The Elberon Ranch Attempted to hold true to a Purpous of Establishing a Haven / an Art Collony , Housing various types of Artists ; Suporting ALL the Arts along with being the Center to Well Being for ALL aspects of Life & Living Things , Harmoniously Collaborating Togeather as an Island in Society / a Utopian Like Hamlet , " Alien " to the Affulent COMMON LIFE in the Modern World bordering this Hidden Jungle of Funky & often Midevil Like Enchanment !
Located on A Rise in the Most Brautiful Part of Long Branch !This property took on a Variety of Transissions over the years of which I too became an Influential Colaborator .
I recall this Property around the early mid 1960s & when a few friends rented it who attended Monmouth College & Mr Langer raised Black Angus Cattle there at the time .
I vagely knew of James who was a local guy a bit younger than me . I realy formaly met him as we both were seperately colaborating in building a New Unisex Haircutting Studio , first establishing our creative comradery . 6 to 8 Months later I approached James at the Elberon Ranch for a place to Work on My Art Projects , when he cordially invited me in intrducing me to his lovely Lady & I vividly recall , we sipped some Homemade Raisin Wine listning to John Renbourns Midieval Music Music " the Lady & the Unicorn " as we spoke . He asked me if I wanted to live there also & having similar outlooks , interests & after having recently having had A Respectfull Artistic Colaboration , I thought Hea Why Not & when I saw this Hay Barn he oftered me , I was so excited I was soon back fixing it up & living in there . A few of the Gals there made these wonderful dinners & we often cooked at the BarB-Q Pit Area even in the Winter & ended with A Campfire often with Relaxing Live Acoustic Music sitting around on the Log Round Stumps I had set up there for the First Big Party . This Ole' Hay Barn was like a Dream Come True for ME - Rustic , Organic & Funky it was Nostalgic to ALL my Childhood Familiaritys with the Horses , the Gardning , the Woods , the Wildlife & even a Tree House that would come later . Also a vivid reminder of " The Old Mill " my First Art School / Gallery / Theatre ) in Tinton Falls owned by my mentor ; Geza de Vegh : Potter , Painter , Sculptor , 19th Century Fine Art Restorer & Theatrical Proprietor . Geza was a Very Refined , Dignified , Stylish Artist & A Vivid Charactor . Hekate ; James's all White Horse with Sky Blue Eyes & the Elberon Ranch Mascot , was my Neighbor in the Stall Next Door & it was Enchantment from the moment I Opened My Eyes that First Morning I woke up there ; as Hekate was looking at me through the window WE shared , on his end of my room ( kinda like Mr. Ed - hah ) . He was a horse with an astoundingly Unique Personality & Only James Communicated Well with Him . The Birds ( Grackles , Sparrows ) were 100 plus Chattering Outside my Studio early Every Morning , Feasting on the Grain ( sweet feed ) that spilled on the ground around the Hitching Post where the Horses were fed . Overlooking this Padock , Horse Corals & Fruit Trees was a Beautiful Sight . There soon Developed Dresage & Jumping Activities in the West Coral in front of my Studio for some of the Horses there . A Hands On Experiance was established for Small Groups of The Visually Impared / Blind & Handycapped was also a Weekly Event during the Fall Seasons when the Cool Air was so Invigorating ; Riding / Walking the Horses through the Trails in the Woods & than Grooming Them , back in the Padock Area . A Trotter & Pacer Equesterian Breeder Pionered Building the 1/3 mile Race Track he & his Horses Exercised on Daily for 3 years before returning back to Colorado . There were always a few Dogs around & up to a dozen Wild Cats to keep any mice at Bay , from spilt grain in & around the Barn Areas - James at one point was Bredding Black with White Socked Cats - he also had a pet Squirrel he found as an infant & later on had a Deaf Pure White Cat with one Bright Sky Blue Eye & one Lemon Yellow Eye ; I did a Painting of . At times there were also Chickens , Ducks , Goats & once a Tremendious Prize Winning Bull visiting from some Monmouth Park Show that was kept in the East Corall . On the Wild Side ; Racoons , Familys of Foxes , Blue Herons , Owls , Crows , Grackles , Doves , Finches , Cardinals , Bluebirds , Catbirds , Humming Birds , Whiporwills , even Baltimore Orioles nestsd in the large 60 foot Popular Tree directly over my studio , & MANY Rare Migrating Birds passed through as well , as whitnessed by Groups of the National Audibon Societys Bird Watcher Members , who came by Bi-Annualy for Decades recording these Migrations . Organic Gardning : One of the guys was a College Educated Horticultorist who Designed & Started All the Gardens from Seed every year , maintaining an Organic Compost , abundantly ready for use at all times . He also designed & built the Second Story Green House extending out from the once Library Window on to the Stable Area Roof on the Sunny Southern Side of the House . Over the Years