Farmscape Ecology Program

Presentation in Austerlitz: "Land, History, and How We Got Here"
2026-03-21 11:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York) | Austerlitz Town Hall, 816 NY-203, Spencertown, NY, 12165, United States
The Austerlitz Housing Committee is launching a new community speaker series designed to help residents better understand the place we live through story, ecology, and history. The goal is to create programming that is engaging, accessible, and not boring, while giving residents shared context for future conversations about land use, preservation, and housing.
The first program of the series explores Austerlitz through two connected lenses: the land itself and the human decisions that shaped it.

The program opens with FEP’s Conrad Vispo, who will speak about the ecology of Austerlitz—its soils, water, forests, wildlife corridors, and natural systems—and what the land can quietly support or limit. Town Historian Tom Moreland will explore the town’s human story, tracing how settlement patterns, agriculture, roads, and local decisions accumulated over time to shape the Austerlitz we know today.

Both talks are designed to be conversational and story-driven. No prior knowledge is required—just curiosity!

Spring Gardening Day in Hudson
2026-03-28 08:30 - 15:30
Where: Hudson Jr/Sr High School (215 Harry Howard Ave, Hudson, NY 12534)
Come see us at the Spring Gardening Day, put on by Cornell Cooperative Extension in Hudson. There will be a full day of learning and workshops, and FEP staff will be among the local organizations with information tables. Our displays will be centered around the Insect Conservation Center and our work with native plants. Click here for more information about the event and tickets.

Amphibians at Lindenwald Walk
2026-04-11 13:00 - 14:30 | Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, 1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook, NY, 12106, United States
The Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program will lead an “Amphibians at Lindenwald” guided walk hosted by the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site on Saturday. The walk will give participants the opportunity to visit several amphibian breeding pools and ponds within the historical boundary of Lindenwald and learn about the frogs and salamanders that use them in early spring. If the timing is right, participants may even have the opportunity to observe the egg masses of vernal pool amphibians like Wood Frogs and Spotted Salamanders. Please email anna@hawthornevalleyfarm.org to register; space is limited.

Earth Day Celebration in Spencertown
2026-04-18 11:00 - 15:00
Where: Spencertown Park (786 NY-203) or, in the case of rain, Town Hall (816 NY-203)
Alongside other nature and conservation-focused community organizations, FEP will be attending the Earth Day Festival in Spencertown, hosted by the Spencertown Academy Arts Center and Town of Austerlitz. We will have displays about our place-based research, historical weather, butterflies of Columbia County, ancient forests, and an opportunity to look at a variety of insects through a microscope. For more information about the event and the other programming that will be offered, here is a link.

Earth Day Film Fest
2026-04-19 13:00 - 15:00
The County Climate Smart Task Force & Columbia Land Conservancy will be hosting a Film Festival at the Crandell Theater in Chatham. They will be showing two films:
Farmscape Ecology by Jon Bowermaster – A 26-minute film attempting to answer the question: “How can we produce food while ensuring farmers’ livelihoods, and respecting the needs of other organisms with whom we share the land?”
The Nature of Nature – Biodiversity in the Hudson Valley – This film celebrates the remarkable plants, animals, and habitats in the Hudson River estuary watershed, guided by the biologists and conservationists who know it best. Directed by Laura deNey and produced by Flicker Filmworks, in partnership with Laura Heady at the DEC Hudson River Estuary Program, and Cornell University.
The films will be followed by a Q&A session moderated by Columbia County Climate Smart Task Force Chair David Newman.
Panelists will be:

Laura Heady – Conservation and Land Use Program Coordinator at the Hudson River Estuary Program

Troy Weldy – President Columbia Land Conservancy

Will Yandik – A fourth generation Columbia County farmer and independent researcher with a background in environmental sciences

Conrad Vispo – Wildlife Ecologist and Co-coordinator of the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program

Spring Biodiversity Trail Walk
2026-04-25 10:00 - 12:00
Where: Hawthorne Valley Farm, 327 Route 21c, Ghent, NY 12075
This is the second in the four-part Seasons on the Biodiversity Trail guided walk series. The walk will be co-led by Anna (from the Farmscape Ecology Program) and Spencer (from the Hawthorne Valley Farm) and will provide an opportunity to observe spring happenings on the new Biodiversity Trail that traverses hillside pasturelands at Hawthorne Valley.
The walk is free, but space is limited, so interested participants should register by emailing Anna Duhon: anna@hawthornevalleyfarm.org.

