There is nothing quite as revealing as an old stone wall. It speaks of craftsmanship, ingenuity, hard work, days-gone by and one's desire to claim ownership.
It broadcasts "this is mine" of place and property.
This is the time of year - the in-between season of autumn and winter, when stone walls reveal themselves, their character, their essence, a glimpse into history and a peek into the minds of their masons.
Similar to the way in which makeup is applied to highlight, contour and flatter a woman's face, stone walls "work" with topography and when completed expose, highlight and delineate the unique beauty of the landscape.
In the Catskills, stone wall building material - fieldstone - is abundant. The phrase "two stones for every dirt" characterized the challenges of early-settler farming, but is embraced by the new crop of all-things-Catskills-crazed-newbie-producers who insightfully and intuitively continue to capitalize on the farm-to-table movement that has swept the nation.
The Catskills' terroir exhibited in pan-seared filet mignon, roasted rack-of-lamb, heirloom tomato dishes and specialty ciders, grown within the confines of the nearly-forgotten landmarks, can not be duplicated in any other region.
