Sylvester Manor: Trails Closed | Manor House Tours 11.4th | Windmill Lighting 12.6th ….

Trails Closed

From November through February the walking trails will be closed for hunting. We are working in partnership with the Town of Shelter Island’s Hunting Program to control the deer population. Please adhere to the posted TRAILS CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC signs at all times.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Farm Update

November 2 is the last pickup day for the CSA. We are so grateful for the community’s ongoing support of this program, which has been going strong for over 15 years. Thanks too to our team of farmers, led by Arielle Gardner. Our four remaining full-season apprentices leave by mid-November though we will have some part-time winter help again this year. Please be sure to thank your farmers if you see them this weekend.

While the weather has been way too dry the upside is that the produce continues to be abundant. Over the next couple of weeks we will be harvesting lots of different kinds of lettuce, arugula, spinach, herbs, eggplant, peppers, winter squash, bok choi, beets, string beans and kale. Please stop by this weekend or next, and don’t forget to drop off your food scraps!

Farmstand Update

The last day we are open this year is November 10 so be sure to stop by and stock up on all your favorites for the winter, including our own frozen woodland-raised pork, Sylvester Manor whole chickens, pasture-raised duck and chicken eggs, NoFo Pot Pies, Ali Katz soups, mac ‘n cheese, and baked goods, local honey from Laurel Lane, cheeses, pumpkins, squashes and the final harvest from our Windmill Field.

Farmstand Hours
Friday-Sunday
9am-5pm
Through November 10

Manor House Preservation Update

As we enter November, we’ve been reflecting on how families communicate with each other during holidays and how much simpler it is to stay in touch these days than when holiday cards were written by hand. An excellent example of how tricky letter writing used to be is this pen wiper, one of many desk accessories in the Sylvester Manor collection. It was used to wipe excess ink from the nib of a dip pen to avoid drips that might smudge and obfuscate the contents of correspondences. This blotting tool was made by Bigelow Kennard & Co. of Boston, Massachusetts, which operated under that name between 1864 and 1923. It consists of a sterling silver base decorated with an embossed ring of flowers and a small loop handle, with folded blotting chamois extending from the base. Several ink colors are within the folds, apparently from multiple nibs.

Behind-the-Scenes Tours

Join us for a behind-the-scenes tour inside the 1737 Manor House as we prepare it for rehabilitation. We’re rediscovering the abundant legacy of generation upon generation of occupancy, from books to fine furnishings to an enormous collection of ceramics and more. We’ll share insights into our inventory cataloging process and take a look at our preservation plans and renderings.

The tour is offered free of charge, but you must preregister.

November 4
2:00-3:00pm

November 16
11:00am -12:00pm

November 20
10:30-11:30am

December 7
1:00-2:00pm

Windmill Lighting Save the Date

Gather with the community and share in the holiday spirit as we light the 1810 Dominy Windmill! Save the date and join us in December for a festive time up at the Windmill.

Friday, December 6
4:00-5:00pm
Windmill Field