KNOX—Building on the success of their farmers’ market, the Friends of the Helderbergs are working on a more ambitious plan to stimulate the Hilltown economy and support local business owners, craftspeople, and farmers.
The goal is to create a map and a series of signs directing visitors and Hilltowners to businesses and other local attractions, "places that are sort of hard to find and hard to get to," said Amy Pokorny, of Knox, who is heading up the project with her husband, Russ.

The Friends of the Helderbergs began holding their Hilltown Market at the Pokornys’ octagonal barn in Knox last year. The weekly event has been a success, Pokorny said, bringing in Hilltowners as well as customers from as far away as Schenectady and Troy.

At the market, Pokorny said, the Friends posted a map of the area, with labels representing the different vendors.
"The idea sort of evolved from that," she said.

Members of the Friends of the Helderbergs were aware of farm trails in different areas, so the concept was originally based on that. However, it changed very quickly.
"It became obvious that we couldn’t make a trail," Pokorny said. "It was just too complex."

A tentative map, handed out as an example at the last Knox Town Board meeting, lists 53 different sites. They range from farms to convenience stores to craft stands to parks to taverns.
"We had a hard time drawing the line between attractions that are businesses and attractions that are not," Pokorny said.

Right now, Pokorny said, the project is centered in Knox and Berne, but the Friends intend to expand it southward into Westerlo and Rensselaerville. It would allow a family to plan a whole day in the Hilltowns, she said.
"You could spend the day, having breakfast at one end of the region and end the day with a nice meal at the other end of the region, and maybe a performance at Conkling Hall or something," Pokorny said of the historic and recently restored Rensselaerville theater.
Besides the map, the other half of the project are bright yellow signs with black lettering. At the entrances to the Hilltowns, signs will be erected that read, "Discover the Helderberg Hilltowns," Pokorny said. Each participating business or farm will be given small, handmade, wooden signs with bold exclamation points. With or without the map, motorists will be able to spot Hilltown destinations by the signs, Pokorny said.
"It’s our hope that people will connect the colors of the signs," she said.

The town of Knox is already on board with the project. At the last town board meeting, Supervisor Michael Hammond directed the town’s planning board to work with the Friends on putting up signs on town highways. Meanwhile, Pokorny said, her group is in contact with the Berne, Albany County, and New York highways departments to get permission. Now that the farmers’ market season is winding down, she and her husband have more time to dedicate to the new project.
"We’re ready to get re-energized and back to the sign project," she said.

Business owners interested in participating may contact the Pokornys at 872-9131 or through the Knox Town Hall, Pokorny said.

In addition to bringing in new people to the Hilltowns, Pokorny said she hopes the project will help Hilltowners be more self-sufficient and create habits of staying on the Hill for shopping and recreation.
"I think it makes the Hilltowns a better place to live," she said.