In 2018, I published the first edition of Farm Girl's Guide to Getting Lost & Found in the Catskills. It covered every single town in Sullivan County, NY. When I started the project a couple of years earlier, the folks I knew who lived or had second homes up here NEVER went out. In the summer, I would invite a pick up truck load of friends to join me for lunch (at Samba) and a little shopping spree (at Global Home) in Jeffersonville. It took a lot of convincing. At the time,

As far as tech goes, I love my GPS and how it gets me from here to there. Thank you, GPS. That said, while it gets me there, it doesn't give me much perspective on where I am or where I've been. In the last year, as you know, I released an online guidebook to the Catskills. Why online? Well, it's a work in progress. It currently covers some back story -- how to get to the Catskills and some Inside Scoop on why it's so cool and who makes it that way -- plus over 150 destinatio

I grew up fishing. Believe it or not, I logged more hours sitting in the bottom of an aluminum Grumman canoe than most kids do on a soccer field. "Shhh. You'll scare the fish." I would sit quietly for hours, my legs cramping, alternating between casting and daydreaming. It's not as bad as it sounds actually. I liked winding around the coves of a big lake listening to the water drip, drip, dripping from the wooden paddle that balanced across the boat. And the fishing ... it wa

Narrowsburg Proper 44 Main Street Narrowsburg, NY 845-252-3242 @narrowsburgproper The shelves in the front are stacked to the rafters with foodie treats good for a gift box or basket for the discerning eater. Caviar. Chocolates. French honey. Pastas and sauces. Cheeses and olives. Tidbits of all ilks. The back lures you in with proper items for the men in your life -- cocktail shakers, bitters and simple syrups, exclusive beard oil, clothes, humidors and other manly accessori

Buck Brook Alpacas 99 Bestenheider Road Roscoe, NY 12776 (845) 807-3104 www.buckbrookalpacas.com @buckbrookalpacas Buck Brook Alpacas is a family run farm located in Sullivan County. The farm raises 150 alpacas, along with angora rabbits. Oh my! They strive to raise these adorable animals in a warm, clean and loving environment.  Buck Brook harvests the alpacas' luxury fiber once yearly to create beautiful yarn and products for the home, family and crafters, which are availab

Dette Flies 13 Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 439-1166 (shop) (607) 498-4991 (conditions report) detteflies.com @detteflies Dette knows fishing and they hand-picked a Vedavoo pack for the fisherperson on your list. Vedavoo products are designed for the outdoor adventure. Whether exploring small brook trout streams or taking a hike through one of the many wooded trails in the Catskills, these packs are built to last with the explorer in mind. With features such as deep

Catskill Mountainkeeper 47B Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 439-1230 catskillmountainkeeper.org @mountainkeeper Stop in to Catskill Mountainkeeper's office on Main Street in Livingston Manor and make a $50 donation to give the ones you love a little slice of green, a little peace of mind, a little trickle of a fresh running stream. Pick up a stainless steel Keeper cup for your donation and give it as a token of your (and their) love for keeping our environment pristine

River Gallery 8 Main Street Narrowsburg, NY (845) 252-3238 rivergalleryny.com @therivergallery Leave it to Tony and Barry. Barry, a very busy real estate agent (on IG as @catskillhomes), can find you the country house of your dreams. And then you can just pop over and visit Tony who presides over the River Gallery to suit up your new home with just the right touch. Whether that special someone has a country house or not, the River Gallery has the perfect gift to accentuate a

Catskill Distilling Company at the Dancing Cat Saloon 2037 State Road 17B, Bethel, NY (845) 583-3141 catskilldistilling.com dancingcatsaloon.com @catskilldistill As a matter of fact, you can celebrate a White Christmas with a set of New York State white spirits from Catskill Distilling Company. But Peace Vodka is a good place to start. If your tastes run more toward whiskey, you are in the right place. Try Fearless Wheat Whiskey or Most Righteous Bourbon. Can't make up your m

Duke Pottery 855 County Road 93 Roscoe, NY (607) 498-5207 dukepottery.com @dukepottery Take a trip into Roscoe to find Carolyn Duke's ceramic studio and shop one flight up. This low-fired stoneware is hand-built and draws its inspiration from the surrounding natural beauty. All of her work is one-of-a-kind. Prices range from $20 to several hundred for her specialty pieces, especially her Raku work. Come get lost and found in the serenity of Carolyn Duke's creativity. Other ar