We Grew - Many Varietys of Flowers & Vegtables such as ; Cucumbers , Acorn / Bell & Zuchini Squash , Pumpkins & Peas , Green / Wax / Lima / Pinto & String Beans , Green / Red / Yellow / Purple Sweet Peppers & 6 varietys of Rare Hot Peppers ! Garlic , Carrots , Horseradish , Turnups , Onions , Radishes , Assparagus , Kale , 2 Lettuces , Spinach , Rhubarb , Cantalope , Musk , Honeydue & Water Mellons & 2 acres of Potatoes for a couple years . Beefsteak Tomatoes in Abundance for decades in the late Summers ( taking them down to the North End of the property at the Lake or to town , in A Big Basket & Singing Accousticly on the Sidewalk as " the Flat Black Jug Band " - for some fun & sharing the Fruits of our Labors with the Locals ) then Pumpkins & Squash in the Fall also - One Year we sucessfully even had a 1/2 Acre of Peanuts ! The Herbs Gardens had Parcely , Basel , Tyme , Rosemary , Oregano , Lemon Grass & Mint . Grapes ( for the Homemade Wine ) , Strawberrys & Blueberrys were in the Yard South of the House with , Red & Black Rasberrys , Honeysuckle , Clover & an abundance of Bittersweet & Rosehips through out the property. A vast variety of Wild Flowers Grew Everywhere throught the property from a variety of Black Eyed Susan , 3 Colors of Day Lillys , Irus , Bells of Ireland & English Ivy . We also planted Acres of Grain : Alfalpha , Wheat & Rye inside the Race Track & Corn in various fields through out the Years with Red , Yellow & Green Apple Trees , Pear , Peach & Plum Fruit Trees around the House , we eventualy & Formally became A Tree Nursery/Farm in the North & South Fields & also grew some Black Pines in the Old Eastern Horse Coral when James also developed a Grove of Unusual Japanese Ornimental Trees that he had within a section of the Inner Race Track . As a HOMAGE to my friend Mike Aria ( just after he Died ) I planted just across from my studio , from the plants Mike originally gave his older brother who passed them on to me once they became to evasive . This Grove soon filled out Beautifuly to become a 45 ft. diameter / 30 ft. tall where I carved out A Tunnel like opening with a Relaxing Room inside - A 12 ft. diameter with 3 benches . At Dusk ; over a Thousand Small Birds would accumulate in the Upper Leaves -
Churping a Sunset Serenade Every Night -
Thanks MIKE
Those memories will always Remain Most Precious !
" THE ELBERON RANCH CASTLE " A Midevil Charm
This Structure was Usualy the Focus & Most Often the most memorable thing about the Elberon Ranch as this 3 Room Stone & Rock Structure was an Extremely Enchanting Setting on the Property & an Inspiration to ALL who encountered it . James would also Welcome & Charm the Newcommers here . It was the place to Start the Tour of the Property . Just behind the Castle was ; " The Isle Diablo " that was once an Island Located within the Large Pond ( that in the 1950s got filled in to avoid Mesquetos from breeding in the still water ) just behind the Castle there was a Tennessee Maple that in the Autum was a Striking Vivid Orange & shed its leaves under it like a thick Orange / Yellow Carpet . The Isle Diablo was Once a 20 Ft X 30 Ft Kidney Shaped Island behind the Castle in the Moated Pond that had a Bridge coming & going from it with a Variety of Rare & Unique Shrubbery on it . I'll post here The Black & White Post Card Version of IT . " The HOUSE " : There were Two Main Ground Level Rooms ito the House ; the one was always the Utility room / Tool Room /Root Cellar / Garage / Storage etc. , the other Room was first a Carpeted Yoga Studio & the Blackberry Booze Band also Rehearsed in there . It then evolved into A Dance Studio , than it was Acoustically Insulated & More Formally became the Music Studio , as it stayed that way for about 10 years when James took it over as his room in the mid 1980s untill his death . The second floor was originally 2 Appartments untill the Kitchen Wall was opened up . Making it One Large Home with a wonderful Library : on the South Side , that eventualy had a Greenhouse made extending out of it on to the Roof of the Southern Stable Area . THE STABLE AREAS : on The Northern Side ; This is where the Trotter & Pacer Horses along with there Racing Equiptment & Sulkys , Tack etc. was kept . on The Southern Side ; the Tack Room was on the East End then the Tool & Feed Room Room ,then 2 Horse Stalls , then Hekate's Stall , then The Hay Barn ; which became My Art Studio ; a 12 " X 25 " room with a Pitched 12" to 9" Roof . The NEW Stable & Barn at the West Coral ; This was a Structure that was Originally Built to house the Tractor & its Equiptment & 2 Horse Stalls alowing the Southern Barn to become less animal active as a Workshop & Storage Room . THE TREE HOUSE ; This New Structure was Built in an 80 year old Maple Tree overlooking the Bar-B-Q Area . THE SOUTH FIELD : This Area was always a Beautiful tall Grass Meadow with thousands of Black Eyed Susan Wild Flowers in June & Trees all around the Border . It also had an Old Cement Bridge Buttress as Ruins that the local teens used as a hangout