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Schedule

 

There are no assigned textbooks for this course. All readings can be accessed from the course Moodle unless otherwise noted.

 

Introducing the amenity economy

SEPTEMBER 4

 

The Hudson Valley as tourism destination

SEPTEMBER 6

Classroom guest: Mary Kay Vrba, Dutchess County Tourism.

From The Dictionary of Human Geography, edited by Derek Gregory et al. (Blackwell, 2009): "Cultural landscape," "Production of nature."

"Best Trips 2013: Hudson Valley," National Geographic (website).

"36 Hours in the Hudson Valley, New York," New York Times, July 26, 2013.

Browse Dutchess County Tourism website.

Metro-North Railroad One-Day Getaways: The Dutchess County Farm Fresh Link.

"Event aims to boost tourism," Poughkeepsie Journal, May 8, 2013.

"Expo links tour buses to valley tourism," Poughkeepsie Journal, August 29, 2013.

Fieldtrip to Amenia farmers market.

Back to Vassar College for 4:30 blogging workshop in Library electronic classroom.

 

Optional this weekend: check out the Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, Rhinebeck [admission required].

 

Amenity development as economic development

SEPTEMBER 11

Harvey K. Flad & Clyde Griffen, "Main Street and the Twenty-first Century Cultural Landscape," pp. 353-65 in Main Street to Mainframes: Lanscape and Social Change in Poughkeepsie (Excelsior Editions, 2009).

"Mid-Hudson wins $92.8 million state aid for projects," Poughkeepsie Journal, December 19, 2012.

"Development leaders plot strategies," Poughkeepsie Journal, February 23, 2013.

Seth McKee, "Outdoor recreation options can grow," Poughkeepsie Journal, October 7, 2012.

"Taconic State Parkway drives home sales, costs in Dutchess," Poughkeepsie Journal, March 24, 2013.

"Dia: Beacon redraws landscape," Poughkeepsie Journal, May 16, 2013.

Leonard Nevarez, "Looking for the Hudson Valley Hipster," Musical Urbanism (blog), August 8, 2011.

 

Living the upstate life

SEPTEMBER 13

Visit Grazin' Angus Acres (Ghent, Columbia County) to interview Saundra Ball about being a young farmer in the Hudson Valley.

"Stewards of the Land," New York Times, March 14, 2008.

"Leaving Behind the Trucker Hat," New York Times, March 16, 2008.

Benjamin Shute, "A New Generation of Farmers," New York Times, August 29, 2011.

"Young Farmers Find Huge Obstacles to Getting Started," New York Times, November 12, 2011.

"After Graduating From College, It's Time to Plow, Plant and Harvest," New York Times, September 24, 2012.

"The Young-Farmers Movement," Chronogram, September 1, 2013.

Optional, 6 pm to midnight, tonight or tomorrow: attend Basilica Soundscape music festival (Hudson, Columbia County) to observe artistic revitalization in the Hudson Valley [admission required].

"Happening on the Hudson: Lit Lions and Pop Provocateurs at Basilica Hudson," Rural Intelligence, September 5, 2013.

Leonard Nevarez, "The Day Before the Brooklynites Come: Basilica Music Festival in Hudson, NY," Musical Urbanism (blog), August 9, 2012.

 

Preserving and transforming the valley's farms(capes)

SEPTEMBER 18

Serena McIntosh, "Potential for urban farming in NYC gets a look," Poughkeepsie Journal, January 6, 2013.

The New York City Council, "Food Works: A Vision to Improve NYC's Food System" (2010). [PDF]

Scenic Hudson, "Securing Fresh, Local Food for New York City and the Hudson Valley" (a.k.a. the 2013 Foodshed study).

 

SEPTEMBER 20

Visit Locusts on Hudson farm (Staatsburg, Dutchess County) to observe a farm-to-table operation.

Locusts on Hudson (farm website).

"Reframing a bit of history on the Hudson," The Observer [Red Hook], September 7, 2012.

"James Truman, a Crown Prince in a New Kingdom," New York Times, August 16, 2013.

"Party at the Source, in the Hudson Valley," New York Times, June 25, 2013.

Visit Scenic Hudson (Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County) to interview Steve Rosenberg about conservation easements and farmland preservation.

"Report calculates cost of preserving farmland in Dutchess, Ulster," Poughkeepsie Journal, July 28, 2013.

 

Farmstands, farmers markets and CSAs

SEPTEMBER 25

"New York farming industry on the rebound," Poughkeepsie Journal, May 6, 2013.

Brian Obach & Kathleen Tobin, "Agriculture Supporting Community in the Mid-Hudson Region," Center for Research, Regional Education & Outreach (SUNY New Paltz), discussion brief #5, Spring 2011. [PDF]

"The farm dynasty that is Migliorelli," The Observer [Red Hook], November 19, 2012.

"Community-supported agriculture helps local farmers stay in business," Poughkeepsie Journal, April 2, 2013.

"Hudson Valley farms expand growing season," Poughkeepsie Journal, November 26, 2012.

"Cut-your-own Christmas tree tradition takes root," Poughkeepsie Journal, December 10, 2012.

 

SEPTEMBER 27

Fieldtrip to Woodstock and Kingston (Ulster County).

"River Views and Rolling Valleys," New York Times, "Great Homes and Destinations" (n.d.).

Woodstock real estate search (Coldwell Banker Village Green Real Estate).

 

Agri-tourism

OCTOBER 2

Erin Conway, "The Local Food Movement and Terroir in the Hudson Valley," Vassar College, Environmental Studies senior thesis, 2013.

Glynwood Center, "The 2003 Countryside Exchange: The Agri-Tourism Exchange in the Hudson River Valley, New York" (2003).

"Crops or conference rooms?", Poughkeepsie Journal, November 25, 2012.

Letters of support for Culinary Institute of America's 2012 grant.

 

Tasting the Hudson Valley

OCTOBER 4

Fieldtrip to Madava Farms/Crown Maple Syrup (Dover Plains, Dutchess County).

"Crown & Country: A Deluge of Maple Syrup is in the Forecast," Edible Hudson Valley, winter 2012-13.

"Is it too classy for pancakes?" New York Times, April 2, 2013.

"High-Tech Means of Production Belies Nostalgic Image of Maple Syrup," New York Times, March 20, 2013.

"Schumer announces 'Maple Tap Act' has passed the Senate as part of Farm Bill," WBNG Action News, June 11, 2013.

"Valley vineyards open for spring," Poughkeepsie Journal, April 23, 2013.

"Farmers, business owners want hops grown in the Hudson Valley, Poughkeepsie Journal, March 26, 2013.]

 

Integrating farms and communities

OCTOBER 9

Readings TBA.

 

OCTOBER 11: Last class

Fieldtrip to Glynwood Center (Cold Spring, Putnam County).

"Local Farming has Promising Future," Poughkeepsie Journal, September 15, 2013. [PDF]

"Brook Farm Project controversy puts 'good guys' at odds," Poughkeepsie Journal, August 3, 2013.

 

OCTOBER 18: Fall break

Wikipedia articles, self-assessment briefs, and any remaining blog posts due by noon sharp.

 

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