Villnave Family Farms is owned and operated by Rick and Lynnette Villnave. When we married in 2002, we began our farming journey together by renting the land we farmed, building upon Rick’s connection to the farm that began in the 1980s. For the next decade, we worked the land and built Villnave Family Farms. In 2012, we purchased the farm, turning years of hard work into a place of our own. In 2021, we purchased additional farmland, allowing us to expand our operation.

Today, our farming operation spans approximately 250 acres, including 20 rented acres. We grow fresh produce, including cabbage, pumpkins, sweet corn, and winter squash, supplying local grocery stores, restaurants, and families who value local food. We also grow field corn and oats.

A cherished part of our story is Theresa’s Pumpkin Patch, which began in 2008 and was named after our daughter, Theresa, who was just 2 years old at the time. What began when she was little has become a treasured part of our family farm and a tradition we look forward to each year. Each fall, families visit the patch to find their perfect pumpkin and enjoy an authentic farm experience that has become a local tradition.

Over the years, we have welcomed college classes from Cornell University to our farm. During their visits, Rick shares firsthand knowledge about our operation, the crops we grow, and the importance of growing a variety of crops. We enjoy giving students a look at the dedication and hard work involved in operating a diversified family farm.

Farming is more than the work we do—it is a way of life rooted in hard work, dedication, responsibility, and respect for the land. Each season brings hours of planting, tending, harvesting, and preparing for what comes next. While farming brings challenges, we strive to be faithful stewards of the land God has entrusted to us and carry forward the values that guide our family. We hope to continue caring for the farm and preserving what years of hard work have built.

We take great pride in the crops we grow, the land we care for, and the care we give our customers. We are grateful for our community’s support and the role it plays in our farm’s story. We would love to welcome you to Theresa’s Pumpkin Patch this fall and share a little piece of our family farm with you.

Isabelle’s Encore is an eclectic shop with everything from Antiques to Vintage to Retro items including collectible pieces, kitchen and household items. Also have home décor items including lamps, framed art, small furniture pieces and decor accents. We are all about keeping things out of the landfill giving them an “encore” performance in someone else’s home or hangout!  Geared up now with seasonal items and decorations too!  We do take consignments by appointment. Typically open Thursdays thru Saturdays 10-3. Check out our Facebook page “isabellesencore” to check updated hours and events going on.  If you would like to be on our emailing list (we do not share your info with anyone, nor do we inundate you with emails) text your name and email to 607-423-5623 asking to be on our emailing list.                           

Our Fall schedule is as follows:

• Hosting a flash sale of surplus items and more this Thursday the 24th from 3-7pm in our larger garage/barn
• Fall open house will be October 15-17th
• Our Black Friday and small business days will be November 19-21st
• Closed Thanksgiving week to enjoy the Holiday with family
• Will reopen December 3-5th
• Closed January 16th – reopening March 18th Subject to winter weather forecast

First and foremost, thank you to our career and volunteer firefighters for your courage, sacrifice and hard work to protect this community and beyond. You are greatly appreciated. Thank you also for rescuing our four legged friends as they are also our family. We know you all do your best, and for that, we thank you. To show support to firefighters the public can drop a note of thanks to the station, support foundations that assist firefighter families in need and most importantly, always practice good fire safety habits at home to reduce the risk of fire. 

One great fire safety trick is to reduce clutter around the home and office. Deja Vu will be doing this throughout this fall season and invite you to attend an open house and store/office wide sale every Saturday from 12-6 from now through the end of October. They offer a wide range of stones, crystals, fossils, minerals, vintage/thrift jewelry/clothing, furniture and antiques. They encourage you to let go of your own clutter and replace it with delightful items that bring joy. 

Speaking of lost joy, recently it has been reported that at least eight neighborhood kitties have come up missing, over the course of two weeks, from the Groton Ave side of Hamlin St., here in the city of Cortland. All were beloved neighborhood cats cared for by a network of neighbors. One all black cat, Arthur, had recently been extensively vetted and ready for a forever home. More details can be seen on the Facebook group “Lost/Found Pets of Cortland County NY.” Shout out to the administrator of this page for doing such a great job helping people reunite with their pets as well as helping unhoused pets get rescued. 

This community needs everyone to participate if we are to keep animals safe and housed. CNY SNAP (Central New York Spay Neuter Assistance Program) who does a tremendous job in assisting the community with low-cost spaying and neutering of both dogs and cats, provides safe shelter and medical attention and a chance at adoption, needs our help, now. Currently the shelter needs to raise $400,000 to renovate the facility to bring it into compliance with NY state’s Companion Animal Care Standards Act lest they be shut down. Please share their Facebook post to raise awareness. To donate, bring them your cans and bottles, scan the QR code in the Deja Vu ad on the front of this paper or mail a check to: CNY SNAP, 17 Salisbury St., Cortland, NY 13045.

