2 ecolocalliving.

com
ecolocalliving.com 3
On the Cover
Nikita Home Furnishings of Saratoga Springs is a New York manufacturer
of high quality, comfort furniture for the places we like to spend time in –
the deck and den. Manufacturing in New York is becoming a rarity, and
furniture manufacturing has all but disappeared. Defying the odds, Nikita
Grigoriev has found a way to not only manufacture furniture, but do it in
a way that utilizes regional woods using end cuts with virtually no waste.
This maximizing the use of their raw material Nikita likes to refer to as
“hyper-efficient.” In fact, any wood residue leftover is used as fuel for the
stove that heats the woodshop in the winter, and the sawdust goes to a
local farm for animal bedding. Utilizing practically all the wood into their
unique designs allows Nikita to price their products competitively with
the imports that are now ubiquitous in the furniture industry. And, with
Nikita, you get better quality and the innovative design that allows you to
“just lean back,”being fully supported in any position.When looking for a
new location to set up shop, Nikita chose Broadway in Saratoga Springs,
preferring a downtown location to the typical suburban locale that is the
destination for furniture stores today. Their location on Broadway is a
welcome complement to the already eclectic offerings downtown.
Obviously going against the grain, (no pun intended) Nikita Home
Furnishings has always been about producing quality, original designs
that integrate local resources and labor. Because of their commitment to
localism and environmental responsibility, we are proud to honor them
as the eco-localizer for the Summer 2010!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
NEWS and VIEWS……………………………………………Page 6
THE WELLNESS DOC……………….…….…………………Page 8
ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT…………………………………Page 9
MONEY MATTERS…………………………………………Page 10
NIKITA INDOOR/OUTDOOR
Rethinking Furniture………………………………………Page 12
ECO-LIST……………………………………………………Page 15
ADIRONDACK AMBIANCE
Fruits of and Old Farm……………………………………Page 18
BIBLICAL COMMUNITY
Creates Alternative to Consumer Society…………………Page 20
ZOLA KIDS
Green for the Next Generation……………………………Page 24
HONEST WEIGHT FOOD CO-OP
A Treasure Trove of Locally Made Cheeses………………Page 28
4 ecolocalliving.com
Summer 2010
The big news of the Summer of 2010 is no doubt the continuing tragedy of
the oil gusher at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. An entire ecosystem is
being destroyed;a way of life has been uprooted for at least a generation. It’s
easy to play the blame game – BP was negligent, the Federal Government
was slow to act….everybody is pointing fingers. I even saw a car pass me on
the highway with a hand painted sign on their rear window that stated “BP
SUCKS!” Certainly,BP,as the operator of the oil well that exploded,and is now
leaking, is culpable for the subsequent pollution and eco-system damage.
But BP did not intentionally blow up the oil well – it was a tragic accident.An
accident that came from their desire to produce a product that we all want
and need – gasoline. Shouldn’t then,some of the blame be pointed inward,
at ourselves? After all,BP would not be drilling for oil out in the Gulf of Mexico
if nobody wanted their product. But the fact of the matter is,we all want,and
need, what BP sells. And everything we do, from driving our cars, to eating
our food, to our summer vacation enjoyment is reliant, dependent on the
product that BP produces and sells – gasoline! It is our insatiable demand
for gasoline and other oil derived products that drives companies like BP to
search the world over to find the oil that we all need, want and desire. But
now,like Big Finance,Big Oil is too big to fail. Unfortunately,we now have the
consequences of its failure….a huge mess! And this mess affects us all. All of
humanity. Because all of humanity is reliant upon clean oceans,clean air,and
clean soil for our very survival. Despite this tragedy in the Gulf, BP and the
other oil companies won’t stop trying to find, produce, and sell the oil
products that we all want, need and desire. And there will be another
accident. And we will start the blame game all over again. Well, the blame
lies within all of us.Until we change our behavior as a society, and choose to
live a different lifestyle – a less energy dependent lifestyle,we will continue to
soil our nest,pollute our planet,and kill ourselves. The change that needs to
be made begins with each of us,in our choices,habits and actions. If each of
us uses less energy,then collectively the demand for oil will drop,and BP and
the other oil companies will be less likely to drill in deep oceans,build bigger
tankers, or compel our governments to engage in warfare.
A reduced energy lifestyle is not just for those environmental wackos,it is for
all of us. It’s a matter of making new choices. It’s a matter of creating new
values. And it is simple to do. The first step is to become aware of how you
use energy,and how the things you buy and consume use energy. Some of
the options are right here in this Summer edition of eco-LOCAL Living. We
can choose to buy locally, reducing transportation miles. Our cover story
features Nikita Home Furnishings. Their “hyper-efficient” manufacturing
process utilizes every bit of wood to make their unique sofas (don’t use the
F-word, they are so much more than futons). Nikita has proven that
innovative USA made furniture can compete with imports, creating local
jobs with environmental accountability. Also in this issue, we take a look at
the unique lifestyle of the Twelve Tribes Community in Cambridge. These
people have eschewed the consumer culture of modern America and have
instead chosen to live simply and to love each other. They are living the low-
energy lifestyle, and, while not for everybody, their example points to a way
to escape the insanity of the modern world. Up in the southern Adirondack
town of Thurman, the Rohe family has found their peace with the earth –
Ann paints the local landscape and Al makes furniture from the local woods.
Inspired by the natural beauty that
surrounds them, the Rohes create artful
objects that other people enjoy, and
somehow, it provides a living for them.
They are not living large,but they are living
right. These are the stories of the new
paradigm of local living. It’s a lower energy,
lower density way of being. And while it
may seem a bit odd to live simply in a
world of wireless mobility, instant access
and 24/7 information, those that choose
the simple path seem to have a smile on
their face more often. Maybe they’ve
found something in being quiet, in being
local. In being eco-local!
- David DeLozier, Publisher
Summer 2010 • Issue 15
PUBLISHER / SALES / MARKETING
David Delozier 518-858-6866 advertise@ecolocalliving.com

DESIGN / PRODUCTION
Centerline Design 518-883-3872
PHOTOGRAPHY
Tom Stock of stockstudiosphotography.com, Tracy Frisch,
Stacy Morris, David DeLozier
CONTRIBUTORS
Kathleen Quartararo, Patrick Maloney, Harry Moran, Amy Stock,
Persis Granger,Tracy Frisch, Stacy Morris, Nancy Muldoon & David DeLozier
ADDRESSES
38 Tamarack Trail Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
ecolocalliving.com
By reading and supporting Ecolocal you become part of our team - and help the
greater community of the Upper Hudson Valley become a healthier place to live,
work and play. Please tell our advertisers you saw them here. Ecolocal Living is
published bi-monthly & distributed free of charge to over 300 locations within a 50
mile radius of Saratoga Springs, NY. Ecolocal Living does not guarantee nor warranty
any products, services, of any advertisers nor will we be party to any legal or civil proceed-
ings to do with any advertisers. We expect advertisers to honor any advertised claims or
promises. Ecolocal Living will not knowingly accept any advertisement that is deemed
misleading or fraudulent. We reserve the right to revise, edit and/or reject any and all
advertising with or without issuing a reason or cause. We will not publish any article
or advertisement that is contrary to the best interest of this publication. We reserve the
We use recycled-content paper and water-based ink.
right to edit articles if needed for content, clarity and relevance.
Please pass onto a friend when done reading.

ecolocalliving.com 5
 News and Views
Washington County Fair Touted by IAFE
for Being Way Ahead in Recycling Efforts
The International Association of Fairs and Expos praises local fair’s biodiesel production
What do you do with a 1,000 gallons The article even states that during the their biodiesel. Compare that to the Fairgoers were encouraged to take
of used cooking oil? If you are the conversion process, glycerin results as current prices for fuel oil and diesel the “How Green Are We?” self-
Washington County Fair you convert a byproduct and that Washington and you have substantial savings. assessment quiz. The display will be
it into biodiesel and use it for heating County Fair uses this in composting. back this year.
and operating equipment. This was All employees and volunteers are
This is the same product that can be
the spotlight of an article in the used to make soap. regularly trained in the storage and The Washington County Fair runs
March -April 2010 issue of Fairs & use of the biodiesel. Material Safety August 23 thru August 29, 2010. The
Expos, a bi-monthly magazine The fair’s manager, Mark St. Jacques, Data Sheets are up to date and local fair will be celebrating its 50th
published by the International said that the decision to take this fire codes are followed. The fair’s anniversary at its current location in
Association of Fairs and Expos. waste product and convert it into operating procedure for safety Easton, NY. Fairgoers can enjoy free
usable fuel was a response to the compliance has been reviewed by a entertainment and support the
The article, aptly named ECO SPOT, increase in fees from the rendering New York State certified inspector. county’s agricultural heritage by
Biodiesel: From Waste to Fuel companies and the high cost of visiting the many farm families that
describes the Biodiesel Production diesel. St. Jacques says that the cost Last year a display was created at the exhibit at the fair each year. For more
Cycle in detail and exclusively to build the unit was $2,500 and that fair to let fair guests know the steps information on The Washington
features the steps taken by it processes 40-gallon batches. The taken to reduce and reuse waste County Fair call 518-692-2464 or visit
Washington County Fair to build and fair manager has also calculated the products. This tent was staffed by www.washingtoncountyfair.com.
operate its biodiesel processor unit. cost to be $1.30 a gallon to produce more than 20 volunteers from the
Greenwich Citizens Committee, Inc.