Spring Flower Walk at Hand Hollow Conservation Area
2026-05-03 10:00 - 12:00
We have a limited number of spots available for a Spring Flower Walk in New Lebanon that is being coordinated in partnership with the New Lebanon Community Events Committee. Josie and Anna will lead this walk at the Hand Hollow Conservation Area. Participants will see how spring is progressing in diverse habitats in the landscape, including an ancient forest habitat adjacent to younger forest. This is a great opportunity to welcome back spring flowers, learn how to recognize different species, and discover some of the special qualities of ancient forests. Because many of the spots for this free walk have been filled through outreach by the New Lebanon Community Events Committee, we have only a limited number of spots reserved for those on our mailing list, but will also keep a waiting list in case of cancellations. If you are interested in registering, please email Anna Duhon: anna@hawthornevalleyfarm.org

Hawthorne Valley Farm Bird Walk
2026-05-08 08:30 - 10:30
Join Laura and Hawthorne Valley’s Spencer Crawford (who was recently interviewed on the podcast Beakuency) for a morning bird walk around Hawthorne Valley Farm. Spring migration is well underway, and we hope to see many exciting species returning to their breeding grounds or passing through. Please email lstark@hawthornevalley.org to register; space is limited.

Taghkanic Talk: Birds and Butterflies
2026-05-09 10:00 - 12:00
Where: Taghkanic Fire House 631 Old Rte 82, West Taghkanic, 12521
As part of the Taghkanic Talks series, hosted by the Taghkanic Climate Smart and Conservation Advisory Committees, Conrad Vispo and Will Yandik will be presenting “How to Identify, Conserve and Create Habitat for Columbia County’s Butterflies and Birds.” Please RSVP at rsvp@taghkanic.org.

Spring Meadow Work Day at the Forge Project
2026-05-15 16:00
DATE CHANGE TO FRIDAY, MAY 15th
Join us for a meadow-tending session at the Forge Project in Ancram, NY, a local organization centered around amplifying Indigenous voices through art, education, and land revitalization. FEP has been involved in the transitioning of the former agricultural fields and traditionally landscaped areas around their buildings into native meadows and shrublands that will feature native and culturally significant species. During this event, you can expect to learn some of the native plants we try to support and help remove invasives. There will be two introductions or sessions, at 4pm and 5:30pm. You can sign up for either session, or stay for both! Please RSVP with the Forge Project to receive directions.

Spring in the Orchard at Lindenwald (Tours)
2026-05-30 | Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, 1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook, NY, 12106, United States
Tours at 10:15, 11:15, 1:15, and 2:15
In the second of a monthly 6-part Seasons at Lindenwald series facilitated by the Farmscape Ecology Program, Anna and Kyle will be leading tours of the recently restored historic orchard at Lindenwald highlighting spring happenings, including in two second-year native wildflower plots within the orchard. The tours will provide an opportunity to learn how Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program biologists are working to monitor the ecology of the organically managed orchard over time, including the impact on pollinators and other insects. Participants will also have an opportunity to closely observe the young apple and pear trees and learn about what historical records tell us about these varieties, and when they were flowering, during Martin Van Buren’s time. No registration is needed and people are welcome to stop by for any of the tour times.

