Last week we were asked if we would be interested in previewing a documentary, “The Empire State Divide,”produced by the Foundation for Land & Liberty. And we were more than happy to do so as we understood the documentary dealt with the problems that continue to face family farms.
And although we did not grow up on a farm, our father did and we have always thought his approach to life, which he passed on to us, was solidly based in his farm upbringing. And thus we readily admit we are always concerned, as he was, with the many problems farmers face.
And while we found the documentary to be most interesting, in that it presents a different view of issues facing our area, we suspect there will be those who will be more than happy to dismiss the documentary out of hand. And that would be unfortunate as it seems it has much to offer to those who truly wish to understand what is facing family farms today.
Obviously, our area has already lost a tremendous number of family farms. Over the 30 years that we have lived here, we have watched the number of farms dwindle. As the cost of living continues to rise, the pressure on farms to survive increases.
In addition, as the area becomes a retirement destination, the problem is exasperated as there is now a segment of the population that does not have to earn a living here as they did that elsewhere.
Therefore, it often seems that those people fail to appreciate the fact that there are people, many of whom have been here for generations, who do need to be able to make a living here. Thus, as was pointed out in the documentary, it would indeed seem that modern society cannot survive without industry. And we suspect that our area can’t either.
In fact, if we look at the early history of area, as recorded by Judge William Cooper in “A Guide to the Wilderness; or the History of the First Settlements in the Western Counties of New York” (1810, reprinted 1949), we discover he noted: “...I established potash works among the settlers and made them debtor for their bread and laboring utensils.
I also gave them credit for their maple sugar and potash, at a price that would bear transportation, and the first year after the adoption of this plan I collected in one mass forty-three hogsheads of sugar and three hundred barrels of pot- and pearlash, worth about nine thousand dollars. This kept the people together and at home, and the country soon assumed a new face.”
Likewise, the early settlers in Delaware County sustained themselves by using the resources of the area to make goods that were sold to larger urban areas. According to the book, “Lost Villages” by Mary Robinson Sive, “Delaware County was never exclusively pastoral and agricultural after Europeans came here and made use of its abundant water power.” Early industry included grist mills, sawmills, smithies, foundries and tanneries as well as the wood-chemical industry. It is noted that “Chemicals such as methonal, methyl acetate and wood alchohol...acetic acid, acetone, formaldehydle, and acetate of lime...were allmade by distilling of wood with charcoal a by-product.” Thus it seems clear that early on the area realized the necessity of industry.
And that is a necessity that would seem to still be in place today for a number of area residents including, but not limited to, farmers. And we think “The Empire State Divide” does a good job of making this point. It clearly shows how the economy of the area is affecting the lives of those living here. A number of family farms are lost because the younger generations of the family see no future in farming and turn to other careers, usually out of the area. In fact the point was made in the documentary that many high school graduates in the area leave New York state after high school as there is no way they can stay as there is no industry, and thus no jobs, to support them.
The documentary also points out that the current debate about natural gas production has divided the area into those who are adamantly opposed to drilling and those who feel they need to be able to responsibly supplement their income and thus be able to continue to live on the land that they dearly love. We have no idea what the eventual outcome of the debate will be. But we do think it would be helpful if all involved would take the time to research and understand the differing points of view.
Doing so, we hope, might well result in a better understanding of who our neighbors are. Perhaps the sense of hopelessness that has settled on some residents could be lifted. Maybe those who feel obligated to label those in favor of natural gas as being Beverly Hillbillies could rethink their name calling.
Maybe people could realize that the area needs not only white-collar jobs, but also blue-collar jobs. Mayhap Cooperstown could lose its designation of being an “affluent bubble.” Possibly the area’s young people might be able to support themselves here, instead of having to move elsewhere. It might even prove to be the case, that there would be a mutual understanding that those of us who are invested in this area need to work together so that we can all stay where we very much want to be.
And if not now, when? We note that the documentary, “The Empire State Divide,” aired earlier this week on the CBS television station in Binghamton. We understand it will be able for viewing at www.landandlibertyfoundation.org.
Plus, there are a limited number of DVDs of the documentary being made available for anyone who does not have online access but would still like to see the documentary. Please let us know if you would like to borrow a copy. We think it presents some interesting as well as valuable food for thought.
PLEASE NOTE: Comments regarding this column may be made by mail at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, by telephone at 607-547-8124 or by e-mail at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com
Columns
In These Otsego Hills: ‘Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist.’ − John Adams
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From Fly Creek: Revving up for spring
Time to bring you up to date on Fly Creek’s happy clambering into Spring. First, the eatery scene. “Is Jerry’s open yet?” The answer is, “Oh, yes!” The porches are freshly stained; the lawns a uniform green, and the hop vines are already climbing the posts on the covered side deck. Blue and I went up there to lunch earlier this week, and I celebrated spring with my traditional bacon, onion and Swiss cheese hamburger. We two sat on the deck, enjoying the broad view and some spectacular clouds marching across, up toward Schuyler Lake.
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In These Otsego Hills: More from 1986 ...
This week we continue with the discussion of telephone service from the pre-dial days. On March 12 we noted that: “No one has yet produced a telephone directory from pre-dial days, but Doug Preston of New Hartford recalls that some business (which one?) in the village had the phone number 7.”
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Home Notes: Celebrations abound at the Thanksgiving Home
April was a month of celebrations and much to appreciate. We had a 90th birthday celebration for Wanda Noyes on April 4 including her family and friends. Personal care staff Dee Bouck worked with residents to hand paint Easter eggs for the tree in the activity room.
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In These Otsego Hills: 1986 continues ...
