SARATOGA SPRINGS — Union Hall Supply Company, a men’s clothing store located on Broadway in Saratoga Springs, is opening a second location at the Stuyvesant Plaza near Albany this fall.
Union Hall first opened its doors in Saratoga in 2019, billing itself as a “shopping haven for the stylish, modern man.”
“We’re getting people in the right clothes to be comfortable enough to live their best life,” said Union Hall’s owner Heidi Owen West in a statement. “It’s for the guy who wants to look and feel good, effortlessly.”
An opening date for the new outpost near Albany has not yet been announced.
Photo of new tasting room provided by Fossil Stone Vineyard.
GREENFIELD CENTER — Fossil Stone Vineyards announced this week the official opening of a new tasting room in Greenfield Center.
The tasting room, open now through October, is located on an historic horse farm, where visitors can enjoy handcrafted wines Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
“This vineyard is a labor of love, rooted in our family’s history and passion for winemaking,” said Mike Spiak, owner and vintner/farmer, in a statement. “We look forward to sharing our homegrown wines and creating memorable experiences for our visitors, whether they’re here for a tasting, a special event, or simply to enjoy the beauty of our farm.”
The winery is also hosting its annual Harvest Party on September 21, from 10 a.m. to close. Guests can enjoy picking grapes, food pop-ups featuring Kaleidoscope Café and Neighborhood Kitchen, and live music at 4pm by NYMBIS.
Founded in 2014, Fossil Stone Vineyards spans seven acres, where the farm cultivates three grape varieties: Marquette, La Crescent, and Petite Pearl. The property’s winemaking philosophy emphasizes minimal intervention, allowing the natural flavors of the grapes to shine through in every bottle.
Fossil Stone Vineyards is located at 331 Grange Road in Greenfield Center.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Western Sun Foundation, a charity created by fans of the jam band Goose, has raised $7,500, their “largest gift yet,” for Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga.
“Thank you to everyone in the community for their support through golf registrations, setlist entries, and donations that allowed us to achieve this amazing goal,” Western Sun said in a social media post on Monday.
During Goose’s two-night stay at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center on September 6 and 7, the charity raised funds via a “Goose on the Green” golf event, an autographed setlist giveaway, and via donations. Since the charity’s creation two years ago, it has donated more than $47,000 to 13 nonprofits across the country.
Photos provided by the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.
GREENFIELD CENTER — Reef Cannabis Co. officially opened its doors on Friday, September 13 in the Stewart’s Plaza located at 2532 State Highway 9N in Greenfield Center. The dispensary is owned and operated by Saratoga County residents, and features products from local farmers.
Reef joins a sudden influx of pot shops to the Saratoga area. This summer, High Peaks Canna and Silver Therapeutics both opened in Saratoga Springs proper. Also this summer, a planned dispensary in Ballston Spa went kaput when the prospective owner withdrew their application.
Rustic Pizza & Eats photo provided by Brian Brumley.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — An award-winning pizza recipe created in the 1950s has been resurrected at Rustic Pizza & Eats, which opened in Saratoga Springs in July.
“As much as I did not want to get back in the restaurant business, I’m doing it for [my mom], for her family,” said Rustic Pizza owner Brian Brumley.
Brumley is the former owner of Spring Street Deli, which he ran for nearly three decades before deciding he wanted to scale back. “I put 28 years of my life into it,” Brumley said. “It was very good to me. I just felt like it was time to sell and move on, create something a little smaller”
Brumley downsized with Olde Saratoga Miniature Golf, which is located right next to Rustic Pizza. The mini golf course famously hosts “Puff Puff Putt” events that allow adults 21 and older to use marijuana while aiming for a hole-in-one. But the call to carry on his family’s legacy compelled him to open up a pizzeria next door.
Brumley’s grandfather opened a restaurant in Amsterdam, New York in the 1940s, then turned the business over to Brumley’s uncle, Tony Centi, in the 50s. Centi created a pizza recipe that was named “Best in the Great Northeast” for multiple years. He sold his famous pies at the Crystal Bar & Restaurant. But in 2013, Crystal closed, and it seemed as if the recipe would be gone forever.
Brumley said his mom, the last living sibling of his uncle, wished that the recipe would survive. And so Brumley opened Rustic Pizza after securing the recipe from a cousin.
