Susie Wood posted on February 22, 2010 09:01
As part of the Clayton Winterfest activities, the Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT) and the Clayton Lions Club will host “Winterfest at Zenda” on Saturday, February 27, 2010 from 12:00 – 4:00 pm at Zenda Farm Preserve in Clayton, NY. Activities will include a bonfire, cross country skiing on the LoisJean & John MacFarlane Trail, kite skiing, and other winter activities (weather permitting). Hotdogs and hot drinks prepared by the Lions will be available throughout the day.
This event is held annually at the historic Zenda Farm. Merle Youngs of Youngs Rubber Company built the Jamesway barns in 1939, establishing Zenda as a state-of-the-art dairy farm. He implemented innovations like electrified screens to reduce flies in the barns, the first bottling machine in the North Country, and a sanitary creamery for milk processing. John MacFarlane inherited the farm from Mr. Youngs, and in 1997 donated the farm buildings and surrounding acreage to TILT. In subsequent years, TILT acquired through purchase or donation additional fields and woods that were part of the original Zenda Farm. These fields are hayed by local farmer, Randy Scales, in August to allow migrating song birds to nest and fledge their young in the spring and summer. Since these fields are worked, TILT pays property taxes on the farm.
The Winterfest at Zenda brings many community members and organizations together including the Clayton Lions, Jan and Kenny Brabant, George Kittle, and TILT to provide activities for everyone. Activities begin at Noon on Saturday, February 28. For more information, contact TILT at 686-5345 or
events@tilandtrust.org.
Don’t forget that TILT has other events coming up! Sunday, February 7, TILT is sponsoring an Eagle Watch Hayride at TI Park to cap off Save The River’s Winter Weekend. On February 14, spend Valentine’s Day with your sweetheart and friends at TILT’s Snowshoe Walk on the Macsherry Trail in Crooked Creek Preserve. Please sign up for these TILTreks at
events@tilandtrust.org, or call the TILT office at 686-5345. See you there!