Last month’s empty supermarket shelves and worries about food contamination from the COVID-19 crisis led to calls for a resurgence of “Victory Gardens.” 

Popularized during World War II, it is estimated that “Victory Gardens” (filled with edibles planted in backyards and other small spaces) produced 40 percent of the nation’s fresh fruits and vegetables. 

While today’s home gardeners aren’t typically aiming for something quite so ambitious, they are buying more edibles for their patio planters, window boxes and to incorporate into their landscapes. 

Both functional and beautiful, growing your own food is giving people a much-needed victory right now. 

FEEDING THE SOUL

Container plantings give you the comfort and security of having food growing right outside your door.

“People come to the greenhouse and they want to feed their soul. They’re saying, ‘Wow! You can eat the leaves and the flowers and it’s beautiful!’ That feeds many parts of the soul,” said Suzanne Balet Haight, owner of Balet Flowers & Design.

Because of the current conditions, she saw people coming into the Ballston Spa greenhouse earlier in the season this year.

They needed color. Knowing they could put something colorful and edible, like pansies, on their windowsill put a smile on their face.

GETTING OFF TO A GOOD START

Preventing gardeners from getting discouraged starts with choosing the right planting materials. 

Fill pots with a combination of a 1/3 compost and 2/3 potting mix, recommends Balet Haight.

“I’m really sold on Booth’s Blend compost. It’s a cow manure compost that we have for sale here at the store and I just love it,” she said. 

Adding compost right from the start will make plants grow greener and produce more fruit. Containers filled with potting mix alone can dry out more quickly and will need to be supplemented with a fertilizer. 

Planning to create a garden plot? Test the pH of your soil first. 

“We do sell pH tests here. They’re relatively inexpensive and very simple to do. A pH of 6.5 is ideal,” she said.

ADDING EDIBLES INTO THE LANDSCAPE

Tucking edible plants into your existing landscape adds texture, color and an additional food source. 

Balet’s “Pizza Garden” pots are filled with tomatoes, sweet banana peppers, chives, oregano, curly and Italian parsley.

“They’re great for pizzas, pastas and salads. Just put a pot like that in between your shrubs and it’ll grow fantastic,” she said. 

Growing so many different plants together is possible! 

Balet-Haight wants her customers to be successful, so will help them choose plant varieties that grow well together and produce a ton of fruit. 

“By incorporating the right things in the right space, we are maximizing every single inch of the garden or landscape,” she said. 

For example, early germinators like radishes can be planted in the same row as carrots, which will come up later in the season. 

Cascading plants like Indian mint are unique ways to utilize space, look great in planters and have a pungent flavor fantastic for teas, said Balet-Haight. 

SMALL SPACE – BIG SUCCESS

When a customer comes to Balet’s, Suzanne is happy to answer questions and draw planting diagrams, but her team will also come out to your house and plant your garden for you. (This year, wearing masks and abiding by all the social distancing guidelines).

In just one 4ft.x 8 ft. raised bed, they’ve planted cherry tomatoes, sweet banana and bell peppers, long purple eggplant, nasturtiums, swiss chard, kale, zucchini, yellow squash, parsley, cucumber and marigolds!

“It was a garden where they constantly had new things coming up all the time. It was a very small space but they were able to get a ton of produce and had a good variety,” said Balet Haight.

UNIQUE VICTORIES

Unusual times make way for unique victories. 

Herb wreaths, as well as other unique edible and beautiful ideas have been added this year to create an awareness that individuals can feed themselves. 

This summer, why not reward yourself with a patriotic and productive garden adventure? 

A combination of red Russian Kale, white Tri-Color sage, and blue Munstead Lavender, will give you the classic beauty of an edible, colorful, red, white and blue container. 

A variety of vegetable and herb plants will be available both at Balet Flowers greenhouse and at the Saratoga Farmers’ Market on Saturdays, 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Wilton Mall. 

Balet Flowers & Design, 5041 Nelson Ave. Ext., Ballston Spa is open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. To order online for curbside pick-up, or for more information, go to www.baletflowers.com

ELMONT — The New York Racing Association (NYRA) this week announced a number of safety initiatives and entry rule changes for the upcoming 25-day spring/summer meet at Belmont Park. The Belmont spring/summer meet kicks off on Wednesday, June 3.