Somewhere In Time Farm 108 Somewhere In Time Lane Parksville, NY (845) 807-8702 somewhereintimefarm.com @somewhereintimefarm When you give a gift of fresh veggies, you also help a farmer. This holiday season you can make your favorite veggie lover veggie happy with a gift certificate for $25. They can go pick their own crudités at Somewhere In Time's weekend farmstand in Livingston Manor (see Insta for times). Go hog wild and give a month of veggies for $100. Fresh, crisp, gr

The Farmhouse Project Pop-up Shop 43 Lower Main St Callicoon, NY thefarmhouseproject.com/shop The Farmhouse Project will host a pop-up shop to kick off the 2018 holiday season! You can find them poppin' in Callicoon for three weekends this December (12/8 - 12/23) with beautiful, locally handmade goods from their new collection, perfect for gift giving. Beautiful items include linen napkins, tote bags, wine bags, candles, butterfly vitrines and Catskills pennants. Gift prices

The Outside Institute Based in Sullivan County, NY theoutsideinstitute.org @theoutsideinstitute The Outside Institute offers group and individual nature walks, foraging excursions and wildcrafting workshops, as well as products and gatherings that feature wild flavors and naturally healing properties. Prices range from $15 for Black Walnut Bitters to $25 per person for a group nature walk to $200 for a private foraging lesson. The Outside Institute's Gift Certificates (availa

The Callicoon Theater 30 Upper Main Street Callicoon, NY 12723 (845) 887-4460 www.thecallicoontheater.com hello@thecallicoontheater.com rentals@thecallicoontheater.com @callicoontheater Pick up some gift certificates at the box office! They make the perfect gift and can be used for brand new releases or toward any retro screenings. The theater is also available to rent for private events! Movie tickets are $10 for adults and $7 for kids. Mondays and matinees are $8 for adults

Henning's Local 6 Old County Road Cochecton Center, NY (845) 252-3008 henningslocal.com @henningslocal Cheryl Perry is a former restaurant and bakery owner who has been a culinary instructor on and off for 20+ years. She's a ceramicist and lead educator at Red Barn Studio. Cheryl and Henning go way back and have teamed up to offer a wide range of cooking and other culinary related classes at Henning's Local. A gift certificate here is a great idea for either the best cook you

Domesticities & The Cutting Garden 4055 State Route 52 Youngsville, NY (845) 482-3333 thecuttinggarden.org @domesticities.thecuttinggarden Artist Alexis Siroc's silk and wool scarves -- offered exclusively at Domesticities for the holidays -- are crafted through the contemporary application of a natural dying process. Siroc collects flora from her gardens and creates a one-of-a-kind print -- using the tannins from the organics -- her luxurious scarves. They range in price fr

Stray Cat Gallery 2032 State Route 17B Bethel, NY (845) 583-3141 ext. 101 straycatgallery.com Visit the Stray Cat Gallery on Sunday, November 25 for a little wine and cheese (starting at noon, because it's 5 o'clock somewhere!) and peruse a private collection of Menorahs. Menorahs and other items from Judaica artist, David Klass will be on sale. The gallery is open throughout the holidays and features something for everyone: art, books, Woodstock memorabilia and jewelry. $5 o

I love trailers. Sometimes I watch them instead of watching the movies. So, here's a little preview of Farm Girl's Guide to get you started. XOXO Farm Girl #farmgirlsguide #farmgirl #xoxofarmgirl #catskills #gettinglostandfound #getlost #catskillsrenaissance #bestofthecatskills #visitcatskills #definitiveguide #destinationplace #guidebook #traveltips #weekendgetaway #insidescoop

The Definitive Guide to Experiencing the Catskills' Burgeoning Renaissance This is a love letter to the Catskills. I invite you to love it, too. For the past year or so, I have been working on a guidebook for you. Because there really isn't one. Not the kind of guide book you want. You want to find all the yummy places, right? And the secret ones too, right? Well, I love to find them and to share them with you. Here's the lay of the land. First, it's important to think about

Hi, Farm Girl here. Your one and only source into the best of the Catskills! (Yes, this is a "cultural" reference to Gossip Girl ...) Just in case you need to know which way is up, here's your 101. When it's all said and done, this guide will have a dozen chapters (oh, the suspense). What you will find now are the first four: Get Lost, On Your Way, The Inside Scoop and So Much Sullivan. Each one will continue to grow as new hotspots open up. Here's a quick summary of each cha