Why Wonder?
By Kathleen Quartararo
I wonder if we could let the little ones
remind us of how great it feels to
wonder again... instead of always
knowing. No-ing. Knowing. No, no-ing
as we often do.
Pondering without judgment, anger or
frustration. Just to be with what is for
the moment we are in it, exactly as it is
in front of us and wonder about it...
I wonder if I’ll like that
I wonder what happened
I wonder what he means
I wonder why she’s mad
I wonder why he’s distracted
I wonder what she meant
I wonder if he’s tired
I wonder where she’s going (so fast!)
I wonder where this road will take me
I wonder if he saw me
I wonder if she’s hurt
I wonder how that works
I wonder when we’ll get there
I wonder who will be there
I wonder what I’ll find
I wonder who is calling
There is something about the word
wonder that is magical. Calming...
easy... accepting... gentle.
Stopping to wonder gives us time for a
break - a breath - a possibility that there
is more to the story. Or something
unexpected and exiting ahead.
No anger in the assessment of the
situation. No attack. Just curiosity.
Curiosity - another great feeling. Just
say it - that’s curious! I am so curious
about that! You can’t NOT relax when
you say that!
To start with “I wonder,” can change
your mood, change your day... change
your life.
I wonder why he is still stopped now
that the light is green
I wonder if he is distracted
I wonder if the driver is OK
I wonder if he is having car trouble
I wonder if….. aahh… the ducks are
crossing... hahahahaha
I wonder gives us the chance to take a
minute or two to appreciate whatever if
is were are surrounded by when we get
stopped in our very fast tracks.
Kathleen Quartararo is the owner of
Virgil’s House, 86 Henry St., Saratoga
Springs.

6 ecolocalliving.com
ecolocalliving.com 7
 The Wellness Doc
By Dermot Connole Jinks, D.C.
Good Posture = Good Health
Remember Mom saying “Sit up
straight”? It's so commonly used it
must be part of 'Basic Mom Manual
101'. But the concept - good posture -
is common sense for anyone over the
age of 18. But what is posture?
Dictionary.com gives the following
definition - pos·ture: [pos-cher] -noun
1. the relative disposition of the parts
of something. 2. the position of the
limbs or the carriage of the body as a
whole.
So posture is how different parts of
the body relate to one another -
resulting in good posture or bad
posture. But why is this so important -
especially, in children.
GOOD POSTURE PREVENTS ARTHRITIS
Good posture allows proper mechanics of the
joints of the body. A misaligned joint will not
work properly. Over time, this will lead to
breakdown of the joint. This process of
breakdown results in arthritis or osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis is the most common form of
arthritis with over 20 millions Americans being
affected... and the number is growing. Common
signs of osteoarthritis are thinning of the
cushions in a joint (cartilage), bone spurs and
restriction of joint motion.
The more out of alignment a joint is - the
more problems that joint will have. The amount
of misalignment correlates with the onset &
amount of arthritis/joint breakdown. Important:
Osteoarthritis is caused by joint misalignment
and problems with movement. Only after this
occurs can it develop - arthritis is not a normal
occurrence with age. However, once the joint is
misaligned THEN time becomes a factor. The
longer a joint works improperly the greater the
incidence of breakdown/arthritis.
OTHER BENEFITS OF GOOD POSTURE.
Healthy posture promotes:
• Healthy blood flow - venous return of blood
8 ecolocalliving.com
can add up to thirty (30) pounds of
abnormal leverage on the spine,
reduce lung capacity by as much as
30%, which can lead to heart and
blood vascular disease. He
determined a relationship between
forward head posture and the
digestive system as well as
endorphin production affecting pain
and the experience of pain.)
• Bone Density (poor posture
accelerates damage to bones and
increases & accelerates
development of osteoporosis)
• Even Life expectancy (Hyper-
kyphotic Posture Predicts Mortality
in Older Community-Dwelling Men
and Women: A Prospective Study.
(how the blood gets back to the heart) depends
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
on the body movement - if you have poor
52(10):1662-1667, October 2004.
posture - you can not move through a full range
of motion and blood flow is affected. GOOD POSTURE
• muscles ability to contract and RELAX (ever So as we come into the warmer months and
think poor posture caused those tight muscles in wear fewer clothes, pay attention to your and
the shoulder/neck, mid back or lower back?… your family's posture. A good posture will make
think about it) you look tall, confident and proud - attractive
• healthy nerve function (did you know that characteristics for both sexes. Correct body
90% of nerve and brain activity is spent on posture is having head, shoulders, chest,
adapting to your environment... joints are hips/pelvis centered and level. From the side the
constantly 'feeding' the brain neurologic head should be over the shoulders and the
information to help in this effort) pelvis/hips should not be forward of the knees.
• proper development of muscles, bones and As a chiropractor these are fundamental tools
nerves in children -which is why Mom was so used to identify the cause of problems in the
concerned about the way you sat and stood. body and then fix them.
• Other systems of the body that are It never ceases to amaze me how concerned
influenced by posture include: we can be with the proper alignment our car and
• Balance and coordination are influenced by teeth, yet miss the importance of
nerves found in joints - poor movement in a joint alignment/posture and our health. After all, isn't
from poor posture = poor nerve information to the most important 'machine' God gave us our
brain. body?
• Cardiovascular (Rene Cailliet, M.D. the
Director of the Department of Physical Medicine For more information on good health visit our
and Rehabilitation, University of Southern website www.aacfamilywellness.com. Follow
California, concluded that forward head posture AAC on Twitter and Facebook. Be Well!
 Ask the Energy Expert
By Patrick Maloney l Aquila Design

Stay Cool and Increase Energy Reduction

Well, cooling season is upon us, at least I mentioned in the previous column are better
hope so. We talked last time about various ways choices. If they are not feasible for your
to use landscaping to increase energy circumstances there are solar screens and
reduction. In this column we'll focus on ways to thermal shades on the market. A great product
stay cool, with efficiency in mind of course. is the Advanced Energy Panel made by Windo-
As usual I'll emphasize that air sealing and Therm and manufactured right here in Albany!
insulation are the top priority, but enough said It carries the ENERGY STAR label and will save
on that, let's move on. you lots of money in the winter too.

In winter months the term “wind chill” sends If you must have air conditioning, consider a
unpleasant shivers down our backs. Though not cold climate heat pump. The technology has
thought of very often in that term, it is a sought advanced greatly and they are becoming
after experience in the hot days of summer. By common in our colder climates. As always with
using a fan you are creating a wind chill effect. these decisions do your research and consult
We all know about opening windows on with the experts.
opposite sides of the house to create cross Patrick Maloney is the owner of Aquila
ventilation. This works best when nature Design. You can reach Patrick by emailing him
provides us with a breeze. If that breeze isn't at pjm@dishmail.net.
happening then you can create your own. You
can produce a chimney effect by opening
windows on the cool (north) side of our home
and putting exhaust fans in the south facing
windows preferably on a higher floor level. This
will pull the cool air towards the warm areas of
the home. You can also open the basement door
and windows to utilize that cool source of
refreshment and ceiling fans blowing down on
you can bring about the wind chill effect as
well. Important to remember is that fans cool
people, not air, so turn them off when leaving
an area.
A typical fan on high uses about 100 watts
of electricity. Ceiling fans use between 15 and
95 watts. A window air conditioner uses
Other ways to stay cool and save energy are
between 500 and 1400 watts, where as a 2.5
to replace your old fashioned, incandescent
ton central a/c system uses 3500 watts. Here in
light bulbs with CFL's. With incandescent bulbs,
the north east, with proper planning and
only 10% of the electricity used is converted to
mindfulness, air conditioners are not a
light and the rest is converted to heat. A 20 watt
necessity.
CFL will produce the same amount of light as a
75 watt incandescent. With this in mind, get rid
of your inefficient appliances and replace them
with new ones that have the ENERGY STAR
label. Back up refrigerators are notoriously
inefficient and dump a lot of heat into your
home, so
There are many inexpensive products on the
market to help keep you cool without
expending huge amounts of energy. Buy a
Chillow Pillow for those hot summer nights. It's
a water filled pillow that keeps your head cool.
Most new windows today come with Low-E
glass. This reflects the sun and helps keep it
cooler behind the window. The problem with
this is it also keeps it cooler in the winter
months when we want the sun's heat.
Overhangs, awnings, and landscaping as

