Members of the Adirondack seminar, Forever Wild, traveled to the Adirondack Park with their professor, Associate Dean of Faculty Onno Oerlemans, on a two-day field trip on Oct. 5 and 6.
The group’s first stop was a visit to Asgaard Farm and Dairy in Ausable Forks, where they were given a very thorough and interesting tour led by the owner, David Brunner. He explained the history of the farm. It was first built and designed by the wonderful American painter Rockwell Kent and has been lovingly restored by David Brunner and his partner Rhonda Butler. A great example of regenerative farming – using a mix of cattle, goats, pigs, and chickens to carefully graze and regenerate the pasture land – the farm's chief product is award-winning goat cheese.
The group then drove to the top of Whiteface Mountain along the Veteran's Memorial Highway, walking the final mile or so along a trail crusted with recent snow. It was a bluebird day, so clear at the top that they could see the skyscrapers of Montreal. They continued on to the Mountain House in Keene where they were hosted by the students participating in the Hamilton Adirondack Program.
The next morning, the group hiked Little Crow and Big Crow Mountains, and then drove to the Adirondack Experience Museum, where they spent most of their time examining the museum's extraordinary collection of Adirondack art, boats, and logging equipment.
