Ashokan stories
- Art, Music, News
Celebrate Ukrainian Culture on September 22
Ukrainian Community Day is a new event and celebration of Ukrainian culture at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, NY. The event, on Sunday, September 22, 2024, will feature a diverse lineup of Ukrainian music including The Ukrainian Village Voices, singer
- Nature, News
Turning Lemons to Lemona with Del
“Everything existing in the universe is the fruit of chance and necessity.” – Democritus The winds are shifting and I’m once again up in the canopy collecting the fruit of the Autumn Olive (Elaeagnus umbellate). This is an invasive plant
- History, Nature, News
The Three Sisters Garden with Del Orloske
Growing a Three Sisters garden (corn, pole beans, squash) is a form of companion planting practiced by the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) who lived in the northern part of New York. Many tribes throughout North America did and still do this as
- Music, News
Ashokan Inspires Others to Inspire
Say Cello to Jivan, who has been coming to Ashokan for more than half his life. We asked Jivian a few questions to find out what makes him return to Ashokan year-after-year and how Ashokan has inspired his musical journey.
- Nature, News
For the Love of Fungi
Calling all mushroom enthusiasts: Our favorite funguy, Luke Sarrantonio is hosting the 3rd annual For Love of Fungi: Mushroom and Arts Festival on July 27 at the Ashokan Center. A full-day sensory experience plus evening activities and camping onsite! Get
- History, News
Star Spangled Banner
No your eyes aren’t deceiving you. The American flag that hangs in Ashokan’s 1817 Schoolhouse has 15 stars AND 15 stripes. Here is a little history of the flag: The 15-star, 15-stripe flag was the official United States flag from
- Music, News
Week-long Western & swing learning festival deep in the Hudson Valley woods
Swing into summer with Jay Ungar & Molly Mason at a vibrant week-long event filled with swing, Western-swing, classic country, and Tejano Conjunto music and dancing at the Ashokan Center. This friendly and fun learning vacation offers a variety of
- Music, News
Andes Central School students debut original songs
Jun. 12—Elementary school students at Andes Central School debuted original songs about nature during the school’s last Spirit Meet of the year Wednesday, June 12. Laurie McIntosh, who’s known as Story Laurie, led students on a two-week long songwriting workshop,
- Nature, News
Seed Song Farm CSAs Available for Pickup at Ashokan
The Ashokan Center is proud to partner with Seed Song Farm & Center to bring you 23 weeks of the fullest, most diverse, local produce you’ve ever seen – from from June 25 to November 26. Pickups are Tuesdays 5
- Music, News
Hudson Valley’s Best Music Festivals
The Summer Hoot is on Hudson Valley Magazine’s top festivals in the New York’s Hudson Valley music scene this summer. See you at the HOOT! Purchase your tickets to 2024 Summer Hoot today. Read the full article here: The Hottest
- Music, News
August 23–25: The Summer Hoot returns with eclectic lineup of roots music, dancing, and nature activities for the whole family
Now in its twelfth year, the Summer Hoot music festival will be held Friday, August 23 through Sunday, August 25, 2024. Produced and hosted by folk-roots musicians Ruth Ungar Merenda and Mike Merenda of The Mammals (also known as Mike
- Music, News
History of The Quiet Room with Jay & Molly
This is a story about the healing powers of music and people and place, and what can happen when their energies join together. Tune in to Jay & Molly’s Quiet Room every Wednesday evening at 8:30pm est on Facebook Live.
