Farm Animal Day at Saugerties Farmers’ Market
Farm Animal Day at the Saugerties Farmers’ Market will take place this Saturday, September 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 115 Main Street in Saugerties. Children and families are welcome to touch, hold and hug the animals; take a horsedrawn wagon ride; climb on the antique tractors; make art; get a temporary airbrush tattoo; listen to live music; have lunch at the on-site café; and get fresh local food to take home. The parade of farm animals includes a mini-horse, donkey, alpaca, baby goat, potbelly pigs, baby guinea pigs, baby chicks and bees in their hive. The event is free.
Tammy Drost of Hope Farm in Saugerties is organizing the day to give pleasure to the community. Drost recently moved all her rescued farm animals to a new home and is in the midst of creating a safe and comfortable space for them. Tammy says, “Animals + People = Love.” That is the logo of Hope Farm. Farm Animal Day is a fundraiser for her new farm, with a donations jar available.
Farmers at the market will be selling an assortment of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, cheeses, wines, poultry and meats, eggs, maple syrup, honey, breads and baked goods (including gluten-free), jams and other homemade specialties, as well as plants, cut flowers, dog biscuits and handmade crafts.
Lunch will be available from the chefs cooking on-site at Brave the Flames and Corners and from Violet’s Bakery and Our Daily Bread to take to the café tables at the market or to take home.
Parking for the market day is available at the St. Mary’s parking lot on Cedar Street, one block from the market; dropoffs at the market are encouraged. There will be very limited parking on the market lot that day, only for those with disabilities in order to make room for the animals.
The torrential rain date for Farm Animal Day is the following Saturday, September 11. Check the website for updated information at www.saugertiesfarmersmarket. com.
The market season continues every Saturday (except Garlic Festival Saturday, October 2) through October 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 115 Main Street in Saugerties. Every week there will be live music, programmed by Steve Massardo of the former John Street Jam, and the Kids’ Art Corner, with art projects created by local artist Anita Barbour.
Art show for Kristy Bishop
The Saugerties Library will host an art show for Kristy Bishop, “My Journey — Celebrating People and their Passions,” with an outdoor reception on Saturday September 4 from 1 to 2 p.m. The Library will open at 10 a.m. on Saturday for early viewing with limited numbers and masks. The show runs September 1 through October 28.
For additional information, visit www.KristyBishopStudio.com or call (845) 246-8835. The library is located at 91 Washington Avenue in Saugerties.
Saugerties names new Curriculum & Instruction director
The Saugerties Central School District has named Gwendolyn Roraback as its new director of Curriculum and Instruction. Roraback, who has worked in education for more than 22 years, will be responsible for K-12 curriculum and instruction, with a specific focus on developing a K-12 literacy philosophy, ensuring that curriculum is diverse, equitable and inclusive, implementing an instructional coaching program and helping create a culture of learning for all.
Roraback comes to Saugerties with 13 years of educational leadership experience from Ulster BOCES, where she was director of Instructional Services, and also served as the director of the Mid-Hudson Leadership Institute. She also worked as a teacher for both the Poughkeepsie and Kingston City School Districts.
Superintendent of schools Kirk Reinhardt said, “We are excited to have Ms. Roraback become part of our administrative team. She brings a strong skillset of curriculum and instructional knowledge, proven leadership ability and an unwavering commitment to serving all students.”
Roraback said that the pandemic tested education like it’s never been tested before. She said that one takeaway is that children are more resilient than we think. “Students learned a lot during COVID-19, and it’s important to acknowledge their many roles within a household,” she declared. “Some of them were caretakers of younger siblings and not only had to juggle their own schoolwork, but had to help their siblings with their schoolwork as well; some had to learn how to be patient, because parents were also working from home; and some had to learn how to manage themselves all by themselves.”
One of Roraback’s first goals is to get to know the District better. First up on her agenda is to go on a listening tour with principals, teachers and students at each building.
“There is a longstanding history of respect with Saugerties,” Roraback observed. “It has a strong culture of community, and the administrative team is balanced between expertise and communication styles.”
Roraback will succeed Dr. Darlene Westinghouse, who is set to retire on August 31 following a 23-year career in education, including the last 3.5 years in her current role with Saugerties.
Roraback and her husband Ryan have two school-aged children who reside in Highland. The Highland resident is currently working toward her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership at Manhattanville College. Her dissertation is a qualitative study about “Elementary Principals’ Perceptions of Stress and Resilience during COVID-19 and the Effect on Their Personal and Professional Lives.”
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