Trifecta: Highland, Milton & Marlboro

by Lindsay Pietroluongo and photographs by Jim Rice , Steffen Thalemann, February 25, 2011

Italian Alps” is the term that’s stuck on the tip of Adam Glinert’s tongue. Sitting behind his cluttered desk in the main house of the Buttermilk Falls Inn and Spa’s 70-acre haven, Glinert is sipping coffee, chatting with the construction workers who keep popping their head in the door, and gushing about his new office down by the river. The low valleys and contrasting steep mountains that make up Milton’s landscape inspire Glinert to say that he feels like he’s in Italy. Sheila Mannese from the Meet Me in Marlborough farming coalition seconds Glinert’s opinion, describing the scenery as Tuscanesque.

Today, winter white has transformed the town into an ice-coated model scene, with snow blanketing hills and branches, and geese cautiously making their way across frozen ponds.

Glinert is the general manager of Buttermilk Falls, and even though he’s only been at the inn for eight months, he already feels completely at ease. “It’s very at-homey here. It’s family owned, and it’s also run like we’re all family.” Despite the loose ends that any new adminnistrator faces when bringing a fresh perspective to their business, and the three simultaneous construction jobs that have redirected traffic through the grounds, Glinert goes about his daily job with a smile, proving that he adores his new professional role.

Continuing to gush about Ulster County in general and Milton specifically, Glinert comments on the area’s pleasant residents, saying, “Everyone here is outgoing, gracious, and hospitable.” He also excitedly plugs Henry’s, the inn’s fresh-faced, American regional restaurant that will be opening in the beginning of March.
Buttermilk Falls reels in guests from all over the world, but plenty of business comes from locals who will book a room for a weekend “stay-cation.” Swimmers lap against water pressure in the “endless” pool, letting them get a workout while staying in place. Green-minded visitors appreciate the self-sustaining farm, where everything from peaches and herbs to flowers and pumpkins are grown. When asked what distinguishes Buttermilk Falls from other inns, Glinert quickly and simply tells me, “We’re the only ones that do what we do,” going on to explain how guests have tons of land to stroll or hike in, peacocks that wander around, and cottages as an alternative to guest rooms.

Food Security, Farm Conservation
Mannese, one of Meet Me in Marlborough’s founding members and the current executive director and president, strives to bring sustainability to farms and also to educate people on the importance of local farming. The organization is composed of Milton and Marlboro farmers and businesspeople working together to promote local agriculture and agritourism. Expressing the importance of keeping the country’s food supply within our borders, she says it’s necessary to start with local farmers who can champion that type of home security. Mannese continues to explain the perks of supporting area farming, saying, “In essence, we know our farmers, and there’s a tremendous value in knowing both our farmers and the food that they produce.”