ADK Talks

What if sheep could help preserve farmland, support renewable energy, and make family farming more sustainable?

We’re kicking off our Women in Agriculture series with Rebekah Pierce, co-owner of J&R Pierce Family Farm in West Chazy, New York. Rebekah and her husband, Josh, never planned to become farmers. What began with a few chickens grew into a pasture-based farm raising sheep, cattle, pigs, and poultry across Northern New York.

Their turning point was solar grazing. Instead of using mowers to control vegetation around solar panels, energy companies hire farmers to bring in sheep. The animals gain access to fresh pasture, the panels remain clear, and farmland continues producing food while generating renewable energy.

Listen for a hopeful look at the future of Adirondack agriculture, where sheep, sunshine, local food, and creative thinking can all share the same field.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How an accidental farm became a full-time business.
• Why land access changes everything for new farmers.
• How sheep keep solar sites productive.
• Why shade can improve pasture quality.
• How solar grazing created financial stability.
• What this model could mean for Adirondack farming.
• Simple ways to support local agriculture.

Resources:

• J&R Pierce Family Farm
• American Solar Grazing Association
• Adirondack Harvest and Year-Round Local Food

Produced by NOVA

In September 1901, Theodore Roosevelt began the day near the summit of Mount Marcy. By the following morning, he was president of the United States.

Now, 125 years later, Newcomb and neighboring Adirondack communities are bringing that dramatic journey back to life.

The world’s premier Theodore Roosevelt repriser, Joe Wiegand, returns to ADK Talks with Mary Monaghan, chair of Newcomb’s 2026 Teddy Roosevelt Weekend. Together, they offer an insider’s guide to one of the Adirondacks’ most remarkable history celebrations, taking place September 11–13, 2026.

Listen before planning your trip to Newcomb, Great Camp Santanoni, Tahawus, Minerva, North Creek and the central Adirondacks.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Follow Roosevelt’s urgent nighttime journey from the slopes of Mount Marcy to the North Creek train station.
• Discover where Roosevelt may have been when President William McKinley died and the vice president became America’s youngest president.
• Preview the 125th-anniversary inauguration reenactment, Midnight Ride bus tour, Santanoni wagon rides and family activities.
• Hear why the Adirondacks shaped Roosevelt’s love of wildlife, wilderness and conservation.
• Get local recommendations for Goodnow Mountain, Overlook Park and the Adirondack Interpretive Center.

Resources:

• Joe Wiegand’s Teddy Roosevelt Show
• 2026 Teddy Roosevelt Weekend in Newcomb
• Theodore Roosevelt’s Midnight Ride on ADK Talks
• Theodore Roosevelt’s Adirondack Ride to the Presidency

Produced by NOVA

What does Adirondack food taste like?

Chef, author, forager, and wine expert Susi Gott Séguret answers that question in Adirondack Appetite, a new cookbook featuring 150 recipes inspired by Adirondack camps, cabins, forests, farms, and family tables.

In this episode of ADK Talks, discover how Indigenous traditions, French-Canadian influences, logging camps, Great Camps, wild ingredients, and modern Adirondack farmers have shaped the way people eat across Upstate New York.

Whether you’re planning a campfire dinner, feeding hungry hikers at a lakeside cabin, or recreating an Adirondack vacation at home, this conversation will leave you ready to cook, explore, and taste more of the region.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• What makes Adirondack cuisine different from Southern, New England, and Appalachian cooking.
• The surprising foods once served in Adirondack logging camps and why those meals had to be enormous.
• How Great Camp elegance and rustic campfire cooking belong at the same table.
• Approachable Adirondack recipes, from an upgraded PB&J to shortcut camp cassoulet, sawdust pie, and sawmill gravy.
• Why wild mushrooms, maple syrup, local cheeses, berries, game, and farm-grown produce tell the story of the Adirondacks.
• The connection between food, memory, family traditions, camp songs, and a lasting sense of place.
• Susi’s dream July dinner beside Indian Lake, complete with lake bass, chanterelles, maple walnut ice cream, and an Adirondack sunset.

