Sylvester Manor fielded a team of 25 intrepid plungers at the 7th Annual Turkey Plunge. On November 26, these fearless competitors charged into the water at Crescent Beach with Windmill Field vegetables in hand! They were awarded the honor of Most Money Raised by a Team.

Team Sylvester Manor collected over $2,300 to support Shelter Island Public Library, a frequent, much appreciated program partner, and the achievement by the Team and its many supporters will be memorialized with an engraved brick on the lower level patio of the Library.

Thank you to everyone who plunged or sponsored Team Sylvester Manor!

Mysteries of the Manor had record breaking attendance and costumes galore - from kids to canines. This year's Halloween happening was a little less on "the scary" and a lot more on the family fun. Hayrides, crafts, face painting, potato sack races, food, and games were just a few of the ways people came to enjoy the festivities at the Manor. Thanks to all for getting into the spirit of the season with us! 

This year marks Sylvester Manor's 64th Annual Tea & Tree event on Saturday, December 10. Supporters, members, and volunteers will kick-off the holiday season as we say "thank you" to those who have been so essential to the growth of Sylvester Manor in 2016. 

Don’t miss a rare opportunity to see The Lonely Heartstring Band perform at Shelter Island School on Saturday, January 14 at 7pm.

Combining soulful instrumental virtuosity with soaring three-part harmonies this quintet stretches far beyond any genre-specific title. This band delivers a dynamic, diverse, and heartfelt performance that has generated a devoted following of music-lovers.

The quintet has been on the rise since 2012 and shows no signs of slowing down. They received a 2015 IBMA Momentum Award and continues to perform and headline at major music festivals like Telluride Bluegrass Festival and an unprecedented four years in a row at Greyfox in the Catskill Mountains.  Tune in here to experience their music. 

Reserved seat tickets are $25-40 dollars. Purchase yours here now. This concert sells out every year, so don't wait! (Tickets make special holiday gifts, too.)

Upon my return to Sylvester Manor on November 1, I had the privilege of working alongside Andrew, Manisha, Ty, and Eliza. Without a doubt, their can-do attitudes and combined skills really shaped the end of the growing season here on the farm.

While I have witnessed teary-eyed good-byes, I also sensed excitement for their next adventures. Eliza set out for a trip to Europe. Ty moved to Seattle. Manisha will be spend the next couple of months at a farm in Vermont where she will experience snow for the first time! And, I am happy  to announce that Andrew will be farming with us again next year!

During December, our focus shifts to planning and preparations for the 2017 growing season . . . and beyond! 
 
Jocelyn
Windmill Farm Manager

It is always uplifting to spend time with everyone at Shelter Island School. Last month's luncheon was no exception. As Windmill Field Manager Jocelyn Craig expressed, "I think the cafeteria staff gets more excited about the vegetables than the kids do. Our team reminds everyone that the choices are there, and then farm-grown food is not a completely foreign thing."

Andrew Porzio, Windmill Field Resource Coordinator, agreed. "I love that we get to share our food with the children in our community; teaching all the kids about our animals and our vegetables is really important to me. They are all so excited to visit the farm!"