Harrisville, NY, Oct 15, 2009 — The talent for finding water with a forked twig goes back centuries. Despite scientific ridicule, water witches still flourish today. Ed Chartrand, of Harrisville, has helped hundreds of people in the North Country find the best location to dig wells by finding water veins using a freshly cut crotched stick. He's being honored with a North Country Heritage Award from Traditional Arts in Upstate New York this Sunday. Todd Moe has this profile.  Go to full article

Jordan, NY, Oct 06, 2009 — The Forrence Family Orchards, in Peru, NY, will be given an award by Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, this month. TAUNY will hand out its annual North Country Heritage Awards on Sunday, October 18th, in Canton. The Forrence family can trace its farming roots back to the early 1800s in the Champlain Valley. In the 1940s, the farm switched from producing milk to apples as its main crop. Today, it is owned and run by third and fourth generation Forrences, who use state-of-the-art technology to grow and harvest apples. But they still maintain many of the farm's original 18th century buildings. Todd Moe spoke with Mason Forrence about this year's apple harvest and a lifetime in the orchard.  Go to full article

Edwards, NY, May 20, 2009 — NCPR is media sponsor for "An Evening of Old-Time Adirondack Music" this Saturday night at 7 o'clock at the historic Edwards Opera House. It's part of a weekend of events honoring regional music. It also celebrates the launch of a new Traditional Arts in Upstate New York website devoted to music and musicians. Todd Moe talks with musician, historian and folklorist Dave Ruch about the new website and a weekend of music and conversation.  Go to full article

Mar 26, 2009 — Todd Moe talks with Traditional Arts in Upstate New York director Jill Breit about a cultural exchange program with rural artists and farmers in northern Pennsylvania. The program is exploring farm life, traditions and art in the two regions.  Go to full article

Feb 26, 2009 — A Watertown quilter uses science and the outdoors as inspiration. Mary Knapp's quilts are on display through May 23rd at TAUNY in Canton. She'll share stories of inspiration behind her quilts, and give a tour of the display on Saturday. Mary is a retired high school biology teacher who's been quilting for more than 25 years. She told Todd Moe that her quilts share a theme of art and science.  Go to full article

Dec 16, 2008 — Musician and folklorist Dave Ruch's new CD includes song material found in dusty archives, diaries and obscure songbooks. The Oldest was Born First includes traditional songs and tunes interpreted with guitar, mandolin, banjo, fiddle and voice. Ruch lives in Buffalo but spends summers in the Adirondacks, and travels the state for research and concerts. Thursday night, from 7-9, he'll play and tell the stories behind some of the songs from his new CD at Traditional Arts in Upstate New York in Canton. Todd Moe has this preview.  Go to full article

Dec 09, 2008 — The Potsdam Fiddle Club visited Traditional Arts in Upstate New York during an open house on Saturday. The group is composed of musicians who range from pre-schoolers to grandparents. They were accompanied by family members on guitar, piano, limberjacks, spoons and washtub bass. Here they perform Swallowtail Jig and Geese in the Bog.  Go to full article

Sep 25, 2008 — Traditional Arts in Upstate New York's fall exhibit, "Back to the Land: Hippie Houses and Homesteads for the 21st Century," is a photo exhibit of homestead architecture in the North Country. Todd Moe toured the exhibit and spoke with TAUNY director Jill Breit about collecting stories and photos for the exhibit that trace the evolution of homestead architecture from crude cabins in the '60s to today's "green" homes. Tune in and call in during a special on-air conversation with Jill Breit about this new exhibit on Friday, October 10 at 11 a.m.  Go to full article

Aug 26, 2008 — Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, TAUNY, is hosting a story-swapping session Wednesday night (7 pm) at the Horicon Community Center in Brant Lake. You're invited to share stories about encounters with mountain lions and other unusual or rare Adirondack creatures, like moose or wolves. Officially, mountain lions have been extinct in the Adirondacks since the late 1800s, but local reports of big cats have increased in the last few decades. Folklorist Nicole Farrell will lead tomorrow night's story-swapping session and she told Todd Moe she'll share her own story.  Go to full article

Aug 05, 2008 — A number of communities across the North Country and New England are celebrating the contributions of French-speaking immigrants from Quebec to the cultural life of the region this summer. Traditional Arts in Upstate New York, The Vermont Folklife Center and the RISCA Folk Arts Program are hosting a Franco-American Homecoming this month in Plattsburgh and Tupper Lake. The events will include Quebecois music, art and food. Todd Moe talks with TAUNY Executive Director Jill Breit about the cultural exchange project.  Go to full article