Resources:

• The Quintessential Table
• Adirondack Appetite 
• Find the Best Places to Eat in the Adirondacks 

Produced by NOVA

This summer, Glens Falls becomes an open-air art studio.

The Hyde Collection’s first Glens Falls Plein Air Festival invites more than 30 artists to capture the Southern Adirondacks as it happens, from the changing light on Lake George to the energy of downtown streets, historic buildings, gardens, bike paths, and summer gatherings.

In this episode of ADK Talks, Caitlin Foley, Curator of Education and Engagement at The Hyde Collection, explains how plein air painting turns an ordinary moment into a work of art and why you do not need to be an art expert to enjoy watching it happen.

Listen before visiting Glens Falls for a behind-the-scenes guide to the festival, the best places to find artists at work, and the public exhibition where the week’s paintings will come together.

The Glens Falls Plein Air Festival runs July 27 through August 2, 2026. The week concludes with an exhibition, awards, Community Day, and a high-speed painting challenge at The Hyde Collection.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Discover what plein air painting means and why Impressionist artists left their studios to capture light, movement, and everyday life.
• Find out where artists may set up their easels, including downtown Glens Falls, The Hyde Collection, The Shirt Factory, Lake George, Bolton Landing, and the Warren County Bikeway.
• Learn the etiquette for watching an artist work outdoors and why visitors should not be afraid to stop, ask questions, and take a closer look.
• Hear how a blank canvas can become a finished Adirondack landscape in just a few hours, even when wind, rain, bugs, and changing light refuse to cooperate.
• Plan a Glens Falls arts getaway with museums, murals, restaurants, historic architecture, local events, and creative spaces all within easy reach.

Resources:

• Glens Falls Plein Air Festival
• The Hyde Collection: World-Class Art Museum in Glens Falls

Produced by NOVA

Looking for one of the most unforgettable ways to experience the Adirondacks? Start on the water.

The Northern Forest Canoe Trail begins in Old Forge, New York, and travels 740 miles through the Adirondacks, Vermont, Quebec, New Hampshire, and Maine. Along the way, it connects wild lakes, winding rivers, historic travel routes, welcoming small towns, remote campsites, and some of the most scenic paddling in the Northeast.

In this episode of ADK Talks, we talk with Karrie Thomas, Executive Director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail, about why this remarkable water trail belongs on every Adirondack paddler’s radar, whether you are planning a family-friendly day trip, dreaming about the Adirondack Canoe Classic 90-Miler, or looking for a deeper connection to the lakes and communities that make this region so special.

From Old Forge to Long Lake, Tupper Lake, the Raquette River, Saranac Lake, Forked Lake, and beyond, this conversation is packed with inspiration for paddlers, outdoor lovers, history buffs, and anyone planning an Adirondack getaway.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Discover why the Adirondacks are the gateway to the longest inland water trail in the United States.
• Hear what makes the 90-Miler from Old Forge to Saranac Lake such an unforgettable paddling tradition.
• Find beautiful Adirondack paddling ideas near Long Lake, Tupper Lake, Forked Lake, and the Raquette River.
• Turn one canoe trip into a full Adirondack getaway with biking, rail trails, restaurants, historic hotels, family attractions, and small-town exploring.
• Learn why September may be the sweet spot for paddling the Adirondacks.
• What surprises paddlers most after days on the Northern Forest Canoe Trail?

Resources:

• Northern Forest Canoe Trail
• Adirondack Canoe Classic | The 90-Miler
• Cycling the Adirondacks with Bike ADK
• Hotel Saranac
• voco Saranac Lake NY – Waterfront

Produced by NOVA

In this episode of ADK Talks, we head to Tupper Lake to celebrate 20 years of The Wild Center with Nick Gunn, Director of Marketing and Visitor Experience.

