This weekend found me volunteering at a trail race on the Finger Lakes Trail—thankfully, the wind picked up later in the morning and blew the mosquitos away!

There are so many activities that happen on and around the Finger Lakes Trail—I’m very happy that we have such an incredible trail system winding through the region.

Speaking of the Finger Lakes Trail—based on the overwhelmingly positive replies to last week’s poll—I’ve got a couple versions of the Lean-to poster in the works.

The 24” x 36” print will feature 10 total lean to photos and will be printed heavyweight gallery-grade paper that will look just as good framed as it does unframed.

Which layout version do you like best? Got ideas to improve it?

Check out the placeholder images and vote below!

Posters will be available for pre-order soon—stay tuned! 🎉 

🥾 TRAIL OF THE WEEK: Star Stanton Hill & Hammond Hill

The Bulletin

Want to spread the word about your business, a project, a volunteer opportunity, or just give a shout-out to over 2,391 friends in the Finger Lakes?

Sunny Days Ithaca is the one-stop store for Finger Lakes apparel, home goods, gift boxes, and so much more. Need a custom print? They’ve got you covered! Visit online or in person.

Cayuta Sun Farm features gourmet pork from pasture-raised, heritage breed American Berkshire hogs. Check them out at the Ithaca Farmer’s Market, join the Bacon & Belly alerts, or go camping on the farm!

📅 EVENTS

Recurring Events

• Trivia - click here

• Kid Friendly - click here

Wednesday

• Trumansburg Farmers Market (Trumansburg) - Grab some fresh food, crafts, and more at the T-burg Farmers Market starting at 4pm.

Thursday

• Honey Tasting (Jacksonville) - Sample the sweet variety of honeys—from wildflower to comb—at the Honeybee Embassy’s free tasting, guided by their expert staff.

• Whiskey Pairing Dinner (Syracuse) - A whiskey experience featuring 4 curated whiskeys paired with a 5 course dinner.

• Welding Workshop Plant Hanger (Springwater) - Join metal artist Stacey Mrva at Ironwood Studio for a beginner-friendly women’s welding workshop—learn MIG welding, create your own plant hanger, enjoy a delicious lunch, and leave with lasting memories.

• Summer Concert Series (Ithaca) - Live music every Thursday in the Bernie Milton Pavilion. Kicking things off this week is Terrapin Station and Scuba Jerry. 5pm each week.

• Seed To Supper Program (Montour Falls) - Ready to start your first garden? Join CCE Schuyler’s free 6-session Seeds to Supper class series for beginners—covering planning, planting, and harvesting—every other Thursday.

Friday

• Lori Barrett Duo (Ithaca) - Enjoy soulful tunes, smooth harmonies, and laid-back vibes with a live acoustic duo—perfect for kicking back with a craft beer at Ithaca Beer Co.

• 36th Annual Juried Photo Show (Ithaca) - Explore striking landscapes, portraits, and abstract works at State of the Art’s 36th Annual Juried Photography Show, featuring 87 images from 63 New York artists.

• Whistlin’ Dyl & Spice Rack (Interlaken) - Catch Finger Lakes' favorite whistling, ultra-liberal folk rock country soul band live on June 6 from 6–9pm—BBQ starts at 5, drinks by the glass, and just a $5 cover.

• Ithaca Gallery Night (Ithaca) - Explore local art and events during Ithaca Gallery Night—held 5–8pm on the first Friday of every month.

• Friday Sunset Music - Rachel Beverly (Lodi) - Unwind with sunset views, live music by Rachel Beverly, and light fare at Wagner Vineyards’ Friday Night Sunset Music Series.

• Geneva Music Festival - German Legends (Canandaigua) - Celebrate the legacy of German Romanticism and modern American music at the Geneva Music Festival.

• Live Music @ Smokin’ Tails (Canandaigua) - Head to the distillery for live music by Jon Lamanna from 6pm—9pm.

Saturday

• Brothers Grateful @ Newfield (Newfield) - Brothers Grateful bring their feel-good vibes to Finger Lakes Distilling Newfield—catch the music, drinks, and good times.

• Char-Grilled Charcuterie (Groton) - Spice up your summer with a grilled charcuterie workshop on Saturday, June 7 from 4–6:30pm—build a board with smoky meats, fresh produce, and bold sauces, then take it home!

• Trumansburg Porchfest (Trumansburg) - Trumansburg Porchfest is a DIY music festival with free performances on porches all over town—rain or shine, come for the tunes and stay for the food & drinks.

• 1st Annual Ride For Vets (Big Flats) - Join the first annual Ride for Vets—a 97-mile poker run through scenic country roads with stops, raffles, and a chicken BBQ back at the Big Flats American Legion; $25 per person, kickstands up at 10am.

• Watercolor Workshop (Newfield) - Spend a peaceful morning painting outdoors at Treman State Park with artist Jennifer Gibson as she guides you through plein air watercolor techniques at a scenic Finger Lakes spot—open to all skill levels, just bring your supplies and a seat!

• Wilderness Skills Workshop (Marcellus) - Learn to build shelters like a pro—tarps, lean-tos, debris huts, and more—while mastering essential knots and outdoor skills in this hands-on wilderness workshop; register by 3pm, Wednesday, June 4.

• National Trails Day @ Hickory Ridge (Naples) - Celebrate National Trails Day at Hickory Ridge Preserve with guided hikes and mountain bike rides on beginner-friendly trails.

