April/May  2015     Editor  Nancy  DiPace  Pfau     Number  24    IS IT SPRING YET IN SHARON SPRINGS?  

 Van  Gogh’s  Garden  in  Arles    You  know  you  live  in  Upstate  New  York  if  the  seasons  are:    Almost  Winter,  Winter,  Still  Winter,  MUD,  and  Road  Construction!    So  after  one  of  the  most  ferociously  cold  winters  in  anyone’s  memory,  a  garden  [even  in  a  painting  or  photo]  brings  a  sense  of  delight.    There  are  many  great  events  in  store  this  April  and  May,  here  are  a  few  to  mark  on  your  calendars:  April  18th:  Book  Launch  at  the  American  Hotel,  4-­‐7  PM  April  19th:  Ron  Ketelson  to  speak  on  “The  Roseboro  Renovation”  with  dinner,  American  Hotel,  6  PM.    Reservations  required.  April  30th:  Harriet  Tubman  Night  at  the  American  Hotel,  6  PM.  Reservation  required.  May  23  and  24:  Garden  Party  throughout  the  Village  May  25:  Memorial  Day  Ceremony  and  Parade  in  the  upper  village.    

Gone  were  but  the  Winter,  Come  were  but  the  Spring.  I  would  go  to  a  Covert  Where  the  birds  sing.  

n Christina  Rossetti    

A  SPECIAL  THANK  YOU  TO  BRUCE  BUTTON  AND  LEE  PUBLICATIONS  FOR  THEIR  CONTINUED  SUPPORT  IN  PRINTING  THE  CHATTER!    

THE BOOK IS LAUNCHED  

   Sharon  and  Sharon  Springs,  A  History  published  by  Arcadia  Press  is  officially  available.    Author,  Nancy  DiPace  Pfau,  shares  a  copy  with  her  favorite  Mayor,  Doug  Plummer  at  the  American  Hotel.  Make  sure  to  come  out  for  the  book  launch  and  get  a  signed  copy  on  April  18th  at  the  American  Hotel.    Copies  are  also  available  at  Cobbler  &  Co,  The  Teepee,  Fenimore  Museum  Shop,  Catnap  Books,  Agway,  as  well  as  Barnes  &  Noble,  Amazon.com,  and  many  other  locations.    Ordering  information  for  the  book  can  be  found  on  websites  in  Poland,  The  Netherlands,  and  Australia!        THE COMMUNITY SADDENED BY TRAGEDY  A  devastating  fire  destroyed  the  Sabler  Home  in  the  wee  hours  of  April  2nd.    Three  young  people  were  tragically  killed  Anthony  Sabler,  13,  Gabrielle  Sabler,  20,  and  Ashley  Tefft,  22.    Here  are  two  places  to  offer  financial  assistance  to  the  affected  families  in  this  terrible  time:  

http://www.gofundme.com/qsp2w4 http://www.gofundme.com/qsghyw    There  is  also  a  fund  for  the  Sabler  family  at  NBT  Bank  in  Sharon  Springs.    

SHARON SPRINGS RESIDENTS PARTICIPATE IN ANIMAL RESCUE

Several  Sharon  Springs  and  surrounding  neighbors  recently  participated  in  an  animal  rescue  at  a  Cherry  Valley  farm.    The  farm  had  nearly  100  animals  that  were  badly  neglected.    The  owners  just  stopped  feeding  and  caring  for  the  animals.    Jay  Lavery,  Ron  Ketelsen,  John  Hall,  Jessy  Santiago,  Laurel  Shaver,  Jamie  Tilt,  Jack  and  Bryan  Jones,  and  Robert  Hancock  all  participated  in  the  rescue.    Among  the  animals  rescued  were  horses,  rabbits,  goats,  sheep,  chickens,  ducks,  geese,  alpacas,  and  dogs.  

Sharon  Springs’  residents,  Jay  Lavery  and  Ron  Ketelsen,  became  farmers  overnight.    While  Jay  already  had  a  few  ducks  on  his  farm,  he  had  not  planned  on  expanding  until  spring.    Jay  ended  up  taking  6  Nubian  goats.    Fortunately,  Jay  had  a  space  in  his  back  building  and  with  the  help  of  John  Hall,  Jay  was  able  to  set  up  a  great  new  home  for  the  goats.  

Ron  Ketelsen  who  lives  next  door  to  Jay  on  Longhollow  Farm  took  7  ducks,  3  horses,  2  goats  and  2  ram  sheep.    With  the  help  of  Gary  O’Connor,  Ron  converted  the  old  barn  on  the  farm  into  a  new  home  for  the  animals.    New  stalls  were  built  for  the  horses,  a  new  pen  was  built  for  the  ducks,  and  the  goats  and  sheep  got  a  new  large  dedicated  room  in  the  barn.  Laurel  Shaver,  who  lives  in  nearby  Fort  Plain,  has  been  active  with  animal  rescues  for  quite  some  time.    Laurel  took  to  her  farm  several  rabbits,  alpacas,  geese,  and  some  goats.  

