking Lot at the Fair on Saturday, September 19, 2015.  You don’t have to be at the Sunday trail maintenance to help with parking, but please fill out the form below so we know you will be coming.

Following our work, we will have a social at Punky Hollow.  Please bring a dish to pass or make a small contribution to the social fund. Bring your own beverage.

Directions to Punky Hollow are available here.

[si-contact-form form=’2′]

Come hike the newest segment of the Springwater Trail and stay to enjoy all of the activities at the Springwater Fiddler’s Fair.  Park at the corner of Dutch Hollow and Pardee Hollow and take the bus up to the fair.  Meet just outside the entrance to the Fair on Pardee Hollow Rd.  Plan to arrive at the parking lot at least 30 minutes ahead of the hike.

Come hike the newest segment of the Springwater Trail and stay to enjoy all of the activities at the Springwater Fiddler’s Fair.  Park at the corner of Dutch Hollow and Pardee Hollow and take the bus up to the fair.  Meet just outside the entrance to the Fair on Pardee Hollow Rd.  Plan to arrive at the parking lot at least 30 minutes ahead of the hike.

The Sunday hike for Springwater Trails has been canceled.  Please come to the Fiddler’s Fair on Saturday and hike the Springwater Trail with us. Click here for directions

Springwater Trails will be working with the Nature Conservancy to clean up trails at West Hill Preserve and the FLT Bristol Branch connection to Naples.

[si-contact-form form=’3′ hidden=’date=9/24/2015′]

The Nature Conservancy is asking for volunteers to help maintain trails within the West Hill Preserve.  Springwater Trails is maintaining the portion of the Bristol Branch of the Finger Lakes Trail through this preserve.

Directions are on the Nature Conservancy website.