Catskills - Sullivan County - Ulster County Real Estate -- Catskill Farms Journal

Old School Real estate blog in the Catskills. Journeys, trial, tribulations, observations and projects of Catskill Farms Founder Chuck Petersheim. Since 2002, Catskill Farms has designed, built, and sold over 250 homes in the Hills, investing over $100m and introducing thousands to the areas we serve. Farms, Barns, Moderns, Cottages and Minis - a design portfolio which has something for everyone.

Friday, January 2, 2015

Happy New Year

Happy New Year from the team at Catskill Farms.  Good fireworks show on the Biscayne Bay.  A car accident at 12:30am Jan 1 knocked out internet and cable to the entire Miami Beach area for the whole day yesterday - no uber, no phones, no web surfing, no college football, no nothing.  It was pretty incredible.


We went to the beach.





Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Miami Beach Baby

The airport.  Kid is almost literally pulling his weight now on these trips.



On bayside pool.


At Flamingo Park.



Getting in trouble for loitering near the bottom of the slide.



Playground.



The Mondrian.


The Cool Down.




Retirement.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Our Homes, Our Clients

A Saturday Before Christmas Dinner Party attended by folks from Cottage 23, Cottage 22, Cottage 14, Ranch 10, Cottage 46, Farm 27, and Cottage 34.  Lots O Love, my friends, Lots O Love. White glove catering by Early Bird Cookery.






Farm 32. 1550 sq ft, Olivebridge NY Area.  For Sale.



Farm 30, Olivebridge area.  Set to close in February.




Mini Barn, Narrowsburg.  Set to close in January.




Farm 26, Narrowsburg, NY.   Set to close in January.






Ranch 10.  Just Getting Started.  Narrowsburg NY.





Farm 31.  Olivebridge Area.  For Sale.


And a Christmas Day message from some anonymous person (I'm one of the few people who will always sign my name).

"Let me get this straight. Every New Yorker against fracking is a NIMBY?

The hate in you is strong. You're suffering from a serious case of borderline personality disorder on a scale rarely seen in a functioning member of society.

I'll rest well knowing you lost, and we won!

Happy New Year. "

Couple of thoughts on the above - if you are using natural gas or shale oil (which we all are in abundance), but opposed to its local production that is happening all across the country, that's called NImbyism.  There is no other term for it.  One doesn't have to be offended by the term.

Regarding the personality disorder, I would say it is not borderline  - its what makes me special and creative (lol) - .  And I would say this Christmas day message is as hateful as anything I write (always signed).

And 'you' didn't win anything.  America is energy independent - a thought completely unfathomable just 8 years ago- because of shale oil and gas, creating a completely new world order where the US is not beholden to the crazos in the Middle East.  Not to be circular here, but to miss the reality that shale gas - with all it's admitted challenges - is happening everywhere, is really to be mis-informed to a eye-popping extent.

Let me summarize - using american produced shale oil and gas, while opposing its production locally, or even regionally, is called nimbyism.  Not understanding that shale oil and gas is being successfully extracted everywhere in this country, including states with strong regulatory and environmental like California, is called 'stupid'.  

So the only thing 'won', is the battle to keep the production (not the use, mind you) out of your back yard, since it is happening all across the country to the benefit of tens of millions of consumers and workers.  And it happened while the fractivists were busy in their NY bubble of protest.

Newest Upstater Blog Post - A Holiday Full of Nina Simone and Ella Fitzgerald, .... and Home.    (granted, might have had one too many while penning this love letter to life)

Have a great Holiday.  I know quite a few people are spending 10 solid days at their Catskill Farms country house, which is always the greatest compliment that we can receive.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Another NYC Christmas Weekend

57th Street, Friday Night, on the Way to FOA Schwartz.









Checking in at the Le Parker Meridian - cost me an extra $10 for the bell man to accommodate Lucas on the trip up the 36th floor.







Up at 6:30, to Macy's Santa Land by 7:30.  12th in line to see Santa.



Lucas has for 3 years pulled the same trick of getting very quiet and speaking in a voice you can barely hear while talking with Santa.  We always role play the night before a few times to cut down the chances of performance anxiety.




Then the first customer of the day over a Build a Bear, where we built a batman bear which we named BatBear.



Then a nap before noon before heading out to see Matilda - spoiler alert - NOT A SHOW FOR KIDS, even though in all the ads there are kids everywhere.  Poor lucas - mean parents, mean headmaster, mean people - really put a wrench in his general world understanding.


Our in-room lego assembly area.



And then a $36 super awesome room service sundae.


Breakfast with Tiffany's gingerbread display in the lobby.


Subway.


Nostrils.



Sketchers.


Before Church choir.




He 'lost' that tie before Sat. church choir singing even began.





Pool deck, 42 floor.




Our Home (no, the tree wasn't installed crooked, the tree has a crink in it's truck half way up).







Charles Petersheim, Catskill Farms (Catskill Home Builder)
At Farmhouse 35
A Tour of 28 Dawson Lane
Location
Rock & Roll
The Transaction
The Process
Under the Hood
Big Barn
Columbia County Home
Catskill Farms History
New Homes in the Olivebridge Area
Mid Century Ranch Series
Chuck waxes poetic...
Catskill Farms Barn Series
Catskill Farms Cottage Series
Catskill Farms Farmhouse Series
Interviews at the Farm ft. Gary
Interviews at the Farm ft. Amanda
Biceps & Building
Catskill Farms Greatest Hits
Construction Photos
Planned It
Black 'n White
Home Accents at Catskill Farms, Part 2
Home Accents at Catskill Farms, Part 1