“It  was  really  a  labor  of  love,”  said  Ketelsen.    “These  animals  were  being  so  badly  neglected  and  not  being  fed.    Now,  they  have  great  forever  homes.”  

“Ron,  Laurel  and  Jay  are  a  blessing  to  these  animals,”  said  Jessy  Santiago  who  coordinated  the  rescue.    “These  animals  had  been  starved  and  so  badly  neglected.    It  is  such  a  comfort  to  know  they  now  have  such  amazing  homes  with  such  great,  caring  people!”            

   Ducks  at  Ron  Ketelsen’s  farm  

COMMUNITY COOKBOOK PLANNED    Dear Neighbors, Since first coming to Sharon Springs in January 2013 and buying a house on Union Street 11 months later, my husband Curt and I have fallen in love with this community and those lucky enough to live here full-time. We have been graciously welcomed and generously gifted with friendship, food, and much kindness. I have been so touched by how we have been welcomed that I have pondered some way to give back to this wonderful community. And so, the idea of the Sharon Springs Community Cookbook was born – with the profits from the sale of the book to provide support for the Sharon Springs Food Pantry, currently housed in the Sharon Springs United Methodist Church. According to the folks at Amazon, community cookbooks are the biggest sellers of any type of cookbook. The reasons are two-fold: people tend to purchase cookbooks which contain recipes they or friends and family have submitted, and people who have fallen in love with a certain place will purchase a cookbook from that community to help sustain that love. Due in large part to the success of Josh, Brent, and Farmer John and the goats at Beekman 1802, there are folks around the country (fondly referred to as “Beek Geeks") who have fallen in love with Sharon Springs and who, I believe, will also purchase our cookbook. To this end, Brent and Josh have graciously agreed to offer the cookbook for sale through Beekman 1802. Additionally, other local merchants will have the cookbook for sale. Local residents will be able to purchase cookbooks in the local stores or from me. I hope that it may also be offered for sale in our local B&B’s, as our visitors often want something tangible to bring home from Sharon Springs. So I am asking residents and employees of businesses in Sharon Springs and Sharon to submit one or more recipes that are personally meaningful and to introduce your submission with the story behind the recipe. Where did it come from? When was it served? What memories does it carry with it? When you submit your recipe(s), please note in which category you want them to be, and remember to include a short paragraph about the food and the memories behind it. Categories: Appetizers; Salads and Salad Dressings; Soups and Sandwiches; Breads; Breakfast; Beverages; Main Dishes; Sides; Sweets (to be divided into Desserts, Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Candy); Miscellaneous (could include jams, pickles, and relishes), and Holidays. Please include your phone number so that I (or Pauline Brown and Karen Cookson, the other members of the Committee) might contact you if there are any questions. If you are a resident, please list your name as you wish it to appear in the Cookbook. If you wish the name of an organization you belong to (i.e., Historical Society, Fire Department, etc.) to be included, feel free to include that with your name. If you work in a business in town (even if you do not live in the Village or Town) please include that name along with yours, i.e., Mary Smith, May’s Good Eats. Send me your recipe not later than Memorial Day, Monday, May 25, 2015. Recipes may be sent either through the mail or to my email, listed below. Please do not hesitate to call me with any questions you might have. Thank you for your help with this project. Kathy Merrick kmerrick@myfairpoint.net P.O. Box 83   Sharon Springs, NY 13459 cell phone: (603) 714-0531