• Wine & Tapas (Binghamton) - Sip and stroll at Wine & Tapas, where ticket holders enjoy curated wine and tapa pairings at local venues—with tasting glasses in hand and $5 per-stop fees supporting each host.

• Wild Mushroom Identification Classes (Enfield) - Learn to safely forage and grow fungi in hands-on Wild Mushroom Identification & Cultivation Workshops led by a certified expert—no experience needed!

• Central On Main Opening (Canandaigua) - Lots going on in Canandaigua this weekend, including the outdoor gathering with take-out food + delivery. Grab a drink and listen to live music as well.

• Frost Town Trail Fest (Naples) - Hit the trails at Frost Town Trail Fest with your choice of 10k or 25k courses through the scenic Bristol Hills—an epic summer race that supports environmental education at the Cumming Nature Center.

• Strawberry Moon Paddle (Branchport) - Paddle under the glow of the strawberry moon on Keuka Lake with expert guides, exploring wetlands and Sugar Creek—then wind down with a bonfire and snacks to cap off this berry sweet night.

• Chicken BBQ @ Oak Hill (Penn Yan) - Enjoy classic Cornell-style Chicken BBQ every Saturday from Memorial Day to Columbus Day—complete with housemade sides, pork sandwiches, and ice cream, all supporting a different local organization each week.

• Mike Lucey Acoustic @ Barrelhouse 6 Distillery (Hammondsport) - Live music and distilled sprits? Sounds good—and there’s food as well.

• Finger Lakes Fit 5K Run/Walk (Penn Yan) - Rain or shine, get some movement in on Saturday in Penn Yan—includes door prizes and t-shirts for every runner.

Sunday

• Gorges Ithaca Half Marathon (Ithaca) - Run one of the country’s most scenic races at the Gorges Ithaca Half—13.1 miles from Trumansburg to downtown Ithaca, with gorges, waterfalls, and a fast, net-downhill course made for PRs and unforgettable firsts.

• Brunch Beats & Bloody Mary’s (Lodi) - Sundays in June, treat yourself to live music and a Build Your Own Bloody Mary Bar—just $18 for the ultimate brunch experience from 10am to noon!

• Hikyoga @ Abandon (Penn Yan) - Stretch, sip, and soak in the views at Sunday Funday Yoga at Abandon Brewing—outdoor yoga at 10am followed by a drink in the barn or on the deck (included!), with brunch available to round out your morning.

Got an event we should feature in the Finger Lakes Effect? Click the button below and add your event details!

Forks On The Road: Eats & Drinks

Sackett’s Table: A Quiet Revelation in Seneca Falls

On the winding drive back from Rochester, Adam and I were simply looking for a decent dinner stop. What we found—completely by chance—was Sackett’s Table in Seneca Falls. What unfolded may well be one of the most memorable meals we’ve had in Upstate New York.

The octopus, though, was the showstopper. Served with wide noodles in a caper- and olive-studded marinara, it was bright, tender, briny, and layered with just the right amount of onion and acidity. I hesitate to call the bites of octopus the best I’ve ever had… but it certainly makes my top two.

But the surprise came scooched to the side of the steak: blue cheese and sour cream mashed potatoes. They were creamy, tangy, and indulgent without being heavy. In two words? Compulsively delicious. We shared a side of broccolini as well—garlicy, crisp-tender and a perfect foil for the richness of the rest of the meal.

Drinks held their own too: I had the Pear Tree (light, balanced, gently sweet) and the Sage Manhattan (aromatic, grounded, just strong enough). Both were thoughtful, not flashy, and clearly made with care.

Adam has said this might be one of the best meals he’s had in Upstate New York. I’m usually a little more cautious with sweeping declarations, but I honestly can’t think of a reason to argue.

I’m not sure what Sackett’s Table is doing to get the word out in Seneca Falls—but after that meal, I’m officially on their street team. Forks up.

Jeney - The Forkin’ Local

Ready For Your New Pet? 🐱🐶

Meet Ladybug!

Ladybug is a sweet American Shorthair kitten who’s recovering from an eye infection—and she loves cuddles and exploring.

Need a furry friend? Check out adoptable pets here (Auburn), here (Syracuse), or here (Ithaca) and set up a visit at the closest SPCA. But act fast—word on the street is that animals rarely last more than a week or two before finding homes.

Shout Out 📢

Big thanks to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, or the Bird Lab as I call it. They created a free app that you can use on your phone to identify birds, anywhere in the world!

It’s gone further than just a phone app over time.

I was able to follow instructions online and put together a small Raspberry Pi (tiny computer) with the BirdnetPi software developed by Patrick McGuire that runs 24/7 and identifies birds outside my window with the help of a small lapel microphone dangling out of my office window!

The data is processed on the Raspberry Pi in my office in chunks, birds identified by their calls, and then shared via BirdWeather. You can “see” my station and all the birds being identified here: https://app.birdweather.com/stations/13092

If you visit the station via that link you might need to click on the “layers” button and then the sorting button (see screenshot below).

After that, you can click the layers button again to close the overlay and then select a bird species.

This will open up the bird information window and you can select the calls and play an actual recorded bird call from my station!

I’d only recommend diving into this if you’re at least a little familiar with the command line and basic hardware setup—otherwise, it might be a bit much.

It was fun, but had some frustrating ups and downs for sure. I did a short write up on it here, if you want to see the details.

See You Out There

Thanks for being part of the Finger Lakes Effect!

Adam Moody

Finger Lakes Effect

P.S. The Finger Lakes Effect will be evolving as it goes - if you have an idea for the style, look, or topics, hit reply and let me know.