Canton, NY, Apr 11, 2012 — It says in the Bible that there is a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted. Right now, it's time to plant, some things anyway. On this past Easter Sunday Tasha Haverty worked a trade with longtime North Country gardener, Isis Melhado. If Tasha helped with the onions, the reluctant Isis would explain a little about her method.

Weaver and gardener Isis Melhado lives outside Canton along the Little River, and times her planting by the phases of the Moon.  Go to full article

Canton, NY, Feb 02, 2012 — There were clear skies, cool temperatures...and a woodpile. A perfect combination for our Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Feb 01, 2012 — Root cellars were an essential part of nearly every home a hundred years ago. And along with an increase in the number of people growing their own food is the return to the root cellar. More than a basement, it's the cousin to canning and freezing and another way of preserving the harvest into the winter months. A couple of winters ago, Todd Moe visited Winnie and Rob Sachno's root cellar on their St. Lawrence County farm for a closer look at a simpler way of storing food.  Go to full article

Ottawa, ON, Jan 19, 2012 — Part of Ottawa's Rideau Canal Skateway opened for skating this past Sunday, kicking off its 42nd season. Once weather permits, nearly five miles of frozen canal will see heavy use for another month or two. The free skateway is a star attraction for Winterlude, coming up February 3-20. Sunday, just a short section was open, and the ice conditions were listed as poor.

Long time canal enthusiast Hugh Graham keeps a kick sled on hand for bad ice days. The sled looks like a light kitchen chair on long, thin runners. Wearing home-made studded boots, he can ride the runner with one foot, and push along at a good clip with the other. There's even room for some gear or a light passenger on the chair. Graham showed off his kick sled to Lucy Martin for today's Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Watertown, NY, Dec 13, 2011 — This is the only time of year you can wet your whistle with Watertown's favorite seasonal cocktail--the Tom & Jerry at the Crystal Restaurant on historic Public Square.

David Sommerstein had his first Tom & Jerry a year ago at the Crystal, and turned the experience into this Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Ogdensburg, NY, Dec 09, 2011 — Getting your kids' pictures taken with Santa Claus has been a longtime holiday ritual for many. In recent years another group has begun vying for Santa's attention--pets...and a picture of an awkward dog or an annoyed looking cat in Father Christmas' lap has become a fairly common site on the mantle.

In Ogdensburg on the day after Thanksgiving, Amvets Auxiliary post 19 invited people to come out to Tractor Supply with their pets to meet Santa. The event was a benefit for St. Jude Children's research hospital. Nora Flaherty's dog gets nervous in crowds, so she stayed home--but Nora did bring her recorder for this Heard Up North:  Go to full article

Malone, NY, Nov 25, 2011 — For some of us, crafting is a hobby--but for some, it's a business.

Claire Poirier of Malone makes hats, mittens, dog coats, and other things out of used wool sweaters, and sells them at craft shows and farmers markets all over the North Country.
Like any good businessperson, Poirier goes for maximum efficiency--by using every part of the sweater. For today's Heard Up North, she talked Nora Flaherty through the process:  Go to full article

Oct 25, 2011 — The late Roger Huntley was a lot of things: auctioneer, farmer, pillar of the Pierrepont-Crary Mills community. He was also a knowledgeable collector of historic farm equipment, and he liked to share his enthusiasm.

A few years ago, Huntley's neighbor, David Sommerstein, got a call that Roger and his wife Ann had brought out their early-1900s mechanical corn harvester to make corn bundles for Halloween with their granddaughters. Here's David's heard Up North from October 2007.  Go to full article

Wolfe Island, ON, Aug 19, 2011 — Bruce Horne is captain and owner of Horne's Ferry. His family has carried passengers from Cape Vincent, New York across the St. Lawrence River to Wolfe Island, Canda since 1802. Bruce has made hundreds of trips across the St. Lawrence. He told Sarah Harris about a particularly memorable one in today's Heard Up North.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Aug 16, 2011 — We've reported for years on the thinning ranks of the North Country's volunteer fire departments. Well, another thing that's disappearing is the fireman's pole. Due to liability and safety issues, the National Fire Protection Association is recommending poles be removed from firehouses.

One of the last working fireman's poles in St. Lawrence County is at the village of Potsdam's volunteer fire department. David Sommerstein brings us this Heard Up North.  Go to full article