Forge Project Meadow Work Day
2026-06-04 16:00 - 19:00
The Farmscape Ecology Program will lead a Spring Meadow Work Day at Forge Project on Thursday, June 4th. Introductions will be led at 4:15pm and 5:45pm, and while participants are required to sign up for one session, they are welcome to stay for both.
The Farmscape Ecology Program has been involved in the transitioning of the former agricultural fields and traditionally landscaped areas into native meadows and shrublands that will feature native and culturally significant species. Guests can expect to learn some of the native plants we try to support and help remove invasives. This is a seasonal opportunity to participate hands-on in some of the remediation work happening onsite and learn how you can fold simple restoration practices into your own home spaces and gardens.
Basic plant identification will be led by the Farmscape Ecology Program team, and Paloma Wake, Forge Project Operations Director, will share about some of the shifts happening throughout the land at Forge Project and the organization’s ongoing relations with the Stockbridge Munsee Band of Mohicans, the homeland people who this land belongs to and who belong to this land.
Guests are asked to bring their own gardening gloves and hand tools if possible (for example a digging fork, dandelion digger, hand clippers, weed wrench); a water bottle; and a willingness to work together. Snacks and beverages will be provided by Forge Project.
Interested participants should plan to register on the Forge Project website:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-meadow-work-day-tickets-1986819496598?aff=oddtdtcreator

Linden Flowers and Other Phenology at Lindenwald (Tours)
2026-06-13 10:15 - 15:00
Saturday, June 13th, Tours at 10:15, 11:15, and 2:15 at Martin Van Buren National Historic Site (1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook, NY)
Anna will lead guided walks featuring the late-spring flowers and fruits seen along the “Phenology Trail” at Lindenwald, including the fragrant, late-flowering American Basswoods (“Lindens”) for which Lindenwald was named. Park staff have been monitoring the timing of flowering, leafing, fruiting, and other life cycle events—also known as phenology—for 10 different species of trees and shrubs at the site since 2021, as part of the USA National Phenology Network. Tours will explore the history of phenology in Kinderhook during Martin Van Buren’s time, observe current happenings like the flowering Lindens, and learn how phenology monitoring provides important insights into the impact of climate change on local plants and animals

Pollinator talk at Beatrix Farrand Garden at Bellefield
2026-06-20 10:30 - 23:30
Saturday, June 20th, 10:30 -11:30 am in Hyde Park, NY
Follow this link to get tickets: https://www.viewcy.com/event/wild_pollinators_div
Wild Pollinators: Diversity, Natural History, and Conservation
Pollinator diversity and natural history are spectacular and easily observable wherever you find flowering plants. Join FEP biologist Kyle Bradford for a talk that provides an overview of some of our pollinating animals and offers a deeper dive into wild bees, their natural history, and conservation. Weather permitting, we will go out into the Beatrix Farrand Garden to observe bees and other pollinators up close.

The Understory Morning Coffee Webinar
2026-07-14 08:30 - 09:30
Ancient Forests of Columbia County, NY: Perspectives from Ants, Plants, and Fungi
Join Kyle to hear the latest on our ancient forest research. While not necessarily “old-growth,” ancient forests have never been completely cleared for agriculture or had their soils homogenized by the plow. In a largely forested landscape, it is not always easy to distinguish between an ancient forest and a younger, post-agricultural forest, making our oldest forests susceptible to logging, development, and loss. As a first step in ancient forest conservation, the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program has mapped ancient forest in Columbia County. Over the last two years, we have been studying the biodiversity and forest characteristics of ancient forests and post-agricultural forests. This talk will give an update on what we have found and discuss the potential conservation benefits of ancient forests and how you can be involved in their protection. Please register for the event here.

CANCELED: Kinderhook Pine Barren Walk
2026-07-18
This event is canceled, with hopes of rescheduling, because the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site is closed to allow ongoing clean-up from the July 2 storm that damaged many trees.

Meadow Walk at Overmountain Conservation Area
2026-07-20 15:00 - 17:00
We are excited to offer another opportunity to visit one of our favorite seeded wildflower meadows this year.
Pollinator Meadow Exploration at Overmountain Cons. Area
Monday, July 20, 3 to 5pm; 138 Cattalino Rd, Ancramdale, NY
Join researchers from the Farmscape Ecology Program for an exploration of a pollinator meadow seeded by volunteers in the autumn of 2019 on a former corn field at Overmountain Conservation Area in Ancram. Which native plants were seeded? Who are the native (and non-native) plants growing in the meadow now, during its 7th season? Which pollinators visit their flowers? What have we learned from monitoring the vegetation development and insects in the meadow over the years?
This free event is sponsored by the Columbia Land Conservancy. Please register with fep@hawthornevalleyfarm.org or call 518-672-7994 to reserve a space and receive directions. Rain date: Wednesday, July 22.