Deja Vu (located at 143 Main St, Cortland, in the front of The Global Heart Healing Center) will also be donating 10% of each Caturday’s earnings from now through October and donating it directly to CNY SNAP. Additionally, “Have You Seen Arthur?” shirts will be available for purchase to raise awareness of Arthur’s disappearance, the mistreatment of cats (and dogs and animals, in general) and specifically, black cats. All proceeds will be donated directly to CNY SNAP to help them reach their goal for the required renovations.

Deja Vu would also like to announce an exciting new club that they have long considered but meow deem necessary. Introducing Cat Club- Cats and Crystals, from now forward, every Saturday from 6-7 at The Global Heart Healing Center (venue may change as attendance increases). Please take note, September is “Happy Cat Month,” October is “Black Cat Awareness Month,” and December is “National Cat Lovers’ Month. Mark your calendars, more to come.

Lastly, Global Heart Healing and Massage seeks more NY state licensed massage therapists so their sole therapist can work more in the community, 607 727 8100, thank you.

With the last breaths of summer in the air, we are gearing up for our busiest quarter of the year—the holiday shopping season. However, if you are like me, you try to hold onto summer for just a few more minutes while welcoming the cooler, crisp morning air, bold colors and cozy sweaters that fall brings.  Fall is my favorite time of year, but I dread how quickly it seems to pass. As a retail shop owner, fall symbolizes the onset of retail madness and my life flies into a fury of planning, ordering, display building, advertising and still making time to chat with customers. 

Just as the summer temps begin to drop, even before the leaves begin to turn, our vendors and I unveil fall décor—with warm colors, cozy décor, fragrant candles, colorful leaves, apples and pumpkins. However, fall decorating doesn’t always have to mean bright orange pumpkins and plaid! As August gives way to September, we see a natural transition from brighter color palettes to muted color palettes—rusty reds, spicey mustard, shades of brown, warm oranges and amber. These muted colors can be found in so many vintage pieces which is good news because, this year, we are seeing pieces with a little history take center stage!

Instead of buying typical décor being sold as “fall” décor at the big box stores, try using the bold, muted and earthy colors found in vintage pieces and natural materials like woods and brass to create rather than decorate for fall. Don’t overlook the brass! Anyone who has been following the vintage thrifting trend already knows that decorating with brass is nothing new. Brass has been hot this year. The warm, aged quality of brass pieces (candlesticks, bookends, small figurines) make it easy to use in creating a fall aesthetic. An old book with a worn green or brown cover looks amazing next to a brass candlestick and an amberina hen on a nest and can be a visually appealing fall display. A huge advantage to vintage pieces is that they don’t have to be packed away at the end of the season; the muted colors found in vintage and antique pieces don’t disappear; they transition well between seasons.

Whatever your preference is for fall decorating, the vendors at The Second Knob (TSK) Warehouse will have what you need! We are open Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am-5pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9am-6pm and Sunday 10-4. Stop in and see what’s new—or old!

GreekPeak.net

Greek Peak Mountain Resort is bringing together live music, family fun, great food and some of the resort’s most popular attractions for its annual Fall Fest on Saturday, October 10, 2026.

Fall Fest is designed to be a full day of autumn fun for families, friends and visitors looking to enjoy one of the most colorful times of the year in Central New York. Gates open at 10 a.m., with food service beginning at 11 a.m. and live music starting at noon.

This year’s entertainment lineup features Dead & Friends performing from noon to 2 p.m., followed by Fall Creek Brass Band from 3 to 5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to spend the day and take in some of the best the mountain offers at Greek Peak with an afternoon of live music, surrounded by the fall scenery of Greek Peak.

There will be plenty for families to enjoy beyond the music. The Family Fun Zone will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with pumpkin decorating, crafts and bracelet making, a petting zoo, a festive selfie station and more. A Fall Fest favorite, the Pumpkin Cannon demonstration, returns from 2 to 3 p.m.

For guests looking to make the most of the day, the $39 All Access Pass offers the best value at Fall Fest. For just $10 more than the $29 regular festival ticket, All Access guests receive admission to the Fall Fest festival area along with access to Cascades Indoor Waterpark, up to one ride on the Nor’easter Mountain Coaster and up to one ride on the scenic SkyTour Chairlift.

That means families can experience the music and festival activities while also enjoying several of Greek Peak’s signature attractions — all for $39 per person. All Access Passes are limited in quantity and may sell out, so guests are encouraged to secure their tickets today. 

Complimentary shuttles will operate throughout the resort during the day, making it easy for All Access guests to travel between the festival grounds, Adventure Center and Cascades Indoor Waterpark.  Children ages two and under are admitted free to the festival area.

Whether it’s listening to live music, decorating a pumpkin, meeting animals at the petting zoo, taking in the fall foliage from the SkyTour or spending some time in the waterpark, Greek Peak Fall Fest offers a full day of ways to celebrate the season and create unforgettable memories together.

