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

This year, I skipped Thanksgiving and went to Denmark where Noma has transformed the national food experience over the past 10 years to be more than just pickled herring (but yes, also pickled herring!). Farm to table is front and center there, with families of restaurants designed to focus intently on different parts of a farm and its products. A bakery to employ the grains and, oh, how the country knows good bread! A dairy or creamery for milk, cheese and ice cream. Meats,

I resist the urge to think about the holidays until Thanksgiving, but the other day I found myself singing along to Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" in the grocery store. Really? Well, I guess it's apropos because Berlin penned that iconic song in the Catskills hamlet of Lew Beach. If you're ever driving through there on a snowy day, you can see just how it happened. Following the release of Farm Girl's Guide in early November, I am giving you a little gift: a shopping guide

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

Catskill Carriage Dry Goods Store catskillcarriage.com Back in the day (1920s to the 1970s), the Catskills were known as the Borscht Belt, a nickname that references the traditional beet soup made in Jewish communities. Mmmm! What better way to celebrate history than with your very own Borscht Belt buckle?! Raised antique brass with a sandblasted finish (2.5" x 3.5"). $25 plus shipping. Available on line only. XOXO Farm Girl #farmgirlsshoppingguide #holidayshopping #shoplocal

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

Maison Bergogne 226 Bridge Street Narrowsburg, NY maisonbergogne.com @maisonbergogne Maison Bergogne's Juliette set up a festive holiday decor pop-up in her converted old school bus garage offering local Christmas and birch trees plus garland and wreaths made with foraged greens enhanced with pine cones, red berries, beaver sticks, feathers & light ... Ahhhh ... 'tis the season! Can you smell the pine scent yet? Garland starts at $3.50/ft. Wreaths are 12 inches up to 5 feet i

Main Street Farm 36 Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 439-4309 mainstreetfarm.com @mainstfarm You can fill any stocking to the brim here. Catskills provisions from honey to syrup, from pancake mix to Bjorn Corn, from Cabin Porn to a pine sachet. How about a pillow with a favorite Catskills zip code or one that professes love for hiking or fishing? Shady Acres granola? Literally a ton of delicious choices starting at $5 at Main Street Farm where "eating is an agricultural

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

Red Rose Motel & Tavern State Park Vintage 21677 County Highway 17 Roscoe, NY theredrosemotel.com @theredrosemotel @stateparkvintage A great choice for history buffs or fans of Americana decor, State Park Vintage stocks a broad selection of historic American flags ($75 to $450) as well as vintage travel pennants ($5 to $50). Antique flags range from 1896-1952 and can be found throughout each of the guest rooms at The Red Rose Motel. State Park is a small vintage and antiques

Willow + Brown 36 Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 439-1088 willowandbrown.com @willowandbrown Stylish Carolin Brown features a delicious sweater gift this holiday season! This West End Knitwear three-button cardigan was made in Ireland from luxurious, soft 100% merino wool. It’s warm and soft and hardy for the winter. Great for layering. Natural, organic and easy to care for. Plenty more in store for you at Willow + Brown. XOXO Farm Girl #farmgirlsshoppingguide #holida

Upstream Wine & Spirits 34 Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 439-1328 upstreamwine.com @drinkingupstream 'Tis the season for celebration, and Upstream Wines has a sparkling wine for every occasion -- about 30 of them, in fact! Whether you're hosting or party hopping, be sure to have some special bubbles on ice (or in a snow bank)! Prices start at $14 for Upstream's house Prosecco, and skooch that up to $120 for a Magnum of grower Champagne. Mmmmm at any price! If you men

MayerWasner 55 Main Street Narrowsburg, NY (845) 252-3828 mayerwasner.com @mayerwasner MayerWasner presents its very favorite skirt, which they made especially for the holiday season. It's got it all -- a bit of sleek leather, some essential sparkle, a sustainable ethos and it's fun to wear. Swish! It's signature MayerWasner perfection for $345. It's available both in-store and online. And guess what, let them know that Farm Girl sent you and you get 15% off of anything, in-s

Morgan Outdoors 46 Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 439-5507 morgan-outdoors.com @morgan.outdoors These solar-powered wonders -- the Luci EMRG Lamp -- need just a few hours in the sun to power up and softly brighten your indoor or outdoor space. The red light is great for preserving night vision or for emergencies; the white for brightening tougher jobs. Super-cool lamp that inflates easily. Small enough to carry as a flashlight. The Luci EMRG Lamp is $14.95 at Morgan O

Dear 54 Main St Livingston Manor NY www.dearny.net @dear.shop.ny This 100% alpaca cardigan from Arc by Angela Dimoff connects with her Bolivian roots is oversized, warm and sexy for the most stylish doyenne on your list. It's only available in the store, so be careful or you might find some other gifts here too. The cardigan is $750, but you get a 15% discount if you tell Dear's shopkeeper, Stephanie, that Farm Girl sent you! XOXO Farm Girl #farmgirlsshoppingguide #holidaysh

Nest 34 Main Street Livingston Manor, NY (845) 588-5316 Nest-Store.com @nestcatskills Made of cowhide and cozy wool, these unique Norwegian boots will warm someone's tootsies this holiday. $280. Nest also offers a finely curated selection of gifts for the home, as well as clothing and jewelry. XOXO Farm Girl #farmgirlsshoppingguide #holidayshopping #shoplocal #shopcatskills #farmgirlsguide #gettinglostandfound #catskillsrenaissance #townofrockland #livingstonmanor #sullivanco

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