Brumley said his mom is “ecstatic” that new generations will be able to enjoy the Centi family’s creation. “It’s an honor to be asked to carry on the tradition of such a great legacy,” he said.
Brumley classifies the pies as “bar pizza,” which has a crust akin to Chicago-style in that the sauce and lightly browned cheese go to the edge. Culinary magazine Bon Appétit describes bar pizza as recalling “a pre-gourmet pizza era.”
“[The recipe] really is unbelievable, and I’m not just saying that because it’s my family,” Brumley said.
Rustic Pizza & Eats is located at 556 Maple Avenue in Saratoga Springs, next to Olde Saratoga Miniature Golf.
he Willow-Marsh Farm Store in the Town of Ballston has been growing exponentially over the last handful of years, its owners said. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
BALLSTON — Sara and Chuck Curtiss, the married couple who run the Willow-Marsh Farm Store in the Town of Ballston, have found success by providing a product that’s unique to Saratoga County: raw milk.
“The raw milk has had quite a drive and it’s constantly increasing,” Chuck said.
“Our customer base has grown so quickly,” Sara said. “Each year, the business has gone up like 30% one year, 40% one year, 70% during COVID, 30% last year, and then this year we’re at 40%.”
As the business continues to grow, so too does the farm itself and its product offerings. A creamery is currently being built that will allow Willow-Marsh to produce its own yogurt and once again make its own raw milk cheese.
According to RealMilk.com, the closest locations where one can purchase raw milk products are in Canajoharie and Ghent, both of which are at least a 45-minute drive away from the Ballston area. For most Saratoga County residents, Willow-Marsh is their closest raw milk dealer.
Raw milk, simply put, is unpasteurized milk. Pasteurization is a process by which raw milk is heated up in an effort to eliminate pathogens and extend the product’s shelf life. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, unpasteurized milk can carry dangerous bacteria such as Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that “consuming raw milk can lead to serious health risks, especially for certain vulnerable populations.”
Although not widely available, the production and sale of raw milk is legal in New York State, under certain conditions. The state requires all raw milk dealers to obtain a license in order to sell raw milk directly to the public, and the milk can only be sold on the farm where it is produced.
Chuck said his farm is subject to monthly, unannounced inspections in which the milk, water, cheese, and cows are all assessed.
“We’re held at a higher level of everything; cleanliness, equipment maintenance, stuff like that,” Chuck said. “We really have to be careful, be clean, and protect that.”
“When we are educating customers about the raw milk and the inspection process, they’re always like, ‘oh, the government.’ They complain, ‘that’s awful,’” Sara said. “I’m like no, actually our inspectors are super nice, considerate, and want what’s best for the public.”
Raw milk advocates argue that the taste and nutritional benefits of raw milk are significantly better than the pasteurized variety. The Raw Milk Institute, which Willow-Marsh links to on their website, states that raw milk contains a “variety of essential nutrients, fats, proteins, anti-inflammatory and digestive enzymes, bioavailable vitamins, and minerals.”
“We have a lot of customers telling us their doctor, their chiropractor, or their holistic dentist sent them here,” Sara said.
As for the taste, “it’s sweet,” Chuck said. “It’s like drinking ice cream.”
Of course, it’s not just dairy products that fly off the shelves in the farm’s store. Beef, veal, and Mangalitsa pork are hot items. The store is also stocked with fresh local produce, honey, maple syrup, and handmade goods such as candles and jewelry.
The fifth-generation family farm used to primarily sustain itself by supplying Stewart’s Shops with milk. But it has since diversified and secured the valuable raw milk license. It also hosts a wide variety of events, including this summer’s “Big Gay Family Bash,” sound baths, bonfires, candle-making workshops, and the upcoming first-ever garlic and music festival on October 12.
The Willow-Marsh Farm Store is located at 343 Hop City Road in Ballston Spa and is open Wednesday through Sunday.
Photo via the GlobalFoundries / Town of Malta Foundation
MALTA — The GlobalFoundries / Town of Malta Foundation is accepting grant applications until October 31.
The GlobalFoundries / Town of Malta Foundation was established to fund organizations, programs, and projects that provide tangible benefits of a public nature to the community and citizens of Malta. The foundation provides thousands of dollars of grant funding every year.
Grant recipients will be announced in December. An awards ceremony will be held at the David R. Meager Malta Community Center.
For more information or to submit an application, visit sites.google.com/site/gfmaltafoundationorg/home.