NYRA says after consulting with independent experts, veterinarians, horsemen and regulators, it has implemented a number of racing rules to further enhance equine safety and ensure trainers/owners are equitably represented in the entries due to the lengthy suspension of live racing on the NYRA circuit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New rules for horses coming off layoffs or making career debut as 4-year-old: Horses which have not started in more than 180 days, or less than 365 days, will be placed on the Veterinarians’ List and must be presented to the NYRA Veterinarian prior to racing.

Horses which have not raced in 365 days will automatically be added to the Veterinarians’ List and must satisfy the same requirements for removal from the Veterinarians’ List as horses designated as “unsound.” If a start has not been made within 60 days of the NYRA Veterinarians’ clearance, then the horse will be placed back on the Veterinarians’ list.

Horses which have not made a start prior to Feb. 1 of their 4-year-old year will automatically be placed on the Veterinarians’ List and must satisfy the same requirements for removal from the Veterinarians’ List as horses designated as “unsound.” If a start has not been made within 60 days of the NYRA Veterinarians’ clearance, then the horse will be placed back on the Veterinarians’ List.

Waiver Claiming Option – Claiming Races:  At time of entry into a claiming race an owner/trainer may opt to declare a horse exempt from being claimed. For the Belmont spring/summer meet, the following waiver claiming rule applies: The horse has not started since March 16, 2020; The horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the price it last started for (horse must have started in a claiming race in the previous start to qualify); Failure to declare the horse exempt at the time of entry may not be remedied; The waiver rule can only be applied to said horse’s first start following each such layoff.                             

New Trainer Entry rule: In all overnight races no same trainer entry will be allowed to draw into the body of a race to the exclusion of a different trainer entrant.  At time of entry, trainers must designate a “different owner first choice (DO1) and a “different owner second choice (DO2).”  Stakes races are excluded from this rule.  A different owner second entry (DO2) is preferred over a same owner second entry (SO2).

For more information, please go to: www.nyrainc.com/about/nyra-safety.

NEW YORK — Following Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s announcement that racetracks may reopen June 1, the New York Racing Association is preparing to resume live racing at Belmont Park, and potentially relocate to Saratoga later in the summer. 

The Saratoga meet is slated to begin July 16. That date has not been changed. 

“Our ability to continue the training operation at Belmont Park throughout the pandemic informs the strict safety protocols that we currently have in place at Belmont Park and would seek to implement at Saratoga Race Course,” NYRA Director of Communications Pat McKenna said April 29.  “As such, NYRA is seeking to resume live racing at Belmont Park in the absence of fans and we have prepared operating plans that follow the same model for Saratoga.” 

The Oklahoma Training Track opposite the main track on Union Avenue – which was to open in April – has been delayed and is still not open. 

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This week, NYRA issued an updated statement. “NYRA and the New York racing community are thankful for Governor Cuomo’s steady leadership throughout this public health crisis and we applaud his decision to authorize the resumption of horse racing, without fans, beginning on June 1,” NYRA President and CEO Dave O’Rourke said. “This is a reasoned and responsible decision by Governor Cuomo that will enable horse racing to resume in a way that prioritizes health and safety while recognizing that NYRA is the cornerstone of an industry responsible for 19,000 jobs and $3 billion in annual economic impact.”

NYRA says it has developed a “comprehensive safety plan” and “extensive protocols.”

Live racing, to be conducted without spectators, will return on Wednesday, June 3, at Belmont Park. The Belmont Stakes will take place June 20, as the first leg of the Triple Crown series. The spring/summer meet at Belmont will conclude on Sunday, July 12.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Wednesday’s dawn brought to Saratoga a morning unlike any of the 58 days that had come before it. 

After hitting on all of the region’s required benchmarks that both document the downward trajectory of infections past, and prepare for potential viral spikes of the future, Saratoga and the seven other counties that surround it were cleared by the state to begin phase 1 of re-opening the local economy on May 20. 