ecolocalliving.com 9
 Money Matters
By Harry Moran, CFP® AIF®
Slow Money & Fast Oil
The second annual Slow Money National
Gathering took place on June 10th and 11th at
Shelburne Farms on the spectacular shore of Lake
Champlain just south of Burlington, VT. In such
an idyllic setting, it might've been easy to forget
about the ongoing devastation in the Gulf,
resulting from the BP oil spill. Spending two days
with a diverse and passionate group committed
to a building a sustainable model for
reconnecting investors with their communities
and supporting small, local food businesses, the
tragic events in the Gulf were however very
much on our minds. Recognizing the cruel irony
that this oil spill is occurring in what is already a
dead zone due to agricultural run-off carried
down the Mississippi River, heightened our
awareness and gave increased urgency to our
discussions.
Given the distance traveled by much of the
produce filling the bins at our local supermarkets,
our system of industrial agriculture really is, in
noted food industry commentator Joan Gussow's
words, “floating on a sea of oil”. The catastrophe
in the Gulf is another unsubtle reminder that our
current agricultural system, which is predicated
on cheap oil to allow the shipping of vegetables
and meats thousands of miles, is clearly not
sustainable. The average American foodstuff
travels approximately 1500 miles before it
reaches our tables. Living here in the fertile
Hudson Valley, it's hard to imagine that
approximately ninety percent of all the fresh
vegetables consumed in the United States are
grown in California's San Joaquin Valley.
While the implications of the tremendous
amount of fuel associated with long distance
shipping may be fairly obvious, we also need to
consider the impact of the use of oil and oil
equivalents in the manufacturing of inorganic
10 ecolocalliving.com
fertilizers, operation of farm machinery and To support this emerging sustainable
irrigation. Approximately forty percent of energy agriculture community, more efficient and
used in the food system is used in the production practical vehicles are needed to facilitate
of artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Producing investment in local food concerns. At the Slow
and distributing nitrogen-based fertilizers require Money Gathering, we were treated to inspiring
an average of 5.5 gallons of fossil fuels per acre. presentations by 25 passionate and creative
According to one study, a total of 400 gallons of small food entrepreneurs in our region who have
oil equivalents are needed annually to feed each vital, growing businesses but need more capital
American under the current industrial agriculture to achieve the level of scale needed to be
and factory farming model. In a very real sense, competitive and prosperous over the long haul
we are eating fossil fuels. (some of these were captured on video and can
While the most obvious way that small, be viewed at ecolocalliving.com). As this
sustainable farms help reduce the nation's movement continues to gather momentum,
dependence on fossil fuels is by selling their individual investors will likely have an
products locally, sustainable farming practices increasingly broad array of vehicles available to
also have the potential to reduce fossil fuel help accomplish this.
dependence by avoiding wasteful production As consumers, we can support this
practices. The USDA estimates that increasing the community now though by buying as much
efficiency of all our farmland's irrigation systemslocally grown and produced food as possible.
by just ten percent would create annual savings Visit one of our great farmer's markets, join a
of eighty million gallons of diesel gasoline spent CSA or grow your own. In addition, we can try to
on pumping and applying the water. Exercising avoid purchasing processed foods and choose
proper soil conservation techniques can also help products with minimal packaging due to the
reduce fossil fuel usage. For example, the USDA major energy use involved in production.
estimates that no-till farming can save about 3.9 Eliminating or reducing our meat consumption
gallons of diesel fuel per acre of land by also offers great energy savings, since meat is the
decreasing the use of diesel-powered heavy least fuel-efficient food we have. Large quantities
equipment. of energy are required to cultivate, harvest, and
Small, pasture-based livestock farms take ship animal feed, house, transport and slaughter
advantage of natural cycles: the animals feed animals, process and package their meat, and
themselves on grass and distribute their manure refrigerate it until it's cooked.
themselves, fertilizing the pasture as they go. While the magnitude of the environmental,
Rather than fossil fuels, they need only rain and social and financial damage from the oil spill is
sun to make the system work. Our factory farms hard to grasp and deeply troubling, this crisis
have achieved remarkable levels of efficiency may serve as an effective wake up call that, as a
and productivity but at a great cost to the nation, we need to make major changes in our
environment, soil and water quality, animal energy intensive lifestyle now. This situation is
welfare, food safety, workers' rights, farmers and presenting a real opportunity to make
local communities. meaningful progress and supporting local food
businesses is one relatively easy, tangible step
we can take to help nurture a sustainable and
restorative economy centered on place and on
connection to our communities as we continue
the transition from fast oil to Slow Money.
Harry Moran helps socially conscious investors define and achieve their
highest goals by aligning their money with their values. A 24-year
veteran of the financial services profession, Mr. Moran has held the
Certified Financial Planner® designation since 1991. He is a network
member of First Affirmative Financial Network, a national professional
organization dedicated to meeting the needs of the socially conscious
investing community. Mr. Moran can be reached directly at Cornerstone
Financial Advisors at 518-877-8800. Mention of specific securities, funds,
or companies should not be considered an offer or a recommendation to
buy or sell the security, fund, or company. To determine the suitability of
any particular investment, please consult with your investment adviser.
Remember, past performance is no guarantee of future results and no
investment strategy can assure success.The opinions expressed are those
of the author and may change without notice. Harry Moran is a
registered representative offering securities through Cadaret, Grant &
Co., Inc., member FINRA SIPC. Cadaret, Grant is not affiliated with
Cornerstone or First Affirmative.
462 Route 29 West, Saratoga, NY 12866 • 518-584-WINE (9463)
www.thesaratogawinery.com
Hours: Mon-Thurs & Sat 11am-7pm • Fri 11am-9pm • Sun 11am-5pm
Select from 15 hand-crafted wines, including
all natural Melomel – made with local honey

Take the
Horsin' Around Trolley
from Saratoga!

Call for details

and weekly events!

We offer a growing selection of LOCAL specialty foods,

Plus, we are available for private parties and your special events!

JOIN US FOR WINE TASTING DAILY!

Gift certificates and gift baskets, wine accessories and gifts for the wine lover.

ecolocalliving.com 11
 Nikita INDOOR OUTDOOR Convertible Furniture
Rethinking Furniture
through Efficiency & Sustainability
By Amy L. Stock l Contributing Writer Photos by stockstudiosphotography.com

If you're looking for a more “green” alternative for your indoor or outdoor furniture, you need go no further than
Nikita Furniture, conveniently located on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, just south of the City Center.
Nikita INDOOR OUTDOOR Convertible Furniture offers what founder Nikita Grigoriev calls “the super futon”.
However, this is not your old college futon.

This uniquely-designed convertible
furniture has a simple high-quality
contemporary look. Products range from
indoor sofas, chairs, end tables to outdoor
furniture, using sturdy weather-resistant
fabric. All are hand-made in their
manufacturing facility in Richfield Springs, NY,
using local wood products. The chairs and
sofas convert into horizontal foot rests or
beds. The combination of a simple efficient
design, quality, and versatility sets this “super
futon” product line above the others.
Nikita himself designed the first patented
futon convertible sofa bed in 1982. The patent
was granted in 1985 and it established a new
product category in the US patent office.
A former aeronautical engineer and an
airline pilot, Nikita quit the airline industry
and began making his earlier-designed futons
through Convertible Furnishings in 1983. Two
years later, Nikita purchased an old building in
Richfield Springs, NY and assembled a crew of
three production workers and one sales
representative. At its peak he was building
and distributing to over 100 futon suppliers.
But the market changed. He eventually sold
his product license and closed his wholesale
accounts. "What really killed us was China.
When China got into it we got out of it."
In 1988 Shaffield Industries Inc. acquired
the license for the then called Simple Design
futon. Shaffield grew to become the world's
largest futon manufacturer and distributor.
Overextended and out-competed by the
Chinese, Shaffield Industries, which had been
sold to Winston Corporation, was liquidated
three years later.
Once the former Shaffield Industries was
liquidated, Nikita, who was contractually
barred from designing convertibles on his own
when he sold the license to Shaffield, was
freed up to create once again. He went to
work redesigning his product to be one made
with the utmost efficiency and reliability.
In 2003 Nikita developed a new outdoor
line of unique self-adjusting convertible
loungers and deck furnishings, and renamed
the company to Nikita INDOOR OUTDOOR.