BALLSTON SPA — A post in a local Facebook group has sparked awareness of ongoing power outages occurring in the area of Ballston Spa and Malta.
The outages, while brief, have been impacting homes and businesses. Residents reported that air conditioning units turned off, lights flickered, and appliances needed to be reset.
One business owner said the outages disrupt her company’s credit card machine.
It’s unclear exactly how long the outages have been occurring, but some residents said it’s been an ongoing issue for at least the past few months, if not longer.
Patrick Stella, the National Grid Communications Manager for Eastern New York, told Saratoga TODAY that National Grid would be “installing monitoring equipment in the area to better diagnose the root cause of these shorter outages. We will use this information in the coming weeks to come up with a more permanent fix.” Stella also said that the outages appear to be contained to the area of Ballston Spa and Malta.
Ballston Spa Mayor Frank Rossi said he’s previously reached out to his municipal contact at National Grid regarding an outage in Malta and another one at the Village Green Apartments in Ballston Spa. On Monday, he created a Google Form asking Ballston Spa residents to share details about any outages they’ve experienced. The form can be found on his Facebook page.
“While it is not in the Village’s abilities to resolve such issues,” Rossi wrote, “we have a good working relationship with National Grid — and they have historically worked with us to try to identify issues and resolve them.”
Malta Town Supervisor Cynthia Young also said she had contacted National Grid. She requested that Malta residents email supervisor@malta-town.org with their address and the exact time and duration of any outages.
The interior of High Peaks Canna, Saratoga Springs’ second cannabis dispensary. Photo by Jonathon Norcross.
SARATOGA SPRINGS — A new cannabis dispensary, High Peaks Canna, held its grand opening last Friday morning at 137 Maple Ave, the former site of the Towne Law Firm. The pot shop became the second dispensary to open in Saratoga Springs after Silver Therapeutics opened its doors at 75 Weibel Ave in July.
High Peaks is open seven days a week; from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The store offers a wide variety of products from popular brands, including Jaunty, Off Hours, and Ayrloom.
The first application for a dispensary in the Spa City was filed with the city’s planning board in July 2023. That proposed location at 95 West Ave has yet to open. Last month, an application to open the first pot shop in Ballston Spa was withdrawn due to concerns over parking, increased traffic, and possible on-site consumption.
A therapy horse enjoys the company of humans inside a paddock near the new arena. Photos by Jonathon Norcross
SARATOGA SPRINGS — Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga (THS), a nonprofit that provides equine-assisted psychotherapy, unveiled its new, year-round indoor arena and group therapy space on Wednesday morning. The facility will allow THS to increase the number of annual clients from 60 to 100, and expand its total number of annual therapy sessions from 680 to 1,200.
Construction of the new arena began in mid-June, and finishing touches were completed in early September. The facility was funded by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) through the Nonprofit Infrastructure Capital Investment Program (NICIP). THS was selected as an awardee of a NICIP investment in April.
“The innovative programs of Therapeutic Horses are a perfect fit for the Saratoga community, and I am pleased that our organization is able to play a part in supporting their important work,” said Robert J. Rodriguez, President of DASNY, in a statement.
A number of local elected officials attended the unveiling. Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford and State Senator James Tedisco both praised the organization for assisting veterans. Assemblymember Carrie Woerner thanked THS for aiding survivors of trauma. Congresswoman Elise Stefanik was slated to appear but did not attend.
THS is located on a 27-acre horse farm on Lake Avenue, which is currently home to 29 horses (plus two Saratoga Springs police horses). On the same property is an office for ECS Psychological Services, a practice that oversees therapy sessions between patients and horses. THS also allows any individual or group to book “horseplay” sessions, which are not necessarily considered a form of therapy but nonetheless allow both adults and children to enjoy the company of a horse in a tranquil setting.
“When somebody walks [into a paddock] with anger, with fear, with anxiety, which is the number one diagnosis of people that come here, the horses sense it and they are completely unnerved. They don’t attack, they just disappear,” said Kim Weir, THS’ director of strategic growth. “This is the magic of horses generally. Horses trust humans. If we are confident, then they’re completely confident. That’s why they fought our wars and dug our ditches and built our civilizations.”
In order for the horses to help humans feel more confident and less anxious or fearful, the horses themselves need to be well taken care of, Weir said. “We need them to feel safe
