Friends Of Carnwath

  • Carnwath Farms Ln, Wappingers Falls, NY
  • Write Us - P.O. Box 579 | Hughsonville, NY 12537
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"Public Assists In Clearing Out Two Gardens for the 2024 Earth Day Cleanup"

Posted April 25, 2024

The Friends of Carnwath welcomed five members of the public who helped us clean out two gardens for the 2024 Earth Day Cleanup at Carnwath Farms.

 

Due to a kerfuffle with a new lock and key, we were unable to gain entrance to the Admin building, where our offices and garden supplies are. But, no worries – we were able to put in the full three hours of work – 11am to 2pm. 

 

Several of us pulled vines, raked leaves and cut down invasive shrubs in front of the Admin building. Our conservation chair and treasurer dug and set the poles for the new bluebird houses. The round garden and raised bed in front of the mansion were tended to with a good amount of mulch added. More vines were cut from the stately sycamores behind the Reese building. Our VP even planted two raspberry plants donated by our treasurer and cleaned out the garden at the front gate. Lots accomplished by a dedicated, small (but mighty) crew – thanks to everyone who showed up!

 

Due to days of rain, the guardrails were too wet to stain and the bluebird posts could not be painted.  We discovered the guardrails have a lot of moss on them, so that will have to be removed prior to staining, but I am hopeful that this big job (it is a very long driveway) will be done by the fall. The Town supervisor is hoping to get some Scouts to help.

 

Meanwhile, we’re still planning garden and cleanup days, sowing flower seeds, doing some painting and overall helping to make this beautiful park shine even brighter. It’s why we’re here, after all. So, stay tuned!

"Fall Gathering on the Hudson"

Posted October 1, 2023

Friends of Carnwath is partnering with the Sports Museum of Dutchess County in hosting “Fall Gathering on the Hudson” on Sunday, October 22 from 1pm to 4pm. This will include pumpkin painting, tours of the museum, nature walks, donuts and cider. Please join us in taking in this beautiful park during the brilliant colors of Autumn. Rain date: October 29.

If you would like to help us help the trees within the park, then please join us on Sunday, November 12 for our fall vine-cutting work day. Many of the trees are being strangled by invasive vines, and controlling them is a daunting task. So please mark your calendars for November 12. Time TBD

An Update from the Friends of Carnwath Farms President -

July 23, 2023

Bill and Donna Lenhart were back at weeding and also placing landscape fabric on July 20. But, this time, it was in front of our offices in the ‘Admin. Building’, long known to be the Friends of Carnwath headquarters.

It is a circa 1927 building that, yes, is in need of some TLC, but we’re working with the Town Board to get some needed repairs done. The Board approved a new roof, and in early summer, that work was done. Next, repairs are needed to some ceilings and walls due to long-time rain damage, so we will be working with the Town Board again to hopefully get those repairs done soon.

Back to the yard work, though. The laying of the landscape fabric was going to be done in stages, to methodically clear that greatly overgrown area in front of the building. However, the Town’s enthusiastic and hard-working Buildings and Grounds seasonal crew had other ideas and cleared the whole area in one fell swoop. So, we have to move quickly now, covering the area with fabric and mulch to prevent it from being overgrown again.

Since much of the hard work was done for us in that area (thank you, Buildings and Grounds!), we are going back to weed the pollinator garden – carefully – as there are a good number of flowers in there that we plan to retain and add to.

As always, we put out the call for volunteers to help us. Our vice president and Garden Committee chair, George Gumbel, will be weeding every Wednesday and Saturday morning (weather permitting), at 10am.

He – and we – need help. Whether you are an experienced gardener or just want to help us beautify this gorgeous property, please come on down to the park. We’d greatly appreciate the help.

An Update from Friends of Carnwath Farms President
- Donna Lenhart

June 10, 2023

1) At our June 3rd membership meeting, we bid farewell to our treasurer, Sandra Vacchio, who officially resigned her position. Sandra had been our past president and was also a long-time member. Sandra kept the organization running with only two other Board members and with a great deal of work in front of us. With her position as confidential secretary to the Town of Wappinger supervisor, she was persistent in keeping Carnwath issues – and there are many – in front of the Town Board.

Her tenacity and perseverance kept this organization going during times when there appeared to be little public interest in this beautiful park. I’m happy to say that, when Sandra became our treasurer in 2022 and I became president, her tenacity and resilience passed to me as well.

Sandra has been an inspiration to me, and it is my honor to fill her shoes. While remaining a member of Friends of Carnwath, she will do so remotely, as she has fulfilled her long-held dream of living on Cape Cod. On behalf of our entire Board, we thank Sandra for her years of service to Friends and we wish her and her husband many happy years of Cape life.

 

2) At our June 3rd membership meeting, and after many months of searching for just the right person,  we appointed a new treasurer: Jessica Sarrantonio, who also serves as our Communications chair. Jessica comes to us as a recent transplant from Connecticut. She was looking for ways to become active in the community, and quickly connected with Carnwath Farms.

She began attending our meetings, which started up again in earnest in 2023. We recognized in her a passion for the park, a willingness to work, boundless energy and a gift for ideas that were sorely needed. We are excited to have her on board and look forward to all the ways she will enhance and grow the organization.

 

3) Our pollinator garden – a work in progress – is greatly overgrown with weeds. Bill Lenhart, our Ecological chair, and our president, Donna Lenhart, went with all good intentions of weeding at least the north side of the garden on June 4. 

When we started pulling weeds, however, we found the garden was alive with ladybugs and ladybug larvae. Since everyone knows how beneficial ladybugs are in the garden, we proceeded slowly and carefully so as not to disturb them as we are lucky to have them for natural pest control.

We finally decided to wait a week or two until the larvae become the cute, speckled bugs we all know. We will return to the garden at that time and will need all hands on deck to help remake this garden into what it once was.

 

4) George Gumbel, our Garden chair, will be at the park on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10am. All those who want to help, meet up with George on those days and times. There are lots of weeds to be pulled and vines to be cut throughout the park. It is a daunting task, but we can do it with your help.

Thank you to all the community members who shared their time and talents at the Earth Day cleaning event at Carnwath! Enjoy some photos from the day!

A special thanks to Daisy Scout Troop 10255 for painting the bird houses!