Letter to the Editor: Tilly Foster’s Fabulous Open House

To the editor:

Pumpkins, apples, llamas and conceptual art, if you were lucky enough to be at the Open House at Tilly Foster Farm in Brewster on Saturday, October 17, you know how perfect a fall day can be.

I want to thank Stefanie Hubert Executive Director and her staff at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Putnam County, which partnered with the county and sponsored the event that brought more than 650 families out to Tilly Foster for a celebration of Putnam’s down-home community spirit and the farm’s sprawling natural beauty.

CCE proposed the idea as a way to give 4-H volunteers a venue for community outreach after this summer’s 4-H Fair was cancelled due to coronavirus, but the group’s wonderful network of volunteers helped expand the open house at the county’s showcase farm into so much more.

Of course, there were cider and donuts, but the event also highlighted CCE’s many community programs, including the 4-H Youth Program and the Master Gardner’s new Pollinator Pathway, which will keep our county blooming.

The outdoor sculpture show hosted by Collaborative Concepts, which opened in September and runs through October 31, encouraged the crowd to wander around the farm’s 199 acres, with more than enough space for social distancing.

For those of you who missed the event, there’s always next year. In the meantime, come to Tilly Foster, check out Tilly’s Table restaurant, take a self-guided tour of the farm, the sculpture show and the breathtaking views of the Hudson Valley hills.

MaryEllen Odell

Putnam County Executive