Escape from commercialism

Up Yonda Farm is down-home smart. On the very edge of Lake George’s glitter and bustle, this former farmstead perches on 73 hillside acres, just where Route 9N calms into a rural highway above Bolton Landing. A fetching name for an inspiring yet unassuming environmental education center, its laid-back tag belies its savvy mission, enlightening visitors about the ecology of these northern hills, “up yonda.”

On the late-winter afternoon I visited, there was a maple sugaring class open to all comers; Karin Badey, a seasoned naturalist from Luzerne, greeted me on the main house porch. “Ask me about anything; and feel free to explore the whole place,” was her welcome.

I wandered between the compact buildings, most of them remnants from earlier