stockstudiosphotography.com

12 ecolocalliving.com
 “Our design is just pure common sense…
There are no unnecessary points in the
frame.” The use of four-bar linkage triangle
supports makes the frame extremely stable
and sturdy. Nikita designed a unique
reclining mechanism that changes the angle
of the seat of the back, while maintaining
stability.
“The key to trying to compete with China
is efficiency. You have to make it (your
product) with no waste of resources, energy
or time.” According to Nikita their focus is on
the economic bottom line and impact on the
environment, “but this is how we have
always been. We got this far because of our
sustainable, renewable, no-waste approach.”
His furniture is made to order in his
manufacturing facility at Richfield Springs.
With limited space, Nikita approaches
furniture manufacturing with total efficiency
in mind. What he calls a “hyper-efficiency
design.” Says Nikita, “There are no
unnecessary parts or materials.”
According to Nikita, his manufacturing
site and operation is highly efficient. “This is
not a building where wood is piled up and
you don't know where anything is.
Everything is accounted for. Everything is
used where you have no waste of motions or
movements. There is no double-handling.
There is no waste of movement and no waste
of space, and so the whole operation is
extremely efficient. We make it here and we
don't have to ship it.” According to Nikita,
that's their advantage over China.”
He uses only wood grown in the region -
predominantly ash, cherry, and white oak. He
offers many different wood finishes, most are stockstudiosphotography.com
environmentally-friendly, hand-rubbed made
from linseed oil, a natural product. “This is a ship to people all over the country. We get a Their prices are competitive with other
completely benign, non-toxic product. The lot of foot traffic from people at the locally-owned furniture stores, but instead of
wood becomes more stable and enriched.” Convention Center.” supporting a worker in another state, buying
Any extra wood left over from production is “Everything is made to order. We have so furniture from Nikita helps support a local
burned in a high-efficiency stove which heats many combinations of fabrics, woods, Saratoga business and provides jobs for
the building. The remaining wood chips and finishes. Being so small we can offer an people in our region. As for future plans,
saw dust are delivered to local farmers who enormous variety.” Customers can select the Nikita - a furniture maker by day, classical
use it for animal bedding, and after is size, wood, and fabric they desire. Most of guitar player by night, says he's looking to
composted and returned to the soil. the parts are standardized, meaning a single open more stores and hoping to draw more
According to Nikita, “This amounts to nearly chair may fold down and be used in business once he goes through his first full
100% efficiency in wood resource combination with a folded-down love seat to summer tourist season here in Saratoga.
utilization.” create a larger sleeping bed. “Our business grows by word of mouth.
We're hoping as people hear about us they
Their cushions come from a mattress Says Nikita, “The super-futon is a whole will tell their friends.”
manufacturer in Connecticut, one of the new way of thinking about furniture.” The
oldest in the country. The cushion covers are sleek, simple “Transitional Style” furniture To find out more, including hours of
hand-sown by a local seamstress. has a clean, uncluttered look to it. “Some call operation, visit www.justleanback.com or
it Danish-modern,” says Nikita. To him, it's stop in at one of their two show rooms:
“This is not just a product. This is a
reflection of who we are. It's very personal the look of simple efficiency. This style Futons in Saratoga Springs, NY
and very interactive.” embodies his mantra and vision to “Let the 508 Broadway Saratoga Springs, NY
look follow the essence of a product.” He 12866 (518) 796-1887
This is definitely a product to be seen and adds, “The final shape is determined by the
experienced! Futons in Oneonta, NY
essence of what it is and what it does. Our 7 Elm Street Oneonta, NY 13820
Opened since September 2009, Nikita says furniture is the essence of efficiency, simple (607) 267-4623
most of his clients are walk-ins, “We sell and and versatile.”

ecolocalliving.com 13
 Courtesy of Diane from Harmony House Marketplace
Ingredients:
1 T active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 T sugar
1 1/2 cups warm milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 cups unbleached flour
1 T kosher salt
In a small bowl, mix together
yeast, warm water and sugar. Let
stand until creamy, 5-10 minutes.
In a bowl mix milk, vegetable
oil and yeast mixture. Slowly add
four cups of flour, then one
tablespoon of salt.
Knead dough until smooth and
elastic, adding flour as needed.
Transfer dough to large oiled bowl.
Cover and let rise in a warm place
until doubled in size (1-1 1/2 hrs).
While dough is rising...
Heat olive oil over medium
heat. Add fresh herbs. Add onions
and garlic.
Cover tightly, reduce heat to
low, stirring often until onions are
14 ecolocalliving.com
Filling:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 t rosemary
1 t oregano
1 jumbo sweet yellow
onion
6 plump garlic gloves;
smashed and minced
1 T melted butter
golden (20-30 minutes).
Oil a 10x5 bread pan. Punch
dough down and turn out on a
lightly floured board. Roll or pat
dough into a rectangle 9” wide
and 18” long. Spread cooled
onion/garlic mixture eveningly
over surface of the dough. Tightly
roll dough up. Place roll in bread
pan, seam-side down. Loosely
cover and let rise (45 to 60
minutes).
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake for 45 minutes. Then gently
remove bread from pan and place
directly on oven rack. Continue to
bake for another 10 minutes. Serve
warm or at room temperature.
 Eco-list
By Nancy Muldoon

Ways to Buy Local and Save Money

Instead of buying a new car, buy a new used
car, it will be more economical and 100% local.
Garage Sales, Consignment Shops and Thrift
Stores are such a wonderful way to keep your
money local, not to mention all the money you
will save by buying second hand. Saratoga
County has many great and high quality garage
sales and consignment shops.
Don’t buy new appliances unless you have to,
and most instances you don’t need to. Is that
expensive ‘energy efficient’ air conditioner really
that economical in upstate New York when you
really only use it a few weeks out of the year? You
can check craigslist and ebay for great bargains
on appliances and other household items.
Lose your long distance phone company and
get a calling card. They can range from $10-$20
dollars depending how many minutes they have
on them. You pay for the card up front so there is one weekend you babysit for a friend, the next Rent movies from the public library, they have
no bill later on to worry about. Calling cards are weekend they do it for you. a wonderful selection of features, documentaries,
sold in most drug stores and supermarkets. Shop around for gas prices, use regular and foreign films, ALL FREE!!
Get rid of your cable television, all kinds of unleaded as it is always cheaper, so few cars Nancy Muldoon is a freelance writer living in
channels but not really anything worth viewing. require anything else. Saratoga Springs, New York.
Rent a movie instead.
Buy groceries in bulk and try to shop only
once or twice a month. This cuts down on gas
costs and be sure to make a list of everything you
need. Stick to the list. Now that summer is here,
take advantage of Farmer’s Markets and road side
fruit and vegetable stands. There really is nothing
better than fresh produce that’s 100% local.
If where you are going is within walking
distance, walk and encourage your children to
walk too, childhood obesity isn’t only caused by
eating the wrong foods it’s caused by a lack of
exercise. This saves money on gas and
encourages healthy attitudes and well being.
Reduce texting, it isn’t really necessary and it’s a
waste of money, take 15 minutes of your day
when you are available to really talk to people
and call them personally or e-mail them.
Make sure windows and doors are sealed,
why let the heat or cold escape. Caulking and
sealing and weather stripping are inexpensive
ways to reduce energy bills and usage.
Don’t cancel credit cards you don’t use, rather
use them as tools to negotiate zero interest for
purchases and balance transfers.
Every time you apply for a new credit card
there is an inquiry on your credit report, you don’t
want too many inquiries.
Car pool, invite your friends over for pot luck
dinner, rotate houses. Take turns babysitting kids,

ecolocalliving.com 15
16 ecolocalliving.com
 Summer Fun
There’s no better way to spend a summer day than by going
to the County Fair! Our region has a rich agricultural heritage,
and the county fairs are the place to see it…
Plus, where else can you see a tractor pull competition?
Altamont Fair,Altamont Schaghticoke Fair,Schaghticoke
Aug 17 - 22 (518) 861-6671 Rensselaer Co.
www.altamontfair.com Sept 1 - 6 (518) 753-4411
www.schaghticokefair.com
Columbia County Fair,Chatham
Sept 1 - 6 (518) 392-2121 Schoharie County Sunshine Fair
www.columbiafair.com Cobleskill
July 30 - Aug 7 (518) 234-2123
Fonda Fair,Fonda www.sunshinefair.org
Aug 31 - Sept 6 (518) 853-3313
www.fondafair.com Washington County Fair,Greenwich
Aug 23 - 29 (518) 692-2464
Saratoga County Fair,Ballston Spa www.washingtoncountyfair.com
July 20 - 25 (518) 885-9701
www.saratogacountyfair.org

