Throughout the year, Up Yonda Farm Environmental Education Center in Bolton Landing offers a variety of educational and entertaining programs. Program attendees examine the region’s flora and fauna, the night sky and maple syrup production; they join in nature hikes and treks up the mountain on snowshoes. The holiday wreath-making program, held in November and early December, is always popular.
This year, the Lake George Examiner sent a team to Up Yonda to learn the craft. It required binding evergreen boughs to a circular frame and adorning them with frosted pinecones, red berries and large, loopy bows.
The wreath-making workshop was led by Rick Landry and Anna Moreau in the center’s museum. White pine boughs, fragrant branches of cedar and garlands of princess pine were selected from Up Yonda’s property. Balsam fir branches from trees grown on Brown’s Tree Farm in Warrensburg filled out the selection of greens for wreath making. Each participant snipped and wired together the greens with decorations and left the Center with a full holiday wreath ready to hang.
The Center is finishing out its 2021 public programs with 2 naturalist-led hikes on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 10-11 a.m., and Thursday, Dec. 30, 1-2 p.m. The cost is $5 per person plus $5 per vehicle Day Use Fee. Pre-registration is required. Hikers will learn about plant and animal cold weather survival strategies.
Up Yonda Farm is owned by Warren County on land donated by the Scott family who once operated tourist cabins and an egg business on the 73-acre property.