Fall Fest takes place Saturday, October 10, at Greek Peak Mountain Resort, 2000 NYS Route 392 in Cortland. Tickets and additional information are available at GreekPeak.net.

Monarch butterflies are having a good year, and both caterpillars and butterflies have been observed with greater frequency over the summer. In fact, the World Wildlife Fund census reported a 64% increase in the eastern monarch butterfly population overwintering in Mexico for 2025-2026. Currently, the season’s final “super generation” is making the arduous journey from southern Canada and the northern U.S. down into Central Mexico. Wish them well as you watch them flutter onwards! Stands of milkweed attract Monarch butterflies and are critical to their recovery.

Ruffed Grouse broods are dispersing and on the move. Usually, the males leave first, but they travel shorter distances than their female siblings. Despite their tender age, young male grouse will choose a drumming log within a few short weeks of their dispersal. Interestingly, male grouse still drum in the fall, just less often than in spring. This time of year, drumming is used to announce territory.

Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds are gathering in large, raucous, pre-migratory flocks. It seems they just arrived in similarly huge, boisterous flocks, and now they are leaving us. Multitudes of warbler species already began their journey southward; Yellow-rumped Warblers and Ruby-crowned Kinglets linger longer than most. And oh, how we’ll miss our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds! To support straggling sojourners, kindly keep your nectar feeders up for two weeks after your last hummer sighting.

Article & photo by Margie Manthey

We know that communities thrive when they are safe. That’s why we’re proud to stand with all our local firefighters who work tirelessly to protect us all, who answer the call every single day, no matter the danger. This year, we are supporting these brave men and women by providing a 10% discount off their total purchase for all our fire fighters and their families when they shop with us. We are honored to support those who run toward danger to keep us safe. Thank you for your service and for being the true heroes of our community. From our family to yours, thank you for your courage and commitment for keeping us safe and teaching us about fire prevention. Your efforts do not go unnoticed.

Buttermilk Falls Pediatrics brings multi-generational care to families since 1955. Shortly after WWII, the nucleus of Buttermilk Falls Pediatrics was formed when Drs. Davis and Kingsley opened a practice in Ithaca, NY. They were soon joined by Dr. Roger Perry and Dr. Anthony Speno. The core group would go on to serve families for decades, either on State Street, Buttermilk Falls Road, or Trumansburg Road. Dr Amit Shrivastava is currently carrying on the high quality of care established by his predecessors. Seeing a need for excellent pediatric and adolescent care in Cortland, NY, and its surrounding areas, we opened an office in the Cortland Health Center in February 2026. We are currently accepting new patients. We participate with most major insurances. Please call 607-272-6880 with any questions and to get your child scheduled!

The Country Moose is back!  We have spent the past three months getting the shop back open and running.  It has been a wonderful experience as several folks have stopped by and let us know how thankful they are that we are back in the same place we were before.  Located at the Richford Plaza at the very end of the plaza close to Route 79, we have enjoyed receiving many visitors and passers-by that are coming through to other destinations, but stop by to see what we have.  

Country Moose is devoted to the community and town.  It is important for us to support the town and join in to the events and happenings in Richford.

Coming up on Saturday, September 19th, is Richford’s annual Potato Festival.  The entire town will partake in celebrating the history of how potatoes benefitted the town and why Richford should celebrate the most stable vegetable that families enjoy every day.

The Country Moose will be providing a supply of Potato Donuts, deep fried fresh on the sidewalk of the Richford Plaza, using the original recipe from one of the elders of Richford.  We are eager to support the history of Richford and bring back some of the big “stables” of the town.

Come and enjoy the Richford Potato Festival, throughout the town, and be sure to stop by the Country Moose and see what fabulous additions that have come in each day.  Craft and other vendors will also be occupying space at the Country Moose and Richford Plaza during the day.  

It’s going to be a fabulous day in Richford, and at the Richford Plaza.  But be sure to spend time at the Country Moose!  New things come in every day.  Come see what we have!

An Old World Estonian legend tells that when humpback whales frolicked and played in the ocean, their dancing bodies were reflected into the night sky, creating the aurora. The Menominee, a Native American tribe of the Wisconsin region, believed the northern lights were flaming torches carried by malevolent giants as they speared fish at night. My favorite explanation, however, is the legend of Tulikettu, which brings to mind the most beautiful, magical imagery.

In the Lapland region of Finland, where winter rules for over half the year, Tulikettu was a giant red fox whose flaming tail illuminated the dark, snowy woods. As Tulikettu ran swiftly through the frozen forest, his fiery fur gave off sparks that flew into the sky and became the northern lights. Tulikettu is also called the Fire Fox. It’s a perfectly fitting name, as the Finnish word for the aurora — “revontulet” — literally means “fox’s fires.”

Article & photo by Margie Manthey