FEP Display at the Blueberry Festival in Austerlitz
2026-07-26 | Old Austerlitz, 11550 State Route 22, Austerlitz, NY, 12017
Please visit the Farmscape Ecology Program table at the 25th Annual Blueberry Festival at Old Austerlitz on Sunday, July 26th, 9am-3pm rain or shine. This is a large community event with early 19th century craft demonstrations, antiques, artists, wares, children’s activities, live music and blueberry pancakes. Our team will be there with interactive displays about nature in Columbia County. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Farmscape Ecology Field Day at the Hudson Valley Farm Hub
2026-08-04 09:00 - 13:00 | Hudson Valley Farm Hub, 1875 Hurley Mountain Rd, Hurley, NY, 12443
Join us and our colleagues from the Applied Farmscape Ecology Research Collaborative to learn about and discuss the different research projects that occur at the Farm Hub. This event is for farmers, conservation professionals, land managers, and others interested in on-farm ecology to learn about the different research projects that occur at the Farm Hub and discuss their applications. We will host interactive stations, share insights into our projects, and discuss their potential applications for farms and land in the region. Come with your questions and engage!
Featuring Research on:

On-farm Insect Communities by Conrad Vispo, Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program
Seeded Wildflower Meadows by Claudia Knab-Vispo, Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program
Soil Invertebrates in Native Meadows by Laura Stark, Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program
On-farm Birds and Their Year-Round Habitat Use by Anne Bloomfield, Hudson Valley Farm Hub
Soil Microbes in Relation to Agriculture by Gabriel Perron, Bard College
Wood Turtles on Farms by Jason Tesauro, Hudsonia
Bats on Farms by Amanda Bevan Zientek, Independent Researcher
Water Quality and Quantity in Agricultural Systems by Shafiul Chowdhury, SUNY New Paltz
Cover Crop as Habitat for Winter Birds by Will Yandik, Independent Researcher, Farmer

This event will be free but has limited capacity and will require registration with the Hudson Valley Farm Hub.
Rain Date is Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Slow Wood Talk by Brian Donahue
2026-08-14 18:30 - 20:00 | Hawthorne Valley Learning Center, 327 County Route 21C, Ghent, NY, 12075, United States
Join us for a presentation from Brian Donahue, forest historian, farmer, and author. Brian is Brandeis professor emeritus of American Environmental Studies and co-author of the reports A New England Food Vision, Beyond the Illusion of Preservation, and Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands and Communities. He is also co-editor of the free e-journal, From the Ground Up. Brian has devoted much of his career to understanding the historical roots and future implications of human/nature interactions in New England. Specifically, he and his colleagues have explored the links among community well-being, sustainable natural resource use, and nature conservation, focusing particularly on agriculture and forestry.
In this talk, Brian will discuss his most recent book, Slow Wood: Greener Building from Local Forests (2024), which documents his experience building a timber frame home from the wood growing on his family farm through the stories of the trees he used while practicing “worst first” forestry. The book also explores the history of Americans’ relationship with their forests. Practicing ecological forestry produces a wide range of both low-grade and high-grade wood while maintaining ecological values in the forest, but it cannot easily compete with larger-scale plantation and short-rotation production and processing, which saturates the market. Brian will address some of the obstacles we face in increasing ecological, local wood use, and the opportunities and levers for overcoming those obstacles.
Parking: Waldorf school parking lot across from the Farm Store
Talk location: The Learning Center @ 327 Rte 21C, Ghent, NY 12075 on the Farm Store side of the road (Between Main House and the barn/CSA pick-up, signage will be posted)

