Potter Brothers’ annual ski Swap & Sell comes to Kingston this weekend
Our family is relatively new to skiing, and I’ve taken baby steps with our gear over the past few years. Last year we did seasonal rentals from Potter Brothers. Before that, we did daily rentals at the various mountains that we visited. During one of our runs down Belleayre, one of my very bargain-savvy friends finally got through to me about how awesome Potter Brothers’ annual Swap & Sell is. I thought that it was really just for expert skiers, and I felt intimidated about going, but she picked up an entire ski outfit for herself, as well as skis and boots for her and her son. And she paid less than I did for my seasonal rental. Well, that got my attention! I thought that I was saving money by renting!
So I’ve been waiting for this sale for months, and it’s finally here. I can’t wait to check it out. Not only can you just show up and buy stuff, but you can sell gear, too, for a $2 per item fee, or trade your equipment in for a cash rebate. I don’t see how you can go wrong with this. In addition to this week’s Swap & Sell in Kingston, Potter Brothers has Swap & Sell events coming up in Middletown, Fishkill, Poughkeepsie and Albany. The Kingston Swap & Sell takes place on Thursday and Friday, September 27 and 28 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, September 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, September 30 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Potter Brothers is located at 57 City View Terrace in Kingston. For more information, call (845) 338-5119 or visit https://potterbrothers.com.
Harvest MoonWalk this Friday on Hudson Valley Rail Trail in Highland
I’ve always liked the nostalgic feeling of the term Harvest Moon, but I never knew the origin until now. A Harvest Moon is the Full Moon closest to the Autumnal Equinox. It’s said that farmers appreciated the light shining down from this Full Moon because it meant that they could spend more time out in the fields gathering their harvest, despite the diminishing daylight. And at this point in the Moon’s orbital path, we end up seeing what appear to be several consecutive nights of Full Moons. [For more on this topic, read Bob Berman’s “Night Sky” column in this week’s Almanac.]
This year, how about spending some time outside during the Harvest Moon? The Hudson Valley Rail Trail is hosting a Harvest MoonWalk on Friday, September 28 from 7 to 9 p.m., rain or shine. This is the only time that the Hudson Valley Rail Trail is open to the public after dark. Participants meet up at the Rail Trail Depot located at 101 New Paltz Road in Highland. The walk is 2.5 miles round-trip, from the Depot to Tony Williams Park and back.
There will be a storyteller around the bonfire, and refreshments. Bring flashlights but leave pets, bikes, scooters, rollerblades and skateboards at home. The cost for this event is $5 per person, children ages 6 years and under get in free, and families with four or more members get in for $20. For more information, call (845) 691-2066 or visit https://hudsonvalleyrailtrail.net.
Jennie Bell Pie Festival at Kelder’s Farm in Kerhonkson this weekend
As recalled in David Mamet’s Boston Marriage, ‘We must have a pie. Stress cannot exist in the presence of a pie.” Want to lose some stress? Hint: What’s “stressed” spelled backwards? Head over to Kelder’s Farm for the Rondout Valley’s Jennie Bell Pie Festival, named after local resident Jennie DePuy Bell, who was well-known for her homemade pies and whose family was among the first settlers of what is now the Town of Rochester.
The Festival takes place rain or shine on Friday, September 28 from 6 to 10 p.m. with amusement rides, games, live music and vendors; and Saturday, September 29 from 12 noon to 9 p.m., including the same activities as Friday, along with a pie-judging contest, hayrides, auctions, a pie sale, a youth talent show and fireworks. Admission to this event is free, and a $2 donation is suggested for parking.
Kelder’s Farm is located at 5755 Route 209 in Kerhonkson; just look for the world’s second-largest garden gnome, Gnome Chomsky. For more information, call (855) PIE-FEST or visit www.jenniebell.org.
Join the family! 