“I feel like we’ve been in a bubble,” said Emma Lance, poking her masked face through the door of the Saratoga Tea & Honey Shop on Broadway, where the day’s online orders and curbside pickups were being prepared.  “You can’t see my mouth behind this mask,” she added, “but I’m smiling.” 

Commercial photographer Tom Stock escaped his daily honey-do list posted inside his home by planting a metal folding chair in front of Uncommon Grounds coffee shop on Broadway, where he took in all the wonders the blue-sky Wednesday offered, while thinking about future reopening phases that will allow more shops to open and people to more readily mingle. 

Wednesday’s Phase One reopening allowed for the first wave of industries to re-start – construction, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, manufacturing and wholesale trade, among them. Retail is limited to curbside or in-store pickup or drop off.  For all businesses reopening, physical distancing measures, face covering protections and maximum indoor capacity adjustments must be implemented and maintained.

Public Safety Commissioner Robin Dalton, city police Chief Shane Crooks and Fire Department Chief Aaron Dyer – all members of Saratoga Springs’ COVID-19 Reopen Task Force – visited businesses door-to-door Wednesday morning, talking to store owners and employees, and handing out safety plans outlining how businesses’ workplaces can prevent the spread of COVID-19. New York State requires each re-opening business to develop a written safety plan. Businesses may develop their own safety plan or use a template provided by the state. (Details about obtaining those forms are below). 

An Executive Order signed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo put New York State on PAUSE on March 22, setting social distancing measures in place, closing non-essential businesses, and limited public gatherings in an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19. 

Statewide to-date, just over 350,000 people have tested positive for the coronavirus. Overall, more than 28,000 have died due to COVID-19 in New York, more than 92,000 in the U.S., and more than 325,000 across the globe, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University. 

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Current daily figures point to an average of just over 100 deaths per day in New York due to the virus, matching just about where those figures were on March 26. In April, the death tally spiked to greater than 700 per day for several days.   

“We’re basically back to where we started before this tragedy descended upon us,” Gov. Cuomo said, this week. 

“What will happen with reopening?” Cuomo remarked May 20, on the day the Capital Region reopened for phase one. “Whatever we make happen. There is no predestined course. What will happen is a consequence of our choices and a consequence of our actions,” he said. “If people are smart and responsible and if employers and employees are responsible, then you will see the infection rate stay low. If people get arrogant, if people get cocky, if people get casual or people become undisciplined – you will see that infection rate go up. It is that simple. It has always been about what we do.”   

The governor also announced on Wednesday that religious gatherings of no more than 10 people will be allowed as long as statewide social distancing measures are enforced and participants wear masks. Earlier in the week, Cuomo announced racecourses – such as Saratoga Race Course and the Saratoga Casino’s harness track – may open June 1 without fans. NYRA subsequently announced the Belmont meet will get underway June 3 and will concludes July 12. The Saratoga meet is slated to open four days later.   

“Do your part: wear a mask. It is amazing how effective that mask actually is,” Cuomo said Wednesday, pointing to statistics that show frontline workers – downstate hospital employees, transit workers, NYPD and FDNY/EMT workers – each having lower infection rates than the general population. “How can they all have a lower infection rate? They’re wearing the mask,” Cuomo said. “The mask works. It’s in the data.”    

Meeting the metrics and maintaining control over the virus spread is key to remaining “open,” as well as in moving forward through the series of successive phases that will see the reopening of an ever-increasing number of additional businesses. That holds true for the entire “Capital Region” designation. The Capital Region sector is comprised of eight counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Saratoga, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Warren, Washington. 

There are four reopening phases in all, and 14 days – or less, should metrics not increase, as deemed by regional leaders –  are in between the phases. Those phases and dates are:

Potentially June 3 or sooner – Phase Two: Professional Services (which includes hairdressers and salons), Retail, Administrative Support, Real Estate / Rental and Leasing.

Potentially June 17 or sooner – Phase Three: Restaurants /
Food Services.

Potentially July 1 or sooner – Phase Four: Arts / Entertainment / Recreation, Education. 

