FARM YOU

  You won't believe me, so let me list them first. Madison Hill Farm- owner RNButch, manager: Carlito. Denniston Hill Farm- owners Julie Merhetu, Paul Pffeifer and Dr. Lawrence Chua, Trussbridge Farm- owner Diamond Dave, Irish Liz and Pigpen Rothman, PETAJohn Animal Sanctuary- owner GNJohn, Majestic Farm- owners Birka, Wheels and Buddy Budde....and that's just in the neighborhood. When I first moved here there was Ray Gilkey's Pony and Beefalo Farm and a rodeo rider by the name of Bill, who trained cutting horses on the Parker Place (now Madison Hill). All these other operations have moved here in the 21st Century. And like the century itself, they are redefining what it means to be a farm.
   First one must have "Ag" plates if you want to be taken seriously. I'm pretty sure RNButch's orange muscle car and Diamond Dave's jet black Porsche both sport the coveted tin. GNJohn had them on a pickup that became a planter in his yard and Pigpen's and Carlito's equipment fleet definitely require such. Next you have to actually raise something. No problem here for the entire group. My extent of farming is mowing my lawn and feeding my cats. RNButch and Carlito have ostriches, camels, llamas, donkeys, horses, cows, sheep, chickens, etc. Pigpen and DD raise veggies, have ducks, chickens and now Rosie the cow. The Buddes have multiple unnamed sheep and pigs being readied for slaughter. It is not unusual to find Birka with her arm up to the elbow in pig and Wheels cradled in the other arm, at 8:00 am in the morning. "Mornin' Mam." I say with a tip of the hat, on my way to my deer stand.

   I don't know why I got on this subject. I guess it's because I now know more kooky farmers than I do artists. (And the turkeys aren't gobbling.) Throw Drekes and Andrew's Permaculture Paradise and Slick and Beeks Outlier Kashimi Bunny Farm into the mix and it's almost the entire crew. The artists I know are the few old friends in that world who will still talk to me and a smattering of new blood. Not that many anymore. And that's not to say I don't consider these farms art, even if the farmers deny it. The lifestyle is the new street art, only removed from the urban environment, and plopped down right here in 21st Century Catskills. It has the same energy to it. And what's even better is it doesn't require galleries or curators or critics in order to place it in context. So long as i get permission to hunt the property....ag me baby.