Taghkanic Talks: Panel Discussion on Meadow Making and Management
2026-08-22 10:00 - 12:00 | Taghkanic Fire House, 631 Old Rte 82, West Taghkanic, NY, 12521, United States
Join us for a panel discussion on meadow making and management with Barbara Hughey (Land Stewardship Design), Deborah Wren (New Leaf Eco Landscaping), Linda Reardon (meadow owner), and Claudia Knab-Vispo (Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program) facilitated by Timothy Kennelty.
This event is part of the “Taghkanic Talks,” a program developed by the Taghkanic Climate Smart and Conservation Advisory Committees to host public presentations on a variety of topics of interest to the Taghkanic community and beyond. No registration required.

Summer Biodiversity Trail Walk
2026-08-25 10:00 - 12:00
This is the third walk in the four-part Seasons on the Biodiversity Trail guided walk series. The walk will be co-led by Anna (from the Farmscape Ecology Program) and Spencer (from the Hawthorne Valley Farm) and will explore summer’s agricultural rhythms and ecological highlights on the new Biodiversity Trail that traverses hillside pasturelands at Hawthorne Valley.
Walk participants will have the opportunity to hear firsthand about Hawthorne Valley’s dairy herd and pasture management from the Co-Director of Hawthorne Valley Farm, Spencer Fenniman. They will also get to see the late-summer flowering plants along the trail and hear more about the wild organisms who share this agricultural landscape.
The walk is free, but space is limited, so interested participants should register by emailing Anna Duhon: anna@hawthornevalleyfarm.org.

Historical Weather Day at Martin Van Buren National Historic Site
2026-08-29 10:00 - 15:00 | Martin Van Buren National Historic Site, 1013 Old Post Road, Kinderhook, NY, 12106, United States
Join the Farmscape Ecology Program as they set up their historical weather station display for an “historical weather day” at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site. The weather station display will feature antique and replica weather instruments, predominantly from the 19th century. The event will be an opportunity to learn about and interact with these early weather instruments, many of which were manufactured and/or used locally. Some such tools were part of a 19th century meteorological network throughout New York State that included sites in Kinderhook, Hudson, New Lebanon, Chatham, and Spencertown. Slightly later instrumentation was used by the US Weather Bureau, the precursor of our current Weather Service.
Visitors will be invited to try their hand at reading the weather conditions on some of the still-functional instruments, and learn more about their history and use. A daily almanac derived from meteorological and seasonal observations made by 19th century observers in Kinderhook and nearby towns will be available for perusing, as well as historical weather maps. These historical weather observations provide a window into how weather and climate has changed since Martin Van Buren’s time, and some of the local effects of those changes.

What Makes Old-growth Forests Special and How to Save Them
2026-08-31 18:30 - 20:00 | Hawthorne Valley Learning Center, 327 County Route 21C, Ghent, NY, 12075, United States
Please join us for a talk by Joan Maloof for a visual exploration of old growth forests and a call for their conservation on Monday, Aug. 31st, 6:30pm in the Learning Center Hawthorne Valley Farm (327 Rte 21C, Ghent, NY 12075).
What is an old growth forest, how might you recognize it, what does it feel like to walk through one, and why is old growth forest conservation ecologically important?
Joan Maloof is Professor emeritus at Salisbury College and founder and former Executive Director of the Old Growth Forest Network. She continues her work to promote old-growth conservation and has written several books about forests including Forty Ways to Know a Tree, The Living Forest: A Visual Journey into the Heart of the Woods, Nature’s Temples: The Complex World of Old-Growth Forests, Among the Ancients: Adventures in the Eastern Old-Growth Forests, and Teaching the Trees: Lessons from the Forest. She will share her experiences amongst the trees and amongst people interested in saving those trees.
Talk location: The Learning Center @ 327 Rte 21C, Ghent, NY 12075 on the Farm Store side of the road (between Main House and the barn/CSA pick-up; we’ll put up signage).
Parking: Waldorf school parking lot across from the Farm Store.
The talk is free. No registration needed!