For businesses: Business plans do not need to be submitted to a state or local agency for approval, but must be retained on the premises of the business and must be made available to the New York State Department of Health (DOH) or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection. 

An entire range of resources for businesses and residents are available via the city’s website. For questions on the re-opening plan for NY State and how it affects Saratoga Springs, email eileen.finneran@saratoga-springs.org or aadyer@ssfdny.org, or call 518-587-3550, ext. 2627. If calling, leave your name, address and a call back number.

MALTA — The Malta Drive-In Theatre will officially open this Friday, May 22 to kick off their summer season. 

As the weather gets warmer, families are anxious to go outside and enjoy the community all while being safe. The Malta Drive-In Theatre plans to re-open with a few precautions set in place. The drive-in announced the new rules staff and guests must adhere to on their website this Tuesday. The safety precaution will be reviewed and modified on a weekly basis as conditions in the community develop and change.

Credit cards and contactless payment transactions are being encouraged by the staff to limit social interaction. The staff will wear gloves and a mask at the ticket booth and in the concession stand. 

The theatre will allow 50 percent of capacity and guests are encouraged to arrive earlier to avoid long lines. They also will allow guests to bring food and beverages from home if they purchase a $5 permit. The theatre was unable to comment at this time.

The following are the Malta Drive-In Theater re-opening rules:

For parking and viewing, vehicles are instructed to park exactly in the middle of adjacent poles, allowing 12 feet of space between cars. Everyone should view movies from inside the vehicle in seats, through an open hatchback or from a pickup truck bed. Even though viewing is encouraged inside the vehicle, the theatre will allow two lawn chairs if they are placed between the vehicle and the screen.

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If guest go outside the vehicle, masks must be worn at all times but guests should limit contact to necessary bathroom and snack bar trips. 

For the use of restrooms, guests are asked to limit use and an attendant will not permit access to any guest not wearing a mask. They have also blocked every other stall and sink to increase distance. 

In order to purchase concessions, guests are encouraged to order online though an online concession ordering system on their smart phone. When the order is ready for pick up the guest will receive a text message and can grab it from their dedicated snack bar window. They will allow restricted entry into the concession building where staff will be walled off from guests. 

The drive-in also put in place a zero garbage policy as guests must discard trash directly in a dumpster or box office trash corral. 

The Ozoner 29 Drive-In Theatre in Broadalbin opened their season this previous weekend with similar restrictions in place. Concession orders were filled out at a distance and collected with cash only for purchases.

The four movies featured this weekend at Malta include: Troll World Tour and Jumanji: The Next Level on the first screen as well as The Wretched and The Invisible Man on the second screen.

“Thinking on your feet is good, but thinking
when you’re not on your feet is even better.”  
~ Author Unknown

I don’t know anyone in the world who wanted to close their doors amid this horrific pandemic. It’s a terrifying thought – to lose connections in the face-to-face retail setting when doors are locked, and ‘closed’ signs are all around you. 

Customers are the lifeline of businesses here in town – the warm and welcoming faces when we enter a store to shop an item are tantamount to a great experience that brings us back again and again. 

This pandemic is relentless in upending our brick-and-mortar landscape, while state-mandated warnings of in-person interactions abound. 

And, as we all know, Saratoga is all about close, personal contact with visitors and residents alike. We love to get to know people – shake a hand, touch an arm, hug a stranger who’s quickly become a friend. 

Unfortunately, none of us knows when things will calm down and return to any sort of normalcy again.

Changing habits during this pandemic is hard – I, for one, love to walk into my favorite shops, pick up a book, taste a sample, try on a dress, handle a crystal, then pull out my wallet.    

On the next page you’ll learn about a few of my go-to local places. The various ways shopkeepers are keeping in touch with visitors and loyal customers are pretty creative. I’m impressed.

