Librarians' Best Web Picks
- Cranberry Lake Preserve
Old Orchard Street, North White Plains. (914) 428-1005. Summer hours (July 3 through August 11) Monday-Friday, 9 to 4 p.m.; Rest of the year, Tuesday through Saturday, 9-4 p.m. The 175-acre nature preserve is ideal for hiking, walking, birding, cross country skiing and nature studies. In summer, an Ecology Program is offered for grades 1-8. Birthday parties can be arranged. - Croton Nature Center
Croton Point Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson. (914) 862-5297. Tuesday through Saturday, 10-4 p.m. Parking fee. Croton Nature Center is 504 acres on a peninsula in the Hudson River. The park is a bird sanctuary and Bald Eagles overwinter in the park. The landmarked building houses exhibits on local flora and fauna (including Hudson River specimens), local and Native American history, and hands-on activities. - Edith Read Sanctuary
Playland Parkway, Rye. (914) 967-8720. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday for the Fall and Spring. Parking fees in effect May through October. This 179-acre sanctuary, and 85-acre lake is home to a great diversity of marine life. The sanctuary has been recognized by the national Audubon Society of New York as an Important Bird Area. There are three miles of trails through forest and field. Along the half-mile of publicly accessible shore, the intertidal habitat harbors a wide diversity of plants and animals. - Lenoir Preserve
Dudley Street, Yonkers. (914) 968-5851. Open September to June, Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; in July and August, hours are 9 to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Lenoir Preserve is a 40-acre nature preserve comprised of woodlands and field habitats. It is situated adjacent to the Old Croton Aqueduct on slopes overlooking the Hudson River, providing spectacular views. The property was formerly home to two Hudson River estates and boasts a number of unusual specimen trees and shrubs, imported from around the world. The Hudson River Audubon Society maintains a butterfly and hummingbird garden on the grounds, tended entirely by volunteers. - Muscoot Farm
Route 100, Somers. (914) 864-7282. Open 10-4 p.m. year-round. Free, except for guided tours, Pre-K summer camp and hayrides. Muscoot Farm was a "Gentlemen's Farm," owned by the Hopkins Family from 1880 until 1967. Although some buildings were moved to accommodate the Muscoot Reservoir, visitors can still walk through the original Dairy Barn, Milk House, Ice House, Blacksmith Shop and several other barns and buildings. Livestock and poultry are breeds typical of an early 20th century gentleman's farm and many represent minor (rare) breeds. Hiking trails also available. No dogs. - Stone Barns Center for Food & Agriculture
630 Bedford Road, Pocantico Hills. 914-366-6200. Open year-round, Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. $5.00 Parking Fee. The mission of Stone Barns Center is to educate the public about the connection between the food on your plate and how it gets there. The farm at Stone Barns includes pasture land for free-range chickens, turkeys, pigs and cows; a greenhouse and an outdoor garden. Everything grown and raised on this farm is destined to be eaten. Animals and plants are raised organically. There is a summer farm camp for children, harvest festivals, tastings, gardening and cooking workshops and insider's tours. Recipes and a calendar of events available at this website. - Teatown Lake Reservation
1600 Spring Valley Road, Ossining. (914) 762-2912 ext 110. Open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Fees are charged for programs and preregistration is required.