SPRING HOUSE SPA: A SHORT HISTORY  

Nestled  at  the  foot  of  the  Main  Street  Hill  in  Sharon  Springs  is  one  of  our  latest  examples  of  historic  preservation,  The  Spring  House  Spa.    Formerly  known  as  the  “Monticello  Cottage”,  this  building  has  seen  many  transformations  over  the  centuries.    The  house  appears  on  the  recently  discovered  1847  map  of  the  Village,  owned  by  a  Dr.  Green.  It  is  believed  that  the  house  was  built  circa  1840,  making  it  one  of  the  oldest  buildings  in  the  village.     From  1870  to  1925,  the  Grosmayer  family  operated  the  Cottage  as  a  boarding  house;  during  this  period,  it  was  famous  for  its  teas  and  gardens.       In  1993,  when  the  property  was  granted  New  York  State  Historic  status,  it  was  owned  by  Irving  Fuchs  and  used  only  during  the  summer  months  as  a  boarding  house.  The  exterior  at  that  time  was  unprepossessing  (covered  with  asphalt  siding)  and  definitely  showed  the  ravages  of  time  and  neglect.  At  that  time  it  was  surrounded  by  commercial  properties  most  of  which  were  vacant.  Today,  as  the  Spring  House  Spa,  it  is  part  of  the  Village  revitalization  with  several  charming  shops,  restaurants,  and  a  hotel  as  its  near  neighbors.     The  building  itself  is  architecturally  significant  because  of  its  gable  front  with  double  wing  form;  it  is  classified  as  a  Greek  Revival  House  still  retaining  the  federal  fan  motif  in  the  front  gable.  Probably  during  the  Grosmayer  years,  Victorian  and  Queen  Ann  Style  additions  were  made  to  the  house.     In  the  late  1990’s,  Todd  Spofford  and  Christopher  Eaves  purchased  the  property,  cleaned  up  the  building  and  rented  it  out  as  a  gift  shop.    In  the  early  2000’s,  it  was  briefly  the  site  of  an  E-­‐bay  business.    For  several  years,  the  property  was  vacant  until  the  present  owners  purchased  it  after  Cheryl  Rosen  told  Craig  her  dream  was  to  open  a  spa  in  Sharon  Springs;  this  was  New  Year’s  Day  2011  and  3  weeks  later  they  purchased  the  building.     Craig  and  Cheryl  Rosen  had  several  challenges  facing  them.    The  floors  were  covered  with  worn  wall-­‐to-­‐wall  carpet  with  150  years  of  paint  beneath,  which  was  difficult  to  remove  but  with  patience,  diligence  and  hard  work  they  have  revealed  magnificent  old  wide-­‐board  flooring.    In  addition,  they  needed  to  configure  treatment  spaces  which  would  stay  true  to  the  feel  of  an  historic  space  yet  create  a  modern,  cleaner  environment.       One  of  Craig’s  more  welcome  challenges  was  to  connect  this  new  spa  to  the  rich  history  of  the  White  Sulphur  Baths  and  the  earlier  manifestations  of  Health  Treatments  at  Sharon  Springs.    His  solution  was  to  set  aside  one  room  where  he  created  a  photo  gallery  of  scenes  from  Sharon’s  Spa  History.    This  room  offers  a  nostalgic  step  back  in  time,  a  tribute  to  the  once  bustling  health  spa.    The  Village  applauds  the  Rosens  for  giving  us  a  return  to  our  heritage  for  the  first  time  since  the  baths  closed  in  2007.     Today  as  one  approaches  200  Main  Street,  a  creamy  yellow  exterior  provides  a  welcome,  as  do  the  plantings  changing  seasonally  to  offer  another  treat  for  the  senses.  Inside  the  rooms  are  painted  in  warm  pastels,  and  the  front  two  rooms  offer  many  lovely  items  for  sale  from  bath  products  to  healthful  foods  to  straw  hats  and  beyond.    Treatment  rooms  are  located  at  the  rear  of  the  building  offering  massage  therapy,  facials,  wraps,  and  other  beneficial  health  procedures  in  state  of  the  art  surroundings.    In  addition  to  the  charming  and  appealing  Spa  treatment  facility  on  the  first  floor,  the  Rosens  have  remodeled  the  upstairs  flat,which  now  rents  out  to  travelers,  a  welcome  addition  to  the  Village  where  hotel  and  B&B  space  is  limited.    

                                                                                           

SPRING HOUSE SPA      Editor’s  note:    The  Rosens  and  Spring  House  Spa  will  receive  an  award  for  their  excellent  restoration  from  Otsego  2000  this  May!      There  are  many  reasons  people  return  to  Sharon  Springs  again  and  again…Time  away  to  enjoy  the  friendly  hospitality  of  our  small  town  community,  exceptional  dining  and  shopping  experiences,  enjoying  meaningful  time  with  new  and  old  friends,  celebrating  and  attending  special  events,  rubbing  elbows  with  our  local  celebrities.  And  why  not  also  experience  the  health  benefits  that  have  been  drawing  people  to  visit  Sharon  Springs  for  well  over  100  years?…..hmmm…..sounds  like  an  afternoon  at  the  Spa!  Here  are  a  few  of  the  many  benefits  that  result  from  having  a  massage  or  spa  treatment  at  the  Spring  House  Spa.      Research  studies  report  that  massage  therapy  has  been  shown  to…      Calm  anxiety  and  depression-­‐massage  lowers  the  production  of  the  stress  hormone  cortisol  Ease  muscle  pain  and  tension-­‐relaxes  tight  muscles  and  releases  beneficial  hormones  that  reduce  pain  (oxytocin)  Improve  Sleep-­‐has  a  positive  effect  on  Delta  waves  associated  with  deep  sleep  Boost  Immunity-­‐could  go  into  detail  here  but  simply  put,  reduces  stress  and  keeps  you  healthier  Increase  Mental  Alertness-­‐  improved  circulation  reduces  fatigue  mentally  and  physically  Create  a  Big  Smile-­‐we've  seen  it  happen!      Drawing  on  Sharon  Springs's  history  as  a  mineral  spa  resort,  we  have  designed  a  Magnesia  Mud  Wrap,  incorporating  some  of  those  same  mineral  rich  waters.      The  Spring  House  Spa  continues  to  provide  the  best  of  care  in  their  Spa  Services  and  offerings.  Now  you  can  "Stay  &  Spa"  above  the  Spa  at  Monticello  Cottage.  The  charming  and  elegantly  furnished  one  or  two  bedroom  flat  has  the  perfect  floor  plan  to  spend  quality  time  with  friends…stay  in,  watch  a  movie  and  cook  dinner  or  walk  to  dinner  and  don't  worry  about  driving  home,  because  you  are  already  home  in  Sharon  Springs.      If  you  are  celebrating  a  special  event  or  would  like  to  plan  time  away  with  loved  ones,  friends  or  family  and  "Stay  &  Spa"  with  us,  we  would  love  to  help  customize  that  experience  for  you.      See  you  soon!      Cheryl  &  Craig  Owners  Spring  House    Spa      