NORTHSHIRE BOOKSTORE 
Located on Broadway, is a favorite retail shop of many. The store has already started (or upped their game) with online virtual events featuring various authors. They also offer free shipping countrywide, as well as curbside pickup at their Vermont location.
northshire.com

SARATOGA TEA AND HONEY
This tea and honey shop just hit their five-year mark here in the Spa City. They celebrated with buy one-get one iced tea. Even though they’re not open to inside business right now, Saratoga Tea & Honey takes orders over the phone, with curbside pickup. They have an online event this weekend. 
saratogateaandhoney.com 

IMPRESSIONS OF SARATOGA
I love, love, love their unique idea of porch packages! A creative way to keep their business going – porch packages are delivered in reusable Saratoga totes, filled with locally made food products and Saratoga-specific items. Impressions of Saratoga offers pre-assembled packages with $25 or $50 price-points, or specialty packages you create yourself.
impressionssaratoga.com

SARATOGA PAINT & SIP
A wildly popular night out with a date, sister, children, or bunch of girlfriends, the shop in Saratoga has come up with a neat way to paint & sip during this time of uncertainty. Take’N Paint Kits include everything you need to create masterpieces at home. They’re paid for online and picked up curbside. 
paintandsipstudios.com

SARATOGA CANDY CO.
This locally owned candy store is a Saratoga favorite. They’re still selling fine chocolates online and offer free shipping. I love that the shop just featured a Candy Co. Car Hop for Mother’s Day, which was a huge hit. Let’s hope they can do this more often – who doesn’t need chocolate, especially now! 
saratogasweets.com

VIOLET’S OF SARATOGA
Whoever thought that social media marketing would be so helpful in times like these? Violet’s of Saratoga has taken advantage of Instagram and Facebook, promoting virtual sidewalk sales. The specialty shop lists items, and customers get in touch when they see something they’d like to buy, picking their purchase up curbside.   
violetsofsaratoga.com

TOGA HERITAGE
Another downtown creator of unique marketing ideas, Deborah has the most wonderful things happening – all the time! – not just during Social Distancing.  Check them out online for curbside or delivery. 
togaheritage.com

TUSHITA HEAVEN
One of my favorite shops on Broadway. What do you do when you have to close a shop like this, though? Thinking outside the box, Tushita Heaven hosts events like live shows on Facebook, Tuesday nights at 7 p.m., where they feature and sell various crystals.
tushitaheaven.com

SPOKEN SARATOGA
We all look forward to the Pammy Post (to know Pam is to love Pam!) We see the cutest items – and their sizes – and then she offers them at greatly reduced prices! It’s (almost) as fun as shopping the store (but we miss the hugs!) Check her out on Instagram and facebook for curbside or delivery.
spokensaratoga.com

LIFESTYLES OF SARATOGA, CAROLINE + MAIN AND UNION HALL.
Heidi is a force and her three shops downtown are destinations in themselves, (and her window displays are epic!) As of press time, she was prepping for a Virtual Sidewalk Sale… Check them out on facebook and Instagram!
lifestylesofsaratoga.com, carolineandmain.com, unionhallsupplyco.com

You might know these shops well. Or you might have your personal favorites to frequent. Today, this very minute, is the time local shops need us most – and we can help make certain brick-and-mortar stores are still in business when the Corona Virus is a distant nightmare by spending locally. 

Saratoga has always been about caring for the community where we live. We’ve always cheered on the underdogs, celebrated the victories, savored the rich history and culture of our city. 

When the time comes, and it will, for our commercial doors to open again, I think the emotion of 2020 is going to catch us off-guard. I’m voting for tears of joy – gratefulness in knowing there were ways we all jumped in to help flatten the curve and keep our town, our home, alive.     

Click Here: 
Thank You COVID-19 Essential Workers

HEALTHY EMPLOYEES ARE CRUCIAL TO YOUR BUSINESS. HERE ARE 10 WAYS TO HELP THEM STAY HEALTHY.

1. Actively encourage sick employees to stay home.
Develop policies that encourage sick employees to stay at home without fear of reprisals, and ensure employees are aware of these policies.

2. Have conversations with employees about their concerns.
Some employees may be at higher risk for severe illness, such as older adults and those with chronic medical conditions.

3. Develop other flexible policies for scheduling and telework
(if feasible) and create leave policies to allow employees to stay home to care for sick family members or care for children if schools and childcare close.