ecolocalliving.com 17
 Adirondack Ambiance
Fruits of an Old Farm
By Persis Granger l Contributing Writer
Photos also by Persis Granger
The old house that is home to Al and Anne
Rohe's Adirondack Ambiance bears the marker
“Circa 1804,” denoting the time it was built by
Stephen Griffing, a commissioned officer in the
colonial army. Griffing had traveled by wagon
from Dutchess County to the newly-formed town
of Thurman a couple of years earlier, moving into
a small log cabin on this southern Adirondack
land. Here, where periodic flooding had perhaps
deposited just a little extra silt on the
desperately thin layer of topsoil typical of the
Adirondacks, Griffing built his home and began
to farm.
His son Nathaniel inherited the property in the
1840s and made major changes to the house,
but most of the land has remained otherwise
undeveloped, extending across the road to the
river. The river is a fickle friend, in summer
supplying badly-needed water for crops and
livestock, and in spring scouring the land with
violent eruptions of ice and water when ice jams
burst free.
Over decades the property has been home to
many families and even has been a vacation
destination for tourists who arrived by train at
Thurman Station just across the road. When the
Rohes returned to Thurman in 1988 after a few
years' stay out of state, they moved into this
house, which her mother had acquired, and
opened Thurman Station Nursery, selling
annuals, perennials and shrubs. Al operated
landscaping and sign-painting businesses.
Flowers bloomed in the dooryard, and out
behind the old house a bounteous garden
supplied them with food.
Their two older children had gone off to college
by that time, but their youngest, Amber, did most
of her growing up here. Amber's passion for
gardens was ignited, and her favorite reading
from about age nine on was Organic Gardening,
which she grabbed from the mailbox and
whisked up to her room to devour. She attended
Warrensburg Central School, where Anne was a
substitute teacher and an aide for students with
special needs.
Anne originally had been an art major at SUNY
New Paltz, but soon found the skill level of her
classmates intimidating and opted for a degree
in elementary education instead. Jobs, child-
rearing and family business concerns relegated
her interest in art to the back burner.
“Sometimes I'd make a card for someone's
birthday, or something, but mostly I was doing
other things,” Anne says.
One spring, flood waters and ice from the
Hudson destroyed most of their tree and shrub
stock, and she and Al closed the nursery. Amber

18 ecolocalliving.com
headed off to college, Anne retired from
teaching, and Al built first a saw mill, and then
a smaller, more energy efficient home on the hill
behind the old Griffing homestead. He milled
wood from the property for the structure, and
hauled native stone for the fireplace. Anne's
mother, now 95, lives with them most of the
time, but stays in an apartment in the old house
when weather and health permit.
With the new home completed and the family
raised, what new projects would occupy their
future? And what role could be played in that
future by the old farmhouse with all its charm?
The land held the answer. Al decided to make
rustic furniture, an interest he had long wanted
to act upon. His carpentry skills and intuitive
sense of style and proportion enabled him to
select and combine slabs, branches and roots in
intricate designs that rival the finest furniture in
the Adirondack great camps. In his hands, chairs,
tables and bookcases grew to life from a drying
shed full of findings from trees on the property.
Whimsical pieces were added to the furniture -
like the giant fish with birch bark scales, and
carved owls that practically fly out of the shop.
In 2006 the old house became a rustic furniture
shop called Adirondack Ambiance, and as Al's
creations were placed in the near-empty rooms,
it became apparent that something else was
needed. Al urged Anne to dust off her palette
and brushes and revisit her interest in painting.
She pulled out her extensive collection of family
photographs, selecting pictures of her children
and grandchildren, and began capturing the
scenes on canvas. Images of kids playing in
leaves, balancing on a rail of the nearby railroad
tracks or playing beside a pond took life in her
work. “I feel so at peace when I am painting. I
love painting children the best, because their
body language is so interesting,” she says.
Adirondack scenery plays a close second, and
the Hudson and Schroon Rivers, old barns and
houses and picturesque lakes and mountains
vie for attention in her growing collection.
Al put his skills to work creating unique frames
for them. A pasture full of tail-switching horses is
fenced in by frame of barn boards trimmed with
barbed wire. A pileated woodpecker drumming
on a tree feels right at home in a frame dressed
in bark that was pierced by another
woodpecker's bill. Twigs, birch bark and almond-
shaped slices of branches all figure heavily into
Al's frames, and both Al and Anne fill custom
orders, as well. One of Al's customers needed a
log railing for a porch, and another asked for a
specially designed headboard. An art customer
wanted to buy for her daughter a painting of
sheep that Anne had done, because her daughter
also had sheep. On impulse she sent a photo of
her daughter's flock and asked for a new
painting with those particular sheep painted into
the scene in place of the original critters.
While Al and Anne were launching this new
venture, Amber was breaking new ground, as
well. With a fine arts degree now under her belt,
she went in quest of a master's degree in
landscape architecture at SUNY College of
Environmental Science and Forestry, a program
she will complete next year. She is conflicted
about where she will use her newfound skills.
Will she seek out creative ventures in some
elaborate urban project that emphasizes plant-
based design? Or will she return to the
mountains, lakes and rivers of her beloved
Adirondacks and try to define and implement a
landscaping statement she refers to as
“Adirondack Vernacular” - a kind of design that
complements the character of our regional
terrain and reflects Adirondack history and
values using native species? When Amber's
budding career takes her away from home
(she'll be redesigning a park in the Catskills this
summer), her dad shoulders some of her
responsibilities in their garden until she's able
to rejoin them. She retains her passion for
horticulture, and, like both parents, unleashes
her creative and artistic senses in all her efforts.
“She's doing something in the garden with
sunflowers this year,” Anne says. “I can't wait to
see how that turns out.”
A fourth generation has come to celebrate the
gifts of the land at the old Griffing homestead.
Each summer waves of grandchildren splash
onto its shores, to be absorbed by the gardens,
the household chores and the shop called
“Adirondack Ambiance.” Michael, a teen,
caught the gardening bug from his Aunt Amber
and is equally drawn to work on his grandpa's
projects. Young Leah, a budding entrepreneur, is
shop opener, making sure the “Open” sign is
hung properly before she sets about dusting the
furniture. Her older sister Emma is shop closer,
taking in the sign and securing the building at
the end of the day.
Adirondack Ambiance seems to be the right
niche for the generations of the Rohe family, all
tied together by the land and its gifts. It
provides an outlet for the best of their skills and
talents, and is a reflection of their passions.
Adirondack Ambiance welcomes guests Memorial Day
Weekend to Labor Day Weekend, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., at 792
NYS Route 418, Thurman. For more information, 518-
623-3813 or 623-3600. Persis Granger is a freelance
writer from Thurman, the author of two novels and
organizer of Fiction Among Friends events for writers.
ecolocalliving.com 19

