Wild Hudson Valley — Hotel in Town of Cairo

A glamping weekend with my teenage son at Wild Hudson Valley exceeded our expectations by far. Would give six stars if that existed. The tent and beds were clean and comfy. There is a bathhouse that is way nicer than it needs to be, with clean and solid fixtures and amenities. Plenty of firewood was stacked up near our fire pit (and it was restocked during out stay), and there was a shelter with a picnic table steps from the tent, along with storage for food. We chose to order the breakfast that was delivered to our picnic tables, and so each morning started off with truly amazing baked goods from a nearby bakery -- the “bagel bombs” were da bomb! Otherwise, we grilled over the fire pit. The surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous, with creeks and trails galore. But the surprise bonus that topped all others was the incredible hospitality and depth of historical knowledge and expertise provided by our hosts, Anna and Justin. We knew we would be going on some guided walks, but didn’t really know what to expect. Well, here is what to expect: Anna is a genius at knowing the land, and she was able to show us the wild edibles, having us sample what she found. The land has been in her family for generations, and she knows it like it is all her backyard – because it is. As for Justin, he is a walking encyclopedia of plant, animal, and Native American history and lore. Justin has a back story for every plant, animal, place name, historical figure, tradition, and trail. He was so generous with his knowledge and also patient with my child and the other younger kids who were also there that weekend, and what he has to share is fascinating. Anna and Justin enriched our experience many times over with their deep knowledge of the land and its inhabitants, past and present. We will definitely...

A glamping weekend with my teenage son at Wild Hudson Valley exceeded our expectations by far. The tent and beds were clean and comfy. There is a bathhouse that is way nicer than it needs to be, with clean and solid fixtures and amenities. Plenty of firewood was stacked up near our fire pit (and it was restocked during out stay), and there was a shelter with a picnic table steps from the tent, along with storage for food. We chose to order the breakfast that was delivered to our picnic tables, and so each morning started off with truly amazing baked goods from a nearby bakery -- the “bagel bombs” were da bomb! Othrewise, we grilled over the fire pit. The surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous, with creeks and trails galore. But the surprise bonus that topped all others was the incredible hospitality and depth of historical knowledge and expertise provided by our hosts, Anna and Justin. We knew we would be going on some guided walks, but didn’t really know what to expect. Well, here is what to expect: Anna is a genius at knowing the land, and she was able to show us the wild edibles, having us sample what she found. The land has been in her family for generations, and she knows it like it is all her backyard – because it is. As for Justin, he is a walking encyclopedia of plant, animal, and Native American history and lore. Justin has a back story for every plant, animal, place name, historical figure, tradition, and trail. He was so generous with his knowledge and also patient with my child and the other younger kids who were also there that weekend, and what he has to share is fascinating. Anna and Justin enriched our experience many times over with their deep knowledge of the land and its inhabitants, past and present. We will definitely...

Harvest Boxes

Every time I received a Wild Harvest Box I was excited and I felt like I had received a special gift. The assorted items in each box were very fresh, clean, unusual, and beautifully packaged in compostable material. Each box came with well written and researched flyer that provided a botanical and historical context for each foraged and indigenous item, as well suggestions for preparing the foods.

The harvest boxes were available in several locations last year for eight months starting in April and running through November and reflected what was locally available and used at that time of year. The products varied from fiddlehead ferns and ramps in the spring to squash, beans , and corn in the fall. There were items you could use for teas, some specialty items such as local maple syrup made by Anna and Justin the owners of Wild Hudson Valley, and a healing salve made by an indigenous person, as well as herbs, vegetables, nuts, seeds, leave/salad materials, bark, mushrooms and flowers for culinary use. Some of the items, like purslane, are relatively common, but were not plants I knew could be delicious treats.

Some of my favorite items were ramps, Jerusalem artichokes, chanterelle mushrooms, and squash blossoms. Every item made my cooking more creative and adventurous and my appreciation of nature’s...