Part natural history museum, part science center, part aquarium, part outdoor adventure, The Wild Center has become one of the Adirondacks’ signature destinations. Nick shares how the idea grew from post-ice storm interpretive exhibits into a nationally recognized museum rooted in the Adirondack landscape.

We talk about why Tupper Lake became the perfect home, how Wild Walk changed everything, and why experiences like Wild Lights, Forest Music, Raquette River Roll, and the new Trolls: Save the Humans exhibit help visitors connect with nature in playful, memorable ways.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How The Wild Center began and why Tupper Lake was the right fit.
• Why Wild Walk helped launch the museum into a new era of national recognition.
• How Wild Lights turned winter into one of The Wild Center’s busiest seasons.
• What visitors can expect from Thomas Dambo’s giant recycled-material trolls.
• Nick’s insider tips for visiting The Wild Center, exploring Tupper Lake, and finding his favorite Adirondack walk.

Resources:

• The Wild Center 
• The Wild Center in Tupper Lake
• TROLLS: Save the Humans at The Wild Center
• Wild Lights at The Wild Center
• The Wild Center 20th Anniversary Celebration
• Thomas Dambo

Produced by NOVA

In this episode of ADK Talks, we head to Schroon Lake for a night at the movies with Liz McNamara of The Strand Theater and silent film accompanist Ben Model.

The Strand has been bringing people together for more than 100 years, and each summer its Classic Movie Mondays series turns a night out into something special: vintage films, guest speakers, community conversation, and the kind of shared big-screen experience you just can’t get at home.

Liz shares how she and her husband Larry became part of The Strand’s story, why small-town movie theaters still matter, and how Classic Movie Mondays grew from a few special programs into a full summer series.

Ben takes us behind the scenes of silent film accompaniment, from improvising live scores to reading the room while the movie plays. He also explains why films like Charlie Chaplin’s The Gold Rush and Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill, Jr. still feel fresh, funny, and surprisingly alive when shown in a historic theater with live music.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Why The Strand Theater remains a Schroon Lake gathering place after more than a century.
• How Classic Movie Mondays combines beloved films with guest speakers and inside stories.
• What it’s like for Ben Model to accompany silent films live on piano and theater organ.
• Why restored silent films can look better today than many people expect.
• Highlights from this summer’s lineup, including The Gold Rush, You’ve Got Mail, Dead Man Walking, Fatal Attraction, The Quiet Man, 1776, and On the Beach.
• Favorite nearby stops, including 9 Mile Coffee, Pitkin’s Restaurant, and Natural Stone Bridge and Caves.

Resources:

• Ben Model, Silent Film Music
• The Strand Movie Theater in Schroon Lake 
• Natural Stone Bridge and Caves 
• 9 Mile Coffee Co.
• The State Theater Tupper Lake 
• Indian Lake Theater 
• Palace Theater in Lake Placid 
• The Strand Theatre of Old Forge 

Produced by NOVA

Doug Haney of BikeADK joins ADK Talks to share why the Adirondacks may be one of the Northeast’s best places to ride.

From gravel roads and quiet backroads to the fully opened Adirondack Rail Trail, Doug makes the case that cycling in the Park is not just for hardcore riders. Whether you’re dusting off an old bike, planning a weekend ride, or curious about e-bikes, there’s a route, event, or trail that can help you experience the Adirondacks at the perfect pace.

Doug also shares the story behind BikeADK, a Saranac Lake-based bicycle tourism company built around events, tours, shuttles, and community partnerships. Since 2019, BikeADK has helped riders explore the Park while raising money for nonprofits and local organizations that support the Adirondack landscape.

What you’ll hear in this episode.