4.Talk with companies that provide your business with contract or temporary employees about their plans. 
Discuss the importance of sick employees staying home and encourage them todevelop non-punitive “emergency sick leave” policies.

5.Promote etiquette for coughing and sneezing and handwashing.
Provide tissues, no-touch trash cans, soap and water, and hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

6. Plan to implement practices to minimize face-to-face contact between employees if social distancing is recommended by your state or local health department. Actively encourage flexible work arrangements such as teleworking or staggered shifts.

7. Perform routine environmental cleaning.
Routinely clean and disinfect all frequently touched surfaces, such as workstations, countertops, handrails, and doorknobs. Discourage sharing of tools and equipment, if feasible.

8. Consider the need for travel and explore alternatives.
Check CDC’s Travelers’ Health for the latest guidance and recommendations. Consider using teleconferencing and video conferencing for meetings, when possible.

9. Provide education and training materials in an easy to understand format and in the appropriate language and literacy level for all employees, like fact sheets and posters.

10. If an employee becomes sick while at work, they should be separated from other employees, customers, and visitors and sent home immediately. Follow CDC guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting areas thesick employee visited.

SARATOGA SPRINGS — This unique hiking adventure challenges the community to partake in a hike, walk or jog with an unusual partner: a roll of toilet paper.

Local David Kelley designed the challenge around the time toilet paper couldn’t be found on shopping shelves. Trying to add humor to the sold-out toilet paper dilemma, Kelley created the toilet paper trio hike, challenging the community to partake in three different hikes with a roll of toilet paper. 

“Every time I went down that aisle, I couldn’t find toilet paper and it was what everyone was talking about. I think everyone needs a little bit of fun and a smile right now and when I went out and did it the first few times, I couldn’t stop laughing,” Kelley said. 

Kelley wanted the challenge to include any local trails, bike paths and nature preserves to discourage distance travelling. He also encourages hiking solo or with immediate household family members to stay socially distant.

“I thought it would be a fun way to get people out and get them staying within those two parameters. To also have some fun,” Kelley said. 

While encouraging social distancing, Kelley designed the challenge to mimic other known challenges, such as the Adirondack 46, fire tower challenge and the Saranac 6. Participants can sign up for the challenge and once completed, Kelley will add their name to the roster and they will receive a patch and a sticker. Registration is $20 and Kelley said 50 percent of the proceeds would be donated to NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund.

“I always wanted to find a way to help the workers on the front line. The challenged was a good way to combine everything,” Kelley said. 

So far, 20 people have completed the challenge. His Facebook group has over 75 members as of early this week, some of who went hiking this past weekend. Although photos are not required to complete the challenge, Kelley encourages them. 

“You’re not required to take photos of you and your toilet paper, but it is fun and the idea is to get a few smiles. The folks that are hiking have fun and so can the people you’re sharing the photos with,” Kelley said. 

Kelley’s feeling to give back started when he was 8-years-old. He would collect “change for the children in need” for Make a Difference Day to benefit the Saratoga Center for the Family. Ten years later, the effort grew to include a multitude of friends who collected over $10,000 for the Center for the Family. 

“It’s great to be back home connecting folks, having a little fun and doing something good for New York,” Kelley said. 

Above all, Kelley hopes participants in the challenge have fun and smile. To find out more about the challenge, visit their Facebook page. 

“Even though we are hiking by ourselves, we are all in this together. Share your photos and videos on social media with #ToiletPaperTrio and #HikeLocalHikeSolo,” Kelley said

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, NY-21, has been named to Leader Kevin McCarthy’s China Task Force, aimed at working on policies to hold China accountable for its coverup of the initial spread of COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, according to a statement issued by Stefanik’s office. Stefanik is one of 15 members of Congress on the Task Force. 

“The Communist Party of China intentionally withheld critical information on the spread of COVID-19 that could have saved thousands of lives,” said Stefanik, in a statement. “To this day, China continues to spread misinformation regarding this health crisis. The Communist Chinese Government must be held accountable. I appreciate Leader McCarthy naming me to the China Task Force and am looking forward to getting
to work.”