Creates Alternative to Consumer Society
By Tracy Frisch l Contributing Writer
At Common Sense Farm, a 60-member Twelve
Tribes “community of believers” in
Cambridge, NY, no one goes off to "secular"
jobs. Instead several homegrown businesses,
a home school, and the domestic sphere
provide plenty of work for all.
"We believe cottage industries are pleasing to
God," asserts Randy, who's known to fellow
members by his Hebrew name of Rashab.
Twelve Tribes members see many advantages
to working within their faith community.
Randy enumerated a few. "We can teach our
children diligence and have them with us at
appropriate times. Fathers are able to go
home for lunch with their families. We have
freedom that a 9 to 5 job in a corporation
doesn't allow."
Randy is one of the two compounders (soap
makers) at Common Sense hand and body
care. The business, which primarily uses
natural ingredients, employs ten members.
Others work at the Common Ground Café on
Main Street, one of the village's only
restaurants. Farming several acres in organic
vegetables is the newest enterprise.
Twelve Tribes members say that they're
seeking to create the life that the Messiah
20 ecolocalliving.com
Biblical Community
Photos also by Tracy Frisch
desired for people to establish on earth.
Founded in Chattanooga, Tennessee in the
early 1970s, the group takes its name from the
New Testament Book of Acts. "There will be
restored twelve tribes that will bring about
promises made to Abraham." Another
passage describing an early community
inspired by Jesus Christ as having "no rich or
poor among them" and sharing "all things in
common" offered the group a vision. I was
told that the original founders were reacting
to the hypocrisy they observed among
Christians, who were doing things that didn't
reflect Biblical teachings.
Today, there's a network of 55 such
communities around the world. New York has
three others in Oak Hill, Ithaca, and Oneonta.
Defining themselves as a group of believers,
members are adamant that their highly
structured community is neither a hippie
commune, an intentional community, nor a
cult. People join voluntarily and can leave if
they wish. While new members are frequently
young, people of all ages are welcomed, and I
learn of one new resident, a member's
grandmother, who's in her 70s.
While the community observes traditions
foreign to the society at large, it's not
cloistered. Visitors are welcome and members
regularly interact with the wider world
through their work and in commerce. But they
do not get involved in public life or politics.
Rather than influencing the world at large,
they have opted to start a separate society of
their own.
On the afternoon of my visit, I meet Tim
(Nadiv) transplanting peppers in the
greenhouse. He readily shared his story.
Members call this testifying. Four years ago,
when he was 18 and "lost," he moved from
Georgia to Common Sense Farm. He said he
had been making poor choices and had
stopped going to his college classes. A
spiritual seeker, he had attended a couple
different churches with his family growing up,
and then delved into New Age teachings on
his own. Yet he realized that he needed help
finding his way.
"What drew me was the warmth and sincerity
and kindness of the community members," he
said. His mother, brother, and sister have each
visited him at Common Sense Farm and
support his decision to join.
Jonah, now called Othniel, 29, joined the
Twelve Tribes as a single dad of a three-year-
old. At the time he was juggling a full-time job
and a full course load at the local community
college in Utica. Coming from a "broken
family," without a father, he bounced among
different relatives growing up, and yearned
for a stable family life of his own.
Initially he encountered the Twelve Tribes at a
rally of the Promise Keepers, an evangelical
Christian men's organization, at the Pepsi
Arena in Albany. A couple years later, upon
meeting the Twelve Tribes again, he went for
a visit. Right after, he made the radical break
with his former life.
When I asked Jonah what attracted him about
the group, one of the things he said surprised
me. Jonah was troubled by this country's class
structure and the pressures it puts on people
who are not economically well off. Thus the
Twelve Tribes utopian abolition of class
divisions to create a more egalitarian society
held great appeal for him.
Cassie, Jonah's wife, stressed that to find
fulfillment in this new life, it's essential to
give up the old. So often, people's possessions
possess them, she said. Community members
pool all their income (and give the group their
belongings beyond the basics). Once there,
they don't accumulate individual wealth and
do without most of the trappings of our
contemporary materialistic world.
Jonah was called to Common Sense Farm
from another Twelve Tribes community in New
York in order to manage the café. He had
worked in restaurants in the outside world
and spent a couple semesters at the Culinary
Institute in Hyde Park.
Work assignments reflect members'
knowledge and abilities, according to Jonah.
"Those who tend to conduct themselves
responsibly are noticed."
Last year, Jonah took on the job of growing
vegetables as well as the cafe. He found a
partner in the member who runs the farm
equipment on the 110-acre property.
At this point, Jonah aspires to bring greater
food self-sufficiency to the community, rather
than generating much income from the crops.
They sell surplus vegetables at their new farm
stand, as well as the local food co-op, and
other outlets like the regional wholesale
market in Menands.
Unlike many a new farmer, Jonah doesn't
have to face an overwhelming workload
alone. Various residents, including children,
pitch in, and once a week, the whole
community comes for a work party at the
gardens. It's enjoyable and allows massive
projects, like weeding or transplanting
hundreds of tomato plants, to be completed in
no time.
On the first floor of the soap building, an
attractively converted old horse barn, I meet
Randy, the soap compounder. On his guitar,
he's serenading a packing line worker while
he finishes up for the day with rousing
devotional songs.
The community derives its name from the
soap business, which was started as a home-
schooling project about 25 years ago by one
of the original Twelve Tribes members ("a
pillar"). After a good friend of the first soap-
maker applied his business expertise to the
enterprise, it took off. Members of the Twelve
Tribes "clan" in Rutland, Vermont, relocated it
to Cambridge in 1997, after it had outgrown
the old workshop.
Now, in place of a single pot and burner, the
production area is equipped with "multi-
thousand dollar" tanks. They look like giant
soup kettles on stilts. Some have metal stairs.
Soap making resembles cooking so what
better set-up than an oversized kitchen?
The day I visited Randy had made castile
soap. The process is closest to the ancient
method and uses the principle of saponifying
oils. Olive oil, and lesser amounts of coconut,
palm, and castor oils, are mixed with a lye
water solution while being heated. Since oil
consists of fatty acids and lye is intensely
alkaline, two things on opposite ends of the
pH scale, a chemical reaction occurs, yielding
a new molecule. At this stage it's a "harsh"
paste that must be diluted with water to
make this traditional, gentle liquid soap.
Essential oils are added for fragrance.
Randy explained why soap works. One pole of
the molecule is water loving, while the oil end
grabs dirt and grease. This dual attraction
explains why washing with soap removes dirt.
His favorite process is making their Balm of
Gilead product. The recipe calls for steeping
various herbs, propolis from honeybees, and
root extracts in extra virgin olive oil over mild
heat for one to two weeks.
Common Sense used to exhibit at trade shows
but they no longer need to do this type of
promotion. Four or five years ago Common
Sense began getting private label contracts,
making products for other businesses, thanks
to referrals from a friend at a fragrance
company.
Asked what keeps him interested in the work,
Randy answers with enthusiasm. "I believe
it's what Yahshua (the Hebrew word for Jesus)
wants us to do. I know the founders. I know
their hearts. I just see how it's important for
our community."
Jonah's wife Cassie (Yasheva) has lived in
Twelve Tribes communities since she was
twelve, when her whole family joined, after
meeting a few Twelve Tribes men in Florida,
where they lived. Their stories especially
interested her mother, "a strong Christian."
Her father decided to take the family on a trip
to visit nine different Twelve Tribe
communities in the northeast. Then he sold
his brush clearing and trash removal business
and they all moved to a community in
Hyannis, Massachusetts.
Cassie said that, at a young age, because her
family "went through a lot" with divorce, she
already knew that secular society was not for
her. Of her whole family - parents and three
teenage sisters - only her stepbrother has left
the Twelve Tribes.
The family unit is central to everything in the
Twelve Tribes, and most members marry and
have children. Big families are the norm,
though the typical size has dropped from six
or eight kids to four or five.
ecolocalliving.com 21

In the Common Sense community, residents
have bedrooms in one of three houses on the
farm or a fourth downtown in the village. They
live with their families, or if they're single, in a
same-sex dormitory.
Members follow a predictable, yet varied,
daily and weekly schedule devised to provide
for strong parental involvement with their
children, twice-daily worship, and a full day of
rest and leisure on the Sabbath. Couples with
children have a night out with childcare
provided once every two weeks.
Like Jews and Seventh Day Adventists, the
Twelve Tribes celebrate their Sabbath on
Saturday. To get ready, on Fridays the women
take on a double workload. They clean the
entire house "from top to bottom," according
to Cassie, and cook meals for two days.
Saturdays give families long stretches of
uninterrupted time together. People go for
walks, swim in the pond, enjoy volleyball
games (Common Sense Farm has two outdoor
volleyball courts), and even take the goats out
to play.
Twelve Tribe members are not churchgoers.
Instead they hold household-wide spiritual
gatherings every day at 7 AM and 7 PM. They
prepare for these gatherings with their
families, by reading and studying the Bible or
a Twelve Tribe newsletter or telling their
children a story.
22 ecolocalliving.com
Wednesday afternoons. Since women (and
girls) have a prescribed type of dress, it falls
on them to sew their own clothes. (If time
permits, they also sew pants and shirts for
husbands, sons, and single men, but they can
find suitable attire for them at second-hand
shops.)
Feminine clothing must be modest and loose
flowing, covering the arms past the elbow and
the legs below the knee. The neckline should
not be much below the collarbone. They get
fabric through a woman in the Oak Hill
community who purchases it in bulk for the
Northeast "tribe." They have a penchant for
blends of linen, rayon, and/or cotton and
muted colors. - continued on Page 26
Not surprisingly, as a consequence of the
commitment to a way of life portrayed in the
Bible, the Twelve Tribes adhere to strict gender
roles. Men tend to predominate in the cottage
industries that provide cash flow for the
community, while women are largely
responsible for the daily chores that keep
community fed, clothed, and clean. It's
women who cook for everyone in their house.
The women also can and preserve food, make
clothing, and care for flower gardens.
Occupied with caring for their little children,
the younger women mostly stay close to
home. Older women, whose children are older,
take on other jobs, teaching, bookkeeping, or
working in the restaurant.
Cassie has a few other special jobs, like
tending to the health of a small dairy goat
herd and doing several shifts of barn chores.
(The farm also raises Highlander cattle.) She
also teaches a class of four toddlers four
mornings a week.
Like the Amish, Twelve Tribes children end
their schooling as soon as state law allows
and begin apprenticeships. As a teenager,
Cassie apprenticed with an experienced
teacher for three years, and then with a
bookkeeper.
Pointing to the sewing machine in the
bedroom, which doubles as a sitting room and
work area, Cassie told me she sews every
ecolocalliving.com 23
 Zola Kids
Green for the Next Generation
Story and Photos by David Delozier
a shop dedicated to earth friendly products for
young children.
Zola features skin care that is natural, hand-
made specialty dresses, baby essentials - rattles,
organic cloth blankets, cloth diapers. The cloth
diapers have been very popular Wilke said. “I'm
on a wait list for two different suppliers,
because they can't keep up with the demands.”
At Zola Kids, you'll find things that you won't
find at every big box store in the country. It's the
only child's shop in the region that is dedicated
to specializing in on organic fabrics. But what
really sets Zola Kids apart from any other kids
clothing boutique is the custom made dresses
for little girls.
Zola specializes in girl's party dresses that are
exclusive designs, and available for special
order. The unique, on-of-a-kind items outfits
give the store a very personal touch.
Zola Kids has several ladies that sew the unique
designs, all are home-based and made in the
USA. So when you buy that great looking dress,
you know that you are also helping out the
American cottage industry. Linda Slezak, a
Saratoga native - does the custom embroidery
and dresses for “A” Babies Originals. These
dresses are made to order, according to your
wishes and desires, making them unique to your
child.
Recently added, there's American Girl doll
outfits made by Slezak's 83 year old mother.
According to Wilke, they're a hot seller. “The
little girls like to shop for their dolls,” she said.
Dresses can made to match dolls and even
moms. Wilke calls that her “mommy and me”