This week we continue our journey through the columns of 1986 with the answer to the question “for whom, according to tradition, was Hannah’s Hill named?”
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Book Notes: Baseball book features local contributors
Baseball is part of the nation’s fabric. Most kids have a memory of the game either from playing Little League, attending a major league contest or meeting a favorite player. In Cooperstown that feeling is magnified since we are the official home of baseball. We get to see firsthand what has made the sport the national pastime.
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From Fly Creek: Ya really wanna know?
SETTING: Fly Creek General Store. CAST: Assorted seated geezers, drinking coffee. [Door opens, enter heavy-set geezer; walking slowly with wide stance, maybe prostatitis.]
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In These Otsego Hills: Returning to 1986 ...
For the past several years now we have undertaken sharing some of the area’s oral history we have collected over the years that we have written this column. Therefore, this year, we would like to go back to 1986 to share that rather unusual year. Those who were here then no doubt remember that it was that year that the village celebrated the bicentennial of its founding.
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From Fly Creek: For reasons unknowable
[Jim’s reached back to 2002 to share one of his favorite columns.] My father was born as the last century began into a river village in tidewater Maryland. He told me once of a man there in his boyhood who, like so many, made a thin living tonging for oysters in the cold months and, in the hot and humid ones, crabbing and raising vegetables.
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In These Otsego Hills: CCS balancing act ... side two
Last week we shared a number of activities in which students at CCS can participate. We thought it was an impressive, if not overwhelming, list. And we are indeed pleased that the young people of our area have these opportunities. However, we think it is also important to keep in mind that these undertakings do have a cost associated with them. They are not free. In fact there are, no doubt, those who would say they do not come cheap.
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From Fly Creek: A graceful crowd
Make of this what you will, friends. I feel I’m really meant to share it with you. Despite good medication for my Parkinsonism, every four or five weeks I can sensethe symptoms building up on me, giving me more than ordinary trouble. Lately it’s been falls, and last week brought a typical one. I’d gone out to get the paper, moving along with penguin steps on the snowcoved ice patches, and usingmy spike-tipped cane the waya climber uses an ice axe. But circumstances overcame me. Parkinson’s wipes out the possibility of multi-tasking.
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In These Otsego Hills: This and that and the other side ...
We note that the CCS Class of 2012 is presenting its senior class play, “Snow White” by Tim Kelly, this week with performances 7:30 p.m Thursday and Friday, March 29 and 30, and at 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 31. All performances will be at the Nicolas J. Sterling Auditorium at the Middle/High School.
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In These Otsego Hills: That green thing ...
Of late we have noticed that our email inbox has been much busier than usual. In fact, we find ourselves hard pressed to keep up with all the various messages we receive. As a result we suspect we have not answered some in as timely a fashion as might be thought appropriate.
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From Fly Creek: What you need to know
In their last Sunday’s bulletins, all 84 churches of Otsego County were to have carried announcements of an important meeting; most of them did. But because the announcement is so important, and not just to the churched, here it is again.
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Book Notes: Living the magic of ‘Hoosier’
A lot of people consider “Hoosiers” the best sports film of all time. The 1986 classic follows the exploits of a fictional small town Indiana high school basketball team in 1952 as it attempts to achieve the impossible dream of a state championship. The story is inspired by the true life achievement of the 1954 Milan team, who with an enrollment of only 161 students shocked big city power Muncie Central on a last second shot to win the state title. It’s the kind of sports story that represents something that is hard to grasp unless you live in a small town.
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In These Otsego Hills: The most perfect village... home to heavy industry?
We suspect we would get a whole lot more accomplished if we spent less time thinking, pondering and musing about things. In fact, there is a good possibility we might actually have completed our goal of cleaning the basement if we only focused on the task at hand, instead of trying to figure out the world around us. It almost makes us wonder if it is possible to think too much about things. We certainly hope not because should that be the case, we are in deep trouble.
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Up On Hawthorn Hill: The past in the present
Clichés abound about the value of photographs. Most are probably true at least to a certain extent. What I do know about an image is that it represents something of the past that is not the pastitself. But that is the power of any image. It represents something that once was. The beauty of an image, revisited, is that it functions as a catalystfor reliving in the present a past experience. My own view, one that I thank the Spanish writer Jorge Luis Borges for, is that all we ever can experience is the present.
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Home Notes: Workshops held for Thanksgiving Home residents
We welcomed Linda Keller, Ph.D. of the Bassett Research Institute and Ida Baker of NYCAMH who presented a six-week workshop for residents and staff.
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From Fly Creek: Late-winter hamlet news
Well, at least I’m “guessing” it’s late winter now — in the winter that wasn’t. But, if not snow, I can provide a flurry of Fly Creek news to share with you, scooping Associated Press, Reuter’s, and United Press International, not to mention all local news services except our General Store.
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In These Otsego Hills: Waiting for spring to have sprung ...
Difficult as it to believe, both January and February seem to have flown by and we find ourselves turning the calendar over to the month of March, which we have long thought is one of the more dreary months of the year. Of course, as in the pastthere are signs of spring as reflected by the tapping of the maple trees. For many years, the trees sprouted buckets to capture their all important sap. However, we now know to look for the sap collection lines that are strung from tree to tree.
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Book Notes: Kennedy: a unique individual
It’s been almost 50 years since the Kennedy assassination shocked the nation. Since then much has been written about President John F. Kennedy and whether he would have achieved his destiny (whatever that may have been) if he had lived. It is said he inspired young people in a way that has never been equaled. And there is the notion of Camelot, espoused by his widow Jackie, that there will never be a time of hope and promise like that again.
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From Fly Creek: Revving up for spring
