STONE IS IN

What was once an inconvenience to farmers is now becoming the signature of landscape renovations throughout the Catskills. The reconstruction of traditional fieldstone walls are becoming increasingly popular throughout our area, not for the same reason on why they were originated, but for the traditional beauty that they add to the historic landscapes.

Field stones, once a nuisance, were picked from the farm fields and transported for fencing livestock, constructing foundations, retaining back soil or sometimes because that was the closest place to drop it. But what the farmers did not attend for was that these once conventional monuments would someday become the aesthetic signature of the Catskills.

Catskill field stone, of mostly bluestone origin, is rare throughout the world, a part of the reason why it so popular. The other reason is that it constructs well, it’s angular in shape and can be stacked in a way to form sturdy walls without the assistance of masonry cement.

But what is the attraction to these stone walls? The answer: they’re traditional. The lost art of mortar-free masonry has been forgotten with the advancements of more efficient building materials. Where there were once flagstone walkways, stone fences and stone veneer houses, there are now concrete sidewalks, plastic fences and imitation brick and cultured stone siding.

Renovated farm houses and country cottages in the Catskills are not following the contemporary lifestyles of today, but rather the traditional living of yesterday. The renovations are now extending beyond the homes and into the historic landscapes.

A renovated field stone wall brings back the tradition and quality that was once the backbone of our region. Falling stone walls, once outlining farm fields are now becoming rejuvenated through the same construction practices followed by our ancestors. No cement, no machinery, only some hand tools, hard work and an eye for greatness. Stones laid one by one, in a natural pattern, uncut and unmanufactured.

- Forest Darder
DARDER STONE WORKS