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Hudson Valley Word of Mouth: Anna Plattner and Justin Wexler of Wild Hudson Valley (Audio)

Aug 11, 2021
Produced by Julia Joern.

In the latest Hudson Valley Word of Mouth segment, Julia Joern visits with Anna Plattner and Justin Wexler, the couple behind Wild Hudson Valley. Located just a few miles from downtown Cairo, their 95-acre property features a diversity of forest, meadow, and wetland. Since 2016, Wild Hudson Valley's land has been a United Plant Savers-certified botanical sanctuary. Over the years, Plattner and  Wexler have planted nearly 200 species of native plants across their farm and sanctuary, and throughout the year, they offer guided nature walks and educational workshops where visitors can learn firsthand about traditional and innovative forest farming techniques, as well as ancient indigenous land use practices.

Additionally, they host a wide variety of other events and outings across the region, including daytime and twilight solar-powered boat tours on the Hudson River in partnership with the Hudson River Maritime Museum; star gazing nights that explore indigenous folklore related to astronomy, nocturnal birds, and fireflies; and talks about vanished fauna of the Catskill Mountains.

They also recently launched ‘Wild Harvest Box,’ a CSA-type of monthly subscription box containing a wide range of seasonal wild-harvested and forest-farmed ingredients, including mushrooms, vegetables, berries, and herbal teas, along with a bit of history, such as the highly-descriptive native Algonquian and scientific names for each box’s components.

Born and raised in the Hudson Valley, both Plattner and Wexler have spent a lifetime devoted to and studying the natural world. Together they have dedicated years to extensive education, research, and practice, and now share their knowledge with the public through Wild Hudson Valley.