Spring 2013

Bike Race and Open House

This year’s Bike Race will be held on Sunday, April 21st. The course is a beautiful 17 mile scenic route around Otisco Lake, enjoyable for both the competitive rider and those just out for a leisurely ride. Prizes are given out for many categories including first and last place, most colorful, and youngest. Refreshments are provided for all participants. Registration begins at 8am at the Otisco Lake Community Center adjacent to our barn. At 9 am the racers depart to the cheers of our throng of spectators. Last year’s 1st Place winner was Tom Forte.

The Bike Race is followed by our Duck Race, which also garners prizes. This is a great way to enjoy a longawaited Spring. In addition to riding, you can visit our animals, enjoy our fifty acre treasure hunt, visit our new garden or gazebo, or just relax in an easy chair on our site. If you haven’t yet visited Amberations, here is your chance!

Entry fee for the race is $20 per person/$40 per family. All proceeds go towards keeping Amberations going.

If you are interested in helping at this event please contact us.

Animal Update

We are sad to tell you that this winter was the last for Smiley, our three legged sheep. Smiley had a good life and appreciated all the carrots, apples and love our visitors brought her. Katie (her daughter) was quick to overcome her grief and has bonded quite nicely with Big Joe (our donkey).

A new turkey, very white and very large, has joined our family. Mr. Tom, as we like to call him, is extremely friendly. Please be very gentle with him when you visit. Some guests have been concerned because he breathes so heavily and is so hot to the touch. This just seems to be how Mr. Tom is.

Within the next few weeks we plan to adopt some new chicks and baby ducklings so JOIN US APRIL 21st to greet the newbies.

Our First Garden

Last year Amberations started its first garden and it was HUGE. We bought lots of seeds, all of them heirloom, so we could save seeds from our crops for future use.

SUNY School of Environmental Science and Forestry volunteer Cady Thompson and our treasurer Diana Green started the seeds in small pots kept indoors by a large southern-facing window.

We planted many different crops: from lettuce and tomatoes to corn, beans, peppers, and a variety of squashes. Amberations also purchased a 250 gallon water tank to help keep the garden watered during dry spells. The netting our volunteers installed was kindly trampled by the deer in the Fall. Weeding, of course, got out of hand pretty quickly. But, it was fun, and another object of admiration by those who came for visits. Much of the harvest was used in our Fall Festival and we plan to increase our yield this year.

We invite you to join us in the fun. Bicycles and Ideas for Kids’ Empowerment (B.1.K.E.) Syracuse kids will be visiting Saturday, April 6 and helping to get this year’s garden started. Our plans for the day include putting up some new, sturdier fencing and starting some seedlings.

When you come for a visit, be sure to go to the upper fields to do a little weeding. This year you will be able to take a rest in the beautiful new gazebo adjacent to the garden!

Gazebo Project

Last summer Anne and Paul Brittenham built a gazebo for Amberations in their unique artistic style.

The gazebo is located in our upper field area adjacent to our garden. Soon we will be getting a roof on that gazebo.

Amberations has contracted with Longmore Construction, who also supplied the black locust for our structure, to construct the framework for our roof using locally harvested timbers.

We are hoping for volunteers to help shingle the roof and will be asking local businesses if they might donate materials to finish our project. Please contact us if you or anyone you know might be able to.

Thanks

Thank you once again to all who contributed to and supported our Fall Festival. This annual tradition is becoming ever more popular and we have some new ideas in the works for our next one.

Pee, Poop, and All That Stuff

We are happy to report that the in the Fall. We look forward to Environmental Science and Forestry Engineers Without Borders group is continuing on our composting toilet project.

They have salvaged some repurposed wood, researched ADA compliant regulations, drawn plans on AUTOCAD, and raised the necessary funds to complete this project.

As their semester is drawing to a close they will be storing the wood on their campus and tackling the construction as soon as they return in the Fall. We look forward to christening their project, hopefully at our Fall Festival.

Ways to Help

Animal care: Once a week/once a month/even just once
Raking/weeding/sweeping: Tools available at barn, basically make it look nice
Trails: Always in need of raking, edging and general improvements
Networking: Bring a friend, invite an organization
Carpentry: Finish our boardwalk
Advanced carpentry: Install a solar panel at the barn
Fencing: Extend the animal’s fence: dig post holes, set new posts, attach fencing
Hard labor: Continue with hauling rocks to fill in Joe’s pasture path
Gardening: Help plant/weed/harvest
Fund raisers: Help before, during or after our events
Capital improvements: Help find grants or funding for making our paths wheelchair accessible
Dream realization: Orchestrate a summer camp, day recreation program or collaboration with existing service organization. Build a pond, dig a well, plant a willow tunnel.