that was 20 " Sq. & on the Track Side 35" tall as it was 100 ft. from the Park Ave. Bridge . Over the Years we Grew Alfalfa , Corn & Grains for Animal Feed in that Meadow . In the Autum the 50 to 100 Crows were often annoying as to the Loud Ruckus they made constantly at sunset where we later planted 2 acres of Xmass Trees as a Farm Crop . THE RACE TRACK was originally developed to Exercise & Work the Trotter & Pacers on Daily for a couple years . It was Rather Homespun & I helped devise a Rake to Groom it from the occasional washouts during the Spring Rains . It had One Sandy Corner but It Worked & we maintained it pretty well - I would also race my 1972 Yamaha 360 Enduro around on it . Almost Every bit of it was Cut through Dence Small Trees / Woods & thick Bitter Sweet & Honey Suckle Vines . It had a Peacefull Relaxing Inner Rolling Meddow of Red Clover & filled with Redish Gold Grasses , Wild Flowers & we let a Bee Keeper have about 15 Bee Hives from which we got our Annual Share of Honey . The dence small trees that lined it made for interesting Shaddy Nooks to hang out & Picknick in or Count the Stars with Ones Lady Friend . THE WOOD PILE ; was located just North of the Race Track . We usualy began Our Wood Chopping / Splitting , Stacking Parties on Weekends in September through Thanksgiving & Ending with a Festive Bonfire , Music & Bar-B-Q after a good days work with a Hand Full of our good Good Friends . THE CENTRAL VALLEY HOLLOW & ITS WOODS ; across from the woodpile , is where the Foxes Lived : That for years were merely an Odd Cry that was Very Mysterious coming from the South West Corner along the Rail Road Tracks in the Wooded Hollow that wiggled its way North twards the Old Pond . A nice place to see A Sunset & was where Leaves Trees ( Bobs Infamous Whymerheimer who fathered over 125 pups ) was Burried & eventually became the Goat Pen in the early 1990s . The North West Corner was home to 30' + Locust Trees - Used for ALL the Fence Posts through out the Farm . THE RUINS & THAT WOODED AREA ; were pretty much impenetrable & left to the wild Animals THE NORTH FIELDS ; This was the most Northern Meadow on the Property bordering South Lake Drive at the Western end of Tackenassee Lake . This is High & Flat Ground where on it used to be the Front Lawn & House of the Danial Guggenhiem Estate " FRENZIE " & the Glorious Gates & Driveway to the Estate were just 30 ft. from the Railroad Line by the Tressel that crossed the Stream that went Up to Monmouth University from Tackanassee Lake . This was an acre of Open Meadow with many 25' Crab Apple Trees bordering the High Grassy Field & an abundance of Hearty English Ivy & Lillys of the Valley across the Lakes Edge . Also in 1988 we Planted the field with Pine & Oak Trees that did NOT fare well there , as the Prevett Hedge & Crab Apples that grew Wild there did . The North Field was an Enticing Site to Strangers - As It was Very Difficult to Keep people from Entering because of the Trafic around the Lake . It was at the Extreme Distance from the House & the Dogs Awareness was blocked from the Dence Woods & Vines that filled the Old Ruins of the old " Frienzie Mansion & its Gardens " . This was also A Great Romantic Spot to be , esspecially on a Moon Lit Night as the Lake added to the Charming Ambiance with the White Swans & the many Migrating Birds that setteled in for the night there .
UTELIZING THE VARIOUS ARTISTIC TALLENTS AVALABLE
There Were about Nine Elberon Ranch Productions over a couple year period , 6 in Various Local Nightclubs and a few less formal events at home .
" THE FIRST ELBERON RANCH PRODUCTION "
on June 23 , 1975
WE Colaboratively Produced what " I " would classify as ;
These " Funky ( Little Rascals Like ) Variety Shows " with
" THE BLACKBERRY BOOZE BAND " http://www.theblackberryboozeband.blogspot.com/
as the Anchor , who then often took on the Stone Ponys Weekend Gigs & sometimes more often , over the Next Year there ! Having Dramatically Increased that Night Clubs Following & The Continiously Growing Group of Musical Artists " THEY " Attracted since performing in the Long Branch Clubs , by welcoming these Many New Musicans to JOIN IN WITH THEM for There Last Set - JAM SESSIONS as SPECIAL GUESTS , continuing there Popular Venue that THEY ESTABLISHED over the Previous Year on an even larger scale . NOW - WE ( the Elberon Ranch ) Originally Set Out to Present " A Single Show " that would have these Dance , Magic , Comedic & Musical Productions that would utilize the " VARIETY " of Various Artistic Tallents WE had available through the many Elberon Ranch Artists & Our Peers , Incorporating Many of Them Into " A Multipal Preforming Arts Presentation " to help raise some money to purchase a Tractor & add A More Ambissious Effort & Ability into Our Farming Productivety !
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By the Mid 1980s at the Intersection
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1/2 Way Out Looking to the Right ( North ) 1900s
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