THE NEWEST STAR IN SHARON SPRINGS: MEET RUFUS!    A few weeks ago, in the midst of winter, Drew Taylor and Gail Luna adopted a puppy and named him “Rufus”. He has since gained quite a following on Facebook. “ We would love to have Rufus in the Chatter, wrote Gail. “This photo is when he first arrived at his new home. He has 93 followers on Instagram. I get private messages from people when I don't send out the daily Rufus post. It's so cute! He's a Shepard, Lab and Rottweiler mix. He knows how to sit, shake hands, lay down, and retrieve his Frisbee!”

Editor’s note: Welcome to Sharon Springs, little Rufus, we look forward to chartering your many adventures.          

OTHER  NEWS  AROUND  THE  VILLAGE,  TOWN  AND  NEARBY    1.  THE  BLACK  CAT  CAFÉ  celebrates  10  years  of  delicious  food  in  a  funky  atmosphere,  still  open  7  days  a  week  with  new  treats  and  happenings  [music  on  a  Saturday  night  anyone?]  –  check  out  their  Facebook  page  and/or  website  to  keep  up  with  what’s  happening!    2.  ONATAH  CAFÉ  now  open  in  Canajoharie:  stop  in  for  lunch  and  say  hello  to  Heidi  Meka,  formerly  of  the  American  Hotel.    3.  204  MAIN  BISTRO  is  back  for  another  season  of  innovative  food  in  a  beautiful  setting.  Open  Thursdays  through  Sundays  until  summer.        4.  COBBLER  &  CO  open  Thursdays  through  Mondays  until  May  when  it’s  back  to  daily,  10  AM  to  6  PM,  for  your  gift  giving  needs,  new  merchandise  arrives  weekly.      5.  BEEKMAN  1802  MERCANTILE  continues  to  dazzle  us  with  new  products!    The  Otesaga  Hotel  now  has  Beekman  bath  products  in  each  of  their  guest  rooms,  as  does  the  American  Hotel.    Check  out  what’s  new  in  the  flagship  store  on  Main  Street  in  Sharon  Springs  or  on  the  website:    www.beekman1802.com    6.  SUNNYCREST  MARKET’S  greenhouses  are  filled  with  blooming  garden  plants,  a  perfect  spot  for  a  pick-­‐me-­‐up  in  these  gray  sky  days  and  muddy  landscape.      7.  We’ll  know  SPRING  is  really  here  when  The  Finishing  Touch  and  McGillicudy’s  Soap  put  out  their  open  signs.      Our  man  in  Havana,  Mitchell  Owens,  has  a  feature  article  in  the  May  issue  of  Architectural  Digest  about  his  trip  to  Cuba  recently.  And,  down  on  the  farm,  John  Hall  has  been  extra  busy  with  a  bumper  “crop”  of  adorable  baby  goats  –  he  is  even  running  out  of  names,  so  go  to  the  Beekman  website  and  suggest  a  few,  you  might  win  something!    8.  LANDRETH  SEEDS  of  Sharon  Springs  has  donated  Heirloom  Tomato  Seeds  to  the  Beekman  Mortgage  Lifter  Sauce  project.        9.  And,  don’t  forget  to  make  your  reservations  for  Harriet  Tubman  Night  at  the  American  Hotel,  April  30th.      The  celebration  will  feature  Austin  Jetton  singing  spirituals  as  only  he  can.    Dr.  Graham  Hodges  of  Colgate  University,  one  of  the  foremost  historians  of  the  underground  railroad,  will  speak,  and  Village  Historian  and  Chatter  Editor  Nancy  DiPace  Pfau  will  discuss  a  fascinating  documented  link  to  Sharon  Springs.