- Nature, News
Valley Stream 24 Takes An Exciting Field Trip to the Ashokan Center
Students from all three schools in the Valley Stream 24 School District recently embarked on an interactive outdoor education experience at the Ashokan Center in Olivebridge, New York. “Visiting the Ashokan Center is a wonderful and memorable experience for all
- Music, News
GUEST POST: Scottish fiddle immersion experience at the Ashokan Center
This post is by the great Austin Scelzo after his experience at Ashokan’s 2024 Scottish String Fling Weekend. My heart is full after returning from a wonderful Scottish fiddle immersion experience at the Ashokan Center. Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas
- Music, News
Delaware Academy Second Graders Create Original Songs
If you were walking the hallways of Delaware Academy Elementary School in Delhi last Thursday, April 25th, you might have heard a hearty chorus of students (and teachers) singing at the top of their lungs, “Waggle to the east, waggle
- Music, News
Uke Fest with Ben Hassenger
Ben Hassenger’s musical career began in the early 1970s when he was arrested for playing “Smoke on the Water” on accordion and singing in animal sounds in the cafeteria at Lansing Community College. It was the start of something special,
- Nature, News
Nettle Pesto by Liz Neves
Try Liz Neves’s Nettle Pesto recipe: Every spring I make a Nettle pesto and each year it’s a bit different. It’s highly adaptable! You’ll have to know I’m a guess-timator and fan of winging things. *Take care when handling raw
- Nature, News
Awaken to Plants with Liz Neves
I am excited to have had the chance to chat with Liz Neves about plant medicine. Liz guided me to the Ashokan Center in 2020 when I was looking for places to connect with nature and the wild Hudson Valley.
- History, News
Indigenous History with Justin Wexler
We got to chat with Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley and ask a few questions about the area’s indigenous culture. You can learn more from Justin at Ashokan’s Spring Explorations: Indigenous History walk on May 5 from 2-4pm at
- Music, News
Getting to Know the Dobro with Alex Sens
We sat down to get to know a little about Alex Sens and an instrument called the dobro. Alex will be teaching dobro at Ashoksn’s upcoming Bluegrass Camp as well as leading classes on the art of jamming. He has
- Music, News
Q&A with Interpreter of Black Folk Music, Jake Blount
We recently got to chat with Jake Blount on how his musical journey brought him to Ashokan’s Old Time Rollick year-after-year. Jake Blount (pronounced: blunt) is an award-winning interpreter of Black folk music based in Providence, RI. Let’s start on
- Nature, News
2024 Solar Eclipse
On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America, passing over Mexico, United States, and Canada. Even though our region isn’t in an area where there’ll be totality, those not in that path can see at least
- History, Nature, News
It’s Trout Fishing Time!
With the season just opening on April 1st, here’s a bit of backstory on this historic pastime, thanks to “Trout Fishing in the Catskills.” It’s a beautiful, knowledge packed book by avid fly fisherman and Catskill neighbor Ed Van Put
- Nature, News
Mushroom Talk with Luke Sarrantonio
A quick introduction into fungi with a really fun guy, Hudson Valley mycologist, Luke Sarrantonio. Luke is the founder of Mycophilic and For the Love of Fungi Mushroom and Arts Festival. You can find him online at @Mycophilicorganism or on
- History, News
Ashokan / Turnwood Covered Bridge
One of 29 covered bridges in New York State, and one of five covered bridges in Ulster County, the Ashokan Bridge (also known as the Turnwood and Olive Bridge) is a wooden covered bridge now located over Esopus Creek on
- History, Music, News
Son Jarocho Camp Will Be First Of Its Kind in the US
It’s a learning opportunity, a music-loving opportunity, a sharing of culture and community: It’s the Ashokan Center’s Ariles Son Jarocho Camp. Patterned after Luna Negra, a well-known annual gathering for son jarocho musicians in Veracruz, Mexico, this camp will be
- History, News
Pardon our Progress: Our Homestead is being restored.
Ashokan’s Homestead, a two-story dovetail log home built in the 1970’s, was found in disrepair when the Ashokan Center, Inc. took over the site’s programs and stewardship in 2008. A new phase of restoration work on the Homstead began in
- Nature, News
3rd Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Summit
From February 21 – 23, the Ashokan Center held its 3rd Youth Empowerment & Sustainability Summit (YESS!). Students from grades 6 – 12 assembled from the Hudson Valley, Adirondacks, New York City, Massachusetts, and Connecticut for this immersive, three-day event.
- Music, News
Enhance Your Music Practice with Strum Machine App
Do you use a metronome or backing tracks while practicing? Strum Machine (https://strummachine.com/app) came as a recommended practice tool from Hilary Hawke (teacher from 2023’s Banjo Weekend!). The full version is not free, but Ashokan Farewell happens to be one
- History, News
The Pulp Mill
Behold the old pulp mill at Winchell’s Falls on Esopus Creek, now part of the Ashokan Center. Esopus Creek has been a source of food, water, transportation, power, and recreation for thousands of years. The Esopus was first dammed at
