The long, hot Summer of 2010 has come to a close, and while the heat was uncomfortable for most humans, the vegetable kingdom seemed to to like it just fine.  The dreaded blight of 2009 was nowhere in sight, and anybody growing tomatoes this year has been supplied with a bumper crop.  Along with green beans, and squash, and peppers, corn and you name it, 2010 has been a fantastic year for growing local.  The one bit of bad news was that the warm spring got the apple blossoms started too early, and a cold snap in May killed a lot of the potential apple crop.  There will still be plenty of apples to enjoy this autumn season, just not the typical bounty that we are used to here in upstate NY.  All the more reason to get out early and stock up on your favorite variety of apples.

Fall is a great time to get out to the countryside of the upper Hudson Valley.  The autumn colors seem to be much more alive out on the back roads; this is also where you'll find the gems of agri-tourism - farms where you can interact with the the sights, sounds and smells.  Of course, the pick-you-own apple orchards are perhaps the most direct contact with the farmers' land and craft - you have an opportunity to be a farm hand, although it may only be for the time it takes to pick a supply for your own family. And the fastest growing segment of agri-tourism is the corn maze.  Fortunately, because of the farming country being so close to our population centers, there is a good chance that there is a corn maze attraction near you.  We've got a special agri-tourism page in this issue, so be sure to get out to one of the featured farms and go get lost for the day.  Don't worry, if you truly get lost, all the farms have scouts that will retreive the hopelessly lost!

One dimension of the harvest season that may be unfamiliar to most people in this region is the grape harvest. New York is a top grape and wine producer, but the Capital Region and upper Hudson Valley are not exactly "on the map" if you are looking for vineyards and wineries.  But thanks to the efforts of a few intrepid souls, our region is beginning to see the emergence of viniculture- the craft of growing grapes for wine.   The DiCresenzo family of Altamont are forging ahead with their plans to put the region onto the wine map of New York State.  Taking cues from the tenacious Larry Grossi before them, the DiCresenzo's are proving that colder climates can produce fine wines.  Find their story inside, and add them to your destination list this fall.

Not all the great finds of the season are out in the country...tucked into a back room of the Harmony House Marketplace in downtown Cohoes you'll find the Big Cheese - Sean O'Conner of R & G Cheese Co., making his soon to be famous chevre and mozzarella.  Already making waves in "foodie" circles, R& G was a featured cheese on the prestigious cheese boards of the recent US Open.  The Harmony House Marketplace is is reinventing itself again, and the O'Conner's cheese making skill will be in full view from the new bakeshop and cafe.  Thanks to the gals at the Harmony House, downtown Cohoes is going through somewhat of a revival.  It's worth checking out!

I am very excited that you are reading this copy of eco-LOCAL Living!  It means that you are one more person who is getting the message that the local-living economy is here, and you are hleping to make it the driving force of our prosperity in the future.  Our goal is to connect you to the people and the places of this new local economy.  We've added more column contributors, and continue to bring you interesting local people who are leading the sustainable lifestyles movement by their example.   This magazine is free, only because it has been paid for by the advertisers within.  If you enjoy reading eco-LOCAL and want to see it continue, it is vital that you reach out and do business with these people.  Your interaction with them will make your life better...I guarantee it!  Together, we will be the change that we want to see in the world...thank you!