• Why the Adirondack Rail Trail is a great starting point for casual cyclists, families, e-bike riders, and anyone getting back on a bike.
• How BikeADK events like Bike the Barns and Ride for the River combine scenic rides with local food, farms, conservation, and community impact.
• Doug’s favorite base camp for Adirondack cycling, plus why Saranac Lake is such a strong hub for rail trail, gravel, road, and mountain bike adventures.
• Gear advice for a better ride, including comfort, lights, repair kits, and what to know before heading into stretches with limited cell service.
• Mountain biking, road safety, e-bikes, Whiteface climbs, and Doug’s best advice for motorists sharing Adirondack roads with cyclists.

Resources:

• BikeADK 
• Adirondack Rail Trail
• Best Cycling in the Adirondacks
• Bike the Barns
• Whiteface Veterans’ Memorial Highway
• Paul Smith’s Visitor Interpretive Center
• Ultimate Guide to the Adirondacks

Produced by NOVA

In this episode of ADK Talks, we return to the John Brown Farm State Historic Site near Lake Placid with Adirondack historian and author Sandra Weber.

Sandra’s new book, John Brown Farm: From Abolitionist Vision to Memorial Site, traces how a rocky North Elba farm became an internationally recognized place of remembrance, reflection, and activism.

We explore John Brown’s vision of an integrated Adirondack farming community, the people who preserved the property after his death, and the generations who have gathered there to confront questions about slavery, racial equality, violence, justice, and democracy.

Sandra also reveals the stories behind the farm’s graves, monuments, farmhouse, and enormous boulder, a natural landmark that became a gathering place and speaking platform for visitors commemorating Brown’s legacy.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• Why John Brown moved his family to the Adirondacks and worked alongside Black settlers in the community known as Timbuctoo.
• How the farm evolved from a family home into a New York State Historic Site and a destination for visitors from around the world.
• The remarkable story of the three graves containing the remains of John Brown, his son Watson, and ten fellow raiders.
• How the John Brown Farm became a gathering place for civil rights leaders, activists, and annual pilgrimages.
• Why Sandra describes the farm as a “site of conscience” where visitors can reflect on history and the unfinished work of equality.

Resources:

• Sandra Weber 
• John Brown Farm: From Abolitionist Vision to Memorial Site 
• John Brown Farm State Historic Site
• Discovering the North Star Underground Railroad Museum 
• Freedom’s Path: Inside the North Star Underground Railroad Museum 
• Breaking Trail: Women Who Shaped the Adirondacks
• Experience American History in the Adirondacks

Produced by NOVA

In this episode of ADK Talks, we head to Old Forge to visit View Arts Center, one of the Adirondacks’ longtime homes for art, performance, classes, exhibitions, and community gathering.

Jane and Steve sit down with Bernadette “Bernie” Sunderland, Executive Director of View, and Travis Kiefer, Director of Operations, to talk about the organization’s 75th anniversary, its roots in a front-lawn art show, and how a small mountain-town arts guild grew into a year-round cultural center.

What began in 1951 on founder Miriam “Mernie” Kashiwa’s lawn, with artwork displayed on chicken wire and tree branches, has become a multidisciplinary arts campus with galleries, a pottery studio, performance space, workshops, a gift shop, a nature trail, and a packed calendar of programs for locals and visitors alike.

What you’ll hear in this episode

• How View Arts Center grew from a front-lawn art show in 1951 into a year-round cultural hub in Old Forge.
• Why arts organizations matter in Adirondack communities, not just for visitors, but for the people who live here year round.
• A look at View’s exhibitions, performances, pottery studio, workshops, and children’s theater.
• Highlights from the 75th anniversary year, including the Stickley furniture exhibition, watercolor show, quilt show, and plein air paint out.
• The behind-the-scenes work that keeps View running, from installing exhibitions to managing a packed calendar with a small staff.

Resources:

• View Arts Center
• 75th Central Adirondack Art Show at VIEW Arts Center
• Old Forge Hardware
• The Strand Theatre in Old Forge
• Herb Brooks Arena and the Miracle on Ice
• Souvenir Village
• Stickley Museum

Produced by NOVA