Broadway in Saratoga Springs is known for its

eclectic restaurants and retail shops. It's always
been a great place for adults to find unique
outfits and designer threads, but what about
the kids? Aside from a few stores that have a
rack or two of babies and kids clothing,
Saratoga's grand avenue has few options. Until
now… Zola Kids, an earth-friendly boutique for
kids, just opened their doors in March this year,
and with little fanfare, has become a bit of a
sensation on Braodway.
Zola is of Italian origin which means “little
piece of earth.” For owner Nicole Wilke, it's an
extension of her desire to offer “green” and
locally crafted clothing and accessories that
don't exist at the usual big-box stores.
The idea for Zola Kids came from Wilke's own
two children. They both had excema, and she
wanted to find natural ways to treat it. When
seeking alternatives, Wilke found a whole niche
of natural and organic oriented products for
children, but none available locally.
Incorporating these and other products into her
family, Wilke was very pleased with the results,
and with their earth-friendly characteristics. “I
thought that more moms should be aware of
these products, and when given the choice, they
would choose the healthier, greener options,”
said Wilke. Being “green” minded, Wilke was
inspired by her discoveries and decided to open
Amelia Cooper and Ava Rae Nelson shop at Zola Kids

24 ecolocalliving.com
line. Both mom and daughter can have
matching dresses, which are a hit at any
gathering. “They're real popular at the track,”
Wilke mentioned.
Like Saratoga Springs itself, Zola Kids has
become a social place. Mom's have
conversations while the kids shop. Many of the
racks are at kid eye level, so they can pick out
the styles that they like. With such unique and
fun kids clothing, Zola Kids has become the talk
of the town. Wilke replied, “It really has! I had
a guy who worked at Prime at Saratoga National
for a wedding reception, and two little girls -
sisters, were running around in their Zola
dresses that matched. He loved them so much
that he asked the mother, “where'd you get
them?” and she replied, “at Zola Kids!” So he
called and asked when we were closing, and he
came right over and bought a dress for his
daughter.”
Zola Kids carries it's custom-made and eco-
friendly message into their toys and
accessories, too. You can even find jewelry
that matches the dresses. Hand made in
Latham, the jewelry is custom made for Zola.
They even have “mommy and me” matching
Zola Kids owner Nicole Wilke
bracelets! Many of the jewelry items are
made from recycled materials.
“We have safe and natural toys at Zola Kids,”
Wilke said. “Everything is made from recycled
materials and even reclaimed wood - a sprig
wood.” None of the toys require batteries,
they're kid powered! There's a little guy that
has a USB port that attaches in the cabin, so
that when the child revs up the engine by
pushing the toy, it lights up the little man.
They even have “the fuzz that was” - plush
bears made from recycled plastic bottles. They
are amazingly soft and cuddly. And when the
child has grown out of the toy, you can return
the toy back to the company and they will
recycle it back into a new toy! It never hits
the landfill. It's a perfect example of cradle-to
-cradle manufacturing!
Zola Kids has been developing a unique angle
for expecting moms - a baby registry. It's a
one stop shop for unique and original items.
You can get a lot of great gifts for the baby
shower here too. Zola has just started offering
christening dresses.
Zola Kids is obviously a great place for little
girls, but there are great outfits for little boys
too. Again, Wilke tries to find high quality and
unique brands that tie in with her store's
message. Speaking of ties, the boys can get ties
made of the same fabric as sister's or mommies
dress, so that they all match!
It's seems that people have become very
receptive to the eco-message of Zola Kids.
Wilke already has plans to expand to a larger
store, but right now she is just taking baby
steps to get the store established. “We'd like
to grow our baby registry side of the business,
as well as offer more of the baby gear - like
strollers and car seats that go with out earth
friendly theme,” said Wilke.
Zola Kids is a refreshing change from the usual
kids clothing shopping experience. They give
the Customer an alternative to the mass-
merchandising stores. Prices are competitive
when comparing similar quality elsewhere and
the custom items will become family
heirlooms. Based on its early success, the local
and earth-friendly message of Zola Kids is
resonating well in the community.
Zola Kids can be found at 380 Broadway, in
Saratoga Springs. Call 518.583.2050
ecolocalliving.com 25
 - continued from Page 26
The dress code reflects the
Twelve Tribes' understanding
of how the sexes should
relate. Cassie explained that,
given the "relatively high level
of propriety between men and
women," members don't date
or become boyfriend and
girlfriend. Marriage is sacred
and a person is not supposed
to gossip or complain about
his or her spouse. Instead it's
appropriate to confide in
someone held in high esteem,
who'd have the wisdom to
advise.
Jonah calls these precepts their traditions. "We follow the standards
of the Bible," he said. "We're looking toward the spirit of the law, not
the letter. We want to understand the why.
"When we come in, we would surrender our own desires and submit
them to the greater good of the whole community," with the goal being
"the betterment of others." So rather than selfishly pursuing individual
interests, they are encouraged to focus on how interests and talents can
help fulfill others. As an example, Jonah mentions taking children hiking,
rather than going off with buddies to indulge in adventure.
Jonah believes it's "the human instinct to want to care for others, since we
were created in God's image." Yet human beings also have " a fatal flaw"
- selfishness, which, he says, can get the best of you if you let it. "People are
in a struggle between their different impulses and it's up to us to choose."
Trying to be true to the word of God requires people to deal with
interpersonal conflicts. Jonah said, "If you have an issue with someone, you
go to them and talk to them," he said. As the Bible dictates, "Don't let the
sun go down on your anger."
Another reason cited by Jonah for valuing cottage industry is that within the
community, their ideals hold sway on and off the job. But when people
spend so many of their waking hours away in a secular environment, other
norms influence their behavior.
"We want to be an example of what love is in the hopes that people will
see the Messiah through us," said Jonah.
Common Sense Farm welcomes visitors. Tour the soap workshop at 41 North Union
Street, Cambridge, NY 12816, (528) 677-0224, www.commonsensefarm.org.

