The farm is just part of a larger biodiversity, and a big part of the layout of this place is that I used a model developed in Oregon 40 years ago by the group called Tilth, where you have these little micro-ecosystems, such as you can see in the hillside peach orchard. There are also areas here of intensive vegetable gardens, pasture, woodland, and a small apple orchard, each one unique in its soil, flora and fauna.

 
 
 
ANNE BANKS.jpg

EARTHBORN GARDEN

Anne Banks owns and operates Earthborn Garden in Hillsdale, NY (Columbia County). Her farming practices are informed in part by Oregon Tilth, founded on the idea that our food and agriculture should be equitable and sustainable.

Produce from Earthborn Garden is available at the Copake Hillsdale Farmers Market, along with maple syrup and Anne’s jams and jellies.

 
 
DSC_0402aB.jpg

KITCHEN KAYLIE BAND

The Kitchen Kaylie Band is a group that has played traditional folk, bluegrass, celtic, ragtime and blues music since the early 1970’s.  Peter Dufault (1923-2013) and Gene Parzek were the founding members of the band, gathering in the Dufault kitchen to play an assortment of acoustic instruments. Peter played fiddle and was a master of his own style of 5-string banjo. As he got older, he developed an intense frailing style he called “chain saw banjo.” We all struggled to keep up.  Anne Banks of Hillsdale plays mandolin, guitar, fiddle, tenor banjo and sings vocals, while Gene Partzek of Nassau plays a “no frills” back-up guitar which is essential to the band’s sound. He also adds great harmonica playing to many of the band’s songs. Rob Parzek is the band’s drummer and sound technician. Mark Dufault plays fiddle and a mean electric guitar, which helps bring the band into the rockabilly era. Scott Dufault plays mandolin and clawhammer banjo, and sings harmony vocals.

The name, Kaylie, is an Anglicized version of a Celtic term for a traditional festival form of entertainment where everyone participates in some way. Being born in the kitchen, the name became Kitchen Kaylie Band. We perform at a variety of community events as well as weddings and contra dances, with Banks as caller.