TGIF!

Hello Central New Yorkers! I don't know what it's doing in your neck of the woods, but where I am the sun is shining! My goodness, 2 days in a row!! How can you not be happy when the sun is shining? It almost makes the snow and cold temperatures bearable. The funny thing about when the sun is shining in the middle of winter... you walk outside thinking it's 40 - 50 degrees, when in fact it's 20(ish). That was me yesterday. I was so excited to see the sun that off to work I went, wearing only a hoodie. Yikes. So then what do you do? Run back inside and put on more layers or be brave and run to the car? I decided to be brave and wear only the hoodie. Not that smart, but I survived. I'll be smarter today, I'll wear a hoodie AND a scarf. 


In case you were wondering (which I know you weren't) I was wearing my Georgetown Hoya sweatshirt. Fresh off a Wednesday night win versus Pitt- I had to! I know... a Syracuse girl rooting for Georgetown? I may get kicked out of Syracuse for saying such things! For the record I am all about Syracuse Orangemen, until it's basketball season and they are playing Georgetown. More on this Monday after my early birthday present from my Mom- SU vs Georgetown tickets! GREATEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER!


So on this glorious sunny day what am I doing with my time? Taking a walk? Catching up on household chores? Packing for the move I am making at the end of February? Nope. Here I sit catching up on an article that my mom called me about.  Of all the things I should be getting done today I am reading and blogging. Sorry Mom, I guess this means I am not blowing you off for laundry but for my computer. Oops.

When I was younger my family called me the "recycling queen." I'm pretty sure that I attempted to recycle everything. I was, and still am proud of the title. Imagine my excitement with all the talk about everything becoming or being "green." No more plastic water bottles for me, I feel like I have every reusable grocery bag known to man, I'm in the process of changing all my batteries to recycled batteries, I'm a vegetarian, I even found cat litter that's made purely of pine and I am a huge advocate for buying local products. The list goes on from there. I was ecstatic when my Mom called me on Monday to tell me about an article in the Post Standard (Syracuse's daily paper- if anyone reading this is not from here) that featured Red Tail Ridge Winery.


Red Tail Ridge is located on Seneca Lake. The winery is owned by Nancy Irelan and her husband, Michael Schnelle. Red Tail Ridge Winery has gone green! They are seeking certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The featured article was written by Don Cazentre, food and drink editor for The Post Standard.  Don also has his own featured blog called "Drinks Blog" on syracuse.com.  Very cool. 

When it comes to sustainability, I would by lying if I didn't tell you that some of the terminology is over my head.  What is easy enough to understand is Red Tail Ridge tries to purchase their goods and services within 500 miles of their winery - reducing their carbon footprint AND contributing to economic growth in Central New York, they also made the wine processing building with front wall consisting of almost nothing but windows. Nancy Irelan works in the natural light from the windows instead of turning the lights on. She is quoted in the article saying, “I can work all day without turning them on." "That lowers energy use.” 


The most stunning piece of information I read was that it cost less to buy 34 acres on Seneca Lake (with enough left over to start building) then it does to buy 3 acres in California. Not surprising that California is more expensive than Central New York, but wow 34 acres?! Red Tail Ridge was at the Pride of New York Harvest Festival this year. I did get to sample their wine and I thoroughly enjoyed it! I suggest anyone reading this blog to try their wine we need to keep businesses like this alive in Central New York!

Cheers!
~CNY Dessert Muse


PS as I finish writing this I just realized, this past weekend I bought "green" toilet paper. 100% recycled toilet paper. $3.99 for 12 rolls. Not as thick as some, but it is soft. I told ya, "recycling queen"!


For more information:


* Red Tail Ridge Winery's green efforts, click here.
* Don Cazentre's blog, click here.
* "A Greener Approach to Reds and Whites", original article, click here.




Photography credits:


* Cover art featured on Green CNY, a section of The Post Standard, published 1/19/2010 
* Nancy Irelan standing outside of the wine processing buiding 
photgrahed by Steven Cannerelli for The Post Standard
* Red Tail Ridge's vineyard 
photgraphed by David Lassman for The Post Standard