October 6 – It is the best Indian Summer we have had in years. An Indian Summer is a wonderous spell of unseasonably warm, dry, and sometimes hazy weather that occurs after the first plant killing frost.

The term originated in North America and is associated with the Native peoples hunting and harvesting season when the Native Americans used this period to gather in their final crops before winter.

All the dry weather did not get us much in the way of beautiful fall foliage colors-which was disappointing. It has been so dry that Governor Hochul along with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation announced a statewide burn ban starting October 2nd for fourteen days until October 15th due to increased forest fire risk and extremely dry conditions.

The continuance of the ban will be reevaluated prior to the expiration date. So, cover up those outdoor firepits for the time being.

When it does get into a regular winter freezing weather, there is nothing more comforting than a tasty warm your bones up bowl of chili. On Saturday, October 18th, The Barryville Farmers’ Market is sponsoring The Barryville Chili Cook-Off Contest to see who makes the best chili in town!

It’s free to enter the contest. Just drop off your chili crockpot along with a serving utensil by 10am next to the Information tent. The winner will be chosen by a popular vote.

To vote and taste all the entries, there is a $5.00 suggested donation which goes to the Farmers’ Market, and you get your tasting cup, a spork, and your ballot. While we are on the topic of the Barryville Farmers’ Market, mark your calendars for the Market will be sponsoring their annual lollapalooza Halloween celebration on Saturday, October 25th starting at 10am-which will also be the last day of the 2025 season for the Farmers’ Market. More details next week.

Election Day is coming up on Tuesday, November 4th, I personally like to take part in early voting. In Sullivan County there are two early voting sites the Government Center at 100 North Street in Monticello and the Sullivan County Public Health Center at 50 Community Lane in Liberty.

All voters who cast a ballot during the Early Voting period cannot vote on Election Day. Early Voting starts on Saturday, October 25th and continues for seven consecutive days until Sunday, November 2nd. The hours at both sites in Monticello and Liberty locations are October 25th-26th and 27th 9-5pm.

On Tuesday, October 28th- Noon-8pm, October 29th 9-5pm, Thursday October 30th-Noon-8pm and on October 31st, November 1st, and November 2nd its 9-5pm.

All early voting locations are ADA compliant. New voter registration is now available online at the Sullivan County Board of Elections and the Department of Motor Vehicles, but you will need to have a previously used and registered New York State Government ID Card.

If you want to check the status of your voter registration, receive a registration form by mail, or have other questions about the voting, you can call the Sullivan County Board of Elections at 845-807-0400. The staff at the Board are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful.

If you want to apply for an Early Mail Ballot, or an Absentee Ballot or see the list of candidates running for elected offices in the County, go to the Sullivan County Board of Election’s website at Sullivanny.gov/Departments/Elections/VoterRegistration.