26 ecolocalliving.com
 ALBANY COUNTY
Albany Empire State Plaza Farmers' Market
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday during summer
Thursdays during winter 10am - 2pm
Empire State Plaza, Harriman State Office Campus
Albany Dana Park Farmers' Market
Intersection of Delaware Avenue, Madison Avenue and
Lark Street
Albany Downtown Farmers' Market
Thursdays, 11am - 2pm SUNY Administration
headquarters lawn, State and Broadway
Cohoes Farmers' Market
Fridays 4-7pm Remsen Street Municipal Parking Lot,
next to Smith's Restaurant
Colonie Farmers' Market
The Farmers Market at the Crossings
Saturdays 9am-1pm Albany-Shaker Road across from
Emerick Lane
Delmar Farmers' Market
Saturdays, 9am - 1pm
Bethlehem Middle School, 332 Kenwood Avenue,
Delmar
Menands Farmers' Market
Capital District Farmers Market
Saturdays, 8am-1pm Sundays, 10am-2pm
MWF starting at 5:30am (wholesale)
381 Broadway (Rte. 32, just south of Rte. 378)
Watervliet Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 2:30-5:30pm Hudson Shores Park Pavilion
RENSSELAER COUNTY
Hoosick Farmers Market
June - Columbus Day Fridays 3-6:30pm
Creative Woodcrafts parking lot, 5045 SR 7
North Greenbush Farmers' Market
Through October 16 Thursdays 2:30- 5:30pm
Twin Town Little Fields, Williams Road
Troy Neighborhood Farmers Market
Tuesdays 10:30 -1:30 Broadway at the Monument
Wednesdays 3pm-6pm Hill St. between Washington
and Liberty
Troy Waterfront Farmers Market
Saturdays 9-1pm Riverfront Park
SARATOGA COUNTY
Ballston Spa Farmers' Market
Thursdays 3-6pm Saturdays 9am-12pm
Wiswall Park on Front St.
Clifton Park Farmers' Market
Thursdays 2-5pm St. George's Church parking lot,
Route 146, 1.3 miles west of I-87 exit 9
Malta Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 11am-2pm Dave Meager Community Center,
Route 9
Saratoga Springs Market
Wednesdays 3-6pm Saturdays 9am-1pm
Under the Pavilions, High Rock Avenue
South Glens Falls Farmers' Market
Mondays 10am - 2pm Village Park, Spring Street
Waterford Harbor Farmers' Market
Sundays 9am-2pm 1 Tugboat Alley
SCHENECTADY COUNTY
Niskayuna Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 3-7pm
Niskayuna Reformed Church at Route 7
Schenectady Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 9am-1pm around City Hall and Thursdays
9am-1pm Ellis Health Center, corner of McClellan and
Bradley
Schenectady Greenmarket
Around City Hall Sundays 10am-2pm
Schenectady, Union Street Farmers' Market
Saturdays 9am-1pm Upper Union Street in the lot
behind Trustco Bank
Scotia Village Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 11am-2pm Municipal parking lot along
Mohawk Avenue
WARREN COUNTY
Glens Falls Farmers Market
South Street Market Pavilion
Saturday 8am-12 Noon May 2 - November 21
North Creek Farmers Market
Train Depot at Railroad Place, north end of Town off
Main St. Thursdays 3 - 6pm
Queensbury Farmers Market
Elk's Club # 81 parking lot, 23 Cronin Rd.
Mondays 3pm - 6pm
Thurman Station Farmers' Market
Wednesdays 12:30 - 5pm at the site of Historic
Thurman Station, 815 NYS Route 418
Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers Market
Fridays 3- 6pm Historic Mills Park, River St. (Rt. 418)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Cambridge Farmers' Market
Sundays 10am-2pm
Freight Yard off East Main Street
Fort Edward Farmers' Market
Fridays 10am - 1pm Broadway Lanes parking lot on
Route 4
Greenwich
Green Pea Market Adjacent parking lot on Main St.
Wednesday 3-6 pm
Greenwich Farmers Market
Thursdays 2pm-5:30pm
Former IGA parking lot on Main Street
Hudson Falls Farmers' Market
Tuesdays 10am-1pm Sutherland Farms, Lower Dix Ave.
Salem Farmers' Market
Saturdays 10am-1pm Village Park, Route 22
Granville Downtown Farmers Market
Mondays 2-5 pm Downtown Granville
ecolocalliving.com 27
 Honest Weight Food Co-op
A Treasure Trove of Locally made Cheeses
Is it a cheese counter or a gourmet soiree? That’s
the question that undoubtedly has crossed the
minds of many a first-time visitor to the Honest
Weight Food Coop on Central Avenue as they
cross the threshold from the grocery aisles into the
cheese department.
The department’s glass embankment is a treasure
trove of locally made cheeses, as well as
Parmesan’s and Triple Crème’s from around the
world. It is here where Ericson, the department’s
manager and purveyor, regales customers with
attention and food. Anyone familiar with the
reputation of the award-winning voluptuary
knows, he doesn’t merely wait on customers,
Ericson pampers them.
Even on a weekday morning it’s not unusual to
see a small crowd gathered at the counter. Ericson
leans forward and presents a wedge of creamy
Tallegio on a wheat cracker with a watercress
garnish to a woman on her first visit to the coop.
She smiles and nods her approval while he
reaches into the case for another cheese for her to
sample.
“I love feeding people,” says Ericson as he slices
through a hunk of amber-colored Romano that he
notes has been aged for six years. “It’s my way of
nurturing the world…you gotta do that one way
or another.”
28 ecolocalliving.com
Story and Photos by Stacey Morris
Part of Ericson’s welcoming touch springs from his
innate sense of hospitality, but since his
department contains upwards of 400 varieties of
cheeses from around the world as well as dozens
of specialty foods and condiments, there’s also
much information to be imparted.
“I know what to do with these cheeses, how to
serve them, recipes, to use them in, so I try and
educate the customers, so do my staff and my
member workers,” he says. “They’re all foodies to
one extent or another, and they’re all happy to be
here.”
Honest Weight is a member-owned and-operated
consumer cooperative with a mission to promote
more equitable, participatory and ecologically
sustainable ways of living.
Ericson suddenly senses indecision in the air and
rushes to the side of a customer pondering a small
pyramid of Italian cheeses.
“If you’re tired of Romano, why don’t you try this
Pecorino Toscano or Moliterno,” he suggests.
“Both are fabulous drizzled with a little local
honey, which is great for the immune system, by
the way.”
Thanks to Ericson’s expertise and unparalleled
interaction with his loyal customer base, the
cheese department and Honest Weight itself
continually win ‘best of’ awards from regional
publications.
His epicurean sensibility gives him an almost
uncanny ability to gravitate to some of the most
sensual edible delights on the planet, from the
piquant green olives grown along Italy’s Adriatic
coastline to wheels of voluptuous triple crème’s
from Normandy, or tiny glass bottles of white
truffle oil from Piedmont. The Saratoga Springs
native has been in the food industry for most of his
adult life, working as a chef at area restaurants
before attending Peter Kump’s Cooking School
(now the Institute of Culinary Education) in
Manhattan. The certified pastry chef operated
the gourmet bistro Gustav and Elizabeth’s on Lark
Street before landing at Honest Weight a decade
ago. Loyalists who had fallen in love with his
desserts and elegant entrees from the Lark Street
days followed him and the rest is history.
When he began 10 years ago at Honest Weight,
the majority of the cheese inventory was
imported. Nowadays, however, Ericson reports
that the abundance of well made locally produced
cheeses and condiments have added an entirely
new dimension to the department.
“Local products have come a long way,” said
Ericson as he unwrapped a snow-white wheel of
ash-ripened goat cheese made at R&G Cheese
Makers in nearby Cohoes. “There’s a lot of
mediocre cheese out there, both local and
imported. If someone wants to sell here, they have
to guarantee their milk hasn’t been contaminated
with growth hormones or any of that nonsense.”
He estimates that a third of his department is now
stocked with locally made products, from hard and
soft cheeses to jams and chutneys, desserts, and
gourmet sauces such as the customer favorite,
“Buddhapesto,” made in Woodstock.
“Buddhapesto isn’t doctored with canola or
vegetable oil and it flies off the shelf,” said
Ericson. “They only use pine nuts, and the parsley
is a nice touch, so it’s a wonderful and addictive
application for pasta and sandwiches. It’s also
perfect for people like me who like pesto but don’t
like making it.”
Other customer favorites made locally include
cheese and yogurt from the Old Chatham
Sheepherding Company; herb-laden chevre from
Nettle Meadow Farms in the Adirondacks; fig and
rosemary-infused goat cheese from The Painted
Goat in Garrartsville; cheddar cheese made by the
Palatine Valley Dairy in Nelliston; Tanna’s Chutney
in Cooperstown; Community Harvest’s Preserves
(made with New York state fruit, proceeds go to
help feed homeless and lower-income residents);
Dutch Desserts in Kinderhook; Pixie’s Preserves in
Waterford; Miss Sydney’s Chutney in Albany; and

honeys from Big Woods Wildflower in Greenville
and Partridge Run Farm in Berne.
Then there are the handmade cannoli crafted by
Albany resident and Naples native Adele Bucci.
“They’re addictive,” says Ericson. “She makes
four dozen for us every Saturday and by the
afternoon they’re gone.”
If the last few years have been any indication, the
local food movement is a permanent and
expanding part of the Honest Weight landscape.
Which is fine with Ericson.
“From my point of view local is mutually
beneficial financially, and creatively,” he said.
“And the quality just keeps getting better, which
is a crucial part of it. Something can be grass-fed,
it can be organic, but if it isn’t yummy, it’s not
going to move,” said Ericson.
“The Kunik cheese from Nettle Meadows Farm
rivals the Brillat-Saverin from Normandy…that’s
how far local has come. Paired with a crusty
baguette and Healthy Community Harvest
Blackberry Preserves, it’s pure poetry.” Below
are some of Ericson’s favorite ways to use and
pair selections from his Cheese Department at the
Honest Weight Food Coop, 484 Central Ave. Call
(518) 482-2667 for more information or visit
www.hwfc.com.
Nettle Meadow Kunik with the Blackberry
Preserves from Community Harvest Tanna's
Garlic Ginger and Lemon Fig Chutneys with
the cheddars from Palatine Valley Dairy,
particularly the extra sharp and smoked
cheddars Dutch Dessert's bittersweet
chocolate tarte served with lightly whipped
and lightly sweetened Crème Fraiche and local
raspberries Old Chatham's Camembert's
warmed up in puff pastry or filo dough, as is
done with Brie. Their raw bleu cheese (Shaker
Blue) can be used in any recipe that calls for a
robust bleu, or simply with toasted walnuts
and pears. The wine jellies by Pixie's Preserves
paired with soft and luxurious cheeses like that
Camembert, or from similar cheeses from
France or Italy. Local honeys are great
enhancers of stronger aged sheep milk
cheeses, especially those of Tuscany. I have
been taking the simple goat cheese log from
Painted Goat and marinating it for a few days
in olive oil, lemons sliced paper thin and
warmed up in the oil, then allowed to cool,
and crushed fennel seed and coriander.
Stacey Morris is a freelance writer based in Lake George.
Her website is www.staceymorris.com
ecolocalliving.com 29
30 ecolocalliving.com
ecolocalliving.com 31