Old, New Traditions Combined At Festival

CANTON - The Local Living Festival was the scene of a meeting of old north country traditions and traditions in the making this weekend.

Under occasionally sunny skies on Saturday, hundreds of people came out to talk about green technology and global warming, as well as yarn spinning and apple cider pressing.

"It's sort of a gathering of the clan; you sort of like to see all of your counter-culture friends," Canton resident Everett Smith said. "I'm always interested in seeing the technology stuff and see what's working for other people, like the water heating systems. It's always interesting to see the livestock."

There were displays about green building and environmentally sustainable energy, including solar thermal water heaters and a solar powered farm tractor.

Across a muddy driveway from a small pen full of alpacas was a system of 20 dark blue vacuum-sealed tubes that were absorbing energy from the sun and heating a tank of water - despite the clouds overhead.

"It runs on UV, it doesn't need sunshine - the same way if it's cloudy out, you get a sunburn," Northern Solar representative Wayne K. Davison, said as he poured 90-degree water from a tube connected to the tank. "Obviously, people are very interested in renewable energy; anything that can reduce their utility bills. At the same time, if you can reduce your carbon footprint, it's great."

Inside the barn at the Cornell Cooperative Extension farm were dozens of displays, including one entitled, "Hippie Houses and Homesteads for the 21st Century," and tables selling cookbooks of traditional north country recipes and yarn spinning demonstrations.

"About three years ago, I was at something like this and I saw a lady spinning and I fell in love," said Andrea L. Castle. "I'm retired; this is my playtime."

There seemed to be a lot of playing going on, as children took turns pressing down on apples to run them through a cider press and people of all ages ran around munching on maple cotton candy and petting farm animals.

"Cows are my favorite because they're cute," said 8-year-old Madrid resident Olivia D. Barney after she met a five-month-old steer. "The cotton candy was my favorite."